Thread: what happens if I do my best?

Hi W8 - Thanks for checking on me still. Means a lot.

When you safe safety squat machine do you mean the cage/rack for barbell squats or is it maybe the same machine I call "super squat" machine. That's where you can face in to the machine and squat or put your back on the pad and do hack squats. If that's what you mean - I love that machine. Makes me feel "secure" when I go heavy.

Hi TP - That may be a good idea. I rarely do the isolation stuff first for fear of my weights coming down even more when I get to squat - but it makes sense that it could help in the long run.

I've been gaining strength everywhere 'cept legs so I'm frustrated. And my legs need the most improvement!

In that case you should also prioritize.

Are you training legs after your off day, when you are fresh?

Are you getting proper post workout nutrition on that day especially? Sleeping well that night?

Are you training them after your carb ups so that you have plenty of gas?

If you have all that in order, you may wish to train legs twice as often as everything else for some time.

i'm going to fiddle with my routine. i honestly don't think i could train legs more often though. they're typically sore for 4 days after. but i do think i might need to move them so they are my first bodypart after rest days.

If you do them every four days rotate regular squats and hack squats. Or split quads and hams for optimum growth. Just keep hitting them hard and they will come back around, and you will feel more comfortable. remember it is quality not so much quanity when you start back into heavy legs

I don't really like splitting quads and hamstrings up. I've done that in the past. (but thanks for the idea)

Good shoulder workout last night.

DB PRESS
10 x 25
9 x 30
8 x 30 - needed spot on last rep
10 x 25

SUPERSET: Side Laterals & Front Raises (DB)
12 x 12.5 + 12 x 5
8 x 15 + 10 x 5
8 x 15 + 8 x 5

hard to lift my arms after those

SUPERSET: Cable Upright Rows & Rear Delt Machine
10 x 60 + 10 x 45
8 x 70 + 12 x 45
8 x 70 + 10 x 45

DROPSET (just 1) Machine Press
5 x 70 + 8 x 50

WEDNESDAY 5/7 MEALS
no cheats to report so far. guess that's progress.


MEAL 1
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
4 oz ground turkey breast
1/2 c. oatmeal

MEAL 2
protein shake (Ultrasize)

MEAL 3
can tuna
2 cups mixed greens
4 oz yam
2 Tbs dressing

MEAL 4
protein shake (Ultrasize)

MEAL 5
4 oz eye round beef
1 cup broccoli
flax - 2 tsp

42 hours after the fact....and my leg pain is still increasing.

lol. guess it was a better workout than i thought (even if i am a wuss when it comes to squats)

all is well on the "meal front". no confessions needed. (about damn time)

ARMS
DB CURLS
8 x 30
10 x 25
10 x 25

CABLE CURL (EZ Bar)
10 X 65
9 x 70
8 x 70

HERCULES CURLS
10 x 50
8 x 60

these weren't doing it for me. i kept feeling them across my upper back? my form was strict so not sure what i was doing wrong....i switched to concentration curls

CONCENTRATION CURLS
15 x 12.5
10 x 15

TRICEPS
BENCH DIPS
10 x 25 lb plate in my lap
10 x 25

Pushdowns
10 x 40
7 x 40 Reverse Grip
9 x 40

Kickback
12 x 10
10 x 10

Dips
7 x BW
6 x BW

I wasn't cheating and slacking! I just don't usually have access to a computer on the weekend now.

I made jumbalaya for my bf's mom Sunday - and didn't eat it.
I used some of the liquid (just broth and spices) over my plain chicken so no cheats to report (just better than average chicken last night)

Abs are sore. Still getting used to actually training them again.

Good chest workout - sort of. 1st 4 sets of DB presses went very well. But then the incline machine and everything I tried after was bothering my shoulder. I think I pretty much have to stick with flat and incline DB presses, smith presses and cable crossovers for chest. The machines hurt my shoulder - pec deck hurts, flyes hurt.... Not as bad as it sounds though b/c the dbs don't hurt even the slightest bit.

DB PRESS (flat bench)

10 x 35
10 x 40
10 x 42.5
6 x 45

INCLINE PRESS MACHINE
6 x 105 + 8 x 60 (dropset)
7 x 90 + 4 x 75 - shoulder pain...stopped after 2 sets

PEC DECK
10 x 45
10 x 45
very light - tried to really squeeze but these also hurt my shoulder when I was reaching back.

did 10 pushups (hard after the chest workout!) and called it a day for chest.

ABS - 8 sets

Lose the smith presses to. They are hard on the shoulders as well. Hi there, I read but don't post much in here.

I have shoulder probs to, but since going to all freeweight dumbbell exercises they have gone down considerably. And do the cable crossovers instead of the Pec Dec. I've seen that at the gym to a few of my clients just biomechanically don't fit into some of the machines to be able to do the exercises right without pain.

I'd reccomend

1. Incline DB presses
2. Flat bench DB presses
3. Cable Crossovers with the pulleys high
4. Cable Crossovers with the pulley's low

I'm not sure what others will think about the pullies in the high and low positions but I feel the stress differently and they are close to a fly.

hmmm the chicken you made like that sounds awesome.

You read my mind. I haven't tried the smiths in awhile so I wasn't sure if they would or wouldn't be ok.

I do know that the db presses don't hurt and cables don't. It's funny too b/c my shoulder never hurts after the gym. It only hurts on chest day near the end. I can work around it though. Thanks for visiting!

The chicken was good - and I'm really hating chicken lately (sick of it)

hmmm Turkey is good to, I alternate between tuna, chicken, and turkey for the most part.

Might be at the end you've put enough pressure on your shoulder from the other exercises that it's just tired and weak enough that it starts to hurt.

Have you ever thought about doing rotator cuff exercises? It might be a that those are getting strained, and if you do those it would eliminate that strain.

Abs still really sore from Sunday. I sort of like it. LOL

Good back workout last night. Did BB Rows for first time in years. Found I can go heavier than I thought (will take this into account next workout) but was super strict and got my elbows all the way up and back. Felt great.


RG HAMMER PULLDOWN MACHINE (plate loaded)
12 x 35 lb each side
10 x 45 " "
10 x 50

BB ROW
12 x 30
10 x 45
10 x 50

WG Lat Pulldown
10 x 90

SUPERSET: WG Lat Pulldown with Cable (long pulley) Rows
9 x 90 + 10 x 80
7 x 100 + 6 x 90 + 7 x 70 (did dropset on row portion of superset)

I should add some hypers next time for lower back.