Back at it - my log.

Discussion in 'Training Logs' started by Bigmikey, Aug 17, 2011.

  1. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    Lemme lose some blub and I'll take one of equal ridicule value for you :D
     
  2. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    :D I look forward to it (just don't tell Mitch because he's bound to try to out-compete you and that could be nasty... ;) :D)
     
  3. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    or WONDERFULLY hilarious! In a "oh, poor fella" kinda way! :D
     
  4. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    Well I rather surprised myself last night with an almost respectable leg workout. Not only have I not trained legs since my surgery, but I hadn't trained legs for a good while prior to that. I fully expected to be FAR weaker than I was. Granted, to some of you it wasn't much of a workout but I'm satisfied with it.

    Leg extensions (Ended up doing these double-legged instead of single-legged because my left knee just wasn't having it. I'm just going to list those sets done with both legs but know there were probably 3 or 4 sets where I tried to make single-leggeds work): 60x13, 70x12, 80x9, 90x8

    Squats (I squat in the smith rack with my feet moved forward and out a bit to simulate a hack squat essentially. Also, it should be noted that my smith rack has NO COUNTER BALANCE so the weights listed are actual - in fact, probably LESS than I think because I"m not including the weight for the brackets holding the bar): 70x12, 90x12, 110x10, 135x10, 155x8

    Stiff-legged Deads: 65x10, 85x10, 105x8, 125x6

    Farmers carries (done for laps in my basement. Will list in terms of linear feet): 60x120, 70x120, 70x180, 60x180, 50x240 - almost dropped these on my feet, lol!

    Asst. calf stuff.

    Abs

    All in all not bad. I was afraid the knee would be in wicked bad pain today but its doing rather well!! Next time I wont be so afraid to push on it!
     
  5. seiken steve

    seiken steve golden member

    The feet forward smith squats are probably wise, how're you feeling now? bet the DOMS is something special after a lay off like that, bless you!!

    how're you with walking lunges? may help develop knee stability and they fry my legs up, i'd probably wait a while though.
     
  6. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    So far the only doms I have is calves and hammies but its not bad.... yet ;)

    Was thinking about the lunges last night - meaning, thinking about them for the future, but great minds man. I'll let you know when I'm going to try them. That way if you don't hear back from me you can contact the proper authorities to come get me out of my basement and see to a proper burial.
     
  7. seiken steve

    seiken steve golden member

    knee friendly version could be stepping back from a small block (think aerobic step) lunges, hammer the quads something chronic too. haha i'll speed dial your local oxygen tank guy!!
     
  8. seiken steve

    seiken steve golden member

    knee friendly version could be stepping back from a small block (think aerobic step) lunges, hammer the quads something chronic too. haha i'll speed dial your local oxygen tank guy!!
     
  9. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    See, nothing says friendship like the willingness to send medical attention. You're alright, ya know that? :D

    I know exactly what you mean. Haven't even THOUGHT about those in AGES! GOOD CALL!!! :happy:
     
  10. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    Didnt get to work today cause my knee kept me up all night last night. I finally took a sleeping pill at about 4 am thinking I could get some sleep and get in for a half day. Holy balls, I didnt wake up - like TRULY wake up, til 4PM!!! Never taking THAT stuff again!

    I also had my first Physical Therapy session today. It was interesting. Didn't seem like we did anything until I got up to walk, lol. Then it was a different story! Thank goodness today wasn't legs.

    Today was Biceps, Back and traps. I took it easy on traps because I do standing barbell shrugs for traps and I didnt want to do that to my knee today. Instead I tried to do some seated dumbell shrugs but it didn't work all that well. I still did a few which you'll read about.

    15 minutes of bag work. Really worked on my rear hand punch. I do this by standing perfectly still, in my fighting stance or with my hands at my side and then throwing the punch with the "rear" hand as quickly and as hard as I can. It gets tiring! But its great training! While I was doing this I also rescued a mouse from my basement window well. Poor little fella fell in while I was watching! Hence only 15 minutes on the bag.

