BergMuscle's Lean Mass Training

[BergMuscle]

Cardio

Heavy Bag
5 rounds @ 5 minutes each - 1 minute rest between

Good and fun. Threw in a lot of MA techniques.

Otherwise, having kind of a down, sad day. Just a blue day, I guess.

[BergMuscle]

Triceps/Biceps
Skullcrushers/EZ-bar Curls Supersets
5x100 +1 rep/6x75 +1 rep
5x100 +1 rep/6x75 +1 rep
5x100 +1 rep/6x75 +1 rep
5x100 +1 rep/6x75 +1 rep
Focus on good clean form. Biceps were on fire at the end of the fourth set. However, since I hit 6 across, these go up to 80# next week.

Kickbacks/Scott DB Curls Supersets
5x50 +1 rep/5x35 +1 rep
5x50 +1 rep/5x35 +1 rep
5x50 +1 rep/5x35 +1 rep
Used the Weight to Work the Muscles all the way through these. Hit a good bicep squeeze at the top of the Scott curls, especially the last rep of a set. I was seeing stars on the last reps of the kickbacks.

Tricep Bar Spider Curls/1-hand Pushdown* Supersets
5x70 +1 rep/5x50
5x70 +1 rep/4x55
5x70 +1 rep/4x55
*replacement exercise - works better with my cable station. Baseline weight/reps set.
Both exercises done with r/p at the end of each rep and a slow negative on the last rep of each set.

Abs
Crunches
40, 40
Done s-l-o-w to get a maximum ab blast.
It worked.

Actually the whole routine worked; my arms feel like lead weights. Love seeing all the "+1 rep" marks. That's what I'm trying to do each day of each of these periods once I get baselines set.

[ironwill2008]

Keep it moving forward, Dan.

[BergMuscle]

Leg Day
Back Squats/Standing Calf Raise Supersets
5x250 +1 rep/10x250 +1 rep
5x250 +1 rep/10x250 +1 rep
5x250 +1 rep/9x250 +1 rep
5x250 +1 rep/9x250 +1 rep
Mind-Muscle Connection focus. Good soid reps.

Dead Lifts
5x200
5x260
5x290
2x300 +10#
1x300
Moved up to 300# a set earlier. That 200# warm-up feels really light. I'll need to rework my warm-up weight settings.

Single Leg Curls/BB Hack Squats Supersets
5x50 +1 rep/5x230 +1 rep
4x50 +1 rep/4x230 +1 rep
4x50 +1 rep/4x230 +1 rep
Pictured the muscles at work on each rep.

I'm going to feel this one tomorrow - and the next day.

Have to admit that I'm getting stronger - bigger as well based on what I see in the mirror.

[BergMuscle]

Shoulders
Front Hammer Bent Arm Raise/Lateral Raise/Face Pulls Giant Sets
4x60/4x40/4x85
4x60/4x40/4x85
4x60 +1 rep/4x40/4x85
3x60/4x40 +1 rep/4x85 +1 rep
Worked for strong control of the weight. The first 3 sets of the first exercise were the best I've ever done w/ 60#ers.

Traps
Upright Rows/Carlman Shrugs Compound Sets
5x100 +1 rep/5x75 +1 rep
5x100 +1 rep/5x75 +1 rep
5x100 +1 rep/5x75 +1 rep
5x100 +1 rep/5x75 +1 rep failure
Constant trap tension with slow negatives on the rows.
Trap squeeze on the Carlman's. Those are tough with 75#.

Abs
Knee Raises
20, 20, 18 +1 reps
Slow ab blast; slight r/p at contraction to push 'em a bit.

I know that I won't be able to train on Thursday or Friday so I'm doing four straight days, which will be brutal but should pay off. Muscles feel bombed already.

Spent a bit of time between sets "taking in" my "inspiration wall". Got me through the last traps sets.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren


Back/Chest
Single Hand Front Pulldowns/Flat DB Press Supersets
5x60 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
5x60 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
5x60 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
5x60 +1 rep/4x80
I could feel the heat in my back mucles on the last set.
The first set of DB presses was shaky, but the rest got more and more solid as I went along.

