Steeldriver's Strength Training Routine

[steeldriver]

I've met some of you guys already. I was posting in the "35 and over routine" section but I don't think I was received over there very well. That's more of a bodybuilding/fitness thread and when I started posting some large numbers from my hand & arm workouts I think it turned everyone off. So here I am. I compete in A/Wing and Hand & Strength contests and train mostly for extreme strength in those areas. But I also hit the other movements on Monday's and Friday's. Friday's are a little light on average because I'm coming off a 50 hour work week.

Friday, 21 Dec 07

Sit-ups: 15,15,15.
Leg-ext: 75x 12,12,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 5,5. 235x 5,20.
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5,5,. 70'sx 10,10,10.
DB-presses: 50'sx 10-10, 10-10, 10-10. (notation for DB's = right-left)
Neck-lifts: 70x 5,5,5,.
IronMind Trainer gripper for 5 sets of 10-15 reps.

This is a light grip workout. I grip harder on Mondays. That and what I do at work keeps my hands sore most of the time. I grip hard once a week and easy once a week.

With the squat I use a 20-rep set as in Stossens "Super Squat" book. I deadlift every 3rd or 4th workout in place of squats.

My hard workouts are Wednesday and Saturdays when I hit hands and arms very hard. We pull two Saturday's a month as well.

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Sorry it took so long to post this workout. The holidays have me very busy.

Sat, 22 Dec 07.

Sit-ups: bw(body weight)x10, 25x 10, 50x 5, 100x 3.
DB Table-curls: 40'x 5-5,5-5. 70'sx 5-5,5-5. 110x 3-3,3-3,5-5,3-3,3-3.
DB Wrist-curls: 40'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 10-10,10-10,15-15,10-10,10-10.
Pinch grip: 10 lifts with 50 pound on my 4 inch block.
Two cinder blocks side-by-side for 4 lifts right hand.

Sit-ups: weight held against chest.

Table-curls: All reps are off toward the side and down to the table and back up. I do them in the same angle that the arm would travel if it were being pushed toward the pad and then being pulled back up.

[Super M3h 888]

Nice workout


Gah, how is the 20 rep squat??

[steeldriver]

Mon, 24 Dec 07

Squats: 135x 5,5. 235x 3,20.
Leg-ext: 75x 12, 12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Bent over DB-press': 50'sx5-5, 5-5.
70'sx 5-5, 8-8, 10-10, 8-8, 5-5.
DB-press' : 30'sx 5-5, 5-5. 50'sx 5-5, 5-5.
80'sx 3-3, 5-5, 9-9, 5-5.
Neck-lifts: 50x 5,5. 70x 3,3,3.

IronMind #2 gripper (shaved) 3,3,4,5,3,3,3,3,1,1,1,1,1.

The 20-reps squats are ok. It's tuff getting through them. I'll do them for a few weeks until I can breeze through them and then I will raise the weight by 50 pounds. We'll see how they go. They are somewhat new to me and I don't really know what to expect.

[steeldriver]

Wed, 26 Dec 07

Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 7-7, 7-7, 7-7, 7-7.
EZ-curls: 60x3,3. 80x3,3. 100x3,3. 120x3,3.
140x3,3,3. 120x 3,3.
Barbell Wrist-curls: 105x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 = 65 reps.

We had a lot of people at our home for the holidays. We were up late and awakened early. Last night I didn't get to sleep until after midnight and I had to be at work at six o'clock. It's an hour drive to my job, so I got about 3.5 hours sleep. So tonight was nothing intense. I was too tired. I did go somewhat heavy on the EZ-curls, but the reps were kept low, so again, nothing intense. The BB.Wrist-curls were lite and I did easy sets of 5's. Like I said, I was tired, but the workout was just right. I feel good.

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Friday, 28 Dec 07

Leg-ext: 75x 12, 12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 5,5. 235x 3,20.
Bent Over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 70'sx 7-7, 7-7, 7-7.
DB-presses: 30'sx 5-5, 5-5. 50'sx 5-5, 7-7, 9-9, 7-7, 5-5.
N-Lifts: 70x 3,3,3.

