Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[lifesnotfair]

09.11.2007

Well, I'm flying to Hong Kong tonight with my wife and son so I wanted to have a good, complete workout, coming from 2 days rest. Also, yesterday I had some friends over at our apartment and, having had dinner and all, I didn't want them to order Pizza. THe discussion was between ordering Pizza or Sushi.. Sushi was better as they'd eat it and there wouldn't be any leftovers. I didn't want to eat. But they chose pizza, and I ended up eating 10 slices. I eat a lot sometimes. Plus all that Dewars, darn... oh well. I decided to workout my whole body, which I've never done before.

Chin-ups: BWx12 (I wont call it a PR because the first 8 or so weren't paused at the bottom, but full ROM anyways), BW+10x9 (paused at bottom, got maybe 70% up trying for a 10th).

Front Squats: 95x10, 115x10

DB press, lowering to 90*: 20x10, 30x10 - (+ oly DB handles)

Squat: 125x10, 145x10

Pendlay rows: 115x10, 125x10 - should've done 135.

Floor press: 115x10, 125x10 - should've done 135, but didn't wanna call my wife to spot me.

Hammer curls: 20x10, 25x10 - (+ oly DB handles)

Romanian DL: 185x10, 235x10

I also did grippers in between sets:

LH: Some warmup, closed the #1 from a wide set, also closed the filed #1 with certain authority, and missed the filed #1.5 by 1mm. Ended with 15 BBA reps inserting the sledge in every rep (1-5/8").

RH: Some warmup, #1, filed #1.5 for a single. Tried the #2 from a wide set and got it to 1mm (kindof a PR I think) and held it there for what seemed like 5 seconds. Tried the RB160 and I think I closed it, but didn't feel solid. Maybe if I had tried it before that #2.. it's starting to squeak, which reminds me I havent oiled a gripper in several months.. but I wanna close them like this first!! Heh! Finished with 9 #1 reps inserting the sledge in every rep (1-5/8").

[lifesnotfair]

Wow, long time... I haven't accessed the Internet for about 8 days - cool.

I had a BW session here in Hong Kong yesterday, some single-leg RDL's, bulgarian squats, pushups and semi-pullups (feet on the floor, diagonally, on a bar that's kindof belly-high) ... it must've worked cause I'm a bit sore today. Shoulder has been in pain for about a week now. The doc said I had 50/50 chance, I think I'll end up having surgery, actually, I want to. I'll see what I do when I get back.

Hong Kong is cool, so far all great, about 9 more days here. My wife's dad is actually a pretty cool guy, her whole family is... cooler than expected, heh.

[lifesnotfair]

28.11.2007

Well, I haven't written because nothing has happened. I caught a flu in Hong Kong, still haven't recovered. It was a very, VERY long trip to come back home, because after the 12 hour flight from HK>Paris, we had to wait 9 hours in the airport, to then take the 8hr flight to Dominican Republic... but that's not the end of it. I found out (on that day!) it wasn't flying into the airport in the city I live in, it was first stopping in a more touristic place, dropping passengers, letting others get in, and then flying to the big airport here in the capital city of Santo Domingo. The fight was only 25 minutes, but an extra hour of waiting for the people to get out and in. Jeez... all in all, it was a LOOOONG flight. Still some jet lag, but getting better. I gained weight, but not that much, probably because of all the walking I did over there. My 11 months old boy behaved perfectly despite the drastic changes. Note to self: never take vacations with a baby again, you'll enjoy it much less. But this time I had a reason.. my wife had not seen her dad in 4+ years, I had not even met him... and he had to meet his first and only grandson. We also met his mom (my boy's great-grandma) but she only spoke cantonese so I couldn't interact with her, but seemed very friendly. My wife's dad too, awesome guy, funny and everything. In all, a great trip.

NOW, the pain in my right wrist? Still here, after a month or so, unbelievable. So I went to the doc today, took x-rays, everything is fine. This is a new ortophedic but seemed good. He said he could inmobilize it for 3-4 weeks with something, or, what he'd do if it were his wrist, a cortisone shot. *sigh* Do it, a shot right there on top of the wrist... It gives me the creeps to think of the wrist joint, with all those little bones that look like rocks put together, and the thought of having the needle there scared me at first, but it didn't hurt at all. Pain seems to be gone, but he told me that even if in 3 days I feel no pain, I should rest at least 3 weeks before doing force. I will take his advice, I never had problems in this wrist and I wanna keep grip training (and training overall), so I don't think I'll do much for the next 3 weeks, just some BW exercises to stay healthy and try to shed some of the gained fat from all the pork/goose/etc that I ate in HK.