    Standing Hammer curls: 30x13, 35x11, 40x7, 45x7, 50x5
    Standing DB curls: 40x9, 45x6-followed immediately by-35x6, 40x8-followed immediately by-30x7

    Superset Reverse, narrow grip lat pulls with DB isolation curls NOTE: Lats were already sore from pushups last night - oddly)
    LPs: 130x15, 150x12, 170x11
    DBICs: 20x15, 25x15, 30x12, 20x14

    Standing Medium Grip Pull Downs (LOVE THESE): 70x11, 90x10, 100x8, 110x7

    Seated DB Shrugs: 60x15, 70x15, 70x13 - gave up.
     
  11. seiken steve

    seiken steve golden member

    did the seated shrugs keep banging of the bench you where sitting on? bain of my life!!
    if you've an adjustable bench try setting it at an incline (not a full 45 degrees but like a click below that) and sitting on the incline bit and putting your feet on the seat bit. works a bit better for me.

    A moose fell through your window well??!!!! haha thats unreal!!

    funny that you do biceps before lats, is there a reasone (not so subtle attempt at picking your brain some more lol)
     
  12. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    LOL, a MOUSE! I dont live in CANADA :D Although, I must admit, that would be worlds funnier! :D

    I like doing biceps before back because by exhausting them they cant help as much with my back stuff, so I can REALLY isolate back, plus they take a right good pounding by doing them when their fresh!

    the first time I did it, I was AMAZED at how much help they actually provide. Take them out of the equation and your back has to work that much harder. Imagine what it would be like benching if you'd already blasted triceps? 1) chest would be left doing a LOT more of the work and 2) what little help triceps could give would just aid in thoroughly destroying them.

    This morning my biceps are already sore. Its been a bit over 12 hours. I highly recommend you give it a go sometime, just for curiosities sake. And I'll try your bench idea. Because that was EXACTLY what was happening.
     
  13. seiken steve

    seiken steve golden member

    i'll give that a try for sure dude, dont really enjoy training biceps and can never be bothered at the end and thus i have serriously sucky biceps. if that can work hopefully i'll look a little more balanced.

    ohhh a mouse, thats a little bit less insane!! haha
     
  14. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    I blew off my workouts on Thursday and Friday. Thursday because it was leg day and my knee was acting up so I thought best not to push it and Friday because I had to spring my child from police custody (it seems we've taken to stealing money from the till at our places of employment) and after all that business, I just plain old didnt feel like it. So I told myself "I'll just lift Saturday." Today came and today went and I never even darkened the door to the basement.

    A little while ago I was outside talking to the neighbor about nothing in particular, he clutching his beer, me a drink of mostly vodka with a little diet pepsi added for color when I was shamed to my very core.

    I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see a lady, wheelchair bound, coming round the corner. She had on her trainers, her workout garb, lifting gloves and earbuds. She was drenched in sweat. As I watched her she, almost mechanically, reached back, grabbed the wheels with both hands and pushed them forward, exhaling forcefully. She didnt wait, and coast as far as she could before reaching back again. Instead, no sooner did she release the wheels than she reached back again. Eyes focused ahead, brow furrowed, jaw clenched tight against the effort. She pushed and pushed until she was out of sight around the next turn in the street, at least 3 tenths of a mile.

    Instead of being inspired my heart sank. Its the second time this very week I've been reminded, rather briskly, that despite all my injuries and excuses, I have every ability to train like a champion only I often choose not to. I've been trying to understand that. I choose not to. And yet, to my undying shame, here is this lady, stuck in a wheelchair, unable to use her legs, training with more heart and guts then I think I've EVER mustered.

    Shortly after she passed I made some excuse about having to go inside. I poured out my drink and have been sitting here waiting to sober up (not that I was drunk, but I don't like to get under a couple hundred pounds with anything but a clear head), and if I dont fall asleep first, I'll be training this evening. Even the worst lifting session is better than sitting here ****ing away the ability TO lift.

    I can still hear her blowing out as she pushed those wheels down ward, I can still see the droplets of sweat fly off her lips with each exhale. That lady put more effort into each roll than I think I have into any singular rep I've done in years.

    The alarm clock has sounded. Nap time is over. It's time to train like someone who means it.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2012
  15. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    Keep on keepin' on brotha'.
     
  16. Seventh

    Seventh Super Sexy Sushi Time

    I should be sleeping, but i must say that is a nice post Bigmikey, I found it inspiring. I wish you good luck in your training!
     
