I just needed to know before I offered any advice if you were trying to do it differently on purpose Yah never know, right?

The actual weights will of course depend on what is best for you, and that will change as you get stronger and as you perfect your form.

For the specific exercises, say the chest area your workout would looke something like:

Chest press (compound move should be first exercise)
12 reps 15 lbs.
10 reps 18 lbs.
8 reps 25 lbs.
6 reps 30 lbs.
12 reps 18 lbs.
Fly (isolating exercise) for second move
12 reps at 10 lbs

Your set of 6 reps should be approx 80% of your 1RM
Your set of 8 reps should be approx 75% of your 1RM
Your set of 10 reps should be approx 70% of your 1RM
Your set of 12 reps should be approx 65-60% of your 1RM (this is for your initial set of 12, your 'warm up' set).

For your second exercise I would advise going with 70-75% of your IRM - it's all going to depend on how fatigued your muscles are at this point. As you get stronger this weight will also increase. Remember, this is the exercise where you reach positive failure (the inability to complete another rep with correct form).

So taking your workout it would look like this:

SHOULDERS :
seated db press: 12 R ~ 10#
seated db press: 10 R ~15#
seated db press: 8 R ~ 20#
seated db press: 6 R ~ 25#
seated db press: 12 R ~ 20#
side raises: 12 R ~ 10# Failure

BACK :
wide grip pulldowns: 12 R ~ 40# (need to up starting weight)
wide grip pulldowns: 10 R ~ 45#
wide grip pulldowns: 8 R ~ 50# (will start ~ 40# next time)
wide grip pulldowns: 6 R ~ 55#
wide grip pulldowns: 12 R ~ 45#
rev grip pulldowns: 12 R ~ 45# Failure

Etc, etc.

You want a compound move for that primary exercise and an isolating one for the second. The idea is you work that muscle and the helpers hard for the first 5 sets, then with the last set you finish off the main muslce you're targetting with an isolating exercise.

If you have a look through the first two pages of mnokat's (kate) and pbach's (pam) Journals you can see a few comments on how to switch these compound and isolating exercises around for a more effective workout.

Cheers,
Nat

Thank you Nat, for your help! What you wrote makes complete sense and I will look at those journals too. I have already started changing the format for my next UBWO to reflect your suggestions. Thanks again for taking the time to show me

Finished day 2, it wasn't so bad. I kept pushing myself to run for another minute, I ran a total of six minutes (that is an improvement for me). Three of them were together, then another two, and a lonely last sprint at the second to last minute. I tried to do the intensity as the book says, I was off by maybe 2 minutes.

I used a 20 minute program on my treadmill that goes 2-6 MPH, 1.5-10% grade. I did 4.5 laps (1.14 miles). The first half of the program is uphill, second is jogging/running. I'd rather full out run than jog. But, I did break quite a sweat which I haven't done in a few months with cardio, so maybe I'll really get somewhere!

I need to start planning my first LBWO The thought of doing crunches for the first time is making me cringe! I know I am going to be sore after tomorrow.

You know, I think the DOMS from ab work is the worst. I don't mind the hobbling after the squats and the lunges or the agony of trying to put on deoderant after chest day, but the abs.... OUCH. I'm still getting over a cold and every time I coughed this weekend I winced as well. Let's just hope all that work and pain pays off in the end, ay?

Enjoy lower body day!
Nat

Thanks for the encouragement Nat! I am learning to like the pain, I know I've done something right when I have it For me trying to get down to the potty level is excruciating so far. I'm still dreading crunches...but, gotta start somewhere and I have put it off for too long already. I am looking forward to doing squats though, I love those. I think I have more upper body strength than lower body, and I haven't been working lower body as much as I should have been all along, so I'm starting off kinda wimpy.

