Gym regimen - March 2011

TUESDAY 22 MARCH 2011
A2: Chest and Calves
60 mins, 98kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Bench: 12, 10, 6/1, 9* @ 75kg, 80kg, 85kg/80kg, 85kg + 2 iso's just off my chest @ 60kg
[Failure on 7th of 2nd followed by 1 rep at 80kg. Spotter on 3rd.]

Seated calf raise: 36, 39, 42, 30 @ 60kg
[Very "low and slow" form on 4th set.]

CIRCUIT:

DB flye: 12, 9, 8 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg
[I think it's time to go up an octave in weight, maybe 10, 8, 6 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg next week?]

Standing calf raise: 36, 36, 36 @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg
[I loved how these activated my traps. Granted, the spinal compression is not the best thing in the long run, but… for now, eez love!]

CIRCUIT:

Decline DB press: 12, 10, 8 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

"Calf springs": 15/15 & 15/15, 15/15 & 15/15, 20/20 & 20/20
[I made these up, since, as usual, I was in need of another calf exercise. Stand with one leg fairly far back while resting the ball of the other foot on a bench or something stable about knee-high. Then "flexplode" off and onto the bench. 15 reps per leg twice, etc.]

•
Oy. My chest. I need to eat more crow and just keep working at lower weights. I want no spotters next week! Best if I just go 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg. Patience, Humility, Confidence…

I liked throwing in the decline press. Felt much like a dip, but was harder to get set up for. So… maybe I'll just do dips next week. The problem with dips, though, is that I feel them more in my triceps than in my pecs. And the decline press gave me a good pump for my 3rd circuit. They are worth doing again next week. I will save my incline bench (with a narrower grip) for A4 this week.

Gym regimen - March 2011

TUESDAY, 15 MARCH 2011
A2: Chest & Calves: 55 mins, 98kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

BP: 10, 8, 6, 6* @ 80kg, 82.5kg, 85kg, 90kg
[Spot on last 2–3 of 3rd and 4th. Got a long way to go till I reach 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 80kg, 85kg, 90kg, 95kg. Pretty disheartening, but I'm not giving up.]

Seated calf raise: 39, 39, 39, 78 @ 50kg, 60kg, 70kg, 30kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline BP: 11, 8, 8 @ 60kg, 65kg, 67.5kg
[Spot on last 2 of 2nd and 3rd. Not sure about how wide my grip should be on this.]

Standing calf raise: 36, 36, 36, 54 @ 65kg, 65kg, 65kg, 35kg

CIRCUIT:

DB flye: 12, 9, 5* @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg
[Wicked negative on 5th of 3rd!]

Spin bike: 1 min, 1 min, 1 min

"COOLDOWN":

Seated bench machine: 12, 8, 3 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg
[Used some body-cheating on the last few reps of 2nd and 3rd (standing up to lock it out, pressing the foot lever, etc.)]

+ + +
My chest is my weak spot. My chest is my weak spot. My chest is my weak spot.

On the other hand, the guy who spotted me, a young guy who normally gets mentored with "the big Taiwanese guys," commended my efforts, so I'm at least somewhere near what he recognizes is respectable benching.

Or maybe he was just being Asian about it.

My chest will not always be my weak spot. My chest will not always be my weak spot. My chest will not always be my weak spot.

Gym regimen - March 2011

TUESDAY, 8 MARCH 2011
A2: Chest & Calves: 45 mins, 98kg

WARMUP:
stretching, calisthenics, bench, calf raises

CIRCUIT:
BP: 8/2, 7/1, 6* @ 85kg/80kg, 85kg/82.5kg, 87.5kg
[Spot on last 2 of 3rd.]

Seated calf raise: 36, 42, 45 @ 50kg

CIRCUIT:
Incline BP: 10, 7/1, 6* @ 60kg, 65kg/62.5kg, 70kg
[Spot on last 2 of 3rd.]

Standing calf raise: 36, 36, 36 @ 70kg, 75kg, 75kg

CIRCUIT:
DB flye: 10, 8, 5 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

Calf flex: 1 min
[Stood up on a staircase for 30 secs each leg. Meh.]

+ + +
I ended up going lighter on the bench than last week, though I lifted more volume,* so that's good. My strategy for my chest right now is to "hollow out a solid space" around __kg, then advance from there. Specifically, I want to be able to do 4 sets (10, 8, 6, 4) at 80kg, 85kg, 90kg, 95kg without a spotter. I think I can get there by mid-April. For now, I will keep hollowing out my space around that weight level to attain a solid, fundamental base of strength from which to reach that plateau. I am also going to start using plate locks on all exercises, so that when I get to a number of plates that really need them, I'll already be adjusted.

