Joel's 2009 Training Journal

[jtroster]

Another New year, another new journal.

This is the start of my 6th year of continuous workouts. My 2008 journal is here.

Last year my goals were to get leaner and stronger. I did get somewhat stronger but not as lean as I wanted. I also got bigger in the upper body as measured by how my shirts feel. My leanest time of the year was the summer when I got down to 176 pounds. I'm currently back up to 185.

Last year I also included a lot of rotator training. As the year progressed my shoulders got stronger and I could cut down on the rotator work without getting any strains. I'll probably add some rotator work every once and a while.

My training plan for the start of this year is going to be taken from Chad Waterbury's latest book Huge in a Hurry. This book expands on the articles that Waterbury wrote in T-nation last year. I am going to be following his Getting Started plan for the first month, the Get Lean plan for the next 16 weeks and then the Get Strong plan for 16 weeks. I'll then evaluate how it has worked.


Here is the Getting Started plan:

Warmup: (done before every workout)
- Arm Circles (5 reps each direction)
- Leg Circles (5 reps each direction)
- Foot Circles (5 reps each direction)
- T Pushup (5 reps each direction)
- Camel/Cat (5 reps)
- One Leg Deadlift (5 reps each leg)
- Side Lunge with Overhead Reach (5 reps each direction)
- Overhead Squat (5 reps)

Workout A Heavy Load, 4-6 RM, 25 reps, 45 sec rest

Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row

Dip

DB Split Squat


Workout B Medium Load, 10-12 RM, 35 reps, 60 sec rest

Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown

DB Standing Shoulder Press

Deadlift


Workout C Light Load, 20-22 RM, 50 reps, 90 sec rest

Cable Standing Low-Pulley Row

Pushup

Squat


Each exercise is done with fast eccentrics and the sets stop when speed, range of motion or form falters. The exercise is done when the total number of reps are done. RM represents the number of reps that the first set should take. All other sets are done with the same weight. First time through I'll probably have to adjust the weight to stay in the RM range.

I workout three times a week and Tuesday nights is with my trainer Jason. Since I do not want to always be doing the A workout on trainer nights, I'll make some trainer nights as his choice to break things up a bit. So my weeks will look like this:

A, B, C
Trainer's choice, A, B
C, A, B
Trainer's choice, C, A
B, C, A
Trainer's choice, B, C


Once I finish the Getting Started plan I'll publish the Get Lean Plan as I switch to it.

[MtnBikeMike]

Glad to see you back I wondering what happened to ya........Strong plan you got there....I'll be watching your progress!

[jtroster]

I was away with the Family in St. Martin. No workouts but I did get in some SCUBA diving - two 45 minutes dives down about 20 metres. I also had the thrill of having a 2 metre shark swim past us.

Now I'm ready to lift. First workout is tomorrow.

[orca]

Originally Posted by jtroster

I was away with the Family in St. Martin. No workouts but I did get in some SCUBA diving - two 45 minutes dives down about 20 metres. I also had the thrill of having a 2 metre shark swim past us.

Now I'm ready to lift. First workout is tomorrow.

Wow...St Martin.....very nice. Sounds like a great holiday season. Good luck with your 2009 goals.

[HoosierHardGain]

Subbed.

Something about Waterbury's workouts that always get me addicted. I really like the guys stuff.

Always enjoy your workouts, Joel...you're just someone who seems to know what he's doing. Best of luck sir!

[jtroster]

Originally Posted by HoosierHardGain

Subbed.

Something about Waterbury's workouts that always get me addicted. I really like the guys stuff.

Always enjoy your workouts, Joel...you're just someone who seems to know what he's doing. Best of luck sir!

I agree with you. Waterbury seems to cut through all the crap and gets down to showing you how to hit your goals. I also like his full-body designs design of pull, then push, then legs. He says that that nobody hurts their shoulders doing a pull exercise. That is why the pull comes before the push to warm up the shoulders.

[Fiend_73]

6 years is quite the accomplishment, congrats.

Good idea to maximize your time with Jason too amd get different workouts in. The 16 week cutting phase, is there a diet included in that too Joel?

[Tifflex]

Happy New Year Joel! Your training plan looks great.

Congratulations on 6 years of consistent training.

[jtroster]

Originally Posted by Fiend_73

6 years is quite the accomplishment, congrats.

Good idea to maximize your time with Jason too and get different workouts in. The 16 week cutting phase, is there a diet included in that too Joel?

The book has some diet suggestions but I'm going to try to follow John Berardi's Performance Nutrition. He divides foods into two categories - anytime and post-workout. The anytime foods are high protein, good fats and carbs from fibrous vegetables and some fruit. Post-workout foods include more carbs.

The 16 week cut also includes some HIT intervals. I hate cardio but every workout plan should include something you hate. So I'm going to do intervals.