DAY 2-LBWO per the BFL book reps of 12/10/8/6/12/12 with the follwing weight progressions:

QUADS
BB squats: 45/60/75/90/105
Leg extensions: 30 to failure (wussy I know)

HAMSTRINGS
DB Lunges: 15/20/25/30/35 (never did these, I found them VERY difficult!)
Straight leg deadlift: 25 to failure (also a new one for me, not so bad)

CALVES
Angled calf raise: 10/15/20/25/30
One leg calf raise: 25 to failure

ABS (yeck!)
Floor crunches for all but last 12 (I had to use an ab roller!)
Twist crunch to failure (12)

This was the most frustrating workout I have ever done. I never felt so uncoordinated or wussy! I thought the crunches would hurt later, I didn't think I would not be able to do them! I used my mom's old ab roller thing, it helped me quite a bit. I was so mad I was yelling at everyone, my dad, my mom, even the poor dog! I am going to watch online video of lunges, make sure I'm not doing something wrong, they were awfully hard, and they look easy. Well, at least tomorrow and friday are easy, cardio then UBWO!

Turns out I wasn't doing the lunges 100% right. I did what the book said but I had my front leg out too far, which is why I found it so difficult. Now I know at least. Lesson learned the hard way.

There's DOMS and then there's Lunges DOMS. OMG these are a) hard and b) effective.

You can actually do them wide or narrow stance depending on which muscles you want to target. One hits the quads more, one the hammies. www.exrx.net gives you the specifics. You might try them w/o any weights at first just to see how you do - you'll feel it regardless of the added poundage or not.

Your workout looks great! I'm sure we'll both be hobbling tomorrow

N

Lunges suck... period. Which is why I haven't gotten the balls to do them yet. If you were dying after doing 5 of them... you were probably doing them right. *sigh* I'm gonna need to start them soon... keep avoiding it.

Where do you live now, if you are originally from Somerville? Still in MA? My BF LOVES ribs more than anything else in the world. I have a feeling we will be visiting this Redbones soon!

Looks like your workouts are going really well! Yeay!!!

Just a note... if you don't want to do the 20MAS from the BFL book, I would suggest doing another HIIT type workout... maybe wind sprints? 30 sec - 1 min flat out run, with same amount of time for a walk.. repeat ad nauseum. The HIIT training is a very important factor to the program, and reaps the best results!!!

Talk to you soon!!!
Kate

Hi Kate, thanks for the advice! I actually do do wind sprints, I can't quite run for more than a few minutes yet before I get that runner's stitch...the cramp in your side. So I have found that wind sprints make running doable for me. But I'm working on improving! I am doing cardio today and really going to focus on doing it right, I am not going to use the program on the treadmill today, all manual! I think next time I do lunges, I'll be ok, they were hard because I did them wrong. I'll let you know if they get easier!

I moved up to North Chelmsford when the rents skyrocketed in Somerville. Best thing I ever did! Where in MA are you?

Keep in mind too, that the first LBWO is plain old killer. If you look at my gym log and journal from November, you'll see that it freakin killed me. I think I was still in pain 3 days later. Yesterday was my first one since starting back from my 3 week hiatis (sp?). I'm feeling it today... but NOTHING like what I did first time around....

I live in Saugus, work in Beverly. Commute isn't that bad as I'm really close to route 1, then just buzz up 128. Chelmsford is nice! I want to buy a house in Wilmington, or around there somewhere, in a few years when Eric and I finally save up the $$$. Housing costs in MA are ridiculous wherever you go! I'm almost tempted to move down south just for the cost of living!

I'm the same way when I do my treadmill... 2-3 mins and I'm done... until the stitch goes away and I can do them again!

I like to run for some extra, non-HIIT cardio, and do my elliptical workout for my 20MAS... ESPECIALLY on the days after LBWO!!!!!!

Have a great day!!!!!!
Kate

Wednesday I did my 20 MAS exactly like the book says to. I did 1.16 miles, 4.6 laps. I did 1.5-10% incline walk at 3 MPH for about 10 minutes, bringing the incline to 10% on all level nine intensity levels. Strangely, my hamstrings hurt less the higher the incline was... For the second half, I continued with doing the incline, but on level 8 intensity I put incline to 10% and ran 7 MPH wind sprints for the level 9 intensity. For my nineteenth minute, I planned to run at 8 MPH, but I was lucky to finish at 7 MPH, my legs were screaming.

