Pumping Iron

Today is National Chest Day, so like almost everyone else out there, I trained Chest.  I put a picture of Arnold up, because when I’m training chest, I can’t think of a better model to strive for then this.  I started out today doing dumbell incline presses; after warming up, I grabbed a pair of 100’s and got 9 reps, which was a PR (could have done more probably with a spotter).  Then I threw those away and grabbed 105’s and got 6/5/4, which was also a PR (105’s x 6).

After the DB Incline Presses, I loved to Flat DB presses, still with 105’s, and got 7/6/5/4, which was pretty good after being fatigued from the Inclines.  Then I moved to do some weighted dips (why?)…’because they’re old-school and bad-ass.  WIth 90 from the belt, I did 4 sets, 8 reps was the best set, and I also I did a drop-set for the last set.

Now I moved onto DB Fly’s with 60’s at 45/30/15 and 15 degrees, respectively, I got 10-6 reps for the 4 sets.  I usually don’t do cable cross-overs of pec-deck fly’s because I really don’t think I need that detail this early on in my career (as opposed to simply acquiring mass), but today I went away from that thinking and did Cable Crossovers–4 sets, 30-40lbs. getting a very nice contraction on each rep.

Then I jumped on the Elliptical for 40 min. at 80-90%.  I love it how people jump on a machine next to you on start pounding away as fast as they can just to try and show you up.  I run alot, so the elliptical is a cake-walk for me–I watch these people come to machines directly next to me (even when there are several other open machines) and try to outwork me, it’s pretty funny to watch–because afte 5-10 min. I’m still going at 90% and they left the machine (disgraced and embarrassed).  I don’t know why people do this, I mean you can tell who they are because they jump on a machine close to you (without a proper warm-up) and start going as fast as they can and burn-out.

After a that session of cardio, I headed home.  I thought this was an excellent chest workout–next week I feel like I can PR on DB Incline’s again, maybe 7-10 reps with 105’s, and if I get that, I might move up to 110’s…It’s all part of the plan..

Well I hope y’all had a great weekend, I’m looking forward to some Monday Night Football tonight…

Happy Lifting

So before I got to the gym today, I put Hulk Hogan’s Theme song in my Ipod (“I am a Real American”).  Needless to say, I put it on repeat for my entire workout, and I might do the same thing for my run.  Today I did Calves, Hams, Forearms and Abs.

Calves: Seated Raise-45 x 12, 90 x 10, 135 x 6/6/6, 90 x 8, 45 x 12

Donkey Sled Raise: 360 x 8/8/6/6

Donkey Bent-over machine Calf Raise: 4 sets x 400: 6-8, with some drop-sets

Hams: Lying Curl-140 x 6-8, 4 sets….Seated Curl…4 sets, 100-140, 12-6 reps

Forearms, superset of BB wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, 110 and 50, respectively, 10-20 reps and 8-12 reps, 4 sets

Abs: decline crunches at highest incline, how ever many sets to 200 reps.

For a random, smaller-bodypart workout, this was pretty good.  I remember listening to that song doing seated curls, “I am a real American, fight  for your right, fight for your life!”  Then looking up and seeing a huge American Flag almost directly over my machine.  HELL Yeah!  USA!

Alright, I still have to do 7 miles outside, so have a great weekend…

Happy Lifting

Ahh Who doesn’t love Leg Day? (For those of us who do in fact train legs seriously).  Before I jump into heavy squats, whether they be front, smith, or back, I like to do some light warm-up sets on the leg extension machine to get the blood flowing.  So I did 4 sets, 30/40/40/50 for 10-20 reps.

Then it was Game Time.  Smith-machine Squats, 3 warm-up sets up 135/225/275 then onto 335 x 8, 355 x 4/3 and 365 x 2.  I believe that was the heaviest I have ever gone on Smith Squats, so I felt pretty good about that.

Leg Presses were next.  No warm-up sets, I just dived into 720.  I did 4 sets, 720 x 12/12/8/8.  Last set went something like this: 720 x 8/630 x 3/540 x 5/450 x 6/360 x 6/270 x 8/180 x 10/and finally 90 x 15.  I love doing a huge drop-set for my last set of leg presses, it really makes you want to cry at the end.

