Thread: Spring Training - Pylon's Journal V4.0

Have the morning off, so got in my work at my secondary gym a little early.

Workout A1 (done as circuit x2)-

WU - run 1 mile (5mph); prisoner squat - BWx10


OH squats - 45 x 12, 95 x 6 (more on this below)
Flat bench - 45x10 (WU), 135 x 12
Dips - -60x4, -90x4
Hypers - bwx10, 45x10

circuit 2

flat bench - 155 x 3
dips - -90x10
hypers - 45x12

cooldown - 5 min walk

First, my bench sucks. I've never really worked much on it, but I'm coming to realize what a major weakness it is. (Why is it no one ever says "You work out? How much can you squat?") Anyway, that is getting added to my goals.

Also, OH squats are interesting, but they do not play well with my shoulder. The 95s were going fine for weight, but my left shoulder was screaming on the last couple of reps. I liked the balance work required, so I think I will leave them in for a WU with the empty bar and see how it goes. That being said, I need to replace them in the lift. I guess I'll put in leg press, but I have a week or so to think about it. Actually, bulgarians might be perfect here because of the balance factor. Thoughts?

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

Wow. You may not have much to say, but you are quick!

Originally Posted by Pylon

(Why is it no one ever says "You work out? How much can you squat?")

I'm just waiting for the day when someone says "How much can you deadlift?".

Also, OH squats are interesting, but they do not play well with my shoulder. The 95s were going fine for weight, but my left shoulder was screaming on the last couple of reps. I liked the balance work required, so I think I will leave them in for a WU with the empty bar and see how it goes. That being said, I need to replace them in the lift. I guess I'll put in leg press, but I have a week or so to think about it. Actually, bulgarians might be perfect here because of the balance factor. Thoughts?

I don't think the leg press is an equivalent substitute for squats. I'd go with the Bulgarians if you can't do the overheads.

Originally Posted by Pylon

Wow. You may not have much to say, but you are quick!

Not all the time.

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

I don't think the leg press is an equivalent substitute for squats. I'd go with the Bulgarians if you can't do the overheads.

I didn't think of them as equivalent per se, but I have squats in the program already.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I really hate bulgarians. And they should probably take that spot in the workout. Dagnabbit.

woohoo...a new journal!!

Originally Posted by Pylon

Wow. You may not have much to say, but you are quick!

heh...his wife's used totelling him that...

I crack myself up...
(don't ya know..fat men are funny!)

Hey Py!
Good luck!

Brother Pylon, EXCELLENT start my Friend!!! Don't worry about your Bench, I promise it will be just fine!!! How did you like it in a circuit style training???

Originally Posted by Archangel

Brother Pylon, EXCELLENT start my Friend!!! Don't worry about your Bench, I promise it will be just fine!!! How did you like it in a circuit style training???

Real good. I think I'll keep that style. I like extending the workload a little, and that seems a good way to do it.

You were right about the amount of work, too. Doesn't look like much, but I can sure feel it!

Originally Posted by Pylon

Real good. I think I'll keep that style. I like extending the workload a little, and that seems a good way to do it.

You were right about the amount of work, too. Doesn't look like much, but I can sure feel it!

Awesome news, Good Stuff!!!

Yeah, well, it's balanced by the stiffness in my shoulder and neck. nothing serious, but those OH presses really did a number on it.

OH head squats! - you are more of a man than me.

If you don't like bulgarian squats find some other uni-lateral movement you do like- there must be one. Looking good, Pylon.

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

OH head squats! - you are more of a man than me.

If you don't like bulgarian squats find some other uni-lateral movement you do like- there must be one. Looking good, Pylon.

I really liked them. Just wish my creaky shoulder agreed with me on them.

I don't think I'll find anything I like better that Bulgs. I never met a uni leg move I liked.

Cardio day...woohoo!

treadmill - 1 mile (planned on running, but my legs felt like lead after the OH squats yesterday) - total time @13 min

bike - 10 min

stairmill - 5 min

not too intense, but good solid effort. Tomorrow there is a spinning class at my gym at noon. I plan to lift at 11:30, then do at least 30 min of the class to see how I like it.

