Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[Martin_Arildsson]

Nice PR's!

[tja]

Congrats on the PR's! I'd count squat reps as a set as far as you don't rack the bar in between, breathing allowed: )

[lifesnotfair]

Thank you both, fellas!

Today is my B-Day. I don't think I'll train anything today. Back is SORE, big time. Also pecs, because just this week I started training them and I hadn't done any bench pressing in ages. Anyways, I turn 24 today.... feel the same. :P

My wife turns the same age in just 5 days, but I'll be out of the country... that just kills me. I will surely bring her a few presents from the US to make up for it though!!

I weighed myself today, had not done so in AGES. Well, maybe 2 months ago, I think I was 187. I'm 179-180 fully dressed, pairir of jeans, shoes, etc... so I must be going down in weight again. Now with a different approach than last time. Now I do eat carbs. I'm eating way more carbs than before, and that's why I'm losing fat and maintaining strength. I eat high fiber cereal in the morning with low fat milk... sometimes light yogurts... granola bars almost every day (one or two per day, depending)... a fruit here and there of course... it seems to be working wonders, because the fat around the belly does seem to be going away.. slowly, but going. And I do have my cheat day or cheat meals, once or twice a week, heh. And no cardio as of late. Just lifting every other day (upper body one day, lower body the next session).

For anyone interested, my diet looks like this:

Breakfast (either high fiber cereal with low fat milk, or pita bread with low fat cheese and turkey ham and light mayo... whatever).

Mid-morning: an apple, or a garnola bar, or something similar.

Lunch: meat and vegetables - any kind, just don't use oil (if you do, use vegetable oil and not that much) or dressings with a lot of fat. Read more on the dinner a couple of lines below.

Afternoon: a granola bar, or a fruit again.

Dinner: again meat and vegetables - again, any kind. Sometimes tuna and sardines, sometimes other type of fish, sometimes chicken, sometimes red meat (but I'm trying not to eat red meat every day now, trying to max it at 3-4 days a week). Could be turkey, or even lean pork.

If I feel hungry at any time... it's useful to carry (ie. bring to work) something like a fruit, or granola bar, or light yogurt, to help you hold it till the big meals (lunch and dinner).

If you find this not enough nutrition, trust me, I was WAYYY more strict last year, eating almost no carbs at all... I think that's why I was losing weight but also not gaining any strength.

[lifesnotfair]

08.09.2007

Pendlay rows: 45x10, 95x10, 115x10, 135x10 (form deteriorating in last reps), 145x8 (form not too good since beggining).

Bench press: 45x10, 95x10, 115x10, 135x10, 145x8 (all by myself, no bounce of chest.. actually, can't bounce it because I set safety pins so I have to stop the bar at least one inch above my chest (without touching pins of course).

Chin-ups, underhand grip, 2" between hands: 6, 6, 6, 7. I think I rested too much before the last set, because it felt easier than the third set. All from a deadhang, no momentum.

Barbell press: 45x10

DB press: 22.5x10, 25x8 - not counting oly dumbell weight .. very hard, and a bit uncomfortable because dumbells are so long, when I lockout at the top the arms are not vertical, but a bit angled to the sides.. so went back to barbell which I hate.

Barbell press: 75x10 (barely, but got 'em), 85x5 - darn am I weak on this. I blame it on my shoulder. Luckily next friday I'll be in San Antonio and the good doctor will see me!! I travel tomorrow to Twinsburg, OH and I'll be there until thursday.

Tomorrow I'll do a grip workout in the morning, since the flight is at 4:35pm.

[pdfk20]

good amount of chin ups!

[lifesnotfair]

So I went to the US, from sunday to sunday.

I lifted on one day, thursday 13.09.2007 with some dumbells the hotel had:

I did DB bench press (last set was 50x12, tough one), DB rows (last set was 50x15, tough also, not used to so high reps), DB military press (I was very weak here, maybe used the 35lb ones, not even sure), DB hammer curls (30x10 and then 35x8 I think), DB wrist curls (40x15, only one set of these) and DB rev. wrist curl, just the 10lb x a few.... damn I was pumped after this, I think because of the higher reps.

