Oldtimer1

[IroNat]

Took an extra day off. We had a big pool party on Sunday. Still feeling the effects. Going to try something really different from what I have been doing. Going to do a volume workout. I should know if it's doable for me after the first workout tomorrow. Going to use supersets and moderate weights.

Going to train around the leg?

[oldtimer1]

Going to train around the leg?

My Achilles hurts so no cardio like walking or running. Maybe biking. I have to test that calf biking.  Calf training will be no weight on the floor body weight calf raises. I think I can do that relatively pain free.

[oldtimer1]

Too busy of a weekend. I will hold off doing new workouts. I did my usual back and chest. Two work sets and exercise for four exercises a body part.

[oldtimer1]

Leg day: Broken record of what I do.  This Arthur Jones, Mentzer, Darden and Yates method of training to near failure is horrific.  Yet, I keep doing it.    Hit legs then floated in the pool. Today in NJ it's 90 and pure sun today. I looked in the mirror and while I don't look remotely like a drug using bodybuilder I think I'm looking pretty good for real natural.


Dumbbell squats 2 x 12 85lbs (Again upright back and sinking to the maximum.)
Hack Squats 2 x 12 (Sank every rep. I see guys putting an incredible of amount of plates on the machine doing shallow squats with their feet near the top of the platform for better leverage.
Stiff deadlifts 2 x 6 210lbs
Leg kick back machine 2 x 12 (The most brutal machine I have ever used maybe outside of the Nautilus leg extension and leg press superset combo.)
Leg extension 2 x 12 150lbs
Lying leg curl 2 x 12
No weight body weight free hand squats 1 x 55 ( deep and using the negative. None of this crossfit garbage of flopping into the bottom trying to get reps in to beat the clock. In bodybuilding think of how you can make an exercise harder on yourself and not easier. You are working to make a muscle adapt and not to stroke your ego.

I have a sore Achilles and I'm using a method I read about in T-Nation.  I lock my leg and do single calf raises with no weight on a flat surface. If you lock your leg even with using no weight it's a challenge. Hold the top position for one or two seconds. Guys that use 300lbs in standing calf raises always have a slight bend in their legs that they are using to shove the weight up. Some even slightly bend their back that they are using to assist.  If you ever decide to use this no weight method use strict form.  I would be surprised if you could do 20 or 30 reps going all the way up and down with a locked knee on one leg. Holding something for balance shouldn't be used to assist the reps. Ultimately there should be nothing to hold for balance doing the reps. It should be repeated about 5 days in a row.  

Neck work 2 sets per side on the Nautilus four way machine. Best neck machine of all time.

Hanging straight leg raises 2 x 22
Knee ins off a bench 2 x 25

One last point. Stop listening to drug users. If you want to take their advice take it when they are off all drugs and testosterone replacement. Odds are you will say I'm not taking advice off that out of shape mess.  

[oldtimer1]

Cardio day: Rode a bike today instead of walking or running. Zero pain on my Achilles.  I haven't been on a bike in two years. Played it conservative and rode what I think was 7 miles. My bike legs aren't there. I went out too fast and was hurting toward the end. Felt great to do something different physically. There is an old abandoned rail road track the county turned into a trail. It's small gravel. My wide tire hybrid was perfect for it. No cars.  Finished with hitting the heavy bag.  I guess this will be my primary cardio for awhile. It was fun being on a bike though I can't wait to get back to running.

[oldtimer1]

It was delt and arm day:

Dumbbell press 2 x 10 55lbs (All the way down done standing.)
Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10 30lbs
Machine delt laterals 2 x 10 80lbs
Rear delt machine 2 x 10 90lbs
Barbell shrugs 2 x 10 250lbs

Traditional tricep pushdowns 3 x 10 120lbs this machine. It varies so much from machine to machine)
Tricep machine 2 x 10  90lbs (Haven't done these in awhile. Thought they were great. The picture below shows a similar machine.)
Reverse grip single arm tricep extension 2 x 10 40lbs

Alternate dumbbell curls 2 x 8 45lbs
Machine scott curls 2 x 10
Standing Arnold concentration curl 2 x 12

Fore arm wrist curl 2 x 25 95lbs.
reverse grip pulley curls 2 x 12
Single arm dumbbell wrist extensions 1 x 15  (Placed wrist on a flat surface and reverse raised the hand doing extensions)

Ab pulley twists 2 x 12 (Grabbed a handle and twisted my body standing. Twisted in the opposite direction for rotation)
Ab Coaster 1 x 42 60lbs
Ab crunch machine 2 x 20 130lbs

Single leg calf raise on the floor with knee locked 3 x 13 then using both feet 1 x 50

When finished I went to the ocean and tried to body surf. The water was really warm but there were no waves. I go to the beach in a relatively unknown Joe local place. Very few people, mainly families. It was about 90 today. After that I drove home and did a couple of laps in my pool. Summer has hit NJ. The pool was warm too.

