Pumping Iron

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!

...Ill tell you how I did arms today while I sit in this chair.  Today was Biceps, Triceps, forearms and calves, and damn if I wasn’t excited to get to the gym today.  I usually go heavy with close-grip benches first, but that’s getting old, so I went to dumbbell overhead extensions.  After a nice warm-up, I did 5 sets with a 120lb.-er.  Now I don’t want to go into the details of the police report, but I raped that DB pretty damn good, getting 8-12 for 5 sets.  2nd to last set, I used a 90 for a drop set, last set I added a 65 for a double-drop set…pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty good.

My bi’s were getting kind of jealous at this point, so I did the old stand-by of barbell curls.  5 sets with 115lbs., 8-3 reps.  Last set was a huge drop set, I didn’t stop until I was reppin’ out with only the barbell.

Next, I did some preacher curls with an 80lb. fixed bar, getting 6-8 reps for 5 sets.  Then I went over to a flat-bench and supersetted lying extensions with reverse curls (100lb./50lbs., 5 sets, 6-12 reps).  Since I did the preacher’s, I went over to do some press-down’s with a v-bar.  Again, I love this exercise–for each set I did drop sets (starting with 180) until I did around 6 drops for the last set, trying in vain to rep out with 40 lbs. for the last drop.
I love doing giant-sets and tri-sets for forearms, today I did BB wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and hammer curls (135/50/50’s…6-15 reps x 4 sets).

I was pretty tired after that, but you have to put the work in.  I haven’t done the tricep-dip machine in a long time so I did the stack for 4 sets, then of course a wicked drop set for the last set.  Then I threw in some donkey calf raises and seated calf raises (200-400lbs./90lbs. for 4 sets x 6-15 reps).

I call that a pretty damn satisfying arm workout.  I wanted to do abs too, but I think I’ll just go back later tonight to do abs and some cardio.

But that workout is old news, and QUADS are tmrw, so right not I’m just getting my mind right to do work tmrw.

…..Happy Lifting

I had a pretty awesome back workout today, it was around 30 sets.  "30 sets! You sure are going to over-train yourself sir!"  Well, my response to that would be that everyone is different, from Arnold to Yates.  As Trey Brewer put it, "There is no such thing as over-training, only under-eating."  For my workouts, I usually do 2-3 sets for a warm-up, then pick a heavy weight where I can get 3-8 reps and do 3-5 sets, keeping the weight constant and doing a drop set for the last set.  That’s getting old.  I’m moving towards higher volume and a pyramid-style of lifting.  I’m going to stick to it for 3-6 weeks and see how it works out.

Ok, Wide (WIDE) -grip chins were first.  4-6 sets, getting up to 60 reps.  Mainly just to get the blood-flowing.  T-bar rows were next (started’ using 25’s because it make sense to get a deeper contraction and  longer range of motion…Thanks Lee Haney).  I got about 5 reps with 200 on the 3rd-5th set (could have gone for 8-12 but I was burping up my p-shake)…last set did 4 drops.  Very nice, I like.

BO BB Rows were next.  225 x 8, 245 x 6, 275 x 6, x5, x3..is how it went with 2 drops on the last set.  It was ok, I guess.

Wide-grip pulldowns were next, 5 sets, 180lbs., 12-6 reps, last set…gasp!…was a drop-set with 3 drops.

Hammer-strength rows were next (this particular machine is loaded overhead).  This machine is quickly growing to be one of my favorites.  90 (on each side) x 15, 135 x 10, 180 x 6, x6, x5 was how it went down.  Last set was a drop set..holy **** it was insane.  Took one plate off of each side got 8 reps, took off another plate got 25 reps, took off another plate (one 45 on each side) got 40 reps.  That Hammer row is a perfect machine for drop sets…I sure was sweating pretty good when I got off that machine.

But alas, I was not done yet.  Seated cable rows were last (with 2 D-handles not a v-handle)…5 sets, 160-180lbs., 6-12 reps.  Last set, of course you know, was a drop set.

I debated whether of not to do some cardio after this, but I already was drenched in sweat, so I’ll probably just do 5-7 easy miles outside later (it is supposed to get up to 70 later…wtf???).  I thought this was a great workout.  I kind of wanted to do calves and abs, but calves are still a little sore and I can simply hit those groups tmrw with shoulders and hams anyway, so it’s no big deal.

Alright, time for 8 oz. of beef and 2 cups of brown rice…peace!

Happy Lifitng!