So, I went to the Dr. in San Antonio on friday. He says that just what he suspected by e-mail when I described my problem, he thinks is my aromio-clavicular join (spelling?). He gave me a shot in that joint and had me move my arm to see if it hurted, and since it did not hurt, he said he was 100% sure it was the AC joint. I told him that one of the docs in here injected cortisone, but in the side of my arm, below my shoulder bone... now it makes sense that it didn't work that well, since that's another joint. This joint is UP in my shoulder, like, in front of the traps. Thinking about that injection still makes me cringe, but I took it like a man. Or so I thought, but I got nauseus (sp?) and dizzy after that shot. The doc says it's a "vasougal response" (sp?), and it happens to young people mostly, because of a faster metabolism? He said he had to inject some people with it in the Marines, and many young, athletic marines, actually passed out with this shot. I recovered after a few minutes and, like I said, moved my arm and the movements that usually caused pain, seemed to not cause it anymore. The shot had a slight bit of cortisone, but that's the purpose of it, he needed to see if that's the problem.

So, he told me not to do full range heavy exercises for a month, but then after a month, that I could get to it... and the thing is as follows:

I need to take 3 more shots, every 4 months, just like this. If after that, the pain never comes back, then I'm cured. I have 50/50 chances of being cured like this. But if the pain keeps coming back, then odds are I wont be cured like this, and surgery is the option.

About the surgery: he says it's one of the most simple surgeries he performes. He just has to shave a bit off both the clavicule and the shoulder bone, so there is more space between them. He says it takes 30 minutes, he doesn't have to cut me open (just 3 little holes, and he does it with a scope...), and on the same day I can get back home (or a hotel). Says it's a very simple procedure and that one does guarantee to cure me 100%. But, as always, we want to avoid it, so we'll see if these shots and taking care of it might do something.

The Dr. didn't charge me a thing, not for his time (30-40 minutes?), and not for the shot itself either. I guess I did a good job trying to look desperate and telling him how I was coming from far away to see him. I did tell him that I didn't specifically go to the US to see him, I was in Cleveland for business, but I did go to San Antonio just to see him. He says if we have to do the surgery, he'll also consider me with his fees for it. Damn, this guy is a good person.

[Scott Styles]

Man, it sounds like you found a winner. Glad to hear it.

[lifesnotfair]

Man, it sounds like you found a winner. Glad to hear it.

Thanks Scott.

More bad news - jeez, I'm pissed as heck.

About 5 days ago in Cleveland, I started feeling weird, like, my left arm felt more sensitive than the right. Then, while showering, I felt a rash on my left upper back. Well, now I've got 2-3 more little rashes in some places of my left upper body. I went to the dermatologist, it turns out I've got this crap: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoster

It says it only happens in people who have had chicken pox already (like me and most grown ups), and it's not contagious, BUT, it can affect people who have NOT had chicken pox (like my 9 months old son), and he's gonna have chicken pox soon if he's been in contact with me (which he has). I feel weak overall because of this and wont exercise until I feel better. ARGH~@!%$& ... well, maybe it's best, some more rest for my shoulder.

[tja]

Great to hear about the good doctor news! Speedy recovery with the skin stuff.

[superfeemiman]

Good to see you got to the problem. Also good to see that the doctor was a nice guy. I hope you have a good recovery with both your shoulder problem and your rash!

[lifesnotfair]

Thanks to everyone who read my postings.

