Since I gave up on my last logging effort...

[AlphaBrass01]

Day 3 - Endurance

I can't help but include some endurance cardio during my training. I think it comes from years of being the fat kid at school who could never finish the mile run in gym class.

Stepmill: 55 stories in 10 minutes
Arc Trainer: 0.69 miles in 10 minutes
Free Motion Weighted Crunch: 15x145; 15x145; 15x145; 15x145
Elliptical: 2.34 miles in 10 minutes
Stationary Bike: 7.62 miles in 20 minutes

This setup really gets my legs from all angles. Regarding the ab work, these heavy sets along with body weight work on Sundays seems to be the best option for me.

[AlphaBrass01]

Day 2 - Max Lower

This was actually yesterday...

Squat: 8x45; 6x135; 6x185; 5x225; 5x275; 5x315; 3x365
Bulgarian Split Squat (back leg elevated, holding dumbbells): 12x45; 12x45; 12x50; 12x50
Lying Leg Curl: 8x120; 8x120; 8x130; 8x130
Plate Pinch Grip: 3 timed sets to failure holding two 25 pound plates
Standing Calf Press: 20x285; 20x285; 20x285; 20x285
Elliptical: 2.53 miles in 10 minutes

So, my first thought is that I feel like it was really hamstring heavy compared with what I'm used to. Maybe I've just used really quad-heavy routines before. Either way, even a day later, I don't really feel much in my quads. I expected the Bulgarian split squats to hit them, but felt those more in my hams as well.

Regarding the grip training, I had a hard time with it because my gym has coated plates that are really thick, so putting two together is tough to handle for a smaller guy like me. I think I might venture into the "group training area" next time, which I've never actually entered. They use a set of standard dumbbells with different plates for BodyPump classes. Those plates might serve that purpose a little bit better.

Anway, if anyone has any suggestions on why the quads aren't feeling it, let me know.

I will say that though I wasn't extremely exhausted after Monday, man am I feeling my chest and back now. This is the best feeling soreness I've had in my pecs since I was really a new lifter.

[AlphaBrass01]

I ended up getting some extra cardio today. I haven't been able to get to many krav maga sessions lately due to work hours, but I made it tonight - felt good.

Just a heads up: I probably will not post tomorrow, but will update on Wednesday and include tomorrow's work. I have to go into work early since I'm leaving early. I have a recording session tomorrow night. The horn ensemble I conduct is going to be featured on a local history program, so it's time to put in some studio hours.

[AlphaBrass01]

Day 1 - Max Upper

So, my first max effort upper body day. One of my hesitations about this program was the fact that I don't train with a partner, so don't have a consistent spotter. Interestingly enough, a buddy of mine that usually trains a bit later than I do was in there at the same time, also starting a new program. He's doing some German volume training, so we helped each other out this morning.

Anyway, just a note - I'm adding a little bit of short cardio to the end of each workout, just because I really like the way it feels to burn out that way after lifting. Here's how things went:

Bench Press: 8x45; 6x135; 6x135; 5x185; 5x205; 5x215; 3x225 (needed some help at the end)
I should have gone for 95 before 135, but just sorta went on autopilot - definitely needed a second set at that weight to feel comfortable moving on.
Incline Dumbbell Press: 8x50; 8x60; 8x60; 8x65
T-Bar Row: 12x90; 12x115; 12x135; 12x135
Rear Delt Fly Machine: 15x85; 15x85; 15x85
Preacher Curl: 10x65; 10x65; 10x65, 10x65
Elliptical: 2.50 miles in 10 minutes

I think it was a fairly successful first day. The interesting thing is that even though I went full out on each exercise (I definitely could not have done any more than I did), I did not feel as exhausted after the full workout as I'm used to. Maybe that's because I wasn't using one single body part over and over the entire time. I guess it fits, though. One of the things in the article about the template was that the point of each workout is not to exhaust you or make you puke or whatever, but to help you work toward better total strength.

I'm excited to see how the rest of the week goes - a lot of new stuff going on. I'm also interested in seeing how my buddy likes his GVT. He said he never thought he'd need so much help benching 115, but that makes sense doing 10x10. Leg day should be interesting for both of us.

Until later,

[AlphaBrass01]

I just thought about this...I like how I always start things like this on weekends, when I have a lot more time, and then wonder why it's tougher to keep up with it during the week.

[AlphaBrass01]

I've decided to give it a real go. Here's the deal. I've hit a plateau in a number of muscle groups and wanted something to help break through that. With a lot of help from farmerson12 and some reading and thinking, I've decided on a hybrid based on the program seen here: http://www.defrancostraining.com/art...dgainersq.html

As that article says, the program is designed for athletes, so leaves room for sport-specific training days and whatnot. I went on to read the WS4SB Part 2 and Part 3 articles as well, and added some things from the variations listed in those, based mostly on the facts that I don't get much physical activity in outside of the gym and that I would like some more specific arm/shoulder work (what the third article calls "vanity work").

Just to let everyone know, I'm going to do my best to focus on form while sort of re-starting myself for this program, so my numbers will probably be pretty low, especially in deadlift, since I haven't really done much of that. Also, this will be my first time really going after any maximal weight reps, so I'm not sure how courageous I'll be starting that.

I start this thing for real tomorrow, and we'll see how everything goes!