Michigan Muscle Boy

Ketchup: The New Sports Supplement

As the big girl targets another bodybuilding show, I've decided to take on the role of her sports supplements adviser.  My first recommendation: ketchup, but only in quantities small enough not to blow her anabolic diet.

I think I've finally got the low carbs and lifting thing figured out.  Oddly, it seems to involve eating a McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese without the bun and a bit of ketchup about 1/2 hour before hitting the gym (right around 500 calories, mostly from fat, my new fuel).  Timing food intake seems to be key.  I'm also thinking I might have to up carbs a bit during the week from the not more than 30 grams I'm currently doing.  Andy's given me some ideas for how to do that.

At any rate, I had a great workout today, a 15 rep per set wonder with 60 seconds rest between sets.  Today was a hypertrophy day in the medium microcycle.  Here's the workout:

• Bench (60% 1RM): 115lbs/15 reps X 4 sets
• Incline flye (60%): 30/15X4
• Dumbbell front press (60%): 35/15X4 (drop setted down to 30 starting second set)
• Cable lateral raise (65%): 21.25/15X4
• Dumbbell shrug (60%): 50/15X4
• Dumbbell incline curls (60%): 30/15X3; 25/15X1
• Calf raises (60%): 120/15X4

I've started some mild shoulder issues which I managed to fix by altering angle on some of the exercises.  I've become convinced that the shoulder thing relates back to a dislocation I had as a kid.  If I manage it and stretch a bit, I do OK.

More Hypertrophy Training

I worked out at 6:00 PM yesterday.  What a hard time to work out.  I'd been in an orientation all day and was kind of hungry, but I felt I had to hold to the training regimen.

Here's the drill (60 seconds between sets):

• Bench (60% 1RM): 115 lbs./12 reps X 4 sets
• Incline dumbbell flye (60%): 30/12X4
• Front dumbbell press (60%): 35/12X4
• Incline side lateral (60%): 15/10X3
• Dumbbell shrug (60%): 50/12X4
• Incline dumbbell curl (60%): 30/12X4
• Seated calf raise (60%): 120/12X4

It was hard, but I held up pretty well.  However, I was tapped on cardio.

Today, I ate shortly before going in for cardio.  That worked well.

Squats vs. Leg Press in an H workout

Remarkably, it's Tuesday, two days out from the weekend carb load, and I'm feeling like a stud.  I'm not sure I've got the carbs quite right, but it feels better than last week.  One thing, I seem to sweat a good bit more.

As I mentioned in my last note, Nancy and I are on a hypertrophy phase.  This is the light week.

Here's today's workout:

• Nautilus Leg Press (60% 1RM):  275 lbs./ 12 reps X 4 sets
• Single leg pulley leg curl (60% 1RM): 70/8X3
• Smith Lunges (60%): 113/12X4
• Bent Underhand Rows with EZ Bar (60%): 105/12X4
• Back Extensions: 15X3
• BOSU Crunches: 15X3
• Skull Crushers (60%): 65/12X4

One might wonder at the leg press.  The movements is similar to the squat.  Muscle activation studies show that the squat works the glutes and lower back more than the leg press.  However, stress on the lower back may also be just the reason for avoiding the squat, particularly if you have back issues.  One intriguing suggestion is to combine the leg press with a partial deadlift to get the glute activation.  I may try that.

Short H Workout

Hammered out an H workout today with some good intensity.  I seem to have my strength back after a lull.  Eating close to 4000 calories per day in fat and protein.  I think the body is coming around.

Here's the workout:

• EZ Bar skull crushers (80–85% 1RM):  85 lbs./7 reps X 2 sets; 90/5X3;
• Behind neck pulldown (80–85%):  125/7X2; 135/5X3;
• Dumbbell rear delt lateral (75%): 25/6X5;
• Dumbbell shrugs (80–85%): 60/7X2; 80/3X5;
• Back extensions: 15X5

Nice little H workout with intensity

So, I trained with Mary today and did a nice little H workout.  Lots of intensity, hitting some new levels.  Here's the workout:

• Skull crusher (80-85% 1RM): 85 lbs./7 reps X 2 sets; 90/2X5; 90/1X3; 85/1X2;
• Nautilus wide grip pull-down (80–85%): 125/7X2; 135/3X5;
• Incline rear delt dumbbell flyes (75%): 25/6X5;
• Dumbbell shrugs (80–85%): 65/7X2; 70/3X5;
• Back extensions: 15X4

Short But Intense

The big girl is wondering if the hypertrophy workouts are too short.  Personally, I felt like I got my butt kicked today doing 80% 1RM for five sets per exercise with 45 seconds rest between sets.  It was just hard.

