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Post by killroy70 on May 11, 2007 11:22:13 GMT -8
Today's arms workout:
A1) Dips
BW+10x26* BW+55x14 (about an inch from lockout on that 15th rep) BW+92.5x5*
A2) BB curls
82.5x28* 95x15* 112.5x4
B1) DB upright row 55x10, 10 B2) overhead DB extension (both arms) 40x12, 12 (very easy, just going for the stretch here) B3) EZ reverse curl 65x8,7 (only counting weights on the bar here - I'm using an olympic EZ curl bar, but not quite sure how much it weighs - maybe 20 lbs or so?)
Notes:
-Dips felt very good today. Last week I BARELY eeked out that 24th rep, today I hit 26, so was pretty pumped about that. My second set has remained stuck at BW+55x14 for a couple of weeks now, but I will make one observation. During todays and last week's workouts, the first 10 reps on that second set have fired up. I mean, at about rep 6 today I thought I was going to get 15 easy. But those last couple are just hitting a wall. So, I feel stronger during the set, but keep on petering out at the end. Today's 92.5x5 felt very solid, and like the preceding set, I was d--n near an inch from locking out that 6th rep.
-Curls - after my first set of 82.5x28, my arms were so pumped they were difficult to bend for a good 2 minutes! 95 felt good, and I finally hit my rep goal with a solid 15. Both those first 2 sets were really tough today, my arms just wouldn't cooperate on that last set.
Overall, yet another productive, progressing, solid workout.
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Post by John A. Casler on May 12, 2007 11:05:35 GMT -8
Today's arms workout: A1) Dips BW+10x26* BW+55x14 (about an inch from lockout on that 15th rep) BW+92.5x5* A2) BB curls 82.5x28* 95x15* 112.5x4 B1) DB upright row 55x10, 10 B2) overhead DB extension (both arms) 40x12, 12 (very easy, just going for the stretch here) B3) EZ reverse curl 65x8,7 (only counting weights on the bar here - I'm using an olympic EZ curl bar, but not quite sure how much it weighs - maybe 20 lbs or so?) Notes: -Dips felt very good today. Last week I BARELY eeked out that 24th rep, today I hit 26, so was pretty pumped about that. My second set has remained stuck at BW+55x14 for a couple of weeks now, but I will make one observation. During todays and last week's workouts, the first 10 reps on that second set have fired up. I mean, at about rep 6 today I thought I was going to get 15 easy. But those last couple are just hitting a wall. So, I feel stronger during the set, but keep on petering out at the end. Today's 92.5x5 felt very solid, and like the preceding set, I was d--n near an inch from locking out that 6th rep. -Curls - after my first set of 82.5x28, my arms were so pumped they were difficult to bend for a good 2 minutes! 95 felt good, and I finally hit my rep goal with a solid 15. Both those first 2 sets were really tough today, my arms just wouldn't cooperate on that last set. Overall, yet another productive, progressing, solid workout. Great results!! Keep in mind the "DIPS" will likely move a little slower than some of the other exercises. I find that compound exercises that allow you to "catch your breath" for a second are the best. Like Squats, benches, curls, etc, allow you to actually stop the action and hold the load for a second without reducing the next few reps too much. Dips, however do allow you to stop at the top, but even just holding yourself there is taxing to the reps to follow. So expect the results to be a littlle slower. Also you are making "huge" jumps (around 40#+ each)...That's impressive. I forgot; are you taking any creatine monohydrate? That can sometimes help in the longer POWER sets, to get more reps, and to replentish ATP and recover for the next set.
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Post by killroy70 on May 12, 2007 13:23:12 GMT -8
Yeah, "resting" between reps is definitely no rest at all! The first workout where I added weight to that first set of dips and got 24 reps, my left tricep cramped up on rep 23. I was holding myself at the top, arms locked out, going for one more, than my tri cramped. I was still able to churn out that 24th rep, but man, you really can't wait too long between reps.
Now, as far as supplements go, I only use whey protein powder, a once a day multivitamin/mineral, and fish oil caps. I haven't used creatine in a couple of years and might give that a try this coming week. I do have a question for you though - what do you think about the "buffered" creating supplements? One I was looking at in particular says that there is no loading phase and you only take it on workout days. I'll post a link to the company's website, but in looking at other buffered creatine from some of the bigger and more recognizeable companies, they seem to claim the same thing. That loading phase was the only thing I didn't like about using creatine monohydrate. 20-25 grams a day (spaced out over 4-5 servings of 4-5 grams) for 5-7 days was kind of a pain. However, if you think regular-old creatine monohydrate powder is a better way to go than some of the new, "no-loading phase," "only take on workout days," etc.. creatines, I'll hit the creatine monohydrate.
