Pumping Iron

So wow, I have a little bit of time to look on here and update briefly.

The Guy is now more of a boyfriend now, which is nice. He officially changed his relationship status on Biblio Faccio last night. Hilarious how significant this act has become. I haven't yet because the El Salavdorean has to be informed first, as does another guy or two. To simply change my status would be disrespectful, and The Guy understands that.

Most significantly, The Guy and I have trained together twice now. He is a bit proponent of High Intensity Training (HIT) and a fan of Mike Mentzer, and a huge fan of Dorian Yates. So his workouts are completely different in style to what I have done historically. I've been used to High Volume Training: usually doing about four or five exercises per bodypart, each with three to four sets on each. HIT basically involves exhausting the muscle through a series of 5-6 different exercises, each with only one working set, and doing warm-up sets early in the workout. There's a shitload more to it, which I'm still becoming au fait with, but the results and my experience of it has been extremely inspiring. I barely broke a sweat in the first session we did (delts and tris), but the muscles were so ridiculously exhausted, and very sore the following day. But a few days later I swear my shoulders looked bigger. No I know that's basically in my head, but it was bloody inspiring.

My old style was both aerobically exhausting as well as anerobically - the former sabotaging a lot of the latter. I was also overtraiing and sabotaging significant gains. I ate well so I wasn't feeling too much fatigue or any of the more serious symptoms of overtraining, but I wasn't really getting anywhere in terms of strength and size gains.

My back workout involved two warm up sets of bent over rows with a barbell, then a working set on a row apparatus I could load weights on. I added a few more reps on to that with rest-pause (finishing the working set, counting to 10, then cranking out one or two more - option to do a second round of that). Then did a warm up on lat pulldown, then a working set (plus rest-pause). Then a working set on bent over dumbell rows. Then a bicep cable curl to blast the arms I'd already been working in my back exercises (one warm-up, one working with rest-pause and static hold). All the time concentrating on the negative portion of the movement (lowering of the weight). In my chest workout I've taken to doing however many dips I can do to failure, then just stepping to the top and doing purely negatives (just lowering to the floor without pushing back up) until failure.

The Guy is going to lend me some of his books (one or two he won't lend because they're well-loved, and ocnstantly revisited - totally understand as a bibliophile). I'd really like to read more.

Pumping Iron

Wed 7th Jan 2009

Second day back with full body routine. Was really pressed for time, but I managed everything except cardio. Plus side of the lack of time though was my intensity was doubled, despite initial soreness, and endurance was much better.

Cardio: none

Comp. squat/shoulder press: 7x20; 8x20
Comp. lunge/one arm cable row: 4x20/20
Standing cable press: 4x20/20
Tri pushdown: 6x20; 7x20 }
} superset
Bicep curl (cable): 5x20/6x20 }
Cruches: 30/25

I then went outside into the humidity and swam all the way home. Sydney has been ridiculously hot lately.

Pumping Iron

Monday 5th Jan 2009

First day back after a month off. And what a month! Planning a week of full body at least - considering my workload, I can't go too heavy or I'll shatter myself before having to work.

Cardio: 3mins/100 strokes on rowing machine

Comp. Squat/shoulder press: 7kgs dumbells x 20/20
Comp. Lunge/one arm cable rows: 4 x 20/20
Standing cable press: 3x 20/20
Tri pushdown: 6x 20/20 }
} superset
Bi curl (cable): 5x 20/20 }
Crunches (on ball): 30/25

Almost stopped after first superset as I felt a bit queasy, but I risked it, and all was well.

Pumping Iron

Hasn't happened in almost a fortnight. It's killing me. I think that last workout I posted was actually the last one I did. It's all moving house and work being all over the place. Normally at this point in the year the call centre is really winding down - it's been winding down all year this year. But it's been really pretty busy. Great for money, not great when you have to move house as well, hence, bad for training.

Result is that due to poverty, lack of fridge to keep fresh, much less frozen food in, and time, I have also been eating terribly. I'm also trying to minimise the amount I'm drinking as well because the time of year.

So yeah, I'm holding a bit of water, the progress I'd made on my chest and arms feels like it's gone - I know it's not, but I'm feeling pretty flabby. Hate it.

Pumping Iron

Managed to get to the gym for the first time this week. So annoyed with myself because I could've gone on Monday but told myself I could afford to miss it and pick up the extra day on Tuesday. No hope. Life is too crazy at the moment.

Anyway: short workout, no abs, chest and tris today.

3 mins rowing machine

Flat bench dumbell press
17.5kgs dbs x25
20kgs dbs x16
22.5kgs dbs x8

Incline smith machine press (screwed this one up and added too much weight too quickly)
40kgs x12
50kgs x3+3
45kgs x4

Chest dips unaided/weighted 3 sets 16/13/11

Tricep cable pushdowns (straight bar)
on 9 x20
on 9.5 x15
on 10 x12

Chest cable raises
on 4 x16
on 5 x8