Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[lifesnotfair]

11.01.2008

Stretching.

Squats: 60x6 (or was it 10? I think 6), 110x20 - tough! I think I'm losing weight and it might affect me.

Romanian DL: 110x5, 160x15, 180x15 - tough also!! Struggled to pull it off.

Floor Press: 110x15, 120x15 (I think 16 accidentally). Not pausing, touch on the floor and go really. Should've tried 125.

Chin-ups (3" appart, deadhang each rep): 10, 10 - first set was a struggle, didn't think I'd get 10 in the second set. Forearms really pumped (supporting grip stinks!)

DB wrist curls: 17.5x20

Pegasus extension: 9.75x20 - very hard, had to make 2 brief pauses in the up possition. (CORRECTION: In the last workout I did these, I typed 11x20, thinking I had plates of 3+2.5+2.5+3 ... but the supossedly 2.5's were 1-1/4. So it was 8.5lb x20. Today I upped 1-1/4".

Note: while doing the floor press, my shoulder bothered me a bit

Note 2: funny, today at the scale at work (10+ years old!), it marked below 170... wonder how accurate. My wife told me today she's seeing me more fat!!! What? Two possible explinations: I've grown a beard recently, might be an illusion.. or since I started working out on monday, and I had not worked out in such a long time, I'm already buffing up a little bit? So quickly? Or a third possible reason: today's shirt was very big. Damn, what a downer that she pointed that out. It was not in a wrong way though, she has never complained about my weight and she met me and was my girlfriend for over a year with me weighing 240+.

[David_wigren]

Hey you changed your name. I guess life ain't so unfair anymore!

David: it was brought up to me by a Gripboard member that my name gave the impression that I was unhappy about life - that's not the case. lifesnotfair was a nick I used back in the mid-late 90's, and it kinda stuck with me. Back then I had another nick, very girly if you know it's Barbie's boyfriend, but back then it was just a videogame character to me, and a videogame i used to play a lot (again, 13 years ago, Street Fighter in SNES) ... it was Ken, and I even had a webpage at ken.lifesnotfair.net .... it means nothing really. I guess using my first name as my nick is more appropiate anyways.

HADOKEN!!! I had to I was always the military dude.

Nice going with the chins!

[lifesnotfair]

That would be Guile.

I'm depressed. Really. My shoulder huts quite a bit now. I searched the Web again for AC joint arthrosis and stuff. I found on getbig.com quite a few fellas who had the condition, and they ALL got surgery. It's a 30-40 mins procedure, just like the Doc in San Antonio, TX, told me back in September '07. I am just sad, really sad. Why on earth did this happen to me? I never lifted over 100lbs overhead, and I never even reached 185 in the bench press. I had been lifting for maybe a year for crying out loud... I've had this pain for almost a year now, I think. Wow, that sucks so much... my upperbody strength has probably gone DOWN in that period of time, not even maintaining it. This sucks, I feel like buying a plane ticket and go have the f**king surgery right away. I would like to see if there is a natural cure before, though.... although with all the positive feedback I read on the surgery, it doesn't seem like a bad choice. This is making me really sad, as I've really gotten to enjoy weight training.

[Kyle]

Hello there. I know it's not interesting to follow newbie's routines, but I just need advise, or need someone with experience to tell me one or two things... then I'll feel better.

I took as a base the "Newbie's routine" by David Horn in the FAQ section. However, with some changes. I don't know what finger curls are, and in that thread, someone told me I could use the grippers instead of the finger curls, and while they're NOT the same, they are a bit similar, and I already have the grippers and I kinda like them. Also, I don't have anything to 2-hand pinch, so I can't do that. But I ordered some stuff from ironmind, so I could sorta train. This is what today (I worked out wednesday, but just to try my new "equipment"), my first real day of workout, looked like:

-Expand your hand bands. White (weaker) ones, 15 reps.

-Wrist curls with dumbells. 3 sets (12, 10, 8), started with 20lbs and finished with 35.

-Reverse wrist curls with dumbells. 3 sets (12, 10, 8), did 10lbs the first two sets, and then 12. WOW is this excercise a bastard! Specially on my left, I had to help me with those 12 lbs. Hell, I had to help it in the 2nd set with 10 lbs. I'm very weak with this one.

