Gym regimen - November 2010

A2: Chest and Calves
(TUESDAY): 50+ mins
95kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: calisthenics, stretching, jump rope

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 12, 9, 8* @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg
[Spotter on last 3 reps of 3rd set. 90kg felt so light when I got into the 3rd set, I glanced at the bar to confirm it wasn't loaded incorrectly.]

Seated calf raises (alternating angles): 39, 39, 39 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline cable flye: 12, 10, 6 @ 27kg, 32kg, 36kg

Standing calf raise (alternating angles): 45, 39, 33 @ 30kg + bdw

Jump rope: 100+ skips

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye: 10, 8, 4 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg
[Brutal last set!]

Dumbbell pullover: 13, 10, 7 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg
[Also pretty brutal after the flyes!]

Jump rope: 110, 120, 150 skips
[Really had to focus to keep skipping.]

+ + +
I was very pleased with my gains on the bench. I think the arched lower back and flexed scapulae really made a difference. At the same time, the soreness in my right clavicle (AC joint?) has me leery of doing dips for a while--and no bowling for at least as long! The bench, as we all know, is my weakest area, and the only thing I would consider "a bad joint" in my body is my right shoulder. I don't know why, it's just always had a flirty kind of way with that subluxation feeling. I should probably also hold off on one-arm and upright rows this week. Meh, throw some sleep and NSAIDS on it.

Squats and Milk

20 Rep Squat Routine

Muscle Building Workout

---

One of the fastest ways to gain size and strength in the entire body is by following the squats and milk program. This is an old time routine that has been around for over 50 years, but it works awesome for fast gains. Even if you are a hard gainer.

The way it works is you train 3 days per week (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).

Each workout you will start with full squats. Do 2-3 easy warm up sets to get the blood flowing and to warm up your joints. Then take a moderate weight and do 1 set of 20 reps. For each rep take a couple big mouthfuls of air, hold your breath, squat down and up, and repeat. As you progress through the reps you will need to take more breaths in between reps. During reps 15-20 you may need to take 5 or more big mouthfuls of air in between reps. It takes me 3 minutes to complete 1 set all out set of 20 rep squats.

Right after the squats while you are still out of breath, grab a light barbell (i.e. 25 lbs.) and do pull overs while lying on a flat bench. Take a deep breath in between each rep and really feel the stretch in the rib cage as you do the exercise. Do 1 set of 20 rep pull overs with 25 lbs. Keep using 25 lbs. for the pull overs as this exercise is just for stretching the rib cage.

Barbell Pull Overs

Each workout add 5 lbs. to the squats and get all 20 reps. This is the key to making serious gains with the program. You have to make 5 lb. jumps in weight each workout. I just finished a squat routine like this and within 2 months I worked up from doing 20 rep squats with 225 lbs. to 20 reps with 315 lbs.

When doing this program you should do full squats. I personally squat down until the back of my legs touch my calfs. This will make the squats far more effective for muscle growth.

Full Squat

Another thing, do NOT wear a weight lifting belt while doing the 20 rep squats. By squatting with out a belt you will strengthen your lower back and it will be easier to take deep breaths while doing high rep squats.

Make no mistake about it this routine is brutally tough, those 20 rep squats will take every bit of energy that you have, but the gains are awesome. This routine will stimulate your entire body to grow from the stress of the squats. And the pull overs will help to stretch your rib cage and make your chest bigger.

After you finish the squats and pull overs do a circuit of:

Chin Ups

Dips

Decline Bench Sit Ups

Do a set of chin ups for as many reps as you can
Rest a minute
Do a set of dips for as many reps as you can
Rest a minute
Do a set of decline bench sit ups for as many reps as you can

Do this circuit 3 times and your workout is done.

Do this exact routine 3 days per week. Each time make sure to add 5 lbs. to the squats and try to pump out more reps with the chins, dips, and sit ups. This will work every major muscle group in your body and force you to grow like nothing else.

---

Tom Platz did high rep squatting as a regular part of his workout routine.
Not only did he have huge legs, but he was huge and thick all over.

---

As for your diet you need to eat as much food as you can and as often as you can. The program is called "squats and milk" because the old timers used to drink at least 1 gallon of milk every single day to help them gain weight with the program. Milk is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and calories.

A typical days eating for this program would look like this:

Breakfast
4 eggs
2 slices of toast
1 glass of milk

Snack
Bran Muffin
1 glass of milk

Lunch
Sandwich (i.e. meat, cheese, tuna fish, etc.)
piece of fruit
1 glass of milk

Snack
Granola bar
Slice of cheese
1 glass of milk

Supper
Meat (i.e. chicken, beef, pork, etc.)
Pasta, Rice, or Potatoes
Cup of veggies
1 glass of milk

Snack
2 slices of toast
1 glass of milk

*drink plenty of water throughout the day

If you like you can mix a scoop of protein powder in your milk for even more protein and calories.

This is just a sample eating plan, you can change it around to suit your own taste. But you get the idea of how much you should eat and how often in order to gain size and strength.

If you strictly follow the squats and milk program you will gain approx. 20 lbs. of muscular bodyweight in just 2 months.