Hack’s were next.  270 x 15, 290 x 12, and 320 x 8/6, again last set was a drop-set.  Whew!

I usually just do extensions after these 3 exercises and call it a day, but today I threw in lunges for ****s and giggles.  With 135, I got 12/10/8…then I used 95 and rest-paused 30 reps…then I rested one more minute and did a set to failure.  Extensions were last, 180/160/140/130 for 12-8 reps, last 2 sets=drop-sets.

And that was it.  When I got home I was already having trouble walking up and down the stairs, so you know the next couple of days are going to be really tough.  Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to lay on the couch all day and watch football!

Happy Lifting…and have a great weekend

God I was waiting all day for my Vasocharge/Xtend/Optimum Whey to get here, and when it finally did, I took all my supp’s and got the hell out of my house to the gym, flushing with excitement-for it was arm day.  I started with the all-time triceps mass-builder: Close-Grip Bench Presses.  Eventually I worked up to 245 x 6, and 250 x 3..both are around PR’s (if not actual PR’s).  That got me pumped to do some Barbell Curls.  I got 4-6 reps with 115 for 4 sets.

After doing these two mass-builders (and resting 2 min. between sets) I jumped into the next 2 super-sets.  My first superset was Seated Overhead Dumbell extensions and BB Preacher Curls.  4 sets: I used a 125-pounder for the extensions (that **** was heavy) and 80 for the preacher’s–I’ll tell you, it was one of the best super-sets that I have ever done.  Extensions I got 6-10 reps, Preacher’s I got 4-8 reps.

Then I moved on to the 2nd super-set: Lying Tricep Extensions and Incline DB Curls.  For 4 sets, I used 100 for the Skullcrushers and 40’s for the curls (with the bench alternating between 45 and 30 degrees for the curls).  I got 6-10 for the Extensions and 4-8 for the curls.  (I added close-grip benches to the last 2 sets after extensions-making it an actual tri-set).  Just burstin‘ after these two super-sets (only 1 min. in between sets).

Then I moved on to cable curls, using 80lbs. for 4 sets, 6-15 reps and only 30 seconds rest in between sets (It’s nice, I like).  After those, I went to the Icarian seated Dip machine and used the stack for 4 sets (I made this machine my bitch--I took it out for a nice Seafood Dinner and NEVER CALLED IT AGAIN).  For 4 sets, (30 sec. rest), I got 12-8 reps.  Also, Last sets for cable curls and dip machine were drop sets.

Then I moved on to a nice little tri-set for my forearms: barbell wrist curls, reverse bb wrist curls and hammer curls, using 110, 40, and  45’s respectively.  I won’t bore you with rep ranges here, but just know that my forearms were just swollen afterwards.

I knew at this time that if I did not jump on a treadmill now, I would never do my interval workout, so I decided to push some Ab/Calf work to Saturday.  On the treadmill, I warmed up at a 8-9:30 pace for 5 minutes, then did something like this: 90 seconds at 5:00 minute/mile pace (or as fast as this particular treadmill could go)…then 2 minutes at a 3.3 (fast walk)…then another 90/rest…60/rest…60/rest…90/rest…90/rest…60/rest…almost 2 minutes/rest…and finally 45/rest.  My rest was 1-3 minutes depending on the length of the interval.  Damn that was a great sprint workout.  I stretched afterwards, then headed home.

This was a great freakin’ workout and it really made my day.  I’m so happy I got my supp’s and I am looking forward to doing some WORK on my Quads tmrw, so keep your ears open to hear how that unfolds.

