The Learning Curve.

[FatherOfThree]

I was well over 280lbs with very little muscle but then hard dieting, massive rucking, and cardio brought me down to 215lbs and under 15% body fat.

I looked in the mirror saw tons of loose skin, skinny little arms, and no pecs at all so I joined a gym and hit it for one day, hard, with a full body workout. I posted a hello on here, said I would be doing a whole body workout on M,W,F and cardio the other days and try to give that loose skin and loose fat a lift.

That lasted less than a weekend. Looking around on here, hearing the iron clink in the gym and then.. from somewhere deep inside me that beast I had hidden away 13 years ago when I last lifted scratched and ripped itself out from inside of me, he came out and said GRAAAAHHHHH GET BIG YOU WIMP!!!

So I launched my Shock and Awe campaign – two weeks of hitting it hard as I could in the gym and doing nothing else but resting and eating big trying to shock my body back into growth.

I had excellent results – enough that I think many people think I am insane, a liar, or both. Nonetheless here I am.

I took maximum advantage of those “newbie gains” but they have stopped now.

So now it is time to get back to basics, start over, and really make the growth happen.

My results will be much slower moving fwd as I am in the learning curve – how does an over 40 year old grow big and strong?

My approach is now to start over from scratch.

I spent this last week I was not doing a Journal doing everything with 1 plate.

A few examples:
Benching with 1 plate (135) 5 sets of 12 reps
Squatting with one plate (135) 5 sets of 12 reps
Preacher Curls with one plate (25lb plate) 4 sets of 12 reps

Now all of these things were done very slowly with intense focus on form – try it – much harder than you think. The key thing is I had no pain in anything, not even my shoulders. Every workout I will up my weights but ONLY as much as I can use perfect form and no pain. The kids in the gym can look at me and wonder why I am so weak at my size, but if they ask I will be happy to teach them slow with proper form – and trust me – the weights will come up fast – at 40 one thing I have learned that 6 months working on a program is absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

My stated goal of becoming a monster again has not changed! However the first thing I have learned is that at 40 I need to take my time. Don’t get me wrong I want to get huge asap but as all things I will let it happen as the good Lord commands and now with a little help from proper rest, proper nutrition, and the knowledge I am gleaming from this site.

My program is pretty well set I feel, I am still using my A,B,C,A,B,C, Rest on Sunday routine but I keep the option of tossing another rest day in between C and A if I feel it is needed.

Join me if you will, ignore me if need, mock me if you are frightened (hahah!) but I will once again be the freak show I once was – I have an extremely long way to go – but I am on my way.

[FatherOfThree]

oh yeah, and I am gonna say this now so that I will be held to it or you can call me a scaredy cat:

At my 30 days back into lifting mark I am going to post a pic of myself. I will still look like crap, I admit that, but there ya go. (so I got what, 11 days to get back in shape, LOL).

[justtryn]

Hey Man! Glad to see you started a new journal!

[emmie]

Yay! A new journal :)!

Very glad to see this here, F'o3! (Hah! Told ya journaling was addictive ;))Once again you've obviously done your homework in terms of devising a plan for yourself. I predict excellence!!

And please, let's have none of this "I'm going to look like total ka-ka in the first picture I post" business :cool:. Despite a frightening resemblance to a children's t.v. program star, your avatar already looks great.

Yesterday there was a guy doing super-slow reps with (relatively) low weight. By the look on his face, I could see that there was nothing easy about it! And yeah, his form was perfect. Contrast that to the Mr. Worst Form in the Gym who was also there - this guy looks like he's trying to do a backbend while he's "curling" weights that are far too heavy for him. Hmmm....which one of those guys is going to achieve better results, I wonder...

[FatherOfThree]

Thank you both! :) :)

[namtrag]

FOT

Can't wait to see how good you look, and how strong you're gonna be

[FatherOfThree]

FOT

Can't wait to see how good you look, and how strong you're gonna be

Hey Thanks Mike! Your pics really got me thinking that I need to have the guts to put mine on here - you are only a little better looking than me ;)

[tatdawg]

good luck on your program. i am also trying to get back in the groove and lift consistantly. keep at it and you can acheive your goal.

[mom24boys]

Glad ya started a new one :)

[FatherOfThree]

Thank ya both!

[45BIG]

Goals obtained thus far are awesome. Continue the great work.

[dartol]

Howdy FatherO,

Cool, I will be watching this journal. Heck look at my pics, I don't have a lot of good to show yet either... but it is cool to show the progress! I am amazed at how much different my first-of-Feb pics look from my end-of-December ones.

Post 'em with pride!

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks 45Big and Darren, I appreciate it!

B day today: back, traps, bi’s, forearms

Switched things up a little and did my abs first so that I could actually leave the gym while still feeling a pump in my biceps. Also skipped forearms since my forearms are swelling and my bi’s aint.

Stretched, treadmill, and then
5 sets of 30 seconds each stomach vacuums
16X4th notch, 12X4th notch, 8X3rd notch, 6X3rd notch (situps on the inverted board)
Wide grip chins on the gravitron: 20X185, 12X140, 7X95, 4X95
Barbell Shrugs: 15X1plate, 12X3plates, 5X4plates, 6X385, 5X385 *
Row, Row, Row your boat: 15X170, 12X210, 8X250, 10X220, 13X170XSuper Slow w/visualization
Preacher Curls: 8X95, 9X115, 3X135, 5X115, 8X95XSuper Slow w/visualization
Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl: 9X25, 6X30, 6X30 **

* My grip strength is not improving fast enough, I am debating straps
** I do these different, My method as dollows: as one arm is going up, the other is going down.

I said I would update my pic by 30 days and here it is, check out my new avatar!

I have a whole list of excuses:
- I need to suck in my gut better next time!
- I aint pumped up (left the gym hours ago)
- I am 40
- I have only been lifting for 3 weeks
- I do not know how to pose, lighting, or photography.

Like others have said: we are supposed to look bad in our before pics, right? Maybe I aint that bad but I really think I can make some big improvements over the next months. And not look like a rank beginner.

[45BIG]

* My grip strength is not improving fast enough, I am debating straps

I know I need to get moving on this myself. I have been debating between the Captains of Crush grippers or the Heavy Grips.

[FatherOfThree]

I know I need to get moving on this myself. I have been debating between the Captains of Crush grippers or the Heavy Grips.

Thanks you just saved me a whole bunch of research and narrowed it down to two for me :)

[emmie]

I said I would update my pic by 30 days and here it is, check out my new avatar!

I have a whole list of excuses:
- I need to suck in my gut better next time!
- I aint pumped up (left the gym hours ago)
- I am 40
- I have only been lifting for 3 weeks
- I do not know how to pose, lighting, or photography.

AHEM *cough cough cough*

Was I talkin' to myself a couple of posts back where I said "we'll have none of this self-deprecating, whining BS about how bad you look" (er, or something to that effect)????? :p Honestly.... *shakes head*

You look good - nice big bis, good definitition in your chest....you look good. Just admit it.

What's you thinking about the alternating incline DB curls? I've been doing them simultaneously for no good reason other than it hadn't dawned on me to do them any other way....

[45BIG]

Thanks you just saved me a whole bunch of research and narrowed it down to two for me :) What I know thus far is that Heavy Grips cost less but are not as accurate while CoC seems to be the standard for accurate grip training but have a higher price tag. You can find good deals on Heavy Grips on ebay. Here is the link to CoC http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/export/IronMind/Main/captainsofcrush1.html

[FatherOfThree]

you look good. Just admit it.


Thanks Emmie, you always make my day :)



What's you thinking about the alternating incline DB curls? I've been doing them simultaneously for no good reason other than it hadn't dawned on me to do them any other way....

I started doing this years ago and when I went to do it today it just clicked again. It just makes sense if you think about it: In no other exercise do we stop and rest in between every rep. We dont stop and rest for 2 or 3 seconds in between preacher curls or standing barbell curls, so why should we on incline DB curls?

Plus when only doing one arm at a time it is easy to break form and lean and use other muscles, but in my method you are always working weight in both hands.

It might take a bit to try and coordinate it, but please give it a try and let me know what you think. It use to work great for me, am hoping I can put some size back on with it again.

[FatherOfThree]

What I know thus far is that Heavy Grips cost less but are not as accurate while CoC seems to be the standard for accurate grip training but have a higher price tag. You can find good deals on Heavy Grips on ebay. Here is the link to CoC http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/export/IronMind/Main/captainsofcrush1.html

Awesome, thanks!

[FatherOfThree]

What's you thinking about the alternating incline DB curls? I've been doing them simultaneously for no good reason other than it hadn't dawned on me to do them any other way....

Emma! I just realized I misread your post and I am sorry. Many people do alternate DB curls, many like you do them simultaneously. The alternate idea is that it allows you to focus on one bi at a time - however you have to pause in between - so you do left bi, then right bi. In other words one arm is always resting - I do not like that, but I like the concept of focusing like I can so with concentration curls.

So thats why I do alternate DB curls, simultaneously, but in opposite motions.

Heh - I wonder if my silly self makes any sense?

[emmie]

Sure does make sense -I'm training biceps and chest tomorrow, so I'll give them a go. :) I used to do bent-over DB rows in that way - I called them alternating piston rows. I liked the rhythm to it; it felt smooth and if I kept the word "piston" in my mind I was able to really keep the mind-muscle connection.

[dartol]

On the incline curls, are you saying one is moving up while the other moves down? Humm... I will have to try that next time.

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

On the incline curls, are you saying one is moving up while the other moves down? Humm... I will have to try that next time.

Darren

Yup! It works for me like that :)

[namtrag]

FOT

You look great in your avatar, if this is before, you are going to look awesome after. The face is still as ugly as ever though!

35" waist is awesome at your weight.

[justtryn]

No complaining about your avi, Fo3 - doesn't look like you have far to get to your goals!

[FatherOfThree]

FOT

You look great in your avatar, if this is before, you are going to look awesome after. The face is still as ugly as ever though!

35" waist is awesome at your weight.

Ha! Yeah I almost used cookie monster for this one but I stayed with Elmo :) On the waist it was not too long ago when it was over 50"! sad I know but true, so I am trying to bulk now but watching it close and if it goes up too much I will slow down my eating and be on a really really slow bulk. No competitions for me so not worried about being cut, would rather get huge, but don't wanna get fat again.


No complaining about your avi, Fo3 - doesn't look like you have far to get to your goals!

Thanks man, I dunno if I can anymore but if possible, naturally, I am going to do all I can to put some size back on me, even if it is only another 20lbs total.

----
For anyone who may care:
Depending on how I feel, tomorrow may be a leg day, and if so I will try to get a pic of my calves, all that rucking (weighted backpack for miles and miles on hills) I did when dropping all that weight has built me some seriously freaky calves I want to get a pick of them pumped, you all will be suprised, based on my upper body you wouldn't expect calves like this.

[emmie]

Depending on how I feel, tomorrow may be a leg day, and if so I will try to get a pic of my calves, all that rucking (weighted backpack for miles and miles on hills) I did when dropping all that weight has built me some seriously freaky calves I want to get a pick of them pumped, you all will be suprised, based on my upper body you wouldn't expect calves like this.
*Rubs hands in gleeful anticipation*

[FatherOfThree]

Leg Day today told myself if I did good I would have cheeseburgers tonight.

Yesterday I focused ever so slightly more on my biceps, I think I see/feel the affect today and I like it.

Today I decided I would continue with my focus on squats and not worry about all my other leg exercises.

So with very good form, as deep as my body lets me go (just past parallel) I did:

20Xbar, 12X135, 12X185

and thinking that 185 felt really easy I did

12X225, then another 12X225, then another 12X225

On each of the first 3 reps on the previously posted 3 sets I did the same thing, first rep only about 12” down, second about 24”, third 36”, and then reps 4-12 were full ROM. Why? I dunno? Surely a mental, CNS thing, nonetheless doing them for 12 reps worked me good.

Then I took my belt off and did one final set of 13X135 very slow and very deep and on the final rep on the final set I sat at the bottom for a full 15 seconds.

Yowsa.

Then I did calves.

I put 2 plates on each side of the sled and using both legs pushed it up and then did full rom one leg at a time 12X2plates, 12X3plates, 6X3plates, 8X2plates, 8X2 plates slow with visualization.

Had my shake, cooled down, and remember I said I would take a pic of my calves so I bent over and took one with my sony walkman phone mp3 player camera cheese grater dealie and it's attached. Kind of a weird angle, but maybe you can see what I mean?

Guess who is getting cheeseburgers? Oh YEAH!

[emmie]

Let me get this straight.....You squatted 12,480# today???? More than 6 tons??? (Yes you did, I got out my calculator and did the math ;)) Holy. Moly. You will be saying "butt DOMS" tomorrow, my friend! :p Definitely earned yourself some cheeseburgers - nicely done!

Nice piccie, too!!

You've got a cheese grater on your cell phone?? What'll they think of next....:D

[FatherOfThree]

I never have added it up like that, but now that you did - ooooh you are right I am going to be sore! LOL You know what though? Thanks for doing that, because now when I am stiff and sore tomorrow I will have it in my brain "yeah, but I squatted over 6 tons! - HUAH!" :D :D

& thanks on the pic :)

[FatherOfThree]

Today is a much needed rest day. I was thinking of doing some cardio this morning but due to family issues (nothing bad) I did not get to sleep until after midnight so when my clock went off at 0430 I promptly turned it off. Maybe I will put my youngest on my back and take my dog for her 4 mile walk when I get home tonight.

Either I am gonna get off pretty much easy after doing squats yesterday or DOMS hasn't hit yet, keeping my fngers crossed.

Getting anxious to start putting some more size back on my arms, need more sleep.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[emmie]

Either I am gonna get off pretty much easy after doing squats yesterday or DOMS hasn't hit yet, keeping my fngers crossed.
That is sooo unfair! :mad: I am still gimping around like an arthritic granny 3 full days after the fact. *Gimps off in a huff*:p

Hope you can re-coup some of the lost sleep. A walk with your toddler and the dog sounds much better than hitting the gym, sleep-deprived, this a.m.

Have a good remainder of the day :)!

[FatherOfThree]

I definetely got lucky Emma! ;) Just general leg stiffness is all. Beginning to enjoy squatting and dislike benching - the direct oppoisite of how I always have been, lol. Next Squat day I am goin to up the weights more.

Now for this morning:

Didn’t sleep well and woke up with shoulder killing me – thought I would have a really crappy morning in the gym but once I got warmed up I had a great one, gains across the board!

Bench: 15XBar, 12X135, 8X225, 6X225, 12X135, 12X135
Incline Bench: 10X135, 6X185, 8X155, 8X155
Decline on smith: 12X0, 12X135, 8X225, 4X225, 15X135
Machine Military Press: 25X50, 12X100, 6X110, 7X100 (huge gains here)
Lateral Raises: 13X35’s, 12X50’s, 12X50’s
Tricep Press Down: 12X200, 10X220, 6X240, 5.9X250*
Kick backs: 12X35, 8X40, 8X40 & squeeze!

* just couldn’t finish my squeeze on the last one there maybe 1” shy, and the Stack =250

My shoulder now feels like a grenade went off in it – but not injured sore just sore sore – will have to do a light chest day next time to give it extra rest, and then I can focus harder on tri’s and shoulders for a workout.

Now here is a funny thing – that must not really be 250lbs on the triceps rope push down thingie – because I weight 216 this am, add a full belly, tank top, shorts, sneakers, cell/mp3 and maybe, maybe I am all the way up to 225 lbs. If that was really 250lbs I would not have been able to push it down would I? As it is I have to do this little weird swing thing to get on top of it – but once on top I can get it down.


I am in training the remainder of the day, and then all tomorrow - Friday so if my journal entries are a little slower and shorter my apologies.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[IR45N]

IMy shoulder now feels like a grenade went off in it – but not injured sore just sore sore – will have to do a light chest day next time to give it extra rest, and then I can focus harder on tri’s and shoulders for a workout.

Now here is a funny thing – that must not really be 250lbs on the triceps rope push down thingie –
I am in training the remainder of the day, and then all tomorrow - Friday so if my journal entries are a little slower and shorter my apologies.