The dermatologist says I canNOT exercise, I gotta let my body fight the virus, and not fight the stress caused by exercise. Not even a walk, he said. Argh. Hopefully this wont last too long... BUT, the timing is good, because the Orthopedist in San Antonio said I should take it easy for a month... he said leg work, bicep curls and deadlifts are ok... but bench/shoulder press or pullups are out of the question for at least a month, then I can start, but taking it easy, and maybe doing half-range (the upper range) for a while, and slowly progress to full rom and higher weights. Makes sense, of course. He said in a month I could also play tennis again, but being careful with serving.. so I'll just try to volley, which is what I enjoy the most ayways. So, basically, not much overhead stuff. I can't wait to exercise though, I hope I'm doing better by next week, maybe I can start then. If not, then next week for sure. I took an "inflacor" injection yesterday, and need another one in 12 days, which the Saturday after next, so maybe Monday, October 1st, I can lift again. The shoulder pain is feeling very good, not even there really.

I did a lot of research (google) on AC joint problems, and this is very common. They call it AC joint arthritis, and the description of the pain matches my diagnosis. Pain when crossing my arm across my chest, for example (like stretching the triceps). Luckily, the AC joint hardly moves... so this is a much better problem to have than to have problems in the other shoulder join (between humerous bone and shoulder bone). If the injections (every 4 months) don't completely cure it and pain comes back, then the surgery is very simple... it can be done with a 2 inch incision, or around 2-3 holes if using a tool with camera.. it takes like half an hour, and I read that what they do is just cut a bit of bone to make more space, usually from the clavicle as it's larger than the acromion... and then that space is filled by scar tissue as the body recovers, and one can get back to FULL ACTIVITIES within 6-8 weeks, with FULL ROM and no problems at all... I found in many webpages that it's a very simple procedure, you go home the same day, and pretty much 100% efective with no long-term problems. Hell, from what I've been reading, I actually thought "why not just do this NOW, instead of seeing if I get better with these injections over a year's period!?!?".. but I guess it makes sense to first try to see if I can get rid of it without the surgery... if he had said I can't lift for a year, I for sure would've insisted in having that surgery, knowing now it's a simple and effective one. But since I can lift, I'll live!!!

[lifesnotfair]

This Herpes Zoster (apparently also known as "shingles" in the english language) thing is killing me. There was one rash a week ago, now there's like 15. I have a huge pain in that left-side nerve (it only affectes one side and doesn't cross the midline), in my left upper back. I have rashes in my left upper back, left shoulder, left upper arm (the down farthest is right at the crease between upper arm and forearm), left neck (a bit), and I saw one coming out on my chest. I feel totally weak, my left arm feels very heavy, the pain in the back of my left shoulder/upper back is killing me when I'm standing (arm not resting), and it even bothers me a bit to swallow food for some reason (not liquids or saliva).

It appears these rashes may leave a mark, or so says Wikipedia.

Funny, of all the possible causes of this, I couldn't really think which one could've been mine.

Shingles can only arise in individuals who have had previous exposure to chicken pox (varicella zoster). Individuals develop shingles for many different reasons, most of which are thought to be a result of events which depress the immune system, such as aging, severe emotional stress, severe illness, immunosuppression or long-term use of corticosteroids.[5] However, the cellular and immunological events that lead to reactivation are poorly understood.

None of those should be my cause. The only part I agree is that it's "poorly understood" to be honest.

[Scott Styles]

Are you sure the rash is not an allergic reaction to the shot you got?

[lifesnotfair]

Are you sure the rash is not an allergic reaction to the shot you got?

I am sure, because I got the first rash a tuesday, and got the shot in a friday. I had been feeling the sensitivity to touch and weather in my left arm for several days before taking that shot, and the symptos are 100% matching this desease, I've done ton of research by now... there is no "cure" for this crap (like there is no cure once you get chicken pox)... but you can somehow treat it. I started taking two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar today, in water, with a little sodium bicarbonate ("baking soda") to protect my teeth (because the vinegar alone is too acid and damages the teeth.. like I said, I spent a ton of time reading all I could find on the subject). I'll drink it two more times today (to make it 3x a day) and see how it feels. Apparently it's a great home remedy and most people have experienced great results with it... heck, it's supossed to clean the kidneys and make one lose fat too. I'm taking "Oxa B" which has B vitamins and a few other stuff, which the Doc recommended. He also told me to use some liquid soap to wash the rashes twice a day, but the thing that pisses me off is that he didn't tell me to take an anti-viral, and in most websites it was said that one should take one (like acyclovir or something). Argh.

