Al–1961’s BodyBlog

Instead of limping, I sprinted across the finish line.       After the past 2 weeks of aches, pains & strains, I was afraid I’d be slugging it out to the last day of the heavy cycle.  Instead, I had a GREAT workout this morning, and expect major soreness tomorrow.      

WORKOUT THIS MORNING   —   Last day of heavy cycle with 5-8 reps per set, 60 sec’s rest between sets.  

CHEST:  Decline bench press (6 sets, last 2 superset with decline flyes).  Incline bench press (6 sets, last 2 superset with incline flyes).  Flat bench press (6 sets, last 2 superset with flyes). 

TRICEPS:  Tricep extensions with curl bar (6 sets, last 2 superset with reverse dumbbell tricep extensions).  Close grip bench press (6 sets, last 2 superset with reverse dumbbell tricep extensions).  Reverse cable tricep extensions (6 sets, last 2 superset with regular cable tricep extensions). 

CARDIO:  20 min’s HIIT of varying sprints on the elliptical.  Heartrate 165-175.  I like to visualize the sprints as doing 50, 75 or 100 yard sprints, running as hard as I can, at an open field near our house. 

Ready for a throttle down rest period for the next week.  But I’ll still be hitting the gym, and getting the ole blood flowing.  Just not pushing it. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!      

Tomorrow ends the heavy cycle.  I’m going kill it on chest & triceps tomorrow to end on a high note.  Then a week to relax.  I still plan to hit the gym, but the workouts will be much lower intensity, without going to failure on each set.  I’ve had various aches & pains for the last couple weeks, so it’s time for some rest & recovery.  The next cycle will be high reps, supersetting & shorter rest between sets.  Quite frankly, my diet has sucked for the last month.  So diet will be the priority over the next month.  Clean, clean, clean, clean………

WORKOUT THIS MORNING   —   Last week of heavy cycle with 5-8 reps per set.  

LATS:  Bentover barbell rows, wide grip cable pulldowns, bentover dumbbell rows & close grip cable pulls.  (5 sets each with 45-60 sec’s rest between sets)

CARDIO:  31 min’s of varying sprint intervals on the elliptical.  Heartrate 165-175.  Pushed hard today……felt a little nauseous & light headed in the last 5 min’s.     

Finished up lats with 4 sets of close grip cable pulls & 4 sets of bentover dumbbell rows.  (30 sec’s between sets) 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

Weekend bonus.  I got a workout in this morning.  My calf is starting to mend….I didn’t have to wrap it while doing cardio on the elliptical.  I will still refrain from attempting any sprints on the treadmill for at least 2 more weeks.  I’m not pulling a repeat of last weekend, getting too impatient & making it worse by trying to run too soon. 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING   —   Last week of heavy cycle with 5-8 reps per set.  

DELTS:  Military press with curl bar, Arnold overhead dumbbell press, military press with straight bar, front dumbbell raises.  (5 sets each with 60 sec’s rest).  Lateral dumbbell raises & overhead dumbbell presses (5 sets each with 30 sec’s rest).  Wrapped up delts with front dumbbell raises again (3 sets with 30 sec’s rest). 

CARDIO:  31 min’s of sprint intervals on the elliptical.  Heartrate 155-170. 

ABS:  4 sets of crunches with 10 lb wt. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

No Friday the 13th horrors here…..Up & at’em this morning.      Ended the week right with a good workout.  My elbow tendonitis was much better.  The right calf, however, is going to take the slow road to healing.  Going easy next week after finishing up the heavy cycle should help on that. 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING   —   Last week of heavy cycle with 5-8 reps per set.  

BICEPS:  Curl bar curls, close grip curl bar curls, dumbbell curls & straight bar curls.  (5 sets each with 60 sec’s rest).

CARDIO:  32 min’s of sprint intervals on the elliptical.  Heartrate 150-170. 

Finished up biceps with 4 sets of dumbbell curls & 4 sets of straight bar curls.  30 sec’s rest.

ABS:  3 sets of crunches with 10 lb wt. 

Get in.  Get-r-done.  Get out. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

Ache & pains…..but this is a No Whine Zone.      Yesterday & today I have tendonitis going on in my right elbow, to go along with the strained right calf.  Still hit it hard & had a good workout.  I will be at an all-day conference, so today will be a challenge for eating clean & every 2-3 hours.  Cakes, cookies & various junk galore!  Help me please!  (Tip of the hat to Mr. James Brown)     

WORKOUT THIS MORNING   —   Last week of heavy cycle with 5-8 reps per set.  

CHEST:  Flat bench press, decline bench press & incline bench press.  (5 sets each with 60 sec’s rest).  Decline flyes, incline flyes & flat bench flyes.  (3 sets each with 30 sec’s rest)

CARDIO:  26 min’s of sprint intervals on the elliptical.  Heartrate 165-175. 

ABS:  4 sets of situps. 

Have a great day!  No whining……Get in, get-r-done, get out. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

DIET, DIET, DIET & the evils of refined sugar.  Hermtheworm reminded me the other day of the terrible effects of refined sugar.   I posted progress pics today, & I don’t discern much change.  Time for a laser focus on cleaning up my tendency to munch on sweets after dinner.  The rest of the time my diet is pretty good.  

WORKOUT THIS MORNING   —   Last week of heavy cycle with 5-8 reps per set.  

