Growths Journal

[Growth]

nice work man. strange how your pulldown is so strong yet you dont do bw chins

Its not that i cant do them its just that i prefer to mix it up, with a wide grip chin (holding the angled down part of the bar) i cant lift my own weight yet, regular chin i can (normal overhand grip shoulder width)

[Simo]

Hey thats some huge Deadlifts there, 200kg.

Can you walk me through exactly how you do them, cause although i keep a straight back i can get a little sore in the lower back, and thats lifting about 110kg.

what about doing straight leg DF's do they help

Also i assume you use lifting straps.

BTW your doing really well, especially with the Deadlifts Bench etc.

(PS, sorry for hijacking this thread) :oops:

[Growth]

Hey thats some huge Deadlifts there, 200kg.

Can you walk me through exactly how you do them, cause although i keep a straight back i can get a little sore in the lower back, and thats lifting about 110kg.

what about doing straight leg DF's do they help

Also i assume you use lifting straps.

BTW your doing really well, especially with the Deadlifts Bench etc.

(PS, sorry for hijacking this thread) :oops:

Thanks man,

Basically i just load up the bar, get down on my hunches, do up my wrist straps, put my feet about shoulder width apart, grip is perhaps just outside shoulder width, get my ass nice and low, back straight, power up through my heals and give my back a good arch at the top of the rep, lower it in the same fashion. Its important to keep your back straight, alothugh mind does tend to round a little when attemping heavy lifts. I keep getting told i should be using a belt to but i think ill wait till my lifts increase a bit more. As long as your trying to keep your back straight thats the main thing, like i said if it rounds slightly dont worry too much. You should be able to tell if the pain is "good" or bad, i get a a little sore in the lower back between sets, and of course severe DOMS in my lower back the following days. The target muscle of the regular deadlift is the lower back or "spinae erector" so you should be feeling it there, also your legs will get a little sore because its essentially a squating movement.

Heres a link with a little animation to check your form.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Ere ... dlift.html

If you want to mix it up a bit go for some straight leg deads, they will the muscles a little different but will aid your regular dead.

If your worried about your form you should get someone to check it and assist you because alot of people do this wrong and it can lead to serious injury. Just on a side note i used to have really bad lower back pains before i started deads, once i put them in my routine my back pain started to go and now i never have back pain.

No need to appologise about the thread mate, thats what journals are for, helping yourself and helping others. You should start your own one, it will help motivate you and give others a chance to look at your workouts / diet etc, it will be easier for people to help you out if they know everything.

[Marcus]

A good way of knowing when your back is rounding is whenyour shoulders fall forward.

So keep the shoulders back/straight & also try to keep the bar as close to your body as possible.

[Growth]

Todays Workout

Flat BB Bench

BAR x 21

60 x 12

60 x 12

100 x 8

120 x 5

140 x 3

60 x 12

Flat DB Bench

55 x MISS

52 x 6

52 x 6 SS DB Flyes 19 x 12

Cable Crossovers

24 x 12

30 x 12

36 x 8

42 x 8

DB Tricep Thing

35 x 8

35 x 8

44 x 8

Tricep Pushdowns (Rope)

85 x 8

90 x 6

90 x 6

Tricep Pushdowns (Bar)

74 x 10

90 x 6

74 x 8 DS

Decided to bring back cable crossovers into my workout, big increase in strength in these comapared with last time i done them. Triceps are getting stronger too, almost back to PBs.

[Growth]

Todays Workout

Lat Pulldowns

45 x 12

95 x 8

102 x 6

109 x 6 =

Pullups

BW x 8

BW x 8

BW x 8

Wide Grip Chins

BW-18 x 8

BW x 6

BW x 6

BB Bicep Curls

50 x 8

55 x 6

60 x 4

Hammer Curls

23 x 6

25 x 6

27 x 5

30 Degree Lying Curls

15 x 10

15 x 10

15 x 10

Good workout today, weights had been looking rather stagnent sitting just below pbs so i went to the gym with the mindset to give it a really good effort. Lat poulldowns are back upto scratch, Pullups were solid, managed to do BW wide grip chins, didnt really notice much of a difference when setting the machine at 18 compared to disconnecting the seat and doing bw ones. Killed the BB curls, biceps are feeling really strong, the first set felt so light. Finished with some lying curls to give a good pump.

Also forgot to post wednesdays workout which was a shoulder one, cant remember the exact numbers now but i had made progress on the previous shoulder workout.

[jono]

nice couple workouts man

[deegee]

Still hitting those pbs, way to go !

[Growth]

Cheers Guys

[Growth]

Todays Workout

BB Flat Bench

60 x 10

60 x 10

100 x 8

120 x 4

140 x 1

DB Flat Bench

55 x MISS

55 x 5

55 x MISS

55 x 5

55 x 5

Tricep Pushdowns (Rope)

85 x 8

91 x 8

98 x 6

Tricep Pushdowns (Bar)

91 x 6

85 x 6

74 x 6 DS

Both left and right pec to arm tendons were REALLY sore today, havent been taking my glucosamine or doing stretches so that probabley didnt help. The pain was just to much on the 140, it felt like the tendon was going to rip so i just stopped to be safe. Managed to get the 55s up for the first time ever :grin: They are really hard to get into position but once there your away. Tricep strength is on the increase, didnt do the other tricep exersice i usually do but hopefully the extra effort on the pushdown will make up for that.

