Back at it again

Monday, September 14

Squat 10x45, 5x95, 3x135, 20x160
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 3x75, 10x80, 3, 3, 2, 2
Dumbbell Row 20x55 (ms)

Seated calf raise 10x100, 3, 3, 2, 2
Standing calf raise 10x205, 3, 3, 2, 2
Shrugs 10x205, 3, 3, 2, 2

30 minutes light cardio

I used 80 lbs for my bench press work set once again. I'm glad I did. The weight went up much more smoothly than last time. I'm ready to increase the weight next time.

It's getting hard to breath during my 20-rep squats. The weight is not all that heavy, but the breathing difficulty is a distraction.

I was done in 45 minutes, so I spent a half hour on the treadmill.
 
Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x115, 2x5x135
Deads  10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 5x155, 5x175
Bench   10x45, 5x55, 5x60, 5x65, 5x75
Row      20x30 (max-stim)
Chins    2x5xBW-60
Dips      2x5xBW-60

Well, it looks like I took a little bit more time off than I had intended... but I made it back into the gym today and was glad to be there.

I'm overweight and weak and out of shape, etc. I sort of fooled around doing sets of five. My personal circumstances may have changed enough that I hope to be able to keep up my training.
 
All the best to you TR and welcome back! Great to see you've started off with all the good stuff. I'm sure you'll soon be back up to speed.
 
Hey Tunnel, does BW-60 mean you drop the dumbell at the end of the set?
laugh.gif
 
"BW-60 mean you drop the dumbell at the end of the set? "

Don't I wish! Nah, I was using the wuss-assist chin-up machine. I figured there was no point in overdoing it my first day back. It didn't help -- I still have the DOMS from hell...

Lotsa snow today and tomorrow -- I might not make it back to the gym until Monday. Where's all that global warming when we need it?
 
For now, you could do the motel workout, since BW is enough for you to train with. Just don't let the wife catch ya dipping with the bar stools or benching the bed.
 
Sunday, February 7, 2010

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 3x5x135
Deads 5x135, 5x155, 3x5x185
Bench 10x45, 5x50, 5x60, 5x70, 3x5x80
Row 20x35 (max-stim)
Chins 4x5xBW-50
Dips 4x5xBW-50

The streets were clear today. I made it to the gym after the Sunday morning church meeting. I was able to progress each of the ween weights a little bit -- there is no hurry.
 
<div>
(BAX67 @ Feb. 09 2010,9:42)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It's really great to see you back at it again TR.  How's things in T-town?</div>
Yup, good to be back. T-town is oversnown today. We've got 4-5 inches of white stuff on the ground and plenty more still coming down tonight and tomorrow. I had to hurry to get to the gym today before they shut everything down.

Tuesday, February 9

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 5x155, 2x5x145
Deads 5x135, 5x155, 3x185, 1x205, 3x5x195
Bench 10x45, 5x55, 5x65, 5x75, 3x5x85
Row 20x40 (max-stim)
Chins 4x5xBW-40
Dips 4x5xBW-40

I'm kind of flailing around. I've been out of the gym for most of the past year, except for about six weeks in the summer. I have no idea what my RMs might be for any lift. So I'm starting light, using a Simplify &amp; Win sort of program, and adding a bit each workout. Mainly I'm just trying to get myself under the iron once more.

I've really been helped by HST and Max-Stim. With either method I've gained both strength and size. However, after these months of lazing about and not watching my diet, I find myself weak, and slow, and significantly overweight.

Some circumstances were beyond my control, but others weren't; I've got no one to blame but myself. And no one but myself to dig myself out of this hole I've eaten myself into.

Both HST and Max-Stim are designed primarily (okay - specifically) for hypertrophy, and that requires eating a lot. I'm in the position of needing to lose weight, rather than to gain it.

I don't know how big I can afford to try to get, given my small frame. At five foot, two inches, it would seem that 130 - 135 pounds might be my best weight. Heck, when I was in the military, I only weighed 125 lbs!

Thus I'm considering trying some sort of strength program.
Perhaps Wendler's 5-3-1. He's pretty strict about the major lifts (his way or the highway), but allows a lot of latitude on the assistance lifts.

I'm thinking that, once I can determine what my various maxes are, I'd try his program for the major lifts, but use the HST principle of progressing the weight each workout on the assistance lifts.

Sorry to meander so. Time will tell.
 
Thursday, February 11

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 3x185, 3x5x155
Deads 5x135, 3x185, 3x225, 3x5x205
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 5x85, 2x105, 3x5x85
Row 20x45 (max-stim)
Chins 4x5xBW-30
Dips 4x5xBW-30

Weights are still fairly light according to my history, but I've been away long enough that they're kicking my butt. The 2x105 was intended to be a triple, but it didn't happen. I was on an open bench, rather than in the power rack, so I just let the weights slide off the bar in order to recover myself (thank you, Mr. Rippetoe for teaching me that trick). I had planned to do my worksets with 95 lbs, but settled for 85 (and was glad that I did).

