axgar's TP-PT Journal

04/07/04 - Just getting ready to start after a three week layoff. I will measure stats and post here. I plan to begin TP-PT either the week of April 19th or 26th.

I assume you are gonna start soon?

Marc C. David
Support DB! Buy your supplements at Supplements101.com

Oh yeah! I been hitting the weights slowly. Bringing the muscles back into shape in preparation for TP-PT. From what I've read the body needs to adapt from high weight low reps.

5/02/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves

Superset #1
Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest) 2x9 @ 125lbs
Hammer Cable Curls (no attachment, hold below ball) 2x9 @ 70lbs

Superset #2
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 2x9 @ 90lbs
Barbell Curls (straight bar) 2x9 @ 65lbs

Superset #3
Leg Curls (lying, seated, or standing) 2x9 @ 140lbs
Calf Raises (knees straight – any will do) 2x9 @ 225lbs

Wrap-up
Barbell Shrug 2x9 @ 135lbs

Notes: I started cautious since coming off recovery of a back injury. The BB row is light for me but it did the job since I focused on form and strong contraction of the target muscles. I read everyone’s journals prior to starting and started supersetting from the start. Goal was to complete initial workout in 30 minutes. Completed my workout in 35 minutes; huffing and puffing like a bellows. Drained 32oz of water and probably sweat 32oz concurrently! Biceps were hit hard by the time I finished the arm exercises. Actually enjoyed the Leg Curls and Calf Raises to rest the arms!!!

Post Workout Note: Awakened to Bicep agony. Lower belly of bicep was pumped and didn’t want to straighten out!!! Jumped in hot tub and began to loosen muscles with stretches and massages. Feel much better now. I have a feeling I going to post Twin Peaks avatar on dart board!!!

LOL! What happens when you reach 8 sets for the above listed exercises? Will you live is the question?

I may superset from the beginning as well since almost everybody does that because of time constraints in Phase 1.

Marc C. David
Support DB! Buy your supplements at Supplements101.com

5/03/04
WORKOUT B – Monday/Thursday: Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Superset #1
Barbell Squats – 2x9 @ 155lbs
Quad Extensions – 2x9 @ 200lbs

Superset #2
Incline Barbell Press – 2x9 @ 135lbs
Military Dumbbell Press – 2x9 @ 40lbs

Individual Sets
Close-Grip Bench Press – 2x9 @ 115lbs
V-bar Press-downs – 2x9 @ 70lbs
Cable Crossovers – 2x9 @ 40lbs

Notes: Great workout! Felt wonderful and even walked home (1/4 mile). Had a tremendous pump in my triceps, and side / rear deltoids. Started to attend to an inch on my head and noticed my tricep had a heck of a pump bulge!! The shoulders and tricep resisted my attempt to scratch my head. . . but I did it anyway. As I walked home I began to feel an intense ache in my side/rear delts and tricep. This gained in intensity and even had my talking to myself. . . I-BU-Pro-fen in cadence with each step!!! I have never experienced such an intense feeling in my shoulders! I loved every painful step and even thought about taking pictures!! Look out Hulk!!

DOMS Update: Lower bicep muscle is still aching but not a problem. Looking forward to Workout A to loosen up the area. . . . I believe this program bring a new meaning to DOMS. I believe it really should be IMAS - Immediate Muscle Ache Syndrome!!

5/05/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves

Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest)
• 1x9 150@ lbs
• 1X7 @ 200lbs

Hammer Cable Curls (no attachment, hold below ball)
• 1x9 @ 70lbs
• 1x9 @ 90lbs

Superset #1
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 2x9 @ 90lbs
Calf Raises (knees straight – Leg Press Machine) 2x9 @ 400lbs

Superset #2
Barbell Shrug 2x9 @ 135lbs
Barbell Curls (straight bar) 2x9 @ 65lbs

Missed
Leg Curls (lying, seated, or standing) S***t! Completely forgot this exercise.

Notes: Excellent workout! I was unable to complete all exercises in supersets so I started with individual exercises first. The wide-grip pulldowns and hammer cable curls really warmed me up. Started superset #1 with calf raises to allow biceps to recover which gave me good explosive power during the BB rows. Completed the evening feeling great with a great pump in lats and biceps.

Supplements: I am consuming about 30g of protein per meal (216lbs w/ 15%bf). I am also consuming about 10g of creatine after my workout. Averaging about 1 gallon per day of water along with multi-vitamins, Flaxseed Oil, and Glucosamine. I plan to break the creatine dosage into two serving 5g post workout and 5g at bedtime.

