Recent Workouts

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

Alright guys,

Couldn't help noticing there seems to be quite a few of the more experienced lifters/ weight trainers back on the board now and that the weights journals are getting pretty decent feedback at the mo.
Thought I'd share with you the sessions I've been doing the last 2-3 weeks (I used to have a journal on here a little while back). Wanna get some feedback on what I've been doing off the guys on here and hopefully give summat back the other way too.


I've been making good gains the past month or so, both in bodyweight (gone from 79kg ish to just over 81) and in weights lifted. Big improvement's been from getting a regular training partner (sometimes 2), good help in both motivation and advice/spotting.

These are my recent sessions, I welcome any opinions/thought/constructive criticism:

2.7.06. Chest

DB Bench w/42kg DB's Rest Pause: 8,2, then 9 with 32's on final mini-set
DB Incline Flyes w/18kg (going right down, as opposed to halfway, which I used to do, hence the low weights) DB's 3*8
DB Incline Bench w/32kg DB's Max out: 15reps
(immediately afterwards) Pressups Max out: 13reps

5.7.06. Back and Biceps

Deadlift 3*4 w/87kg,97kg,107kg (recovering from back problem, hence the piss poor weights)
21's w/16kg 3*21
Wide grip pull ups w/12kg Rest Pause 14 (8,3,3)
Bicep Curls w/curl bar 3*6 48.5kg

7.7.06. Shoulders and Triceps

Arnolds w/24.5kg DB's 3*7
Dips w/17kg 3*8
Lateral Raises w/20kg 3*6
Dips w/17kg Max out: 15reps
(immediately after) Close grip press ups Max out: 16reps

9.7.06. Legs

BB Hack Calf Raises w/77kg 3*10
BB Hack Squats 2*6 w/107kg, 1*20 w/87kg

13.7.06. Chest

DB Incline Bench w/37.5kg DB's Rest Pause 12,1,6 (32kg DB's final set)
DB Incline Flyes w/20kg 3*8
DB Bench w/37.5kg DB's Max out: 9reps
(immediately after) Press ups Max out: 28 reps

14.7.06. Back and Biceps

Deadlift 3*4 w/97kg,107kg,117kg (still easing my way back)
21's w/17kg 3*21
Wide grip pull ups w/12kg Rest Pause: 15 (9,3,3)
Bicep Curls w/curl bar w/48.5kg 3*6
(immediately after) Close grip pull ups: 11 reps

16.7.06. Shoulders and Triceps

Arnolds w/24.5kg 3*8
Lying Tricep Press (might be called skullcrushers actually) w/46kg 3*6
Cuban Press w/13kg 3*8
Dips w/17kg Rest Pause 20 (14,4,2), then another 2 unweighted immediately after

19.7.06. Legs

BB Hack Calf Raises w/82kg 3*10
BB Hack Squats 2*6 w/108kg, 1*20 w/88kg (failed after 18, completed final 2 a minute later)

 

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

Thanks for your advice.

I'll update with the session I did on Friday (after the original post), then respond to your questions/opinions.

Friday's session was chest, went as follows:

DB Incline Bench: 6reps w/22kg (I always do a warm up set and always forget to record it!)
Rest Pause w/37.5kg DB's 13,4,7 (32kg last mini set)
DB Incline Flyes 3*8 w/20kg
DB Bench w/37.5kg Max out: 11reps
Press ups (immediately after) Max out: 20reps


I'm training again in about an hour's time (back and biceps), unfortunately I've sprained my right ankle playing tennis, so I'm gonna be quite limited in what I can do for a week or 2. Don't see any reason why I shouldn't still do concentration curls, pull ups, chin ups etc though.

Are you warming up prior to your sets?

Yeh, I ought to record my warm up sets really.

I would warm up with either LIGHT weight on the flyes (2-3 sets) or LIGHT weight on the pressdowns (2-3 sets, 20-30 reps)

What's the thinking behind doing warm up sets on flyes as opposed to DB bench?

I wouldn't be performing deads while recovering from a back problem.

I maybe made my back sound worse than it was - I was 99% sure it was fine by the time I did that session, I was actually being very cautious by lifting so little on the deads, I normally do far in excess on those weights.
My back's absolutely fine now, unfortunately I still can't do deads cos of my ankle!!

Not sure what an Arnold is, but are you performing some type of shoulder press?

Yeh an Arnold's a very minor variation on a straight DB shoulder press.

I would limit the use of the superset...use it occasionally to shock the muscles and vary your WO routine.

I see what you're saying here. My thinking behind doing a superset at the end of each session (and maxing out on both exercises) is to 'finish myself off' so to speak, to ensure that I finish each session having pushed myself right to the limit.
I'd be interested to get a few more people's opinion on this - it was one of the things I wanted to get opinions on when I posted my sessions.

Everyone's different, but I have to do WAY more sets than you do to make my legs grow. Seems you're slacking a bit in legs

I agree my legs session is quite short. I used to do a lot more exercises for legs but couldn't help feeling that I was fvcking around far too much with isolation exercises (extensions, lying curls) or those that tested my grip much more than my legs (DB lunges).
I respect the leg press, that is a good exercise IMO, unfortunately I train at home, so don't have one.
I actually find legs the physically toughest session of the weeks, I can barely walk after doing the widowmaker and always spend about half an hour lying on the settee feeling sick.
Again, I'd welcome some more opinions on this though, I know there's plenty of experienced trainers on here. So lets hear you.

 

[EFFORT]

I'd drop that 4day lay out and do

Monday
Legs

Main lift Squat/Squat variations, Leg Press
Accessory work (glute hams, calf raises, pullthroughs, goodmornings, ab work)


Wednesday
Chest

Main Lift- Bench Press(incline,decline,flat) or Dips or Hammer Machines
Accessory- DB presses, skulls, shoulder work


Friday
Back

Main Lift- Deadlift or deadlift variation
Accessory- rows, pulldowns, bicep work, posterior chain work)


you have the grasp down on accessory lifts it seems. Just have your main focus on getting strong on squat, bench and deadlifts and use accessory work to support that.

 

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

Thanks, yeh, I used to do summat very similar to that - ie a 3 day split without a seperate day for shoulders and triceps. The reason I stopped was that with having chest, shoulders and triceps on the same day, my performance on the shoulders and triceps exercises was always sh!t from having done bench press at the start.
How would you get round this? Or would you not, and just accept that you'll have to compromise your performance on certain exercises?

 

[EFFORT]

Tricep Exercises and shoulder exercises are acessory

What really matters is getting your bench press up. If you can bench heavy on flat, decline and incline your shoulders will be big.