whistle's training log

The calf response is likely not due to the front squats unless you were really tensing up your toes while in the hole. Your calf muscles are the hardest to develop in your body - period - but if you haven't worked 'em in a while, they're probably a tad angry. Enjoy it while it lasts - calf muscle response is hard to come by after a while. Make sure you stretch liberally - the spasming can last a while if you don't.

Nice work thus far, WD. Like it!
 
The calf response is likely not due to the front squats unless you were really tensing up your toes while in the hole. Your calf muscles are the hardest to develop in your body - period - but if you haven't worked 'em in a while, they're probably a tad angry. Enjoy it while it lasts - calf muscle response is hard to come by after a while. Make sure you stretch liberally - the spasming can last a while if you don't.

Nice work thus far, WD. Like it!

Thanks, dude!

I wonder if it was from working out barefoot? I did both workouts yesterday barefoot because a friend of mine started preaching the barefoot weightlifting gospel to me and I told him I'd try it. :confused:

I feel great today, though. And I don't know if it's just my imagination or optimism, but I'd swear I've put on some noticible size already!
 
Barefoot is the only way to train. Yo. Seriously though, I do pretty much slip my shoes off for most exercises, especially squats, deads and anything using the legs, but even for benching as well... Good to see someone else joining the faith.
 
I do the barefoot thing for deads - but nothing else. I guess i have an innate fear of slipping when doing squats...

Big ups to both of you!
 
Well, I keep my socks on because my friend prefers people to not be running around his gym barefoot... but it's basically the same thing. I hate wearing shoes when squatting or doing rows, anything on my feet.
 
15s: Workout #5 (AM)

Warm-up: Light stretching, 2*10 Burpees, 50 lb press

Bench Press - 2*15 @ 100 lbs
Calf Raise - 2*15 @ 105 lbs
Shrugs - 2*15 @ 90 lbs
Leg Curls - 2*15 @ 55 lbs
Pullups - 2*15 (Bodyweight)

Cool down: Bench Press - 1*30 @ 65 lbs, 1.5 mile light jog & walk with dog

Did those calf raises barefoot again to see if I can stimulate the calves as much as I did the other day. I definitely felt it really good from the knee down.

My wife was watching me do the pullups (shirtless, ya know cuz the t-shirt weight might've held me back :eek:) and just kept staring at me/my chest and shoulders. I'm like 'what?' (with a knowing smile). She asks, 'how has your upper body grown so much so quickly?'

That's pretty much all the validation I need!
 
15s: Workout #5 (PM)

Warm-up: Jumping Jacks, Sit-ups, Overhead Squats, Good Mornings w/empty bar

Standing Shoulder Press - 2*15 @ 65 lbs
Curls - 2*15 @ 55 lbs
Back Squat - 2*15 @ 115 lbs
DB Bent Over Row - 2*15 @ 90 lbs (total)
Dips - 2*15 (Bodyweight)

This whole workout was pretty tough for me today. 115 lbs for 15 reps was tough on those Back Squats - I was possibly 2 or 3 reps from true failure - there was a lot of grunting and long pauses at the top to make it through them.

After those heavy squats, the dips felt like a cake walk!
 
15s: Workout #6

Did this all yesterday.

AM:

Warm-up: 1.5 mile jog with doggy, light stretch, 50 lb ground-to-overhead*10

Bench Press - 1*15 @ 65 lbs, 2*15 @ 110 lbs
Calf Raise - 2*15 @ 115 lbs
Upright Row - 2*15 @ 55 lbs
Stiff Leg Deadlift - 2*15 @ 95 lbs
Pull-up - 2*15 (Bodyweight)

Everything felt good, but pretty hard. I'm timid with my bench press b/c I don't have a spotter here at home - but that weight was close to my max, I think. I had to really strain to get those last 2

PM:

Warm-up: 2*10 Burpees, Overhead Squats, Good Mornings

Standing Shoulder Press - 2*15 @ 70 lbs - tough, turned to push press during last few
Front Squat - 2*15 @ 80 lbs - tough
DB Rear Delt Raise - 2*15 @ 30 lbs (total)
Curls - 2*15 @ 60 lbs - tough, body rocking during last few
Dips - 2*15 (Bodyweight)

PM was pretty tough for me yesterday. Maybe it was cumulative fatigue or maybe just those heavy weights for such high reps. I kept telling myself (especially during the squats) 'this is the last of the 15s - just get through it'.
 
congrats on getting through the 15s. you will thank yourself for it when you get to the 10s - your joints will feel like they've been freshly oiled. i was really surprised how i reacted for the 10s i felt like a machine!
 
congrats on getting through the 15s. you will thank yourself for it when you get to the 10s - your joints will feel like they've been freshly oiled. i was really surprised how i reacted for the 10s i felt like a machine!

Thanks man! I'm pretty stoked about starting the 10s tomorrow!

I had a bit of tendonosis this summer in my right arm/elbow - from doing too many pullups. I was doing CrossFit stuff a lot with a buddy of mine and they do pullups like it's the fountain of youth or something - some cycles called for literally 100+ pull-ups (kipping if you wish) on 3 consecutive days. I got huge gains muscularly, but my tendons didn't appreciate it. I had to lay off pullups for a while after the pain got unbearable.

But after doing these 15s, my pullups feel stronger than ever. I'd never tell my CrossFit pals that. They get defensive about their 'sport'. But, I swear, I've never felt stronger on the bar than I did Saturday when I did my last 2 sets of 15. No pain at all, just pumped them out.
 
