Alerux's Log

[Alerux]

July 18th

Wow am I sore!!! I wasnt all too bad when I woke up, a little sore in the arms but nothing strenuous. BUT NOW! Its a chore to sit down and when I sneeze! AH!

Morning Cardio

I jogged to my gym (0.5 mile) after an hour of eating my breakfast and when i got there and I went on the stepper for a continuous 30 minutes on level 10 for Speed Training. I could tell I had alot of water in me!! My shirt, the stepper was drenched with sweat!! After I was done I jogged back home and ate a can of tuna and bread.

Afternoon Lifting

Despite the soreness I had already in my legs I went and did my Lower Body Workout.

Squats: 125lbs.
SL Deadlift: 200lbs. *
Lunges: 40lb. DB
Standing Calf Raises: 100lbs.
Weighted Crunch: 90lbs.

I'm not the kid I used to be. Some of those weights went down. That weeks rest really took a toll on me. Oh well, they will be back up there in a little while.

I finally got my protein and peptide ordered. I have survived thanks to my friend for borrowing some of his protein. So, depending on how long shipping takes, I will go to bed knowing my muscles can eat through the night.

Another day in the books

[Alerux]

July 20th

Morning Cardio

I woke up after 5 hours of sleep and went to the gym at 5am. I biked the half mile and got on the stepper again for 15 minutes (I had to get back before my dad went to work). I came home and had some oatmeal, milk and yogurt and then went back to bed until 10 lol (It was about 7:30 then).

Weight Training

Chin-Ups(assisted): Plate 3
Flat Bench: 105
Bent Row: 125
Decline Bench: 115
Hammer Curls: 25lb. DB
Military Press: 80lbs.

On my bench, I go for a wide grip and I can feel the strain on my shoulders on my pecs. Should I go to normal width or just fight through it and lower the weight?

[pu12en12g]

On my bench, I go for a wide grip and I can feel the strain on my shoulders on my pecs. Should I go to normal width or just fight through it and lower the weight?

Ddawg is da man when it comes to these questions but above all I would NOT risk injury... ever. You should feel something between a stretch and strain, but when you describe it as "strain" that doesn't sound so good IMO.... especially at age 15.

With that wider grip I would go a lighter weight personally... or alternative:

BB Bench: Regular / Narrow grip
DB Bench: Nice stretch, but still don't strain (especially if you don't have a spotter)

Personally (and my goal has always been size NOT strength), I love to start off with DB Bench usually and then go with BB afterwards. I'll make sure that DDAWG see's this... and I have to say, I've never seen such dedication and attention to detail by a 15 year old.. that's awesome.

[ddawg91]

Ddawg is da man when it comes to these questions but above all I would NOT risk injury... ever. You should feel something between a stretch and strain, but when you describe it as "strain" that doesn't sound so good IMO.... especially at age 15.

With that wider grip I would go a lighter weight personally... or alternative:

BB Bench: Regular / Narrow grip
DB Bench: Nice stretch, but still don't strain (especially if you don't have a spotter)

Personally (and my goal has always been size NOT strength), I love to start off with DB Bench usually and then go with BB afterwards. I'll make sure that DDAWG see's this... and I have to say, I've never seen such dedication and attention to detail by a 15 year old.. that's awesome.

First off I just wanted to say that I did not know that Alerux was 15, very nice log and like PU said great attention to detail. Keep it up and you will go far.

Now for the bench question, I have a few questions about technique and form and then I will give some pointers.

1. How long have you been lifting?
2. How wide do you go on the bar? Did you just start with this grip or have you always used it?
3. This is probably the reason, but what angle are your elbows in relation to your body? 90, 45 or what degrees?
4. Where does the bar touch on your chest? Above, at, or below your nipples?
5. Where are you elbows in relation to your forearm and wrists? Is it perpendicular, above or below?

Now for my tips, we were all taught that when you bench that you have the elbos out 90 degrees from your body, well if you sit there and examine this for jsut a second and where the stress points are you will see the shoulder joint, pec/ shoulder tie in, and wrists. Now if you bring you elbows in to your side to atleast 45 degrees you will remove that stress from those areas and have it more evenly dispersed. You will get more chest and tricep involvement over shoulder and pec involvement.

