Taking Control of an Uncontrollable World

[atrain11b]

“Taking Control of an Uncontrollable World” What does this mean? For me it’s taking control of my life and steering it down the path that I want to go. This path is the path of iron. Some of you know me from when I first started, I was a man on a mission in Korea, who lost a good amount of fat, and began making gains in the way of lean mass. I spent most of this time trying to find what worked for me.

A year later I was happy with the gains I made, and even happier with the lessons learned. I returned to the States, the wife, the full time do or die Army, and I switched to a 5x5. A program I loved, yet life once again got in the way. The Army had me doing this and that, the wife wanted time with me when it was gym time, and I had eye surgery and was not allowed to lift for fear of popping the flap.

Let me say this, I am 100% healthy, and a 110% more motivated then ever. I now have the knowledge to not wait on a piece of equipment, but move on and do another move like I had planned. I plan to take this knowledge and hunger to be that much better, to be bigger then that guy across the room, and its time I stop letting things take control of my goals. I am here to stay, and I am in life’s driver seat now.

Prior to coming to Oklahoma, I dropped a couple hundred on a home gym for the basement, barbell, dumbbells, weights and a bench. A few more items will be on there way, but this is my start of grabbing life’s reigns, and letting nothing get in the way.

I plan to do my best to post a minimum of once a week in this Journey, it’s the people on these forums that keeps me going, it’s the guy down the road lifting when I am sitting, gaining that much more ground in life that gets me in the gym everyday. I know where I want to be this time next year, and it’s about damn time I do it.

“No more excuses, just growth”

 

[atrain11b]

Goals

Short Term: To gain back what I lost, this is both in weight lifted, and body measurements. Looking at about 2 months here, not far off at the moment.

Long Term Goal: By Dec 2009, I have a goal of 15-20+ Pounds of weight. May seem low to some, but I must keep BF% low to stay with in the Army standards. I have also learned I can not gain weight quickly without hindering my run time, which I must maintain (lost about 2 min during the 5x5). Therefore I am looking to trickle on the weight by stay just above maintenance.

Monthly Goal: To asses myself as a lifter, who I am, where I am going, what do I need to change and sustain in my program.

 

[atrain11b]

Mon March 2, 2009

Standing Mil Press: 75/10, 85/10, 95/9, 105/4
DB Press: 25/12, 30/12
Upright: 55/10, 65/10, 75/10, 85/10
Lat Raise: 15/10, 20/10, 20/10, 25/5
Rev Pec Machine: 35/12, 45/12, 50/12, 55/12
BB Shrug: 155/10, 145/10, 155/8, 155/5

 

[atrain11b]

Tues March 3, 2009

Back/Bis

Deads: 135/8, 155/8, 185/6, 225/6
BO BB Row: 95/8, 115/9, 125/8, 135/7
One Arm DB Row: 35/12, 40/12
BB T-Bar: 45/10, 65/10, 80/8, 95/7 (Numbers = Plate total only, not the bar)
WG Lat Pull Down: 90/10, 100/10, 110/7, 120/4

BB Curl: 45/10, 55/8, 65/7, 75/6
Hammer Curl: 35/6, 35/5, 35/5, 35/4 and a bunch of 1/2 reps
Incline Curl: 25/5, 25/5, 20/5, 20/7

First time in a long time lifting with someone, last time I did was when I lifted with Rob in Korea. Felt good to have a spot, although not as encouraging as Rob, he was cool to work with. Felt uncomfortable since I have gotten so use to lifting by myself.

Equipment was scarce, especially DBs had to go heavier then I wanted but did what I could with what was left.

Lost a lot of ground on this workout, but I'll get it back!

 

[atrain11b]

Weds March 4, 2009

Did a moderate paced run this morning for PT, this evening is a scheduled off day. Going to rest, eat, and get ready for Chest/Tris on Thursday, plan to finish the week out with a good Leg Day, oh how I miss Leg Day!

 

[atrain11b]

Thurs March 5, 2009

Chest/Tris

Flat Bench: 135/10, 155/10, 175/8, 195/5
Incline Bench: 95/10, 115/8, 155/6, 155/4
Decline Bench: 135/8, 155/5, 155/5, 135/6
Flat DB Flye: 20/12, 30/8, 25/9, 25/10

Weight Dip: 25/5, 10/4, BW/4, BW/3
Skulls: 40/10, 60/4, 60/6, 60/8
V-Bar Pressdown: 60/12, 65/8, 65/10, 70/10

I just want to say, even though the numbers don't show it very well, this is the first time in a very long time I have left the gym feeling like I left everything I had to give inside. Once again worked with someone, and must say I am starting to enjoy having a partner. Just for the forced reps, and spots if anything, but the motivation i get from working out with someone else is great. This time I was stronger on chest, and he was stronger on tris, worked out very well.