LINK

Gym regimen - November 2010

A1: Quads and Biceps
(MONDAY): 50+ mins
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: Exercise bike, ski machine, stretching, jump rope, squats

CIRCUIT:

Leg extension: 12, 9, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

Squat: 12, 9, 7*, 20 @ 90kg, 110kg, 120kg, 40kg
[New PR. Spotter on the last 2 reps of 2rd set, especially the 7th rep––which he convinced me to do in the first place heheh!]

CIRCUIT:

Hyper-supinated dumbbell curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 16kg, 18kg, 20kg
[Hand off-center to accentuate inward supination.]

EZ barbell curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

CIRCUIT:

Walking lunges: 20, 20, 12 @ 15kg, 20kg, 25kg

High cable curls: 10, 8, 6 @ 27kg, 32kg, 36kg
[Felt much stronger on these.]

+ + +
I was reading about the legendary "super squat" regimen this afternoon––one set of 20 squats three times a week––and decided to give more pride of place to my squat. Hence, I saved the lunges for after my squats, so I could dig deeper on the squat. I felt very strong on my 2nd set and was pleased to see how strong I felt up to the 5th rep of the 3rd set. My quads very pumped this workout, and my biceps got a good run for their money too.

After the gym, I bought a carton of milk and some lactose digestive aids in order to commence a protein-loading campaign over the next few weeks. I've been on my 4-day routine for nearly two months now and am very pleased with my gains. I will give it another month, until the New Year, and then switch to the legendary "squats and milk" routine: M-W-F for a single 20-rep set of squats (driven by a 2.5kg gain per week) followed by a set of barbell pullovers and then a 3-set circuit of pullups, dips, and situps. And you're done. Just eat and sleep like a bull the rest of the week! I will do that routine for 8 weeks and then… I am of a mind to switch to Wendler's increasingly popular 5/3/1 system on a 4-day routine. As the hype seems credible, starting the 5/3/1 would be an indefinite commitment. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A4: Tris, Shoulders, Traps
FRIDAY: 50+ mins
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: Stretching, calisthenics, jump rope

CIRCUIT:

Standing barbell military press: 10, 10, 6* @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg
[6th rep of 3rd set was a body cheat into a negative.]

Rear-delt dumbbell flye: 10, 8, 6 @ 10kg, 14kg, 18kg
[High and tight!]

One-arm upright cable row: 10, 8, 6 @ 15kg, 20kg, 25kg
[These really work the core (and the traps to a small degree), as you twist a bit to allow the cable to go all the way up, elbow pointed high, like starting a lawn mower.]

Rear-delt cable extension: 13.5kg, 18.5kg, 23.5kg
[From a contracted "punch" position back to a rear extension, like prying the lid off a jar at chest level and then handing it backwards to someone.]

Elbows-out dumbbell extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

Cable pushdown: 25kg, 30kg, 32.5kg @ 12, 9, 6

Nautilus bench press: 15, 15, 20 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg
[I've decided to work my pecs twice a week, though only really bomb them on Tuesday.]

Jump rope: 150 skips, 150 skips

CIRCUIT:

Russian twists: 40, 50

Jump rope: 150 skips

+ + +
I went lighter tonight, since my right shoulder is a bit sore (from bowling last weekend!), but a higher rep count felt good: got me back to my natural inclinations as an athlete, and I loved focusing on good form.

My stalker seemed more chipper tonight, as I think we now have a decent amount of camaraderie as coworkers and I think he's adjusted to the fact that I'm training my body while he's training his. "150 is next week," he chirped as he mounted his scooter to leave. Right on, man!

Gym regimen - November 2010

A3: Back and Hamstrings
(THURSDAY): 70+ mins
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: exercise bike, ski machine, calisthenics, jump rope, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Leg curl: 12, 9, 6 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

Good mornings: 15, 12, 6 @ 30kg, 40kg, 50kg
[A new exercise for me, this time in lieu of the stiff-leg deadlift, since I was planning to go heavy on the deadlift. (See below!) I went light and tried to get used to the form. I think I kept my legs too straight. These felt like a combo of hypers and stiff-leg deads, so I like them as a warmup for the deaadlift. We'll see. Maybe some weeks I'll swap the deadlift out for the stiff-leg dead.]

Deadlift: 11, 8, 5, 5 @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg, 140kg
[That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I broke––or at least pressed right up against––my "deadlift stalker's" 140-kilogram glass ceiling, of which more below.]

Jump rope: 100–120 skips

CIRCUIT:

Pullups: 15, 12*, 10*
[* did a kip and negative for the last couple reps of the latter sets.]

Lever bench row: 10, 8, 6 @ 80kg, 92.5kg, 100kg

One-arm dumbbell row: 10, 8, 6 @ 26kg, 32kg, 36kg

"COOLDOWN":

Ab cable pulldown: 32, 30 @ 30kg, 35kg; 150 skips; Russian twists: 50, 50

+ + +
And now I feel a little guilty.

