X~Factor Journal (4/1/2011)

[x~factor]

Leg Day

Squats
135 x 6
185 x 6
205 x 6
225 x 3, 3***

Deadlifts
135 x 6
185 x 6
205 x 6
225 x 6

Seated Leg Raises (cybex)
80 x 16
100 x 12
110 x 12
120 x 12

Leg Press
270 x 10 wide stance
360 x 8, 8 closed stance

Calf Raises (leg press)
360 x 20 x 3 sets

Standing Calf Raises
200 x 12 x 3 sets

***I was supposed to hit 5 reps today. Very disappointed. The 3 reps I got wasn't even very good ones.

 

[omerta2010]

If I didn't know better it looks like you supersetted the squats and deads with the same weight on each set.

Stairs should be fun for you tomorrow.

 

[x~factor]

If I didn't know better it looks like you supersetted the squats and deads with the same weight on each set.

Nah, its hard enough to do both separately.

 

[bwrag]

nice workout i would be fried with squats and deads in same workout

 

[x~factor]

Thanks man. I am doing anything and everything to make them legs grow. They are my worse bodyparts so I've given them top priority. There are times I feel I am overtraining them (squats and deads on the same day) and there are times I feel I don't give them enough volume. Looking at them in the mirror, at certain angle, they don't even look like I work them at all. So frustrating.

 

[davegmb]

To be fair will be hard to make them grow while your dieting

 

[fufu]

Thanks man. I am doing anything and everything to make them legs grow. They are my worse bodyparts so I've given them top priority. There are times I feel I am overtraining them (squats and deads on the same day) and there are times I feel I don't give them enough volume. Looking at them in the mirror, at certain angle, they don't even look like I work them at all. So frustrating.

If you are eating enough and training hard, they will grow, just takes some time, don't worry!

 

[jagbender]

Stairs should be fun for you tomorrow.

How about sitting down to poop! LOL that will be fun!

Keep killing those weights!

 

[trapzilla]

Why not try A really high rep finisher, always made my legs grow like weeds

on leg extensions;
a maximum weight you can do for 5 reps, then by reducing the weight as little as possible do 10, 15,20,25,30 and then 35 reps. If you fail at say 6 out of 10 you rest half as long in seconds as you have reps left and then repeeat so you would rest 2 seconds. There is no rest between each mini drop set.
I never failed to collapse after it. at my most lunatic moment i went up from 5-100 reps in 5 rep incrementd :/ ooh that still makes me shiver. just a suggestion man.

 

[x~factor]

To be fair will be hard to make them grow while your dieting

Not anymore man. I'm bulking now. Believe me, I'm eating enough... and my scale agrees! They do look fuller though but that just brings them from being chicken legs to just normal looking legs.

If you are eating enough and training hard, they will grow, just takes some time, don't worry!

True but I am running out of time, I'm turning 44 in a week and half!

How about sitting down to poop! LOL that will be fun!

Keep killing those weights!

Thanks, Jag! Sometimes I do hold back a bit on weights. Just don't want to pull or injure something. I feel like at my age, it will sideline me for a good while to recover from any serious injury.

Why not try A really high rep finisher, always made my legs grow like weeds

on leg extensions;
a maximum weight you can do for 5 reps, then by reducing the weight as little as possible do 10, 15,20,25,30 and then 35 reps. If you fail at say 6 out of 10 you rest half as long in seconds as you have reps left and then repeeat so you would rest 2 seconds. There is no rest between each mini drop set.
I never failed to collapse after it. at my most lunatic moment i went up from 5-100 reps in 5 rep incrementd :/ ooh that still makes me shiver. just a suggestion man.

I have found leg extensions as a great 'finisher'... and I have been utilizing it lately. I will try the drop set/high rep approach. It should be interesting.

 

[x~factor]

Push Day

BB Seated Military Press
85 x 8
115 x 6
135 x 6
145 x 3
155 x 1
165 x 1 drop set to 115 x 6

DB Flat Bench Press
50 x 8
60 x 8
70 x 6
80 x 6

Chest Press (technogym)
100 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 12
160 x 8, 8

BB Upright Rows (wide grip)
50 x 12
70 x 12
80 x 12, 12

Alternating Side Laterals
25 x 12, 12

Had an unscheduled week off. Caught a cold right after Leg Day.

 

[omerta2010]

Your military press numbers have me jealous.

Glad your back feeling better.

 

[davegmb]

Yeah you've got strong shoulders x

 

[x~factor]

Thanks guys!

 

[x~factor]

Pull Day

Dumbell Rows
80 x 8
90 x 8
100 x 8
110 x 8
120 x 8
130 x 8 PR

Pullups (neutral grip)
bw x 8
+30 x 8
+40 x 6
+50 x 6

Iso-lateral DY Rows
180 x 12
270 x 8
135 x 8 (one arm rows)

Arm Curls (cybex)
80 x 12
90 x 10
100 x 8, 8

 

[omerta2010]

Congrats on the PR.

