Give Me Volume Or Give Me Death

**Stewart14** · 07-16-2010, 05:40 PM

Alrighty, here goes. My recent nagging injuries have predicated a shift in philosophy for the time being. Light(er) weights and high volume. My elbow is a train wreck right now, and I need to try this one last option before I would have no choice but to rest it. My thought process is that by pounding it with submaximal weights for tons of volume, I will be able to strengthen the tendon to the point where it won't bother me anymore, easier said than done, I know.

The groin issue is another problem. I am too stubborn to quit playing hockey, and my squat stance places the stress right on the area that is bothering me, so it was squats or hockey. I am reluctantly choosing hockey, I say reluctantly, because I am on the fence with that too. My soon to be 36 year old body just gets beat up from playing. See, I am not one of those people who can leisurely just go out there and play, I need to play balls to the wall, and even if I say to myself before the game to just take it easy, something will fire me up during the game, and that goes right out the window. Hockey cannot be played leisurely apparently, lol. Not to mention I broke my $150 composite stick last night, so I am not too thrilled about that either. Definitely not buying another one. But I digress...

OK, so what can I do for my legs that doesn't aggravate my groin? trap bar work. So trap bar deads are in, squats are out.

Ok, next thing to figure out is how to go about the volume. Well, I've decided to just do 3 exercises, yup, only 3...trap bar deads, incline bench press, and chinups. I will be doing these three exercises 3 days a week in a 4 week cycle with the weight increasing each day by something like 2%. I will be starting at 60% and scaling up to 80% over 4 weeks. The sets will start at 7 for the deads and 8 for bench and chins, and wind up at 5 sets in the last week. If I complete the cycle (a huge IF for me, for those who follow my work, lol), I will add 10lbs to my trap bar max and 5 pounds to bench and chins, and start over at 60%.

so there it is....TONS of volume on those big 3 exercises, and light weight to accommodate the volume, and hopefully work on healing some of these injuries. We'll see...stay tuned.

**Stewart14** · 07-16-2010, 05:44 PM

July 16

This is actually the second day, I didn't post the first day. this day is 62% of max.

Trap Bar Deads
290 x 5 (7 sets)

Low Incline Bench Press
175 x 5 (8 sets)

Chinups
bw x 5 (8 sets)

chins are skewed a bit because obviously you can't chin less than your weight and up till about 70% of my chinup max is under my bodyweight, so i will have to just do bodyweight for a couple of weeks.

**Gazhole** · 07-17-2010, 03:54 AM

Sorry to hear about your injuries, dude! This program looks really good though, i love workouts with only three exercises.

**Stewart14** · 07-18-2010, 10:55 AM

July 18

Trap Bar Deads
300 x 5 (7 sets)

Low Incline Bench Press
185 x 5 (8 sets)

Chinups
BW x 5 (8 sets)

**Stewart14** · 07-21-2010, 10:37 AM

July 21

Low Incline Bench Press
200 x 5
200 x 5
200 x 5
200 x 5
200 x 5

Squat Machine Shoulder Press
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

**yellowmoomba** · 07-21-2010, 11:19 AM

3 exercise program didn't last long

**Stewart14** · 07-21-2010, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by yellowmoomba

3 exercise program didn't last long

nah, actually I'm going to keep it. the shoulder press hurts my elbow, so I'm going back to just incline bench for now. i went back after posting that workout and completed my other 2 exercises to get back on track.

I just did the trap bar deads 330lbs for 5x5 and then chinups for 5x5.

changing the %s a bit though, going to go from 70-80% over 2 weeks, then reset back to 70% with a new 1RM estimate. the 60% was just too low.