When I got to the gym tonight, my coworker/stalker was more taciturn than usual. He had quipped a couple days before at lunch that "150[kg] is next [on the deadlift]," but I had a feeling he had fallen short of that. His mien oozed with the fact that the night was not his. Where was his usual bravado? His usual puckish ribbing?

I broke the ice by saying the weekend is coming and then got into my warmup. I eventually made my way to the free weight area to see how long I'd have to "weight" (rimshot!) for deadlifts. He pointed and nodded at the bar. "How much?" I asked. "Eh, 140. But, you know, I'm finding the grip is holding me back." (Tip o' the hat to my prediction about exactly this problem for him.) After a few minutes I asked to use the bar and he said he was done.

Long story short, I got to 5 reps at 130kg and felt very good. So after a little time on the ski machine and jump roping, I headed back for a 4th set. 140kg felt very good, actually, and I know I could have done 150kg for a couple reps. Chalk is king! I left my stacked bar on the platform (I know, what a horrible gym monkey!) so I could get into my back circuit.

I saw him as he was leaving. He seemed dejected. He was slow putting his jacket on. He took a phone call and then muttered, "I'm done… in more ways than one." I assume he meant he is having ladyfriend trouble. He also mentioned today was his longest teaching day. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that somewhere in his "done" cowered a humble(r) consciousness that I had deadlifted his vaunted 140kg, and it was only a matter of time till I surpassed him. I also have a hunch his effort last week to leave me in the dust may have slightly injured his lower back. I know I shall paste a couple NSAID pads on my lower back when I sleep tonight! The bar was in plain sight from the parking area––I admit I left it there as a kind of line in the sand––and it is a major habit for gym monkeys to glance at and assess others' form and weight. Did he see my achievement? I don't know. But I do know he's discouraged by his problem with the grip (rimshot!).

Another thing I know: a couple months ago, when I was still a cub in his eyes, we discussed the issue of steroids. He said they work wonders but he's not into them. He added that they are great for old people. "You never have to get old," he said with an expert grimace. Well, the sad fact is, you always do get older and I suspect he was fed a bitter taste of his age and mortality tonight. This is why I refuse to treat weightlifting as a total way of life, as a sort of iron fountain of youth, as if a barbell were a divining rod for women. Deo volente, may the gym never be a shrine for me, but only a holding tank for the wee but genuine glory of the human body.

I John 5: [19] We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one. [20] And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. [21] Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

19. scimus quoniam ex Deo sumus et mundus totus in maligno positus est 20. et scimus quoniam Filius Dei venit et dedit nobis sensum ut cognoscamus verum Deum et simus in vero Filio eius hic est verus Deus et vita aeterna 21. filioli custodite vos a simulacris.

Why do I feel guilty? If I did "get to him" with my deadlift, then I feel like it's another case in which I made a friend and/or acquaintace "cry" in an athletic setting. In high school, a couple friends and I went out for wrestling. The coach paired me up with my friend Isaac, since we were comparably sized n00bs, but it didn't take long for me to, um, consistently pwn Isaac in sparring. He ended up leaving the team, later telling me he couldn't take the hostile edge of competition between us when we sparred. I understood but was also at a loss. I had no animus against him: I was simply doing what a wrestler does: grapple, wrench, pin, win.


Come time for states, I was good enough and light enough to challenge a senior for the 145lb (?) seed. I was a first-season sophomore just trying to stay fit between cross country and crew seasons, while my opponent was a six-season senior looking to cap his career with a state match. Alas, I defeated him (rather roundly) and thus usurped a senior wrestler's "last wish." It was awkward but, again, I had no qualms: if you can't handle the heat, get off the mat. With the coach's approval I competed at states… and got folded up like a lawn chair in a trash compactor on Halloween. (Halloween, you see, adds to the horror of it all.)

By the end of high school, I had a notorious reputation as a wrestler. At a regatta in my senior year, for instance, a sophomore, whom I considered a good friend, got wind of my alleged prowess and asked me to wrestle him. The regatta tents were on grass so we had plenty of safe space in which to spar. I kept waving him off, since I knew I would defeat him, but I didn't want to let my emotions get worked up enough to hurt him. That is much of the reason I was and am so competitive in wrestling: I want to "get the job done" (or get defeated) quickly enough that I don't take the battle personally and become emotionally invested in dominating an enemy rather than defeating an opponent (subtle but real difference, that).

In the end, I agreed to grapple and a crowd of sorts gathered to watch us. He put up a good fight and I got increasingly savage in order to end the charade and protect our friendship. Alas, I ended up dominating him so roughly that he folded and cursed me through his weeping. "We're just playing, man! Why did you have to be so violent." I of course felt like Lennie Small with a dead mouse on my hands. It took him a long time to forgive me and that day I got very upset about my seemingly uncontrollable rage. This is why Wolverine and the Hulk (i.e. Bruce Banner) have always been favorite superheros of mine: they possess much more power and lethality than an enemy realizes at first, and they are quick healers. And both have a disturbing patrimony of instinctual rage to manage.

In a similar vein, during my senior year of high school I and some friends took up racquetball a few times a week. I had played a lot of wall ball in my younger days so I had some pride invested in my racquetball skills. Not wholly unjustified pride, but certainly naive, since I was frequently bested by an otherwise unathletic, sloth-like friend in InterVarsity. One time I got so riled up and aggressive that he stopped playing, saying neither he nor I were having fun "when you're like that."

