Vacation is over

[Lost Dog]

Congratulations on the job, Paul!

[pjb923]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Congratulations on the job, Paul!

Thanks Roland. It feels good to be employed again, but I am enjoying my last week of "vacation" before starting work again.

[pjb923]

Tonights workout. I am getting tired of workout out without a real written program so I decided to give NROL Strength I another try. Tonight was my first workout. I have been focusing on front squats for a while and I have decided to switch to back squats during this program to give me time to try to bring up my upper back strength.

Tuesday 4/08/08
NROL Strength 1 - Workout A #1

Squat
45 x 8
95 x 6
135 x 4
225 x 3
275 x 6
325 x 1
295 x 6
355 x 1
225 x 12
185 x 15

Superset
Bulgarian Split Squat
25's x 15 each leg x 2 sets

Step Up
25's x 15 each leg x 2 sets

Back Extension
+10 x 10 x 2 sets

I finished with some ab work and 15 minutes on the elliptical.

355 went up quick and I know I have more in me, but considering my previous 1RM was 365 I was very happy with tonights workout. Next week I want to add another 20lbs.

My legs were so fried that I could only handle 2 sets of the split squats and step ups. Have I mentioned how much I hate 15 rep sets.

[Alcoholiday]

good squat! keep truckin' man!

15 reps? ugggg.....

[Simon C]

Dayum! Nice squatting!

Looks like I was right: with a front squat like yours, your back squat must be massive(and it is)

And yeah I agree, 15 reps? *shudders* - anything over 6 reps = not fun.... hehehe...

[pjb923]

I have nightmares about the superset that I did yesterday. 15 reps, especially on unilateral movements, just kills me. But I had great results following this program last year, and I think pushing myself to do the high rep work along with the heavy stuff is the right combination for me.

My new plan is to follow Strength I, take a week off and move into Strength II followed by another week off and finally Strength III. I will be squatting with 4 plates by that time, hopefully much sooner.

If I can add 20lbs next week, 20 the following week, I will only be 10lbs away. I think it will happen 3 weeks from now.

[Simon C]

I think 4 plates will turn out to be a very short term goal

[pjb923]

Thanks Simon, I hope to prove you right.

I had another yoga class tonight and it was not easy considering how sore my legs were from yesterdays squat session. There were a few times where I thought my quads were going to cramp up but I managed to stick it out for the full hour without too much difficulty.

But, I have a feeling that I'm going to have sore shoulders tomorrow after doing the inverted L-pose a few times. You can see it here.
http://hillarysyogapractice.files.wo...1/img_1953.JPG

[pjb923]

BB Bench Press
45 x 10
95 x 8
135 x 6
185 x 6
225 x 6 x 3 sets
225 x 4

BB Bent-over Row
45 x 10
95 x 8
130 x 8
185 x 6 x 2 sets
135 x 12

Neutral-grip Lat Pulldown
80 x 10
130 x 8
180 x 8 x 2 sets

DB Shoulder Press
20's x 10
30's x 8
40's x 6
60's x 10
70's x 4 x 2 sets

I finished with 15 minutes on the concept 2 rower, and covered 3400 meters.

It's been a long time since I did BB bench press and I decided to do 4 sets of 6 instead of the wave loaded 6, 1, 6, 1 sets. I didn't have a spotter so I cut the last set short at 4 to be safe. My wrists started to bother me towards the end also, so I may go back to DB bench next week.

My rows need a little help. Once I start to up the weight the stress on my lower back becomes too much and I just don't feel comfortable. In the past I have just gave up on bent over rows and switched to either chest supported or 1-arm rows. This time I want to try to stick with it and slowly increase the weight again.

Nothing exciting about the pull-downs.

I was happy with the shoulder presses tonight. With the 70's my tri's just gave out after 4 reps in both sets.

Despite all of the complaining and excuses, I was happy with tonights workout.

[MindPower]

Some very impressive numbers in here Paul,
I think I will have to try that inverted L-pose, it looks interesting

[Alcoholiday]

just don't increase the weight too fast paul. Even though your lats can probably handle more, your back can't, which is why you should progress to the point where it CAN handle more. I would work on things like heavier chest supported rows or db rows to keep making your lats strong while trying to move up your bent over rows? What do you think?

