6-18-2013 Light Leg Day / Testing the Ankle

Today I worked on legs, using light weights.  It's been a while, so today was sort of an experimental day, to see what my recovering ankle could bear.  I think I found my limits, as my Achilles tendon is griping at me a little.

Leg extensions:
45x15, 90x12, 115x12, 135x9 (This one put a bit too much pressure on my instep at this point.)
Drop set, all weights done to failure: 115, 90, 70, 45.  The 70s and 45s were done with very slow, deliberate negatives.

Dumbbell squats:
There's probably a fancy name for these.  I just hold a heavy DB in front of me at chest level with two hands and do a deep squat, all the way down.  Deep is the only way to do squats.  2 Sets.  I didn't feel comfortable doing standing front or rear barbell squats since my ability to stabilize my stance is compromised.  Maybe next time.
95# DB x 10, 7

Lying leg curls:
45 x 15, 70 x 10, 8

Straight leg deadlifts:
135 x 10

Regular deads:
135 x 12, 225 x 10

Plate grip deads:
(I don't know what else to call them.  I put the plates on the olympic bar as usual, and grab the plates themselves rather than the bar.  It's rather challenging at the heavier weights.)
135x12

Good mornings:
95 x 10

Weighted leg lifts:
5# DB between my feet.
2 sets of 15.

I found my recovering ankle's limits today, and it's a bit sore (though not overly so).  It's been quite a while since I have been active with my legs, and I have not put any real stress on them for the two months or so it's been since I wrecked my ankle.  I am feeling pretty weak in my legs, but it's good to be using them to lift again.

6-17-2013 Heavy Bench

Heavy Chest tonight.  6 hours sleep last night.  Motivation and energy were high tonight.

Warmups (to include misc. movements and stretches)
Internal and external shoulder rotations 10# x 20 reps each
Flat bench: 135 x 10, 185 x 8, 225 x 6, 275 x 2, 315 x 1

Heavy Negatives (Flat bench):
335 (2 sets of 3), 325 (1 set of 3), 315 (1 set of 3)

High Pin Presses:
These focus on the top half of the rep.  Rest bar on pins between reps.
225 (2 sets of 3), 235 (1 set of 3), 245 (1 set of 3)

Chain Bench Presses
Weight + 30 lbs of chain, increasing resistance on the positive movement.
185 + Chains 1 set of 10 reps, 195 + Chains 1 set of 5 reps, 1 set of 6 reps

Heavy Dumbbell Bench
95# DBs x 6, 5, 4

I made progress on all movements this week versus last.  It was a good day.  I was tempted to try for a 1 rep max today, but I think I'll wait before attempting to max out.  That 315# warmup rep felt really good, and I think I could probably put another 20 lbs or so on it without too much trouble.  I think that am going to wait until late July to attempt a 1 RM weight.  350# is my goal for 2013.  It would be nice to knock that out in July.  If I get to the point this year where I am repping 315#, I might have to get another set of 45# plates.  I suppose I don't really need them, but putting 3 plates on each side would be a psychological boost.  At that point, I can start towards 4 plates...

6-15-2013 Heavy Back/Biceps

Tonight's session could be summed up in one word: grinding.  I need to work more on my back, and I need more nights like tonight.  I was motivated and hungry for punishment, and I hit it hard.

Tonight I did various warmup stretches to start.  I won't bore you with the details, but I did incorporate some pulley movements to warm up my shoulders and rotator cuffs for tonight's work. Given my history of R.C. irritation and pain, I will be doing these internal and external rotations before all upper body work.

Internal rotations- 20# x 15 reps each arm
External rotations- 20# x 10 reps each arm

Work:

DB Rows (tripod position, unsupported): 55 x 10, 65 x 10 (2 sets)

Bilateral (both arms) DB rows: 55s x 10, 65s x 8

Lat pulldowns: 55 x 15, 80 x 12, 105 x 10, 140 x 6 (failed on rep 7)

Bent over barbell row: 135 x 15, 155 x 12, 185 x 8, 6

Reverse grip bent over BB rows: 135 x 12

Lying flat pullovers (like a lying tricep extension, but done with straight arms, concentrating on activating the back before the arms and shoulders): 75 x 15, 95 x 10, 8

Kroc Rows (Heavy Dumbbell rows with a loose form, utilizing a small bit of momentum to move heavier weight.  Focus on full stretch and explosive positive reps): 105 x 20

By this time, my forearms and biceps were pretty well smoked.  I was able to do a small amount of isolation work:

Curl bar curls- 75 x 10, 6

Reverse curl bar curls: 75 x 5, 5

My 12 year old son worked with me tonight.  I am introducing him to lifting slowly, focusing on super light weights and high reps.  I also introduced him to forced reps on the bench, and to doing negative repetitions with resistance.  I'm sure he'll love me in the morning.  :-)

My five-year-old daughter also helped out as well tonight.  She is usually there with me every time I lift, safely out of range of potential falling steel, always ready to yell at me to keep going when she thinks that I am giving up too early (which just happens to be every set).  I'm training her to be my "coach," and she has a lot of fun giving me "encouragement." 

