Ironwill2008 V3.0

[ironwill2008]

Playing some catch up. Forgot about all the workouts I just read this is what stood out lol I don't think I could do that even with a cherry picker. Nuts man

Lulz. I always felt more secure on a pole than I sometimes did when working out of an aerial lift bucket. Mechanical failures can do you in and there's nothing you can do about them; the only thing that will make you fall off a pole is to do something stupid. As long as I didn't do anything stupid, I had no expectation of falling.

[EjnarKolinkar]

I don't miss the tool bags, I always had so much crap in them lol! But I miss some of the work.

I've got to get in on the equipment failure line. My old apprentice, now journeyman, and I were at an airport years ago working in an big boom doing ballast replacement in a 1000w apron light. We got 3/4 of the way done and I was taking my pass at working the rest of the light when she said "There is a big puddle under the lift lets get down quick" We made it just close enough to the ground to climb out without calling somebody to pump us down manually.

Funny I spent 1/3 of my career running pipe and pulling wire out of lifts and it was the biggest one, in the worst location, at the worst time that had a hydraulic failure. Usually it's someone fooling with the electrical or safety limits on them that caused me issues. Haha, too many stories on that line to even go into.



I'm glad to see your workout went well today.

[ironwill2008]

I don't miss the tool bags, I always had so much crap in them lol! But I miss some of the work.

I've got to get in on the equipment failure line. My old apprentice, now journeyman, and I were at an airport years ago working in an big boom doing ballast replacement in a 1000w apron light. We got 3/4 of the way done and I was taking my pass at working the rest of the light when she said "There is a big puddle under the lift lets get down quick" We made it just close enough to the ground to climb out without calling somebody to pump us down manually.

Funny I spent 1/3 of my career running pipe and pulling wire out of lifts and it was the biggest one, in the worst location, at the worst time that had a hydraulic failure. Usually it's someone fooling with the electrical or safety limits on them that caused me issues. Haha, too many stories on that line to even go into.

If you worked out of any kind of aerial lift long enough, you'll have some stories to tell. And they often involve hydraulic leaks.

I'm glad to see your workout went well today.

Thanks, Robert. I was glad to get that first triple in the books on Lunges; it bodes well to getting me to my goal.

[-Lucifer]

Nice horse legs. Do you occasionally swim at the local swimming pool? Would be nice to show those tree trunks off.

[ironwill2008]

Nice horse legs. Do you occasionally swim at the local swimming pool? Would be nice to show those tree trunks off.

Nah; I'm pretty conservative in public. Geez; been so long since I went swimming, I can't even remember when the last time was.

[Payton1221]

Bill,

I know that you occasionally eat sweet potatoes. Yesterday, after dozens of failed attempts over the years, I discovered my first and only GOOD protein pancake recipe!!! I don't have the exact ratios with me ATM, but it starts with 200g of cooked sweet potato "meat," and then you add egg whites, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, no-cal sweetener, and cinnamon. I mean it's DELICIOUS and I liked it as well as our buttermilk & Bisquik pancakes that I used to eat with more frequent regularity back in the day ;-)

It made two giant pancakes (each was a little difficult to flip so I'll make three medium sized ones next time) and the macros were approximately 26c, 38p, and 3f and 285 total cals IIRC.

[ironwill2008]

Bill,

I know that you occasionally eat sweet potatoes. Yesterday, after dozens of failed attempts over the years, I discovered my first and only GOOD protein pancake recipe!!! I don't have the exact ratios with me ATM, but it starts with 200g of cooked sweet potato "meat," and then you add egg whites, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, no-cal sweetener, and cinnamon. I mean it's DELICIOUS and I liked it as well as our buttermilk & Bisquik pancakes that I used to eat with more frequent regularity back in the day ;-)

It made two giant pancakes (each was a little difficult to flip so I'll make three medium sized ones next time) and the macros were approximately 26c, 38p, and 3f and 285 total cals IIRC.

Sounds good, Mark. Any combination of sweet potatoes and cinnamon is a winner.

[RT1957]

Strong lunges Bill...gotta agree some serious tree trunks you got there.....jelli but workin on it

Good workout all around and always good to come out pain free.....always one of my goals...except the self induced pain....

[ironwill2008]

Strong lunges Bill...gotta agree some serious tree trunks you got there.....jelli but workin on it

Thanks, Ron. I been workin on dem legz for a long time.

