Zhombie in the Gym - Cold front takes Hell by surprise

[Zhombie]

Age 38 - 6'4" - 225 lbs. - BF 26%+

I am utilizing Ravadongon's winning entry from the "What Is The Best Mass-Building Workout For Skinny Beginners?" contest.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw1.htm

Obviously I am not skinny but I am a beginner and my muscle strength... well I consider it pathetic. I have never been strong but I was a great runner back in my Army days. 5 miles without breathing heavy or breaking a sweat.... those were the days. Anyway, getting in shape about 25 years late but hey better now than never. Currently I am doing a 90 day tour for my company in the middle east and when I get back I am planning on getting a personal trainer at 24 hour fitness in Vegas which isn't too far from my house.


Monday - Upper Body Day - (90-120s rest between sets)

DATE 1 June --------- TIME 0100

Weight in Kilograms

EXERCISE .............................Set #1 Set #2 Set #3
Flat BB Bench Press ................30x8 ... 30x8 ... 30x7
WG Lat Pulldown ....................45x12 ... 45x9 ... 45x8
DB Standing Shoulder Press ......16x12 ... 16x10 ... 16x8
BB CG Bench Press ..................20x8 ... 20x8 ... -
DB Bicep Curls ........................16x9 ... 16x7 ... -

Workout Location: DP2 ------ Weight: 100Kg

Mood When Starting: Little excited. haven't slept in the past 4 days much so not expecting much in the way of energy. Suffering Insomnia from malaria meds.

Cardio Today? NO

Length Of Workout 40 min

Comments: Shoulders and Bi's feel pumped... bpm 140 - 160 range through 90% of workout. Lower back was twitching after Standing Shoulder Press so I stopped and stretched it out a little. Need to work on form for this exercise.

[Hibiscus09]

Nice job on the workout! Sorry -- I thought you meant you won the contest? You're doing the workout, right? :P I'm quick sometimes but apparently not tonight. :D

[Zhombie]

Nope I didn't win the contest... Ravadongon was the winner and I am using his winning entry. My bad I should have made that clearer.

[Hibiscus09]

Well, good luck to you. You should see plenty of gains since you're just starting out. Workout consistently and eat healthy (and enough) and all should be well!

Oh, and since you are a beginner, you should probably keep those standing military presses light and only work up in weight very gradually (well, working up gradually is true for all your lifts). Make sure you keep your shoulders back, keep an erect posture and look straight ahead. A split stance may alleviate some of the back pressure. I suggest not using weight so heavy that you have to struggle at the top of the movement. It also sounds like you need to work on your core strength -- although, doing exercises like this (standing) will strengthen your core as you continue lifting. Exercises like squats & deadlifts will go a long way in improving core strength.

[Zhombie]

Friday 9:00 AM

50 min on the elliptical: 30 min over 170 bpm; 3 minutes over 180 at the 30 min mark. Rest of it was over 160. 5 min cool down going backwards. Backwards kicks my butt... I was sweating like a pig. Guess it wasn't much of a cool down.

[Zhombie]

worked back and legs

5 min on elliptical got bpm over 170
Wide-Grip Pulldowns Behind The Neck 45x8 ... 45x10 .... 45x8
Hyperextensions 8 ... 8 ... 8
Deadlifts 40x8 ... 40x8 ... 40x8
Standing calf raises 40x8 ... 40x8 ... 40x8
DB Lunges 14x10 ... 14x8 ... 14x8
Squats 55x8 ... 55x8 ... 55x8


I was going to throw in some crunches at the end but squats killed me. I might try doing squats at the start of my next workout and see how that goes. Supps should be in on Tuesday. Tomorrow I will take off and Monday I might just do the elliptical.

[GREENFEATHER]

Well we started out at the opposite ends of the spectrum. I was 6'5" at 306 lbs, now I'm 238 and holding. Work your way up gradually and take your time, now isn't the time for an injury!!

Good luck and Good Medicine.

