MonStar's Westside Journal - Page 3

MonStar · 10-Mar-04, 03:21 PM

jgriffith: I definitely think that you should go Westside man, it's such a great program, both for hypertrophy and for strength. I have absolutely no complaints about Westside. The principles behind it are sound, it's been tried and true again and again and again. Tate presses are basically just a variation of lying DB triceps extensions. Nothing really special, just good for triceps strength. I do them a little differently than the picture Karl attached. When I do them as I come up the DB's I keep them together, and at the top of each rep the sides of the DB's are touching.

Karl: Thanks for the link man, appreciate it.

:

S. Fever: Yeah I keep reading about Tate presses done on an incline bench, so I will have to give them a shot. Thanks for the post.

MonStar · 11-Mar-04, 06:43 PM

Thursday | 3-11-2004

Diet

Meal 1: apple
During Workout: 20 oz. Gatorade
Postworkout: whey protein
Meal 4: 2 beef & cheese soft tacos
Meal 5: MRP + 1% milk + banana
Meal 6: whole-wheat tuna & mayo sandwich
Meal 7: Balance Gold bar, skim milk
Meal 8: Frosted Flakes + skim milk, dinner rolls, ice-cream, 2 slices pepperoni pizza, lemonade, frosting

Estimated Calories: ~6,000?

Damnit, damnit, damnit!! I am starting to slip again with these damn binges, this cannot be happening right now, f*ck. I need to break this habit completely. BREAK IT. God f*cking damnit, all it is is a simple habit. I mean when it comes down to it, once I stop doing it regularly I don't even think about it. I just need to BREAK the habit.
Training | DE Bench

Speed Bench Presses:

155 x 3
155 x 3
155 x 3
155 x 3
155 x 3
155 x 3
185 x 2
185 x 2
205 x 1
225 x 1

Some pretty good sets here today of speed bench, really really need to focus on my damn bar speed. It wasn't THAT bad I guess, but it could have really used some serious work. Definitely going to focus on it more. My form was good, kept my elbows tucked underneath the bar, etc.

Flat Dumbbell Flyes:

55's x 10
55's x 10
55's x 10
55's x 10
55's x 10

Some really good sets here today of flyes, beat my pecs up hard. Good full ROM. Pec contractions were friggin' awesome. Chest was a little stiff from my ME day a few days ago but I just ignored it, lol. Chest was pumped as f*ck.

Seated Cambered-Bar French Presses:

95 x 10
95 x 10
95 x 8
95 x 8

Some good sets of French presses here today, hit my triceps hard with these 4 sets. Good sets, no complaints here today at all. Triceps were friggin' exhausted by the last few sets. Squeezed my triceps hard at the top of each rep.

Cable Pressdowns:

Stack x 8
Stack x 7.5

Dropset
Stack x 7
150 x 7
100 x 8

Damn, my triceps were F*CKED after these sets today, lol. Used the entire stack for the first 2 sets, and then hit a triple dropset. Dropset destroyed my triceps all the way, wow.

Alternating Dumbbell Front Raises:

35's x 8/8
35's x 8/8
35's x 8/8

Nice sets here today of front raises, definitely hit my front delts hard. My front delts were friggin' aching from my last ME day as well so this just finished off my front delts completely.

Nautilus Lateral Raises:

Dropset
180 x 8
150 x 8
120 x 8
90 x 8

Destroyed my side delts completely with this dropset. Extremely intense sets, really f*ckin' toasted my delts completely. Lactic acid buildup in my delts was very intense.

Seated Calf Raises:

180 x 20
180 x 20
270 x 12
270 x 12
180 x 35

Some really good sets today of seated calf raises, really hit my calves extremely hard. Lactic acid buildup in my calves was awesome. Really destroyed my calves completely.
Miscellaneous

Sleep: 8.5 hours
Pain/Soreness: Not too sore today. Front delts hurt, hamstrings are a little stiff.
Water: Okay today, could have been better.

atherjen · 11-Mar-04, 07:59 PM

Nice workout Mike!! sounds as though you had an awesome one by the way you were going on about everything!

thats what I like to hear!
weights are crazy, as everyworkout is! I dont think I need to say that everytime! lol

and try and get a lil more than an apple before training mister!

MonStar · 12-Mar-04, 09:53 AM

atherjen: Yeah it was a pretty good workout I guess. It's a friggin' shame that my diet wasn't good, godd*mnit. What the hell is the problem? I just do not need this binge crap in my life right now, AT ALL. I mean its the last thing that I need to worry about. I need to be as confident as possible, not as flabby and as insecure and depressed as possible. Yeah I know I need more preworkout food, just no time.

MonStar · 12-Mar-04, 12:25 PM

Friday | 3-12-2004

Diet

Meal 1: banana
During Workout: 20 oz. Gatorade
Postworkout: whey protein
Meal 4: whole-wheat turkey & cheese sandwich
Meal 5: 1/2 whole-wheat turkey & cheese sandwich, apple
Meal 6: beef stew
Meal 7: 1/2 whole-wheat peanut butter sandwich, skim milk
Meal 8: beef & cheese soft taco

Estimated Calories: ~3,000

Jeez, I feel so friggin' FAT AND FLABBY today because of my last 2 nights of binges. This is a simple habit, that I simply need to break. And I am going to take these things one day at a time.

