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Take Action and Make it Happen - Training Journal


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I'm staring a NEW training journal that I plan to commit to and make great progress as a result. Training/bodybuilding goes up and down my list of priorities from #1 at times (like last year when I competed 5 times) to maybe #5 after my book, my traveling, job with Vega, relationship, etc.

 

I honestly don't know where training or bodybuilding rank on my priority list right now, but I've had success in other areas because I dropped training as a top priority, but my current personal interest is to have training play a bigger role in my life.

 

The title of one of my 300 page books is Take Action and Make It Happen, precisely the approach I took to write, complete and release my book. I used that same approach to become a champion bodybuilder last year. I aim to use this same approach to boost my training, regardless of where it currently ranks in my life.

 

Let's get right into it:

 

Sunday May 23, 2010

 

Back

 

Neutral grip pull-downs

75 x 20

75 x 20

90 x 15

105 x 10

120 x 10

 

Machine wide-grip rows

80 x 15

95 x 15

120 x 10

120 x 10

 

Machine narrow-grip rows

135 x 12

135 x 10

120 x 10

95 x 12

 

Hammer strength high rows

140 x 12

140 x 12

140 x 12

 

Narrow-grip pull-ups

13

12

11

 

Wide-grip T-bar rows

45 x 12

55 x 10

65 x 10

 

Narrow-grip T-bar rows

65 x 10

65 x 10

65 x 10

 

Narrow-grip cable rows

95 x 15

120 x 12

135 x 10

 

Wide grip pull-ups

11

 

Machine bicep curls

80 x 12

95 x 10

95 x 10

80 x 12

 

Stationary bike for 1 hour 15 min while watching the SUNS WIN!

 

Notes:

 

I know it's high volume but I haven't trained much at all over the past 4-6 months. I just got motivated and really wanted to spend time in the gym.

 

The only reason I did cardio at all was because I don't have TV at home and I'm a HUGE Suns fan and timed my workout so I could train and then catch the 2nd half of the Suns game which took that long!

 

After my back workout I grabbed a banana and 2 Vega bars from the car so I consumed 530 calories while I biked to make up for the 400 or so I burned.

 

Then I ate another bar on the way to Whole Foods Market and then I stocked up on some organic foods so I'll have food available all week long.

 

Truth be told, as well as my book is selling, I ran out of money last week and couldn't eat very much. I saw this coming and requested tons of Vega products which were sent to me by my employer of the past 5 years. My book is self-published so I have to shell out thousands of dollars for each print run and play a game of catch up all the time. But this weekend was a huge book-selling weekend with the promo I did with the Vega t-shirt give away, so I went out and spent almost $60 on foods like bags of brown rice, organic beans, rice milk, tons of fruit, quinoa pasta, etc.

 

I've been on a soy-free, gluten-free, organic diet for 7 weeks now.

 

I'll be pounding Vega products, brown rice, beans and avocado a lot in the near future and I'll add in potatoes, yams, greens, etc. soon too. Always tons of fruits consumed as well.

 

Wow, that was a long report. I'll keep them shorter from now on.

 

Happy to be training again.

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Some "benefits" will write more later. Very late as usual. Not as late as last night, but still late.

 

Monday May 24, 2010

 

LEGS

 

I warmed up with 10 minutes on the stationary bike

 

Hipsled leg press

180 x 30

180 x 30

180 x 25

270 x 20

270 x 15

360 x 15

360 x 15

450 x 10

 

Narrow foot position leg press

270 x 25

270 x 30

270 x 35

 

Leg extensions

95 x 30

120 x 20

150 x 15

165 x 15

165 x 15

 

Lying Leg Curls

70 x 12

70 x 10

60 x 12

80 x 7

70 x 8

50 x 8 drop set

 

Seated Calf raises

90 x 30

140 x 15

125 x 20

125 x 20

125 x 25

 

Not as strong as I used to be, but I'm OK with that. Just like when I trained chest the day before I started this new journal, I was decline benching 165lbs. A year ago this time I was decline benching 325lbs. Today I was leg pressing 450lbs, last year 900lbs. I've taken a good 4-6 months off to focus on my book, business, etc.

