fgraziano's MAX-OT LOG

[fgraziano]

We'll I've never really posted here, always just lurking in the shadows taking in knowledge. I've taken about 4 months off from training but have embarked on an all out MAX-OT program. Hopefully by doing this log it will help me stay motivated and actually see my progress. This is my first time doing MAX-OT but I feel I can make similar gains that the other guys have been posting. I'll post some starting stat's tomorrow.

[fgraziano]

Haven't trained in a while. Took it easy on leg day. Don't want to be walking around like the Duke for a month :-) Plus I need to gauge my starting weights for next week.

SQUATS:
135x10
135x10
135x10
135x10

LEG PRESS:
200x10
200x10
300x10
300x8

SEATED CALF RAISES:
90x20
90x20
90x20

LEG EXTENSIONS:
120x10
120x10

Nothing too spectacular but like I said, You need to start somewhere.

-Frank

[fgraziano]

Day 2: Legs feeling a little sore. Time for a little arm action. Again, Week 1 is more of a ramp up for the imminent torture I'm going to inflict upon myself.

BI'S:

STANDING BB CURL:
BARx10
BARx10
90x8
90x6

SEATED ALT. DB CURL:
25x6
25x6
35x6
35x6

EZ CURL "21's"
30x21

TRICEP PUSHDOWNS
80x8
80x8
80x8

FRENCH DB PRESS
55x8
65x8
65x6

All in all felt pretty good. The Tricep machine was one of those "heavy" feeling ones if you know what I mean. I guess with the pulley in a different spot the weight is transferred differently because when I used the machine next to it i can do 180 for reps... we'll see.

-Frank

[ComoComo3]

Nice starting workouts. Looking strong dude. Good luck to you!

[Stormbringer]

good luck!

[Atom]

good luck dude,

look forward to seeing your development

[IronBender800]

First couple workouts look solid! Good luck with the program dude!

[fgraziano]

Thanks for the encouragement fellas. Shoulders felt strong today, pushed it a little harder. I noticed that noone cares about the warmup sets so I'm not going to post them anymore, just the working sets. Worked out alone so I had to use a machine for Mil press.

MILITARY PRESS: (This was a machine, don't know how accurate the weight is)
210 x 6
210 x 6

SEATED DB PRESS:
45's x 6
45's x 6

SIDE LATERALS:
30's x 6
30's x 6

SHRUGS:
225 x 8
225 x 8

UPGRIGHT ROWS: (Bench Press Bar)
90 x 6
90 x 6

So far I'm following the workout verbatim from the AST site. I can def. use more weight next time, hopefully I'll have a spotter so i can really do Mil. Press. Back should be fun tomorrow :-)

-Frank

[fgraziano]

Back Back Back. Need to work on my back!

Pulldowns:
130 x 8
130 x 8

DB Rows:
60 x 6 (each side)
60 x 6 (each side)

T-Bar Row (Bench Bar stuck in the Corner of the wall, dont know what it's really called):
Bar+2 plates x 8
Bar+2 plates x 8

Deadlifts:
205 x 6
205 x 6

The dead's were challenging, #6 on the last set was tough. I was gassed by the end of the workout. Todays chest day, I hope to post some good starting numbers today. So Far so good, first week of MAX-OT is almost done. I actually got back into the training mindset pretty quickly, it feels like I never took 5 months off. Now I just need to start adding some weight!

-Frank

[fgraziano]

Well this capped off my first week of MAX-OT. Overall I feel good. We'll see what next week brings. Hopefully I can move up in every exercise.

DB Bench Press:
65 x 8
65 x 8

BB Incline Bench:
135 x 8
135 x 8

Seated Chest Press (Not sure exactly what this is called)
4 plates x 10
4 plates x 10

Catch you guys next week.

-Frank

[fgraziano]

Squats felt weird today everything else I went up in.

SQUATS:
155x6
155x6

LEG PRESS:
290x6
290x6

LEG EXTENSIONS:
115x10
130x8

SEATED CALF RAISES
100x15
125x10

I think I'm going to work in more calf exercises, 2 warmups and 2 working sets just aren't enough. Need to work on squatting for sure. Happy to see i increased my weights though.

-Frank

[Clark Kent]

You aren't really doing Max-OT with the rep scheme you've got for a lot of your exercises. You're also doing several exercises they say shouldn't be done. I would suggest re-reading the program.

[fgraziano]

well, i workout by myself and some of the exercies i don't really feel safe maxing out on alone. i've read the program and understand it...what exercises besides leg extensions do they say not to do? also as far as the rep scheme, i was only doing higher reps because i was working with lighter weights to start. Now that i have a good gauge on where i should be working i will definately up the load and get into the 4-6 range. I said that in the beginning of my post.

[Clark Kent]

They say that Seated Alt. Dumbbell Curls are not a good exercise because it limits overload by sitting down. Do the same exercise standing up so you don't limit the amount of weight you use.

And good luck! Max-OT is a bitch, but very rewarding because you'll make excellent gains.

[fgraziano]

I'll try that, i always do them seated and sitting back because it makes it much much harder and you can't cheat. But i guess it does go against the MAX-OT principle of going heavy. It seems like to a degree they have you sacrifice form for the sake of overloading. Which is totally understandable because you can't have both. Thanks for the input.

[fgraziano]

I met up with some friends at the gym today and they were doing back, so I altered my split and worked with them. Made it much "easier" to push myself when I wasn't by myself.

Pullups:
BWx10
BWx8
BWx8

DB Rows: I did this a different way today, on an incline bench facing the bench.
35x6
30x6

Lat Pulldowns: Again, different machine then last time.
120x8
120x8
120x8

Weighted Hyperextensions:
45x6
45x6

I'm now confident enough to truly do MAX-OT, as close as I can to the plan. I plan on upping these weights now as aggressively as I can. Arms tomorrow.

-Frank