Originally Posted by Tifflex

Happy New Year Joel! Your training plan looks great.

Congratulations on 6 years of consistent training.

Thanks. To be accurate it is actually just the start of my 6th year of training. I have learnt a lot from the folks on this site and from the articles on t-nation. Five years ago I thought I was just going to slide into old age. Now I am looking forward to every year even if it is just for curiosity sake

[jtroster]

First workout of the year. I was really craving some heavy work as my last workout was before my vacation two weeks ago.

No trainer because Jason was just coming back from a vacation in Mexico. We'll train together Thursday instead.

The idea of the Waterbury workout is to pick a weight for the first set that you can do the planned max reps and then use that weight for the rest of the sets until you hit the total reps. For the Heavy Load workout the max reps (RM) is 4-6. I picked starting weight that ended up too low so I just bumped them after. Next time I'll get it right.


Warmup (5):
- Arm Circles
- Leg Circles
- Foot Circles
- T Pushup
- Camel/Cat
- One Leg Deadlift
- Side Lunge with Overhead Reach
- Overhead Squat

This is the first time I am actually including a formal planned warm-up.


Heavy Load, 4-6 RM, 25 reps, 45 sec rest


Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row - 50/7, 75/7, 90/6, 90/5

I did these using the seated row as my gym does not have an adjustable cable station. It turned out to be more of a core workout as you need a lot of core strength just to stay standing! But my back is still a little sore today so I guess it worked as planned.


Assisted Dips - -55/8, -40/8, -25/5, -25/4

I really underestimated my strength on this one. Next time I'll start at -25 or unassisted.


DB Split Squat - 20s/7, 25s/7, 25s/7, 25/4

Another underestimate. I'll start with 30s next time.


Cardio:
6 minutes using the Precor interval program. I'll do 10 minutes next time.

This morning I also got in 30 minutes of light lifting when I cleared my driveway of snow.

Happy Hump Day, the first one of the year!

[HoosierHardGain]

Joel, was the warmup agenda planned or was it kind of ad hoc?

[jtroster]

Originally Posted by HoosierHardGain

Joel, was the warmup agenda planned or was it kind of ad hoc?

The warmup came from the book. There is also a post-workout stretch routine but I'll add that later.

[Hibiscus09]

Morning Joel! Your new plan looks great! Let me know how you feel on Berardi's plan. I like his ideas, but always want more carbs. Of course, he says some people need more carbs to function well.

It sounds like you had a nice time in St. Martin. Cool about the diving and the shark!

Happy Wednesday!

Edit: I finally remembered to put some photos of the Kiawah house on my Facebook page. They're a bit blurry (iPhone photos), but if you'd like to check them out, they're there.

[GSCampbell]

Mornin' pal!

[Fuerza_M]

subscribed

[jtroster]

A fine workout last night. I tried to keep the rest times as close as possible to 60 seconds. I was mostly successful but needed a little more time between deadlift sets.


Medium Load, 10-12 RM, 35 reps, 60 sec rest


Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown - 75/13, 90/11, 90/10, 90/1


DB Standing Shoulder Press - 25s/11, 25s/10, 25s/9, 25s/9


Deadlift - 135/11, 135/10, 135/10, 135/4


Cardio:
10 minutes using the Precor interval program.


Have a good weekend.

[MtnBikeMike]

Those 10 rep DLs sure get you sucking air...........

[jtroster]

Originally Posted by MtnBikeMike

Those 10 rep DLs sure get you sucking air...........

And the next workout has 20 rep squats!

[MtnBikeMike]

Originally Posted by jtroster

And the next workout has 20 rep squats!

Better you than me........LOL......Good luck with that.

[jtroster]

I started out with a 20 minute snow-cardio session with my canine partner Rudy. Here he is:


Then after the usual warm-up I did:

20-22 RM, 50 reps, 90 sec rest


Cable Standing Low Row - 60/20, 60/15, 60/15

I really felt this in my shoulders and traps.


Push-ups - 12, 11, 10, 10, 7

I HATE push-ups but I got through 50 of them. Hmmm, maybe they are not that bad.


Squats - 95/20, 95/15, 95/15


Cardio:
10 minutes using the Precor interval program.

[Hibiscus09]

Ha -- I was hating pushups when I was doing them this week. I think I was just hating them because I felt so weak this week.

Awwww, Rudy is so cute! Wowzers at the snow!

Nice job on your workout!

Happy Sunday Joel!

[jtroster]

Originally Posted by Hibiscus09

Ha -- I was hating pushups when I was doing them this week. I think I was just hating them because I felt so weak this week.

Awwww, Rudy is so cute! Wowzers at the snow!

Nice job on your workout!

Happy Sunday Joel!

We are snow-free today but more is coming tomorrow. I think the weather is conspiring to make me do more cardio.

