Are Weak Men Allowed To Post Routines!?

[lifesnotfair]

ARGH! My left elbow is still hurting. I definitely can't be squeezing grippers on consecutive days, at least left handed.. damn. I don't want to auto-medicate myself, we'll see how it feels later on today.

Edit: actually, it could also be because of the wrist curls yesterday, I felt they were bugging my left shoulder a bit too. The only bodypart in which I honestly admit I wanna gain some size, is the forearms (heh!), yet everything I do hurts! .. I gotta try one of those wrist rollers, mobsterone says they pump his forearm 0.5-0.75 inches, wow, they must work it quite well, and they don't seem like something that stresses the wrists so much, or do they??

Edited October 10, 2006 by lifesnotfair

[lifesnotfair]

Blah...

I felt so unbelievably weak today, it sucks. It was supossed to be a chest/back day.

Benchpress.

95x5

165x2 (felt too hard!)

145x5

145x5

155x5

165x1 (felt too hard...)

145x5.

Screw this, I see no gains in my benchpress. I think the pain in my left shoulder/elbow was affecting me, though.

I did chin-ups, with underhand grip and maybe 8 or so inches between the hands.

BWx5 x4 sets

BWx4, and had to move my feet in a desperate fashin to finish the fourth, couldn't do a fifth.

It's not that bad, considering my previous best, set last monday, was just 3 chins. (BW was 185lbs last monday (8 days ago), have not checked since).

I felt very weak and my shoulder and elbow were in pain (left side of both), hell, even a little pain in the right elbow, lol... so I went home. I knew I wouldn't train well when I attempted a dip and failed, twice, heh. Not my day. At least I warmed up with 10 min stair-master which is a cool device. After work, all I wanna do is fall asleep, maybe I'm not resting enough.

I believe the wrist curls with heavy weight have something to do with my shoulder pain, and trying the grippers in two different sessions yesterday, plus today when I got my new ones, have definitely not helped. So it's all my fault, argh.

Thursday is gonna be my shoulders/legs day, I'll see if I include at least a little bit of chest/back to make up for today's crappy session, if I'm feeling fine. I'll try not to touch my grippers for the rest of today and tomorrow. It will be hard, with the new ones here, but I'll try not to.

[lifesnotfair]

10 mins after writing this, I had done: 20-21 reps on the BBA RH, then about 4 reps on the BBSA, and about 10 small-reps on the BBA LH (this has got to be easier than a #1, no way I could get so many reps on a #1 with either hand).

Now I should definitely rest for the rest of today and tomorrow... *sigh*

[Scott Styles]

You're not just resting, you're getting stronger! All training does is prepare you to rest. Enjoy it.

[lifesnotfair]

TTK

13.26x10

18.26x8

20.76x5

22.5x 3+2, rested a few secs, got down to 17.5 and also did 3+2

22.5x 3+2, rested 30 secs, got down to 15 and did about 10 reps.

10x5 RH.

10x2-3 LH... This is not much different from when I got this machine 3-4 months ago. This TTK has frustrated me BIG time, much more than grippers, where at least I see some progress.

I also used IM Yellow bands and did about 5 sets of 20 reps, they're starting to feel easier. After them, I tried the Blue ones, but they are AWFULLY hard. I will use the Yellow for maybe 2 more workouts, and then try to start using the blue for at least 5 mini-opened reps (I know I wont be opening them up too much at first).

I did fingerwalking on my 6lb sledge, first getting it up and then getting it back down (much easier and faster). I did this about 5 times in between the TTK sets and the IM Yellow bands, and at the end I tried my 8lb sledge, and surprisingly I could get it up, then back down. Should one just use the fingertips? Because I found I was not using my pinky very much if I used the tips of the other fingers. This stresses the fingers in a different way, as you're doing preassure with them being straight most of the time.

I also did some levering, with my 6lb sledge. I can rear lever it from quite far, and front lever it from almost half of the handle (not too good). I can strict lever it to nose with both hands, although it's awful hard to do if keeping it strict. And I can do rotations from close to the middle of the handle. I think the excercise in which I'm closes to the weight is the front lever, so hard.

