I decided over the weekend to go ahead and start a gym log. Ive been keeping all my info in my journal, but I think I need to redefine what I'm doing here and this is a start.

Currently I weight 184, stand 5'6" and am 40 years old. Ive been lifting weights off and on since 1996. At my strongest I could bench 315, squat 345 and deadlift 415. Im no where near that now, but I'm also 25 lbs lighter, so I can deal with that difference.

Ive been stuck in the low 180's weight-wise for about 6 weeks now. That would normally be depressing, but I've noticed enough changes otherwise in my appearance, fit of clothes and strength that I can let that number slide for now. I guess the CKD lifestyle is designed more for recomposition that weight loss, and thats my goal. I still want to get into the 170's.

I'm Starting week 3 of the 5 rep workout. All lifts are sets of 5 reps unless noted otherwise. Ill change this up after week 6.

Monday - Oct 1, 2007

DB Flat Bench - 90x3 (90lb, 3 sets, 5 reps in each set)
Incline DB Press - 70x3 (i think I had too much incline at first and could not get the 80's up, 80 next week)
Incline DB flys - 40x5, 45x5, 50x5
Cable flys - 70x3 (10 reps each, trying to burn out)
DB Curls, alternating - 40, 45x2
Hammer DB curls - 45x3
Standing Curl bar - 95, 105x2
Concentration DB curl - 30x3 (10 reps per set)
45 degree abbench - 30
HIIT - 4-1-4-1

I dont really like the 5 rep regimine. I never feel like Im getting a pump, and I know I can go heavier, but at the loss of control. 3 weeks in and I'm still trying to figure out the proper weights to use. I know I'm pushing, because I'm sweating good through the whole routine. This week I added a "burnout" facet to the end of my workouts (lighter weight, higher reps) so I feel like I accomplished something.

Arms looked and felt HUGE after Mondays workout.

Note - Somehow I was in ketosis monday afternoon. ??? Dont think it affected my workout, but still, strange.

Tuesday- Oct 2

(Note) getting into ketosis early has really sapped my energy and willpower

Squats - tried 265, after 2 I decided 5 wasnt gonna happen. Back to 245 for 3 sets of 5
Db deadlift - 100lbx3, could do more
quad extensions - 400x2, the 3rd set was 300 for 10, my right knee felt funny during set 2 so I backed the weight down
Hamstring curls (1 leg at a time) - 80x10, 80x10, 90x7
got on the calf machine but my knee hollered again and I quit
Military press -115x3
arnold press - 45x5, 50x5, 50x5
upright cable row - 140 x3
side raises - 20 x3
front raises - 25x3
crunches 40

The last thing I did was get on the hack squat machine with 80 lbs on it. Then for 7 minutes I went up and down, but no lock out on either end, just slow, steady tension. It took about 8 seconds for each full rep. Was quite the burn out to end the session. No pain in my knee during or after this.

Wed - Oct 3

Day of rest

Thursday Oct 4

In this order

French curls and close grip are supersetted. The Weight goes from french curl to close grip after each set immediatly, no rest.
French curl/ Close Grip warmup, 75lbsx10
FC/CG - 125x5 (3 sets) 75x10 to burn out afterwards
Pull Downs (wide grip/pull down in front) - These are a challenge because (at my height) to pull down 260 I have to lock my ankle on the bench, pull down till my knees catch, then use my leverage from my knees to pull down to a sitting position. 260x5, 260x5, 280x5, 80x10, 100x10
Dips - (I must have been burnt from the french curls) 7,8,7
Pull Ups - Assist of 7 9,8,5
Pressdowns - 140x10,160x6,180x5,100x20,100x12
DB Shrugs - 80x5 (3sets)
BB Shrugs - 135x5 (3sets)
Kickbacks - 20x10 (3 sets)
Bent over BB Row - 75x10, 95x10, 105x10
Back Extensions - 25 lb weight behind head 10,10,7
AB Bench - 30,15,10
Medium intensity Cardio - 10 min

There were several times during this workout I had to lay down on the floor for a minute to rest. I was limited on time and really pressed the issue. Was spent at the end.

Friday Oct 5

Depletion workout, hit a bit of everything. Muscles felt really full all weekend, but here comes Monday and I'm ready to go!

Monday Oct 8

Was late from work, short on time, I hate it.

db press - 90, 4 sets of 5
incline db press - 70, 3 sets of 5
Fly - 50, 3 sets of 5
Alt db curls - 45, 4 sets of 5
hammer curl - 45, 3 sets of 5
curl bar - 105x5, 95 (2 sets of 5)
45 degree ab bench - 35
15 min cardio

had to run after that, hopefully I did enough

Tuesday Oct 9

Forgot my workout sheet, heres the best I can recollect

Squats - Barx10, 135x10,185x10,225x5,265 no go
quad extens - 280, 300, 320 all sets of 10
Ham curl - 80, 3 sets of 10
Shrugs - 60, 3 sets 10
mil press - 85 3 sets 10
db press - 50 3 sets of 10
shoulder flys - 20 3 sets 10
cardio - 20 min

its all I can remember right now, not off to a stellar workout week.