  17. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    Thanks man. Read that and then tell me your excuses for not training. I bet, I just bet, they pale in comparison to not having the use of your legs and yet, she found a way.

    Next time anyone who reads that is standing there hemming and hawing about not working out for whatever reason, first start with the fact that you're STANDING there... and then tell me how much water those excuses really hold...
     
  18. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    Last night I was a bit tweaked because it took me over TWO HOURS to get home. Of course, the reason was someone had demolished a Chevy Equinox on the expressway. Seriously, this thing was crushed all the way back to the rear doors. The front was just ... gone.... So, my workout was a bit shorter and had a bit less enthusiasm than I would have liked.

    Standing hammer curls: 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 -all sets 6-13 reps
    Standing dumbell curls: 45, 40, 35, 30 - all sets 5-12 reps
    Standing assisted barbell curls: 85, 105, 125 - 5-9 reps
    standing isolation curls: 25, 30, 35 - 6-12 reps

    narrow reverse grip pull downs: 120, 140, 160, 185 - 7-13 reps
    Seated narrow grip rows: 140, 160, 185, 195 - 6-12 reps
    Shrugs: 3 sets of 225 for roughly 8-15 reps each

    Biceps are ON FIRE today! Man alive! I think it was the assisted BB curls. I got Jen, the wifey, to spot me in the concentric portion of the lift and then let me struggle to get a good negative on my own. I knew they'd bring a bit more to the game but I didnt think THIS much! CRIKEY!

    Also I am a HUGE proponent of single arm DB isolation curls. I think they are a great tool for pointing out imbalances in bicep strength and development because if you do them right, nothing else can compensate.

    I feel that a lot of the bodybuilding exercises that require some sort of isolation are valuable to Martial Artists because we're trying to attain balance and a master of not only our techniques and principles but also over our bodies and our physical limitations. Spending a little time identifying weak spots in our development can be beneficial in determining if our normal training is really hitting the marks all around or if something needs to be added. Isolation curls are a good one.

    About a year or two ago I realized while doing these that my right bicep was much stronger but my left had more endurance. I pondered that for a while and came to the conclusion that since my left is my jab hand it gets trained more for speed and endurance than my right does. So through adjusting my training I was able to bring up the strength in the left and increase the endurance of the right. It's paying off now as I can hit the bag equally well from either side and its helping my efforts while lifting as well.

    I know a great many of you sort of wrinkle the brow at the mention of BBing style lifting practices but I think there's benefit to be had if one looks beneath the surface a bit.

    And gets passed the posing trunks. *shudder* Trust me, even BBers think they're tacky as hell, lol.
     
  19. Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Hold strong not

    I've started started GVT today is OHP with curls as primers. I know it'll hurt tomoro but I'm liking the bber burn
    You has any experience with 10x10 stuff?
     
  20. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    as in ten sets for ten reps each? If thats what you're referring to, it follows pretty closely with a bit of training I did about ten years ago. HA, 10, 10, 10! Funny!

    I say pretty close because the split was a bit different than what is usually recommended these days. I was doing one body part a day with a 10x10 approach. I didnt always get 10 reps, but it was always the goal. My split, if I remember right was:

    Chest
    Back
    Quads
    Triceps
    Shoulders
    biceps
    Hammies and Calves

    or something close to that. It worked pretty well now that I think about it. But it took a LOT of time - time which I dont have anymore, unfortunately. The split they typically recommend is more like a split I'd use during my regular training, only minus the 10x10 approach. According to BBing.com the split the recommend is:

    Day 1: Chest & Back
    Day 2: Legs & Abs
    Day 3: Off
    Day 4: Arms & Shoulders
    Day 5: Off

    I've never been a big fan of "arms" as a day. It just seems to make sense to finish them off as you go. I mean you get such stimulation on chest day why not go ahead and finish Triceps? You get so much bicep work on Back day, why not go ahead and finish them off?

    Besides, as they have it written, your triceps and biceps would be so baked that any sort of overhead press for shoulders wouldn't be nearly as challenging as it should be because your arms would fail long before your shoulders do.

    LOL, sorry mate, did any of that come CLOSE to answering your question?
     

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