Re-Start

[litljay]

Little bit of History:

I started lifting weights in High School as a skinny ass kid. I continued to work out through my college years. My goal was ALWAYS to gain mass/muscle. I graduated HS (class of '91) at 6'2" and 160 lbs.
After college I worked out off and on, depending on my living arrangements (at times I lived out in the sticks and couldn't get to a gym) and at one points was a fairly muscular and lean 195 lbs.

I got married in '03 and we had our first born in '04. I can't remember the last time I saw the inside of a gym, but I'm thinking it was before marriage. So that would put me at almost 7 years.
The last 7 years have been wonderful (still married to my beautiful wife and have 2 beautiful girls).
My current occupation started 5 years ago and is very time consuming as I'm responsible for about 150 employees over 2 shifts.
Work hours combined with family time didn't leave much time for anything else.

Well, recently, I was staring at myself in the mirror, and though, damn, you've gotten FAT!

So, the first obstacle was getting my schedule down. When would I workout?
I leave my house at about 5:45am and return home from work between 4:30pm - 5:30pm. Get home and eat dinner, have about an hour with the girls, give baths, read bedtime stories, and finally I'm free for the evening to do as I wish at about 8pm. So, guess what? 8pm is the time I've got to go to the gym...done.

Last night was the first day back, and man, was I dreading it. 8pm came, and I really didn't want to go. My body is used to that time being the "time to sit on the couch" time. I drug my fatass down there anyway.
Surprisingly, when I walked in the door, that smell kind of gave me a small burst of energy.

Ended up having a great workout with surprisingly high intensity. Muscle stamina was not there at ALL, but I found myself pushing myself for another rep (where possible). Weights felt REALLY heavy, but that was to be expected.

I started with chest/shoulders/tris:
BB Flat Bench (doesn't everbody start here?): warmup with the bar only x 25, 2 sets 115 x 10, 1 set 135 x 10 - I could feel the muscle fatigue already so I stopped here and moved on.

DB incline: 2 sets 50 x 8...tris exhausted.

Peck Deck: 3 sets 50 x 10, 8, 6

Since the tri's were already exhausted, I skipped the shoulder presses.

DB lateral raises: 1 set 20 x 10, 2 sets 25 x 10, 8. OK, shoulders done...LOL!

Last exercise of the night: overhead tri extension with the curl bar: 2 sets 40 x 10..whew, done.

Lastly, spent 20 minutes on the treadmill doing a fast walk. Starting heart rate when I got on was 133 (geez, I am out of shape), got it up to 150 by the time I got off.

I'm sore as hell today, but it feels good.

There's the starting data. I took a photo last night to keep as a reference point.

My main goal, now that I'm 36 years old, is simply to be healthier. Once I get passed this "just starting out" stage, I'll re-asses where I need to take things. I'm really intereted to see how this old body will respond to weight training again...

Please feel free to comment or give tips on what the old guys should be doing differently.

[2nd_chance]

Welcome to the journals. Looking forward to your progress. The best way to make friends around here is to get out and visit the neighborhood.

I'll be looking to see if there's any "old guy" tips too

[litljay]

Welcome to the journals. Looking forward to your progress. The best way to make friends around here is to get out and visit the neighborhood.

I'll be looking to see if there's any "old guy" tips too

Thanks 2nd_chance. Actually, I've been a troll here for a couple weeks in order to motivate me to get back to the gym :lol:

One thing I have noticed is the increased number of different supplements out there these days. Protein has always been around, but man, now there's all kinds of different stuff. Guess I better start reading too.

[2nd_chance]

Thanks 2nd_chance. Actually, I've been a troll here for a couple weeks in order to motivate me to get back to the gym :lol:

One thing I have noticed is the increased number of different supplements out there these days. Protein has always been around, but man, now there's all kinds of different stuff. Guess I better start reading too.

Yeah back in the old days I was drinking raw eggs and sucking down liver tabs LOL. Most of the over hyped supps are worthless IMO. A good diet is the biggest key.

[litljay]

ok, days 2 & 3 :

Day 2 - rest/cardio - got to the gym and did 30 minutes on the elliptical. Motivation was lacking severely, but I pushed through ok. I've never liked cardio days...

Day 3 - I screwed this up. Fridays my gym closes at 8pm...left the house later than usual and showed up at the gym to a dark place...that's a ****ty way to learn their schedule.

Planning on going today and do some legs.

[litljay]

I haven't been on here in a while...but had a pretty good chest workout last night.

Strength is slowly coming back...which is really good.

BB flat bench

Warmup - bar x 25
1x135x10
185 x 8
185 x 5
205 x 6 (had a spotter)

DB incline
55's x 10
65's x 8

Flat bench fly's
40's x 10
45's x 10

Dips
2x10xbw

shoulders

lateral raises
25's x 10
35's x 10
40's x 6

I'm not getting to the gym as consistently as I'd like, but at least I'm getting there. Most of the time, it's 3 days a week, but I've had weeks where I only went once.