This was a moderate workout. Another Friday. I was beat when I got home from work. I took a small nap - about an hour. Then got up and got charged up on coffee and got my mind right and hit the gym. I was still tired, but I had a good workout. Then I watched some TV with my wife and hit the sack.

Dave...

[breathingmurder]

Great log, 20 rep squats are killer.

What are N-lifts?

[steeldriver]

Yea, the 20 rep routine is tuff. It builds very strong legs, hips and back. I got it from Randy Strossens book, "20 rep Squats". Usually by rep 15 you are stopping to take a breath or two and maybe a breath or two for every rep from then on. My last workout I only stopped for a breath once at about rep 17. When I get to the point where I am smoothly going through the set without a stop, I'll add some weight.

N-lifts = Neck-Lifts. I use a head harness and I bend over and hook the harness to a DB and then just lift up my head and back down, just like curling the weight up and down with the neck and head. I stay in the bent-over position with my hands placed on my knees and the only movement is the head moving up and down. It's all neck. Now, if I hook up and just stand up straight with it, I can do a lot more. but that does not really hit the neck the way the Neck-lifts hit it by curling the weight up just with the neck.

Dave...

[HumanHorrorFilm]

Nice workouts. How do you find soreness in regards to the necklifts. I did makeshift neck lifts, holding my supported wrist roller strap with my teeth(haha, dont ask) and the soreness the next day was brutal.

[steeldriver]

Well, I have been doing these for years. I started working the neck in High school with the wrestlers bridges. So I don't really get sore in the neck. I would just say that you should start out with a weight that you can rep pretty easy and just stay with that until the neck becomes stronger. It won't take long. Then just add a little weight now and then. Hey, I like your thread. I will be following it. Keep it up, man.

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Mon, 31 Dec 07

Leg-ext: 75x 5,5,7,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5,5
Squats: 135x 5,5. 235x 3,20.
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 10-10. 70'sx 10-10.
100x 5-5.
DB-presses: 30'sx 5-5, 5-5. 50'sx 5-5, 5-5.
80'sx 3-3, 5-5, 9-9, 5-5.



Wed, 2 Jan 08
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5, 5-5, 5-5.
EZ-curls: 60x 5,5. 80x 5,5. 110x 3,6,3,3.
Reverse EZ-curls: 45x 3, 20.
Dumb-bell Wrist-curls: 40'sx 5-5, 5-5, 5-5.
80'sx 3-3, 3-3, 6-6, 6-6, 3-3, 3-3.

I have started a new phase in my workout. There are three things to watch for. I will walk the EZ-curls up to 20 reps with the 110 pounds by adding 1 rep to the second set every week. The increase will be so small that the arms will not even catch it and I will hit 20 reps with NO problem. Just watch nand see how many weeks it takes.


I will add 5 pounds a week to the Reverse EZ-curl in which I started out doing 20 reps with. I will see just how high I can go for 20 reps in the weeks to come.

In the Dumb-bell Wrist-curls I will add a rep each week to the 3rd and 4th set. Same principal as the EZ-curls. I have used this routine many times over the years and with it I can hit some very high reps with some very heavy weight over time. Watch!

Dave...

[breathingmurder]

Mon, 31 Dec 07

Leg-ext: 75x 5,5,7,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5,5
Squats: 135x 5,5. 235x 3,20.
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 10-10. 70'sx 10-10.
100x 5-5.
DB-presses: 30'sx 5-5, 5-5. 50'sx 5-5, 5-5.
80'sx 3-3, 5-5, 9-9, 5-5.



Wed, 2 Jan 08
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5, 5-5, 5-5.
EZ-curls: 60x 5,5. 80x 5,5. 110x 3,6,3,3.
Reverse EZ-curls: 45x 3, 20.
Dumb-bell Wrist-curls: 40'sx 5-5, 5-5, 5-5.
80'sx 3-3, 3-3, 6-6, 6-6, 3-3, 3-3.

I have started a new phase in my workout. There are three things to watch for. I will walk the EZ-curls up to 20 reps with the 110 pounds by adding 1 rep to the second set every week. The increase will be so small that the arms will not even catch it and I will hit 20 reps with NO problem. Just watch nand see how many weeks it takes.


I will add 5 pounds a week to the Reverse EZ-curl in which I started out doing 20 reps with. I will see just how high I can go for 20 reps in the weeks to come.

