Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[lifesnotfair]

19.01.2007

Today was cardio day, but after that, I decided to do a gripping session, without grippers!! This must mean I'm maturing as a gripster.

Wide-pinching (Five 5lb plates, around 4" wide):

25lbs x 10 seconds

35lbs x 10 seconds

40lbs x 5-8 seconds x 3 sets. I wont up the weight until I can do all 3 sets of 10 seconds with both hands. Hands seem kinda equal in this excercise.

Wrist curls:

1x10 @ 31lb

1x10 @ 41lb

3x6 @ 46lb - LH - needed help in the last rep of 2nd set, and last 2 reps of last set.

3x6 @ 51lb - RH

Pegasus extension:

1x10 @ 7.5lbs

1x10 @ 10lbs

3x5 @ 12.5lbs - awfully hard! 2nd and 3rd sets saw some cheated reps, I think the first was strict (huge struggle on 5th rep).

6lb Sledge 180* twists:

2 warmup sets grabbing it somewhat closer to the weight.

3x5 @ 12" LH

3x5 @ 14" RH

Forearms and wrists were fried after this. Thumbs too, I feel my thumbs workout more on static holds than with the TTK, I must be cheating with the TTK. I need to make myself a thin pinch setup (like those 54/64 mm most people use?) and train 2 Hand Pinch with that, then I'll dump the TTK I think! Heh heh. I know I have a weak pinch too because I have an AWFULY hard time setting grippers above a #2. Heck, even setting my #2 I need to push with my inner thig!! I must have the weirdest setting technique ever.

[lifesnotfair]

20.01.2007

12 min eliptical @ levels 16/17.

Shoulder stuff: Tilted lateral raises (1x12 @ 10lb), straight arm pullups (1x12 @ BW+25lb), straight arm dips (1x12 @ BW+25lb), tilted dumbell shrug (1x12 @ 55lb), rotator cuff excercise (1x25 @ 10lb), seated partial press (1x10 @ 40lbs, 1x8 @ 45lbs).

Deadlifts:

1x8 @ 135lbs

1x6 @ 165lbs

3x6 @ 215lbs - pretty good I think. Left hand's grip didn't give in.

Since two days ago my Squats session SUCKED, and today I only have 1 compound excercise, and also I have 2 off days following.. I decided to throw a Squat session in here!!

Squats:

1x10 @ 45lbs

1x6 @ 95lbs

1x6 @ 145lbs

3x6 @ 165lbs - very hard!! Darn. The bar kinda hurts my right shoulder bone, I can't push the bar towards my back as it's advised, I actually have to push it up a bit with my arms, so that's probably not good at all.

Skull crushers:

1x8 @ 50lbs

1x6 @ 60lbs

3x6 @ 70lbs - pretty tough, but good form I think.

During the skull crushers, and the following excercise, I was doing some Donkey Calves between sets.

EZ-bar curls:

1x6 @ 50lbs

1x6 @ 60lbs

3x6 @ 80lbs - no swing at all, or almost no swing at all!! Gotta increase the reps a bit more before going up in weight. I would use 85 if I could but I can't, I gotta go straight to 90.. so I'm gonna try and do at least 3x8 @ 80lbs before upping the weight!

Squats are sucking BIG time, but it was not a bad day overall. I feel a bit lighter too, but don't wanna weight myself for the moment. I ate "correctly" during all five weekdays. Now the big challenge is to keep this up today and tomorrow... but I'll do it, I'm inspired!!

Also... recently I've been reading just a little bit about how some muscle groups have different types of fibers than others. Different types of fibers can mean that some muscles recover faster than others, and also they must be hit harder in order to make them grow. Forearms and Calves are like this, I believe. That's why I'm doing calves on the 3 days that I lift the weights. And the forearms, I'm gonna do them every other day (by " forearms" I mean wrist curls and pegasus extension)... I've finally learned how to control my gripper-addiction and I can go and train my forearms ('cause I do that at home) without touching the grippers, as I did yesterday. Tomorrow I'll train the forearms, and it's also time to try the grippers.

[lifesnotfair]

22.01.2007

Grippers:

LH:

BBA x5

BBSA x3, x2, x1, x1 - all overcrushed too!

#1.5 x0 - 1/16" at most, I think.

RH:

BBA x5

BBSA x5

BBSM negatives, did 5 of them, SUCKED BIG TIME. I just don't know what's going on, I had a full 3 days rest from grippers. I was holding this gripper better than today, about a month ago. Why is the strength gone? =( ... And I feel so damned weak with that gripper... damn. I've been thinking of taking the high rep approach with the BBSA and/or #1.5 ... I thought I'd be closing the #2 a ton of time ago. It seems I was closer 4 weeks ago than I am nowdays... *sigh*

This was disappointing and I almost quit working out today, but continued...

