El tío Saín

[El tío Saín]

OK, here we are

After some personal problems (and a back injury too) I´m coming back to training. I lost a few kg and my strength seemed to vanish off the face of the earth, but I will reemerge.

This first month I will be doing CW´s ABBH, I tink it´s a good way to return to the gym and start rebuilding my physical condition and my work capacity.

I´ll try to make this log enjoyable and informative, if possible, giving a quick reference of what I´m doing now, not only concerning training but also nutrition. Hope you find it useful; it´ll be useful for me to keep track of my work anyway, and I´d appreciate any feedback to make it better.

Personal data:

• 1.78m, about 155 lbs now @ 15% BF.
• 5-6 years of weight training.
• Goal : hypertrophy, for the moment. We´ll take care of fat later.
• Before the injury I could bench 86kg (190 lbs) for 3 reps, squat 118 kg (260 lbs) and deadlift 124 kg (273 lbs). Those lifts are from November, but there´s no way in the world I could reach that now, that´s why I´m starting so light. There´s a fear factor going on too.

Supplementation goes like this, following MR´s patterns:

Pre-workout, hypertrophy (about 15 minutes before training): 50g carbs (maltodextrin), 25g protein (whey hydrolysate).

Post-workout, hypertrophy (about 30 minutes after, should I wait more/less?): 50g carbs (maltodextrin), 25g protein (whey hydrolysate), 5g creatine.

1h - 1'5h after that I'll be having a solid meal (CH + PRO).

Fish (salmon) oil, with meals (8g, 5-6 softgels)

BCAA´s - 16g (4g taken 4 times per day between meals)

30g MPI before bed.

---

For anything you may want to ask I´m at your disposal.

Just another more thing. I´m writing from Spain and I´m trying to do my best to make my English intelligible. Just in case something it´s not clear, please ask

[El tío Saín]

"Only strength can cooperate. Weakness can only beg."

ABBH - Day 1

A1. Flat BB Bench Presses, 10x3 @ 150 lbs
A2. BB Rows, , 10x3 @ 150 lbs

Commentary:

Quick and easy day. Bench felt easy, I think 10x4 will be a little more challenging but possible. Rows felt easy too. Rest periods of 60s were strictly respected.

[El tío Saín]

"Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity."

ABBH - Day 2

A1. BB Front Squats, 5x10 @ 92.5 lbs
A2. Reverse Crunch, 5x10 @ BW (incline)
A3. Standing Calf Raises, 5x10 @ 80 lbs

Commentary:

First of all, note the ridiculous weight for the front squats; that´s because of the back injury I had (so I´m starting conservative). These were also my first front squats ever. Felt light, but short rest periods made the workout demanding. 5th set was hard. Anyway I´ll be increasing weights next week, maybe up to 110 lbs.

[El tío Saín]

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

ABBH - Day 3

A1. Dips, 10-10-8-8-8 @ BW
A2. Chin-ups, 10-8-6 @ BW + pulldowns 2x10 @ 80lbs

Commentary:

Well, I wanted to try I think I can make my 5x10 with bodyweight on dips, but I´m still weak for chin-ups. Got just 3 sets of 10, 8 and 6, and then I finished it off with pulldowns.

[El tío Saín]

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man".

ABBH - Day 4

A1. BB Deadlifts, 10x 3 @ 198 lbs
A2. Seated Calf Raises, 10 x 3 @ 88 lbs
A3. Decline Sit-Ups, 10x3 holding a 25 lbs disc

Commentary:

Well, another easy one. Good news is I did not feel any pain while deadlifting (this one did the back damage). 10x4 will be better.

[Mahler]

El tio Sain,
Welcome to the Training Forum. I enjoyed ABBH when I did it a while back. It looks like you are off to a good start. By the way, I like the quotes at the top of your training log. Nice touch. Good luck with your program.

[El tío Saín]

Thanks Mahler Yeah, I´m happy to train again. I´m starting light but I think it´s a matter of one or two months that I start training hard and heavier.

But best news for the moment is that my lower back seems to be OK.

[Grant]

Nice log, I will be checking it out.

[El tío Saín]

"Have regard for your name, since it will remain for you longer than a great store of gold".

ABBH - Day 6

A1. Flat BB Bench Presses, 10x4 @ 150 lbs
A2. BB Rows, 10x4 @ 150 lbs

Comments:

Quick and easy too. Maybe I started too light, we will know with 10x5 next week. 9th and 10th sets of BP were closer to faliure anyway. Rows felt quite easy too. This took 4-5 minutes more than the day 1.

[El tío Saín]

"There are some defeats more triumphant than victories"

ABBH - Day 7

A1. BB Front Squats, 5x10 @ 110 lbs
A2. Reverse Crunch, 5x10 @ BW (incline - a little bit more)
A3. Standing Calf Raises, 5x10 @ 90 lbs

Commentary:

Hard one this time. Front squats were hard to complete with 60s rest periods, and 4th and 5th sets were very demanding. Anyway, I could complete them in good form. Next load increment will be smaller.

[El tío Saín]

"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim"

ABBH - Day 8

A1. Dips, 10-10-10-8-10 @ BW
A2. Chin-ups, 10-8-6 @ BW + pulldowns 10 8 @ 90lbs

Commentary:

Bad day. Dips were better, but Chin-ups were the same. I was wasted anyway. Rest periods were not respected and went up to 90s between some sets.