tobymax's training log

[tobymax]

I was just reviewing my last week's workout logs from the JEFit app in advance of today's workout, and thought to myself:  Hey! You should write this stuff down to keep better track.  So I started transcribing it into a Word document, and that seemed silly, so I thought I would start a journal.  My first one ever.

I don't often have witty or funny things to say about my workouts, so it may be a boring journal, and I don't know if anyone else will read it or comment on it, but it's for me to hold myself accountable.  I'll read it even if y'all don't. 

I have four basic workouts usually in this order:  Chest, Legs, Shoulders, Back.

I went the past year doing basically no cardio whatsoever, and it was starting to show in my workouts.  I was getting winded too easily, and taking longer and longer rests between sets.  So I started doing Cardio again this New Year, and it already seems to be paying off. 

I'm going to start by backtracking and posting last week's workouts...

[piperdown]

Welcome to the journals

[tobymax]

Monday 1/20/14, Chest - Feeling  Good/Strong

Flat Bench Press:
135 x 16, 12
185 x 5, 7
195 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5
135 x 12

Cable stations all occupied, so – Machine Flys:
140 x 18
150 x 16
160 x 10
160 x 12

Barbell Pullovers:
70 x 12, 12, 12, 12

45 minutes, 16 sets

Tuesday 1/21, Legs - Feeling Good/Strong

45 Degree Leg Press:
270 x 12, 12
360 x 10
450 x 6
500 x 5, 5
450 x 7
360 x 10

Calf Press on Leg Press Machine:
270 x 16, 15, 15

Prone Leg Curls:
70 x 15, 13 – WEAK!

Foam rolling, 15 minutes on elliptical.

45 minutes, 13 sets + cardio

Wednesday, 1/22, Cardio
40 minutes on elliptical, hill interval, level 10.

Thursday, 1/23, Shoulders – Feeling un-enthused, front delts still sore from Monday.
Standing OHP:
45 x 25, 20
95 x 6, 8, 7, 8, 8
45 x 15

Dumbbell Reverse Flys:
20 x 12
17.5 x 12, 12
15 x 13

Dumbbell Shrugs:
75 x 12, 15, 12, 12

40 minutes, 16 sets

Friday, 1/24, Back – Feeling: Okay
Deadlifts
135 x 10, 10
205 x 5, 5
225 x 5, 5
245 x 5, 5

Cable Seated Row:
90 x 12
100 x 10, 9, 9

Lat Pull Down:  (because the High Row machine was occupied)
100 x 12

HS Iso Lateral High Row:
160 x 12, 12, 12

50 minutes, 16 sets.

Sunday 1/26, Chest[/b] – Feeling:  Pretty Good/Strong
Start with quick Cardio, 15 minutes on elliptical.

Flat Bench Press:
135 x 12, 12
195 x 5
205 x 5, 5
185 x 6, 7
135 x 12

Cable machines occupied again, so over to the Machine Flys:
150 x 18
160 x 13
170 x 10
160 x 13
150 x 15

Barbell Pullovers:
70 x 15, 12, 12

60 minutes, 16 sets + cardio

Monday 1/27, Cardio
40 minutes on elliptical, hill interval, level 10.

[sakustoms]

Welcome to the journals. Sounds like you've got everything in order there.

I made my journal more to keep myself accountable and have somewhere I can refer back to so I know what you're saying.

[tobymax]

Deadlifts are low weight right now, as I try to perfect my form.  I had gotten up to 315 x 5, and then around Thanksgiving I completely lost control of my form and strained my lower back.  So I took a couple weeks off and started over from scratch with 135, heeding the advice I've read and the videos I've watched, and I feel really good about my form now.  I'm slowly working my way back up, and they feel great.  No stress on the lower back anymore.  I'm just back up to 245.

[sakustoms]

Yea I can understand that. I managed to hit 315 x 3 and  335 x 1 on a good day. Then the next week I had a hard time hitting the 315 for 1. Tried 340 and it wouldn't come up. After that I started to second guess my form for some reason. Now with 531 I've dropped the weight and I'm concentrating on form more.