5/06/04
WORKOUT B – Monday/Thursday: Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Superset #1
Incline Barbell Press – 2x9 @ 115lbs
Military Dumbbell Press – 1x9 @ 40lbs & 1x7 @ 35lbs

Superset #2
Leg Extensions – 2x9 @ 200lbs { added these since I missed on Wednesday }
Quad Extensions – 2x9 @ 200lbs

Individual Sets
Barbell Squats – 2x9 @ 155lbs

Superset #3
V-bar Press-downs – 1x9 @ 110lbs & 1x9 @ 140
Cable Crossovers – 1x9 @ 50lbs & 1x9 @ 60lbs

Individual Sets
Close-Grip Bench Press – 1x9 @ 115lbs & 1x9 @ 135lbs


Notes: The incline BB suffered this time around as I found little strength when supersetting with military press. Triceps and deltoids were pretty exhausted so I moved to legs to allow some recovery of the effected muscles. Not sure if this is allowed but I added Leg Extensions since I missed them on Wednesday’s workout. Found them an excellent warm-up for squats since my legs are my most naturally strong bodypart. Finished felling good and happy for the shoulder and tricep work.

Post-Workout Note: Experiencing some DOMS. In triceps ad shoulders. Especially in side and rear deltoids. I went to bed 30 later than normal and definitely noticed the difference. I plan to begin going to bed 30 minutes earlier to head off this problem. I’m not dragging but I do notice that I’m sleeping heavier and deeper than before. I think I could easily sleep 9-10 hours!! I haven’t done that since I was in my teen and early twenties!!!

5/11/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves

Superset #1
Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest) 1x9; 1x9 & 1x8 @ 150lbs
Hammer Cable Curls (no attachment, hold below ball) 3x9 @ 90lbs

Giantset #1
Calf Raises (knees straight – any will do) 3x9 @ 225lbs
Leg Curls (lying, seated, or standing) 3x9 @ 140lbs
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 2x9 & 1x7 @ 110lbs

Superset #1
Barbell Curls (straight bar) 1x8; 1x7 @ 65lbs & 1x9 @ 60lbs
Barbell Shrug 1x9; 1x9; 1x8 @ 170lbs

Notes: Schedule is messed up this week but finally got into the gym on Monday for 20 minutes of cardio. I was able to complete Workout A on Tuesday evening at 8PM.

Since the sets are still low I decided to try a couple of things differently in preparation for weeks 3 & 4. In stead of multiple warm-up sets, I did 5 minutes on a rowing machine for leg/back/shoulder warm-up. Then I did one warm-up set at 50% of my intended workout weight. Seems to save time and still provide adequate warm-up of joints and muscles.

I pushed superset #1 pretty hard since this blasts the biceps. Completed superset #1 with quite a pump in the biceps, so instead of hitting arms immediately I started into legs. I conduct the leg exercises slowly in order to get a good workout. Hardest part is quickly hobbling over to do Bent-Over Rows. By that time my arms have recovered and I’m ready to hit it hard. Last row set required some heavy breathing but I got to 7 difficult reps.

Superset #2 was great!! The combination of BB curls and shrugs ready toasts both biceps and forearms!! Looking in the mirror as I shrugged, I could see the veins and muscles bulging. Quite a show! Last set of shrugs my left grip almost gave out. Forearms were so pumped, they felt like I was flexing constantly.

5/12/04
WORKOUT B – Monday/Thursday: Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Superset #1
Barbell Squats – 3x9 @ 175lbs
Quad Extensions – 3x9 @ 220lbs

Superset #2
Incline Barbell Press – 3x9 @ 110lbs
Military Dumbbell Press – 3x9 @ 35lbs

Superset #3
Close-Grip Bench Press – 3x9 @ 115lbs
V-bar Press-downs – 3x9 @ 80lbs

Individual Sets
Cable Crossovers – 2x9 @ 50lbs

Notes: Today’s workout felt great. My legs felt very strong and shoulders seemed weaker. Dropped weight in order to make 7 reps with reps #8 and #9 taking mucho effort to complete. After completing each superset of inclines and military I dreaded trying to make 9 reps for the next set. . . but got it done after much grunting and sweating!

After superset #2, I dropped weight for the CG bench press. This may have been a mistake since I didn’t struggle as much as I anticipated. Next time I will push the limit and drop weight only if I am unable to complete 7 reps. Slight increase in V-bar Press-down weight with quite a bit of struggle to make rep #9. triceps came away screaming and pumped to the max. Quite a wonderful feeling.

I had to save cable Crossovers until last due to a small group of dweebs playing at the machines. Realized a slight increase in weight to 50lbs with rep #9 taking quite a bit out of me with each set. I love this exercise!!! I get such a pump in my delts, chest, and arms that it is unreal!!!! Every time I complete my sets of cable cross-overs I get such an ache it is hard to describe. An excellent combination of exercises!! Thanks Twin Peaks!