Stay Hungry and Happy Lifting…

Today=shoulders and traps.  I like to do Smith-machine shoulder presses, so that’s what I started with.  I eventually got 235 for 5-7 for 4 sets…which was decent.  Then I moved on to Romanian Dead’s, because this is really the only day that I can fit them in.  I worked up to 365 x 7/5/3…really not where I want that to be.  Seated DB presses were next, using 80’s for 4 sets, I got 10-6 reps.  Next time I’ll start with them and use 90’s or 95’s.  Then I did some side laterals using 50′s…getting 6-8 for 4 sets.  Did some BB shrugs…3 sets…405 x 6-8…and behind-the-back also…just repping out with 225.  Also did reverse pec-deck-fly’s…120 x 6-8 for 4.  Calves were donkey calf raise..360 x 6-10 for 5…seated raises x 115 x 6-10 for 4.

That was it.  I’m kind of tired today, and I will probably take tmrw off, do arms on Thurs. and Legs on Friday.  I’m currently waiting for a shipment to come in from BB.com (Vasocharge, Xtend, Optimum Whey), and I’m fairly excited for it to arrive.  I don’t want to say that I didn’t bring it today…but a heavy chest workout then back workout then shoulders w/dead’s is just getting me tired.  So I’ll probably do 5-7 miles later on outside, maybe some HIIT tmrw, then go back and bomb my arms on Thurs., where hopefully I’ll already have received my new shipment and be rested and ready for anything.
Stay Hungry…

Happy Lifting

So today I lifted later than usual because I had a to drive an hour away to interview at a job fair for a membership sales position with XSport Fitness (we’ll see how that pans out).  When I got home around 12 and was pretty tired, but I took a nap, watched "Old-School Bodybuilding" –(under my videos) then drank some coffee and whey and went to work.

I consider back day to be the 2nd most important lifting day (behind legs).  So as usual, it was all business at the gym today.  I started with wide-grip chins, doing 5-6 sets for 70 reps (I promise next time I’ll attach a 24/45 and do weighted chins).  Then I went over to bent-over BB rows, doing 275 x 6/5/5/4…which was ok.  I guess sometimes when you doing a workout it’s give and take as far as maintaining intensity.  I made up for it during t-bar rows: 4 sets with 5 plates, getting 6-8 reps..last set was a Giant-Drop set, I stripped one plate, repped it out, stripped another plate, repped it out, etc. until I only had one plate on.  Intensity is the word I think.

Then I went over to do some Hammer-Strength overhead plate loaded rows.  I did 4 sets with 4 plates on each side, and got 10 for my best set, which was a PR.  Last set was the most intense drop-set that I ever did with this machine…4 plates x 8…3 plates x 8…2 plates x 20…and 1 plate x 50.  After this my grip felt that ****.  I tried to do some Lat-pulldowns and they were ok, I could only do 3 sets with 180 x 6-8.  Seated cable rows were next, 4 sets for 180 x 8-10, with a drop set attached.

I felt like really making my back pay today so I jumped on the Hammer Strength pullover then high row machine and did 6 more sets.  After this I really had nothing.  I can’t wait to wake up tmrw because I know my back is going to be sore as hell.  But that is what it’s all about…Am I right?  I have shoulders/hams tmrw (unless I take it off pending DOMS) and 5-7 miles, so pray for me…ha.

If your back workout is where it should be, make some improvements.  You might get by sometimes with other weak bodyparts, but having a barn-door back and shredded wheels wins competitions.  Stay Hungry my friends…

Happy Lifting

Friday I had a shoulder/trap workout.  Nothing special really, so don’t go home writing your grandma about my workout ok?  I tried the Hammer Strength shoulder press for the first time, and once I found the sweet spot, I got 5 x 115 (each side).  I won’t really be happy until I get at least 3 plates on each side.  Then 50’s x 8 on the DB side laterals.  BB shrugs went pretty well.  I haven’t done them in a while, but I got 425 x 6, which was pretty good.  Then I did some old school, behind-the-back Lee Haney Leanin’ Upright Rows…225 x 15/15…275 x 10/10.  Basically you do a behind-the-back shrug, lean forward a little more and try to get a larger range of motion…it fills in that center-back/trap tie-in nicely.  Then reverse pec-deck fly’s blah blah blah…onto chest, which was today.