Something else to share: I decided to only eat fruits today, this is the first time in my life that I will do that, for a full day. It's now almost 6pm and I'm doing fine. So far I've eaten 2 pears, 2 apples, 2 smallish bananas, about half a melon and half a "lechosa", dunno the word for that one in english. I still gotta eat more now when I get home. I've been awake since 3:15am ... due to jet lag. Hopefully today my body should feel tired enough and I might get a whole night's sleep if I go to bed at 10pm or so... Oh, and if you think that eating just fruits is crazy, lemme tell you, my sister went on a "diet" that consisted of only eating apples for 5 days. She and her husband. I told them they're nutz... they showed me the diet on a webpage, and it said "don't do exercise while on this"... LOL, how could a diet that tells you that you'll be so in lack of nutrients that you can't exercise, be healthy in any way? Insanity. Anyways, I'm just doing the fruis-only thing today, kindof like a "dexot" in my own mind, even if doesn't really do any good for my system. Tomorrow it's back to regular healthy eating.

Oh, wait, something else... I ordered Super Squats and a #1.5 from Ironmind :P I might be interested in adding some musclemass, not for looks, but because I'm frustrated that I gain fat so quickly, so I'd like to have some muscle to increase my metabolism. I read that every pound of muscle consumes around 50 calories a day. So, that'd mean that if I have 10 more pounds of muscle than currently, I could eat 500 more calories and not get fat? Hell, even if this is not true and only 50% is true, I still like the idea. So I might give those 20-rep squats a go... will try to get healthy in the next 3 weeks so I can begin then.

[Cannon]

I hope that shot takes care of your wrist!

I think fruit for a day would have me spending some time in the bathroom

I suppose you don't have the book yet, but how long does the squats program last?

[lifesnotfair]

Hey Matt: yeah, I think the shot will help because immediately the pain in the thumb went away (when doing the motion that it hurted with). Funny, this very same day, at lunch, I decided to take my grippers and closed the RB160 rightie just for fun, no chalk, wide set, held for a few secs. but didn't feel with a lot of authority. I then tried the #2.5 with a wide set and got it to maybe 10mm. I remember when I first closed my #2 with a MMS, I was almost this far on it with a wider set. So I think at least my sweep is better if I could do this with a #2.5. The wirst pain came from a car accident though, not from training.

I had no strange bathroom issues with the fruit-eating day! Today I'm back on regular food though! I feel better! (probably just a mental thing).

I don't have the book yet, but it shipped today or yesterday I know. I read about it and I think 6 weeks is the duration.. the article I read stated 5 weeks, 2 or 3 workouts a week depending on your recovery capacity, adding 5lbs every session. So, if I do it 3x a week, that's 18 workouts, times 5lbs, that's 90 pounds that I will increase. And, since the "goal" is to get 20 reps with your 5RM weight after the 6 weeks, you substract 90lbs from your 5RM (I don't know my actual 5RM, lets say 175), and start with that. So I'd be starting with 85 and keep increasing. This was just an article though, I'll let you know if the book is any different.

[lifesnotfair]

Hello.

I haven't done much, because I'm nursing that right wrist where I got a cortisone shot about 10 days ago. The pain in the wrist seems to be gone for the most part, but not the pain in the thumb. So I might have to go back to get the thumb checked. I had a very short workout 2 days ago, but just did some pushups on the fists (easier on the wrist), BW rows (feet on floor but body straight), and just some stretching. Lately I've convinced myself of the importance of being flexible and "loose", and I will stretch much more.

I've read a book that has truly opened my eyes. I've been reading a lot about food combining (trophology?) and have been eating like that since about 2 weeks, and want to keep it up. It's healthy since I eat all food groups, just don't mix some of them, but I eat carbs, fat, meat, lots of veggies and fruits. I'm losing weight it seems, we'll see what my weight is next week when I take my son to the doctor. He turns 1 year old today though!! So it's quite a happy day.