 

[davegmb]

That's a big db row x, great work

 

[trapzilla]

Nice PR X, how much of an increase is that then?

 

[x~factor]

10 lbs from last time, 120 lbs x 8 reps and prior to that I could only do 105 lbs for a few reps. I give it a couple of weeks and I will go for 140 lbs. Weird thing is, I had more problem unracking it and racking the dumbells than rowing it. LOL

 

[x~factor]

Leg Day

Squats
135 x 3
185 x 3
205 x 3
225 x 3, 3, 3 (couldn't go parallel)

Deadlifts
135 x 6
185 x 6
225 x 6
245 x 3
265 x 1
285 x 1

Leg Raises (drop sets)
100 x 10, 10
90 x 10, 10
80 x 10, 3

Calf Raises
4 sets standing
4 sets seated

Looks to be a low volume workout, but my legs are toast from the drop sets.

 

[davegmb]

Get front squatting x it's the way forward! Hits my legs much more then back squats. I use the cross arm grip, I like my wrists too much to use the other style

 

[x~factor]

Get front squatting x it's the way forward! Hits my legs much more then back squats. I use the cross arm grip, I like my wrists too much to use the other style

My arms/shoulders give up first before my legs. I haven't done it enough to really get the hang of it. I do like to use it at the end of my workout, so I don't need to handle so much weight.

 

[x~factor]

Push Day

DB Flat Bench
50 x 8
60 x 8
70 x 8
80 x 6
85 x 4

Iso-lateral Behind the Neck Press
90 x 10
110 x 10
130 x 8
150 x 6
170 x 4

One Hand OH Press (dumbell)
40 x 10
45 x 8
50 x 6

Pec Deck Flyes
80 x 20
100 x 20
120 x 20

Plate Front Raises
35 x 20 wide grip
35 x 20 closed grip
45 x 20 wide grip
45 x 12 closed grip

Current Weight: 178 lbs.

I'm gaining 1 lb a week which is ideal. My overall body is bigger but so is the fat around my mid-section... more than I am comfortable with. So I gotta slow down with the calorie intake before it gets out of control... again.

 

[davegmb]

Good bench strength

 

[Burner02]

Looking good in here....old man...jeez....3 weeks till I hit....41.

What do you do for warm up? with all my past injuries catching up to me...I now get on the elliptical for 15min prior and get a good sweat on...bring my whole body temp up and get things loose. A little light stretch, low weight sets then hit it.
(knock on wood) haven't felt too much strain w/ the tendonitis or anything else.

Keep hitting it and keep at it for your goals.
Your #'s looking pretty good

 

[x~factor]

Looking good in here....old man...jeez....3 weeks till I hit....41.

What do you do for warm up? with all my past injuries catching up to me...I now get on the elliptical for 15min prior and get a good sweat on...bring my whole body temp up and get things loose. A little light stretch, low weight sets then hit it.
(knock on wood) haven't felt too much strain w/ the tendonitis or anything else.

Keep hitting it and keep at it for your goals.
Your #'s looking pretty good

Thanks man.

As for warm up, I also use the low weight sets approach (I don't post them). On leg days, I use the stationary bike for 5 minutes to completely warm up, in addition to the low weight sets. What I don't do, that I should, is stretching post workout.

 

[x~factor]

Pull Day (light)

T-Bar Rows
90 x 12 wide grip
135 x 12 wide grip
135 x 12 neutral grip

Seated Cable Rows (V-grip)
150 x 12
165 x 12
165 x 12

Pullups
bw x 12 wide grip
bw x 12 neutral grip
bw x 12 neutral grip

Barbell Shrugs
225 x 12
225 x 12
225 x 12

Barbell Curls (reverse grip)
80 x 12
90 x 12
100 x 12

Bicep Curls (nautilus)
60 x 12
75 x 12
85 x 12

I'm adding light days to my schedule. It'll stop me from going for max weight everytime I step foot in the gym.

 

[yellowmoomba]

I'm adding light days to my schedule. It'll stop me from going for max weight everytime I step foot in the gym.

Good idea

 

[x~factor]

Leg Day (light)

Hack Squats (cybex)
45 x 12
90 x 12
135 x 12
180 x 9

Squat Press (cybex)
180 x 12
270 x 12
360 x 12
450 x 12

Lying Leg Curls
70 x 12
90 x 12
90 x 12
90 x 12

Standing Calf Raises (bodymaster)
260 x 12
300 x 12
340 x 12

Rotary Calf
170 x 12
190 x 12
210 x 12

 

[fufu]

Pulling stuff is looking really strong.