When I first got into bodybuilding, I had some idea that leg training was important. In fact, that's what originally got me to join a gym; I knew I needed to Squat, and didn't have any way of doing so at home with the "equipment" I had at the time. The gym owner became my mentor, and instilled in me the importance of working my legs hard and heavy. And rather than hating leg training, I found that I thrived on it; I couldn't wait for 'leg' day to come around; I just loved training legs.

It's the challenge, I think. To always try to do just a little better today than yesterday.

Good workout all around and always good to come out pain free.....always one of my goals...except the self induced pain....

Thanks. We all must strive to train as best we're able, and that includes avoiding injury.

My shoulders have been okay lately, and my hands aren't too bad, so I'll count my blessings.

[Payton1221]

I been workin on dem legz for a long time.

Speaking of legs I'm thinking about a leg focused year next year--due to DECADES of neglect, they're the one body part that still has the potential for somewhat significant growth. How would you compare these two scenarios:

1) Leg focus with progressive overload in mind ON ALL COMPOUND LIFTS (legs, chest, shoulders, and back) where weight is added whenever possible.
2) Leg focus with progressive overload in mind on squats only with the balance of my workout relegated to a "maintenance" mode.

Would I make greater improvements to my legs if essentially all recovery was focused on the overload to that one body part versus having to recover from an overload to multiple bodyparts?

[ironwill2008]

Speaking of legs I'm thinking about a leg focused year next year--due to DECADES of neglect, they're the one body part that still has the potential for somewhat significant growth. How would you compare these two scenarios:

1) Leg focus with progressive overload in mind ON ALL COMPOUND LIFTS (legs, chest, shoulders, and back) where weight is added whenever possible.
2) Leg focus with progressive overload in mind on squats only with the balance of my workout relegated to a "maintenance" mode.

Would I make greater improvements to my legs if essentially all recovery was focused on the overload to that one body part versus having to recover from an overload to multiple bodyparts?

Generally, the best way to bring up a lagging body part is to increase it's training frequency. If you're currently working your legs once per week, add a second leg workout somewhere in your routine. Also, if you're working other body parts on your current 'leg' day along with legs, work them after you work your legs.

As far as working other body parts, keep working to progress them.

[Plateauplower]

I know your big fan of RDLs. I tried them today, trying to target hamstrings as much as possible since my back gets plenty of work with deadlifts, squats, etc. I didn't feel much in my hamstrings, mostly back. Kept the bar pretty much against my legs. See anything I can change to get better hamstring activation?

[ironwill2008]

I know your big fan of RDLs. I tried them today, trying to target hamstrings as much as possible since my back gets plenty of work with deadlifts, squats, etc. I didn't feel much in my hamstrings, mostly back. Kept the bar pretty much against my legs. See anything I can change to get better hamstring activation?

Looks okay, Tim, but refine your form by slowing down a bit. Lock you back in an arched position so that all movement comes from only the hips, and as you perform the reps, concentrate on your hams. You also want to keep the bar in contact with your legs at all times; if it drifts out away from you even just a little bit, it changes the leverage, and moves more of the work from the hams and onto the lower back.

[-Lucifer]

Generally, the best way to bring up a lagging body part is to increase it's training frequency. If you're currently working your legs once per week, add a second leg workout somewhere in your routine. Also, if you're working other body parts on your current 'leg' day along with legs, work them after you work your legs.

Good advices. I'd like to add that giant sets (lunge -> leg press -> leg extension) can be a great way to change things up when you get bored of squatting.

[Plateauplower]

Looks okay, Tim, but refine your form by slowing down a bit. Lock you back in an arched position so that all movement comes from only the hips, and as you perform the reps, concentrate on your hams. You also want to keep the bar in contact with your legs at all times; if it drifts out away from you even just a little bit, it changes the leverage, and moves more of the work from the hams and onto the lower back.

Thanks. Will work on slowing them down and arching my back a little. For some reason I kept getting an ab cramping up when doing them today, made me want to get the set done . Did then at the end of everything, I'll give them some time. Sometimes it takes a while for me to get that feeling of an exercise hitting the designated target.

Good advices. I'd like to add that giant sets (lunge -> leg press -> leg extension) can be a great way to change things up when you get bored of squatting.

That sounds brutal. The lunges alone would be a challenge for me never did them much feel like a baby deer trying to walk for the first time when I do them.


Getting bored with squatting? That's not a real thing .

[Payton1221]

Generally, the best way to bring up a lagging body part is to increase it's training frequency. If you're currently working your legs once per week, add a second leg workout somewhere in your routine. Also, if you're working other body parts on your current 'leg' day along with legs, work them after you work your legs.