In the Dumb-bell Wrist-curls I will add a rep each week to the 3rd and 4th set. Same principal as the EZ-curls. I have used this routine many times over the years and with it I can hit some very high reps with some very heavy weight over time. Watch!

Dave...

Nice work!
Sounds like the pace of this journal is going to really quicken according to what you're saying about the EZ curls, etc! I'll look forward to seeing all that.

[BigDerek]

Grip extrodinaire, this should be interesting.

[steeldriver]

Thank's guys.

I have used this routine many times. It's great for getting stronger in a certain area and bumping up the totals. The key is just taking it slow and not rushing it.

Fri, 4 Jan 08

Leg-ext: 75x 12,12,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 5,5,5,5,5.
Bentover DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
DB-presses: 30'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5. 50'sx 5-5,9-9,5-5.

This was only a 4-day work week, but we were busy. I hauled a lot of steel this week. I went to West Virginia with a load first thing this morning, came back and made 3 drops in Columbus. The intire week was like that.....I am TIRED! So I kept everything pretty light and fairly easy tonight. We are going to start pulling again tomorrow (Saturday at 1pm). We did not pull through the holidays. If everyone shows up there will be about 7 or 8 of us. I have been "bitting at the bit" for some good pulls! Nothing like some good, ol hand-to-hand combat to keep one honest, ready and sharp!

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Saturday, 5 Jan 08

This was the first pulling session since the holidays started (the weekend before Thanksgiving) and I was ready - and so was everyone else! After a few rounds of warm-ups, Zack Clotter (26 years old, 5'11, 245, 500 pound deadlift and plays with Atlas Stones) and I opened with the first match of the day. It was right-handed match. We sat up nice and tight. It actually took us several minutes to agree on a grip. He wanted to grind in deep on the thumb to set himself up for an inside hook. I was having none of that! Zack is powerful in the hook. I wanted to back-load into the fingers to set up a Top-roll. Finally, my son, Jim, who was working the table managed to get us somewhere in-between and the "READY-GO" was given. I hit hard to the outside and Zack went hard to the inside to set his deadly hook. But my speed was just a little better than his and I managed to get him outside with a powerful back-load. Once I had him outside and my back-pressure set, I cranked a Top-roll on him. He was pulling like a demon! Zack has one speed - FLAT OUT at everything he does. He pulled and gunted and moaned. But I had him locked into my back-load and a mean Top-roll and he wasn't going to budge me! After a few minutes of him jerking on my arm, I felt his strength leaving him. That's when I made my move! I already had him halfway to the pad. I slowly backed off about one inch, just to give myself some momentum and then I hit hard toward the pad! That it was it! I won the first match of the session!

Match #2 was Big Mike ( age 24, 6'5, 330 pounds, can rep a coc #3 5 times) and Jim Hampton, my son (age 27, 5'10 190 pounds, can rep a coc #2 many times and on a good day can close a 2001 #3). They gripped up right hand. Mike has a HUGE hand - as you may imagne - and Jim is always at a disadvantage against Mike. The READY-GO was given and they both hit! Jim held his own for a few moments and then Big Mike began to move him toward the pad.

We rested a few mintes and then the third match was Mike and myself. Right hand! We set up. Mike wanted to go with a total wrap around the hand. NOT! I was NOT going to give him that! I set up the same as last time. With very strong back-pressure into the fingers.
READY-GO!
I hit hard and so did he! We were at a stand still for a few minutes but I had my Top-roll and Back-load set and he couldn't break through it. I waited him out and took him to the pad.

Next: Big Mike and myself Left-hand. We sat up the same way as the right-handed match. READY-GO! We hit and I was pinned before I knew what-was-what! Big Mike's left hand was so powerful that I couldn't even slow it down! WOW!

Next was Jim and Zack. Right handed. They ground out a long match with Zack coming out on top. Zack got his hook set and, try as he might, Jim could not get his Top-roll moving.

We kept rotating the whole session. Mike ruled left-handed, with him beating me 4 out of 6 pulls left-handed. I ruled right-handed, not giving up a match all day right handed. Zack and Jim ended up having some great battles, trading wins back and forth.