This was all quick, not as much as it sounds. I even tried the IM Pinch device, only to find out I'm weaker than last time I tried it. My pinch is not going anywhere and that just KILLS me. I know I slacked a bit with the TTK in the past, now I'm trying to do a good 5x5 style routine 2 times a week, we'll see where this leads me.

[tukkergrip]

great workout!!

[lifesnotfair]

I hope you did not think those numbers were with just one hand!!! It's with both hands! Except the bottom two lines where I specified RH and LH in each respectively. Sorry to disappoint you if you thought I had such strong thumbs.

12.10.2006

Military press:

1x5 @ 45lbs - warmup.

1x5 @ 95lbs

1x5 @ 105lbs

1x4 @ 115lbs -

1x5 @ 105lbs - got back, but rested a bit more, and felt not too hard.

1x5 @ 115lbs - hard, but got it.

Squats:

1x5 @ 45lbs - warmup

1x5 @ 95lbs

1x5 @ 125lbs

1x3 @ 145lbs - wow, this was getting hard.

1x5 @ 125lbs - got back to this weight.

1x5 @ 125lbs

Since tuesday sucked so much in the Bench press, and I wasn't feeling 100% so I didn't even do everything I had planned on doing, I decided to do at least one excercise today, and it was:

Flat dumbell press:

1x5 @ 50lbs

1x5 @ 55lbs

And here is where it gets tricky. One of the 60lb dumbells, and BOTH 65lb dumbells have been "on repair" forever. So from here, I had to make a jump...

1x5 @ 70lbs - PR! .. I had never used this much weight. I lost a LOT of energy just getting them up after lying on the bench, as noone assisted me.

1x8 @ 70lbs - WAIT! They were all assisted. I asked a guy to help me lift them (just to help me possition them above me, as in the previous set I felt I lost a lot of energy just getting up), and he decided to help on all reps, so I went and did 8 reps.

Didn't do a 5th set. But it felt nice to have used the 70lb dumbells. I like dumbells even better than the barbell benchpress. I'm gonna try something out, I'm gonna use the dumbells for a few weeks, and then see if there's a carryover to the barbell. Luckily for me, the gym DOES have both 75 and 80 lb dumbells, so if I can work with the 70 I will be able to progress nicely. So monday I will warmup with 40 or so and then go straight to 70 and see how I hold up.

At home, looking at those grippers, I couldn't resist closing the BBA at least, with both hands. But today I was supossed to rest from grippers, so that's all I did, just one close and a few inverted reps RH, and pretty much the same LH (LH had no problems with this gripper). I actually TNS'ed it RH. Can't wait till tomorrow, I'm gonna try to abuse the hell out of the BBA and BBSA and some negs on the #2 RH (negatives on the BB grippers will be tough, seeing the knurling causes some great pain, heh).

[Teemu I]

That workout looked good. You'll be able to make progress on those movements if you don't waste your time and energy on every possible exercise you can think of.

Next similar session, add 5 pounds to your military press on your work sets and 10 pounds on your squat. You WILL be able to do it.

[lifesnotfair]

13.10.2006

Felt sick today, but still decided to grip some.

I'm kinda angry at my BB grippers. The BBA is supossed to have the same specs as a #1, yet I KNOW it's easier than my #1. I could get over 40 clicks (opening to 1/8" at most though) right handed, and almost 20 left handed if I remember correctly. No way I could do that with my #1. But now I don't know, because my #1 is filed. Argh.

I attempted to make some clicks with the BBSA and could only get a few, I think I'm gonna work on doing more reps with this.

Single attempts - with the #2 right handed, about 3 attempts, the best got to maybe 8mm, then forced closed and it opens back up to 3/16-1/4"... held there for 2-3 seconds and slowly let it open. With my LH, my new goal gripper is the BBSA, I was able to take it to 1mm in one of the attempts.

I also did extensor work with my IM Yellow bands, and tried the Blue but still I can barely move them.

Is it normal that I find my filed #1 harder to close than my BBSA, which is supossed to be tougher? ... I decided not to tape the handles on the BB grippers, so they toughen my hands a bit with their sharp knurling. I'm using the #2 for RH negatives which is taped, it would hurt too much to try a negative on the BBM I think, with that knurling and pushing against my leg, I tried it a few days ago and wasn't too pleasant.