So, nearly eight years later, I find myself once more with the increasingly chilly feel of a dead mouse on my palm. I always say, "I'm training my body, not some other guy's," in order to keep the emphasis on personal growth rather than competitive arrogance. Even so, I have all the instincts of an athlete and I won't deny for an instant I have used my coworker's workouts as a kind of goad, or at least constructive model, for my own gains. I went for 120kg a couple weeks ago, and then 130kg last week, fully conscious that such lifts would level the field between me and my coworker. What I did not do, though, is rag on him about it. Not so subtle and not so small a difference, that.

And so, God willing, it shall come to pass that I will deadlift 150kg. Perhaps next week. Chalk is still king!

[Holy bleep! This is so funny I had to post it before I forget! The White Girls' Workout!]

Gym regimen - November 2010

A2: Chest and Calves (TUESDAY): 50+ mins
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: Exercise bike, calisthenics, stretching, jump rope

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 10, 8*, 8* @ 72.5kg, 80kg, 87.5kg
[Spotter on 2nd and 3rd set, but he really only did anything the last couple reps of the 3rd set. I guess my chest is getting stronger.]

Seated calf raises: 36, 36, 36 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline bench press: 9, 7, 6* @ 60kg, 70kg, 75kg
[Spotter on the 3rd set; he probably helped half the reps. Next week I'm going to move this incline bench to my tricep, shoulder, trap day (Friday).]

Jump rope: 100-150 skips

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye: 10, 8, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

Jump rope: 100-150 skips

Pullover: 15, 12, 9 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

+ + +
I'm pleased to say that "the deadlift stalker" whom I discussed in the previous post is now being so open about his goal to go heavy (i.e. surpass me) that it's actually less awkward. Lots of, "Yeah, man, that's good, that's the goal," from me. He is apparently single and raises something like seven dogs and five cats in a house in northern Taichung, so I guess he needs as much human validation as he can get when he's on the clock. interestingly, he conceded that the grip is the hardest part about the deadlift, which I have acknowledged here before. This is interesting because grip strength is a thing of time and patience. He doesn't use chalk or power straps so he's either going to keep risking a bicep injury (with an alternate grip) or he"s simply going to hit a ceiling that I will have to surpass in my own plodding way.

I'm at a crossroads of sorts with my chest training. I conceded to a new friend at the gym today that "I don't know how to train my chest." I want to go heavy to stimulate growth, but I also acknowledge my chest as my Achilles' heel. Yet, the gains I've made the past few weeks has me of a mind to shift into a heavier weight regimen on the bench. Perhaps 8, 6, 4 at, say, 75kg, 85kg, and 90kg next week, with a spotter.

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A1: Quads and Biceps (MONDAY): 50+ mins
CIRCUIT
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: Stretching, calisthenics, jump rope
[Hallelujah! My foot is well enough that I'm getting back into jump rope. I discovered last night that I can skip inside my room. w00t!]

CIRCUIT:

Leg extension: 14, 10, 8 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

Walking lunges: 16, 14, 12 @ 25kg, 30kg, 35kg

Squat: 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 90kg, 100kg, 110kg, 115kg

EZ barbell curl: 10, 8, 6** @ 35kg, 45kg, 55kg
[The 5th and 6th reps of the 3rd set were body cheats into negatives.]

Hammer-grip dumbbell curl: 10, 8, 6* @ 15kg, 19kg, 22kg
[I did these towards the midline, up along the torso, into a very high and tight flex.]

High cable curls: 10, 8, 8 @ 27.5kg, 32.5kg, 36.5kg
[High and tight! My goal is to "punch" my skull with both fists on each rep.]

CIRCUIT:

Ab cable pulldown: 36, 30, 24 @ 30kg, 35kg, 37.5kg

Plate curl: 6/6, 6/6, 6/6 @ 15kg, 20kg, 25kg

+ + +
A funny development… developed… last week. A friend of mine visited me at the gym Friday night and I mentioned I had done a PR on the deadlift (5x @ 130kg) the night before. I realized I had spoken too loudly, since my coworker overheard me. This guy obviously prides himself on his body––a regular full-body shaver, he is––and is startled to find I am catching up on him. He usually deadlifts up to 120kg for a few sets of 4–6 reps. Not puny by any means, but, with my natural leg and back strength, I am out for progressive gains on the deadlift. I've seen him do the same deadlift routine for at least two months. (He does a 2-on-2-off, upper-lower regimen, so we're at the gym on the same days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.) It seems I have put another fire under his arse. The first flames? Weeks ago, presumably because he saw me doing more than a few good pullups or heavy lat pulldowns, I don't know, I noticed he used a weight belt for his pullups, and for the first time in the months I've seen him there. The next day at work he even made a point of mentioning his decision to "add weight" to his pullups, "to go heavy again."

Well, last week, minutes after I spoke about my deadlift, I was doing cable pulldowns, when over walks my coworker––apparently, to grill me. Even as I'm doing my pulldowns!