To finish today’s notes I want to emphasize how I am able to complete each workout without dying. SLEEP, WATER, PROTEIN, CREATINE, QUALITY CARBOHYDRATES. I have read the journals of my fellow lab mice and determined I needed to do all I could to increase my ability to recover naturally. I have found sleep/water/protein/creatine are my saviors with sleep topping the list. If I miss 30 to 60 minutes or sleep I am dragging butt all morning long. Since I have started TP-PT I don’t have a night life (thanks TP!) but I feel good.

Btw, I doubt I am adding measurable mass yet, but my wife sure has noticed some changes in definition!

I have read the journals of my fellow lab mice and determined I needed to do all I could to increase my ability to recover naturally. I have found sleep/water/protein/creatine are my saviors with sleep topping the list.

Sigh... unfortunately those wont be so effective come week four. Keep up the good work.

-30-

In six months, what will your t-shirt say?

My training journal: Sweating with the toadies
My scattered thoughts: The Bramble

5/13/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves
Workout Duration: 50 minutes

Superset #1 (60 sec between sets)
Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest) 4x9 @ 140lbs
Hammer Cable Curls (no attachment, hold below ball) 4x9 @ 90lbs

Superset #2 (60 sec between sets)
Calf Raises (knees straight – any will do) 4x9 @ 270lbs
Leg Curls 4x9 @ 140lbs

Individual Set #1 (90 sec between sets)
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 4x9 @ 115lbs

Superset #3 (90 sec between sets)
Barbell Curls (straight bar) 2x9 @ 70lbs & 2x7 @ 65lbs
Barbell Shrug 4x9 @ 170lbs

Notes: This time around I thought to increase rest time between sets. I wanted to determine if recovery between sets justified the rest time. Previously I would rest only 30 seconds between sets, even Supersets. Of course this would leave me breathing and sweating hard.

With WG pull-downs I focused on getting good hard contractions during concentric and eccentric motions. I avoided just moving heavier weights. This definitely caused me to drop the weight from my 5/11 workout but the ache from contracting was stronger.

During the Hammer Cable Curls I wanted to continue hitting the bicep hard so I toughed it out with the weight I used on 5/11. Exquisite pain during each contraction and the entire set left me drained. I decided not to try Reverse Grip Bent Rows until I recovered. Instead I went to work with four sets of Calf Raises.

The Calf raises and Leg Curls felt good. Slow and burning was my goal. Still I wonder how much I can stand when I get to eight slow burning sets *gulp*! Stretched hamstrings between sets. Goal is to prevent hamstrings from getting too tight and once again contributing to back problems.

By the time I started Reverse Grip BB Rows I was feeling good once again. To keep my forearms from becoming spent too soon I increased my rest period between sets to 90 seconds. That did the trick and I was able to grunt out four good sets before finishing

Wrapping up with BB Curls and BB Shrugs is a great superset but my biceps are toast by this time. I think I might combine WG rows and shrugs just to see what happens. Then I may just follow leg work with BB Curls as an individual routine.

Overall I left the gym feeling good and experiencing a good pump. I have some soreness the next morning but nothing unusual. Actually now that I think about it, I rarely have soreness 2-3 days after a workout. I experience soreness the morning following a workout . . . Egads! Since starting TP's PT program I have always been sore!!! IIIIEEEEE!

5/15/04 - Workout B - Missed workout due to all weekend moving or boxes and new furniture for parents. Not a great reason but enough to shoot the whole weekend.

Feel really guilty but will pick up tonight starting with Workout A!

5/17/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves
Workout Duration 60 minutes

Superset #1
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 5x9 @ 135lbs
Barbell Shrug 5x9 @ 170lbs

Superset #2
Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest) 4x9 @ 137.5lbs & 1x7 @ 125lbs
Leg Curls (lying, seated, or standing) 4x9 @ 140lbs & 1x8 @ 130lbs

Superset #3
Calf Raises (knees straight – any will do) 5x9 @ 360lbs
Hammer Cable Curls 3x9 @ 110lbs; 2x8 @ 90lbs

Wrap-up
Barbell Curls (straight bar) 2x9 @ 65lbs; 1x 6 @ 65lbs; & 2x7 @ 60lbs

Notes: (5/25/04) I noticed that I mistyped the number of sets for straight leg calf raises. I completed 5 not 2 sets.

