Comeback log

[ptender]

My comeback log

Comeback for me, anyway. Maybe this is my midlife crisis.
Decided to get off my lazy butt, and join a gym. Need motivation so I'll stop calling going in my basement, and looking at the weights a workout. No women down there, either
Maybe this journal thing will help, too.
Joined a cutesy gym with practically no free weights, but a key card so I can work out there 24hrs. a day, plus can use other locations, and work out with a friend in another town weekly. Working odd shifts doesn't help with consistency, so this is really convenient. Cybex machines, dumbbells, and a Smith machine, so will still have to hit the free weights some at home.
For anybody who cares, I'm 35, 5'7", ~195lb. Could stand to drop 10lb.
Been working out since I was 13, but it's been more of a once-a-week hobby the last few years than a lifestyle like it was in my early to mid 20s.
Friday pm:
Off to yuppie hell to deprive them of the notion that a gym is supposed to be like a library
I'm trying out their stuff, so will be skipping around the first week to see what suits me.
Back/Shoulders
-wide grip chins: 2x20, 1x17, 1x15
-hyperextensions: sets of 20 between wg chins
-bar hang: 1 minute
-Cybex lat machine: 3x210 for 15, 12, 10
-hyperextensions: sets of 20 with 25lb. plate behind head after 1st 2 sets of Cybex lat machine
-bar hang: ~30 seconds
-wide grip chins:1x10
-lat pulldown(wide grip): 1x20x100, don't like the way the machine feels
-wide grip chins:1x8
-Cybex military press: 5xwhatever one less than the stack is/can't remember to failure. Has a dial to increase resistance?? Have to try that next time.
Done. No more shoulders, no traps. Playtime over. 7 minutes in the tanning bed to work on reducing my ghostliness.

Saturday:
Feel like crap. Went anyway. That startup fee, and paying for the little electronic card are pretty good motivation, after all.
Chest/Triceps
-Smith machine bench: 2x15x225, 1x10x275 Smith hurts like hell, can't get comfortable. Maybe it'll be ok for squats...
-Cybex incline bench: 2x20x90lb. per side. 3x17,15, 7x115 per side. Ran out of gas on that last one. I love this thing. Adjustable stops, arm length. Feels great, pumped me up big time, even just playing around.
-cable crossovers: 2x10x60? Cheap, crappy handles. Haven't done these in years. Now I remember why. Dumbbell flyes next time...
-straight bar pushdowns: 2x12x100 Hate the pushdown machine. Bar sucks, too.
-rope pushdowns: 1x10x100 back support too far to actually use without leaning over, did I mention I hate this machine? Screw it.
-Cybex tricep machine 1x12x? Nice. Should have tried it first. Mad at the pushdown so I'm pouting.
-10 min. on Cybex elliptical while I wait for the tanning bed-very nice. Been years since I did an hour a day on an elliptical, and 10 minutes with low resistance, and 1/3 incline had me burning.
Done.
15 minutes in the tanning bed, too get a good burn on my quads(it was easier than squatting!).

Next week I might actually work something besides lats, and stop crying about the machines I don't like

 

[AngryMuscles]

welcome back bro. keep us updated and be consistent with your workouts. it's hard and boring sometimes...but hey, do what you have to do!

 

[ptender]

Thanks for the welcome, Angry
This was from Monday:
Busy yesterday, and today.
Today was the beginning, and end, of the diet. Couple of miles worth of walking, a gallon of distilled water, 2 protein bars and 2 boxes of raisins during the workday(turns out this turns everything in your system to pure liquid-great little experiment). Nilla wafers and milk, then Nilla wafers with peanut butter and milk, then off to a Mexican restaurant with friends for a few glasses of water, 2 Dos Equis with lime, beef, bean, chicken, and cheese enchiladas along with a platter of tortillas with salsa and cheese dip to put the finishing touches on the day. Tomorrow's another day...
Forced myself to do something when I got home, even though I looked 7 months pregnant, and could hardly breathe. Squats were definitely out.
-D'bell curls
1x30x20ea. 10reps apiece of curls, hammers, and reverses
1x20x30ea.
1x10x45ea.
1x9x60ea.-dry heaves, trying to puke.
-Curls w/EZ curl bar:
1x12x110
1x1x130(that's where you do one rep, drop the bar, and scramble for the garbage can).
Had to have something to put in my log besides eating

