Staying high

May09
by Duf on May 9, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

benchToday was an all bench press all the time session.  I did more reps at higher weight totals, trying to kick start my strength past the current 235ish 1RM I have been stuck at for awhile.  We will see if it helps at all.

Over the weekend Cindy and I put in a roughly 3 mile run.  I was slow but at least I wasn’t limping.  Nowadays the latter is more important than the former.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 225lbs x 1, 235lbs x 1, 225lbs x 2, 225lbs x 1, 205lbs x 4, 205lbs x 4, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 7, 135lbs x 15

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Almost from the feet

May06
by Duf on May 6, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

2920bb[1]Today my core routine included ab roll outs where I use a smaller barbell with 5 pound weights on either end as my “wheels”.  I like using the barbell instead of an ab wheel because it allows me to change hand position to emphasize different core components.

When I was done doing my 3 sets from my knees I tried to do a negative from my feet.  Usually when I attempt these I feel like I get extreme tension across my lower back which causes my platform to break down.  My FB buddy and all around fitness nut Eddie Yanick suggested I try to focus on keeping a hollow body position as I go down to keep my lower back more supported.  My back curves in when you look at it from a side profile so acheiving solid hollow body has never been anything I was good at, not that I worked at it very hard.

Well I tried to focus on pushing my lower back outward to retain rigidity as I rolled out from my feet.  To give myself another slight advantage I used a wide grip on the barbell which shortened my body a little bit to reduce torque on my core.  The end result was probably my deepest and most controlled descent rolling from my feet that I ever achieved.  I really need to do some reps on video.  Sometimes what it feels like and what it looks like are two dramatically different things.

Today’s Workout 

5 minutes cardio/stretching

60 push ups

Ab wheel roll out from knees x 10 normal grip

Standing dowel lateral rotation x 20

Ab wheel roll out from knees x 10 close grip

Standing dowel lateral rotation x 20

Ab wheel roll out from knees x 10 wide grip

Standing dowel lateral rotation x 20

Ab wheel roll out negative from feet x 1

Hanging knee raise x 20

Side one arm plank x 60 sec (each side)

Dip bar knee raises x 20

Standing oblique side raise 45lbs x 10 (each side)

Hanging knee raise x 20

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Different type of dead

May05
by Duf on May 5, 2016 at 5:44 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Today at the Gym

deadhang-300x240[1]Today I incorporated another type of “dead” exercise into my workout in addition to dead lifts that I hit once in awhile, dead hang pull ups.  When I am going for a 1 set max amount of pull ups I am never really releasing the tension in my scalpula at the bottom of the movement.  With a dead hang pull up you are fully releasing all tension in your back at the bottom of the motion until you start pulling your next rep.  Of course they are more difficult as slower, more controlled movements always are.

You have to check your ego at the door when doing dead hang pull ups as your numbers are going to be less than normal.  The odd thing is your overall benefit will likely be higher than normal.

I was supersetting cable rows with lateral raises.  In between sets a younger guy jumped on to the cable row for a set.  I saw him doing a couple sets of 5 pull ups which required him to baby kick to complete.  Well my last set with 11 plates on the cable row I completed for 10 real reps meaning I extended fully before pulling the close grip handles all the way to my chest while squeezing my scalpula.

Anyway, the five rep pull up kicker moved the weight pin down to 16 plates and proceeded to bounce maybe 6-8 reps where the handle was moving perhaps a total of 8 inches.  He let the plates down with a bang and walked away with a proud aura about him.  Although I could have done 6-8 half reps at his plate total I instead moved the pin to 12 plates and completed another 10 full ROM reps.  I hope this guy is around more often so I can have more fun with him.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Standing overhead barbell shoulder press – 95lbs x 10

Dead hang pull ups x 10

Standing overhead barbell shoulder press – 115lbs x 6

Dead hang pull ups x 10

Standing overhead barbell shoulder press – 135lbs x 2

Dead hang pull ups x 10

Cybex seated lateral raise – 90lbs x 10

Cable low row – 100lbs x 10

Cybex seated lateral raise – 100lbs x 8

Cable low row – 110lbs x 10

Cybex seated lateral raise – 110lbs x 8

Cable low row – 120lbs x 10

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Overhead

May04
by Duf on May 4, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

one-arm-seated-dumbbell-triceps-extension[1]Today was bicep and tricep day.  There just is never much exciting to say during these sessions but I keep trying to make small progressions in whatever movement I choose from week to week.

 

 

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Standing straight barbell curl – 50lbs x 12

Bodyweight dips x 20

Standing straight barbell curl – 70lbs x 10

Bodyweight dips x 20

Standing straight barbell curl – 90lbs x 8

Bodyweight dips x 20

Dumbbell concentration curl – 30lbs x 10

Seated one arm overhead tricep extension – 25lbs x 10

Dumbbell concentration curl – 40lbs x 8

Seated one arm overhead tricep extension – 30lbs x 10

Dumbbell concentration curl – 50lbs x 5

Seated one arm overhead tricep extension – 35lbs x 6

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Different path to 30

May03
by Duf on May 3, 2016 at 5:40 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

smith-squat1[1]The squat rack was occupied today which didn’t break my heart.  On there were two guys that worked all the way up to 315 followed by 365lbs.  At best they barely touched 45 degrees in their leg angle during the reps instead of the 90 or better that delivers full range of motion power.  Don’t get me wrong, I could not even do half reps at that weight but I am willing to bet a sandwich that either of them would be very hard pressed to do one full ROM rep at even 275 pounds.

So anyways I decided to get on the Smith machine and squat.  Yes smith machine squatting is viewed as an inferior exercise to free bar squatting because it is inferior compared to squats done with full ROM.  However if you adjust your feet a few inches in front of you on the smith machine, much better consistent depth of motion can be reached without the forward/backward tipping that can accompany free bar squats.

So anyway I took a different path to get to 30 reps, going with five sets of 6 reps with a 45 and 25 pounder on each side.  The smaller reps seemed to be offset by increased sets, my shirt was starting to soak through with sweat by the end.  I can already feel the better depth in my glute fatigue.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Smith machine squats – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 6, 185lbs x 6, 185lbs x 6, 185lbs x 6, 185lbs x 6

Seated leg extension – 110lbs x 12, 150lbs x 10

Standing calf raise – 250lbs x 10, 295lbs x 9

Seated leg curl – 115lbs x 10, 145lbs x 8

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