[Zhombie]

Well I couldn't stay away from the gym. So much for Sunday off. But I went without a plan. Bad bad bad rookie!

5 min elliptical bpm to 165. Quads were burning hard from yesterday.
DB Flat Press 16x8 ... 16x8 ... 16x8 ... 16x5
DB Flyes 16x8 ... 16x8 ... 16x8 ... 16x6
crossover 12x10 ... 10x15 ... 10x20 ... 8x20
BB Bench Press 15x8 ... 15x6 ... 15x3
Seated DB Press 16x12 ... 16x8 ... 14x12 ... 14x8
Crunches decline 20 ... 15 ... 5 ... 5
Bicycle crunches 20

[Zhombie]

Legs day... was pressed for time so I didn't do elliptical

*Weights in Kg*

Squats: 60x12 ... 60x12 ... 60x12
Calf Raises: 60x12 ... 60x12 ... 60x12
DB Lunges: 20x12 ... 20x10 ... 20x8
Dead Lift: 50x12 ... 50x8

first time working out with NO (Higher Power AAKG)
took free sample dose of CellMass after workout

[Zhombie]

Had insomnia for 3 weeks due to malaria meds but I stopped taking them and it finally ended. I slept 75% of the last 3 days as my body demanded it. Finally got back to the gym. It was leg day:

35 minutes total... All weights in Kg

Squats: 100x12 ... 100x12 ... 100x12
calf raises: 100x12 ... 100x12 ... 100x12
lying leg curls: 30x8 ... 30x7 ... 30x6

was going to do DB Lunges but I felt dizzy, light headed, nauseas, and my hearing was muffled. I took at as a sign that my body was at its limits.

30 min prior to workout: 3 capsuls of Man Scorch, H+blocker, AAKG, ON Whey (1 scoop ea.)

After workout: Creatine, Bioplex Whey (1 scoop ea.)

[Hibiscus09]

Nice workouts, Zhombie! :) Happy Wednesday!

[Zhombie]

I haven't been good about keeping my journal :( but I am gonna do better. I promise! Part of the problem is I have had a really inconsistent schedule and a few times I have been pulled out of the gym to go straight to the hanger for a launch. My workouts have been suffering as well. I have been doing a lot of squats and lat pulldowns with a smattering of other things. Today I am trying to get back on track though.

Todays workout:

Started with 20 minutes of elliptical. BPM 160 - 180

Weights in Kg as usual for me:

inclined db press 5 sets total. Warm ups for supersets. 1:00 between sets.
10kg x 10
14kg x 10
16kg x 10
18kg x 10
20kg x 10

Supersets db flyes with flat bench. 1:30 between sets.
20kg x 8 - 30kg x 8
20kg x 8 - 30kg x 8
20kg x 8 - 30kg x 7
20kg x 7 - 30kg x 4

Supersets Bent Arm DB pullover with reverse grip lat pulldown. 1:30 between sets.
10kg x 10 - 45kg x 10
10kg x 10 - 45kg x 10
10kg x 10 - 45kg x 8

total time in Gym 1:10. Bpm never below 140. Over 150 90% of the time.

I really liked these supersets.

Goals: work on my pathetic bench press, and do at least 1 pullup before Aug. 8, the day I leave the desert.

[Zhombie]

Leg day:

DB Lunges:
10kg x 10
14kg x 10
16kg x 10
18kg x 10
20kg x 10

Super Sets: Leg Extensions (to failure) - Squats 3x8-12
50kg x 18 - 50kg x 10
57.5kg x 14 - 100kg x 10
65kg x 13 - 100kg x 8 (failure)

Calf Raises

130kg x 20
130kg x 20 (failure)

Pushed it way too hard on the last set of calf raises. Calves and Ham's tried to cramp hard after my last rep. Waited around to see if I could manage my back exercises that I had planned for the day but threw in the towel after 10 minutes. I may go back later for my back workout or I might throw it in at the end of my other leg day (4 days from now).

whew!!!