Arm Day

[Chawk]

BARBELL CURL
5 sets
CONCENTRATION CURL
4 sets
E-Z BAR CURLS
3 sets
CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS
5 sets
FRENCH PRESS
4 sets
TRICEP PULL DOWNS
3 sets

I use a 'pyramid principle'.

I do this every Wednesday.

...poundage and reps are adjustable to the way I feel that day.

[Chawk]

I also work-out on Monday and Friday, I reserve Saturday foy Cardio.

[Halosoccer24]

Why not just do some dumbell curls? They are very effective and easy.

[IRONMANN1]

So you named your journal arm day?? LOL


Hope your not gonna make a new thread for every workout

[Chawk]

Originally Posted by IRONMANN1

So you named your journal arm day?? LOL


Hope your not gonna make a new thread for every workout

Mondays and Fidays workout will be added at a later date.

[Chawk]

PYRAMID PRINCIPLE
The idea or pyramiding is so your muscles keep using more weight. The more weight you use the stronger you become, the stronger you become the more weight you can use. The pyramid principle is based on ONE REP MAX (the amount of weight you can perform the exercise with properly one time). Each week you need to increase the amount of weight you use based on your ONE REP MAX for that exercise. After 6 weeks its time to recalculate your ORM
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you use a spotter, And make sure you are warmed up properly before trying to perform your ORM.

[Chawk]

Monday

Chest and Shoulders Day

BENCH PRESS
5 sets
DUMBELL FLYES
4 sets
INCLINE BENCH PRESS
3 sets
MACHINE BENCH PRESS
3 sets
MILITARY PRESS
5 sets
SIDE LATERALS
4 sets
MACHINE PRESS
3 sets
SHRUGS
5 sets

...poundage and reps are adjustable to the way I feel that day.
this is called the:

INSTINCTIVE PRINCIPLE

Everybody is different, and every body responds differently, after you have been body building for awhile, you will learn what your body responds to well, use that to your advantage. Switch up your weight lifting program to do more alternating curls on an incline bench instead of just standing bicep curls if you feel they get you a better pump. Be instinctive, let your body help make your program.

So now you can see a combination of two principles applied to my routines.

( I don't really switch my exercise and amount of sets, they remain the same i.e. 1st exercise on Monday's workout is Bench Press 5 sets.

The amount of reps and the amount of weight may differ accordibg to the mood at that specific workout. i.e.

Bench Press

Set 1 - 250 x 12 reps
rest 1 min.
Set 2 - 275 x 10 reps
rest 1 min.
Set 3 - 290 x 10 reps
rest 1 min.
Set 4 - 320 x 8 reps
rest 1 min.
Set 5 - 340 x 6 reps

There is usually a 2 minute rest between exercises, but rest time like order of exercises and amount of sets generally remain the same.

[Chawk]

FRIDAY

Back and Legs

BARBELL ROW
5 sets
LAT PULLDOWNS
4 sets
DUMBELL ROW
4 sets
SQUAT
5 sets
LEG PRESS
4 sets
LEG EXTENSIONS
4 sets
LEG CURLS
4 sets

That rounds off my 3 day a week work-out routine.

Monday- Chest and Shoulders
Wednesday- Arms
Friday- Back and Legs

I usually start my work-outs at 10 am.

Saturday is Cardio and Calves.

[Chawk]

Saturday

Cardio and Calves

Saturday is set aside strictly for Cardio and calves.

This way I can devote an entire workout just to that area.

I start off with the exercise bike: 20 min.
Treadmill: 15 min.
Elliptical: 15 min.

I rest 2 min.

Then go into my calves:

Standing Calf Raise
5 sets
Seated Calf Raise
4 sets

I rest on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays....
Next post is my pre-workout regimen.

[Chawk]

Thoughts on Pre-Workout

I usually begin my pre-work-out 1 hour ahead. So if my work-out is at 10 am I would begin at 9, give or take a few minutes but at least 15 minutes before. This is a mental stage and I find that my focus is important, if I'm upset or feeling bad about something it can make my work-out anything but a worthwhile endeavor. I could be movin' the weights and my mind can be in a million different places, that would be an unproductive work-out and time wasted, the last thing I or anybody would want. I will admit that there have been several occasions in which my mood had been anything but focused, and sometimes I'd leave the gym after the first set because I can already see what the next hour or so will be.

So I consider this mental phase of weight lifting vital to myself or anybody else in the sport. It takes me thru my workout all the way into my post-workout stage and keeps me motivated and looking forward to the work-outs to come and the reason why I enjoy this hobby of mine so much.

Next post:

The Mental Preparation and Nutrition prior to a Work-out

[Chawk]

RELAX

Key word prior to a work-out, I would find a quiet place and breath deeply for about 5 minutes, I'd be running my workout routine in my head.

I then take a pre-energy drink and snack then proceed to the work-out area.