* NOTE:

Last week, 3 March 2011
BP 640, 595, 630 = 1,865
incline BP 520, 490, 507 = 1,617
TOTAL: 3,482kg

This week, 8 March 2011
BP 840, 675, 525 = 2,040
incline BP 600, 517.5, 420 = 1,537.5
TOTAL: 3,577.5kg

Tweaking the A-routine…

A1:
Warmup (with spin bike)
Squat
DB curl (seated, thick grip)
Farmer's walk lunge
BB curl (standing, thick grip)
Overhand BB preacher curl
Leg extension (~with negs)

A2:
Warmup (with jump rope)
Bench
Seated calf raise
Incline bench
Standing calf raise
DB flye (legs up)
Incline calf press (with negs)

A3:
Warmup (with high knees)
DL
Good morning
Stiff-leg DL
Pullup
Leg curl
Yates/Pendlay BB row

A4:
Warmup (with wall walking!)
DB front delt raise (seated)
Cable tri exension
DB lateral delt raise (seated)
Elbows-in DB extension
BB military press (standing)
DB pullover (with tri extension)
Shrug/Hise shrug (heavy!)

Workout regimen - March 2011

TUESDAY 2. MARCH 2011
"A1": Quads and Biceps
45 mins, 97kg

(I was pressed for time but determined to exercise, knowing that travel time to the gym would drain my time for a good workout and that, in turn, a poor workout would worsen my mood. So I did a lot of KB swings and cleans and curls, DB curls and squats, Hindu squats, and thick-grip bungee-cord curls (over- and underhand). A good sweat and my quads were nicely sore today!)

WEDNESDAY 3. MARCH 2011
A2: Pecs and Calves
45 mins, 97kg

WARMUP: squats, bench, calve raises, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Seated calf raise: 45, 42, 39 @ 40kg, 50kg, 60kg

Squat: 10, 8, 6 @ 80kg, 85kg, 95kg
[My quads needed more of a challenge than I gave them yesterday.]

Bench press: 8, 7, 7* @ 80kg, 85kg, 90kg
[Lighter weight but I felt a great pump. I worked out quickly today, so I didn't want to use weight so heavy I couldn't do it on my own. I got a spot on the 3rd set, but he only helped on the last 2 reps, encouraging me to do an extra 7th rep. High five!]

CIRCUIT:

Incline bench press: 8, 7*, 7* @ 65kg, 70kg, 72.5kg
[Definitely a bit drained after the bench press, had a spot on 2nd and 3rd sets. First spotter knew what he was doing: he only helped on my last 2 reps, when I asked for and clearly needed the assist. The second guy--the guy who uses power straps on almost every exercise!--was all over my bar, even pushing it towards my waist the first couple reps and seriously jocking my focus. He assisted too much, but at least I did 7 reps and felt a decent enough pump. Beware of posers!]

Standing calf raise: 36, 36, 36 @ 75kg

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye: 12, 9, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

One-leg calf hop: 30/30, 50/30, 50/30
[I improvised these, since I wanted a 3rd calf exercise to go with my flyes. Just balance on one leg and then hop side to side over a line (in my case, up one inch onto a platform), focusing on using the balls of the feet to balance, rather than the whole footsole. A nice dynamic exercise. I did extra reps for my apparently weaker right calf.]

ABS: Planking: 1 min, 1 min

+ + +
I'm shooting for an A3 workout tomorrow. It's been a while since I deadlifted!

•
FRIDAY 4. MARCH 2011
A3: Hams and Back
50+ mins, 97kg

WARMUP: spin bike, deadlifts, pullups, calisthenics

CIRCUIT:

Deadlift: 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 100kg, 110kg, 115kg, 130kg

Good mornings: 10, 8, 6 @ 40kg, 60kg, 80kg
[I think I'm wrong about the weights here, not sure.]

CIRCUIT:

Stiff-leg deadlift: 12, 9, 6 @ 75kg, 85kg, 95kg

Lever pull row: 12, 9, 6 @ 90kg, 100kg, 110kg

CIRCUIT:

Leg curls: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg
[Oh my quads were sore when I lied on the pads! Had some great "gym rat" grunts on the latter sets!]

Barbell row: 10, 8, 6 @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg

•

Gym regimen - February 2011

WEDNESDAY, 22 Feb. 2011

A2: Chest and Calves: 50+ mins, 96.5kg

WARMUP:

Stair machine, cable flyes, bench, calf raises, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 10, 7/1, 6, 6 @ 80kg, 87.5kg/85kg, 92.5kg, 95kg

[3rd and 4th sets with spotter.]

