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AAAgent's training journal

AAAgent

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well i'm trying to get back in shape overall.

Stronger, faster, leaner, and more explosive. I also need to work on legs and lower back, my weakest parts of my body.

i'm 5'11, 165 pounds.

at 5'11, 168lbs during my prime i was putting up flat bench 255 lbs one rep and shoulder press 155.

I hurt my shoulder last year and its never been the same. It has been hindering my workouts lately.

I will probably just start with workout exercises i'm familiar with and then move onto more advanced things. I also really enjoyed benching before and getting heavy but looks like that won't happen anymore with my shoulder, we'll see.

Yesterday:

Flat bench 10x135lbs, 2x185lbs, 2x185lbs, 10x155.
don't know what happened. i must have gotten weaker since i was able to do 5-6 reps a week or two ago at 185 with my lifting partner. He wasn't here so maybe i was scared without a spot.

inclined bench 5x135, 5x135, 5x 135.
was getting tired towards the end and scared of my shoulder hurting but i just plowed through the last couple throwing them up.

Squats at about 105-110 degree angle since i didn't have a spot. 8x125, 8x125, 8x125. I have super weak legs and a huge chest and shoulder. def not proportional.

ran/jogged 0.9 miles at speeds ranging from 6-8 on the treadmill. need to quit smoking..... used to be able to run/jog a mile on 8-10 easily.

tricep pull downs 10x60lbs, 10x60lbs, 10x60lbs.
was tired here but pushed through.

abs on second highest incline with medicine ball.
i used to do hundreds of crunches all different types with no weight and i could never really get the 6pack cutness i wanted. I never liked weighted abs because i always had a weak lower back (i thought the reason why it hurt was because i had a bad lower back. i've come to the realization that it's just really weak).

just about 1 month of medicine ball abs and i can see my six pack cut through so of my stomach fat.

20x8lbs, 20x8lbs, 20x8lbs. 10xbodyweight.

machine flys-used to be able to rack the whole machine even after a tough workout but not anymore. i can still rack it it before a workout easily.

10x135lbs, 8x155lbs, 5x165lbs.
The last one i had to change the placement of the handlebars because i wasn't strong enough to pull it from all the way back. moved it closer one notce. I was also scared of my shoulder problem and felt it hurting.

overhead seated tricep pulls 12x30, 12x40, 10x50.
this **** is fvcking hard as hell.

cable fly swingups? you pull from the ground up and criss cross your arms

10x30, 10x30, 10x30.

hopped in the pool to swim for about 10 minutes. getting in some yardage and loosening my muscles at the same time.

finish
---------
my diet also really sucks. i'm a vegetarian in order to have food that taste good i eat alot of junk food. i don't have much to spend or time. I wake up at 6:30am and get ready for work and get home after the gym at like 9-9:30pm. so i eat alot of tv dinners, microwave foods, egg's, tofu, and instant noodles. barely any fruits. This has always been my diet.
 

AAAgent

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i've been hearing alot about how great deadlifts are. Since i didn't start working out my lower back until this year, i have a very weak lower back.

doing bw standing back raises 3 sets x 20 reps already kills me. Anyone know a good weight to start at and how many reps i should shoot for?

I'd like to start at 95lbs dead lifts at either 8-10 reps but i think that maybe too heavy.

Any suggestions?

edit-----

hammers dumbell- 10x 35lbs, 10x 35lbs, 6x40lbs

tried deadlifts today. not too bad. 25 plates looked light so i threw them on.
10x95lbs, 10x115lbs, 10x135lbs---these definitely aren't as bad as i thought but i should study the form more as to not hurt myself and to do it right.

dumbell should press
10x40lbs, 10x40lbs, 10x45lbs

back exercise where you lay on an incline and you pull the weights up to your chest (not sure of the name)
its for upper back.

10x45lbs, 10x70lbs, 10x95lbs

standing weight side abs
10x45lbs, 20x25lbs, 20x25lbs, (i may not be doing this right because i don't feel a major burn. i think my form is okay though.)

barbell curls
6x65lbs, 6x65lbs, 6x65lbs (would of went heavier but the bar was already weight right next to my back workout so i just used it. Someone hopped on it before i could do more sets)

shoulder shrugs with dumbbells
10x25lbs, 10x50lbs, 10x65lbs (i can go heavy with shoulder shrugs but i can't seem to hold onto the dumbbells for very long. they start to slip out of my hands or hurt them. need to work on this)

behind the back latt pull downs
10x105lbs, 10x 135lbs, 6x150lbs

standing assisted back raises on the thing that looks like an incline ab bench
8x25lbs, 8x25lbs, 8x25lbs

swam for 10 minutes.
 
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Jitterbug

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95lbs is what my friend's petite pregnant wife deadlifts (no kidding, she comes along to our training sessions). Not at all heavy for a grown man.

Squats at about 105-110 degree angle since i didn't have a spot. 8x125, 8x125, 8x125. I have super weak legs and a huge chest and shoulder. def not proportional.
Always squat to good depth. If you can't squat low enough without a spot, take weights off the bar, and squat lower. Leave your ego outside of the gym.

I also think that your training is too random and you're doing way too many exercises in one session, many of them are the same and not different enough. You're keen on being more explosive yet all of those exercises are slow lifts.

If you're interested in getting stronger, do something like Starting Strength.

Whatever routine you go with, there are some golden rules of thumb:

In every session, do a squat, a push, a pull and a fast lift. Or some may say, a deep knee bend, press overhead, pick something heavy off the ground and do something explosive.

Don't do more than 4-5 exercises per session (esp if you're training 3 times or more per week).

Your main lifts are currently pretty weak so you want to keep it as simple as possible.
 

AAAgent

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i try not to do the same exercises two weeks in a row and also because of my shoulder injury i can only a certain amount of shoulder exercises.

my lower back and my squats are definitely my weak point. This has been my first month back at the gym consistently since 2007.

2009-2010 i've been hitting the gym about twice a month until last month.

im trying to hit the gym 2-3 times a week.

The only good workouts i know for the designated muscle groups are below. Feel free to add anything.

Chest-flat, incline, decline benches/ free weight dumbell incline and flat bench, fly's, free weight flys, and cables.

triceps- skullcrushers and close grip

biceps- my workouts haven't done much for my biceps. nothing to add here.

back- pull ups, weighted pull ups, latt pull downs and rows

shoulders- barbell shoulder press behind the back and infront of the chest, free weigh shoulder press, shrugs, horizontal extensions arm raises with dumbbells



that's basically all i did throughout college including running. i never touched my legs or my lower back. i'm working them in slowly now.

Since i only have a few workouts that have given me good results i tend to swap in alot of crappy routines just so my muscles still get some work. Any help from you avid lifters would be appreciated.
 

Jitterbug

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The only good workouts i know for the designated muscle groups are below. Feel free to add anything.

Chest-flat, incline, decline benches/ free weight dumbell incline and flat bench, fly's, free weight flys, and cables.

triceps- skullcrushers and close grip

biceps- my workouts haven't done much for my biceps. nothing to add here.

back- pull ups, weighted pull ups, latt pull downs and rows

shoulders- barbell shoulder press behind the back and infront of the chest, free weigh shoulder press, shrugs, horizontal extensions arm raises with dumbbells
See what I mean by too many exercises? I wouldn't add anything, I'd take most of them away.

It's very tempting as a novice lifter to try doing as many exercises as possible. You don't have to, even though each exercise on its own is brilliant.

Take chest, for example. You listed a dozen there (although you did miss the best chest exercise: weighted parallel bar dips) but if you're already doing flat bench, there's no need for the rest.

Muscle groups also work together. In a flat bench press, if you look at the EMG chart, triceps are worked more than chest. It's a primarily tricep exercise, but works the chest just fine. So you don't really need any isolation exercise for the triceps unless your bench press stops improving and you've identified the weak link being your triceps.

Close-grip chin-ups work the biceps harder than any curling (higher muscle activation) and also work the upper back.

If you're training for strength and explosiveness, don't think about muscle groups like bodybuilders do (unless you plan to get oiled up and dance on stage in your underwear). Think about how you're improving in the main lifts. They usually are: squat, bench press, deadlift, but some may throw in overhead press and clean (a fast lift) as well.

A good strength routine tends to incorporate all of those main lifts, plus assistant exercises for them (those ones depend on where your weaknesses are).

I'd elaborate more, but I recommend getting on Starting Strength. It's superior to whatever you're thinking of doing right now.

Btw never do shoulder press from behind the neck, nor pull-up from that position. Your shoulders are not meant to move that way and you'll be risking serious shoulder injuries with bugger all benefits. Do them in front of your face.
 

