My Workouts 3
December 19 - 30, 1998
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Dec.19-30, 1998
Oct.30-Dec16, 1998
Aug. 26-Sept. 12, 1998
January 4 - February 12, 1999
Current
These are my actual workouts that I do on a day to day basis. I train somewhat instinctively these days so there is no set routine. After each workout I will write down here which bodyparts I did, the exercises and the actual poundages I used. I've never seen this done before so I'm going to do it as I think people might be interested. In the future I hope to get pictures of me training but I might have to wait until I get a digital camera instead of the old Polaroid. I hope this section is useful to you, try doing the same workouts and adjust the poundage to your level. My schedule is a bit out of the ordinary and I often try new exercises so it may seem a bit weird at first (like doing the same bodypart 3 days in a row sometimes) but it is very effective. Anyone who trains with me tends to achieve personal bests on the first day and gains noticeable size in a couple of weeks. Here we go:
Starting on December 19, 1998. For previous workouts, go here!
December
19, 1998: Back, Shoulders, Abs
December 21, 1998: Legs, Biceps
December 23, 1998: Chest,
Biceps, Calves
December 27, 1998: Back, Chest,
Abs
December 28, 1998: Shoulders,
Biceps, Triceps
December 29. 1998: Legs
December 30, 1998: Chest,
Biceps
December 19, 1998 Weight = 185 lbs. Partner = Edwin
Trained: Back, Shoulders, Abs
For back I warmed up with chin-ups for 2 sets of 20 and 10 reps (not to failure). The main exercise was T-bar rows using a barbell with one end in a corner and the other end loaded with plates, using a V-grip handle just below the inner collar.
I did 6 sets of these as follows: 1. 3 X 45 lbs. for 15 (not to failure) 2. 4 X 45 lbs. for 15 (to failure from now on). 3. 5 X 45 for 6 4. Back to 4 X 45 lbs. for 3 sets of 15, 12, and 12 reps.
Bent-over rows were next for 3 sets of 8-10 using 225 lbs.
Next was slow Lat pulldowns starting with 160 lbs. for 15, up to 180 for 12, 220 for 8 and 6, finishing with 200 for 8. These were all done in a slow controlled manner holding and squeezing at the bottom.
That was good for back, I had an extreme pump and couldn't help walking with the "wide lat syndrome", even though I was trying not to. On to shoulders!
We did dumbbell presses as the main exercise warming up with 45 lbs. for 15, then stayed at 55 lbs. for 7 sets of 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, and 8 reps. I stayed at this relatively light weight because the back workout seemed to take the strength out of my shoulders. I think the rows pre-exhausted my rear and side delts. After this we did 8 alternating sets of side and rear laterals using 20-25 lb. dumbbells, good form and holding and squeezing at the top. Now the delts AND the back had a good pump and I was actually starting to look like a bodybuilder.
Our final exercise was weighted sit-ups for the abs. I started with a 70 lb. barbell at neck level for 15 reps. I moved up to 100 lbs. (first time) and did 5 sets of 12, 10, 8, 8, and 6 reps. On the last 3 sets, after I got the last rep for sit-ups, I pressed the barbell and did pullovers till failure (about 7 or 8). The combination was intense!
That was it for today, another little bit long workout (over 2 hours), but it felt good today, as I had the previous 2 days off. Tomorrow looks like a good day to have off too, see ya Monday!
December 21, 1998 Weight = 185 Partner = Edwin Avg. time between sets = 4 min.
Trained: Legs, Biceps
Today was deep squat day, meaning every rep was way below parallel, which is how I am doing them from now on, as my knee is now sufficiently recovered to bend that far.
Started at 135 for 20 reps for warm-up, then went to 225 and got 15, then to 275 for 12 finishing off with 315 for 8 reps. All reps were rock bottom and all sets to very near failure--I don't think I could have gotten 1 more reps without passing out. Had an incredible pump in the quads and hams after these!
Did leg press next starting with 5 plates per side for and easy 12 reps, then went to 8 plates per side for 3 sets of 12, 10, and 8 reps, all knees to chest. This was enough for legs!
We took about 5 minutes rest, then did a short biceps "maintenance" workout. we did preacher curls and I started with 75 lbs. for 15, then 95 lbs. for 2 sets of 12 and 8 reps taking about 1.5 minutes between sets. This was a good blast for the biceps (until the main workout) and that was it for the day.
Trained: Chest, Biceps, Calves
I got to the gym a bit late today and my partners were already started and had 205 loaded on the bench press so I warmed up with this by doing 8 slow reps. Next set I went to 225 for 16 reps, then 8 reps. I raised it to 245 and did 6, then back to 225 for 6. I wasn't getting much rest between sets and these were getting very difficult! I lowered the weight to 180 lbs. and did 2 more sets of 16 and 15 reps.
Incline press was the next and I started at 135 for a set of 16 and a set of 19 reps, then raised it to 185 and got 5 reps then dropped to 135 for another 10. The last set was 135 for 16.
For biceps, I decided to do slow strict barbell curls using 115 lbs. I would start the movement at full extension and just slowly bend my elbows until the bar was curled. The first set I managed 5 reps in this fashion, squeezing the biceps all the way up and squeezing hard for a few seconds at the top. I got 4 more sets of 4 doing burns and half reps at the end of each set finishing with a set of 3 plus a few half reps (still going slow). This provided an incredible pump!
We did calves next starting with standing calf raises. I used the 500 lb. stack and did 30 reps to start, then dropped the weight to 400 lbs. for one-leg calf raises. Did 3 sets of 8 per leg (plus 15-20 with both legs each set) Next I attempted seated calf raises but I couldn't do them because my quads were still trashed from the previous workout. I tried with 3 plates, then with 2. With 2 I got started but it was too much pressure, I'm sure Edwin was thinking "wuss!" so I let him try, he didn't even get the weight lifted! We both decided that donkey calf raises would be good today so we did 3 sets of donkeys, I used the stack with Edwin pressing down on the machine to add weight.