[Simon C]

Very nice numbers indeed!

Nice bench pressing!

As for the rows, well I can't say too much as I've never been injured but I like alcos idea!

[pjb923]

Originally Posted by MindPower

Some very impressive numbers in here Paul,
I think I will have to try that inverted L-pose, it looks interesting

Thanks. I am finding Yoga to be a lot more difficult than it looks. Everyone always looks so peaceful and relaxed and then there is me sweating like a just ran a marathon and struggling to hold poses because my quads are on fire from yesterdays squat session.

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

just don't increase the weight too fast paul. Even though your lats can probably handle more, your back can't, which is why you should progress to the point where it CAN handle more. I would work on things like heavier chest supported rows or db rows to keep making your lats strong while trying to move up your bent over rows? What do you think?

I like your plan. I need to stick with it until my back strength catches up, not just avoid them like I have before. I have been scared of rows since a few years ago I was doing a set with around 185, lost my arch for just a second and messed my back up pretty good. I was in pain for a few days after that one. Since then I have learned what to avoid to keep myself out of trouble, and I know the best thing for me is to build up my back strength again. I just have to be conservative and increase gradually.

Originally Posted by Simon C

Very nice numbers indeed!
Nice bench pressing!
As for the rows, well I can't say too much as I've never been injured but I like alcos idea!

My bench numbers are OK, but old shoulder problems are always in the back of my mind. There may not be much straight bar benching in my future, but I would be happy to get to the point where I can handle the 120lb dumbbells.

[pjb923]

NROL Strength I - Workout C #1
4/11/08

Sumo Deadlift
95 x 8
135 x 8
185 x 6
225 x 6
275 x 6 x 2 sets
225 x 12
135 x 15

RDL
135 x 10 x 3 sets

Barbell Lunge
135 x 8 each leg x 3 sets

Good Morning
95 x 10 x 2 sets

I finished with some ab work and then had to wait around for a little while for my wife to finish her workout so I got in a little extra work.

Cable External Rotation
20 x 15 x 2 sets each arm

Cable Internal Rotation
30 x 20
40 x 20

Face Pulls
100 x 12 x 2 sets
120 x 10

DB Shrugs
50's x 15
70's x 12
70's x 15

This was great workout and my back is feeling really good. I am slowly getting to the point where I can handle heavier deadlifts again. I was conservative on the good mornings because of where they fall in the workout. The RDL's and lunges really took it out of me.

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by pjb923

Thanks. I am finding Yoga to be a lot more difficult than it looks. Everyone always looks so peaceful and relaxed and then there is me sweating like a just ran a marathon and struggling to hold poses because my quads are on fire from yesterdays squat session.

Hey Paul--don't let anyone tell you yoga's easy. Some of the hardest workouts I've ever done were in a yoga studio--if you want an ass-kickin', try Astanga or Bikram.

Nice squats! I'm with Simon, I can't even fathom anything more than 5 reps any more. 15s would kill me.

Tina

[pjb923]

Thanks Tina. Right now I'm taking the Yoga class that's offered for free at my gym and it's enough to get my started. Eventually I may get to the point where I need to seek out a more advanced class.

NROL Strength 1 - Workout D #1
4/14/08

Superset w/ full rest
Chin Up
BW x 6 x 4 sets
BW-82lbs x 12 (assisted pullup machine)

Barbell Shoulder Press
45 x 8
95 x 6
135 x 6
185 x 1
155 x 6
195 x 1 (10 lb PR)
115 x 12

Superset
DB Bench Press
80's x 8
90's x 10

Wide-grip seated cable row
150 x 8
160 x 8

I finished with 20 minutes on the elliptical and some ab work.

Chin ups were never one of my strong points so I decided to do 4 sets of 6 instead of wave loading. I had to push off the ground a bit on the last 2 reps of the 4th set.

I was very happy with my pressing numbers tonight. 185 went up fairly easily, but 195 was one hell of a struggle and I almost failed to lock out my left arm.