[Old Navy]

Thursday, February 1, 2007

The Phoenix Full Body Hypertrophy Workout

Combat Cardio day

Well, today it was my turn to blow-off Combat Cardio. My wife was out of town on business so Old Navy had to tend to our critters (two dogs, two cats and one African Gray parrot) before I could leave for work. So, Bruce went solo today. We will end this great four-week training plan tomorrow and then prepare to kick off the Griffin on Monday. Here is our new plan:

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training Plan
Developed by Sean “Sully” Sullivan, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The Griffin (Greek, gryphos, Persian, shirdal "lion-eagle") is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the "King of the Beasts" and the eagle the "King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

Weight training is two-days on, one-day off, one-day on, one-day off – repeat.

On off days, do cardio.

Week One – Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Week Two – At the end of the last set of each exercise, do one drop set. Reduce the weight by 25% after failure and do 5 more reps with the 25% drop, no matter what. If you need to stop for 2-3 deep breaths and bang out the last reps, do that.

Week Three – After the last set for each exericise, at the end of the first 25% drop set of 5 reps, do a second 25% drop set for 5 more reps. Rest 5-10 seconds between the first drop set and the second.

Week Four – Don’t do the drop sets this week, but cut the rest time to 60-seconds between sets. Make sure the weights do not drop.

Week Five – Same 60-seconds rest time between sets as Week Four and add the 25% drop set to the last set of each exercise.

Week Six – Rest 30-seconds between sets. After the last set for each exericise, at the end of the first 25% drop set of 5 reps, do a second 25% drop set for 5 more reps. Rest 5-10 seconds between the first drop set and the second. This week is the most difficult.

The Workout – Feel Free To Substitute Exercises For The Same Body Part.

Day One – Chest, Delts & Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 x 5-9

Wide Grip Bench Press – 3 x 5-9

Dips – 3 x 12-15

Lateral Raises – 4 x 5-9

Bent Over Lateral Raises – 3 x 5-9

Dumb Bell Press – 3 x 12-15

Close Grip Bench Press – 2 x 5-9

Triceps Pressdown – 2 x 5-9

Seated Triceps Extensions – 2 x 10-15

Day Two – Back and Biceps

Pull Ups – 4 x 5-9

Rows – 4 x 5-9

Pulldowns – 4 x 5-9

Rack Deadlifts – 2 x 15-20

Curls – 2 x 5-9

Incline Dumbbell Curls 2 x 5-9

Hammer Curls – 2 x 9-15

Day Three – Cardio

Day Four – Legs

Leg Press – 2 x 15 and 1 x 50

Hack Squats 2 x 15 and 1 x 30

Lunges 2 x 5-9 and 1 x 20

Leg Curls 3 x 5-9

Stiff Leg Dead Lift – 3 x 5-9

Seated Calf Press – 3 x 15-20

Standing Calf Press – 3 x 15-20

Day Five – Cardio

This is going to be FUN!

[Old Navy]

Friday, February 2, 2007

"The Phoenix" Full-Body Hypertrophy Training - Final Workout

I weighed 166.4 pounds and Bruce weighed 182.0

Week 4, Day 4 of Weight Training

Incline Barbell Press: 3 X 6
I did 200 pounds (Personal Best) and Bruce did 275 (Personal Best)

Dips: 3 X 6 last set do burns (1/4 movements at the midrange)

Dumbbell Flat Bench Press: 2 X 6
I did 80 pounds and Bruce did 90

Seated Military Press: 3 X 6
I did 60 pounds and Bruce did 70

Seated Dumbbell Laterals: 2 x 6
Bruce and I did 20 pounds - slowly with a squeeze at the top

Bent Over Dumbbell Laterals: 2 X 6
Bruce and I did 20 pounds - done slowly with a squeeze at the top

Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extensions: 3 X 6 with slow negatives
I did 35 pounds and Bruce did 30

Triceps Dip: 2 X 8 with static hold (5-seconds)

Sissy Squats: 2 X 12

Seated Leg Curls: 2 X 12
I did 150 pounds and Bruce did 180

Calf Press: 3 X 15 (feet straight, toes in, heels in)
Bruce and I did 300 pounds

Straight Arm Pull Down: 1 X 100
Bruce and I did 25 pounds

Machine Curls: 2 X 50
Bruce and I did 50 pounds

Well, we did it. And we ended the four-week Phoenix in style by upping every weight from last week except the calf press, where we stayed at 300 pounds. Bruce and I agree that both of us have shown good increases in strength over the four weeks. We even managed a personal best in the Incline Bench Press today. Bring on the Griffin.

