Back

Just in time before leaving, my replacement weight belt came from EliteFTS. This one fits MUCH better (XL instead of L). Before the fit put the prongs into the last two sets of holes, and a very short overhang to leverage in getting the belt on and off. On the new one, the prongs hit the belt right in the middle of the punched holes, so I can grow or shrink in the waist and still be able to use it just fine. Still, it's a very hard belt and takes a lot of work getting unbuckled. I don't want to look like a complete tool in the gym. (Okay...no more than I probably look already.) So, I think I'll hold off until I get with a trainer in San Jose and see where things are - and get some advice from someone much more experienced.

So, here are the numbers for today:

Sunday, April 27, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
BackExt (M) / Deadlift	200 x 15 x 2	185 x 12 x 2
Assisted WG pull-up	45 x 10 : 45 x 7 @ wt=230	85 x 12 x 2 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	180 x 15 x 2	140 x 12 x 2
Bent-over barbell row	225 x 12 : 225 x 10	185 x 10 : 135 x 12
Lateral raise	80 x 12 : 85 x 10 (M)	20 x 12 x 2 (DB)
Posterior deltoid deck	115 x 10 : 115 x 5	115 x 10 x 2
RCStackSet	7.5 pounds	5 pounds
TOTAL	24,320	18,530

Tonight's Double Header - Legs AND Arms!

So, as is probably obvious from the previous posts (or lack thereof), Matt and I missed legs on Wednesday. I think he had an exam, and he was too sleep-deprived on Thursday. So, we decided to go for the gold and have the Friday night combo. I'm sure we'll know in a day or two whether this was a folly-ridden decision.

By the end, I was pretty exhausted (in a good way), and felt like my arms were going to explode (in that REALLY good way).

As a side note, my gym is undergoing some changes, and I can say with certainty that I'm not a fan. The owners are opening a second gym in the neighboring town, and instead of having the financing completely in place, they seem to be cannibalizing the gym equipment from Ann Arbor (location I) and shifting it to Saline (location II). Every day, it seems that more equipment is gone. People are starting to have to wait extended periods for flat benches, ellipticals, and pretty much everything else. Really, it's become like "Gold's Montana - The Gym of Wide, Open Spaces." Seriously, you have to go on safari just to find clips for the free weights.

I wonder if there will be anything left when I get back in September. Hell...I wonder if there will be anything left by the end of the month.

The locker rooms are closed over the weekend for "repainting and maintenance." I hope that means "getting rid of the mold in the showers." Yuck. How hard is it to make spraying the showers and curtains with anti-mildew spray as part of closing duties?

Anyway - enough bitching. Here are tonight's numbers.

Friday, April 11, 2008 - Arms and Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Tricep pushdowns	65 x 15 : 80 x 12	65 x 10 : 72.5 x 10
Skullcrushers	115 x 12 x 2	70 x 10 : 70 x 12
Overhead tricep extension	72.5 x 15 x 2	72.5 x 10 x 2
Preacher curls (M)	160 x 10 x 2	110 x 12 : 130 x 9
DB bicep/hammer curls	35 x 10 x (b/h) x 2	32.5 x 10 x (b/h) : 35 x 10 x b : 27.5 x 6 x h
Barbell bicep curl		60 x 12 x 2
Palm down wrist curl	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)
Palm up wrist curl	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)
Tricep pushdowns II	80 x 15 : 80 x 20	72.5 x 10 : 80 x 5
Preacher curls II	100 x 15 x 2	125 x 9 : 110 x 9
Torso rotation	150 x 20 x (L/R) x 2
Leg press	530 x 10 x 2	530 x 10 x 2
Leg extensions	190 x 12 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Hamstring curl	190 x 10 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Seated calf raise	180 x 10 : 180 x 5
Glute kickbacks	180 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Hip abduction	250 x 20 x 2
Hip adduction	250 x 20 x 2
TOTAL	83,130	35,665

Chest

The theme for tonight seemed to be s-l-o-w. I was talking to powerlifter buddy Dominic, who said that every once in a while, he spends three months slowing everything down (which, of course, means dropping the weights and working back up). He suggested, when doing it seriously, a cadence of 10 seconds down, 2 seconds rest, 10 seconds up, 2 seconds rest. This minimizes any advantages to the lift you would gain through momentum, inertia, or bouncing. The lift is ALL YOU. I slowed things down for almost all of the lifts tonight, using a 5:2:5:2 cadence. WOW... I don't know if I'm up for the next three months of doing it, but it certainly was an experience that I'll throw in regularly from now on.

Also started adding back in some small amounts of abdominal work at the end of the workout. I haven't been doing Pilates for a while, and have let the ab work slide tremendously. I can tell, too, and think that the lack of natural tension and strength in the abs and core may be contributing to a bit of fatigue and pain in my lower back.

And as a follow up, I posed the "Should I be using a weight belt" question to two experienced lifting friends. One gave me a non-answer. The other looked at what I've been doing and said, "yes...you should be using a belt." That was more helpful. I ordered a belt from Elite Fitness Systems, on his recommendation. It should get here relatively soon. I'll post about what I think of it, and whether I think it makes a difference.

So, here are tonight's numbers:

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Flat bench	185 x 10 : 135 x 10	155 x 10 : 135 x 10
Decline DB press	55 x 15 x (L/R) : 55 x 12 x (L/R)	55 x 12 x (L/R) : 55 x 10 x (L/R)
Incline DB press	55 x 15 x 2 x (L/R)	55 x 12 x 2 x (L/R)
Cable cross	35 x 12 x 2 x (L/R)	35 x 12 x (L/R) : 35 x 10 x (L/R)
Decline bench	135 x 10 x 2	135 x 6 x 2
Incline fly	40 x 9 x 2 x (L/R)	40 x 10 x (L/R) : 40 x 6 x (L/R)
Torso rotation	150 x 15 x 2 x (L/R)
Abdominal crunches	100 x 20 x 2
TOTAL	31,290	12,400

Back

Wow...we haven't had a real back day in a while, and I could totally feel it. The weights are down on several exercises, so I need to build back up. I think that Matt could feel it too.

I still haven't hit my upper limit on the GoodMornings. I did a second set of 5 at 315 pounds. I could have kept going without a problem, but realized that I had set the rack one notch too high, and I didn't want to get to failure and not be able to re-rack the bar. This led me to wonder, though - at what point should I start using a weight belt? I've never used one before, and I suspect that I should start using one before a major injury tells me, "Oh...I should have been wearing a weight belt when I tried that!" I'll have to do some research on that one. I own a weight belt, but just never thought I needed it. I asked one of the head trainers at Gold's, and got an answer of, "I don't know, but it's a good question. I'll ask around and get back to you." That's the kind of response I like to hear, and gives me a lot of respect for the person delivering it.

At any rate, here are today's numbers:

Sunday, March 30, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
DL/GM	225 x 10 : 315 x 5	225 x 5 x 3
Assisted WG pull-up	60 x 10 : 45 x 8 @ wt=230	90 x 10 : 85 x 9 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	240 x 10 : 120 x 30	160 x 7 : 140 x 3 : 140 x 10
Bent-over barbell row	155 x 10 : 225 x 10	155 x 10 x 2
Lateral raise	90 x 10 : 50 x 25 (M)	17.5 x 12 x 2 (DB)
Posterior deltoid deck	145 x 10 : 85 x 14	130 x 5 : 115 x 5 : 115 x 7
RCStackSet	7.5 pounds	5 pounds
TOTAL	22,585	16,460