Ludlum3k’s BodyBlog

Just came back from a great workout for my back and biceps. The only thing not so great about it was how it showcased my tremendous weakness in my grip strength. I tried my best to not use straps to work on it a bit, but still they were greatly needed. I have plans to do some grip-strength specific exercises both inside and outside of the gym in order to bring it up to par. Furthermore, my performance at doing pullups was less-than-stellar, due to my loss of strength from my gym absence and the fact that I’m about 15 lbs heavier than I was last time I did them. However, I tried my best and utilized some techniques to squeeze some out of them (like negatives and partials). The workout went as follows: pullups, T-bar rows, barbell shrugs, wide-grip seated cable rows, straight-arm pulldowns, incline dumbbell curls, and finally preacher curls. With the cable rows, I used the rest-pause technique to really try and get everything out of them. On the incline dumbbell curls, I used the method where when the muscle is getting fatigued from doing them simultaneously I’d then switch to alternating to get a couple more, plus I used drop sets.

Friday, September 7, 2007
Pullups
3xBW
2 x (2xBW - 2x Negative - 3 x partial)
T-Bar rows
10×135
8×180
6×180
BB shrugs
4×15x225
20×135
Seated cable rows
2 x (10×100 - 8×100 - 6×100 (r.p.) )
Straight-arm pulldown
3×15x40
Incline DB curls
2×12x20s
2 x (8×20s - 8×10s)
Preacher
15×40
12×40
10×40

Well, yesterday I noted that it has been a while since I’ve done a leg workout, but today was my first SHOULDER workout in an even LONGER time. The thing is, shoulders are my week point - as far as muscular development goes - due to the fact that I never really focussed on my middle delt (which of course contributes most to the look of wide shoulders). Again, I went in on a mission to hit my shoulders as hard as I could, especially my middle delts. I’m still sticking with the use of the Smith machine for behind-the-neck shoulder presses - which according to my research should help bring up my middle delts - as my first exercise. Followed by upright rows, utilizing a wide grip to focus more on the delt rather than traps (which of course I have great traps, so they don’t ned the extra focus on this particular exercise). However, I don’t really feel upright rows in the same way most people do, I don’t really feel them working the delts too well, so I guess I’ll try something else next week. Next, I did bent over laterals, which I always feel only in the rear delt, as I should, so they are still a tried-and-true exercise for me. Finished my shoulders with seated side laterals. Somehow, today was the first time I actually performed this exercise in front of the mirror, which I found very useful in a sense that I get to keep a close eye on my form - making sure my arms are on the right plane, bringing both arms to the same point, see if the middle delt appears to be doing the bulk of the work, etc… - Finally, since I didn’t get to work my calves yesterday, I added them to today’s workout. Good ol’ standing calf raises, done in typical fashion.

Thursday, September 6, 2007
Smith behind-neck press
10×105
8×125
2×6x135
Wide upright rows
12×50
12×60
10×70
8×80
Seated bent rear laterals
10×20s
10×20s -> 8×10s
10×15s -> 8×10s
Seated side laterals
12×15s
2 x (10×15s -> 8×10s)
Standing calf raises
15×200
10×200 -> 5×140
8×200 -> 6×140 -> 20xBW

PS:
Dear BodyBuilding.com,
WHERE IS MY SHIPMENT OF SUPPS!?!?!?!? I’VE BEEN WAITING TOO PATIENTLY!!!!!!! HURRY IT UP!!!!
Sincerely,
Adam

It’s been a while since I’ve had a leg day, and did I ever come back with a vengeance. I knew that I would get punished for missing the previous leg days, but today was unbelievable. Yet again, I was on the verge of blacking out in the locker room prior to my workout (always happens on leg day after missing a few), and it feels like it’s impossible for me to take my post-workout nutrients. But I just had to sit around for a bit and catch my breath and slooowly drink my gatorade and protein shake. It was a pretty straight forward leg workout: squats, leg press, seated leg curls and leg extensions. The only thing I experimented with this week was the seated leg curls, where I tried a new weight/rep scheme, and boy did it work. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the next couple of days where it’ll be a struggle to walk…

Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Squats
8×135
8×155
3×8x185
Leg press
2×10x450
10×360
12×270
Seated Leg curls
10×130
8×130 -> 6×100
8×100 -> 6×70
Leg extension
8×100 -> 6×70
12×70

ps: I neglected to do my calf exercises, due to my fatigue and being on the verge of puking, so I’m going to add them to tomorrow’s shoulder day.

Now that I’m back at it, I’m just waiting on my shipment of supps I ordered to arrive. I can’t wait to try ZMA and tribulus terrestis, and to get back on Shock Therapy and Storm. I been curious for quite some time about trying tribulus and ZMA, but I’ve been cautious due to the fact that I’m a bit nervous about playing with my testosterone levels. So hopefully all will go well. I was also curious about trying one of the many ‘total package’ products meant to boost testosterone such as Vitrix or Axis-HT or Zeus, but I decided to try the Optimum Nutrition’s straight Tribulus and ZMA before I graduate to those (plus it’s cheaper). Furthermore, I just purchased some new protein - chocolate Optimum Whey and the delicious chocolate Protein Fusion (casein protein)

Now that summer is over, and it’s time to go back to school, it means that I’m back at the gym full time - no more b.s. to keep me away. Today I had to hurry to the gym to do a chest and triceps workout. Luckily, I got there on time, hit everything I needed to hard and fast, and got out in time. After focusing on upper chest for so long, it was time to go back to lower and middle chest. Starting with the good-ol’ bench press, which is just yet another thing I’ve lost a lot of strength on - due to the lack of gym time this summer. Anyways, I banged out what I could, felt it nicely, and then moved on to decline DB press - which was pretty straight foreward. Next was DB pullover, although I think it would have been better for me to do maybe machine press or DB flyes, because it’s really hard to feel DB pullovers I find. For a chest finisher, I decided to try a new technique - cable crossover 21’s - meaning I’d do 7 reps standing up straight, then 7 reps bent over 90 degrees, then 7 reps after taking two steps foreward. I thought it was great, however, the part where I’m bent over, I didn’t think it really did much, I felt nothing, in fact it was more of a rest for me. I’ll try to tweek it a little next week till I can make it work right. For triceps, I did two sets of seated overhead DB extensions, followed by two sets of rope pushdowns.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Bench press
10×95
10×135
2×8x185
6×185
Decline DB press
8×55s
2×8x60s
DB pullover
3×12x50
Cable crossover
21sx20s
21sx25s
21sx30s
Seated Overhead DB extension
12×65
10×65
Rope pushdown
7×85 -> 5×60
10×60 -> 5×40