14.10.2006

Today was my biceps/triceps day. I took "some" advice from Teemu, but not all. (but something is something!)... so I did a routine which is probably better than the last time, but still a crappy one.

Dips @ BW

Total for the day, about 8 sets of 5 reps. Some of 6 reps. I'm gonna try to do sets of 8 reps next time, and then 10, before I attempt to go back down to 5 reps and hold a dumbell with my feet or something.

I tried Close Grip BenchPress, but it hurt too much even with just the oly bar. I figure I could only do this with the EZ bar, but I had noone to pass it to me, so instead I did cable pushdown with the inverted "V" bar. I went heavier than ever with this one, and did 5x5. (75, 80, 80, 85, 85. those last two were PR's, and considering I had done a lot of dips before, it's good!).

Preacher EZ curls - 50x5, 80x5, 80x5, 80x4, 80x3-4, 60x8.

Standing EZ curl - 60x5, 70x5, 80x4 (not too good of a form), 70x7, 70x5. 80 is still a bit too much, but I just started doing this excercise today.

Hammer Curls - 30x5, 35x5 (cheated last one LH), 30x5, 35x5 (cheated last one LH), 35x6 (I was doing them fast and maybe a bit of cheating).

I think I have problems in my wrists, because it hurts in many movenets:

-It hurts when trying to do barbell Wrist Curls.

-It hurts when trying to do Close Grip benchpress on a straight barbell.

-It hurts when trying to do Standing Bicep Curls with a straight barbell.

-It hurts when trying to do Standing Bicep Curls with Overhand Grip with a straight barbell.

So don't give me crap about using the EZ-bar, it's all I can do! ... and I did the Tricep-pushdown because I didn't know what else to do besides dips; Temmu told me the dumbell extensions overhead damage your elbows. Ironically, today I was feeling pain in my left elbow after each set of pushdowns.

Tomorrow at 5am I'm heading to the airport, I'm going to the USA for a couple of days. I will be back home Friday night. I will take my grippers with me, I'm kinda hoping the hotel I'm staying has a gym, at least a small one... I'll take my grippers with me and if they don't have equipment, I'll do pushups/pullups/dips on a chair or whatever to at least work out a bit. It's only 5 days so...

The Good News: my "Dinosaur Training" book has arrived, I will start reading it sometime soon, but probably after I get back.. I might take it with me though.

[acorn]

13.10.2006

Is it normal that I find my filed #1 harder to close than my BBSA, which is supossed to be tougher? ... I decided not to tape the handles on the BB grippers, so they toughen my hands a bit with their sharp knurling. I'm using the #2 for RH negatives which is taped, it would hurt too much to try a negative on the BBM I think, with that knurling and pushing against my leg, I tried it a few days ago and wasn't too pleasant.

I'm not sure what is normal but I found my BBSA to be exactly the same as my #1 until I filed it. After filing it, it became about a #1.5. Also I used a bath scale on each of the grippers to determine the difference between the grippers. With time I came to like the BB knurling much better than any of the other grippers. With them you don't even need chalk to keep them from sliding around in your hand.

- Aaron

[lifesnotfair]

16.10.2006

I'm in Houston Texas, but even this can't keep me away from training. Luckily the hotel has a treadmill and stairmaster, so I burn some of what I eat :P ... this americans eat so much, you go out and all you see is McD's, Burger King, Wendye's, Denny's, etc... trash food. :P although today I went to Fogo de Chao, a brazilian steakhouse, and ate like a MADMAN. Oh, and I also grip-trained at my hotel room. I only brought 3 grippers with me.

Warmup with a BBA close, both hands.

RH - 25-30 BBA reps, not sure.

LH - about 15 BBA reps.

RH - 8 reps with BBSA, felt strong today.

LH - BBSA attempt, 2mm.

Then proceeded to attempts!

#2 RH - closer than ever, mayb 7-8mm, held there, forced closed, opened to 3mm.

BBSA LH - 2mm.

#2 RH - same as before.

BBSA LH - same as before.

And again for both hands!! I see progress with that #2 which is good. I'll just keep atempting the BBSA LH till I can mash it, shouldn't be too long I guess.

I then finished with a BBA overcrush both hands. I did IM Yellow bands in between sets, 20 reps.

Elbow didn't hurt today, good.

