3/6/2010
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BB Overhead press
5 x 95 (not bad)
3 x 110 (felt a little heavy)
7 x 125 (good)

Another Saturday lift day. My left lower back has been tweaked since I think Thursday (squats?). I noticed more flexibility in my shoulders tonight while warming up. Felt like crap, but lifted well.


Pullups 3 x 3
Man, I feel like I'm not making any progress with these. Think maybe I'm going to try the "x reps in however many sets" approach, 9 total reps probably just isn't enough.


BB Biceps curls 3 x 8 65#
Not bad tonight, only had to cheat a little on the very last rep.


DB Lateral raises 3 x 8 20#
No problem.


FINISHER - DB Biceps mech. drop sets 3 x max
(pronated + supinated + hammer = 1 set)
Much needed love to the wimpy biceps/forearms.

Wow look at that, 2 pages already! That flew by.

Next week is deload. I'm concerned about my back. Definitely calling the chiropractor, but I think I might just take a week off next week and let myself really recover. Not sure yet, but I really don't want to jack myself up, because then I'll REALLY have to take time off. Maybe not totally off, just do auxiliary stuff like arms, calves, etc. Bleh, I guess it could be a ton worse, but what a downer.

So a week off. My lower back was tweaked pretty bad, it turns out. 2 trips to the chiropractor later, and I'm doing ok...but not great. Due to this setback, and new equipment availability...and the awesome Inside the Muscle articles....and my gut, I decided to put aside the 531 in favor of something that doesn't demand constant weight increase on my noob body. Because apparently 10 years is enough to reset me to "noob". So with that, my first day 1 workout on the new plan.

Also, due to the aforementioned gut, I'm doing the barbell tabata complex that was in Nick T. article. I'm doing it first, as a warm-up and a way to get "burning" up from the get go. Starting with just the bar.

3/15/2010
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Warm up complex - 45

A1 Wide grip bench press
5 x 135
5 x 185
5 x 185
5 x 185
So either I lost a lot of strength, or wide grip really makes that big of a difference, but WOW was that hard. I was planning on bumping it up to 205 on the last set, but that was not happening. I definitely felt it in my pecs though, which is what I was shooting for.


B1 High pulley crossover
8 x 25
8 x 25
8 x 25
8 x 30
I really didn't know what to expect, since I've never done these before. 25 ended up being way too easy, next week I'll start at 35s.


C1 Triceps rope pulldown
8 x 25
8 x 30
8 x 30
8 x 35
Again, wasn't sure, and even 35 ended up being pretty easy.

D1 DB Flys
D2 DB Lying Triceps Extension (pinkys in)
8 x 25 - 25
8 x 25 - 25
8 x 25 - 25
Ended up being pretty easy on the flys, and too hard on the tris. Will adjust appropriately. Also, I'm going to superset the flys with the pulldowns, since the weights will be different on these 2.

3/16/2010
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Warm up complex - 45

A1 Sumo Deadlift
5 x 135
5 x 185
5 x 185
5 x 185
Yeah so again, either the change in form was the killer, or the week off, but man 185 was heavy. I was highly conscious of my lower back, of course, maybe that was distracting me.


B1 BB Glute Raise
5 x 135
5 x 135
5 x 135
5 x 135
Was totally unprepared for this, first time trying it. By the last set, the weight felt ok, but I definitely need to get used to this before I go up in weight.


C1 BB Toe Hop
C2 BB Good Morning
8 x 75 - 75
8 x 75 - 75
8 x 75 - 75
8 x 75 - 75
Toe hops were killer (in a good way), and I was being VERY careful with the good mornings. 75 is good for now.

D1 Cable Hip Abduction
5 x 25
5 x 25
5 x 25
So these were WAY harder than I was expecting, I think I might lighten up on the weight just so I can make sure I've got the form down.