Surprisingly solid

May02
by Duf on May 2, 2016 at 5:24 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

Decline-Bench-Press[1]I had a weekend that was filled with a lot of home labor, enough that I didn’t even feel up to running or riding yesterday.  I didn’t have very high goals going into chest day at the gym.  I was surprised that I actually felt relatively strong, getting 4 reps with 95 pound dumbbell chest press and a smooth and controlled rep at 225 on the decline bench at the very end of the workout. I felt like I could have gone higher if I had more time.

More than likely it is just part of the monthly strength variations my body seems to go through but it was a good day for the high end to kick in.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Dumbbell chest press – 50lbs x 12, 65lbs x 10, 80lbs x 10, 90lbs x 6, 95lbs x 4

Dumbbell pull over – 50lbs x 12, 60lbs x 10, 70lbs x 10, 80lbs x 8

Decline barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 205lbs x 3, 215lbs x 1, 225lbs x 1

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The fatigued way

Apr29
by Duf on April 29, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Ray's Way

12390958_10154185574517841_3999155800199921096_nFriday is normally core day but I thought I would switch things up a bit, partly because it’s always good to switch things up and second, my lower body is still killing me from Tuesday’s squats.  I came up with doing a pre-fatgiued Ray’s Way circuit.

I started off with a set of 50 push ups which is only about 10-15 off my max for one set.  I then jumped into the circuit using conservative rep numbers since I was winded already and I hadn’t done any circuit work in months.  It felt good to cycle through the core bodyweight movements with limited rest. On my 5th and final circuit I upped the rep totals slightly just to see if I could.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

50 push ups

10 dips

8 pull ups

20 push ups

10 dips

8 pull ups

20 push ups

10 dips

8 pull ups

20 push ups

10 dips

8 pull ups

20 push ups

12 dips

10 pull ups

25 push ups

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Pulling heavy

Apr28
by Duf on April 28, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Lifting Heavy Things

7828_0[1]Today I worked poor man’s t-bar rows into shoulder/back day.  They don’t have an actual t-bar so an olympic bar with a close grip cable machine handle works good enough.   With my legs still killing me from all those squats it was not the easiest position to hold. I finished up with four plates which I could only pull for three ugly reps.  Sometimes even if the reps are ugly, just forcing your body to deal with large amounts of weight has benefits down the road.

 

 

 

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Seated dumbbell shoulder press – 40lbs x 12

T-bar row – 135lbs x 10

Seated dumbbell shoulder press – 55lbs x 10

T-bar row – 180lbs x 8

Seated dumbbell shoulder press – 65lbs x 5

T-bar row – 205lbs x 5

Seated dumbbell shoulder press – 70lbs x 2

T-bar row – 225lbs x 3

Seated lateral dumbbell raise – 20lbs x 12

Static pull up hold x 45 sec

Seated lateral dumbbell raise – 25lbs x 8

Static pull up hold x 45 sec

Seated lateral dumbbell raise – 30lbs x 4

Static pull up hold x 45 sec

Static wall hand stand hold wide hand position – 60 sec

 

 

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B&T

Apr27
by Duf on April 27, 2016 at 5:45 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Injuries, Old Age

Nothing all that exciting to report from bicep and tricep day other than I got things started with a set of 20 pull ups.  My strength felt decent but my lower body is killing me from my PB squat totals from yesterday.  I expect I will be even more sore tomorrow thanks to old man second day soreness syndrome.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

20 pull ups

Seated dumbbell alternating bicep curls – 25lbs x 10

Seated dumbbell overhead tricep extension – 50lbs x 10

Seated dumbbell alternating bicep curls – 40lbs x 10

Seated dumbbell overhead tricep extension – 65lbs x 10

Seated dumbbell alternating bicep curls – 50lbs x 4

Seated dumbbell overhead tricep extension – 80lbs x 5

Standing straight bar cable curl – 100lbs x 10

Standing straight bar tricep press down – 100lbs x 10

Standing straight bar cable curl – 120lbs x 6

Standing straight bar tricep press down – 120lbs x 6

 

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Earned the pain

Apr26
by Duf on April 26, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Injuries, Lifting Heavy Things

maxresdefault[1]Today I did squats with another gym buddy I talk to pretty regularly.  He is about my height and a couple years younger but probably somewhere around 40 pounds heavier.  He played tight end in college and used to be VERY strong.  His years of playing football left him with various joint issues now but he still has good form in every lift he does, albeit with lighter amounts of weight.

I wound up squatting more reps at 185 pounds than I ever recall doing in my life, a total of 30.  I followed up with some deadlifting that left me walking out with a sore lower back but a sense of accomplishment.  We will see how accomplished I feel the next few days when the old man soreness rolls in.

I was able to get some tips along the way since my buddy has a similar body, at least in height and has had considerably more experience doing power moves.  I have a real hard time not getting some forward lean in my squats as I fatigue deeper into the sets.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio stretching

Barbell squat – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 6

Barbell deadlift – 225lbs x 10, 315lbs x 3, 345lbs x 0, 335lbs x 1

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