[jtroster]

Its snowing in Toronto. Feh! But at least I'll get in some snow-cardio. From my office window, which is near the airport, I can usually the airport's control tower. Today it is not visible.

No workout tonight as my sister is getting an award from the Ontario Society for Arts Education. Its called the Ray Blackwell Award for excellence in Visual Arts education in Ontario. My sister was the head of Visual Art at the Unionville High School where they had an auditioned arts programme.

Next workout will be Thursday night. My trainer is back from his holiday in Mexico today so he should no longer have a tequila hangover Thursday

[jtroster]

It was very cold yesterday but I did make it to the gym. My trainer did not as he got a chest infection when the was on vacation in Mexico.

I timed my rest periods and got mostly of them down to 45 seconds. This made for a short but sweaty workout.


Warmup (5):
- Arm Circles
- Leg Circles
- Foot Circles
- T Pushup
- Camel/Cat
- One Leg Deadlift
- Side Lunge with Overhead Reach
- Overhead Squat (light bar only)


Heavy Load, 4-6 RM, 25 reps, 45 sec rest


Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row - 90/6, 90/6, 90/7, 90/6

I tried to add weight to this but it is very hard to do the Row while keeping standing.


Dip - -25/7, BW/6, BW/5, BW/6, BW/1

Who needs assistance? Noooobody. I might start adding weight next time.


DB Split Squat - 30s/6, 35s/6, 35s/5, 35s/5, 35s/3


Have a great weekend. We are going to see Jersey Boys tonight. The tickets were a Chanukah gift from my sister-in-law.

[Hibiscus09]

Morning Joel! I really enjoyed Jersey Boys. Going in, I did not realize how well I knew their music. I could have sang along to every song -- but for the sake of the people sitting next to me, opted not to do so. Enjoy!

Nice job on the workout! Happy Friday!

[jtroster]

Friday night we saw Jersey Boys. It was a great show. Also, one of my son's friends was in it. He played Joey and was the understudy for Frankie Valli.

We went to synagogue Saturday morning. In her sermon our Rabbi managed to connect the daily torah reading (first chapter of Exodus) to Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Barack Obama. It was very inspiring.

Also this weekend I got in a few snow-cardio sessions. We had a huge dump of powder snow in Toronto. I even got in a workout in an almost empty gym.

Medium Load, 10-12 RM, 35 reps, 60 sec rest


Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown - 90/12, 90/11, 90/10, 90/2


DB Standing Shoulder Press - 25s/11, 25s/10, 25s/9, 25s/5


Deadlift - 135/10, 135/8, 135/10, 135/7


I also got in some one arm rows and farmer's walk as I picked up the DBs the Saturday night crowd left around and put them back on the rack.

[Hibiscus09]

I've not read Waterbury's "Huge in a Hurry" -- I'll be sure to check out the link.

Are you liking it so far?

The synagogue reading and sermon sounded nice.

I'm glad you enjoyed Jersey Boys! I thought it was great!!

[jtroster]

Originally Posted by Hibiscus09

I've not read Waterbury's "Huge in a Hurry" -- I'll be sure to check out the link.

Are you liking it so far?

The synagogue reading and sermon sounded nice.

I'm glad you enjoyed Jersey Boys! I thought it was great!!

So far I've been doing the 3 week Getting Started plan. Its a good introduction to the Waterbury method. I've done similar workouts last year when Waterbury wrote the article on his method of 25. The book develops those ideas further. After one more week of this plan I'll move to the Getting Lean plan. This is a 16 week plan consisting of 3 4 week phases with a one week Loading phase after each. That plus one week off will make the 16 weeks.

[jtroster]

I trained with Jason last night. He was interested in my new training plan and he want to try the Waterbury Get Big. I'll have to loan him the book.


20-22 RM, 50 reps, 90 sec rest


Cable Standing Low Row - 60/20, 60/15, 60/15

These are feeling a little easier. I might bump the weight next time around.


Push-ups - 15, 12, 10, 13

Last time I needed 5 sets to get in my 50 push-ups.


Squats - 95/20, 95/15, 95/15


I then did some assorted abs work because we had the time.


Happy Hump Day.

[jtroster]

This is the third and last time through the 3 Get Started workouts. Then I'll switch to the 16 week Get Lean plan. I'll post more details of the Get Lean plan RealSoonNow.


The usual warm-up was done.

Heavy Load, 4-6 RM, 25 reps, 45 sec rest


Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row - 90/6, 105/6, 105/6, 105/7

I think 105 is my limit on this one because I have trouble keeping upright. I could really feel things in my torso. This makes a great core exercise.


Dip - BW/6, BW/6, BW/7, BW/6

No assistance!


DB Split Squat - 35s/6, 35s/6, 35s/7, 35s/6


Cardio: 10 minutes on the Precor interval program.


Saturday we are going to the Opera - Beethoven's Fidelio.