As far as working other body parts, keep working to progress them.

Thanks Bill!

[ironwill2008]

Wanted to close out this week and this 3-week training segment with a solid effort, and I feel I met that goal. Today's training was:

Romanian Deadlift
bar x10 W/U
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
350x4

Cable Curl PWO
20x10 W/U
55x10
55x10
55x10

Dip
bw +50x8
bw +50x8
bw +50x7

Session consumed an hour on the nose. I added a very tough rep on RDLs, bringing me to only one rep shy of qualifying to add more weight on my way to my goal of 365x5. Gonna keep grinding.

Met reps-across again on Cable Curls, so I'll add a touch of weight after deload next week. These never fail to provide a biceps pump.

Dips showed my continued involvement in my ongoing saga of one-rep-gained, one-rep-lost. Hands and wrists are still okay, so I'll keep Dips in the routine a while longer, plateau or not.

That's the end of it for now. After rest days over the weekend, my boy Sherman will make his reappearance here for deload week starting on Monday.

Post-WorkOut spread today was eggs scrambled to perfection, bacon, cheese grits with butter, fried spuds, Texas toast, and a glass of cold milk.

[ironwill2008]

Thanks. Will work on slowing them down and arching my back a little. For some reason I kept getting an ab cramping up when doing them today, made me want to get the set done . Did then at the end of everything, I'll give them some time. Sometimes it takes a while for me to get that feeling of an exercise hitting the designated target.

YW.

And indeed, the pattern of movement for some exercises takes longer than some others to become habit. I know for myself, I struggled with Barbell Rows back in the day. It took several sessions with my mentor standing over me, nothing more than a pair of quarters on the bar, and me doing many, many reps before I started feeling them in my lats and not my biceps.


I don't think it's all that unusual to have the abs try to cramp up during RDLs; they're heavily involved in helping to support the upper body and the load it's attempting to move.

Thanks Bill!

YW, Mark.

[Sparta11]

Geez bill, 350 for 4 reps. That's pretty damn impressive. How long until you would like to try for 365x4? Pretty inspiring stuff.

[ironwill2008]

Geez bill, 350 for 4 reps. That's pretty damn impressive. How long until you would like to try for 365x4? Pretty inspiring stuff.

Thanks, Steve; I had a good day.

I don't have any specific timeline in which to reach that goal; I'll just chip away at it, minding my exercise form, until either I get there or I stall out trying.

[OT2000]

Amazed at what you do for a living, that's some hard work a lot of people could not do. You were building up a ton of core strength all along.

[-Lucifer]

Solid session, Bill. That 350 for reps is the most impressive of them all.

Getting bored with squatting? That's not a real thing : D.

It happens to me at times. I'm a squat fanatic, by the way.

[ironwill2008]

Amazed at what you do for a living, that's some hard work a lot of people could not do. You were building up a ton of core strength all along.

Thanks. I'm long-since retired, but worked for that company for almost 30 years. The work was usually very enjoyable in good weather, but not so much during Winter storms or working the aftermath of storm damage both in the summer and Winter. Carhartt and Red Wing were my two best friends.

Solid session, Bill. That 350 for reps is the most impressive of them all.

Thanks, -L. That 4th rep was a grind; I was fatigued yesterday.

[ironwill2008]

Hello everyone. I'm Bill's best bud Sherman. He brings me in here during his deload weeks to help break the monotony of his lightweight workouts. Right now, I'm outside, surveying my empire. Bill's down in the gym.

http://columbuscockerrescue.com Please help if you're able. If you aren't currently in a position to be able to off a good home to a deserving dog, even just a small donation will help.

If Sherman is in, that means heavy weight is out, at least for this week. One week out of every four, I scale everything way back, and train with relatively light loads to get some active rest, which provides me with some additional recovery from the previous three weeks' heavy (for me) gym work. Today's training was:

Barbell Squat
bar x10 W/U
135x6 W/U
185x6 W/U
225x6
225x6
225x6

Neutral-Grip Pullup
bw x8
bw x8
bw x8

Cable Lateral Raise PWO
10x12
10x12
10x12

Eased my way through in about a half-hour. My hams were unusually tight today for some reason, either due to all the couch time this weekend, or the fact that it was colder than a a brass monkey in the gym today. did some extra overall warmup before getting started. Squats felt okay once my legs got loosened-up. probably going to get these into the regular routine before too long.

N-G Pullups provided a nice lat pump. Might also rotate these in regularly as well at some point down the road.