[Old Navy]

February 5, 2007

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training Plan
Developed by Sean “Sully” Sullivan, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The Griffin (Greek, gryphos, Persian, shirdal "lion-eagle") is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the "King of the Beasts" and the eagle the "King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

After a great Super Bowl weekend, I weighed 165.0 and Bruce weighed 183 (pig).

Week One – Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day One – Chest, Delts & Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 x 5-9 (We did 4 x 6)
I did 210 pounds and Bruce did 235

Wide Grip Bench Press – 3 x 5-9 (We did 3 x 6)
Bruce and I did 185 pounds

Dips – 3 x 12-15 (We did 3 x 15)

Lateral Raises – 4 x 5-9 (We did 4 x 6)
I did 25 pounds and Bruce did 15 (he has a little shoulder problem)

Bent Over Lateral Raises – 3 x 5-9 (We did 3 x 6 seated bent over lateral raises)
Bruce and I did 25 pounds

Dumb Bell Press – 3 x 12-15 (We did 3 x 15 dumb bell press/flies)
I did 35 pounds and Bruce did 30

Close Grip Bench Press – 2 x 5-9 (We did 2 x 9)
Bruce and I did 100 pounds

Triceps Press Down – 2 x 5-9 (We did 2 x 9)
Bruce and I did 65 pounds

Seated Triceps Extensions – 2 x 10-15 (We did 2 x 15 Free Motion Overhead machine)
Bruce and I did 50 pounds

We ended the session with 50 slant board crunches and Bruce added a medium treadmill session. Day one was great. This is going to be an interesting and challenging program. Going to failure on each set makes one chose his weights carefully.

Scott "Old Navy" Hults, NFPT-CPT
NGA and IDFA Master Pro Bodybuilder

Body Building Senior.com
Train Hard. Train Natural.

[Old Navy]

February 5, 2007

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training Plan
Developed by Sean “Sully” Sullivan, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The Griffin (Greek, gryphos, Persian, shirdal "lion-eagle") is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the "King of the Beasts" and the eagle the "King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

After a great Super Bowl weekend, I weighed 165.0 and Bruce weighed 183 (pig).

Week One – Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day One – Chest, Delts & Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 x 5-9 (We did 4 x 6 Incline Barbell Bench Press)
I did 210 pounds and Bruce did 235

Wide Grip Bench Press – 3 x 5-9 (We did 3 x 6)
Bruce and I did 185 pounds

Dips – 3 x 12-15 (We did 3 x 15)

Lateral Raises – 4 x 5-9 (We did 4 x 6)
I did 25 pounds and Bruce did 15 (he has a little shoulder problem)

Bent Over Lateral Raises – 3 x 5-9 (We did 3 x 6 seated bent over lateral raises)
Bruce and I did 25 pounds

Dumb Bell Press – 3 x 12-15 (We did 3 x 15 dumb bell press/flies)
I did 35 pounds and Bruce did 30

Close Grip Bench Press – 2 x 5-9 (We did 2 x 9)
Bruce and I did 100 pounds

Triceps Press Down – 2 x 5-9 (We did 2 x 9)
Bruce and I did 65 pounds

Seated Triceps Extensions – 2 x 10-15 (We did 2 x 15 Free Motion Overhead machine)
Bruce and I did 50 pounds

We ended the session with 50 slant board crunches and Bruce added a medium treadmill session. Day one was great. This is going to be an interesting and challenging program. Going to failure on each set makes one chose his weights carefully.

