sweldup’s BodyBlog

John Sherman July 21,2007

Dawn Melanie did very well in this show by placing 3rd place.  I thought it was just a big accomplishment for her to be onstage considering what she has been through with her surgeries and all.  She trained and dieted comsisstently for this show, and it paid off.  We finally met in person, and she is very down to earth.  I saw a few things that she can improve on, but all things WILL come in time.  Keep up the good work "grasshoppa".

Tonight, I went in and hit quads.  I haven’t been strong on legs, but I know if I stay with it, I’ll get the strength back.  I need to focus on my symetry/proportion, so I hit a lot of alternating movements. This is how it went:

Alternating Leg Press:  2 plates, 2x 10; 3 plates 1x 10; 4 plates 3x 10; 6 plates 2 x 10

One Leg Seated Calves:  1 plate  5x 10

Alternating Leg Press:  60 lbs  5x 10

Standing Calf Machine:  250  5x 10

I haven’t worked legs in a while because I hurt something.  I went to the doctor, and he told me that he saw some old tears (knee surgery in 2000).  He also said that I probably have a bruised bone, and a minor hamstring tear.  But he also said, that if I wasn’t in pain that I was probably alright.  I wasn’t in pain, and I got the green light, so I started off light just to get back into the swing of things.  Here’s how it went.

Alternating Leg Press:    2 sets of 10 w/1 plate, 4 sets of 10 w/4 plates

Seated Calves:    4 sets pf 2 plates (wandted to feel them)

Alternating Leg Extensions:      4×10 60lbs

Hammer strength Calf Macine:    200lbs 4 sets of 10

Monday April 30th I went in and hit chest.  I really haven’t been hitting chest like I should have been, and it showed.  I was not at me best to say the least.  Anyway here how it went:

Incline Bench Press:  135x 10, 135x 10, 225x 10, 255x 6, 275x 4, (315x 1 w/spotter)

Barbell Pull overs:      135x 10, 135x 10, 135x 10, 135x 10

DBL Flies:                  40x 10, 40x 10, 40x 10, 40x 10

I ended with cable crossovers until I was burnt out.

Last night, I hit shoulders.  I didn’t have a lot of time to hit ‘em, so I had to hit ‘em quick and hard.  The last exercise is an all out "balls to the wall" burn out set, with no rest between weights.  I made this up years ago, I thought that I’d bring it back.  This is  how the workout went:

Seated Military Press:     45x 10, 45x 10, 185x 6, 185x 6, 190x 4, 185x 5

Seated DBL Raises:        75x 5, 80x 5, 90x 5, (95x 5 w/spotter)

Lateral Raises (no rest):  10x 10, 20x 10, 10x 10, 25x 10, 10x 10, 30x 10

I went to the gym tonight, and it seemed as if I was going to struggle through this workout, because I’m still extremely sore from last night’s workout.    I put on my belt, and this is how it went: 1st was 45 degree angle straight bar curls; 45x 10 (2 sets), 95x 6 (4 sets), 70x 10 (2 sets).  Next was one arm cable curls.  40x 10 (4 sets). This complete biceps, and on to the tris.  First was underhand cable pulldowns: 50x 10 (4 sets).  Next I finished off with weighted dips: 45x 10, 90x 10, 135x 6, 135x 6, no weight x 15.  Another arm workout in the bag!

Today was back day at the gym.  I started off with the king of back exercises:Deadlift.  the workout went like this: 135x 10, 225x 10, 315x 10, 405x 6, 495x 2, 315,10.  All of the weight 315 and under was without a belt.  Next was rows: 180x 10, 210x 10, 255x 10, 300x 10.  After that I went to bent over rows: 120x 12, 120×10 (3 sets).  I finished off with pull ups for 3 sets of 8, I was too tired to do anymore without a spotter.

I went to the Ronnie Coleman Classic BB show this past weekend, and I had a good time.  I chilled out with some old friends.  I thought some of the judging was off, but I wasn’t there for the night show.  I had one friend who I used to train win the women’s lt. weight in the bb open class.  My other friend won the men’s open widdle weight.  I was very happy for them both.  It reminded me of when I won the middle weight class just a few years back.  I might just get back in the game…

Last night I had a good arm workout.  I did about 6 working sets with straight bar curls.  Then I did about 4 sets of overhand curls.  After that I went to the cables and did 3 sets of 10 of one arm curls.  Then went right into standing cable curls; then to over hand push sowns, then underhand.   I worked out until I felt like a had a nice pump.

Today I had a good workout.  My back was hurting a little, but I still managed to squat up to 405 for 2 sets of 4.  My partner did a set of six so I had to get a little in myself.  After that we hit the barbell pullovers.  I worked my way up to 185 for 7 reps.  I hope to be up to 225 by summer time.  We topped that off with some flat bench.  I stayed with 2 plates ’cause I was spent after them pullovers.  Tomorrow we’ll probably hit arms and maybe something else.