[njflex]

It was delt and arm day:

Dumbbell press 2 x 10 55lbs (All the way down done standing.)
Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10 30lbs
Machine delt laterals 2 x 10 80lbs
Rear delt machine 2 x 10 90lbs
Barbell shrugs 2 x 10 250lbs

Traditional tricep pushdowns 3 x 10 120lbs this machine. It varies so much from machine to machine)
Tricep machine 2 x 10  90lbs (Haven't done these in awhile. Thought they were great. The picture below shows a similar machine.)
Reverse grip single arm tricep extension 2 x 10 40lbs

Alternate dumbbell curls 2 x 8 45lbs
Machine scott curls 2 x 10
Standing Arnold concentration curl 2 x 12

Fore arm wrist curl 2 x 25 95lbs.
reverse grip pulley curls 2 x 12
Single arm dumbbell wrist extensions 1 x 15  (Placed wrist on a flat surface and reverse raised the hand doing extensions)

Ab pulley twists 2 x 12 (Grabbed a handle and twisted my body standing. Twisted in the opposite direction for rotation)
Ab Coaster 1 x 42 60lbs
Ab crunch machine 2 x 20 130lbs

Single leg calf raise on the floor with knee locked 3 x 13 then using both feet 1 x 50

When finished I went to the ocean and tried to body surf. The water was really warm but there were no waves. I go to the beach in a relatively unknown Joe local place. Very few people, mainly families. It was about 90 today. After that I drove home and did a couple of laps in my pool. Summer has hit NJ. The pool was warm too.

I LIKE YOUR ROUTINES,,,YOU ARE LOW VOLUME 'SETS'WISE' IS THAT BY DESIGN

[Rmj11]

It was delt and arm day:

Dumbbell press 2 x 10 55lbs (All the way down done standing.)
Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10 30lbs
Machine delt laterals 2 x 10 80lbs
Rear delt machine 2 x 10 90lbs
Barbell shrugs 2 x 10 250lbs

Traditional tricep pushdowns 3 x 10 120lbs this machine. It varies so much from machine to machine)
Tricep machine 2 x 10  90lbs (Haven't done these in awhile. Thought they were great. The picture below shows a similar machine.)
Reverse grip single arm tricep extension 2 x 10 40lbs

Alternate dumbbell curls 2 x 8 45lbs
Machine scott curls 2 x 10
Standing Arnold concentration curl 2 x 12

Fore arm wrist curl 2 x 25 95lbs.
reverse grip pulley curls 2 x 12
Single arm dumbbell wrist extensions 1 x 15  (Placed wrist on a flat surface and reverse raised the hand doing extensions)

Ab pulley twists 2 x 12 (Grabbed a handle and twisted my body standing. Twisted in the opposite direction for rotation)
Ab Coaster 1 x 42 60lbs
Ab crunch machine 2 x 20 130lbs

Single leg calf raise on the floor with knee locked 3 x 13 then using both feet 1 x 50

When finished I went to the ocean and tried to body surf. The water was really warm but there were no waves. I go to the beach in a relatively unknown Joe local place. Very few people, mainly families. It was about 90 today. After that I drove home and did a couple of laps in my pool. Summer has hit NJ. The pool was warm too.

Your routines are very similar to what Frank Calta recommended. Personally I tried this way of training, low sets all to failure, but I tend to burn out quickly. I prefer volume with only going 1-3 reps shy of failure on each set. 4 sets per exercise keeping to the same weight each set but the reps drop down as I progress through the sets from fatigue. This creates a natural pyramid so I do 12-15 on the first set then 10-12, 8-10, 6-8 on the following sets.

[oldtimer1]

Your routines are very similar to what Frank Calta recommended. Personally I tried this way of training, low sets all to failure, but I tend to burn out quickly. I prefer volume with only going 1-3 reps shy of failure on each set. 4 sets per exercise keeping to the same weight each set but the reps drop down as I progress through the sets from fatigue. This creates a natural pyramid so I do 12-15 on the first set then 10-12, 8-10, 6-8 on the following sets.