NOTE: On both binge days I binged after midnight, so I am going to make sure to be asleep by then in the future. For some reason when I stay up real late I just get hungry, and want to pig out. Awful habit, for sure.
Training | ME Squat/Deadlift

Platform Deadlifts:

135 x 3
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 2
495 x 1!
515 x 1!
535 x Miss
525 x Miss

Damn, these were GREAT! Did platform deadlifts which I have not done in a long, long, long time. Really love them. I did these conventional, standing on a 4" Reebok box. So it was basically regular conventionals, with a 4" extended range of motion. This extra ROM is perfect because it helps my strength right off the floor, and really helps my lockout as well because I am moving the bar so much further. Hit 495 and 515, got SO CLOSE to 535, damnit. Came about 60% of the way up, these just could't lock it out, oh well.

Good Mornings:

225 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 4
255 x 3
265 x 1
275 x 1

Some damn good sets here today of good mornings. These beat my friggin' lower back into the ground. Worked all the way up to 275 for a single, which just barely came up. These really seem to hit my lower back more than my hamstrings or glutes or anything else. Great exercise.

Supported T-Bar Rows:

255 x 5
255 x 5
280 x 3
280 x 2
255 x 3
235 x 6

Some really good sets here today of chest-supported rows. These are plate-loaded, and it's a Paramount machine. Used either an underhand grip or a parallel-grip for these sets. Worked up to 280 for a triple, not too bad. Lats seemed to be exhausted from the deadlifts, don't ask me how.
Miscellaneous

Sleep: 7.5 hours
Pain/Soreness: Damn, I am hurtin' today! Chest is sore, front delts, triceps, everything is aching.
Water: So far, so good.

atherjen · 13-Mar-04, 07:56 AM

damn those are some CRAZY platform deads!!! way to go!!!

keep up all the hard work.
and as you said, its good that you realized when and perhaps wy the binges start, earlier to bed for you mister!!

just keep you head up hun, and things will improve!I know you can do it!

MonStar · 13-Mar-04, 08:27 PM

atherjen: Yeah, I was definitely happy with my strength on platform deads, no complaints there at all. The only complaint is that today my back has NEVER been this sore, like EVER. I mean from my spinal erectors all the way up to my neck, my back is friggin' killing me. I am going to put a lot more effort into stopping my binges. I know I say this all the time, but I just have to realize that I am the one who puts the food in my mouth, no one else. Thanks again for the support.

MonStar · 13-Mar-04, 08:33 PM

Saturday | 3-13-2004

Diet

Meal 1: whole-wheat toast + peanut butter, skim milk
Meal 2: Meso-Tech bar
Meal 3: 10" tuna & cheese sub
Meal 4: apple, skim milk
Meal 5: sweet & sour chicken, pork fried rice
Meal 6: mixed nuts

Estimated Calories: ~4,000

Damn, meal 5 was friggin' awesome! Ordered Chinese food here at work, breaded chicken with sweet and sour sauce, not the best thing, but friggin' great tasting!
Training | Rest
Miscellaneous

Sleep: 6.5 hours
Pain/Soreness: Wow, ACHING today! Hamstrings hurt, lower back, middle back, upper back, traps, neck, everything is hurting.
Water: Eh, okay I guess, could have been a little better.

MonStar · 14-Mar-04, 07:52 PM

Sunday | 3-14-2004

Diet

Meal 1: MRP + 1% milk + banana
Meal 2: whole-wheat turkey & cheese sandwich
Meal 3: granola bar, skim milk
Meal 4: whole-wheat peanut butter sandwich, apple
During Workout: 20 oz. Gatorade
Postworkout: whey protein
Meal 7: 2 grilled chicken & cheese soft tacos
Meal 8: skim milk

Estimated Calories: ~4,000
Training | ME Bench

Suspended Bench Presses:

135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 2
245 x 1
275 x 1
285 x 1
295 x Miss
295 x Miss
290 x Miss

NOTE: To those of you who do not know what this exercise is---it's basically just benching from the bottom position, starting with the bar touching your chest, and pushing it up.

Eh, some pretty good sets here today I think, I don't know. My strength was not as good as I would have liked, though. Whatever. My triceps and chest were still a little stiff, so no real complaints here today. Rotator cuffs were hurtin' too.

Close-Grip Bench Presses:

225 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 4
265 x 2
285 x 1
305 x Miss
300 x 1!

Pretty good sets here today I think. Hands were about 10-12" apart I think, not too too bad. Worked hard on my arch and my form. Really trying to keep my elbows tucked underneath the bar. With CG's I have a tendency to flare my elbows out like crazy. Couldn't lock out with 305. 300 came up though no problem, lockout was strong.

5" Lockouts:

275 x 6
315 x 6
365 x 5
405 x 3
455 x 1
475 x Miss
475 x Miss
465 x Miss

Eh, kind of dissapointed in my strength here today. Whatever. Even though this was only the last few inches of bench---I was still dying to move 500 lbs. Of course I hit 455 without much of a problem, but then couldn't budge 475 to save my friggin' life.
Miscellaneous

Sleep: 7.5 hours
Pain/Soreness: Pretty sore today, not TOO bad though. Triceps are still stiff from my damn DE session.
Water: Eh, okay today.

atherjen · 15-Mar-04, 06:57 PM

Hey Mike! things are looking great in here! and I wouldnt call yestarday a bad workout at all, even if you didnt hit some weights u wanted too, they are damned impressive nevertheless! 300 on close grip bench in insane!
Im slowllyy learning this westside stuff. .. on the suspended bench-do you have a spotter that helps to lower the weight down for you and then you press from there. or just lower it yourself and push?!

S. Fever · 15-Mar-04, 08:13 PM

jen, generally with a suspended bench press, you set the pins in a power rack as necessary and then position a free standing bench under the bar so that it meets your sternum where the bar normally would in a full ROM bench. You weasel under the bar, grab, and when you're ready you push upwards as hard as you can.

That said, and hoping it's understandable, a 285lb suspended bench is DAMNED impressive.