 

I sat in the steamroom and sauna after my workout and had tons of fluids including 50g protein immediately after the workout and massive meals when I got home.

 

Ate 13 times today Gassy as hell, but making my way back to being fit again. Not sure when I'll compete again or when I'll call myself a "bodybuilder" again but working on getting fit right now and stronger while I pursue other meaningful things like becoming a best-selling author, paying off debt, touring and inspiring others, and writing more books.

 

Robert

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Taking a break from soy to see if it helps digestion, reduce gas, etc. 7 weeks into it. I can tell it is making a difference to some degree...well, at least the combo of gluten-free, soy-free has led to less gas and bloating, though I still get it.

 

Today I went to the gym and rode the bike for a little over an hour as I watched the Suns cruise to victory over the Lakers.

 

Then I did about 6 sets of bicep curls and 6 sets of incline hammer strength bench press.

 

So today was basically an "off day" after training the past 3 days (one which was completed before I started this journal). So I'm thinking of maybe 3 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, 1 day off, something like that. Maybe I'll do 4 or 5 in a row, we'll see. But today was basically cardio the whole time, just 20 minutes at the end which was pretty light but wanted to do something with weights before I left.

 

Biceps

EZ curl bar

55 x 12

55 x 10

60 x 8

 

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

27.5 x 10

27.5 x 10

35 x 8

35 x 8

 

Chest

Incline Hammer Strength Press

90 x 10

90 x 12

90 x 12

90 x 12

 

Will try to get to be a bit earlier tonight than usual. Gotta get more rest these days.

 

Books are still selling well, I can get some sleep and get back to it tomorrow.

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I trained at the gym at my apartment complex today which is suitable for a few muscle groups. It's not a big gym by any means but it does the job for chest, abs and not too bad for back. I've trained here a bunch of times since it takes me 18 seconds to walk from my front door to the front door of the gym It also has a sauna in there, multiple restrooms, etc. so I'm all set even though I'm only a less than 20 second walk back to my place if I need to go there for any reason.

 

Today I trained abs and while there decided to throw in 16 sets of chest and make it a 1 hour 20 min workout

 

It went like this:

 

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

 

Abdominals

 

Leg raises:

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

 

Bent-leg knee raises

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

15-25 reps

 

Machine chest press (great feel on this machine, one of my favorites I've used, based on feel and squeeze)

60 x 35

70 x 24

80 x 18

90 x 16

100 x 12

110 x 12

120 x 8

110 x 12

110 x 10

100 x 14

 

Dips

13

16

15

24

18

16

 

Sit-ups on the ball

A few sets

 

Sit-ups on the ground

A few sets

 

Then walked back 20 seconds to my apt and made some dinner. See food journal.

 

Night night.

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Thursday May 27, 2010

 

Trained back today.

 

I thought I'd train shoulders too, but back was going so well, I just kept rolling with it and trained for a good 1 hour 10 minutes, all back and though it may not be super heavy, it was intense.

 

Lat pull-downs

75 x 30

75 x 30

90 x 20

105 x 15

120 x 15

135 x 12

150 x 12

 

Wide grip machine rows

125 x 20

125 x 15

140 x 12

 

Narrow grip machine rows

160 x 8

140 x 12

140 x 12

 

Wide grip T-bar rows

45 x 12

55 x 12

55 x 12

 

Narrow grip T-bar rows

55 x 12

55 x 12

55 x 12

55 x 12

 

Neutral grip pull-downs (love these so much, even though I did some pull-downs did more with my fav grip)

120 x 15

130 x 12

140 x 12

150 x 10

 

Pull-ups

12

12

12

11

 

Machine rows (again) to do some drop sets, get a pump before leaving

140 x 12

90 x 10

60 x 15

 

I think that was it in the gym.

 

I had to pee 5 times during my workout and every 5-10 min when I got home and I had to get the car to drive later so I went for a run around the block a few times to sweat some of it out, then had to pee again, then went back out and ran up hill sprints and that helped. Normally I don't do cardio because I drop weight so quickly, but the up hill sprints felt pretty good, even with my sore hamstrings from my recent leg workout.

 

Then I went to a friend's house and must have peed 8 times while there.

 

Go me.

