Tommy D's Westside Story

[TommyD]

7/13/04 Happy Birthday Mom

ME Bench

Suspended Rack Press

135x3
155x3
165x3
175x1
185xMiss!

First time doing these, I had some struggling reps, especially the 3rd rep on the 165. I think next time around with better conditions (which I'll explain further down) I'll be able to hit 185+.

Edit: Just for the record, the rack is about 2" off my chest.

Skull Crushers

90lbs
2x3

I wasn't getting all the way down to my head but I wanted to go heavier on these tonight. They were a struggle, but in the end I was glad I got some heavy reps done for my triceps. It actually called for a JM Press but I always get confused when I do those (they just remind me of a close-grip bench and I can't find a good animation on the web...). :confused:

Dumbbell Incline Bench

100 (two 50's)
2x10

Easy, just needed to hurry and get out of the gym. I did my sets too close together and worked up some lactic acid so I had a pretty good burn plus some sh*tty fatigue. Oh well, I'm done now!

Cardio

Broke a radiator hose in my car so I ran a mile and a quarter to the gym. Whew, it's been a while. I think I ran it in something like 7:00-7:30 min... still got it!

Notes

I wasn't able to do Dumbbell Cleans, and Straight Leg Raises tonight, but I did do some ab work last night, 50 crunches, 20 oblique crunches. I'm starting to get my lifting routine back on track. I'll throw 4 sets of dumbbell cleans in on my DE Squat day. I'm also changing Deadlifts for ME Squat to Low Box Squats and doing partial deadlifts for one of my supplementary exercises after my ME lift.

I also start my new job tomorrow working for the parks dept. in Cedar Rapids (big city in Iowa). Hours are 2:30 to 10:30 but it's an hour trip to and fro Cedar Rapids so it's more like 1:30-11:30. It's 5 days a week so I figure I'll lift Monday and Tuesday night (days off), and maybe Wed, Thurs, Fri morning. I also get unemployment when I'm done w/ this job b/c it's seasonal.

[DaRkAnGel]

Tom ... this isn't really anything big by anymeans but i was just wondering if you are rotating percents for speed movements? The rotation accepted by westside i believe is 50%,55%,and 60% of 1rm.

Another small thing, i forgot in what article but it is most generally accepted that doing 3 reps for speed bench is the most effective way to go, and 2 for squat. Just some small things, great workouts though.

[TommyD]

Hey D.A., I've been raising my bench, not by exact %'s, but little by little. I missed my DE Bench last week so that kind of put a wrench in the gears, but I'm going to be back on track this week and hopefully getting my %'s more exact.

As far as the speed bench goes, I'm hoping that once I get more mastered at the movement itself, I'll be able to go up to 3 reps. I just felt that I was kind of losing control on my 3rd rep and my form was sloppy so I went down to 2 reps until I started feeling comfortable. We'll see what this week brings around and if the 2 reps can be brought up to 3. I think I'll be at 50% of my 1 RM this week so I'll try to master my speed.

Thanks man! I'll have to whip out the pocket calculator my gym has to make sure I'm right on for those %'s! :

[DaRkAnGel]

Haha yea. Bring that calculator that way the girls think you're smart too.

I was just nitpicking though the workouts really looked fine. I was kind of wondering why ur rack lockout is lower than your normal bench? I can get around 110% of my bench with rack lockouts.

[TommyD]

That's my bad, it was a 2" suspended rack press. I slid under the rack with the bar 2" off my chest in hopes this would help build explosiveness off the bottom of my chest. I editted my workout to explain that. Pushing the weight off my chest made it a bit more difficult, when I do higher rackouts I can usually do about 115-120% my max.

Hope that clarifies it a bit.

[DaRkAnGel]

Originally Posted by Tom_Drahos

That's my bad, it was a 2" suspended rack press. I slid under the rack with the bar 2" off my chest in hopes this would help build explosiveness off the bottom of my chest. I editted my workout to explain that. Pushing the weight off my chest made it a bit more difficult, when I do higher rackouts I can usually do about 115-120% my max.

Hope that clarifies it a bit.

Sure does haha.

[TommyD]

Making up for a few workouts I haven't posted...

7/15/04

DE Squat

Speed Box Squat

165lbs
10x2

Hypers

110lbs
3x8

Chest Supported Rows

115lbs
2x8

Pull-Down-Abs

65lbs
2x10

Notes
Today was the beginning of the cold I have. Felt like sh*t the entire time, that's why there are some low weights and low sets. Groooooooan

[TommyD]

7/19/04

DE Bench

Speed Bench

125lbs
10x3

My speed got better and better as the sets progressed. I moved up to 3 reps and I feel like I'm really getting the bar under control. I didn't vary my grips, I just kept it normal since I would be doing close-grip later.

