Ash's Journal

[jono]

Sunday - bis, forearms, traps, legs

Seated DB curls

18 x 10

Taking it easy with this for today because it's the first time I'm doing DB curls without my back being supported by the bench (as in incline DB curls), so I wanted to see how everything held up. I've been up to 25 x 8 for these, so I've got a fair way to go before I am back to the old weights.

Standing DB wrist curls

22.5 x 14

(Last time 22.5 x12)

DB Shrugs

22.5 x 12

Being very careful here! I've added shrugs back in because I can't do rack deads anymore, which were hitting my traps brilliantly.

Seated Leg Press Calf Raise

124 x 10

Still not ready to subject my back to DC style calf training, even in a fully supported position like this, 3+ minutes of pressure might be unwise right now. So I'm just doing a hard set of standard up and down calf raises.

Seated Leg Curl

27.5 x 15

(Last time 27.5 x 12)

Leg Extension

30 x 19

Very light but I'm slowly moving up the stack.

looking good dont rush anything.

[Ash]

I had an inspired workout today! All today's movements are reasonably safe for my back so I decided to go for it and get some real intensity going.

Tuesday - chest, delts, tris, back width, back thickness

Smith machine incline press

55 x 9

Haven't done these for over a month but I managed to equal my pre-injury PB :grin:

Hammer shoulder press

65 x 8

(Last time 60 x 9)

Beat my previous PB from before the injury, which was 62.5 x 10 :grin:

Close grip bench press

87.5 x 10

(Last time 80 x 11)

Also beat my old PB here, which was 87.5 x 9 :grin:

Hammer pulldowns

60 x 9

First time doing these in a while. The weight is down from the 65-67.5 I was using but my form is now rock solid with no upper body assistance to get the weights down.

Machine rows (vertical grip)

72.5 x 13

(Last time 70 x 10)

Good improvement here - form is very tight compared to the way I was doing them with 80+kg and my mid back is really getting nailed by keeping it slow and strict.

All in all a great workout. My wrist is a bit sore from the heavy pressing, I'll have to keep an eye on that.

[jono]

nice work man! :grin:

[ExpensiveUrine]

Good work Ash.

You don't wear wrist-wraps?

[Hardcore individuals aside/people who will call me a pussy for wearing them.]

I found they've helped me quite a bit in my lifting career, be it olympic weightlifting or bodybuilding. Just think about it.

[Ash]

Good work Ash.

Thanks Mr. EU

You don't wear wrist-wraps?

[Hardcore individuals aside/people who will call me a pussy for wearing them.]

I found they've helped me quite a bit in my lifting career, be it olympic weightlifting or bodybuilding. Just think about it.

I've started wrapping my left wrist (which is the sore one) with an old bandage when I do Dips or CG Bench but I might get something decent and wrap them every workout for a while.

[Ash]

nice work man! :grin:

Cheers jono

[Growth]

Lookin strong mate.

I had a spotting partner who used to have troubles with his wrist when benching, it got so bad near the end of the set that that bar would go up very crooked and put extra stress on that shoulder.

Be careful mate.

[Ash]

Lookin strong mate.

I had a spotting partner who used to have troubles with his wrist when benching, it got so bad near the end of the set that that bar would go up very crooked and put extra stress on that shoulder.

Be careful mate.

Thanks man.

I've been thinking about the mechanics of this wrist thing. With a "suicide grip" (thanks jono :wink: ) - I find that I can keep my wrist straighter while pressing than with a normal grip. I've always used a suicide grip but started using the normal grip recently because I was worried about having a BB slip. Since I started using the normal grip - my wrist hurts like hell.

Looks like I'll keep using the suicide grip and get a pair of gloves to make my grip on the bar more secure.

[Varven]

Good to see the red stuff dude ! Hows the diet coming along. BTW whats a suicide grip ?

[Ash]

Good to see the red stuff dude ! Hows the diet coming along. BTW whats a suicide grip ?

Thanks V. My diet is OK although my protein intake is a bit low at the moment. Now that my training is back to normal, I need to increase it again.

A "suicide" grip is when you have your thumb behind the bar instead of around it the way most people grip a BB. I used to call it a "thumb-less" grip until jono coined the "suicide" phrase.

So only your fingers are actually holding on to the bar, the thumb does nothing.

If the bar slips, it's not going to be pretty but I've still always preferred the suicide grip and I've never had a bar slip. However it's been worrying me a bit lately, especially on CG bench because I grip the bar on the smooth part and it does feel a bit slippery.

[Ash]

I had a reasonable workout today - not going all out on some of the movements because my back feels a bit dodgy on some of them, so I'm working up the weights slowly. Still managed an increase on everything except the new exercise.