Frank Calta trained with an average of 4 sets an exercise. Sometimes more. I do remember Mike Mentzer took his rotation for recuperation split but never gave him credit for it. For those of you that don't remember his split it was three days a week. He split his body in half.  Monday was A. Wednesday was B. Friday was A.  Next week was Monday was B. Wednesday was A. Friday was B.  So body parts got hit once or twice a week in the rotation. Frank called it Rotation for Recuperation. Same exact split Mentzer used in his best ever condition.

I'm thinking about going to volume soon.  Using the same weight each set is another thing I'm thinking about using. Danny Padilla did the same I read that by a guy that use to train with him. If I'm not mistaken I think Pearl also in general used the same weight. If you use short rests between sets the first set should be easy but like you said as you progress through the sets the last set is hard.

[oldtimer1]

I LIKE YOUR ROUTINES,,,YOU ARE LOW VOLUME 'SETS'WISE' IS THAT BY DESIGN

I have always been a low set trainer. One warm up set in general. No warm sets as I progress through a body part. I go close to failure on the first set and the second is to failure. Sometimes I use one set to failure. It's a brutal way to train. Giving everything you got to one set is hard on the body, mind and spirit. The most I have ever gotten with one set to failure is one month of training. Then I start breaking down. It's too much punishment. Two sets allow me to use intensity but not that white hot edge of coming close to death that one set is. Truth is one or two sets it's still high intensity.

[oldtimer1]

Broken record here. I was going to volume this Monday but life got in the way.  Heading to Manhattan for a stay over. Woke up at 6AM and did back and chest. Only two people in the gym.  One young guy was actually practicing doing full squat snatches in this mom and pop gym.  I was impressed. You just don't see that today.  This 20 something kid has great flexibility. He can get a perfect rack on his cleans and when he squats it's olympic squats rock bottom.  Told him that in his weight class he actually has the potential to be a State champ.  He would just have to specialize a bit more instead of all his bodybuilding stuff. I don't think he realizes how much potential he has.  He said he's working on it.  I do wonder if he's using steroids though. He has that slight moon face water retention look. Just might be the way he looks. LOL.

Like I said in the beginning it was only two people. Then it was as if a bus arrived and the door kept opening.  Soon the place was packed. One blonde hottie who had a ten body and a 9 face was doing curls in front of the window. I think she caught me checking out her ass.

I have to stop typing soon.  Going to drive to the NY Waterway Ferry from Jersey. We have a blast walking around.  I know the beer will flow.

[oldtimer1]

Trained legs today. Actually trained calves light. The bad Achilles held up. Used light weight and tried to really careful with rep cadence.

[IroNat]

Trained legs today. Actually trained calves light. The bad Achilles held up. Used light weight and tried to really careful with rep cadence.

Good.

Have patience and allow it to get stronger gradually.  Avoid re-injury.

[oldtimer1]

Rode my bike 7.1 miles. I know for guys into bikes that's a joke distance but it was with a heavy hybrid on a small rock trail.  Hit the heavy bag after.

[illuminati]

Hit the heavy bag after.

What did she do Wrong - She not going to be Happy with you
And likely not cook you’re dinner.

 

[oldtimer1]

What did she do Wrong - She not going to be Happy with you
And likely not cook you’re dinner.

 

I'd comment but she has told me repeatedly I have to fall asleep sometime. I'm afraid. Very afraid.

[oldtimer1]

Trained delt and arms. I walked past a thick hot young lady who just finished a set on the kick back machine. I said, "Maybe the hardest machine in the gym."  She said," I have a better one in my home gym at my house up north."  I live by the ocean. I asked her, "You have selectorized commercial gym equipment in your house?" She said, " Yes, in my main house. I'm training here because I'm at my vacation house where I keep my boat in the back."  Plenty of houses on the bay where the rich people pull their boat right up to their house and tied it off.  Imagine having enough money to walk through your yard to your floating boat ready to go? If I wasn't married and 40 years younger. LOL.

[IroNat]

Trained delt and arms. I walked past a thick hot young lady who just finished a set on the kick back machine. I said, "Maybe the hardest machine in the gym."  She said," I have a better one in my home gym at my house up north."  I live by the ocean. I asked her, "You have selectorized commercial gym equipment in your house?" She said, " Yes, in my main house. I'm training here because I'm at my vacation house where I keep my boat in the back."  Plenty of houses on the bay where the rich people pull their boat right up to their house and tied it off.  Imagine having enough money to walk through yard to your floating boat ready to go? If I wasn't married and 40 years younger. LOL.