Best of luck to you.

[Bando]

welcome to the journals. You do a lot of the same lifts as me as well as the same weights and routine.

[tobymax]

Tuesday 1/28, Legs.  Feeling:  Angry.  Because I hate squats but I'm going to do them anyway.

I haven't done squats for over 2 months, since tweaking my back around Thanksgiving.  Have I mentioned I hate squats?  I decided to start from scratch as if I'd never done them before, concentrating on form and depth.  Today I ended up using squats as sort of a warm up to get comfortable with them again, before moving over to the leg press.

Squats:
45 (bar only) x 10
135 x 10, 8, 10
185 x 5, 5

With that, I'd had enough and was ready to move on to an exercise that I love...

45 Degree Leg Press:
360 x 8
450 x 7
510 x 5, 5
360 x 7

Straight Leg Calf Presses on Leg Press Machine:
360 x 10
450 x 10
360 x 15, 12

I was running late for dinner, so that's it.  40 minutes, 14 sets (didn't count the bar only set).

Something about squats.  They've always felt awkward and uncomfortable, like I cant keep my balance.  Today however, they felt great at these light weights.  I decided (stupidly, perhaps?) to stop after 5 sets while they still felt good, rather than risk going further until they felt awkward again.  I'll probably stick with 185 for a couple of weeks until it feels ridiculous to not go any higher.  I have to chart a path that leaves me at ease with this exercise. 

[Little Tim]

Welcome to the journals.  Noticed your interest in the 5/3/1. Google "531 pdf" and you can download it,  read it, be a little confused,  read it again and it starts making sense.  Like really good solid sense. First thing you gotta know is your 1RM.  Everything revolves around it. Kinda the benchmark of a strength program is whether you're getting stronger or not.

Good solid program.  I'll be jumping in as soon as I stall out on what I'm doing now.

[FLEX]

Welcome to the journal section.

This thread is off to a great start.  Keep it up. 

[tobymax]

Wednesday, 1/29:
Traveling for work, no workout.   

Already looking forward to my shoulder workout this evening.  Going to bump my working sets from 95 to 105 lbs. (5 setsx5 reps), and probably one set at 115.  I've pressed 105x5 and 115x3 before, but not for regular working sets.

[tobymax]

Thursday, 1/30 - Shoulders  Feeling: Pumped

Standing OHP:
45 x 25
45 x 20
105 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 4
105 x 5
45 x 20

Dumbbell Lateral Raises:
Drop sets:  25 x 10, 20 x 10, 15 x 8
Drop sets: 25 x 10, 20 x 8, 15 x 7, 10 x 8

Cable Face Pulls w/Rope:
(first number is the number of plates on the cable machine, not identified by weight amount...  maybe 10 lb each?)
7 x 18
8 x 15
8 x 15
8 x 15

45 minute workout.

OHP sets are a PR for me.  I have used 105 for one set  before, but never used it as my main working set weight.  115 x 5 is a PR.

I love the drop sets with lateral raises.  Nothing develops a delt burn quite like that.  It's humbling, too.  Sometimes I take it all the way down to the pink dumbbells, and then no weights, until I can barely eek out a few reps of just lifting my arms.  Try it!   

[sakustoms]

Congrats on the OHP PR.

Sounds like you really wore the shoulders out. Do you get much doms from that?

[doughnutgut]

Any drop set or SS with shoulders is a fuckin messy time.

WTG with the PR. Onwards and upwards mate.

[tobymax]

Congrats on the OHP PR.

Sounds like you really wore the shoulders out. Do you get much doms from that?

Thanks man.  As long as I consistently do shoulders once a week I don't have doms, but if I fall behind and don't hit it every week, then the drop sets are the only thing that really gives me doms in the shoulders.  The OHP makes my shoulders feel fatigued for 24-36 hours, but not sore.