Polishedball's Journey

[polishedball]

Awful day at the Gym today, couldn't get any motivation and felt very lethargic. Was to be leg day, but i just couldn;t get it together. I've been feeling off still since getting back to work after the flu last friday. Been getting tired and heaches about 10pm and usually i'm still going strong at midnight.

Anyhow, I packed it in as I was not focused and really shocked to not be able to bring it. 3hour nap when i got home. then into work.

Dead Lifts

135 X 12
225 X 8
225 X 6

Hack Squat

90 X 12
180 X 8
180 X 6

Donkey calves
90 X 12
180 X 8
90 X 12

Gonna try tomorrow night to get some leg work in with shoulders, took the day off one job so i'll only be working 6 hours in the AM hopefully get whatever is wrong kicked.

An odd thing I also have is everything is cramping, I am drinking plenty of water. I was driving and yawned thought I was gonna pass out from the pain as my neck and jaw cramped up. barely made it to edge of the road. ideas?

[polishedball]

Today was alot better day at the gym, got in a great shoulder workout.

Seated overhead press front BB.

135 X 12
185 X 8
225 X 5

Arnold press's

60 X 8
70 X 6
70 X 6

BB front raises

60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 6
40 x 8

DB shrugs (also did sets of 4 lifts like deads prior to each set really had to focus on staying on heels and keeping back straight)
125 x 16
140 x 12
140 x 12

BB shrugs
135 x 16
225 x 12
315 x 8

Upright Rows
135 X 6
135 X 6
135 X 5
90 X 12

Machine Shoulder Press (stack)
254 X 12
254 X 7
254 X 5

Side Raises Machine
Half stack 6 reps was toast at this point.

Reverse incline flys
50 X 6
50 X 6
60 X 5

[polishedball]

1-15-09

37minutes on treadmill. 4.2mph

getting psyched for the weekend workouts!

[polishedball]

Hit back today, a little pain in left elbow. It cleared as I warmed up.

Bent Over BB rows

135 x 12
225 X 6
275 X 6
295 X 5

T-bar rows outside wide grip

90 X 10
135 X 6
135 X 6
155 X 5

One arm rows DB

115 X 6
120 X 5
120 X 5

Seated machine row twist n pull

Stack X 6
Stack X 5
100 X 25

Pull downs underhand chin grip
Drop set 225 and down

Pull downs close v handle grip
Drop set 225 and down

Felt pretty good today, I had expected the one arm rows to go a bit better. Seem to be getting stronger and getting some better definition. Over ate after this work out, didn't realize it right away, but am now feeling the gut bomb.

[polishedball]

Chest today-

Flat Bench
135 X 12
225 X 8
275 X 6
295 X 6
(no spotter so stopped there really po'd as i would have like to go more)

Incline bench Close grip in cage bars to save me.

135 X 8
225 X 6
225 X 5
135 X 9

Flat Fly's \
65 X 6
65 X 6
65 X 5

DB press 10degree angle, not comfortable coming back to full flat with them yet

80 X 6
95 X 6
95 X 5

Machine press Drop set starting at 224

DB pull over
80 X 6
95 X 5
95 X 3 almost had to have dental work on this one

Next week i'll try to get a work set in at 305 i'd love to get 5 of them at that weight. My left elbow is still kinda bothering me it feels like the old days jujitsu being arm bared.

[polishedball]

1-18-10

32min on treadmill 12degree incline 3mph.

[polishedball]

1-19-10

3.9mph 32min no incline. Tomorrow to the gym, will get in legs, and going to try to add in one chest exercise and one back. Time permits will hit shoulders pretty hard as well.

[polishedball]

1-20-10

Legs
Hack squat
90 X 10
180 X 8
180 X 8

Leg press
600 X 10
600 X 9
600 X 8

Upright Rows
135 X 6
135 X 6
135 X 5

Arnold press
35 X 12
75 X 6
75 X 6
65 X 5

bent over rows underhand grip
135 X 25
225 X 12
225 X 12

Flat bench
135 X 12
225 X 8
295 X 2
315 X 4

[Athena]

I love the comment about almost needing dental work on that last set of pullovers!

As for the cramping, how is your potassium intake? Lots of water and rest helps, and it seems you're missing the rest piece as well, but how about that potassium?

