TR's log

[TunnelRat]

Monday, April 28

"A" routine:

Deadlifts 10x45, 2x5x95, 5x135, 5x190, 5x240, 15x190 (MS)
Squats 10x45, 5x95, 20x140 (MS)
Chins 20 (w/30 lb assist) (MS)
Dips   20 (w/40 lb assist) (MS)
Tricep Pushdown 90
Dumbbell Preacher Curls 15 (yup 15, my weak shoulder makes it difficult to keep the dumbbell steady.)

[I'm starting a new cycle and plan to go slow on my shoulders. The isos will drop out as the weights start getting heavier.]

My "B" routine will look like this:

Deadlifts
Squats
Bench Press
Lying Dumbbell Row
Seated Calf Raise
Standing Calf Raise
Shrugs (I intend to use the same weight for my shrugs as I do for my deads. So these will eventually become Power Shrugs).

 

[Lol]

TR, may I be the first to wish you well for this cycle and all the best with that shoulder.

 

[colby2152]

<div>
(Lol @ Apr. 29 2008,11:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">TR, may I be the first to wish you well for this cycle and all the best with that shoulder.</div>
This makes me the 2nd... Max-Stim eh! Tired of straight SST?

 

[_tim]

Kill it, TR! Good luck!

 

[BAX67]

Good to see you back in the game TR. Happy lifting!!

 

[soflsun]

Looks like a good program...good luck with it  

 

[TunnelRat]

Wednesday, April 30

Squats 10x45, 5x65, 5x95, 5x135, 20x150 (ms)
Deads 5x135, 5x185, 5x240, 20x205 (ms)
Bench 10x45, 10x50, 20x55 (ms)
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x50 (ms)

Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 20x45 (ms)
Standing Calf Raise 20x140 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x205 (ms)

The isos, both today and on Monday, tended to push me to over an hour in the gym. I really feel my spindly arms and legs need the extra attention, but isos take a lot of time. I'm concerned there's a special place in hell for bodybuilders whose workouts last more than 45 - 60 minutes...

Thank you all for your encouragement!  

Colby: &quot;Max-Stim eh!  Tired of straight SST?&quot;

Indeed, I did the Ed Coan program last time mainly because I wasn't allowed to do any presses. Besides, I was trying to get down to single digit bodyfat. Now I can settle down for some good old-fashioned Max-Stim hypertrophy. I've brought my calories up from 1400/day to 2000/day.

 

[_tim]

<div>
(TunnelRat @ May 01 2008,9:59)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I'm concerned there's a special place in hell for bodybuilders whose workouts last more than 45 - 60 minutes...</div>
My Buckeye Brother, this is likely true, but also in this place are all those beautiful women who take more than 45 - 60 minutes to put on lipstick...

So - is it really so bad?

Great start to the new cycle, despite securing yourself in said place in hell.

 

[TunnelRat]

Friday, May 2

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 20x150 (MS)
Deadlifts 5x135, 5x185, 5x205, 5x240, 20x205 (MS)
Chins 20 (w/20 lb assist) (MS)
Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl 20x17.5 (brachialis curl)
Dumbbell Preacher Curls 20x17.5 (MS)
Dips   20 (w/40 lb assist) (MS)
Tricep Pushdown 20x90 (MS)

I think I'm going to switch to four workouts each week: Monday A, Tuesday B, Thursday A, Friday B. I've never done more than three days a week before (though I did two-a-days for a while).

My problem is trying to remember which percentages to use on any given day. Dan's Max-Stim is set up to w/o four times weekly, using an A/B split. If I try to workout three times a week, I keep losing track of where I'm supposed to be...  

I suppose I'll modify my exercises accordingly, doing squats on one day and deads the next, and so forth.

 

[TunnelRat]

Monday, May 5

&quot;A&quot; Routine:

Squats 10x45, 5x65, 2x5x95, 5x135, 20x150 (ms)
Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 20x45 (ms)
Standing Calf Raise 20x150 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x210 (ms)


I still don't have the weight progression right, but I'm having trouble accessing the Max-Stim site to determine when to increase from 80% to 85%, etc. I think I've done pretty much the same weights for the last three workouts.

I like the combination of seated calf raise, then standing calf raise, then power shrug. The seated calf raise exhausts (hooo boy!) my soleus. Then the standing calf raise works over my gastrocnemius. Then the power shrugs really start to get interesting...

