Rev's Freaky Athlete Log

[Rev]

my caloric intake was upped to 2700 per day as of 1/30/05 with a split of 40g prot/30g carbs/30g fat. I'm curious as to whether I should raise carbs and lower protein, I'll hang out here for a while.

[Ian Kay]

Originally posted by Rev:
my caloric intake was upped to 2700 per day as of 1/30/05 with a split of 40g prot/30g carbs/30g fat. I'm curious as to whether I should raise carbs and lower protein, I'll hang out here for a while.

I'd say if you're going to increase carbs, lower your fat, not your protein.

[Rev]

oops, i meant 40% prot/30% carb/30% fat. You're right it should be a reduce in fat if I raise carbs. DOH! thanks!

[Rev]

Upper Body ME Day 2/1/05 AM

Bench Press
45 x 15
95 x 5
135 x 3
165 x 3
175 x 3
185 x 1
On the last set at 185lbs I asked a guy to spot me. He held onto the bar the whole time I was pressing and by the mid second rep I set let go and he did and I finished rep 2. Then went for third rep but my pressing strength had lift the building. So I'm only counting that set as one reps worth and I'll becareful who I ask for spots for and make directions more clear next time. I was nervous benching today coming back from inflamed rotator cuffs but everything was ok.

Bent-Over Row
45 x iso hold 30 seconds (back parallel to ground)
95 x iso hold 30 seconds (back raised, not good)
55 x iso hold 30 seconds (back better but not perfect)
45 x iso hold 30 seconds (back to parallel)
These were great, I felt a huge pump in my Teres Major and Infraspinatus region as I was working on scapulae retraction. Thanks Bill for the advice, I'll be getting full ROM with these in no time.

Standing DB Press
25 x 10
30 x 10
35 x 7
Again, scared about my rotator cuffs though I went ahead and went for it, everything went smoothely, no inflamation. Next time I'll shoot for 30 x 10, 35 x 8, and 40 x 6.

Barbell Curl
55 x 10
60 x 8
65 x 7
The pain threshold is always pushed to the max on this exercise more than any exercise I have ever done. Weird huh, I blasted through them they are always great for pumping up my biceps.

Close Grip Bench Press
105 x 10
115 x 8
125 x 5
I use about a 12 inch distance between my hands on these. I got stuck under the bar on the last rep and had to ask some dude to help me, kind of embarassing when theres 125lbs on the bar. [img]redface.gif[/img]

On a nutrtional note, I had zero carbs before my workout today and that's how it usually is. My breakfast consists of one protein shake, 370 calories, 62g of protein, well ok 4g of carbs, 0g fat. So I am going to start adding oatmeal to my breakfast, I'll just have to get up earlier befor class but I think the fact I have like no carbs in my system pre-workout may be hurting me. My body fat is still dropping though my weight has leveled out at 165lbs. This obviously means I need to eat more, so three days ago I was at 2400 cal's. Last two days I was at 2700 cal's. Today I am going to try 2900 cal's. I'm bumping these up a little faster than I planned, but my body seems to be handling it well with no fat gain. Infact its just speeding up my metabolism so far, I need to go ahead and climb up to higher cal's.

Today was allright, not an awesome workout but not the worst either. I was nervous coming in about my external rotators, this is my first week back from strengthening them and letting them rest from inflamation. My bench is not quite what it was three weeks ago, but I guess that is expected due to the rotator cuff issues I've had recently.

I'm going to take it slow and focus on not getting injured with my upper body. I hit 185, we'll say once because I'm not going to call it two reps if someone was holding onto the bar the whole damn time. My goal for next week will be a triple with 185lbs in the bench press. My PM external rotator routine will be posted tonight after I've finished it tonight. I'z out, peace.

[DKing]

If you like the Barbell Row iso holds another cool one is a seated row with a pause at the chest. Do a seated row like normal but when the bar gets to your chest pause and squeeze the shoulder blades back as hard as possible for 3-5 seconds. Works awesome.

About the carbs, definatly get more before training. Fruit is good and quick and so are some brands of Granola Bars. I really like the Nature Valley ones. Decently clean and not too bad especially in the morning.


