Total Physique Online

Forearms and Chest

• Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 60 lbs x 4, 5, 3
• Reverse Thick Bar Wrist Curls: 30 lbs x 6, 6, 8, 5 (followed by a 5 sets of static Holds)
• Pushups (100 total reps, minute or less rest between sets): 35, 46, 54, 64, 74, 84, 96, 98, 100
• Dips: 15, 14, 10, 6 (min rest between sets)

Observations:

It’s amazing how much heavy weight will take out of you. The wrist curls with 60 lbs dumbbells was just so damn intense, even though the numbers of reps was few. The reverse thick bar training was really brutal, yet it was only 30 lbs. Whenever you toss in the element of a 2 inch diameter bar and you raise the bar of intensity 10 fold no matter what exercise you are performing.
Read the rest of this entry »

Workout A

Legs, Calves

• 2 Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise: 122 lbs x 50, 40, 40 (nice pump, great burn)
• Hip Belt Squats: 122 lbs x 30, 21 (the dumbbell grazed the floor almost, on each rep)

Observations:

Hip Belt Squats, once you do them, are a joy. While you do them, they are hell on earth. These babies really burn. I am getting stronger by the truckload though. Last workout with hip belt squats, I banged out 20 reps with the same weight I used today, only today I banged out 30 on the first set.

I would like a way to handle more weight, but until I can think of a way to hoist more weight, I wil have to settle for more reps. Maybe I can do 120 lbs for 40-50 reps next workout! These are all the way to the floor by the way. So, not shortcuts here.

Calves getting stronger as well, but I am running into the same issue. I need a way to get more plates on.

Perhaps a perfectly straight metal bar, a full 22 inches long, running straight through the QL dumbbell handles, could be used to accomodate all the plates. Hmmm.

Pre-Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Super Green Smoothy, Coffee, Powerbar; Breakfast
• Metabolic Testoboost 5 tabs
• Metabolic GHBoost 5 tabs
• MidMorning: Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, combined with 2000 MG Vit EmergenC 30 Min Prior to workout combined with

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Whey/MLO Protein

Rest of the Days Diet

• Egg Rolls/Green Smoothy for lunch.
• Pro Lab - Mid-day
• Dinner will consist of chicken and rice and veggies. Yum! Then just before bed -
• Metabolic Testoboost 4 tabs
• Metabolic GHBoost 4 tabs

Workout A

Forearms, Neck, Abs

• Standard Wrist Curls: 40 lbs x 15, 20, 18, 12
• One Arm Reverse Wrist Curls: 20 lbs x 8, 8, 8
• Lying Crunches: 45 lbs x 40, 40, 40, 40, 40 (incredible strength gain. double the reps from last ab workout 20 reps then, 40 today! 200 reps total, 1-2 min between sets)
• Front Neck: 45 lbs x static hold 5 sec, 5 sec (max set - different and challenging, pretty heavy too!)
• Rear Neck: 45 lbs x 12, 14, 14 (max set)

Workout B

Calves

• 1(2) Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise: 120 lbs x 16 (30), 16(30), 12(20)

Observations:

Today was a nice couple of sessions. I wanted to also do legs, but I decided to hold off until tomorrow. Abs were so heavy that by the time I had done them I wished I hadn’t. These weren’t your standard run of the mill crunches. My abs are getting very strong in this movement, but that doesn’t meant that doing crunches with 45 lbs is any less taxing. I guess I need to do legs first, before I do anything else. To that end I have the weights set up for tomorrow.

Pre-Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Super Green Smoothy, Coffee, Powerbar; Breakfast
• Metabolic Testoboost 5 tabs
• Metabolic GHBoost 5 tabs
• MidMorning: Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, combined with 2000 MG Vit EmergenC 30 Min Prior to workout combined with

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Whey/MLO Protein

Rest of the Days Diet

• Egg Rolls/Green Smoothy for lunch.
• Pro Lab - Mid-day
• Dinner will consist of chicken and rice and veggies. Yum! Then just before bed -
• Metabolic Testoboost 4 tabs
• Metabolic GHBoost 4 tabs

Abs, Calves, Chest

• Lying Crunches: 45 lbs x 20, 20, 20, 20, 20 (incredible strength, slow and controlled, awesome contraction)
• Alternate One legged Calf Raise: 110 lbs x 15, 12 (max set)
• Two legged Calf Raise: 110 lbs x 30 x 4 (max burn, pump. I need more weight, but this will have to do until I can improvise a system that is safe)
• Incline Bench Press: 55 lbs per db x 12; 60 lbs per db x 10F, 7F (was fresh, got 12 reps first set with 55 instead of 6 reps last time I did these. Can this be considered a strength gain in that case? Well, in light of the fact that I upped the weight to 60 lbs and got ten reps, I would say, “hell yes!”)

Observations:

Interestingly I was really very sore today from yesterdays workout, which was damn heavy. Yet, I bounded around the apartment with the spryness of a mountain goat on the first day of spring. I really had a bounce in my step. Breathing was good as well, with only a hint of tightness towards the end of the day.