A very good session tonight.

6-15-2013 Protein Shake

Water
Milk (or skip the water and use all whole milk if you just want to put on weight)
Peanut butter (I used 2 giant spoonfulls.  Adjust as necessary)
A banana (I used a browning one no one was excited about.  They're easier to mix anyway)
Flaxseed sprinkles (my wife buys these; I am not sure where from.  It's basically powdered flaxseed.)
2 Scoops of UPS Labs' new protein powder (it's what I happen to be using right now...)
A scoop of powdered creatine

This is easiest to mix up in a blender, but you can do it with a shaker bottle and some vigorous (!) shaking.

I usually like to add oatmeal too, but we're all out today.  You can also add in some ice cream or ice to make it more like a real "shake" if you want.  It's good, but better than that, it's what the body needs to grow.

6-14-2013 Heavy Chest/Triceps

Warmup sets:
135x12, 185x6, 225x4, 275x2, 295x2, 315x1
Misc minor movements.

Work sets:

Flat Bench:  300x3  I had my form tight and nailed these.  I've never tried doing reps at this weight.

Drop sets:  1 rep each at 295, 280, 265, 250.  4 sets.

Rope Tri Pushdowns: 45x10, 70x5, 95x5, 90 x 8,8 (2 sets)

Skullcrushers with curl bar: 95 x 7, 5

Low Pin Press (pins set so bar is barely touching the chest.  Put weight completely on bar -dead stop- between reps):  220#, 3 sets of 3, 225#, 1 set of three.  The last rep of the last set was a brutal grind.

Pause Speed Bench: 
Light weight.  Bring down to chest, pause for 3 seconds, explode up. 
I did 165# 6 sets of three reps.

Three matters of note:
1.)  I only got 5 hours of rest last night, but I had three days off of lifting prior to today.
2.)  I am trying out a new pair of gloves, since my older ones were all but destroyed with use.
3.)  Most important... I am learning about my form.  I caught myself flaring my elbows out at the lowest point of the bench.  I focused on widening my grip (my normal grip is most people's "close" grip) and keeping the elbows tucked in tight.  My weights were up, and I had zero shoulder pain.  My form seemed to "click" tonight, and I felt it in my performance.  I expect to see some really good gains going forward now that I have this dialed in.  It's taken me 2-3 weeks to get up to this point (about where I was when I ended my last heavy cycle last December), but I'm ready to get serious now and move some heavy weight in the weeks ahead.

6-13-2013 Priorities

No lifting yesterday.

None the day before.

Might not be any tonight.

Priorities.

Sigh.

I might have to go back to getting up at 0400 and lift in the morning, when nothing demands my time, attention, study, or affection.  I can't lift lift as heavy in the early morning, but it's better than nothing at all.

I'll try to get a session in tonight, but I have many deadlines looming.

Stay tuned.

6-10-2013 Heavy Bench

Last night I got about 4.5 hours of sleep.  Again, it shows.

My Warmup (not necessarily in order):

Stretching (spread out between w/u sets)
Pushups
Flat Bench 135x8, 135x8, 185x6, 225x6, 295x1
Overhead Tri Extensions 25# x 10 each arm
Overhead Press 60# x 15

Single cluster benches:
1 set of 8, 30 seconds between reps.
285 x 6 reps, 290 x 1 rep, 300 x 1 rep

Close grip decline presses:
5 sets, 5 reps
235 x 1 set, 245 x 3 sets, 235 x 1 set

Multiple cluster bench
10 seconds between reps.  5 sets x 5 reps
245 x 1 set  Did not complete plan due to late start and other obligations

Notes:
I really felt my lack of sleep.

I think my grip is far closer on the bar than most people's.  My index fingers are normally on the inside edge of the knurling.  This might explain my comparatively weaker shoulders.  I notice when I spread apart my grip to where most folks' "normal" is, the range of motion is much shorter than what I usually do, but there is more stress on the shoulders.  I am going to slowly work my grip outwards from here out.  I think that if I can get my grip out further, my 1 RM will jump up.  I estimate I am currently moving the bar about 1.5 times further than I would with a wider grip.  I am effectively performing close-grip bench presses as my "normal" grip.

I made progress all around tonight versus the last time I did this routine and I am happy with that.  I pushed myself really hard all around.  I wish I could have finished my planned routine, but such is life in the real world.