"How much did you say you did on the deadlift?"

"130. [grunt]"

"130, eh? All the way down?"

"Yeah. [grunt] And not bouncing."

"All the way up?"

"Yeah, I flexed out. [grunt]"

"Hm, interesting."

The weekend came and went.

(Actually, I had a great weekend, very full: tutoring two of my favorite students in the morning, then a nap, a day hike, a haircut, a nice dinner, and a good time at a pub with old friends and a new acquaintance to round out Saturday; then on Sunday, a nice Mass, after which I recovered a missing book, had a nap, and went shopping, had dinner, went bowling, and saw a movie––interrupted by an earthquake heheh–– with a friend and a few new acquaintances… and then slept for a new week.)

Today at work he asked me again about my deadlift. Good grief, I thought. Don't blame me for waking you up to your own precious potential!

To add a little farce to the mix, when I got to the gym tonight and was heading into the changing room, he emerged from the toilet area, apparently all done, ready to go home.

"You finished early tonight, eh?" I asked

"Hey," he 'interjected', "140. Two sets of five. 140 kilos."

I looked askance as graciously as possible. "Good, man, that's good. Uhh… Later, I gotta change."

"Yeh," he nodded his nose, "cheerio." He's from South Africa.

I'm not complaining: competitive inspiration is good. I do however find his thinly veiled insecurity unseemly and I have every confidence that in the coming months I will surpass him on nearly every front. His keystone exercises are dips, calf raises, pullups, and the deadlift, so I will simply keep tunneling. He doesn't squat and I'm perfectly happy to "hibernate" a few months while my deadlift swells, slowly but surely. I've got the advantage of youth, combined with the fact that I have yet to plateau, whereas he's got years of experience on me and is that much closer to his plateau, or perhaps even just a dessicated shadow of it. "Slow and steady, etc."

My senior year in high school, I was bow in the varsity eight. We had won the year before and had high expectations for what was more than half of our boat's final season. At the first regatta, however, in Melbourne, FL, I believe, we got smoked: we came in dead last and looked awful. In the coach's hotel room that evening for the team meeting, a former rowing mate of our coach's, a college coach, debriefed us. We looked terrible, he said, weak, out of synch, and apparently out of our league. The other boats looked efficient, focused, and poised for a winning season. Yet––yet, he explained, therein lay our greatest potential. Our competitors were already so good that their margin for improvement was, well, marginal, whereas we had leagues of room to improve. I was not alone in finding this paradox extremely encouraging, and, by the end of the season, we were state champs. From rags to riches, and the like. So it is with my coworker: he's bigger than me and lifts heavier on some exercises, but he's got less potential, which is to say, less potency––less power (potentia). I relish my relative weakness, since I'm really only training against myself, training my own body. If, in the course of my body-building, I happen to spur others on, and then, in spurring, surpass them, so be it. One day, sooner than later sub specie aeternitatis, I'll be as dead as the hair I left behind at the barber shop this weekend. Might as well let the weak-minded fret and just tend to my own plot of land.

Patience, Humility, Confidence.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A4: Tris, Shoulders, Traps: 50 mins
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: Stretching, calisthenics

CIRCUIT:

Standing barbell military press: 10, 8, 6* @ 40kg, 47.5kg, 54kg
[6th rep of 3rd set was a body cheat into a negative.]

Upright barbell row: 10, 8, 6 @ 40kg, 47.5kg, 52kg

Rear-delt dumbbell flye: 10, 8, 8 @ 10kg, 14kg, 18kg
[Very high and tight form on these. Stronger.]

Elbows-out dumbbell extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg
[Good form on these. Stronger.]

Dips: 14, 12, 12*
[12th rep of 3rd set was a negative.]

Nautilus bench press: 12, 12, 12 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg
[I've decided to work my pecs twice a week, though only really bomb them on Tuesday.]

CIRCUIT:

Cable pulldown: 30, 30, 24 @ 30kg, 35kg, 37.5kg

Barbell shrug: 12, 9, 6 @ 95kg, 105kg, 115kg
[Gotta love chalk!]

+ + +

Gym regimen - November 2010

A3: Back and Hamstrings (THURSDAY): 60+ mins
CIRCUIT
93kg, BMI 27

Warmup: ski machine, stretching, calisthenics

Leg curl: 12, 9, 6 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

Stiff-leg deadlift: 12, 9, 6 @ 70kg, 80kg, 95kg

Deadlift: 12, 9, 5 @ 95kg, 110kg, 130kg

Pullups: 14, 14, 11*
[11th rep on 3rd set was a negative.]

Lever bench row: 10, 8, 6* @ 85kg, 100kg, 110kg
[6th rep of 3rd set was quasi-negative.]

One-arm dumbbell row: 12, 10, 8 @ 22kg, 32kg, 36kg

CIRCUIT:

Hypers: 12, 15, 18 @ 5kg + bdw
Abs: 24 crunches, 20 leg raises, 50 Russian twists

+ + +
Took me a bit longer this week since I did some chatting. Plus, I went for a new PR on the deadlift. Chalk is king! I tried for a 6th rep but I was done. A guy I've gotten to know at Central has me basically convinced to try creatine as a post-workout supplement and Jack3d as a pre-workout supp. A three-month trial period should suffice.