Blessings,
- Fo3

Good deal on the 'good' shoulder soreness. There are several cable stations at my gym where you can do the rope or bar tricep pushdowns. Discovered one of them; the Universal gym, is much harder than the others ie need to set the pin at a lighter weight so have gone to using that one. Seems the cables where you can do pec flyes are the lightest. On the rope press/pulldown, flare out the rope at the bottom so your knuckles are facing up vs out and you'll get an extra burn.

Good informative journal no matter when you post.

[FatherOfThree]

On the rope press/pulldown, flare out the rope at the bottom so your knuckles are facing up vs out and you'll get an extra burn.

Ah, good tip I will try that next one!


Good informative journal no matter when you post.

Hey thanks, I appreciate it, training is always a drag, but at least I will be nice and sore in it all day, lol.

[Lucky K]

Sneakin back with another journal, huh? Good stuff! Good luck with the shoulder! My 2 downfalls are either my rt shoulder or my back (usually lower like now). My bench has definately suffered due to the freakin shoulder. But your avatar looks great, one would think benching was still a favorite of yours;)!

[emmie]

Hi F'o3! Glad that you had a great workout. I love it when my expectations are low yet I manage to pull-off a kick-butt gym session!

Are you doing your lateral raises straight arm, or bent arm? Either way, they're impressive. That exercise is probably my weakest. I stopped doing them about 3 years ago (:o) because they were HARD and I was sick of making no progress with them. I've just started to incorporate them again. They're so deceptively easy-looking...and EVIL!!

Hope your days of orientation/training aren't too soul-sucking or boring.

[FatherOfThree]

Thank you both Lucky K and Emma, and Happy Valentine’s day to both of you!!

I am going to make an appt for my shoulder today, it just aint healing up and is slowing me down major on my benching. Probably just need to go slower and rest it more, but want to make sure.

B day today, am very very short on time, as soon as I finish typing this I need to go in to training, time pressure is intense 24x7

Up at 4:00 here is what I did:

Vacuums: 5 sets of 30 Seconds
Situps: 18 on 4th notch, 10 on 4th, 5 on 3rd, 9 on 2nd
Gravitron: 20X185, 12X125, 7X95, 6X95
Shrugs: 15X1plate, 12X2P, 12X3P, 6X4P, 4X4P (4P=405lbs) (I do these in circles w/my shoulders)
Rows: 12X180, 10X220, 10X220, 8X250, 6X250
Preacher: 10X95, 3X115, 8X115, 7X115, 8X95
Alternate/Simultaneous Incline DB curls: 9X25, 10X35, 11X35 (failure at 11)

Still making gains either reps or weight or both every workout, am liking it.

Must decide if want a break tomorrow or if I should do my squats again, did Squats on Sunday tomorrow is Thursday,,, prolly should.

Just a note for anyone who may care: Remember today is really a day to remember a great man who was beatified by the Holy Sea: Saint Valentine. Have some chocolate and say a little prayer :)

Blessings,
- Fo3

[justtryn]

HIT THOSE SQUATS, MR! :D No slacking allowed!

Good looking workout, Fo3!

[emmie]

Glad you found time to sneak in here before work! Yay for increases in reps and weights :)

I'm with Mark - do those squats again. More of them! Heavier, too! I'm still mad that you got off DOMS-free on Sunday :p.

Hope you and your valentine have a little time together today ;)!

[FatherOfThree]

Yes, you two are correct :) If I manage to find time to sleep tonight I will be in the gym at 0400 and squatting it out ;)

Sorry I am not online much, next week I will return to normal.

[FatherOfThree]

Tired, cranky, no sleep, barely awake, angry, grouchy, need sleep, need 10 minutes to just sit and be left alone. Love my family, love the good Lord, love my church.... pretty much have my evil in me in check (which explains the bullet hole in my back and the F*ck The World tattoo I have on my shoulder... but for years now I do all I can to be a good man..

anyhow, sound asleep, tired, cranky, and was not getting anywhere, did 1 set with the bar and felt like going home.

Funk it: Let the anger out. grrrrrr..... freaking rainy all winter and dark I hate seattle... I hate everything...

Squats: 15Xbar, 12X135, 12X225, 12X275, 9X275, 12X235, 10X235, 11X135

Using the leg press, one leg at a time, full rom calf raises:
12X2plates per side, 12X3p, 8X3p, 15X2p, 10X20

I will stay with this squat weight next time too since I do not feel I was getting down quite deep enough with the 275, so next time I will stay with that weight and focus on getting my ass down deep deep deep, it was almost there but not quite enough. It's a confidence thing so this one built it. Will be glad when I am at least putting 3 plates back on the bar.

Am no longer angry and love the world again :)

Doc appt to check on my shoulder on the 19th.

No free time at all - but tomorrow is rest day and I will sleep in.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[justtryn]

Tired, cranky, no sleep, barely awake, angry, grouchy, need sleep, need 10 minutes to just sit and be left alone. Love my family, love the good Lord, love my church.... pretty much have my evil in me in check (which explains the bullet hole in my back and the F*ck The World tattoo I have on my shoulder... but for years now I do all I can to be a good man..

anyhow, sound asleep, tired, cranky, and was not getting anywhere, did 1 set with the bar and felt like going home.

Funk it: Let the anger out. grrrrrr..... freaking rainy all winter and dark I hate seattle... I hate everything...

Squats: 15Xbar, 12X135, 12X225, 12X275, 9X275, 12X235, 10X235, 11X135

Using the leg press, one leg at a time, full rom calf raises:
12X2plates per side, 12X3p, 8X3p, 15X2p, 10X20

I will stay with this squat weight next time too since I do not feel I was getting down quite deep enough with the 275, so next time I will stay with that weight and focus on getting my ass down deep deep deep, it was almost there but not quite enough. It's a confidence thing so this one built it. Will be glad when I am at least putting 3 plates back on the bar.

Am no longer angry and love the world again :)

Doc appt to check on my shoulder on the 19th.

No free time at all - but tomorrow is rest day and I will sleep in.

Blessings,
- Fo3


DUDE! You sound like... well... ME! How come you're so cranky? Seattle?? Time to move to Idaho... we're "normal" here. LOL!!

Good work on the squats, bud.

[emmie]

Squat Therapy! Great stuff, F'o3! And I'll bet it felt really good to be able to log the workout into your journal instead of logging "didn't make it to the gym today..." I know that some days the knowledge that I'm going to post my efforts for all the world to see is what gets me to push myself more than I ordinarily might. Kudos to you - and I truly hope your butt hurts tomorrow :p!

I also hope that you get a little time to yourself.

[FatherOfThree]

DUDE! You sound like... well... ME! How come you're so cranky? Seattle?? Time to move to Idaho... we're "normal" here. LOL!!

Good work on the squats, bud.

Thanks man, If I could find equivalent work out there I would have moved ages ago. Deep inside I am a redneck farmer iving in the deep deep blue amigo ;-)


Squat Therapy! Great stuff, F'o3! And I'll bet it felt really good to be able to log the workout into your journal instead of logging "didn't make it to the gym today..." I know that some days the knowledge that I'm going to post my efforts for all the world to see is what gets me to push myself more than I ordinarily might. Kudos to you - and I truly hope your butt hurts tomorrow :p!

I also hope that you get a little time to yourself.

Thanks Emma, yep it feels good today to know I got it done this morning! Also some time alone will rock, lol.

[tatdawg]

Tired, cranky, no sleep, barely awake, angry, grouchy, need sleep, need 10 minutes to just sit and be left alone. Love my family, love the good Lord, love my church.... pretty much have my evil in me in check (which explains the bullet hole in my back and the F*ck The World tattoo I have on my shoulder
- Fo3

sounds like me most mornings but i have holes in the front and back and FTW on my hand. small world ain't it my friend? but i see you made it and got a exellent workout in.

[FatherOfThree]

sounds like me most mornings but i have holes in the front and back and FTW on my hand. small world ain't it my friend? but i see you made it and got a exellent workout in.

:) Thanks man

[FatherOfThree]

Today is my rest day and that is what I am doing.

My arms are lagging the rest of my body right now, and the rest of my body could use another day or two off - so I am thinking I might take a short break from my a,b,c,a,b,c,rest,repeat routine and throw a seperate arm day in tomorrow (bi's and tri's), then another rest day, and that will be one month on my routine. Then I will kick it back up again.

I am debating this now.

Any of my 2-3 readers have thoughts on it? and thanks!

[FatherOfThree]

This is going to sound nutty, but I have just been feeling like I have been growing all day long today. I am really sore, it has been a rest day today and all day my legs have been tingling with that swelling feeling.

If you look at this thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=1497481 you can see what I ate for lunch.

When I got home from work as I parked my jeep and walked to my house I smelled my wife BBQ'ing. Turns out she had made a giant BBQ with tons of great beef kabobs since I was unexpectantly paid today!

This is a huge thank you sweet Jesus - a paycheck is so wonderful.

Just the smell of that BBQ made me starving. I ate all of it, I must have ate 5 lbs of meat this evening.

Ever since then my arms, which have been really lagging, have felt pumped and tingling. Sounds insane, I know, but even the mirror shows it.

My arm's tendons are still sore right now. but I feel pumped.

Not sure just yet what my body is telling me except I feel like I want another protein shake right now, maybe with a banana and milk, so I will have one - and maybe I will rest again tomorrow.

Trying to listen to my body - hope it is not my mind just wanting to be fat and lazy, but right now I am just eating and resting and that seems to be what I need. Perhaps even me and my genetics need more rest at 40 then I think they do, and after almost a whole month of hitting it hard maybe I need two full days off.

Well there ya go - maybe I am nuts, maybe my odd ways are just in my head but this is where my mind/body is at.

[justtryn]

Cool Stuff, Fo3. You're body is definately telling you something! Dinner sounds great, too!

[emmie]

I'm with Mark - you're smart to heed your body's signals. I think that people get into trouble (either overeating or undereating) by not paying attention to the messages the body sends. True hunger means "Need Fuel NOW!" The same goes for your workouts. If the thought enters your head that you need to change things, or take a break, it's probably a good thing to do. It surely wont do any harm.

Your wife deserves some extra praise for what must have been a fabulous dinner! 5# of meat??!! Sheesh, I hope you shared some with the kiddos!
Congrats on the first paycheck! Long time coming, huh?!?

[FatherOfThree]

Thank you both.

Between that huge, multiple visit, free lunch of Buffalo burgers, and then the fantastic dinner my wife made us last night I probably put away close to an honest 10 pounds of meat yesterday.

I got up, walked over to the scale, and prepared to freak and I did.....

I lost weight. I kid you not. I was 213-215 daily when I started lifting, the week I started Creatine I went up to 220 and then I managed since then to put 2 lbs on so I was up to 222lbs and this morning I weighed 220!!!!

Not to be too sick but I haven't even pooped yet from all that eating either.

Still a little sore this morning, plus I woke up hungry so I had a whey, banana, creatine, milk shake and then my daily 4 serving bowl of oatmeal and have decided I am just going to lay around the house all day and play with my kids.

Again the only measurement I use as a test is my left arm, cold (not pumped) but flexed. This morning I was 16.25" that's another .25" gain!

Emma, Mark, Lucky, thank you for your support and anyone else who occasionally drops by thank you too - I know when I joined up here at bb.com I sounded like I was talking **** basically showing up and saying "I am going to be big again and I am going to do it my way" but I got to tell you - I have learned a lot, hence the name of this thread, but also this is sure working: 14.75" to 16.25" and I am still under 1 month into this!!!!!! In a couple of months, if this continues going as planned and my arms together are bigger around then my waist at least you couple will know wtf happened :)

Best responding muscle is my ass though, LOL, just started squatting and here comes that damn ass again.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[tatdawg]

great news my man. them guns are climbing up there. my ol lady laughs at us men and our tape measures. what can we say 16" is one of those landmark numbers and it makes a t-shirt look good.

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks man - yeah, 16 makes the tee look nice :)

Gonna give myself a real challenge here online and say this: Without focusing on arms at all: I will be over 17" by april 1st!

I am pretty sure I can do that, then I want to see how close I can get to 18" by my Birthday on May 13th (doubt if I can that, that quickly, but gonna try!)

Got a Doc appointment about my Shoulder Monday evening, be glad to get that straight, I think my bench is lagging about a hundred pounds right now.

[tatdawg]

17" is doable. i got to 17 3/4" at my biggest. i just could not reach 18". that is one of those threshold numbers that is real tough to hit. natural at least. good luck on the hunt.

[FatherOfThree]

Yeah thats my thoughts basically, except genetically I can be just a bit bigger in that I never broke 19" but 18" is doable for me.

Well it was in my 20's I dunno about in my 40's :) Honestly if all I can do is get into the 17"s I will be happy with that, but my dirty little secret is that if possible (and it may not be) I am going to try for that magic 19" one more time before I too old. Yeah that's a long ways from now, but gimme time amigo ;)

[emmie]

You guys are funny with your obsessive arm measuring ;). Of course it's not at all different from the way many women obsessively weigh themselves. I don't really measure anything except my food. I have a rough idea of my weight that I plug into my BF monitor, and I check that every couple of months. However, all of your talk of measuring biceps did send me scurrying to find a tape to measure mine and see how close I am to 16". Um....not very close!! :D Flexed but not pumped-up =12.5" :o! Maybe I need to start to eat as much as you are, F'o3!?!

Great news that the weight is down! You've got an inferno for a metabolism, you lucky person! Keep fueling it and watch those numbers keep going up in the gym.

And I'm sure I'm not alone in saying there is nothing wrong with a squat butt :p

Sounds like a nice day, being at home with the kids :).

[FatherOfThree]

Emma, you know I really appreciate your comments!

Truly I can not tell you how many women I know that would love to have 12.5" firm arms!

[emmie]

Truly I can not tell you how many women I know that would love to have 12.5" firm arms!Why thank you :)! But you know, I just wont be able to rest until they're 17".......:p

[Lucky K]

OOOhhh my tape measure must be broken! I've only got 11.125....(yes, I'm gonna count that 1/8th inch!) I'm gonna go find another...

Emma, you get up to 17" and I'm flying over to measure them for myself!

Fo3, you are doing tremendously! And just to reinforce it, sleep and rest are just(if not more) as important to the growth of those guns as the diet & exercise part. I think it's a bit more true for guys than girls, but my hubby responds best to 3 days of weights and LOTS of sleep. Which is only doable cuz we don't have kids! So do your best...ya know, like you already are!

[FatherOfThree]

Fo3, you are doing tremendously!

Thank you so much, means a lot to me :) & you are right in several ways - I need much more sleep & all my kids prevent it, lol, I wouldn't change it for the world but yup I will get the sleep I can :)

[justtryn]

You lost weight after eating all that?? Man... that's awesome. Apparently your body did need some food! Keep up the great work, man... and get to 17"

[FatherOfThree]

You lost weight after eating all that?? Man... that's awesome. Apparently your body did need some food! Keep up the great work, man... and get to 17"

Thanks Mark! Yeah, I thought for sure I would be up 10 pounds or so today, but I went down, unreal, lol. Not eating as much today, but still it's another day I am eating far more than usual (even for me) - I am loving it.

& 17 heck! I want to catch those big 17 & 3/4" that you got my friend :)

[dartol]

Hey Fo3, just getting caught up on your journal. Looks like you are doing great to me. I have a long way to go to catch up with you, LOL.

I think it is good that you are listening to your body and eating when you need to.

I did try your move on the incline dumbell curls, moving one up while the other moves down. I do like that, it makes things go faster.

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks much Darren, I appreciate it!

----

My A,B,C,A,B,C,Rest,Repeat routine is pretty brutal in that it does direct and indirect 2X per week, on all body parts, so after two days of just laying around and eating I still feel sore and tired, lol.

In this past month of lifing (30 days as of today!) I think I went to about as close to overtraining as I can without actually being there. Reason I know I did not overtrain is that in these past two days I am seeing awesome growth and recovery. I couldn't help myself (tease away Emmie! ;) ) when I woke up this morning I took that left, cold, flexed, bicep and was 16 and 3/8" that's another 1/8" from sleeping - my weight was down another pound as well.

According to the mirror, my wife, and that proportional chart thing from the main over 35 forum my arms are actually lagging the rest of my body in size right now and what I had intended to do was take a rest day, a stand alone arm day, and then another rest day to both recover and let my arms catch up instead I took 2 rests days so far.

I feel like I could use a 3rd day as my back, chest, and legs all still feel they need rest - but arms are a much smaller body part therefore they recover faster (less tissue injured so less tissue to heal).

