I thought I would devote a session just to biceps and forearms.
EZ-Curl bar curls 50 lbs for 5 x 10
Dumbbell hammer curls 40 lbs 2 x 10, 45 lbs 3 x 10
Face pulls 60 lbs 3 x 10, 65 lbs 2 x 10
Cardio was split up.
Elliptical with the hills program for 30 minutes (burnt 450 calories)
Treadmill for a 10 minute walk at 3.7 mph
Just a nice easy one today. Now, I'm off to Walmart to get some supplies for the kids.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Friday, 19 August 2011
19 AUG 11 -- Back to Squatting
This was the first squat workout since Aug. 6th, so it was great to get back into some leg work again. I love squat workouts. It's such a simple, primitive exercise and there are so many benefits to be derived from it, that it's a wonder that the squat racks aren't the predominant exercise station in most gyms. A lot of people, however, make excuses for not doing them and by doing so, lose the opportunity to gain all those benefits. I always eat like a horse after squat day, and this gives me an excuse to pig out later, lol.
Training max is set at 510 lbs and it's 3 x 3 week.
Warm up sets
135 x 5
205 x 5
255 x 5
305 x 3
Working sets
410 x 3
435 x 3
460 x 3
The last set was hard and it was a struggle to make those 3 reps. I haven't taken a day off since the competition, and it showed on the last set. At least I got the requisite number of reps.
Assistance work was basic and to the point.
Squats 5 x 10 at 255 lbs or 50% of the training max.
Leg curls with 110 lbs for 15, 15, 12
It was a good workout and now I am looking forward to a couple of days off from the heavy stuff. I might do some cardio tomorrow, probably gym-bunny style on the elliptical or the treadmill.
Training max is set at 510 lbs and it's 3 x 3 week.
Warm up sets
135 x 5
205 x 5
255 x 5
305 x 3
Working sets
410 x 3
435 x 3
460 x 3
The last set was hard and it was a struggle to make those 3 reps. I haven't taken a day off since the competition, and it showed on the last set. At least I got the requisite number of reps.
Assistance work was basic and to the point.
Squats 5 x 10 at 255 lbs or 50% of the training max.
Leg curls with 110 lbs for 15, 15, 12
It was a good workout and now I am looking forward to a couple of days off from the heavy stuff. I might do some cardio tomorrow, probably gym-bunny style on the elliptical or the treadmill.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
18 AUG 11 -- Bench
Hit the bench today. I had to do some running around this morning and didn't get started on the workout till 11 a.m., which is a little past my normal time. Today is 3 x 3 bench, and the training max is 345 lbs.
Warm up sets
45 x 25
140 x 5
175 x 5
210 x 3
Working sets
275 x 3
295 x 3
310 x 6
Then I did some singles, staying submaximal.
320 x 1
325 x 1
330 x 1
On the last single, I was cooled down from chatting with my neighbor who also works out at the gym. He has a couple of police hiring interviews lined up, so he was filling me in on that. The bar went up alright, but if I had spent even another minute chatting, I may have found myself in trouble, lol.
Chin ups with the new belt were fun.
Bodyweight x 10
25 lbs x 4
35 x 4
45 x 3
50 x 3
I spent time working on weighted dips.
20 lbs x 10
25 x 10, 10, 10, 10 (on the last 3 sets, I did 3 x 5 bodyweight chin ups supersetted)
It was a good workout. I decided not to pursue the 5/3/1 format for chin ups, based on advice from some other guys, much stronger than me, who advocated just sticking with these as an assistance exercise. I'll follow that advice.
Warm up sets
45 x 25
140 x 5
175 x 5
210 x 3
Working sets
275 x 3
295 x 3
310 x 6
Then I did some singles, staying submaximal.
320 x 1
325 x 1
330 x 1
On the last single, I was cooled down from chatting with my neighbor who also works out at the gym. He has a couple of police hiring interviews lined up, so he was filling me in on that. The bar went up alright, but if I had spent even another minute chatting, I may have found myself in trouble, lol.
Chin ups with the new belt were fun.
Bodyweight x 10
25 lbs x 4
35 x 4
45 x 3
50 x 3
I spent time working on weighted dips.
