Weekend Workout Update's

Heavy Chest & Back Day: 90%

Big Layne was in town with his wife...they spent the night with my wife and I since they were leaving from Indianapolis really early to go on their vacation. It was great to see them again and hang out for a while. I talked to Layne about a lot of things, I just hope he gave me the right advices Anyway, I'm just trying to squeeze in some workouts here before the holidays hit pretty hard. Things are continuing to rock and roll and I am hoping to carry this momentum into the new year!

BB Incline Press: 290 for 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps

These felt solid and smooth for 90%...I was going to determine the volume here by feel since the weight is getting pretty heavy, but the first 2 sets went up without much struggle at all, so I did the normal 3 sets here.

Rack Chins: +180lbs for 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps

These, as always, felt incredible. Again, I have altered the angle to be slightly more upright to hit more of a pulldown movement and I feel that these just crush my lats! Bodyweight plus 225lbs here I come!

HS Wide Chest Press: 3 plates + 25lbs each side for 10 reps; 4 plates each side for 8 reps

Just a decent auxiliary movement. I focus more on tempo and squeeze here. I've bumped up to five plates before, but I lose the mind-muscle connection when I do that, so I will keep this exercise in the auxiliary range and focus on the squeeze.

BB Pendlay Rows: 325 for 8 reps; 315 for 8 reps

As you've noticed, I dropped back down to 315 for my second set here. I have done 325 with really strong reps before, but today I just wasn't feeling it. I think the heavier rack chins today took a little more out of me than usual, so I had to bump it down to 315 for set 2. The first set was to "trappy" with the pulls off the floor. With 315 though, the reps were solid and it right where I wanted them to.

DB Incline Flys: 105s for 9 reps, 8 reps

I will let the video speak for itself:



HS Lat Pulldowns 4 plates each side for 8 reps, 8 reps[/B]

By this time, my lats were toast. I did what I could here and moved on to the fascia stretching...

DB Fly Fascia Stretch: 85s for 60 seconds
Machine Pulldown Fascia Stretch: Stack + 90lbs for 60 seconds

And...I'm spent! Had dinner with Layne and Isabel, hung out for a bit at the house, and had a great time!

Heavy Shoulders & Arms Day: 90%

Worked out at the Greenwood LA Fitness today. I had a lot of things during the day that I had to take care of, and for some reason, developed a migraine headache around 3 o'clock that continued well into the workout. Now, I am the type of person that gets a headache (always a migraine, never a small one) about 2-3 times a year. I never take medication unless it is just making me sick, dizzy, etc. I decided to lay off any ibuprofen and just let my body take care of it - which I honestly feel like that's a big reason why I hardly ever get sick or anything. Anyway, sure enough, I was struggling during the beginning part of the workout, but byt the time I got towards the second half of it - the migraine was completely gone

Smith Seated Military Press: 270 for 5 reps, 5 reps

This Smith Machine was a little different than the ones we've been using. It also felt a little heavier...but we made do with what we had and got our work in.

EZ Preacher Curls: 135 for 5 reps, 5 reps

C'mon biceps...grow for me! They felt like what 90% is supposed to feel like, so we will see how the next power day goes.

EZ Skull Crushers: 160 for 5 reps, 5 reps

Again, felt pretty solid...took my time working up to it though to make sure the elbows were ready to go. A couple of solid sets...byt this time the headache was working itself out.


BB Standing Curls: 160 for 6 reps, 165 for 5 reps PR!

I decided to bump up the weight a little and do what I could:



BB Decline Close Grip Bench Press: 315 for 8 reps; 325 for 6 reps

No headache = bump the weight! Triceps are making solid progress, so why stop? I think I was more happy my headache was completely gone than anything else though lol

DB Incline Lying Curls: 60s for 8 reps, 7 reps

Looks like the 60s are here to stay...solid sets here and nothing but all out BURN!

Cable Rope Extensions: Stack for 8 reps, 8 reps

Just a solid workout finisher before my post workout shake and a drive home. With the holidays coming up, my journal might be a little hit and miss, but I will try to post as much as I can (mine starts early now that I have 4 families lol). I hope everyone has a great holiday season!

Sporto

Legs & Calves & Abs Hypertrophy Day

Legs & Calves & Abs Hypertrophy Day

This workout was dedicated to a discussion that really hit me a certain way and brought out the best in me. The discussion was over the apparent progress one can make after the inital growth phase one goes through when first getting into working out. It was over an article that Dr. Joe wrote and discussed in a different thread. There are some things I like to "agree to disagree" with and this is one of them. I simply refuse to place any limit on what I can accomplish. I WON'T DO IT. I don't care how many people way smarter than me say that I can't still achieve the best gains of my life even though I have been lifting a long time. I don't care. I will continue to perservere, I will continue to pour my heart out into the gym, and I will continue to try and perfect my physique in every single possible way that I can. I refuse to believe that the road that lies ahead is a road of diminishing returns. I believe my best years of training, along with my best ever possible physique is yet to come...so with that, I went out to ANNIHILATE some previous bests...

BB SLDL/RDL Hybrid: 455 for 9 reps PR!


Hack Squat: 14 plates for 12 reps PR!


Machine Leg Extensions: Stack for 10 reps, 10 reps
Machine Single Leg Curls: 90 for 10 reps, 10 reps
Machine Adductor Glute Squeeze: Stack + 45lbs for 10 reps, 10 reps
Seated Plate Loading Cow Raises: 6 plates for 10 reps, 9 reps, 9 reps
Standing Machine Cow Raises: The Stack + 90lbs for 10 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps
Weighted Ab Crunches: 95lb DB for 10 reps, 10 reps
Weighted Leg Raises+Hip Lifts: 25lb DB for 10 reps, 10 reps

Sorry guys, I am just not convinced that my best years are behind me. Mine are still yet to come...

Sporto

12-13-09 Progress Pictures

Two Workouts

Chest & Back Hypertrophy Day

BB Incline Press: 275 for 10 reps, 285 for 9 reps, 295 for 8 reps
T-Bar Rows: 5 plates + 10lbs for 8 reps, 8 reps
DB Incline Flys: 105s for 10 reps; 10 reps
HS Lat Pulldowns: 4 plates each side for 8 reps, 8 reps
Machine Flys: Stack for 10 reps, 10 reps
Machine Seated Rows: Stack + 50lbs for 8 reps, 8 reps
MM Machine Flex: 170 for 10 reps, 10 reps
HS Machine Pullovers: 6 plates + 70lbs for 10 reps, 8 reps
Chest DB Fly Fascia Stretch: 85s for 60 seconds
Back Machine Lat Pulldown Fascia Stretch: Stack + 90lbs for 60 seconds

Since I am trying to keep within certain rep ranges, and the gym only goes up to 125lb DBs, I switched over to BB Incline Press to get what I needed. I haven't done these for 8-10 reps for a while, so this was kind of nice!

Shoulders & Arms Hypertrophy Day

DB Seated Military Press: 115s for 8 reps, 7 reps
DB Standing Alternating Curls: 75s for 10 reps, 9 reps
DB Skull Crushers: 65s for 9 reps, 8 reps
Machine Rear Delt Raises: 220 for 10 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps
DB Single Arm Preacher Curl: 60 for 9 reps, 8 reps
Rope Extensions: 230 for 8 reps, 8 reps
DB Incline Curls: 60s for 8 reps
Machine Tricep Extensions: Stack for 10 reps