Shoulder / Bi - 9/27
High IN Bar Press – bar/8, 95/8, 95/8, 120/8, 8, 8, 8
Seated Side – 10/10, 15/10, (25/10), 25/10
Front Raise – 20/12, 25/12, 12
ss Rear Bench Row – 20/12, 25/12, 12
Bar Curl – bar/6, 65/6, (95/6), 95/6, drop
Rope Curl – 70/10, 110/10, 120/10, (130/10)
Weight 170

Pretty good workout this morning. Strength is still rising a bit – but can certain see that it is starting to taper a bit. Made incremental improvements here and there on this routine.

1 Month (23 to go) to Battle for the Belt 2012

So – I am truly viewing my training now as a long term endeavor. Two years of improvements. I think my expectations are fairly in line. Hoping to put on a good 2 – 5 solid lbs by 2012. So would hopefully compete at around 150 – 152. Want to continue to build to the top and bottom – bigger back, chest, shoulders and legs. Keep my waist as small as possible – get that V.

So I have been really concentrating on form. TRULY. Weight doesn’t go up unless I am able to complete all reps of final set in very good form. I’m not going to say I’ve left my ego at the door – because I really haven’t I don’t think any of us really do. We go in to lift the most amount of weight that we can (in good form) so that we illicit a change. So no – not leaving my ego at the door – I’m being smart though in knowing the best way to grow is to balance weight and form. But always trying to increase – I think that is more the truism.

Have been tinkering with things a bit. Even though I have been doing this for a few years – I still have a lot (A LOT) to learn, remember, implement. So with each workout trying some little tweak to see how I think I respond to it. Nothing crazy – but doing more drop sets etc to ensure that I am fully taxing the muscles. Really trying to concentrate and visualize muscle interactions to increase my mind muscle connection. I get it here and there – need to have it more frequently. Have had the good fortune to be able to train with Al T every once in a while. Nothing crazy – but just good to train with someone to make sure that form is good – etc.
I have actually had a few chest workouts where I am sore the next day. I find this to be a great improvement as I have had trouble with this in the past. Have found that slow, full range seems to do it for me. I know I have been told FULL RANGE, FULL RANGE, FULL RANGE – but really experiencing it now. So this old dog can learn a trick or two.

So first month I think has been very productive. Have gained weight, strength and definitely size (some good – some not so good) but overall – feeling much better and still energized to workout. Will be incorporating some 531 as Joe has sent me some things on that. Want to get my strength up to a point where it seems reasonable to do – so will be incorporating that in the next week or so.

I sense some sarcasm in the chest day comment : )

Chest / Tri - 9/29
Slight In Press – Bar/8, 135/8, 155/8, 186/8, 185/7, 175/7, drop
In DB – 45/10, 54/10, 70/10, 75/9
Pec Dec – FLY – 100/12, 130/12, 145/12, 9
Uneven Pushups – 2 x fail

Tri Dips – 4 x fail

Rope Pushdown – 140/12, 170/12, 12
Lower Abs

GREAT workout. I do love chest workouts. They are, at least in my mind – the “iconic” bbing workout. Got a great pump – think I have finally learned (still learning though) that slow, FULL range is better than crappy form with heavy weights. I am definitely getting a better pump and at least feel like I’m getting a better workout – hey it only took my 3 years!?!?! I was a bit disappointed in my Slight In Press. Having done 185 on flat with great form and ROM – I thought I would be able to do the same on a slight incline – not s. OK – but I did end up lowering the weight. Threw in a drop set as well and next time I will start out at 175 instead. But did get the blood going with this. IN DB – NICE – solid – really good. Will up to 75 for each working set next time. Pec Dec – felt great – excellent stretch and squeeze. Uneven Push up – not too many – but Full ROM and just really good.
Tri Dips – very slow – got about 12 – 13 in each set. Rope Pushodwn – awesome!! Got in some lower abs as well. Overall just a great workout – grow baby grow!!
Dogs are barking big time from yesterday – LOVE THAT.  Quads are sore, glutes are sore – LOVE IT!!



-- Edited by Yoster on Wednesday 29th of September 2010 08:29:19 PM

Shoulder / Bi
Good workout. Was able to workout with Al - so my Friday workouts are a bit off from my normal workout - but think it is good to switch it up. Also just cool to workout with AL - he's a beast!

Yoster wrote:

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Dogs are barking big time from yesterday – LOVE THAT.  Quads are sore, glutes are sore – LOVE IT!!



-- Edited by Yoster on Wednesday 29th of September 2010 08:29:19 PM

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I am just finishing this routine and everytime I did legs, my dogs were SCREAMING!!

 

Hey Davey: Great job. One of the things I've been doing is flexing/posing between sets to hit the muscle group with an isometric exercise to reiterate the resistance training. Feel good and is a great way to get the muscles/pecs ready for the next assault with resistance. Just a thought. R.

Yoster wrote:

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Quads / Calf – 10/4

Squat – bar/8, 135/8, 185/8, 205/5, 235/5, 265/5, 3
Hack – 90/10, 90/10, 180/10, (190/10)
Sissy – 45/20, 20, 20
Bar Lunge – 135/12, 12, 12
Donkey – (280/20, 300/20, 320/20, 20, 20)

Good workout – not great but good.
So I started incorporating a bit of the 5/3/1 protocol into my workouts. I was actually surprised this morning as the weights were heavier than I thought. So I was doing 280/8 x 3 – so I figured 265/5 would be a breeze. It was a bit heavier than I thought – but I was a bit tired this morning. So but it was good. Looking forward to mixing things up just a bit.
Hack – good. Was able to up it a bit. Still doing on a smith machine – I like it though. Sissy – fine. Bar Lunge good. Donkey – was able to up things a bit so happy. Nice slow squeeze – good.

