Joel's 2008 Training Journal

[jtroster]

New year, new journal.

This is the start of my 5th year of continuous workouts. My last 2007 journal is here. This year I want to get leaner and stronger. I have a few lagging parts, shoulders and biceps, that need extra work.

My training plan for the start of this year is also based on the Waterbury 25 but with some variation from the plan I used since the middle of November.


Here is my plan:

DAY 1

Rotator: Seated Cable Face Pulls (3x8)
Chin-ups
Dips
Deadlifts
Standing Calf Raises
Abs


DAY 2

Rotator: Cuban Press (3x8)
ATG Front Squat
Seated Row
Bench press
Reverse Curl
Overhead DB triceps extension


DAY 3

Rotator: External Rotations (3x8)
BB Reverse Lunges
Wide Grip Pull-up
Incline Bench Press
HS Iso-Lateral Biceps Curls
Abs


DAY 4

Rotator: Side Lying DB Raise to 45 (3x8)
Standing Military Press
Superset:
- Low Incline DB Spider Curls
- Wide Grip Skull Crushers
Seated calf raise (30s rest)
DB Seated Shoulder Press - 40s



Anyone have any comments of suggestions?

[batteryrequired]

New year, new journal.

This is the start of my 5th year of continuous workouts. My last 2007 journal is here. This year I want to get leaner and stronger. I have a few lagging parts, shoulders and biceps, that need extra work.

My training plan for the start of this year is also based on the Waterbury 25 but with some variation from the plan I used since the middle of November.


Here is my plan:

DAY 1

Rotator: Seated Cable Face Pulls (3x8)
Chin-ups
Dips
Deadlifts
Standing Calf Raises
Abs


DAY 2

Rotator: Cuban Press (3x8)
ATG Front Squat
Seated Row
Bench press
Reverse Curl
Overhead DB triceps extension


DAY 3

Rotator: External Rotations (3x8)
BB Reverse Lunges
Wide Grip Pull-up
Incline Bench Press
HS Iso-Lateral Biceps Curls
Abs


DAY 4

Rotator: Side Lying DB Raise to 45? (3x8)
Standing Military Press
Superset:
- Low Incline DB Spider Curls
- Wide Grip Skull Crushers
Seated calf raise (30s rest)
DB Seated Shoulder Press - 40s



Anyone have any comments of suggestions?

None from here except lift hard and make 2008 a great one Joel!

[Tifflex]

Good morning Joel! I am in to learn.

Have a great day!

[flywheel99]

I'll be along for the ride joel. I'll enjoy reading about your Waterbury experiences.

Did you see the outdoor hockey game in Buffalo yesterday?

Nice "cabin" picks, by the way. Very nice place. Sounded like a great time.

[jtroster]

Jon,
After doing Cosgrove workouts for over a year I find the Waterbury workouts a nice change. The emphasis on perfect form and fast concentrics gives me a great workout. I changed my plan from what I designed in November to keep me from getting bored. I might also add leg presses.

I did not get to see that game except in the news. My bad

[HoosierHardGain]

Hey Joel. Best of luck witn your 2008 goals. I've found that you are the best on here at identifying your goals and achieving them. I'll be reading your new journal with high interest!


By the way, what is a Cuban Press? I have this image of you lifting two cigars over your head.

[NuclearArms]

Interesting plan here Joel. Here's the comment - day 2 seems a bit overloaded to me, I would back off somewhere on that day after the squats and bench.

[jtroster]

Hey Joel. Best of luck witn your 2008 goals. I've found that you are the best on here at identifying your goals and achieving them. I'll be reading your new journal with high interest!


By the way, what is a Cuban Press? I have this image of you lifting two cigars over your head.

Thanks Hoos. Its the scientist in me that designs my training plans.

Cuban press is a rotator exercise done like this except I use a BB instead of DBs.

[jtroster]

Interesting plan here Joel. Here's the comment - day 2 seems a bit overloaded to me, I would back off somewhere on that day after the squats and bench.

Day 2 does look a little too much. I'll drop the triceps exercise as my tris are well developed. If the squats take too much energy for me to hit bench hard then I'll swap squats with the lunges from day 3.

[hbk442000]

Hi Joel,

Looks like a great map to success. I look forward to the adventure.

[BergMuscle]

Looking good, Joel. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress and experiences with this new plan.

Happy 2008!

[flywheel99]

I did not get to see that game except in the news. My bad

it was sweet.

snow falling and a packed football stadium. ryan miller had his stocking cap on top of his mask. it was awesome.

the ice surface wasn't too hot. they kept fixing huge holes.

i had the hockey game and college football bowl games on my two tv set up. it was a good deal.

best of luck with waterbury. i might try that next.