DB Rows/Flat Flyes Supersets
5x125 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
5x125 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
4x125/4x80 failure
4x125/4x80 failure
Strong reps on the DB rows. I'm still a bit in awe of pulling 100+# rows.
I think the failure reps on the flyes tells that story.

Carlman Pulls/Incline DB Press Supersets
5x75 +1 rep/6x60 +1 rep
5x75 +1 rep/6x60 +1 rep
5x75 +1 rep/6x60 +1 rep
4x75/6x60 +1 rep
Maxed out on the last Carlmans
Handled the 60# inclines. Having hit 6 across, could there be more # in my future

I'm back on the ProMera supps. I took a break and used up some free samples just because. From the way my lats are feeling right now I think I just got a big "welcome back".

After school event tomorrow and overnight homeless shelther volunteer shift on Friday, so my next day with the iron will most likely be Saturday.

[bamazav]

Reps being added everywhere. WIN!!!

[BergMuscle]

Reps being added everywhere. WIN!!!

Thanks. More of that today as well!

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Triceps/Biceps
Skullcrushers/EZ-bar Curls Supersets
6x100 +1 rep/5x80 +5#
6x100 +1 rep/4x80
5x100/4x80
5x100/4x80
Kept the shoulders tight and the form strict on the skulls.
Used my old arm blaster (see pic) on the curls - just 'cause it was setting there in the corner and caught my eye.



Kickbacks/Scott DB Curls Supersets
6x50 +1 rep/6x35 +1 rep
6x50 +1 rep/6x35 +1 rep
5x50/5x35
Very strong Mind Muscle Connection today. I felt these right where I want to feel them.

One Hand Pushdown/Tricep Bar Spider Curls Supersets
5x55 +1 rep/6x70 +1 rep
5x55 +1 rep/6x70 +1 rep
4x55/5x70
All done with a r/p and slow negatives.

Abs
Crunches
40, 40
Done slow with the small of my back flat on the floor. Really blasted the abs.

My arms, especially my biceps are still feeling this one. I think grabbing that arm blaster caused some, well, arm blasting. Legs either tomorrow or Monday (let's see what the rest of the weekend brings).

Man, could I use a nap.

[ironwill2008]

Wow! Haven't seen one of those in quite a while, Dan. One of the comm. gyms where I had a membership had one; I used to use it occasionally for Barbell Curls. That thing will certainly straighten-out a guy's form!

[ectobryan]

Impressive week...you've earned a nap!

[BergMuscle]

Wow! Haven't seen one of those in quite a while, Dan. One of the comm. gyms where I had a membership had one; I used to use it occasionally for Barbell Curls. That thing will certainly straighten-out a guy's form!

That it does. Some of that "old time" equipment worked (note I said "some").

Impressive week...you've earned a nap!

Thanks, it was a good one.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren


Legs
Back Squats/Standing Calf Raise Supersets
6x250 +1 rep/12x250 +2 reps
6x250 +1 rep/11x250 +1 rep
6x250 +1 rep/10x250 +1 rep
5x250/10x250 +1 rep
Solid MMC throughout these sets. A very good beginning.

Dead Lifts
5x200 light and easy
5x260
5x290
3x300 +1 rep
2x300 +1 rep
Good, clean, strong reps. Happy with my progress here.

Single Leg Curls/BB Hack Squats Supersets
5x50/5x230
5x50 +1 rep/5x230 +1 rep
5x50 +1 rep/5x230 +1 rep
Hit a good r/p at top of each curl to really hit the hamstring muscles. Strong MMC here as well on both exercises. Those BB Hacks are tougher than they look, especially coming after the dead and back squats.

Legs felt worked and upper body felt it from deads in all the right places (it is really an overall muscle/strength builder, which is why deads are almost always in any split I create these days).
Planning to pound the heavy bag into submission tomorrow. Then I begin the 4th, and final, week of heavy weight/low rep work, so I'll be looking at what I do next week to set the poundages for the light weight/high rep period to follow.

[BergMuscle]

Cardio

Heavy Bag
5 rounds @ 5 minutes each
Mixed up hand and foot techniques. Definatly worked my whole body.