~Athi

[polishedball]

1-21-10

treadmill 57min 3.5mph

1-22-10

Traps and bi's

DB shrugs
140 X 16
150 X 12
150 X 12
150 X 9

Upright rows
100 X 13
135 X 8
155 X 6

Rope Hammer curls
stack x 12 x 3

Cable cross double bi
Drop set
68 X 12
all the way down till failure

Machine Curls
Light 70# but explosive sets to failure

20mins on elliptical

[polishedball]

I love the comment about almost needing dental work on that last set of pullovers!

As for the cramping, how is your potassium intake? Lots of water and rest helps, and it seems you're missing the rest piece as well, but how about that potassium?

~Athi

I get lots of water well over 10L's a day. Not much rest 4~6hours night except fri sat is a normal 8.5. Not sure on potassium may have to supp it or check my foods for amounts.

[polishedball]

Added Glucosamine Chondrotin to the pills today, hopefully it will help with the elbow.

[polishedball]

Updated progression pic.

[Athena]

Nice progress!

First off, make sure the gluco/chond supplement you purchased has MSM in it as well. Not sure of the most effective ratios, but I know the MSM increases efficacy of the gluco/chond by helping body utilize it better.

Next, with the elbow. Is it joint pain? Or is it something like tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) where the tendon on the edge of your elbow is achy and inflamed?

Potassium can be added by eating a banana each day.

[polishedball]

Not positive on the elbow pain, it comes and goes. It acts up more holding and pulling than pushing. Heavy shrugs are worse than heavy bench. However it goes away while working out then sometimes returns later. I have not noticed any inflammation.

Today was Chest day.

DB flat warmup and stretching

35 X 16
45 X 16
55 X 11

BB flat bench
225 X 10
275 X 6
315 X 5

Incline DB
110 X 5 (too heavy dropped to 60's and did flys supersetted to press)

60 X 8 X 6
60 X 8 X 5
60 X 8 X 5

Cable Cross
72 X 12
72 X 11
72 X 9

machine press (drop set)
152 X 16
132 X 11
110 X 8
50 X 27

DB pull over
75 X 8
75 X 6
75 X 5

[polishedball]

BAck today!

Bent over BB rows overhand grip

135x12
225x10
225x10
275x8

Under hand
225X16
225X13
275x10

One Arm DB rows
120 X 6
120 X 6
120 X 6

Tbar Row wide grip
90 X 12
90 X 10
135 X 6

Pull downs Alt front 2 back
135 X 16
135 X 16
175 X 12

Seated machine rows drop sets
Stack n down till fail

[Athena]

So, did I miss the reason for no lower body workouts? I haven't seen any and was wondering what I was missing here.

As for the elbow, you might want to consider trying a few things to relieve the irritation (you can do the weights while resting between sets, or the towel exercise even after your shower):

Forearm exercises: wrist rolls, underhand and overhand. Be sure your arms stay locked in place.

Wet towel exercises: soak a towel and hold it out in front of you with an overhand grip. Wring it out with one hand rolling towards you and one hand rolling away from you. Soak it again and (overhand grip again) roll your hands the opposite direction towards/away from you.

These exercises strengthen that common tendon that seems to bother you from time to time.

[polishedball]

So, did I miss the reason for no lower body workouts? I haven't seen any and was wondering what I was missing here.

Legs got a light workout on the 20th, just hack squat and leg press. As soon as I start to go heavy or a full long workout on legs my lower back starts to feel wrong so I have cut back the work but still get something in for them each week. I have an MRI scheduled to find out what is really going on. I am most likely erroring on over cautious but don;t want an injury. I haven;t listed it in my workouts and should but have been doing alot of core work also with a medicine ball etc. I think it is helping.

[polishedball]

Shoulders

Arnold press
40 X 16
70 X 7
70 X 7
70 X 5

Military
135 X 10
185 X 7
195 X 6

Upright rows
135 X 8
185 X 5
135 X 9

Front BB raises

45 X 10
65 X 7
65 X 7
65 X 5

Machine overhead press
Stack down Drop

Machine curls
drop set stack down

[polishedball]

1-27-10 Legs

Hack Squat
90 X 12
180 X 7
180 x 7
180 X 5

Leg Press
400 X 16
490 X 10
670 X 10
760 X 8
810 X 7

Donkey calves
180 X 10
180 X 12
180 X 11
180 X 12

[polishedball]

Also took the waist love handle measurement today, first time since I started. I am at 41.5 in the AM, when I started I was 47.75. Pretty happy with that for it just being 12 weeks.