-Titan Telegraph Key. 3 sets (12, 10, 8), started with 7.5 lbs... it's hard if one only uses the thumb! (the last bit of it too, not the entire thumb). Did 8.5 or 9 lbs in the final set. My left had a hard time with that.

-Grippers. Repped my T 10 times with each hand. Then strapheld some pounds with my right. I can't lift weight with my left yet, it seems.. not after some workout. I later repped the T about 25 times and held it shut for a few secs with my right. I can't even rep it 10 times closing it completely with my left... I hate this difference in my hands. I didn't do strpholds, just 1 set to see if I could. Then I attempted the #1, which I couldn't even close with my right (got to 1-2 mm), because I was tired. I did close it and held it shut after the workout and a shower.

-Ironmind's Block pinch. It seems the TTK destroyed my thumb, because I was very weak at this point. I tried doing 3 sets (15 seconds hold, then 10 secs, then 10 more).. I ended with like 17.5 lbs on my left hand, and about 20 with my right. I know I can do more than this with both hands (tried wednesday), but as I said, I think the TTK took my strength away.

-Ironmind's Hub pinch. Again 3 sets of holds.... again with VERY crappy weight, not even reaching 20 lbs I believe. Once again, I did way more on wednesday, when I was just testing. But at this point my hands sucked. Oh, and I have no chalk. I was using baby powder (LOL), thinking as it's white, it would help somehow =P heh heh.

-Expand your hand bands again. The weaker ones for 15 reps.

-Contrast baths. 1.5 mins hot, 1.5 mins cold, this x 3 times. (say, 9 minutes total on this).

How does this sound? Does it sound correct? .. I ordered an ISG, which should be here in about 2-3 weeks since PDA closed it's offices till August 2nd or so. So I'll have that to work my crushing grip as well (it should help me with the grippers, I believe).

This is a hobbie, not doing it for any particular reason, just want to have strong hands!! ... I was thinking of doing this 3 times week.

Any advise? PLEASE tell me, and I will change... don't wanna get hurt, and DO want to gain strength!!

You seem to be on the right track. The only question I have is how often are you giving yourself to recuperate between hand workouts? Otherwise keep at it. Good work. Kyle

[lifesnotfair]

That was LONG ago, Kyle!

I found out the hard way that for me, leaving at least a day's rest between hand workouts is a must, and 2-3 days even better! My hands get tired very quickly.

Also, I found out that lack of overall body training reflected on my hand strength and endurance. For example, if you've never done deadlifts or pullups/chinups, then you'll find it hard to even hold yourself to the bar for a certain period of time. If you can't 2-arm hang yourself for at least a minute, you should work on that before even thinking about grippers. Same with DO deadlifting (or rack pulling) a decent amount. I mean, there are guys 1-arm hanging from an RT handle, and I couldn't 1-arm hang from a regular chinup bar at 180lbs? I should be working on that before thinking of grippers, for example.

I've reached the point where I think grippers are an advanced thing, and one should first spend a few months (if not more!) training the "compound" movements of the hand... wrist flexion/extension, thickbar and/or wide pinch are probably a MUCH better investement if you're starting out, than grippers. And if you are so addicted you can't take your hands off them, at least use very wide sets, as I think MMS has little carryover to other aspect of handstrength.

[lifesnotfair]

I did a session on monday but didn't feel like posting it. Shoulder pain is back, but I FINALLY had an MRI done today, results will be picked up tomorrow hopefully. I gotta get to the end of this.

16.01.2008

Goblet squat: 20x10, 40x10, 60x10 - plus weight of DB handle. Could've done more.

1 leg RDL: BWx10, 10lb/hand x10, 20lb/hand x crap... I just cannot do this with my right foot, I think it's a natural defect .. don't wanna do normal RDL because don't wanna hold onto weights over 100lbs and stuff.

Pendlay rows: 95x10, 115x10, 115x10

Negative push-ups on elevated blocks: 4 singles of between 45-60 seconds each, with rest in between. Someone suggested this.

Plate wrist curls: 10+5 x15R/14L, 10+5 x15R/13L - wow, this is so hard.. those who can do a 35lb are MONSTERS.