The first thing I do is go on the exercise bike for 15 min. just to get my heart rate up and when I'm feeling warm and my skin is a little moist, I start the first exercise.

[daYDreAmErX]

Wtf

[Chawk]

Originally Posted by daYDreAmErX

Wtf

FTW

[Chawk]

I've been running this 3 DAYS PER WEEK {Advanced Routine} for over 4 months now and I thrive on it, I have a deep desire to lift and I look forward to my workouts, it keeps my mind focused and gives me a spiritual comfort, I'm very much at ease with my family and I perform my job with efficiency.

I was on a power routine for 3 months before I began running my 3 DAYS PER WEEK routine.

I find that basic movements using the Pyramid Principle works.

The key here is consistency.

"goin' into that weight room and getting that workout done, from the time the first set is executed all the way 'til the last weight touches the floor."

In May I plan to rest for two weeks, that would make it an entire 6 months that I've been on the routine I just introduced.

I will update this journal as to the routine planned for that next cycle.

"Keep lifting"

[Chawk]

workout been goin' good so far....

i like the feel of weights......

i hav to refrain from goin' to heavy though...........

don't want to run into an overtraining stalemate..........

always max poundage for 10 to 12 reps in good form..........

avoid cheating as much as possible though I catch myself doing that sometimes......

"slow and strict"

[Chawk]

........ barely made it to the gym th other morning, but I got there anyway.......

...... I left the house still stuffing a sandwich in my mouth and washin' it down with some apple juice....

........ a rare occasion 'cuz I usually have at least an hour to 15 minutes of quiet meditation before heading off to the gym ..........

..... but circumstances permitting it was just one of those mornings, I'm sure we all are subject to those now and then.........

as i stated earlier how important the pre-workout phase is to any workout session, "mental focus" makes you move through your workouts with the efficiency of a well tuned machine, goin' from set to another, restin' in between exactly 60 seconds.....

not breakin' your stride..... feelin' good wth the controlled power you have as you move through your exercises, sets, reps------- not missin' a beat ----------- no jittery droppin' of the plates, no sluggish fatigue halfway through.

.........from the first execution of the first rep, all the way 'til the last movement is performed........ you look at your clothes and it feels like you got a bucket of water thrown over you as your heart pounds in your chest like a bass drum in a marching band.........

and there is a deep seated feeling of something accomplished.......

[Chawk]

Workouts goin' great....

still on my 3-Day a Week Routine.

Lookin' forward to the 1st of May when I take my 2 week break and plan my my power-lifting routine....

...... that'll run for three months, when I break in August again.....

..... then it's another 2 week break before my Split Routine Begins, I use a lot of isolation movements there.


Keep Liftin'............

[Chawk]

Man I'm lookin' forward to May 1st when I take my two week break before starting my power-routines.......

........not that I'm bored of liftin' and want to drop the weights and take a vacation from all those chaotic sets and reps that I slug out during a workout.....

............ matter-a-fact the weights are beginning to feel lighter and I'm starting to move them slower......

.............even the rest between the sets are getting longer 'cuz I'm ready to start the next set when I have a good 15 to 10 more secs to breath........

............ yeah, for some reason the workouts are gettin' more pleasurable as break time approaches .......

....... but sad as it may seem it makes me look forward to it 'cuz I'll use that gym time to fix things around the house and spend time with family .....

a well deserved rest after 6 months of liftin' .............

[Chawk]

Hi, I jus' stoppped here to update my Workout Journal, I've been taking a break since last Tuesday, which my last workout.

I ended Tuesday with Wednesday's workout, and since then have been resting.

Right now I'm planning my power-routine which will begin May 16.

So far I've been spending time with family and going to church, I also do a lot of meditation and prayer, my martial arts practice goes with my weight-lifting as I'm also resting from that.

I'm still doing Tai-Chi every morning, and I've cut down on the Whey Protien, meditation is done in the afternoon, along with prayer.

[Chawk]

I have to delay the start of my workout 'til Friday, 'cuz I had a kickass flu that lasted for almost two weeks, I'm just getting over it, and the only thing left is an itchy throat which is more annoying than discomforting I would say.

It was a pretty bad bout with a sore-throat, migraine, dizzy spells, diarhhea 'the works', which made me fall back on that old remedy of "hot chicken soup and saltines" and as ancient as archaic as it may seem it worked like a charm and realy put me in a slumber in front of the t.v. with the fan blowing on me and a pitcher of warm lemonade on the lampstand table.

... ( but )... It's almost over now and I feel that Friday is the day to hit the gym after my two week lay-off, ( which of course really wasn't a lay-off for the simple fact that I was sick as a dog the entire time ).

It'll be a powerlifting routine basically for the next 6 months, bench-squat-dealift, which probably will be broken down into Mon-Wed-Fri respectively. Because of the less amount of exercises per-workout more weight can be used and more time allowed to spend in the gym, which will mean 2 minute rest between sets instead of 1.

