Oddsock's workout journal

[oddsock]

Hello,

I've decided to try and keep up a journal here, any suggestions are welcome!

I'm 26 years old, male, 6'4", and weighed about 225lbs the last time I checked. I don't have a scale in the house. I'm not concerned with my weight so much as gaining muscle at this point, particularly in my chest, shoulders and back. I'm pretty out of shape from several years of little exercise, very poor nutrition, and drinking/smoking.

I can't afford a gym, or much equipment, I've got one adjustable dumbell and a chinup bar. I'm doing a simple routine of basic exercises: sqats, situps, pushups, and bent over rows. I'm not able to do a full chinup yet, so I haven't been doing much with the bar.

My right elbow was causing me a lot of pain while doing pushups. As suggested by some folks on the board I switched to pushups with my knees down and that has helped a lot.

I started the routine about 3 weeks ago, and have kept a record of the last week or so. I intend to do 3 sets of each exercise, but am pretty burnt out after 2. I get kind of shaky for awhile after. This has been enough to make me sore for two days after each session so far, but I feel like I'm improving quickly.

- Oddsock

3/6/2007
squats 20 20
situps 25 20
pushups 18 16
bent over rows (20lb) 14 13

3/8/2007
squats 20 17
situps 25 20
pushups 20 18
bent over rows (20lb) 15 20

3/11/2007
squats 25 20
situps 25 20
pushups 20 15
bent over rows (20lb) 20 15

[gymgirl]

hi oddsock!

welcome to DF and glad you decided to start a journal here! many people will read and comment from time to time, and if you have any questions feel free to ask. you will get a lot of great advice and feedback!

[oddsock]

Well I think I'm improving. After my last update my right knee starting really bothering me, and my elbow again as well. So I took a week off, and then did a week with only two workouts. I'm feeling more able to complete them now, and am doing 3 sets. Still get pretty shaky when I'm done though.

3/22/2007
squats 20 20
situps 20 20
pushups 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15

3/24/2007
squats 20 20 20
situps 20 20 20
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15

3/29/2007
squats 20 20 20
situps 20 20 20
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15

[oddsock]

3/31/2007
squats 20 20 20
crunches 20 20 20
girly pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 15 15 15

4/3/2007
squats 20 20 20
crunches 20 20 20
girly pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 15 15

Workouts are looking good. Slowly add reps to sets and add sets to workout progressively and before you know you'll be working at a volume you never imagined possible.

Keep the pedal to the metal!

[oddsock]

I was having some issues with what I gather is tendonitis when I first started out which forced me to take a week off, so I decided to slow things down. I'm planning to stay at these weights and counts til the end of this week (two more exercise days) at least before considering moving up just to be safe.

I added the military presses last week and they seem to be very challenging for me. I get pain in what I guess is my rotator cuff occasionally (a few times a year for the last 10 years or so), and it seemed to really flare up my shoulder the next day. I was glad I started it on the day before my 2 rest days.

Overall I'm feeling pretty good about it! My posture has improved, and I can see and feel muscles in my chest when it used to be fat and ribs all the way up. :

[arbit]

Actually I would not recommend moving up weight now. Your tendons are not used to the exercise it seems.
Drop the reps (keep the weight same). If elbows are a soer point, then do no more than 10 pushups. Keep the reps/weights low for 3 weeks. Then slowly increase.

[oddsock]

here is today:

4/5/2007
squats 20 20 20
crunches 20 20 20
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 10 10 10

I dropped the military press reps to 10, it felt more reasonable. I decide to keep pushups at 15 because my elbows are dealing with it ok. I'm still doing them with my knees down for now.

After reading the nutrition forum a bit I decided to start eat breakfast before working out. Seems pretty obvious, but I don't usually eat breakfast so it hadn't occured to me. Had a fried egg (2 eggs) sandwich and milk. Definitely had an effect on my energy level. :

[oddsock]

4/7/2007
squats 20 20 20
bicycle crunches 20 20 20
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 10 10 10

Switched to bicycle crunches. Seems like I get more of a feeling of working my ab muscles doing them, vs regular crunches where I don't feel much and then my abs just stop working...

[oddsock]

4/10/2007
squats 20 20 20
bicycle crunches 30 30 30
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 10 10 10

[oddsock]

4/12/2007
squats 20 20 20
bicycle crunches 30 30 30
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 10 10 10

Going to do one more day of these numbers to finish the week, then start trying to advance. Apart from the crunches this feels fairly easy now.

[oddsock]

4/14/2007
squats 20 20 20
bicycle crunches 30 30 30
pushups 15 15 15
bent over rows (25lb) 15 15 15
military press (10lb) 10 10 10