WOW! I was looking forward to this workout as my first five set per routine effort with so many exercises. A total of 35 sets is an important milestone for me since I have only been serious since September 2003. Through this first three weeks of phase 1 I have continued to move exercises around to determine what works for me and allows my strength to last throughout the workout. This setup is by far my favorite. Previous workouts may have given me a great pump really quick but my strength and grip faded just as quickly. Last night I experienced a good pump but nothing that shot my grip and target muscle strength. There is one item I need to mention here. Once I was 2/3 through the effort I took a 5 minute break to recover. This wasn’t part of my original plan but it provided me with good energy and strength to finish strong.

Quick Hits:
I enjoyed starting with reverse grip bent-over BB rows first. Great feeling in lats!
My appetite is giving fits as I try to maintain an approach to lose body fat.
Some mild DOMS but nothing I consider unusual >>> soon to change!
My body seems to respond to a volume routine. I like this better than MAX-OT!!
I will say hormones are beginning to run high! Hmmmm. . . luckily I’m married!!

5/18/04
WORKOUT B – Monday/Thursday: Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Workout Duration 60 minutes

Superset #1
Barbell Squats
2x9 @ 185lbs
3x9 @ 225lbs

V-bar Press-downs
1x9 @ 90lbs
4x9 @ 80lbs

Superset #2
Military Dumbbell Press
2x9 @ 45lbs
3x9 @ 55lbs

Quad Extensions
1x9 @ 200lbs
4x9 @ 240lbs

Individual Set
Incline Barbell Press
1x6 @ 135lb
3x9 @ 115lbs
1x7 @ 115lbs

Superset #1
Close-Grip Bench Press – 5x9 @ 115lbs
Cable Crossovers – 5x9 @ 40lbs

Notes: Humorous note. . . my wife is my training partner but her schedule has kept her from joining me in the gym. When we began to workout and I explained how many sets we were doing for superset #1 her eye bugged out and her jaw dropped (lol!!)! It was a funny sight but she kept up with me! Since she doesn’t try to lift the heaviest weights possible on every set she actually kept me busting butt to get to the next set. In practice we “tag team” sets. In a superset #1 she is working V-Bar press-downs and I am working squats. Once the set is complete we switch. This creates a synergistic competition that keeps my heart rate up and my sweat pouring!! I am lifting at heavy as possible and she is lifting for overall tone and fitness.

Overall I am happy with today’s efforts. I am gaining strength and confidence in my back squats and I am quickly approaching my former numbers. As of yesterday’s workout, I am using the entire stack for leg extensions so I will need to add plates.

I felt very strong starting Military DB press prior to inclines. Of course this seemed to sap my strength for inclines but I still managed to push hard through the sets. Near the end of my workout the delts were pumped so hard they ached. I’m excited by the type of pain since I really want to work my back and delts for symmetry.

Btw, what’s with the zits!! Yikes! I’m 43 and four of the little puppies have shown on my face! Jeez, next thing you know I’ll start having wet dreams (rofl!!).

5/19/04 Wednesday – Rest

I felt great when I woke up and wondered why everyone was dying with constant DOMS and exhaustion. Well by 5PM Wednesday afternoon DOMS kicked in big time, just when I left my desk and headed for the stairs {chuckle}. Still the rest day was a welcome break and I used the evening to do 20 minutes of high-point cardio on an elliptical trainer. I’m beginning to get a feeling about 7 & 8 sets per exercise and it’s going to hurt!

5/21/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves
Workout Duration 65 minutes

Superset #1
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 6x9 @ 135lbs
Barbell Shrug 4x9 @ 170lbs & 2x8 @ 150lbs

Superset #2
Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest) 4x9 @ 137.5lbs & 2x7 @ 125lbs
Leg Curls (lying, seated, or standing) 1x9 @ 140lbs 4x9 @ 150lbs & 6x8 @ 130lbs

Superset #3
Calf Raises (knees straight – any will do) 2x9 @ 360lbs & 4x9 @ 405lbs
Hammer Cable Curls 4x9 @ 110lbs; 2x8 @ 90lbs

Wrap-up
Barbell Curls (straight bar) 2x9 @ 65lbs; 1x 6 @ 65lbs; & 1x6 @ 60lbs; & 1x9 @ 50lbs

Notes: I didn’t originally believe that one additional set per exercise would matter but it does hit hard. For me five sets and seven exercises are optimal. The sixth set (total of seven additional sets) sapped my mental focus.

