Oh Ya! (Part 2)

Another amazing work out has come and gone. I think there might be something in the water cuz I'm freaking myself out. Here's why.

Speed Bench - 8 sets, 3 reps, 225lbs. (set 5 & 6 275lbs/3reps)
Free Dips - 3 sets, 5 Reps, My body weight
Inclined Dumbbell Press - 3 sets, 5 reps, 100lbs
Lat Pull Downs - 3 sets, 6 reps, 200lbs
Standing Military Press - 135lbs/6, 155lbs/6, 185lbs/6 partials, 135lbs/6
T Bar Rows - 45lbs/6, 135lbs/6, 180lbs/6

The Bench felt very strong. It seemed like my pressing distance was shorter some how (?). The free dips really made me feel good. I can actually do 5 dips without assistance. Amazing! The T bar rows I threw in at the end to finish off any extra energy I had. They really seemed to hit the lats. I think I'll put them in next rotation. Another awsome work out for the blog.

Snowdaddy

Thats enough!

After taking yesterday off to let my back heal I woke up this morning and the pain was still there. "Thats enough"! I took two advil and off to the gym I went. Now its almost 6 hours after the work out and my back feels great. I guess it was time to stop being a baby. Here is how this mornings work out went.

Bike - 5 min warm up

Squats - 135lbs/6, 225lbs/6, 315lbs/2 Warm up
Box Squats - 315lbs/3, 365lbs/2, 405lbs/1, 405lbs/1
Sumo Deadlifts - 6 sets, 2 reps, 365lbs
Declined Sit ups - 3 sets, 14 reps

Last max effort squat/deadlift day I said I would take 405lbs for a ride and I did for two sets. I'm really starting to enjoy box squats. I'm finding that they split the movement into two distinct segments. Before I was having trouble remembering everything now it's much easier split into two. The sumo deadlifts were stronger than ever before. On my 5th set I got psyched up and lefted the bar for 3 reps. A surprise for me. Maybe I'll go up next work out to 385lbs.

'God created the leg press to keep the geeks out of the power rack'

Snowdaddy

Ouch!

Today was supposed to be max effort bench day but I have a pain between my shoulder blades that is causing me some grief. It's not a big problem. I just took some motrin and everything seems to feel better. I'm sure it came about from yesterday's work out, Speed squats and deadlift. Here is what happened.

Elyptical Trainer - 10min warm up


Squats - 10 sets, 2 reps, 225lbs
Platform Deadlifts - 315lbs/3 reps, 365lbs/2 reps, 4 sets 1 rep 405lbs
(performed on two 25lbs plates side by side)
Good Mornings - 3 sets, 6 reps, 275lbs
Declined Sit Ups - 3 sets, 12 reps
Trunk Twists - 3 sets, 30 twists, 30lbs bar

The Deadlifts felt great off the plates which raised me up about 1 1/2 inches. Squats felt good but I started to get sore shins at about the 7th set. I'm sure this is because of the running I did the other day. The Good Mornings as usual felt awsome.

Instead of lifting today I rode the bike for 15 minutes then did a walk/run on the treadmill for 20 minutes. To complete my work out I did a full compliment of stretches for my legs. They certainly need it. At one point I layed on my back on the floor and my back tightened up. I thought that I would be stuck there until help arrived. Lucky for me it subsided and I came to my own rescue.

Snowdaddy

PS: a shout goes out to my training partner who was abviously bored today and tried to crusify himself on the cable cross over machine. It was very funny.

Speed Bench Day

Yesterday was spped bench and was one of my better work outs to date. Here is what made it so good.

Bike - 5mins warm up
Various Ab Exercises for warm up

Speed Bench - 8 sets, 3 reps, 205lbs
Inclined Dumbbell Press - 3 sets, 6 reps, 100lbs
Dips - 3 sets, max reps, all me baby!
Lat Pull Downs - 3 sets, 8 reps, 180lbs
Standing Military Press - 4 sets, 6 reps, 135-175lbs
Various Bicep/Tricep exercises to finish

I decided to do free dips instead of machine dips and I'm glad I did. My best before now was 2 free dips. Yesterday I managed 3 reps and almost a fourth but I couldn't lock it out. From now on I will only be doing free dips. Not more stinking machines for me. I'm sure this will really help my bench.

Nutrition is a key factor in one's performance. Susan told me to have a small meal, high in protien before my work outs. I've been doing this and I find that I have lots of energy through out my work outs. I'm sure this may be elementary to most experienced lifters but it is new to me.