Wrist Curls:

Sucked too, the weight I'm usually working with felt very heavy today, only got 4 reps per hand (46lb LH, 51lb RH).

Pegasus extension:

Kinda sucked too, last set saw some cheated reps (12.5lbs).

6lb Sledge Twists:

The only decent thing of today! ... I did 3x5 @ 12.5-13" LH, and @ 14.5-15" RH. I don't know exactly how much, but it seems I added somewhere from half to a full inch to the distance between my hand and the weight. Wont call it a PR till I get to 14 and 16" (I marked the sledge every 2 inches). This was good at least.

IM Yellow bands, and a lame set with the blue ones, too tired, could barely move them!

I'm considering getting a plate-loaded grip machine. Hrm..

[aquilonian]

great progress on that LEFT hand!

[lifesnotfair]

23.01.2007

Last night I rented and watched Dogville. I didn't expect it to be 2 hours and 58 minutes long, so I went to bed a bit later than planned. I dunno if it was that, but today I felt very tired at the gym! Dang.

12 minutes eliptical machine @ levels 16 and 17, maintaining 70RPM all the time.

Shoulder stuff: Tilted lateral raises (1x12 @ 10lbs), straight-arm pull-ups (1x12 @ BW + 30lbs), straight-arm dips (1x12 @ BW+30lbs, quite easier than the straight-arm pull-ups), rotator cuff excercise (1x25 @ 10lb), tilted shrug (1x12 @ 55lb), seated partial press (1x10 @ 40lb, 1x8 @ 45lb).

Squats: man, I felt so weak at this point, and tired... jeez..

1x10 @ 45lb

1x5 @ 95lb

1x5 @ 145lb - even this felt hard.

3x5 @ 165lb - this felt VERY hard... and I hate the fact that I can't press the bar against my back, it hurts, even with the Manta Ray device which I tried using! ARGH!

Tricep pushdown, V-handle:

1x6 @ 50lbs

1x6 @ 65lbs

3x6 @ 80lbs - only the last rep of last set needed some cheating.

At this point I started supersetting with some Donkey Calves machine.

Hammer Curls:

1x6 @ 25lbs - heh, this feels ridiculously easy, I liked it.

1x6 @ 35lbs - argh, pain in my left wrist!

3x6 @ 40lbs - got them all despite a bit of pain in the left wrist.

I feel tired today. I was reading in some other forums (no, I'm not a member, was just surfing around) about Intrval Training, it's effects and stuff... and some stated that interval training, while good and everything, can tire you quite a bit, in other words, when combined with weightlifting, it can lead to overtraining. Here comes this word again! Heh.

[layla]

ok.

floorpress

put the dummies on your quads and slowly lay back, your not powerslammin yourself down.

squats,

are you going olympic are wide stance? bar high on ttraps or lower down and what is your grip position wide or narrow?

make sure you are breaking at the hips first and not your knees.

deads,

make sure you are pushing your heels in to the ground and not your toes, keep close to the bar since the furthur away it is increases the weight.

what about dead assist work lik bent rows, stiff leg deads, goodmornings.

abs abs abs abs abs(also for squat)

checkout http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise1.htm

has good directory of lifts and illustrations.

Edited January 23, 2007 by strut

[layla]

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise1.htm

[lifesnotfair]

Hey, nice link.

I never workout my abs. :P

I'm grabbing the bar wide for the Squats, I think. Not too wide. I've tried with ring finger on the little smooth line between the knurlings, and with the index finger in there too. It hurts in my shoulder bone.

I don't do stiff legged deads either, what are they for? Just lower back and no hams involved?

[layla]

A WIDE GRIP WITH THE BAR MID TO LOW ON THE TRAPS.

SLDL'S ARE PRIME FOR YOUR HAMS,WORK EM GOOD AND YOU WILL KNOW,KEEP BACK FLAT.

Hey, nice link.

I never workout my abs. :P

I'm grabbing the bar wide for the Squats, I think. Not too wide. I've tried with ring finger on the little smooth line between the knurlings, and with the index finger in there too. It hurts in my shoulder bone.

I don't do stiff legged deads either, what are they for? Just lower back and no hams involved?