I'll run the routine on the next post. Friday starts with deads.

[Chawk]

Deadlifts - The best exercise for building a thick powerful muscular body.

By Lee Hayward


There was a day when bodybuilders were characterized by thick massive torsos, tumbling traps, and sweeping lats that hung like boxcar doors from broad-beamed shoulders. All this came about from slapping as many iron plates as possible onto a barbell and dead lifting it off the ground in whatever manner it took to get the weight up.

The deadlift is the oldest of all weight training exercises and is one of the most effective exercises for overall body development. Deadlifts are not pretty and neither are the men who hoisted them, but this movement made their physiques the biggest, thickest, and strongest in the world.

The deadlift is a compound movement that works all of the major muscles in the body, with most of emphasis on the traps, spinal erectors, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. The remaining muscles are involved in stability control.

It is the purest single test of strength because it is one of the few lifts where you lift a dead weight off the ground. In most other lifts the weight changes direction or starts from the top position and you can use reverseal strength and momentum to rebound and assist in lifting the weight, as in the squat and bench press.

In this article I'm going to cover three different variations of the deadlift as well as an effective 7 week deadlift training cycle that you can use to help sky rocket your deadlift poundages and pack on slabs of thick dense muscle mass on your frame.

Regular Conventional Deadlift

Sumo Deadlift

Romanian deadlift (aka Stiff Leg Deadlift)

[Chawk]

One of the best ways to improve your deadlift strength is to perform multiple sets of single reps. Here is a sample 7 week deadlift cycle to help increase your deadlift 1 rep max. I?ve used this cycle several times with great results each time. With each lift focus on pulling the weights as fast and explosively as possible. The faster you lift the weight, the more stress you?ll apply to the muscles, and the stronger you?ll become.

7 Week Deadlift Cycle

The weights are based on a percentage of your current 1 rep max.


The weights are based on a percentage of your current 1 rep max.


Week one: 70% - 15 sets of 1 - rest one minute between sets
Week two: 75% - 12 sets of 1 - rest one minute between sets
Week three: 80% - 10 sets of 1 - rest 90 seconds between sets
Week four: 85% - 6 sets of 1 - rest 90 seconds between sets
Week five: 90% - 3 sets of 1 - rest two minutes between sets

Week six: Rest (no deadlifting)

Week seven: try for a new max deadlift. Rest as long as you need in between sets (i.e. 3+ minutes)

Most folks who are used to bodybuilding type workouts will probably be quite surprised by the idea of doing multiple sets of single reps. But this is one of the most effective ways to develop strength and power. Obviously you will not be pumping out reps until failure, but rather you’ll be explosive and feel strong and powerful with each single rep set. Generally, after the first few sets you’ll actually feel stronger and be able to pull the bar up harder and faster. This is due to getting comfortable with the exercise and getting into your individual groove where your body position feels strongest.

By using the training tips and suggestions covered in this article, and following the 7 week deadlift workout cycle you should have no problem blowing past your personal deadlift 1 rep max.

[Chawk]

Originally Posted by Chawk

Deadlifts - The best exercise for building a thick powerful muscular body.

By Lee Hayward


There was a day when bodybuilders were characterized by thick massive torsos, tumbling traps, and sweeping lats that hung like boxcar doors from broad-beamed shoulders. All this came about from slapping as many iron plates as possible onto a barbell and dead lifting it off the ground in whatever manner it took to get the weight up.

The deadlift is the oldest of all weight training exercises and is one of the most effective exercises for overall body development. Deadlifts are not pretty and neither are the men who hoisted them, but this movement made their physiques the biggest, thickest, and strongest in the world.

The deadlift is a compound movement that works all of the major muscles in the body, with most of emphasis on the traps, spinal erectors, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. The remaining muscles are involved in stability control.

It is the purest single test of strength because it is one of the few lifts where you lift a dead weight off the ground. In most other lifts the weight changes direction or starts from the top position and you can use reverseal strength and momentum to rebound and assist in lifting the weight, as in the squat and bench press.

In this article I'm going to cover three different variations of the deadlift as well as an effective 7 week deadlift training cycle that you can use to help sky rocket your deadlift poundages and pack on slabs of thick dense muscle mass on your frame.

Regular Conventional Deadlift

Sumo Deadlift

Romanian deadlift (aka Stiff Leg Deadlift)

Regular Conventional Deadlift


Sumo Deadlift


Romanian deadlift (aka Stiff Leg Deadlift)

[danj112]

What the hell is this?

[Chawk]

Originally Posted by danj112

What the hell is this?

[Chawk]

Lee Hayward

The Barbell Bench Press is one of the most popular gym exercises. It is also one of the most misused exercises. Part of the problem is that the bench press is an ego exercise. A lot of guys judge their training progress based on how much they can bench. So often times they end up training too heavy and using poor technique in effort to lift more weight.

