Full Workout Logs: Starting 3/24/2010 - Alternate Weeks Routine

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Full Workout Logs - Starting 3/24/2010

Alternate Weeks Routine

Weeks 1-6 of 12

By Gary F. Zeolla

These workout logs are continued from Full Workout Logs: Starting 2/4/10 - Three Week Rotations III & IV.

For background to this log, see Injury and Other Problems.

Age: 49.
Weight: See each week. Body fat and lean body mass being measured by digital body fat calipers.

All lifts done completely raw.
Warm-ups are in brackets. All weights are in pounds. Format: pounds/reps.
Workout times includes set-up, warm-up, lifting, stretching, and clean-up.

Week 1 (Week A)

Bodyweight: 119.8 pounds.
Body Fat: 11.9%.
Lean Body Mass: 105 pounds.

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Benches

Wednesday – 3/24/10

Close Grip Benches: [45/20, 75/10, 100/6, 120/3] 135/6, 142/4, 150/2

DB Flyes: [5s/10] 10s/12, 11s/10, 12s/8

DB Rows (elbows out): [30/10, 40/6, 45/3] 50/8, 52/6, 55/4

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:10

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Deadlifts

Thursday – 3/25/10

Deadlifts (Conv.): [45/20, 135/10, 185/6] 225/6, 245/4, 265/2

Adductor/ Abductor: --/12, --/12, --/10

Leg Raises: 12, 12, 12

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:09

For this routine, I will be alternating conventional (close stance) DLs this week with sumo (wide stance) DLs next week. Sumos have usually been my competitive stance, but I did pull conv. for one contest. By alternating the two, it will give me a good comparison of them so I can determine once for all which works better for me.

The Adductor/ Abductor adductor exercise is being done by standing and moving the leg being worked across the front of the other leg and then as far up as possible, then moving it the opposite direction, raising it up as much as possible. this should help to bother strengthen and stretch my adductor. For this workout, I just used the weight of my shoes. But I will add ankle weights as I am able.

Week 2 (Week B)

Bodyweight: 119.8 pounds.
Body Fat: 12.2%.
Lean Body Mass: 105 pounds.

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Bench Assistance

Sunday – 3/28/10

DB Overhead Presses [5s/20, 15s/10, 20s/6] 25s/7, 26s/5. 27s/3

Parallel Grip Pull-ups: bwt./6, bwt./6, bwt./6

Preacher Curls [25/10] 30/12, 32/10, 35/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 0:57

The Parallel Grip Pull-ups are being done by putting my dip bars high up in my power rack. And let me tell you, they were tougher than I thought they’d be, so I just did sets of six with bodyweight.

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Squats

Monday – 3/29/10

Raw Squats: [45/20, 95/10, 135/6] 175/5, 195/--, 155/--, 135/--

DB calves: [25/10] 35/10, 37/8, 40/6

Sit-ups: [--/10] 2.5/10, 3.75/8, 5/6

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:19

See my previous post “It’s over … ” at Injury and other problems for comments on this workout and my new plans. Given the difficulties I had in this workout, the workout time is meaningless.

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Benches

Wednesday – 3/31/10

Raw Benches: [45/20, 75/10, 95/6] 115/10, 125/8, 135/6

Curl Bar Rows: [65/10] 80/10, 85/8, 90/6

Triceps Pushdowns: 35/14, 37/12, 40/10

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:06

Thoughts of powerlifting again are gone, at least for now, so I started my new approach to lifting with this workout, I was very tired afterwards as I’m not used to the higher reps.

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Deadlifts

Thursday – 4/1/10

Raw Deadlifts (sumo): [45/20, 135/10, 165/6] 185/9, 205/7, 225/5

Hyperextensions: bwt/12, 2.5/10, 5/8

One-leg Dip Bar Twisting Reverse Crunches (reps to each side): 10, 10, 10

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:12

I dropped the reps slightly for my main exercise of the day from 10, 8, 6 to 9, 7, 5. This may seem a little odd (pun intended), but ten reps was just too much. Also, as I posted before, I have never gotten injured doing five or more reps, so this scheme has me going as heavy as I feel comfortable doing at this time. 14 reps was also too much for minor exercises, so I’ll probably go 12, 10, 8.

Week 3 (Week A)

Bodyweight: 119.2 pounds.
Body Fat: 12.7%.
Lean Body Mass: 103 pounds.
With not being able to lift heavy, I am once again losing muscle and gaining fat. Very depressing.

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Motorcycles and Sleep Deprivation is a new page on my fitness site. It provides general background to this week’s workouts along with details on my failing health and the implications thereof.

