Three-day split rebuild notes...

Friday, 28 November 2014
Three-Day Ahnohld Split 
65 min. 

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.
[Felt what I think is an "adhesion" in my right thigh, so I spent a good 10-15 minutes warming up. It feels like the same spot that "poped open" back in June, so I'm being cautious. Will need to do some foam rolling.]

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 245, 265, 285 lbs.
[I feel very confident that I will put up 305 this coming Monday.]

leg curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 90, 100, 110, 80

calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180

db BP: 10, 8, 7, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65

PU (supinated): 12, 9, 8/1
[Penultimate rep needed body English and the last rep was a negative.]

unilateral db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50
[I'm content sticking with the same poundage until I can 'crush' the final set and legitimately advance. Double progression. Unilateral lifts are great, and sorely neglected.]

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 60, 70, 80, 50
[Same as with the MP.]

EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 8 @ 60, 70, 80

+ + +

I have yet to invest in a "big tub of powdered protein" but I will do so soon. I may also get some creatine again, but for now my "supplements" are a gallon water a day, lots of greens, B-complex, fish oil, acai, and vitamin C.

Three-day split update...

Three-Day Ahnohld Split
26 November 2014
60 min.

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 205, 225, 255, 275 lbs.
[Going for 300 lbs by December.]

leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 90, 100, 110 lbs.

seated calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180 lbs.

db BP: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65 lbs.
[Yeah, I have never like the barbell BP. Dumbbells for the win.]

PU (supinated): 10, 7, 7, 6 @ bdw

db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50 lbs.

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.
[Slow and tight. I will not raise the weigh until I can 'crush' 80 lbs.]

skull crusher: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.

Three-day split rebuilding notes...

Monday, 24 November 2014 
Three-Day Ahnohld Split 
75 min. 

[You'll notice that I added a few more sets in most exercises. I think I will stick to the original, lighter scheme on Wednesday, lest I overtrain. But then again....]

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6, 8 @ 185, 205, 225, 245, 215 lbs.

seated leg curls: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 70, 90, 110, 80 lbs.

standing calf raises: 10, 10, 10, 10 @ 80 lbs.

BP: 10, 8, 6, 8 @ 185, 195, 205, 185 lbs.

PU (supinated): 12, 8, 6, 3/1
[Had to make the final rep a negative. Chinup grip is really hard on my hand bones, but I think it might actually give a better stretch to my lats. Work dem bi's!]

db MP: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 40, 45, 50, 40 lbs.

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.

skull crushers: 10, 8, 5/1 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.
[I failed on the final rep so I did a press up and a negative.]

Three-Day Split - progress and prayer

Friday, 21 November 2014 
Three-Day Ahnohld Split 
75 min. 
(because of a few extra sets and some conversations)

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 175, 195, 215, 235 lbs.
[These felt great and I think I will be back up to 300 lbs. by December. Indeed, if there's one thing I don't like about my current "restoration" routine is that it needs MOAR SQUAT. So I tossed in an extra set for good measure.]

leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 70, 80, 90 lbs. (?)
[My technique was better on these, less rushed, and all the way heels-to-butt.]

standing calf raise: 15, 15, 15, 15 @ 60 lbs.
[I did four sets of trampoline bounces and 10 ab wheel rolls last night. The trampoline is a WONDERFUL recovery device. My calves finally don't feel destroyed. Gotta keep stretching them.]

BP: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 175, 185, 195, 205 lbs.
[Used a narrower grip, inside the inner knurling gap. Felt good. Still my weakest lift, though.]

PU: 11, 10, 4, 4 1 @ bdw
[I alternated between a supinated and pronated grip. Ellington Darden says that a not-wide, supinated grip is actually more effective than the commonly seen wide, pronated grip. I can grasp why, kinesiologically, but I will be curious to see how supinated "chinups" enhance my lats. If nothing else, it's nice to have another way to work my stubborn biceps.]

db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50 lbs.

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.
[Slow and tight form.]

db tricep extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.