In realted news, since I've started taking glucoasmine a couple weeks ago, the pain in my forearms has reduced a great deal. Less soreness in general.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A2: Chest and Calves (TUESDAY): 50+ mins
94kg, BMI 27

Warmup: Exercise bike, calisthenics, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 10, 8, 7 @ 65kg, 75kg, 85kg
[This counts as "stronger than before"!]

Seated calf raises: 36, 36, 36 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline bench press: 10, 8, 5/2 @ 60kg, 67.5kg, 75kg/72.5kg
[Slightly wider grip.]

Standing calf raises: 30, 30, 30 @ 36kg + bdw, 44kg + bdw, 52kg + bdw

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye (per hand): 10, 7, 5 @ 18kg, 26kg, 26kg

Pullover: 15, 12, 9 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

NON-CIRCUIT:

Abs: Russian twists: 50, 50, 50

+++
I saw one of the bigger guys again today. I gather that he arrives about 4:30 PM and leaves around 8 PM. He does a lot of grunting, but I know I pull heavier than he does on back exercises, so I can only imagine he does lots and lots of exercises at mid-range weight to get his muscles as big as they are. For my part, I'm happy with a semi-max-effort, max-hormone-releasing session that lasts under an hour. It was nice not to get crushed today. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A1: Quads and Biceps (MONDAY): 50 mins
CIRCUIT
93kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: Exercise bike, stretching, lunges, squats

Leg extension: 12, 9, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

Walking lunges: 14, 12, 10 @ 30kg, 35kg, 40kg

Squat: 12, 9, 6, 4 @ 80kg, 95kg, 105kg, 110kg
[I made a point to go very deep on these, especially the first 3 sets. That, I think, plus going deep and long (and a little heavier) on the lunges, took something out of me for the squat. I really had to dig, which is good. Why should the squat be easy?]

Hammer barbell curl: 10, 8, 6* @ 35kg, 42.5kg, 55kg
[The 6th rep of the 3rd set was a body cheat into a negative.]

Incline dumbbell curl: 10, 8, 6* @ 14kg, 18kg, 22kg
[The 6th rep of 3rd set was a body-cheat into a negative.]

High cable curls [per cable]: 12, 8, 8/3 @ 22kg, 27kg, 32kg
[High and tight!]

Cooldown:

Abs: Cable pulldown: 36, 32, 28 @ 30kg, 35kg, 40kg

Plate curl: 6/6, 5/5/3/3, 6/6 @ 15kg, 20kg, 25kg
[These work the brachioradialis and train pinching strength well.]

+ + +
Something tells me I need to work in separate forearm training. Maybe on Saturday and Wednesday.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A3: Back and Hamstrings (THURSDAY): 55 mins
CIRCUIT
93kg, BMI 27

Warmup: ski machine, stretching, calisthenics

Leg curl: 12, 9, 6 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

Stiff-leg deadlift: 12, 9, 6 @ 65kg, 80kg, 95kg

Deadlift: 12, 9, 7 @ 90kg, 105kg, 120kg

Lat pulldown: 12, 9, 6 @ 80kg, 85kg, 90kg

Lever bench row: 10/4, 8/4, 6/4 @ 80kg, 95kg, 110kg

One-arm dumbbell row: 12, 10, 8 @ 26kg, 32kg, 36kg

Abs:
Cable bend-downs: 36, 30, 24 @ 30kg, 35kg, 40kg
Russian twists: 40, 34, 40

+ + +
New PR on the deadlift! Chalk is king! Long live chalk!

Yippee! Chalk day!

Happy to say my cynicism was overcome recently. I was expecting a tragicomic, protracted hunt for magnesium carbonate ("chalk"), but, wonder of wonders, I got a chalk ball today with ease at an outdoor shop not far from one of my schools. Ain't globalization grand!

Chalk is the famous white dust used by gymnasts, rock climbers and weight lifters. And now I've got it! From what I've been reading, chalking will add about 20kg to my deadlift right off the bat. A slippery grip has an inhibitory effect on the entire neuromuscular system, as the brain won't wholly "fire" if it senses what you're trying to lift might slip. I often have mildly sweaty palms even when I'm not working out, and my wristbands still let moisture onto my palms when I am working, a deficit I noticed very quickly with the deadlift.

I've held off on using the alternating grip, mainly because I believe––and my research bears this out––that a natural prone grip in both hands results in better grip strength and better overall muscular symmetry. I do have a pair of power straps but I am also reluctant to rely on them, since, again, you're only as strong as your weakest link, adn I think straps give the wrists too much of a break. As even semi-serious lifters like me know, your grip is a glass ceiling that must be broken again and again in order to train heavily. I'm also diffident about using the (Olympic) hook grip, since it seems more trouble than it's worth, for my goals. So, until I hit a genuine, respectable ceiling––say, lifting my goals for the Big Three*––I cannot foresee using straps when I would use chalk, and I foresee using chalk pretty much only on the deadlift, heavy lat pulldowns and pullups, shrugs, and perhaps the bench press.