Pegasus extension: 9.75x20 - tougher than last time. This one makes my shoulder hurt though, so I might drop it for the moment.

3-10's passes from hand to hand, loads for maybe at least 30 secs but could've kept going.

4-10's through a pipe (although a 1" pipe) lifted from a bench (less ROM): 3-4 singles each hand.

Extensors with rubber bands.

[lifesnotfair]

MRI results show exactly what Dr. in San Antonio had said - AC joint arthrosis (osteoarthritis). Tired if googling for it, there is no exact "cure", and a number of treatments... I don't want more cortisone, so that's not an option. I had an accupunture session on thursday and the pain was much less after it. I've read it depends on the severity, but it might need 8-10 session to fully heal the pain. The cartilague, though, wont regenerate so easily, if at all. It takes a LONG time, according to the chinese accupunturist, tendons and ligaments take longer than muscles. I am gonna act mature and take some REAL time off... because I always took "time off", but doing something. For example, today's workout was just some stretching, I grabbed a 2.5 plate and moved it in circles with my wrists, did bulgarian split squats, did tabata squats with just BW, some one-leg calf raises, some ab work, and some finger extensors with rubber bands. Oh, I couldn't resist and did BBAx20 each hand, but controlled, not explosively. The shoulder felt no discomfort. I'm trying to keep my right arm below shoulder level at all times now.

I am taking Magnesium Citrate 5 days a week, 500mg. Also Vitamin C 5 days a week, 500mg. And vitamin B complex, 3 days a week, the recommended dose on the package.

I've been reading quite a bit on Glucosamine, MSM, and Chrondoitin (sp?), will read some more and possibly order something like this. Been also reading a lot on prolotherapy... but that would be expensive, seeing I don't live in the US and a few visits are needed. Ouch.

The very last option is the surgery, which I'm trying to avoid at all costs.

[lifesnotfair]

21.01.2008

Stretching.

Hyperextensions (setup was on my bench and feet on power rack safety pins) - BWx20, 10x20, 25x20, 25x20, 25x20.

Goblet squats: 30x10, 50x10, 70x10 - plus weight of oly DB handle. If the shoulder feels anything tomorrow, I shouldn't do this.

Plate curls: 10+5 x10, 2-10's x10 x3 sets. Form gets a bit loose towards the end.

Laying straight-leg raises (to vertical): 3 sets of 20.

Extensors with rubber bands.

[Teemu I]

That sucks about the arthrosis buddy. From what I've gathered I do suggest that you start taking Glucosamine.

[lifesnotfair]

That sucks about the arthrosis buddy. From what I've gathered I do suggest that you start taking Glucosamine.

Thank you very much Teemu. Funny that you mention it, yesterday I placed an order for a supplement that has Glucosamine+Chroinditin+MSM (about 1.5g, 1.2g, 1g respectively, or half of that per 2 tablets), it's made by a brand called Doctor's Best. I hope it helps. If I had known I might had started on something like fish oil or whatever earlier, but I didn't know. I hope it arrives quickly so I can begin immediately.

Two days ago I started thinking about possible causes for this problem (besides a whole life of horrible eating habits, up until recently), and it occured to me that I have an inusual imbalance in my vertical pulling/pushing. I took a video of me doing 6 deadhang chinups with 25lb added, at maybe 180lbs. Yet, I remember my best for 6 reps in standing military press was 95lbs, back when I was overhead pressing (before the pain). And most recently, when I tried (a couple of months ago), I could get that many reps with 85lbs I think. Half the total weight lifted in the chinup. I know most people will pull more weight, but twice the ammount? I doubt it, because there are many people pressing over 200lbs for reps, yet I don't think they're chinning with so much weight attached if they tried. Just a thought.

[lifesnotfair]

24.01.2008

Rested an extra day, because I was busy yesterday.

Stretching.

Tabata BW squats: 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16. Goal right now is 18 per set, and then 20 per set.

Tabata hyperextensions: 15, 15, 13, the rest were 10-11 or so, but had to perform 5-6, rest a couple of seconds and do 4-5 more... this was insanely taxing on the lower back! A goal would be 15 per set, it looks far away judging by today's performance!