Today is UBWO day (and there was much rejoicing... )planned as follows in reps of 12/10/8/6/12 with the following weight progressions:

CHEST:
BB bench press: 45/60/78/80/90/105 (Next week I'm going for 110 max. Dad did it, I have to!)

SHOULDERS:
Seated DB press: 10/15/20/25
Side raises: 20/10

BACK:
Wide grip pulldown: 40/45/50/55/45
Reverse grip pulldown: 50

TRICEPS:
Close grip pushdown: 20/30/40/50/55 (may be too heavy, gonna try!)
DB extension: 25

BICEPS:
Standing DB curls: 10/15/20/25/30
Preacher curls: 45

I did my UBWO exactly as I planned. This was the first time I did benchpresses first though. I have always done them last for some reason. It was so much easier to do them first! Some exercises I do that are supposed to be done with DB I had to use the BB for (I don't have 30 lb DB yet, they seem to be hard to get for some odd reason).

I think the creatine is helping some too, I feel like I have a little extra "ooomph" when I work out. No bloating yet so far as I can tell. I am prepared for the scale to give me the raspberry when I get on it Saturday, or even say I gained a pound. It's ok though.

Today is cardio day. Going to do as many wind sprints as I can on all my level 9 & 10 intensities. I plan to vegetate and watch rented DVD's all night and tomorrow on my off day. And maybe sleep half the day too...cause I can!

Cardio didn't go as well as I planned it. When I got home my pajamas and a glass of wine called my name, so I went on some BFL boards and low carb boards to try to get me psyched up to go workout. Sort of worked, I got off my butt at least.

My right knee on the right side of the kneecap was tender and sore for some reason. I thought as I walked on the treadmill it might loosen up and go away, but it didn't. So, I used incline for intensity and would try for a good wind sprint for my level 10 intensity. I lasted 20 minutes before my knee threatened to give out from pain. So, I opted for a faster walk for the last 30 seconds. Oh well at least I finished and trudged through.

Yesterday was LBWO, done per the BFL book reps of 12/10/8/6/12/12 with the follwing weight progressions:

QUADS
BB squats: 45/60/75/90/105
Leg extensions: 30 to failure

HAMSTRINGS
Straight leg deadlift: 10/15/20/25/30
DB Lunges: 25 to failure

CALVES
Angled calf raise: 10/15/20/25/30
One leg calf raise: 25 to failure

ABS
Floor crunches for all but last 12
Twist crunch to failure

Yesterday's workout went much better than my first LBWO. Straight leg deadlifts felt very effective. Lunges felt like my left butt cheek broke, it gave out on me! I did walking lunges, they seemed to flow better for me. And I have been counting to two on my angled calf raises so that I feel the burn, if I do em fast, they don't feel effective. I did my crunches! All of them! I screamed out in pain a few times and did them slow, but it got done. I am pleased with myself. I finished up in 40 minutes, which is also good. I helped my dad with his workout after I finished mine, I did a few extra sumo squats with him.

The scale read 243 on Saturday and 240 on Sunday, so no permanent gain, it was water. I was prepared to see a gain though. So, looks like the TRAC creatine does what it says, no bloating. Gotta do my measurements this morning. I will put them in my journal if anything changed.

Today is cardio. Ho-hum.

Looking good, Toots. You might want to revamp the weight progression to take advantage of the pyramid technique of BFL. Maybe something like:

Squats: 50/65/80/95/80
Extensions: 30 to failure

The last set of squats (12 reps) should be at the same weight (or thereabouts) of the 8 or 10 reps that preceeded the 6 reps (which should be your highest weight).

Cardio ain't as fun as lifting, but as a friend likes to say "I can do anything for 20 minutes or 6 reps"

Nat