After the session, we went to the Preacher-bench and I Hammer-curled the 100 pound DB for them. They each took a shot at it, but couldn't get it. I Pinch-gripped 2 cinder blocks off the ground for them. Zack took a shot at it and just did move them, Big Mike didn't try. Neither did Jim.

We had a good session. Not everyone showed up. Shawn Henderson - who Powerlifts at Westside - did not show up. Erick and Nathan - who are very strong pullers in the 154 pound class - did not show up. But they will next time and we'll have a great session.

We pull every-other Saturday at 1pm. We are very serious and we are thinking about pulling at the Harley Pull in April. The prize is a new Harley and $10,000.00!

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Wed 9 Jan 08

Bentover DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5, 5-5, 5-5.
EZ-curls: 60x 3,3. 80x 3,3. 110x 3,7,4,3.
Rev. EZ-curls: 50x 3,20.
Dumb-bell W.-curls: 50'sx 5-5, 5-5, 5-5.
80'sx 3-3, 3-3, 7-7, 7-7, 5-5, 5-5.

Added 1 rep to the EZ-curls, 2nd set.
Added 5 pounds to the 20 rep R. EZ-curls.
Added 1 rep to the DB. W-curls, 3rd @ 4th sets.

Watch, now. 20 reps soon for 110 pound EZ-curl, strict form.
I'll see just how high I can go in the R.EZ-curl for 20 reps.
20 reps soon in the DB. W-curls with 80 pounds.

Then I'll just keep adding weight and start all over again.

Dave...

[breathingmurder]

Saturday, 5 Jan 08

This was the first pulling session since the holidays started (the weekend before Thanksgiving) and I was ready - and so was everyone else! After a few rounds of warm-ups, Zack Clotter (26 years old, 5'11, 245, 500 pound deadlift and plays with Atlas Stones) and I opened with the first match of the day. It was right-handed match. We sat up nice and tight. It actually took us several minutes to agree on a grip. He wanted to grind in deep on the thumb to set himself up for an inside hook. I was having none of that! Zack is powerful in the hook. I wanted to back-load into the fingers to set up a Top-roll. Finally, my son, Jim, who was working the table managed to get us somewhere in-between and the "READY-GO" was given. I hit hard to the outside and Zack went hard to the inside to set his deadly hook. But my speed was just a little better than his and I managed to get him outside with a powerful back-load. Once I had him outside and my back-pressure set, I cranked a Top-roll on him. He was pulling like a demon! Zack has one speed - FLAT OUT at everything he does. He pulled and gunted and moaned. But I had him locked into my back-load and a mean Top-roll and he wasn't going to budge me! After a few minutes of him jerking on my arm, I felt his strength leaving him. That's when I made my move! I already had him halfway to the pad. I slowly backed off about one inch, just to give myself some momentum and then I hit hard toward the pad! That it was it! I won the first match of the session!

Match #2 was Big Mike ( age 24, 6'5, 330 pounds, can rep a coc #3 5 times) and Jim Hampton, my son (age 27, 5'10 190 pounds, can rep a coc #2 many times and on a good day can close a 2001 #3). They gripped up right hand. Mike has a HUGE hand - as you may imagne - and Jim is always at a disadvantage against Mike. The READY-GO was given and they both hit! Jim held his own for a few moments and then Big Mike began to move him toward the pad.

We rested a few mintes and then the third match was Mike and myself. Right hand! We set up. Mike wanted to go with a total wrap around the hand. NOT! I was NOT going to give him that! I set up the same as last time. With very strong back-pressure into the fingers.
READY-GO!
I hit hard and so did he! We were at a stand still for a few minutes but I had my Top-roll and Back-load set and he couldn't break through it. I waited him out and took him to the pad.

Next: Big Mike and myself Left-hand. We sat up the same way as the right-handed match. READY-GO! We hit and I was pinned before I knew what-was-what! Big Mike's left hand was so powerful that I couldn't even slow it down! WOW!

Next was Jim and Zack. Right handed. They ground out a long match with Zack coming out on top. Zack got his hook set and, try as he might, Jim could not get his Top-roll moving.