Nice lifting sir.
Danny

[Ian Kay]

So what's this great iso-hold thing about? Is there a link?

[Rev]

Originally posted by DKing:
If you like the Barbell Row iso holds another cool one is a seated row with a pause at the chest. Do a seated row like normal but when the bar gets to your chest pause and squeeze the shoulder blades back as hard as possible for 3-5 seconds. Works awesome.

About the carbs, definatly get more before training. Fruit is good and quick and so are some brands of Granola Bars. I really like the Nature Valley ones. Decently clean and not too bad especially in the morning.


Nice lifting sir.
Danny

Thanks D! I'm going to have to try the cable rows out that will be fun to change things up. Something like fruit or a granola bar would be way easier, especially when I wake up 10 minutes before class starts...which is like every day.

Originally posted by RockHard:
So what's this great iso-hold thing about? Is there a link?

Bill suggested I use isometric contractions at the top of the movement with my scapulae fully contracted together to increase my ROM when performing bent-over rows. My issue was everytime I did a strict bent-over row I could get the bar to meet my abs and pause there and as the set progressed I just started using more momentum for them to meet. So this is being used to improve my ROM and scapulae strength...which happens to be the cause of my ROM problem.

This is what Bill said,

Originally posted by Bill Hartman:
You need to make sure you are retracting the scapulae (pulling them back so they touch). Once you can do that...

Quick fix:

Isometric holds - pull the loaded bar to your upper abs and squeeze the shoulder blades back and together as hard as you can. Hold for 30 seconds. That's one set. As many sets as you can for 30 seconds with your best weight. Perform every back workout for 3 workouts. Then perform regular concentric/eccentric reps with 3 sec pause at the contracted position for 3 workouts. Then go back to regular tempo reps.

Bill

So far it feels awesome because I KNOW my body needs this and that it's hitting a weak point in my training. Rows have always been shady with me, you know after a while its hard to determine if you are failing or not, but for now on if I can't get the bar to the stomach for a once second hold...or chin over the bar for that matter as far as pull-ups, it ain't gettin counted as a rep. If you can't get full extension in a press it's not counted as a rep either...so why not this way too.

[Rev]

Upper Body External Rotator Cuff 2/1/05 PM

Low Cable External Rotation
10 x 10
10 x 8
Blah blah comment comment.

L-Lateral Raise
12 x 10
mmmmmmmmmmmhm

Rear Delt Cable Row
100 x 12
Needs ta get heavier.

Just another night at work watching quarter squats, 3/4 ROM bicep curls, and other freakishly odd things. There were atleast a couple half naked hot chicks although.

[Rev]

My shoulders and I believe rotators are sore today. I am scared I over did it with the added external rotator work yesturday, maybe I had too much volume for my shoulders in one day. I don't know if it's ok to have sore rotator cuffs after working them with strengthening exercises, it never happend before. I'm pretty freaked out about it, I take injuries very seriously. I also raised calories to 3000 yesturday instead of 2900. I constantly go up and down four flights of stairs at work to supervise, so this was the main reason. Daily body fat measurements are remaining consistent, weight is up half a pound this morning though it could have been anything. Tomorrow is lower body RE day, my hamstrings are still screaming so I hope it dies down before I hit my deadlifts and good mornings tomorrow.

[Rev]

Lower Body Repetion Day 2/4/05

Today was the most intense workout I ever remember having. It took all the concentration I could muster up to walk down the flight of stairs at the gym after I was done. My legs are still numb I got done about a half hour ago. It's all for my 315lbs full squat...it's all for that 315lbs full squat...it's all for that 315lbs full squat.

Deadlift (clean grip)
45 x 20
135 x 10
225 x 8
245 x 5 (bar slipped out of hands and crashed on floor)
225 x 6
225 x 6
I had to lower the weight 20lbs after I dropped the bar, my grip strength flat out can't keep up with my hips on this exercise when I go overhand grip. This is ok, I am trying to bust out more reps on this currently and use overhand grip to get more trapezius and forearm hypertrophy along with grip strength.