I started with incline BB presses and got 225 x 6.  I feel like I could have gotten 8-10 with a spotter, but oh well, when you train alone you have to do the best with what you have.  Then I rest-paused  8 reps on the last set. Onward to Incline DB presses where I did 100’s x 5/4/3/3 for my sets.  They felt good (next time when I start with them, holy ****, I’m going to get like 10-12 reps with them, I swear).  I put weighted dips back into my chest workout, (why?) because they’re bad-ass that’s why.  With 2 45’s on the belt I got 8/6/5/5..then did a drop set with my own b/w on the last set, and then some negatives.  Nice.  Then I went onto Incline fly’s…best was like 60’s x 10ish.

Had to make room for calves, so I supersetted seated raises (with 90) with donkey calf raises (with 180), and got 8-12 and 8-10 respectively for 4 sets.  Then abs were next.  I haven’t done abs for like 10 days so I felt like crap.  Leg raises were first, I got 10/8/8 reps, and I started to feel embarrassed over getting such low reps so I stopped.  Then I went over to the decline bench, set it as the lowest setting, grabbed a 25 and did how ever many sets (5-7?) it took to get to 100 reps.  After this I was done…

If you count done as running 7 miles on the road afterwards…screw treadmills.

That’s all, I have back and cardio tmrw, after I attend a job fair for what else?  Positions with XSport  Fitness at all their Chicagoland locations.  Let’s hope that goes well.  Until then…

Happy Lifting

Do you want a back that is so (barn-door) wide that it blocks out the sun? Can’t wait to not be able to fit through average-size door frames? (Me either…).  Then listen up, and take some notes on how to improve your own back training by studying my own.

I always like to start with wide (WIDE) grip pull-ups.  If you see someone at the gym doing wide-grip pull-ups (weighted or bodyweight) you know that he is for real.  I did 6 sets today for a total of 62ish reps.  It was ok, a nice warm-up for the heavier rows to come.

Then I went over to the free-weight area of my gym to do some bread n’ butter Bent-Over BB Rows.  First three sets=275 x 6-8, then I lowered it to 225 for the last two sets to get a little more reps.  These were ok, nothing special.

Then I went over to the flex fitness T-Bar Row machine and did 5 sets with 4 plates, 12-9 reps.  I love to do drop-sets for these, taking a plate off after each drop–Just grindin’ the detail into my back.  After these, I had to get a paper towel and wipe some sweat off of the floor, because brother, I was sweatin’ up a storm!

Then I waltzed over to the overhead plate-loaded Hammer-Strength Row machine.  5 sets, 4 plates (EACH SIDE) for 5-7 reps each set.  Last set (DROP-SET), holy crap, it was a ball-buster.  Took one plate off, got 8 reps, took another plate off, got 25 reps, took another plate off so I only had a 45 on each side, got 45 reps! 45 w/45’s! Kinda tired after this one.

I went over to do some lat-pulldowns, but after 2 sets with 180 my grip was just ****, I had nothing.  So I went over to do some seated cable rows and did 4 sets with 180.  And after that I was done.  Supposed to do some ab work today, but man, I’ll fit that in tmrw.  Today was all business.  Wide Chins and Heavy Rows, that’s where it’s at.

So if your training back, don’t run away from the hard exercises: Chins, Dead’s and Heavy Row’s built the backs of champions.  (I do heavy Romanian Deadlifts on my shoulder/hams day).

…..Happy Lifting

Who doesn’t want a chest that hangs on your torso like a sheet of steel?  I think most men out there probably have no problem growing their chests, because everyone was raised on the bread-and-butter bench press.  Just make sure you prioritize your upper chest once in a while.  In 8 years do you want to say: "Yeah, I just do incline presses now because I did too many flat-benches earlier on in my lifting career…".  I sure don’t.

Today I started with incline dumbell presses to give some love to my upper pecs (see last paragraph).  95’s felt easy, so I moved to 100’s and got a new PR: 100’s x 6.  I believe that I could have done this in the past: I remember one workout where I was psyched to use 100’s, but couldn’t kick up the DB’s on one particular incline bench.  Oh well, next time 100’s x 8-10 here I come.

Then I simply moved 2 feet to my right and used a flat bench to knock out 4 sets of flat DB presses: 100’s x 3-8 reps (pretty tired from the first exercise).

