PTAaron's "I feel like a newbie again" Training Log

[Matt76]

hey training journal buddy

it's about time you got back in here it was getting lonely

workout looks good

[PTAaron]

LOL! Yeah, thanks Matt!
The stuff I was doing for the last 2 and a half months or so wasn't really worth posting... the stuff I am doing now isn't very interesting either, but it will help motivate me if I post it where people can see it
I've been pretty depressed about not being able to workout, so hopefully this will help get me back on track.

[Matt76]

man I hear you about not working out. Once I got motivated to really start hammering the dl's and squats again I threw my back out twice and broke my foot

[PTAaron]

Holy shit man! That really sucks!

I've got to say - that pansy ass workout I did today ALREADY has me sore!! My pecs are killing me already, my lats are starting to ache, and my bis/tris are pretty sore. Tomorrow is going to be fun waking up! Tomorrow is also leg day... I'm pretty sure I won't be moving at all by Wednesday!

[PTAaron]

Workout 2 - 7/3/07

First 2 exercises are supposed to be with my 10 rep max, going for 10 sets of 6. I don't know what my 10RM is at this point, so I picked a weight that felt heavy during warmup. Again - the weights are pitifully low, so don't laugh at me too much. Supposed to be 60-90 second rest between sets.


Barbell Squats - ass to the grass (90 second rest between sets):
185lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x4@, x4, x5, x5, x3@
@ = A set where I went down for the next rep, got stuck in the bucket and had to ditch the weight on to the pins.
*HOLY SHIT!!! This was HARD!!! I thought I was going to throw up by set 5. If you think you are hardcore - try this! LOL!

Prone Leg Curl:
90lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6 - 60 second rest

Weighted Crunch Machine:
95lbs x12, x12, x12 - 60 second rest each

Rotary Calf Machine:
190lbs x 12, x12, x13 - 60 second rest each

NOTES:
I thought I was feeling pretty good after I finished... then I tried to walk down the stairs to the locker room! LOL!!!! I almost fell down the stairs because my leg couldn't support my weight!! Holy hell was this a brutal leg workout! I put this right up there with the DC legs with a widowmaker set in terms of being physically as well as mentally draining.

[PTAaron]

My current supplement routine, in case anyone is curious:

Pre-workout: Serving of Buzz Saw; shake with: 3 heaping scoops whey protein, 1/4tsp beta-alanine, 1/2 cup of instant oatmeal

Post-workout: 2 large scoops of waxy maize, 1/4tsp beta alanine, 1tsp creatine ethyl ester in 24 oz water. 30 minutes later: 3 scoops whey protein, 2 boxes of raisins (or candy, or something high glycemic).

Throughout the day: total of 6 servings (1/4tsp) of beta-alanine; bromelain 3x per day for digestion; multivitamin or Animal Pak; glucosamine/chondroitin; MSM; Vitamin C; and vitamin E.
I've also been taking Redline 2x a day for the past week since we found it on sale at WalMart.

[PTAaron]

Today's workout:

Workout 3

Goal for first 2 exercises is 10 sets of 6 with my (estimated) 10 rep max. 60-90 seconds between sets is recommended, I opted for 60 seconds.

Seated Dumbell Curls:
40lb dumbells x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x5, x5, x5 (5 on right, 4 on left)

DC bicep stretch

EZ Curl on the Floor Triceps:
75lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6 (guess I was stronger on these than I thought)

Dumbell Lateral Raise:
30lb dumbells x 12, x12, 10

Reverse Pec Deck (rear delts):
80lbs x 14, x13, x12

NOTES:
I almost turned around and went back out to the car when I remembered I had to walk up stairs to get to the weight area... damn legs are so sore!!!
My left biceps tendon was clicking at the shoulder joint for most of the bicep curl portion of the exercise. That was kind of making me nervous, but it did not hurt. By the time I was done with the arm exercises my arms were so pumped that they felt like there were the same size as my thighs! It was an awesome combination of Buzz Saw and massive blood flow from all of the sets/reps. Of course they still looked as pathetic as ever... but damn did they feel big!!

Loving this workout so far. Such a dramatic change from DC that it is really forcing my body to adapt.

