[theNuge]

So, I'm starting to gain a little weight. I stepped on the scale this morning and I'm now at 237. This is up from 232. I'm thinking I've put on muscle but it's hard to be sure it's muscle and not fat. Or I could take a five pound shit today...

[theNuge]

Friday, April 11th, 2008

General Notes: I still felt a little sore from the repetition day on Tuesday but overall it was still a good workout.

Bench Press
---------------
Notes: I was able to get a PR but man was it tough. I think I might have ramped up too slow or I might have just been sore.
45x5x2
65x3x2
75x3
95x3
115x3
135x3
145x3
155x3
165x3
175x3
180x3 --> 5 lb PR
185x0 --> Complete FAIL

Dumbbell Bench Press
----------------------------
55's x 8
50's x 8
50's x 8

Cable Row
-------------
100x10
80x10
80x10
80x10

Standing Face Pulls
------------------------
Notes: these were really fun.
60x12
60x12
60x12

Hanging Leg Raises
------------------------
Notes: man these are tough.
10x8
15x8
15x8

Turkish Get-Ups
-------------------
Notes: I did these just because they're good for working up a sweat and they're so much fun.
40 x 2 (each arm)
50 x 1 (each arm)

[theNuge]

Friday, April 11th, 2008

*** Wife's Entry ***

General Notes: she was also feeling Tuesday's workouts but overall she also had a good workout.

Bench Press
---------------
Notes: we finally got her some good volume for her ME lift.
25x5x2
35x3x2
45x3
50x3
55x3
60x3
65x3
70x3 --> 5 lb PR!

Dumbbell Bench Press
----------------------------
15's x 8
15's x 8
17's x 8

Cable Row
-------------
30x10
30x10
30x10

Standing Face Pulls
------------------------
Notes: she really liked these.
30x12
30x12
30x12

Decline Sit-Ups
-------------------
10x8
10x8
10x8

[ThinkGreen]

I don't think you should pyramid your weight so much but do something like this:

145 x 3 x 5
then
175 x 3 x 3

Realistically 125, 135, 145 are all way too easy for you to be doing 3 reps, and unless its DE work, it won't be helping your strength gains as much as if you a)added weight, or b) added reps

[theNuge]

Originally Posted by ThinkGreen

I don't think you should pyramid your weight so much but do something like this:

145 x 3 x 5
then
175 x 3 x 3

Realistically 125, 135, 145 are all way too easy for you to be doing 3 reps, and unless its DE work, it won't be helping your strength gains as much as if you a)added weight, or b) added reps

Thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking you're right. I'm still learning when it comes to this figuring out my sets on my own thing. I'll probably have to try this in a few weeks after I rotate back to bench.

[theNuge]

Yeah, I'm now really confused on how to work up to a max set of 3 reps. If I don't get a response on the following set progressions I'm going to post a thread in the main forum:

My ME Deadlift Day
-------------------------
Warmup
135x5x2
155x5x2
Work Sets
185x3
205x3
225x3
235x3 --> my max last week
245x3
255x3

My Wife's ME Deadlift Day
---------------------------------
Warmup
65x5x2
75x5x2
Work Sets
95x3
105x3
115x3
125x3 --> her max last week
135x3
145x3

I thought I had the programming figured out on this but not so much anymore...

[theNuge]

My wife and I are thinking about switching our lifting days from Friday-Sunday-Tuesday to Sunday-Tuesday Thursday. If we do that this week then we're looking at a five day break until we start our next max effort day. I'm thinking this is a good thing since my wife could probably use a break seeing as she's never lifted heavy before and she's done three weeks now.

I'm pretty sure we'll still lift in those five days in between. I'm thinking I'll introduce my wife to the box squat and the SOHP.

I was also reading some of the other logs and I'd better start doing some conditioning work. I'm thinking I'll experiment with some Turkish Get-Ups, Dumbbell Snatches, Dumbbell Swings, and Burpees. We can probably do that before our next WSFSB week as well.

Here's what I'm thinking for the SOHP and Squat day:

Box Sqaut
-------------
Warmup
5x5 to 70-80% of max

Front Squat
--------------
I'm thinking we can both try these. I've never done them before.

SOHP
-------
Warmup
5x5 to 70%

Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups
----------------------
I don't know what to do with these since the regular overhand grip seems too hard for my wife even though I'm assisting her. What do you guys think of hammer grip chin-ups?

Here's what I'm planning for the "conditioning" day:
5 DB Power Snatches (each arm)
5 DB Swings (each arm)
5 Turkish Get-Ups (each arm)
10 Burpees with Jump

On a side note, I'm really psyched. I just ordered a pack of bands (for assisted pull-ups), Starting Strength and Practical Programming from Elite Fitness. I can't wait for it to show up.

[theNuge]

Sunday, April 13th, 2008

General Notes: I didn't have a good workout today. I had to cut it short because of a weird sensation I had in my leg. Previously I had tingling issues in my leg but it went away until yesterday after my upper body workout. However, they were gone this morning. Halfway through my deadlift session the side of shin started to tingle. I thought it just from the bar rubbing up against it. After I pulled my PR (I think it was too much to attempt) I brushed up against a bench with that shin and it was somewhat numb. This was alarming and I stopped my deadlift session. I tried some walking lunges and those felt weird so I just stopped. I am soooo frustrated with my leg doing this. I'm tempted just to take a month off from lifting and do conditioning work until this goes away. I also think I'm just going to schedule an orthopedic appointment to see if I should get an MRI just in case it's the start of some serious disc issues even though I already saw him and he thought it wasn't disc issues.



Deadlift
----------
135x5x2
155x5
175x5
195x3
215x3
235x3
255x3 --> 20 lb PR

Walking Lunges
-------------------
30's x 4 (each leg)

Stopped...

[TheCuttlefish]

Sciatica can come from all sorts of things that aren't disc related.

Also doctors are often wrong.

Still I am dealing with a back injury that the doctor doesn't believe was disc related (though i didn't see a doctor until a year after I hurt it) I get sciatica at weird times. Sometimes I'll feel some tingling during my warm ups that goes away later. Sometimes I feel it after workouts and it goes away. Sometimes I feel great after workouts and it comes on 2 days later.

Are you doing stretches? The stretches they recommend really help take pressure off the lower back.

Unless you feel weakness or severe pain the doctor probably won't recommend an MRI anyway. Everyone has some degree of disc damage and MRIs are rarely conclusive. See a doctor, and if he doesn't think it's a disc injury I would just lift through it.

Though definitely see the Ortho first. It's probably not a big deal.

[theNuge]

Thanks for the reply about sciatica. I've been dealing with it for about a month now. Who knows when or if it will ever go away. If it doesn't then I guess it doesn't.

I already went to orthopedic doctor and he didn't think it was disc related. This new bout with it has got me thinking I should get an MRI. You could be right though. The frustrating part is it's just there. I guess it could be worse and I shouldn't complain too much. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.