PTAaron's 2015 Training Log

[PTAaron]

Hey guys, I'm back... Been away from the site for a while because it is blocked at work, and it is a pain in the butt to try to contribute anything useful through Tapatalk. I've changed up my "wake up time" a bit, so I have time to get on forums in the morning before work now - so I thought I would start up a journal here again.



About me (for those that don't remember me): I've been following a strict DC program for a long time, I had been doing the 3 way split for a while when about a year ago I started finding that I couldn't progress my pressing movements no matter what I tried, in fact they were slipping as I dieted and struggled with the my right arm strength. After a while I realized it was related to a nerve problem making my right tricep fatigue out much faster than the left - especially with closely spaced out repeated sets.

I ended up adopting a "bastardized DC/5x5 program" to work around the issue while treating it on my own.



Basically I am still following the DC 3 way split for my workouts. My Back/Biceps/Forearms day and Leg day are still done DC style. My chest/shoulder/Tricep workouts are done in a 5x5 format (2 minutes between sets) with rest paused "burn out" isolation sets for chest and shoulders at the end.



I've managed to bring my numbers back up so they are slightly less embarrassing, and I'm really liking this workout.



I'm just coming off a week vacation where I didn't touch a weight and I didn't follow any sort of diet plan except a "see food" plan... so here we go!

[PTAaron]

Workout 1 - Baselines - 2/9/15

Seated Dumbell Curl
60lb dumbells x 8+5+3 = 16 Rest Paused
(same weight and reps I left off with before my week off)

Dumbell Hammer Curl
65lb dumbells x 16 straight set
(same weight, and one more rep than I left off with)

Nautilus XPLoad Pulldown - full stretch with a pause at the stretched position on each rep
170lbs per arm x 7+5+3 = 15 Rest Paused
(dropped the weight 10lbs to make sure I'm getting full range at the bottom of each rep)

Supported T-Bar Row - full stretch and pause on each rep
140lbs x5; 95lbs x11
same weight as last time

Elliptical
x17 minutes moderate pace

NOTES
Good workout. Glad I dropped the weight a bit on the pulldown - it felt a lot better. I was having to do a bit more body movement than I like when I had 180 per arm in order to get full range at the bottom of the movement. The full stretch at the top really makes it hard!

[mister69]

Welcome back!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stayinfit]

Welcome back. Will be cool to follow your journal. From your entry you are doing bi's before back work. I use to do delts prior to chest and didn't notice any weakness.

[PTAaron]

Thanks guys.
Unless the protocol has changed the order i have been following is the "official way" the 3 way split should go: biceps, forearms, "back width", and "back thickness".

[PTAaron]

Some more information:
Body weight was 223lbs before I left for a week at an all-inclusive resort. I did not weigh in when I got back. I had been closely following a diet that was very close to what Skip designed for me back when I was working with him. I am planning on following a "looser" version of that diet until April when I will tighten it up again.
By "looser" I simply mean that if I go out to dinner with friends I will order something more than just 2 chicken breasts and a plain side salad ... maybe I'll get a burger and some fries if I feel like it. I won't be going overboard to "bulk" because there is really no reason to do that. Goal is to stay in the 220-230lb range unless I can be heavier with 10% BF or less.

Supplement-wise I am currently using MusclePharm Combat for my protein source, Pump Igniter as my pre-workout for weight days, Cardio Igniter for cardio only days, and I've been taking 2Shredded from Beast as an energy booster/beta-alanine source 2x per day. 2Shredded is useless as a fat burner, but the diuretic component helps tighten up the skin and I like the energy boost from it. At night I've been taking Iron Dream from MusclePharm's Arnold product line. That's really all I'm taking aside from Cissus capsules and fish oil to help with joint pain when I remember.
The stuff I'm taking is mostly based on my experience with some samples I got at the last Olympia... I tried a LOT of stuff, and this was the stuff I liked.