So, I decided to train again. I wanted to do abs and calves, with a focus on crunches for abs. The last time I did weighted crunches I used 45 lbs, but I only was getting sets of 10. So, today I wanted to see if I had made a strength gain. In fact, I doubled my strength. I got 5 sets of 20 solid reps, with quality contractions and ROM. I can add weight to this. I may try 65 next workout.

Calves was a bit better than last time as well, but not by much. I increased the weight for my one-legged version of calf raises by 10 lbs. I got sets of 12-15. I will do this again tomorrow or the next day depending on how calves feel.

Chest really surprised me. The last time I did inclines, I recall stating that I would stick with 55 because the weight felt so heavy at 6 reps. So, imagine my surprise when I banged out 12 reps on the first set!!! Upping the weight to 60 lbs and getting 10 reps was even more of as shock as my first set was to failure. My last set of 60 for 7 reps was strong. I can see hitting 65-70 next workout.

Now, whats interesting is that I did chest just four days ago, but I performed FLAT DB Bench Presses. In fact, the last time I did INCLINE DB Bench presses was back on 3-02-07. So, more than three weeks have passed since I did Inclines with 55 lbs, getting 6 reps, but only 4 days have passed since I trained chest. So, the question is how to interpret this. Did I make an over all strength gain in chest, or did I just get stronger in Inclines?

What I will do 4 days from now is train chest again, but only indirectly. I will do dips, if elbows permit. I will not train flat bench for at least 8 days. Then, I will train Inclines another 4 days from that workout.

All in all a very strong day. I had little in the way of much drowsiness today. So that was good. Elbows felt strong. Abs felt powerful.

Keep the train rolling, felluhs!

Back, Biceps, Traps

• Stiff Legged Deadlifts w/ Dumbbells: 95 lbs per db x 10, 12 (5lb increase, 12 reps on second set)
• Dumbbell Shruggs: 120 lbs per db x 20 (picked up from the floor. yikes that was heavy max set, that combined stiff legged deadlifts with shruggs
• Standing Dumbbell Curls: 40 lbs per db x 10, 10 x 6 (5 rep increases)
• Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls: 30 lbs x 10, 5 (spent)

Observations:

I really miss the Metabolic! I just do not seem to have as much stamina without it. That said, I am getting terrific strength gains still, just takes me longer to recover between workouts. MY pumps are awesome. I miss the Resolve as well. The resolve gave my lungs a boost and I seemed to have more spit at the end of a set. That said, today was good. The stiffs were stronger, heavier, more reps. Biceps stronger as well.

Pre-Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Power Bar/Coffee/Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, 30 Min Prior to workout combined with Emergen-C
• Chicken and Rice Lunch
• Pro-Lab Midday
• Metabolic Renew 5 tabs
• Resolve (NEW) All Out!

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Whey/MLO Protein

Abs, Neck, Forearms

• Lying Leg Raises Weighted: 14 lbs x 19, 12, 8 (First set nearly double the reps since March 8. Breathing very good.)
• Standard Neck Raises: 32.5 lbs x 10, 12, 10 (no strength gain here. remained the same)
• Standard Rear Headstrap Raises: 32.5 lbs x 26, 24, (double the standard reps for my first set since last workout)
• Thick Bar Reverse Forearm Wrist Curls: 19 lbs x 20, 10 x 6 (Two Arm)
• Standard Wrist Curls: 40 lbs x 18, 15, 12 (first set 18 reps - more than double the 8 reps I got last time I trained wrist curls. Huge strength gain.)
• Dumbbell Bench: 75 lbs x 5, 6 (Spent on this! heavier weight, felt strong.)

Observations:

Whatever bug I had been fighting for the past several days was knocked out with heavy doses of ye old Vit-C in the form of Emergen-C. I love that stuff.

I feel much better today. My diet is still a bit iffy do to income struggles, and I think in part this is what left me succeptable to illness. Diet is such a major part of your training and recovery.

Forearms, abs and neck were excellent! You will notice that it has been more than two weeks since I last did this work out. The strength gains were phenominal.

Pre-Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Chicken and Rice.
• Pro-Lab/Apple
• Metabolic Renew 5 tabs
• Resolve (NEW) All Out!
• MidMorning: Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, 30 Min Prior to workout combined with Emergen-C

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Whey/MLO Protein

Shoulders, Back

• Hammer Push/Press: Several Warm Sets followed by - 40 lbs x 8, 4 (no strength gain here, not really, but good nevertheless)
• Side Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 25 lbs x 7, 6, 6, 6 (strict, controlled, resisted cheating)
• Parallel Chins w/ Extra Weight: 22.5 lbs x 8F, 3F (good gain here; excellent strength
• {Super-Set}
• Dumbbell Cross Bench Pullovers: 55 lbs x 20 (elbows felt so much better! Increased weight by 5 lbs and added reps. By this method, I used chins to pre-exhaust the lats.), 15 (still had a few left maybe. Breathing Excellent!!!)

Observations:

Took another 3 day lay-off to tend to website and spiritual matters. Mentally, I was not in a great place. I have been somewhat burdoned for my country and headlines are just bringing me down. So, today I avoided them and decided to curb my browsing of the news.