So current plan =

Today: get in there for an actual arm day and do bi's and tri's and nothing else, hit them hard and come home. Try for heavy/hard but a short time in the gym.

Tomorrow: (Monday) another rest day and after work I will go see a doctor's about my shoulder.

Wed: I will probably go right back into my A,B,C,A,B,C,Rest,Repeat schedule since now that I am out of training and do not have so much commuting to do I will get more sleep and down time and as such will recover faster and keep up with my routine. This is a bit dependent on what the doc says though too.

Comments always welcome and appreciated.

[emmie]

I couldn't help myself (tease away Emmie! ;) ) when I woke up this morning I took that left, cold, flexed, bicep and was 16 and 3/8" that's another 1/8" from sleeping - my weight was down another pound as well.Tease you?? Me??? I couldn't possibly tease a man who sleeps with a measuring tape lovingly curled under his pillow for those middle-of-the-night "Help, I think my biceps are shrinking and I'd better check NOW" moments......:p

Your plan for the rest of the week sounds smart. Definitely heed the body - and doc's - messages, and let those be your guide. You were wise enough to recognize that you were on that precarious line between intensity and overtraining, so I get the feeling that you're pretty in-tune with your body.

Hope the doc has good news for you!

[FatherOfThree]

HA! That was classic, thanks :D

------
Alright, I did an arm day today. Short and heavy just like planned.

Here is what I did:

Preacher Curls: 20Xbar, 12X95, 10X115, 3X135, 6X125

Tricep Press Downs: 13X180, 12X200, 12X250, 12X260, 8X260Xvery very slow and visualization. I had to do this since even with the additional 10 pounds I snuck on the 250 stack I couldn’t get much out of this as it was not enough weight – Thanks Darren for the tip mentioned last time I encorporated it. I think I can still use this for a few more weeks since usually my tri’s are tired from benching, but will need to drop this exercise after that. Probably go to weighted dips.

Concentration Curls: 8X30’s, 3X50’s, 6X40’s, 10X25’s

Tricep Kick backs (form over weight): 10X35’s, 10X40’s, 7X50’s, 20X25’s (widow makers from hell)

My lower back has been hurting a little, too m uch ab work and not enough lower back so I went over to the “Nautilus Nitro Pro Lower Back” machine and did hyperextensions:
15X110, 12X170, 15X200, 15X200 – at this point, with 200 being the most you can do on this and me not getting diddle out of it, plus feeling a little hungry, I called my arm day done. Maybe next time I will do some good mornings and put some darn weight on.

I got home and ate 3 steaks, yum! I personally think the majority of men under 55 who are trying to bulk would be far better served by NOT buying any supplements at all and taking that money and buying lean red meat and eating a ton of it daily along with veggies and a glass of skim milk, but I guess it is just my secret supplement, lol.

So my first arm day is done, hard, short, etc – let’s see if I see any results.

Note - my triceps are sure stronger when I haven't benched first! Yeah obvious, but still.

[emmie]

So my first arm day is done, hard, short, etc ? let?s see if I see any results.

I'm sure that you'll measure and let us know!:D (Don't mind me, I'm just cracking myself up here.....)

Great workout - I'm sure that you'll be feeling it tomorrow, in a good way. Also nice to get in and out of the gym in a reasonable amount of time.

Your point about the steak/milk/veggie "stack" is a great one. Supplements are just that - a supplement to a good diet. I use 1-1.5 scoops of whey daily. I'm vegetarian (can we still be friends???) and it helps me meet my protein needs w/out having to consume any more eggwhites and cottage cheese than I already do! But, honestly, I always feel a little guilty if I reach for that additional .5 scoop, because "real" food is so much better...

[tatdawg]

Tease you?? Me??? I couldn't possibly tease a man who sleeps with a measuring tape lovingly curled under his pillow for those middle-of-the-night "Help, I think my biceps are shrinking and I'd better check NOW" moments......:p




lmao

[FatherOfThree]

I'm vegetarian (can we still be friends???)

You would love my place in the fall! Most years I have a HUGE garden, bushels and bushels of corn, taters, peas, beans, radishes, lettuce, etc etc. This year I am going to take a year off due to time constraints, but most years I do it big time!


lmao

You hush too, you are just encouraging her ;)

Bless ya both,
- Fo3

[tatdawg]

i couldn't resist so i reached under my pillow and got my tape. 16 3/4". i feel real good about that. i am going to shoot for 17" by the first of spring. i hope we both reach our goal.

[FatherOfThree]

i couldn't resist so i reached under my pillow and got my tape. 16 3/4". i feel real good about that. i am going to shoot for 17" by the first of spring. i hope we both reach our goal.

Excellent - I'm pretty sure that you are too far ahead of me to catch by 17" but how about a friendly race to 17.5"?

[IR45N]

Put me down for the 5.17 race:D

[dartol]

Well mine are 12.75, so if I dropped the 2 and shifted the 75 to the left... LOL

Like I said, it is gonna take me a long time to catch up...

Darren

[emmie]

You would love my place in the fall! Most years I have a HUGE garden, bushels and bushels of corn, taters, peas, beans, radishes, lettuce, etc etc. This year I am going to take a year off due to time constraints, but most years I do it big time!This sounds great! I was going to say that I understand how much time it can consume, but in truth, my husband does all the work on it. HE understands how much work it is. I am NOT good with plants.... We have a small garden - herbs, cukes, and lots of tomatoes, and it's so nice to just wander out there and pick things for dinner. What I really need, however, is a couple of milk cows and some laying hens!

[tatdawg]

Excellent - I'm pretty sure that you are too far ahead of me to catch by 17" but how about a friendly race to 17.5"?

count me in brother. sounds fun

[FatherOfThree]

How I know I had a good arm workout yesterday? I had to stretch a little bit before I could bend my arms to get my razor to my face and shave this morning! :)

Doc's tonight and we see what she says.

Blessings,
-Fo3

[tatdawg]

How I know I had a good arm workout yesterday? I had to stretch a little bit before I could bend my arms to get my razor to my face and shave this morning! :)



Blessings,
-Fo3

sign of a intense workout my man.

[dartol]

Nice! I need some workouts like that. I did get shaky legs at least. :)

Love the stack! You'd be proud, I ate a whole rotisserie chicken for dinner tonight. LOL

Darren

[justtryn]

How I know I had a good arm workout yesterday? I had to stretch a little bit before I could bend my arms to get my razor to my face and shave this morning! :)

Doc's tonight and we see what she says.

Blessings,
-Fo3

Very cool workout result! :D

Let us know what the doc says.

[jspirate]

Haha, I like you sig Fo3.

Yummm, Nilla wafers :)

[FatherOfThree]

sign of a intense workout my man.

Thanks Bro!


Nice! I need some workouts like that. I did get shaky legs at least. :)

Love the stack! You'd be proud, I ate a whole rotisserie chicken for dinner tonight. LOL

Darren

That's it man, that's my whole philosophy - lift heavy, eat heavy, sleep good, repeat! If we keep doing that we will be huge!


Very cool workout result! :D

Let us know what the doc says.

Thanks amigo and see below!


Haha, I like you sig Fo3.

Yummm, Nilla wafers :)

Thanks!

----

So just home from the doctor and here is what happened:
- My appt was at 5:30, the doc did not see me until 6:30
- Doc seemed rushed and wanting to go home
- really tried to sell me on physical therapy to which I said no tell me what to do and I will do it - I lift 6 days a week, just tell me.

She said it was a combination of the ruck sack, my posture, and benching for both shoulders and my wife (a heavy gal) sleeping on the left which has made the left so much worse. She also said it was over-usage from benching and it took me awhile to convince her I just starting lifting again - I don't look THAT good so I don't get that - anyhow she said I had two injuries and I could take one of two approaches:

A) one small shot and lift lightly and go to physical therapy for the next 12-16 weeks or so.

B) One big shot and one small shot, don't lift certain things for 3 weeks but then depending on how symptoms are I can probably just go right back to lifting and doing some additional physical therapy.

So I took B - a shot in the shoulder, right in my skull tattoo and then another shot directly down in the joint on top of my shoulder.

No benching and no over the shoulder presses for the next 3 weeks. Watch my posture, quit shrugging my shoulders all the time, and make sure when I do rows I switch to the wide grip and stretch my pecs out at the end of the row - opposite of the tight grip I have been using.

I realize to many guys on here this would be devastating but this is a minor inconvenience to me really. Let me explain why: I took a 13 year break from lifting, lost over 60lbs and walked into the gym and was repping with 225lbs - I think it is safe to say my chest and shoulders are pretty good components so taking 3 weeks off is not a real big thing - especially when they hurt my first time back in the gym and therefore haven't made much progress with them anyhow. If doing this little bit of PT and taking 3 weeks off will fix it then I have little doubts I will be repping with over 300 within a month after benching again.

So my next appointment is on the 15th - until then my shoulders and my chest will lag some but I will be fine and I will focus on my squatting which still sucks. My goal will be to be totally healed by then so that I can just start benching again.

I think I will maintain my A,B,C routine but it makes A day very short because it will just be triceps! So I will move my abs and traps to A day for this 3 weeks this making it:

A: Tris, traps, abs
B: Back, Bis, forearms
C: Legs

My legs lately have just been squats and calves as I am focusing on my squatting so with the removal of most pec and shoulder work my volume is down.

Been clean bulking but may need to add more cardio in so I don't add fat back on - will see, odds are my appetite will go down a bit and I will be fine.

---

Apologies if I am having a bit of trouble keeping up with everyone's journals, between kids, work, lifting I am frequently unsure if I will maintain mine.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[FatherOfThree]

Oh and btw, had to measure just now - OVER 16.5"

At this rate my arms will be 17" in no time - watchout Tatdawg I am coming ;-)

[emmie]

Well it's too bad that the doc seemed distracted - and kept you waiting for an hour (that always pissed me off to no end), but I'm glad that she had 2 options for you. And neither one involved surgery! You have the right attitude about the 3 week lay-off, and more importantly, you have the proof that you have the ability to regain strength and add mass very easily. [Big jerk!!! :mad::p]

So I'm going to put on my nurse's hat and tell you that if I see ANY, and I mean any, bench pressing and shoulder presing movements in your journal, I'm going to have to come out there, mister. And you're not gonna like it!!

How's the shoulder feeling today?

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks Emmie  Yeah, I can put mass on quickly and that it is why I am doubly shameful when I look like crap: I don’t get to blame genetics! When I woke up the shoulder was sore and stiff but it seems totally fine right now, like I never had a problem with it. I will, though it will be tough, not do any banned exercises for the next 3 weeks.

Sensitive folks please stop reading now….

Got to sleep late because of family issues, swept like crap because my shoulder had big ass needles stuck into it earlier… So I woke up late and rushed off to the gym. In the gym I realized I was hungry, and I was barely awake. Crap this is going to be a ****ty work out.

Raining and dark all the freaking time here, windy too, Dear Lord I hate Seattle! I hate getting up so early, all them stupid McMansions I drive by on the way to the gym (from my old doublewide) **** I hate this ****.

By the time I got to the gym I was pissed. I get there and there is some little gay Indian guy (no disrespect to gay Indians reading this) with one of them mo-fu rubber bands using the squat rack!!! He has the rubber band around it and is doing curls!!! So I go over and I think I probably shouted “I am going to warm up, so you got 5 minutes to finish!” and then I left and warmed up on the treadmill.

When I got done he was gone and I did not see him again – maybe have left.

Squats
25Xbar - thought I was gonna pass out
12X1 plate per side – barely finished – stupid every freaking thing, I can’t even bench now
12X2pps – I am really getting mad
10X285 – decent set to maybe 1/2” short of parallel though, wtf is wrong with me not hitting freaking parallel!!!
10X285 – made myself go to parallel on every single ****ing rep, on rep 8 I went ATG and as I am down there I think “I dunno if I can get up” if I drop the bar they are going to finally toss me from this spa… stupid ****ers, I HATE THESE FREAKING SUMBiiii grah!!!! Back up and finish that set of 10 breaking parallel on all of them! Holy crap that last rep was the bomb.
10X285 – yeah I was shot, probably did not break parallel on more than 1, didn’t care, it burned baby burned!!
10X2pps – parallel and barely able to stand erect when done
12X135XATGX3sec count at bottom – omg I see the virgin mary… here comes St Peter – he told me to go to ****ing hell! But I finished my reps and went to the sled (leg press).

Calves
25X2ppsX2feet supersetted with 12X2ppsX1f
12X3ppsX1foot
10X3ppsX1foot
15X2ppsX1foot – It was in the last 5 reps I found the Hell St Peter mentioned

Blessings (if I can still say that)
- Fo3

PS – I once again love everybody :) Peace

[ChocoChick]

LOL!

Nice squatting. :)

[FatherOfThree]

LOL!

Nice squatting. :)

Thanks! Heck of a way too start the day :)

[justtryn]

By the time I got to the gym I was pissed. I get there and there is some little gay Indian guy (no disrespect to gay Indians reading this) with one of them mo-fu rubber bands using the squat rack!!! He has the rubber band around it and is doing curls!!! So I go over and I think I probably shouted ?I am going to warm up, so you got 5 minutes to finish!? and then I left and warmed up on the treadmill.

When I got done he was gone and I did not see him again ? maybe have left.

LOL! Thanks!! I needed that! :D I can just see you going over to him and saying that... he probably crapped himself! LOL! I'm still chuckling over the visual!

Dude, that is one hell of a leg workout! Good for you... I think the fire in your belly kept you going. Does the bar bother your shoulder? Hopefully not... because if it does, emmie is going to kick your a**!!

So, I'm curious... what's keeping you in Seattle? Gotta be some place you can take the family and be happier.

[FatherOfThree]

LOL! Thanks!! I needed that! :D I can just see you going over to him and saying that... he probably crapped himself! LOL! I'm still chuckling over the visual!

Dude, that is one hell of a leg workout! Good for you... I think the fire in your belly kept you going. Does the bar bother your shoulder? Hopefully not... because if it does, emmie is going to kick your a**!!

So, I'm curious... what's keeping you in Seattle? Gotta be some place you can take the family and be happier.

Thanks amigo :) Honestly I feel bad about it now.. but I did get the squat rack ;)

Only one thing keeping me here: work. I was recruited by Microsoft about 10 years ago, I worked full time for them 5.5 years and then burned out and left. Now I am a vendor working at Microsoft - same thing as working for them for all intents and purposes but a different company pays my paycheck and gives me less bennies but if I work overtime I get time and a half - much nicer on the family then 70hr work weeks.

If I could find a job elsewhere where I could buy my own couple of acres, and had actual seasons (besides raining and not raining), I would leave in a heartbeat - however that is really hard since I can not just take time off and fly to places and interview etc, etc. Basically I realized a few years ago I am stuck here - the summers are nice anyhow.

PS - I have a strong hunch I am going to feel this leg workout (doh!) maybe my new goal will be to push so hard I release enough HGH my chest doesn't shrink when its resting ;)

[emmie]

Sensitive folks please stop reading now?.This told me that I was really going to like what you were going to say :D

So I go over and I think I probably shouted ?I am going to warm up, so you got 5 minutes to finish!? and then I left and warmed up on the treadmill.I have read this 3 times and laughed out loud each time. The image of you bellowing at this poor putz (trust me, he's never going back to the spa) cracks me up to no end.

Does the bar bother your shoulder? Hopefully not... because if it does, emmie is going to kick your a**!!Mark is very smart. Listen to the man!


Honestly I feel bad about it now.. but I did get the squat rack ;)Just think how much pleasure you have brought to the people reading this account. That should absolve you of any lingering guilt.

PS - I have a strong hunch I am going to feel this leg workout (doh!) maybe my new goal will be to push so hard I release enough HGH my chest doesn't shrink when its resting ;)
I think you'd better take a measurement.....:p

What fun I've had reading these posts, F'o3! And it's nice to know a bit more about you (work, why you live where you live, etc), too. Glad that the shoulder is feeling good so far. Nothing like a couple of huge needles to bring some relief :cool:. I am anxiously awaiting your report of exquisite leg DOMS tomorrow. You'd better be in pain or I may have to start to actively hate you!