I'll be sure to report my first experience with it tomorrow.

* My goals for the Big Three would be a bench at 1.5X bdw, a squat at 2X bdw, and a deadlift at 2.5X bdw. Those are 1RMs, so at some point I'll need to do a diagnostic lift. So far I've been doing multiple sets and reps, so I can only guesstimate my bdw/lift ratios. My bdw is currently 93kg give or take, and I feel confident saying I could do 105kg on the bench (~1.13X bdw), 125kg on the squat (~1.34X bdw), and 145kg (with straps!) on the deadlift (~1.56X bdw).

Gym regimen - November 2010

A2: Chest and Calves (TUESDAY): 50 mins
93kg, BMI 27

Warmup: calisthenics, stretching, tri extensions

NON-CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 10, 8*, 6* @ 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Spot on the 8th rep of the 2nd set and during the 3rd set.]

Incline bench press: 10, 8, 7* @ 65kg, 70kg, 75kg
[Spot on the last 2 reps of the 3rd set.]

Pec deck: 10, 8, 6 @ 55kg, 65kg, 75kg
[I think I still prefer "straight" supine flyes.]

CIRCUIT:

Standing calf raise (alternating angles): 36, 36, 36 @ 44kg + bdw., 52kg + bdw., 56kg + bdw.

Pullover: 16, 13, 10 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg
[These worked the hell out of my chest and tris!]

Tiptoe calf hold: 3X to exhaustion
[Stand on your tiptoes until your calves give out. Vary angles between fatigue breaks.]

CIRCUIT: Abs:

Alternating cable pulldowns: 18/12, 20/10 @ 35kg, 40kg
Russian twists: 40, 50

+ + +

Gym regimen - November 2010

A1: Quads and Biceps (MONDAY): 50 mins
CIRCUIT
93kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: Calisthenics, stretching, lunges, leg extensions

Leg extension: 12, 10, 8 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

Walking lunges: 16, 14, 12 @ 20kg, 25kg, 30kg

Squat: 12, 9, 6 @ 85kg, 95kg, 110kg

Hammer barbell curl: 10, 8, 6* @ 35kg, 42.5kg, 50kg

Incline dumbbell curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 14kg, 18kg, 22kg
[6th rep of 3rd set was a body-cheat into a negative.]

High cable curls: 10, 8, 3/3 @ 27kg, 32kg, 32kg/36kg

Cooldown:
Plate curl: 6/6, 5/5, 4/4 @ 15kg, 20kg, 25kg
[Hands at "9 and 3 o'clock" for half the set, then at "12 o'clock" for second half.]

+++
I was pressed for time and I'm kind of taking this week easy, so I didn't go "all out". Felt much stronger on the squat. High cable curls are a new exercise for me––I learned them from watching a clip of Karl Ruhl––, so I still need to tweak the form to my liking. Felt a strange stiffness in my upper thigh while stretching between sets. I've started taking glucosamine twice a day, which should help with my forearms and other general "kinks." Need to shower and SLEEP!

Stay tuned, gentle non-existent readers.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A4: Tris, Shoulders, Traps: 45 mins
92kg, BMI 26.5

Warmup: Stretching, extensions, presses, etc.

Military press (barbell, standing): 10, 8, 6 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

Upright row (barbell): 10, 8, 6 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

Kowtow rear-delt flye (per hand): 10, 8, 8 @ 10kg, 14kg, 18kg

Elbows-out extension (per hand): 10, 8, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

Standing French press (EZ barbell): 10, 8, 6* @ 25kg, 35kg, 40kg
[5th rep of the 3rd set was a body-cheat on the way up and the 6th rep was a negative.]

Cable pulldown: 10, 8, 6 @ 25kg, 30kg, 35kg

Shrugs (barbell): 12, 9, 6 @ 90kg, 100kg, 110kg

+ + +
This was a funny workout. Although I had already said I would forgo A4 this week, since my Saturday seemed too busy, by the time dinner was over with my friends, I "couldn't take it anymore," and excused myself: "I'll be back in about an hour. I'm 'itchy'." They were cool with it. So I got to the gym, rolled up my cargo pants, took off my shirt and worked out in my wife beater. Hoorah! I went a little light this time but did the sets more quickly, so it was a good pump by the end. I just couldn't stand not working my tris and delts, especially seeing as I won't be able to do A4 next Friday (due to the conference in Taipei).

Gym regimen - November 2010

A3: Back and Hamstrings (THURSDAY): 50 mins
Circuit
93kg, BMI 27

Warmup: ski machine, stretching, calisthenics

Leg curl: 14, 11, 8 @ 40kg, 45kg, 50kg

Stiff-leg deadlift: 12, 9, 6 @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg

Deadlift: 12, 9, 6, 12 @ 90kg, 100kg, 110kg, 70kg

Lat pulldown: 15, 12, 9 @ 75kg, 85kg, 90kg

Lever bench row: 10/4, 8/4, 6/4 @ 80kg, 90kg, 100kg

One-arm dumbbell row: 14, 11, 8 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg

Abs: Cable bend-downs: 40, 36, 30 @ 30kg, 35kg, 40kg

+ + +
Tired, tired, tired. It was probably a combination of how hard I worked my back last week and the fact that I haven't gotten enough sleep each night for a few days, but this workout was another "mental workout." Just had to slog through, rep by rep, kilo by kilo. Granted, I'm not lifting light weight to begin with, but it's definitely time for a weekend "recharge."