Last week during my back workout, I strained my left bicep tendon, I think. Very deep dull pain that's bothering me. Probably skip both back and bicep workout this week.

[litljay]

I had quite a set back about 6 weeks ago...actually, it was the week after my last post. Pulled a pec muscle doing flat bench...damn, that's painful.

Anyway, workouts have continued, just no chest/shoulders (front).

I just started doing light chest again recently.

Legs are slowly strengthening.

My wife says the body is slowly changing too. I've been able to get to the gym on a more regular basis. Going Mon., Tues., Wed., Sat. (give or take).

My diet sucks really bad and need to start working on that soon.

I need to get on here more often, as you all are great motivators.

[litljay]

Back & Shoulders tonight: I'm gonna try to log more regularly...

All with 1 sec pause at contraction

Hammer Strength Pull Down:

15 x 90
10 x 140
10 x 180
9 x 180

Hammer Strength Lateral pull

3 x 10 x 100 (2 25 lb. plates each side)

Assisted pull ups

1 x 4 x 60lb. assist
2 x 7 x 100 lb. assist

BB behind the neck press:

1 x 95 x 15
1 x 115 x 10
1 x 135 x 8

DB Lateral raises (pausing 1 sec at top)
3 x 10 x 20 lbs.

Upright BB rows:
3 x 10 x 80

Forgot to mention that my body weight has actually decreased over the last few months. I started this deal at about 217.

I'm now on the scales (naked) at about 205. I seem to range about 5 lbs.

[litljay]

I'm not sure if this is good news or bad, but I recently had a follow up appointment with my urologist post vasectomy (no more swimmers). Anyway, he had an Androgel poster on the wall.

Well, since I've had complaints from my wife and even from a previous girlfriend (so we're looking at better than 12 years) about my lack of sex drive, I asked him about it.

The poster had 10 "symptoms" to low Test levels, and I was completely honest with him and told him the only thing I could honestly say "yes" to was the lack of libido.

He says, well, it's a simple test and we can draw blood right now and check it out. So, we did.

Got the results back today...250. The nurse told me normal range was 250-1100, so I'm on the bottom end of the normal scale.

I've got an appointment with the Dr. to talk about options.

[litljay]

Legs tonight:

Hack squat:

10 x 135
10 x 185
3 x 8 x 225

Leg Press:

6 plates 3 x 8

Leg extension:

Not sure of the weight. Slow and pause/flex at the top:

2 x 10

My legs SUCK!!!

It's warm here now...About 74 degrees today...Freaking HOT in the gym.

Oh, and my mind is going crazy over the results of my blood test. On one hand, it finally explains the lack of libido. On the other, it scares the **** out of me...will replacement change anything else? Personality? Aggression? Can I try it and see how my system reacts? Are there natural alternatives? Why do I have low T? If anybody wants to chime in, feel free.

[litljay]

Chest last night...felt exhausted:

BB Bench

10 x 135
10 x 185
5 x 205
3 x 225 (thought I could get 5...no luck)

Incline DB press

10 x 50's
2 x 10 x 65's

Hammer strength lower chest

10 x 2 plates
2 x 10 x 2 plates + 25's

Wife and I are currently looking for a new house and spent the afternoon doing that. Then went to the gym...just felt like **** last night. Allergies are starting to kill me too.

Anyway, scheduled rest day today. Good, I'm beat. I'm thinking I may need to split up my days a little better.

[litljay]

bi's tris today:

BB curls:

1x10x40
2x7x80

Incline db curls:
2x8x25's

Hammer curls:
3 x 10 x 30's

skull crushers
1x15x45
2x10x75
1x7x95

single arm overhead tri extension

2 x 10 x 25's

tri push down

2 x 10 x 55
1 x 8 x 65

Machine: tri overhead extension

1 x 10 x 150
1 x 7 x 200

Hammer Strength curls:

2 x 25's (each side) x 10

[litljay]

Monday = Back/shoulders

HS pulldown:

1 x 15 x 90
1 x 10 x 140
1 x 10 x 180
1 x 8 x 230
1 x 5 x 230

HS High Row:

3 x 10 x 140

HS iso low row

3 x 10 x 90

Shoulders:

DB press:
Last week I hammered my shoulders pretty good and I felt that it effected my chest day so I went kind of light on the presses.
1 x 15 x 35's
1 x 12 x 45's
1 x 10 x 55's

DB Lateral raises
1 x 10 x 25's
1 x 10 x 30's
1 x 8 x 35's

[litljay]

Tuesday = Legs

Squat:

1 x 10 x 135
1 x 10 x 185
1 x 7 x 225

Power Cleans: I haven't done these since High School. What a great strength/conditioning workout. I was sucking wind after each set.