I blew out earlier then normal for some reason on those dips, not sure what happened. I'll get it next time.

Fri = Leg Day

 

[Inarius]

subn in here bossman

 

[atrain11b]

Fri March 6, 2009

Leg Day

Leg Ext: 50/12, 55/12 (Used as Light W/U)
Squats: 135/10, 155/10, 175/10, 195/8, 225/4
Lying Leg Curl: 95/12, 100/12
Leg Press: 200/10, 250/10, 300/10, 350/10
Leg Ext: 110/12, 115/12, 125/12, 130/10
Donkey Calf Raise: 120/12, 120/12, 105/20, 105/16
Seated Calf Raise: 90/12, 110/12, 90/20, 90/20

Lost my training partner as soon as I entered the squat rack. So I was in on Leg Day alone. Blew out on squats earlier then expected, and the Leg Press should have been a Hack Squat, but it was broke.

Gonna look into this workout, did not like the way it flowed, think I need more sets and exercises for hamstrings. All in all not a bad welcome back to legs workout.

First time doing Donkey Calf Raises, my new favorite Calf exercise, really felt it.

 

[atrain11b]

subn in here bossman

Thanks for hopping on, looking forward to some critiques, and knowledge you might have to share in here.

 

[Inarius]

I always like squats as my first lift. They are the core of my leg day. They work all of the muscles in your legs. i think that you numbers will go up if you put them first. IMO I would do some light warm up like walking on a treadmill or a bike really light just to warm up then go squat. I would do 3 or 4 minutes on the treadmill or bike then walk over to the squat rack and start pumping out those squats. I like to get blood flowing into the legs first. I think if you squat heavy and right you should work your hams pretty hard.

 

[atrain11b]

I always like squats as my first lift. They are the core of my leg day. They work all of the muscles in your legs. i think that you numbers will go up if you put them first. IMO I would do some light warm up like walking on a treadmill or a bike really light just to warm up then go squat. I would do 3 or 4 minutes on the treadmill or bike then walk over to the squat rack and start pumping out those squats. I like to get blood flowing into the legs first. I think if you squat heavy and right you should work your hams pretty hard.

Appreciate the input, will try this out. Used to do 10 min on a bike, then 3 very light sets of LE for my knees, then the 6 sets of squats, thats how my numbers went up the first time around.

Guess I'll try the bike, a few light sets of squats, then dig deep for the big sets.

 

[atrain11b]

Mon March 9, 2009

Shoulders/Traps

Standing Mil Press: 75/10, 95/10, 115/6, 125/5
DB Press: 40/12, 45/8 (Goal was 12)
BB Upright: 75/10, 85/10, 95/8, 105/5
Side Lat: 15/10, 15/10, 15/10, 15/12
Reverse Pec Flye: 55/12, 65/12, 70/12, 75/9
Front Lat Raise: 15/12, 20/10, 20/8, 20/8 (Done with Kettle Ball held straight out on the rise)
BB Shrug: 135/10, 155/10, 175/8, 195/5

Got the training partner back, felt good when he called me an Animal, I just smiled a little. Great session, made up some ground over last week. Really enjoyed using the kettle balls, made the movement harder, and I felt it WAY more then normal. Struggling on the Mil press, but it'll come.

Back and Bis tomorrow!

 

[atrain11b]

Weds March 11, 2009

Back/Bis

Pullups: 7, 5, 5, 6, 6, 5, 7, 8 (all bodyweight)
Bent Over BB Row: 95/10, 105/10 115/8, 125/6
One Arm DB Row: 40/12, 45/12
T-Bar (close grip) 45/10, 70/10, 90/8, 115/6
Lat Pulldown: 85/10, 95/10, 105/8, 110/6 (Done last after bis, had to wait for it to free up)

BB Curl: 45/10, 55/8, 55/8, 65/6 (Lost a lot of ground here)
Preacher Curl (straight bar): 50/7, 40/11, 40/12, 50/6
Hammer Curl: 30/8, 30/8, 35/5, 35/5

Changed things up a little, did not do Deads this time, wanted to concentrate on Pullups, yet still keep it under an hour. All in all great workout, sluggish in a few areas, and realize no matter what I need my Deads. My lats are destroyed though. The pullups made the rest of this workout hurt way more then normal.

