Pylon's new journal

[Pylon]

Leg day, leg day...oh, how I love leg day...

Squats - 135x20, 205x20, 295x12 (see below)
leg press - 730x15
calf press - 730x15
lying iso leg curl - 50x12 ea
SLDs - 135x16
standing calf raise - 160x20
leg ext - 140x14
machine crunch - 110x25
w/o time @30 min

I am ready to declare myself back to full strength on squats. I looked at my book for the last time I did them before the injury. I was at 270x17, so 295x12 is equal or better than the old lift, plus no belt or pad. Ready to start making gains there again.

I was a little sloppy on the standing calf raise form, mostly because I couldn't really feel anything belo the waist by then, so I will keep the weight there next time as well. Happt to have SLDs back as well, really felt them. Next time the lineup is shuffled, I will being back rack pulls as well.

 

[King Silverback]

Awesome Job Brother Pylon!!! I would definatly say your back

 

[Pylon]

What about my back?

 

[King Silverback]

Took me a minute, talk about a long day!!!

 

[Pylon]

Z'ok. Well all go through it...

 

[Pylon]

Double hit on cardio day...Legs were yesterday, which officially makes this the worst day of the week. We had a retirement party at work for a guy, including a BBQ lunch with lots of goodies. I went over and said goodbye, then headed out the door before the food caught up to me...

Sticking to my new plan, I did only treadmill work for cardio. I got in about 1.5 miles in the 20 min session, with a good full mile of jogging (or, as I light to think of it, light plodding.)

I am also starting a stack today of Tight with 25mg ephedrine. I had LOTS of energy about an hour into the day.

So I got the cardio done and felt pretty good. Lots of energy, and sweating like it was raining out...which it is, but I wasn't running in it. Anyway, still dripping a little back in the office, which is fine with me. Lets me know I'm getting some bang for my buck.

 

[King Silverback]

Do you recomend the Tight? Was wondering about the T3 myself!!!
I HATE cardio after leg day

 

[Pylon]

Do you recomend the Tight?

Give me a couple of weeks and I will let you know. This is the first time I've tried it.

I had plenty of energy to get throught the day and no problem falling asleep, so that's a good start.

 

[Pylon]

Uppers...

Incline HS - 160x12
pec deck - 135 x 12
flat smith - 150 x 10
T-bar - 135 x 10
Rev pec decl - 120 x 10
chins - -115x6+2 negs
smith mil - 90x12
smith row - 90x10
smith shrug - 270x8

flex curl - 60x8
rev cable curl - 120x9
seated hammer curl - 35x8
V-bar push - 195x12
DB pullover - 70x12
dips - -85x10

This make 3 straight weeks where I am increasing my incline press. I was stuck at 140 for a while, but it seems to be really taking off. I also have increased my other chest lifts at the same time.

I was ready to quit after 8 T-bars, but cranked out 2 more. Same with dips. I will have to drop even more on my pull-ups. Not happy with that at all. I may switch to lat pulls for a while to try to get stronger at them.

The break in the list is where I pretty much ran out of gas. I was soaked in sweat and ready to fall over, but kept going. I got my second wind around the V-bar presses, and hit another level on DB pullovers today.

The Tight/eph has defintely made a difference in my w/o. I am more tired after than ever, which I chalk up to having my system revved up to start. I am also lifting a little more, which is also a good sign, but not sure if the stack is why. I will say I felt as tired after uppers today as I usually do after legs, and that NEVER happens.

 

[King Silverback]

Kicken w/o there Brother Pylon!!! Your numbers just keep blowin up!!! Sounds like Tight works pretty good, let me know in a few weeks if its still working. I'm interested in it if it does!!!

 

[FishOrCutBait]

Good lookin w/o there Pylon, how long did it take you to get all that done?! I'd be huffin and puffin after that too!

 

[Pylon]

Good lookin w/o there Pylon, how long did it take you to get all that done?! I'd be huffin and puffin after that too!

