Robert's Training Journal - A Tale of Yeah's and Buddy's

[robert]

No training today but I'll get back into it tomorrow. Today I was away from home for 12 hours, traveling to a couple of cities for Vega and hanging out in my home town.

 

My soreness should be gone by tomorrow and I'll have a proper training session.

 

As usual....time to eat and sleep now!

[robert]

I trained chest and back with Jordan (the guy who got me into bodybuilding) and then took a day off. Actually 2 days off and I'll return tomorrow.

 

Must sleep now.

[robert]

I took 4 full days off from the gym! I got so busy and just didn't prioritize. I'm trying to convince myself it was a positive thing though. I did get a chance to rest and recover after my contest so that was good.

 

Today xdarthveganx and I spent 2.5 hours at the gym. We trained chest and back, played a bit of basketball and then sat in the steamroom, sauna and hot tub.

 

Then we went out to eat at Nicholas and then I watched some NBA Playoff basketball to relax a bit.

 

For Chest we did machine bench, cable cross overs, pec dec all for about 4 sets each.

 

For Back we did machine rows, high rows, and pull-ups.

 

Too tired to provide more details.

 

Goodnight or morning everyone.

[Odidnetne]

Rob - Do you ever do bent-over rows when you work your back? I like the exercise and it helps me out pretty well.

[robert]

I wish I could, but I can't right now due to my lower back injury. I can't do squats, deadlifts, bent-over rows, unsupported t-bar rows, and a few other exercises. But I'm doing what I can until my back (hopefully, eventually) gets better.

 

Right now pull-ups and machine rows are working well for me and I'll keep at it until I can move up to bigger things.

 

I'll train tonight, maybe legs, maybe arms, not sure yet.

[robert]

Tonight xdarthveganx and I trained biceps and triceps. I'm too tired to give a full recap but we did 4 exercises 3 sets each for bis and 3 exercises 3 sets each for tris.

 

Then steamroom, sauna, hot tub, and food.

 

Now sleep. Too busy these days.......

 

www.portlandvegfest.org

[loveliberate]

That's cool that ya'll are working out & all together. I'm guessing that we'll do the group workout post-VegFest?

[robert]

Yeah, group workout post VegFest for sure.

 

xdarthveganx and I have been working out ever since Seattle VegFest back in March. It is pretty cool, although we always go out to eat afterwards so it leaves me broke!

 

Off to bed now, another long few days ahead.

 

VegFest is going to be a lot of fun!

[robert]

I got back in the gym today. I had to take about 4 days off leading up to VegFest. Today I trained abs and legs for about 1 hour and 15 minutes and then I spent about 45 minutes in the sauna

 

For abs I used an ab crunch machine for about 8-10 sets, did some hanging leg raises, and lying leg raises combined for 8 sets or so.

 

For legs I just did about 8 sets of extensions, 7 sets of hamstring curls and 4 sets of calf raises.

 

I hope to hit it hard tomorrow. I don't have much time until the next contest!

 

Time to eat more, rest more and train more!

[robert]

Tonight xdarthveganx and I trained chest and back. Then we had a large Vegan Pizza

 

I'm really tired right now but we did bench press, cable cross-overs, incline machine press and pec deck machine for chest and for back we did machine rows and pull-ups and then hit the steamroom, sauna and hot tub for heat treatments.

 

Good times, but I'm exhausted and will head to bed shortly.

[Guest]

Enjoy your pizza now because in a few weeks you'll be splitting that three ways instead of two

[robert]

hahaha, awesome! Cool man. Yeah, I may still compete June 9th but I'm not doing any contest prep I know it sounds silly but I need to bulk up and I'll just do the contest for the experience and the fun of it and I might not have shredded abs, but I'll still look OK if not pretty good come June 9th.

 

See you in a while.

[robert]

I just finished and arm workout.

 

I was out of town all day and just made it back between 9 and 10PM and got to the gym a little before 10 and stayed until they closed at 11PM.

 

I did a ton of sets. I spent the full hour resting about 30 seconds or often times less than that between sets.

 

Biceps:

 

Seated biceps curls for a couple sets

 

Machine biceps curls for about 4 sets

 

EZ bar biceps curls for about 6 sets

 

Hammer Strength biceps curls for about 4 or 5 sets

 

Cable biceps curls for about 4 sets

 

Slight bent-over rows (back and biceps)...testing my lower back

 

 

Triceps:

 

Machine extensions to warm up for a few sets

 

Dumbbell kick-backs for 3 or 4 sets

 

French press (skull crushers) for about 4 sets followed by super sets of narrow grip presses

 

Rope extensions for about 4 or 5 sets

 

Dips for 4 sets (20+ reps each set)

 

Good workout tonight.

 

Now Vega, quinoa, burrito, more food and chatting with Lizworld online.

 

Good times.

[jonathan]

Rob my man, what will it take for you to do some proper heavy lifting, and ditch the pumpomatic machines and 47 sets for each muscle group?

 

We all know you are addicted to the muscle burn and pump, but serious muscles are built moving serious weights in dark dungeons, not pumping away in the Spangles 'R Us fitness studio!