Funny -- I just finished my 15s on Saturday. I kept telling myself the very same thing... :)

Sounds like we are on the same schedule then, I finished my 15s on Sat and start my 10s on... tomorrow!

Looks like our stats are similar as well - but man I wish I had those squat and DL numbers!
 
Looks like our stats are similar as well - but man I wish I had those squat and DL numbers!

I wish I did, too... :(

I've been out of the gym too long and too often over the past year or so. I'm having to work my way back.

It will be much easier for you because you still have the bloom of youth going for you.
 
10s: Workout #1 (AM)

Warm-up: 1.5 mile easy jog with doggy, light stretch, 55 lb press*10

Bench Press - 3*10 @ 90 lbs
Calf Raise - 3*10 @ 95 lbs
Shrug - 3*10 @ 80 lbs
Leg Curl - 3*10 @ 50 lbs
Pull-up - 3*10 @BW + 7 lbs

Cool-down: Bench press 65lb*30, light stretch, PWO nutrition

I did a 3rd set because I wasn't feeling anything in my chest after 2 sets 10 on bench press, then I didn't really feel much of anything on any other lift either until the 3rd set (except the pull-ups), even though I was trying keep the tempo slow. I threw that light set of 30 on the bench there at the end for the same reason. I really dug the feeling of doing a high rep, low weight set at the end during the latter part of the 15s.

I meant to do the pullups with only 5 lbs on my weighted vest, but I accidentally left the 2 inside weight bags in there. Didn't realize it until I had finished. Oh well, I'll be doing 10 lbs next time, so the load will still go up.

I got in the shower and my upper body felt really full and big. I liked that. :)
 
10s: Workout #1 (PM)

From last night:

Warm-up: 1.25 mile run with doggy (faster than usual, she was on fire!), Arnold Press *10 w/15 lb DBs, light stretching

Standing Shoulder Press - 3*10 @ 60 lbs
DB Bent Over Row - 3*10 @ 80 lbs (total)
Curl - 3*10 @ 50 lbs
Back Squat - 3*10 @ 100 lbs
Dip - 3*10 @ BW+5 lbs

Everything felt really good. I can already tell that within the next few workouts I won't be able to keep the tempo slow at all.

I figure I'm just going to keep the reps at 30 for every lift to keep it consistent (3*10s, 6*5s). That means the sessions will get longer and longer as the weight gets heavier, but I love to lift so that is not a problem!
 
10s: Workout #2 (AM)

Warm-up: 1.8 mile jog with doggy; light stretch; 65 lb Power Clean *10

Bench Press - 1*10 @ 65 lbs, 3*10 @ 100 lbs
Calf Raise - 3*10 @ 105 lbs
Upright Row - 1*10 @ 35 lbs, 3*10 @ 55 lbs
Stiff Leg Deadlift - 1*10 @ 65 lbs, 3*10 @ 85 lbs
Pullup - 1*10 assisted, 3*10 BW+7 lbs

Tried out the rep-out thing for the last sets of Bench, Row, and Pullup - I got an extra 3 - 5 reps in. I liked that technique, made this workout feel really effective.

Felt like I've lost some wrist flexibility when I was doing those power cleans. I probably need to include them in my warm-up more often.
 
10s: Workout #2 (PM)

Warm-up: Static stretching, lunges

Standing Shoulder Press - 1*10 @ 30 lbs, 3*10 @ 65 lbs
DB Rear Delt Raise - 3*10 @ 25 lbs (total)
Front Squat - 3*10 @ 70 lbs
Curl - 3*10 @ 55 lbs
Dip - 1*10 assisted, 3*10 BW+5 lbs

Cool-down: 2 mile easy walk with dog

Started to do some real light weight squat snatches during my warm-up, but on the 1st rep I felt a pain in the top of my right knee. I started stretching my legs a lot and doing lunges to get warmed up good - hoping the pain would go away. I stretched in between each set of the presses and delt raises and took it real easy on the first few front squats. I felt it a little, but after the 1st set of squats it went away. I hope it was only a matter of failing to warm-up. I do usually jog prior to my workouts and didn't this afternoon.
 
I'm just few workouts ahead of you guys with the 10s (although I plan to extend my 10s for another week)...Those are some good numbers at your body weight... Keep it up!
 
I'm just few workouts ahead of you guys with the 10s (although I plan to extend my 10s for another week)...Those are some good numbers at your body weight... Keep it up!

Thanks, stain! I'll be happier with my numbers when my squat and deadlift gets somewhere north of 1.5X bodyweight. But all-in-all I'm satisfied with the progress.
 
10s: Workout #3 (AM)

Warm-up: 1.8 mile jog/walk with doggy

Bench Press - 1*10 @ 55 lbs, 1*10 @ 65 lbs, 3*10 @ 110 lbs
Calf Raise - 3*10 @ 115 lbs
Leg Curl - 3*10 @ 60 lbs
Pull-up - 3*10 @ BW+10 lbs
Shrug - 3*10 @ 95 lbs

I don't have a scale at home. I took the opportunity yesterday while at the pediatrician's office to finally weigh myself and I was at 149.5 with no shoes, belt, nothing in my pockets - on an empty stomach - so that puts my total gain since I started SD 4.5 weeks ago at about 9 lbs. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up that pace and put on another 10 lbs in the next 5 weeks. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, that might not be too tough! :)
 
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