Malley

I love to see the static stretches! Make sure your stretching your hip flexors as well. Normally a little bit of sitting can really get those tight!

Michael

Friday 6th July
Legs

Warmup:
2 minutes bike
Leg extension: 15 reps (each leg)

Squat
Warmup:
30kg/66lbs x 2 x 10
40kg/88lbs x 10

60kg/132lbs x 10
60kg/132lbs x 10
60kg/132lbs x 10

SLDL
Warmup:
Bar x 10

50kg/110lbs x 10
50kg/110lbs x 10
50kg/110lbs x 10

Calf raises
Warmup:
3 plates x 10

8 plates x 10
8 plates x 10
8 plates x 10
8 plates x 10

Decline crunches
Warmup:
BW x 10

10kg/22lbs x 10
10kg/22lbs x 10
5kg/11lbs x 10
5kg/11lbs x 10

Static stretches: quads, hams and calves

The most brutal leg workout I've ever had. Those last reps on squats were so hard and exhausting I thought I wouldn't make and just fall down flat on my ass, but I managed to squeeze out the last reps and complete all sets. SLDL really hurt my grip, and my legs were already exhausted from squats so I couldn't stop shaking Calf raises were also hard as hell and so were crunches. Training legs after a week off can be a real pain in the ass

1quick1

That's the way to do it. Nice work man.

wala

nice one man.. im headed for a brutal leg session myself tonight!

Michael

Monday 9th July
Push

Bench Press
Warmup:
Bar x 2 x 10
30kg/66lbs x 10

55kg/121lbs x 10
55kg/121lbs x 10
55kg/121lbs x 10/11 (lol)

Dips
10
6

Clean and jerk
Warmup: Military press - bar x 10

40kg/88lbsx x 5
40kg/88lbs x 5
40kg/88lbs x 5

Shoulder press machine
20kg/44lbs x 10
20kg/44lbs x 10
20kg/44lbs x 10

Tricep pushdowns
32kg/70lbs x 10
32kg/70lbs x 10
32kg/70lbs x 10

Cardio: 750 meters/half a mile

Bench press machine
Dropset

Tricep pushdowns
Dropset

Lateral raises
Dropset

Static stretches: chest, triceps and shoulders

A very good workout, through my shoulders dissapointed me as always. I was doing the bar for 10 reps prior to military pressing and even then I struggled, so I decided to do clean and jerk instead. After that I thought my shoulders could need some more work, so I tried the shoulder press machine. By that time my shoulders were fried. I did 3 light sets of pushdowns and finished with some cardio. After that me and my training partnere decided to do some dropsets. I said "yeah why not", so we did a drop set for chest, triceps and shoulders. I'm gonna be so terribly sore tomorrow I don't want to think about it

Malley

I think you ought to shoot for 10 dips each time. If you fail at 6 then knock out 4 negatives. Atleast do this for 4 weeks and let me know if your dips are going up!

Michael

Well I did shoot for 10 reps today, I "shot" for 9 reps last workout and for 8 the workout before that. It just seems that I hit failure on those last reps of my first set so the second set gets screwed up... I will try what you told btw!

Malley

Or you could implement some rest pauses. Meaning go to failure on your first set, wait 15 seconds and go to failure, then wait 15 seconds and go to failure again. But I would only do this for 2 weeks or so. Its just showing your body something new for a week or 2. You ought to respond to it.

Michael

Wednesday July 11
Pull

Chinups
8
4

Row
Warmup:
Bar x 10

50kg/110lbs x 10
52.5kg/115lbs x 10
55kg/121lbs x 10 (PR!)

Deadlift
Warmup:
40kg/88lbs x 2 x 10
60kg/132lbs x 10

85kg/187lbs x 5 (PR!)
85kg/187lbs x 5
85kg/187lbs x 3

Barbell curl
Warmup:
Bar x 10

25kg/55lbs x 10
25kg/55lbs x 10
25kg/55lbs x 10

Pulldowns
Dropset

Cable rows
Dropset

Incline curls
Dropset

As normal on my pull day my grip got also worked pretty well. Rows were hard, but my form was very good. Grip was an issue on deadlifts, but I managed to do all reps on my first 2 sets. On my 3rd set of deadlifts I tore a blister on my right hand and had to stop there. I took some paper over the wound and continued with my workout. Curls and dropsets really pumped my biceps and back, had to struggle thorugh those last reps, and it was really painful (in a good way). Anyway, awesome workout.

Malley

Looks like a fun workout. But save any bicep work for last.

Michael

Friday 13th
Legs

Warmup:
2 minutes bike
Leg extension: 15 reps (each leg)

Squat
Warmup:
30kg/66lbs x 2 x 10
40kg/88lbs x 10

60kg/132lbs x 10
62.5kg/137lbs x 10
65kg/143lbs x 10 (PR!)

SLDL
Warmup:
Bar x 10

50kg/110lbs x 10
50kg/110lbs x 10
50kg/110lbs x 10

Standing calf raises
Warmup:
3 plates x 10

9 plates x 10
9 plates x 10
9 plates x 10
9 plates x 10

Weighted decine crunches
10kg/22lbs x 10
10kg/22lbs x 10
10kg/22lbs x 10
10kg/22lbs x 10

Leg extensions
Dropset

So here it is. The last workout of this routine. Squats were brutal as always, and I set a new PR by doing 65kg/143lbs for 10 deep reps. On SLDL I went very low and didn't bend my legs so hamstrings were working hard. Calf extensions and crunches were awesome too. Finished off with a dropset on leg extensions. My legs are a bit sore already, so I think that's a good thing

Michael

***SUMMARY***

After 8 weeks of training and 24 workouts, my routine is over. A big thanks to everyone who helped me making this routine (already on train2gain.tv). I have done small changes in my routine throughout those weeks, by changing rep ranges and some exercises. I feel that I got a lot stronger on this routine.

My lifts have increased a lot, take squats f.ex: On my first week I was doing 1 set of 5 reps with 60kg/132lbs (parallell). Today I did 1 set of 10 reps with 65kg ATG. My deadlift has also increased pretty much. I started with 1 set of 5 with 70kg/154lbs. This week I did 3 sets of 5 (well almost) with 85kg/187lbs.

This routine was sure a fun one and it was fun tracking every single workout in my log. Thanks to everyone who have read my journal and posted comments. That is all.

Malley

So you going to be starting a new journal soon?

Michael

Yep. Check "Back on track after vacation" thread. It's going to be pretty much the same, push/pull/legs routine, but with some different exercises/rep ranges.