I have neglected my other log for too long and I think it's finally time to start over. My wife and I were on vacation last week which meant lots of eating out and very little exercise. The week before that wasn't much better. So the vacation is officially over. Since I only completed 3 workouts on my first attempt at TBT I am going to start from the beginning again.
I had my first workout last night.
Waterbury TBT
Week #1 Workout #1 - Monday 8/27/07
DB Bench Press
35's x 8
50's x 8
95's x 5 x 3 sets
Seated Cable Row
100 x 8
150 x 8
200 x 5 x 3 sets
Barbell Squat
95 x 8
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5 x 3 sets
Sumo Deadlift
135 x 5
225 x 5 x 2 sets
DB Hammer Curl
35's x 5
50's x 5 x 3 sets
Standing Calf Raise
100 x 8
200 x 5
240 x 5
280 x 5
This time I'm really back and going to stay committed to this routine until the end.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Thanks guys, it's great to be back. I'm feeling better already after only 2 workouts. It's amazing how crappy I start to feel after only a few short weeks of not exercising regularly.
Incline DB Bench Press
35's x 8
65's x 8
75's x 8
80's x 8 x 2 sets
DB Upright Row
15's x 8
25's x 8
30's x 8
35's x 8
Front Squat
45 x 8
95 x 8
135 x 5
225 x 8 x 3 sets
Good Morning
95 x 8
115 x 8 x 3 sets
EZ Bar Curl
40 x 8
70 x 8 x 3 sets
Dips
BW x 8 x 3 sets
This was an intense workout. I do not recommend doing full back squats after a 2 week layoff and following up with front squats 2 days later. My glutes were screaming at my during the warmup set with just the bar and I thought about just doing a cardio session and completing this workout tomorrow. But once I got going and loosened up a little it was better. My legs were on fire by the time I finished the 3rd set, but I did finish.
When I started TBT the first time I had 4 days between these 2 workouts so I didn't have this problem. They may be painfull, but it's a good challenge to have to push through my comfort zone. This style of workout is a big change, but I think that hitting the major muscle groups multiple times per week is going to work really well for me.
Holy shit. I was just thinking yesterday, what happened to Paul's training? And, here you are. I did TBT during the summer and loved it. Of course, I think you are pushing a tad more weight than I did.
__________________ In Fitness & Friendship, MAHLER
______________________________ __________________________ There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you.
ISO Lateral Wide Chest Hammer Strength
50 x 10
90 x 10
180 x 15
200 x 15
Lat Pull-down
80 x 10
130 x 15 x 2 sets
Step Up
BW x 10
40's x 15 each leg
50's x 15 each leg
Pull-through
100 x 10
200 x 15 x 2 sets
Seated Calf Raise
115 x 15 x 2 sets
BB Lying Triceps Extension
30 x 15
50 x 15 x 2 sets
Jimbo, I actually do feel that my strength was up after my time off. Mentally I feel like I'm going to be weaker, but once I actually start lifting I feel really strong. And to answer your question from my old log, I don't get very sore from the high rep sets. They hurt while I'm doing them but I think they may actually help my recovery time.
Mahler, I actually saw that you were doing TBT right after I decided to try it. So far i'm really liking it.
DB Bench Press
45's x 5
75's x 5
100's x 5 x 2 sets (+5lbs each)
100's x 8
Seated Cable Row
100 x 8
200 x 5
210 x 5 x 2 sets (+10lbs)
Barbell Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
285 x 5 (+10lbs)
295 x 5 x 2 sets (+20lbs)
Back Extensions on Roman Chair
BW x 10
+25 x 10 x 2 sets
DB Hammer Curl
25's x 8
55's x 5
50's x 5 x 2 sets
Standing Calf Raise
140 x 5
280 x 5
300 x 5 (+20lbs)
300 x 8 (+20lbs, +3 reps)
This was a really good workout with a nice increase on my squats. I am still not really comfortable deadlifting since hurting my back a while ago. I decided to just do some back extensions and I'll leave the deadlifts for the lighter 8 rep day.
I probably could have gone a little heavier on the presses, so I squeezed out an extra 3 reps in the 3rd set.
Incline DB Bench Press
40's x 8
55's x 5
80's x 8
85's x 8 (+5lbs each)
85's x 6
DB Upright Row
15's x 8
35's x 8 x 3 sets
Front Squat
45 x 8
95 x 5
135 x 5
235 x 8 x 3 sets (+10lbs)
Good Morning
95 x 8
125 x 8 x 3 sets (+10lbs)
EZ Bar Curl
40 x 8
80 x 8 x 3 sets (+10lbs)
Dips
BW x 8
BW +10 x 8 (+10lbs)
BW +15 x 8 (+15lbs)
Another great workout and everything is moving in the right direction. I don't know what happened on the last set of presses, I just could not move the weights after the 6th rep. Front squats felt really strong tonight.
Neutral Grip Pull-up
80 x 8
130 x 8
BW x 5 x 4 sets
Incline DB Bench Press
60's x 8
85's x 5 x 4 sets
Front Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
245 x 8
255 x 8 x 3 sets Reverse Grip Cable Curl
40 x 8
100 x 5 x 4 sets
Seated Calf Raise
45 x 10
90 x 10
135 x 8
145 x 8
155 x 5 x 2 sets
This was a tough workout. Deadlifts, front squats, incline press and pull-ups all in one session is intense. I am still being very conservative on the deadlifts because of my back. But it was feeling really strong today.