Tabata hip flexor / abs: for this exercise I lay flat on the ground, and when I begin I lift my head (and possibly shoulders) off the ground a bit, keep it there, and do a bicycle motion with my legs. The first two sets of 20 seconds I could do them without stopping, but then I was doing maybe 6-7 seconds, resting a couple of seconds, and then another 6-7 seconds. The goal is just do last 20 seconds doing them at a moderate pace.

Plate curls: 10+5 x15 each hand. The jump to 2-10's is huge.. I'm thinking I should tape the 5lb plate with it matching the top of the 10lb plate, instead of being at the bottom, touching my palm, and try and rep that. First I want 20 reps with 10+5 normally though. I will try to add 1 rep per workout till I get it.

Grippers: BBAx20 both hands - was able to do it without pushing with the thumb right handed. Still sucking though.

Will do band extensors here at work.

This last tabata exercise taxes the abs, but after I'm done with it, I feel my hip flexors much more devastated than the abs. I guess I never worked my hip flexors before? I never sprint and never jump, maybe that is why. I remember I tried spriting a few months ago and got a hip flexor pain for almost two weeks, lol. I definitely need to keep this one up.

Shoulder isn't feeling the best today. Accupunture tomorrow, and hopefully sometime next week I will receive the Glucosamine+MSM+Chroinditin supplement and see if it helps any.

[lifesnotfair]

Went to accupunture today again. The AC joint pain is grealy reduced, however, I felt some pain but it was kindof in the front? He said it was a different pain, so now he inserted some needles in there too, like 6 needles total. Then, he used some cups to create vacuum, which lifted the skin up for like 2 minutes.. he used like 6 cups in the front, top and back of shoulder... the ones where it never hurts, didn't leave a mark. However, the ones over the AC joint, and in the back of that joint, left a purple circle. He said those are inflamated. And the one in the front (the "new" pain I now feel), besides turning purple as well, left the cup kinda humid, he said that means that is a recent injury... holy crap, it's so certain it was very cool. He said that I'm recovering quickly from the AC joint pain, but still reminds me that this type of injury could take up to a year to cure. I know he doesn't say this to make more money, because he said next week I will go 2x again, but then the week after I might only need to go 1x... I trust this guy.

Now I have about 5 purple circles around my shoulder, it's giving me the creeps to look at them, honestly!! ... It never hurt in the back of my shoulder, so it was cool to discover it's inflamated there. I wonder what could've caused the "recent" pain in the front? Could it have been doing goblet squats with 70lbs (+ DB handle) x10 reps on monday? Maybe holding that weight at chest level, with an already injured AC joint, caused it? ... I am now "truly" resting as seen by yesterday's workout. Although I did some plate wrist curls... but damn, 15lb with my forearm flat on my thigh, how stressing on the shoulder could this be? Maybe I should quit on that too, for the time being.

[lifesnotfair]

I rode a bike today, for the first time in ages. I guess I forgot how much effort with the arms you must make, it's not exactly a way to "rest" an injured shoulder. I shouldn't have done it. Oh well, what's done is done. I stretched later, and ate like an animal tonight... shouldn't have done that either.

[maidenfan]

I had some shoulder pain the last several months. For the last month or two I started adding a costco brand glucosimine/chondroiton combo and some rehab ea workout and the pain has gone away - definately worth a try.

[lifesnotfair]

Great to hear that maidenfan, my supplement is on the way and should be here later this week hopefully, hopefully friday. I sure will do the shoulder rehab stuff ALONE for quite a few sessions, before even thinking of doing upper body compound exercises. And will start very light on those when I do.

28.01.2008

Stretching - hamstrings a bit tight when stretching one leg at a time, but on the floor with both legs in front, I can touch my eyes to my knees if my wife sits on my back, and hold for 2 minutes. Then after the gets up I can stay there without much effort or pulling greatly from the feet.

Tabata BW squats - 18, 18, 18, 18, 17, 17, 17, 17 (last 4 sets had one brief pause towards the end)

Tabata hyperextensions: 15, 15, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11 (last 6 sets had like a 4-5 secs pause in the middle)

Tabata hip-flexor/abs exercise: I don't count this, but for the first two sets I could do it the whole 20 secs, then I had to take a 4-5 secs pause in the middle of the 20 working seconds.

Plate wrist curls: 10+5 x16 BH.