[dartol]

Humm, sounds like I have a lot of the risk factors for the shoulder issues too... except my bench is puny. LOL

I am really working on my posture. If you look at my progress pics, I think it is improving. I am really stressing rows of all sorts. I have always been slump-shouldered. :(

I am glad that the fix is pretty easy at least! :)

I was getting worried when you said Seattle, I was afraid you were going to say you worked for the big 'B', my company. LOL
Fortunately, I have not had to work in Seattle for them though. Houston is bad enough.

Darren

[tatdawg]

from reading your leg workout it seems you had some sort of religious experiance. lol. interesting. wish you the best with the shoulder.

[FatherOfThree]

Just think how much pleasure you have brought to the people reading this account. That should absolve you of any lingering guilt.


Thanks Emmie :)


I am anxiously awaiting your report of exquisite leg DOMS tomorrow. You'd better be in pain or I may have to start to actively hate you!

I promise to post that I am in pain :) ... even if I am not :D but I should be!


I am really working on my posture. If you look at my progress pics, I think it is improving. I am really stressing rows of all sorts. I have always been slump-shouldered. :(

I would agree you have improved alot! I emailed my doc this morn and asked if shrugs themselves were ok or not because I was unsure as they do not work the chest or shoulders - but they are shrugs. She emailed me back and said they would actually help if I focus on releasing down alot - so I am hitting them hard tomorrow (forget whether you do alot of them or not).



from reading your leg workout it seems you had some sort of religious experiance. lol. interesting. wish you the best with the shoulder.

Thanks amigo - yeah I really need to get more sleep and more carbs before heading in there ;)

[dartol]

I would agree you have improved alot! I emailed my doc this morn and asked if shrugs themselves were ok or not because I was unsure as they do not work the chest or shoulders - but they are shrugs. She emailed me back and said they would actually help if I focus on releasing down alot - so I am hitting them hard tomorrow (forget whether you do alot of them or not).


Thanks Fo3! Yep, I am shruggin. I am starting to get that nice slope on the tops of my shoulders, I like it! :) It's good to know that is an approved thing to help the shoulders.

Darren

[IR45N]

Sensitive folks please stop reading now?..

Squats
25Xbar - thought I was gonna pass out
12X1 plate per side ? barely finished ? stupid every freaking thing, I can?t even bench now
12X2pps ? I am really getting mad
10X285 ? decent set to maybe 1/2? short of parallel though, wtf is wrong with me not hitting freaking parallel!!!
10X285 ? made myself go to parallel on every single ****ing rep, on rep 8 I went ATG and as I am down there I think ?I dunno if I can get up? if I drop the bar they are going to finally toss me from this spa? stupid ****ers, I HATE THESE FREAKING SUMBiiii grah!!!! Back up and finish that set of 10 breaking parallel on all of them! Holy crap that last rep was the bomb.
10X285 ? yeah I was shot, probably did not break parallel on more than 1, didn?t care, it burned baby burned!!
10X2pps ? parallel and barely able to stand erect when done
12X135XATGX3sec count at bottom ? omg I see the virgin mary? here comes St Peter ? he told me to go to ****ing hell! But I finished my reps and went to the sled (leg press).

Peace

Squats Done Right. Nothing like a post with some grit 'n grrrrr. I need to add more steaks & PO to the diet! You see the neatest people when squatting. I just see me:mad:

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks IR45N I appreciate your comments!

----

2 things to mention tonight:

*Lent - So I am sitting here eating a whole big old bowl full of Nilla wafers, this is the last nilla wafer I will get until after Easter. Outside of the emergency when I grab something bad because I am just really starving and nothing else is aroung my Nilla Wafers are the only thing that is unhealthy I eat. I eat them a lot! If you read the box on the low fat ones I have convinced myself they are not that bad, lol. Anyhow I will be bulking very clean after today. Until easter that is.

*My Routine - So since I cannot do chest or shoulders it basically leaves me with Legs, Back, Arms, and abs. So I have been thinking on this a lot and I think I am going to split it up as follows just until I get to hit my chest and shoulders again.

It's funny, my chest and shoulders so overpower my physique its almost easy to rationalize this as a good thing.

Day 1 - Legs - That's an easy one, after I squat I am pretty shot so I am going to try (try being the key word) to get my squats up to 3 full plates for a set before my 3 weeks is up - only then will I start adding back in leg press, extensions, and curls. I did legs this morning - after the rubber band man moved ;) That's why this is day 1

Day 2 - Abs for warm up and them an Arm day. I was pretty shocked how much my arms grew the other day when I did an arm day so I am anxious to get back at them and do them again. I am putting some big weight on the preacher and it is paying off. All joking aside I need to do actual measurements of everything and update my stats since they are getting pretty far off (though my waist is the same), but I will wait until this 3 weeks is up. Arm goal = over 17" within this 3 weeks. sub 1/2" to go.

Day 3 - Rest, just so my bi's can get a rest before I do my back.

Day 4 - Traps and Back - 4 exercises, 4 sets each, traps, upper back, middle back, lower back.

Day 5 - Rest if I feel I need it, probably just skip day 5 and go right back to legs, I will go by feel.

This is going to be my plan for the next 3 weeks ? and then hopefully all will be fine with my chest and I can get back into my normal routine.

Arm day tomorrow, Skynerd sang "Gimme back my Bullets", Tull sang "Bring me my broadsword" - me - I want my GUNZ back baby!!!

[Lucky K]

Are you in pain yet, nilla wafer boy?

[emmie]

Nice plan you've devised for yourself there! Which specific exercises are you going to do for back?

Good luck with breaking the deathgrip that the Nilla Wafers have on you! Be strong! As with all addictions, it's best to avoid those places where you find people eating said wafers: Pre-schools, day care centers, the odd kindergarten. You can do it! :p

Happy Wednesday :D!

[ChocoChick]

Nice to see a Tull fan here. :)

Good luck with the Nilla wafers. Does it count if you buy the store brand? :D

[dartol]

Doing back without chest for a while might help with the posture problem you mentioned... which maybe will help keep the problem away.

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

Are you in pain yet, nilla wafer boy?

Emma is going to kill me, but nope not yet :) Of course I am a day after the day after guy, so lets wait until tonight to see... right now still tingling of growth!


Nice plan you've devised for yourself there! Which specific exercises are you going to do for back?


Gravitron, rows, and hyperextensions, plus gonna shrug for traps on that day too. Those three should hit my upper, mid, and lower.

My two year old is my Nilla wafer pusher!


Nice to see a Tull fan here. :)

Good luck with the Nilla wafers. Does it count if you buy the store brand? :D

Though I have mellowed with age - Tull fanatic used to be more like it. Heck I named my oldest son Ian after Ian Anderson! My cell phone ring I made myself and is an mp3 cut of the flute solo in Bouree :)


Doing back without chest for a while might help with the posture problem you mentioned... which maybe will help keep the problem away.

Darren


Darren, we think alike, I have lower back probs when I do abs and not hypers - and even though I have been working back strong I have probably been overdoing chest compared to it... so all that yin/yang, balance, and yadda yadda yadda I am not taking a forced break from chest as to bad at all - Miss doing shoulders but its only 3 weeks.

------------

This AM's work out = Short and Hard!

Barbell curls - I have not done straight barbell curls this go around! Amazing how week you are at them when you have not done them in 13 years, lol. This might not be too bad I need to go look some journals later when I get to work - first time - so severly correct form! 12X70, 10X80, 5X100, 6X90, 8X80

Rope tricep pressdown - 16X190, 13X250, 13X260, 11X260, 10X260 - and that's it for this exercise for me - all the weight I can put on that rack and I am getting to many reps, it's a shame I really like this exercise but I guess I am happy to graduate.

Alternate Incline Simultaneous DB curls - 9X35, 6X40, 10X25, 9X25

Tricep Kickbacks (extreme form always) - 12X35, 8X45, 8X45, 5X55

I was severely pumped at this point and flexed in the mirror and man I love being pumped - it is always my motivator to look like I do pumped. Everytime I see myself pumped up I think "that's what I will look like in two weeks" - so far I have been doing it too - yeah still new :)

Went over and dumped some water in my shaker of whey and as I was drinking it down before leaving when the "head trainer" (aka young skinny kid, albeit nice enough guy) comes darn near running over and asks me if that's whey and what brand it was and where I got it and what else I am on. I told him and said that's it - but If it wasn't so early I would have told him "Nilla wafers!!!" :) Kind of neat, maybe I have made enough progress so quickly that people are noticing.

Blessings all and I will catch up with your journals in my break today!

- Fo3

[dartol]

My two year old is my Nilla wafer pusher!

Darren, we think alike, I have lower back probs when I do abs and not hypers - and even though I have been working back strong I have probably been overdoing chest compared to it... so all that yin/yang, balance, and yadda yadda yadda I am not taking a forced break from chest as to bad at all - Miss doing shoulders but its only 3 weeks.

------------

Barbell curls - I have not done straight barbell curls this go around! Amazing how week you are at them when you have not done them in 13 years, lol. This might not be too bad I need to go look some journals later when I get to work - first time - so severly correct form! 12X70, 10X80, 5X100, 6X90, 8X80

Alternate Incline Simultaneous DB curls - 9X35, 6X40, 10X25, 9X25

- Fo3

My 2-year old is a Goldfish pusher. At least we buy the ones with 'whole wheat', so maybe they are a tad bit better. they probably don't have much whole wheat though, they are not 100%.

Yeah hopefully the back thing will help. I have thought about taking some time off from chest to concentrate on back, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Besides, I am trying to beat Blake to 10 reps of 200 on bench... and he only has a 50 lb lead. LOL

BB curls... weak... dangit. You call that weak, I thought I was doing pretty good at 70. But that is my highest ever and I keep increasing, so I guess I am slowly getting there. You'd better not be swaying or moving your elbows! LOL

At least I am not too far behind on the incline db's! Did 25s last time, but I have done a little more.

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

You'd better not be swaying or moving your elbows! LOL

Nope I am rock solid, the reason I stopped at 5 on the 100's is I felt a little teeny bit of sway on #5, did not want to do that. I am doing alot more on the Preacher which I think should technically be harder - but then again it is the easy curl bar and I am use to it. So ya better work fast to catch me on this ;)
[/QUOTE]



At least I am not too far behind on the incline db's! Did 25s last time, but I have done a little more.

Darren

Yeah my 2nd direct bi exercise always sucks, maybe next time I will move this to my first exercise and bar curls to my 2nd... I change up stuff like this alot, curls are curls really and imo this keeps it interesting and keeps your muscles guessing - so long as you are doing the same thing, e.g. curls I think it is ok to change up all the time with the little muscles like bi's. DOwn the road when I have been back into lifting for 6 months or so I would expect my endurance to the volume to be up alot higher too.

Thanks much for the feedback Darren!

[justtryn]

Hey bud, that's cool that your progress was noticed in the gym! Very cool - good looking workout plan while you heal up, too.

[dartol]

Yeah I have switched between doing the inclines first and second too. I will work on catching you. Haha. When you measure arms, do you do it flexed?

Mine are only a little over 14 1/2 flexed... oh shoot, the left one is only a little over 14. :(

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

Hey bud, that's cool that your progress was noticed in the gym! Very cool - good looking workout plan while you heal up, too.

Thanks Amigo!


Yeah I have switched between doing the inclines first and second too. I will work on catching you. Haha. When you measure arms, do you do it flexed?

Mine are only a little over 14 1/2 flexed... oh shoot, the left one is only a little over 14. :(

Darren

You know thinking about it, even after the discussion awhile back on how I do these curls I think I probably left things out, like full rotation, maybe I will make a vid someday. LOL, might get up to 4 people doing them like me :-)

I do it cold, flexed. Meaning I just flex them once for the measurement - since I can start getting a pump in a few flexes I could get a higher reading quick if not careful. So cold, but flexed.

[dartol]

Haha, you should do that! Next thing you know, everyone will be doing 'Fo3 Curls'! :)

I really like the inclines, they make my inner head show up big time. I am one of those guys with no low bicep, I can put three fingers in between the bottom of my bicep and my forearm, with it up at 90 degrees and my palm facing in. I do the preacher curls on the vertical side too.

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

Haha, you should do that! Next thing you know, everyone will be doing 'Fo3 Curls'! :)

I really like the inclines, they make my inner head show up big time. I am one of those guys with no low bicep, I can put three fingers in between the bottom of my bicep and my forearm, with it up at 90 degrees and my palm facing in. I do the preacher curls on the vertical side too.

Darren

heh - I have the same bicep genetics with the gap at the bottom. Needless to say: there is nothing we can do to stretch them out ;-) I work on real big forearms and then bend my arm in past 90 degrees :D :D

(mine is about a 2 finger gap)

[tatdawg]

bonus nachos amoeba,
those are some pretty good numbers on the barbell curls.

[emmie]

I agree with dartol and tatdawg - Nothing to be ashamed of with those bb curls, especially since we know that you're so strict with your form! I have been stuck at 54# for the past 4 weeks :mad: - and my form has been known to be, um, bad :p!

Nice that the "head trainer" was asking YOU about supplements. Certainly is a complement to take in and savor a bit. Any sign of the Rubber Band Man this morning??!

[FatherOfThree]

bonus nachos amoeba,
those are some pretty good numbers on the barbell curls.

Thanks dawg, appreciate it.


I agree with dartol and tatdawg - Nothing to be ashamed of with those bb curls, especially since we know that you're so strict with your form! I have been stuck at 54# for the past 4 weeks :mad: - and my form has been known to be, um, bad :p!

Nice that the "head trainer" was asking YOU about supplements. Certainly is a complement to take in and savor a bit. Any sign of the Rubber Band Man this morning??!

Thanks Emma, ya I am sure I could swing 175lbs up, but that would help my bi's less than tight form and half the weight!

54lbs is a lot for someone your size - but if you want to get past it you could always go to like 65lbs, swing it up and do some neg sets with it - just be careful and do not get hurt! When the next workout you grab say 60lbs it will seem light and you will curl it and break that plateau ;) Well that's what I use to do years ago, lol.

The trainers where I go are all good kids, they just are not bodybuilders, they have people hop with one foot on little rubber bouncy things when doing curls with pink dumbells in the other hand... sometimes I think they are with Monty Python and they are just screwing with people... meanwhile I am doing my best to turn into the tattoed old freak in the corner ;)

Haven't seen Mr Rubber Band man around yet!

I think tomorrow morning I will sleep in a little, do abs then ruck 5 miles and take my dog through the woods before work - it's my rest day :D yay me!

[FatherOfThree]

I posted this in the men over 35 pic thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpost.php?p=22627741&postcount=3402

Met standing next to my uncle (uncle is cropped out), just chilling.

[emmie]

Why you've got that same ruddy-cheeked, wide-eyed, slightly cartoonish expression at 40 that you did when you were just a lad! :p.

Potential? Uh, YEAH! Honestly, F'o3, to me you don't look very much different - just judging by what we've seen of you in your avatars. I think that's a great thing... I'm sure that you're much more methodical and precise about your training these days, so only good things will come of it. Unless you do shoulder work before you're supposed to!!

*Emma panicks that she's offended the guy 'cause he thinks he looks like **** in one -or both - pictures. Which he doesn't! *

[ChocoChick]

I never knew Elmo was so built. ;)

[ChocoChick]

What the...???

My post just came through with a timestamp of 1:57am. Not sure what's going on but it's 10:05am EST now. :confused:

[FatherOfThree]

Oh no offense taken at all, quite the contrary really :) I am pretty close to looking like I did at 18 again already and that's pretty good imho.

My core body (chest, shoulders, back, and belly, lol) is a bit bigger than then but it is proportionally bigger so all in all I am ok with that. I have bit of a loose skin problem but if at 40 that is my biggest issue I could care less about it.

I still need to put a little size back on my arms to be right back there but they are, painfully, coming along. Painful because I have severe arm doms right now, I never got doms from the squats but WOW are my arms sore right now.

In my mid 20's after the army was when I got huge and that is my long term goal again - but if I can have my 18 year old build as I head into my 40's I am happy with that.

Thanks Emmie :)

[FatherOfThree]

I never knew Elmo was so built. ;)


What the...???

My post just came through with a timestamp of 1:57am. Not sure what's going on but it's 10:05am EST now. :confused:


How odd, I just got email of, and saw these two posts now! Anyhow - Thanks for the compliment!! Elmo is a little monster after all ;-)

and I am late for work - doh! (runs out the door)

[dartol]

You might want to update that face hair style justa bit... ;)

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

aww come on, it's timeless ;)

[justtryn]

Ummm, yah...

