Totally Addicted for Life

I have been thinking about whether or not to engage a personal trainer for over a year now.  I have managed to muddle through using BB.COM as a resource but I am getting so much information I cannot pick a training method and focus on it.  What has vasued me to hesitate in engagin a PT is the fact that I am basicly cheap and refuse to throw away hard earned cash on a trainer who may be only margionally more knowledgeable then I am. Finding the one that is right for you is the trick.  As luck would have it there is a past Mr USA winner who happens to work out in the same gym I do.  He has owned his own gym and been a full time PT before moving on to become a Physicians Assistant.  He still is willing to do some PT on the side and he has agreed to work with me for a while to shore up some weak points and fine tune my nutrition.  With his extensive BB, PT, and medical background I know I can have complete confidence in his reccomendations.  It will be a least next week before we can formally begin but I am already documenting everything I do this week to prepare.  

This is very, very exciting for me and I can only imagine where I will be in six weeks with expert training advice.   I will definately get some fresh pics just before we start so I can do some before and after shots.

Saturday’s Workout was at Planet Fitness so I had to be carefull about grunting cause I am a grunter.  I still did on some of the heavy sets but the guy and women working the front desk are friendly to me and unless I got really obnoxious they wont say anything.

I worked shoulders on Saturday.  I haven’t really hammered them hard in a while so I wanted to use Saturday to really focus on them.  I worked them for 60 minutes.  I definately wore them out.  It is so hard to describe my workout I am just not gonna try.  One of the things I do very diffrently on shoulders then on other muscle areas is to do the isolation sets first, then do the heavy lifts at the end.  This allows me plenty of time warm up my old worn out shoulders.  The isolation sets are all done on the cables and I hit them from all angles.  My heavy sets are with dumbells but since PF only goes to 75lbs I first used very heavy cable sets simulating a behind the neck press.  Actualy worked better then expected.  Once I completed those I did three sets of 75lb DB’s doing 15 reps but change hand angle every 5 reps to vary the point of attack.  I did three sets of these and my shoulders were screaming on the set. I can feel them today.  All in all I probaly did around 15 exercises in a 60 minute period but keep in mind many of the exercises focus on rotational improvements and I only do 3 exercises heavy.  Since they feel fatigued today I know the workout was effective.

Sunday I slept late and then hit my legs.  Today I increased the weigths on the leg press and leg extensions and everything felt fine so I think I am ready to start pushing harder.  At this point it is not even worth describing my leg workout, just suffice it to say I see women working with more weights then I do   At least my legs are now healthier and I can start pushing them more.

It was a rainy day today so I took a nap today. That means I will be fully rested for tomorrows back workout.  Back workouts have definately become my favorite and I am already looking forward to it.

Since I took yesterday off from resistance training I was bound and determined to have a great morning in the gym.   Ate good yesterday, around 3500 calories of low fat, high protein, with a touch more carbs then normal.  Made sure to drink some Muscle Milk lite before I went to bed.

I got my normal six hours sleep and woke up refreshed.  Drank my two cups of double strength coffee and headed into the gym.  

Quick warm up on the bike.

Warm-up with seated full twist curls I saw Larry Scott demonstrating in one of his videos on BB.COM  Started with 15lbs, 25lbs, 35lbs, then 45lbs at 15 reps.  Felt pumped up and ready to go heavy.

Started with quarter DB curls on the preacher bench.  I do  these one arm at a time.  There is a picture of me doing these in on my bodyspace.  These target the upper bicep.  For the heavier sets I rest until the burn is about gone.  Takes about 90 seconds.

15×65lbs
12×75
12×85
10×95
10×105
8×105
12×85

Next is the the hanging curls with the EZ curl bar.  I hang over the back of the preacher bench so my arms hang free and loose.  I use a wide grip.  I Start fully extended and go up about two thirds and squeeze the bicep.  Rest about 60 seconds.

10 x 65
10 x75
8 x75
7×65

Last sets focus on mid biceps and outer biceps.  I use a rope on the cable machine with the pully down at the bottom of the rail.  I try to turn my hands out at the top but can only do so at lighter weights.

10×100
10×140
8×160
6×190, 6×160, 8×140 (superset)

and..  my arms can hardly move.  Fully engorged with blood.  I love that feeling!

On biceps day I need to shave BEFORE I go to the gym.  Damn it was hard to shave this morning!

I came in today rested and ready.  My back was faituged but I was rested and felt strong for a good chest workout.  Today was definately going to be a power day.

Warm ups.  15 minutes on ellip[tical

Incline Bench w/DB’s at 45 degrees.

