PTAaron's DC Training Journal

[PTAaron]

LT = Last Time - that is the weight I used for the exercise last workout
TT = This Time - the weight I used for the current workout.
I started putting up dates so you can see it is a 2 week cycle before I get back to that exercise again.

Rest pauses are done this way: You start out your exercise and you go to complete failure on the exercise, ending on a 5 second negative, rack the weight, take 10-15 deep breaths, go again to failure ending on a 5 second negative rack the weight, 10-15 deep breaths, again to failure ending on a 5 second negative. Usually it is followed by a "static rep" of some kind... for inclines that involves holding the weight about 4" below lockout for 30 seconds.
Lets use my inclines as an example - 195 x 12RP went like this: 7 reps (end on super slow negative), 10 deep breaths, 3 reps (super slow negative), 10 breaths, 2 reps (end on negative). Pick weight back up to starting position, hold 4" from top of movement for an attempted 30 seconds. That is my 1 set for chest.

Any other questions feel free to toss 'em out

[irongirl]

Doing a great job Aaron I do miss the DC workouts

[PTAaron]

Workout 2 - Rotation 5
LT=Last Time=7/12/06 TT=This Time=7/26/06 RP=Rest Paused

Preacher Curl:
LT: 60lbs+bar x 16 RP
TT: 60lbs+bar x 13 RP
*See below...

Hammer Curls (4-6 second negatives):
LT: 40lbs x 13
TT: 45lbs x 6
*These were ridicluously hard

Standing Calf Raise on Powersquat machine:
LT: 110lbs+sled x 12 (5 second negative, 15 second stretch at bottom)
TT: 140lbs+sled x 12 (same way)

Prone Cybex Hamstring Curl:
LT: 140lbs x 19 RP
TT: 140lbs x 21 RP

Knee Extension:
ran the rack... started with 40lbs, increased up til I couldn't do anymore - then back down to 40lbs.

NOTES:
Couldn't squat again - damn groin strain!! Preacher curls were a shocker - then I noticed that I was a dumbass and had used the wrong side of the preacher bench!! It is one of the standup style so you can use either side...

[Matt76]

might be time to give those bi's a rest.

[PTAaron]

On the bis - I forgot to finish my thought there... LOL! I used the wrong side of the preacher bench - the side that angles almost straight down, the side for doing "spider curls" - so it made the movement a lot harder than it should have been if I had been doing standard preachers! I was just not awake yet when I was in the gym or something!

[PTAaron]

Workout 3 - Rotation 4 *missed one workout because of groin injury, couldn't do deads
LT=Last Time=6/30/06 TT=This Time=7/28/06 RP=Rest Paused


Decline Barbell Bench Press:
LT: 135 x15, x15
TT: 185 x 18 RP


Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press:
LT: 70+bar (probably 85lbs) x 15, x15
TT: 165lbs x 15 RP


Icarian Shoulder Press Machine:
LT: 80lbs x15, x15
TT: 110lbs x 15 RP


Rack Chins to Back of Head:
LT: +10lbs x 19 RP
TT: +25lbs x 15 RP


Rack Deadlifts (pins 2 inches below knees):
LT: 275 x 5; 225 x 8
TT: 295 x 5; 245 x 8



NOTES:
Haven't done this workout in almost a month... so I was very pleased with my progression. Last time I did the workout I wasn't going all out on rest pauses yet, but I was hitting near failure on my sets of 15.
Did rack deads again because of the groin injury, still hurts like hell to squat fully - last time I had to do rack deads because the gym floor was being torn up and there was no room to do floor deads. Still kind of depressed at my weights on these - I keep thinking back to the days of 500lbs x 5 reps... but I need to stop living in the past!! Building up a new and better body this time!!

[PTAaron]

day off today... was sick this morning...
Tracy bought a new car today... got herself a 2006 Saturn Vue. Nice little SUV. We broke it in today by buying a freezer to store all my meat
Some pics here: http://www1.snapfish.com/share/p=669...=SYE/otsi=SALB
You'll need a snapfish.com membership to see the pictures.