5/22/04
WORKOUT B – Monday/Thursday: Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Workout Duration 65 minutes

Superset #1
Barbell Squats
2x9 @ 185lbs
4x9 @ 225lbs

V-bar Press-downs
1x9 @ 90lbs
5x9 @ 80lbs

Superset #2
Military Dumbbell Press
2x9 @ 45lbs
3x9 @ 55lbs
1x9 @ 45lbs


Quad Extensions
1x9 @ 200lbs
5x9 @ 240lbs

Individual Set
Incline Barbell Press
1x6 @ 135lb
3x9 @ 115lbs
2x6 @ 115lbs

Superset #1
Close-Grip Bench Press – 6x9 @ 115lbs
Cable Crossovers – 6x9 @ 40lbs

Notes: Boy oh boy my shoulders are singing!!!!! Also the hamstrings and quads are sooooo tired! The last two sets in just about every exercise (especially squats) take so much mental toughness I needed to almost get mad and attack the set!

5/24/04
WORKOUT A – Sunday/Wednesday: Back, Hamstring, Biceps, and Calves
Workout Duration 80 minutes

Superset #1
Barbell Row (underhand grip preferred) 7x9 @ 135lbs
Barbell Shrug
1x9 @ 135lbs
1x9 @ 155lbs
1x8 @ 175lbs
1x6 @ 155lbs
2x9 @ 145lbs

Superset #2
Wide-Grip Pull-downs (to chest)
2x6 @ 140
3x7 @ 137.5lbs
2x9 @ 125lbs
Leg Curls (lying, seated, or standing)
3x9 @ 140lbs
3x6 @ 150lbs
1x9 @ 140 lbs

Superset #3
Calf Raises (knees straight – any will do) 7x9 @ 455lbs
Hammer Cable Curls
2x9 @ 90lbs
4x9 @ 110lbs
1x7 @ 120 lbs

Wrap-up
Barbell Curls (straight bar)
1x7 @ 70lbs
2x9 @ 65lbs
2x6 @ 65lbs
2x8 @ 60lbs

Notes: I have heard that this last week will not be fun. I got in at 90 minutes of low energy and NO fun! Work day was longer than expected and I ate dinner about 1-1/2 hrs to 2 hrs prior to my workout. I believe this contributed to my lack of energy as my body was digesting food and not feeding the demands on my muscles.

5/26/04
WORKOUT B – Monday/Thursday: Quads, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Workout Duration 90 minutes

Superset #1
Incline Barbell Press
1x6 @ 135lb
4x9 @ 125lbs
2x6 @ 115lbs

V-bar Press-downs
1x9 @ 90lbs
1x9 @ 80lbs
1x6 @ 60 lbs
1x6 @ 50lbs
3x9 @ 40lbs

Superset #2
Military Dumbbell Press
2x9 @ 55lbs
2x7 @ 45lbs
3x9 @ 40lbs

Quad Extensions
2x9 @ 220lbs
5x9 @ 260lbs

Individual Sets
Close-Grip Bench Press
1x9 @ 115lbs
4x9 @ 135lbs
2x7 @ 115lbs

Cable Crossovers
6x9 @ 50lbs
1x8 @ 40lbs

Barbell Squats
5x9 @ 185lbs
2x6 @ 225lbs

Notes: Today I felt great! I believe working out on an empty stomach is better than a full one. I wasn’t hungry but primed for activity. I can see that splitting this into two workouts with four sets per exercise is optimal. I could take more time to recover between sets and not lose the fun factor. Shoulders were singing again but I noticed they pumped really fast yet recovered in good time.

Made a mistake of working my triceps in a taxing superset. Incline press and V-bar press-down gives a great pump but my V-bar weight/strength suffered.

Saving BB squats for last hurt my ability to focus on form. By this time I was exhausted, soaked with sweat, and low on power.

Went to bed at 9:30 and slept like the dead. Mild DOMS is constant but surprisingly not sharp or distracting.

Phase II

Summary:
•Three Working Sets of each exercise, always.
•Focus is on increasing the weights weekly.
•After a thorough warm-up, try to start with your heaviest weight – i.e. where you will fail in the 6 or 7 rep range. Your second and third sets can then be lightened, if necessary to stay in the rep range with good form.
•Remember the goal is failure so if a weight is too light, still hit failure don’t stop at 9 reps.
•Week 1 - Take all sets to one rep shy of concentric failure.
•Week 2 Take all sets to concentric failure, plus one forced rep (or a negative, or cheat rep if you have no spotter) where possible. If you don’t have a spotter, and can’t do this on certain exercises, pause for 10 seconds after failure, then get 2-4 more reps.