20 lbs x 10
25 x 10, 10, 10, 10 (on the last 3 sets, I did 3 x 5 bodyweight chin ups supersetted)
It was a good workout. I decided not to pursue the 5/3/1 format for chin ups, based on advice from some other guys, much stronger than me, who advocated just sticking with these as an assistance exercise. I'll follow that advice.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
17 AUG 11 -- Just Flip It
At break today I had my friend use the loader to bring the 660 lbs tire over to the parking lot for some more tire flip practice:
8 consecutive, then 4, 3, 5, 3, 2 for a total of 25 flips. Nothing serious, just some extra much needed practice.
8 consecutive, then 4, 3, 5, 3, 2 for a total of 25 flips. Nothing serious, just some extra much needed practice.
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
16 AUG 11 -- Back to Dead Lifting
Hit the gym again this morning. I'm on 3-11, my favourite shift, and my best workouts are done in the morning hours after 9 a.m.
Dead lift training max is 520 lbs, and I am on the 3 x 3 week of the wave.
Warm up sets
210 x 5
260 x 5
310 x 3
Working sets
415 x 3
440 x 3
470 x 5
I could have done more reps, but having done so much heavy lifting during Saturday's competition, I didn't want to overtax my back this week. 5 reps is two over the requisite, and such a set keeps in line with Wendler's recommendation of holding some in the tank even when you know you can do more.
Assistance work was likewise light.
Barbell shrugs 235 lbs for 5 x 15
One arm dumbbell rows 105 lbs for 3 x 10 on each side.
I concluded the workout with some gym-bunny cardio, hitting the elliptical trainer for a fat-burning 20 minutes using the hills program.
And now, I am off to work, lol.
Dead lift training max is 520 lbs, and I am on the 3 x 3 week of the wave.
Warm up sets
210 x 5
260 x 5
310 x 3
Working sets
415 x 3
440 x 3
470 x 5
I could have done more reps, but having done so much heavy lifting during Saturday's competition, I didn't want to overtax my back this week. 5 reps is two over the requisite, and such a set keeps in line with Wendler's recommendation of holding some in the tank even when you know you can do more.
Assistance work was likewise light.
Barbell shrugs 235 lbs for 5 x 15
One arm dumbbell rows 105 lbs for 3 x 10 on each side.
I concluded the workout with some gym-bunny cardio, hitting the elliptical trainer for a fat-burning 20 minutes using the hills program.
And now, I am off to work, lol.
Monday, 15 August 2011
15 AUG 11 -- An Early Christmas Present
I was planning on going back to 3 x 3 for the overhead press, repeating the last workout I did for it. However, after doing the warm up sets and then the initial set of 3, I felt so stiff and sluggish, that I realized a deload would be better for the overhead press today. Here's the sets anyway:
45 x 25
95 x 5
120 x 5
145 x 5
190 x 2 (this is where I felt sluggish, so I stopped at 2 and concluded it would be a deload)
The owner of the gym had ordered a weight belt for me, made by Grizzly:
Grizzly Weight Belt
I've been wanting one of these so bad that it was like Christmas morning when I picked it up. So, although it's a deload for the overhead press, I still decided to experiment with the belt to see what I could do with it.
I started with chin ups.
Bodyweight x 10
10 lbs x 6
15 x 6
20 x 5
25 x 4
35 x 3
45 x 2
50 x 3
I concluded with another bodyweight set of 11 reps, culminating in 50 total.
Then I experimented with dips.
Bodyweight x 10
5 lbs x 10
10 x 10
20 x 10
25 x 10
35 x 8
45 x 10 culminating in 68 reps total.
I jumped onto the elliptical trainer and did 20 minutes on the fatburner program.
The weight belt is awesome. My strength will improve even more with this tool, and I am very glad to have gained this opportunity for advancement. I am thinking of using the 5/3/1 format for chin ups, so crunching with the one-rep max calculator based on my last set (I added two reps, due to being tired from the previous sets), I arrive at 58 lbs, or 60 rounded, for my training max number (and 90% of that is 54 lbs rounded out to 55 lbs for the working max to calculate the working percentages). Once a week, I'll be doing 5/3/1 chins. If the numbers don't work for me when I try it next time, I will recalculate based on what I get. In regards to dips, I will continue to use them as an assistance exercise after overhead press or on bench day, whichever works out, utilizing the 5 x 10 format with a weight that can be handled for that many sets. In one of his articles, Wendler revealed that 5/3/1 can be applied to exercises other than the basic four, including rows and curls, so I think I'm on the same page by going with this approach for chin ups. I noticed that my last set of 11 bodyweight chins today felt springy while performing them, so I am confident that my year-end goal of 20 bodyweight chin ups will be brought forward to the near future instead.
