Happy New 2011!

Just got back from my travels and will be looking for a gym soon. Didn't do too much in the meantime, but didn't stop training either. My program was far from regular but generally it went something like this:

Day 1 - Cable training, pull
Day 2 - Cable training, push
Day 3 - Several pushup, squat and abdominal variations for a lot of sets
Repeat

Managed to keep the bodyweight down despite heavy eating and drinking (or at least managed not to gain too much), muscle tone is still okay. Will probably hit the gym tomorrow to see how the strength levels are holding up. I'm planning to restart the 5/3/1 program as soon as possible, using the numbers I managed to hit in the last two weeks of training as my maxes. Will see how that goes.

5/3/1 Program - Week 54, Day 2

6 October 2010

Back squat:

Warmup 4 sets (takes me a while to get going at this weight)
142.5 kgs (314 lbs) x 3
162.5 kgs (358 lbs) x 3
182.5 kgs (402 lbs) x 6 reps (solid)

Pullups 2 sets x 5

Dips 2 sets x 10

Good mornings:

50 kgs (110 lbs) x 7
80 kgs (176 lbs) x 5
100 kgs (220 lbs) x 4
120 kgs (264 lbs) x 3

EZ bar bicep curls - went from 40 kgs (88 lbs) to 70 kgs (154 lbs) for in a few sets, 5 reps per set at first, then gradually dropped down to triples.

Also messed around with some dumbbell clean&presses. Did a quick warmup with 32.5 kgs (71 lbs), then straight on to 42.5 kgs (93 lbs). To my surprise the right-arm press was very slow and I barely made it (even had to kick a bit with the legs), but my weaker left arm shot the weight up like it wasn't even there in military style.

Overall, not a bad workout. My lower back is really feeling the constant squatting/deadlifting/power cleaning strain, though, I might have to re-organize things a bit because I'm not recovering well enough at this point.

5/3/1 Program - Week 54, Day 1

4 October 2010

Bench press:

Warmup 2 sets
225 lbs x 3
260 lbs x 3
290 lbs x 7 reps (didn't feel tough at all... if only I could have more days like this)

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
285 lbs x 3
325 lbs x 3
365 lbs x 10 reps (deads felt kinda off)

Weighted/unweighted ab work on incline situp board x 4 sets

Pullups 4 sets x 5

Close-grip bench press:

135 lbs x 3
205 lbs x 2
225 lbs x 2
245 lbs x 2
255 lbs x 2
275 lbs x 2
295 lbs x 1 (a PR of sorts)

Aerobic Isometrics

30 July 2010

Aerobic isometrics have been around for a while, but were little known to the public until Ironmind published Steve Justa's excellent book Rock, Iron, Steel. In a twist of the classic functional isometric contraction theory, where one exerts a brief 100% effort against an immovable object for 6-7 seconds, the contraction is longer but at a suitably lower intensity (30-40% is suggested).

I decided to use my long TNT cables for this. It is pretty much impossible to gauge the intensity of the contraction over such a long period of time, so the cables keep me honest - I stretch them to the desired position and hold them there for as long as possible. This is important: after 20-25 seconds the effort seems closer to 60%, and toward the end of the set my muscles are shaking badly and the handles are almost impossible to hold in position.

Some exercises were tough to set up with cables, so I reverted to the Universal Strength Apparatus sold by bodyweightculture.com - the best suspension device on the market, also doubles handily as a portable isometric power rack.

I used light cable resistance and aimed for one minute - long contractions. Made it on most sets, had to cut it short on a few of them. Some exercises I used were:

Bicep curl 3 positions
Tricep exercises - pushdowns, overhead extensions
Horizontal row 2 positions
Chest press 2 positions
Bent-over row 1 position
Straight arm pulldown to sides 2 positions

Some exercises used with the USA:

Deadlift
Bent press
Lateral raise

A few sets of one-minute wall sits

Etc., etc.

This is decent low-intensity work, burns like hell while you're doing it but doesn't strain the joints.It also feels like I could do it a few times a week without interfering with my other training.

R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio (10 July 1942 - 16 May 2010)

On May 16 Ronald James Padavona, who achieved world-wide fame under the name Ronnie James Dio, lost a six-month long battle with stomach cancer.

He will be remembered first and foremost as the vocal power of one of the most influential metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath, where he replaced another heavy metal icon, Ozzy Osbourne. Dio will later quit Sabbath and go on to form the band Dio with drummer Vinny Appice. At the time of his death he was also heavily involved in another project, Heaven and Hell, together with several former Sabbath musicians.

A heavy metal icon, Dio will be remembered for his extraordinary vocal performances, lyrics, and the "devil's horns" gesture which he popularized and turned into a symbol worshipped by metalheads across the globe. One of my favorite heavy metal vocalists of all time, he leaves behind a legacy of great albums and live performances from the golden era of heavy metal and beyond. A true legend. R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio.

5/3/1 Program - Week 35, Day 2

28 April 2010

Clean&press:

Warmup 2 sets
150 lbs x 5
170 lbs x 5
190 lbs x 9 (satisfied)

Right shoulder has been tweaked for a while, I don't think the benching and overhead pressing is helping things but it's not bad enough for me to stop. Yet.

I also think I am getting close to my limit in the C&P. This cycle will end at 215 lbs., which I hope to get, then the next target is 220. This is a considerable increase over my all-time best (especially done for reps) and I might have to back-track within the next cycle or two. We shall see.

Later in the day:

Back press GYG x 10 reps (another big PR, knocking on the door of the triple greens)

One-arm overhead press YGY x 10 reps each arm

Archer pull OOO x 5, ORO x 5

5/3/1 Program - Week 35, Day 1

26 April 2010

Bench press:

Warmup 1 set
215 lbs x 5
245 lbs x 5
270 lbs x 8 reps (mediocre effort)

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
270 lbs x 5
300 lbs x 5
335 lbs x 12 reps (nice effort here)

Dips:

BW x 10
+45 lbs x 8
+70 lbs x 6
+90 lbs x 4

All I had time for today.