Good Morning
95 x 8
95 x 8
95 x 6
95 x 6
Um...I totally underestimated how fatigued I would be from deads and going straight to good mornings so I kept the weight lite. The weight didn't feel lite, it felt heavy. I thought I was going to vomit.

Walking DB Lunges
50 x 10 (20 total steps)
50 x 10
50 x 10
Haha...hm...I'm seeing double, is that normal? What's my name again? I took my legs and hips to the LIMIT on this one.

Natural Glute/Ham Raise
bdy x 6
bdy x 6
bdy x 6
I'm too endorphin high to feel anything. I feel good, do you think if I jumped off this bench I could fly?

Crunches
bdy x 10
bdy x 10
bdy x 10
Normally I would do leg raises. I couldn't feel my legs, let alone raise them. So I busted out some crunches, you know how we do! das riiiiiiiight!

Won't you join me tomorrow for the next chapter in Rev's Freaky Athlete Log when Rev battles the mighty forces of upper body repetition day? Tune in tomorrow to see what happens! For now, I'm going to go eat a crapload of chicken borritos I just made. Peace homiez.

[BjsAust]

Originally posted by Rev:
My shoulders and I believe rotators are sore today. I am scared I over did it with the added external rotator work yesturday, maybe I had too much volume for my shoulders in one day. I don't know if it's ok to have sore rotator cuffs after working them with strengthening exercises, it never happend before.

Of course its ok for them to be sore. You need to stop thinking of them as mythical muscles with special properties. At the end of the day, they're just another set of muscles. They'll get DOMS just like any other muscles do, especially when you target them for the first time. Take it as a sign you did them right, not that you did them wrong .

[Rev]

Thanks for the advice Ben! I spook easy when it comes to injuries and health.

I need to post an external rotator workout I did on thursday, I didn't do my lower repetition day there because I was moving and didnt have time with school and work so i did that on friday.

Upper Body External Rotator Cuff 2/3/05

Low Cable External Rotation
10 x 10
10 x 8

DB L-Lateral Raise
12 x 10

Everything went normal, feeling my strength increase now.

Calories Raised as of 2/4/05 from 3,000 - 3,200 calories per day. Checked body composition this morning, body fat still exactly where it was at the end of cutting phase, everything going smoothely while building my calories up this week.

[Rev]

Upper Body Repetition Day 2/5/05

Pull-Ups (medium grip) [pull-up = overhand grip]
bdy x 10
bdy x 6
bdy x 4
bdy x 4
bdy x 4
I warmed up with lat pulldowns and when I jumped up there to bust out my first set of pull-ups I felt great, thats the most pull-ups I have ever gotten in one set before. And these were perfect pull-ups, chest touching the bar, chin completely over. I think I gained a lot of strength from doing so many low rep weighted chin-ups on my cut phase. I quickly ran out of gas on these although, as you can see. I sped up my contractions on the last couple sets to get in atleast 4 reps. Started 2:4 second contractions, ended with 1:2.

Incline DB Press
50 x 10
50 x 8
50 x 6
50 x 5
I didn't know how much weight to start out with on these, I hadn't done them in this high of a rep range in forever. I picked 50, just so happens I couldn't go up or down in weight the whole time. Next time I'll probably start with 45s and try to get to 55s.

Cable Row
60 x 10 (3 second isometric hold bar against abs)
60 x 8 (3 second isometric hold bar against abs)
60 x 6 (3 second isometric hold bar against abs)
Wow...these are humbling, this is NOT easy for me to do. My back and arms were quivering holding the bar against my upper abdominals for three seconds contracting my scapulae together. I'm doing 3 second holds on these for three weeks and 30 second iso reps for the bent-over rows for 3 weeks. Then I'll due regular reps for cable row and 3 sec iso's at the top for bent-over rows for 3 weeks, and then both normal.

Tricep Dip (leaning back and upright)
bdy x 10
bdy x 10
bdy x 8
By the time I got over here I was pretty spent, but again during the cutting phase I did so many of these weighted that even at the end of my workout I busted out my fair share of reps and I felt really lite since I'm used to plates hanging off me, HUGE pump in triceps, wow.

Incline DB Curl
20 x 10
25 x 8
30 x 5
Not much to say here, nice tight flex at the top of each curl, got a great pump.