That was it! We're taking 3 days off now for full recovery and will be back in the gym on Dec. 27, 1998. Merry Christmas everyone.
December 27, 1998 Weight = 186 Trained with Edwin, Rainer, Richard
Trained: Back, Chest, Abs
The 3 (4?) days off left me feeling pumped and primed and ready to rock!
We started with bent-over rows at 135 for 15 to warm up, then to 225 for 4 sets of 15, 12, 12 and 8 followed by 185 lbs. for 10. All sets were done in a strict form using only lat power to lift the weight (had to keep telling myself "POWER, POWER, MAKE THE LATS DO THE WORK!". For the last 3 or 4 reps in each set I would hold the weight at the halfway point for a few seconds, then squeeze it up to the lower abs. After the number of reps stated I did burns and partial reps to really blast them!
The lats were pretty much done after this and we finished with lat pull-downs doing the reps in a slow and controlled fashion and getting a good SQUEEZE at the bottom. These were done to behind the neck for the first 8 reps and to the chest for the remainder. I did 180 lbs. for 12 (too light) and 190 for 2 sets of 12 followed immediately by one set of 10 chins.
For chest, we did bench press warming up with 135 for 15, then 225 a set of 10 (chest was a bit tight) then a set of 15 reps. The next was a drop set starting at 275 for 3, 225 for 12 and 135 for 6 reps. My chest was toasted after this, but we still had inclines to do! I started at 135 on the incline for 15 reps then went to 185 for 2 sets of 9 and 7, then back to 135 for a set of 16.
Finally we got to abs doing our usual weighted sit-ups, except we followed each set of sit-ups with straight arm pullovers. This gives the abs a good stretch, works the serratus and intercostals and finished off the chest. I used a 100 lb. barbell at neck level and got 13 sit-ups and 8 pullovers on my first set, 12 and 6 on the second, 9 and 7 on the third, and for the forth I dropped the weight to 80 lbs. and did 13 sit-ups and 12 pullovers. These were exhausting. they felt like doing squats for the intensity involved.
That was all!
December 28, 1998 Weight = 183 Trained with Edwin, Richard
Trained: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
We started today with dumbbell press warming up with 45 lbs. for 12. I pyramided up to 55 for 8, 65 for 8 then 70 for 2 sets of 4 and 2 reps, then back to 65 for 1 set of 7. After that we did wide-grip upright rows starting with 95 lbs. for 19 reps, then 155 for 6 reps and several partials. The 155 was a bit heavy to get good form with so I dropped it to 135 for 3 more sets of 10 - 12 reps. That was it for shoulders.
Biceps were next with barbell curls using 115 lbs. for 4 sets of 13, 12, 8, and 8 reps. I cheated a bit by leaning back for the last few reps in each set. We did these in rapid succession, one person right after the other. Next was incline curls using 45 lb. dumbbells for 3 sets of 10, 9, 8 reps, then 35 lbs. for one last set of 10.
For triceps we did decline lying skull crushers starting with 25 per side on an E-Z bar and getting 19 reps with that. I went to 35 a side and did 3 more sets of 13, 10, and 8 reps. From there we went to over-head rope pullovers doing 4 sets of 20, 15, 12, 10 with the stack (says 220 lbs. but I think the actual weight is about 1/2 that). Next we did 2 sets of reverse-grip pressdowns and one set of single-arm reverse grip pressdowns. By then we were all ready to go home.
Coming tomorrow---->LEGS!!!!
December 29, 1998 Weight = 182 Training partner = Edwin, Rainer
Trained: Legs
Since my last deep squat workout hurt so much, I decided to do it again. I warmed up with 135 for 12, then 225 for 12. I put on 3 plates (305) and squeezed out 12 with that so I increased to 355 and did 4 reps. I finished with 275 for 12. I could barely walk after this and we still had heavy leg press! I started with 6 plates a side with Edwin pushing down on the sled to make it harder, after 15 reps like that my quads were on fire! The next set I went to 10 plates a side and got 6, then went to 9 for 12 reps.
For calves I used the leg press and warmed up with 6 plates per side (Edwin's working weight) for 25, then went to 9 plates for 15, then 10 plates for 12 dropping 2 plates at a time until failure with 4 plates (total about 25 reps)
I think I put a 1/4 inch on my quads just from that one workout! They're definitely bigger now anyway.
December 30, 1998 Weight - 186 Training partner = Edwin, Chris
Trained: Chest, biceps
Started with bench press at 135 for 20, 225 for 10, 275 for 4, and 245 for 8, immediately dropping down to 225 for another 8. From there we did dips, I started with 3 plates and got 7 reps on the first set and 8 on the second, then did 3 bodyweight sets of 40, 25, and 30 reps. Next I did cable crossovers starting at 95 lbs. for 12 , 115 for 10 and 135 for 8 reps. With the 135 lbs. I got lifted off the ground at the start of each rep (kind of fun).
Next was a short biceps workout, There was a bar with 135lbs. on so I started with that for 4 strict ones, then cut it down to 115 lbs. for a set of 12. Next we did a variation of the "I go, you go" by combining that with a drop set. I started at 115 for 8 reps, then Edwin immediately did his set, then we quickly stripped the bar to 95 and I did 6 more reps, followed by Edwin. This was enough for the biceps today!
Today was the last day until the new year when we're going to start a new program, watch for it starting on January 2, 1999!
For previous workouts, go here!