6/03/04 - DAY 1

Chest and Calves

Incline dumbbell bench press - 80lbs x 7; 75lbs x 8; 75lbs x 6
Flat barbell bench press – 225lbs x 6; 205lbs x 6; 185 x 7
Low cable cross-overs – 60lbs x 6; 50lbs x 9; 50lbs x 9
Standing Calf Raises – 3x9 @ 300lbs
Seated Calf Raises – 3x9 @ 90lbs

Additional sets:
Lying Crunches (Floor) – 5x20
Hanging Knee Lifts – 2x20

Notes: Felt very guilty not completing to two eight set workouts but vacation time is here. Week 1 of Phase 2 is nice. I enjoyed the change of pace. I did achieve a slight pump in chest and shoulders. Calves burned but didn’t really pump too much. I forgot to bring measurements for posting but will do this on Monday or Tuesday. Overall it seems my body responded in a great way in Phase 1. My upper arms grew approximately 1/2 inches. Of course some if this is due to tricep growth and using creatine. One thing that I noticed. . . I stopped taking creatine and intake of at least 1 gallon of water for the past 6 days so I should have dropped some water weight. If this is truly significant muscle growth then I am one very happy man!

Side Note: I started 20 minutes of cardio 5 days per week at 5:30AM. We'll see how this works.

6/04/04 - Day 2

Back

•30 to 60 second rest between sets.
•No supersets.

One-arm dumbbell rows – 65lbs x 9; 65lbs x 7; 50lbs x 6
Close-grip pull-downs – 150lbs x 7; 137.5lbs x 9; 125lbs x 11
Pull-ups (Machine assisted) – 80lbs x 8; 100lbs x 9; 100lbs x 8
Dead-lifts – 185lbs x 9; 185lbs x 6; 185lbs x 6

Additional:
Hanging Knee raises – 4 x 25

Notes: This day was very different from previous routines. I had become used to supersets, little rest, and working up to maximum weight. Felt different to jump into possibly my heaviest weight immediately after warm-up. I used the pull-up machine today since the area for pull-ups was in use. Turned out I probably would have struggled to complete three sets of six. Yikes!! I need to work hard in this area. Always knew I should add deadlifts to my back workout and finally started. This exercise feels different and I can tell it requires exception grip strength to move into heavy weights. I am pushing myself slowly with this exercise. Too much risk for a newbie to injure back muscles, but oh the benefits!!!! I can feel soreness throughout my entire body {groan!}. Also should move this exercise into the #1 or 2 slot since I was tired when I began deadlifts. Overall this was an excellent workout.

P.S. [Monday – 6/07/04] Oh the soreness! Lats, lower back, quads, hamstrings, shoulders, and chest are pretty pissed at me this morning. Nothing bad just good pain. . . the kind that causes growth. . . . ahhhh. . . . .more!!!

6/05/04 - Day 3

Shoulders and Traps – 35 minutes
• 30 – 60 second rest between sets
• No spotter
• Stretched after each set

Seated barbell military press (front) – 130 x 9, 7, 6
Side lateral raises – 30 x 9, 9, 7 (need to increase weight)
Rear lateral raises – 35 x 8, 8, 6 (about right)
Dumbbell shrugs (arms at sides) – 190 x 9, 9, 7 (about right, need to watch form)
Wide-grip upright rows – 90 x 9, 9, 6 (need to increase weight)

Note: Before starting my w/o I did some bends, twists, etc to loosen up. DOMS from previous w/o had my pretty tight. Overall this was a very good quick workout. I started the w/o with a high level of energy and strength which seemed to carryover into from the military to the side/rear lateral raises. After the DB shrugs my grip was my biggest challenge going into the WG upright rows. I substituted DB shrugs since the rack and benches were in use and I didn’t feel like waiting. I notice that after pushing a good series of shrugs my left trap takes time to release the tension. I need to think about hot tub or a masseuse.

Measurements:

Age: 43
Years Training: <1
...........................Start..............End of Week 4
Body Part ..........Left / Right...........Left / Right
Quads (middle)...23 / 23..............23 1/4 / 23 1/4
Calves.................16 / 16..............16 1/4 / 16 1/4
Forearms......12 1/2 / 12 1/2........12 1/2 / 12 1/2
Arms.............14 1/2 / 14 1/2........14 3/4 / 14 3/4
Shoulders ...............50........................51 1/4
Chest...................41 3/4.......................42
Waist...................39 1/2.....................39 1/2
Weight...................216........................218
Bodyfat(+/- 3%)....14.9%....................15.1%

6/08/04 – Week 1 - Day 4 (W1-D4)

Quads and Hams – 45 minutes

BB Front Squats – 115x9, 135x9 / BB Back Squats – 315x7
Leg Press – 400x9, 495x9, 515x9
Leg Extensions – 260x9, 6, 6
Stiff Leg Dead Lift – 115x9, 135x9, 9
Leg Curls – 150x9, 160x7, 6

Notes:
I am writing this immediately after my workout. . . in a mental fog. Started workout after eating dinner and extra curricular activities. How had good stength but low energy. Tonight was a struggle to focus and mentally prepare for each set. Heavy breathing and sweating was the norm.