15×35lb
15×45
12×65
12×85
10×105
10×115
7×120
12×85

Incline Bench w/DB’s at 75 degree angle (hit the upper chest and the insertion point where the chest goes into the delts.)

10×45
10×55
8×75
8×85

Decline Bench w/DB’s

10×55
12×65
12×75
12×85

Cable Machine that emulates Standard Bench Movement  (I do this because I cannot flat bench due to partial tear of the rotator cuff)

12×110
12×140
10×140
8×140

I do these with little recovery between sets.  this is more for the pump then to build any size.

DB flys w/slight incline

15×45
15×55
12×65
12×75

Thats about it.  I had a solid pump by then and the heavy sets on incline had hit deep into the muscle.  Another really good workout.  I feel like my biceps got hit during my back workout so I want to give them another days rest before I go heavy on my biceps again.  

I know if I keep this up I am going to see some decent results!

Back in my 20’s and 30′ I used weight belts, gloves, and wrist wraps and wrist straps.  I always seemed to be dealing with nagging injuries all over my body.  After I had to have a discectomy to repair a badly damaged back during therapy the physical therapist told me the danger of using these aids.  How they hid your weak points and didn’t force you to evenly develop all areas.  So, once I returned to the gym I never used any of them again.  Since I wasn’t going to be doing squats anymore there was no need for a weight belt or knee wraps.  My training was still haphazard and diet was just garbage so I never really did much more then maintain, barely.  In my early 40’s I really became concerned with the joint pain and stiffness I felt in the morning.  I started doing more reading on the specifics of nutrition and training and as my knowledge has grown and training/diet improved over these last few years I feel better today then I did in my 30’s.  That alone keeps me focused and motivated.  And discovering BB.COM has given me a place where I can go to learn from some of the best.

So where is this going?  In the over 35 forum there have been several discussions on the merits of using aids or not.  Having experienced the negative impacts of overuse, or improper use, of lifting aids I was inclined to take the purist stance.  No aids, period.  That is, until I hit the wall.  In my progress pictures I could clearly see how my upper back was doing fairly well but my lower lats were lagging.  I asked for some suggestions on improving them and the consensus was "Lift More Weight".  So, I tried.  But as had been mentioned in the discussions, your forearms just cant hold up to the heavy weight routines. They give out before your back does.  So I broke down and bought the versa gripps everyone is raving about.

I used them on my back workout last week, but mostly just trying to get familiar with them.  Today I was determined to really push my back.  How did they work?  DOMS.. forget DOMS. I was sore by lunch!  I did pulldowns to the front up to 6×240lbs strict.  Behind the neck lat pull downs up to 4×220lbs.  then did wide grip pullups to the front, back arched and focused on lower lats, slowwwww.  No way could have done these without the grips.  This is where I really felt it.  Awesome.  

Did some cable cross over on the Lat Cable Machines for upper back, then the inside grip on the T-Bar for lower lats again.  Used the grips on the DB rows, 8×105, 6×105.  Was really feeling it by then.  Finished with my "surfers move".  I set up a bench at the cable machine `, drop the pulley all the way to the bottom, set the inlcine to about 15-20 degrees, stand on it he bench.  Starting low I pull the cable across my body and up to my side while twisting.  Think of a DB row but the cable is pulling downward and across your body..  This twists the lower back while allowing you to pull out your lower lats.  The goal is to me stay flexible so the extra muscle doesn’t impact my surfing as much.  Not that I am really all that good at surfing, thats why I need all the help I can get, lol.

So based on the soreness I am feeling in the RIGHT SPOTS, the versa gripps did exactly as advertised.  Allowed me to focus on the target area and hammer it.  I still will limit their use so my forearms stay strong but they are now a staple in my bag.

Yesterday was a recovery day and I did thirty minutes on cardio (15 minute fast walk on treadmill and 15 minutes on inclined elliptical). Then did a good ab workout hitting lower back, obliques, and frontal abs.  

So today I had lots of energy for the biceps workout.   Since the Tattoo I got on Tuesday wraps around the triceps a little I couldnt place my arm on the preacher bench so everything had to be "free hanging".  Good change up actually.

After warming up I started with the full extension with a full twisting motion.  Larry Scoot’s video says these bild a major part of the biceps thats runns underneath an diagonally across the biceps.  I started at 30lbs, 35lbs, 45lbs, then 50 lbs.  Did 3 sets at 50 lbs.  8×50, 7×50, 6×50 (2 assist for 8 total).  Good pump there.

Next went to the Cables racks.  Did the standing double biceps curls where you are standing with your arms ups up and pulling the cables on either side.  Started at 30lbs and went up to 60lbs.  Had not done these in a long time.  They are definitely going to make me sore.  Massive pump!

