Jay's log

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=584534&pageNo=0

I read the article, although I'm not sure how I would be classified. I definitely seem to do best on high reps/volume. I wouldn't figure you as a metal since you seem to be able to lift pretty heavy weights

 

Is your avatar a pic of a guy doing a one armed pullup?

I think "metals" can have some strength, they just don't get much out of conventional training styles. I've made all my gains doing one set per exercise training. With multiple sets all I've ever done was improve my ability to recuperate inbetween sets while usually losing some of my max strength. BTW, this spring I did basically what you are doing with pullups getting up to over 200 on some days. Didn't improve my max at all, as usual.

 

The avatar is a pic of John Gill doing a one arm pullup with 20 pounds in his left hand. http://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/HomePage1.html

My GTG variation is coming along very fast so far. Made slight adjustment to it though. Going close to failure repeatedly with reps above 10 is very very tough. Instead I will try to keep the heavy day reps from 6 to 10 and the light day maybe 5 or 4 reps less. This morning knocked out 10 chins with 20 lbs added without much strain. Upped it to bw+30x8. Same improvement on military presses/benches.

Sunday

Damm it gets old quick doing the same thing everyday! Maybe that's just not going to happen. Would like to maybe work on some of these though:

http://beastskills.com/tutorials.htm

 

Also despite past injuries I'm going to try squats again, stopping when/if problems arise. This time will do easier workout than I've ever done, based on this: http://www.marunde-muscle.com/sarge98repsquat.html

 

Today suatted 112x20

 

Also last two days did some one arm pushups, they were a little easier today. Got 7 or so in three sets on left and 2 plus, negatives/partials on right.

 

Set two pr's today. Did one arm assisted chin with a ring finger assist and then with a index finger assist. Also knocked out couple sets of 3 with middle finger assist.

 

Monday

More pr's

Did one arm pullup with middle finger assist, then index finger assist. Then did one arm chinup with pinkie finger assist on my right arm and got 3/4ths of the way up on left arm. That's very interesting in that I had hurt my right arm and completely rested it for a week or two while I still lifted on the left. At first the right was a little weaker as a result, now two weeks later its a little stronger. Maybe it doesn't mean anything, I'm not sure. Maybe it's related to being stronger on the left on one arm pushups. I've always been a little unbalanced. Tricep on one side a couple reps stronger. Bicep a couple reps stronger on other side. But then I was able just now to lift a 30 pound dumbbell with my left pinkie but not with my right, so whatever.

 

My weight from fasting is still down at 215ish. Ten pounds lower with about the same bodyfat%. I think because I did no exercise for my legs while fasting and they got pretty thin.

 

Tuesday

So I don't expect to continously set chin pr's. I think instead I'll rest them for a couple weeks then hopefully eventually come back stronger. Today did pullovers (63x10) and rows 140x5ish with grip giving out. On rows noticed my left bicep was hurting. Apparently it didn't quite heal from that damm Armstrong program. That is most likely why I missed the left OAC w/ pinkie assist. So I'll try to totally rest my biceps.

 

Wednesday

One arm pushups off knees with 20lb pack. 12 reps on right, 15 reps on left

 

LOL. I just can't help myself. Read that beastskills page and he was talking about just taking a day off inbetween heavy workouts. It seems that maybe I should not follow any strict plan and instead do what I feel up to doing. So I messed around with right arm chins. Threw rope over chin bar holding weights. 40lbs assist was easy, 30lbs got it, 20lbs didn't quite finish it. Then did a few negatives. If I stop my body from swinging by putting my foot against the door I can hold still in the middle and almost at the top. Then one arm presses including a couple negatives at 70lbs.

 

Thursday

I really should rest. Today messed around some more with trying front levers, handstand pushups, maltese/planche thing. Also did one arm dead hangs with a 30# dumbell added for about 5 seconds each. And a single one arm assisted pullup with middle finger on each side. This is surely too much. Got to rest.

 

And this looked good:

http://www.powerathletesmag.com/pages/monkeymaker.htm

Friday

Light GTG on pullups, presses, etc

 

Saturday

Squat 153x20

After 8 months of pain from the herniated disc, I've been OK for probably the last month. Feeling good on this. Hopefully will improve every week until 230x20 or so as I'm back to using a middle to narrow stance which I squatted 400 to parallel with before. Ankle ligs feel OK so far. Hopefully they'll be OK.