Be careful...that was an invite if I ever heard one.

[The Scott]

Trained delt and arms. I walked past a thick hot young lady who just finished a set on the kick back machine. I said, "Maybe the hardest machine in the gym."  She said," I have a better one in my home gym at my house up north."  I live by the ocean. I asked her, "You have selectorized commercial gym equipment in your house?" She said, " Yes, in my main house. I'm training here because I'm at my vacation house where I keep my boat in the back."  Plenty of houses on the bay where the rich people pull their boat right up to their house and tied it off.  Imagine having enough money to walk through yard to your floating boat ready to go? If I wasn't married and 40 years younger. LOL.

Be careful...that was an invite if I ever heard one.

I agree!



Sorry...I did not want to resist.  

As you are married, you did and well done, sir!  I shall be reading both of your training threads, catching up if you will.  I tried lifting today for the first time in quite a while.  Weak. Four sets total with very light weight but it was good to be in there.  Thank you gentlemen!

[oldtimer1]

Be careful...that was an invite if I ever heard one.

I forgot the amusing parts of today's workouts. The gym owner said he was really sunburned. He lifts up his shirt and hits an ab shot to show me the sunburn.  

The second is a guy that appears to be juiced was doing Trap bar deadlifts. He is a really hard trainer. I give him that much. I truly have only tried the bar once before with maybe two plates on either side.  I thought it was much easier than a barbell deadlift because the handles are higher cutting the range. This guy was getting something like 6 reps with three plates on each side. I have no clue what the Trap bar weighs.  I was doing barbell curls watching between sets with his personal trainer guru. Yes, on the East coast we have Charles Glass type guys. I decided to see if what he was doing was really hard. I asked if I could try between his sets?  I did one rep and decided it was foolish to be deadlifting after biceps. Already tore off my bicep over 10 years ago. The funny part is my youthful self I would have tried to out repped him just to show off and stroke my ego.  Now even though I think I could have out repped him I put the weight down and apologize for ruining his concentration. I should have kept to myself and finished my bicep workout.

[oldtimer1]

I agree!



Sorry...I did not want to resist.  

As you are married, you did and well done, sir!  I shall be reading both of your training threads, catching up if you will.  I tried lifting today for the first time in quite a while.  Weak. Four sets total with very light weight but it was good to be in there.  Thank you gentlemen!

I guess this is gym bro advice. Then again it's empirical knowledge gained from decades of lifting.  I believe the best way to activate muscle memory after being inactive is high reps. Use a light weight and rep out.  Then gradually lower the reps and increase the weight over the weeks. Something about high reps that wakes up a muscle that activates muscle memory. I don't have a double blind study with 8 thousand test subjects to back me up but I believe in what I wrote. Any way good luck. Some say muscle memory is a gym bro term with no science to it. I say it's factual. 

[IroNat]

I agree!



Sorry...I did not want to resist.  

As you are married, you did and well done, sir!  I shall be reading both of your training threads, catching up if you will.  I tried lifting today for the first time in quite a while.  Weak. Four sets total with very light weight but it was good to be in there.  Thank you gentlemen!

Glad you are back, Sir Scott.

[The Scott]

Glad you are back, Sir Scott.

Thank you my brother! That means a great deal to me. 

[oldtimer1]

Rode bike again for 7.1 miles on a trail. Hard to get any speed on a trail with the mix of rocks, cinder, ruts and uneven ground. I was a pool of sweat when I came home. I can hear the thunder in the distance. I beat the rain.  

[oldtimer1]

I had this week off. Spent time in the ocean, pool parties, Manhattan and most of all drinking alcohol.  It was fun. I got in three weight workouts and two cardio days last week. I feel way too big and not in a good way. Tomorrow I return to seriousness.  Wow, did I have a blow out week.  My wife pointed out I didn't have a week off of work in 10 months. Kind of shocked by this.  Didn't realize.  September is a Canada vacation then heading to Myrtle beach for a week. I'm really tempted to try to run but I think that would be foolish even if it feels 90%. One run and I could be limping around on my bad leg. Just got new running shoes for motivation. Running is fundamental to so many sports like boxing, MMA, Wrestling, football,soccer, basketball and a host of others. Most hate running because it's too much work and they want the easy route.