Next used the rope on one of the cables to hit deep in the middle area of the biceps.  Went heavy doing three sets 10×80, 8×100, 6×120.  Arms could hardly bend from the pump.  They were so swollen all definition is gone.

Next exercise was the reverse grip curls using the EZ Curl bar.  Nice movement to do after all the pump movements I had just completed.  I liked the way it hits the outer biceps.  10×50, 8×80, 7×80.

Finished with concentration curls.  did 15×30, 15×35, 10×40, then 10+3 assist x40.  

I was so pumped up I did not even try to shave!

I know that this workout will produce results so I am going to repeat it next week until it no longer makes me sore!

So I finally went and got my tattoo.  I had thought about this for quite a while, years really, so I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to get.  I even posted on the over 35 forum about getting a tattoo and working out, impacts, etc.  As usual I received lots of good feedback.  One of the things I needed to consider was if I was going to compete or not.  Many experienced BB’s said it can impact you depending on what and where, and said it is best not to.

I had read some great blogs on people who competed in the Arnold and what they had to do to compete at that level.  I love BB and how it is making me look, the lifestyle, discipline, etc.  But to get to the level of competing even in the all natural contests, and considering all the major talent I see on this site, I am just not willing to give up THAT much of my life.  Right now BB enhances my life, I am not ready for it to rule it.

So back to the tattoo.  I decided that I didn’t want one that was, well, half embarrassed or ashamed looking, like I am wanted to hide it or something.  I wanted one that was as bold as I can be.  Once I decided to get it I researched the local artists through online reviews, stopped and annoyed people I saw with great looking tat’s and asked where they got them and who did them.  Actually I had been doing that for a while.  I ended up going with Devotion Tattoo and Sideshow Jen.  Her portfolio was impressive and her training was solid.  She is a graduate of an Art Institute in Manhattan and had been a commercial artist before deciding to become a tattoo artist.  So I found my Tattoo Artist and we sat down and reviewed some samples of what I was thinking about.  She gave me some good advice and once we agreed on the concept I left.  Came back for my appointment and she presented the artwork.  I liked it, but was not sure how it would work on me but that was no problem.  She creates templates that she applies to my skin so she can see how it will look.  She cut the individual components apart and applied then separately so she could adjust the positioning.  She did this a couple of times until we both agreed we liked the way it looked.  This lady takes her time and does it right!  It is really a piece of art and I love it.  Of course I will post some pics, but to do her work justice I will wait a day or so until the swelling and redness subside.

Bodyfat went up?  10%?  Awwww, darn.  But I can see it around my middle.  Strange how my biceps are so cut but the fat just sits around my middle.

Sometimes you just gotta listen to your body.  I was uncontrollably starving last night and none of the "clean" foods sounded remotely interesting.  I ended up eating some sugar coated almonds and peanuts.  Woke up this morning feeling pretty good.

I missed my triceps workout on Thursday and so had decided to make it up today.  Wow!  Rest and the extra carbs really made a difference.

I started with the triceps bench press on the smith machine.  When I got to 315lbs, I easily did 6 reps.  I’m stoked!  So I added 20lbs to 335lbs.  I did 4 reps!  I’m thinking.. I need to see if I can do a couple at 355lbs.  I got a spotter and went at it.  I got to solid reps and third rep with partial assist.  This is by far a personal best.  I think I had hit two reps rep at 335lbs a couple of workouts ago.  I cannot believe at 48 years old I can do 355lb triceps benches.  All the advances in training over the past 20 years have really proven that we can excel at any age!  I wish my shoulder was healthy enough to bench press.  I am sure I could do 405lbs without to much trouble.  Just not worth the risk at this point.

I then did some nose crunches on the flat bench with the EZ Curl bar.  I worked up to 145lbs at 6 reps inside and outside grip sets.  Went ahead and got a couple of extra reps on the last set with a spotter.  

Last I did the triceps dip machine.  Did the standard dip up to 320lbs for 8 reps.  Did two sets at that weight.  Using the same bench I rotate my elbows outward and focus on the outside head of the triceps.  I did three sets working up to 230lbs.

That was a killer workout.  Not going to do any isolation sets today because this was all about power.  I will need to make sure and eat a better balance of carbs.  Been to much protein.. probably as much as 70%.  Need to get to 50% carb, 40% protein, 20% fats.

It is 9:43Pm and I just ate about 600 calories of sugar coated peanuts and almonds.. Man.. stupid!  I hate when I do that.. and I feel like I am being sneaky or getting away with something.. I cop an attitude with myself like a kid.  Jeez.

Just bored and not sleepy so I gave in.  Oh well.  Hopefully it wont stall my fat loss.