Doing this after 3 shoulder surgeries has really helped me out and saved my shoulders. i use to be able to only workout for 3 months at a time then take a break due to shoulder pain till I reevaluated my benching technique.

Now the reasoning for my question on elbow placement in relation to your forearm/wrists is that your arms act as a type of piston. If you are above or below the bar when you are pressing you are fighting a multitude of things and do not have proper displacment of the weight. You will have less power, more likely of a chance of pushing the weight up and over you head/ neck and possibly on to it or dropping the weight on your stomach or rollong out of your hand. Not only that but the strain put on your wrist will also be greater. Now if you have your forearm straight above your elbows and perpendicular to your body you will have provided a stable platform and will move the weight straight up instead of an arc or a decline motion.

Any ways sorry for the long post but you will thank me in the long run. I may have to do an article with pics for this some day!

[Alerux]

Alright well thanks, first of all for the compliments and the help.

1) I have been training seriously for about 6 months.
2) I put my middle finger on the smooth ring on the olympic bar.
3) They are 90 degrees
4) Above
5) Perpendicular

[ddawg91]

Alright well thanks, first of all for the compliments and the help.

1) I have been training seriously for about 6 months.
2) I put my middle finger on the smooth ring on the olympic bar.
3) They are 90 degrees
4) Above
5) Perpendicular

Bring in your elbows to 45 and that should bring the bar closer to your nipples. Practice with just a bar till it feels comfortable and your weight may drop till you are use to it but that is ok as it willincrease again and get higher than it previously was. Does you bar have 1 or 2 rings? I use my middle finger on the outer most ring and have no problems.

Keep me posted on your progress.

[Alerux]

In the middle, there is a grip about 3 or 4 inches of smooth then a bit of grop and then 1 smooth ring. I will have to practice that today when I go. Thanks again man!

[ddawg91]

In the middle, there is a grip about 3 or 4 inches of smooth then a bit of grop and then 1 smooth ring. I will have to practice that today when I go. Thanks again man!

Any time, again keep me posted. As long as you are not adding any weight you can practice every day till you feel comfortable. Just do a couple of sets of 10, also you cna lift your head some to look down and watch the bar.

[Alerux]

July 21

Afternoon Lifting

It was one of those days again where I didnt want to go but I drag myself in and had a pretty good workout. I hate doing leg days so maybe thats why I hated it.

Front Squats: 115*
Leg Press: 230lbs.*
Deadlift: 205lbs.*
Lunges: 95lbs.
Weighted Crunch: 95lbs.

All in all, a good day in the gym

Evening Cardio

At 8:30 I started my jog to the gym (0.5miles) and after I got there I got on the exercise bike for 30minutes doing speed intervals at high intensity. It was really hard but I managed to finish and make the jog home.

Another Day In the books

[asianbabe]

yeah sometimes if you've had a long day you might not feel like going... ever tried morning workouts? they are the shizzle!!

[Alerux]

Yeah I usually do cardio in the morning for a little wake up but I cant imagine lifting in the morning. I feel that my workout intensity will drop. It just goes like this: "ehhhhhhhhhh....I dont feel like going but i better do it or I will regret it" (End of workout) "Damn! Its over already!?!? That sucks, I wanna keep going." Sometimes I think my routine is too short.

[ddawg91]

yeah sometimes if you've had a long day you might not feel like going... ever tried morning workouts? they are the shizzle!!

The thing about moring workouts is that I am hungry all day long and never really cool down. Suck being at work and not being able to cool down.

[stonecoldtruth]

The thing about moring workouts is that I am hungry all day long and never really cool down. Suck being at work and not being able to cool down.

I find that happens to me with morning LIFTING, but morning cardio just helps me start my day off right

SCT

[Alerux]

I find that happens to me with morning LIFTING, but morning cardio just helps me start my day off right

Same with me dude, Plus it helps me get my body ready for school. I like getting up early. It makes the day seem longer and I dont feel like such a bum.

[ddawg91]

I find that happens to me with morning LIFTING, but morning cardio just helps me start my day off right

SCT

I'm the same either way.