Month-Long Madness. Combined July Workouts Post.

PREFACE:

To start off, yes I just used a 'preface' on the UCLA Power-lifting Blog page. Since this post will appear something similar to a novel, it fits. Here we go ...

I have been lifting anywhere from 2-4 times a week. For the month of July, I averaged around 3 times a week. I made sure that most weeks I always hit all the major muscle groups twice in the week though whether that was 2 workouts doing EVERYTHING or 4 workouts with 2 upper body days and 2 lower body days or a fun 3 with lots of mix/match.

Also, my body weight has fluctuated between 133lbs to an all time high of 141lbs (HUGE P.R.) which took place 2 days after my 1 week family vacation to Alaska which consisted of all-you-can-eat buffets and lots of STEAK AND ICE CREAM (and mashed potatoes). The morning after that 141 weigh-in I was still 137lbs which is an all-time wake-up/morning P.R. as well.

WORKOUTS:

Squats & Deadlifts. Thursday, 7/1/10

Back Squats 3x3
-> no belt, no chalk
185 x 3 x 3

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3x5
-> no belt, no chalk
225 x 5 x 3
-> with resetting the weight on the ground each rep (no bouncing, no momentum)

Barbell Shrugs
275x8 (just one set, ran out of time)
-> forearms/grip tired and slipping at the end

First Day on Alaska Cruise. Bench and Back. Saturday, 7/3/10

Bench
115x8 (touch & go)
115x5 with pauses
115x5 with pauses
115x5 with pauses

Dumbell Bench 4x5
50s x 4 x 5 (feels good)

One Arm Rows 4x5 (each arm)
65 x 4 x 5

Lat Pulldown (Medium Grip) 4x4
162.5 x 4 x 4
-> all thumbless grip, bringing it down to just below chin level

** (ran out of time) **

Third Day on Alaska Cruise. Squats & Core. Monday, 7/5/10

Back Squats
135x8
135x8
135x10
-> these were extremely difficult to maintain balance because boat was moving during the workout and rocking back and forth over the waves.

Machine (Horizontal) Leg Press
240x8
260x8
280x6 (tough)

Good Mornings 2x10
95
95
-> these were still tough with the boat rocking.

Aerobics Ball Crunches with Dumbell Behind Head
40x5
40x9
40x12

Fourth Day on Alaska Cruise. Incline Bench and Back. Tuesday, 7/6/10

Incline Dumbell Bench 4x7
50s x 4 x 7

Traditional Row Machine 4x8
-> similar to a bent-over barbell row, medium grip
112.5 x 8 x 4

Arnold's Shoulder Press
30s x 8
35s x 6
35s x 7 (tough)

Barbell Shrugs 2x12
225 x 12 x 2

Chest Fly Machine 2x10
62.5 x 10 x 2

Lateral Dumbell Shoulder Raises 2x8
15s x 8 x 2 (very tough)

Front Dumbell Shoulder Raises
20s x 7 (tough)
15s x 13

Rear Delt Flys
10s x 12
10s x 15

Tricep Extension Pushdowns
100lbs? x 15
100lbs? x 20

Bicep Curls
25s x 8 reps (one set for incline curls)
25s x 10 reps (one set for standing, twisting curls)

Seventh and Final Day on Alaska Cruise. Bench, Back, & Lower Body. Friday, 7/9/10

Traditional Row Machine 3x6
125 x 6 x 3
-> using thumbless hammer grip. machine similar to one arm row.

Chest Press Machine 3x6
125 x 6 x 3
-> hammer grip hold

Machine (Horizontal) Leg Press 3x6
-> had position of seat so close that hip joints broke parallel relative to knees
220 x 6 x 3

Ultra-Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 2x8
112.5 x 8 x 2

Chest Fly Machine 2x10
-> had position super wide (>180 degrees) so that I was starting with my arms way back
50 x 10 x 2

Power Cleans
111 x 5 + fail
111 x 6
111 x 6
-> couldn't get elbows up at all
-> legs tired after machine leg press
-> i had very little explosion

Forearms
1 set of "back & forths" with wrists

Lifting on Land Again. Squat Day Big Time on my Birthday with my Younger Brother. Monday, 7/12/10

Back Squats 5x5
-> no belt
185x5
195x5 --> P.R.!!!
195x5
195x5
195x5

Box Squats 5x5
135 x 5 x 5
-> on the 12 inch box

Pause Squats (3 second pauses) 3x3
135 x 3 x 3

Barbell Lunges 3x6 each leg
95 x 6 x 3 (feels good)
-> right glute a little tight