It's currently 0400hrs and I'm at work. I decided to run this morning because I will more than likely be sleeping later on and I'll feel guilty if I go today with out doing some kind of exercise. This morning at 0200 I did a run/walk for 25min. The first 10 min were all jogging. Now my legs feel like jello but I feel better for it.

Snowdaddy

Oh Ya!

Today was max squat / deadlift day and man I feel great! Here is why.

Elyptical trainer - 10min warm up

Box Squats (below parallel) - 135lbs/6, 225lbs/6, 2x(275lbs/3), 315lbs/2, 2x(365lbs/2)
Sumo Deadlifts - 2x(315lbs/2), 4x(365/2)
Various Ab Exersises

It is now 2 hours since the completion of my work out and I can totally feel it through out my entire posterior. From lower back to hamstrings. I focused on pushing my traps into the bar on box squats and I found them to be much easier. Next max effort day I think I'll give 405lbs a ride on box squats. Sounds like fun.

Snowdaddy

Max Effort Bench

Today I did max effort bench. Yesterday I took off and today I felt well rested and ready for battle. Here is how the war went.

Bike - 10min

Bench Press - 135lbs/6, 225lbs/6, 275lbs/1 (warm up)
Rack Press - 275lbs/4, 315lbs/2, 335lbs/1, 335lbs/1.
Close Grip Bench - 185lbs/6, 205lbs/6, 205lbs/6. (very strick form, no bounce)
Dumbbell Rows - 110lbs/6, 125lbs/6, 125lbs/6.
Seated Dumbbell Press - 60lbs/8, 70lbs/6, 85lbs/6.

Everything felt great! I feel that I'm finally getting in my groove and I should be able to go for some new maxes while I'm here.

Snowdaddy

Speed Squats / Deadlifts

Yesterday as I promised I did a work out. After my warm up I thought that I might not be able to do squats because my knees were sore. After two warm up sets the pain in my knees subsided and I decided to continue. Here is what happened.

Bike - 10min warm up

Speed Squats - 10 sets, 2 reps, 225lbs
Platform Deadlifts - 6 sets, 2 reps, 315-365lbs
Good Mornings - 4 sets, 6 reps, 205-255lbs

I was concerned in my past work outs because I figured because of the heat I was loosing strength. Yesterday's work out showed me that it wasn't true. The squats were easy and strong. For the platform deadlifts I stood on two 25lb plates, which raised me up about 1 1/2 inches. I am also focusing on my deadlift technique. In the past I have found that I am leaning too far over the bar in the set up phase of the movement. The good mornings were awesome. At 205lbs they felt quite easy. I added another 50lbs and they still felt great. I could actually feel the muscles though out my posterior chain flex and stretch. Wonderful.
I have been reading about box squats and one of the comments that has been common to all the articles is, "as you begin to rise push your traps into the bar". There are lots of things to remember for every powerlifting movement and I'm usually lucky to remember half of them. Yesterday, during squats, I tried to push my traps into the bar and I was surprised how comfortable it made the movement. I only did this with 225lbs and I'm curious to feel it with 315lbs+.

"Lift Big" or don't bother.

Snowdaddy

Going Strong

I haven't created a post in a while. This doesn't mean that I haven't been working out. Check it out.

16 May 2006

Box Squats - I am doing these for the fist time so I started with the bar then managed to go up to 275lbs for 2 reps, 2 sets. I'm not sure if I'm doing them right. I'll have to confirm when I get back home. For now I'll just keep hammer'n.

Deadlifts - 3 sets, 315lbs 2 reps, 405lbs 1 rep, 405lbs 1 rep.
Rack Pulls - 4 sets 495lbs, 585lbs, 635lbs (fail), 585lbs.

Varrious Ab Exercises.

All in all the work out was good. The rack pulls were a bit deeper than I normally go hense the drop in weight. After weights I went for a walk.

17 May 2006

Elyptical Trainer - 10min Warm Up

Speed Bench Press - 8 sets, 3 reps, 205lbs
Inclined Dumbbell Press - 3 sets, 5 reps, 80-110lbs
Machine Dips - 3 sets, 8 reps, 14 plates
Lat Pull Downs - 3 sets 8 reps, 180lbs (stack)
Standing Military Press - 3 sets, 6 reps, 135-165lbs

18 May 2006

At 0430 this morning I managed to haul my ass out of bed to go for a jog. I jog (try to) 10 minutes out then walk/run back. Today I was able to jog for 10 minutes straight before turning around and coming back. In total it took 24 1/2 minutes and I jogged 12 minutes of that. Not bad for a guy who hates running and weighs 300lbs. I'm going to keep at it. By the end of my two months here I should beable to run the full 20 minutes at a pretty good pace.

