September 2nd "make it or break it" log!

[wannalift]

Wed: 5-19-04

all weight in lbs.
A = assistance
F = failed on next rep
H = holds
N = added negative
() = sets
/ = drop set

inc bench(6): 105x5, 135x3, 155x1, 165x1-A, 165x1-A, 145x5

bar rows(5): 95x5, 135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 165x5/135x5

smith machine overhead behind neck(3): 50x10, 70x8, 80x6 [+bar]

barbell shrugs(3): 135x12, 185x10, 205x8

dips(4): body, +40x5, +55x4, +55x4

rev ez curls(3): 65x10, 70x8, 75x5-F


Okay here is my first posted workout. As the title says, its my "fair and balanced" routine less the leg work due to recovering knee and back injuries. I did well on incline, so close to getting 165. I was an animal on bar rows. Did smith overhead for the first time in at least 6 months. Got a real good burn and let out some grunts. Shrugs I was below average. Weight was feeling really heavy. Dips i was also below average. Ever since i started doing heavier inclines, my dips have struggled. Reverse curls i finished out real strong. Almost got the 6th rep, but had to bow out after I started lifting my heels.
train harder,
David

[JP]

Train harder David!

Good to see yuo starting a journal as well. Will keep an eye on it, check that you will be training hard (and weights will be climbing up!).

Auch, you combined my two pet hates: smith machine and behind the neck be careful mate!

[wannalift]

haha, yeah i'm always warning people about that exercise too. but if done correctly, triceps never breaking parallel, it works wonders. my middle heads of my shoulders are throbbing today.
train harder,
david

[funfetus]

Dips i was also below average. Ever since i started doing heavier inclines, my dips have struggled.

Have you thought of doing your inclines and your dips on different days? Both use the anterior deltoid heavily, so if you're doing them together, one or the other is not going to be working to its full potential.

[wannalift]

brandon,
i hear what you're saying. right now i only lift twice a week and i do flat bench on one day and incline on the other. the dips work well on my incline day becaue it gives my chest a, surprise, fair and balanced workout. similar to the workout i get on the other day doing pull ups and upward rows. it also works out on this day because it is the only major tricep exercise i do. then next time i change my workout i'll definitely split them up though. cheers.
train hard,
david

[wannalift]

5-22-04

pull ups(5): 8, 7, 6, 5, 4-F;
squat(1): bar x 20;
flat bench(5): 135x5, 155x1, 185x1-A, 155x5-A, 135x5;
deadlift(3): 145x12, 145x12, 155x10;
upward rows(3): 70x7, 80x7, 90x6-F;
skull crushers(3): 65x8, 65x10, 70x6;
straight bar culrs(4): 45x10, 65x8, 75x6, 85x4-A;
rev wrist curls(3): 15x15;
coc #1: 5x5;

cardio: mowed an uneven lawn for 2+ hours with a push mower.

Overall my workout was good because it worked me over big time. Pull ups i'm kind of stuck on the same sum total 30-32 over 5 sets. Squated for the first time in almost 3 months. Rock bottom this time and i'm trying to be a form perfectionist. Flat bench was awful. It is my worst exercise, but that was no excuse for todays performance. Must have really been worked over by those squats Deadlift was solid. Going to inc 10 lbs/week until I get to 185, then lower reps. Upward rows I was really running out of gas, scheduled to do more, but not today. Did skull crushers for first time in a few months, concentrated on, surprise, form. Finished strong on curls. Had to get a lot of help on the last 2 reps though. Grip work is grip work. 85 degree weather plus lawnmowing is like walking a bloody marathon.
train hard,
David

[wannalift]

5-24-04

4+ mile walk
intense martial arts training

5-25-04

4+ mile walk


Was doing a walk/run, but had to cool it on the running for now. My knee still isn't 100% and now that I am squatting again, I don't want to take any chances of it getting re-re-aggrivated.
train hard,
david

[Frostfire]

Okay, you say "intense martial arts training," but no details? What did you do?