Shrug Machine 5x5
3 1/2 plates each side x 5 x 5

Bus-Drivers (Core) 4x8 each way
-> first set with a 25 plate on the bar
-> second set with a 35 plate on the bar
-> third set with a 35 plate on the bar (tough)
-> fourth set with a 25 plate on the bar

Bench and Back. Saturday, 7/17/10

Bench (with pauses) 4x4
135 x 4 --> P.R.!!!
135x4
135x4
135x4

Dumbell Bench (with pauses)
50s x 5
50s x 6
50s x 6
50s x 6

Close Grip Bench (with pauses)
115x5 + fail
115x4 + fail
115x4 + barely fail + fail

Bent-Over Rows 4x4
135 x 4 x 4 --> P.R.!!!
-> with back parallel to ground

Semi-Bent Over Row Machine 4x5
2 1/2 plates (115) x 5
115x5
115x5
125x5 (tough)

Ultra-Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 3x5
-> bringing bar to just below chin
160 x 5 x 3 (tough)

** STRETCHED **

Squats and Sprints. Monday, 7/19/10

Back Squats 4x4
-> no belt
205x4 --> P.R.!!!
205x4
205x4
205x4 (tough)
-> bad form, caved in/forward a lot, knees wobbly, but I got the weight up!!

Box Squats
155x4 --> P.R.!!
155x4
165x4 --> P.R.!!!
165x4
-> using the 12 inch box

Sprints
5 sets of 40 meter sprints on a slight uphill at the park on dirt/glass witha jogging start, kind of slow today

** STRETCHED **

Incline Bench, Stiff-Leg Deadlifts, and Cleans. Thursday, 7/22/10

Incline Bench 3x4
-> tough and go off of upper pecs
115x4
125x4 --> P.R.!!!
125x4 (easy)

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
-> no belt, no chalk
255x4 --> P.R.!!!
275x4 --> P.R.!!!!!!!! HUGE P.R.!!!!!!!

Power Cleans
135x3 -> P.R.!! (tough)

Hang Cleans
115x3 + fail

Back at Wooden for Back. Tuesday, 7/27/10

Weighted Pullups
-> worked up to a heavy set
55lbs x 4 reps --> P.R.!!!

Pullover Machine
180x5
180x5
180x4 + fail -> pause/hold

Weighted Face Pulls
-> on lat pulldown machine
100x8
110x8
110x7 + fail

Barbell Shrugs 2x12
225x12
225x12

Bicep Curls
60x5 open grip
40x10 reverse grip
40x10 reverse grip

Bench. Wednesday, 7/28/10

Bench (tough & go)
135 x 5 --> P.R.!!
135x3 -> stopped early mid-set because my right middle back didn't feel right during the arch

Iso-Lateral Bench Machine
1 plate each side x 6 reps (tough)
1 plate each side x 5 reps (tough)

Decline Bench Machine
-> 1 strip set of 40lbs each side x 10 reps, 30lbs each side x 5 reps, 20lbs each side x 15 reps

** (ran out of time) **

Fun with Kyle and Misael and the 2-Board. Saturday, 7/31/10

2-Board Bench
135x5
155x3 --> P.R.!!!!
155x3 (tough)
155x3

2-Board Close-Grip Bench 2x5
-> medium close-grip (thumb length away from smooth part of bar)
135x5
140x5 --> P.R.!!!

Floor Press
115x8 (one set)

Weighted Face Pulls 4x5
120 x 5 x 4

Close-Grip Cable Rows
150x4
130x6
130x6

Individual/Separate Handles Lat Pulldown Machine
130x8 (just one set)

Rear Delt Flys Machine 3x8
115 x 8 x 3

Standing Bicep Curls 2x8
-> twisting dumbells in on the way up
25s x 8 x 2 for each arm

**** Weigh-In: 134.5 lbs (boxer briefs) ****

** STRETCHING **

CONCLUSION:

Lifting 3-4 times a week and doing 10-12 sets total of 3-4 solid exercises does me very well. By lifting less times a week I burn less calories working out and the lower number of days I am in the gym, my metabolism is not as high for those days which helps my gain weight as well as eating lots of steak and ice cream and mashed potatoes!! By doing 10-12 sets total and less accessory work I can focus on my 3-4 main lifts and get out of the gym without over-training my muscles.