[PTAaron]

Quick update today (7/8/07):

Today I did cardio:
20 minutes on stepmill
25 minutes on treadmill
Avg heart rate 129bpm.
Total time in "zone" (120-135bpm) - 44:02

Legs are FINALLY recovered enough that I am able to walk up AND down stairs without almost falling! LOL! Yesterday though, my biceps were so sore I couldn't let my arms hang down at my sides because the weight of them hanging there was causing some major pain! Today they are a little better... I am AMAZED at how sore I am from this program. It is bordering on ridiculous. I don't think I have ever felt this much muscle soreness after a workout before.
I am questioning whether I will be able to do chest/back on Monday because my bis/tris are still so toasted... we'll see how I feel in the morning though.

[PTAaron]

Workout 1 - 2nd time through. 7/9/07

Goal of first 2 exercises is 10 sets of 6 with 60-90 second rest between sets using my 10 RM.

Low Incline Dumbell Bench Press:
Last time: 65lb dumbells 10 sets of 6 with 60 second rest between sets
This Time: 70lb dumbells x6,x6,x6,x6,x6,x6,x4,x4,x4,x3 - 60 second rest between sets
*I figured this would happen - once you acheive 10 sets of 6 you are supposed to increase weight by 5%... I couldn't increase by 3lbs, so ended up increasing by more. Next time I will try the same weight for my 10 of 6.

Rack Chins to the Front: (60 second rest)
Last Time: +25lbs x6,x6,x6,x6,x6,x6,x5,x4,x5,x4
This Time: +25lbs x6,x6,x6,x6,x6,x6,x5,x5,x6,x5
*Increased by some reps... still didn't make my 10 of 6. This was HARD!

Goal of next 2 is 3 sets of 6. I did it for too many reps last time.

Machine Flyes:
Last Time: 60lbs x 3 sets of 12
This Time: 90lbs x8,x8,x7

Barbell Bent Rows:
Last Time: 135 x 3 sets of 12
This Time: 185 x7, x6, x6

NOTES:
Biceps and triceps were still pretty sore this morning... I almost didn't do the workout because of it - figured I would be taking to big of a risk in flaring my biceps tendon back up... but then I decided to do it anyway. I DID have one incident of the "stabbing" pain in the shoulder/bicep area during my presses, but only on one rep. As long as I remembered to keep my chest high and in proper position the shoulder felt fine.
Right now (6 hours after the workout) both shoulders are a bit on the sore side, probably because I didn't let the biceps fully recover before blasting the crap out of them on my chins. Nothing bad though - I'm going to do ice massage on both of them before I leave work tonight.

[PTAaron]

Cardio Tuesday:
Stepmill x 20 minutes
Treadmill x 25 minutes
Avg heart rate 126bpm
Time in "zone" (120-135bpm) = 43:40

I obviously didn't do my leg workout today... I have decided to make a small change to the layout that Poliquin describes in his version of GVT. I am making it Monday, Wednesday, Friday instead of Mon, Tues, Thurs. There is no real logic that I can see in doing it the way as outlined. I am also going to take weekends off of lifting, because if the first go-round is any indication my body is going to need a lot of time to recover from this!

[PTAaron]

Workout 2 - Second round - 7/11/07

These 2 exercises are 10 sets of 6, 60-90 second rest.
Barbell Squats - Ass to the grass: (90 second rest)
Last Time: 185lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x4, x4, x5, x5, x3
This Time: 185lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6
*YEAH!!! Holy crap was that hard!!

Prone Leg Curl:
Last Time: 90lbs 10 sets of 6
This Time: 95lbs 10 sets of 6

The next 2 are supposed to be around 12 reps, 3 sets, 60 second rest.

Weighted Crunch Machine:
Last Time: 95lbs x 3 sets of 12
This Time: 105lbs x12, x12, x8

Cybex Calf Machine:
Last Time: 190lbs x 3 sets of 12
This Time: 210lbs x 3 sets of 14

NOTES:
REALLY happy with the squats today. I actually woke up this morning DREADING going to the gym to do these because they suck so bad... but I made it through! I did turn into "that guy" though on the last 3 sets... I was standing there at the bar talking to myself saying things like "this is nothing! Only have to get 6 reps! Come on quit being a baby!" I think I was pissing off the guy next to me... oops! Sorry!