Seated incline DB curls

20 x 10

(Last time 19 x10)

Pinwheel curls

19 x 10

(Last time 17 x10)

DB Shrugs

22.5 x 15

(Last time 22.5 x 12)

Seated Leg Press Calf Raise

124 x 13

(Last time 124 x 10)

Seated Leg Curl

30 x 13

(Last time 27.5 x 15)

Leg Press

160 x 15

First time back on the leg press - my knees didn't feel great so I took it easy.

[Pseudonym]

If you're going to use suicide grip on bench press, I'd *strongly* suggest getting a pair of lifting hooks. You can get forward- or reverse-hooking ones.

Trouble is, I can't find anyone in NZ who sells them, or anyone (apart from BB.com) who'll ship to NZ. :x

[Growth]

Trouble is, I can't find anyone in NZ who sells them, or anyone (apart from BB.com) who'll ship to NZ. :x

Why dont you ask the board members if they have seen them for sale anywhere, im sure somebody would know of a place to get them.

[deegee]

I have seen people use them at the gym they must be available somewhere, surley a sports shop could order them in, maybe a bit more expensive though

[Varven]

Good to see the red stuff dude ! Hows the diet coming along. BTW whats a suicide grip ?

Thanks V. My diet is OK although my protein intake is a bit low at the moment. Now that my training is back to normal, I need to increase it again.

A "suicide" grip is when you have your thumb behind the bar instead of around it the way most people grip a BB. I used to call it a "thumb-less" grip until jono coined the "suicide" phrase.

So only your fingers are actually holding on to the bar, the thumb does nothing.

If the bar slips, it's not going to be pretty but I've still always preferred the suicide grip and I've never had a bar slip. However it's been worrying me a bit lately, especially on CG bench because I grip the bar on the smooth part and it does feel a bit slippery.

2 powerlifters at a gym I used to use in the past strictly warned me against suicide grips. They said if your going heavy you have potential to quite badly screw up your wrists. Umm Im wondering whats better and whats worse now.

[Marcus]

I wouldn't use suicide grip on bench press. I do use it on close grip until the reps get harder then I flick the thumb around.

[Ash]

I had another good workout today - it feels so good to be lifting more on some movements than I've ever lifted in my life.

Saturday - chest, delts, tris, back width, back thickness.

Machine chest press

122.5 x 9

They finally fixed this machine so it allows a choice of 3 ranges of motion instead of 1. I managed to beat my previous PB at the full range of motion and add a rep. :grin:

Smith military press

45 x 8

(Last time 42.5 x 8 )

I'm very happy to have added weight so soon after the last increase. :grin:

Tricep pushdowns

60 x 13

New exercise - I'm not a big fan of pushdowns but my wrists need a break from the pounding they get from dips and CG bench, so I'll do these until I max out the stack (and the added weights).

Wide grip pulldowns

84 x 10

Not as heavy as my pre-injury PB but my form is much tighter.

Machine rows (horizontal grip)

67.5 x 11

(Last time 65 x 10)

[jono]

nice work man!

[Varven]

Good gains dude. Focus hard on triceps and soon youll find chest, shoulder presses are going up to

[deegee]

Good progress there mate well done

[Ash]

Good progress there mate well done

Good gains dude. Focus hard on triceps and soon youll find chest, shoulder presses are going up to

nice work man!

Thank you gentlemen. It's great to be making progress. :jive:

[Growth]

Like the other have said mate, awesome, good to see everyone doing so well.

[Ash]

Monday - bis, forearms, traps, legs

Standing cable curls (new exercise)

42 x 12

I didn't want to start BB curls because they hammer my lower back. These are much easier on the back and felt great - really got in a good bicep workout.

Standing DB wrist curls

25 x 12

(Last time 22.5 x 14)

DB shrugs

25 x 14

(Last time 22.5 x 15)

Seated leg curls

35 x 9

(Last time 30 x 13)

Seated Leg Press Calf Raise

129 x 10

(Last time 124 x 13)

Didn't train quads today - I did a fair amount of walking on the weekend (lots of uphill and downhill) and my knee is stuffed. Looks like I'll have to bit the bullet and try some joint formula.

[jono]

also good to see lots of red here. heal that knee up

[Growth]

Nice workout Ash.

Have you tried doing your BB curls with your back against a wall, totally removes any signs of the back working in the movement.

I really recommend you get the joint formula mate, get a really good one, i would say a powder one like the nutralift or something (just better bang for your buck) and stay on it for at least a month, you wont know yourself mate.