3 x 8 x 135

Leg Press:

3 x 10 x (6 plates total)

Lying leg curls
3 x 10 x 70

Complete gym time = 45 minutes

[litljay]

Took Wed Off. Had my daughter's open house at school:

Chest today:

BB Flat Bench:

1 x 12 x 135
1 x 10 x 185
1 x 6 x 205
1 x 5 x 225 (ha', couldn't do this last week)

DB Incline

1 x 8 x 60
1 x 8 x 65
1 x 7 x 70's

HS decline:
slow and flex at contraction
3 x 8 x 90

Dips:
3 x 8 x BW

[litljay]

Took a week off since the in-laws were here from Iowa. Good visit.

A lot has happened though. The doc has encouraged some supplements for my low T levels.
I started that supplementation last Tuesday, 4/6. Didn't get in the gym until 4/10. Did Back/shoulders, then today did Chest. Today was the first day I've felt any benefit to the "supplements".
Wow, I've been missing out.

Chest today:

Flat BB bench:
2 x 30 x bar = warmup
2 x 15 x 135
1 x 10 x 185
1 x 8 x 205
1 x 4 x 225 (stopped short...no spotter)
1 x 7 x 225 (grabbed some guy to spot) He helped on the last rep.

Incline DB press:
1 x 10 x 60's
2 x 10 x 70's (tri's giving out)

Pec Deck:
3 x 10 x 70

Felt pretty strong today.

[litljay]

Ok, all of these squat threads are messing with my head. So legs last night. I decided to go light on squats and play with feet placement, depth, etc.

1x8x135 (normal stance...just above parallel. This is my normal)

1x8x135 (wide stance...seemed I could get lower, but I felt awkward)

1x8x135 (narrow stance...couldn't get as low and it seemed I wanted to roll onto my toes)

1x8x135 (I threw 2 10lb. plates on the floor and put my heels on them (1 heel on each plate), feet shoulder width. I could get my ass to my calves and felt pretty stable.) - How bad is this?

1x8x135 ( went back to a wide stance and tried again...still not deep enough, IMO).

I'll try experimenting again next week.

Leg Press -
3 x 10 x 6 plates

Leg extension
3 x 10 x 90

SLDL - Dumbells

1x10x35's
1x10x40's
1x10x45's

[ptbrakefield]

I think I had thought of following your journal... looking back at it I remember reading that first page... then almost nothing. Here's hoping you can keep it up this time, as it seems you are (and back from injury).

I'll look forward to reading when I can... good luck on your goals!

[litljay]

I think I had thought of following your journal... looking back at it I remember reading that first page... then almost nothing. Here's hoping you can keep it up this time, as it seems you are (and back from injury).

I'll look forward to reading when I can... good luck on your goals!

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I definitely haven't been the poster child for consistency in posting.

[litljay]

Bis/tris/calves last night:

BB straight bar curls:

1x15x30
1x10x60
1x8x80
1x5x100 (cheated on the last 2 reps - back arch bad)

Alt DB curls:

1x7x35's (each arm)
1x5x35's
1x6x30's

Alt hammer curls:

1x7x35's
1x5x35's
1x6x30's...1x7x20's (drop set)

1 arm overhead tri extension:
1x10x20's
1x10x25's
1x10x30's

skullcrushers:

3x10x75 (assuming the ez bar = 25lbs.)

tri pushdown (wide grip)

1x10x65
1x10x85
1x7x85

Standing calve raises
1x20x100
1x17x120
1x15x120

donkey calve raises

2 sets of 20 (don't know the weight...not marked on the machine)

I'm supposed to take 2 days off, but will be taking 3. I'll be playing in a golf tourney on Saturday and don't want major DOMS for that. Back in the gym on Sunday...

**edit - I wanted to mention that my legs are killing me today. Had a hard time getting out of my chair at work .

Also, I'd like to add some cardio in my workout some where. I'm not a fan of the steady state cardio/treadmill/eliptical bs, so I'll start reading up on HiiT style. We did this style in baseball...sprint 50 yards, job 50, sprint 50, jog 50...catch breath...repeat.

[litljay]

Sunday - Chest. Still feeling really strong in the gym.

Incline BB press:
1x10x135
1x10x155
1x10x185
1x8x205

DB flat bench:
1x10x65's
1x10x75's
1x8x80's

Peck Deck:

3x10x70

Hammer Strength iso bench:
1x10x1 plate each side
1x8x1 plate + 25
1x10x1 plate

[litljay]

Back & Shoulders: seemed like everybody was in my way tonight.

