miked512’s BodyBlog

So, why does the pump in your legs not feel as awesome, wonderful, and as exhilirating as it does throughout the rest of the body?

Is it because the muscles are too damned big?  Am I not training them enough?

I even avoid taking no-xplode and other preworkout supps like that on leg day just because, I don’t ever really feel it in the legs department.  Maybe I’m missing something.

Anybody else feel like this?

Alright, so this post was going to be about my experience at the Georgia’s Strongest man event this past weekend, but nope.  Changed my mind.  Going to write this post before I go train legs today.  This post is about the craziness of birthdays and trying to get workouts in.

Alright, so today’s the day before my birthday and I really want to go buy something instead of going to train these damned legs with these crazy giant sets of drop sets.  Its something I’ve been avoiding since I started the insanity and lets just say, I’m feeling kinda bitchy, but smart at the same time.  So I’m about to go but then I remember one of my roommates saying the sneaking thing of "Make sure you get plenty of rest tonight".  Great, these bastards are going to surprise and kidnap me tomorrow.  I’ll make sure to train and no nap on the way home from work tomorrow.  Or just … trick them like the dastardly bastard I am.

And someone’s going to do something silly and waste money on cake.

You know … if  trip to pleasant peasant or lot of steak isn’t in the festivities, I’m going to be a fuddy duddy.  I’m really good at that.  BTW, things to post about next.

1)  Pics for blog 2 days ago

2) Georgia’s strongest man

3) Training insanity and how fun it is

4)  Supplement insanity and why everyone should dose 30+ g of fish oil per day for 6 weeks

So last Sunday, after feeling like mush, having weird pains and the like, I decided to take off last week.  Monday - Friday and start back Saturday using a combination of the last workout I was testing out and some of Hamilkar’s giant sets.  Well, I was impressed with what the rest has done for me.

1)  I’m able to do a crap load of a lot more volume work without becoming extremely winded

2)  Intervals on the stepmill at a slightly higher setting than my usual wasn’t bad at all.  It means I need to go up.

3)   The sledgehammer nor the tire totally floored me this weekend.

Unfortunately, its not like I gained significantly noticeable amounts of muscle and lost crazy amounts of fat during this time off like I was hoping.  I’m just … better.  Well, maybe I did.  Guess I’ll take pics next time.

Phew, but geez … I gotta do this crap again for 12 weeks.  Madness I tell you.  Madness.

This post is meant to be an introduction to the bodyspace state tour as well as the highlight of the first stop.

I must first detail the goal and aims of the Bodyspace state tour.  Recently, I’ve become slightly bored with the hohums of my usual training week.  Doing my prescribed number of sets and reps with various exercises, changing it up just for me, and throwing in bits of GPP on the weekend.  Before I’d just find another workout, add and subtract some of its methodologies or even more fun, make up my own thing.  However, I got tired of asking people what they were doing and incorporating it into my own so I decided to do the next best thing which is, go do what other people are doing.  So I got the idea after asking a bodyspacer for a workout, “Hey, why don’t I just stop by and workout with a different bodyspace when I’m in their area?”  So this is how the bodyspace state tour has been born.

At any rate, my first stop was to go workout with snlewis25.  This was the weekend I had to go talk to kids at my old high school about doing well in school and how it can contribute to them doing well at life.  All of that good important stuff.  At any rate, I went to go visit him on a Saturday.  After enjoying family, chilling with one of my semi-pro wrestler friends who will probably be featured here later, and delicious barbecue.  After being content and eating this deliciousness in Morven, GA I made the hour and a half drive to Douglas, GA.  Nice, long winding roads, crisp country air, and a wonderful breeze.  I got to his place at about 8 pm.

After getting lost in Douglas, having a few “aaahhhh, you drive crazy moments” and talking with snlewis25 on the phone I finally made it.  So of course, I get there to be greeted by a lovely female  and himself.  We introduce ourselves, talk a little bit, and me being the ever industrious training nerd, am pretty much able to get dressed and be ready to go in 30 seconds flat.

However, before getting to the workout I notice the previous used supp stack on the refrigerator.

HOLY GEE WILLIKERS!! I’m thinking to myself.  “That is a huge stash”.  We go over the effectiveness of a few of the supps he’s used, something I can think of thats comparable to it, how much we like it, and well, what else we plan on buying in the future.  Then of course, it was time to go out to the back for the weight training.