Seated calf raises: 36, 45, 42 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline bench press: 10, 8, 8, 6 @ 60kg, 62.5kg, 65kg, 70kg

Standing calf raises (Smith machine): 36, 45, 30 @ bdw + 95kg

[I used a little "body English" on some of these, i.e. incorporating a small shrug-squat motion to allow my calves to get high for a small squeeze. Like Arnold says, you must BLAST YOUR CALVES!]

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flyes: 10, 8, 5 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg

[Kind of funny: I got a spotter on my 3rd set, but even so, my arms simply gave out on the 6th rep and down came the dumbbells. I wasn't alarmed. The natural dynamics of the downward motion bring the arms open away from the face/chest, so my only risk would have been hanging onto the weights when they hit the ground.]

Plyo calf hops: 12, 12, 6* @ 19kg, 16kg, 19kg

[I kind of made these up, since I'm never too sure how to train calves besides seated/standing raises. I held dumbbells in my hands and hopped up to a small platform, did a calf raise and paused, then hopped back. On the 3rd set I began on the platform, flexed my calves for a few seconds, then hopped back. Meh.]

ABS:

Planking: 60 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec

Gym regimen - January 2011

A2: Chest and Calves
(THURSDAY): 90 mins
97kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: step machine, bench press, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 12, 9, 6, 5 @ 75kg, 85kg, 92.5kg, 95kg
[Spotter helped me with, let's say, up to one-third of my 3rd and 4th sets. No shoulder pain.]

Alternating seated calf raise: 30, 32, 36, 40 @ 60kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline bench: 10, 7*, 6 @ 60kg, 65kg, 60kg
[Used a narrower grip to work more of my middle pec. Had to "sprawl" a few times to get the final reps of 2nd and 3rd sets up. 8th rep of 2nd set failed into my lap.]

Standing cable calf raise: 36, 36, 36 @ 30–50kg
[Stood on a platform and held the handle at lowest extension, like a leash, to add resistance.]

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye: 12, 9, 6* @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg
[Felt good, tried to keep my elbows more "flared" so as to isolate the pecs. Last rep of 3rd set was a failure into a negative. I should have dug deeper. I could have done it, I felt that even as I gave in to the negative, but I had been distracted all night. New PR for flyes, at least!]

Step machine: 2+ mins, 2+ mins, 2+ mins

Dumbbell pullover: 15, 12, 9 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg

"Cooldown":

Oblique cable tucks: 15/15, 20/20, 30/30 @ 30–50kg
[Stand on a platform, hold the grip at your side, tuck over to the opposite side. Good stuff!]

Pec deck: 12, 12, 12 @ 40kg
[Seat very low to work upper pecs.]

+ + +
Why did it take me 90 minutes tonight? Talking. (Well, that and I intentionally did more aerobic to burn off some fat I've recently picked up.) At one point I asked a trainer what angle I should use on my cable flyes and he explained I should use free weights. He then went on and on and on and on about the different regions of the pecs I need to work to make them "beautiful". He gave me some good tips, granted, and I appreciated his emphasis on proper form and patience versus heavy weight and forcing things.

Also, twice during the workout, my "stalker" chatted with me about his animals and dangerous exercises over the long term. We are friends, and I want to show him Jesus' love, but I was also chafing a bit to Get On With It! Heheh. Fortunately, I got to Central early tonight, so I wasn't in a big rush. It was a night of experimenting, which is a necessity now and then, espcially for a "trouble area" such as my chest is for me.

Adoration was so wonderful tonight. God help me to live Jesus' Sacred Heart in the classroom, weightroom, and everywhere!

Onward!

P.S. I was a little disappointed, like last week, that I still need a spot for my bench… but it dawned on me that my goals aren't exactly lightweight anymore. I mean, a "warmup" set of 12 reps at 165lb, then 9 reps at 187lb, and then 5 or 6 reps at over 200lb––I have come a good ways from my college limits!

I'm not happy with the way creatine seems to be disrupting my sleep––or is it my cat doing cat-things when I sleep?––but it does seem to be increasing my size and strength. Interestingly, despite how hard my A1 workout was Monday, my quads and biceps have not been terribly sore. I think the creatine and good nutrition are literally making me stronger, such that I can train harder and recover faster. Yeah, I know: No Duh, right? But, hey, I'm just reporting from the front.

Gym regimen - December 2010

A2: Chest and Calves
(WEDNESDAY): 50+ mins
96.5kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: bench press, jumping jacks, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 12, 9, 7*, 6* @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg, 95kg
[Spotter helped me with, let's say, up to two-thirds of my 3rd and 4th sets. Too hands on: I think a spotter shouldn't touch anything until you say the word. Even so, felt good to be back on the bench: good pump, no shoulder pain.]