The average gym member will usually try to increase their bench press by doing more reps, sets, or weight on bench press. When in reality they will gain more strength and make better progress over the long term if they focused their effort on improving their bench press lifting technique rather then simply lifting more.

The best way to make big strength gains in your bench press in the shortest period of time is to improve your form. The techniques listed below are used by the best bench pressers in the world. But keep in mind that changing your bench press technique can take a bit of getting used to and initially your poundages may go down before you get the hang of the new technique.

This is just like when you first learnt how to use a computer and started off as a two-finger typist. You can type with two fingers, but not very fast. Then when someone eventually taught you the proper way to type, using all fingers, you probably found it very frustrating at first. Most likely you couldn't even type as fast as you could with just two fingers. But with a bit of practice you eventually got to the point where you can click away on the keyboard faster using the proper typing technique compared to the old two finger method. The same will hold true for your bench press, once you get used to the proper lifting technique your strength gains will progress much faster.

[Chawk]

Many people do not realize how much strength they lose by making the bar travel further than necessary. The less distance you have to move the weight the stronger you will be. To shorten the distance that you press the bar you need to expand your rib cage and stick your chest out. While at the same time squeezing your shoulder blades back together behind you.

You can even try this now while sitting hear reading this. Right now sit up tall in your chair and take a deep breath, expand your rib cage, and stick your chest out as far as you can. At the same time squeeze your shoulder blades back as far as you can. Now do it again, but this time hold your arms out in front of you as if you were doing a bench press. You can even alternate holding your arms out in front with your upper body relaxed and then holding your arms out in front with your chest out and shoulders back.

There will be at least a few inches of distance in the difference. By expanding your chest you can shave an inch or two off your bench press stroke. And by pulling you shoulder blades back together you'll reduce the distance by another inch or two. Look at the picture below and you'll see the difference. See how far the elbows are in front of the torso in the first pic compared to the second pic. Yet, the arms are straight and locked out in both pictures.

[Chawk]

To be a good bench presser you need to drive through your legs. When you set up on the bench your feet should be flat on the floor and you should push with your legs as if you were trying to slide your back up the bench (but don't actually let the back slide up the bench). A lot of powerlifters will put lifting chalk along their upper back to help create more friction on the bench and allow them to drive with their legs without sliding up the bench. This will help stabilize and support the entire body and also help you hold the "chest out and shoulders back" position even better.

When you lay down on the bench press, set yourself up so that your eyes are in direct line with the bar. This is the ideal place to take the bar out of the rack and maintain your proper body position as outlined above.

To handle maximum weights you need to keep your entire body tight. Once you are set up on the bench, grasp the barbell and squeeze it hard and try to pull outwards while keeping that tight grip on the bar. This will instantly tense and activate the muscles in the upper back and create a more solid base.

Once you un-rack the bar hold it at arms length for a couple seconds and let the weights settle. Focus on keeping your proper set up by sticking your chest out, pulling your shoulders back, and driving with your feet. Then take a deep breath and hold your air. By holding your air you'll stabilize your torso and keep more tension in your body. (Note: you can breath in and out normally in between reps, but during the actual lift itself hold your air in).

[Chawk]

Lower the bar to where your chest and abdominals meet. As you lower the bar keep your elbows tucked in at a 45 degree angle with the sides of your body. By keeping your elbows tucked and not letting them flare out to the sides you'll keep more strength in the bottom of the lift and place less stress on the shoulder joints.

When you lift the bar back up the chest muscles will start the initial drive off the body, but once you get half way up the triceps will take over and finish the lift. To help activate the triceps more and lockout the lift, visualize straightening your arms out underneath the bar. Rather then trying to keep pressing the bar up.

To show you what I mean, stand up against a wall and assume a push up position. Lean in and push hard against the wall, almost like you are trying to push a stuck car. In this position you are pushing hard, but your elbows are still bent. Try it again, but this time stand up against the wall, and instead of pushing hard against the wall, just focus on straightening your arms out and shove yourself away from the wall.

This is what you should do when you get to the half way point of the rep, rather then just pushing against the bar, focus on straightening out your arms underneath the bar and shoving yourself away. This change in focus can really help you finish off the lift when you hit the sticky point half way up.

Implementing these technique tips into your bench press workouts will take a bit of practice, but once you get good at them the results are amazing. You'll feel solid and strong during your lifts and most importantly you'll be able to lift more weight, with better form, and less risk injury as you will not be placing excess stress on the shoulder joints.

[Chawk]

Bradford Press

Reverse Grip Bench Press using the Smith Machine

Dumbbell Bench Press

Elbows Out Dumbbell Extension

100 Push Ups

100 Rubber Band Reverse Flyes