Let me know what you think.
thanks, ken
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Post by John A. Casler on May 12, 2007 13:49:47 GMT -8
Yeah, "resting" between reps is definitely no rest at all! The first workout where I added weight to that first set of dips and got 24 reps, my left tricep cramped up on rep 23. I was holding myself at the top, arms locked out, going for one more, than my tri cramped. I was still able to churn out that 24th rep, but man, you really can't wait too long between reps. Now, as far as supplements go, I only use whey protein powder, a once a day multivitamin/mineral, and fish oil caps. I haven't used creatine in a couple of years and might give that a try this coming week. I do have a question for you though - what do you think about the "buffered" creating supplements? One I was looking at in particular says that there is no loading phase and you only take it on workout days. I'll post a link to the company's website, but in looking at other buffered creatine from some of the bigger and more recognizeable companies, they seem to claim the same thing. That loading phase was the only thing I didn't like about using creatine monohydrate. 20-25 grams a day (spaced out over 4-5 servings of 4-5 grams) for 5-7 days was kind of a pain. However, if you think regular-old creatine monohydrate powder is a better way to go than some of the new, "no-loading phase," "only take on workout days," etc.. creatines, I'll hit the creatine monohydrate. Let me know what you think. thanks, ken I use "micronized" creatine from any of the main name brands, and take it stirred up in some soda. Taking it in soda, buffers it in your stomach, and you don't pay extra for it. I usually take 5+ grams only on my weight training days and 30-45 mins before training, then hydrate like crazy for the rest of the day. With me, it can cause "cramping" if I dehydrate a bit, so I never take it on my cardio days, (since I sweat like crazy) or else I can get some very serious intercostal and ab cramps on the ride home. (even after drinking 1/2 gallon of Cytomax before and after the stairs)
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Post by carruthersjam on May 13, 2007 8:10:34 GMT -8
Hi Jamie, Good question, and the difficult thing for some to see in the system is that it "IS NOT" a high rep system as most perceive them. In fact it does just the opposite. It makes "slow fiber" more explosive, rather than fast fiber "oxidative". This is because your "lighter" loads (and I only use the term "lighter" in a realtive sense) are used in a way that makes their stimulus that of "high load", because of the speed of that movement requiring large efforst to acceleration, and decelleration. In fact this very element of "load/force" control and conversion is what causes the higher rep sets to have such a DIRECT affect on the larger load sets. The Intramuscualr Tensions, and Motor Impulses, at some points in the repetitions, are actually equal to or larger, than with the greater load sets. In Westside Louie calls it "speed" day. It is also used in Plyo type training where lighter loads (many times just bodyweight) are used to stimulate explosive actions. So no, this system when used as I intend it, will not convert the oxidative or contractile qualities of the fibers. Given that different fibres fatigue at different rates do you think one could do some type pre-screening /evaluation with the individual to determine the most appropriate target rep schemes? For example, if an individual has a larger % of fast twitch fibres which fatigue more rapidly than slow twitch a lower target rep scheme could be used with more sets and vice versa. I have an article in the post from the US entitled "Fiber-specific, that's what your training should be for maximum results" by Dr Laich (1989). Should be interesting - phew this is perplexing. Thanks Jamie
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Post by John A. Casler on May 13, 2007 9:01:51 GMT -8
Hi Jamie, Good question, and the difficult thing for some to see in the system is that it "IS NOT" a high rep system as most perceive them. In fact it does just the opposite. It makes "slow fiber" more explosive, rather than fast fiber "oxidative". This is because your "lighter" loads (and I only use the term "lighter" in a realtive sense) are used in a way that makes their stimulus that of "high load", because of the speed of that movement requiring large efforst to acceleration, and decelleration. In fact this very element of "load/force" control and conversion is what causes the higher rep sets to have such a DIRECT affect on the larger load sets. The Intramuscualr Tensions, and Motor Impulses, at some points in the repetitions, are actually equal to or larger, than with the greater load sets. In Westside Louie calls it "speed" day. It is also used in Plyo type training where lighter loads (many times just bodyweight) are used to stimulate explosive actions. So no, this system when used as I intend it, will not convert the oxidative or contractile qualities of the fibers. Given that different fibres fatigue at different rates do you think one could do some type pre-screening /evaluation with the individual to determine the most appropriate target rep schemes? For example, if an individual has a larger % of fast twitch fibres which fatigue more rapidly than slow twitch a lower target rep scheme could be used with more sets and vice versa. Thanks Jamie Hi Jamie, Good question, and in a perfect world where this was easily ascertainable it might serve to offer a slight improvement. But, muscle biopsies are less than desirable and rep tests are basically what we are doing, within the system. Essentially, the system "covers" a wide area of metabolic, power, and strength stimulus to really train several systems, that link together. Strength, Power and Endurance. Of course upon starting most will find they are not conditioned to the demands of all the power/strength/endurance elements, it may take some time to bring all those systems up. Once this is done however, the total level of conditioning is quite high. A Continuum of Strength/Power/Endurance is established, and seems to provide a very substantial level of overall conditioning, from which to specialize if needed. This system is more effective for Strength, Strength Endurance, Hypertrtophy, and Power, and is less, or not as effective, for skill related lifting. (Although some implementations can be quite good)
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Post by killroy70 on May 14, 2007 5:11:01 GMT -8
Today's chest/back workout:
A1) Bench press
145x30* 175x12 200x4 (up 1 rep, but no PR just yet...)