[lifesnotfair]

Yesterday I skipped the cardio (second wednesday in a row! So it'll be 2 weeks in a row with only 2 cardio days). On top of that, it was a friend's birthday and I took my wife and newborn, we had a great time, but I ate INSANELY, everything from bread to chocolate cake, and several screwdrivers. I allow myself 1 day a week to do this kind of things, it's usually sundays, now I'm gonna have a long wait until my next one, since this next sunday I plan to eat right.

25.01.2007

10 mins stairmaster @ level 10 - this tires my lower back!!

Pendlay rows: Sucked today!

1x10 @ 65lbs

1x6 @ 95lbs

1x6 @ 115lbs

3x6 @ 145lbs - felt much harder than the last two times I used this weight!! Form was not the best.

There is something I like about this excercise: it makes me kinda dizzy after a tough set, this only seem to happen when I do a huge effort, so I kinda like to feel this way, because I know I'm working the hell out of my body.

However, my left wrist experienced some pain doing this. I will reconsider doing dumbell rows instead if next week I feel the pain again, I gotta try and avoid what hurts, and dumbell rows would be pretty the same, right? Nobody talks bad about those.

Deadlifts:

1x8 @ 135lbs

1x6 @ 185lbs

3x6 @ 215lbs - pretty hard! I felt the dizzyness I just mentioned above, after all these sets (these last 3)... I think form was good. Left hand's grip, as always, felt weaker and weaker towards the end.... darn!

Dumbell flies:

1x8 @ 25lbs

1x8 @ 30lbs

3x6 @ 35lbs - pretty tough!

At this point, I was doing some Donkey Calves in between sets.

Preacher curls:

1x10 @ 50lbs

1x9 @ 70lbs - last rep was hard!

1x9 @ 70lbs - last rep was H A R D, possibly the hardest rep I've ever done on any excercise! Wow, it gave me a pump in my biceps that lasted a long while... I thought I wasn't even gonna be able to get 2 reps on the next set. I rested 3 mins instead of the usual 2.5 ...

1x6 @ 70lbs - ah, got 6, after that second set this isn't too bad I guess... but it's bad! Yeah, who am I kidding! I went for a 7th but could not get it, I couldn't repeat the tremendous effort of the previous set's last rep.

After work, I decided it was grip time!

Finger rolls:

Worked up to 62lbs with both hands, then got back down to 57 and got 8 reps left handed. I replaced 3 sets of this with grippers in my RH... all 3 were parallel reps of the #1.5, and all three sucked, best was 7 in the first, last one was 5. But I was opening it good and even pausing a bit.. oh well.

Pegasus extension: the usual, working sets were 3x5 @ 12.5lbs

Wrist curls: sucked.. tried 51lbs LH as the first working set, got 3 reps... then did the other two sets at 46lb as usual. Used 51 for RH.

TTK: give me a break... I never progress with this. I wanna buy that Mouse Pinch setup from Scott George and train my thumbs with the 2 Hand Pinch thing, I will just never like the darned TTK.

IM Yellow bands.

Then some more lower back training - bathing my son... it's a killer!

[lifesnotfair]

27.01.2007

10 min eliptical @ levels 16 and 17.

Shoulder stuff:

Tilted lateral raises: 1x12 @ 10lb

Straight-arm pull-ups: 1x15 @ BW+30lbs. (had to regrip after 12 reps!)

Straight-arm dips: 1x12 @ BW+40lbs (these are easier)

Tilted shrugs: 1x20 @ 55lbs (I'm upping the reps because the next pair of dumbells available are the 70's, there are no 65's and only 1 60lb).

Rotator cuff excercise: 1x25 @ 10lb

Seated partial press: 1x10 @ 40lb, 1x8 @ 45lb.

Squats:

1x10 @ 45lb

1x6 @ 95lbs

1x6 @ 145lbs

3x6 @ 165lbs - used the manta ray device, didn't hurt today, I placed myself better I think. Still very hard... Damn.

Skull crushers:

1x7 @ 40lbs

1x7 @ 50lbs

3x7 @ 70lbs - very hard!! But got 'em. - It's kind of a PR, but I'll call it a PR when I do a set of 5 with 80lb. Wanna get 3x8 @ 70 first.

EZ-bar curls:

1x7 @ 50lbs

1x7 @ 60lbs

3x7 @ 80lbs - same as skull crushers, this is a PR for reps, but wont call it a PR until I do a set of 5 with 90lbs. Wanna get 3x8 @ 80lbs first. Last rep of last two sets had a little cheat, but not much.

While doing these last two excercises, I also did some Donkey Calves between sets.

Then, I decided to try, for the first time ever, the Wrist Curls at the gym. I always do it at home. Now, the dumbells I have at home are kinda thin, as in, my middle finger touches the palm when I grab it! This gym dumbells are a little bit thicer, they're not like 1.5" or anything, but probably a bit over 1" in diameter, don't know. They felt MUCH BETTER.

1x7 @ 30lbs BH

1x7 @ 40lbs BH

1x7 @ 50lbs BH

1x5 @ 55lbs RH // 1x3 + 2 assisted @ 55lbs LH

1x5 @ 55lbs RH // 1x3 + 2 assisted @ 55lbs LH

As I said, these felt MUCH BETTER than doing them at home. Weird, I attribute it to the handle being thicker. I didn't even feel any kind of pain in my wrists while doing them, and I did them after all stuff written above, yet I liked how it felt. I'm shocked, and it's a no brainer for me - no more wrist curls at home!! Not with this handles. I'll do them at the gym from now on. For extension I'll still do it at home, since I use the Pegasus for extension. I'm actually really happy about this, I don't know if you can tell, heh.

Edited January 27, 2007 by lifesnotfair

[lifesnotfair]

28.01.2007

Tomorrow is a holiday here, that's great.

I ate somt fat today (pork) and some mermelade and cheese in the morning, all stuff I was not supossed to eat. Gonna try to finish the day correctly. Today (sunday) would normally be my day "off" from watching what I eat, but because of a b-day party on wednesday... I'm gonna try and watch mysef today.

Grippers:

LH:

BBA x10

BBSA x1, x1, x1

Filed #1 x1

BBSA x1

RH:

BBA x10

BBSA x5 - felt easy, as it should!! Even tempted me to try my #2... but nope, not gonna for the moment.

#1.5 x8, x7, x8, x5, x4 - almost got a 5th on that last set (1/16" at most). Opening up to at least 3/4" on every rep!

IM Yellow bands: sets of 20.

Pegasus extension:

7.5 x10

10 x5

12.5 x5, x5, x5.

[lifesnotfair]

30.01.2007

BW @ 179lbs - 3lbs less than exactly 2 weeks ago. That's not too bad, considering I've dropped most of the cardio I was doing, and I ate "incorrectly" at least 3 days during this 2-week period. I'm sick and tired of cardio, so if I can continue to drop some fat with just weight lifting and proper eating, even if it's slower, I'm gonna continue with it. I'll weight myself in 2 more weeks and see where I'm at. I might not resist and do it in 1 week... the suspense always kills me!

10 min eliptical machine @ levels 16 and 17.

Shoulder stuff:

Tilted lateral raises: 1x12 @ 10lb

Straight-arm pull-ups: 1x15 @ BW+35lbs.

Straight-arm dips: 1x15 @ BW+45lbs

Tilted shrugs: 1x20 @ 55lbs

Rotator cuff excercise: 1x25 @ 10lb

Seated partial press: 1x10 @ 40lb, 1x8 @ 45lb - the 45's still felt hard, but a bit less hard than before.

Deadlifts: Important Note: This morning I checked Pavel's "Power to the People" (a book where he praises a routine of nothing but deadlifts and bent-presses), to check on the deadlift form. I found some interesting stuff, I was doing it all wrong.

-He says to grab the bar without looking down! If it's not totally symmetrical, don't worry, not everything in life is.. LOL. I tried this and by instinct I grabbed it a bit wider than I used to grab it.

-He said to push the butt back! I wasn't doing that!

-And to keep the shins as close to vertical as possible - was not doing that either!

-And the bar should be over the middle of your feet - I was placing it over the toes.

-He says that some good powerlifters advise to flex the triceps, to assure your arms are 100% straight. I tried it, good tip.

I tried this new technique (butt back and shins as close to vertical as possible), and it was MUCH harder!!!

1x6 @ 115lbs

1x6 @ 165lbs

1x1 @ 215lbs - wow, this felt like a max effort in this manner....

3x6 @ 195lbs - seemed like a better weight with this new, "correct" form.

He does advise to use mixed grip, but I used double overhand anyways.

Hammer Curls:

1x6 @ 25lbs

1x6 @ 30lbs

3x6 @ 40lbs - I just don't understand why my left wrist hurts with this movement.

At this point I was doing some Donkey Calves between sets.

Tricep pushdown, V-handle:

2 warmup sets.

3x6 @ 80lbs - same as last week, still feels awfully hard, but got them all without any help or cheat, I think!

Wrist Curls: second session of this at the gym - definitely much better than the dumbells at home!

1x10 @ 35lb BH

1x8 @ 45lb BH

3x5 @ 50lb LH only - I think I got 6 reps in one set...

3x5 @ 55lb RH only - I think I got 6 reps in one set...

[lifesnotfair]

30.01.2007 - At night, after dinner and everything.

Plate pinching: (using 4 dimes which must be almost 3").

20lbs

30lbs

40lbs

42.5lbs x a couple of sets, didn't get 10 seconds but very close I think, with both hands.

45lbs got air for several seconds with both hands, maybe 5 seconds.

6lb Sledge twists:

2 warmup sets.

Then 3x5 @

15" RH

13" LH

Pegasus Extension:

Wow this sucked today... 12.5lbs felt awfully hard and could not get 5 strict reps by any means.

No crushing excercise today. Thought of finger-rolls, but I was too tired. I wanna get the BB grip machine!!

[lifesnotfair]

01.02.2007

10 min treadmill @ 6.3mph - felt very tired. I suck at running.

Squats: I don't know the weight, as the bar I had to use was not a regular 45lb oly bar. It held oly plates, but was not as long. I don't know how much it weighed, so I'll assume it weighed only 30 lbs.

1x6 @ 80lbs

1x6 @ 130lbs

1x6 @ 150lbs

1x6 @ 155lbs

1x6 @ 160lbs

Seated Cable Rows, parallel grip, hands about 20" appart - I'm trying this because the Pendlay rows were causing some pain in my left wrist for some reason.

Sets of 6 reps @ 80lbs, 110lbs, 130lbs, 130lbs, 140lbs - the last was pretty hard.

I tried 1 set of 5 reps each hand of Dumbell Rows, used the 80lbs and got them. I could also do those.. I guess most people would advise the dumbell vs. the Cable... but why exactly? I find it's very easy to cheat on the dumbells :P

Dumbell Flyes:

These felt quite uncomfortable today.

1x8 @ 25lbs

1x8 @ 30lbs

3x6 @ 35lbs

Preacher curls:

1x10 @ 50lbs

3x9 @ 70lbs - Yay! I cannot believe I got 9 reps on all sets. Very, very hard... but got them! I've always said I'll increase once I can do 3x10, and it's taking really long to get 3x10 at this weight.. at one point I think I got 10 in 2 straight sets, but then like 8 in the third.. so I decided to back down on all sets. This gives me a very big pump, it's almost uncomfortable to feel my arms so tight. I might up the weight next session...

At this point I was doing some Seated Calves, because the Donkey Calves machine is on repair... ARGH!

Wrist Curls:

1x8 @ 35lb BH

1x8 @ 45lb BH

RH: 55lb x5, 6, 6 or so.....

LH: 50lb x7, 6, 7 or so. Might up to 55 with this hand as well. If I reach the 60lb dumbell I'm gonna have to work on reps with it, as the gym doesn't have the 65lb ones unfortunately, so I'd have to jump from 60 to 70. I'm almost in need of the 60lb one with my RH at least!!

The preacher curls give a big pump to the upper arm and forearm as well - add to that that I did these WC's after, and you can imagine how I felt.. my arms felt so tight!! Hehe.

Today's supossed to be gripping day @ home too, we'll see, I might do it tomorrow.

[aquilonian]

looks good, you keep making progress on your arm exercises!

[lifesnotfair]

Thanks aquilonian!

02.02.2007

20 mins of rope jump, took about 7 breaks of 30 seconds each.

Grippers:

2 light sets of warmup with each hand, then...

LH:

Filed #1 x0 - held at 1-2mm for at least 7-8 seconds, this would've been closed on a normal #1.

BBSA x1 - very hard, barely closed it.

BBA x20 - decided to go for reps on a lighter gripper, as I felt a little pain.

BBA x20

BBA x20

BBA x19

If my #1 weren't filed maybe I could use it for reps, but it's filed like a whole 1/4" or close to that.

RH:

#1.5 x8

#1.5 x8

#1.5 x7 - almost 8.

#1.5 x8 - yeah!

#1.5 x6 - oops. Almost 7 though. I think they were actually 7 but in one rep I opened up only like 1/2" so aint counting it.

#1.5 x7 - tried for 8, but nope. All reps opening up about 3/4" or 1".

I rested at least 3-4 minutes between sets... yes, this workout took a while!

I think I have to do "clicks". I think that from the MM set, to about 1/4", I'm pretty good with this gripper... but after a few reps, the reps get harder, I get stuck around that point, and need to use my thumb, and sometimes re-locate it several times, in order to finish the rep. While this is completely valid, I know I couldn't have gotten all these reps thumbless. I should try to close this thumbless. Or maybe close it with my thumb and then do this clicks in which I open to 1/8-1/4"... I might give that a shot next time.

Pegasus extension:

1x10 @ 7.5lb

1x8 @ 10lb

3x5 @ 12.5lb - fairly strict!

6lb Sledge rotations:

2 light warmup sets, then..

RH: 3x5 @ ~16"

LH: 3x5 @ ~13.5"

IM Yellow bands, sets of 20 and even of 30. Blue bands still feel unmovable!!

[lifesnotfair]

03.02.2007

10 min eliptical machine @ levels 16 and 17, over 70RPM at all times.

Shoulder stuff: Tilted lateral raises (1x15 @ 10lb), Straight-arm pull-ups (1x12 @ BW + 50lb, I made a mistake, should've used less), Straight-arm dips (1x15 @ BW + 50lbs, this weight is fine here), Tilted dumbell shrugs (1x20 @ 55lbs), rotator cuff excercise (1x25 @ 10lb), Seated partial press (1x10 @ 40lb, 1x8 @ 45lb).

This completes 4 weeks on this program (I think, gotta check). If so, next week I'll start doing 2 sets of each of these.

Deadlifts:

1x8 @ 115lbs

1x6 @ 165lbs

3x5 @ 215lbs - very hard!! It's harder now that I use Pavel's advise to try and maintain the shins as close to vertical as possible.

Skull Crushers:

1x8 @ 40lbs

1x8 @ 50lbs

3x8 @ 70lbs - I think I'm ready to try 3x5 @ 80lbs next week, yep.

EZ-bar curls:

1x8 @ 50lbs

1x8 @ 60lbs

2x7 @ 80lbs - pretty tough.

1x6 @ 80lbs - argh, couldn't get it... I rested like 5-6 minutes (was doing Donkey Calves in between sets at this point) and went for a fourth working set.

1x7 @ 80lbs - yeah! Got them. Struggled like heck.

Wrist curls:

1x10 @ 35lbs

1x8 @ 45lbs

RH: 3x5 @ 55lbs - might have gotten 6 reps in a set or two. It felt very hard today, maybe because I did grippers yesterday?

LH: 3x5 @ 50lbs - same as above.

[lifesnotfair]

05.02.2007

Pegasus extension:

1x10 @ 7.5lbs

1x10 @ 10lbs - pretty tough!

3x6 @ 12.5lbs - all right!!

Grippers: today, for the first time ever, I decided to try the famous clicks!

After a few sets of warmup (I did at least twice the usual warmup today... oh well):

LH - BBA - 75, 82, 75, 95, 97

RH - #1.5 - 22, 29, 35, 37, 35

So... I don't know what to say. These felt awkward. Note that in each set I think I was opening it up less and less. Most were just barely letting the gripper open, so I assume it's about 1/16" .... this is why I'm gonna use the word clicks for this, and NOT reps, because they don't resemble a rep at all! ... I got the hang of it as sets went by, as you can see for example, the last two sets leftie were the highest, and usually I get tired towards the end.

Josh Dale does clicks, and it has worked for him. I think Dave Morton does them too (calls them baby reps?). So these must be good. I'll try to mix workouts up, one of only clicks, one of only parallel reps. So next one it'll be parallel reps.

Pinching plates: (four dimes, with weight added through a loading pin)

20lb, 30lb, 40lb x2, 45lb x2.

All up and held for about 10 seconds... maybe the 45lb sets were not 10 secs, but definitely over 7 at least (guessing here, had no watch).

I bought a Mouse Pinch from Scott George, and will be using it when it arrives, it just shipped today!!

IM Yellow bands, 3x30.

[lifesnotfair]

06.02.2007

Thought of not working out today, I'm getting a flu it seems... but I decided to go ahead and train, as tomorrow is rest day anyways.

10 mins eliptical @ levels 16 and 17.

Shoulder stuff: (I've done 4 weeks of 1 set, now it's two sets of each thing).

Tilted lateral raises: 1x12 @ 10lb, 1x12 @ 15lb

Straight-arm pull-ups: 1x12 @ BW+40lb, 1x7, regrip then 1x5 @ BW + 50lb.

Straight-arm dips: 2x12 @ BW + 50lb

Tilted shrugs: 1x12 @ 55lb, 1x12 @ 70lb.

Rotator cuff excercise: 1x20 @ 10lb, 1x15 @ 15lb

Seated partial press: 1x10 @ 40lb, 1x8 @ 45lb

Squats:

1x10 @ 45lb

1x5 @ 95lb

1x5 @ 145lb

3x5 @ 175lb

Tricep pushdown, V-handle:

1x7 @ 50lb

1x7 @ 65lb

3x6 @ 80lb

Hammer Curls:

1x7 @ 25lbs

1x7 @ 35lbs

3x7 @ 40lbs - I think I'll try the 45lb ones next week. Not that this was easy at all though.. struggled a lot!

I did about 6 sets on the Donkey Calves machine in between sets of hammer and wrist curls.

Wrist Curls:

35lbs - 1x10 BH

45lbs - 1x10 BH

55lbs - 1x7 RH, 1x3 LH ..... then only RH: 2x6.

50lbs - 2x5 LH.

This was a long workout, took almost 2 hours I think!!

[lifesnotfair]

08.02.2007

10 min eliptical machine @ levels 16 and 17.

Deadlifts:

1x8 @ 115lbs

1x6 @ 165lbs

1x6 @ 205lbs

2x6 @ 215lbs - should've used this weight for all 3 working sets. Only on last rep the bar wanted to roll out of my left. I think form is better than before, so while the weight is not higher, I'm still seeing this as progress... back was pretty straight, so were arms, and shins close to vertical, etc. I use 35lb plates and smaller so ROM is a bit larger.

Dumbell rows:

1x5 @ 50lbs - feels like a joke! I don't understand why so many people do rows with light dumbells, and people who look huge and probably are way stronger than me. I guess they just wanna look good, and don't care for strength. I think 99.99% of the people in my gym think this way.

1x5 @ 70lbs

3x5 @ 80lbs - felt good. There is no 85lb dumbell so I'll up the reps a bit next time, in preparation for the 90lb ones.

Don't ask me why, but I wanted to keep rowing!!!

Cable rows: (parallel grip, handles about 20" appart)

No warmup, as I was rowing dumbells.

3x5 @ 130lbs.

Dumbell flies:

1x8 @ 25lbs

2x8 @ 30lbs

3x6 @ 35lbs - I know, too much flies... but I haven't benched in so long... I worry about my pecs

Preacher curls: these were very hard today, as all that rowing took a lot from my arms.

1x10 @ 50lbs

1x6 @ 60lbs

3x4 @ 80lbs - good reps, full ROM, VERY hard.. I was feeling very tired at this point, I wanted 3x5 ...

At this point I was doing Donkey Calves, did a bunch of sets!

Wrist Curls:

1x10 @ 35lbs BH

1x8 @ 45lbs BH - rested very little, so it felt hard.

3x5 @ 55lbs RH // 3x5 @ 50lbs LH

At this point I was really really tired.

I think it was too much for a day. Again took almost 2 hours... I need to find a way to condense these workouts, or maybe rest less between sets... don't know.

Yesterday and today I've had a pain in my left wrist, like tendonitis... funnily enough, it didn't bother me with any excercise.. it only hurts when I try to supinate my wrist a lot, and when I try to pronate it it hurts a bit too. I have little flexibility in my lef wrist, I can't fully pronate it (palms fown) with my elbow close to my body and my forearm parallel to the floor. My right is fine though.

[superfeemiman]

05.02.2007

Pegasus extension:

1x10 @ 7.5lbs

1x10 @ 10lbs - pretty tough!

3x6 @ 12.5lbs - all right!!

Grippers: today, for the first time ever, I decided to try the famous clicks!

After a few sets of warmup (I did at least twice the usual warmup today... oh well):

LH - BBA - 75, 82, 75, 95, 97

RH - #1.5 - 22, 29, 35, 37, 35

So... I don't know what to say. These felt awkward. Note that in each set I think I was opening it up less and less. Most were just barely letting the gripper open, so I assume it's about 1/16" .... this is why I'm gonna use the word clicks for this, and NOT reps, because they don't resemble a rep at all! ... I got the hang of it as sets went by, as you can see for example, the last two sets leftie were the highest, and usually I get tired towards the end.

Josh Dale does clicks, and it has worked for him. I think Dave Morton does them too (calls them baby reps?). So these must be good. I'll try to mix workouts up, one of only clicks, one of only parallel reps. So next one it'll be parallel reps.

Pinching plates: (four dimes, with weight added through a loading pin)

20lb, 30lb, 40lb x2, 45lb x2.

All up and held for about 10 seconds... maybe the 45lb sets were not 10 secs, but definitely over 7 at least (guessing here, had no watch).

I bought a Mouse Pinch from Scott George, and will be using it when it arrives, it just shipped today!!

IM Yellow bands, 3x30.

I can definitely see the science behind click/baby reps. It would seem that they work the close and keep your hands under constant tension. They also would seem good for improving on a gripper you have barely started to close (the 2 for me). I think I'll try them.

