The Road to 10%

Colby -

And idea for your swiss ball quandry - why not do single-arm presses with dumbbells? I can't remember reading whether or not you wanted to use a barbell or not, but try a couple sets of heavier, single-arm DB presses on the ball and I think you'll like what you feel. Even if you don't have heavy DB's, take the heaviest weight you have and go until you're nearing failure. That way, you can set your rep count accordingly for the cycle if you choose to continue doing them, and it'd be a decent stop-gap for you.

Just a thought.

On the front squat wrist pain - good luck. I suffer the same thing, and no matter what I do, I still have the wrist pain. Lol told me once that it was likely due to wrist flexibility, so that may be a thought for you too.

Good luck with everything.
 
Exams are over (at least until next May), so back to my life...

November 6th, 2007 - HST/SST WO
Clean Jumps: 95 - 5, 110 - 5 (2 sets)
Deadlift: 135 - WU, 185 - 5, 205 - 5, 275 - 5
Push Press: PR: 35's - 10

*I had my fiance watch my form on the deads. My back would bend more for the heavier weights of course, but I have been improving. One week at a time, and my form will improve. If my hamstrings are sore tomorrow, I know I did at least something right.
 
Some analysis first...

1) First, it is great to be back to a full time workout. More calories burned = optimal cut
2) Fish oil is working, I may up the dosage soon
3) DL form is coming along strong, the 275 lbs went up fairly easy, but form wasn't the best - I will perfect this over the next month
4) Front Squats are being replaced by Jefferson Squats
5) I am adding steel beam chins and another exercise to my workout
6) Warmup routine is being expanded and restructured
7) I have eliminated chest workouts until next week. Specialized SD for my chest should hopefully work out, I think a ligament in left pec is strained.
8) Clean Jumps work much better with DB's

November 7th, 2007 - SST/HST WO
Clean Jumps: 55's - 5 (4 sets)
Push Press: 35's - 5 (3 sets)
One-Arm Bent Over Row: PR: 70 - 10 (2 sets)
Steal Beam Chins: 1 rep?
Standing Calf Raises: 135 - 10 (3 sets)
 
November 8th, 2007 - SST WO
Pilates Warmup: The 100, Leg Raises, and Frog Presses :)
Jefferson Squat: 45 - WU, 115 - 5 (4 sets), 165 - 5 (2 sets)
Clean Jumps: 55's - 5 (3 sets)
RCCP's: 25 - 15, 35 - 10, 45 - 5
 
I think if your form suffered on the 275, you should stay at 275 or go less until the form is right. I'm doing the same thing just a little heavier, even tho I can lift more. And I'm talkin' about 8 rep sets with form, not one rep. I started suffering at the end of the sets.
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Nov. 09 2007,06:34)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I think if your form suffered on the 275, you should stay at 275 or go less until the form is right. I'm doing the same thing just a little heavier, even tho I can lift more. And I'm talkin' about 8 rep sets with form, not one rep. I started suffering at the end of the sets.</div>
I'm going to do exactly that. I have all the time in the world to make strength gains. Thanks for chiming in quad!

November 10th, 2007 - HST WO
One Arm Bent-Over Rows: 60 - 5 (3 sets)
Push Press: 37.5's - 5 (3 sets)
Standing Calf Raise: 140 - 5 (3 sets)

Quick Friday night workout to keep myself from falling asleep after a long day. I can do much more weight on the SCR's, but I am having trouble finding a support of balance for my feet. I have been trying flat footed on the floor as well as on the edge of two 45 lb plates. However, soon I will have to use those plates for the raises!
 
Bricks have a great grip: if you could anchor down some with &quot;liquid Nails&quot; to a board you'd have a great step, if you wanted it higher, same thing.
My Bodysolid lever machine has a pipe bolted to it you stand on that has grip tape glued to it. Easy enough to bolt a 3&quot; piece of pipe to a board and put tape on it. They sell it for putting on steps so you don't slip down stairs.
 
Thanks for the tip Quad...

11/12/07 - HST WO
<span style='color:blue'>Pilates Warmup</span>
<span style='color:red'>One Arm Bent-Over Row: 75 - 5 (4 sets), 45 - 15
Bench Press: WU - 15, 135 - 5, 180 - 5 (2 sets), 135 - 10
Push Press: 40's - 5 (4 sets), 17.5's - 15
Standing Calf Raise: 155 - 5 (3 sets)</span>

Fives are gearing up, so it's time for the metabolic sets.
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Specialized SD for my chest is over, and that bench press sure felt great! I haven't lifted that much in the past two and a half months, so my outer pecs were pretty tight right after those two sets of 180's!
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11/15/07 - Deadlift Day
<span style='color:blue'>Pilates Warmup</span>
<span style='color:red'>Deadlift: 155 - 10, 205 - 5 (3 sets), 225 - 5 (4 sets), 275 - 3</span>

My form seemed fine at times, and bad at other times. It is very mental. I have been so used to the Romanian style, and working on form on heavier weight is tough. I listened to Quad and focused on lighter (yet still heavy ~ 200+ lbs) weights. I am thinking of doing one of two things:

1) One week work on form, next week hit the PR, next week fix up the form again, etc...