[lifesnotfair]

20.10.2006

I got home friday night, finally saw my wife again, showed her some stuff I bought for our baby which is coming early January if everything goes as expected, heh. I had not trained grippers since monday, so I just squeezed them a bit - I felt very weak. Still, I decided to ask her to take a photo of a #2 attempt.

Click my Galler button and see for yourself, these are the first pics I ever submit here.

21.10.2006

Ok, so I had not had a real workout since last saturday. While in the US I did some cardio, and once I did some pushups. I missed the weights a lot. So, today was supossed to be biceps/triceps day, but since I had missed the chest/back and the shoulders/legs workout, I tried to do some of it all.

Dumbell bench press / chinups, one set of each at a time.

35x5

70x5 x3 sets

70x5 - needed help to raise them, and the guy helped in all 5 reps. I should probably be using 60 or 65lbs on this, but since the gym doesn't have them, I'm gonna work on dominate the 70's for a good 5x5 session with good ROM (my ROM wasn't the best, I was probably not lowering them enough). I'm doing an experiment, I'm gonna try and work my way up to the 75 and then 80lb dumbells and then see how it transfers to the barbell bench press.

Chin-ups, underhand grip at shoulder width.

BWx5 x3 sets

BWx4 (did not even attempt 5th rep, was too hard)

So here I chickened out, and I went and did 180lbs on the pulldown machine with this same grip style, got all 5 reps barely. (I suspected I wouldn't be able to get 5 reps on the regular chinups at this point).

EZ-bar curls combined with dips.

50x5

70x5

80x5 x3 sets - not the best form in the latter reps of each set, but I'll work on it till I can do it.

Dips:

BWx5 x5 sets, they're still not easy for me.

Then I did Squats / Hammer curls.

95x5

135x5 x2 sets

145x5

155x3 - too hard, so I went back quickly without rest and...

135x5.

On these squats sets I felt dizzy after each set... wow.

HC's:

35x5 x3 sets.

40x5 x2 sets - maybe not the best form with my left hand, but it's the first time I do these with 40lbs which is a good PR for me.

I considered doing shoulder work, but I was EXHAUSTED after this. I ran 15 mins at 6mph for warmup before all this. It was a lot of work.

On the several airplanes I took, I was doing Sudoku's on the American Way magazine, but in the last one, I grabbed my Dinosaur Training book and started reading it; short flight, and my brother was talking a lot, so I only read about 34 pages, but man, it's great stuff. One of the things Kubik says, is to go very heavy on each set, and that heavy and LONG workouts can't be the same... so he does like 3 excercises or 4 per workouk I think, not sure. He said from 12 to 20 sets or so. No wonder there is no room for isolation excercises, hehe. I know I did some isolation today, but tried to do a lot of compound too.

[lifesnotfair]

23.10.2006

Warmed up with the BBA, 5 reps each hand.

I decided to go for clicks today (reps opening only to 1/8" or 1/4", not more than that).

I did 4 sets of these clicks with each hand, using the BBSA RH and the BBA LH. I hope I'm closing the BBSA left handed soon, so I can train with it instead of the BBA.

After the 4 sets each hand, I decided I had not tried strapholds in a long time, so I went for 12.5lbs and got 'em up both hands (BBA LH, BBSA RH), and then tried 15lbs and I think I also got them up, but it required a massive effort!! I tried 15lbs again but failed each hand, guess it was too much.

I did 3 sets of 25 reps with the Yellow bands, and have started trying with the blue ones now. I put them a little bit below my nails so it's a bit easier to open them a bit. These bands are tough. I was doing 10 reps this way, and still could not open them much, but have to start somewhere.

I also did TTK, and I swear I'm about to throw this away, I see absolutely NO gains with this. :-(

I didn't do any big attempts today. I wanna do at least 2 more workouts without big attempts (meaning, BBSA LH and #2 RH) and then trying them. So I'll continue doing clicks, strapholds or what I call a rep which is opening about 1" or maybe just a liiittle bit more (so pinky doesn't unwrap), for the next two workouts. I am not feeling pain in my left elbow/shoulder, which I had been feeling in the past workouts, so that's great news. My hands feel like they recover a bit faster now, so there is no need to leave 2 resting days. I'm gonna just use 1 resting day and see how I do on wednesday.