[Hot Rose]

Good luck with the new plan Joel. The 25 reps sounds interesting. I might have to try it out too

[Hibiscus09]

Yay for 5 years of continuous workouts!

I'm sure you'll do great in 2008 also.

[ArchAngel'73]

Good plan Joel!
No sense in changing it until you've tried it, I think you'll be able to bust through day 2 without issues. And you do already have a plan B, so all is looking good for the New Year.
Best wishes to you.

[jtroster]

It was a good night in the gym. There were a few newbies but they were not clueless - and they put their weights away.

The buzz was good and so I ended bumping the weights on every one of my exercises.


Rotator: Standing Cable Face Pulls - 100/8, 110/8, 110/8

I usually do these on the seated row but it was occupied so I did them standing.


Chin-ups - -40/8, -30/6, -30/6, -30/5


Dips - BW/6, BW/6, 10/6, 10/6, 10/5


Deadlifts - 135/6, 185/6, 205/5, 205/4


Standing Calf Raises - 320/9, 340/8, 340/8


Abs
- Leg raises - 2x15

[hbk442000]

Nice workout Joel. Glad the newbies cooperated.

Those number are looking great.

[ntrllftr]

looks like a good plan for a New Year Joel.
I can only handle two body parts per workout. I'll be checking in to see how this workout works for you.

[jtroster]

Nice workout Joel. Glad the newbies cooperated.

Those number are looking great.

Thanks.

looks like a good plan for a New Year Joel.
I can only handle two body parts per workout. I'll be checking in to see how this workout works for you.

I have been doing a leg/push/pull workout since the middle of November. So far its working fine. I find whole body workouts help with fat loss.

[BoiseLifer]

Those are some nice looking workout combos you have planned. And 5 years, yikes! That is impressive!! Good luck on another successful year.

[Hibiscus09]

Very nice! I wish you would send those newbies to my gym. It is the worst for people not putting away weights.

Happy Sunday!

[jtroster]

Last night we had fun. We saw the stage production of Dirty Dancing. Lots of good music and dancing. Also, one of the ensemble members used to sing with my son in a children's choir. Now he has had roles in Hair, We Will Rock You and now Dirty Dancing.


This morning the gym had a nice buzz. There was a mix of newbies and regulars. Things are getting better as some of the folks that never used to put their weights away are now doing it!


Rotator: Cuban Press - 30/8, 35/8, 40/8


ATG Front Squat - 95/6, 115/6, 115/6, 115/7, 115/6

On one set I experimented with various depths of squats. I found that only by going ATG did my lower back take the least strain. In fact it hurt a little to stop at parallel.


Seated Row- 135/7, 135/7, 150/7, 150/4


Bench press - 45/6(warm-up), 135/7, 155/6, 165/6, 165/6


Reverse Curl - 50/9, 55/8, 55/8


Well I started on tax season by buying my yearly copy of QuickTax. Feh!

[jtroster]

Last night was with my trainer Jason. He looked my plan over and suggested I do leg presses. So I'll put lunges in day 4.


Rotator: External Rotations - 10/8, 15/8, 20/8


Superset:
- Wide Grip Pull-up - -40/7, -40/7, -40/7, -25/4
- Leg Extension - 4x115/8

Jason wanted me to do some leg extensions to warm up for the leg presses. So supersetted them with the pullups.


Incline Bench Press - 115/8, 125/8, 135/9

A 5 pound bump over last time.


Leg Press - 180/8, 360/9, 450/8

I have not used the leg press since the club replaced the older machine. Jason kept adding on the plates and I pressed on.


Bicep 21s - 40/21, 40/21


Happy Hump Day.

[hbk442000]

Happy Hump Day Joel.

Congrats on your PB's. Keep up the great work

[ntrllftr]

Congrats on your PB's. Keep up the great work

X2 on that!

[Hibiscus09]

Nice workouts, Joel! Britt could probably win the Guiness Book record for how many times a person has watched "Dirty Dancing." She loves that movie. I'm glad you enjoyed the stage production!

[Tifflex]

Great looking workouts Joel! How are you liking the Front Squats?

[jtroster]

Great looking workouts Joel! How are you liking the Front Squats?

I had trouble with front squats until I started doing them ATG.

[GSCampbell]

Evenin' Joel - what's the good word?

[flywheel99]

ATG Front Squat - 95/6, 115/6, 115/6, 115/7, 115/6

On one set I experimented with various depths of squats. I found that only by going ATG did my lower back take the least strain. In fact it hurt a little to stop at parallel.

i have tried, and tried, and tried to go low with my squats. i don't know if my hips are still too tight. or maybe my butt/hams are too tight, but i can't do an ATG squat. i can barely go lower than horizontal. i try, but i'm not having luck.

i would try ANYTHING to alleviate lower back pain (for me - upper butt/very low back).