I just got my Super Squats book... but I don't know how much of it I will apply. Still, I might not do it now, but someday. I also got that #1.5, and here at work, without any kind of warmup or stretching or anything, I CCS'ed it with my right hand, and MMS'd it leftie (set was 1" or a bit more, but I might have missed the close by less than 1mm, still, held it there for quite a while though. So, gripper strength doesn't seem to be too down. As a matter of fact, now I wanna try TNS'ing it... lets see what I do. 1/8" ... it's so hard to TNS this gripper, it was so far in my palm, that my fingers curled all the way over the finger handle at the end, and I think my own fingertips were in the way between the handles. I need to learn how to TNS a gripper without having the palm-side handle so far away from the fingers. My hands are very sweaty, tried another 1" set leftie and got it to 1mm, again it slides very far back. I'm not setting grippers in the "sweetspot" anymore, but with sweaty hands and no chalk, it slides just TOO far away

Anyways, when I start doing something worth typing in here, I'll type it.

[lifesnotfair]

In the car, I tried the #1.5 and got 6 wide reps RH, and 3 LH, felt very strong at that particular moment. Then got home and did some crap, including curling 95lb on my olybar x3. Bicep size is 14-1/8" though, it used to be more!

[lifesnotfair]

I've been doing some stretching, will keep that up. Will start with weights also pretty soon. I think I'll go to the USA on saturday and come back next wednesday (19th) .. so I might start when I get back, I should be rested and healed. But I'll continue stretching and maybe doing some other stuff, for example, today I saw the 95lb on the oly bar and decided to do 20 rep Squats with it. Was pretty tough, going all the way down.

[lifesnotfair]

11.08.2007

Stretching.

CG Floor press: 95x12 (breathing at the top and at the bottom, lactic acid got the best of me)... so I decided to do another set breathing normally (inhale while lowering, exhale while pushing up), and did 115x15 in this manner.

1-arm DB standing press: 20x10, 22.5x10 (+oly DB handle, still don't know how much this weights). I had to jerk the 10th rep left handed.

Edit: also a little bit of grippers. I closed my new #1.5 left handed inserting my sledge (1-5/8") before closing it. I really like the knurling on this gripper, it seems IM changed the knurling? .. RH sucked, I could CCS that #1.5 but I missed the filed #1.5 .. I think I've lost a bit of power in the "close", but the sweep aint too bad. I tried the #2 with the sledge between handles first, and got it to maybe 3/16", which is pretty bad. Then I tried the RB160 in that fashion and got it to maybe 1/8" or 1/16".

Edited December 12, 2007 by lifesnotfair

[lifesnotfair]

12.12.2007 - I messed up the date yesterday, heh.

Stretching. Been doing a lot, specially hamstring stretching.

Squats: 100lbx20 - breathed at least once more than necessary between every rep, which made it very hard. I should've done the first few breathing normally... the weight started to feel heavy because of so much time under the bar, but I think all reps had good form.

Pullovers: 10lbx20.

RDL: 145x15, 175x10, rest 30 secs, x5 more. Darn, wanted 15 reps with this weight, but I was mentally weak I think.

Tried some grippers for some reason, closed the #1.5 leftie again, and got very close on the RB160 rightie. I'm sucking right handed lately, and my damn thumb has been hurting for over a month.. I don't wanna go to the docs cause I know they'll just inject cortisone .. wrist is feeling better though, it was 2 weeks yesterday since the shot, so the cortisone for the wrist does seem to have worked.

I woke up this morning and saw myself quite light in the mirror, seems I'm losing weight. I will go to the USA from saturday to wednesday, I will seriously make an effort to eat right, since this time I wont be in a training course, so I wont be handed the food to eat. Recently I'm eating more vegetables and fruits than ever before, and I'm only eating a protein-based meal (read: meat) once a day. I feel healthy eating like this. Raw food for the win.

[lifesnotfair]

13.08.2007

Stretching.

14.08.2007

Stretching.

Chin-ups, underhand, 7 or 8" appart, strict deadhang: 10 (could've cranked out maybe a 1-3 more with a 100% max effort).

BW+10lbs x6 - wowzer, that's awful. I think I didn't rest enough, AND I'm pretty weak for not training my back in such a long time. Also, my neck muscles are a bit sore from the RDL's from 2 days ago, which were a first in a long while because of the long time off.

Pendlay rows: 115x6, 115x6 - wow again, a month ago I could joke with this weight x10.

Barbell curls: 95x3, 95x3 - semi-strict, slow negative on the last one.

[lifesnotfair]

I also forgot, I think it's about time to start training my wrists again.. the right onek, in which I got a cortisone shot 16 days ago, is feeling better. Not yet 100%, but much better. So I did Pegasus extensions, 6lb x20, but I didn't go all the way down because it hurted a bit, so I just broke parallel by a little bit and then back up. Still pumped the forearms. Then did plate wrist curls, 10lb x15 each hand.