[tatdawg]

looks like you are moving ahead in your quest to go back.
think about it. it makes perfect sense to me.lol

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks Dawg - makes total sense to me!

---

This AM,

Treadmill for warm up, some abs too...

Shrugs, circle style, full rom, no straps, 25X1P, 12X3P, 6X4P, 4X4P, 8X385XReversed Grip, 12X3PXReverse Grip

Gravitron Chins, slow, as wide as possible: 15X140, 8X95, 6X80, 6X95

Wide grip rows, with the wide bar upside down, taken really far back to stretch out my pecs per the doctors order - first time trying like this, what a burn! 12X180, 12X180, 10X180

Hyper Extensions: 15X200, 15X200, 20X200 (those last ones burned!)

Basically if you average it all out the above is 4 exercises, about 4 sets each, about 10 reps per set. If I eat proper today, sleep decent tonight, and repeat this daily with an occasional break now and then for another year I will be a freak again. This is the groove. (EDIT TO ADD: True Groove would include a chest and shoulders day needless to say)

Current mode: bit grumpy - my body naturally goes through stages of strength gain and then size gains they are one after the other. Just finished a size gain and now am in a strength gain I think, which is great, but I like seeing size too.

Currently praying for: My wife's heart health, my shoulder to not need surgery, and dawg's back.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[ChocoChick]

Nice workout there. Hope your prayers are answered.

[dartol]

Wide grip rows, with the wide bar upside down, taken really far back to stretch out my pecs per the doctors order - first time trying like this, what a burn! 12X180, 12X180, 10X180


F03, I get more exercise variation ideas from reading your thread than anywhere! :)

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

Nice workout there. Hope your prayers are answered.

Thank you :)


F03, I get more exercise variation ideas from reading your thread than anywhere! :)

Darren

Hey thanks, I appreciate that :)

My debate right now is if I should squat again tomorrow or if I should take a light cardio day and squat on Sunday...

Had that good heavy squat day on Tuesday and I would like to squat again... might be too early.. I think the vast majority of people going 1 to 2 weeks between squatting (and likewise benching, etc) take way too long of a break to acheive max growth... on the other hand as my poundages go up I do need to be taking a little bit longer of a break in between... I do beleive you can train your body to recover faster and that's part of why I did the first month doing everything twice....

anhyhow if anyone has thoughts feel free to share them, I might not agree but always appreciate them! :)

[emmie]

Well first off, I hope that your wife's health is not in any serious compromise, and that your shoulder is on the mend, and that tatdawg's back isn't preventing him from doing the things he needs and wants to do :).


I think the vast majority of people going 1 to 2 weeks between squatting (and likewise benching, etc) take way too long of a break to acheive max growth... on the other hand as my poundages go up I do need to be taking a little bit longer of a break in between... I do beleive you can train your body to recover faster and that's part of why I did the first month doing everything twice.... What I will say about this (and I know that I sound like a broken record because I say it so much, but I truly believe it) is that every single BODY is different. No two people will everecover/gain mass/gain strength at the same rate, even if they are following identical programs. My feeling is that the best approach is to M.Y.O.W. (Mind Your Own Workout). If squatting 2-3 x week gives you the results you desire - then do it. If you need exactly 17 days between squat sessions, then do it. Whatever works for you is what works. Personally, it takes me 4-5 days before my legs are DOMS-free after a leg day. I am in no hurry - not prepping for a contest, not trying to impress folks at a high-school reunion, etc - so I don't feel the need to work through the pain and train legs more often. Could I progress "faster" if I squatted more often? Possibly? Do I care? No. :p. My point is that your workouts should match your goals. You seem keen to gain mass quickly. Safe to say, squatting every 2 weeks wont help you achieve your goal :cool:. So do what you need to do, and screw what everyone else is doing.
*Emma descends from her soapbox, wincing from the pain in her quads, glutes, and hamstrings.:D*

[tatdawg]

why thanks for the prayers. it seems to be working as there has been a big improvement today. if it continues to improve i might be able to try my push workout sun. that is the safest and least stressful on my back. you know i talk to the big man above on a daily basis and i will definately pray for you and your wife. you can count on it.

[FatherOfThree]

Well first off, I hope that your wife's health is not in any serious compromise, and that your shoulder is on the mend, and that tatdawg's back isn't preventing him from doing the things he needs and wants to do :).


Thanks :)




What I will say about this (and I know that I sound like a broken record because I say it so much, but I truly believe it) is that every single BODY is different. No two people will everecover/gain mass/gain strength at the same rate, even if they are following identical programs. My feeling is that the best approach is to M.Y.O.W. (Mind Your Own Workout). If squatting 2-3 x week gives you the results you desire - then do it. If you need exactly 17 days between squat sessions, then do it. Whatever works for you is what works. Personally, it takes me 4-5 days before my legs are DOMS-free after a leg day. I am in no hurry - not prepping for a contest, not trying to impress folks at a high-school reunion, etc - so I don't feel the need to work through the pain and train legs more often. Could I progress "faster" if I squatted more often? Possibly? Do I care? No. :p. My point is that your workouts should match your goals. You seem keen to gain mass quickly. Safe to say, squatting every 2 weeks wont help you achieve your goal :cool:. So do what you need to do, and screw what everyone else is doing.
*Emma descends from her soapbox, wincing from the pain in her quads, glutes, and hamstrings.:D*

Did I touch a nerve Emmie :-) Sorry, obviously, you are right in all the above.

So maybe I should say it like this: I am working out to get bigger and stronger ASAP. I do not want to look like some 165lbs skinny abercrombie ad - I want to get huge and make no claims otherwise, lol. I do want to do it as fast as possible however that includes doing it without hurting myself, overtraining, etc The jab at folks doing it only once every two weeks should only be a jab aimed at others going for max gains too - and naturally - if they are not in that group (e.g. gear users, toners, fitness contestents) then their comparison is invalid and I did not mean to make it - sorry.

However for me, and only for me (how's that? :)) I want to grow as fast as possible and will deal with the mental and physical hardship that goes with that so long as I am not screwing up doing it (again injury and overtraining as examples).

So for me I am still debating if I should squat tomorrow or hold till Sunday and would entertain others thoughts on this. Right now I do not think I push enough weight that I need another day.. but maybe, I dunno really? It is hard to tell by feel for me with legs.

Thanks Emmie :-)


why thanks for the prayers. it seems to be working as there has been a big improvement today. if it continues to improve i might be able to try my push workout sun. that is the safest and least stressful on my back. you know i talk to the big man above on a daily basis and i will definately pray for you and your wife. you can count on it.

Glad you are feeling a bunch better, and Thanks for the prayers my friend!

[tatdawg]

What I will say about this (and I know that I sound like a broken record because I say it so much, but I truly believe it) is that every single BODY is different. No two people will everecover/gain mass/gain strength at the same rate, even if they are following identical programs. My feeling is that the best approach is to M.Y.O.W. (Mind Your Own Workout). If squatting 2-3 x week gives you the results you desire - then do it. If you need exactly 17 days between squat sessions, then do it. D*

i agree with her here. we all are different with different injuries and other issues. what is right is what works best for you. and thanks for the well wishes emmie

[FatherOfThree]

snipped

[emmie]

Did I touch a nerve Emmie :-)
Oh, but not in a bad way, as far as I'm concerned :). I am very sensitive when it comes to comparisons, so my riled-up response was simply a projection of my own feelings about the matter. I should have disclosed that particular neurosis up-front :o. I spent years comparing myself to others and feeling utterly miserable in the process. I don't do that nearly as much anymore, but I still need to give myself a pep-talk on a daily basis. When I hear people/read about people comparing themselves to others - especially if the comparison is invalid - it pushes my buttons, and not the good ones ;).

Your jab at the person who is looking for max. gains ASAP, yet is squatting and benching every 17.6 days is well-placed.

[FatherOfThree]

Oh, but not in a bad way, as far as I'm concerned :). I am very sensitive when it comes to comparisons, so my riled-up response was simply a projection of my own feelings about the matter. I should have disclosed that particular neurosis up-front :o. I spent years comparing myself to others and feeling utterly miserable in the process. I don't do that nearly as much anymore, but I still need to give myself a pep-talk on a daily basis. When I hear people/read about people comparing themselves to others - especially if the comparison is invalid - it pushes my buttons, and not the good ones ;).

Your jab at the person who is looking for max. gains ASAP, yet is squatting and benching every 17.6 days is well-placed.


Yeah, so.... do I squat tomorrow or not?! :) ;)

[emmie]

Yeah, so.... do I squat tomorrow or not?! :) ;)


YES. YOU MUST SQUAT.


Is that what you wanted to hear??:p

[FatherOfThree]

Well, yes and no to be honest with you! :D

[tatdawg]

i really did not mean that to come out as a lecture just as a opinion to to do what works best for you. as for me i am going to say something that i suspect most will not agree with and that is i don't go along with all this overtraining stuff. i believe 2 or 3 days is plenty of time off before hitting the same bodypart again. it worked in the pre juice days of old and i can't see why it ain't still the same. note this just my opinion nothing more.

[FatherOfThree]

i really did not mean that to come out as a lecture just as a opinion to to do what works best for you. as for me i am going to say something that i suspect most will not agree with and that is i don't go along with all this overtraining stuff. i believe 2 or 3 days is plenty of time off before hitting the same bodypart again. it worked in the pre juice days of old and i can't see why it ain't still the same. note this just my opinion nothing more.

Understood and thanks. I agree with you, 2 to 3 days always worked back in the day for me, and now if I have to go slower since I am older that would be 3 to 4 days... So, unless family issues prevent, I am gonna squat again tomorrow.

I also need more carbs right now, so apologies if I seemed off.

[tatdawg]

Understood and thanks. I agree with you, 2 to 3 days always worked back in the day for me, and now if I have to go slower since I am older that would be 3 to 4 days... So, unless family issues prevent, I am gonna squat again tomorrow.

.

my feelings exactly my friend. back to your orignal ? if you feel like squatting then by all means squat till your squatter crys for mercy. lol

[IR45N]

I am working out to get bigger and stronger ASAP. I do not want to look like some 165lbs skinny abercrombie ad - I want to get huge and make no claims otherwise, lol. I do want to do it as fast as possible however that includes doing it without hurting myself, overtraining, etc

However for me, and only for me (how's that? :)) I want to grow as fast as possible and will deal with the mental and physical hardship that goes with that so long as I am not screwing up doing it (again injury and overtraining as examples).
!

Go for it; Push the iron; not the chance to injure something or become rest depleted! You've got the stuff & you'll get more!

[dartol]

This may not be the best comparison, but after my last knee surgery I was in physcial therapy for about two months, three times a week. I was working both legs because of an issue with the other knee too. It took about 2 hours/day including the icing/warming/stretching and such.

I had not been doing much at all for legs beforehand, so think of it as starting from scratch.

So... 2 hours of leg work 3 times a week... and my legs grew! Their program was very methodical... 3x10 one day, 4x10 the next day, 5x10, 6x10, then up the weight and start back at 3x10.

I did bodyweight squats with an exercise ball behind me (only went up in reps), bodyweight calf raises progressing to 60 single leg then to raises on the leg press, leg press, leg extensions, leg curls, etc. I started out having trouble doing straight leg raises with no weight and progress through 10 lb ankle weights.

And I lost weight! LOL

So what's my point? Well like Emmie said, everyone is different. I would not try working legs 3x a week now that I am training everything, but I probably could if that is all I was doing. I have considered squatting 2x a week too, but that might be a bit much. Maybe if I had a day for squats and a day for the leg press, humm... :)

You could always try squatting differently on different days too... like low rep/high weight one day and high rep/low weight another day. Just an idea.

Darren

[emmie]

You could always try squatting differently on different days too... like low rep/high weight one day and high rep/low weight another day. Just an idea.

Darren
That's a great idea! Or you could vary your stance: narrow vs. sumo vs. Bulgarian....

[FatherOfThree]

My dad FatherOfThree is paying me 1$ a day to type this for him.:D :D :D

Spuats Past Parallel
25X0
25Xbar
12X1p
12X2p
10X295
3X295
10X275
8X275 squats ATG
10X2p ATG
7X1pX ATG with a 7 Second pause at the bottom ****Edited to add: These were done without as much as a belt, just me and my shorts, lol***

Calf Raises on Leg Press
12X2p X1Foot
12X3p X1F
10 8X4p X1F
5X4P X1F
23X4p X2F

Easiest 1$ I ever made!!!

[FatherOfThree]

heh, problem solved, I'm not even out of the shower and it's all written up! yay me!

btw - that last set of squats I think was the most intense stuff i have done, wow, that last up from the final 7 second pause I almost passed out on. After I hung the bar up I was holding on to the sides of the rack like a baby!

last squat day was 2 plates and a 25 on each side this time I did not jump to 3 plates but went with 2 plates and a 35. Next time = 3 full plates. Count on it.

[tatdawg]

good leg workout man but i am a tad confused. is your journal going to remain open?

[FatherOfThree]

good leg workout man but i am a tad confused. is your journal going to remain open?

Yes sir, my kid is paid in advance for a month of typing for me! So I come home, hand my papers to her and by the time I am washed up my entry is posted :D

Sorry the confusion, I found a way to save some time so I am keeping it going!

[tatdawg]

i am glad to hear that my friend.

[Lucky K]

I'm going to start this post with a disclaimer, this is what I've done and these are my findings based on my test group of 1 -me!

Leg day has always been my favorite, so even when I was doing 1-2 muscles a day with a 3-4 day split, I would still on occasion work in a second leg day. BUT I would do differnt thingys. And alot of the time it would be slow bodyweight stuff, like bulgarian split-squats. It's not as easy as it looks! But right now, I've been doing a full body w/o 3 days a week and have noticed my recovery time is getting faster. My thinking is that if you stick with any one way too long, and your body will learn to adapt. I think this applies not only to weights, but cardio, diet, tanning,etc! We are adaptable creatures, us humans. You elmoans, I'm not sure of though!

[FatherOfThree]

i am glad to hear that my friend.

Thanks Amigo, our pasts are more similar then ya know and I am glad we on this site together.


I'm going to start this post with a disclaimer, this is what I've done and these are my findings based on my test group of 1 -me!

Leg day has always been my favorite, so even when I was doing 1-2 muscles a day with a 3-4 day split, I would still on occasion work in a second leg day. BUT I would do differnt thingys. And alot of the time it would be slow bodyweight stuff, like bulgarian split-squats. It's not as easy as it looks! But right now, I've been doing a full body w/o 3 days a week and have noticed my recovery time is getting faster. My thinking is that if you stick with any one way too long, and your body will learn to adapt. I think this applies not only to weights, but cardio, diet, tanning,etc! We are adaptable creatures, us humans. You elmoans, I'm not sure of though!

Ha! Great post and us Elmoans agree with ya!

---
Now I wonder if Emma is gonna still read my stuff... Emmie you there? :)

[ChocoChick]

i really did not mean that to come out as a lecture just as a opinion to to do what works best for you. as for me i am going to say something that i suspect most will not agree with and that is i don't go along with all this overtraining stuff. i believe 2 or 3 days is plenty of time off before hitting the same bodypart again. it worked in the pre juice days of old and i can't see why it ain't still the same. note this just my opinion nothing more.

I agree with this! I see my best gains when I hit a part 2x/week. I do legs twice a week but I do different movements each time and usually different set/rep schemes.

Nice squatting, btw. :) And nice going getting such a cheap scribe!

[FatherOfThree]

I agree with this! I see my best gains when I hit a part 2x/week. I do legs twice a week but I do different movements each time and usually different set/rep schemes.

Nice squatting, btw. :) And nice going getting such a cheap scribe!

Thanks much dbflgirl!

Ok everyone has me convinced, and it all agrees with my own thoughts too, so I am going to keep my leg frequency BUT I am now going to do leg press, ext, curls on one leg day, then my squats the next.

Dbflgirl, now that you know me enough and just an old married guy with a bunch of kids please allow me to finally say this: You got one hot avatar! kills me! lol

btw - love squat days when they are done - because I get to eat so much :D

[ChocoChick]

btw - love squat days when they are done - because I get to eat so much :D

Yes! That might be the other reason I do legs twice a week. ;)

Thanks for the compliment, Fo3. I'm an old married lady with a bunch of kids (well, only 3 but it can sure seem like more at times!). ;)

[emmie]

Now I wonder if Emma is gonna still read my stuff... Emmie you there? :)Of course I'm still here :p. After I read your "I'm a-gonna quite this journal thing." post I said to myself "Hmmm...we've heard THIS before....:cool:" I figured that you'd be back soon!