Extensors with white and green IM bands - felt weak on these.

Today (29.01) is accupunture again. Shoulder is feeling better even though I rode that bike on saturday and stressed the shoulder with all the bumps and stuff in the road, and pulling the front wheel on the air and stuff. I am starting to have some hope, specially since I'm not even taking the Glucosamine/Chroinditin/MSM combo yet!! Hopefully it's as good as I've read!

[lifesnotfair]

30.01.2008

Stretching. Weird, I see some progress when stretching seated with legs out in front, but when I stretch one leg at a time over a platform at waist height, it's feeling hard!! Maybe because I'm not doing it daily anymore (as of 1 week ago or so). I'll try to stretch in some of my off days again as to keep gaining flexibility.

Tabata squats - 18 in all sets, but last 4 sets had a brief 2 seconds pause. I don't lockout at the top so can do them fast. I reckon the way I do them I can do 20 in 20 seconds no problem.... but I'd need not to pause at all, and currently I'm pausing in the second half of the sets!!

Tabata hyperextensions - 15, 15, 11 in the rest 6 sets (6 reps, rest 5-6 secs, 5 reps... this is tough on the lower back!)

Tabata hip-flexor and abs: The first two sets were continous, the other 6 had a ~5 secs pause after 10 seconds into the set. Still, while I'm doing this, I feel it more in the abs.. however, after I'm done, it's the hip flexors that are trashed. I now have my hands behind my head, do the bycicle motion with my legs, and move my elbows towards the opposite knee when it comes towards me.

Doing what I can to keep myself in shape while resting the shoulder. It's feeling better, but still not in training shape. My supplement should arrive very soon now, it was delivered to our freight forwarder in Miami already so it should be here soon. After all the research, I have good hopes about this. Of course, combined with some more rest and then starting back very slowly and with rehab exercises to strengthen the shoulder muscles.

[lifesnotfair]

Doctor's BEST supplement arrived!!

It advices 2 servings a day, each serving equals 2 tablets. Each serving contains:

750mg Glucosamine sulfate 2KCl

600mg Chondroitin sulfate

500mg MSM

Plus, 84mg chloride, 28mg sodium, 91mg potassium.

If I take it twice a day, then it's double that (which would mean 1.5 grams Gluc., 1.2 grams Chon., and 1 gram MSM).

I'm feeling much better after 4 accupunture sessions (today will be 5th). But if this will speed it up and/or help keep it healed, it would be great. The very same accupunturist mentioned Gluc. and Chon ... but I bought it with MSM also after doing lots of research.

I just took the first serving and already feel better..... *cough*, kidding.

[lifesnotfair]

02.02.2008

Stretching.

Tabata squats - 18 per set, last 4 sets had a brief pause.

Tabata hyperextensions - 15, 15, 12 in all other sets (6, rest, 6).

Tabata bycicle abs - two continous sets, then with a rest... although I got the last one continous, but doing it at a slower pace.

[lifesnotfair]

04.02.2008

Same thing as last workout.

Also lifted the 30lb blob about 5 times each hand, singles, not reps. Right hand is weaker at this.

Closed the #1.5 x5 reps RH and x3 reps LH, both with a hold at the end. Maybe 1 inch reps. Then tried the RB160 leftie and was 3/16" away. Tried the BBM rightie and was 3/16" away.

Plate wrist curls: 10+5 x16.

Some extensors.

[lifesnotfair]

06.02.2008

Stretching.

BW squats - 3x20

Lying leg lifts - 3x20

Squats: 95x10, 135x10, 155x5.

Good Mornings (first time ever): 95x5, 95x10, 95x10, 95x10. I filmed the last set and it looked correct, I wasn't lowering completely to parallel but I was afraid to lose the arch in the back. Very hard even with this weight!!

Bycicle abs, 4x50.

I tried doing a glute-ham raise: wow, this requires some serious strength which I don't even come close to having. Totally different from a hyperextension. I would like to work towards it though, once my shoulder is better I'll work on them by pushing myself with the arms to get the initial drive and gradually work to using the arms less. Neat test of hamstring strength.

Grippers: #1x9 RH - wide, slow reps, missed the 10th by a hair. #1x5 leftie - wide reps also.

#1.5 x5 or so RH - wide. #1.5 x2 LH - same.

BBMx0 RH - 3/16". RB160x0 LH (1/4" or so... this one is making cracking sounds, so it must be in a true need of oil... although all my grippers are in need of oil, have not oiled them in months).

Extensors: whitex50, greenx30.

[lifesnotfair]

08.02.2008

After 7 sessions of accupunture, I decided to finally do something and see how I feel.

Stretched, then:

Squats: BWx20

Simultaneus DB hammer curl: 15lbsx10 (+ weight of oly DB handle)

RDL: 115lbsx10.

Bycicle abs: 40 or 50, counting 1 rep after doing both legs.

I repeated this cycle TEN times. It was the first time ever I had the feeling I was gonna puke, since round 7 or so. It took about 64 minutes to complete all 10 sets. I don't know how much I was resting, but my heart rate seemed to be up all the frickin' time. Resistance-wise, the toughest was the hammer curls. Should've used less weight, maybe 10lbs in plates per hand.. those handles must be 10 or 15 lbs each. Was very tough to do 10 rounds, I wanted to quit at 6, then at 8 it was very hard to go for the remaining two, as I was already feeling kinda dizzy. I sure sweated a lot in this one.

Shoulder is not too bad today, but maybe I ought to rest some more before doing this again.

[lifesnotfair]

10.02.2008

Jogged/walked for 45 minutes. Some of it was jogging and some was walking... I have no endurance at all, I'll try to do this at least once a week. It was outdoors, pretty cool, first time I've done it. Then stretched.

[lifesnotfair]

11.02.2008

Stretching

Tabata squats - 18 in all sets, but last 4 had pauses, was sucking today.

Tabata hyperextensions - 13, 13, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 - sucked big time, felt super hard. The sets of 10 were all 5-pause-5.

Tabata bycicle abs - first 2 sets were complete, all others had pauses, sucked much more than last time as well.

I sucked big time today, in part because of yesterday's jogging. I had not jogged or done cardio in such a long time, that it left me really sore in places I hadn't been sore in a while, for example, the muscle on the outside of the shin. Wow... I'm horribly sore over there, and believe it or not, it affected exercises such as the bycicle abs... it seems one uses that muscle to stabilize the feet or something, because it burned like hell while doing that.

I lifted my 30lb blob and it felt really hard. Also did 3 reps with 85lb RT both hands and also felt hard... man I'm off on all of this, I need to start again with lower weights.

[lifesnotfair]

13.02.2008

Because I did two days of the rehab protocol video by Diesel Crew, I had a bit of pain, and went to the acupuncturist and had the suction cups tried, and it showed new inflamation. Should've rested more.... jeez, unbelievable. Back to resting, not even light rehab stuff

Stretching.

BW squats: 20

Glute-ham sit-ups: 7 (legs totally straight, feet between pins, buttock on bench.. extending almost until head touched floor, and back up until hands touched toes. Arms kept in front of me all the time, meaning when I was at the lower possition, they were pointing to the roof, and not behind me, that would've been harder).

Rope-jumping: 120 jumps

Back hyper-extensions: 12

Did 10 runs of this in about 65 minutes, could've been faster. Could've done 10 sit-ups but it was the first time, so didn't know what to expect. Could've also done some more back extensions, maybe 15, to make it harder. Next time I'll do that.

[lifesnotfair]

15.02.2008

Stretching.

Hip-belt squats: 20, 40, 60, 80 all x10. + weight of DB handle. Bad setup, I need two wooden blocks or something. The 80 (probably 90-95 with dumbell) x10 was hard and had to pause a few times.

Lying leg lifts, two sets of 20, second one trying to pull a very light band, felt the difference towards the end.

Hyperextensions: BWx10, 25lbx10, 50lbx10 (holding 2-25lb plates at chest level, didn't make that much of a difference to be honest).

Plate pinching: got 4-10's at least 3 times each hand, although with leftie they fell twice while I was lowering them. Also got 5-5lb plates which seemed almost as hard, weird, maybe because they were more plates? Or a psychological thing. I tried 2-25's and got a bit of air but couldn't get them! Had not tried this in ages. Pinch is not too bad considering I have not trained it in ages.

Extensors with white and green bands.