[Scott Styles]

You're doing well. IMO your lack of progress on the TTK is indicative of the frequency and intensitiy with which you train it. From your log at least, it looks like the TTK doesn't get near the attention of the grippers.

I bet if you train your thumbs with the same frequency and intensity as the grippers, they will respond. Also, 2lbs on the TTK is almost a 10% increase in weight. It doesn't take much extra weight to be real progress.

[lifesnotfair]

24.10.2006

This probably looks better than most workouts I've ever posted. Or at least I hope so.

Before stating what I did, let me just say I'm experimenting to see how the carryover is from one excercise to the other, so while I can now do some chin-ups, I'm gonna do some pulldown with the same underhand grip and see if it carryovers some. Just a few workouts like this, don't worry, I'll go back to chins soon, but when I do, I want to be so strong that I need to add weight! (not the case right now).

I begun with flat dumbell bench press.

35x5

55x5

70x5 - prety good, I lowered them a lot, I'm no longer lowering them to 90 degrees, but further.

70x4 - Sh*t! While trying the 5th rep I just totally lost it, and my left dumbell just fell, twisting my shoulder a bit. Luckily I feel no pain or anything, but I gotta be more careful. I think I leaned it a bit towards my head and that's why it fell, because it wasn't completely vertical.

For the fifth set, I asked a spotter to help me, the LEAST possible help, and he did, so...

70x5 - all spotted, even to raise them. In the previous two sets I raised them all alone, which is, in my opinion, even harder than one of the reps once the dumbells are up and you're laying down.

Seeing that the gym has both 75 and 80lb dumbells, I wanna try and reach the 75 or even 80's before touching the barbell again, and see if there's any carryover.

Then I combined the pulldown machine with dips, like this:

Pulldown (underhand grip, shoulder width):

100x5 - felt like a joke.

150x5 - felt rather easy!

190x5 - felt amazingly hard!!

190x5 - to complete this set I had to let out a few weird grunts, not screams, but it made me laugh afterwards.

190x4.7 - I didn't lower the 5th rep under my chin, but to my nose or mouth maybe.

Oh, by the way, this is the first time I ever use 190lbs here, and so just you get an idea, I can hang from the bar and the weight wont go up even 1 inch, so those 190lbs must be real, as I weight 181-182 right now. 190 is a PR!! then. The machine has all the way up to 250... I wanna reach at least 210-220 and then see how I do on regular chin-ups after that. That's my experiment.

Dips:

BWx5 x2 sets - "warmup", but very hard for warmup. Next time I'll use the machine that simulates dips and use less weight, maybe.

BWx6 x3 sets - pretty darn hard. I increased the number of reps to 6 and I'll shoot for 7 on saturday, while maybe leaving the warmup at 5.

Then, I tried the pulldown with a wider and overhand grip:

70x5 - felt like a joke, but a weird joke, I just can't pull hard like this, it bothers my left shoulder a bit.

110x5 - felt hard.

140x5 - couldn't lower the bar to the point I wanted, and it feels awkward to me, I don't like this excercise.

So I quit on that one and went to perform some dumbells bent rows:

40x5

55x5

70x5

75x5 x2 sets - I felt very tired at this point so I decided to repeat with 75, but should've tried 80 in that last set. Last time I tried dumbell rows, my grip was giving up left handed, now I could hold on to the dumbell a bit better with that hand, guess grippers help some.....

[Teemu I]

Looked good! Just don't hurt yourself, you want a spotter on all your really hard sets on exercises like dumbbell bench press etc..

[lifesnotfair]

Yeah, maybe I should. I'm pretty sure my mistake was that my arm moved up. By "up", I mean like this: say you were looking at me from my left side, while doing this excercise. And you see my arm up straight, pointing to the roof... but it moves a bit to the "right" in your view; (leaning towards my head). No way I could've held the 70lb like that. So it came down quick and I had to open my hand and let it fall, once it was at around shoulder level. I'll be more careful next time. I probably ought to be training with the 60 or at least the 65lb, but as I've said here, they don't have them. Luckily they do have the 70, 75, 80.. so from here on, I'll take small steps and do fine.

24.10.2006 at night.

Pegasus extension.

7.5x5 - 3 2.5lb plates.

10x5 - 4 2.5lb plates.