Post when you can. Pay the kid to take dictation, if that works. And don't sweat it if you can't write detailed, rambling posts every single day. I've got that department covered ;).

[FatherOfThree]

Thanks Emma :)

and, I know you were waiting for this, lol:

16.75" Woot!

As always, that's my left arm, cold, flexed. My right is a little bigger and I am working on catching my left up.

If I can stay on track I will be breaking that 17" mark before I go back to the doctor's about the shoulder. As always I am not focusing on arms, it's just an easy quick measurement, if I was focusing on this I sure would not have squatted like I did this morning!

btw - anyone like my new sig line? lol. Now if I can get a mod to change this thread title to "Seething in Seattle" I will be all set... just angry... in the rain.. drinking coffee.. pushing iron... seething...

:)

[emmie]

btw - anyone like my new sig line? lol. Now if I can get a mod to change this thread title to "Seething in Seattle" I will be all set... just angry... in the rain.. drinking coffee.. pushing iron... seething...
Honestly, I like all of your other sigs better than this....they had humor in then. This one kind of makes you sound like an *******. I mean, I'm not ignoring you, and you'd better not be laughing at me! :p

[FatherOfThree]

Honestly, I like all of your other sigs better than this....they had humor in then. This one kind of makes you sound like an *******. I mean, I'm not ignoring you, and you'd better not be laughing at me! :p

Oh... not how I meant it to sound - thanks for constructive crit, is changed and I will think of something unique/funny again soon :)

[FatherOfThree]

A Lazy Sunday.

Am just leaving now with my 30lb son on my back, my dog on a leash and my wife holding my hand to go for a 10 mile hike. Then back home in time to make evening Mass.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[tatdawg]

that sounds like fun. i enjoy hiking a lot these days.

[FatherOfThree]

that sounds like fun. i enjoy hiking a lot these days.

Well it did sound like fun - but it wasn't LOL. Within a few feet out my driveway my calves were cramped and my quads were shaking.

Passed my youngest to my wife to carry and my oldest took the dog and we made it the 2.2 miles of steep hills around the lake - it took me the entire time since my last post to do it. Legs feel exactly like when I finished yesterday... the good kind of pain.

Note to self: Never again try hiking the day after a wicked squat day.

[tatdawg]

hiking in the hills is a leg workout. you can believe that

[emmie]

Sounds like a great hike! You must live in a beautiful area. The full 10 miles wouldn've been......well, you'd probably still be out there right now. And perhaps no longer speaking to one another!:p Or maybe you would have sent them home to get the car to come pick you up?!? Anyhow, 2.2 miles sounds like it was just about the right distance to stretch the legs and work up an appetite. Are you still eating like there's no tomorrow?

[FatherOfThree]

hiking in the hills is a leg workout. you can believe that

Yeah, no doubt there bro, no doubt. Hiking these hills here with the ruck sack on my back is at least 75% of what got me from my 280+lbs of fat down to 215lbs. This lifting is to put the weight back on ;) (The hills also gave me these calves)


Sounds like a great hike! You must live in a beautiful area. The full 10 miles wouldn've been......well, you'd probably still be out there right now. And perhaps no longer speaking to one another!:p Or maybe you would have sent them home to get the car to come pick you up?!? Anyhow, 2.2 miles sounds like it was just about the right distance to stretch the legs and work up an appetite. Are you still eating like there's no tomorrow?

I really wanted to stop half way and ask my wife to come back with the car it was painful, but my wife is a heavy set gal, and no disrespect mean to her but as slow as I was shuffling she really couldn't have got home any faster than me shuffling.

Worse yet I just came in from helping a neighbor with one of the giant 100' pines here theatening his house. Right now I can barely walk my wheels are hurting so much.

Sure hope I can get some sleep tonight because tomorrow is suppose to be another arm day and then a busy Monday at work.

Yup, I am eating enough for a platoon of soldiers right now however I think I over did a little on carbs this week and my belly is showing it so I think I need to cut back a little. Clean bulking is hard for me, crappy bulking would be so much easier.

Really worried about my shoulder :(

LOL, there is my full Sunday report! :)

[FatherOfThree]

Monday AM:

Alarm went off, turned it off, stood up and my legs hurt and I was still sleepy so I went back to bed.

Feel much better now.

Arm day tomorrow.

[justtryn]

Monday AM:

Alarm went off, turned it off, stood up and my legs hurt and I was still sleepy so I went back to bed.

Feel much better now.

Arm day tomorrow.
Lucky guy!

Say, did you ever look into Micron?

[FatherOfThree]

Lucky guy!

Say, did you ever look into Micron?

I started to, in order to apply you have to use their online application system, iow, can not just upload a resume, and I haven't had the free time yet.

This week though my wife will take all the kids out of house for a couple hours after work one night (piano lessons and what not) and that is what I am using that time for. Thanks much for the lead - I definetly will be getting to it! :)

[ChocoChick]

LOL at your new sig... Elmo is scary? :D

[FatherOfThree]

LOL at your new sig... Elmo is scary? :D

Thanks :)

Want me to PM you a pic of my real face?

<yoda>afraid you will be!</yoda>

[ChocoChick]

I don't scare too easily. ;)

[FatherOfThree]

I don't scare too easily. ;)

OK, PM on it's way... I would bet $100 I look nothing like you expect! :D

[ChocoChick]

I saw it and lived! :D

Don't let him fool you -- he's a good-looking guy. ;)

[emmie]

OK, PM on it's way... I would bet $100 I look nothing like you expect! :D

So who won the bet?

[FatherOfThree]

So who won the bet?

It was a "fake" bet :-) I sort of look like a cross between Syllvester Stallone and Tony Soprano. LOL. If you or anyone else who posts in my stupid journal wants a head shot let me know and I will will fwd. It's my badge photo so it came out just like a drivers license pic... no biggie, just didn't want to post on the open Internet.

BTW, my legs are truly still exhausted from Sat, am hoping to go to sleep extra early tonight because if not I may just sleep in tomorrrow too! You said you were hoping to hear of me in pain... well you got it! ;)

[tatdawg]

You said you were hoping to hear of me in pain... well you got it! ;)

what did that fool in roadhouse say 'pain don't hurt'. he lied :D

[ChocoChick]

It was a "fake" bet :-) I sort of look like a cross between Syllvester Stallone and Tony Soprano. LOL. If you or anyone else who posts in my stupid journal wants a head shot let me know and I will will fwd. It's my badge photo so it came out just like a drivers license pic... no biggie, just didn't want to post on the open Internet.

:rolleyes:

He's way more Stallone than Soprano. Yeesh. And I thought women were the ones with self-image problems. :rolleyes:

[FatherOfThree]

what did that fool in roadhouse say 'pain don't hurt'. he lied :D

Yeah he did bro, lol.


:rolleyes:

He's way more Stallone than Soprano. Yeesh. And I thought women were the ones with self-image problems. :rolleyes:

Aw thanks :D I appreciate that.

[emmie]

You said you were hoping to hear of me in pain... well you got it! ;)Wow, I'm so delighted, uh, I mean, sorry, to hear about the pain! Heh heh heh....


Yeesh. And I thought women were the ones with self-image problems. :D

[FatherOfThree]

Oh you two! ;)

This AM:

- treadmill & vacuums for warm up

- Straight bar barbell curls
12X80, 10X90, 4X110 (5th one I started to cheat so I stopped), 6X100, 8X90
* a note on these, my gym has fixed barbells up to 110lbs, once I hit 8 reps with the 110 I will go back to the EZ Curl where I naturally use more weight because it is easier on my wrists/forearms

Dips while leaning back to focus on tri-ceps done on parallel bars
- 15XBodyweight, 8X25lbs hanging on weightted dip belt, 8X25, 6X50, 8Xbodyweight while leaning as far back as possible
* first time I have done these in over 13 years too

"My curls" :D :D
Alternate, simultaneous, rotational, incline curls
I start with both palms facing down and you do both arms simultaneously while one arm is going up the other is going down. When your arm is up your palm is facing up and when your arm is down your palm is facing down. Likewise when one arm is down the other arm is up. If you do this right this is very hard and burns both bicep heads as well as your forearms and wrists.
9X30, 6X45, 7X35, 6X35 and then with no break after that last 6 I went straight into "normal, simultaneous, incline curls" and did a total of 11 reps (for 23 reps total) - so to illustrate how hard these are when done like this even after 4 sets to failure I still with no break knocked out 11 more reps of normal stuff.

Tricep press downs - I said I was done with these but I realized since I had already done dips I had stressed my tri's enough already I could do this, my fav tri exercise one more time:
15X200, 15X250, 10X260, 8X260, 6X260

My legs are still sore from Sat, and now my arms feel like lead balloons :D Think I will do cardio and abs tomorrow and give my bi's a one day break before I hit my back.

I will catch up with others journals later today!

Blessings,
- Fo3

[emmie]

Workout looks very focused and intense!

Do the dips not bother your shoulder? They don't cause me pain when I do them, but I definitely feel some sort of "strain" around the shoulder joint.

Your gym -which you've decribed as a "spa" :confused: - seems to have pretty good equipment for a place that forbids deadlifting. Are there other serious lifters there? When I hear "spa" I think about either hot-stone massages and mud packs, or the type of place with nice Asian ladies who offer a significantly more intimate form of massage ;). So which one is it??!? :D

[FatherOfThree]

Workout looks very focused and intense!

Thanks, that's my goal currently :)


Do the dips not bother your shoulder? They don't cause me pain when I do them, but I definitely feel some sort of "strain" around the shoulder joint.

No, none at all - however it is worth noting that I was doing tricep dips - meaning I stay straight up and down and even try to lean back - this really hits the triceps. Regular dips you lean fwd and them I use to (probably still can) load the weight up on - these I did not do at all since the doc said no chest or shoulder and I am listening - right now my shoulder feels awesome so I am hoping I am one of the lucky ones who does not need surgery. I am assuming and could be wrong that if I did regular dips I might have felt it in my shoulder: so I didnt ;)


Your gym -which you've decribed as a "spa" :confused: - seems to have pretty good equipment for a place that forbids deadlifting. Are there other serious lifters there? When I hear "spa" I think about either hot-stone massages and mud packs, or the type of place with nice Asian ladies who offer a significantly more intimate form of massage ;). So which one is it??!? :D

It's a very small place but it is pretty well equipped. Probably 3 rows with one row of 15 treadmills, then 15 ellipticals, then 15 bicycles. Then there is maybe 15 pieces of nautilus type stuff and then a small free weight section - but they have 1 squat rack, 1 smith, 3 benches, etc

they have saunus, 2 tanning beds, etc.

So it is a nice little gym, I just tend to think of it as a Spa because I am already the biggest guy there & no disrespect to me but I am still not yet that big. So exempting deadlifting, and generally it being full of cardio bunnies it is a good gym. Except when rubber band users take the durn squat rack!

:)

[jspirate]

No, none at all - however it is worth noting that I was doing tricep dips - meaning I stay straight up and down and even try to lean back - this really hits the triceps. Regular dips you lean fwd and them I use to (probably still can) load the weight up on - these I did not do at all since the doc said no chest or shoulder and I am listening - right now my shoulder feels awesome so I am hoping I am one of the lucky ones who does not need surgery. I am assuming and could be wrong that if I did regular dips I might have felt it in my shoulder: so I didnt ;)


Hey there Fo3. Becareful with those dips. They are part of the reason I ended up having shoulder surgery. There were other contributing factors, but going too deep on dips either precipitated or agravated my condition (I probably will never now what came first).

Anyway, for the next 3 months I am living through the likes of yourself so don't pull a jspirate :)

[FatherOfThree]

Hey there Fo3. Becareful with those dips. They are part of the reason I ended up having shoulder surgery. There were other contributing factors, but going too deep on dips either precipitated or agravated my condition (I probably will never now what came first).

Anyway, for the next 3 months I am living through the likes of yourself so don't pull a jspirate :)

Warning heeded and appreciated, thank you sir. Until (hopefully) my doc gives me the all clear I am going back to tricep kickbacks.

[tatdawg]

i second what my man said about them dips. impressive arm workout. you will blow by me but that is cool. at this point i am happy to be able to workout at all.

[ChocoChick]

"My curls" :D :D
Alternate, simultaneous, rotational, incline curls
I start with both palms facing down and you do both arms simultaneously while one arm is going up the other is going down. When your arm is up your palm is facing up and when your arm is down your palm is facing down. Likewise when one arm is down the other arm is up. If you do this right this is very hard and burns both bicep heads as well as your forearms and wrists.
9X30, 6X45, 7X35, 6X35 and then with no break after that last 6 I went straight into "normal, simultaneous, incline curls" and did a total of 11 reps (for 23 reps total) - so to illustrate how hard these are when done like this even after 4 sets to failure I still with no break knocked out 11 more reps of normal stuff.

These sound interesting. I started doing seated incline curls about 2 months ago and found them very humbling. I am curious to see what doing them with the twist you've described does to the movement.

Nice workout!

[FatherOfThree]

These sound interesting. I started doing seated incline curls about 2 months ago and found them very humbling. I am curious to see what doing them with the twist you've described does to the movement.

Nice workout!

Please give them a shot and let me know what you think. I think Emmie tried them once and then went back to her way, I think Darren may have adopted them too though so would love to hear your opinion as well.

They take a little while to master but I attribute some of my upper arm growth to these, and alot of my forearm growth to them - I have put an inch on my forearms in the past month. Go slow and rotate them and do both arms simultaneously but opposite.

Maybe next month I will try adding the Zottman move into this as well and have the first compound arm movement - we can call it the "Over35 Arm curl thingie" lol.

& Thanks :)

[dartol]

"My curls" :D :D
Alternate, simultaneous, rotational, incline curls
I start with both palms facing down and you do both arms simultaneously while one arm is going up the other is going down. When your arm is up your palm is facing up and when your arm is down your palm is facing down. Likewise when one arm is down the other arm is up. If you do this right this is very hard and burns both bicep heads as well as your forearms and wrists.


Humm, I will definately give that a try on my next bicep day. :)
I need all the help I can get to bring these arms up some!

Edit: I tried them without the rotation so far... I will add that now that I have the description of that part. I did like the simultaneous up and down part. It keeps you working and makes the exercise go quicker.

Darren

[dartol]

Maybe next month I will try adding the Zottman move into this as well and have the first compound arm movement - we can call it the "Over35 Arm curl thingie" lol.

& Thanks :)

No, that would be the FoTZoT! LOL

Darren

[IR45N]

Any thoughts on the alt. dbells on the preacher bench. Just never could get into standing dbell curls. Got to remember to try lying cable curls from the lat pulldown next time.

Here's a home gym link for you. Good pics & reading at least.
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/home_gym.htm

[justtryn]

I started to, in order to apply you have to use their online application system, iow, can not just upload a resume, and I haven't had the free time yet.

This week though my wife will take all the kids out of house for a couple hours after work one night (piano lessons and what not) and that is what I am using that time for. Thanks much for the lead - I definetly will be getting to it! :)

Good to hear. Good looking training going on as well... sorry to hear you're sore... NOT! :D

[tatdawg]

i am a big fan of alt. db curls. i have put a strain on my lower back more than once on standing barbell curls. it is hard to put enough weight to push yourself yet not get out of whack doing it.

[emmie]

Please give them a shot and let me know what you think. I think Emmie tried them once and then went back to her way, I think Darren may have adopted them too though so would love to hear your opinion as well.


Yeah, I did try them once. I had to drop the amt. of weight I was using, and I was having trouble with coordinating which arm went up and which one went down. It seemed like a perfectly decent exercise. I may try them again at some point.

[ChocoChick]

Ok, I'm am intrigued now for real. The incline curls I do are alternating, so I've mastered that bit of coordination (no small feat for a klutz like me ;) ). It's the rotation that would be new. I am interested in it for the wrist involvement, since my wrists are weak. I know when I have done standing curls, I can handle alot more weight when I rotate than when I don't, but I find that my biceps get hit much more without the rotation. Any thoughts, Fo3?