A2) Nuetral grip pulldown
145x30* 185x15* 220x6* (same as last week, but still a PR)
B1) Incline DB combo fly-press 47.5x10 B2) Straight arm last pulldown (Kneeling with rope attachment) 80x10
Notes:
-first let me say, I have not got on creatine yet, as I haven't had the chance to go out and get any. So, today's PR's are "all me."
-It felt great to beat last week's first bench set by 3 reps. And, as I noted with dips last week, my second set of bench this week actually felt great. I fired up those first 8 reps east, and then cranked out 4 more, failing on rep 13. I think here the creatine may be a huge help. We'll see. Also, I beat last week's final set of bench by a rep, but still have some work to do there to reach a PR.
-pulldowns - as with bench, felt very good today, I gave all I had to PR on the first 2 sets that I was pretty elated to at least match my final set PR of last week. My arms and upper back were really feeling tight as I approached that last set, but still cranked out 6 solid reps in good form.
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Post by killroy70 on May 16, 2007 14:21:56 GMT -8
Today's leg workout:
A1) Squats
185x30* 220x15* 250x6
A2) Reverse loaded squats
185x26* 195x15* 200x11*
Notes:
-I was surprised at how today's workout went. Last week, that set of 175x30 was tough as hell. But then today came along, and I hammered out 185x30. Again, though I was breathing like crazy near the end, the last few reps popped up very strong and in very good form.
-what I was MOST surprised about was that today's 2nd set of squats was, by far, the best "2nd squat set" yet on this program. I felt very solid.
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Post by John A. Casler on May 16, 2007 16:07:20 GMT -8
Today's leg workout: A1) Squats 185x30* 220x15* 250x6 A2) Reverse loaded squats 185x26* 195x15* 200x11* Notes: -I was surprised at how today's workout went. Last week, that set of 175x30 was tough as hell. But then today came along, and I hammered out 185x30. Again, though I was breathing like crazy near the end, the last few reps popped up very strong and in very good form. -what I was MOST surprised about was that today's 2nd set of squats was, by far, the best "2nd squat set" yet on this program. I felt very solid. I like the way your numbers are beginning to look. I think you can now see that if you don't rush, you can make either a rep or a couple pounds in one or more sets for a "l-o-n-g" period of time, and each workout during the program is the best workout you have ever had with those load and rep schemes. I just want to make sure you keep that low back healthy, and the reverse load squats, should help that. I would like to see you at 315 x 5 reps in the squat with 235 x 30 220# x 15 is good in anyone's book. In fact looking at that, I think you are not that far away from 275 x 15. At 5# a week that is what, 11 weeks? So if you go 1/2 speed progress, you are there in 22 weeks = 5 months. And 275 x 15 puts you in that 315 range for 5-6 reps. Just keep that back healthy and in good position for every rep. Your torso has to be a column of steel from top to bottom, and back to the top each rep. Back arched, Head up, Butt out, and Abs rock hard every inch of each rep, and your back will be golden.