Today's workout was great, it's an awesome day outside, had my favorite tunes blaring on the way to the gym with the window rolled down. Really feeling positive and it carried over to the weight room. Excellent work out. And now, I have some lean hamburger to throw on the grill to get that protein, creatine, and fat in my muscles. I'll be getting 3200 calories today, just like yesturday, I'll do the same tomorrow, monday however I don't know, might raise to 3400 monday. Peace homiez.

[Rev]

Lower Body ME Day Lower Body ME Day 2/7/05

Full Squat
45 x 20
95 x 6
135 x 3
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 3
245 x 1
what the FUCK?!?!?? FUCKING SHIT, FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!

SLDL
95 x 8
135 x 6
145 x 6
155 x 6
easy as hell

Then I quit, why? Because I was too fucking pissed off and still am over my squats. I actually went down a rep, DOWN!!! FUCK THIS SHIT MAN, i dont give a FUCK about getting bigger, fuck this repetion shit! I just want to get stronger, freaky fucking strong, stronger than any of the other assholes in the gym. So fuck it, I'll be the smallest AND the strongest motherfucker in that whole fucking gym.

I need to do EVERYTHING in my power to train for PURE strength. And I don't think I am doing that right now, I am seriously considering going pure westside. I don't want to just train to be strong in a lift, I want to be strong period. I am not sure where to go from here I am too fucking disgusted in myself to focus on anything. just what the FUCK man?!?! FUCK THIS, god damn it. I swear to god I'm tired of this shit, I'm not increasing a single MOTHERFUCKING pound of lean body mass until my relative strength goals are met. Someone call me small or something, big tough fucking deal, I'll cry myself to sleep wah wah wah. I need to get stronger and my focus is goin to be there 100%, I don't exactly know what to do, all I know is I THINK the ultimate method to increasing strength is dynamic plus max effort training, suggestions would be really helpful.

[Rev]

Ok I am a little more cooled off. I am reassessing my routine and goals here. I think the lack of speed work is really holding my strength gains back, I believe I am going to do something about that.

[GqArtguy]

You should an outlined conjugate routine with minor modifications for your shoulder and run with it. That way you get a feel for the system and see how things can be manipulated.

I also wonder about your squat form. You might want to post vids of that.

[Ian Kay]

Hell man, I wouldn't do so hot either after starting with a 20 rep warmup set!!! I actually had a discussion with ex-forum member Ikan_Twin about too many warm-up reps in Ian King's routines. After I cut those in half, my lifts went up.

I think you're on the right track with getting stronger first. Size is cool (I'd be a hypocrite to say that you shouldn't worry about it at all) but strength is key to every-day activity, and also can be used as a basis for hypertrophy later on. Don't forget, real growth comes from lifting heavy weights. You can't do that without good strength first. Those glistening bodybuilders might not be able to lift as much as the power-lifters, but they can sure as hell lift a lot more than most gym rats!

And let me tell you a secret(and I can say it in here without getting too much shit from people, [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) : One of these days, when you're CONFIDENCE has grown with your strength, you're gonna put on of those mutherfuckers from your gym (or someone like them) in their place.

Not to toot my own horn too much, but at 5'10", 165 lbs. (and less not that long ago) I've kicked the shit out of a good number of bigger guys. Attitude, me brudda! The last thing a big guy is expecting is for someone smaller to walk up and clock him in the nose with an elbow! Ok, enough on the violence... but you see what I mean? I seriously don't want you to go hit one of these guys... you'll just get in a shitload of trouble and I'd feel like an asshole... but get that fight into your daily routine!!!

Look at that bar and just give it a big "FUCK YOU!" when it won't move anymore. Picture yourself dropping some 80-pound DB's on those guys throats. Get pissed, at the weights, at them... get it out!!! Don't bottle it up, blame yourself, and then let your rage out without direction. Aim it at 300 pounds and fight until you get there!!!

Ok, hopefully I won't get too much shit from the other guys for saying this. I know the expression of anger can be a touchy subject. For anyone who reads this and disagrees with me, I understand where you're coming from and respect it. This is just my approach and I feel good about it.

Werd, gangsta!