12.5x5 x3 sets - I placed a 5lb plate in the nearest possition (so it makes the least effect) followed by 3 2.5lb plates. It felt easier than last time, so I see progress, I almost didn't cheat at all. Next workout or the one after that, I might try 12.5 but using 5 2.5lb plates. (what a way to microload! :P)

Plate-wrist curls.

13.26x5 (6kg plate)

I tried with a 20lb Bollinger plate, and I can do maybe a couple RH, but none LH.

So I tried a nice setup, I put together the 6kg with a 2.5lb plate, at the end of the dumbell handle (detachable dumbell). So it's almost 16lbs on plates, plus the handle and it's screw which must weight some too, and that weight is also kinda far away, as I have the pin sticking out almost a foot far from the plate. While I could do this RH, I struggled LH, getting maybe 1-2 reps unassisted. So then I just tried with the 6kg and the dumbell handle, with no 2.5 plate. But I'll work up this way and reach the 20, that should be a good short-term goal.

I didn't work my flexion because I didn't feel like it, plus it hurts a bit. Maybe I gotta strengthen my wrists a bit before trying normal wrist curls again, who knows. I ordered a wrist roller to work my forearms.

[lifesnotfair]

25.10.2006

It was supossed to be cardio day today, but I had to miss it. I hate missing my workouts. I did grippers and bender's 4 minute squat routine just to excercise some.

Warmup

BH - BBA x5 setting it lower than the sweetspot, makes it harder of course. x2 sets.

Workout:

RH - BBSA parallel reps, 15 (I think I needed help on the last 1 or 2, then held closed a couple of secs.).

LH - BBA parallel reps, 15 (the last one was assisted, then held closed a couple of secs.).

Strapholds:

12.5lbs - (BBSA RH / BBA LH)

15lbs - (same)

15.76lbs - Got it !!! I used a 6kg plate and a 2.5 plate, because I thought that 17.5lbs might be too much.

15.76lbs - Broke ground again, but fell after 1 second or so.

I gotta say I was doing a HUGE effort on those strapholds. The workout looks short, but it was intense.

Last few times I've tried the BBSA LH I've gotten it to maybe 2mm, which means I could probably straphold 2.5 with a max effort, but not sure. I will begin doing strapholds with the BBSA on the LH maybe next workout. I just used the BBA seeing I needed pretty much the exact same weight for the RH with BBSA. Once again I did not touch the #2. I wanna straphold at least 17.5 for a few secs before attempting the #2 again, so I hope to be there soon. Also, my hands are recovering quicker now, so I'm gonna rest just 1 day, and possibly train again friday. Maybe then I'll rest 2 days. 3 days a week sounds good (mon/wed/fri).

IM Yellow bands: 2x10

IM Blue bands: 3x5, setting them a bit up so it's easier to open them. These are tough, but I will manage.

Yellow again: 1x20.

[lifesnotfair]

26.10.2006

Today was an awful day.

Military press:

1x5 @ 45lbs - don't ask me why I did this.

1x5 @ 65lbs

1x5 @ 85lbs

1x1 @ 115lbs - .. felt so hard.

1x0 @ 105lbs - wow! When I got the bar off it's place, my left shoulder felt really weird. I think this happens in part because the bar is kinda behind me in it's start possition.. so it just came down, luckily I placed it in the pins that are in front of me, at chest level. I got so pissed at this, I decided to use dumbells, where I can place them at the level I'm comfortable, although with the disadvantage (or advantage??) of having to raise them first.

1x5 @ 40lbs

1x5 @ 45lbs

1x5 @ 50lbs - pretty hard! With this weight my elbows didn't go as low as the previous 2 sets, but they did go a bit beyond parallel so it's not that bad. Next session I'll warmup with 25, 35, and do the 3 workout sets with the 50's, that's gonna be my goal, although a hard one, but I hope I get it.

I did calves work in a machine where you're bent, and you push UP with your lower back.

Squats:

1x5 @ 65lbs

1x5 @ 95lbs

1x5 @ 135lbs

1x5 @ 135lbs - 135 felt hard the first set, this second set felt a bit less hard....

1x5 @ 145lbs - made me angry, I should've done 145 from the start.

1x3 @ 155lbs - very hard! I only did this extra little set because I felt I should've done 145 where I did 135.