‘Did Chest today, and I ws pretty unhappy with the workout.   Keep in mine that I haven’t done serious barbell work in over 3 months and I haven’t benched in about 6 months.  Well, I started with 4 sets of flat BB bench…getting 265 x 3…**** that ****.

Next was incline BB, and tired from the flat benches, I got 225 x 3…pitiful.  That should be around 6-8! Terrible!

Then afer that, I did decline BB…..225 x 5.  I don’t even know about that.  All this shows is that, I really need to a) get my bench back up….and b) get the endurance back to finish this press-centric workout.

After all those presses, I did flat fly’s…60’s x 8 (decent) then 2 sets of stiff-arm pullover’s with a 75 for ****’s and giggles.

I tried to get higher reps on standing calf raises (15-20) ’cause I usually go low, then I proceeded to donkey’s.

After this I did some ab work…10 sets…leg raises…..weighted decline sit-ups…blah blah blah.

I wasn’t going to do any cardio today, because I was running around downtown all day doing today, but I did an easy 5ish miles just to get out and enjoy the fleeting nice weather (it was like 65 today!).

So I’m sorry about that crappy chest workout kids…hopefully it’ll be better next time around.  Whatever, Back is tmrw…time to game-plan for that battle…

Happy Lifting!

No, I’m not talking about that crazy contraption that Frank Zane sells (I love Zane, but that thing is a piece of crap…just Google "Leg Blaster"), I’m talking about the Quad workout that I had today.  It went pretty well.  I guess I’m never satisfied with a workout unless I beat with weight/reps of my previous workout.

Damn…I just realized that I forgot to warm-up with leg extensions before I squatted.  Usually, I do 3-4 light sets of extensions to warm-up the knees before I do my warm-up sets for squats.  Oh well, I guess I was just overly excited for Front Squats.  My best set was 275 x 5 (which is a PR for FRONT SQUATS…woohoo!).  I tried to do a drop-set on the last set…what was I thinking?

Leg presses were next.  Sets went like 630 x 15, 720 x 12/12/8…on the last set, I took a plate off each side for a huge drop/strip set…until I was repping out with only 180.  Legs felt kind of fried after that, but you have to do work son (Am I right Rob and Big?).

Hack Squats were the third exercise I performed.  Went close to this: 315 x 15/15…365 x 10…x 8.  That last set of 8 I took 50lbs. off each drop for another killer drop set, until I only had 90 on the machine…damn.

I did some nice and easy higher-rep leg extensions after that, 3 sets…8-15 reps, 150-180lbs. (last set EASY drop set…meaning only 2 drops).

After this I did one set of lunges with 135 just for ****s and giggles.

Well, I’m pretty damn tired, and there’s some good football games on, so I’m going to have to say good-bye.

…..Happy Lifting!

I got home from a short stint in Tuscon, AZ, two days ago, and today was my first trip back to XSport Fitness.  I had access to a ****ty club gym while I was in AZ, but I only did a few workouts for maintenance.  I was also glad to get back to my supp’s…I only had access to EAS brand protein while I was there, and that’s not really my favorite type of whey.

But thank God, I had a great workout today.  I thought that I might be a little weak from taking a semi-break, but I picked up right where I left off.  After a warm-up, I got 245 x 6 on the close-grip bench, a recent PR.  As soon as I can get that to 8 or above, I’m not ****ing around with 245 anymore...I’m going to jump right into 265.

BB Curls were good, 115 x 4-6 was my best, but I rather that be around 6-10.  I started using a 100 fixed BB for skullcrushers, and I got 7 reps on my best set.  Last 2 sets were super-setted with close-grip benches…what a classic.

Incline curls were next, 45’s x 5-7, was decent, but I want to get that range up and eventually use 50’s or 55’s.

For the ump-teenth time, I made V-bar pressdown’s my bitch.  Just doing work with 180lbs., eventually doing a ridiculous 10-drop drop set for my last set.

Preacher’s were last for bi’s-I think I got 90 x 7 for my best set.

Took some time to do some calf work now.  I hadn’t worked them in about  2 weeks, I did 4 supersets of seated and donkey calf raises, and that felt pretty nice.  Can’t wait to do some work on them next week.

I did a Giant Set next, doing Wrist BB Curls, Reverse BB Wrist Curl’s, Reverse Curls and finally cross-body hammer curl’s…using 135/50/50/40’s…repsectively.  I love finishing arms with this Giant Set.

Did a little abs too, hanging leg raises and weighted decline crunches (using 25/45/65lbs).