 

Will Peavy style volume on dips and one arm presses. bwx6 every two minutes for 10 sets and 40#x6 for 5 or so.

I've been overdoing it with upper body stuff. Feeling worn down as a result. I had great success before with just doing chins once a week. Need to rest more.

 

(Good meals)

mushrooms, carrots, kidney beans, tomatoes, olive oil, green peppers, and onions

 

blueberries, coconut milk, rice milk, pineapples

 

hummus and broccoli

 

spinach, kidney beans, and mushrooms with dressing

 

flaxseed oil

Monday

One arm chins

 

Good day.

OAC w/ middle finger assist-flew up

OAC w/ pinkie assist-1 inch short on right, 2 inches short on left

OAC negative-I start by putting both top sides of feet (with socks) against walls. Easy to hold OAC at top that way. Then take away one foot. Still easy to hold. Then take second foot away. I start swinging a little and can't hold top position, about 30% down though I slow to just about a total stop. Then very slowly begin to descend until about 60% down I begin to pick up speed. 5 to 10 seconds this takes. There is minimal friction from the top side of my socked foot against the wall. It just stops me from swinging a little. I think it's the centrifugal force of the swing that makes it harder without touching my foot to the wall.

 

Then did static hold 65% of the way down. Held it for about 5 seconds on each side.

 

Then tried controlled negative not attempting to hold it static. By now I was already pretty tired. Came down in about 2.5 seconds on right and was able to hold dead hang. Came down in probably less than a second on left (much weaker on this side now???) and had to let go before the dead hang lest I wrench my shoulder or elbow loose.

 

Then did one arm dead hang with 40 pound dumbbell in other hand (chin style, last time did pullup style). Held 15 to 20 seconds on right. And 12 seconds on left. Didn't get good grip on left and grip is all that gives out on this.

 

So little weaker at top it seemed but all in all I improved today.

 

Tuesday

One arm overhead press-40, 50, 60, 70x1 (no leg drive). Negative w/80 at weak point, couldn't hold it static. Then held 80 at lockout for 20, 30 seconds.

 

One arm pushups-making sure to keep shoulders parallel to floor. Got a single this way on right but not left (keep twisting up) Did single negative with 10lbs extra (very hard, couldn't hold it static but was controlled in a slow descent).

 

One arm dips-one hand on kitchen counter and other out straight against wall so I don't topple over. Could not do a single full ROM this way. Must be the equivalent of well over 100 pounds added for weighted dips. Probably 150 to 200. Did static hold for 20 or so seconds, left tricep feels wrecked. Hope it's OK. Left arm has been bothering me for a while thanks to Armstong's pullup program. Maybe need an extended rest.

Wednesday

OACs

Couple speed pullups and chins

One arm negative from top- Can't hold top but with bar just above head (halfway down) I come to a stop and held it for roughly 5 seconds on each side. This is an improvement from Monday. Then I start descending and picking up speed. I let go 75% down as it starts feeling like my bicep is going to rip off the bone.

One arm negative 60/70% down- Definitely got a little concentric movement then held for 6 or so seconds on each side.

Tried one arm negative 85% down- but just fall immediately. Maybe tired already.

Dead hangs with 40 lb dumbell- 23 seconds on right. 16 seconds on left.

Tried a two finger pullup but grip/fingers were wasted.

 

Again I improved.

 

Thursday

Just right arm.

OAOP (one arm overhead press) same as last time, 40, 50, 60, 70, and negative with 80. Could hold lockout much easier but didn't do a lockout for time this time.

OApushups-first put arm too close in and didn't get anything, then maybe put hand too far out and got 2 and maybe had another. Negative w/10lbs. Maybe held it for a second at weak point.

OAdips-Lockouts and partials. Pushing against the wall with my left arm made it ache. So no more of these for a while.

 

Friday

Today my biceps are still sore from the negative/static OACs on Wednesday. Should I take the day off? I decided to see how I felt for OAPs which don't hit the biceps as much.