In my next workout I plan to do 145 on all 3 workout-sets and get all reps.

Today's workout felt short (just 3 excercises, with one being lame, hehe). Brooks Kubik says shoulder presses are all you need for shoulder work (barbell or dumbells), so I did no front or lateral raises, which is probably a good thing.

I'm just mad because I suck at military press.

[lifesnotfair]

26.10.2006 at night.

TTK

1x5 @ 13.26 (6kg)

1x5 @ 15.76 (6kg + 2.5lb)

1x5 @ 20.76 (6kg + 7.5) - it felt VERY hard, but not BRUTALLY hard, so I upped.

1x5 @ 22.5

1x5 @ 22.5

1x4+1 @ 22.5 - extra set, because I wanted 3 at this weight. This did feel brutally hard, as Dinosaurs should train, according to Mr. Kubik. I'm gonna get consistent with the TTK, Scott Styles is right, I pay little attention to it. Gonna do the 5x5 system with it and use slight increments. Next session I might leave the weight the same, I don't know, but if it doesn't feel BRUTAL I can use the 6kg (13.26) + 10lbs and it'd be 23.26, heh, what a way to microload.

Then I went nuts and tried something new. I used IM's loading pin (1" thick) and loaded 3 2.5 plates, then 4 5lb plates, then 2 2.5 plates, and a clip so it wont all fall out. I packed all plates, just leaving space (about 3/4" or 1") between the 4 dimes at both sides. Let me try to illustrate it. The number "5" will be a 5lb plate, the number 2 will be a 2.5lb plate. The equal signs will be the pin.

==222=5555=222==

:P ... 35lbs, and I guesstimate the dimes to be 3" wide all together. I did 3 holds of maybe 5 secs each, with both hands. I have to use this, because all other plates I have do not have a flat side, just the 2.5 and 5 lbers. I replaced the 3 2.5's for a 6kg but it was a no go (no wonder 46.5lbs total).

Might keep doing this on the pinch days, untill I make myself a pinch block or anything. I don't like IM's block anymore, it's too darn slippery. I'd actually like a big block so I can 2HP instead of 1HP, might see what I can do.

[lifesnotfair]

27.10.2006

Couldn't stay away from the grippers today, heh. Now my left pinkie is numb!

Warmup:

Filed T x 5 BH - setting it, but with the hand upper than normal, so not in the sweetspot.

Filed #1 x1 - LH was a miss, but would've been closed if not filed, I'm pretty sure. I didn't give it my max, but a big effort!

Directly to strapholds:

BBSA RH and BBA LH.

10lbs BH

17.5lbs BH - about 1.5 secs with the left.

17.5lbs BH - better this time. I have to "tilt" it a bit with my RH.

17.5lbs RH, and decided to try with my left / 2.5lbs with the BBSA LH, but it felt like I barely did it, 2.5 is not much, so I had to perform another set, even though I was gonna settle at 3....

17.5lbs RH Filed #1 - failed. / 5lbs LH BBSA - up! I struggled big time, but got it up. In my next workout, I will definitely just warmup with a few BBA closes and go directly to BBSA strapholds with my left hand.

At the beggining of the workout, I felt strong today, wanted to try the #2, but decided to leave it for next week.

[StalwartSentinel]

I'm just mad because I suck at military press.

Keep at it... it's good for you!

[lifesnotfair]

28.10.2006

Good day I would say!

Dips:

BWx7

BWx7

BWx10 - PR!!

BWx9 - fell 1 short.

BWx9 - fell 1 short. ARGH!

I wanna be able to do 3 full sets of 15 or 20 before I start doing sets of 5 with added weight.

Deadlifts: - PR!! Just performing this excercise for the first time ever, so...

40lb x5 - heh.

60lb x 5 -

90lb x5 - ok, I was using some barbells that are already put up, you know, you don't take weight off or on it, it's just made like that. But they only reach 110lbs or so, so I decided to man up and use the oly bar.

115lb x5

135lb x5

165lb x5

I decided to leave it at this, but I know I can do BW (just 15 more lbs), and this was my first time ever doing deadlifts. The hardest bit is to get them off the ground. Should I touch the ground in every rep? I used 35lb plates so to touch the ground I had to go really low; I was going low, but a couple of inches above the ground. Is this correct? Man, these things work out your traps, and even more your hamstrings! Wow, I loved it.

