Injury time-out

Yep, you guessed it - hurt myself. Not working out either. I was helping my son move to a new house he has bought in the hills to the north of us. Picked up his clothes dryer from his garage. Carried it out to the truck. Got it into the back and had to lift it over something else to get it to the right spot, sitting on top of his workbench.

As I turned and had the dryer at head height I must have moved too quickly and felt my muscles tearing in my forearm. Nasty feeling! Didn't drop the dryer though! Got it into it's spot.

Tell the truth my arm wasn't that sore at the time so I was able to be of help for most of the rest of the day, but, by night time I knew I had really hurt myself.

Anyway, the point here is that, from time to time you are indeed going to suffer injuries that will stop your workouts dead in their tracks. Not to worry though. Look at it as time to let your joints and all the rest of your body have a rest. I will be out of it for a couple of weeks.

This will not be a problem. I will be able to restart pretty much from where I left off. Always make sure that your first one or two workouts after resuming are light weights - high reps to ensure you don't bump yourself back to square one by being too impatient.

"Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success." - Bryan Adams

Watch for the next post in a couple of days.

Shoulders Workout 0002

A quick word about food today. Try as hard as you can to eat food that is as close to natural as possible. That means cutting out processed foods altogether. Use butter to cook with - your body will thank you for it in so many ways.

If you read the contents of a product whether in a can or packet and you can't easily pronounce any of the words or you have no idea whatsoever what they are, then put it back on the shelf and move on. You don't need it.

This goes for all those fancy fandangle protein powders and shakes. Haven't you ever heard of eggs or canned tuna? They are as natural as you are going to get. And super healthy as well. The yolks are actually the best part. Just don't you dare be so silly as to give me any of that cholesterol B.S. For B.S. it definitely is!!!!

Alternate Overhead Press

30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 15 reps (16)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 12 reps (12) *
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 7 reps (8)
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 3 reps (4)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 10 reps (10) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *

Leg Curls

17.5 kg (38.6 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
17.5 kg (38.6 lb) x 16 reps (20)

"The longer I live, the more I am certain that the great difference between the great and insignificant is energy - invincible determination - a purpose once fixed and then death or victory." - Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton

Next workout - the back.

Chest Workout 0002

The grip you use on any exercise should have more to do with joint comfort than anything else. I appreciate that you have been told all about narrow grip verses wide grip, but at the end of the day if a narrow grip is causing you considerable pain in your elbows, it's just not worth going on with it. Ditto with any other grip width.

I suggest that you spend some time experimenting with different grip widths to find which one is truly comfortable for you to use for your entire life of bodybuilding. If it works for you then it is for you. All our bodies differ to some degree and that is what makes us all so interesting. Be prepared to be unique - because you are! Celebrate that.

Bench Press

47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 14 reps (16)
52.5 kg (115.7 lb) x 10 reps (12)
60.0 kg (132.3 lb) x 8 reps (8) *
67.5 kg (148.8 lb) x 3 reps (4)
55.0 kg (121.3 lb) x 8 reps (10)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 16 reps (16) *

Leg Extension

27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 22 reps (20) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 21 reps (20) *

"Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly will aquire the skill to do difficult things easily." - Johann Christoph Friedrich Von Schiller

Next time - shoulders.

Biceps Workout 0002

Here it is folks. The greatest tip that you will ever get towards attaining your goals in building your size and strength. Nothing else will ever come anywhere close - anytime - ever.

ALWAYS - repeat - ALWAYS - keep a workout journal.

Simply, it's how you know where you've been and it provides the motivation to move to where you need to be. Go to a stationary shop or even your local supermarket and buy an exercise book. A nice thick one - lots of pages.

What do you write in it? You write just like this:

Barbell Curls.

27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 14 reps (16)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 10 reps (12)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 6 reps (8)
37,5 kg (82.7 lb) x 4 reps (4) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 8 reps (10)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 12 reps (16)

Squats.

27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 16 reps (16)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 13 reps (16)

So next workout I know what I did last time. I will try for more reps or to up my weight. When you are in friendly competition with yourself you win every time. Nice.

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." - Vincent Van Gogh

Triceps Workout 0002

Your workout comfort is paramount. Your workouts must be enjoyable for you to continue for the time necessary to gain your results. Your comfort is a great contributor to your enjoyment of any activity in life - not just your workouts.

What makes for comfort? Clothes that are not too tight nor too loose. A clean, dry and non-cold area with enough room to easily perform your routines. Some privacy. Performing reps and sets correctly. Adequate ventilation. Not eating too close to your workout. Not being in an anxious or upset mental state. No interruptions.

Your workout should always be your personal down time just for you.