 

You mentioned you have a friend who is a powerlifter (that 165lb guy of whom there is a photo in the photo section). Get him to show you some serious, heavy lifting. You have to be very patient with form work and building up from light weights (ie, no jumping in to 135lb squats and pulling your back due to poor form). I appreciate that you have had problems with you back, but both myself and JP from VF have too, and we are both competing in a heavy strongman comp on Sunday. JP has packed on 15lbs in just a few months from training strongman. You just have to be patient, and work hard to nail good form so that you won't injure yourself. You will only get bigger and stronger.

 

You have to stop competing too. I know you like to stay lean, but you have to abandon that if you want to grow. Train heavy, rest well, get fat and get strong too.

 

Jonathan

[robert]

Good suggestions man, and I know you are right. I'm just trying to figure things out right now. Life is busier than ever and I get in and get pumped in the gym and get out.

 

I will start doing some of those heavy exercises soon.

 

Thanks man!

 

I appreciate it and I know what I need to do, I just need to take action.

[robert]

Hey again Jonathan,

 

I really appreciate your comments and suggestions. I know I need to take action on some of these things soon. Like many of us, I represent a whole community and lifestyle and I need to represent myself and us well. I need to grow.

 

Tonight I trained chest and back with xdarthveganx and davidtarrfoster. Then we went out and had some Thai food and I left my VEGAN hat there so I'll have to go back sometime to get it.

 

I mainly used machines today for Chest exercises and then free weights for back. Pull-ups and bent-over rows.

 

It was another long day of working and I should head to bed. I hurt my leg playing basketball today so hopefully it will heal soon and not slow me down for too long.

[jonathan]

Glad to see you are taking it on board Rob - I hope you don't think me mean, but I just want you to do as well as you can.

 

Jonathan

[robert]

No man, I totally appreciate it. I know I need to take things to the next level to improve make some REAL progress.

 

I'm taking the suggestions to heart and I'll most likely start applying them soon. I've already done two sessions of bent-over rows, something I've been afraid to do for years because of back problems.

 

I'll incorporate more power and more food soon. Thanks! I'll talk to you more about specific programs, lifts, exercises, etc. that will help me reach my potential a lot faster and more efficiently and effectively.

 

Take care, time for me to eat!

[robert]

I trained abs, lower back, biceps and triceps tonight. Then I sat in the sauna. My workout was exactly an hour and I tried to focus on some heavy lifts with low reps.

 

I did a lot of barbell biceps curls, dips, bent-over rows, hyperextensions, cable crunches and a few machines.

 

Good workout, nice heat and then had a bunch of Vega, a ProBar, part of a burrito and I'll eat more. It's getting close to midnight but I'll keep eating.

[robert]

I trained shoulders and back tonight and then played some basketball, sat in the steamroom, sauna, hot tub, and then ate at Blossoming Lotus.

 

The workout was nearly an hour. I'm too tired to list the exercises, but it was good.

 

Sleep time for me soon!

[SeaSiren]

I trained shoulders and back tonight and then played some basketball, sat in the steamroom, sauna, hot tub, and then ate at Blossoming Lotus.

 

The workout was nearly an hour. I'm too tired to list the exercises, but it was good.

 

Sleep time for me soon!

 

hot tub? no fair!

 

Good to see your training going well

[robert]

Yeah, hot tub again today....after sauna and steamroom.

 

Today I trained arms, back, abs and played basketball. It was just a general exercise training day because I'm heading out of town tomorrow and I'm going to be training specific muscle groups during that time.

 

Basketball was especially fun. I really enjoy playing!

 

Well, sleep time now

[jonathan]

Rob, it has been 10 days since you last trained your legs, but in that time you have trained your arms 3 times, chest twice and abs almost every session. Get the leg workouts in, vastly reduce the overall volume, increase the intensity and remember to rest well.

 

If I were training you I would have you doing this:

 

Day One:

 

Form work squats - with very little weight, to practice correct form.

Squats, 3x10 to what ever depth feels comfortable, but a reasonable weight.

Push press 3x8, hard enough that you are close to, but not at, failure on the last rep of the last set.

Close grip bench - 3x10

Chinups - 3x12, with added weight if necessary. Should be hard, but still full range of motion.

Abs

 

Day Two:

 

Form work deadlifts - with only 135lbs innitially to build form.

Partial range deads, from rack. Start with the bar at above knee height and gradually work down to the floor. Use a reasonable weight for 5sets of 6.

Bench press - 3x10

Bent over barbell rows - 4x10

Seated dumbell shoulder press - 3x8

Barbell curls - 2x12

Abs

 

Something like that would be great for you, on a one day on, one day off basis.

 

Come on man - do you want to stay the same size for ever?

 

Jonathan

[robert]

Thanks man.

 

I injured my leg playing basketball and had to take a break for a while, but I will train them again soon. I had to train other muscle groups a bit more frequently because of the collision I had with a 260lb guy in baskeball that bruised up my leg

 

I will look at your program outlined and give it a try. I'll try to keep a log updated based on what I'm doing on this program. We'll see how it goes.

 

Thanks man.

[Wobbly Lifter]

Hey Robert just to back up Jonathan I've followed his advice and almost doubled my strength in the past year and put on some weight as well Would be more weight gain but I had a load of stress related weight loss(10lbs) last september and lost 15lbs from bronchitis in February.

 

Remember these wise words:

"Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but don't nobody want to lift no heavy-ass weights." -Ronnie Coleman