 

[ptender]

Wednesday:
Knew I would work a double shift on Thursday, so did chest/back instead of chest/tris, back/shoulders on separate days.
-Cybex bench press
1x20x90 per side
1x20x115 "
1x15x135 "
1x12x135 "
1x10x145 "
then a drop set with each weight to failure of:
1x9x135 "
1x11x115 "
1x12x90 "
1x15x70 "
1x(a lot)x45 "
Incline Dumbbell Flyes.
1x15x40ea.
1x10x50ea.
1x10x60ea.
1x17x45ea.
From that last set I obviously didn't burn my pecs enough, but I felt thoroughly whipped.

2x20 of wide grip chins, and hyperextensions to warm up.
-Cybex cable pulldowns.
2x15x150(picks me up like 220 does on most machines-dont care for the cable machine, btw)
-Cybex lat pulldown-the other one
3x10-15 don't remember the weights
-Dumbbell rows
1x10x80ea.
2x10x100ea.
-V grip pulldowns on the cable machine
2x10x150
1 to failure with 100

I think I'm almost ready to stop playing.

Oh yeah, 31 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer.

 

[ptender]

Nothing Thursday or Friday.
Today...Saturday.
Legs. Taking it easy, because I haven't hit legs since I started back, plus am worried that I might have a hernia, so didn't want to squat.
-Cybex Leg Press
I love this thing. It's actually like doing a squat with no lower back strain. Much harder for the loaded weight than I expected, great range of motion, and didn't even hurt my knees going all the way deep. I did them slow, with a good negative on every rep except the first two sets.
1x20x90 per side
1x20x135 "
1x10x180 "
1x10x225 "
1x10x250 "
1x10x275 "
-Leg Curls-first time trying the Cybex leg curl. Very nice, but I spent more time adjusting it than using it.
3x10x90

Finished up with 45 minutes of continuous 170+ heart rate on the elliptical.

Have to increase the loads next time. I feel great, but not like I really worked out

btw, I've been doing a lot of walking the last couple of weeks, too. My blood pressure had been rising over the past few months, from the 105/60 it's been for the last 15+ years to 120+/70+. It was 110/65 ten minutes after I finished on the elliptical, so I was really happy about that.

another edit:
Forgot to include that I started out with 3 supersets of 20 hanging leg raises, crunches, and hyperextensions, plus some stretching.

 

[AngryMuscles]

do you have any vids or pics perhaps?

 

[ptender]

Ha. Those people will really think I'm nuts in there if I try to get one to video me with my camera(not that I even know how to do anything with it if I made one).
I assume you mean pics of me working out?

 

[ptender]

Sunday night. Got to the gym ~11:40pm. Gotta love the key card.
55 minutes on the elliptical crosstrainer(Evanescence's "The Open Door" album in its entirety on my MP3 player=53min, plus a 2 min cooldown).
I'm very pro-elliptical.

I lifted some weights--plates off a bunch of the Cybex stuff, leg press, and Smith machine that some inconsiderate bastards who don't care that mostly women work out there left for someone else to put up...pet peeve

 

[Aztech]

welcome...and nice work for just getting back into it

 

[Bamaguy727]

Great work Bro - Great to see your enthusiasm-

 

[Bamaguy727]

do you have any vids or pics perhaps?

I personally consider ,this guy, to be a close friend - he is built like a tank- funny thing is , I have heard numerous folks say " hes gotta be on roids" ,but he is all natty.
He just works his ass off in the gym, and it shows.

 

[AngryMuscles]

ah yes..the 'ol you must be on steroids because we can't fucking lift what you're lifting. i've been acuse of that before already. made me feel so special inside. lol.