Have always liked doing Lateral Raises with a cable better than with dumbbells. No chance to swing or otherwise use momentum with these; either the arm goes up or it doesn't, and all the work goes to the delt.

Done. A rest day tomorrow will be followed by another light session on Wednesday.

Post-WorkOut meal was a plate of pasta with homemade marinara, homemade chicken 'nuggets,' garlic toast, a cup of chop salad, and a glass of milk.

[Payton1221]

I see Sherman and new (perhaps less popular) exercises . . . yep: DELOAD!

I know that you're a proponent of DCA, but are there any foods that you add sugar to? I haven't added sugar to anything in literally decades IIRC, but I have started adding about a tbs to my 1/2c of oatmeal (along with almond milk, ~ 1/2 a banana, a little butter, and some SF vanilla syrup I use for my whole milk latte), and it really does taste better to me.

[mirroroferised]

[center]Post-WorkOut meal was a plate of pasta with homemade marinara, homemade chicken 'nuggets,' garlic toast, a cup of chop salad, and a glass of milk.

Now that's a meal!!

Enjoy the deload.

[ironwill2008]

I see Sherman and new (perhaps less popular) exercises . . . yep: DELOAD!

That it is; going to make the best of it.

I know that you're a proponent of DCA, but are there any foods that you add sugar to? I haven't added sugar to anything in literally decades IIRC, but I have started adding about a tbs to my 1/2c of oatmeal (along with almond milk, ~ 1/2 a banana, a little butter, and some SF vanilla syrup I use for my whole milk latte), and it really does taste better to me.

The one thing I can think of in which I use sugar is the sweet & sour dressing I'll often make for a bowl of chop salad. Also on occasions when I cook sweet & sour chicken in my wok, the sauce has a few TBs of sugar in it as well as some dark corn syrup.


All the sugar phobia that is currently being spouted in the lay media is based on bad science, or worse---no science at all. Sugar is just another carbohydrate (4 cals/gram), nothing more, nothing less, and can fit into any reasonable, balanced nutrition plan. All things in moderation (with the exception of industrial trans fat).



My wife sweetens her coffee, and rather than use oddball and/or artificial or chemical sweeteners, she just uses plain sugar. I see absolutely no problem with this, nor with what you're doing, Mark.

Now that's a meal!!

Enjoy the deload.

Thanks, Dave. That's the first time I ever made any chicken nuggets, but it won't be the last. They were tasty, and easy to make; I baked 'em in the oven after egg-washing and dredging them in seasoned bread crumbs.


Going to make the best of the light week of training.

[Payton1221]

Also on occasions when I cook sweet & sour chicken in my wok, the sauce has a few TBs of sugar in it as well as some dark corn syrup.

Thanks, and this reminds me that I do add ~1-2 tsp of sugar in the liquid mix that I use to make chicken fried rice: ~4:1 soy sauce to rice vinegar with a little sugar, ginger, and then microwave to get the sugar into suspension before adding it to the rice, chicken, onion mixture that's hot enough to be served.

[THErunCMD]

About the only time we'll see unweighted pullups from you eh? Nice light squats too, sounds about right for a deload with tight hammies.

Looks like you did a real good job frying that chicken up. Can't say I would normally go for it on top of pasta with red sauce but I suppose I can't knock it 'till I try it.

[ironwill2008]

Thanks, and this reminds me that I do add ~1-2 tsp of sugar in the liquid mix that I use to make chicken fried rice: ~4:1 soy sauce to rice vinegar with a little sugar, ginger, and then microwave to get the sugar into suspension before adding it to the rice, chicken, onion mixture that's hot enough to be served.

That sounds really tasty.

About the only time we'll see unweighted pullups from you eh? Nice light squats too, sounds about right for a deload with tight hammies.

I've done body weight Chins in the past in my regular routine, C, but it's been a while. They'll make a reappearance in here at some point.

Hams were still tight as a banjo string last night, but when I got up this AM, they were fine. No idea what that was about.

Looks like you did a real good job frying that chicken up. Can't say I would normally go for it on top of pasta with red sauce but I suppose I can't knock it 'till I try it.

Actually, those chicken nuggets were oven-baked (400 degrees for 12-15 min); much easier to deal with than pan-frying (especially while dealing with two other pans at the same time, one of them pasta, and getting the timing right to cook it al dente, and making the garlic toast under the broiler), and were just as tasty IMO.

I got the idea for the dish from an Olive garden ad. It was very good (my wife really liked it), and I'll do it again for sure.