[polishedball]

37min on treadmill 3.4mph

[Athena]

Good luck with the MRI! I'm sure everything is fine, and your core work seems to be helping (as you said). It is always good to err on the side of caution with back issues!

Keep it up!
Athi

[polishedball]

Good luck with the MRI! I'm sure everything is fine, and your core work seems to be helping (as you said). It is always good to err on the side of caution with back issues!

Keep it up!
Athi

Thanks.

Hopefully all will be good. Today I was a recovery relax day though I worked 16 hours. No real cardio got some exercise in but just as part of the day. Might be off on friday as well but will try to get on the treadmill or elliptical at some point. Big workout weekend coming up. Have workout partners both days. Looking forward to it.

[polishedball]

1-30-10 Back

Bent over rows over hand
135 X 16
225 X 10
275 X 6
295 X 6

Under hand
225 X 8
275 X 6
295 X 6

One arm rows
130 X 6
130 X 6
130 X 6

T-Bar wide grip
90 X 8
135 X 6
160 X 6
160 X 5

Donkey calves
180 X 8
180 X 10
180 X 8

Underhand chin pull down
drop set
240 X 6
then down 50 to fail

Bi's
BB curls 50#
X 10
X 10
X 10
X 10
X 10
X 9
X 6

40#
X 10
X 5
X 6

(partner alt very little rest)

[polishedball]

1-31-10

Chest

FB BB
135 X 16
225 X 5
275 X 5
312 X 2
340 X 1

Incline BB
225 X 8
225 X 6
225 X 6

DB fly
70 X 6
70 X 6
70 X 6

Hammer strength

295 X 6
295 X 6
295 X 5

Tri's

Roper press downs
drop set

Skull Crusher
110 X 6
110 X 5
110 X 4

BB flat bench

135 X 23

[polishedball]

Looks like I've come down with mono, I guess working 70 hours and hitting the gym hard 3 days a week can do you in. Anyhow I'm suppose to take 3 weeks off, I am past the contagious stages (im told), I think i'm gonna try to hit a full body light 1 day a week still. I feel good for about 5 hours at a time. Gonna scale back the work schedule and try to not have too many collection calls come in. Just a real bad time for everything with Tax time coming. Waiting on MRI results from my back and neck.

[polishedball]

Hit a back workout today not super intense just on the deads.

Deads

135 X 10
225 X 6
315 X 4
385 X 2

One arm Rows

120 X 6
120 X 6

T-bar

90 X 8
90 X 6
125 X 6

DB shrugs

120 X 30
120 X 23
120 X 18

Lat machine pull down nautilus

254 X 6
254 X 6

Rear delt machine rev fly

200 x 8
200 x 8
200 x 8


This sickness is killing me, i lost 5 pounds in the last week. Just have no feelings of hunger.

[polishedball]

Light chest still sick
Bench flat

135 X 12
225 X 8
275 X 6
315 X 5

Incline fly
65 X 10
80 X 8

Cable cross

72 X 10
72 X 8
75 X 8
72 X 6

Machine press

212 X 24
212 X 18

Donkey calves
180 X 16
180 X 12
180 X 12
180 X 11

[polishedball]

Been back to the Gym since Nov, decided to start posting again. Had a layoff, my body could not deal with the work schedule and heavy lifts. Ended up not having Mono, but the doc couldn't explain it. After passing out hitting a guard rail driving I gave up the lifting, till working less. Now down to a normal 45 hours and feeling pretty good other than a slight low back pain that is easy to train around. Hopefully i'll get alot better use out of the membership this year as last year was only 4 months used.

Hit a Chest / Tri today

DB incline press
60 X 10 warmup
75 X 6
95 X 5
110 X 7
110 X 6

DB fly's
65 X 8
70 X 8
75 X 8

DB pull overs laying flat

85X 6
85 X 6
85 X 6

cable cross overs

60 X 8
60 X 6
60 X 5

Dips

BW x 10
BW X 11
BW X 10

single arm underhand pull down twist

30 X 10
48 X 6
48 X 6

Push downs

Start @ 180 then kept dropping the stack till failure ended a 30#'s

Body weight and fat is pretty high in Nov when I started I was 216 today I am 224 but have lost .75 inch of waist.