Then I did decline Barbell presses to work the lower chest.  I would have done decline DB presses, but it’s kind of hard to get those into place when you are working out alone.  4 sets, 225 x 8 was the best set (although I feel like I tweaked my right elbow after this…).

Flat DB fly’s were last, only 2 sets with 60’s, 6-10 reps, stopped early because my right arm felt tweaked.  Feels better now though, thank God ’cause I got back tmrw.

Calves were last, 4 supersets of seated and donkey calf raises…8-10 reps…8-12 reps.  Then I went to standing calf raises and just kind of went for a couple pump sets to get the blood flowing.  I also jumped on the Elliptical for 40 min. after lifting and sweated up a storm.

So I think this workout went ok.  I felt kind of drained after the incline presses, but all in all, this session went pretty well.  I think I’m going to continue to switch from DB to BB presses from week to week, just makes sense.

I have back tmrw…and last week I did 30 f…ing sets, and you know what? I think I’ll do that again tmrw!

Happy Lifting!

Let me start off by saying that I believe that one should separate his/her Hamstring workout from his/her Quadriceps workout.  "Why?" you say?  Well, if you’re like me, and you really mess up your quads after a workout, there is simply not enough energy to train the back of your legs.  (And if you’re still fresh, well then you need to rethink your intensity level in the gym).  My split is like this: Chest, calves, abs/Back/Shoulders, Hams, calves, abs/Quads/Arms, forearms, calves, abs….with maybe one rest day somewhere in between, and definitely 1-2 rest days afterwards.

If you had a grueling Quad session…

1) Your shirt should be soaking wet.  I even had a towel with me (have to wipe down those machines when you’re done folks) and my shirt was pretty drenched.

2) At some point in your workout, your knee buckles/legs give out when your leaving/entering a machine.  After my last set of leg presses, I had to stumble out of that ****ing machine.

3) At some point in your workout, you feel like your about to throw up (or you actually do!).  After Hack Squats, I felt like something was about to burst out of my throat, kept it down though…

4) You do that crazy, shaky, stumblin’ dance out of the gym to your car.  You know that funny-ass walk you get when your quads are shaking from all the **** you just did to them.

5) You fear going up/down stairs for the rest of the week (**** it, I’ll take the elevator for this one floor…).

Now let me get in to the insanity that was my quad workout for today.  I like to start off with leg extensions, not heavier then 50lbs., just 3-4 light sets to get the knees warm and happy.  Then it was off to Back Squats (I switch from Front to Back Squats week to week).  After I did 2 warm-up sets, squats looked like this: 315 x 8, 325 x 3, 335 x 3, 335 x 2…next time I figure 335 x 6-10 is definitely in reach.

After that, Leg presses were next.  After one set of 630 x 10 to warm-up, I got to work, doing 720 x 12, x8, x8, and x 10 for the last set.  For leg presses I just get nasty…during the last set, I take of 2 plates (one off of each side) for each drop, and do continual drop sets until the last drop, where I’m only using 90lbs.  It really hurts, but damn is it fun to do.

Hack Squats were next, 4 sets, 315 x 10-20 reps.  This felt really easy, next time I’ll add 50-100 more pounds and it will get interesting.  Of course, last set was a double-drop set (I subsequently felt like puking after this, but oh well, I wasn’t done yet.).

I added lunges to this workout, I usually don’t do them, but I felt like paralyzing my legs today.  I did 3 sets, alternating front lunges (in place) for 8-15 reps.  It hurt…

Leg extensions were last…4 sets, 180 x 10 was the heaviest, last set=giant-drop set.  Then I got my bag, and did that funny-ass dance back to my car.

Does anyone else ever get worse delayed onset muscle soreness 2 days after a leg workout and not just the next day.   For me, the following day is not as bad as 2 days afterwards…oh well, I’m just going to down alot of red meat and hope that helps.

I hope this quad workout motivates you to get to that squat rack...and if you don’t even train legs…well then get the **** out of the gym.

Happy (Leg) Lifting!