[jono]

Todays Workout

BB Flat Bench

60 x 10

60 x 10

100 x 8

120 x 4

140 x 1

DB Flat Bench

55 x MISS

55 x 5

55 x MISS

55 x 5

55 x 5

Tricep Pushdowns (Rope)

85 x 8

91 x 8

98 x 6

Tricep Pushdowns (Bar)

91 x 6

85 x 6

74 x 6 DS

Both left and right pec to arm tendons were REALLY sore today, havent been taking my glucosamine or doing stretches so that probabley didnt help. The pain was just to much on the 140, it felt like the tendon was going to rip so i just stopped to be safe. Managed to get the 55s up for the first time ever :grin: They are really hard to get into position but once there your away. Tricep strength is on the increase, didnt do the other tricep exersice i usually do but hopefully the extra effort on the pushdown will make up for that.

nice work on the dbs man. ive noticed over the last few workouts your bench is dropping .. be real careful man .. dont wanna get injured

[deegee]

Did you buy some of those supps for tendon repair etc you were looking at a while ago? Make sure you are careful

[Growth]

Yeah bought some, it was just straight glucosamine though, i really should have got the glucosamine with chondroitin and MSM. I didnt really use large enough dosages i dont think, and i didnt run it for nearly long enough, it did seem to give a little relief while i was on it. Ill have to get some more though, like jono said, bench is dropping while all other exercises are on the increase, hmmm.

[Marcus]

Could be time for a rest?

Or else drop bench for a bit & work on incline.

[Growth]

Could be time for a rest?

Or else drop bench for a bit & work on incline.

Yeah got a break planned in the near future, really want to do a few more weeks though. I think switching from the flat to incline migth be a really good option actually. Definiatley keep doing the DBs as they seem to put no stress on the area at all

[deegee]

I dropped bb bench a while ago and concentrated on a few other exercises db esp, flat bench is not the best for chest though a lot of people use it as a general indicator of strength. The first question most people ask me is "how much can you bench?" when talking about bbing.

I will go back to it but not for another few months and not stay on it for as long as I last did which was 3 years

[Marcus]

I agree Deegee. I haven't benched seriously for over a year. I believe incline DB's are the key for chest growth. The bigger your upper chest is, the bigger your chest will look overall.

People don't believe me when I say I don't bench & have no idea of what my max is.

[Growth]

Yeah i went through a stage where i did incline bench and flat db's, that was pretty good. Ill definiatly give it a try on thurday, ill be able to tell straight away if it is going to be a good switch or not.

[Growth]

Todays Workout

Lat Pulldowns

45 x 12

95 x 8

102 x 6

113 x 4

Pullups

BW x 10

BW+10 x 7

BW+15 x 4

Wide Grip Chins

BW x 6 =

BW x 6 =

BW x 6 =

BB Bicep Curls

50 x 8

60 x 4 =

60 x 4 =

Hammer Curls

23 x 6

25 x 6

27 x 6

Rear Delt Machine

59 x 8

63 x 8 =

68 x 6

Really good workout today, really tried to beat my last workout. Did weighted pullups for the first time today, they felt really good, wont be doing just BW again. If i didnt beat a PB then i at least equaled it in all exercises.

[jono]

nice work..

[deegee]

Lot of red in there :grin:

[Growth]

Thanks guys, really concentrating on trying to beat previous workouts.

[Growth]

Todays Workout

Arnold Press

15 x 12

25 x 8

27 x 8

31 x 7

35 x 5

Seated Shoulder Press

68 x 10

75 x 8

82 x 6

Lateral Raises

25 x 8

27 x 8

31 x 6

15 x 16

BB Shrugs

100 x 16

150 x 12

190 x 8

210 x 6 =

100 x 12

[Growth]

Todays Workout

Flat BB Bench

60 x 10

60 x 10

100 x 8

120 x 5

140 x 3

Flat DB Bench

55 x 5 =

55 x 5 =

55 x 4

DB behind the head

35 x 10

35 x 10

35 x 10

Tricep Pushdowns (Rope)

87 x 8

91 x 6

98 x 6 =

Tricep Pushdowns (Bar)

81 x 8

74 x 8

74 x 8

Bench was better today, wasnt as painfull as the last workout, decided to stick with the flat for another couple of weeks and then change to inclines. The 55s definately were easier today, couldnt rep out a PB but they were alot easier to get into position. Tried to keep the tricep reps up. Hopefully next workout will see some more improvements.

[jono]

nice work.. i just have one question .. do you ever train LEGS ?!!!!!! :grin: