IrishDJ's Workout Journal

[insidious]

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honestly at 140lbs I wouldn't bother with any sort of fancy workout routine. just a squat/bench/deadlift day and have at it.

What he said, IrishDJ.
I started out @ 130lbs and I spent so many hours squandered away on strange & useless accesory lifts (wrist curls, lol!) and it wasn't until I read the tips in this forum that I started to change my whole routine.

I stuck with deadlifts, squats, bench presses, standing military presses & rows. Very simple stuff, nothing fancy, but I made sure to add about 5 lbs regularly. At first, this is pretty easy and soon you reach a level where even 5lbs seems like you just added 50, but adding weight is necessary! Unless you do that, your body will simply adapt and quit growing. You much "shock" it.

I've reached 160lbs now. Granted, I started at an abnormally low weight due to an accident, and some of my new weight is admittedly blubber, but there is a lot of muscle in there also. I'm 5-5, so 130 didn't look too weird, but 140 on your frame sounds skeletal

 

[IrishDJ]

yea i guess i got good genetics...nat. hence my reason for finally getin act together and putting some work in!!

 

[IrishDJ]

Deadlift 3x5 40kg, 50kg, 55kg(PB) started the feel the right strain on lower back happy with the lifts.
Barbell rows 2x12 25kg, wasnt too hard but the bar didnt touch the ground each time i duno if thats right
Wide grip pull ups- 3x10 on machine at 35kg
lat pull downs- 3x10 35kg
Ab crunchs 3x15 40kg iv lowerd the weight but im actually doin it correct now, going the full way back and its much harder!

 

[mrRuckus]

Barbell rows 2x12 25kg, wasnt too hard but the bar didnt touch the ground

BB rows, no it won't

Pendlay rows, yes it should.

 

[IrishDJ]

squat 2x5 55kg- 5kg more than last week
leg press 1x15 100kg- 10kg more than last week
hamstring extension 2x10 40kg
seated calve raises 3x12 40kg- 5 kg more than last week

seeing small improvements which keep me keen and determind

 

[Quagmire911]

squat 2x5 55kg- 5kg more than last week
leg press 1x15 100kg- 10kg more than last week
hamstring extension 2x10 40kg
seated calve raises 3x12 40kg- 5 kg more than last week

seeing small improvements which keep me keen and determined

+5kg on squat, +10kg on leg press are not small improvements. They are very good indeed. You are in that wonderful place where gains are fast and constant, enjoy it while it lasts. I'd love to be able to do that every week still. I've only been working out properly for 6months and its already gone. Gains still aren't to bad however, just not the same. Imagine 5kg a week on squat consistently, that's over 200kg a year with breaks factored in.

The reason the bench press in the Idiot's guide is incline I think is because it's more a BB routine than a powerlifting routine, and incline leads to a better aesthetic improvement I'm sure. I've heard that incline is safer somehow as well.

Congrats on the decision to get into weights and go against the grain and actually listen to the guys who know what they are talking about, believe me if you do what they say, you won't regret the "consequences", *cough* (more strength, bigger muscles, you may find some clothes no longer fit, but this is a minor inconvenience to say the least), good luck,

Quagmire

 

[IrishDJ]

yesterdays workout:

decline benchpress 2x5 45kg- couldnt do flat bench press, gym was full, woth alot of big guys using it lol oh well hope this is jusat as good

incline dumbell press 2x30kg
shoulder press 2x12 25kg using the machine kinda thing not sure what u call it, smith or v or whatever
tricep pushdowns 2x10 25kg
ab crunches 3x20 45kg

unfortunately im goin out tonite wil involve drinking, still hope to make it to the gym tomoro though. i think i drink too much alcohol, eveyr weekend really!