[PTAaron]

Workout 2 - baselines - 2/10/15

Decline Barbell Bench Press
275lbs x5,5,5,5,5
(5lbs more than I finished with before my break)

Smith Machine Behind the Head Shoulder Press
105lbs x6,5,5,5,5
(new exercise, took it light. Goofed up on the first set and forgot to stop)

Smith Reverse Grip Bench
175lbs x8+6+3 = 17 Rest Paused
(same weight as last time, not sure about the reps)

Pec Deck Burnout
190lbs x 11+6+4 = 21 Rest Paused

Seated Dumbell Lateral Raise
45lb dumbells x12+6+3 = 21 Rest Paused

Precor Crunch Machine
170lbs x 16+8+7 = 31 Rest Paused

NOTES
REALLY pleased with this workout. I replaced standing dumbell shoulder press with the behind the head because I really didn't like the standing dumbell press very much. Getting the dumbells into position was sapping too much energy.
My "burn out" sets dropped in reps pretty bad... I had managed 30 on both with those same weights before my break. Goal on those is 30 rest paused then I add weight. On well! Next time.
Also should note that even though the weight is kind of pansy - my declines in this workout were the heaviest I have done at this bodyweight... previous best was either 315 or 320 rest paused back when I was weighing between 265 and 270lbs before this nerve problem popped up.

[PTAaron]

Cardio Wednesday

Bike x 30 minutes
Stepmill x 15 minutes
Rotary Oblique Machine 80lbs x a bunch of rest paused reps.

[PTAaron]

Workout 3 (modified) - baselines - 2/12/15

Powersquat Calf Raise
560lbs x 10 DC Style -> 10 regular speed

Sumo Leg Press
720x6->740x6->760x6

Barbell Alternating Leg Lunge
115lbs x10, x8

Cable Leg Press Machine semi-widowmaker
235lbs x13+11+9+7+6+5= 51 Rest Paused

NOTES
Knee is still effed up from my box jump demonstration at work, so I'm choosing exercises where I get a good quad workout without loading the joint too much... so no judgements on my choice to do lunges please
For reference: It is a poor choice to teach someone how to do proper box jumps without doing anything for a warmup. On the plus side I did tell him "always make sure you've done a good warmup before doing these" ... SMH.

[PTAaron]

Workout 4 - baselines - 2/13/15

EZ Bar Preacher Curl
70lbs + bar x 11+6+5 = 22 Rest Paused

One Arm Rope Grip Hammer Curl
37.5lbs x 10+6+5 = 21 Rest Paused

Rack Chin - full stretch with a pause at the bottom of each rep
+50lbs x 10+5+4 = 10 Rest Paused

"Meadows" One Arm Rows with bench
+115lbs x8; +90lbs x13

Back Extension Machine
140lbs x15, x15

Elliptical
x15 minutes

NOTES
Good workout. Was feeling really focused today - felt like I used to feel in the gym 10 years ago before I got old and broken! LOL!!

The "Meadows Row" variation set up looks like this: (you have to click the link) http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...psnzxf4vso.jpg Done with a knee and a support arm on the bench, holding the weight by the fat end of the bar closest to the bench.

I was doing regular Meadows Rows but I found myself twisting too much, so I decided to make it more like one arm rows. I had previously maxed out the available dumbells for one arm rows, which is why I had switched to Meadows Row... this version seems like a nice compromise.

Couple of notes: My feet were sliding all over the support box on rack chins today - don't know what was going on. I'm not sure if it was helping or hurting my performance, so I'm going to figure out a way to make things more stable next workout. I was supposed to do Pendlay Row today - but I hurt my back Monday and didn't think it was a good idea to do Pendlays today since my back was finally feeling better. I will do them next Thursday though for sure because that is one of my favorite back exercises. I also added in the back machine because of the back tweak that happened... trying to get some more blood flow to the area to get it healing faster.