I was once again struck by how lame many guys' form is: half-reps, even quarter reps. It's as unseemly to me as people half-chewing and then slurping down their food is to others. I've got a very busy Friday (today) ahead of me, so I'll have to do my tricep/shoulder/trap workout on Saturday. Then, next Friday I'm attending (and presenting at) an educational conference in Taipei so I'll have Friday and the weekend off.

Hoorah.

[UPDATE:

Scratch the Saturday (today) workout. I got a sudden case of gastritis Friday, saw a doc, left work early and slept about 11 hours last night. "Rest, and the rest shall take care of itself." Plus, I've got some tutoring and social commitments today. Riveting stuff, I know.]

Gym regimen - November 2010

A2: Chest and Calves (TUESDAY): 50 mins
Non-circuit
92kg, BMI 26.5

Warmup: calisthenics, stretching, tri extensions

NON-CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 10, 8, 5 @ 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Still couldn't manage the last 6-rep set without a partial crushing, but I felt very solid on all these. Getting there.]

Incline bench press: 10, 8, 6 @ 65kg, 70kg, 75kg

Incline/Prone cable flye: 10, 8, 6 @ 18kg, 27kg, 32kg

CIRCUIT:

Pullover: 20, 15, 12 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

Seated calf raise (alternating angles): 15/15/15, 12/12/12 @ 60kg, 50kg
Standing calf raise (alternating angles): 12/12/12 @ 36kg + bdw.
[bdw. means bodyweight!]

Ski machine: 3 min, 3 min, 2 min
[My left foot is feeling better every week.]

Cooldown:
Cable pulldowns (for abs): 36, 36, 30 @ 30kg, 35kg, 40kg

+ + +
While dressing after my workout today, I was pondering once more why so few guys do the squat. A "hardcore BB voice" in my head said, "So, so-and-so doesn't do the squat? F--- him!" And it dawned on me that perhaps some of my love for weightlifting is based on my broader love for athletics, which in turn makes me appreciate the reality of "rites of passage" in human experience. Meaning: while I could stick to Nautilus machines and Hammer Strength machines, and still get very strong and big, I realize there is something elemental in putting myself through The Squat, The Bench, and The Deadlift. Granted, perhaps, the 'ultimate' goal of BB is to look good, win competitions, etc., yet I choose to focus on the nobler goals of absorbing and respecting a tradition of athletics on its own merits. I weightlift in order to be privileged, so to speak, to do The Big Three, not simply to "stay fit," or "get stronger." The Big Three are rites of passage into the discipline and humility which pervade BB. Hence, for me not to do The Big Three (barring injuries) is not to do BB, but, rather, simply to go to a gym like so many others. I have chosen to do The Big Three not simply because "they work," bur rather because they are of the essence of the sport I am pursuing. So if a guy is bigger than but doesn't do The Big Three, that's fine. My inner BB-voice might still say, "Eff 'im," though.

Gym regimen - November 2010

A1: Quads and Biceps (MONDAY): 50 mins
92kg, BMI 26.5

Warmup: Ski machine, stretching, lunges, leg extensions

Leg extension: 15, 12, 9 @ 40kg, 50kg, 55kg

Walking lunges: 16, 12, 12 @ 15kg, 20kg, 25kg
[These are nice because they are isolateral. I just held a plate on my torso and did lunges across the room and back.]

Squat: 12, 9, 7, 10 @ 85kg, 95kg, 105kg, 70kg
[Was feeling a bit fatigued after my cold this weekend and need to break back into things after three days off. Good form tonight. Technically heavier than last workout, set by set. I'll go for 100kg maybe next week.]

EZ Barbell curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 45kg, 50kg

Incline dumbbell curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 14kg, 18kg, 20kg
[Felt stronger on these than last week. Good pump!]

Hammer barbell curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Cooldown:
Plate curl: 15, 15 @ 15kg, 20kg
[Hands at "9 and 3 o'clock" for 5 reps, then at "10 and 2 o'clock" for 5 reps, and finally at "12 o'clock" for 5 reps.]

+++
I mentioned to a friend of mine last week that in the four months that I've been at Central Power, I have a recollection of seeing maybe only three other guys do squats. Not tooting my own horn, but it seems increasingly clear to me that the squat is a line in the sand––and most people are happy to stay on "that side" of it. I actually didn't dread the squat tonight. I relished the anticipation! I think going heavier on the leg extensions and trying lunges for the first to "pre-exhaust" my quads did take something out of me for the squat. Then again, 110kg last week was very ambitious and I am happy with small but steady incremental gains.

Biceps felt good. My long heads felt ready to snap off on H-bar curls tonight!

Getting there, folks, getting there. Stay tuned.