Standing Triceps Extension (adjustable bar)

27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 11 reps (12)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 7 reps (8)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 2 reps (4)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 9 reps (10)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 10 reps (16)

Leg Curls

17.5 kg (38.6 lb) x 17 reps (20)
17.5 kg (38.5 lb) x 14 reps (20)

"The better you get, the less you run around showing off as a muscle guy. You know, you wear regular shirts - not always trying to show off what you have. You talk less about it. It's like you have a little BMW - you want to race the hell out of this car, because you know it's just going 110. But if you see guys driving a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, they slide around at 60 on the freeway because they know if they press on that accelerator they are going to go 170. These things are the same in every field." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

next time - biceps.

Back Workout 0002

This will be the T-bar row as usual. Do I get bored doing the same excercises time after time? The answer is no, because it's not the exercise movement itself that I necessarily enjoy - it's the challenge of getting the reps up to my max. for that set so I can increase the weight for next time. That's the buzz. Progressive resistance training.

T-bar Row.

55.0 kg (121.3 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
60.0 kg (132.3 lb) x 12 reps (12) *
70.0 kg (154.3 lb) x 6 reps (8)
77.5 kg (170.9 lb) x 4 reps (4) *
67.5 kg (148.8 lb) x 7 reps (10)
50.0 kg (110.2 lb) x 13 reps (16)

Leg Extension.

25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 20 reps (20) *

"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." - Francis of Assisi

Triceps next time.

Shoulder Workout 0001

For the shoulders I usually do an overhead alternate barbell press. What I mean here is to first lift the barbell into position overhead. Now perform a behind neck press then follow up with a military press, now back to a behind neck press and so forth until done. Simple but very effective.

Alternate Overhead Barbell Press.

30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 13 reps (16)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 11 reps (12)
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 7 reps (8)
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 2 reps (4)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 9 reps (10)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 14 reps (16)

Half Squat.

25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 9 reps (16)

And that's all for today. Next time back to back

Chest workout 0001

All I do is the bench press for chest. Why not cut to the main chase and stick with it. Make sure you always lower the bar gently ALL the way down to your chest so that the bar just touches it but never rests on it.

Bench press

47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 12 reps (16)
52.5 kg (115.7 lb) x 9 reps (12)
60.0 kg (132.3 lb) x 6 reps (8)
67.5 kg (148.8 lb) x 2 reps (4)
55.0 kg (121.3 lb) x 7 reps (10)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 14 reps (16)

Leg Curls

17.5 kg (38.6 lb) x 15 reps (20)
17,5 kg (38.6 lb) x 12 reps (20)

Next time - Alternate barbell overhead press

Biceps workout 0001

This is as simple as it gets. All I currently use for biceps is a barbell. Nice. And again, you know, it's all you really need.

Barbell Curl

27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 14 reps (16)
30 kg (66.1 lb) x 10 reps (12)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 6 reps (8)
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 3 reps (4)
30 kg (66.1 lb) x 8 reps (10)
25 kg (55.1 lb) x 11 reps (16)

Leg Extension

22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 14 reps (20)

Chest next time!

Triceps Workout 0001

For triceps work I like to use an adjustable bar. That's one of those 2 circle do-da type thingy's that allow for unlimited grip angles. Takes the pressure off of the elbows!

So here we go:

Standing Triceps Extension (Adjustable Bar)

27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 14 reps (16)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 10 reps (12)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 6 reps (8)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 2 reps (4)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 8 reps (10)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 16 reps (16) *

Squat

22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 6 reps (16)

Total weight of iron moved from one spot to another:

2,090.0 kg or 4,607.4 lb.

Biceps next time!

Back workout 0001

As you can see I always do a different leg excercise with each workout - more out of convenience than anything else. My leg workouts are nothing too great as I have some arthritis in my knees. Just need to take care that's all.

My workouts are very simple because it's really all you need. All weights listed include the weight of the bar (you're lifting that as well don't forget).

T Bar Row

52.5 kg (115.7 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
57.5 kg (126.8 lb) x 12 reps (12) *
67.5 kg (148.8 lb) x 8 reps (8) *
77.5 kg (170.9 lb) x 3 reps (4)
65.0 kg (143.3 lb) x 10 reps (10) *
47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 16 reps (16) *

Leg Curl

15.0 kg (33.1 lb) x 20 reps (20) *

That's it folks. Sorry to bust all those myths but that is all you need. Remember to do EACH set to momentory muscular failure without cheating and use perfect form. The"*" is a note to me to increase the weight for next time.

Total weight of iron moved from one spot to another:

4,012.5 kg or 8,846.1 lbs