My workout was excellent for the most part. I will come back tonight and do a few more things like neck and forearms and maybe abs.

My diet? OK I admit it, a tit mouse gets more food than I have had in the last 3 days. Sorry, but I am flat broke. Money is so tight. I suspect change is on the way. In the meantime, I am doing the best I can. Not sure how this is going to affect recovery and weight gain, but I guess we will find out soon enough.

Pre-Workout morning Nutrition/Diet

• Breakfast: Pro-Lab Protein Gainer
• Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, 30 Min Prior to workout combined with :
• Metabolic Renew 5 tabs
• Resolve (NEW) 5 tabs

Immediately Prior To Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Resolve (NEW) 5 tabs
• MidMorning: Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, 30 Min Prior to workout combined with :
• Metabolic Testoboost 5 tabs
• Metabolic GHBoost 5 tabs

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Pro-Lab Gainer Protein

Calves, Back

• One Legged Calve Raise: 100 lbs x 26, 26, 15, 12; Then Two Leg Calf Raise with 100 lbs x 40 reps (no rest between sets….one leg to the other…boom-boom-boom. Pump? Oh yeah…..substantial gains)
• Parallel Chins w/ Extra Weight: 22.5 lbs x 4+1F, 3+1F

{Super-Set}

• Dumbbell Cross Bench Pullovers: 50 lbs x 20 (elbows felt so much better! Increased weight by 5 lbs and added reps. By this method, I used chins to pre-exhaust the lats.), 20 (still had a few left maybe. Breathing Excellent!!!)
• 1 Arm Bent Dumbbell Rows for Middle Back: 100 lbs x 5, 5 (strong)

(Second Workout) Shruggs, Biceps

• Dumbbell Shruggs: 115 lbs x 20, 20 (this was heavy….whew!)
• Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls: 30 lbs x 12 (wow), 8, 7
• Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 30 lbs x 8 (inclines pre-exhausted biceps)

Observations:

I ate a bit better today, plus some oatmeal just before training and I felt very good and very strong with a TON of reserve left in the tank, as they say. When I was mentally telling that based on experience I should be petering out, I was able to bang out more reps than I expected. I lifted heavy and fast and tonight I may do another one.

I may have some writing on my mind. In fact, I know I do.

Pre-Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Yudon Soup
• Oat Meal, Orange Juice, Milk for Breakfast
• Pro-Lab Gainer
• Metabolic Renew 5 tabs
• Resolve (NEW) 5 tabs
• Metabolic Testoboost 3 tabs
• Metabolic GHBoost 3 tabs
• MidMorning: Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, 30 Min Prior to workout combined with :

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Pro-Lab Protein

Chest, Shoulders

• Dumbbell Bench Press: 70 lbs x 7, 5, 4 Fail (not bad. first set up 2 reps from last session. I will stay with this weight one more session)
• Dips: 22.5 lbs x 8, 7,
• Dumbbell Hammer/Push Press: 40 lbs x 7 (experiment. No strength gain here. So, I leave it at one set. Come back to it either tomorrow or the next day.)

Observations:

Lungs were basically OK, but damn if my energy was for crap. I think a lot of it was mental. My diet was not worth mentioning today. I guess we could say that this workout was a wash. It happens. I will come back harder tomorrow.

Quads, Glutes, Low Back

• Hip Belt Squats: several warm sets 55 lbs, 75 lbs, 125 lbs x 20, 15, 15 (wow - these were full, deep squats. Not 3/4 squats with 120 last session. So, 5 lbs more, below parallel squats, 30 seconds or less between sets. Legs pumped. Some coughing after last set that was pretty intense coughing…lasted about 2 minutes then I was OK.)
• Traditional Deadlifts/Squats with Dumbbells: 50 lbs x 10 (warm), 95 lbs x 10, 10, 10 (As usual, this had me sucking wind. I was resting upwards of 8 minutes between sets on these. Wow! This was 20 lbs more than my last session when I used 75 lb dumbbells. Plus, I did more reps than last session. It sure was good for my lungs though! I was able to remove unwanted fluids in a productive fashion.)

Observations:

Strength gains across the board. Used heavier weights, and I intesified the Hip Belt Squats by squating nearly 2x deeper than last session - as deep as I could go - far below parallel. Deadlifts went from 75 lbs to 95-100 lbs per dumbbell. Dumbbell Deadlifts are a bitch!

I had some congestion, and to be honest ….. this sort of workout is NOT the sort of workout you want if you are congested. But, I did it anyway. I was furious with intent, and I was not going to be denied by CF. I refuse to let it dictate to me in this instance. I dictate to it. I tell it what to do. Not the other way around! Not as long as I have any say in the matter.

Pre-Workout Nutrition/Diet

• 5 Eggs, 4 Slices Bread, Honey for Breakfast
• Mid Morning Pro-lab Drink and then prior to workout:
• Metabolic Renew 5 tabs
• Resolve (NEW) 5 tabs
• Metabolic Creatine Advantage 1 scoop, 30 Min Prior to workout

Post Workout Nutrition/Diet

• Pro-Lab Gainer