[pastorpritch]

Nice work berg
I'd like to get a heavy bag at home, just beat the crap out of it while watching tv - great workout

[BergMuscle]

Nice work berg
I'd like to get a heavy bag at home, just beat the crap out of it while watching tv - great workout

I love it. I got a free-standing bag so I don't have to mess with hanging it from the ceiling. And I can put it anywhere.

[bamazav]

Good work of late. Keep up the pounding!

[ironwill2008]

Legs
Back Squats/Standing Calf Raise Supersets
6x250 +1 rep/12x250 +2 reps
6x250 +1 rep/11x250 +1 rep
6x250 +1 rep/10x250 +1 rep
5x250/10x250 +1 rep
Solid MMC throughout these sets. A very good beginning.

Dead Lifts
5x200 light and easy
5x260
5x290
3x300 +1 rep
2x300 +1 rep
Good, clean, strong reps. Happy with my progress here.

Good work on a tough pair-up done back-to-back.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Shoulders
Bent Elbow Front Hammer Raise/Lateral Raise/Face Pulls Giant Sets
5x60 +1 rep/5x40 +1 rep/5x85 +1 rep
4x60/4x40/5x85 +1 rep
4x60/4x40/4x85
4x60 +1 rep/4x40/4x85
MMC and control were better on these today. I'm getting better at moving those 60#ers.

Traps
Upright Rows/Carlman Shrugs Compound Sets
6x100 +1 rep/6x75 +1 rep
6x100 +1 rep/5x75
6x100 +1 rep/5x75
6x100 +1 rep/5x75
Kept the muscles under constant tension with solid control of the weights.
Finished strong on the last set of uprights.

This begins the fourth and last week of heavy weight/low rep work. I think "winter eating" has me carrying more bodyfat than normal so I'm not seeing the muscle density I saw the last go-round. I do feel like I have better (stronger) control of the weights and I'm pushing myself on my last reps. I'll be interested to see how my body responds to the low weight/high rep work to come.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Back/Chest
Single Hand Pulldowns/Flat DB Press Supersets
6x60 +1 rep/6x80 +1 rep
6x60 +1 rep/6x80 +1 rep
6x60 +1 rep/5x80
6x60 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
Very good MMC on the pulldowns. Strong concentration on the DB presses - mostly because those are pretty heavy things in my hands.

DB Rows/Flat Flyes Supersets
5x125/5x80
5x125/5x80
5x125 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
5x125 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep failure
Felt every muscle at work on the rows. Pec MMC was high on the flyes. That failure rep took a lot to keep under control.

Carlman Pulls/Incline DB Press Supersets
6x75 +1 rep/5x62.5 +2.5#
5x75/4x62.5
5x75/4x62.5
5x75 +1 rep/4x62.5
Squeezed the lats on those Carlmans. Pushed out the inclines with the added poundage.

Sore, swole upper body.
I've also noticed since I've been doing this period I'm feeling thicker, heavier muscle mass in my arms. Rest of me seems more or less the same, but the arms appear to getting a special hit. I'll take it.

Heavy bag tomorrow while I let my upper body muscles recover from yesterday and today.

[pastorpritch]

Nice work man, great combos and good job on the rep increases!

[BergMuscle]

Cardio

Heavy Bag
5 rounds @ 5 minutes each - approx. 1 minute rest between
Lots more MA techniques getting tossed in.

I woke up feeling like my upper body had been hit by a truck. I felt much better after working all day. Then I did this - and the truck came back.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Triceps/Biceps
Skullcrushers/EZ-bar Curls Supersets
6x100/5x80
6x100/5x80 +1 rep
6x100 +1 rep/5x80 +1 rep
5x100/5x80 +1 rep
Skulls done with strict form. Used the Arm-Blaster attachment again tonight on the curls; executed each with a slow negative. Great start to a great arm day.

Kickbacks/Scott DB Curls Supersets
6x50/6x35
6x50/6x35
6x50 +1 rep/6x35 +1 rep
Very good MMC today. Felt the muscles at work all the way through.

Single Hand Pushdowns/Spider Hammer Curls (w/ tricep bar) Supersets
6x55 +1 rep/6x70
5x55/6x70
5x55 +1 rep/6x70 +1 rep
R/p at bottom of each pushdown, bicep squeeze at top of each curl. Killed the arms.

Abs
Crunches
40, 40
Done very slow to totally blast the abs.