That was about 35 minutes, not couting the warm up (5 min treadmill, light set on pec deck.)

Yeah, I was suckin' wind pretty good at the end...not to mention the middle...and right after the start...

 

[Pylon]

12:30 Sunday afternoon, I must be in the airport...

Headed to St. Paul today. Will be there until Wendesay morning, I think. I have my supps, shakes and straps packed. I am going to miss my workout Wednesday, as I will get in around 11 and head home, then to see Elvis Costello in the evening. So, to make up, I am going to find a gym when I get there and try to do legs tonight. That way I can do cardio M and W, uppers on Tuesday and then Thursday. No missed w/o for me.

The new stack is going great. I started with Tight on Th, Tight and Eph on Friday, then my full stack of T&E at 7 and noon. Each time I felt a little over-stimulated, but easing into has helped. Today I feel the diff with more energy and a little warmer than before, but no ill effects. This should be a great month. I am hoping to get to 14%BF by end of May. I don't know exactly what I am at, but will be doing measurements on Friday. (That thought should also help keep my food intake on track while on the road.

 

[Alaric]

Holy crap I just did a quick scan by your journal. That's some awesome leg strength you've got there Pylon. How do you like 'em 20 rep squats?

 

[Pylon]

Holy crap I just did a quick scan by your journal. That's some awesome leg strength you've got there Pylon. How do you like 'em 20 rep squats?

Thanks for the props.

The 20 rep squats suck. I hate them. OK, I love them, but they still suck. I start off that way on leg day and am always gassed at the end. If I miss them, my day isn't nearly as intense.

 

[BulkMeUp]

Wow!! those are some pretty heavy wo's! My legs hurt just reading your weights!!!!

 

[Pylon]

Mmm...leg day...


The fine folks at Gold's Gym were kind enough to give me a one week pass at no charge to use their gym. (I spent the money I would have paid on a Tshirt, so everyone wins.)

Squats - 135x12, 205x12, 295x12

leg press - 630x20
calf press - 630x20

seated leg curl - 150x20
SLDs - 135x20

standing calf raise - 80lb DB x 12ea
leg ext - 150 x 14

med ball crunch - 15lb, 2 sets of 15

w/out time @35 mintues

I started out thinking the bar felt really light on squats. I did fewer on my warm up hoping to get 20 on the last set. I was lucky to get 12. Needless to say, it did not feel light at the end.

Their leg press had a little more angle on it, so I backed off the weight a bit. 630 was just right. Had a little trouble getting up at the end.

The curls and the SLDs fried my hams. Felt fantastical!

They didn't have a machine for standing calfs, so I grabbed a big DB, an aerobic step thing and found a wall. Hoo rah!

The funny part, to me at least, were the number of guys and gals working out, and not one person was using the power rack. What is this world coming to? I saw one guy sitting on a preacher bench for about 20 minutes, staring into the mirror, weights no where in sight. He was pretty well put together, but I have no idea how he got that way. Glad I wasn't doing uppers.

I am going to work up a new upper program tonight. I'll post it for thougts tonite or tomorrow.

 

[King Silverback]

Brother Pylon, Incredible w/o there!!! Look forward to seeing your new Upper routine!!!

 

[Pylon]

OK, here is what I have sketched out for new upper HIT. The idea is to try to change up as much as possible to hit from new fresh angles. (Only one exercise is held over.) I am also trying to reduce the amount of time I spend changing stations, so I have tried to stay in one place for an exercise or two before moving where I can. This has led to a change in the order I work things as well. I'll be trying it on Tuesday, so any comments to help me tweak it before then are welcome.

Some of these are out of the new issue of M&F, so they are different than things I have tried before...