[PTAaron]

Workout 3 - Rotation 2 - 7/13/07

Seated Dumbell Curls: 60 second rest between sets
Last Time: 40lb dumbells x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x5, x5, x4 on left 5 on right
This Time: 40lb dumbells x 10 sets of 6! Yeah!!
*See below for notes

EZ Curl Triceps on the Floor: 60 second rest between sets
Last Time: 75lbs x 10 sets of 6
This Time: 85lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x5, x4
*DAMN!!

Lateral Raise: (supersetted with Reverse Flyes this time, not last time)
Last Time: 30lbs x12, x12, x10
This Time: 30lb dumbells x 3 sets of 12

Reverse Machine Flye:
Last Time: 80lbs x14, x13, x12
This Time: 90lbs x12, x12, x12


NOTES:
Good workout today. Biceps tendon was clunking on the seated curls when I leaned back on the incline bench, which was freaking me out again. When I sat up straight it stopped making the noise. Minor AC joint pain with the curls on my left side - but no major issues (other than the clunking).
I decided to superset the last 2 exercises because I got to the gym late and was running out of time.

[PTAaron]

Workout 1 - Rotation 3 - 7/16/07

Goal of first 2 exercises is 10 sets of 6 with a 60-90 second rest between sets.

Incline Dumbell Bench Press:
Last Time: 70lb dumbells x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x4, x4, x4, x3
This Time: 70lb dumbells x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x5, x4.5, x4.5
*I know half reps don't count... but I needed to mention them! LOL! DAMN THIS IS HARD!!

Rack Chins to the Front:
Last Time: +25lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x5, x5, x6, x5
This Time: +25lbs x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x6, x5, x5
*DAMN IT AGAIN!! My biceps gave out on these... not my back.

Goal for the next 2 is 3 sets of 6 with 30 second rest.

Machine Pec Flyes:
Last Time: 90lbs x8, x8, x7
This Time: 105lbs x8, x8, x7

Barbell Bent Over Rows:
Last Time: 185lbs x7, x6, x7
This Time: 225lbs x4, x4, x2
*OOPS!!! LOL!!

NOTES:
Okay... first off: The way this program is set up is stupid. Doing arms on Friday then attempting to do chest/back on Monday does not leave NEARLY enough times for my arms to recover. My biceps were still FRIED from Friday, and gave out way before my back did on my rack chins. In fact right now I fell like I did a biceps workout today instead of a back workout! I am skipping the arm workout scheduled for this friday and doing it on Monday - then switching chest/back to Fridays. My arms have always had crappy recovery ability... and since starting this program they have not stopped being sore yet!
Next oops: Barbell Rows... I went into those thinking "Okay, I KNOW I can get 6 reps with 195, so why not try for 225?" I was choosing to not go with what I COULD do, but rather to go with what I SHOULD be doing. Clearly that didn't work so good!
Final note: Wednesday's leg workout will not be a GVT leg workout, I am going to be doing a DC style leg workout. One of my training clients wants to see how hard he is supposed to be pushing his legs, so I am going to teach him a little lesson on how to do hack squats! >

[PTAaron]

Did cardio today (Tuesday) even though I hardly slept last night... kept waking up with various things either numb or spasming...

Stepmill x 20 minutes
Treadmill x 25 minutes
Avg heart rate: 125bpm
Time in "zone" (120-135bpm): 44:13

[PTAaron]

Leg Day! 7/18/07

As I mentioned earlier on... this is not the leg workout that goes with my GVT plan... today I met my personal training client and put him through a leg workout that follows a DC type split.

Hack Squat Calves:
270+sled x 20
360+sled x 20
450+sled x 10
*I didn't do these "DC Style" because I am still hurting from waking up with a huge calf cramp Tuesday Morning.

Hack Squat:
450lbs+sled x 9
540lbs+sled x 3
360lbs+sled x 20 (widowmaker set)
*I'm reasonably certain that I have never used 540lbs on hack squats before... goal was 4, but that 3rd rep went up so slowly I didn't think I was going to even complete it.

Prone Hamstring Curls:
110lbs x 20 Rest Paused

Adductor Machine:
90lbs x 30 Rest Paused

NOTES:
GREAT workout today. I guess my leg strength is coming back pretty well! LOL! I am pretty sure that the most I have done on hack squats using this machine before was 520 for 8 - and that was at the end of a quality DC blast cycle... this set with 540 is after not doing hack squats for a month and a half!
My training client got his ass kicked on this workout - I'm sure he'll be feeling it later.