Splattered Angst

Finished up this week’s workout and I will be staying clear of weights this whole next week. The workout partner is going to be out of town and it seems wise to just take that time before beginning the next routine to allow for some adaptation and to restore energy reserves. I’ll will do a few sessions of moderate aerobics and keep the metabolism rocking. I used a new gizmo [Myotape] this morning to measure myself and there were some changes. Some that were good and some that had me a tad concerned. My thighs, shoulders and calves were all incrementally larger; chest was a tad smaller, although the recent pics say something different there … the variations that may have to do with my use of a different measuring device. My hip and waist measurements are up [drat!]. Gotta be the new measuring tape. Not going to stress about it. I’ll measure again in a couple of weeks and see how it is then. This new tape was a freebee from Bodybuilding.com and it will provide for some more consistent measurements in the future, I’m sure. Better than the sewing tape I have been using. My weight is up too - at 210. The goal I was shooting for by the end of March, but I am not going to reset that goal until I test body fat in a week or so and see if the weight gain is as I hope: Muscle.

The Push-Pull session this morning was intense. I have been working in the slower reps, as prescribed in the HIT routine, to find a rhythm. It certainly gets the heart pounding and really takes the strain off the tendons and joints. They have not been bugging me at all lately as they have in the past, but doing two heavy movements for back this morning in a bent over position, Dead Lifts and Bent Over Olympic Bar Rows [like a T-Bar Row] may have taken things over the edge … lower back is really tight right now - YEOW! Nothing that might qualify as injurious, just tight.

So below is the workout I am looking forward to. It is outlined in "High Intensity Training the Mark Mentzer Way." A book I have been greatly impressed with as I have been reading it off and on the last couple of weeks. I also borrowed the video from BeffyEMT [thanks bro!]. Given my inclination to over train in the past, this should be something good to try, although the "pump junkie" side of me is really taking it hard [waaa!] with the prospect of only being at the weight racks twice a week. But I am sure if thing work as outlined, there will be measurable gains after a couple cycles of this training the "pump junkie" in me will find some new things to be excited about other than "SWOOOOLL" …

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HIT Training: Guidelines/Principles

1. Only perform one set per exercise [after warm-ups]
2. Warm ups: Do only that which is minimally required to limber muscles and get blood flowing to the area to be worked. On pre-exhaust cycles, do the second exercise as the Warm up
3. Exercises are to be done in strict form: 4 seconds to lift, 2 second hold, 4 seconds to lower.
4. When there is a per-exhaust cycle go directly to the next exercise – no rest. When there is no pre-exhaust, rest as needed.
5. Sets must be taken to momentary muscular failure.
6. Each time you reach the upper end of allotted number of reps, increase weight by 10%.
7. The only way to gage the success of your workout is by the standard of strength increases. Keep a good record.  [Increases in size follow increases in strength.]
8. A lack of progress is almost never due to too little exercise, but too much.

Day 1 ~ Tuesday
Chest
Dumb Bell Flys [6-10 Reps] – pre-exhaust for:
Smith Incline Press [3-5 Reps]

Back
Straight Arm Pull down, shoulder with grip; pause at the bottom [6-10 Reps] pre-exhaust to Palms Up Pull Down [6-10 Reps]
Dead Lifts [6-10 Reps]

Day 2 ~ Friday
Legs
Leg Extensions [12-20 Reps]
Pre-Exhaust to Squats [12-20 Reps]
Standing Calve Raises [12-20 Reps]

Abs
Weighted Hanging Leg Raises [12-20 Reps]

Day 3  ~  Tuesday
Shoulders
Dumb Bell Lateral Raises [6-10 Reps]
Bent Over Dumb Bell Laterals [6-10 Reps]

Arms
Palms-up Pull Downs [6-10 Reps]
Triceps press downs [6-10 Reps] Pre-exhaust for Dips [3-5 Reps]

Day 4  ~  Friday
Legs
Leg Extensions [12-20 Reps]
Pre-Exhaust to Squats [12-20 Reps]
Standing Calve Raises [12-20 Reps]

Abs
Weighted Hanging Leg Raises [12-20 Reps]

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One cycle last two weeks … Dave, the workout partner, and I are planning on sticking with this for four cycles and evaluating then whether to keep at it or switch it up.

Cool!

Brian

This entry was posted on Friday, February 15th, 2008 at 8:48 am and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.