[PTAaron]

Workout 5 - baselines - 2/16/15

[U]Nautilus XPLoad Incline Bench/U]
135lbs per arm x 5,5,5,4,2

Barbell Seated Shoulder Press
125lbs x5,5,5,5,6

Dumbell Skullcrushers
40lb dumbells x9+7+5 = 21 Rest Paused

Pec Deck Burn Out
Last chest workout: 190lbs x 11+6+4 = 21 Rest Paused
This Time: 190lbs x 15+9+7 = 31 Rest Paused

Seated Dumbell Lateral Raise
Last Shoulder Workout: 45lb dumbells x12+6+3 = 21 Rest Paused
This Time: 50lb dumbells x 10+6+4 = 20 Rest Paused

NOTES
Great workout today. I was supposed to be doing bench to neck - but the "good" smith machine was being used so I went with the XPLoad inclines instead.
Had to switch to 50lb dumbells on laterals thanks to a friend being a dickhead and using 50s in his last shoulder workout. Take that motherfucker!

[PTAaron]

Workout 6 - Baselines - 2/17/15

Leg Press Calves
400lbs +sled x 10 DC Style -> 12 regular speed immediately afterwards

Seated Leg Curl
210lbs x 11+8+4 = 23 Rest Paused

Smith Machine Lunge
105lbs x 10; 155lbs x 10

Leg Press Widowmaker
450lbs+sled x27+15+8+7+6+4 = 67 Rest Paused

Precor Crunch Machine
180lbs x14+8+5 = 27 Rest Paused

NOTES
Pretty pleased with this workout. My knee is feeling about 80% better, so I was torn between front squats and sticking with lunges - when both squat racks with mirrors were taken I decided to go with the lunges. I just don't feel right doing front squats without a mirror for some reason. Decided to do the "dusty style" widowmaker today on a real leg press machine. I went light on the weight, and it felt great - and by great I mean it felt like I was going to pass out and throw up at the same time as I finished it... but in a good way. Knee felt great, I'm really happy about that.

[PTAaron]

Cardio Wednesday

Bike x 30 minutes
Stepmill x 15 minutes
Oblique Twist Machine: 80lbs x13,10,9

[PTAaron]

Workout 7 - baselines - 2/19/15

Freemotion Cable Curl
110lbs x6+5+3 = 14 Rest Paused
WAY harder than it should have been...

Cable Reverse Curl
67.5lbs x10+7+5 = 22 Rest Paused

Behind the Head Pulldown
165lbs x 11+6+5 = 22 Rest Paused

Pendlay Row (upper body parallel to the floor, barbell touching floor each rep and starting from a dead stop)
185lbs x8, 205lbs x5, 225lbs x3, 135lbs x16

NOTES
Woke up today wondering what I did in my sleep... both elbows/forearms were sore as if I had been rock climbing for 3 hours the day before. Very strange. Loosened up with a few warmup sets of curls though...
On the Pendlay Rows I wasn't sure what weight to use for my "heavy" set, so I did 3 heavy sets. I think next time I'll go with 205 or 215 because it was the best balance of keeping my upper body parallel to the floor, and being really hard to move 225 felt good, I just wasn't going to get more than 3 without moving my upper body more and turning it into a "bodybuilder row".

[PTAaron]

Workout 8 - baselines - 2/20/15

Smith Bench Press to Neck
205lbs x 5,5,5,5,4

Powersquat Machine Shoulder Push Press
600lbs x5,5,5,5,5

Close Grip Barbell Bench
165lbs x6,5,5,4,3

Pec Deck Burn Out
Last chest workout: 190lbs x 15+9+7 = 31 Rest Paused
This Time: 195lbs x 16+9+7 = 32 Rest Paused

Seated Dumbell Lateral Raise
Last Shoulder Workout: 50lb dumbells x 10+6+4 = 20 Rest Paused
This Time: 50lb dumbells x 12+6+4 = 22 Rest Paused

NOTES
Good workout overall. It was -15F when I left the house this morning, and the gym was pretty empty when I got there - so that was kind of nice. Was actually cold in the weight area... I kept my sweatshirt on and didn't even start to sweat until I was done with shoulders! Kind of crazy.
Anyway - there ya have it, nothing too impressive, but it was still a hell of a workout