I tried front squats for the first time and like them . . . somewhat. 135lbs didn’t seem like enough weight for my quads and I struggled to keep my arms up under the load. Oh well, being stubborn to a fault I will continue to work on mastering the mechanics.

Accomplished personal highs in Leg press, Leg Extensions, and Leg Curls tonight.

Wobbled from gym to truck and wobbled into my home where I promptly sat unmoving in a big comfy chair for 18 minutes. Felt like puking but I was to exhausted to expend the energy.

Lesson: Don’t eat or engage in extra curricular activities if planning to blast body in gym within 3hrs.

Personal Confession:
Tonight I discovered that I have a small amount of fear / anxiety doing heavy squats and stiff leg deadlifts. I know this is due to the fact that I injured my lower back in March doing SLDL and re injured in April doing squats. This really frustrates me since BB squat is the one exercise I had the highest level of confidence and success! Gads!!! I know this may slow my leg gains but I plan to focus on the mechanics for the next few leg workouts. Then look out!

6/09/04 – P2/W1/D5

Upper Arms – 40 minutes

Barbell curls – 65x9, 85x6, 65x6
V-bar press-downs – 120x9, 140x9, 160x9
Seated, overhead dumbbell extension (two hands) – 50x9, 60x9, 70x7
Seated dumbbell curls (supinating wrist) – 35x9, 40x8, 7
Cable kickback (no handle, hold below ball) – 35x9, 9, 8
Preacher Curls, Machine – 80x9, 100x5, 80x7

Notes:
Wow!! Arms were ready for blasting. For BB curls I varied the grip from shoulder to wide to narrow. 85lbs is a high for me. Of course this was my first exercise too.

V-Bar press-downs were amazing. After blasting the biceps the triceps were ready for action. I started with my previous w/o weight and found it way to light. I should have kept going until short of failure. Sorry TP! 160lbs is a high for me.

By the time I started O/H DB extensions and seated DB curls I recovered some but the weights needed some extra effort to get to the last two reps.

The cable kickbacks were torture for my pumped triceps! The weight wasn’t high but oh, oh, oh the pain!!! It was a major effort to straighten my arm to contract the tricep, wow!

First time on the preacher curl machine and I like to exercise. On the second set 100lbs was too much and I failed at 6 reps, yikes! During this entire exercise my upper arms were so pumped I couldn’t even flex! I even tried in the mirror (I know, somewhat narcissistic! ) and couldn’t even see the outline of my bicep or tricep!

Side notes:
Overall I enjoyed a wonderful workout. Last night I slept like the dead and even slept past my alarm this morning!

DOMS in legs is not overwhelming but constant. Actually entire body has minor DOMS.

Appetite is growing. After work I was on the prowl for a healthy snack and settled for a nutrition energy bar w/ 23g protein.

Water intake is between 100oz and 130oz per day.

Wild Observation – Last night my body was flushing water. I maintained my normal food intake (not carb cycling) but woke up tired and hungry. Weighed myself and took a bf reading (caliper). Weight 214lbs! (New low) and two readings for bf (1) 10.5% and (2) 12.1% +/- 3%.

Since I felt hungry I enjoyed a big healthy breakfast:

*Omelet - 5 egg whites & 1 whole egg, 2-sliced mushrooms, 1Tbs non-fat cheese, 1Tbs hot sauce (no sugar or carbs)
*3/4 C Quaker Oats Old Fashion Oatmeal w/ 1 Scoop ON protein powder (23g protein)
*2C coffee w/ 1 tsp non-fat / non-dairy creamer

***Protein – 56g
***Carbs – 26g (3g dietary fiber)
***Fats – 7g (2g saturated)
***Sugars – 6g
***Calories - 387

6/10/04 - Rest Day

6/11/04 - Rest Day

6/014/04 – P2/W2/D1

Chest and Calves – 45 minutes

Flat barbell bench press – 225lbs x 6 + 1; 225lbs x 8+1; 185 x 7+1

Superset
Standing Calf Raises – 3x12+1; 9+2; 7+2 @ 400lbs
Seated Calf Raises – 90@1x9+4; 110@1x9+4; 140@6+1

Additional sets:
Lying Crunches (Floor) – 3x25

Individual sets:
Incline dumbbell bench press - 70lbs x 8+1; 70lbs x 7+1; 70lbs x 6+2

Low cable cross-overs – 50lbs x 9+4; 50lbs x 9+4; 60lbs x 6+1

Notes:
A good workout, except for a number of young people impressed with themselves and the girls talking to them. Argh! Go to another place to talk!!!