 

[atrain11b]

Thurs March 12, 2009

Chest/Tris

Before I post the workout, let me say, this was the busiest the gym has ever been. Almost all the equipment was taken, barley able to work in. Therefore my workout was all over the place, with equipment I haven't used in forever. Got a decent workout out of it, but my plan of attack was thrown out of the window real quick.

In order of completion:

Hammer Strength Press: 90/10, 140/8, 140/6, 140/4 (Total weight of both sides)
Hammer Strength Incline: 90/10, 110/10, 130/9, 150/6 (Total weight of both sides)
Nautilus Pec Flye: 95/10, 100/8 (Not a normal out front flye, kind of like a crossover instead, did not like)
Nautilus Pec Deck: 65/10, 70/10, 75/6
DB Bench: 35/12, 35/12
DB Incline: 35/12, 35/12
DB Decline: 35/12, 35/12
DB Flat Flye: 25/12, 25/10, 25/10

Dip Machine: 110/12, 125/10, 140/10, 155/10
V-Bar Pressdown: 60/12, 70/10, 80/8, 90/5

For those DB Press, 35 was the only open weight, next higher was 70, can't quite press those yet. This workout felt more like a cross fit type workout, fast and furious.

 

[atrain11b]

Fri March 13, 2009

Leg Day

Leg Ext (Light): 80/20, 90/15, 100/10
Squats: 135/10, 155/10, 185/10, 215/8, 235/6 (30-45 sec rest)
Seated Leg Curl: 100/10, 110/10, 125/8, 115/8
Leg Press: 200/10, 250/10, 300/10, 350/10, 400/8 (Feet together)
Leg Extension: 125/10, 135/10, 155/10, 175/8*
Donkey Calf: 120/12, 135/12, 105/20, 105/20
Seated Calf: 110/12, 120/12, 90/20, 90/20

* Possible PR, need to check my other journal.

Another decent leg day, and another busy day in the gym. Worked in with some people on the squats, threw me out of my norm for them, still felt good.

This is my last week in Oklahoma, leave here on Friday. Wednesday is usually my rest day, but plan to bump everything up a day to where Friday is my rest day so I don't miss that workout.

 

[atrain11b]

Mon March 16, 2009

Shoulders/Traps

Standing BB Press: 85/10, 95/10, 105/7, 115/5
Upright Row: 75/10, 85/10, 95/8, 105/6
Side Lat Raise: 20/10, 25/9, 25/8, 30/4
Rear Lat Raise: 30/10, 30/10, 35/8, 35/7
Front Lat Raise: 20/10, 20/10, 20/10, 20/8 (W/kettle Ball again, holding straight all the way through)

BB Shrug: 135/10, 165/9, 195/7, 195/6 (Aiming for 225, but w/ quality reps)
Haney Shrugs: 95/7, 95/6

Had my workout partner again, gonna miss that aspect of this past months training. Once again keep rest short, around 30 secs. As for those Haney's, was just trying them out. Need to research them some more before trying again, very awkward movement I felt. But, I feel if I get contoll of them, they will work fine for me.

 

[atrain11b]

Tues March 17, 2009

Back/Bis

Very limited on time in the gym, got out of class late, had 20-30 min to get in and out. Gonna throw this up real fast, then off to get ready for tomorrow, and some sleep.

Goal was speed, with form. Was aiming for 8 sets of 20 seconds per exercise. Meaning as many reps as I could do in 20 sec, with a 10 sec rest, then repeat. Towards the end was running short on time, limited it to 6 sets of 20 sec.

Although weight was light, and reps were low on some, I am smoked. I was drenched when I left. Felt very crossfit-ish, very strange, but nice change of pace. Grip strength went early.

Pullups: 10, 7/A, 6/A, 6/A, 7/115, 8/140, 7/140, 7/140 (A = partner held legs, number to right = weight of assistance on machine)(Did pullups this morning for PT, so I was struggling)
BB Row: 95/15, 75/15, 75/13, 75/13, 75/13, 75/13, 75/12, 75/14 (Should have went with 85-95)
Lat Pulldown: 55/15, 85/12, 85/10, 85/10, 85/9, 85/10

BB Curl: 45/12, 55/9, 55/7, 55/7, 55/8, 55/7
Hammer Curl: 35/6, 35/7, 35/7, 35/6, 35/6, 35/5

Total time, just under 30 min.