45 x 25
95 x 5
120 x 5
145 x 5
190 x 2 (this is where I felt sluggish, so I stopped at 2 and concluded it would be a deload)
The owner of the gym had ordered a weight belt for me, made by Grizzly:
Grizzly Weight Belt
I've been wanting one of these so bad that it was like Christmas morning when I picked it up. So, although it's a deload for the overhead press, I still decided to experiment with the belt to see what I could do with it.
I started with chin ups.
Bodyweight x 10
10 lbs x 6
15 x 6
20 x 5
25 x 4
35 x 3
45 x 2
50 x 3
I concluded with another bodyweight set of 11 reps, culminating in 50 total.
Then I experimented with dips.
Bodyweight x 10
5 lbs x 10
10 x 10
20 x 10
25 x 10
35 x 8
45 x 10 culminating in 68 reps total.
I jumped onto the elliptical trainer and did 20 minutes on the fatburner program.
The weight belt is awesome. My strength will improve even more with this tool, and I am very glad to have gained this opportunity for advancement. I am thinking of using the 5/3/1 format for chin ups, so crunching with the one-rep max calculator based on my last set (I added two reps, due to being tired from the previous sets), I arrive at 58 lbs, or 60 rounded, for my training max number (and 90% of that is 54 lbs rounded out to 55 lbs for the working max to calculate the working percentages). Once a week, I'll be doing 5/3/1 chins. If the numbers don't work for me when I try it next time, I will recalculate based on what I get. In regards to dips, I will continue to use them as an assistance exercise after overhead press or on bench day, whichever works out, utilizing the 5 x 10 format with a weight that can be handled for that many sets. In one of his articles, Wendler revealed that 5/3/1 can be applied to exercises other than the basic four, including rows and curls, so I think I'm on the same page by going with this approach for chin ups. I noticed that my last set of 11 bodyweight chins today felt springy while performing them, so I am confident that my year-end goal of 20 bodyweight chin ups will be brought forward to the near future instead.
14 AUG 11 -- Cardio/Conditioning
My lower back is sore! The events from yesterday left me with some battle wounds, lol.
Today's workout is supposed to be a fat burner. I've been doing events cardio, tire flips and sled pulls, plus rep-squatting, but I want to lose the gut I have accumulated with the extra muscle and strength which I've gained. I'll be putting more emphasis now on achieving that end through additional cardio sessions. Some of it will be gym-bunny style, but if it gets the gut out of the way, I'll be happy.
I started with bodyweight sit ups on the incline bench going 20, 20, 20 and then 15.
30 minutes on the elliptical trainer, using the hills workout program.
More sit ups, doing 15 and then 10 for a total of 100 reps.
20 minutes on the treadmill, doing 1.55 mile run/walk. The runs were just that, and I cranked up the speed so that I did several hard sprints with recovery walking in between.
I looked like a drowned rat when I was done, my shirt was soaked, and after hitting the shower, I headed home to spend the rest of the day with the gang at the house.
Today's workout is supposed to be a fat burner. I've been doing events cardio, tire flips and sled pulls, plus rep-squatting, but I want to lose the gut I have accumulated with the extra muscle and strength which I've gained. I'll be putting more emphasis now on achieving that end through additional cardio sessions. Some of it will be gym-bunny style, but if it gets the gut out of the way, I'll be happy.
I started with bodyweight sit ups on the incline bench going 20, 20, 20 and then 15.
30 minutes on the elliptical trainer, using the hills workout program.
More sit ups, doing 15 and then 10 for a total of 100 reps.
20 minutes on the treadmill, doing 1.55 mile run/walk. The runs were just that, and I cranked up the speed so that I did several hard sprints with recovery walking in between.
I looked like a drowned rat when I was done, my shirt was soaked, and after hitting the shower, I headed home to spend the rest of the day with the gang at the house.
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