My Journal: Rebuilding... stone by stone

[Warboss Alex]

Dude, my tipsing did not include "hammer the hell out of shoulders on leg day, kill the triceps on back day and then wonder why my bench isn't moving on chest day".

 

[Lifeforce]

:nervous:

Ye you're right man. Thing is that both upright rows and military presses are going great. I'd rather not switch them before I stop increasing in those lifts (if it aint broke, dont fix it). I'll do CGBP next chest day then cut dips to two sets and not doing any other tricep work. Upright rows though isn't hitting any muscles used for benching? Is it way too much work for shoulders?

This week has been kind of an "revenge week" for not being able to eat and train properly.

 

[Lifeforce]

Measurement/change from the last 20 days work

Weight: 204.5 lbs +4 lbs

Chest 44.5" +1.5"
Upper arms 15" +0.2"
Lower Arms 13" +0.2"
Waist 35.8" +0.8"
Quads 25.8 +0.2"
Calves 17.3" +0.6"




Comments

Actually my last arm measurement was 37.5 cm and this was 38, I must have divided by 2.5 instead of 2.54 by misstake last time. 37.5/2.5 = 15" while the true number is 37.5/2.52 = 14.76.

To be honest I felt like I have actually lost fat%age. Biceps vein is easier to see now when I flex, my lower arms look a bit more veiny when I flex and leg got a bit more definition. Increased waist size may have something to do that I drank 1 liter of milk and an hour earlier drinking PWO shake. Though there probably is some fat increase as well due to more weight.



Images!

Quality is a bit poor but hope you can make out something.

Front

Back

Calves

 

[Rampage1]

very good so far, I would be a little weary of the waist increase tho!

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Taking fat off should be easy for you Lifeforce if you have gained any. Bloating can def add an inch or so. But it's good to see measurement increases.

Building muscle is the hard part as you know. Looking good dude. Freakish legs btw must be all the 20 reppers

 

[Lifeforce]

Thanks man. Ye, Im keeping some track on waist increase but gotta say that when squatting and deadlifting heavier the muscles in the abdomen and the erector muscles will increase in size as well. Body fat looks like 15% still so Im not all that worried

Thanks IS, retook the measurement this morning and it was 15.4" so only 0.4" increase from last time. With 1.5" chest increase 0.4 in waist is ok imo. Always nice to get a compliment, bit of a pet peeve for me that my legs overshadow the rest of the body. Been trying to increase the upper body size but the legs just blow up like crazy.

Hopefully fat will melt away as quick as last time. I'm half ecto after all

 

[Warboss Alex]

Upright rows do affect the benching muscles, yes. Honestly, I'd just put all pressing-related movements on one day. Or over two days if you can regulate the volume well enough.

 

[Lifeforce]

I got the deepest respect for you Alex. I dont mean as an insult towards you when I am reluctant to change my routine like this. Everything seems to be working ok but the bench which might be due to the lack of food last week.

I'll give it one more week, if I dont increase in bench I'll switch around the routine. Don't think I am not listening to what you're saying, I've taken what you've told me to heart even if I have implemented it poorly. It takes a few workouts to get it into the program. Hang with me a few workouts

I tried the push/pull concept before, though its great it didn't really fit my style of lifting. It's more powerlifting program isn't it?

 

[Lifeforce]

Today's Workout - Chest/tri, biceps, abs and calves


CGBP 10x154 lbs
CGBP 8x165 lbs
CGBP 5.5x176 lbs

Incline db presses 6x60 lbs
Incline db presses 8x60 lbs

db presses 8x70 lbs
db presses 6x70 lbs

Biceps Curls 5x110 lbs +5.5 lbs

Db biceps curls 8x36.5 lbs
Db biceps curls 8x36.5 lbs

Standing Calves raises /w barbell 10x308
Standing Calves raises /w barbell 8x398 +44 lbs

Crunches in lat pulldown machine 10x209 lbs
Crunches in lat pulldown machine 10x242 lbs
Crunches in lat pulldown machine 7x242 lbs


Comments

Went really great today. The CGBP flew up, felt alot stronger in chest than last time. However after the cgbp it was hard to lift heavy with the dumbells cause the triceps were kinda shot.

Accidently added 44 lbs extra in the calf raises and pressed out 8 reps with good form even though I had a hard time doing 6 last time with 44 lbs less.

Crunches in pulldown machine was a new concoction of me. Hit the abs really hard. I start with back leaning backwards and then with the help of the abs I pull the bar down as my back is moved forward. Then I flex the abs at the bottom and release.

 

[Lifeforce]

Todays Workout - Back + tris

[warmup] Dips 10xbw
Dips 3x77 +11 lbs

Deadlift-with-no****ingchalk-hurtingmybackbecauseItriedtobetooexplosiveoffthefloor 3x330 lbs

Bent over rows 10x198 lbs +22 lbs
Bent over rows 8x198 lbs

Pull ups 6xbw +1 rep
Pull Downs 9x209 lbs +11 lbs
Pull Downs 6x209 lbs
Pull Downs 6x209 lbs

Some hyperextensions and good mornings for lower back to ease the pain

comments

One of the worst workouts yet. Triceps were tired so Im gonna drop tris on back day and focus it on chest day moving the biceps to leg day.

Deadlift was really easy on the warm up. Single on 309 lbs went up very quick and I had the strength even with olympic grip. Forgot my chalk at home and I think I used too little warm-up before work sets so I ended up lifting too fast hurting lower back. Gonna move deadlift around and do the smaller exercises first and put deadlift last.