Scott "Old Navy" Hults, NFPT-CPT
NGA and IDFA Master Pro Bodybuilder

Body Building Senior.com
Train Hard. Train Natural.

[Old Navy]

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training Plan

I weighed 165.0. Bruce over slept and didn't show up. He will do his workout later today.

Week One – Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day Two – Back and Biceps

Pull Ups – 4 x 5-9 I did 4 x 10, two sets of medium grip and two sets of hammer

Rows – 4 x 5-9 I did 4 x 8 at 120 pounds

Pull Downs – 4 x 5-9 I did 4 x 8 Free Motion cable pull downs at 140 pounds

Rack Dead Lifts – 2 x 15-20 I did 2 x 15 at 150 pounds

Barbell Curls – 2 x 5-9 I did 2 x 9 at 70 pounds

Incline Dumbbell Curls 2 x 5-9 I did 2 x 8 at 25 pounds

Hammer Curls – 2 x 9-15 I did 2 x 15 at 25 pounds

I completed the workout in plenty of time, which is important as we will add drop sets to each exercise next week and that will take more time.

[Old Navy]

February 7, 2007

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training Plan

Week One, Day Three – Cardio

After two days of going to failure on every set, it was nice to relax and do cardio. Relax...ha...we did a HITT session with 20-second speed splits. Then we did several abs exercises and ended our workout with posing practice. Tomorrow we take on the Griffin with legs.

[Old Navy]

Thursday, February 8, 2007

I am holding at 165.0 and Bruce weighs 180.0 (coming down for his contest)

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training

Week One – Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day Four – Legs

Leg Press – 2 x 15 and 1 x 50 I did 250/200 pounds and Bruce did 300/250.

Hack Squats 2 x 15 and 1 x 30 Bruce and I did 300/250 pounds.

Lunges 2 x 5-9 and 1 x 20 We did 2 x 8 and 1 x 20. Bruce and I did 150/100 pounds.

Leg Curls 3 x 5-9 We did 3 x 8. I did 125 and Bruce did 150 pounds.

Stiff Leg Dead Lift – 3 x 5-9 We did 3 x 8. Bruce and I did 185 pounds.

Seated Calf Press – 3 x 15-20 We did 3 x 25. Bruce and I did 150 pounds.

Standing Calf Press – 3 x 15-20 We did 3 x 25. Bruce and I did 300 pounds.

Today's Griffin Leg Workout was awesome. We failed in a good way.

[SoMdHunter]

I admire your dedication skipper!

[Lanbane]

Navy,
I've seen you a few times in the Beverly publications. (Beverly and Applied Nutriceuticals make up my supplement regimen)

Awesome job man, keep it up! I can only hope I am in as good of shape as you in the future.

[Old Navy]

SoMdHunter & Lanbane, thanks for your support and encouragement. I appreciate you.

Friday, February 9, 2007

The Griffin - High Intensity Power Training

Week One - Day Five: Cardio

I weighed 166.0 and Bruce weighed 180

This was the second cardio day of the week and I decided to borrow a page from "The Phoenix" and bring back Combat Cardio Day. I love it.

Combat Cardio - 5 cycles of the following:

Jump Rope - Two Minutes (100-200 skips per cycle)

30 Mountain Climbers - High step holding 15 pound dumbbells

30 Squat Thrusts - Trying to "dunk the basketball"

30 Push Ups - A total of 150 with good form

30 Side Straddle Hops - Like Skiing Down Hill.

I then acted at a head judge and put Bruce through a grueling posing practice. His contest is April 7th.

[Ripped1]

Old Navy man you have done a great log here. I am ashamed to admit I have never looked at it. You are right on track and are an inspiration to young bodybuilders. Way to keep up with your training and if I read correctly you have a show coming up in April don't you?

[Old Navy]

Originally Posted by Ripped1

Old Navy man you have done a great log here. I am ashamed to admit I have never looked at it. You are right on track and are an inspiration to young bodybuilders. Way to keep up with your training and if I read correctly you have a show coming up in April don't you?

Hey, Ripped1. Love your Avatar: Air Borne! Great stuff.