We kept rotating the whole session. Mike ruled left-handed, with him beating me 4 out of 6 pulls left-handed. I ruled right-handed, not giving up a match all day right handed. Zack and Jim ended up having some great battles, trading wins back and forth.

After the session, we went to the Preacher-bench and I Hammer-curled the 100 pound DB for them. They each took a shot at it, but couldn't get it. I Pinch-gripped 2 cinder blocks off the ground for them. Zack took a shot at it and just did move them, Big Mike didn't try. Neither did Jim.

We had a good session. Not everyone showed up. Shawn Henderson - who Powerlifts at Westside - did not show up. Erick and Nathan - who are very strong pullers in the 154 pound class - did not show up. But they will next time and we'll have a great session.

We pull every-other Saturday at 1pm. We are very serious and we are thinking about pulling at the Harley Pull in April. The prize is a new Harley and $10,000.00!

Dave...

Great entry! I have never armwrestled competitively, just done it for fun, but I've learned to watch out for top-rolls. People can really surprise you with them, especially guys who do manual labor and have a crushingly strong grip.

Pulling against a tall guy is very tough. "Big Mike" sounds like quite a challenge, congrats on beating him right-handed.

[steeldriver]

Mike is a good guy. Very strong in some ways. It's not so hard armwrestling a taller guy. Remember, both elbows must be on the pad and the pulling hands must be locked up together. That means that he - the taller guy - must lower his arm down to your height in order for both hands to be locked together.

And, yes, strong hands and arms are very important in this sport. Benchpressing, squats, deadlifts and bodybuilding means nothing. The top pro's do none of these things, yet Allen Fisher has wrist-curled 135 pounds with 1 arm at 190 pounds of body weight. Dave Patton has Table-curled 165 pounds at 163 pounds of body weight.

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Friday, 10 Jan 08

Leg-Ext: 75x 12,12,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 3,3,3. 235x 3,20.
Bentover DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5, 5-5 ,5-5.
Dumb-bell presses: 50'sx 5-5, 10-10, 5-5.
Neck-lift: 70x 5,5,5.

Friday night. Very tired. Kept it lite. I'm hitting the sack.

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Mon, 14 Jan 08

Leg-ext: 75x 12,12,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5-5,5-5,5-5.
Squats: 135x 5,5,5. 235x 3,20.
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 10-10,10-10,10-10.
DB-presses: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 3-3, 5-5, 10-10, 5-5.
Neck-lifts; 70x 5,5,5.


Wed, 16 Jan 08
EZ-curls: 60x 5,5. 80x 5,5. 110x 3,8,5,4.
Rev. EZ-curls: 55x 3,20.
DB. Wrist-curls: 50'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
80'sx 3-3,3-3,8-8,8-8,5-5,5-5.
Reps, with the IronMind #2 gripper: 3,3,3,3,3,3,3. (Hold the last rep for as long as I can, trying to squeeze through the handles.


Friday, 18 Jan 08
Leg ext: 75x 12,12,12.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 5,5,5. 235x 3,20.
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 10-10,10-10,10-10.
DB-presses: 50'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
Neck-lifts: 50x 12,12,15.

I did not have a chance to post any thing week due to my work hours. So I have posted my workouts here all in one post. Notice the EZ-curls on Wednesday. I am at 8 reps for the 2nd set and still the arms have not rejected the increase. 1 rep at a time is a great way to slowly increase a total - to get stronger, if you will - but it takes time. Most people do not possess the patience to stay with a routine like this. But, hey, what's the hurry? We only have our whole life time to reach these goals.

The Rev. EZ-curls are now at 55 pounds for 20 reps and they are still not taxing me in the least.

The Dumb-bell Wrist-curls are the same. But they are not even giving me a pump. Which is not nessesary for strength gains anyway! But I will stay with them. My rep-record for this movement is 20 reps each hand but that was a few years ago. But, I will beat that record soon as long as the Good Lord continues to bless me with the health and strength that he has even though I get older every year. He sure has been good to me!
Dave...

[steeldriver]

Saturday, 19 Jan 08

This was a pulling day. We pull every other Saturday at 1 p.m.. I had some chores to get done. I didn't get them all done before we pulled, so I had to change the oil in my wife's car after I pulled. That's never fun - working after a pulling session. Every muscle, tendon and ligiment in my hands and arms are hurting after we pull.