AAAgent

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What you're saying make's some sense to me but what isn't too clear is i'm supposed to be doing these same workouts over and over? Won't muscle memory kick in and my muscle just won't rip as much as it would if i switch from different exercises?

I remember i used to be stuck at the 175lb bench press at around 5 reps for a few months. i didn't understand why i couldn't push past it but i was basically doing the SAME routine everytime i went to the gym. I would hit the routines hard but still they were the same workout exercises.

I decided to add in free weight benching, swap in some skullcrushers for tri's, work in a shoulder press and i progressed all the way up to 260lb 1 clean rep and was pump 8x225lbs for my third set of benching.

Unless you mean keep the same workout, up the reps one week a little or next week tone the reps and up the weight or both?
Also i am not doing all these workouts all in the same day. I do about 2 exercises per muscle group a day. I listed the other ones so i could swap to doing them the next workout.
 
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Jitterbug

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Every session, aim to do more: more weights, more reps, or more sets. More weights is the priority. Same routine.

Your bench was getting heavy, that's why you got stuck. When things get heavy, it's better to train in cycles, starting with lower weights and higher reps, ending with a target set at higher weights and lower reps. Swapping some assistant exercises around to improve your weak links also helps.

However, your squat and deadlift are very much novice level. You can keep doing the same routine until you're squatting and deadlifting 3 times what you're doing now. Don't worry about this:

Won't muscle memory kick in and my muscle just won't rip as much as it would if i switch from different exercises?
That's called Bro Science.

I'd suggest that you do bench and bench-related exercises a lot less, and add more squat and back work, because you have horribly imbalanced lifts right now and are at risk of serious injuries. You're deadlifting half of your BP!!! Should be the other way around.

A bonus is that when your upper back gets stronger, your BP will also improve.

Anyway, get on Starting Strength and stick to it for a year. I guarantee you will be much stronger than you are now that it'll shock you, and possibly be the strongest guy at your gym if you're at a typical commercial one. Doing random things will have you end up like most gym guys: having an okay bench press and girly squat & deadlift, and never getting anywhere.

Here's a story of one competitive powerlifter in my country, about when he first started out: http://www.ptcfrankston.com/doc/newsletter/PTC_Newsletter_IssueNo64.html

Have a look at his routine. It's similar to Starting Strength, but has less variety. Same workout 3 sessions a week. It is the consistency and discipline that gets you strong. See how weak Shorty was at the start, and how strong he got after only 7 months?

In fact, read every word of that story. It's a great one for novice lifters.
 

AAAgent

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funny you suggest starting strength. this actually works.

the reason i broke my plateau at 175 bench was because i decided to stop going for 10 reps.

i started doing 3x6 sets and kept increasing the weight. I jumped all the way to my max of 255-260 ish. I'll try this out with deads as well.

i'm also really sore from those deads.
 

AAAgent

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Yesterday:

bench 6x155lbs, 6x185lbs, 2.5x205lbs
i'm surprised i pumped out 6x185lbs....on monday i could barely get 3.

Deadlifts 6x135lbs, 6x135lbs, 6x135lbs.

Skullcrushers....not sure how much that smaller curl barb weighs but i'm assuming its like 25
6x65lbs, 6x85lbs, 6x65lbs
85 was way too much but 65 felt real light. should jump to 75 next time.

squats 6x135lbs, 6x135lbs, 6x135lbs
since i had a spot, i was doing them at 90 degree angle.

Gym was closed right during last set of squats so we finished that and left.

that was a 35 minute workout which wasn't bad.
 

AAAgent

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today:

I really don't know the names of all these workouts but i know what muscles they work so if i'm calling it the wrong name feel free to correct me.

bicep bar curls
25lbs on each end x6
27.5lbs x 6
30 x 5
25 x 3 just to make up for that missed one

barbell shoulder press
95lbsx6
115x6
95x6

Deadlifts
135lbs x 6
155lbs x 6
165lbs x 6

i'm getting scared im going to pull something here. maybe i'm jumping weight too fast. I won't go past 165lbs for atleast another week just to be safe.

Chinups shoulder width apart
BWx6
BWx6
BWx7
i was pretty lazy on these i should probably add some weight. I saw some of those dip belts that were for public use so maybe i should add like 10lbs and try to do 6 reps.

incline abs with 6lbs medicine ball.
6lbsx15
6lbsx15
6lbsx15

Latt pull downs
150lbsx6
165lbsx6
180lbsx5

jog/walk a mile in 9 minutes

Swam for 20 minutes this time. My form is pretty good now and feel smooth in the water. wish the pool was bigger so i could actually get some work done in the pool.