[wannalift]

intense:
preparing for my blue sash test which is at the end of the summer tentatively. its a 4+ hour test that is harder than 99% of the blackbelt tests out there. on my last test i almost threw up at the end, seriously, and this one is designed to completely break me mentally and physically. started with dynamic handsets. isometric movements for the arms. then onto dynamic tensions 1-4. these are isometric movements for that hit the entire body. each one takes about 1.5 minutes and the idea is to tense the entire body while performing a series of concentric movement. then was onto the 47 stances i know. had to flow in between each stance and do a different "take down take out" reaction to each one. after that i worked on my lankas until the rest of the class showed up. taught them welming winds and hand lanka.
so i guess i did hardcore dynamic aerobic cardio
train hard,
david

[wannalift]

5-26-04

inc bench(5): 105x5, 135x3, 155x1, 165x1, 155x3-A
barbell rows(4): 95x12, 135x10, 155x6, 135x10
clean and jerk(3): 95x5, 95x4, 95x5
dumbell shrugs(3): 65x12, 70x10-H, 75x8-H
dips(4): bodyx10, +30x10, +45x8, +60x4
rock bottom squats(1): 50x20
hammer curls(3): 25x12, 30x8, 35x6
rev wrist curls (3): 15x15


Super great workout. Started out real strong finally getting 165 after two weeks of A. The last set was the toughest and I got assistance on the last rep. Barbell rows were a little weak. Tried to do more reps with better form but got very fatigued after the 2nd set. Attempted c&j for the first time in a couple years. Took a lot out of me, broke a heaping sweat. Shrugs were okay, I tried to do some holds at the top. On dips I tried to pyramid the training and it paid off on the last set. Squats were amazing. Felt so so much better than last week. Squat rack was occupied so, I did them "no no". Not too much of a risk there Hammer curls were alright. The first set really had my arms humming so I was fighting uphill for the last 2 sets. Tonight, some more intense silat training.
train hard,
David

[J]

Hey, FoxNews sues people who use the phrase "Fair and Balanced". Be careful.

[wannalift]

5-30-04

pull ups(5): 8, 7, 6, 6, 5
flat bench(4): 125x5, 155x5, 175x1, 185x1
rock bottom squats(1): 55x20
upward rows(4): 70x8, 80,8, 90x6-F, 90x7
two hand tricep overhead extension(3): 50x12, 65x10, 70x9-A
kung fu curls(3): 25x10, 32.5x7, 37.5x5
farmers wark(3): 45lb dumbellsx100ft, 150ft, 150ft

good workout. it better be because it has to hold me over until thursday. pullups were solid. flat bench was okay. i still hate that exercise, but i also hate that i hate it. squats were good. upward rows were way better than last week. 2 hand triceps overhead are the most killer tricep exercise. done in proper form they always annihilate me. did okay on curls, taking the weight up at least. skipped deadlift because i didn't want to stress out my back. i have been moving furniture for my mom for the last 3 days so my back was pretty worked over already. threw a few sets of farmers walks in between my last 3 exercises. they were killer. i can't believe how worked over my shoulders, arms, and especially my traps were. i am going to keep up with these for now on.
train hard,
david

[wannalift]

6-3-04

incline bench(6): 95x5, 135x5, 155x2, 165x1, 170x1-A, 170x1-A
barbell rows(5): 95x12, 135x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x3
standing overhead press(5): 45x5, 65x5, 75x5, 85x5, 95x4-F
squats(1): 60x20
deadlifts(3): 135x8, 155x8, 165x8
shrugs(3): 135x12, 185x10, 205x8
machine dips(4): 135x8, 160x6, 160x8, 170x7
rev st. bar curls(3): 60?x8, 60?x7, 60?x6

got to work off all of the stress i picked up driving across new mexico i got 165 fairly easily and thought for sure i was going to put up 170, not to be but very close. went heavy on barbell rows. the form was very poor on the last set though. standing overhead is my new exercise of choice for my shoulder pressing. got off to a good start. squats were good. caught myself coming up on my toes more than once. lowering the reps and taking up the weight on deadlifts. i'd like to be back over 200 by the middle of july. not lowering the reps though. another bad shrug day. maybe i should just do farmers walks for now on. left my belt back at home so i used a machine on dips. not sure what the weight was on those curls, but the bar was pretty thick. going to do some grip work before bed.

[Frostfire]

got to work off all of the stress i picked up driving across new mexico

Oh, yeah, how's the trip coming along? Still wish you could "swing by" northern Utah so I could get a lesson out of you . Your lifts are looking pretty good there, too, especially for a strange gym.

Happy travels!

[wannalift]



the trip has gone very well so far. i did it alone and believe i set some sort of travel record by leaving Pittsburgh on tuesday at 7:15 a.m., arriving in Glendale on wednesday at 11:40 p.m. and never turned the air conditioner on once i worked out at L.A. fitness yesterday. they have those rubber coated plates, but other than that i had a terrific workout.
my lifts are starting to all come together. was planning on trying to lean out now, but my body is telling me to stick with strength. maybe i'll even catch up to you on deadlifts in a couple weeks
i totally would like to visit up there. marital arts, weights, vegan food and heavy metal music; that sounds like paradise. why do you have to live so buggin far away keep training hard.
~david