Cable Pull down:

1x15x80
1x10x100
1x10x120
2x10x140

HS pull down:

2x10x180

seated cable row (wide grip):

3x10x120

assisted pull ups:
80 lb. assist - 2 x 8, 6

Side lateral raises (used the Glass method)
1x10x25
2x10, 8, x 30

Side lateral raises (normal)
2 x 10 x 30

bent over raises:
1 x 10 x 25
1 x 8 x 35

Upright rows:
1x15x40
1x10x70
1x8x90

[litljay]

Legs:

This squat thing is still messing with my head a bit.

Squats:

feet slightly wider than shoulder width, toes pointed out slightly. Ass to ground/calves

3 x 8 x 135 - these felt ok, but I wasn't feeling that "squat walk" wobbly feel so:

1x5x185 - barely got out of the hole on the first rep. The other 4 reps were barely to parallel.

Here's the feeling I get coming out of the hole when I do squats this way. Maybe somebody could confirm that this is the feeling I should be getting. I feel "stress" on the insides of my knees and almost feel like my knees are moving inward toward each other coming out of the hole. I don't feel this way doing the below.

2 x 7 x 135 - these I did with the 10lb. plates under heals.

My thighs still didn't feel "wobbly". Though, under the bar I certainly didn't feel strong.

Leg Press:
1x10x6plates total
2x9x8 plates total (woot!)

Hammer Strength iso Leg extension:

2 x 10 x 25 (ea. leg)
2 x 10 x 35
1 x 10 x 45

Hammer Strength hammy curls:

2 x 10 x 25's
1 x 10 x 35's

SLDL's:

1 x 10 x 80
1 x 10 x 95
1 x 10 x 105

Definitely wobbling out of the gym...even this morning, I'm still in the "weak" stage.

[litljay]

Saturday - Chest & Calves

BB Bench:
1x10x135
1x10x 185
1x6x205 - WTF? only 6? Seriously?
1x6x205 - huh?
1x5x225 - ok, not sure what's going on

db incline:
1x10x60's
1x10x70's
1x8x80's

HS Incline:
1x10x90
1x10x140
1x8x140

Peck Deck:
2x10x70
1x15x50

Seated Calf raises:
2x20x90
2x15x140

Donkey calf raises:
3x18x6 plates, 8, 10.

[litljay]

Back & Shoulders: - I think I'm either, getting the flu, was overheated in the gym (it was smoking hot in there), or feeling the crash from my doc's help. I go back in tomorrow for another treatment. 3 weeks may be too long. I'm feeling really weak.

Hammer Strength lat pull down:

1x10x90
1x10x140
1x10x180
3x8, 6, 4 x 230

Cable pull (close grip)

1x10x100
2x10, 8 x 120

one arm DB rows:
2x7x65's

DB lateral raises:
3 x 10, 8, 8 x 30's

Upright rows:
1x10x60
1x10x70
1x8x80

Again, HOT in the gym and could barely make it through this workout.

[litljay]

My squat/legs just suck.

1x8x135
4x6x155

Good squat walk feeling, but man am I weak. Though, I've been getting low, so I guess there's a positive.

Leg Press:

8 plates total - 3 x 9, 7, 9

Hammer strength leg extension

1x10x35 (each side)

2x8, 6, x 45

SLDL:

1x10x70
1x10x90

Toast. Still feeling a bit weak.

[litljay]

Bi's/Tri's last night.

DB curls:
1x10x35's
2x10x40's

Incline DB curls:

3x10x25's

reverse grip straight bar curl:
1x10x50

2x10x60

skull crushers:
1x60x10
1x70x10
1x80x10
1x90x9

Cable push down:

3x10x60, 70, 70

Dips:
3x10xBW

My wife will be gone all weekend, so I'm not sure If I'm going to be able to go to the gym . Maybe grandma wants to watch the girls for a while

[litljay]

Got into the gym on Saturday...Chest

BB Bench:

1x10x135
1x10x185
1x8x205
1x4x225

DB incline:

1x10x70's
2x8, 6 x 80's (tweaked my back a little walking the db's to the bench)

HS incline

1x15x90
1x8x140
1x10x90

Peck Deck
2 x 10 x 60

Seated calf raises
2 x 20 x 140

Donkey calf raises:
2 x 20 x 7 plates

[-=FLEX=-]

Strength looks like it's coming along nicely.

Keep up the good work.

-=FLEX=-

[litljay]

Strength looks like it's coming along nicely.

Keep up the good work.

-=FLEX=-

Thanks Flex, really appreciate the comments.

Upper body seems to be coming around...the wheels however, seem to be falling off. Though, I've been trying some different things, so hopefully they'll come back too.

I can grab the last notch on my belt now, and even my wife has made good comments about the looks.

I'll try to get a progress shot posted one of these days...