Training log

[Fausto]

I hear you JV and Jester.

However this is not the type of pain from injury at all, just a nagging pain only occurring at time of the exercise and only with this exercise.

I do others without a problem, example and a good one is the pullover, which almost has the same movement, except that the elbow is not isolated...does not hurt at all.

Quote[/b] ]Anyhoo, well,. if you don't want to do pushdowns, perhaps your elbow just needs a little rest. No sense forcing it to do anything if it's already actually telling you to stop. Just thank God in the meantime that it doesn't affect your compound movements.

Nope, it is not that I don't want to do the pushdowns, I love them but are they as effective? I don;t want to use stuff that is not effective enough, but man, I don't have a problem with doing them at all.

I am basically just looking for solutions

And I know you guys are good at coming up with excellent ideas, the pushdowns so far is an option for the isolations and so is the bench dip, which I may take up as the dip can carry a lot more weight fo sure!

Thanks guys, perhaps the Bryan could enter and make a suggestions as to what would he do in such a dillema?

 

[Jester]

The load isn't stretching your elbow on the pullover. Not for the whole movement anyway. And you aren't contracting the triceps.

I think the problem is your joint rather than muscle.

 

[colby2152]

diddo on what jester just mentioned

 

[Fausto]

Jester

That is what I am trying to say all thetime, it is definitely my joints, both of them.

Ok, yesterday I tried (first day of 10's) to do some pushdowns at the end of the session (as it wasn't my isolation day) and yep, the pain is not there.

Rumbling on:

Tightness all round, after the end of the 15's.

10's were nice, I got cocky though and did not follow th eweights on the plan which led to me not being able to do 2 sets for most of the exercises

Lesson, stick to the plan, however I can say it felt good as it was and the program seems to be working well.

Still got to work on my lower abs as there is a bit left that my dearest wife keeps reminding me about

, something i gotta work on, right

It has gone down quiet a bit from when I started, and I am serious about doing abs now so it is slowly getting there, I guess I'll do a cutting cycle after this just to address that last little bit

I definitely think I am on to something doing the 5x week - 3x compounds + 2x iso's it seems to be working well and I feel rather pumped right throughout.

One thing that I have been thinking about, if it gets heavy towards the negs, I may cut back to compounds only, then back to 3x week, what is everyone's opinion?

 

[9to5lifter]

Quote[/b] ]One thing that I have been thinking about, if it gets heavy towards the negs, I may cut back to compounds only, then back to 3x week, what is everyone's opinion?

That's what I'd do. When you reach the negs, cut back to compounds only and 3x a week, or 6x a week with a split to keep the workouts short. Anyway, just listen to your body and it will tell you when it's time to drop the iso's. In my case, this happens towards the end of the 5's. An additional bonus is that a compounds only routine may leave enough room to increase volume a bit, or bring up metabolic work.

Regards,
Dimitris

 

[colby2152]

Quote[/b] ]One thing that I have been thinking about, if it gets heavy towards the negs, I may cut back to compounds only, then back to 3x week, what is everyone's opinion?

I was just thinking about that the other day (since I am so intrigued by your routine.) That goes along with Dan's thoughts on iso's, and as 9to5 pointed out - listen to what your body tells you.

I seriously may have to consider this for my next cycle - it's either the Fausto-routine

or an AM/PM split 3x/week... or even a hybrid between those two if I have enough time and eat like a maniac.

-Colby

 

[Fausto]

Thanks Dimitris

I think I may slip some cardio in on off days, and if there is space, I'll do some Loaded Sterctches or even Pulse Stretches.

Sure sounds like I found my slice of the pie (eh...eh...eh) not an america pie though!

 

[Fausto]

Colby

You jumped in there while I was busy answering.

Quote[/b] ]I seriously may have to consider this for my next cycle - it's either the Fausto-routine or an AM/PM split 3x/week... or even a hybrid between those two if I have enough time and eat like a maniac.

I'm flattered To have a routine with my name on it, to me it is just another experiment, seems to be working though!

Hey, time I get into your log for some comments, owe you that at least.

 

[Jester]

How're the gains - what weight and size are you at? I realise it's early, just curious.


So what cha doing re:triceps?

 

[Fausto]

Jester

A little early to comment on that, right now I find an incredible tightness daily, which I think is a good indicator that something good is going on.

My weight still hovers around 70 odd Kgs, but the fat levels are going down.

I think I should comment on this at the end of the 10's, and hopefully I'll do some justice to the plan, like feeding my face properly

Man...for triceps I'll do one set each of dips followed by pushdowns, they both seem to do fine and I have the spare time

 

[Fausto]

Guys

The bench dips (1 set) plus pushdowns (1 set) is the solution, no pain there.

I found out my elbow joints are tender and sore (wish I knew why) but with the above exercises the pain is not there.

 

[jvroig]

Oh, joint pains. Well, doesn't change a lot really. Avoiding exercises that stress the joints is the key, which I understand is what you are doing already. Hehehe, sorry took so long to get in the forum again, work is a nightmare, deadlines rushing. Couldn't tell them to go to hell, they are paying me a lot after all. Geez, all I really want right now is a vacation. Why can't Christams come faster?!!