+ + + 

As I was leaving I made the acquaintance a Big Dude. Turns out he is a Reformed pastor and we had a good little conversation about how I had gone from being a Presbyterian to a Catholic. I am hoping to keep in touch with him (and convert him, of course). ;)

Tonight was the first night I felt some of my "old power" returning. Imagine my strength and confidence back in May as a gas burner with all the flukes burning. Now you can imagine my return to weightlifting as the click of the pilot light and these first efforts as the gradual ignition of one fluke after another.

How the mighty have fallen -- and yet live to rise again...

After Workout 1 of Operation Get Back Into Serious Weightlifting the members most stricken were my biceps and my calves. Oh my calves! I didn't do anything on Tuesday. I attempted to stretch my calves but got scared off. Today I went a little heavier than Monday's workout on just a few exercises.

[NB: My comma key on my keyboard is broke and I do not want to press CTRL+V over and over so I'm using slashes instead.]

Ahnohld Three-Day Split 
Monday - 19 November 2014 
60 min. 

For a warm-up I did two sets of the following exercises at pretty low weight. Just to stretch and get the blood flowing. 

BP: 10/8/6/6/6 @ 155/165/185/195/205 lbs.

db MP: 10/8/6 @ 35/45/50 lbs.

PU: 12/8/6/4 @ bdw

db tricep extension: 10/8/6 @ 25/35/40*
[On the last set I used a single 80-lb db and summoned not a little Body English.]

EZ bar standing curl: 10/8/6 @ 60/70/80 lbs.
[Only used a smidgen of body English on the last set. These are great.]

SQ: 10/8/6 @ 170/190/205 lbs.

leg curl: 10/8/6 @ 60/70/80 lbs. (??)
[These were a great way to stretch out my poor lil' calves.]

calf raise: 10 x 5 @ 60 lbs.
[Sinking into the bottom for a real stretch was like putting my hand in The Pain Box. Essential but brutal.]

crunches: 50
[I cycled through having my hands on the outside of my legs; having my left hand in between them; and then having my right hand in between.]

+ + +

I have also decided to make at least one "off day" a traps/ neck/ and elliptical workout.

Back under the bar, amen!

For the past 5-6 months, I have trained exclusively at home mostly with boxing, sledge hammers, tires, kettlebells, Olympic rings/suspension trainers, and running. I have records for some decent suspension/bodyweight workouts I did the past few weeks but may not get around to posting them (because who cares?). However, I have been annoyed by a lack of consistent programming and zero access to squatting and deadlifting.

So this Saturday I got off my duff, as it were, and did a full-body "diagnostic" workout, and then today I began a three-day split program that I will continue until 2015. After that I am interested in trying the "High Intensity Method" as promoted/pioneered by Mike Mentzer and/or adapted by Ellington Darden. Then again, I may just finally bite the proverbial bullet and try Wendler's 5/3/1 method. At some point I am sure I will become addicted to almost-daily squatting again.

For now, though, here are the data about my return to Barbarity:

Saturday, 15 November 2014 

FSQ: 145, 155, 165, 175 lbs x 10, 8, 6, 6

neck press: 135, 145, 155, 165 x 10, 8, 6, 6

seated row: 160, 170, 180, 190 x 10, 8, 6, 6

incline db press: 40, 45, 50 x 10, 8, 6

unilateral row-curl: 70, 80, 90 x 10, 8, 6 (per arm)
[I thought of these on the spot, though I'm sure I did not invent them. It's like a seated row, but you add some core rotation and then end the pull by curling the handle across your torso.]


Monday, 17 November 2014 - Arnold 3-day split (M W F) 

BP: 10, 8, 8, 6, 6 @ 155, 165, 175, 185, 195 lbs

PU: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 @ bdw

db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 35, 45, 55

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80

tricep extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 30, 50, 70

SQ: 10, 8, 6 @ 165, 185, 205

leg curls: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 (?)
[The plates were numbered so I assume each plate was ten pounds.]  

calf raises: 10 x 5 @ 100

crunches: 50

wrist curls: N/A
[I will get back on the grip training horse on off-days.]

+ + + 

Wednesday I will do pretty exactly the same workout, but with less rest between exercises and Friday I will see about upping the calf raises bench press, squat, and crunches. I'm clearly much weaker than I was back in May but hey life happens. No need to rush my back into an injury. Gains will come back quickly, given my foundation and my decision to get a lot more serious about my nutrition.