[lifesnotfair]

Updating... yesterday (wed) I went to the Doc again, I felt very bad pains in my left side tuesday night... he then prescribed me something: Gabapen (with gabapentine). I googled it and yes, they use it for neuropatic pain, and also for epileptics and their convulsions. You can guess this pain was not very comfortable if it's treated with this stuff.

I started yesterday and only taking the minimum dosage of 900mg daily. I'm still taking Oxa-B which is like vitamins and stuff. Some of the rashes are finally starting to "crust" or whatever.

I had a blood and urine test today, and everything was fine. Also the "glicemia" (that's in spanish), it's the sugar thing.. it was fine too. Red and white "globes" (I hope that's how you say it) were fine, so was everything else. Oh, and HIV negative, yeah, the Doc suggested I checked for that too.. I don't know why, but taking a test for that makes me scared, even if I know I'll be negative.

I weighed myself today, full clothes, keys, cell, wallet, watch, jeans, shoes.... 84.3kg (185lb). Not bad, considering I just came back from a full week of eating like a mad man in the US. I weight myself at the pediatrist when I take my son. Now I have a goal of being at least 180 next time, which is in about 5 and half weeks. I'm eating right, but not exercising... I'm hoping I can start lifting soon. Today I'm feeling better. The rashes are hideous to look at though, even for me, and what's annoying is that they *might* leave scars... and it seems there's nothing one can do to prevent it. Argh.

[lifesnotfair]

23.09.2007

Updating: I'm feeling better. Still not 100% or even close, but better. The blisters filled with serous fluid, become hemorraghic and eventually crust, about 7 days after they appear. The first ones have crusted now, just like when you scratch your skin when you fall on your knees or something, and a crust (or whatever it's called) forms over that area, and some days later it'll fall... well, it's happening like that.

Also, some other spots where the blisters were about to come out, have recovered and they didn't come out. I think the home-remedy I'm taking has worked. After many hours of googling information, I found that Apple Cider Vinegar is great. Just 2 tablespoons in a glass of water, 3x a day. I add 1/4 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate ("baking soda" ?) to make it's PH closer to 7, because otherwise it's quite acid and could damage the teeth (drinking excesive lemon juice and other acid stuff can do this too). I think the ACV has helped. It does not taste good, though, but I just drink the glass fast. It's also supossed to clean the kidneys and might even make some people lose fat, but that is not why I'm taking it, it's because of the "shingles".

I've been thinking alot about my routine, when I get back to it. I don't wanna overtrain, I felt like I was constantly overtraining back then. I think I'm one of the guys that definitely can't be doing heavy things daily. We'll see, I'll think it over, I still have time for it, since I don't think I'll be lifting this week, the body's gotta recover. Still taking 900mg of Gabapen daily.

[superfeemiman]

I've been thinking alot about my routine, when I get back to it. I don't wanna overtrain, I felt like I was constantly overtraining back then. I think I'm one of the guys that definitely can't be doing heavy things daily. We'll see, I'll think it over, I still have time for it, since I don't think I'll be lifting this week, the body's gotta recover. Still taking 900mg of Gabapen daily.

I think this is a big reason I love Grease the Groove training. It's very hard to overtrain using it. I also like it because I'm a lazy bastard and gaining on my lifts without having to train close to failure appeals to me.

[lifesnotfair]

I've read about GtG, it does sound cool.

