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?

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.

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.

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!!).