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Post by killroy70 on May 17, 2007 15:34:44 GMT -8
John - quick question about micronized creatine. I just picked some up today, but every brand I saw at the store had a "loading phase" and "maintenance phase." Pretty much the standard recommendations, 20-25 grams a day for 5 days, 5-10 grams thereafter. Is all of that unneccessary? You posted that you only took it on workout days, so that's what I'm going with right now. I'm starting it tommorrow, will take 5-10 grams 30 minutes before working out with some high GI carbs + protein, and another 5 grams after working out with my post-workout meal. If you think there's any real "benefit" to going through the loading phase, aside from making the supplement companies more money, let me know. Thanks
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Post by John A. Casler on May 17, 2007 15:58:38 GMT -8
John - quick question about micronized creatine. I just picked some up today, but every brand I saw at the store had a "loading phase" and "maintenance phase." Pretty much the standard recommendations, 20-25 grams a day for 5 days, 5-10 grams thereafter. Is all of that unneccessary? You posted that you only took it on workout days, so that's what I'm going with right now. I'm starting it tommorrow, will take 5-10 grams 30 minutes before working out with some high GI carbs + protein, and another 5 grams after working out with my post-workout meal. If you think there's any real "benefit" to going through the loading phase, aside from making the supplement companies more money, let me know. Thanks I think everyone responds a little differently to the first time. You might try 10g a day for the first 4-5 days (with a small amount of soda w/sugar not sugar free) and then just hit 10g on strenght training days, and see what happens. Make sure and drink plenty of liquids. I would be interested in if you find a benefit on the "High Rep" sets. While it didn't reduce the pain, I did find that my reps just kept climbing. All I had to do is get them over before the pain was too intense. My lats are pretty sore today too. I switched back to pulldowns after doing Bent Over Rows for the last year or so. Feels like someone melted some large slabs of meat to my back, and it is just hanging there. I might run it up to 300# again for fun, to see if I still have some "juice". 300 x 15 would be a reasonable load to go after. Or maybe 300 x 20. Or......
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Post by killroy70 on May 18, 2007 5:06:17 GMT -8
I think you should take a run at it. I believe you said you hit 330x30 when you were 48? Imagine meeting that total a decade later! You know, I thought I'd be ripping down big big numbers in the pulldown from the get-go due to the fact that before beginning this program I could chin BW+80-90lbs for 3-5 reps. So, i thought, well, I weight around 200 lbs, so my final sets of pulldowns should be close to 280 for 5+ reps, right? Wrong! Perhaps it's that pulldowns works one's upper body more without the magnitude of aid coming from various other muscle groups (abs, etc.). Who knows. I'm eager to hit that magical 300 lb number in the future.
today's arms workout:
A1) Dips
BW+10x27* BW+55x15*************(FINALLY)*************** BW+92.5x5*(matched PR of last week) BWx24 (finisher at the end of the workout)
A2) BB curls
82.5x30* 97.5x12 112.5x5*
B1) DB upright rows
57.5x10, 10
B2) overhead DB ext
50x12, 12
B3) Reverse ez curl
65x8
write notes later...
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Post by killroy70 on May 18, 2007 10:04:50 GMT -8
Notes:
-Overall today's workout went very well. PR'd on every set of dips, although the BW+92.5x5 was what I achieved last week - I was ecstatic to finally hit BW+55x15 on that second set.
-Curls - First set of 82.5x30 felt very good. Beat last week's effort by 2 reps, but felt more "solid." Reps were in very good form all the way through.
-Final observation was that on DB upright rows, 57.5x10, 10 felt good. I should note that I'm not performing these in "standard upright row" fashion. I want this exercise to primarily hit the lateral head of the deltoids, so I use 1 DB at a time (10 reps then switch arms), with a slight forward lean, and row the DB up and slightly outwards, so that the movement begins against my thigh and finishes in line with my upper chest, about 8-10 inches away from my body. I still feel there's some great potential in this exercise, actually wondering if I should have put it in the rotation as a "primary" exercise with curls and dips. Hmmm...
