Another 100, better with a belt

Feb24
by Duf on February 24, 2016 at 6:40 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Lifting Heavy Things

hqdefault[1]100 pounds is a significant number for me in several different exercises. 100 pound dumbbell rows and dumbbell chest press are two milestones I recently reached again after a lengthy hiatus.  Today another 100 pound exercise was added to the list when I squeezed out one 100 pound weighted dip, something that I don’t think I managed for at least the past 2 years. It was a clean all the way down and all the way up rep.

I actually planned ahead to do weighted dips so I brought my weight belt which allows me to strap weight plates around my waist instead of the awkward suspension of a dumbbell between the knees as I had been doing.  Not only does the belt prevent brush burns on my inner thighs it also allows me to climb into the starting position with heavy weight instead of having to awkwardly jump into it.

My tricep work consisted of nothing but dips, mostly the weighted variety.  Sometimes it is good to hammer the shit out of a muscle group with low rep high overload movements. (just ask IronLoo) I did the most sets with 90lbs hanging off my waist, 2 reps at a time.

For some reason the gym found it unnecessary to have the ac running today.  The 75 degree air temperature felt very uncomfortable due to the near 100% humidity in the air.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Seated alternating dumbbell curls – 25lbs x 10

Bodyweight dips x 20

Seated alternating dumbbell curls – 40lbs x 8

Bodyweight dips + 45lbs x 8

Seated alternating dumbbell curls – 50lbs x 5

Bodyweight dips + 70lbs x 5

Concentration dumbbell curls – 35lbs x 10

Bodyweight dips + 90lbs x 2

Concentration dumbbell curls – 45lbs x 8

Bodyweight dips + 100lbs x 1

Concentration dumbbell curls – 55lbs x 3

Bodyweight dips + 90lbs x 2

Standing cable hammer curls – 40lbs x 10 (each arm)

Bodyweight dips + 90lbs x 2

Bodyweight dips x 20

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Mr Unsolicited, Hack after heavy = fail

Feb23
by Duf on February 23, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

How-To-Do-Machine-Hack-Squat[1]Awhile ago I relayed a story about one of the trainers at the gym, an older guy giving me unsolicited advice regarding bench press.  His suggestion was I never touch the chest with the weight. His recommendation was to stop a good half foot before the bar would reach your chest.  I thanked him for his suggestion and then immediately disregarded it, benching as I always do, with full ROM.  He has not offered me any more advice since, thankfully.

Well today he was spraying his unsolicited advice all over the gym.  I saw him offer tips to no less than three gym goers, all of which did not ask for them.  Now I understand he thinks he is being helpful by spreading his years of fitness wisdom to those that don’t ask for it.  I guess I am surprised that in all that time he never learned that when it comes to exercise tips, it’s best to offer advice only when asked for it.

Today I did heavy leg press and then slid into the hack squat, a piece of equipment I have not utilized in years ( a common theme recently)  I found that prefatiguing with the heavy squat press made hack squatting very challenging.  On my last set with two big plates on either side I sunk to the floor on rep 4 when my quads refused to press back up the weight from a particularly deep rep.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Cybex squat press – 225lbs x 10, 315lbs x 10, 405lbs x 10, 495lbs x 8, 585lbs x 3, 635lbs x 2

Hack squat – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 8, 225lbs x 4

Seated leg extension – 115lbs x 10, 145lbs x 10

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

Standing one leg calf raise – 15 reps (both legs)

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Spotted

Feb22
by Duf on February 22, 2016 at 6:22 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

Bueno-Benching-High-Res[1]For the first time in quite awhile my buddy was there for bench press day.  He is coming off a nearly week long illness so he didn’t feel great but at least he showed up.  Having a spotter there helped me somewhat as I pushed to get a third rep at 225.   Besides the lift support, just having someone to shoot the shit with helps make the workout more enjoyable regardless.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 225lbs x 1, 235lbs x 1, 225lbs x 3, 205lbs x 5, 185lbs x 9, 135lbs x 10 (dead stops), 135lbs x 15

Bench dumbbell pullovers – 60lbs x 10, 70lbs x 10, 80lbs x 8

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8 from great, not hard “core”

Feb19
by Duf on February 19, 2016 at 6:26 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts, Injuries

Screen-shot-2011-02-15-at-11.36.53-PM[1]I started off my workout today as I have been starting off my Friday workouts for a couple months, with a 1 set max attempt at push ups.  Each week I have been trying to add one measly rep to my total.  It is getting increasingly grueling to keep up the +1 routine.  Today I once again established a second all time best in reps, cranking out 67 reps, one more than last week.  I am ONLY 8 reps away from my all time best of 75 but those 8 reps are going to be very, very painful and require a couple months more work.

All week I have been having lower back pain related to the 5 hours of shed pressure washing I did on Monday.  As a result I kept my core work today on the less extreme side, leaving movements like dragon flags and ab wheel roll outs off the menu.  Both of those moments put a lot of stress in an area I do not need right now.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

67 push ups

Hanging knee raises x 20

Standing dowel trunk rotations x 20

Hanging knee raises x 20

Standing dowel trunk rotations x 20

Hanging knee raises x 20

Standing dowel trunk rotations x 20

Cybex seated weighted ab crunch – 100lbs x 10

Cybex seated rotary oblique – 90lbs x 10

Cybex seated weighted ab crunch – 115lbs x 8

Cybex seated rotary oblique – 110lbs x 8

Cybex seated weighted ab crunch – 130lbs x 6

Cybex seated rotary oblique – 130lbs x 6

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All on one

Feb18
by Duf on February 18, 2016 at 7:31 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

imagesToday for my shoulder/back workout I incorporated some static one arm wall handstands into the routine, something I had not attempted in quite awhile.  In the past when I have tried this move after being away from it for awhile I struggle mightily and can only hold it one handed for a few seconds, if at all.  Today I did 3 sets on each arm with a hold ranging between 20-30 seconds which was surprising.

Part of this hold is technique as you really need to be able to lock your arm/shoulder in position.  However there is obviously strength involved as well when supporting all of your bodyweight on a single arm/hand.  I attribute my success to my recent good numbers doing conventional weighted shoulder movements.  It seems to have translated into non-weighted movements.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Wall handstand x 60 sec

Lat pull down – 100lbs x 10

One arm wall handstand x 30 sec (each hand)

Lat pull down – 120lbs x 10

One arm wall handstand x 30 sec (each hand)

Lat pull down – 140lbs x 8

One arm wall handstand x 30 sec (each hand)

Lat pull down – 160lbs x 5

Cybex seated shoulder press – 100lbs x 10

Cybex rear delt  – 70lbs x 12

Cybex seated shoulder press – 130lbs x 8

Cybex rear delt – 85lbs x 10

Cybex seated shoulder press – 150lbs x 6

Cybex rear delt – 100lbs x 10

 

 

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