Also, I weighted myself yesterday, in the only scale I use (the one at our pediatrist's office... my boy turned 1 year old last saturday!!), and it said something like 78kg. This might be an all-time low. I don't see myself as muscular as a month ago though (not muscular at all, but anyways...), so I'm not sure all I've lost is fat ... but I'll keep eating healthy.

[lifesnotfair]

I did this the day I flew to New Jersey (15.12.2007):

Squats: 105x20

Pullovers - 10x25

CG Floor Press: don't remember, really.

1-arm DB standing press: 20x10, 22.5x10, 25x10.

While in NJ I stretched every day.. I hate cold weather, hate it big time.

[lifesnotfair]

20.12.2007

Stretching.

Squats: 110x20

Pullovers: 10x25

RDL: 145x15, 165x15 - wow, even if it was a Romanian DL, only flexing the knees a little bit, my legs were shaking more than ever, it was tough to finish both sets.. those squats are a killer. I don't know about my squat form this day, but I went rock bottom and waited there for at least a second before getting back up. Grip was mixed, but no chalk, and it held up kinda fine.

I also tried some grippers, and my LH is catching up with my right... but that's because my right wrist was injured for over a month, and my right thumb is not 100% healed yet.

Plate wrist curls - 10lb x15

Pegasus extension - 6lb x20 - a little bit of pain in right wrist if I went all the way down, so still not 100%, but recovering I guess.

The stretching seems to be working. I can now put one leg on a platform at bellybutton-height, and have both legs straight, and slowly try to reach forward, and actually touch my kneecap with my forehead. I can't do it instantly, takes a few seconds of slowly (and painfully) getting there, but once I get there I can handle the pain and stay there for several seconds. I figure when I can get to that point instantly and with no pain, I'll be quite happy. But the long term goal is to be able to touch the ground with my elbows, while standing up with my legs straight. So far I can only touch it with my palms flat, so I have quite a way to go, although my forearms are not that long.

[lifesnotfair]

22.12.2007

Stretching.

Chin-ups: BWx10, BWx10 - underhand grip, 3" appart, strict with 2 sec pause at the bottom of each rep. Never gotten 10 reps on a second set!

Pendlay rows: 115x10, 115x10 - feel weak here, maybe the chins did some damage.

DB hammer concentration curls: 15x10, 17.5x7 (makes me wonder how much my DB handles weight....).

23.12.2007

Stretching.

Squats: 115x20 - I focused on looking at a point high up on the wall in front of me, and latter reps seemed better than first ones, odd! Very tough, but no rep took more than 2 seconds to get up. Pausing at the bottom also.

DB 1-arm standing press: 22.5x10, 25x10 (+DB handle).

CG floor press: 135x5 (wow, wasted!)

Fist pushups: 10

Fingertip pushups: 10

Floor press (wider grip now): 135x8.

Note: by the numbers I'm using on the DB stuff, I'm guesstimating those dumbells at close to 15lbs. I gotta weight them though, so can't take this for sure.

[lifesnotfair]

24.12.2007

Moving - I only worked until noon, and I need to deliver my empty appartment by today (26th), so I did 3 trips from the old apt. to the new one after work. It was really tiring, because I'm moving from a third floor (no elevator) to a third floor (no elevator also). In here, buildings 4 floors or less don't have elevators, sucks. It was just me and a guy from work I gave some christmas money to help So we were using the company's minivan and my sister's '03 Corolla. Stuff inside the van, on top of the roof if too big (mattresses, for example), and stuff in the trunk and back seat of the Corolla.

Stretching at the end of the day, don't know how I had the energy to do this. Then ate a whole lot of stuff at Christmas dinner, LOADS of food.

25.12.2007

Moving - started at 10am, did two trips before lunch. Immediately got back to it, around 3 more trips. Man, this day was LONG. The worst were the mattresses, we couldn't fit them through the stairs, so I had the idea of using a rope and pull it (pulley style) through the emergency ladder. Tough workout, heh. I also walked up the stairs with my 45lb plates one in each hand, grabbing them by the rim with my fingertips, seemed pretty tiring, made me appreciate it even more those guys that can actually pinch two of these plates. However, grabbing plates like that might have tired my fingertips, but was very easy, compared to having to handle furniture, washing machine, refrigerator, stouve (sp?), couches, etc, etc.... what a workout, what a day, we finished at 8pm. So many things needed to be un-screwed... damn. Luckily I'm in no rush to move to the new one (staying at my folks' house for a few days) so I'll assemble stuff back with no rush. My right calf seems to be the sorest muscle right now, I have to walk with a limp to avoid feeling the pain in that calf, heh. Oh, and I did NOT feel like stretching this day. And I ate a LOT of stuff at dinner also, just like the previous night.