[lifesnotfair]

Yep, try them and lets see if it helps you!!

09.02.2007

Pegasus extension:

1x10 @ 7.5lbs

1x10 @ 10lbs

3x6 @ 12.5lbs - tough!

Grippers:

Wasn't feeling particulary strong... warmup with the filed T, BBA, and BBSA x5 right handed only.

Parallel reps day:

LH - BBA - 27, 20, 23, 25, 22.

RH - #1.5 - 9, 8, 10, 8-9, 6.

Felt nice to get a set of 10! I rested too much for this workout (3 days without any crush excercise), and wasn't feeling very strong... the BBSA x5 felt harder than usual.

IM Yellow bands, and a few light sets of sledge twists with the 6lbr, but nothing big.

[lifesnotfair]

10.02.2007

10 min eliptical @ levels 16 and 17.

Shoulder stuff:

Tilted lateral raise: 1x12 @ 10lb, 1x12 @ 15lb

Straight-arm pull-ups: 1x12 @ BW+35lbs, 1x12 @ BW+50lbs (had to regrip 3 times though!)

Straight-arm dips: 2x12 @ BW+50lbs.

Tilted shrugs: 1x12 @ 70lbs, 1x4 @ 90lbs (left hand's grip gave in!!), 1x12 @ 75lbs, 1x4 @ 90lbs (AGAIN! I felt I have much more shrugging power than this, but I can't hold onto the dumbell with my left hand).

Rotator cuff excercise: 1x20 @ 10lb, 1x15 @ 15lb

Seated partial press: 1x10 @ 40lb, 1x8 @ 45lbs, 1x2 @ 50lbs (just curious as to how I'd do).

Squats:

1x10 @ 45lbs

1x5 @ 95lbs

1x5 @ 145lbs

3x5 @ 175lbs

EZ-bar curls: I decided it was time to finally move up in weight today.

1x5 @ 50lbs

1x5 @ 70lbs

1x2 @ 90lbs - argh! 2 reps? Sucks, but somehow I knew I kinda gripped the bar wrong, and I couuld do at least three, so...

1x3 @ 90lbs - yeah, at least 3 reps, was not so sad... but next:

1x4 @ 90lbs - YEAH! That was good. Maybe a little bit of a swing, but not much, actually the last two reps were slow, I was fighting it hard!

1x4 @ 90lbs - had to do a fourth working set, as the first two of 1 and 2 reps did not make me happy!

1x4 @ 90bs - same as above!! Fifth working set! Even went for a 5th, but no way. So this is a PR for the moment!!

EZ-bar Skull Crushers:

1x5 @ 50lbs

1x5 @ 60lbs

3x5 @ 80lbs - PR as well! I don't know if elbows were stricltly placed (they tend to open to the sides?), but at least I was touching my forehead when goin down, and locking the arms when going up, so it couldn't have been too bad of a form I guess.

At this point I was doing Donkey Calves, did a bunch of sets of 10 reps in many different weights (from 240 to 340, supossedly).

Wrist curls:

Today was a very good day, I don't know why. My finger callouses were killing me at this point (I use no gloves), so I used the corner of my little towel to place under my fingers (not around the entire dumbell pin, just the fingers area). Could this have helped up the strength in any way??

1x10 @ 35lbs BH

1x10 @ 45lbs BH

3x8 @ 55lbs RH // 3x8 @ 50lbs LH - this might be some kind of PR for reps on this weight. But I wont call it a PR until I start using the next dumbells up with each hand (should be soon, I hope).

What a long workout! I hate having weak legs and squatting so little. ...

[superfeemiman]

Yep, try them and lets see if it helps you!!

09.02.2007

Pegasus extension:

1x10 @ 7.5lbs

1x10 @ 10lbs

3x6 @ 12.5lbs - tough!

Grippers:

Wasn't feeling particulary strong... warmup with the filed T, BBA, and BBSA x5 right handed only.

Parallel reps day:

LH - BBA - 27, 20, 23, 25, 22.

RH - #1.5 - 9, 8, 10, 8-9, 6.

Felt nice to get a set of 10! I rested too much for this workout (3 days without any crush excercise), and wasn't feeling very strong... the BBSA x5 felt harder than usual.

IM Yellow bands, and a few light sets of sledge twists with the 6lbr, but nothing big.

I definitely will try them.

BTW, have you closed the 2 yet? Your numbers on the 1.5 would suggest that you were pretty close. If you haven't closed it, have you tried setting it very deep (less than parallel) and trying to close it? I think that would help, because it helped me.