**Stewart14** · 07-23-2010, 10:56 AM

July 23

Trap Bar Deads
340 x 5
340 x 5
340 x 5
340 x 5
340 x 5

Low Incline Bench
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5
205 x 5

Chinups
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5
5 x 5

**Stewart14** · 07-25-2010, 10:09 AM

July 25

Trap Bar Deads
350 x 4
350 x 4
350 x 4
350 x 4
350 x 4

Low Incline Bench Press
210 x 4
210 x 4
210 x 4
210 x 4
210 x 4

Chinups
10 x 4
10 x 4
10 x 4
10 x 4
10 x 4

**Stewart14** · 07-27-2010, 12:27 PM

July 27

Trap Bar "Squats" off platform (no touch at ground)
245 x 8
245 x 8

Low Incline Bench Press
205 x 8
205 x 8

Chest Supported Rows
125 x 8
125 x 8

Standing OH Press
125 x 8
125 x 8

Chinups
BW x 8
BW x 8

**Double D** · 07-28-2010, 10:33 AM

Sissy.....3 exercises, sheesh

**Stewart14** · 07-30-2010, 10:27 AM

July 30

Low Incline Bench Press
230 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 3

Standing OH Press
150 x 3
150 x 3
150 x 3
150 x 3
150 x 3
150 x 3

**Stewart14** · 08-01-2010, 10:22 AM

Aug 1

Trap Bar Deads
335 x 8
335 x 8

Low Incline Bench Press
210 x 8
210 x 8

Chest Supported Rows
130 x 8
130 x 8

Standing OH Press
130 x 8
130 x 8

Chinups
5 x 8
5 x 8

**yellowmoomba** · 08-01-2010, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Double D

Sissy.....3 exercises, sheesh

He didn't take the bait

**Stewart14** · 08-03-2010, 01:18 PM

Aug 3

75% day

Trap Bar Deads
355 x 6
355 x 6
355 x 6

Low Incline Bench Press
215 x 6
215 x 6
215 x 6

Chest Supported Rows
140 x 6
140 x 6
140 x 6

Seated OH Press
140 x 6
140 x 6
140 x 6

Chinups
10 x 6
10 x 6
10 x 6

*Tried squats today for the first time in a couple of weeks, and it was still a no go, 225 had too much pain in the area, so I aborted. My groin has been doing better in the past few days, even with a bunch of hockey games thrown in there lately, and I don't want to press my luck, so it's back to the trap bar exclusively for now, oh well.

It's scary, I actually think I've lost some weight from not doing squats, seriously, nothing else has changed, but I'm about 4 pounds lighter, and my legs just don't feel or look as big as they were, maybe it's real, maybe it's in my head, who knows.

**suprfast** · 08-03-2010, 01:28 PM

Did I mention how much I hate you. You do higher reps lighter weight and your bench reps are still better than my max

**Stewart14** · 08-03-2010, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by suprfast

Did I mention how much I hate you. You do higher reps lighter weight and your bench reps are still better than my max

and don't forget I still have a bad elbow too

**suprfast** · 08-03-2010, 01:39 PM

thanks for rubbing salt in the wound.

**Double D** · 08-03-2010, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by yellowmoomba

He didn't take the bait

Hes to good for us little people these days.....

**yellowmoomba** · 08-03-2010, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by Double D

Hes to good for us little people these days.....

Apparently......................

**Stewart14** · 08-03-2010, 07:25 PM

Awww come on guys you know I love you both!

**AKIRA** · 08-03-2010, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Stewart14

and don't forget I still have a bad elbow too

My tennis elbow is almost healed. How is yours?

You might have this somewhere, but how long do you workouts last?

I am going to go back to mass in a couple of weeks too. Now that I am 30, I want as much muscle as I can get.

**Stewart14** · 08-05-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by AKIRA

My tennis elbow is almost healed. How is yours?

You might have this somewhere, but how long do you workouts last?

I am going to go back to mass in a couple of weeks too. Now that I am 30, I want as much muscle as I can get.

My elbow I'm pretty sure is tendonosis in my tricep tendon. Mine is at the back of my elbow, it's different than tennis elbow that you have. I would venture to say you have trouble with pulling exercises, whereas mine is with pushing. It's not healed, probably won't heal so long as I keep working out with it. let's just say the pain is manageable at this point. It's been worse a couple of months ago, but for some reason since I started with the high frequency benching, it's gotten better. I'm about to go high frequency along with some heavier weights now, so we'll see how it responds to that...

My last workout took a bit more than an hour. Since it is set up for strength I'm resting 2+ minutes between sets. So you figure, 15 sets with 2+ min rest, and it's long, but it's only gonna be 3 days a week, so I don't care.

