vdWesthuizen's journal

[vdWesthuizen]

Considering my other journal is tremendously boring and not very attractive to want to read I've decided to start a new one. My goal is simple, get bigger and stronger. Strength being more important to me then size. Hopefully I can gain considerable strength every month. I have two bulging discs in my lower back, the specialist tells me that squatting with good from should help them out, he told me to either be very careful with deadlifts or just not do them, and considering i don't really like deads I'm going to leave them out utnil my next scan when I'm proven to be healed.

I just do a repetition day and a strength day. Upper body and lower body. I do the exercises as I see fit for the day and dependent on how i am feeling. Main lifts for Upper are bent over BB (about 40deg angle) and Incline BB, for lower Squats and Romanian deads.

Stats are 6'3, 220. should get pictures posted soon

Goal 240, a long trip

Just finished upper heavy day so here it is

Incline Barbell
195 x 4
195 x 3

Chinups
+25 x 2, BW x 2
bw x 6

Weighted Dips
+90 x 5
+90 x 4

Barbell Row
265 x 4
265 x 3

DB Press
75 x 3
75 x 3

DB Laterals
45 x 6
45 x 6

CGBP
185 x 4
185 x 4

BB Curl
95 x 6
95 x 6

good day. everything went fine, been getting some weird pains in my shoulder lately, so i was really careful on the shoulder press. Laterals were very easy....

[vdWesthuizen]

for those who care, i haven't updated in sometime because i have a nasty bug.

at the same time now that school is back in full force along with work and soccer i will only be lifting three times a week with push pull legs.

hopefully i'm better by monday so i can start.

[vdWesthuizen]

getting over being sick went in for a little bit of work

chins
bw x 8
bw x 6
bw x 5

bo row
245 x 5
245 x 5
205 x 12

power shurg
275 x 10
275 x 7
225 x 15

bb curl
105 x 6
105 x 5
65 x 12

laterals
45 x 8
45 x 8
30 x 20

[vdWesthuizen]

still a little sick did push today

incline BB
185 x 6
195 x 4
165 x 8

dips
+90 x 4
+90 x 4 what happened here....
+45 x 10

DB Shoulder
60 x 8
60 x 8 , couldn't even get up the 70s what the hell....

CGBP
135 x 15
135 x 12
135 x 12

[Gallaman]

I have two bulging discs in my lower back, the specialist tells me that squatting with good from should help them out, he told me to either be very careful with deadlifts or just not do them, and considering i don't really like deads I'm going to leave them out utnil my next scan when I'm proven to be healed.....

Not the same as bulging discs, but my entire lumbar spinal column is misaligned from one incident of twisting and lifting back at the age of 15. It is still misaligned to this day, and while I am extra careful about doing heavy squats and deads because of this, I feel the core strength and size I have gained from doing these lifts will keep my lumbar spine healthy for life, especially when I am moving some serious iron in a few years (600+ on squats and deads). I'm not suggesting anything VD, I'm just saying there is always hope.

Nice dips...

[vdWesthuizen]

Not the same as bulging discs, but my entire lumbar spinal column is misaligned from one incident of twisting and lifting back at the age of 15. It is still misaligned to this day, and while I am extra careful about doing heavy squats and deads because of this, I feel the core strength and size I have gained from doing these lifts will keep my lumbar spine healthy for life, especially when I am moving some serious iron in a few years (600+ on squats and deads). I'm not suggesting anything VD, I'm just saying there is always hope.

Nice dips...

thanks for the visit to my journal GMan. Ya i'd love to hit the weights hard and heavy again but i think i really have to progress slow in squats and any sort of dead. i wish i could be 100% again but i know that i won't be . hopefully time will be the best medicine and maybe, just maybe i'll attempt to DL again later in the year.

today i did legs

squats
275 x 5
275 x 5
275 x 5

One leg squats (first time doing these)
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

GHR
BW x 15
BW x 15
BW x 11

RDL
185 x 10
185 x 10
135 x 15

some reverse crunches 3 sets of 25

good to step under the bar again. my back was really tight after every set of squats i just did hangs on the chin bar which loosened it up. everything else went well

[vdWesthuizen]

pull day

weighed in at 225 today... i have no idea why but it hit my psychologically so my chins weren't up to par

chins
bw x 6
bw x 5
bw x 4

bo row.. my back was feeling pretty good today so i went to actual parallel to the ground and boy did i get weak...
245 x 4
225 x 4
225 x 4 a lot harder

power shrug
275 x 10
275 x 10
275 x 3 grip = gone

bb curl
105 x 6
105 x 6
75 x 15, my wrists were hurting

laterals
45 x 8
45 x 8
45 x 8

then some hanging leg raises 4 sets.

overall good day

[vdWesthuizen]

push

incline bb
185 x 6
185 x 6
185 x 6

dips, these have a taken a beating lately don't know why...
+90 x 4
+70 x 6
+70 x 6

DB Shoulder Press, these too have taken a beating
65 x 4
60 x 8
60 x 8

CGBP
135 x 8
185 x 4, dropped it on myself, how embarrassing
135 x 8

cuban rotes
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10

long story short, i think the reason i've gotten so weak in everything on push day is because i am used to have a nice 3 set break between pushing when i did all upper/lower, so instead i'm just going to do 2 upper days, 1 lower day. so i can get a little rest between my pushing movements

[Endeavourer]

Keep chinning!!! All the best mate.