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Bench Assistance

Holy Saturday – 4/3/10

Incline Bench [DBs: 10s/20, BB: 45/10, 75/6] 95/9, 102/7. 110/5

Chin-ups: [bwt./8] 5/9, 7.5/7, 10/5

Side Laterals: [2.5s/10] 5s/12, 6.25s/10, 7.5s/8

CB Reverse Curls: 35/12, 37/10, 40/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:06

I was going to busy on Easter Sunday, so I did this workout on Holy Saturday.

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Squats

Monday – 4/5/10

Front Squats: [45/20, 75/10] 95/9, 105/7, 115/5

Side Step-ups (3” step; reps to each side): 10, 10, 10

Twisting Crunches (reps to each side): --/10, 2.5/8, --/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:19

I tried both a narrow and wider stance on front squats, thinking the narrow stance would put less train on my adductor, but it ended up being the opposite. My stance for regular squats caused less strain, so I’ll use that stance for front squats as well. That also seemed to be the case with DLs; conv. DLs caused more strain than sumos. But in that case, I will be alternating the two, for reasons stated previously.

I am doing step-ups going to the side to directly work my adductor. I only used a 3” step and a short stride here, but I hope to gradually increase the step height and stride length and eventually to add weight.

The twisting crunches actually bothered my adductor more than the squats and step-ups. And I was very tired by the time I did them, so they got all messed up.

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Benches

Wednesday – 4/7/10

Close Grip Benches: [45/20, 75/10, 90/6] 105/9, 112/7, 120/5

DB Flyes: [6s/10] 11s/12, 12s/10, 14s/8

DB Rows (elbows out): [30/10] 40/9, 42/7, 45/5

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:04

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Deadlifts

Thursday – 4/8/10

Deadlifts (Conv.): [45/20, 135/10, 165/6] 185/9, 205/7, 225/5

Adductor/ Abductor (reps with each leg): [--/10] 1/10, 1/10, 1/10

Leg Raises: 12, 12, 12

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:09

My adductor felt okay for this workout; except that once again it bothered me more on my ab work than anything else. Very strange.

For the Adductor/ Abductor exercise, I was going to get ankle weights that have one pound bars you can insert one at a time, but they were too expensive. So instead, I figured out that I could attach one pound fractional plates to my ankles using wrist straps, and that worked out well.

Week 4 (Week B)

Bodyweight: ?
Body Fat: ?
Lean Body Mass: ?
I stopped checking my weight and body fat as it was just too depressing.

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Bench Assistance

Sunday – 4/11/10

DB Overhead Presses [5s/20, 15s/10, 20s/6] 25s/7, 26s/5. 27s/3

Parallel Grip Pull-ups: bwt./6, bwt./6, bwt./6

Preacher Curls [25/10] 30/12, 32/10, 35/8

Shoulder Horn: 2.5s/12, 3.75s/10, 5s/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 0:57

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Squats

Monday – 4/12/10

Raw Squats: [45/20, 95/10] 115/9, 135/7, 155/5

DB calves: 20/12, 22/10, 25/8

Sit-ups: --/12, 1.25/10, 2.5/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 0:59

I Googled “adductor rehab.” The best page I found was the following: Sports Injury Bulletin.

This page mentions that normal type of stretching does not benefit adductor injuries. Instead, it recommends stretching (and strengthening) the adductors by squeezing a “football” between your legs. Since this is a UK site, I assume “football” means “soccer ball.” But whatever the case, it recommends doing so with the legs in three positions, straight, bent 45 degrees, and bent 90 degrees. I tried that at the end of this workout, and it felt good, so I’ll keep doing so with my stretching after my squat and DL workouts.

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Benches

Wednesday – 4/14/10

Raw Benches: [45/20, 75/10, 100/6] 117/9, 125/7, 132/5

Curl Bar Rows: [65/10] 75/9, 80/7, 80/7

Triceps Pushdowns: [35/10] 37/12, 40/10, 42/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:04

I was even more tired than usual for this workout, so I was only able to increase by 7.5 pounds between sets of benches rather than my planned 10 pounds. As a result, this was the first time in ages I wasn’t able to put the “big plates” on for at least my final set. But the bar did look kind of neat with a 25, 10, 5, 2-1/2, & 1-1/4 on each side.

On CB rows, I forgot to increase the weight for my final set. I noticed it right after I finished my planned five reps (which seemed too easy), so hurried up and I did two more reps to make the set somewhat worthwhile.

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Deadlifts

Thursday – 4/15/10

Raw Deadlifts (sumo): [45/20, 135/10, 175/6] 205/9, 225/7, 245/5

Hyperextensions: [bwt/10] 2.5/12, 5/10, 7.5/8

One-leg Dip Bar Twisting Reverse Crunches (reps to each side): ---/12, 1.25s/8, 0.5s/10

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:09

On the ab exercise, surprisingly, strapping just a pair of 1-1/4s to my ankles was too much of an increase, so I used a pair of 1/2s for the final set, and that amount of an increase seemed about right.