Close-Grip Bench

155lbs
1x2
145lbs
2x3

Didn't realize how fatigued I was until I tried the first set out. Whew! Barely got the second rep up. The last two sets weren't too bad, felt like I got some good weight up. Grip was approx. 6".

Skull Crushers

70lbs
3x10

When I was doing 6x10 with skull crushers w/ 70lbs, I was having trouble. With these three sets I felt a lot stronger. Good stuff!

"9's"

3 Sets @ 70lbs

Decided to do some 21's, except with less reps, thus the "9's". Three reps halfway up, then one rep to get to the top of the ROM, then three reps halfway down, then three full reps. So in reality I had 10 total reps if you count the rep that got the weight to the top of the ROM. Okay, I've confused myself now... :confused:

Notes

I was in a hurry to get out, and since this days workout only called for 4 exercises, I felt I could get it in. This workout should have been on friday, but instead on is on Monday. I missed DE Bench the week before so I thought I really needed to get this workout in. I'll wait until probably Thurs or Fri to do ME Bench. Btw, it called for "Front Plate Raises"... any ideas what that is? Sounds like a shoulder exercises like DB Front Raises but I wasn't sure.

[TommyD]

7/20/04

ME Squat

Low Box Squat

135x3
155x3
165x3
175x3
185x3
195x1
205x1

I have neeeeeever broke parallel with my squat so this was the first time doing this. Felt a lot different, but a good workout nonetheless. By the time I got to the 205, I was getting worn out and my form was getting sloppy so I just called it quits there. I'm sure I can do more than that, but that was good for my 1st Low Box Squat day!

Partial Trapbar Deadlifts

Approx. 210lbs (Bar Weight + 180lbs)
2x10

I didn't care for these. I was supposed to do 20 reps, but my lower back was hurting so I just thought screw it. It was raised approx. 6".

Hypers

120lbs
3x8 (PR)

I keep going up in weight for these. I'm actually feeling like my lower back is getting a workout now too! I think that I'm just not sure where I'm at strength-wise for my lower back so I'm cautiously creeping further and further up. I held 60lbs DB's in each hand for these.

Weighted Sit-Ups

45lbs
2x10

Someone was using the pulley machine so I did weighted sit-ups instead of pull-down-abs. These always seem to give me a good workout so I didn't see it as too much of a loss. I was also going to do pull-throughs, but the pulley machine was still in use.

Notes

Getting over (hopefully) a sucky cold, so I'm not at 100%. Who gets a cold in the middle of summer anyways?? Anyhoo, I haven't taken protein for a couple of months now, and I haven't regularly taken creatine for a little while. This new job consumes my time from 1:30 to 11:00 PM Wed-Sun, so I'm finding supplement time and workout time hard to come by. I just need to stay focused on my goals and I'll be able to overcome this sh*tty schedule! :

[Klinger]

Originally Posted by Tom_Drahos

Btw, it called for "Front Plate Raises"... any ideas what that is? Sounds like a shoulder exercises like DB Front Raises but I wasn't sure.

Tom - I've done these and as far as I know all it involves is holding a large plate in both hands and raising it in front of you the way you would with DBs.

I do them w/a 35# plate, raising it until I can look through the plate hole, then lowering it. Don't rest the plate on your thighs 'cause it takes the tension out of the movement.

[TommyD]

7/26/04

ME Bench/DE Squat

Once again combining workouts...

Suspended Rack Presses (approx. 2")

135x3
145x3
155x3
165x1
175x1
185xM
180xM

I think I'm just getting so worn out from those other sets that I can't hit the 180/185... eh.

Speed Box Squat

160lbs
10x2

Good speed, nailed the cahones once though... ouch!

Skull Crushers

70lbs
2x10

Joints really are hurting so I couldn't get all the sets I wanted.

Hyperextensions

130lbs
2x8 (PR)

My lower back is really starting to get a good workout from these. Held two 65# DB's in each hand. The most weight I've done with hypers to date.

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows

130lbs (two 65# DB's)
2x10

Easily done, more weight next time.

Notes

I really had no drive or intensity in this workout. I felt that I had some good sets, but not enough sets or exercises that I would have liked to have. I have very little time these days so I'm trying to cram my workouts into 2-3 days. Not working very well.

[TommyD]

7/28/04

ME Squat

Low Box Squat

135x3
155x3
175x3
195x3
205xM

Going past parallel is a bit scary, kinda feels like you're falling after you've never gone past 90 degrees your entire life. Anyway, last week I hit 195x1 and 205x1, but this week I went to 3 reps with 195 but couldn't hit 205. I'm thinkin if I went with 1 rep @ 195 I could hit 1 rep @ 210. I wonder how my normal squat is now that I've started doing these...