I plan on working out later today so I'll post again with today's Speed Squat/Deadlift work out.

Snowdaddy

Away From Home

Today I did my first work out at what is gradually becoming my home away from home. Once again I have to spend two months away from my family and home. I think it's harder this time because I'm gone durring the summer. I'll miss playing in the yard with my wife and kids.
I will try to make the best of things by hitting the gym harder than ever and loosing a nagging 25lbs I've had since my last dose of creatine. Along with my hard core powerlifting work outs I plan on running (jogging) several time a week.

Here is how my first work out turned out.

Last night run/walk 24 minutes. I'm so out of shape. This almost killed me. I'm sure it will get easier with time.

Today

Bike - 10min warm up

Bench Press - 3 sets 135lbs/12reps, 225lbs/6reps, 275lbs/1rep
Rack Press - 3 sets 275lbs (for singles, done 1 inch above chest)
Close Grip Bench - 3 sets 6 reps 185lbs

Walk - 20min

The work out was short I know but I'm still a bit "jet legged". The walk was intense. We walked at a good pace but the real killer was the 38 degC temperature. I'm sure we burnt enough calories.

Tomorrow I'll give max squats & deadlifts a go. I'm looking forward to trying box squats.

Snowdaddy

Deadlift Video

I edited my best lift of my day at the HHG. Check it out.

http://powerliftingvideo.com/request.php?165

I know it's not a PB but it is my best training lift that I have managed to record thus far.

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts At The HHG

Today I went over to the HHG and was looking to pull some big iron. I guess today just wasn't my day. I wanted to break my deadlift PB but it was a no go this evening. I handled 220kg with ease so I was thinking I was in line for my new max. I tried 250kg and it only got a couple of inches off the floor. "Maybe this is too much of a jump for me", I thought so we dropped the weight to 242.5kg. By this time I was spent and it too would not travel more than a couple of inches from the floor. Damn!

I did however come away with a new game plan for my training over the next two months. When I get back I'm going to take that 250kg for a ride. My next post I will write my new training plan. It should be similar to my current plan but some of the exercises will be tailored for my weak points.

Thanks to Susan and Brock for helping me once again.

Snowdaddy

Max Effort Squat / Deadlift

What an elementary mistake. Yesterday I tried to do max effort squat / deadlift. This was my third day in a row working out not to mention my second consecutive max effort day. The first exercise of the work out went fine but I soon ran out of energy during my second exercise. Here is what happened.

Rack Squats (top partial) - 4 reps 585lbs, 2 reps 675lbs, 725lbs for a single.
Sumo Deadlifts - 5 sets 6 reps 225lbs.

I managed to do the first set of sumo deadlifts then I just fell apart. My last 2 sets were done as 4 sets of three. One redeeming point was that I never slacked on technique. I made sure to squat down deep when pulling the bar. Today I can feel that I did indeed hit my hams and glutes. Getting up this morning wasn't easy. I was supposed to do some ab and obliques movements but I was so wrecked I decided to fight another day. The better part of valor...

Snowdaddy

Max Effort Bench

Man have I ever missed going to the gym. I have missed the night after and the next day sore muscles. I have missed the sound of iron clanging and the feel of the chalk on my hands. Every one who lifts big iron knows what I'm talking about. I don't take drugs, I don't have to. I picked up a saying from a techno group, "This is my church. This is where I heal my hurts." Eventhough I come away from the gym sore and hurting I always feel better after a good work out.

Today I did Max Effort Bench. Here is how it went.

Rack Bench - 3 reps 275lbs, 1 rep 295lbs, 1 rep 295lbs, 1 rep 275lbs.
Flat Dumbbell Press - 3 sets 6 reps 100lbs
Close Grip Bench - 3 sets 6 reps 205lbs
Seated Dumbbell Press - 2 sets 5 reps 80lbs

I short changed myself due to lack of time. I was supposed to do barbell rows after close grip bench and I should have added an extra set to every exercise. Eventhough I cheated myself it still turned out to be a great work out.

Snowdaddy