Just a nice strong arm day. Next time I'm in this heavy #/high rep period I'm gonna need to really up the poundages to start at 3 reps, which is where I want to start out this period. I may have underestimated my strength when I set my starting weights this time around.

[ironwill2008]

GJ on the superset work!

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Legs
Back Squats/Standing Calf Raise Supersets
6x250/12x250
6x250/12x250 +1 rep
6x250/12x250 +2 reps
6x250 +1 rep/11x250 +1 rep
Worked the muscles all the way through.

Dead Lifts
5x200
5x260
5x290
3x300
3x300 +1 rep
Good strong reps again today

Single Leg Curls/BB Hack Squats Supersets
6x50 +1 rep/6x230 +1 rep
5x50/5x230
5x50/5x230
Good MMC on the leg curls. Huffed and puffed through the hacks.

I am just happy I got this one in as well as I did. I really didn't/don't have a ton of energy today - although I did shovel the light snow that we had over night.

Between this and yesterday's arm work, my biceps are talking to me today.
This is the end of my heavy period. I'll rest tomorrow, beat up the heavy bag if I have time, then start the next period on Monday.

[BergMuscle]

Cardio

Heavy Bag
5 rounds @ 5 minutes each
Lots of MA techniques thrown in. Worked my whole body.

Followed up by an hour-long nap. Now watching the Super Bowl.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Shoulders
Bent Elbow Front Hammer Raise/Lateral Raise/Face Pulls Supersets
14x35/12x25/14x52.5
14x35/12x25/14x52.5
13x35/12x25/13x52.5
13x35/12x25/12x52.5
Baseline set. Love the crazy-*ss delt striations I get going during this period.

Traps
Upright Rows/Carlman Shrugs Compound Sets
14x65/12x45
13x65/12x45
13x65/12x45
13x65/12x45
Every trap muscle was working on the uprights.
I have to be careful not to pull with my elbows on the Carlman shrugs. Sometimes I feel these where I shouldn't.

Abs
Knee Raises
20, 20, 19 )+1 rep
Good ab MMC

This period is off to a good start.

[ironwill2008]

Cardio

Heavy Bag
5 rounds @ 5 minutes each
Lots of MA techniques thrown in. Worked my whole body.

I envy you being able to do this for cardio. My poor ol' arthritic hands would fall off my wrists!

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Back/Chest
Front Lat Pulldowns/Flat DB Press Supersets
14x75/13x50
13x75/12x50
12x75/12x50
12x75/12x50
Didn't let the stack touch down between reps on the pulldowns. Presses done with wrist rotation to fully engage the pecs.

DB Rows/Flat Flyes Supersets
12x80/14x50
12x80/13x50
12x80/12x50
12x80/12x50
Kind of amazed that 80# is my "light" weight on the rows. I can remember when I did these with 35#ers.

Carlman Pulls/Incline DB Press Supersets
13x50/13x40
12x50/12x40
12x50/12x40
12x50/12x40
Lats and pecs totally pumped, swole, sore, - gotta love it.

Good strong baseline work to build on over the next weeks.

[BergMuscle]

Supps:
Con-Cret & protein powder
caffiene
Beta-Cret
Gluta-Tren

Triceps/Biceps
Skullcrushers/EZ-bar Curls Supersets
14x65/13x55
13x65/13x55
12x65/12x55
12x65/12x55
Good clean form - one of the perks of this light weight/high rep period

Kickbacks/Scott DB Curls Supersets
15x32.5/13x22.5
14x32.5/12x22.5
12x32.5/12x22.5
Guns already getting swole

2-hand Pushdown/Tricep Bar Spider Hammers Supersets
14x70/13x45
13x70/12x45
13x70/12x45
R/p @ bottom of pushdowns. R/p squeeze @ top of hammers

Abs
Crunches
40, 40
Slow crunches w/ r/p at top. Ouch.

Tomorrow is my birthday (56) and we have dinner plans so instead of a rest day, with a bit of heavy bag, I decided to go for the arm blast and three training days in a row (plus our faculty meeting ended early so I had a bit of extra time today). My body feels sore and tired - and my biceps feel rock solid.

Time for some good rest. Legs on Friday.