After this I contemplated doing some cardio, but I despise treadmills, so later today I will probably do an easy 6-7 miles outside, if I can motivate myself enough to run in ****ty/rainy/cloudy/bleak/40 degree weather.

That’s it, and I’m so happy to get back to my gym and supplements and healthier food (I ate out alot in AZ).  I do miss that weather thought (65-85…Jesus).  At least it’s supposed to clear up this weekend in Chicago,hopefully there will be nice weather for a long run on Sunday.  By the way, last Sunday I ran 13.1 miles just to see how fast I could hypothetically finish a half-marathon…now I know that on a good day I can finish anywhere from 1:40-2:00, depending on the course.

As Always, Happy Lifting–And in you’re experiencing nice weather, ENJOY IT WHILE YOU STILL CAN!

I’ve been thinking about how important music is for working out–whether it’s for getting Psyched up, Squatting or Running.  Hell, I listen to my Ipod at least 2 hours a day–I can never get enough of my favorite tunes.  I’ve read numerous studies that all state the same fact–listening to music while Lifting/Running helps one Lift heavier weights/Get more reps/Run longer/Run faster.  So I’m just going to list some of my favorite tunes, this list is close to my all-time Lifting Mix.  No order of preference, but my top 5 are in bold.

Cherry Pie-Warrant

Nothing But a Good Time-Poison

Dr. Feelgood-Motley Crue

Girls, Girls, Girls-Motley Crue

Panama-Van Halen

Kickstart my Heart-Motley Crue

Welcome to The Jungle-Guns N’ Roses

Paradise City-Guns N’ Roses

Man in The Box-Alice in Chains

Downfall-Trust Company

Dig-Mudvayne

Back in Black-AC/DC

Get Clean-Anarchy Club

Coming Undone-Korn

Got the Life-Korn

Freak on a Leash-Korn

Falling Away From Me-Korn

Photograph-Def Leppard

Pour Some Sugar on Me-Def Leppard

Bad Medicine-Bon Jovi

Wanted Dead or Alive-Bon Jovi

Back in the Saddle-Aerosmith

Livin’ on the Edge-Aerosmith

Crazy Train-Lil’ Jon

Ruff Riders Anthem-DMX

Heart of a Champion-Nelly

So there it is, I don’t know what you like to lift to, but this is my Mix ("LIFTING BITCH" is the name of it on my Ipod).  So if you take anything away from this, it’s new music or ideas for playlists, which hopefully will in turn help increase your motivation and help increase your potential and improve your workouts.

Ha…your Welcome.

I wasn’t going to lift yesterday, but I did.  Chest workout was not great, but at least it was completed.  I’m working the Incline BB Press back into the rotation, but I only got 225 x 6; I don’t even want to **** around with 225 anymore–hopefully, that’ll be like 245 x 3-6 soon.  Flat DB was 95’s x 10ish (ok…).  Flat DB Fly was like 60’s x 8, and I forgot my dipping belt, so I repped out on dips (around 100, 110).

I felt much better today, so it was time to tear up the back and lats.  I started with WIDE-grip pull-ups.  With 25lbs. on the belt, I got how ever many sets it took to get around 32 reps.  I really want that to be around 50 reps with a 45 attached–couple a weeks I’ll get there.

Bent-over BB rows were next.  No ****ing around here, I went for a PR.  I was on my way to 275 x 12, but my grip gave out and I got 275 x 9, which I could not best on subsequent sets.  But I was more than happy with that.

I was going to go to the Hammer Row machine, but I am fond of the Flex Fitness T-bar row machine, so I did 4 sets with 4 plates: 10/10/8/8, the last set being a giant-drop set.

At this point, I made sure to make some time for my calves.  On paper, 20 sets with the stack on Donkey Calf raises sounded good, but I only did 10 sets with the stack+25 (which someone left on there, all together it made 425lbs.).  10 sets x 10-5 reps.  Donkey’s have helped me add size to my inner-calves, like crazy-style.

After this I went over to Wide-grip pulldowns, getting 180 x 13, which would be somewhat of a recent PR.  After those was seated cable rows (with 2 D-handles and not a V-handle) getting 180 x 10, which would also be somewhat of a PR.

I was pretty psyched for this workout.  Pull-ups were good, PR’s on BB Row, Pulldown, Seated Row, and I ****ed up my calves.  I also did some hanging leg raises and weighted decline crunches, but I’ll spare you those details.

So I’ll probably rest on those laurels until I run later today, probably around 7 miles, 7:00-7:45 pace.

I’m gonna take a nap to prepare for that, but have a good day and a great weekend…Happy Lifting!