Rows went good, they are definatly here to stay. Gonna try 220 lbs next time. . Pull-ups went ok pull downs went great.

Ran into an old bully from grade school. He was thin as a rail :box:

 

[Quiksilver]

hey man be careful with your back, how did you hurt it and where do you feel it? I fvcked mine doing sumo reads trying to be explosive in nov. 07 and I'm still on the road back. I'd tell you to stop lifting until you know how bad it is, but you probably don't want to hear that..

It's up to you but I'd be extremely careful for a little while.


Cheers

 

[Lifeforce]

Oh it was an old injury which surfaces sometimes when I do not warm up enough. It's not centered in the spine but in the left erector spinae to the side of the lower lumbar vertebrae. Its what I get for lifting like a retard.

Thanks for concern though

 

[Lifeforce]

Todays Workout - Upper legs + shoulders

Military Presses 8x132 lbs +5.5 lbs
Military Presses 4x132 lbs
Military Presses 3x132 lbs

Upright rows 6x115.5 lbs +5.5 lbs
Upright rows 6x115.5 lbs

Lateral Raises 18 lbsx8
Lateral Raises 18 lbsx8

ATG Squats 8x308 lbs +2 reps
ATG Squats 5x308 lbs
ATG Squats 3x308 lbs

Hamstring Curls 9x10 plates +1 plate
Hamstring Curls 5x10 plates
Hamstring Curls 4x10 plates


Comments

A revenge from last workout. Everything went great. Military presses was a hard 8 reps, last rep was like 6 sec up but I got it. The sets after first rep suffered though.

Squats was a happy surprise. Rock bottom as usual and just because they felt so easy for the first reps I did them a bit slower which I lived to regret at rep 8. I got all 8 though which would mean my calculated ATG squat max is 390 lbs It was a thing of beauty. I had two people watching me doing the rep one who commended on the form. Its fairly unusual for people to squat more than two plates at my gym.

Was some dude who did squats before me. He had loaded up bar with one 44 plate and 4 44 plates per side. Then he proceeded and did 5-6 barely quarter squat with kinda lousy form...

Thanks to what alex said I've increased water intake alot. Probably 2.5 liter more per day, I really feel the difference from just a few days increased intake. I was probably semi-dehydrated. I cant seem to get the hang of the lateral raises though... I dont feel at all in my lateral deltoids even when I follow the tips I've read about them. Should I give them a few more workouts?

 

[playa99]

looking strong on the CGBP mate, this will be a close one, best of luck and keep it up man.

You not think of doing military press on a chest day as well mate?

 

[Reborn]

Nah m8, I think this is a pretty adequate amount of work for the shoulders. Any more and I think I would overtrain. Dropping dips as well to give the front delt/triceps a bit of a rest.

 

[playa99]

instead of i meant mate lol swear to god im dyslexing me lol

 

[Reborn]

Lol, you rival my inability to write coherent english

 

[Reborn]

10 post count limit on other account


Todays Workout - Chest, calves and abs

Bench Presses 8x187 lbs +2 rep
Bench Presses 6x187 lbs
Bench Presses 4x187 lbs

Incline Db bench 8x65.5 lbs +5.5 lbs
Incline Db bench 8x65.5 lbs

Flat Db bench 8x75 lbs +5 lbs

Standing calves raises with barbell 10x308 lbs
Standing calves raises with barbell 10x352 lbs

Ab crunches in lat pulldown machine 10x231 lbs
Ab crunches in lat pulldown machine 8x275 lbs +33 lbs


Comments

Very nice workout. Broke my old PR at 6x85kg with ease in bench. Increased in most exercises except calves raises where I was tired from yesterdays squats.

Gonna gun for 220 lbs/100kg next workout and finally hit 2 plates.

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Wait..so i just caught on that you having a second account. You deceptive little f**ker. I though Reborn was just some fan of yours hahaha. I think the weights are getting to my head! My dad was right, the more you lift the dumber you get

 

[Lifeforce]

Workout 1 - Back + Biceps

Bent over rows 5x220 lbs +22 lbs
Bent over rows 6x209 lbs +11 lbs

Pull-downs 10x220 lbs +11 lbs
Pull-downs 7x220 lbs
Pull-downs 8x220 lbs

Deadlift 12x264 lbs
Deadlift 6x286 lbs

Biceps curls 6x110 lbs

Comments

Took it easy with my back because of some back ache.



Todays Workout - Chest, triceps, abs and calves

CGBP 10x165 lbs +2 reps
CGBP 8x176 lbs +2 reps
CGBP 5x187 lbs +11 lbs

Incline db bench 9x65 lbs +1 rep
Incline db bench 6x65 lbs

db bench 3x75 lbs (miscalculated weights)

Standing calves raises /w barbell 10x308 lbs
Standing calves raises /w barbell 10x352 lbs
Standing calves raises /w barbell 10x396 lbs +2 rep

Abs in pulldown machine 12x242 lbs
Abs in pulldown machine 12x242 lbs
Abs in pulldown machine 12x242 lbs


Comments

Increased good in the CGBP. The db presses felt easy but hard with triceps dead. I think it's harder to push the dbs on the triceps day rather than on wide grip bench day.

Calf raises went great, gonna try to go for 418 lbs next time and get an 8.