I've not been logging it, but I've been walking on a treadmill for an hour after each workout. I'm tired when I get home.

I'm considering breaking the exercises down into an A and B routine, as I'm finding that the weight is starting to sneak up on me.
 
Monday, February 15

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 3x195, 3x5x165, 5x10x85
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 5x75, 3x5x85, 10x65, 10x55, 3x10x45
Row 20x55 (max-stim)
Chins 4x5xBW-30
Dips 4x5xBW-30

I took an extra day off over the weekend. There was a lot going on, and I was beat, but mainly this puts me back on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.

I figured I'd switch to an A/B routine.

A routine: Squat, Bench, Row, Chin, Dip

B routine: Deadlift, Chin, Dip

I'm toying with Wendler's &quot;Boring but Big&quot; suggestion for assistance lifts. So after my work sets, I tried 5 sets of 10 for both Squats and Bench. I intend to do something similar for my deadlifts.

Anyhow, after all those squats and dips, I came home today with that comfortable &quot;beaten with a rubber mallet&quot; feeling.

My bench seems to be stuck at 85 lbs. This is the third workout that I've used 85 lbs for my work set. I suppose I should try to up the weight next time, but I have to confess I have to struggle with the last couple of reps on set number three.
 
Wednesday, February 17

Deads 10x95, 5x135, 3x185, 3x245, 3x5x215, 5x10x115
Chins 4x5xBW-25
Dips 4x5xBW-25

Today was a simple enough workout, but I still managed to get myself tired. The 115 lbs for five sets of ten was too light. I'll up the weight next time. Besides, I had to use the 35 lb wheels, so it was like lifting off a 4 inch block.
 
Monday, February 22 (George Washington's birthday)

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 3x205, 3x5x175, 5x10x100
Bench 5x50, 5x70, 3x5x90, 5x10x60
Row 20x55 (max-stim)
Chins 4x5xBW-25
Dips 4x5xBW-30

I also walked a treadmill for an hour at 3.2 miles per hour.

I was tired afterwards.
 
Wednesday, February 24

RDLs    10x45, 10x95
Deads  10x95, 5x135, 5x185, 5x225, 1x2x265, 1x265, 2x5x225, 5x10x135
Chins   4x5xBW-20
Dips     4x5xBW-25

One hour walking at 3.2 miles per hour

Okay, the 265 lb double was supposed to be a triple, but the bar wasn't buying it. It went up slow twice, but the third time I only got it up far enough to rattle the plates. I figured the bar owed me another one, so I walked a few laps around the gym and came back five minutes later, and made the lift.

I kind of split up my work set of 3x5x225. I used the first set as a part of my warmup, then tried the 265 lb triple  
blush.gif
 then did the remaining two sets of five. It wasn't a good idea.

After the work sets, I did some play sets -- five sets of ten with a light weight -- following Wendler's idea of Big and Boring.
 
Friday, February 26

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 3x185, 3x215, 3x5x185, 5x10x105
Bench  5x50, 5x70, 3x5x95, 5x10x60
Lying DumbbellRow    20x60 (max-stim)*
Chins   4x5xBW-20
Dips     4x5xBW-20

I also walked a treadmill for an hour at 3.2 miles per hour.

Over the weekend I'm gonna hafta decide whether to continue on to go for a 225 lb Squat triple and a 275 lb Deadlift triple, or to take a download week. I thought the 215 squat came up fairly easily, but I missed the 265 lb deadlift triple on Wednesday. I've only been back at this for four weeks, but I feel tired already and a download week at about 60% might do a body good.

*Edited to add: by the way, all the rows I've reported so far have been Lying Dumbbell Rows.
 
Taking a step back is likely a very good idea, TR. Fatigue after 4 weeks is a pretty clear sign that you need a break. Very smart thought!
 
<div>
(_tim @ Mar. 01 2010,9:29)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Taking a step back is likely a very good idea, TR.  Fatigue after 4 weeks is a pretty clear sign that you need a break.  Very smart thought!</div>
It would have been smarter to take a break, but I had a relaxing weekend and a couple good nights of sleep, so I decided to keep going. I probably shouldn't have.

I did back off on my heavy triple. Rather than the 275 lb I had scheduled (10 lb more than the 265 triple I missed last week), I decided to go with 10 lb less, at 255 lbs.

Monday, March 1

RDLs    10x45, 10x95
Deads   5x135, 3x185, 3x225, 3x255, 3x5x235, 5x10x135
Chins   4x5xBW-15
Dips     4x5xBW-15

Despite how good I felt going in, the weights were heavy to me. Even the 225 lb warm-up was heavy. I managed a triple with 255 lbs, but I had to switch to a mixed grip for the third rep.

The work sets were pretty much that way, as well. I would start with an overhand grip, but at about rep four or five I had to switch to a mixed grip. I was surprised how tired I felt.

I guess I'm having a hard time reconciling what I was able to do just a year ago with what I am able to do today. Dirty Harry tells us that a man's gotta know his limitations. I'm still learning mine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top