--------------
on a side note, got another nose bleed from swimming today. I seem to always get these nose bleeds. even back when i used to train everyday in the pool i used to get these nose bleeds once every few months. Now i get them more and more. I never talked to a doctor about this, anyone familiar with nosebleeds while swimming?
 
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Paintballguy

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Deadlifts are such a great workout. I just started doing them about 2 months ago, and I'm noticing big differences already. It's important to make sure your form is spot on because you can really eff up your back doing them wrong.

I started out doing 135, and I just got 285 for one last week. Keep working at it man.
 

AAAgent

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Thanks man.

incline bench

6x 135lbs
6x 155lbs
5x 185lbs (last rep had assistance/spot)

squats

6x 135lbs
6x 135lbs
6x 135lbs (all clean easy reps. used to squating all the way down now. will move up weights next squatting session)

flat bench

6x 135lbs
5x 185lbs
3x 205lbs (all of these were assisted.)

decline abs on decline bench with 6lb ball

bwx15
bwx15
bwx15 (these are getting alot easier due to consistency and a stronger lower back. i used to have a hard time doing weighted abs because of my lower back. glad i started doing DL's)

skullcrushers (i need to figure out the weight of the bar)

40lbs +bar x 6
60lbs +bar x 6 (with slight assistance so i didn't drop on my face. lifting it wasn't a problem but slowing bringing it down was hard.)
40lbs +bar x 6
-------each of the sets was followed by 10 burnout reps

cable flys
did three sets of really low weights cuz my shoulder was hurting. didn't really want to do this but my 2 lifting partners were doing it so i hopped in.

overhead tricep cable pulls

30lbs x6
40x6
70x6, 40x9, 20x10, 10x10 (they just decided to do this so i also hopped on)

a quick swim that doesn't even really count. I did like 8 laps and hopped in the jacuzzi.

------------
weighed in with swim trunks on at 166 and fully clothed at 170lbs.
 
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AAAgent

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Can any of you long time lifters suggest possible exercises?

I usually separate my workouts into two days and try to hit the gym 3-4 times a week hitting both workouts atleast once and sometimes twice.

I'm currently trying to bulk up and obtain Strength and mass.

workout 1-
chest, tri's, squats, abs, and light cardio/swim

workout 2-
biceps, shoulders, upper back & lower back, light abs.
 

AAAgent

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Moving on up in weights so there is improvement.

Flat Bench
6x155lbs
5x185lbs (no spot so i didn't try the 6th..gym is empty also)
2x195lbs (possibly 2 more but no spot)

squats

6x155lbs
6x155lbs
6x155lbs (up the weight 10lbs on each side and i can definitely feel the difference when i squat deep. I felt a slight tightening in my lower back and that when i knew i wasn't adding anymore weight.)

quick little 2 minute job to loosening my legs at 6 on treadmill.

deadlifts

6x155lbs
6x175lbs
6x185lbs --well wth. i did say i wasn't going to increase but i was kinda pissed at my bench so i added some here. This was heavy but i didn't feel any strain in my lower back that seemed dangerous which was good.

abs
15x10lbs
15x10lbs
15x10lbs

Pullups

I went to ask a trainer on how to use the weight belt to add weight. He asked if i was doing dips and i said no, pullups. We go into a conversation about how many i could do and i said a little over 20. That's why i wanted to add weight. He told me to show him so i started doing my pullups. Around 12 he stopped me. He said i was doing them wrong and was mostly using my arms.

Apparently i need to go with a wider grip past shoulder width and keep my head back so i can get a better trap/back/delt workout.

I'm positive he's right because there no way why i was damn small traps and mediocre back muscles when i can pump out 20+pullups.

i tried to do 3 sets of 6 xbw and i couldn't do it. I need to start all over on pullups now. This sucks since i no longer can do 20+pullups and feel like a beast but the good news is i learned to do the pullups properly and can get more back muscle most likely.


-----------------

so since i started back up in november 15 ish here are my increases.

max bench 170lbs 1 rep::: now 205lbs 2 reps
squats 135lbs 2 reps correctly::: now 155 3 sets of 6 correctly.
Deadlifts 95lbs 10 reps:::now 185lbs 6 reps

haven't kept track of much else but will update.
 