[lifesnotfair]

I've done nothing but stretching. My AC joint hurts and my calves are still so darn sore. My power rack is not even assembled but I will put it together today or tomorrow, I'm staying with my folks for a few days until I have electricity in the new appartment and everything organized, no rush for now.

If you look back in my log, you'll see that back in September when I went to the Doc in Houston, I came home with Herpes Zoster. I did TONS of research and found out that ACV (apple cider vinegar) + a little bakin soda works great, and I took it religiously, and I got cured after maybe two weeks. I'm not saying I wasn't going to get cured without that, but something that comes to my mind is that during that time, I felt no shoulder pain. Of course, it could've been caused by the cortisone shot and my inactivity, but who knows....

Anyways, I'm really into natural cures for stuff, and in a book about Tao I read about grape therapy for detox, and I'm now in my second day of grape eating only. Man, the desire to eat something else is huge right now. I was going to do 5 days originally, but I might cut it at 3, we'll see how I handle tomorrow. Today it's 4:17pm here at work and I'm sure I'll manage, because some guy just stepped in selling very tasty stuff at very cheap price, and I said no. It was tough.

Anyways, more research has showed me that the ACV remedy is also good for arthritis, which would be what I have, inflamation of the joint. Also something called "oil pulling", which is basically just a mouthwash with oil for several minutes (google it up if interested), seems to work wonders. Other stuff is also mentioned that I can include in my everyday life. As soon as I finish with the grapes, I'll try with all of that. My question is: should I keep working out my upper body in the mean time? .. My wife liked the way my pecs were looking, but they went to hell recently, lol, specially now that I'm losing weight and can't workout as much as I would like to. I wanna get below 160 pounds, and I'm serious about that. I wanna wear 32" jeans and pants and get rid of the remaining "love chains" and fat around my belly/glutes/upper legs. But most importantly for me is to get rid of the damn shoulder pain in the AC joint. I will try all the remedies I've read (natural remedies seem so simple and easy to do), and if nothing works, maybe glucosamine and/or fish oil (or cod liver oil)... and if after a few months I still see no improvement, then screw it, I'll have surgery. But I'll try to avoid that at all costs.

[lifesnotfair]

31.12.2007

I work today, till noon, sucks

I haven't done much. I assembled my rack at the new appartment, but I haven't moved in yet, still at my folks place with my wife and kid. That day I tried some grippers, and my right still SUCKS, but the left hand is catching up, I got the #2 to 1/4" with that hand, and the previous best was maybe 9/16" with a very deep set, that's good. My right thumb still hurts, I don't know what I'm gonna do about it. I'm doing a couple of remedies to help me with the shoulder pain, and I'm gonna try magnesium citrate as soon as it arrives (had to order it, could only find oxide and others, but not citrate in here! Darn!). I need to get rid of the damn pain. I'm also gonna take vitamin B complex and vitamin C, because I've never taken any vitamins or anything, and I've read that the water-soluble vitamins are gone when working out. This might help me see results with my workouts sooner. I've been stretching everyday, but not working out really, which sucks. But I'm gonna come back and get strong in 2008.

I just weighed myself in at 172lbs. For the amount of workouts I've done lately, that's good. I'm eating healthy.. and in November I spent 2 whole weeks in Hong Kong eating like a madman, and then those 4 days in the USA.... I only hope I'm not losing that much muscle and mostly fat. As soon as my shoulder pain decreases, I'm gonna get back to it. I wanna start again next monday and follow some program for a few weeks. Could be the famous 20 rep squats, except the massive eating, I'm not that interested in bulking up right now, mostly in losing fat and gaining strength, which I know it's considered ultra hard or even impossible by some, but I'll try anyways.

[lifesnotfair]

31.12.2007

I actually did a workout on the last day of the year.

Stretching.

Chin-ups on 2-3/8" bar, but used a false grip, otherwise I can only hang for a couple of seconds!: 10, 8, 8.

Push-ups: feet on a chair x10, feet elevated at least 3 feet: 10, 15, 15.

Tabata squats - 16 in all 8 sets, thighs still trashed today.

