Big Dawg's Journal

[Big Dawg]

Starting my road back to powerlifting!!! After 4 months of being off from shoulder surgery, I am beginning my journey back.

4 months ago these where my physical and strength stats:

39 y/o
245 lbs
Chest relaxed was: 54''
Shoulders relaxed: 57''
Bicepts: 20''
Neck: 18.5"
Stomach: 40''
Thighs: 28''
Body Fat: Dont know dont care!!

Bench: 465lb competition lift/505lb gym lift/600lb 3 board bench-all raw non equiped.

Deadlift: 525lb competition lift/550lb gym lift/655lb 3 pin pull.

Squat: Unknown cant do, do to nasty knee injuries.

I am a push/pull powerlifter only. I have never done full power.

4 months later!!!!

40 y/o
220lb
Chest relaxed was: 51''
Shoulders relaxed: 53''
Bicepts: 18''
Neck: 17"
Stomach: 40''
Thighs: 25''
Body Fat: Dont know dont care!!

Planning on running just my maintanance dose of test and going to add DMZ. Never used DMZ before so I thought it might be good to get a boost for getting back into the gym. Going to have to take things slow(per the surgeon). I will post as often as I can and hope to show some major progress.

Goals:

I am going to go shirted on the bench this time and I hope to hit 700lb +. I want to improve on my deads and hit 600+ on them. 12/7/10 will be my first official day back in the gym.

 

[The Prototype]

Good luck. Looking forward to seeing your results on the DMZ

 

[gtbmed]

Do you pull sumo or conventional?

 

[Big Dawg]

I pull conventional, sumo is to hard on my hip flexers...

 

[davegmb]

Looking forward to seeing how you progress, nice intro it was a good little read

 

[Big Dawg]

12/13/10 End of week #1, beginning of week #2

Well not much to report on measurments for week #1. I am still just cruising with my test cyp. and taking 30mg ed. of DMZ. As far as my lifts, its alittle decieving do to the fact that I was very cautious my first week back after shoulder surgery.

Week #1

Chest and Tris

flat bench-85lbs
Dumbell press-30lbs
Tate presses-15lbs
t-handle tri ext.- 65lbs
behind head tri pulls-40lbs

Bis-

Preachers-75lbs
hammers-35lbs
concentrations-20lbs

shoulders

hanging cleans-65lbs
dumbel shoulder press-35lbs
a bunch of rotator cuff work.....
shrugs-135lbs

legs

front squats-135lbs
box squats-135lbs

back

deads-135lbs
lat pulls-100lbs
dumbel lat pulls-60lbs

Not a bad week for being only 3 months post op. from a major shoulder injury. I have started week #2 and its already 200% better then week #1. Back with my powerlifting team and coach and feeling good..

 

[gtbmed]

Interesting - are you transitioning back into powerlifting training after your injury? The reason I ask is your week 1 doesn't look like powerlifting training.

 

[Big Dawg]

Interesting - are you transitioning back into powerlifting training after your injury? The reason I ask is your week 1 doesn't look like powerlifting training.

Yes I am a powerlifter... this is my first week back and I am just getting my body thru the sorness faise after being off for 4 months....

 

[Big Dawg]

12/17/2010 End of week #2

Again not alot of measurment changes.. I have gained 3lbs since I started back in the gym.. Lifting wise there has been much improvement, I think mainly becouse I trust my shoulder a little more.

Chest and Tris

Flat bench
135lb for 15
155lb for 15
185lb for 10
200lb for 8
225lb for 5

Not yet doing my powerlifting routine yet, still trying to find out my strength limits right now.

Dumbell presses
60lbs 4X15

Tate press
35lbs 4X12

Sculls on curl bar
95lbs 4x10

Tricep pull downs
150lbs 4X10

Shoulders

hanging cleans
135lbs 4X10

rotator cuff work(assorted excersises)

dumbell shoulder presses
50lbs 4X10

Back/bis

Off the floor deads
135lbsX10
185lbsX10
225lbsX5
315lbsX1
365lbsX1
405lbsX1
455lbsX1
I made a mistake and did not use our actual deadlift bar, I had a crappy bent 45lb regular bar..

Seated good morings
135lbs 4X10

T-bar lat pulls
200lbs 4X5

Preachers
75lbs 4x10

Dumbells hammer curls
40lbs 4X10

4 or 5 sets of pinch plate work. We have a bar so we can add weight to it, cant remember where I started but I ended at 180lbs for a single.

Legs

Front squats
225lb 4X10

High box with 120lb chains on bar
Total weight 305 4X5

leg press
360lbs 3x10
410lbs 2x8

Leg strength has suffered the most the 4 months that I have been off.. Very sore and very tight, coach and I dont know why, I have been off before and came back without this problem. Probably has somthing to do with me being 40 y/o..

 

[IslandGirl]

Wishing you the best getting back into your routine.

 

[Creatineamonster]

Will follow this journal for sure man good luck and hope you hit the 700 for sure. Take it easy and take care of that injury though take it slow.

 

[Big Dawg]

12/26/2010 End of week #3

I have gained 7lbs total to date since I started back in the gym.. Body weight is 227lb.

Chest and Tris

Flat bench
135lb for 15
155lb for 15
185lb for 10
200lb for 8
225lb for 5
285lb for 1

Barbell floor presses
185 4X10 first week back doing them so I took it lite

Dumbell presses
70lbs 4X10

Double arm tricep behind the head pull
80lbs 4X12

Sculls on curl bar
95lbs 4x10

Tricep pull downs
150lbs 4X10

Shoulders

hanging cleans
135lbs 4X10

rotator cuff work(assorted excersises)

seated shoulder press (barbell)
115lbs 4X10

Shoulder shrugs(front)
225X10
315X10
405X5
495X3

Back/bis

Off the floor deads
135lbsX10
185lbsX10
225lbsX5
315lbsX1
365lbsX1
405lbsX1
455lbsX1
Attempted 475lb but failed

Standing good morings
135lbs 4X10

T-bar lat pulls
200lbs 4X5

Preachers
75lbs 4x10

Dumbells hammer curls
40lbs 4X10

Cable Rope curls
150lb 4X8

4 or 5 sets of pinch plate work. We have a bar so we can add weight. Worked up to 200lbs for a single.

Legs

squats
135X10
185X10
225X10
275X5
315X3
345X1

leg press
360lbsX10
450lbsX8
540lbsX3
630lbsX1

I have one more week on DMZ of a 4 week cycle.. I am not sure if I am having a side effect this week on it or if I got a bit of a flu bug, but I have had little to no appetite
and it has effected my trainning.. I did not take any body measurments to see if there has been any growth. I am planning on doing that at the end of week 4 when I am wrapping up my DMZ/Test cycle.

 

[Big Dawg]

Bench Day

12/29/2010

Did my first semi-power bench day. I could not download video to here so I am trying send the link from youtube...


YouTube - Bench Press

 

[Big Dawg]

4 weeks ago

40 y/o
220lb Now 227.5
Chest relaxed was: 51'' Now 53"
Shoulders relaxed: 53'' Now 55.5"
Biceps: 18'' Now 19"
Neck: 17" Now 18"
Stomach: 40'' Now 42"
Thighs: 25'' Now 25.5"
Body Fat: Dont know dont care!!

I have 3 days left of my DMZ 4 week cycle.. Very pleased with the improvements I have made after being off for 5 months. I am very Impressed with DMZ, it is IMO a very good product, I plan on using it again later in my routine once I start to ramp my workouts up. I am going to try to post as much of my training vids as I can, as I work forward to the National APF powerlifting meet in Florida in April.

YouTube - Bench Press