AAAgent

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I've decided after i get to 3 sets of 6 clean reps of 225 on the bench press, i will move to a month of doing the spartan workout and then possibly another month of the p90x workout or the spartan workout for a second month. Just as a weight to tone up and for the sake of doing it. hopefully i can get to start the workouts by the beginning of february.
 

AAAgent

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I really don't know if this counts but I shoveled 4 driveways. Three 2 car driveways, and 1 one car drive way on my way back up to NYC. I get to back to my apartment and the street isn't plowed (one way single lane with cars parked on both sides), cars are stuck all over the place.

I decide to take a break and go buy some groceries because it is almost impossible to find parking with snow mounds taller than me being built all over. I get back and catch my neighbors leaving. I spend 3 hours digging my neighbors car out so i can get their spot this includes trying to push them out since everyone is getting stuck even cars as big as the Denali. I get home and bring in all my groceries and start watching a movie when my room mate calls me and tells me she just got home and is stuck. She drives a freakin HONDA FIT and that sh1t ain't going nowhere in the snow. I dress back up since she asks for my help and spend 5 hours getting her unstuck and finding her a parking spot. I spent two of the 5 hours digging a whole new spot for her and parking the damn car.

Girls don't know how to drive and get their cars unstuck.

All in all, my upper back and fore arms are sore as hell. Great workout!
 

AAAgent

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The shoveling definitely got to me.

flat bench
6x155lbs
6x185lbs (3 were clean, 3 were helped)
3x195lbs (1 was clean, 2 were helped)

deadlifts
6x165lbs

close grip bench
6x115lbs
6x135lbs
6x155lbs
5x155lbs

Standing rows
6x135 (stopped, my back was spazing with sharp pinching in my upper back veins)

Dips
10xbw
10xbw

elevated abs with medicine ball toss
15x10lbs
15x10lbs
15x10lbs

overall ****ty workout. my whole body is aching.
 

AAAgent

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squats

6x155lbs
6x175lbs
6x185lbs

bicep bar curls
assuming the bar weighs 25 pounds
6x75lbs
6x85lbs (1 was assisted)
5x90lbs (3 were assisted)

dumbbell overhead shoulder press

6x40lbs
6x50lbs
5x50lbs (2 were assisted)

stationary lunges with dumbbells

6x30lbs each leg
6x20lbs
6x20lbs

Swim for 10 minutes.

I raced my lifting partner who's 6'7.
 

AAAgent

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2011 goals:

reach 175-185lbs
bench press 225lbsx10
squat 275lbsx6
deadlift 275lbsx6
Join the 750lbs club
run a mile in under 5:30
get two to three plates above 5.5 to rid myself of oneitis i always get (i swear i have a problem with falling for women. I can have 5 girls and love them all)
study for gmat's or finish taking the exam
go on a vacation for the first time in my life
get my motorcycle
control myself
fix my car
find out what i really want to do in life
get a girl
Set a short term goal of where i want to realistically be in 5 years
Get Promoted

---------

2010 goals

lose all the weight gained previously-completed
get a job in finance in NYC-completed
get over bpd-check

start doing more things instead of saving them for that special person (you only live once).-
completed some (went to an all white yaht party, bought a ticket to knicks game that was postponed. went to an eagles game.

get my own place-completed
Pay off my lawyer-completed
don't go to jail-completed
get a new girl-failed
spin multiple plates-failed (i lost all my plates in the beginning of 2010. 4 of them)
Find what i really want to do in life-failed
 

AAAgent

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bench
6x155lbs
6x185lbs (finally made 6 by myself)
3x205lbs (1 clean and 2 assisted)

dead lifts
6x185lbs

i bumped into the same trainer that i met last week. He was telling me to do stiff leg deadlifts if i wanted to isolate my lower back. well i ended up hurting my lower back because i tried 185 which was too heavy, then dropped to 135 which was alright but i think i already hurt my lower back.

i did complete my sets
6x135lbs
6x135lbs

squats
6x185lbs (not sure if it was because i wasn't strong enough or my lower back was hurt but i couldn't make the 90 degree angle.)

6x185 ---same as above
6x135-- these were easy by my lower back was hurting

did some flys and then left. my lower back was hurting alot and still hurts today. I'm going to take a few days rest and start back up on tuesday.
 
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