 

[ptender]

Hey there, brother!
There was another bowed up thinnie in the gym when I got there, but he finished up as I was starting up. Had the radio on the armband, imaginary lats that sprouted when I came in, and everything. Glad to see a kid taking initiative enough to be in the gym at almost midnight, but I'd have been more impressed if there was at least one drop of sweat on him.
The women are the only ones who seem to work out hard around here.

he is built like a tank

I prefer to think of myself as "robustly svelte", or "aesthetically squat". 'Course I prefer to think of myself without love handles, too...

Started to do nothing, figuring on chest/triceps tomorrow, but wanted to get biceps in, rather than waiting 'til Friday or Saturday, and doing them with legs.
-D'bell Curl
1x30x20ea. 10ea of curls, hammers, reverses
1x10x30ea.
1x10x40ea.
1x10x50ea.
1x8x60ea.
1x4x70ea. Left arm did not cooperate, sudden and severe elbow pain. So much for pyramidding down. Think I'm trying to do too much weight too soon on this one. Less weight, more reps, and a burnout to utter failure next time, so I can "feel the burn" and all that crap.
-Reverse Cable Curls, thumbless, pinch grip by the fingertips except the last set.
1x10x30
1x10x50
1x10x70
1x10x90
1x4x100...freaking elbow. Wah.
First time using the cables from the crossover for curling. Harder than the old-school cable machines, weight-wise. I like it a lot more than the pulldown, though. Much smoother. Think I'll skip the warmup sets next time.
-Wrist Curls
1x10x80
1x10x100 screw this weightlifting stuff, the elliptical's siren call is too much for me.

30 minutes on the elliptical. Was supposed to be 10 just to get more sweat pouring so I could make a good puddle to lay in in the tanning bed, but I can't drag myself off this thing once I get going.

Note to self: Got to get away from these 10 rep sets in another week or so, and start going higher and lower.
This journal thing is kind of fun.

 

[Winter]

Hey. Do you do deadlifts?

 

[ptender]

Nope. I got my pelvis knocked out of place, and my back screwed up 6+ years ago, and had problems 'til last year. Lower back problems all along, and just had to work around it. Haven't worked out consistently for any length of time, since. Just been maintaining.
Thought it was just going to be a fact of life after a bunch of injuries, wrecks, and stuff, but after 6 months going to a chiropractor I was supposedly 85% straightened out. The final x-rays looked good-sure beat having a spine that looked like a rainbow, but I'm still a little paranoid about trying heavy deads, or even going real heavy on squats-real heavy being relative, since I've never been much of a squatter, working out with 315-365 when I'm into it. Don't think I've ever deadlifted over 315, and I probably didn't get up around that more than a few times.
Right now, I'm supposedly on a self-imposed 225lb. rule, in deference to my joints(particularly knees and shoulders) where I just work out with 225 and go for reps on major movements, though I tend to break my own rule pretty frequently.
Actually been thinking about doing some deads, but if I do, I'll have to work into them slowly, starting light, and making sure my form is consistent before I start trying to slap more plates on.

I do lots of hyperextensions and lower ab work to aid in avoiding further injury, and keep my low back healthy. More than what I list here, since I frequently do them as part of a general warmup, plus have a gym quality hyperextension bench at home where they get done as a stand alone exercise, or supersetted with leg raises and crunches when I do abs.

 

[ptender]

The last few days have been a bust. Been feeling really puny for some reason, with no energy to speak of.
Tried a little higher rep benching at home with sets of 20 with 135 and 185, and was planning to do 3x15 or so with 225, but wound up doing 1x10 instead. Just couldn't do any more.
Couple days before I'd given it a go for some lower rep sets, and went up through 135, 185, 225, to 275, figuring on trying to get a few with 315, but got stuck under 275 on the 3rd rep. Must have sat there with it half way up for a full minute, clamping down and pushing harder and harder, but it just wouldn't move. Left it sitting on the safety catches.
Neither "workout" left me feeling like I'd done anything but go backwards the last couple of weeks. No strain or soreness, just no go. Frustrating as crap.
Don't know what my malfunction has been, but I felt a little better today.