Pull Thru's

110lbs
3x10 (PR)

This is quite a bit more weight than last time. I had to put something behind my feet so I wouldn't fall backwards. Blaaaasted my legs especially after the LB Squats.

BB Wrist Curls

85lbs
2x7

Needed some forearm work so I threw these in. Good workout from them, I supersetted Pull Thru's and BB Wrist Curls so I wasn't at 100% energy level when I was doing them but I doubt that would have mattered.

CCC (Crazy Core Complex)

Right Side Crunch x20
Left Side Crunch x20
Ab Crunch x20
Rt. Knee Crunch x20
Lt. Knee Crunch x20
Butterfly Crunch x20
Bicycle Crunches x40
V-Ups x20
Superman's x20
1 Min Leg Raise

Basically this is just a bunch of exercises done in rapid succession to build your core. The 1st two exercises are for obliques, the next 6 are for abs, and the Superman's are for the lower back. I figured this would fit in perfect for Westside since it beats up on your core the entire time.

Notes

I finally got up early for my workout. Took less than an hour. I was kinda peeved to have missed 205 on low box squats b/c I know I can get it. Oh well, there's always next week. I did a lot of the exercises that Dave Tate called for on Monday (which was a make-up day) so I figured I'd switch things around. As usual, I got the ME exercise in, an ab exercise in, a lower back exercise in, and a supplementary exercise in so I'm happy to be on key.

[TommyD]

7/30/04

DE Bench

Speed Bench

125
10x2

Speed wasn't the greatest, kept nailing my chest on the way down. Little bit rusty these days...

Military Press

115
3x4

Hadn't done a good shoulder workout in quite some time so I figured I'd throw some heavy sets in. I must have been not sitting quite straight up because my back hurts a bit now.

Close-Grip Bench

145
2x3

I really struggled on these sets, probably because I had two intensive tricep exercises before I did these. But I got them done and that's what counts.

Tricep Pushdowns

55lbs (the machine without weight is approx. 10-15lbs so I was actually pushing about 65-70lbs down).
2x5

Preacher Curls

60lbs
6, 5

The second set I had a weird grip and once I adjusted it I was tired from the static hold I'd been doing in order to change my grip.

Alternating Dumbbell Curls

45# DB's
2x5

Needed to get some quick bicep work in so I threw these in. Good workout from them, nice quick sets.

Notes
I felt like I was back in the groove of things with this workout. Got a lot of exercises in and I'm feeling pretty strong. I'm getting worried, though, that once I hit the end of the 8 weeks that my bench won't have gone up at all. I'm guessing my squat should be up, and I don't know about deadlifts. Need to keep working hard if I want those results...

[Andrea]

Where ya at Tom? How are things?

[TommyD]

Originally Posted by Andrea

Where ya at Tom? How are things?

Oh I'm around here somewhere... been keepin really busy with work. Leaving for work at 1:30 and getting back at 11:00 keeps me pretty out of the loop. Other than that I'm not doin too bad.

8/2/04

DE Squat/ME Bench

Speed Box Squat

165 - 54% of 1 RM (I think)
10x2

My rest periods were a little long but I got the sets in nonetheless.

12" Rack Press

165x3
185x3
195x3
205x3
215x3
225x1
235x1
240xM

I was pretty worn out when I got to the 240. I'm pretty sure I can get up to 245-250, I just can't have all the other sets in front of them to get there. Good sets though.

Front-Side-Rear Delt Combo Raise

Front - 35# DB 2x10
Side - 25# DB 2x10
Rear - 35# DB 2x10

First time doing these. It was pretty much a superset of all them with relatively no time between exercises. I can use more weight for all the exercises but I took it easy because they were supersetted. Fun time though.

Core Complex
Right Side Crunch x20
Left Side Crunch x20
Ab Crunch x20
Rt. Knee Crunch x20
Lt. Knee Crunch x20
Butterfly Crunch x20
Bicycle Crunches x40
V-Ups x20
Superman's x20

Basically it's just 60 reps on obliques (counting bicycle), 140 reps on abs, and 20 reps for lowerback all in extremely rapid succesion... feel the burn!

Notes
Since I did two of my workouts together today, I'll be adding some of the supplementary workouts tomorrow along with just ME Squat instead of combining another two. I really liked the 12" Rack Press, I felt that I moved some good weight with it. Once again my traps are sore from Front DB Raises, I'll have to watch my form. Oddly enough my lats were sore from doing Military Press last week. Gotta watch my form on that too...