Sculli's journal

[sculli]

I will be starting the following next week. It is a routine I found in the injury prevention / rehab section for lower back injuries on the main page and I modified it a little. Pretty much just going to add some pushups and situps after each workout (have to do 'em since I'm in the military). I will try to train with weights every other day and do cardio on the off days. I may modify some of the excercises and use a machine instead of free weight to mix it up or if for some reason my back feels better with the machine or vice-versa. Also for cardio I will probably mostly do the bike but hope to try some treadmill or stairs if I can handle it.

Workout 1
Chest / Shoulder / Triceps
Flat Bench Press - 3x3, 1x12
Incline Bench Press - 3x3, 1x12
Dumbbell Bench Press - 3x failure
Dumbbell Flyes - 3x10
Seated Military Press - 3x3, 1x12
Front Raises - 3x8
Seated Shrugs - 3x3, 1x10
Triceps Pushdowns - 3x15
pushups 5 x max in 1minute timed sets
situps 5 x max in 30 second timed sets


Workout 2
Back / Biceps
High Latpulldowns - 3x3, 1x10-12
Dumbbell Rows - 3x3, 1x8-10
Front Latpulldowns - 3x8
Preacher Curl - 3x10
pushups 5 x max in 1minute timed sets
situps 5 x max in 30 second timed sets

Workout 3
Legs / Abs
Hyperextensions - 3x10 ( on machine )
Horizontal Leg Press - 3x3, 1x12
Leg Extensions - 3x10
Leg Curl - 3x10
Seated Calf Raises - 3x10
Crunches - 3x12-10 ( don't reach your legs with your torso. Just lift your torso 4 inches from the floor)
pushups 5 x max in 1minute timed sets
situps 5 x max in 30 second timed sets


Workout 4
Arms ( supersets )
Preacher Curl - 3x3, 1x10
Close-Grip Bench Press - 3x3, 1x10
Dumbbells Curls - 3x3, 1x10
Lying Dumbbell Ext - 3x3, 1x10
Incline Dumbbells Curls - 3x3, 1x10
Pushdowns - 3x3, 1x10
pushups 5 x max in 1minute timed sets
situps 5 x max in 30 second timed sets

[Bignbuff]

Good to see you started a journal!

Is there any reason in particular you're not doing squats or deadlifts?

[sculli]

Originally posted by Bignbuff
Good to see you started a journal!

Is there any reason in particular you're not doing squats or deadlifts?

Yes, my lower back is injured. I actually hurt if a few months ago moving some heavy/bulky furniture. The worst part is, just when it was starting to feel better I hurt it again last weekend by slipping on some ice. So you will see that I don't have any squats, deadlifts, or anything standing up so I can protect my back until it heals. I'm just lucky my legs have always been a strong point from years of heavy squats so I think they will be ok. Deadlifts used to be one of my favorite movements but now I can't even bend down to pick up the bar.

[Jimineye]

Good luck with having your back healed. Hopefully you will be back in action doing deadlifts and squats again.

[sculli]

Due to some late business meetings, I wasn't able to start my new program on Monday as planned. So tonight will be my first day on this new program. I will post tonight's workout sometime tomorrow. I figured I'd list what supplements I'm taking here today.

For supps, right now I'm taking the following:

First thing in the morning:
Multitech = multivitamin
OPC3 = (grape seed extract, red wine extract, pine bark extract)

Mid morning snack:
MetRx = MRP/protein

Before lunch:
Thermochrome5000 = ECA formula

With lunch:
Trioplex Plus = Fish oil and flax oil combo

Afternoon snack
MetRx
Glucosatrin = joint formula with glucosamine

Pre-workout:
Thermochrome 5000
5-Creacyamine = creatine formula (I will switch back to Swole V2 when I'm done with this crap though)

Post-workout:
creatine
Oxygen Plus = anti-oxident / vitamin formula

[sculli]

Weight = 203 (recently did a cutting phase now just want to maintain, this is light for me)

Flat Bench Press - 225x3, 225x3, 225x3, 185x12 (this was easy but awkward, since I haven't done regular bench in many months. I'm keeping it light for now but will go up a little next time.)