Thanks for your message. I will be judging a FAME SNBF show in Georgia the first week of April and an OCB show (Spirit of America) in Cape Cod the third week in April. I am Guest Posing at the NGA Mountain States Regional in Utah in May and will step onto the Master Pro stage on September 8 for the first time at the NGA Pro Am in Atlanta. I might compete once or twice more as an amateur before I enter my first Pro competition. It depends upon my training. I am trying to add between 8-10 pounds of new muscle before I stand up with the other Master Pros.

[Ripped1]

Good luck with your pro quest. Look forward to reading more about you

[Old Navy]

Originally Posted by Ripped1

Good luck with your pro quest. Look forward to reading more about you

Thank you, and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.



Monday, February 12, 2007

The Griffin – High Intensity Power Training Plan
Developed by Sean “Sully” Sullivan, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The Griffin (Greek, gryphos, Persian, shirdal "lion-eagle") is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the "King of the Beasts" and the eagle the "King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

I weighed 165.0 and my training partner,Bruce, weighed 179.6. His contest target weight is 170.0

Week Two – Go to positive failure on all sets, rest 90-seconds between sets and after the final set of each exercise, rest 30-seconds and add a 5-rep set. The is the Griffin Set, powerful and majestic.

Day One – Chest, Delts & Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 x 5-9 (We did 4 x 6 + 1 x 5 Incline barbell bench press)
Bruce and I did 150 pounds

Wide Grip Bench Press – 3 x 5-9 (We did 3 x 6 + 1 x 5)
I did 185 pounds and Bruce did 195

Dips – 3 x 12-15 (We did 3 x 15 + 1 x 5)

Lateral Raises – 4 x 5-9 (We did 4 x 6 + 1 x 5)
I did 25 pounds and Bruce did 15 (he has a little shoulder problem)

Bent Over Lateral Raises – 3 x 5-9 (We did 3 x 6 + 1 x 5)
Bruce and I did 30 pounds

Dumb Bell Press – 3 x 12-15 (We did 3 x 15 + 1 x 5)
Bruce and I did 50 pounds

Close Grip Bench Press – 2 x 5-9 (We did 2 x 9 + 1 x 5)
Bruce and I did 110 pounds

Triceps Press Down – 2 x 5-9 (We did 2 x 9 + 1 x 5)
Bruce and I did 65 pounds

Seated Triceps Extensions – 2 x 10-15 (We did 2 x 15 + 1 x 5) Free Motion Overhead machine
Bruce and I did 50 pounds

We didn't think adding a 5-rep set after the last set of each exercise to failure would be a big deal. It was a big deal. And, to think, next week, we get to do two 5-rep sets after the final set of each exercise.

[Ripped1]

you tired yet, nice workout. Looks like you and your partner push each other pretty good. Trust me not an easy thing to find nowaday

[Old Navy]

Thanks, Ripped1:

Bruce and I have a unique training relationship. I am a CPT and I specialize in working with athletes who are training for bodybuilding competitions. I help with diets, training plans, grooming, contest prep and posing. Like in the case of my former training partner, a 28 year-old 6'2 210 pound police officer, Dave was my training partner and I was his personal trainer...one-on-one. The difference is that instead of pushing pins and counting reps, I do everything my partner does. After eight months of 5 days a week + Saturday posing practice for the last six weeks, I took Dave, a natural athlete, to the 2006 NPC Atlantic USA Open in Georgia, where he placed first in the Novice Class and came in a close second in the Open Light Heavyweight class (weighing 189.5). Now, I am training Bruce for his first Masters comp and he will compete in a tested show, also in Georgia as a Novice and Men's Master 40+. I have a Distance Training business and am working with guys preparing for contests in Wyoming, California, Florida, Georgia and DC. I do this through my web site, chat, email, voice mail, fax and IM's. My personal training business is run under the name, BodyBuildingSenior, LLC. I don't do this full time. I am vice president of communications for a national cable TV network based in Alabama. But, bodybuilding and personal training for bodybuilding is my passion.