EZ-curls:

50lb x5

60lb x5

80lb x5 x3 sets.

This, just like the barbells I was using for deadlifts at first, are EZ-bars already assembled, they have them in increments of 10lbs all the way up to 110. Although I got all 15 reps, it didn't feel easy by any means, I would like to try 85 but there is no way to do it, so I'll see what I can do with the 90lb next week!

Hammer curls:

30lb x5 - should've used 25lb.

30lb x5

40lb x5 x2 sets

40lb x5 / 4 with LH. I assied the 5th LH rep and performed a negative.

My form is not the best, at least in the last reps with the left hand, so I will still use these 40lb dumbells in my next workout, unless they feel too easy then I'll try the 45, we'll see.

Then I got home and did:

Pegasus flexion:

23.26 x5

31.5 x5

38.26 x5

40.76 x5 - too hard and bad form.

38.76 x5

Felt OK, just starting again with these, doesn't hurt as much now.

Pegasus extension:

7.5 x5

10 x5

12.5 x5 x3 sets

Struggled in those 3 sets, specially the last one, had to cheat the last rep. Will still use 12.5lbs until I can do them all in good form and without cheats.

Overall, a good day.

[StalwartSentinel]

28.10.2006

Good day I would say!

Dips:

BWx7

BWx7

BWx10 - PR!!

BWx9 - fell 1 short.

BWx9 - fell 1 short. ARGH!

I wanna be able to do 3 full sets of 15 or 20 before I start doing sets of 5 with added weight.

Deadlifts: - PR!! Just performing this excercise for the first time ever, so...

40lb x5 - heh.

60lb x 5 -

90lb x5 - ok, I was using some barbells that are already put up, you know, you don't take weight off or on it, it's just made like that. But they only reach 110lbs or so, so I decided to man up and use the oly bar.

115lb x5

135lb x5

165lb x5

I decided to leave it at this, but I know I can do BW (just 15 more lbs), and this was my first time ever doing deadlifts. The hardest bit is to get them off the ground. Should I touch the ground in every rep? I used 35lb plates so to touch the ground I had to go really low; I was going low, but a couple of inches above the ground. Is this correct? Man, these things work out your traps, and even more your hamstrings! Wow, I loved it.

EZ-curls:

50lb x5

60lb x5

80lb x5 x3 sets.

This, just like the barbells I was using for deadlifts at first, are EZ-bars already assembled, they have them in increments of 10lbs all the way up to 110. Although I got all 15 reps, it didn't feel easy by any means, I would like to try 85 but there is no way to do it, so I'll see what I can do with the 90lb next week!

Hammer curls:

30lb x5 - should've used 25lb.

30lb x5

40lb x5 x2 sets

40lb x5 / 4 with LH. I assied the 5th LH rep and performed a negative.

My form is not the best, at least in the last reps with the left hand, so I will still use these 40lb dumbells in my next workout, unless they feel too easy then I'll try the 45, we'll see.

Then I got home and did:

Pegasus flexion:

23.26 x5

31.5 x5

38.26 x5

40.76 x5 - too hard and bad form.

38.76 x5

Felt OK, just starting again with these, doesn't hurt as much now.

Pegasus extension:

7.5 x5

10 x5

12.5 x5 x3 sets

Struggled in those 3 sets, specially the last one, had to cheat the last rep. Will still use 12.5lbs until I can do them all in good form and without cheats.

Overall, a good day.

Congrats on the PR's! The DL reps should be performed as 5 perfect form singles in quick succession. That means each one should rest back on the ground, set your upper body position again (without moving your feet) and pull again. Don't sacrifice form, for reps.

[lifesnotfair]

Congrats on the PR's! The DL reps should be performed as 5 perfect form singles in quick succession. That means each one should rest back on the ground, set your upper body position again (without moving your feet) and pull again. Don't sacrifice form, for reps.

Why thank you. I used only 35lbs today (with 10lb to make 135, and with 25lb to make 165), but when I use the 45 it will be closer to the ground, so the reps I did today should be very close to what you're saying.

Should I streighthen my legs at any point?? Should I re-arrange my grip when the weight touches the floor?