[Gallaman]

Cuban rotes?

[vdWesthuizen]

Keep chinning!!! All the best mate.

I'm going to lower the reps on chins probably around 4, and do them weighted for awhile. Hopefully that'll help me out

Cuban rotes?

A friend of mine who hurt his shoulders does these, i wondered what the hell they did so i did them and felt nothing, so i doubt I'll do them again.
http://abcbodybuilding.com/exercise3/cubanrotations.htm

thanks for stopping in, it motivates me more to keep at it

I'm sick once again, but i highly doubt its to the magnitude of the last time(only a slight sore throat and plugged up nose) so I'm pretty sure if i take care of myself I'll be good for monday

[vdWesthuizen]

Upper I:

Incline BB
195 x 4
195 x 4
195 x 3

bent over Row, just above parallel
225 x 4
225 x 4
225 x 4

DB Shoulder Press:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 7

Pullups
bw x 8
bw x 6
bw x 6

CGBP
135 x 12
135 x 12

rear delt cables
25 x 12
25 x 12
30 x 12

BB curl
105 x 6
105 x 3 (ow wrist)

hanging leg raises
bw x 15
x15
x15

felt good to be back to an entire upper body day. all around good workout, next time i'll do 195 on the incline hit 3 x 4 then 205... inching ever so close to 225.

[vdWesthuizen]

Squats:
275 x 8
275 x 7
275 x 7

One Leg Squats:
135 x 8
135 x 8, still getting the feel for these

GHR
BW x 15
BW x 10
BW x 10, really held the negative hard

RDL
185 x 10
185 x 10, long negative as well

Power Shrugs
275 x 10
275 x 10
275 x 10

Calf Raise
can't remember the weight, 10+ reps for 3 sets.


I have a serious question regarding squats and the lower back. As already mentioned I have two bulging discs. After every set of squats >225, i have to hang for a bit to stretch my lower back muscles because they are tremendously tight for about a minute, after which point the tightness disappears. is it supposed to feel like the this? the only logical thing i can think of is my hip flexors are very tight after doing squats and are pulling my pelvis upward...

[vdWesthuizen]

Military Press:
135 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5

Wide Grip Chins:
BW x 4
BW x 4
Bw x 4 doing them weighted next time

Incline DB:
80 x 8
80 x 7
80 x 7

DB Row:
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8

CGBP:
155 x 11
155 x 9

Rear Delt Machine:
185 x 11
185 x 9

BB Curl
95 x 8
95 x 8

hanging leg raises.

alright workout, went later in the day so i wasn't with the usual crowd that i see there, instead i had the young sports team that just gets in your way, other then them pissing me off, it was a good workout

[vdWesthuizen]

Incline BB:
195 x 4
195 x 4
195 x 4, next week 205

Bent Over Row:
245 x 4
245 x 4
245 x 4 (my form wasn't so good)
135 x 10

DB Shoulder Press:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 8, next week 65

Pullups:
bw x 8
bw x 6
bw x 6 what the hell is wrong with my pullups...

dips
+45 x 12
+45 x 8, been awhile since i've done these, this was expected

rear delt cable
30 x 12
30 x 12

hammercurls:
40 x 10
40 x 10

ab circuit. crunches, reverse crunches, leg raises, 3 sets 20 reps each

great workout, except pullups

[Gallaman]

What was wrong with the pullups?

[vdWesthuizen]

What was wrong with the pullups?

its seems like i won't ever be able to get out more then 8 reps or 6 reps after that....

[vdWesthuizen]

Squats:
275 x 8
275 x 7
275 x 7, i know i could have done more... i'll get 3 sets of 10 next time

One Leg Squats
135 x 10
135 x 10

GHR
BW x 15
BW x 12
BW x 10

RDL
185 x 15
185 x 13

Power Shrug
275 x 10
275 x 10
0 x 0 forgot to do set.....

Calf Raise
240 x 10
240 x 10

DB Side Laterals
30 x 12
30 x 12

good day

[vdWesthuizen]

great day, moving up the weight in nearly all my lifts next time.

push press: (seated BB press wasn't feeling right, so I gave these a try, very hard but nonetheless a great excersise)
115 x 6
115 x 6
135 x3

Wide Grips Chins:
+10 x 4
+10 x 4
+10 x 4, next week +20

DB Incline Press:
80 x 8
80 x 8
80 x 8, my gym doesn't have 85's.. so next week i'll try the 90's....