Incline Bench Press - 185x3, 185x3, 185x3, 135x12 (also easy)

Dumbbell Bench Press - 60x8, 60x7, 60x6 (couldn't believe this was hard must have been burnt from the benching)

Dumbbell Flyes - 35x10,35x10,35x10 (felt good nice stretch)

Seated Military Press (plate loaded machine) - 230x2, 180x3,180x3, 90x12 (this was dissapointing b/c I used to rep out with 270 only a few months ago)

Front Raises - 10x8, 10x8, 10x8 (nice and easy for pump)

dumbell Seated Shrugs - 80x3,80x3,80x3, 60x10 (really easy)

Triceps Pushdowns - 100x15,100x15,100x15 (all sets were easy except the last one)

pushups -(I don't have the exact reps in front of me but I'll post it later. It was 5 sets, didn't get too many reps at all since I was pre-exauhsted from the rest of the workout already. great pump though)

situps on exercise ball (5 sets again on these, will post reps later)

Overall the workout wasn't bad since the main goal is to rehab my lower back and maintain my weight and maybe add a little muscle and drop a little fat.

I decided to drop the Thermochrome5000 from my supps for a little while since I'm already below my goal weight. I added Level90 though (blood sugar stabilizer) for now.

[sculli]

Did 30 minutes of cardio on the exercise bike. Just ,medium intensity, I couldn't really get into it. Only burned 170 calories and I'm used to burning twice that on a treadmill but I have to avoid the treadmill for now b/c of the back pain. Next time I think I will try an eliptical machine.

[Heisman]

You have very nice lifts.

[sculli]

Originally posted by Heisman
You have very nice lifts.

Thanks, I thought I'd get crap for them being low to tell the truth. I used to lift way more but my back is so bad I'm easing my way back up. Worst part of my workout picking the weights up off the rack and putting them back when I'm done. I seriously have trouble bending over even a little bit. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be throwing some heavier stuff around.

[Charger]

Originally posted by sculli

I decided to drop the Thermochrome5000 from my supps for a little while since I'm already below my goal weight.

For some reason I thought you were military?? Any ECA would be a no no, hell thanks to big brother, it will be illegal period soon.

Your routine looks good, standard push/pull which allows for the most recovery with one day added for arms.
As for back, you may want to see someone and stop lifting all together for a week or 2. Its hard not to involve lower back.

[sculli]

Originally posted by Charger
For some reason I thought you were military?? Any ECA would be a no no, hell thanks to big brother, it will be illegal period soon.

Your routine looks good, standard push/pull which allows for the most recovery with one day added for arms.
As for back, you may want to see someone and stop lifting all together for a week or 2. Its hard not to involve lower back.

Yes, I'm in the military and yes it's a no no. I have seen someone about the back and I'm on naproxen for it. I took some time off but it still bothers me. I've been trying to get another appointment set up but it's been tough to schedule.

[sculli]

body weight 206 (I think the weight gain was just water and/or just from being full from food that day)

Close grip pulldown 240x3,3,3 180x10 (this was heavy)

db Row 85x3,3,3 50x10 (not too bad)

wide chinup BWx8,4,6 (this was hard I should have gotten 3x8)

preacher curl 50x10,10,10 (this was easy)

pushup bwx30,22,12,10,8

incline situp 20,7,10,7,6 (lower back hurting on this one)

[sculli]

Took both days off from training but walked a lot on Saturday.

[sculli]

Bodyweight - 203 (seem to be maintaining the weight pretty well. Haven't lost any muscle either)

Didn't do the correct leg routine this day, I was a little out of it and just did whatever I wanted.


Horizontal Leg press 325x3, 345x3, 360x3 240x10 (this was easy)

Leg extension 170x3, 200x3,3 160x10 (also pretty easy)

Leg curl 125x3 130x3 135x3 95x10 (easy again)

calf raise on leg press 270x10,10,8 (surprisingly hard, used a different leg press machine than before)

pushup 30,30,21,15,15

reverse crunch 15,15,15

[sculli]

bodyweight = 206 (weight is up a little probably from the creatine. Looks like bf% is lower if anything.)

Cardio: Did 8 minutes on eliptical machine and 20 minutes on the bike. Burned around 230 calories.

back felt good today

[Heisman]

Nice workouts. Seems like you are doing good even with a bad back. Do everything you can to make sure that it recovers. You are wise for not doing movements that could make it worse.

[sculli]

Originally posted by Heisman
Nice workouts. Seems like you are doing good even with a bad back. Do everything you can to make sure that it recovers. You are wise for not doing movements that could make it worse.
Yeah, it seems to be going well. I do a lot of seated movements so it put less stress on the back. I had a kick ass arm workout last night, will post it later when I find my notebook.

[sculli]

Been slacking on updating my journal here for a while. Going to try to attempt to update it.