 

Couple pullups fast-Left bicep is no good. I hurt the left tricep by applying Armstrongs pullup program to bench press and immediately followed this by hurting the left bicep by doing a somewhat high intensity variation of GTG. Got to rest both the tricep and bicep for a while.

 

Front Levers-can almost extend one leg all the way out. But this still made my left elbow hurt so no more of this for a while either.

 

Static/negative right OAPs

50/60% up-held static for 5 seconds then stopped.

30% up-had some concentric (5/10%up) and then held for 5 seconds.

50/60% up- another 5 seconds static.

15/20% up, held static for only a few seconds and then negative. Maybe I was tired but I think I'm very weak down at the very bottom. Will do these first in the future.

100%up, not even close.

 

The top is harder with OAPs. Otherwise OAPs aren't any harder than OACs it seems despite chins being much easier than pullups.

 

Friday night

Was going to try to squat 183x20. But it just wasn't happening. Felt too heavy, especially considering I have to good morning the weight to get it racked. Also my back felt wrong. At the bottom it hurt my back and I couldn't even get too parallel. So instead deadlifts. They felt fine. Just did 153x3 for 5 or so speed sets. I want to alternate a speed workout with a heavy workout. Hit it, every 7 days.

Then did some pistols, eh. 7 reps each.

 

Saturday

Right arm overhead press 70 for a hard single. Then static hold with 70 just short of lockout for 30 or so seconds.

 

One arm pushups-barely did one on right (harder than last time but maybe static hold tired me? Then tried one with elbow way out instead of tucked in and it was way easy. That's the problem with one arm pushups. Slight change in form makes them much harder/easier. Hard to gauge progress. Did easy left one armer with elbow out. (Shouldn't have although elbow feels OK.) Then did right one armer with 12 lb pack. Got the eccentric very controlled with 22lb pack but failed halfway back up after static for a couple seconds.

 

Sunday

Weighed just 209 this morning. Never gained the weight back from fasting but then I've been living off soup/stews for quite a while now.

 

One arm chins (on right only)

Static near bottom-4 or so seconds. Weaker than in middle but not as bad as last time as I was fresh I guess. Really need to keep hitting this part.

Static attempts at top-I come down a few inches before I go static. Made my right elbow ache when I was doing it.

In the middle static was easy. Added 9.5lb pack and almost held static. Very controlled negative down to the bottom.

Single deadlift rep with 153. I have soreness in back and hamstrings from last time.

Front levers-this didn't hurt my left elbow today. Came a little closer to extending one leg.

 

Did a strong negative with a 9.5lb pack in the bottom half of the movement today. That was good improvement.

Monday

One arm overhead press

40, 70x1 left and right (70 was harder on right side than it's been) static hold with 70 at weak point

 

One arm "tripod" pushups

right arm-bw, +9,+19x1, negative with 29lbs

Left arm-bw, +9x1.

 

Tricep overhead extentions

right arm 30, 40x1

left arm 30x1.

 

Left arm doesn't hurt but isn't all the way healed so took it easy.

 

Then did 2 sets each of bench press, triceps pullovers and military presses with 20 to 50 reps fast at less than 50% intensity. (63lbs and 33 pounds.)

 

Tuesday

Couple speed pullups, left arm felt fine.

OAP attempt on right, went backwards at bottom to get some momentum and got maybe 15/20% up.

OAP negative on right starting halfway up with 10lb pack. Took close to 10 seconds to descend all the way.

Used left hand ring finger assist for OAP right lockout. Ring finger gives out first. Then did 40 lbs assist for OAP lockout on right.

2 front lever attempts. Closer to completely extending one leg. The first attempt made my left elbow hurt a little though.

Deadlifts- 123, 173, 223x1

 

Wednesday

Maybe I wimped out today. Didn't do one arm overhead presses and only did a couple bodyweight one arm pushups. Did shoulder front raises (63lbs) and tricep presses (concentric at 83, eccentric with 93). Then the usual high rep things.

 

Thursday

Forget high reps. Put me in a bad mood. Make me restless. DLs, OACs, levers/gymnastic moves, front raises, tricep press, and something for chest (I guess one arm pushups as I don't have a power rack) everyday if I want. 1 rep sets. 1 to 5 total reps. Take days off if I feel like doing so. More likely just go lighter somedays.