DB Row:
105 x 8
105 x 8
105 x 8, 110 next time

CGBP:
155 x 12
155 x 12, 175 next time... these were very easy

RearDelt:
185 x 12
185 x 10

BBcurl:
85 x 10
85 x 10, 95 next week

boring ab work.

what a great day.

[vdWesthuizen]

pulled my hamstring very badly today. bentover rows and leg day on hiatus, unless i wake up tomorrow feeling better..

me so angry

[vdWesthuizen]

morning, hamstring not any better... to go with a bad ankle, achilles and both calluses rip off my feet. i'm a giant limping fool. and to think i took a break from rugby to get myself healthy.... haha

having a lady come over to massage it, have been heat/ice compressing it, no workout today. i'll do upper I tomorrow, and replace bentover row with machine garbage. everything else should be fine.

no leg day this week, probably no leg day for awhile.

upper II should be fine.

[vdWesthuizen]

Incline BB:
205 x 3
205 x 2
205 x 2

"Vertical Row" Machine:
Stack x 6
Stack x 6
Stack x 6

DB Shoulder Press: w/ pause
65 x 7
65 x 5
65 x 5

Pullups: w/ pause
x8
x5
x4 just wanted to try out the pause

CGBP:
175 x 10
175 x 9

REar dealt cable:
35 x 12
35 x 12

hammer curl:
45 x 8
45 x 8

ugh, i'm a limping fool.... RICE and very light stretching after showers along with massage.... hope it gets better fast

[vdWesthuizen]

since i can't do lower for awhile i'm on nothing but upper days, and heck I thought I'd dow ahtever i felt today, i was very happy.

flat BB Bench:
worked up to 225 x 6
then repped out 14 reps at 185, i hadn't done regular Bench in ages and am amazed how easy 225 was

wide grip chin 6
hammer chin 6
pullup 6

between every excersise i would to a triset set of wide grip, hammer, pullup, by the end i was doing 2, 3, 4

Incline DB:
80 x 8
pausing 80 x 4

the triset

BB Shoulder Press(seated) 115 x 12 for 2 sets

the triset

incline CGBP on smith:
2 sets of 185 x 6
1 set of 135 x 12

one-arm barbell preacher curl, saw these on westside website and thought what the hell
35 x 6/6
35 x 6/6
35 x 4/4

dumbbell laterals
40 x 10
40 x 10

the triset

and some ab work

happy, because this was the first time i've ever attempted 225 bench and i got 6 off easily.. everything else went fine... now only if I could workout my legs, but that seems like it is far off right now.

[vdWesthuizen]

hamstring starting feel good again, leg day might be faster than i expected

on another note, i have severe doms in my chest.... havne't had that in a long time, worse than that, i woke up this morning and my shoulder was really bothering me, it subsided somewhat in the day, hopefully it clears up quick.

i have ice all over my body aha, probably get back at it on monday

[vdWesthuizen]

did not do.

shoulder still hurt. going to aim for thursday

might go in tomorrow and do some arm stuff or some really light pressing.

Lower is still not going to happen, damn hamstring is getting a lot better but stil nowhere near 100%

[vdWesthuizen]

went into the gym today

shoulder was fine.
hamstring nowhere near ready.
and here is the bad one.

my pec felt awful

right pec it hurts under the actual pec, so not near any attachments at least i don't think.

giving myself a long rest and ice and hopefully it will get better. dips were pain free though, which was weird

i'll do military press dips and something for triceps

if anyone's got any suggestions let me know

[dkfan9]

huge DOMS were probably cause of the flat bench. You said that you hadn't done it in ages, then you did 225x6, and 185x14. That's my guess as to the DOMS. Not sure about any pain you're describing.

[vdWesthuizen]

huge DOMS were probably cause of the flat bench. You said that you hadn't done it in ages, then you did 225x6, and 185x14. That's my guess as to the DOMS. Not sure about any pain you're describing.

ya man just a bad tightness, maybe i came back to benching a little to quick, i'll give it some rest and ice and lay off chest stuff for a little bit

[vdWesthuizen]

-pec stills feels weird, not going to bench heavy for awhile
-shoulder getting better daily
-hamstring getting flexibilty back, i can smell a leg workout within like 2 weeks, maybe 1

i'm going through withdrawals because I haven't had a real workout in a long time. I hate this so much

[vdWesthuizen]

today

i stretched, and i stretched, and i stretched, then went to class, and did more of the same, then stretched and iced etc.

feeling better, hopefully monday is the day I get back to it.