[lifesnotfair]

02.01.2007

On this day I was at my sister's, and her hubby has some dumbells... I tried doing some DB wrist curls, for the first time in a long while... did 20lb x10, then 25x20 or something, or 30lb, not sure.. then loaded 40lb and did 15 reps RH and 10 LH. No pains, I think my wrist is cured. I need to try extension and see if it hurts. Today no pain, so that's great. I also did a very strict hammer curl with that dumbell (total probably 42lb with pin), with both arms, but it was very slow, it wasn't easy, but it was very strict. Just one rep, was just testing to see if I had lost strength, since I've lost some weight. With my wrist healed, I should see if my crushing strength is back, because it had stalled to a point where my LH was catching up lately! Haven't tried grippers in a while though.

My thigs are still VERY sore. I hate this about the Tabata method, and I didn't use a single pound, just my own BW... even my spine erectors were sore the next day, very weird, I wonder if the chin-ups or push-ups with elevated feet did that. But the thigs, my goodness, I can barely walk up/down some stairs and I'm grunting.... after 2 full days of rest. Today is the 3rd day of rest, I haven't had a single workout this year, wanted to do one but my thigs.....

[lifesnotfair]

I was just reading my last update, and I noticed the usage of the word hubby, and how un-manly that sounds. My english isn't the best, please don't think wrong of me.

07.01.2008

First workout of the year. I'm starting a 20-rep squats cycle. Mondays and fridays... I will also do a workout on wednesdays, but grip stuff and maybe a couple of exercises that don't interfere much with the mon/fri stuff.

Stretching - lots. Seeing improvement. I can now place one leg (any) on a platform at waist height, and bend until my chin touches my kneecap. It's hella painful though, but I'll get used to it, and I'll go beyond!

Squats: 105x20

RDL: 105x5, 155x15, 175x15

Floor Press: 115x15, 125x15 - will repeat this weight next time, needed a bit of help.

Chin-ups (3" appart): 10, 8 + a very slow negative.

DB wrist curls: 15x20 BH - tough, specially left handed. Forearms were very pumped from chins. Weight of DB not included.

Pegasus extension: 11x20 - what a burn.

[lifesnotfair]

08.02.2008

Today is a rest day, but I stretched like I've been doing daily, and while stretching... I decided to try a handstand, inspired by some videos I saw in youtube today. At first I was scared of failing, but after a few tries, I did it, against a wall obviously. It's tough, but I did about 3 sets of 30 seconds holds. Tough.. I also tried to let go of the wall a bit, and I could stay without it for maybe 3 seconds at most. It's probably the most weight I've ever held "overhead", even if it's underhead really, heh, as I never military pressed more than 95lb x5 before. I really think that the handstand (and BW exercises overall) is great and I shall try it more often, at first just for time... once I can hold it for over a minute and without a big struggle, I might try for a very small ROM pushup, you know, just lowring two inches or so and back up, etc... but for now I was afraid of unlocking those arms. Wrists feel a bit beat too, but I stretched them a bit before trying.

[lifesnotfair]

09.02.2008

Stretching. Seeing some progress. I can now (painfully) sit on the floor, legs straight in front, grab feet and pull myself until forehead touches kneecaps, and stay there for over a minute. Painful AND I very tiring because I have to pull myself, otherwise I move back, like a spring. Also seeing progress in the single-leg version at waist level, can now touch my chin to the kneecap (harder than touching forehead) and hold for a slow 10 count.

Hanging knee raises, with support on my back: 3 sets of 10. I call it "knee" raises because I can't lift my legs straight. I guess no ab power, I should be flexible enough I believe, as the L-seat hang is only 90 degrees. I hung from the rack but placed a bar at mid-back level, to prevent my torso from going backwards.

Renegade rows: 10lb DB's, 3 sets of 6 (or so, reps). Weight doesn't include DB handle. It was very hard, I think this particular exercise is tougher with DB's than KB's, since the DB's want to roll to the sides (outside mostly). This exercise is an ab killer, or core killer if you would.

RT: 50x5, 75x10. Man I've gotten weak in this one.

Plate pinching: 3-10's x3 and 10 sec hold at the end. 3-10 & 5 x several seconds. 4-10's only locked leftie, and only once. Have not tried this in ages. 30lb blob saw a few lifts, but can't really rep it, maybe twice left handed. Seems I've lost some strength.

5 fingertip pushups, followed by 5 regular pushups with one leg in the air, then 5 with the other one in the air. This makes it quite a bit harder!

Windmill: 30lb + DB handle: 3 sets of 6. Left arm much more unstable, but doable.

Extensors with regular rubber bands: 2 bands, 3 sets of 30.

[David_wigren]

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

[lifesnotfair]

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.