Today while organizing some stuff, I walked across my plates... and decided to pinch 3-10's, which was rather easy with both hands, and held for many seconds, and could've held for more. Still, 4-10's feel unmovable. It's the width that kills me, my wide-pinch strength is close to non-existent. I think that's my weakest spot and when I get back to training, will focus a bit on it. Also, I have 4 blobs now: 30, 32.5, 35, 37.5 .... but I think I'm missing a smaller one, because when I was working out with them, the 30 felt very hard and the 35 left the ground only once, and a couple of inches. I can't even dream of tossing even the 30lb one, and hand-to-hand passes are still out of the question. I should've gotten a 25 and 27.5 too, heh. But I'm embarassed not to be able to pinch 4 10's, I have newfound respect for the 5 10's lift, and those who've lifed 6 10's are now my new heroes, heh.

[lifesnotfair]

26.09.2007

Updating: feeling better. As previous, no more blisters as of several days now, and now all the previous ones have crusted. Doing better. I called the Doc today, he said I can start exercising, but nothing too long or too exhausting. I was happy to hear that. Anyways, yesterday some 19 year old punk in his momma's Toyota Rav4 tried crossing the avenue I was going (I was going on an avenue, he was going on a little freakin street), and I crashed into him. My right wrist hurts now, but I reckon it'll get better in a matter of days. Argh, that was my Honda Integra GS-R from Japan, only 48,000km, the "family" car (4 door automatic). Now I'm riding my Twin Turbo '88 Supra to work again. To make things worse, I didn't have full ensurance on it, so I might have to pay for the damages. This is a HUGE hit for me, I am just now moving to an appartment and had spent all my savings on furniture and what else. This stinks beyond belief.

Anyways, I'll get back to exercising soon. I've been thinking alot about about handstrength, and I realized that I'm not doing sooo bad on the grippers... I can close the filed #1.5 from a wide set, I reckon I could do it even easier if it weren't filed. However, I found my 30lb blob very hard to lift a few weeks ago, I could lift it, but my best was around 5 reps, and I had to be properly chalked, and get the right grip... that is more pathetic than just being able to close the coc#2 with a parallel set (and not consistently). Now that I've got the 30-32.5-35-37.5 blobs, I wanna work my way through them. My small hands might not let me reach the 50lb beast, but I reckon that lifting the biggest one I have (37.5) with my short hands should make me feel a noticeable increase in handstrength, maybe more than grippers. So I'll do grippers maybe once a week when I start again. I was doing mostly wide set stuff anyways.

[lifesnotfair]

27.09.2007

I walked by my plates and blobs, and decided to give them a try, despite a cut in my right thumb tip.

The 30lb blob went up, and so did the 32.5lb although it was very hard. Only once also, but I didn't try it many times. Tried the 35 but no luck.

3-10's feel like a joke, however, when I try 3-10's and a 2.5lb plate on the thumb side, it gets much more difficult, MUCH more, wow, must be the increase in width, because like I said, the 3-10's feel so easy, if I added 2.5lbs with a magnet or something I'm sure it wouldn't make such a big difference. I also tried with a 5lb plate, but couldn't lift it. I tried 2-25's and got them leftie. That was it. I'll start a routine soon.

[lifesnotfair]

Ok, time to start over again. I'm still on some meds but feel allright and Doc said it was fine. The shoulder doc said to take it easy for at least a month, so I wont do any pressing or pullups for at least a coule of weeks (it's been 2 weeks 2 days since I saw him and got the shot in the shoulder - no pain so far, which is great!!).

29.09.2007

Squats: 45x10, 95x10, 125x10, 145x10, 155x10, 165x8 - I was gonna "take it easy" but might have pushed myself too far.

Romanian DL's, DO grip: 115x10, 135x10, 155x10, 175x10, 195x5...60 secs pause...195x5 - grip gives in, not back.

Wrist curls: 20x10, 30x10, 40x8R/3-4L .. not counting olympic Db handle. Was weak here. RDL's really KILL my hands.

Pegasus extension: 8.5x10, 11x10, 12.25x10, 13.5x8.

Lifted 2-10's with one finger and thumb, ring finger was the hardest and might not have locked it out. Didn't even try pinky finger for obvious reasons. I tried one set of plate curls with 2-10's without any rest, I got 4R and 2L ... wow, I should work on these... no wonder I'm miles from platecurling a 25.