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Post by carruthersjam on May 18, 2007 11:42:10 GMT -8
I have an article in the post from the US entitled "Fiber-specific, that's what your training should be for maximum results" by Dr Laich (1989). Extracts: The variables involved in creating these fiber-specific programs include those already familiar to experienced bodybuilders: 1) Amount of weight used 2) Number of reps 3) Number of sets 4) Amount of test between sets and one that too many bodybuilders are not sufficiently aware of: 5) Speed and explosiveness of repetitions To illustrate how differentia! speeds of movement stimulate different responses, here's an example. Two groups of athletes do squats five times a week, with one group doing heavy squat movements slowly, at a rate of something like 30 degrees per second, while the other group performs the lift with a lower weight and more rapidly, at closer to 100 degrees per second. Both groups are elite athletes, with a good development of both white and red fiber to begin with. At the end of three months of this kind of training, you'd see selective hypertrophy of the white, fast-twitch fiber in the group performing the squats quickly. In the group doing the movement slowly, you'd see the opposite the red fiber hypertrophied. In explosive movements, speed is necessary, but not enough. Accelerating the weight upward as fast as possible, right from the first instant of the concentric part of the movement, vastly increases the amount of power generated. Along the same lines, a particular bodybuilder might have a preponderance of white fiber in some muscles but a greater proportion of red fiber in others. Ideally, a good portion of his white fiber training should therefore consist of heavy, explosive movements, with lots of rest between sets. But if he trains his red fibers the same way, he'll be stimulating growth predominantly in the relatively sparse white fiber rather than the abundant red fiber population. For his red-fiber bodyparts, he'd do better to reir more on heavy sets done one after another with a minimum rest, forcing the aerobically talented red fiber to do most of the work. A lot of bodybuilders don't make this kind of adjustment. If one bodypart responds particularly when, the tendency is to train an the other bodyparts the same way. Which, as we can see, mar be a very big mistake. There isn't any quick and simple way to determine what kind of muscle fiber predominates in your physique or each of your bodyparts, short of undergoing multiple muscle biopsies and complex histochemiéal studies. In practical terms, bodybuilders should begin by doing a total program that includes all these types of training and establish via trial and error…
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Post by John A. Casler on May 18, 2007 13:02:22 GMT -8
I think you should take a run at it. I believe you said you hit 330x30 when you were 48? Imagine meeting that total a decade later! You know, I thought I'd be ripping down big big numbers in the pulldown from the get-go due to the fact that before beginning this program I could chin BW+80-90lbs for 3-5 reps. So, i thought, well, I weight around 200 lbs, so my final sets of pulldowns should be close to 280 for 5+ reps, right? Wrong! Perhaps it's that pulldowns works one's upper body more without the magnitude of aid coming from various other muscle groups (abs, etc.). Who knows. I'm eager to hit that magical 300 lb number in the future. 330 x 30 might not be possible, given two elelments: 1) a significantly different (natural) hormonal profile 2) Less motivation to reach that level But considering I think one should also begin to keep "age" records in one's training log. That allows us to reach age related level of perfromance and still recognize the significance of that performance. today's arms workout: A1) Dips BW+10x27* BW+55x15*************(FINALLY)*************** BW+92.5x5*(matched PR of last week) BWx24 (finisher at the end of the workout) A2) BB curls 82.5x30* 97.5x12 112.5x5* B1) DB upright rows 57.5x10, 10 B2) overhead DB ext 50x12, 12 B3) Reverse ez curl 65x8 write notes later... Looking at your "finisher" dip set. I used to also do something similar, which was usually a very strict, almost SS set with still a quite large load (I remember it was 300# in the pulldown) where I would perform each rep slowly, deliberatly and "DEAD STOP" with a 1/2 second pause at both the top and bottom of each rep. The feeling of RAW STRENGTH was fabulous, and the Power came from "Post Tetanic Facilitation" being harvested. That is when I began thinking that all these CNS fatigue experts might be well off base. In the Bench press, I would do 5-6 reps dead stopping the weight on my chest and then exploding and accelerating to the top to slowly lower and feel the eccentric loading as I did. You might want to try that in your dips. I remember back when I was dipping heavily, I could (when fully warmed up) drop to the bottom, stop, and then explode back up. Regarding your chins vs dips diferential; I think you ultimatley will have more strength in the pulldown for one simple reason. STABILITY. If you wedge yourself in as tightly as possible, and learn to pull with every element in the kinetic chain (not just the arms and shoulders) you will find that you can move freaking mountains of weight. So everything, from your toes to your finger tips, is involved in either stabilizing you or moving the load. When I used to get done doing my pulldowns each week, I wasn't just sore in my lats, I had DOMs all over. (even my calves from holding me in so tightly for 30 reps) The stresses were sometimes so brutal, that I worried I might break my femurs at the end of the stretch shortening cycle when I decellerated the weight to start the next rep. I could just see the headline "Man breaks both legs doing lat pulldowns" Speaking of that, make sure the T-Bar pad is "high on the thigh" so you are not wasting energy and effort, just holding yourself in. The lower on the thigh, the more unstable you are, and that is a MAJOR limitation. You need analyze EVERY element that can allow you to increase your performance.
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