I'm trying to go to four workouts per week: Monday-Tuesday; Thursday-Friday. That's a new schedule for me. So this was the first workout in a long time that I didn't do any deadlifts. I'll pick them up today.

Meanwhile without the deads, I was able to finish in less than an hour. I had time to play with both the ab machine and the pec-dec.

 

[imported_fearfactory]

about how much time are you using for m time? 150 is a pretty high percentage relative to your bodyweight, is it not? very nice lifting TR.

 

[TunnelRat]

<div>
(fearfactory @ May 06 2008,9:46)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">about how much time are you using for m time?  150 is a pretty high percentage relative to your bodyweight, is it not?  very nice lifting TR.</div>
I usually start with a 3-second M-time for the first several lifts, then increase it by about one second per rep.

150 makes for a light squat, but a fairly challenging calf raise (especially following seated, single-leg, calf raises...!).

 

[TunnelRat]

Tuesday, May 6

&quot;B&quot; Routine

Deadlifts 10x45, 10x95, 5x135, 5x185, 5x215, 5x240, 20x215 (MS)
Chins 20 (w/20 lb pussy assist) (MS)
Dips   20 (w/30 lb pussy assist) (MS)
Bench 10x45, 10x55, 20x65 (MS) [Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm working on it...]
Tricep Pushdown 20x90 (MS)
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x60 (MS)
Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl 20x20 (brachialis curl)
Dumbbell Preacher Curls 20x20 (MS)

On Dan's site it is suggested that isos be done following a corresponding compound (if you're gonna do isos at all...). So I did my pussy pressdowns after my wussy little bench, and my curls right after my rows.

I'm still pretty ginger about benches and dips, trying to work my shoulder lightly and slowly. But the deads are starting to be fun. Next week they go to 95% (230lbs) and 100% (240lbs) of my 10RM. I'm not even gonna think about doing 105% and 110% in the fourth week...  

 

[imported_fearfactory]

<div>
(TunnelRat @ May 07 2008,8:49)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">w/20 lb pussy assist
w/30 lb pussy assist
So I did my pussy pressdowns after my wussy little bench</div>
you never fail to crack me up TR! way to keep after it

 

[Totentanz]

Hm... it's going to be interesting to see how this cycle peaks later on with the increased calorie intake. Is 2000 around maintenance for you or is it still under?

 

[TunnelRat]

<div>
(Totentanz @ May 07 2008,2:37)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">it's going to be interesting to see how this cycle peaks later on with the increased calorie intake.  Is 2000 around maintenance for you or is it still under?</div>
Actually, I think it's going to be interesting when I start doing 20 max-stim reps at 110% of my various rep maxes...

It turns out that I'm hitting about 2100+ calories/day. I think (hope!) that should give me a few hundred calories over maintenance.

Frankly, I'm never sure what maintenance is for me. It seems as though I get a different answer everytime I run through the equations.

 

[colby2152]

<div>
(TunnelRat @ May 08 2008,9:37)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Totentanz @ May 07 2008,2:37)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">it's going to be interesting to see how this cycle peaks later on with the increased calorie intake. Is 2000 around maintenance for you or is it still under?</div>
Actually, I think it's going to be interesting when I start doing 20 max-stim reps at 110% of my various rep maxes...

It turns out that I'm hitting about 2100+ calories/day. I think (hope!) that should give me a few hundred calories over maintenance.

Frankly, I'm never sure what maintenance is for me. It seems as though I get a different answer everytime I run through the equations.</div>
TR, if you record calories, my Excel sheet will be able to develop your BMR (100 calories error at most) after a month.

 

[TunnelRat]

<div>
(colby2152 @ May 08 2008,9:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">TR, if you record calories, my Excel sheet will be able to develop your BMR (100 calories error at most) after a month.</div>
I regularly record calories, protein, and carbs, though I've been a bit loose over the past coupla weeks. Since I don't have a computer at home anymore, it hasn't been easy to track everything.

Where will I find your Excel sheet?

 

[imported_fearfactory]

hey TR,
here's an article on foam rollers.  http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=475832
I'm actually using a piece of PVC pipe, sometimes I put a towel on it.  also, I duct taped a coupe tennis balls together and it works well for my back.

 

[TunnelRat]

<div>
(fearfactory @ May 09 2008,10:25)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">hey TR,
here's an article on foam rollers.  T-Nation.com
I'm actually using a piece of PVC pipe, sometimes I put a towel on it.  also, I duct taped a coupe tennis balls together and it works well for my back.</div>
Thank you. Strange stuff, how that works...