I started with BB bench press since the last time I struggled with fatigue. Duh! I know better than to save heavy compound exercises for the middle or end of a workout. This one began much better. I was planning on hitting the chest all out – Bam! Bam! Bam!! Unfortunately young men and young girls don’t mix well in the gym. . . not if you want to workout. Decided to superset my calves since I feel they recover quickly and needed the shock. . . I was only partially successful.

While waiting for benches and such I jumped into crunches. Completed my third set of 25 when gym began to clear somewhat. Jumped into incline DB press.

I completed the incline DB press surrounded by yapping teens. Actually it was a good test of my focus. I was able to push myself hard and finished with exhausted delts, pecs, and arms. Whew!

Overall I left with quite a pump. Drove home in 5 minutes and downed some ON pre-loaded creatine and Whey. Ah! a great feeling throughout my body.

6/15/04 - Wow! Slept like I hiked up 5,000 vertical feet all day! Today I feel pretty wiped out.

Ack! Worked late and didn’t get home until rec center was about closed. Felt tremendous amount of guilt but needed the rest. My wife mentioned that I had dark circles under my eyes - Yikes! I guess this is a good indicator of exhaustion? Lol! O plan to hit Day 2 hard this evening. Also plan to add some HIIT cardio for improving fat burning. Going on vacation in July. Swimsuits and beaches require no DUNLAPS!! Of course I have very little compared to last vacation but my goals is the “V” shape.

6/16/04 – P2/W2/D2

Back

Dead-lifts – 205lbs x 6+4; 205lbs x 6+2; 205lbs x 6+2
Chin-ups (bodyweight) – 6+1, 6+1, 3+3
Close-grip pull-downs – 137.5lbs x 8; 125.5lbs x 7; 112.5lbs x 7
One-arm dumbbell rows – 65lbs x 9+4; 65lbs x 9+4; 65lbs x 9+2

Notes:
Ack! My chest is still sore from the last workout so working back did help loosen up the entire body. Learned from my last workout and started deadlifts first. I will say this exercise is a great overall body workout! I highly recommend it to everyone. Of course the other exercises suffered somewhat but I finished exhausted.

On deadlifts, I know I can add more weight but I will take this s-l-o-w. For my size and weight this is puny . . . for examples you should checkout both Jodi and Novo. . . but I am enjoying the experience. I have looked at video clips and read about DL technique but I’ve seen only 1-2 others even attempt this exercise. So for now, easy does it!

I left the Pull-up machine in favor of good old fashion gut wrenching, mind sapping Chins. I love the challenge but jeez only six?? Of course these are six strict all-the-way-up and all-the-way-down chin ups with legs straight and no swaying. Still this exercise instills humility.

For CG pull-downs, I lowered the weight because I felt that I no longer “felt” the target muscle. There’s an old saying that goes . . . “Show me a man with large biceps and I’ll show you a man with an underdeveloped back” . . . or something like that. Either way I need to increase the intensity for the back muscles.

Diet – I have worked hard at increasing muscle mass with decent results. As I learn about my body I find that I can push harder and accomplish more than I previously felt was possible. I am happy that my bf has not increased but now I need to begin losing the remaining bf around the waist. I plan to measure again this weekend and use the caliper measurements as my reduction baseline. Overall I eat pretty clean for not entering any competitions but I want to hit my personal goal of 9% bf for the summer.

Feedback on overall program – I want to thank TP for the opportunity to work the program. I have learned so much about myself and how my body responds and this is a wonderful experience. I also must thank Tim Wescott for the time he takes to respond to newbie questions without sarcasm yet with plenty of empathy for those wanting to understand and apply themselves. I plan to use this and variations throughout the following year in preparation for my goal of competing on 2005. I have a long way to go but the journey is where the fun really happens.

Those wanting to try the program take note this is very demanding. For bodybuilders that are not committed or lack experience,. . . your in for a surprise! This program will demand more time than you may expect but the rewards are worth it, IMHO. Some may only think 45 to 90 minutes? No problem! Uh huh, right! I’ll let you find out for yourself. Expect your CNS and muscles to begin demanding recovery time around week 6 to 8!!

Serious and advanced bodybuilders will take this on and enjoy.

Glad you are enjoying it.

And who is Tim Wescott?

http://www.designersupps.com
Email: steve @ designersupps.com
Peak Physiques™

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Hi TP,

I met Tim on this forum and followed the signature link to his own forum Weights On The Web.(http://www.geocities.com/timbuktuweights/). Tim is helpful and an active Masters Class BB competitor.