[FatherOfThree]

No, that would be the FoTZoT! LOL

Darren

HA! If it works and others like it I am going to post it in the exercise forum with that name and let people wonder! "anyone else do FotZoT's?" lol


Any thoughts on the alt. dbells on the preacher bench. Just never could get into standing dbell curls.

I think I would probably end up banging the dumbells together and making a mess of things trying this on the preacher ;) Keep in mind this is on an incline so you are seated and leaning back the whole time - kind of like a recliner.. with weights.. and you sweat a lot... and it's hard... so no nevermind it is not like a recliner :) But please let me know if you try either.



Good to hear. Good looking training going on as well... sorry to hear you're sore... NOT! :D

Thanks bro! ...I think ;-)


Yeah, I did try them once. I had to drop the amt. of weight I was using, and I was having trouble with coordinating which arm went up and which one went down. It seemed like a perfectly decent exercise. I may try them again at some point.

It does take awhile to learn them, I have no idea where I picked these up, I am sure at some point I probably read about them years ago as I am not into thinking up new things... is fun though something new :)


Ok, I'm am intrigued now for real. The incline curls I do are alternating, so I've mastered that bit of coordination (no small feat for a klutz like me ;) ). It's the rotation that would be new. I am interested in it for the wrist involvement, since my wrists are weak. I know when I have done standing curls, I can handle alot more weight when I rotate than when I don't, but I find that my biceps get hit much more without the rotation. Any thoughts, Fo3?

I agree with that, you can much more pinpoint and isolate the biceps when doing these without the rotation. However I always do these as well as straight curls, or preacher curls - I think this, with the rotation is sort of a compound arm movement and on the days I do these with my bicep workout I do not do any wrist curls - I think this hits both biceps and forearms - I think it is a great bi workout but not a bi only wo.

I'm no expert of course, just sharing my thoughts and that is why is so good to get feedback from all of you too.

---------

My arms hit 17" this morning - YAY ME!!! Think I will stay there a wee bit and tighten the stomach up a little more.

This morning:
- 5 minute treadmill warm up.
- 30 second vacuum supersetted with reps to failure on incline board on 4th notch
- 30 second vacuum supersetted with reps to failure on incline board on 3rd notch
- 30 second vacuum supersetted with reps to failure on incline board on 2nd notch
- 30 second vacuum supersetted with reps to failure on incline board on 1st notch

- 45 minutes on treadmill sweating my butt off!


Note of the day: I will admit I am a decent looking man - but holy cow do those women act insane when I am in their midst on the treadmills with them all. I mean half of them stared the whole time.... maybe though its because at 220 lbs when I go 7mph I make all the equipment bounce! hahahahah

[FatherOfThree]

i am a big fan of alt. db curls. i have put a strain on my lower back more than once on standing barbell curls. it is hard to put enough weight to push yourself yet not get out of whack doing it.

Missed this, sorry bro. Yeah I agree, this keeps ya straight!

[Lucky K]

The incline curls I do are alternating, so I've mastered that bit of coordination (no small feat for a klutz like me ;) ).
Why is it that we can grow these big muscles and I still have the coordination of an 11 year old school girl with big feet?? dbflgirl, you and others like you, with your abs of steel AND you've had babies, are the reason I have to find my abs!! Great Abs!


My arms hit 17" this morning - YAY ME!!! Think I will stay there a wee bit and tighten the stomach up a little more.


I think you measure your arms as often as I weigh myself!:D

[dartol]

Note of the day: I will admit I am a decent looking man - but holy cow do those women act insane when I am in their midst on the treadmills with them all. I mean half of them stared the whole time.... maybe though its because at 220 lbs when I go 7mph I make all the equipment bounce! hahahahah

Maybe they are just not used to seeing a 220 lb shaggy red monster... :)
I am still working on getting the ladies to stare...

Darren

[tatdawg]

17" you win my friend. good for you. after this spine episode if i can get there great and if i can't well that will be ok to. i will cheer you on though.

[FatherOfThree]

I think you measure your arms as often as I weigh myself!:D

Prolly so, lol! But Since I finally hit 17" I won't measure again for awhile - not until I see a noticeable change, then I will :)


I am still working on getting the ladies to stare...


I think with me half the time it is just in pure bemusement, not always a good thing ;)


17" you win my friend. good for you. after this spine episode if i can get there great and if i can't well that will be ok to. i will cheer you on though.

Thank ya sir. You may still beat me to 17.5" yet - from what I have learned of ya I don't reckon you are the type of fellow I count out that quickly ;)

- traps then the full back tomorrow.

[emmie]

Prolly so, lol! But Since I finally hit 17" I won't measure again for awhile - not until I see a noticeable change, then I will :)
:cool: I dunno...I'll bet the siren song of the tape-measure will get to you sooner than you might think.




I think with me half the time it is just in pure bemusement, not always a good thing ;)It passes the time, is what it does. Watching other people - pendulous body parts included - is a lot more interesting to me than watching the readout on the t-mill. Just sucks to get caught at it...

Good luck with the training today!

[FatherOfThree]

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sucks to be me so far today!

Got up at 5:00 since I am sleeping in an hour longer nowadays and taking a shower at the awesome new shower facilities they built at my office (big white fluffy towel service included!) and when I got outside we had several inches of snow.

This is a "shutdown the city, the world has ended!" thing in Puget Sound. The majority if the People in this area are the most liberal, gayest, pathetic excuses of humans I have ever seen in one place. Most of the time in the gym what motivates me is thoughts of killing all of them. Anyhow I sweep off and scrape off my Jeep and grab all my stuff and head into the gym. Knowing that these freaking idiots in this area will just park there cars right in the freaking street when there wheels spin and blovk the traffic for days. No joke.

So I get tot the gym and it's ****ing closed! WHAT THE ****!!! There is a sign that due to inclement weather they will open late today at 8:00. WHAT THE ****!!!! I see the FRESH footprints in the snow to the door - Listen mother ****ers if you can go put a ****ing sign on the door why not just open the ****ing door so I can workout you stupis sons of bitches?!?! There are only like the same 10 people every morning at that time anyhow - we can ****ing manage it!!!

So I drive to work - I go up this one big hill and at the bottom of the other side I swear there are 25 cars in a pile!! No one hurt, just a big old pile of cars, and more people pulling over and giving up and leaving their cars in the ****ing way!!

So me and my little jeep wrangler just keep on weaving through them, in 4wd with my Nokian Vatiiva's and I never slip one freaking time as I navigate around these freaking morons.

I get to the office and guesss what?! I left my freaking bag with my office clothes at home! So I either drive through that whole freaking mess to go home and get my office clothes or I work in my sweats and tank top... well I found one of the promotional t-shirts we give away so I have that on now, so at least I aint in a tank.

THink I will leave work early today, I will blame the snow, and then I will go lift for a few hours.

If the gym is still closed I will go to church and pray. Seriously, I will either get in my gym or go to the range and do some shooting (still have about 1K of .45 reloads ready) because if I can't fo either I will need to spend at least an hour at church. Maybe I can go meditate on the mysteries as I say the rosary for awhile because the anger/funk in me is way to high right now and I got the test/adrenaline ready to lift and they closed my freaking gym!!!!

Almost drove Jeep Jeep right through the glass wall and said "Hola Bictholas! You're open now!!!"

[ChocoChick]

:eek:

Tell us how you really feel!

I hear you on the snow. I used to live in Boston and it didn't take much to wreak havoc.

[pastorgbc]

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sucks to be me so far today!

Got up at 5:00 since I am sleeping in an hour longer nowadays and taking a shower at the awesome new shower facilities they built at my office (big white fluffy towel service included!) and when I got outside we had several inches of snow.

This is a "shutdown the city, the world has ended!" thing in Puget Sound. The majority if the People in this area are the most liberal, gayest, pathetic excuses of humans I have ever seen in one place. Most of the time in the gym what motivates me is thoughts of killing all of them. Anyhow I sweep off and scrape off my Jeep and grab all my stuff and head into the gym. Knowing that these freaking idiots in this area will just park there cars right in the freaking street when there wheels spin and blovk the traffic for days. No joke.

So I get tot the gym and it's ****ing closed! WHAT THE ****!!! There is a sign that due to inclement weather they will open late today at 8:00. WHAT THE ****!!!! I see the FRESH footprints in the snow to the door - Listen mother ****ers if you can go put a ****ing sign on the door why not just open the ****ing door so I can workout you stupis sons of bitches?!?! There are only like the same 10 people every morning at that time anyhow - we can ****ing manage it!!!

So I drive to work - I go up this one big hill and at the bottom of the other side I swear there are 25 cars in a pile!! No one hurt, just a big old pile of cars, and more people pulling over and giving up and leaving their cars in the ****ing way!!

So me and my little jeep wrangler just keep on weaving through them, in 4wd with my Nokian Vatiiva's and I never slip one freaking time as I navigate around these freaking morons.

I get to the office and guesss what?! I left my freaking bag with my office clothes at home! So I either drive through that whole freaking mess to go home and get my office clothes or I work in my sweats and tank top... well I found one of the promotional t-shirts we give away so I have that on now, so at least I aint in a tank.

THink I will leave work early today, I will blame the snow, and then I will go lift for a few hours.

If the gym is still closed I will go to church and pray. Seriously, I will either get in my gym or go to the range and do some shooting (still have about 1K of .45 reloads ready) because if I can't fo either I will need to spend at least an hour at church. Maybe I can go meditate on the mysteries as I say the rosary for awhile because the anger/funk in me is way to high right now and I got the test/adrenaline ready to lift and they closed my freaking gym!!!!

Almost drove Jeep Jeep right through the glass wall and said "Hola Bictholas! You're open now!!!"
Sorry to hear about the weather shutting the doors at the gym.

Interesting quandary...pray, workout, or shoot?

I hope everything starts to look up for you today.

Ray

[FatherOfThree]

Sorry to hear about the weather shutting the doors at the gym.

Interesting quandary...pray, workout, or shoot?

I hope everything starts to look up for you today.

Ray

Ray,

My apologies for the tone of my journal today, bad day for a Pastor to check in on me :(

If you knew my past you would know I have come an amazingly far way in life and I work hard daily to be a good father, husband, and man however I get precious little "me" time, and the gym lets me vent in a good way - well heck you lift, and we all have our personal demons, so I am sure you know what I mean.

Thanks for the thoughts and checking in on me,
- Fo3

[FatherOfThree]

:eek:

Tell us how you really feel!

I hear you on the snow. I used to live in Boston and it didn't take much to wreak havoc.


Yeah sorry, I am just fuming... but letting it out helped a little ;)

[dartol]

Wow, and I was complaining about my day yesterday... hang in there man!

The gym is a great place to vent and destress! Well it is for me unless my batteries are dead in my mp3 player. LOL

Darren

[ChocoChick]

Yeah sorry, I am just fuming... but letting it out helped a little ;)

Oh hey, no need to apologise to me. I have those sorts of thoughts more often than I should. :o

[pastorgbc]

Believe me, I know exactly what you mean; I'm just given you the business. I also know what you mean about the time in the gym being precious. My day feels very incomplete if I am forced to miss a workout.

Hang in there. I am sure it will get better.

Ray

[FatherOfThree]

Thank you all, and I am mostly calmed down now :)

[tatdawg]

good days and bad days, both will come my friend. hang in there.

[FatherOfThree]

good days and bad days, both will come my friend. hang in there.

You know it bro.

---

Well I slipped out of work earlier, an advantage of being a contractor my hours are flexible.

Went to the gym at what for me is the ultimate worse time: about an hour after lunch, right when I was ready for a nap.

Though my weights were not that strong (I also forgot my log book so had to go by memory what to start at) I was able to speed through, probably the shortest back day I have had yet.

Treadmill to warm up then:
Gravitron: 15X185, 8X110, 5X80, 5X80, 6X95 (as wide as possible & palms fwd)

Rows: 12X180, 10X200, 9X220, 6X250, 7X230 (the wide V-bar upside down stretching the pecs)

Shrugs: 12X2p, 10X3p, 5X4p, 2X5p, 3X4p, 12X3p, 15X2p (tomorrow I am getting straps if they carry them locally, maybe I will order a CoC gripper to make up for not working on grip on the bar anymore, just sick of not hitting my traps because of my hand strength, I will be shrugging lots more with straps)

Nautilus Lower Back machine: 15X180, 15X210 (machine max), 12X210, 12X210 (I could really feel these in my lower back on the way home)

I am going to take a rest day tomorrow and then maybe Sat morn I will squat more. I want to get to 3 plates for reps for sets before I start mixing in non-squat leg days. If I can mentally be ready by Saturday I think physically I will be fine for it.

My thought of the day - I can't wait to do shoulders and bench again. I was suppose to get my xrays today but inclement weather pushed it to tomorrow. My legs, arms, back are doing awesome right now and when the doc (I pray) gives me the ok to resume using my shoulder I am going to take a month to rebuild my bench. I will do just like I did with squats and should see similar results and start with the bar and bench twice a week for one month and I should easily be up to 3plates for reps for sets after a month. Only two weeks until I go see the doc, I can tell the shoulder is not yet perfect but it sure feels 95% anyhow, of course I have not tested it either.

If that plan all goes well and I am back to 3plates on my squats and bench I think I will take one week off and then I will pay the extra money and join a gym I can deadlift at. I am realizing that 40 is not very old, as fast as I am putting size back on I realize can also put my strength back on. Ya all reading this may think I am full of crap but 3plates on the bench and squat aint crap to me and I really want my strength back too, so I think if all comes together at this point (the doc giving me a thumbs up, and then a month to rebuild my bench/shoulders) I will do Rippetoes or something there is no reason at all that if the doc gives me an OK I can not have my dead up to 750, bench to 500, and squat to 600 again within one year - all RAW, none of this new fangled bull **** the kids are using.

No one may believe me, but like I said on day one of my 1st journal "shock and awe" I will be truthful and honest about everything.

That should be me through to around this time next year - and then I will cut for summer and get some pics of me styling to remember when I get really old.

Blessings,
- Fo3

[tatdawg]

it don't matter whether anyone believes you or not. you have your goals and you go for it.

[FatherOfThree]

it don't matter whether anyone believes you or not. you have your goals and you go for it.

Thanks bro, plus if I get my weights back up there again, well my little cell phone takes videos too, and I can always put them on you tube :) But right now is just my day dreaming, I just like putting it out there as a challenge to myself.

I am one of those guys that will occasionally right down in my log at the gym the repXweight before I even go do it - and then I HAVE to do it!! ;-)

[ChocoChick]

it don't matter whether anyone believes you or not. you have your goals and you go for it.

Amen. Besides, why wouldn't we believe you?

[ChocoChick]

I am one of those guys that will occasionally right down in my log at the gym the repXweight before I even go do it - and then I HAVE to do it!! ;-)

Yes! I do this too sometimes. :)

[FatherOfThree]

Amen. Besides, why wouldn't we believe you?

Oh you few good folk who read my journal I am sure will believe me, I blogged for a long time too though so I tend to write a little defensively at times :) I'll get over it ;)


Yes! I do this too sometimes. :)

Glad it's not just me! I think Visualization is a long lost art apparently and I think this is one small part of it... Maybe I will start a thread on it :)

[FatherOfThree]

Just in a bad funk today, angry at the world, rest day today and I needed it.

If I get a good night sleep tonight I am going to squat tomorrow. If I do not get a good night sleep then I think I will go shooting for awhile.

Edited to add: I know why I am so durn grouchy. It's Friday in Lent - no meat, no chicken, etc... need some protein, so just made a 4 scoop of whey, peanut butter, milk, banana thing, prolly 4000 calories, lol, that will help.

[emmie]

Are eggs + fish permitted during lent? Although you'd probably already eaten your body weight in tuna by the time you'd posted that...

Hope the funk has passed. I definitely have days when everyone and everything feels like a personal affront. Just leave me alone. Don't even look at me. You think I'm kidding?? Do I look like I'm kidding??!??! Thank goodness the feeling passes, or I'd be in big trouble.

I've only shot a handgun (a .38, I think) a couple of times, but boy, I liked it! Powerful feeling. I can certainly see how it might help to clear the mind.

May any residual grumpiness serve you well in the squat rack! :)

[dartol]

Glad it's not just me! I think Visualization is a long lost art apparently and I think this is one small part of it... Maybe I will start a thread on it :)

Yeah visualization is very helpful. I think that is a big part of what helps me by carrying a log. I know ahead of time what weight I will be using, and that I should be able to get a certain number of reps with it. Confidence!