Alternating seated calf raise: 36, 36, 36, 30 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg, 60kg

CIRCUIT:

Cable crossover: 16, 12, 10, 8 @ 31.5kg, 36.5kg, 41.5kg, 45.5kg

Stair machine: 2 mins, 2 mins, 2 mins

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye: 12, 9, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 26kg

"Staggered" calf raise: 36, 36, 36, 48 @ 22.5kg, 40kg
[I improvised this exercise. Barbell on the shoulders, one foot forward on a platform, the other foot back and angled out. An interesting exercise, since in reality, we use our calves at different angles, say, hiking or rock climbing.]

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell pullover: 16, 14, 12 @ 22kg, 26kg, 30kg

Jumping jacks: 60, 60, 60

Incline situp: 24, 24

+ + +
The regular "pack" of "big" Taiwanese guys was doing squats tonight, the more experienced guys teaching the weaker ones. I could not help but notice, however, that they all shot for parallel knees and, indeed, only approached atg when they were fatigued. They also tended to squat a bit wider than I do, and had the bar higher on the traps than I have chosen to do lately. And one guy stared straight up every time, which, in my understanding, puts a lot of pressure on the cervical spine. Just observing.

Bed time now. Had a terrible night of sleep last night––the creatine?––but managed to get a three-hour nap this afternoon.

Gym regimen - December 2010

A2: Chest and Calves
(TUESDAY): 50 mins
96kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: pec deck, lever press, cable crossover, jumping jacks, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Seated lever press: 15, 15, 12, 10 @ 55kg, 65kg, 75kg, 85kg

Pec deck: 16, 16, 12, 10 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 50kg

Cable crossover: 16, 16, 12, 10 @ 27kg, 31kg, 36.5kg, 41.5kg

Alternating incline calf raise: 38, 36, 36 @ 150kg

CIRCUIT:

Barbell pullover: 18, 15, 12 @ 25kg, 30kg, 35kg

Seated calf raise: 30, 30, 30 @ 60kg

Incline crunches: 36

+ + +
My "deadlift stalker"––whom, for the record, I have no illusions or desires of surpassing again any time soon–– helped me keep my form "tight" on some exercises tonight, namely, the pec deck. See, he's not an asshole, just a bit rough around the edges.

I was really pressed for time tonight, since I agreed to help a coworker leave early by teaching later. (At work tonight, a shirt I bought a few years ago was really feeling tight. Getting into my first "shedding phase" as a weightlifter!) Despite my shoulder and neck injuries which have slowed me down a lot the last couple weeks, the good news is that my chest has not atrophied too much.

I renewed my membership for another six months at Central Power, and I am really looking forward to the "Squats and Milk" regimen (SMR) starting in January. It's cool because for eight weeks I will just be doing elemental training: squats, pullovers, dips, pullovers, situps. The progression of SMR involves adding 5lb (2.5kg) to the 20-rep squat every workout. So, if I start on January 3 at 70kg, I will do 77.5kg the following Monday. I'm committing to 24 SMR workouts in January and February, which means I will ultimately add 60kg. I think 70kg is a suitable place to start. Just think, if things go well, by March I will be squatting 130kg 20X and will be over 100kg!

Stay tuned.

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

Warmup: exercise bike, stretching, pec deck, pullovers, cable crossover

CIRCUIT:

Pec deck: 12, 10, 14, 14 @ 45kg, 50kg, 45kg, 45kg

Cable crossover: 18, 18, 18, 18 @ 27kg, 32kg, 36.5kg, 41kg

Dumbbell pullover: 15, 13, 11, 11 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg, 32kg

CIRCUIT:

Jump rope: 100, 100, 100, 30, 120, 120, 120, 150, 150

CIRCUIT:

Rowing crunches (alternating): 50, 50, 50

+ + +
I had to work half an hour later tonight, so I hurried to the gym just to get my chest work done, then went home to finish off my calves and abs. My cat was intrigued by the rope and tried darting in a couple times––until she got whapped and then went to hide until the "pyak-pyak-pyak" sound was gone.

I think the milk is helping, even though I haven't begun a milk regimen in full. I've got to be at least 95kg now. Just need to get more sleep.

My shoulder is still bothering me, hence, no bench or flyes tonight. I suppose it is the fall that came after my pride with the deadlift?

I realized that Wookiees are just giant, bipedal cats.

I've also decided to use no emoticons until 2011 at least.

About that "more sleep" thing….

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.

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

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

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

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.