 

DLs-122, 172, 222, 257

OACs, front raises- light

Front levers-one leg perfectly extended for a few seconds (improvement but was fresher as didn't do OACs hard)

93lb tricep press, haven't done any OApushups. Maybe just log highlights from now on.

According to this site: http://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/Chinups.html

Jim Holloway at 6'6" 165lbs may have been the tallest man to ever do a front lever. ......? It's not really that hard. I bet I'll have it within a month at 2 inches shorter and 50 pounds heavier.

I have complete confidence in you.

When you're doing the front lever do you feel it any on your sides, between your lats and upper chest? I just tried some and I was feeling the most pressure there

Thanks CG.

 

Will, not sure what you mean. I think I just feel it in my lats.

Here's the muscle I'm talking about: http://exrx.net/Muscles/SerratusAnterior.html

 

When I tried doing front levers it felt like that muscle was doing a lot of the work

Will, here: http://exrx.net/Articulations/Scapula.html everywhere the serratus anterior is mentioned is for pressing or shrugs. I think I feel it on front levers, right about here: http://exrx.net/Muscles/LatissimusDorsi.html

 

Friday

One arm pushups (each arm) with 30lb pack.

DL 277

Tried to go heavy on OACs but was weak. Elbows hurting on lockout. Other stuff light.

http://exrx.net/Muscles/LatissimusDorsi.html <-- yeah that's the one I was trying to get at. I felt it the most in the smaller part of the muscle that points up towards the chest

Monday

1.8 reps on right OAC with pinkie assist, 0.5 on left, supposedly 5 reps=unassisted OAC

dl 240

 

Tuesday

One arm pushups, 40lb pack controlled negative and held bottom position static for about 5 seconds

front barbell swings- 67 yes, 82 no. This is bothering my left elbow area.....

One arm dips-just a little static at top and slight ROM, easier this time, left tricep is OK this time

Tricep press- 93 yes, 98 no

 

Wednesday

OACs w/ ring finger assist-bw, bw+10, 20, 30 on right arm. 95% up with 40lb pack. stopped at 20lb pack on left arm as elbow is still hurting. Damm. Front raises/swings are bothering it.

Front lever hold with one leg out at very top to simulate OA lockoff.

One arm deadhangs with 3 fingers for just 5 seconds or so.

 

Didn't do dls as back is only 95%.

 

So I weighed about 225 for a decade. Now I still only weigh 211 and I think I have as much bodyfat as I did at 225. I think it's safe to say that fasting is actually a very bad idea for muscles.... I think I'll go running today. Maybe that's where the muscle is still atrophied.

 

Thursday

Clean and press-167

One arm pushups-got closer to 40lb pack single but almost hurt left shoulder

one arm dip lockouts

 

Friday

3/4th up on pinkie assisted left OAC

maybe a little closer on front lever

very slight assist pinching door frame for 2 fingered one arm dead hang for couple seconds

 

Saturday

Think I'll switch to high volume... Today benches and military presses. Will just occasionally try a max effort and report that I think...

 

Sunday

Tried a right OAC with left arm on right bicep. It was pretty easy to get 75% up but couldn't finish. Today did OACs with middle finger assist. 10 sets, 18 or so total reps. Light dls.

Ooh, you've improved your diet last I read your journal on the other forum.

Good job!

I expect green smoothies will be making regular appearances on your menu from now on?

 

Is that you in your avatar? Looks like it could be you.

Ooh, you've improved your diet last I read your journal on the other forum.

Good job!

I expect green smoothies will be making regular appearances on your menu from now on?

 

Is that you in your avatar? Looks like it could be you.

Yes, my diet is getting better. (Slowly learning to cook.) I already had another green smoothie today. I think that will become something I have everyday. Thanks so much for that!

 

Not me in the avatar. What that guy is doing is my main goal right now. I keep on losing parts of our digital camera. So I've no pictures of me online.

Saturday

So this last week just alternated push/pull days high volume. Last two days went to slightly high intentsity GTG version of this with alternating days. Got rid of dls because sciatica flared yet again. Replaced military presses with push presses with a lot of legs (like half front squats). So it's push presses immediately followed by bench 3 to 10 sets spread thoughout day. Other day is chin up stuff. Looks like a max set of chin ups right now is about 20 or so. (Same as ever. )I think the twisting motion of OACs is bothering my left elbow so just going to do two armed stuff for a while. Weight is slowly going back up (without trying), back to 218.