Originally Posted by Pylon

OK, 8 weeks on the new plan to get ready for the season. Goals for this session:

Drop 15 or more lbs.
Decrease home to home time (once baseline is set)
Strengthen core
Improve explosiveness in lifting
Maintain consistency in lifting
Fix bike (when parts arrive), back to cardio min 5x/week


Here is the plan as set in the last journal...

2 Alternating routine, done on a M-W-F schedule

Routine A1 - OH Squats/Flat Bench/Dips/Hyperextensions
Routine B1 - Deads/Rev ham extension/Pullups/BB Curls

Routine A2 - Squats/Incline DB Bench/Skulls into CG Presses
Routine B2 - Bent Over Rows/CG Pulldowns/DB incline Curls/Saxon bends

This has already been changed. More on that in the next post.

I would do the hang cleans on B2 days and if you feel like it do em light on B1 days. Stick to 1-5 rep range and sets can range from 1-10.

I think B2 makes the most sense, since that is the one day without one of the big three. I may do a few light ones tomorrow as a warm up. I'm thinking 10 reps of OH squats and hang cleans with just the bar would be good to warm everything up.

Morning weigh in was at 263, which means my week off cost me 4 lbs. Not too bad, actually. I was expecting worse.

To restate, goals for this session (ending April 1):

End weight - 245
Decrease home to home time (once baseline is set)
Strengthen core
Improve explosiveness in lifting
Maintain consistency in lifting
Fix bike (when parts arrive), back to cardio min 5x/week

Wednesday lifting...

WU - Hang clean SS OH squats - 45 x 10, 10, 2 sets
The cleans feel weird, especially with no weight on the bar. By the end of the second set, they started to feel better. Also, no problem with the shoulder on the OHs, so I think I will keep these as my warm up set, with a little weight added on the second group.

Deadlifts - 185 x 3,7 (stopped after 3 to stretch my back out a little extra)
rev ham extension - bw x 10
pullups - -80 x 4
bb curls - 70 x 10

second circuit
deads - 185x10
rev hams - 10 x 10 (started to really get the hang of these on the last 3. It's a odd movement, but when you get it right, it really hits home. Weight added with a med ball, which was a trick to hold on to as well)
pullups - -120x5
bb curls - 70 x 5

All that, followed by 20 min spinning class. I didn't get very far into it, but what little I did kicked my ass. I think I might change to lifting 2x each week so I can do full spinning M and W. Just a thought. I'm sure I'll get over it.

With that many reps the pump must have been insane. When you were "stretching your back" was it because of the pump?


"pullups - -80 x 4 "

I can see why you were unhappy. Those negative 80 pound pull-ups must have felt like nothing.

Originally Posted by DOMS

With that many reps the pump must have been insane. When you were "stretching your back" was it because of the pump?

No, it was just a little tight after the first couple, and I wanted to loosen it up before I strained it. Just playing it safe.

"pullups - -80 x 4 "

I can see why you were unhappy. Those negative 80 pound pull-ups must have felt like nothing.

No, I just have a lot of mass to lift and haven't applied myself to get off pull-up welfare. (For the record, it wasn't a misprint, though I did leave off the second set, which was even worse.)

Originally Posted by Pylon

No, I just have a lot of mass to lift and haven't applied myself to get off pull-up welfare. (For the record, it wasn't a misprint.)

Oh, it was an assisted pull-up? Duh...

Yeah, definitely 10 pull-ups, yeah 10 pull-ups, yeah...

I will say this, though, about some of the changes in my routine. I love the new moves, and I can definitely feel my body trying to keep up with the changes. Good times...

I find I need to do a lot more in the way of warmup these days. I hate that part of my program but I think it is the most important part for the prevention of injuries.

I wouldn't worry about the pull-ups, I'm sure you will be rocking those in no time. Just think how much easier pullups and chinups will be when you start losing a little weight.

I love riding too. Hope the parts come quick. Riding is my sanctuary.
Keep up the good work.

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

I find I need to do a lot more in the way of warmup these days. I hate that part of my program but I think it is the most important part for the prevention of injuries.

Amen to that, BB.

I used to only be able to do 1 chin now i can do 6 and i gained 30 pounds during that period. Start doing negatives on the chins.

Originally Posted by Brutus_G

I used to only be able to do 1 chin now i can do 6 and i gained 30 pounds during that period. Start doing negatives on the chins.

Damn, that sounds great. Now I'm even more psyched to do pull-ups.