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May 28, 2010

 

After 6 days in a row (5 in this journal and 1 day before I started the journal) I took the day off today.

 

I'm in Denver, CO right now visiting my brother for his wedding this weekend.

 

RC

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Sunday May 30, 2010

 

Today was my brother's wedding. I did a bunch of push-ups but plan to get to a proper gym tomorrow and Tuesday, then I'll be back home and have proper training facilities again.

 

So today was all about push-ups in the sun.

 

Push-ups

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

 

Decline push-ups

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

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Monday May 31, 2010

 

Late night workout training arms in Colorado while visiting my brother.

 

1 hour 10 min workout finishing at midnight.

 

Warming up:

 

5 sets of triceps rope extensions

5 sets of machine bicep curls

 

Biceps

 

Machine Bicep curls

80 x 20

80 x 20

95 x 15

95 x 15

110 x 10

 

Alternating dumbbell bicep curls

30s x 8

27.5s x 10

27.5s x 10

30s x 8

 

Hammer curls

35s x 10

35s x 10

40s x 7

35s x 8

 

Neutral grip two-arm bicep curls

40 x 10

40 x 10

40 x 15

40 x 15

 

Straight bar curls

60 x 10

 

 

Triceps

 

Rope extensions

35 x 25

35 x 20

35 x 20

70 x 15

70 x 15

70 x 15

 

Skull crushers

40 x 10

40 x 10

40 x 10

40 x 10

 

Narrow-grip presses super-setted from skull crushers

40 x 10

40 x 12

40 x 12

40 x 12

 

Overhead triceps dumbbell extensions

55 x 12

60 x 10

65 x 10

70 x 8

65 x 10

 

Narrow grip bench press (hurts my wrist, but tried anyway)

135 x 4

115 x 8

115 x 8

115 x 4 (hurt too much, had to stop)

 

 

High volume today!

 

Not much rest time between sets, over an hour long, went well, just wrist got sore at the end as it does at that angle....same with skull crushers but I had a neutral (hammer) grip on these skull crushers and no issue.

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Tuesday June 1, 2010

 

After that late night midnight arm workout, I got up and trained legs in the morning. I had forgotten I had committed to going running with my younger brother in the afternoon but when I realized it, I didn't let up during the workout, I just went for it.

 

Leg Press

90 x 25

90 x 25

180 x 20

180 x 20

270 x 15

360 x 12

450 x 8

360 x 10

270 x 15

180 x 15

90 x 15

 

Hack Squats

90 x 20

90 x 15

90 x 15

90 x 15

90 x 20

 

Walking Lunges

20-40 reps

20-40 reps

20-40 reps

20-40 reps

20-40 reps

 

 

It wasn't a super heavy workout, but I've only trained legs a few times over the past 4 months or so. I was doing tons of power cleans and heavier training during the winter holidays but then took a break basically from Feb-May. Back at it and decided to toss legs back in it sooner than later.

 

Then I went for a run at 5000 feet elevation in the hot sun after training legs for over an hour with my brother who is a competitive runner. We only ran for about 3 miles but it was tough! There were some hills too, but it was the fatigue from the workout that hampered me a bit....I pushed really hard though. My lungs and legs were spent after that! Great time with my brother though.

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Wednesday June 2, 2010

 

I trained chest tonight.

 

Pec Deck machine to warm-up

75 x 12

75 x 10

75 x 10

90 x 10

90 x 10

 

Incline machine press

80 x 12

80 x 12

95 x 10

110 x 4

95 x 10

 

Looked for a bench press....unavailable during busy hours at the gym and having only 2 bench stations (lame).

 

Hammer Strength Machine Bench Press

140 x 8

140 x 7

140 x 7

140 x 7

140 x 10

 

Cable flys

80 x 12

90 x 10

100 x 10

110 x 10

90 x 12

 

Dips

13

14

12

14

15

 

Decline Barbell bench press

135 x 12

155 x 10

155 x 8

155 x 8

155 x 9

 

Over an hour at it today.

 

Again, not super heavy weight, still building myself back up.

 

Time for bed.

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Thursday June 3, 2010

 

I rode the bike for 35 minutes watching the 4th quarter of the Lakers/Celtics game and then I trained abs for the next 40 minutes.