My garage and driveway are now full! LOL! XR4Ti and Firebird in the garage... Contour SVT and Saturn Vue in the driveway! Guess we can't have anyone over, no where to park! LOL!

[PTAaron]

Workout 4 - Rotation 4
LT=Last Time=7/17/06 TT=This Time=8/1/06 RP=Rest Paused

Seated Alternating Dumbell Curls:
LT: 45lbs x 15 RP
TT: 45lbs x 16 RP

Pinwheel Curls (6 second negatives):
LT: 30lb dumbells x 18 straight
TT: 35lb dumbells x 11 straight

Cybex Calf Raise:
LT: 135lbs x 12 (5 second negative, 15 second stretch at bottom of each rep)
TT: 140lbs x 12 (same)

Stiff Leg Deadlift (no rest between weights, just long enough to change weight):
LT: 105, 125, 145, 165, 185, 205 all x 6 reps
TT: 115, 135, 155, 175, 195, 215 all x 6 reps

Hack Squats:
Didn't do... still can't get into squat position because of groin injury.

NOTES:
I was surprised how heavy the weights felt for my biceps/forearms. Of course I didn't eat enough food over the weekend or Monday, so that probably didn't help the situation.

[PTAaron]

Workout 5 - rotation 5
LT=Last Time=7/19/06 TT=This Time=8/2/06 RP=Rest Paused

Hammer Strength Incline Press:
LT: 115lbs per side x 12 RP
TT: 120lbs per side x 12 RP

Reverse Grip Bench Press in Smith:
LT: 110+bar x 21 RP
TT: 155lbs x 15 RP
*different smith machine, on this one I know the bar weight. Other bar was probably 20lbs

Hammer Strength Shoulder Press:
LT: 45lbs per side x 24 RP
TT: 55lbs per side x 15 RP

Bodymasters Pulldown:
LT: 146lbs x 21 RP
TT: 166lbs x 16 RP

Smith Bent Overhand Rows:
LT: 120+bar x 13 (probably a 20lb bar)
TT: 155lbs x 12 straight

NOTES:
Decent increases today... big jumps on triceps and back thickness exercises.
Some shoulder pain during the incline presses - but it was pain in the front, so I wasn't too worried about it... the repair is in the back of the shoulder

One more workout to go then I will take a 2 week cruise period. On the cruise period I will do the same rotation just straight sets and not to failure. I am going into cruise mode kind of early on this rotation because I am starting to have trouble progressing biceps and forearms - and I have been rest-pausing biceps a lot longer than I have been rest pausing other bodyparts. Don't want to risk getting into overtraining.

[Matt76]

very strong looking workout PTA. Now I know how to read your log it makes it a lot better I bet those rest pauses are killer

[PTAaron]

Haha... yeah it is a lot easier to follow when you know what all the crap means

Thanks Matt!

[PTAaron]

Workout today: 30 minutes on stepmill on Fatburner Plus program.

Abs - played with a few machines doing 30 rest paused reps on 3 different machines.



Still dealing with this damn groin strain... and to add to it Monday I did something to irritate my neck and I've had a massive muscle spasm near my left shoulder blade ever since - hurts when I pull anything with my left arm and when I take deep breaths. A couple co-workers and Tracy have all been working on it but it isn't going away.

[PTAaron]

Today's workout...

Abs:

Hammer Strength MTS Abs 40lbs x 24 RP (these are super hard for such low weight because you also lift your lower body with the machine - possibly the most brutal ab machine I've ever used!)

TechnoGym Ab Crunch Machine 100lbs x 25 RP



Stepmill: Fatburner Plus program level 6 x 31 minutes; manual setting level 4 x 4 minutes.

I tried to make it 35 minutes on the other program, but I had to stop at 31 for about 30 seconds because I was just dead. Not quite enough carbs yesterday or something.

[Matt76]

never seen that machine before. Sounds like fun

[PTAaron]

http://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/content.cfm/abdominalcrunch_1

There is a video on the site too! Cool!