Hmmmm. Not quite sure whats going on but Im pretty sore everywhere I worked out for the past 2 days.

Good thing this is a day off.

Keep up the great workouts!!!!

T-man

Thurs Oct 10

Pull downs - 200x10, 220x10,240x6,220x8
Pull ups - (assist of 9) 7,7,7
Bent over BB Rows - 95x10,125x10,125x10
Back extensions (no weight) -20,20,20 (omg those hurt)
Dips -12,10,10
Pressdowns (rope) - 120x10,x10,x8
Close grip (on the machine, considerably easier) - 180x10,220x10,260x10,300x9
Overhead extensions - 25x10,30x10,x10
Cable raises -120x10,130x10,x10
Crunches, 40,40,40
Cardio - 20 min

I had to back off the 5 rep workout for a bit. Other than just feeling repetitive, I was just not feeling anything worthwhile from it. Time to change for a bit anyway.

Friday - Deletion workout. Wasnt so great

Monday - Oct 15

LONG POST WARNING!

Decided its time to take ANOTHER hard look at what I'm doing at the gym. After looking at it, I have to draw the following conclusions –

1. My strength is not and has not increased in a significant way since I went back to lc.
2. I have lost 28 lbs in that time and suffered minimal strength losses, sure my max numbers are down, but I am in a lower strength cycle right now.
3. My best fat losses were when I was doing more cardio (as well as my largest strength losses)
4. Until the last 5 weeks I was lifting light with the reasoning that I was trying to maintain while losing fat
5. Last 5 weeks doing the 5 rep workout I have seen some difference in size and strength in a good way.
6. Restricting my calories is limiting growth.
7. I haven’t missed a workout in forever. I'm intense when I'm lifting. I’m not lacking effort or knowledge, just a plan.

So what do I draw from this? I need to plan better. Ill be the first to tell you I DO have a plan, but it isn’t set in stone and leaves to much room for variance. Time to do better.

So yesterday I read, and read, and read. Learned a lot (thanks to Gostrydr and Dane for links you both have thrown out there) and re-learned a few things that I THOUGHT I knew.

Periodization – while this is something Ive been doing in a GENERAL manner, I’m going to get much more scientific and exact. This week will be comprised of me finding a baseline. Figuring out max lifts, exercises, form (which by gosh I should know by now, but I’m finding out otherwise) and timetables. This gives me time to run a 12 week cycle of periodization which will conveniently end during the week of Christmas. Luckily I’ve been working heavy for a few weeks, so starting a cycle works real well right now. The only thing I SHOULD do (but Im not) is taking a week off to rest. I WILL work light this week other than establishing the baseline, thus convincing myself I took a week off.

This week – Back to minimum 30 minutes cardio a day. I have 4 weeks to eat light, try to lose fat and raise my bodies ability to utilize oxygen. This week only I am finding my baseline for the period, so lifts will look screwy. Just listing what Ill use for the baseline.

30 min cardio
Chest and Biceps
Flat bb bench (elbows in, opposite of usual for me) – 200x9
Incline bb – 145x6
Dips – Wide grip, elbows in as much as possible - 10
Flys -50x7
Concentration curls 35x9
Alt db curls – 40x5
Hammer bb curls – 40x7

Abs – those weird half crunches that I read about yesterday, supposed to eliminate hip flexors. Probably did 20 all said and done, but those things are rough!

Keeping my elbows IN instead of flared out really changed my strength in the flat bench. I’ve never had shoulder trouble, but my elbows are a constant problem. Maybe this will help. Note – my shoulders are more sore today than usual, maybe from elbow positioning, maybe from the inclines.

More to come, and please, if you made it through all that please add anything you deem appropriate.

Tuesday Oct 16

30 minutes cardio

Squat 205 10 273
Calf Raises 380 13 543
Hamstring curls 90 8 114
Quad extensions 300 13 429
Dumbell deadlift 100 10 133
Military Press 115 7 142
1 arm db row 55 13 79
Side raises 20 9 26
Front raises 25 7 31
Arnold Press 45 9 58
Lying Reverse Flys 20 15 30
Cable raises/2 hands 120 17 187

more ab work

Wed Oct 17

rest day

Thursday Oct 18

30 min cardio

Pull ups - 9 with 9 assist
Pull Downs - 240x9
Seated rows - 120x15
BB shrugs - 135x11
Close grip - 155x15
Overhead extensions - 25x12
French Curls - 95x11
wrist curls - 25x20
reverse wrist curls - 25x8
bb behind the back - 45x15

then to burn out
Dips - 10
more pull downs
ab work

So my baselines for my next week cycle are set, lets see how things work.