It was me, Zack, Big Mike and Jim. Shawn is training for the IronMind #4 cert and the Rolling Thunder World Record and he will not be pulling with us for a while. Nathan got laid off of his job two weeks ago and didn't have the gas money to drive all the way out to Centerburg from Columbus. Eric had to work.

Jim (5'10, 190) and Zack (5'11 245) opened the first match of the day. They set up hard and tight and when I gave the "READY-GO!" They both hit HARD! They both pulled outside and straight up for about 30 seconds and then Jim jumped inside with some blinding speed in a classic "Allen Fisher" type Shoulder Roll and Triceps Press-out that put Zack away. Nice!

Big Mike (6'5 330) and I were next. Right-hand. Mike tried to set up with his big hand in the hook. I gave him some tremendous back-pressure into his fingers which opened his hook up where I wanted it. Jim gave the "READY-GO!" and Big Mike went straight for the hook. I hit hard and fast outside with as much back-pressure to the fingers as I could give him. I opened his fingers up and then Top-rolled him to the pad!

We all rested and then Zack and I went at it right hand. I dropped him pretty quick with the back-pressure and the Top-Roll. He didn't even have time to react on that one.

Big Mike and Jim went right hand. Big Mike over-powered him at the start.

We all rotated a few more times right-hand and then went to left-hand. Zack and Jim opened Left-handed. Zack won pretty quick.

Mike and I went next. If you read last session's post, I swept the table right-handed but Mike beat me 4 out of 6 pulls left. I didn't want that to happen again today. I had been thinking about that for two weeks and knew what I needed to do to stop him. I sat up not so tight with the left this time and at the "GO!" I hit him with a hard, powerful Hammer-curl type back-pressure and through my whole body into it as well! Straight back. Those of you who have read my workout posts and looked at my gallery knows that I can Hammer-curl 100 pound DB's, full extention. I hit him with all that power and through my body into it as well. Big Mike went down pretty quick. Yes! I felt good!

We all rotated about six times in the left. I went undefeated right and only lost one left-hand match to Mike. Jim Owned Zack right-hand, Mike took Jim right. That put me 1st, Mike 2nd and Jim 3rd and Zack last (PoorZack-LOL) Zack, if you're reading this, sorry, man, I'm just having some fun.

Left-hand, it was Me, Big Mike, Zack and Jim. Jim only won one left-hand match all day. But that's ok, he was on fire right-handed.

Afterward, we went up stairs and ate a great lunch/supper that my wife had cooked and then we talked for a few hours. I had to go out to the garage and change the oil in my wife's car, then my wife and I had to get dressed for a church function.

It was a good session. I'm still sore. That's the only problem. I don't recover from the hard sessions like I used to. But as far as my strength goes, Still there and climbing.

Until next time,

Dave....

[steeldriver]

Mon, 21 Jan 08

Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 5-5, 5-5.
DB-presses: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
L-ext: 75x 10,10,10.
L-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 3,5,20,20.
N-lift's: 50'sx 10,10,10.

IronMind grippers: choked closes with a double-stamped #3:
(right & left) 1,1,1,1,1. #2(right & Left) 5,5,5,3,3,3,1,1,1,1,1

Kept the squats lite tonight.

Dave...

[breathingmurder]

Mon, 21 Jan 08

Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 5-5, 5-5.
DB-presses: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
L-ext: 75x 10,10,10.
L-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 3,5,20,20.
N-lift's: 50'sx 10,10,10.

IronMind grippers: choked closes with a double-stamped #3:
(right & left) 1,1,1,1,1. #2(right & Left) 5,5,5,3,3,3,1,1,1,1,1

Kept the squats lite tonight.

Dave...

Nice gripper work, those double stamped 3's are killer. I have one but I can only get it a little past parallel. After that it feels like a brick. I also enjoy reading about the armwrestling training. It sounds like a lot of fun.

[Mike Zero]

Nice workouts. How do you find soreness in regards to the necklifts. I did makeshift neck lifts, holding my supported wrist roller strap with my teeth(haha, dont ask) and the soreness the next day was brutal.