Week 5 (Week A)

Bodyweight: 119.0 pounds.
Body Fat: 13.0%.
Lean Body Mass: 103 pounds.
I wasn’t going to take these measurements, but I got curious. And at least I’m holding about steady.

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Bench Assistance

Sunday – 4/18/10

Incline Bench [DBs: 10s/20, BB: 50/10, 80/6] 97/9, 107/7. 117/5

Chin-ups: [bwt./8, 2.5/5] 5/9, 7.5/7, 10/5

Side Laterals: [4s/10] 6s/12, 7.5s/10, 9s/8

CB Reverse Curls: [30/10] 40/12, 42/10, 45/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:16

Experimenting on my form on inclines and benches in general; specifically, tucking my elbows in for the ascent. It felt good here, so I’ll try this form for all of my bench moves. This actually is nothing new. I describe this very form on pages 131-2 of my powerlifting book. But I’ve gotten away from it. So to perfect and ingrain this form and not get inured in the process, I will slightly drop my already low weights on all bench moves and then gradually work back up.

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Squats

Monday – 4/19/10

Front Squats: [45/20, 70/10, 90/6] 105/9, 115/7, 125/5

Side Step-ups (reps to each side): 3” step: 12, 12, 12

Twisting Crunches (reps to each side): --/12, 1.25/10, 2.5/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:05

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Benches

Wednesday – 4/21/10

Close Grip Benches: [45/20, 75/10, 90/6] 102/9, 107/7, 115/7, 122/5

DB Flyes: [6s/10] 11s/14, 12s/12, 14s/10

DB Rows (elbows out): [30/10, 37/6] 42/9, 45/7, 47/5

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:08

On CGBPs, I meant to increase by ten pounds from first to second set, but I mis-loaded and only added five pounds. I thought it felt way too easy. To make up for the mistake I did an extra set, adding 7.5 pounds each set so that I’d ended up where I originally planned. As it turned out, all of the sets were rather easy, but appropriate with working on my form. However, even with the sets being rather easy, I was very tired after the CGBPs. That confirms what I already suspected, four work sets is just too much. As such, I know to stick with three sets.

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Deadlifts

Thursday – 4/22/10

Deadlifts (Conv.): [45/20, 135/10, 175/6] 205/9, 225/7, 245/5

Leg Curls (legs together): 5/12, 7.5/10. 10/8

Adductor/ Abductor (reps with each leg): [--/10] 1s/12, 1s/12, 1s/20

Leg Raises: 15, 15, 15

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:15

With doing rehab exercises for my adductor, I hadn’t been doing leg curls. But I figured I’d better do them to prevent my hamstring problems from returning, even if it makes for a little longer workout then I prefer.

Week 6 (Week B)

Bodyweight: 118.2 pounds.
Body Fat: 12.3%.
Lean Body Mass: 103 pounds.
Lost some more weight, but at least it was fat not muscle.

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Bench Assistance

Monday – 4/26/10

DB Overhead Presses [5s/20, 15s/10, 17s/6] 21s/9, 22s/8. 25s/6

Parallel Grip Pull-ups: bwt./8, bwt./8, bwt./7

Preacher Curls [25/10] 32/12, 35/10, 37/8

Shoulder Horn: 3.75s/12, 4.5s/10, 5.25s/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:08

Sunday was my planned monthly day off, so that moved this workout to Monday. I learned my lesson after my most recent injury. Take an extra day off once a month even if I don’t feel like I need to. If I don’t, something always goes wrong.

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Squats

Wednesday – 4/28/10

Raw Squats: [45/20, 95/10, 115/6] 135/9, 155/7, 175/5

DB calves: [20/10] 25/12, 27/10, 30/8

Sit-ups: [--/10] 1.25/12, 2.5/10, 2.5/10

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:06

My adductor only bothered me slightly, so I probably could have gone heavier on squats, but I didn’t want to push it. It’s probably best to stick with my plan of gradually increasing the weights with each workout than trying to take a big jump and re-aggravating the injury.

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Benches

Thursday – 4/29/10

Raw Benches: [45/20, 75/10, 95/6] 110/9, 120/7, 130/5

Curl Bar Rows: [65/8] 77/9, 82/7, 87/7

Triceps Pushdowns: [35/10] 40/12, 42/10, 45/8

Stretching: 10-15 minutes

Workout time: 1:04

As I posted before, working on my form on benches, so not pushing very hard.

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Deadlifts

Sunday – 5/2/10