On my "upper body day", you'll notice I'm only gonna do some rows and maybe biceps, but I don't wanna press or do stuff with my arm overhead for the moment, as per the Doc from San Antonio. I will do some forearm-related stuff everyday, but wont push myself. That little pinching and plate curls was an extra on this session, but I kept it short and simple.

[lifesnotfair]

01.10.2007

Pendlay rows: 65x10, 95x10, 115x10, 125x10, 135x8??

DB rows: 40x10, 45x10, 50x10 (+ oly DB handle)

One set of 10 lateral raises with 10lb.

One set of 10 front raises with 10lb.

Three sets of lying tricep extension with dumbells.

Two sets of supinated curls.

Grippers: I tried my new RB160 rightie, about three times. Best attempt was around 2mm. Using a wider than parallel set though. I thought I was just weak but when I tried it left handed and was a mile off, I realized it's very close to my #2 in strength. I tried the #2 and got it to maybe 3/16". Left hand was struggling but I got both the #1 and the BBSA from widish sets, but couldn't rep either like this. RB160 is goal gripper right handed now.

RT: 70x10, 80x10, 85x10 ... LH: 90x8, RH: 95x7.

Today (day after this workout), I felt a little bit of pain in that AC joint, but just tiny. I might have done too much. I dunno exactly what caused it, as I did so many different things, argh.

[gerryg]

Where did you buy your RB160 from? I bought a RB160 from FBBC and it is tougher than all 4 coc#2's that I own.

[lifesnotfair]

Where did you buy your RB160 from? I bought a RB160 from FBBC and it is tougher than all 4 coc#2's that I own.

Hrm... I bought it from FBBC. I also bought an RB180 but I have not tried that one yet.

Keep in mind my #2 needs some oil. Also, I might have a slightly hard #2. I mean, the BBSA's are supossed to be "1.6" or whatever, yet mine feels much closer to my #1 than to my #2. Also, my #1.5, when I first got it, I could do like 10 parallel reps, yet I couldn't close the #2 (MMS). Now that #1.5 is filed a bit on both handles, which makes it hard for me to rep, but I can still close it from a wide set. I guess the filing must've made it closer to the #2 level. Still, even when I could do around 6-7 MMS reps on that one, I could barely MMS the #2. Now I'm not doing MMS anymore so I don't know.

I have another CoC #2 that's on the package, that and a #3. I will open the #2 when I get a bit stronger, and see if I can close it out of the package. But I wanna be closing my first #2 from a wide set before I do that.

I also have a BBM that seems to be harder than my #2, and most people's BBM's are easier. I think I have a tough BBM, it's a big jump from my BBSA.

Conclusion: grippers vary

[lifesnotfair]

Where did you buy your RB160 from? I bought a RB160 from FBBC and it is tougher than all 4 coc#2's that I own.

Hrm... I bought it from FBBC. I also bought an RB180 but I have not tried that one yet.

Keep in mind my #2 needs some oil. Also, I might have a slightly hard #2. I mean, the BBSA's are supossed to be "1.6" or whatever, yet mine feels much closer to my #1 than to my #2. Also, my #1.5, when I first got it, I could do like 10 parallel reps, yet I couldn't close the #2 (MMS). Now that #1.5 is filed a bit on both handles, which makes it hard for me to rep, but I can still close it from a wide set. I guess the filing must've made it closer to the #2 level. Still, even when I could do around 6-7 MMS reps on that one, I could barely MMS the #2. Now I'm not doing MMS anymore so I don't know.

I have another CoC #2 that's on the package, that and a #3. I will open the #2 when I get a bit stronger, and see if I can close it out of the package. But I wanna be closing my first #2 from a wide set before I do that.

I also have a BBM that seems to be harder than my #2, and most people's BBM's are easier. I think I have a tough BBM, it's a big jump from my BBSA.

Conclusion: grippers vary