For those of you that don’t know, snlewis25 works out in his backyard, away from the hustle and bustle of a crowded gym with limited hours.  However, just because its in his backyard does not mean this man is lacking in training equipment.  He has just about everything one would need to build an awesome, rock solid physique of their choosing.  I would almost say the only thing he’s lacking is a station for doing pull-ups/chins but he actually happens to have that too.  The problem is, using that requires an extreme amount of grip strength that a fledgling probably would run away from before he attempted to try it.  So what was the workout piece for the day.  ARMS!!!!!!

snlewis25 trains 4-5 days with a Heavy-day/light day alternating routine.  His fifth day is usually devoted to arms if he can find time to do it.  He’s been using his current routine for about 5 months.  On with the show.

This workout begins at 20:12.  First we start off with 2 sets of 20 on the rope pulldown.  He goes through his set easily.  My turn, I’m thinking to myself, “Wow, 20.  I’m definitely not a high rep guy.  This is so going to suck.”  I get through it though.  Too bad this is a warm-up.  “Damn, this is just stop 1 and I’m about to be a bologna sandwich this whole workout.”

Second set begins.  Its not so bad.  So of course, I adjusted my weight from snlewis25’s weights just because I had to get the neural patterns for various exercises.  Then we followed up with 3 sets of Close Grip Bench Press in a 12, 10, 8 respective rep scheme.  This was followed by Skull Crushers with a 15, 10, 5 rep scheme.  Of course this was with a straight bar so that of course makes life oh so difficult.

Skull Crushers introduced a new concept I haven’t seen written about but what snlewis25 does in practice.  Its called a “continuation set”.  After the last set of skull crushers, it is immediately followed by the first set of 15 dumbbell triceps extensions.  After the continuation set, there is one more set of dumbbell tricep extensions for 15.  He he,  I’m laughing because throughout the whole triceps portion of the workout my weights were considerably less than his.  Go figure.

Then we got to the biceps.  Bicep curls with 3 sets at a 12, 10, 6 rep scheme.  In an effort to try to sound slightly useful, I had him try them up against the wall and man did we both feel it.  Then that was followed by 2 sets of 10 Reverse Grip Curls and Hammer Curls.  Then there was the interesting wrist curls.  Its a technique that has to be seen and experienced.  I can’t really describe it but it was awesome.  2 sets of 20.

Our workout ended at 21:06.  Afterwards we ended the workout, talked more about supplementation, wrestling, bodybuilding.com prices, drank some syntha-6 and overall I had a blast.  Then it was time to leave so I made my 2 hour drive back to quitman and well, spent time with my family.

Closing thoughts:  I really enjoyed this workout, mosquitoes and all.  Yeah, I was also a bit too stubbon to put on insect repellent so I got my ass eaten up and pretty much itched all of last week.  I have scars to prove it.    It goes to show that although you may not have a gym membership, with a small investment you can build yourself a damned good home gym that can be used for a multitude of exercises.  Quite awesome how that all works out for him.  I also realize that I’m going to have to train a heck of a lot harder to be able to keep up with him on any of his other workouts he might have in store.

So, on to the next person.  Pictures of this journy will be put up later.

So Saturday me and the big guy I’ve been training to lose some weight decided to pull out the sledgehammer, the big assed tire, and get to work.

This was our first time using a sledgehammer for cardio and well, it seemed like a good way to let off some steam.  Lets just say, I feel like I did several sets of full contact twists with a crazy amount of weight.  And that was just an 8 pounder.  I might go pick up a 10 on wednesday.

:-)

Hhhhhmmmm, now if only I were strong enough to move that tire by myself or I had a lighter one.  I could see myself doing that instead of running/walking for 30 minutes.  He he, oh well.  Hhhhmmm….

This is a new segment that provides commentary on new exercises I see at the gyms I go to.  This would be quite educational, but since these are travesties, then its probably more humorous than educational.  Before I start, you might wonder why don’t I go correct them?  Experience has taught me that personal trainers know all, lifters know all, and I get mad as hell when someone interrupts my workout talking about form.  I listen though but do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The first exercise to be listed in the travesty section is the Squat Morning.  I first encountered this exercise at Metro Fitness on Metropolitan Parkway.  At any rate, the description is as follows.

Squat Morning

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Quadriceps, Lower Back
Other Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Compound

Wow, I thought I made a post since my last one.  Apparently I didn’t.  The bodyblog email thingy reminded me to post something.  Channel1 said I left him and the rest of my readers hanging.  Cliffhangers add dramatic effect to stories.