Giving the arm a couple of days before doing any pulling exercises, but did a little leg workout tonight. Working into legs more slowly. Don't want them to get too sore, since I'm walking around all day and want to keep up the cardio at least 4 days a week, but did a little more than last time...
2 supersets of 20 hanging leg raises and hyperextensions
-Cybex leg press("plate-loaded squat press" I discovered they call it)
Sets of 10 with 180, 270, 360, 450, and 540.
Love this thing. Going slow, and feeling my quads work through every bit of it. When I do squats, it's just a knee workout, and I stop when it feels like someone is driving a nail into one of them, whether the poundage is 335 or 135, while rarely feeling much in the muscles. I feel these every inch of the way.
-Cybex Leg Curl
Sets of 10 with 70, 90, 110
Then a burnout of: 1x18x90, 1x15x70, 1x51x50(amazing what a difference 20lb can make)
-5 minutes on the elliptical so I could say I got on it-actually was waiting for the tanning bed...

Few more workouts to see where I'm at with everything, and I'll have to establish a routine.

 

[ptender]

I wimped out for a couple of days, since I banged up my wrist at work, and had the elbow thing going on, plus worked a double shift last night, but made it back to the gym tonight.
Felt like crap on the way, but had a great workout, and left feeling like a million bucks. Funny how that works, but it's always been that way for me.
-Cybex bench press
1x15x70 per side
1x15x90 "
1x12x115 "
1x12x135 "
Drop set of:
1x5x160 "
1x8x135 "
1x8x90 "
I've been setting the stops so that the "bar" would actually be going below my chest, which makes the first rep much harder--from now on I'm going to cheat, and put a couple of small plates below the stop so the weight will be easier to get moving(they'll drop free as soon as I "come off the racks"). I think this alone will add a couple of reps, and let me go heavier for lower reps, which I plan to do next time.
-D'bell Incline Flyes
1x10x40ea.
1x10x50ea.
1x10x60ea.
1x7x70ea.
Tried out the Cybex fly machine, which I was very dubious about from looking at it. Felt great through the whole range of motion. Love it, but I'm leery of getting too hung up on these machines, since they take away the need to stabilize the weight.
Anyway, 1x12x130
-Tricep pushdowns
Gave this thing another try, and after experimenting with several lightweight sets in different positions, found a couple that have me liking this cable pulldown alot more.
Did three sets of 12 with 80lb. narrow, wide, and inverted v, just to get a better feel for it.
No cardio tonight.

I'm making sure not to overdo anything starting out, but am also making a point of adding weight each workout-it seems to be getting easier, in spite of that.
Muscle memory is a beautiful thing.

 

[AngryMuscles]

respect to kids who go to gym despite being way smaller than anyone there. that's courage, bro! so what if they're small...those fuck heads who are big were small back then. if any kid would approach me and kindly ask for my help, i'd help.

if you're injured and gassed out bro, i'd say break in with lots of warm ups. i find out that myself on tuesday when I did squats. i honestly don't do warm ups back then. i ignore them, saving my energy for the lifts, but i had a hard time. so I did warm ups to my likings and it felt great. now i need to do more. try it

so how are u feeling now? mentally and physically busted?? sucks doesn't. i'd say stop thinking too much, relax, learn from it, listen to your body and not to push things even though YOU THINK you can and just to end up injured more.

or if you're bored

OLD SCHOOL GPP BRO!!!

 

[Aztech]

keep working hard bro

 

[ptender]

Arm still giving me trouble, and staying banged up from having to use it a lot at work, so pulling is out, right now.
Tried to do wide-grip chins tonight, and did 4. My new record
Haven't fooled with the Captains of Crush grippers for a month or so, but had the #1 and #2 in my bag at work. Probably not in the best interest of my left arm, but that thing's starting to make me mad enough to want to gnaw it off, anyway.
-Left hand
#1 1x10 warmup
#1 1x10 warmup
#2 1x5+5 negatives
#2 1x2+8 negatives
#1 1x27--wasn't resting, just swapping hands, so waited a few minutes:
#1 1x21
Rather disappointing.
-Right hand
#1 1x10 warmup
#1 1x10 warmup
#2 1x10 warmup
#2 1x19+1 negative
#1 1x41--as above
#1 1x32

Gotta be back at work in less than 7 hours, so no gym tonight.