Now, I think she has a bit of a point.  We're doing a small number of exercises.  If we don't do one right, well we're just in trouble.  That's why I've been so focused on the squat analysis.

Here's today's workout:

• Skull crusher (80% 1RM):  85 lbs/7 reps X 3 sets; 85/4X1; 75/3X1; 75/7X1;
• Behind neck pull down (80%): 125/7X5;
• Rear Delt Pec Deck (80%): 70/7X3; 80/7X1; 75/7X1
• Shrug (80%): 65/7X5
• Back extensions: 15X4

Tomorrow, we're on to doing six exercises for multiple sets at 90% of our max effort.  Nancy may be happy that today was a little lighter.

Hard as Hell H with the Big Girl

Today, we did a hypertrophy (H) workout, and I had some kind of intensity blow-out after the third exercise.  We'd done 80% lunges, sit-ups, and then 80% biceps curls, all on 45 seconds rest between sets.  After the biceps curls, I thought my arms were going to explode.  I mean really explode.  I've never felt so much muscle pain in my life.  The muscle wasn't torn or anything, it just felt explosive.

Arnold chased up some advil, and about 20 minutes later the pain was over.

We actually did manage a great workout.  It was just hard.  Here it is:

• Lunges (80% of 1RM): 143 lbs./7 reps X 5 sets;
• BOSU straight up crunches: 15 X 5;
• Free Motion Reverse curl (80%): 60/7X1; 70/7X4;
• Triceps Skull Crusher (80%): 85/7X3; 85/3X1; 75/4X1; 75/7X1
• Paramount Pec Deck Rear Delt (80%): 80/7X4; 75/7X1
• Behind Neck Pulldown (80%): 125/7X5

I managed harder work on the skull crusher this time around.

Increasing Intensity on the H

So yesterday, we bumped intensity on the H workout during the medium week of our mixed training.  I worked out with Mary, Nancy's and my trainer.  Here's the workout:

• Skull crushers (80% of 1RM): 85lbs/7 reps X 4 sets; 65/7X1;
• Behind neck pulldown (80%): 125//7X5;
• Bent elbow dumbbell lateral (70%): 17.5/7X5;
• Shrugs (80%): 65/7X5;
• Back Extensions: 4X15;
• Abs Medley: various abs exercises

The skull crushers were really hard.  That's the highest weight I've ever done on those.

Return to Liberty

Well, I worked out at Liberty today, first time in 8 days.  It felt good to get back, though I liked vacation a lot.  All during vacation, I did not crank out a single Max Strength workout, unlike the supergirl over at Diva Training.  The thing is that had I done one, I would have had to park the family somewhere for about 3 hours, and I would have been pretty tapped.  No tubing down the Platte River.  No little trips to the Empire kayak shop and the incredible beach between the dunes on Lake Michigan, part of the largest freshwater lake system in the world.

I did this workout again on a 45 second rest interval between sets.  Some nice lunges in there.  Here's the workout:

• Flat bench skull crushers (70% 1RM): 75/8X4
• Pull down behind neck (70%): 110/8X4
• Standing dumbbell bent lateral (70%): 17.5/8X4
• Lunge (70%): 125/8X4
• BOSU straight-up crunch: 4X12
• Reverse Free Motion curls (70%): 50/8X2; 60/8X2

I had a little trouble with the reverse free motion curls.  I had thought I would do 60 and 70 lbs.

Final Workout in Traverse City

On Thursday, I did my final workout in Traverse City.  Nancy was right when she told me it's like a whole different state up North.  I felt like I was  right next to the great outdoors the whole time.  It was fantastic.

I returned to The Sweat Shop, a pretty decent facility, though not as good as we have in Ann Arbor and environs.  It's interesting how your best workout facilities tend to be in large metropolitan areas.  I did one of our standard hypertrophy workout for this phase but threw in some chest and shoulder presses just to make sure those areas did not go completely to pot.

I did everything with 45 seconds rest between sets and at 60–70% of 1RM.

Here's the workout:

• Bench (70% 1RM): 135/8X4
• Front Press (70% 1RM): 40/8X4
• Pull-down behind neck (70% 1RM): 110/8X4
• Standing Dumbbell bent lateral (60%): 15/10X4
• Back extension: 12X4