OR

2) Push for heavier weights each week

not sure??
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Personally, I stay heavy as I can with form. Once my form is good at a given weight, I move up. If not, I stay put.
Lately I've added in another trick. Since I'm still doing squats and deads thru this whole cycle, I'm doing heavy squats and light deads one workout, then reversing the exersizes the next one. That way, each gets the form worked on every other workout, and moves up every other from that. So far it seems to be going well, except that I'm not moving up real fast, but I'm not trying to either. Well, the deads are progressing much faster than the problematic squats, but that could change.
Example of this week:
11/11
Squats 295x5 295x4
Deads 225 wu 295x5 325x7 325x7
11/13
Upper body
11/15
Squats 225 wu 275x3 295x6 295 x5 x1 x1 x1 x2
Deads 295x5 295x5
So you see I'm progressing slowly, but each exersize has a little zigzag thing going on, heavy/light.
The MS singles at the end of a set I've just started trying...until someone talks me out of them. Really blows out the muscle tho.
 
I'm not usually either, but just walking around with a clipboard for six hours a day has turned me into superman!  
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I think my personally dubbed HST-Strength Balance routine would work much better if I could actually get the workouts in. After Thanksgiving, I'll finish up the cycle with a bang!
 
Colby, if you are interested, I challenge you to a small competition to be determined by weight lost between now and New year's day, and Pictures to boot! (if you are not interested in the challenge, I understand, I am basically just trying to get myself extra motivated and I know a little competition between freinds can help!
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)

My goal is to weigh in @ 180 or less and show visible improvement with pics by new year's day. See my log for more details.


P.S.- sorry to hijack your log, I am done now!
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<div>
(scientific muscle @ Nov. 19 2007,19:32)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Colby, if you are interested, I challenge you to a small competition to be determined by weight lost between now and New year's day, and Pictures to boot! (if you are not interested in the challenge, I understand, I am basically just trying to get myself extra motivated and I know a little competition between freinds can help!
cool.gif
)

My goal is to weigh in @ 180 or less and show visible improvement with pics by new year's day. See my log for more details.


P.S.- sorry to hijack your log, I am done now!
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</div>
Sci,

I accept your challenge! I'll try and get a picture up tomorrow, and I will probably have one up a day or so after the new year.

Currently, I have been stalling right about 240lbs, but my body is looking better and better. My estimated body fat% is about 14.67%. I think I can get down to 235 and 13% by New Years.
 
11/19/07 - HST WO
<span style='color:blue'>Pilates Warmup</span>
<span style='color:red'>One Arm Bent-Over Row: 65 - 5 (3 sets)
Bench Press: WU - 15, 135 - 10, 160 - 5 (3 sets), 135 - 15
Push Press: 37.5's - 5 (3 sets)
Standing Calf Raise: 155 - 5 (2 sets)</span>
 
11/20/07 - SST WO
<span style='color:blue'>Pilates Warmup</span>
<span style='color:red'>Jefferson Squats: 45 - 15 (2 sets), 135 - 5 (4 sets), 160 - 5 (2 sets)
RCCP's: 17.5's - 15, 22.5's - 10, 27.5's - 5
Dips: 15 reps, 10 reps</span>
 
11/26/07 - HST WO
<span style='color:blue'>Pilates Warmup</span>
<span style='color:red'>Bench Press: WU - 15, 135 - 5, 170 - 5 (2 sets), 135 - 15</span>

Back from a quick Thanksgiving vacation, and had enough time in today for a short WO. A little bit is better than nothing, especially when I have a challenge with Sci on hand right now. I have decided to extend this current cycle (started in September) through Christmas.
 
11/28/07 - WO
<span style='color:blue'>Pilates Warmup</span>
<span style='color:red'>Bench Press: WU(45) - 15, 135 - 5, 185 - 5, 135 - 8
Deadlift: WU(45) - 15, 135 - 5, 205 - 5 (2 sets), 255 - 5 (2 sets), 205 - 10, 135 - 15, 45 - 15</span>
<span style='color:blue'>100 Crunches</span>
 
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