If Its Wednesday, I Am Hurtin’
As a result of my shoulder issues (which are doing a LOT better) caused by the classic "noob" mistake of overtraining, I recently went back to a Mon-Wed-Fri training schedule. I start the week with Chest & Tris and end it with Shoulders & Bis. The logic is to place as much rest time between the sessions that really encorporate shoulder use. This leaves Wednesday for "The Workout From Hell" - Back & Leg Day - which by default utilizes very little shoulder work & acts as a defacto rest day for those.
But by no means is it a rest day for the rest of me. As a matter of fact it is by far the most work I do all week. My entire body is taxed & stressed. Its brutal. Many times the boys are awoken for school to the sound of their dad screaming (I train in the kid’s playroom), or gasping for air like a fish outta water as the total effort forces me out of anerobic and into aerobic.
I have a love & hate relationship with Back & Leg Day, if you can’t tell.
I do 3 drop sets of each. 1st set is at least 8 but not more than 12 reps, then drop and do at least 6 but not more than 8, then one last drop and go to failure. Once I can do at least 12 & 8 reps over the 1st two sets I add weight. Its basically a HIT routine & I love it.
Note: all I have for weight is a set of Bowflex SelectTech 1090 dummbells plus some odds & ends. All resistance band work is as many reps as I can do in 1 minute 1st set, then repeat for 45 seconds for 2nd set, then the 3rd set to failure.
My Day From Hell (in order):
- Straight Leg Deadlifts
- Static Lunges w/ DBs
- Rear Delt Standing Rows w/ resistance band
- Front ATG Squats
- Full Range Of Motion Lat Pulldown w/ resistance band
- Incline DB “T Bar” Rows (a variation I came up with)
- Tiptoe Calf Raises in Doorway w/ DB
- Bent Over DB Rows
- Incline DB Shrugs
It usually takes me just under an hour. But the pain echoes for days.
I love it.
Until next Wednesday morning…
October 15, 2008 at 5:36 pm
That’s a brutal workout, no wonder you feel your back and leg days for a few more days after. Keep building on your success and listening to your body.
October 18, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Wow! That is quite the workout with the dropsets! I think I would be limping for days, LOL!