Weight 204

Superset 1:
Preacher curl 80x3, 100x3,3 60x10 (easy)
close grip bench 225x3,2,3 135x10

Superset 2:
seated db curl 55x3,3,3 40x8
lying db extension 40x3,3,3 25x10

Superset 3:
Incline db curl 40x3,3,3 20x10
pushdown 90x3,3,3 60x10 (machine seemed a bit heavier than it should have, used a different machine than normally)

pushups 30,30,15,12,12

incline situp 20,15,7 (lower back pain kicked in)
crunch 20,20 (good ab burn)

[sculli]

didn't weigh in today

Bench 235x3,3,3 195x12 (will move up next time)

Incline bench 195x3,3,3 135x10 (move up the first 3 sets next time)

db bench 55x8,8,8 - hard

db fly 35x10,10,10 - hard

cybex plate load military press 180x3,3,3 100x12 (easy)

db front raise 15x8,8,8, - easy

seated shrug 85x3,3,3 65x10 - felt ok

pushdown 100x15,15 --gym closed at this time and I stopped the workout

[sculli]

Weight 204

close pulldown 245x3,3,3 180x10

cybex row 175x3,3,3 115x10

wide chinup BWx8,7,5

preacher curl 70x10,6,4

pushup 30,30,18,12,15

exercise ball situp 20,20,20,20,20

[sculli]

stopped taking creatine

didn't weigh in this day

Horizontal leg press 360x3,3,3 260x10

Leg extension 210x3,3,3 170x 10

leg curl 140x3,3,3 110x10

hyperextension BWx12,12,10

leg press calf raise 260x15,280x12,300x12

pushup 30,30,25,12,15

reverse crunch 15,15,15

[sculli]

Weight 203

Superset 1:
preacher curl 100x3,32,3 70x10 - hard
close bench 225x,3,3,2 145x10

Superset 2:
seated db curl 55x3,3,3 35x10
lying db extension 40x3,3,3 25x10

Superset 3:
incline db curl 45x3,3,3 20x10 -easy
pushdown 100x3,3,3 70x10

pushups 30,30,23,15,15

exercise ball situp 20,20,20,20,20 -hard

[sculli]

Haven't been keeping track of my cardio as much lately but I've still been doing it and having pretty good workouts. I've decided the eliptical machine with the hand grips is the best for me right now since it burns the most calories and doesn't bother my back at all. I will still do the bike from time to time but it doesn burn nearly as many calories.

[Heisman]

Why don't you do squats or deadlifts?

[sculli]

Originally posted by Heisman
Why don't you do squats or deadlifts?

See the top of the thread. It's because of a bad lower back I'm still rehabbing it.

[sculli]

I will be starting the GVT Phase 2 workout tonight (I did Phase 1 a month or so ago). I'm modifying it a bit by throwing in cardio days and the usual pushups and situps I do after the workouts. The following is what I plan to do (may change some things here and there as I see fit).

Notes: Rest 90 seconds between each "A" exercise and each superset; rest 60 seconds between each "B" exercise and each superset.

DAY 1 - Chest and Back

Exercise Sets Reps Tempo Rest Interval
A-1 Incline Dumbbell Presses 10x6 90 sec 90 sec rest
A-2 Wide-Grip Pull-Ups(palms facing away from you) 10x6 90 sec rest
B-1 Flat Dumbbell Flyes 3x6 60 sec rest
B-2 Machine Rows 3x6 60 sec rest
pushups 5x30
incline or swiss ball situp 5x20

DAY 2 cardio

DAY 3 - Legs and Abs

Exercise Sets Reps Tempo Rest Interval
A-1 leg extension 10x6 90 sec rest
A-2 Seated Leg Curls 10x6 90 sec rest
B-1 Twisting Crunches 3x12 - 60 sec rest
B-2 Seated Calf Raises 3x12 - 60 sec rest
pushup 5x30
reverse crunch 5x20

DAY 4 - cardio

DAY 5 - Arms and Shoulders

Exercise Sets Reps Tempo Rest Interval
A-1 Parallel Bar Dips 10x6 5 90 sec rest
A-2 Incline Hammer Curls 10x 6 90 sec rest
B-1 Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raises* 3x10 - 60 sec rest
B-2 Seated DumbbellLateral Raises 3x10 - 60 sec rest
pushup 5x30
incline or swiss ball situp 5x20

(*While seated on the edge of a bench with your torso bent over, raise the dumbbells out to the side, making sure the top two knuckles (the ones closest to your thumb) are in line with your ears at the top of the movement.)

DAY 6 - cardio