High pulley rope pulldown (lats)
Face pull
Rev incline DB row

Flat db press
flat db flye w/ twist (palms start facing the ceiling, end with pinkies together)
smith incline press

smith close grip press
stiff arm pulldowns
bench dips (hands on bench, feet on floor to start, might move to second bench)

Arnold press
Rev incline DB front raise
underhand smith mil press (palms toward face)

flex curl (really like them, and they are a diff angle than other curls)
conc curl on preacher bench (turned around, to limit arm movement)
wrist curls

There it is. Any thoughts?

 

[King Silverback]

I like the new routine!!! Really looks solid and practical too!!! What do you do for a living, I prolly asked but I can't for the life of me remember LOL

 

[Pylon]

I'm a manager in a construction company. I handle the PC equipment in the field, doing upgrades, maintenance, training, quality control, software testing, etc etc etc...

Got in my cardio today. Tried jogging, but (as is so often after leg day) my pins would have none of it. So I did 1.5 miles of brisk walking at 5% incline, then a little time in the hotel pool relaxing. Very nice.

 

[King Silverback]

Cool, I hear ya about running, my fat behind can't handle it either!!! Good cardio session Brother!!!

 

[BulkMeUp]

I know you said you are doing HIT. But how many sets+reps do you plan on that wo? I havent tried some of those exercises (e.g. smith machine) will be intresting to know your feedback.

 

[Pylon]

One set each, rep range of 8-12 (12-20 for lowers, btw.)

Yeah, lots of new stuff to try for me in this one. Can't wait!

 

[Pylon]

new upper HIT w/o

here we go...

High cable rope pulldowns - 100 x 12
face pull - 100 x 12
Rev incline DB row - 40 x 12
flat DB press - 40 x 12
flat DB flye w/ twist - 30 x 12
smith incline press - see below
smith cg press - 160 x 8
stiff pulldowns - 50 x 10
bench dips (butt to floor) - 10
arnold press - 30 x 12
rev incline db front raise - 15 x 12
underhand smith mil press - 70 x 8
EZ bar flex curl - 60 x 10 (I think...I lost count)
Conc curl on incline bench - 20 x 12
wrist curl - 30 x 20

Not too bad overall, but I feel like I'm missing a big lift. Could be from not doing incline presses (couldn't get a bench to use.) Went a little safe on weights, guessing on cable weights (not my gym.) Love the twist flyes, underhand mil press. Will probably drop either the face pulls or the rev row. Too similar. (Hmm...maybe that's a good place to put rack pulls back in...) W/o time was around 35 I think.

 

[King Silverback]

Awesome job Brother!!! I wouldn't worry too much about not doing Incline Bench, sometimes the different angle of attack will do wonders!!! Not that I should be giving advice on chest since mine is practically non-existant!!!
Thinking about goin with almost all DB work to try and spark SOME growth!!!

 

[Pylon]

Thanks Archie. I think I am going to throw the rack pulls/deads back in instead of the rev row. I really want to give the face pulls some time. The movement was a little weird at first, but a few of my moves were like that yesterday. Too much new stuff, I guess.

Flying home today. Whoopee!

 

[Pylon]

OK, this was cool enough I had to grab my laptop and log on again...

So, I'm in the airport in St. Paul and starving. I had a shake @6am, and it was getting time to eat. Problem is, airport food sucks. So I'm walking to my gate and looking at the options. There's a bar that serves french toast...cinnabon...burger king....etc etc etc...

So I stopped at the newstand and picked up a bottle of water and some turkey jerkey. I still have a protein drink in my bag, but I needed food. This wasn't really it, but it would have to do, as it has so many other time...

But then, walking to my gate, I pass an airport cafe whose name I have already forgotten. I started looking at the board and realized it had REAL FOOD! And not just "food," but things like organic meats, real salads, etc. I got oatmeal with organic fruit. IT RULED!!!

 

[BulkMeUp]

new upper HIT w/o

here we go...
.

wow. thats quite a wo!

 

[King Silverback]

Glad your on your way back!!! Real food, in an airport? Awesome!!! Give those Face pulls some time, they are Incredible!!!