Let me comment on isolations, though. When I said to drop isolations when it gets heavy (if you choose not to revert to an exercise with better stretch), that just means dropping them from the "main" routine, but you should preferrably actually still do the isolations - scale down the weight a lot (as in drop down to around your 15RM) and do it for metabollic work (no more progression of any sort, purely just for metaboolic work). Makes all the difference.

I don't know how you could integrate this in your routine though, Fuasto, since you do isos on separate days. Perhaps when the time comes, just add the bicep curls 15's at the end of your main routine, and the TTh would be your rest days. That is, if you intend to stop the isos when things get heavy (5RM and up). If not, then just forget I rambled about anything at all.

Regards
-JV

 

[Fausto]

JV

Quote[/b] ]Let me comment on isolations, though. When I said to drop isolations when it gets heavy (if you choose not to revert to an exercise with better stretch), that just means dropping them from the "main" routine, but you should preferrably actually still do the isolations - scale down the weight a lot (as in drop down to around your 15RM) and do it for metabollic work (no more progression of any sort, purely just for metaboolic work). Makes all the difference.

I mean to drop them only if it becomes too much, it seems to be going great guns at the moment, so no probs there!

Quote[/b] ]That is, if you intend to stop the isos when things get heavy (5RM and up). If not, then just forget I rambled about anything at all.

I go by feel quite a lot, so I take in opinions like a sponge

,none are stupid or to be disconsidered (if there is such a word)

 So don't worry mate, this is why I started this log, anyhoo.

Cheers

 

[Fausto]

More ramblings

Yesterday was 2nd day of 10's @ sets each.

The set up was as below:
Squats / 15°  B/B benchpress / Chins (underhand close grip)
E-Z Bar pullovers / Military press /Abs (personal choice)

Since the 15's I have had to do some corrections, basically because of guesstimating some stuff, these were:

Chin ups - reduced weight, now its going just fine, pffff....did only one set, too darn hard.

E-Z bar pullovers - also had to reduce, still trying to find best position as my bench is a little high, a low bench is just right as you can touch the ground and go back up again.

An awsome exercise, no wonder it was called the squat of the upper body, real @ss kicker of note....

.

Funny...and to confirm all those non-believers in compounds only (ooops I'm in that category too

), both my biceps and triceps got a tremendous pump....but none of the exercises was specifically directed at these (or were they

)

Last but not least, I can see transformation although I have to find a way to eat more protein dense foods, still have too much carbs in my diet, (eh, eh, eh....if nothing else it'll help with the pumped feeling....but that last little bit of tyre tube around the mid-section proves to be extremely stubborn)

.

Cheers

 

[Jester]

Compounds only or a mix with iso's....size gained is the final say

Squat for the upper body would be dips for me...you get some lat firing, lil bit on the anterior delts, big on chest and triceps obviously...and forearms too.

 

[9to5lifter]

Quote[/b] ]Funny...and to confirm all those non-believers in compounds only (ooops I'm in that category too ), both my biceps and triceps got a tremendous pump....but none of the exercises was specifically directed at these (or were they )

And wait till you get into the 5's. Try weighted pullups followed by heavy rows and then come back and tell us how your biceps feel (after of course one final high-rep set added for metabolic work)

.

 

[Fausto]

Dimitris

Quote[/b] ](after of course one final high-rep set added for metabolic work)

That I have saved two days p/week for that alone, where all my iso work + PS and LS's are tried and tested!

Quote[/b] ]Compounds only or a mix with iso's....size gained is the final say

Yep, you right Jester, only that tells how good your nutrition was and then only the effectiveness of a training program, but I have faith

and lots of it, so I ain't about to give up now.

And hopefully size will be added which I hope to have in photography to keep everyone happy.

 

[Jester]

Btw Fausto, you don't seem to be eating enough as if anything, you've lose weight over the first 3 weeks or so...up the cals, yeh?

You've written that you'd like to lose some off the waist, but you want to gain on the arms...as you've gone to the trouble of designing this program, surely you ned/want to be eating enough to validate it or not...

 

[Fausto]

Jester

My diet is not exactly what it should be, I am trying to keep it under control:

Calories over 900.00
Protein 71.90
Carbs 20.24
Fate 35.49

All of the above are over the ideal for my bodyweight, this does not go on daily of course some days the rpotein is a little under and the carbs over.

But I think I'll manage, this is the best I can do under the circunstances I'm under, I'll see what I can do during Christmas holidays to get it right.

I am not going to worry too much now, the program seems and feels right, so I'll get this under wraps soon!

Thanks for the advice though!

 

[Fausto]

Heya

some more updates:2nd week of 10's

Compounds - getting close to maximums and grunting like an animal, alghough managing the 2 sets ok, workout is brief once weights are all set.

Partner has been missing....darn...but I have goals, so...no waiting, just slog on soldier.

Today is isolation day, expect a lighter workout, yet productive

Feel very nice and tight all around, growth is coming but not quite yet what is expected, seems like I need to top it up a notch, then again I am not on 5's just yet so...patience!