Tuesday

Tried high volume with push presses and benches but along with lower back concerns my left shoulder bothered me slightly on push presses. Not much, but enough to abort considering the kind of volume I want to do. Instead did strict military presses w/ 73lbs, usually 8 reps; 35 sets and a few sets of dips.

 

Wednesday

Did 31 sets of chin/pullups. Usually got about 7 reps. Resting left elbow for now on OACs.

Been following your routine and that's some serious lifting. Nicely done.

 

I just had a question about your squats. You said you wanted to return to mid-to-close legged squats. I'm wondering why you would do that over a shoulder + stance. Wouldn't the physics in the wider stance give your back greater stability especially with the higher weights?

Been following your routine and that's some serious lifting. Nicely done.

 

I just had a question about your squats. You said you wanted to return to mid-to-close legged squats. I'm wondering why you would do that over a shoulder + stance. Wouldn't the physics in the wider stance give your back greater stability especially with the higher weights?

Yeah I think so. I've just been a lot stronger with a medium to narrow stance in the past. Squatted 400 at age 20 with just 8 months of training with a med/narrow stance. Started again at 31 and mainly because of ankle ligament damage I switched to a really wide stance but after 18 months still could only do 345. (Could just be that I'm older now and haven't played any sports like I used to.) But normally with a wide stance you would think it would be possible to squat more. I was going like Westside style wide (as wide as possible). (Ryan actually uses a medium stance last I saw.)

 

Because my back was hurting me (herniated a disc last Feb) I've decided a medium stance squat is probably just out for good. Maybe I'll try messing around with a really wide stance again and see how it feels. I may be weaker but it's better than nothing. With a really wide stance I can keep my torso pretty upright so maybe it won't be as tough on my back.

Oh just thought of one more thing...like I'm an expert or something

I really notice a difference depending on the type of footwear I have. I squat in bare feet or shoes that allow me to feel I'm lifting right through my heels.

 

Anyway, be careful.

Well the wide squats were a big mistake Phoenix. (sigh) I've been sick for 3 months or so now and I haven't mentioned what my ailment is. It's embarrassing. But more than that. I'm very honest. I'm just not mentioning it to fit in/not embarrass others. Anyway wide squats caused me some serious pain a few hours later. Even worse the next day. I'm seeing a surgeon on the the 15th.

 

Saturday

Military presses w/ 73lbs circuited with chins-ups and dips. 22 sets of each in about 3 hours. 8 reps each set of chins. Took my time. Did some band benches instead of dips but think I'll just do dips in the future. Tried some bodyweight wide squats.....

 

Sunday

Increasing pain from anal fissure Saturday night. Extreme pain Sunday. Finally took 2 hydrocodone (sp) and 5 (1000mg) of an anti-inflammatory. Finally pain eased off.

 

Monday

Same circuit. 40 sets of usually 5 reps sometimes 6 on dips in about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Easy boring workout. Haven't #2ed yet thanks to probably constipation from pain killers. Expect when I do, I then can look forward to intense pain the rest of the day.

 

I really eat pretty healthy and I think this wonderful illness was caused by forgetting to drink water and only eating oatmeal for a few days back in early October. (Maybe already weakened from who knows what? I'm not gay or anything, haha. Certainly get plenty of fiber. But maybe not enough water or dietary fat. Stress of ruined career maybe played a role.) It has just refused to heal since then which is often the case with this. There are people who have had this for decades. Every now and then it seems like it's healing then, bam, right back where I started. Maybe 3 times things have gotten so bad I've taken pain killers for it. But I've spent many days laying in bed as the pain gets bad enough that standing is difficult. Looks like it's ass surgery for me. The gods hate me. It hasn't been a good year. If anyone's reading this, please excuse my honesty.

 

This is my log though. I want to remember how much this sucked so that if I ever get better I'll hopefully not take good health for granted.

 

I've also had shingles and a herniated disc in the last year. But I've never had a cold or flu since becoming vegan. LOL.