Haha! Must try this



Interesting journal mate. I'm just getting into grip work myself so I'll make sure I watch this one closely.

[Earthtime]

Mon, 21 Jan 08


IronMind grippers: choked closes with a double-stamped #3:
(right & left) 1,1,1,1,1. #2(right & Left) 5,5,5,3,3,3,1,1,1,1,1


Dave...

Dave what's a choked close?

and double-stamped?

New terms to me.

[steeldriver]

Thank's, guys, for the response.

The double stamped grippers are the newest line of the Captian Of Crush grippers. Randy started them in 05. He was tired of so many guys certing on the original #3's that he made them a little harder with slightly thicker wire (coiled steel). To distinquish one from the other, he stamped the bottom of both handles, where as the original he only stamped the bottom of one handle. Then there arose another problem. Guys were expected to close a stronger gripper in order to get on the same list as the other guys who closed a lighter gripper. This caused a big stink and for a while there was a boycott of the list. One guy, who is a friend of mine, called Randy and had his name be removed from the list. Well, nothing was resolved. The double stamped gripper is the one you must use now, and I think every thing is back to normal.

A choked close is where you take a hose clamp - like a radiator clamp, the kind you use a screwdriver on - and you squeeze the gripper half way and put the clamp around the top to hold it in the halfway position (you can even put it closer than halfway if you want to). Then you close it from there. This helps you get stronger in the last half of the close when you normaly would fail just before you get it closed do to fatigue from the full squeeze. You would be suprised how easy the last inch is when you don't have to close the first half. This is how a lot of guys train to close the hard grippers. Dave Morton, one of the five guys on the #4 list, trained for the #4 this way.

Dave...

[steeldriver]

Did not have time to get on the computer this week so I posted my workouts again all in one post today (Saturday).


Monday, 21 Jan 08
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
Bench-press: 205x 6,20,15,10.
Leg-ext: 75x 10,10,10.
75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 5,5. 235x 3,20.
Neck Lifts: 50x 7,10,15.


Wednesday, 23 Jan 08
Bentover DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
EZ-curls: 60'sx 5. 80x 5,5. 110x 3,9,3
Reverse EZ-curls: 60'sx 3,20.
DB. Wrist-curls: 50'sx 5-5,5-5. 80'sx 3-3,5-5,9-9,3-3.

I almost did not workout tonight (wednesday). The wind blew a tree down across my creek the other night. I was going to wait until this weekend to cut it up, but I was afraid that it might dam up the water. The creek is the only water source for the cattle down on the farm below me and I didn't want to wait. And besides, it was nice today (Wednesday). I mean, it was clear and the sun was out. It was still very cold - about 25 degrees - but that's ok. As long as everything is frozen, that means I will not be working in the mud! So when I got home, I decided to go ahead and get out the saws (chainsaw and bow saw) and get the creek opened up while I had a good day to do it. By the time I got done, it was 7:30 pm, which is usually my bed time (I have to get up at 4:00 am most mornings). At the last minute I decided to workout, but if you notice, I didn't do all of the sets that I normally do. I cut it short. But I did hit my target numbers. Added 1 rep to the EZ-curls which took them to 9, added 5 pounds to the 20-rep Rev. EZ-curls, bringing them up to 60 pounds and added a rep to the 80 pound DB. Wrist-curls, bringing them up to nine as well. Everything felt fine, too. I got to bed about 10m. No big deal.

Friday, 25 Jan 08
Bent over DB-rows: 50'sx 5-5,5-5,5-5.
DB-presses: 50'sx 5-5,11-11.
Leg-ext: 75x 10,10,10.
Leg-curls: 75x 5,5,5.
Squats: 135x 5. 185x 5. 235x 3. 285x 3,3,3.
Neck-lifts: 50x 7,7,7,7.

I didn't do my 20-rep squats with 235 tonight, instead, I went up a little bit. It felt fine. I think I could have hit 350 for a rep or two (all my squats are all the way down until the knees are against the chest). But tonight was Friday, and as usual, I was tired from the long work week. It was very, very cold here in Ohio this week and I had some long days at work. But I don't mind the cold, as long as it's not raining. If you let it - and embrace it, the cold will make you hard, lean and tuff! I love the cold!

Dave....