cr8zjoe’s BodyBlog

So I just took a week off all weight training. I didn’t even step foot in the gym. I didn’t plan it that way. Three days turned into a week when things in life got a lil’ crazy. I have a minor knee injury and problems w/ my left wrist thats setting me back, so a week off should’ve done me some good. However, I’ve lost 3 1/2 pounds!! and I feel weak and small. I don’t even wanna know what my measurements are. I do know that I gotta get my @ss back in there and hit those weights.  - I have some discipline when it comes to that, but not so much when it comes to my eating…Thats my biggest struggle - eating enough and eating right.

I pushed through some barriers today, in my back and shoulder workout. I felt weak doing wide-grip chin ups, but by the time I got to low pulley rows and lat pulldowns I could feel the energy build up in me. I was able to do 190 lbs on the low pulley rows. — which is my best (so far…)(but I probably could’ve gone higher).  I was able to do bent over barbell rows at 245lbs. , which is a new best for me. Going still heavier, when I got to barbell shrugs in my workout I did 2 sets @ 315lbs…which is the most I’ve ever done on that too. I was weak on my upright rows, maybe because they were later in my workout. Overall a really good workout. My same ole’ workouts just don’t cut it anymore..I’ve gotta step it up if I expect to continue the progress I’ve made so far.   ~~Joe~~ 

Almost too sore to workout at all today. Not sure what I’m gonna do. The only part of me that isn’t sore are my legs…maybe thats a clue. Normally on Mondays I do “back” and shoulders. But I switch things up regularly - No set routine. My muscles don’t get used to doing the same ole’ thing on the same day…I catch em’ by surprise - and hit em’ even harder to spurn that muscle growth I’m lookin for. I might be taking more time off, though. So far I’ve been in the gym 5-6 days a week. I think I can fare well and still get gains by just goin’ 3-4 days.

I had an awesome chest workout today. I did 3 sets of  flat bench press, 2 sets of decline + 3 sets of incline dumbell presses. I finished that off with a few sets of cable flyes. I went up in weight with everything. I load the bar with the same weight I struggled with last week - and it ain’t shit this week!  I love that. Usually after a workout lkie that I’m exausted, but not today. So at the last minute I decided to work my traps. I grabbed a pair of 105lb dumbells to do 2 sets of shrugs, then splashed around in the pool before going home. Overall a good day - great workout.

Looking at my progress charts it looks like my arms may have shrunk! - Not the case. They actually started out at 11 inches and are now 12 1/2. I’ve been measuring them wrong (flexed rather than relaxed.) My legs actually did go down. (MY fault) ..all this time I’ve been training I’ve only worked out my legs about 4 times. Well, thats changed now. I’ve started to do deadlifts this past week and intense leg workouts - at least 2 or 3 days a week.

After several weeks of intense weight training I’ve gained 9 lbs. of muscle. Mostly in my upper body. The most progress I’ve seen is in my back - which I have been working really hard 3 days a week. My chest and abs are progressing well also, but my Benchpress is weak, and so are my legs. So, next I’m gonna add alot more leg workouts to my program; but for the most part I’m gonna focus on the major compound exercises : Benchpress, Deadlift, and squat…and I guess we’ll see, over the next several weeks, just how thats gonna turn out.