I need to get better about expanding that... I know that if I really imagine the bar going up it helps. And on the down side to that, if I go in with a bad attitude and think I can't do it, or I don't want to do it, my lifts suffer.

That would be a great thread topic.

Darren

[ChocoChick]

How're you doing today, Fo3?

[FatherOfThree]

Are eggs + fish permitted during lent? Although you'd probably already eaten your body weight in tuna by the time you'd posted that...

Hope the funk has passed. I definitely have days when everyone and everything feels like a personal affront. Just leave me alone. Don't even look at me. You think I'm kidding?? Do I look like I'm kidding??!??! Thank goodness the feeling passes, or I'd be in big trouble.

I've only shot a handgun (a .38, I think) a couple of times, but boy, I liked it! Powerful feeling. I can certainly see how it might help to clear the mind.

May any residual grumpiness serve you well in the squat rack! :)

Thanks Emma. I love hunting and shooting, it's a huge part of me. My dad taught me, then I shot a lot in the service, I shot on team (military competition) and also made a few of those long range shots when in my ghillie suit... Now I have been collecting and building custom rifles and hand tuning 1911 style pistols for a few years. Exempting the few years I took off and ran around with a motorcycle club firearms have been a key componenet of my life.


Yeah visualization is very helpful. I think that is a big part of what helps me by carrying a log. I know ahead of time what weight I will be using, and that I should be able to get a certain number of reps with it. Confidence!

I need to get better about expanding that... I know that if I really imagine the bar going up it helps. And on the down side to that, if I go in with a bad attitude and think I can't do it, or I don't want to do it, my lifts suffer.

That would be a great thread topic.

Darren

Thanks Darren, I started one called Visualiztion in the main over 35 forum, is going good and I hope you can find it and contribute your experience!


How're you doing today, Fo3?

I am feeling alot better today, thanks :) I am just now eating some breakfast and looking around the forums and then I am going to hit the gym.

[Lucky K]

I hope you had a happy squating experience!

[FatherOfThree]

I hope you had a happy squating experience!

Just home from the gym and typing this in when you posted :) Yep I am Happy now! :)

This next little post has been a little while coming now and I am pretty durn proud of it. Yes Pride is a sin, so not that kind of pride, but there aint nothing wrong with taking pride in a task completed you set out to do.

----
Stretched out all funky looking on the treadmill, doing splits and knee kicks and everything else - all those silly people watching me too, lol, I should wear spandex sometime and really give them something to see! ha!

Squats to parallel:
20Xnothing
20Xbar
12X1Plate (So bar plus 1 plate per side)
12X2P
10X2.5P (2 plates and a 25 per side)
10X3 Freaking Plates! (315lbs)
10X3 Freaking Plates!
6X3 Freaking plates (I wasn't getting the last two to Parallel as I was shot, so I stopped at 6)
6X2.5 (not to parallel stopped trying to get there at like 2, lol)
10 X 1P X ATG X 10 second pause at bottom
7 X 1P X ATG X10 second pause at bottom

Calves, full range of motion on leg press
11 X 3 Plates per side plus leg press X 1 foot
8 X 4P X 1 foot
8 X 4P X 1 foot
27 X 5P X 2 feet

Notes of the day:
3 plates! Everyone is different and this is simply just me but under 3 plates for past parallel squats I feel like a pussy - same on the bench - and don't even get me started on deads because you need to add 2 more plates! So this here means alot to me in that I feel like I am at least playing with some actual weights again. I will be moving my squats up much slower now, I will be staying with 3 plates until I can get all 3 full sets of 10 past parallel.

My arms are coming back strong, my legs are coming back strong, now if I can get an ok from the doc so I can bring my chest back up too I will be all set!

Anyone wanna join me in a: Hell yeah!!

Blessings,
- Fo3

PS - anyone think I may be sore later? ;)


Oh yeah - edited to add: I used a cheap leather lifting belt on the 3plates but everything else was done with just my shorts and chuck taylor sneakers. No wraps, no anything else. Heck I would squat nude if they let me! ;)

[dartol]

Heck I would squat nude if they let me! ;)

I was going to say awesome workout until I got the mental image on this one... AGH! LOL

Darren

[FatherOfThree]

I was going to say awesome workout until I got the mental image on this one... AGH! LOL

Darren

Yeah, don't visualize that one bro! :D

[dartol]

Right! :eek: LOL

I think that Animal bench program I am trying is good because of the visualization aspect... you keep doing less reps while adding only a little more weight. That really tricked my brain. I was very excited to finally be able to put 45s on the bar and lift it today. I would not be doing that if I had not tried this bench program. I should post that in your Visualizatin thread.

Hey I tried your curls with 25s today! I could really feel them, not doubt. I liked them, but I felt a twinge in my forarm at the elbow that has been bugging me, so I went to incline hammer curls with 30s. I will try them again after this elbow thing is cleared up. They are cool!

Darren

[ChocoChick]

Anyone wanna join me in a: Hell yeah!!


Hell yeah! :D

And it's gonna be hell tomorrow, and the next day, too... :p

[emmie]

When you say "plates", you're talking about 45s, right?? Hang on a second...I'm going to get my calculator....So your six plates, plus the Oly bar adds up to 315#. In those 3 sets alone you squatted 5,670#!! That's damn good, my friend! I predict that tomorrow or Monday you will be uttering the phrase "Heiny DOMS" :p.

[justtryn]

Heck I would squat nude if they let me! ;)

Ok - thank goodness for decency laws!!! I was gonna congratulate you on the great workout... but now... I need to go lie down. ;)

[FatherOfThree]

I think that Animal bench program I am trying is good because of the visualization aspect... you keep doing less reps while adding only a little more weight. That really tricked my brain. I was very excited to finally be able to put 45s on the bar and lift it today. I would not be doing that if I had not tried this bench program. I should post that in your Visualizatin thread.

Hey I tried your curls with 25s today! I could really feel them, not doubt. I liked them, but I felt a twinge in my forarm at the elbow that has been bugging me, so I went to incline hammer curls with 30s. I will try them again after this elbow thing is cleared up. They are cool!


That Animal bench sounds like good stuff! Glad you tried the curls, I think I am going to use them more as a bi finisher and forearm primary after every bodies feedback, they definetly hit the forearms!


Hell yeah! :D

And it's gonna be hell tomorrow, and the next day, too... :p

+


When you say "plates", you're talking about 45s, right?? Hang on a second...I'm going to get my calculator....So your six plates, plus the Oly bar adds up to 315#. In those 3 sets alone you squatted 5,670#!! That's damn good, my friend! I predict that tomorrow or Monday you will be uttering the phrase "Heiny DOMS" :p.


Thank you both!

Yeah, that does get to adding up to alot of weight and I was a little bit smart in that I did them Saturday morning - it gives me all weekend to just play with my kids, chill out, and then try to go to work Monday morning, LOL. Maybe I will hit Saturday Evening Mass as I am unsure about kneeling in the morning ;)



Ok - thank goodness for decency laws!!! I was gonna congratulate you on the great workout... but now... I need to go lie down. ;)

:D

[tatdawg]

hell yeah! my friend good job. you are still young enough to greatly increase all your lifts if you so desire. and it looks like you are well on your way.

[FatherOfThree]

hell yeah! my friend good job. you are still young enough to greatly increase all your lifts if you so desire. and it looks like you are well on your way.

Gracias amigo - Your right, I am still young enough I can put alot of strength back on yet... but it weren't this painful 20 years ago either ;)

[Lucky K]

HELL YEAH!
I love being able to stack 3 + plates onto the leg press! 3 looks soooo much more macho than 2 and I will own 4 plates by this summer! At least you don't have guys telling you "that's good, for a girl". Of course if you start wearing that spandex they might!

Good workout!

[FatherOfThree]

HELL YEAH!
I love being able to stack 3 + plates onto the leg press! 3 looks soooo much more macho than 2 and I will own 4 plates by this summer! At least you don't have guys telling you "that's good, for a girl". Of course if you start wearing that spandex they might!

Good workout!

Thank ya Lucky K!

& I bet you will own 4 plates!! :)

& don't take this the wrong way, dont mean nothing by it, but just matter of factly, as I mentioned I would feel confident squatting nude so trust me if'n I wore spandex aint no one would think I was a girl ;)

& as of right now I am so happy to say that the UFC Heavyweight of the world is older than me! HUAH!!

[Lucky K]

I mentioned I would feel confident squatting nude so trust me if'n I wore spandex aint no one would think I was a girl ;)


I apologize for not being more specific, I in no way was referring to the size of anything that might be revealed by said spandex!;) I was thinking more of the fashion statement made by it! Maybe one of those nipple exposing cropped tanks and some rainbow sweatbands to go with the spandex! I think your red hair might be too short for scrunchies, though.:D:D

Yeeaaahh for Randy!

[BigBT]

Hell YEAH! Way to squat bro! Just think of the pain over the next three days as a reminder of how much you did. It makes it easier to deal with. Plus, when everyone asks why you are limping.......you get to tell them! I don't think that that counts as gloating in my book.

[FatherOfThree]

I apologize for not being more specific, I in no way was referring to the size of anything that might be revealed by said spandex!;) I was thinking more of the fashion statement made by it! Maybe one of those nipple exposing cropped tanks and some rainbow sweatbands to go with the spandex! I think your red hair might be too short for scrunchies, though.:D:D

Yeeaaahh for Randy!

I gotcha - yeah, some nice tight spandex and a low slung tee... I be styling! :D



Hell YEAH! Way to squat bro! Just think of the pain over the next three days as a reminder of how much you did. It makes it easier to deal with. Plus, when everyone asks why you are limping.......you get to tell them! I don't think that that counts as gloating in my book.

Hey, Thanks Man :)

So far not sore, just really really tired. After Mass I took the family to the shore today and when walking along that sand my legs felt like they were sand too. My sand, that sand, all seemed like one big slow bunch of sand - as my kids went running and screaming past me :)

I bet I will wake up in exquisite pain, man am I sick or what, I actually kinda look fwd to it...

Arms tomorrow!

[emmie]

I was thinking more of the fashion statement made by it! Maybe one of those nipple exposing cropped tanks and some rainbow sweatbands to go with the spandex! I've just had a flashback to the Richard Simmons Show which I watched as a kid :eek:!

*Emma gleefully rubs her hands at the thought to F'o3 wincing exquisitely as he tries to climb in and out of the Jeep*:p

Sounds like a supurb day at the beach yesterday :)!

[FatherOfThree]

Late start this morning as when I reached over my wife to turn the alarm off she was awake too and gave me a kiss and... I was much late getting to the gym ;)


Dropped a set from everything so I could get to work on time but went nice and heavy anyhow.

- Treadmill to warm up & some rotator cuff stuff
- Standing straight form curls using the large EZ curl bar and the outside grip:
25 X Bar
10 X 95
10 X 115
6 X 135
12 X 95

With Tricep Kickbacks it is imperative to keep your elbow immobile imho:
11 X 40
8 X 50
6 X 55
8 X 40 (nice and slow)

Preacher curls, Big EZ Bar with the inner most grip:
12 X 95
10 X 115
5 X 135
11 X 95

Tricep press downs (elbows a little more in everytime since now at machine limit)
12 X 250
15 X 260
12 X 260
7 X 260 Real slow

lift heavy, eat big, sleep good, repeat

[pastorgbc]

Very nice lookig workout. You are very strong.

Ray

[FatherOfThree]

Very nice lookig workout. You are very strong.

Ray

Thanks Ray, and having seen the weights you push around I take that as a really nice compliment :)

[justtryn]

Late start this morning as when I reached over my wife to turn the alarm off she was awake too and gave me a kiss and... I was much late getting to the gym ;)


DOH!! :D




Preacher curls, Big EZ Bar with the inner most grip:
12 X 95
10 X 115
5 X 135
11 X 95


Damn, that's some strong curling! I can't do preachers at all (except with a weight that is far to light to do anything with). I get nasty elbow pain from them. Grrr.

Way to go in the gym, and um, at home! :D

[FatherOfThree]

DOH!! :D




Damn, that's some strong curling! I can't do preachers at all (except with a weight that is far to light to do anything with). I get nasty elbow pain from them. Grrr.

Way to go in the gym, and um, at home! :D

Thank you sir :) If I hadn't of hit standing curls first I would have even gotten more I think, but I aint complaining at my numbers ;)

My legs, arms and back are starting to get some of their old strength back, really keeping my fingers crossed the Doc gives me the ok and I can bring the old chest back up soon.

BTW - this is going to sound odd - but my chest & shoulders look bigger/stronger right now then it did when I had to take a break. Maybe it's all the squatting? maybe better diet? maybe in my head? Will be interesting to see when I can bench what numbers I toss up after a few weeks to regain some strength.

[tatdawg]

man o man real impressive numbers on them curls. them t-shirts better look out.

[emmie]

Late start this morning as when I reached over my wife to turn the alarm off she was awake too and gave me a kiss and... I was much late getting to the gym ;) Woo Hoo! Two workouts in one morning!! :D

Very nice session there in the gym! I contemplated trying preacher curls yesterday, but then I got scared. I know that the weight has to drop considerably....I might have to start with just the bar. :o

Do you use the rope attachment for the pushdowns?

[FatherOfThree]

man o man real impressive numbers on them curls. them t-shirts better look out.

Thanks bro, am now filling the sleaves in the large fwiw ;) Psychologically I need my big guns back, and I am gonna keep pushing till I get them ;)


Woo Hoo! Two workouts in one morning!! :D

Very nice session there in the gym! I contemplated trying preacher curls yesterday, but then I got scared. I know that the weight has to drop considerably....I might have to start with just the bar. :o

Do you use the rope attachment for the pushdowns?

Thanks Emmie. I have always found that preacher curls I can use the same weight as regular curls that I keep extra tight form on - however I always jump up 20lbs when I go from straight BB to the Ez Curl as it is so much easier on my wrists and elbows. I think the reason most people use less weight is that you can't cheat at all - I will admit when too heavy I will cheat a little on occasion when standing but you just cant do it on the preacher.

Yup on the ropes, and I also use Darrels tip (when I remember) and rotate the hands out when fully down (so palms go down) seems to just get that last bit of muscle in them.

[FatherOfThree]

btw...

I mentioned to my wife that I wanted to get some straps so I could up my weights again and do some extra heavy stuff, and that at 40 it's ok if I can only hold 500lbs right now but want to shrug 750lbs - so straps are ok with me - but I should buy a couple of those Captains of Crush grippers I keep hearing about.

So anyhow my wife suprised me with a set of straps and what she said was "the heaviest gripper the store had".

The straps are real nice and though tomorrow is cardio I look fwd to Wed so I can use my straps and up my shrug weight a bunch!

So then I opened and went to try the gripper thinking well the heaviest is like a #4 and only a few men can close that so this is going to be stupid hard.

I did it 147 times before my hand grew tired lol... no I am not hercules as my 12 year old did it like 25 times... must be for elderly people. Perhaps I will order a real one some evening that one has already been returned.

[Hibiscus09]

I love my straps. I used them today for SLDLs.

That was sweet of your wife. :)

[FatherOfThree]

I love my straps. I used them today for SLDLs.

That was sweet of your wife. :)

Hi Hibby, yeah It's silly, they are $5.00 things - but I can't wait to use them :-)

It's always nice to get a little suprise now and then from someone you love...hmm wonder what she wants ;)

[ChocoChick]

It's always nice to get a little suprise now and then from someone you love...hmm wonder what she wants ;)


Maybe it was a 'thank you' from this morning. ;)

[FatherOfThree]

Maybe it was a 'thank you' from this morning. ;)

:D :D Mebbe

[emmie]

I did it 147 times before my hand grew tired lol... no I am not hercules as my 12 year old did it like 25 times... must be for elderly people. Perhaps I will order a real one some evening that one has already been returned.Well you ARE 40.......:D

Very thoughful of your wife! Keep up the "good work" and you might come home to find she's set up a home gym for you!! ;)

[ChocoChick]

Well you ARE 40.......:D

Watch it! :mad:

I may be old, but I can be really mean. :mad: :mad:

[pastorgbc]

750 pounds is some kind of goal for shrugs. I hope the straps help.

Ray