Well, lets just say workouts are going pretty good and consistent.  I had to readjust some days due in part to a funeral I had to go to the day after my last blog posting.  However, they’ve been coming along just fine and producing stares.  Boy, I realize I’m a heck of a lot weaker than I was last year.  I guess this year of breaks, not eating, and the like has finally caught up to me.  At least, this training routine of 5 sets of 15, 3 exercises seems to be producing results, but I respond to just about everything so oh well.

Pics were supposed to be taken 2 weeks ago and probably every 2-4 weeks for progress tracking but I am the biggest slacker when it comes to picture taking.  Oh well, ha ha, better luck next time for you guys.

Well, today I got back in the gym and enjoyed myself.  Had a pretty good workout.  I hope I can get a workout in tomorrow morning before I make this drive. 

WOO HOO!!!!!

Will talk more about that one later.  good night.

So I’ve taken about 3 weeks off.  Maybe even a month … I don’t know.  My nutrition game has been on.  My supp game has been on.  Its just time to layer back in the weights.  Cardio .. eh, off and on.  I’ve been  moving like crazy recently.  With my stepfather’s passing due to a stroke though, I’ve decided I’ve really got to take the whole cardio thing VERY seriously and I’m trying to get the rest of my people in on it too but oh well.  Ha ha, I think I’m about to be training partnerless for a while as well but as I’ve said before, they come and go, no matter how good they are.  He’ll  be back though, no biggie but in the meantime … its just me and the iron for now, I think.  Now, for me to find the time to put my workouts in my busy work schedule. 

So this brings up the new approach.  I’ve always been a fan of functional strength, just never really concentrated on it too much.  Still don’t think I can actually put too much concentration on it but today, I attended my first adult gymnastics class.  I was just observing because I was late getting there due to getting lost.  I watched, felt slightly challenged but was a bit concerned about proper attention.  Considering I’ve never been able to ever do a cart wheel, this means this is going to be all the more entertaining.  However, gymnastics is the way to extreme functional strength since you’re moving your body in several different directions.  Sure the fat guy that had been going there for six years kinda threw me off.  Its making me hesitant about taking it too seriously.

Any thoughts?  I want to write more but its bed time so good night you readers.  May post more later.  Tomorrow is workout day?  3 day a week P/RR/S I think.  Where?  I don’t know?  What time?  Don’t know.  Will figure that all out tomorrow.

Later people.

Alright, so a few weeks ago, I read the naked warrior by pavel tsatsouline.  Good book, I highly recommend it.  I just can’t do any of the exercises in it.  I’m "greasing the groove" to get there even though I’ve been slacking on it.  Anyway, that book made me realize why my bench press weight was never going anywhere.  It also kinda explained to me why I’d see all of these flat chest bastards benching a whole bunch of weight.  Then again, the fact they even do it wrong has a lot to do with that as well.
Apparently a memo went out several decades ago that there were two types of bench presses.  Elbows flared for bodybuilders and elbows tucked for powerlifters/weight lifters.  What had I been doing all these years?  The bodybuilder method.  Boy, was I in for a shocker.   I always wondered why I could see all these people benching 300+ lbs all the damned time and be small as shit.  Why?  Muscles in proper alignment for maximum pushing power versus muscles in alignment for maximum pectoral fiber stimulation.  I guess thats what I get for using Lee Haney form even though he never benched over 315 lbs.  I always found that weird considering his training partner who was smaller than him, Ropeman Felder, was considerably strong as an ox.  I guess the both of them never caught it or didn’t really care.
So of course I decided to change it up a bit.  Apparently, the weightlifting method was the way my training partner had been doing it all along.  Wow, this is taking some getting used to.  I feel actually pretty crappy that my bench poundages have dropped as much as they have since I’ve tried this new form.  Oh well, now to get the hang of it.  I guess I’ll get even more muscle and strength growth once everything falls into place and my normal recruitment patterns adapt to the new form.  Until then, I guess I gotta keep pumping at it.  I’ll get it though, I’m just feeling a little dumbfounded.  I’m also upset that after all of these years I’m just finding this out.  Wow, the things we learn and how we learn them.  Maybe I should have read the naked warrior years ago.
LMAO, I wonder if I’ve opened the eyes of my readers a bit.    We’ll soon find out.