LATS:  Bentover barbell rows, wide grip cable pulldowns, bentover dumbbell rows & close grip cable pulls.  (5 sets each with 60’s rest)

CARDIO:  27 min’s of sprint intervals on the stationary bike.  Heartrate 150-165.  The right calf is a little better, but I still have a slight limp.  I think I’ll stay away from any sprint running for at least 3 weeks, since that’s been my problem.  The last 2 times I’ve aggravated the calf was from sprints on the treadmill.  

Finished lats with 3 sets of bentover dumbbell rows & 3 sets of close grip cable pulls.  (30 sec’s rest)

ABS:  3 sets of crunches with 10 lb wt & 2 sets of leg raises.  

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

The diet was clean yesterday……..no Girlscout cookies.  It was good to feel my normal self at the gym this morning.  And not to sleep through my alarm!  I’m still limping a little, but wrapping my calf with an ace bandage helped.  The workout was much better today, but I definitely can tell the body is ready for a break.  I’m looking forward to throttling way back next week to let the body recover from the heavy cycle. 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  DELTS & TRICEPS:  Still heavy with 5-8 reps per set.

DELTS:  Military press with curl bar, overhead Arnold dumbbell press, front dumbbell raises & military press with straight bar (5 sets each, 60 sec’s rest). 

TRICEPS:  Tricep extensions with curl bar, close grip bench press & reverse cable tricep extensions (5 sets each, 60 sec’s rest). 

CARDIO:  25 min’s sprint intervals on elliptical.  Heartrate 155 - 165. 

Finished up with reverse cable tricep extensions, front dumbbell raises, regular cable tricep extensions & lateral dumbbell raises, and repeated this rotation again.  15-30 sec’s rest between sets. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

I think I’m approaching the point of overtraining.  For the past week my whole body has felt tired & achy everyday, like it belongs to someone approaching 50!  Next week, after I make it to day 75 of heavy cycle, I will take a break…….I’ll take a week to do light weights & lower intensity cardio, then decide what’s next after the heavy cycle. 

I got in a short workout Saturday, and paid the price for being impatient & foolish.  My right calf has been strained for 2-3 weeks.  Last week I decided to give it 2 weeks before trying to run sprint intervals on the treadmill.  Well, I got impatient on Saturday, thinking it was feeling better.  On the 3rd sprint interval…..wham!  I felt it go.  I couldn’t even do cardio on the elliptical.  I had to go with the stationary bike.  This time, I will take at least 2 weeks before trying any running.  Today, I didn’t hear my alarm go off……so I got up an hour late.  I made it to the gym, but had to do an abbreviated workout. 

WORKOUT SATURDAY:  25 min’s interval sprints on the stationary bike.   Heartrate 155-165.   4 quick sets of crunches with 10 lb wt.  Didn’t feel great, but got it done. 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  BICEPS:  Still heavy with 5-8 reps per set.  Curl bar curls, 10 sets.  (6 sets with 45 sec’s rest, 4 sets with 30 sec’s rest).  Dumbbell curls (6 sets with 30 sec’s rest, the last 2 supersetted with straight bar curls).   CARDIO:  25 min’s HIIT on the elliptical.  Heartrate 165-175.   ABS:  2 sets of crunches with 10 lb wt. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!   YES INDEED!     

This morning’s workout made up for yesterday’s blah blah day.  Diet was off last night as well, but the whole day was off.  Today’s a brand new day, so there’s nothing for it, but to press on.      

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  CHEST:  Still heavy with 5-8 reps per set. 

—  Flat bench press (6 sets, 60-75 sec’s rest), the last 2 sets supersetted with flat bench flyes. 

—  Decline bench (5 sets, 60-75 sec’s rest), the last 2 sets supersetted with decline flyes. 

—  Incline bench (5 sets, 60-75 sec’s rest), the last 2 sets supersetted with incline flyes. 

—  Flat bench flyes (5 sets, 30 sec’s rest), the last 2 sets supersetted with pushups. 

CARDIO:  25 min’s HIIT sprints on elliptical.  Heartrate 170-175.  Felt the urge to toss my cookies the last 4-5 min’s.  HIIT is the real deal.     

ABS:  4 quick sets of crunches (10 lb wt).  DONE FOR THE WEEK. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!     

The gym didn’t have hot water this morning……so I had a non-leisurely brisk & invigorating shower after the workout!  We don’t get the crazy cold winters here in NC, but the past few mornings have been in the teens & 20’s.  On the diet front, I went to a church potluck dinner last night.  I got there a little late, and there were no real good choices on food.  Creamy casseroles, pastas, bread, white rice dishes, KFC chicken, etc.  +  treats, treats, treats.  I went with the KFC, with some celery sticks & fresh strawberries.  Lots of fat on the chicken, I know, but not much on carbs.  I had 1 breast & another nugget size small piece.  And I did eat some of the skin, about 1/3 of it.  Boy did it taste GOOD……..And to my surprise, I wasn’t hungry later, so nothing else to eat last night.     

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  LEGS:  8-12 reps per set.  A bit of a low energy day; could have gone harder, but dialed back slightly on the throttle. 

V-squats on Hammer Strength machine (5 sets, last 2 superset with hack squats), leg extensions (5 sets), deadlifts (5 sets), hack squats (4 sets), then 3 sets alternating between leg extensions & leg curls.  Wrapped up with 3 sets of walking lunges, 25 lbs in each hand. 

ABS:  Crunches with 10 lb wt, leg raises, crunches again with 10 lb wt, then leg raises again.  DONE. 

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!!