 

Decline sit-ups

25

15

15

10

15

 

Sit-ups

20

20

20

20

20

 

Hanging leg raises

25

20

20

20

20

 

Bicycle crunches

50

40

40

40

50

 

Sit-ups

30

30

30

30

30

 

Knee raises

20

25

20

25

35

 

Headed home after that and got some food and prepared book packages to mail tomorrow.

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Friday June 4, 2010

 

I trained arms today.

 

I just used the gym at my apartment complex, which clearly isn't as good as my primary gym, but I still got a good pump and it was late at night 11PM-midnight. Was busy most of the day working on Vega sales for our new products and promoting my book of course.

 

Pretty consistent these days which pleases me!

 

Not making excuses, but describing the scene......the gym I chose to use which is 18 steps from my front door (about 7 seconds walk) has limited equipment but enough for certain muscle groups. Today though, one of the cables on a machine wasn't acting properly so I could only set it on 70 pounds, any higher and the cables would rub and not function properly. Ugh. Oh well, I did a lot of super sets, very short rest periods, worked more on form, squeezing, and overall pump and intensity.

 

Workout went something like this:

 

Straight bar Bicep curls

35 x 25

35 x 20

35 x 20

35 x 20

35 x 20

 

Reverse grip pull-downs

70 x 20

80 x 10 then it stopped working properly

70 x 20

70 x 20

70 x 15

70 x 15

 

Machine rows

70 x 15

70 x 15

70 x 15

70 x 15

 

Pronated grip straight bar biceps curls

35 x 20

35 x 20

35 x 20

35 x 20

35 x 20

 

Dips

14

16

13

15

12

15

13

11

 

Close-grip machine presses

70 x 15

70 x 15

 

Then someone came over and said the clanging was waking up her daughter who is a baby and was sleeping in a nearby apt so I just did a few more dips and called it good, but I was basically done anyway.......now I know to train earlier

 

I've used the gym over a dozen times, including fairly late at night and I didn't realize the noise traveled over to the nearby apts.

 

Anyway, 1AM gotta eat more then sleep.

 

Speaking on a panel at Animal Acres Animal Sanctuary tomorrow for approx 50 visiting 8th graders. Should be cool.

 

RC

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Sunday June 6, 2010

 

Shoulders

 

I trained shoulders today for the first time in a couple of weeks I think. I actually messed up my spine training shoulders a couple of months ago, back in March and I need to get it looked at. I can feel my spine is out of place and it bothers me in some movements I make in day to day life, but not too bad. I still train, carefully.

 

Anyway, nice to finally tackle shoulders. Did a ton of cable presses to sufficiently warm up.

 

Cable overhead press

35 x 30

35 x 20

40 x 20

45 x 15

50 x 15

60 x 12

70 x 6

 

Dumbbell raises Giant Set (lateral raises, followed by front raises, followed by overhead press, followed by rear delt raises, all with no rest in between)

 

Giant set x 20 each exercise with 15s

Giant set x 15-20 each exercise with 15s

Giant set x 15-20 each exercise with 15s

Giant set x 15-20 each exercise with 15s

Giant set x 15-20 each exercise with 15s

 

Dumbbell overhead press

45s x 6

40s x 12

40s x 10

40s x 8

40s x 10

 

Shrugs

75s x 20

75s x 12

85s x 15

90s x 12

90s x 15

75s x 15

 

Straight bar front raises

40 x 15

50 x 12

60 x 10

50 x 15

50 x 15

 

Done.

 

1 hour 10 min approx.

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Trained back today...good workout, just too tired right now to write about it.

 

I will edit these and update my leg and back workouts.

 

Wed is a rest day so I'll catch up.

 

Shipping out tons of books tomorrow.

 

RC

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Had Excellent workouts past couple of days....too tired to update, but will catch up on log this weekend.

 

Updated food journal, but will get this one updated too.

 

Hiked 3.5 hours today and yesterday trained with one of the top trainers around who trains top NFL players too. And he's SWOL and an amazing athlete at 40+ years of age.

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I'm actually training everyday, I am just way behind on this but will catch up soon.

 

Have had great workouts lately and work is so busy....and I leave in 5 days for the entire summer so lots going on....but still training

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