Well, I'm going to be 36 next month, so I want to get my strength back up, I am losing my window for moving big weights, my only hope is that I can be like TT over there doing all that crap into his 50s, that is awesome

**Stewart14** · 08-05-2010, 10:55 AM

Aug 5

80% day

Trap Bar Deads
360 x 5
360 x 5
360 x 5

Low Incline Bench Press
230 x 5
230 x 5
230 x 5

Chest Supported Rows
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5

Seated OH Press
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5

Chinups
25 x 5
25 x 5
25 x 5

**AKIRA** · 08-05-2010, 12:22 PM

Ahhh. Well, my elbow does hurt during pushes, specifically bench. However, its practically gone now. I can even do kettlebells again.

With high volume comes a need for growth, but in 3 of my Kinesiology classes, it has been taught and proven that growth occurs from the eccentric portion of a rep. It works so well that astronauts try to come up with shit to do it in space. When theyre there for so long, they lose muscle mass and without gravity its hard for any eccentric work...but thats another story.

Anyway, eccentrics hurt and they take a while to do rather than the usual tempo. Now you add in volume, say your staple of 3x10. I wonder whats best cuz blending high volume and slow negatives will not only be painful, but tedious.

I really dont know... But thats what I am going to do when school ends tomorrow.

**yellowmoomba** · 08-05-2010, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Stewart14

Aug 5

80% day

Trap Bar Deads
360 x 5
360 x 5
360 x 5

Low Incline Bench Press
230 x 5
230 x 5
230 x 5

Chest Supported Rows
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5

Seated OH Press
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5

Chinups
25 x 5
25 x 5
25 x 5

Looks solid

How are the kiddies? Mine are a blast (very entertaining)

**juggernaut** · 08-05-2010, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

Sorry to hear about your injuries, dude! This program looks really good though, i love workouts with only three exercises.

no leg work sort of?

**Stewart14** · 08-05-2010, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by juggernaut

no leg work sort of?

unfortunately, I'm nursing a right groin area strain/pull, and my squat stance puts direct pressure right on that area, and coupled with the fact that I am in a hockey league, I figure at least I can still skate relatively without pain, so I don't want to press my luck and have something really bad happen to where I can't skate or do ANY sort of lower body work, so I'll take the lesser of two evils and stick to the trap bar for now.

holy run on sentence!

**Stewart14** · 08-05-2010, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by yellowmoomba

Looks solid

How are the kiddies? Mine are a blast (very entertaining)

oh yeah, now that the little one is walking, it's a fricken riot watching the two of them together. they chase each other around the house, it is the best thing ever. of course ryan is a little bitch with her sometimes and is always trying to trip her, or knock her down and hit her or something mischievous, but on the whole, it's awesome

**Stewart14** · 08-05-2010, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Ahhh. Well, my elbow does hurt during pushes, specifically bench. However, its practically gone now. I can even do kettlebells again.

With high volume comes a need for growth, but in 3 of my Kinesiology classes, it has been taught and proven that growth occurs from the eccentric portion of a rep. It works so well that astronauts try to come up with shit to do it in space. When theyre there for so long, they lose muscle mass and without gravity its hard for any eccentric work...but thats another story.

Anyway, eccentrics hurt and they take a while to do rather than the usual tempo. Now you add in volume, say your staple of 3x10. I wonder whats best cuz blending high volume and slow negatives will not only be painful, but tedious.

I really dont know... But thats what I am going to do when school ends tomorrow.

i dont even know if what im doing even constitutes high volume anymore, definitely high frequency, but I've toned the volume down by following prilepin's table. In reality, I would love to do sets of 5 for my 75% days, sets of 4 for 80% days and sets of 3 for 85% days, but I don't want to increase the total sets any more than the 3 per exercise I am doing because I don't want to be doing 30 sets per workout, so I'll suck it up for the extra rep per set.

I can tell you that the eccentric portion of my bench and overhead press DESTROYS my elbow tendon, so yeah, they are painful. if i didn't have to do the eccentric, I would probably have no pain at all, the concentrics are cake, it's that damn lowering that kills me

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