Front squats went really well. I started out with 245 and felt that I could handle another 10lbs.
Jimbo, On sets with lighter weight, I can go a few reps without pausing but normally I pause between reps. And sometimes will reverse my grip half way through a set.
I am still keeping up with my workouts, just at a slightly slower pace than I would like. My schedule has not really been great for getting to the gym as often as I like. I finally managed to get my next workout in last night.
Waterbury TBT
Week #3 Workout #2 - Monday 9/17/07
Barbell Squat
45 x 8
135 x 8
225 x 5
255 x 8 x 4 sets
Seated Cable Row
80 x 8
150 x 8
180 x 8 x 4 sets
Back Extensions w/ leg curl on Roman Chair
BW x 8 x 3 sets
BW + 10 x 8
Military Press
45 x 8
95 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 6
115 x 7
95 x 8
DB Curl
25's x 8
30's x 8 x 4 sets
Triceps push down w/ rope
50 x 8
100 x 8
110 x 8 x 4 sets
4 sets of 8 is a killer workout. I was tired to begin with due to a crappy nights sleep, but this workout really took it all out of me. Squats and rows went really well.
The back extensions with leg curls were my own sort of hybrid glut ham raise. We don't have a glute ham station at my gym, so I set the pads really low on the 45 degree hyperextension and really tried to focus on my hamstrings and add a leg curl at the top. It will have to do for now.
It's been a while since I have done a barbell military press and it showed. I overestimated how much weight I could handle. It felt Ok for the first set, but after 6 reps in the 2nd set I just burned out. I couldn't move the bar. After dropping the weight 20lbs, I still could not complete all 8 reps. Another 20lb drop to finish off and I was able to squeeze out all 8 reps.
Military Press
45 x 8
95 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 6
115 x 7
95 x 8
It's been a while since I have done a barbell military press and it showed. I overestimated how much weight I could handle. It felt Ok for the first set, but after 6 reps in the 2nd set I just burned out. I couldn't move the bar. After dropping the weight 20lbs, I still could not complete all 8 reps. Another 20lb drop to finish off and I was able to squeeze out all 8 reps.
You still Skooled me bro. I have only been doing these for a few months. 100# is the most I'm willing to load up with. I tend to feel "pressure" in my mid spine while doing these. It's hard for me NOT to arch my back. I can really feel these compressing the hell out of my spine. So..I'm impressed. That's some strong lifts there.
Thanks Jimbo. I worry about my back a little when doing these, but so far they have not caused any problems for me. I was just amazed at how suddenly I failed, everything was going fine and I hardly struggled on the 5th rep, then the 6th was almost impossible, and 7 was not going to happen.
On a side note, the hybrid back ext. leg curls really seemed to do the trick. My hamstrings are really sore today.
Thanks Jimbo. I worry about my back a little when doing these, but so far they have not caused any problems for me. I was just amazed at how suddenly I failed, everything was going fine and I hardly struggled on the 5th rep, then the 6th was almost impossible, and 7 was not going to happen.
On a side note, the hybrid back ext. leg curls really seemed to do the trick. My hamstrings are really sore today.
Well..per Chad you should have stopped after the 5th rep. He makes me wonder about that when this happens to me.
I wish we had a roman chair I might give those hybrids a go.
DB Alternating Lunges
25's x 15 each leg
30's x 15 x 2 sets
65 x 15 each leg (with barbell)
DB Bench Press
30's x 10
45's x 15
55's x 15 x 3 sets
Good Mornings
45 x 10
95 x 15 x 3 s ets
Cable Biceps Curl
50 x 10
80 x 15
90 x 15 x 2 sets
Standing Calf Raise
100 x 15
140 x 15 x 2 sets
Dips
BW x 6
Assisted Dip -100lbs x 15 x 2 sets
As always the 15 reps workouts are brutal, especially the lunges. After 2 sets with the 30's I could not do another, so I moved onto the other exercises. After the good mornings I decided to get in my last set of lunges using the barbell.
There was no way that I was going to get anywhere near 15 dips after all of those chest presses, so I moved onto the assisted dip machine to finish. I am beat after this wokout.
It's been a while. Here is my one workout that I managed to get in last week. Things have been very hectic lately and my gym time has been sufferening.
Front Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
255 x 5 x 2 sets
135 x 15
I did not have it in my to complete this workout. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't able to handle the weight. I cut the workout short and decided to do some cardio instead.
Barbell Squat
45 x 8
135 x 5
225 x 3
265 x 5
275 x 5
285 x 8 x 2 sets (+30lbs)
Seated Cable Row
80 x 8
130 x 8
180 x 8 x 4 sets
Back Extensions w/ leg curl on Roman Chair
BW x 8
BW + 10 x 8 x 2 sets
Military Press
45 x 8
95 x 8
115 x 8 x 3 sets
95 x 8
DB Curl
30's x 8
35's x 8 x 4 sets
Triceps push down w/ rope
50 x 8
100 x 8 x 2 sets
110 x 8 x 2 sets
This was a really good workout. I started out with squats and was feeling really good. For some reason I had it in my head that I was doing sets of 5 tonight. The first 2 sets felt too light and I kept adding weight. About 3 reps into the 3rd set I realized that I was supposed to be doing 8 reps and really had to push myself to finish all 8 reps.