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Good start Dave.

 

Chest / Tri – 10/5
Press – 3 warm, 135/5, 155/5, 175/5
In DB – 45/10, 54/10, (75/10), 75/9
Pec Dec – FLY – 100/12, 130/12, 145/12, 9
Uneven Pushups – 2 x fail

Tri Dips – 4 x fail

Rope Pushdown – 140/12, 170/12, 12
weight 175
Good workout – not fantastic but good. Starting 5/3/1 with chest as well. So lowered with weight a bit on the bench – good solid lifts. In DB good. Nice range, good form. Was able to up it a bit. Pec Dec – nice and solid. Uneven Pushups good and slow. Tri Dips good. Rope Pushdown good as well. Did a burnout set at the end to get a good pump.
OK – so tooting my own horn a bit – sorry. Saw someone new at the gym - introduced myself – we got talking. He wasn’t sure what routines to do – so I asked him his goal and he said “I want to look like you” I was just a bit taken back – I thought that was really cool. And it wasn’t someone OLD like me – it was some kid (yeah I’m getting old) in his 20s. Just a nice little ego boost in the morning. Told him – get a good trainer and gave him Joe’s info. It really reminded me of how I felt when I started – I had NO idea what or how to do anything. Still have a long way to go – but learning along the way. HA.

Ok – so weight is back up to 175 – well that didn’t take too long. I think I look different though at 175 than I did prior (could be wrong). But think I am carrying it s differently – a bit more in my shoulders / back and less in my belly.

Tomorrow is back and ham.

Zero3-350Z wrote:

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Nice work Yoster! If you keep this up your gonna blow the roof off that place in 2012! I know you looked amazeing this year. It's gonna be scary to see you that shredded with another 10-20lbs on ya! Ment to say thanks to you for all the great positive feedback about your time working with Joe you gave me at the show. I've been working with him since sept. And loving it! So thanks again for helping me come to that decision. And keep up the great work with throwing that iron around!

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Matthew - hey thanks.  Glad you're working with Joe - he is great.  Well - I'm hoping for 5 - 6 lbs between now and 2012 - 10 would be amazing - but being realistic.  Just enjoyting the working out (and eating a bit more) than in the pre-season. 

Very best to you - looking huge!!

Zero3-350Z wrote:

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aww you got 10 for sure!! im jealous your on a nice long bulking diet with some more room to eat deliciousness! im training for a dec. 11th show. till i get to enjoy some bulking. hey thanks for the pancake shout out! just want to make sure i got the right ones http://www.amazon.com/Heartland-Malted-Multigrain-Pancake-Belgian/dp/B003UHKYJC when you get a sec can you just check this link to see if i got the right ones. thanks Yoster

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Matthew - hey - those aren't the ones but I am sure they are really good.  I actually used to make them from scratch using Joe's ALL IN 1.

VERY easy to to make.  For the ground up oatmeal - just take oatmeal and pop it into a food processor or something and grind until it is the consistency of flour - about 30 seconds - I usually made a whole bunch of it just to have on hand.

Here is the link
http://teamfranco.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=113424&p=3&topicID=35511284

But also here 

                                  Clas       Fat      Carb       Pro                          

 

Back and Ham 10/6

Deads – 3 warm 210/5, 240/5, 275/5
Lat Palm Up – 100/8, 120/8, 130/5, (160/8, 8, 8)
T Bar – 90/8, 90/8, 140/8, 140/8
Close Row H – 130/12< (200/12), 200/12
Good Morning – 95/12, 12, 12
Glute Ham – 3 x fail

Lower Abs
Good workout this morning.  Deads were lighter as I’m doing my 5/3/1 but they were nice and solid.  No straps.  So I think this slower progression in weight may aid in my hand / forearm strength.  Lat Pulldowns – good. T Bar good – felt a bit lighter today.  Close Row – nice.  Good mornings – kept the weight down a bit at 95 and really concentrated on the stretch.  Really need to work on my hams so hopefully by keeping it a bit lighter I was able to get a slightly better stretch – think I did – really concentrated on that area.  So we will see.  Tomorrow – Shoulders – looking forward to Military!!

-- Edited by Yoster on Wednesday 6th of October 2010 07:57:53 PM

Good workout this morning. Not going to go through all the numbers and routine – but good workout. I did find myself thinking several times – “increase the intensity”, “win today”, “make today count”, “kick ‘rss today”.

I’m NOT comparing myself to others in the gym (to be quite honest – not too many to compare myself to at 6am) but know I need to up the intensity and really push myself every morning to make gains. Still keeping in the forefront form and tempo – but trying to maximizing weight.

Don’t know why I’m writing this – pretty obvious stuff – but sometimes you have to refocus. So 6 wks down – 98 to go.
Know as a whole I need to put on size everywhere – that is a given. But in trying to concentrate / focus my efforts really think I need significant improvements

· Upper Chest – felt it looked weak / deficient in any “arms raised” poses – front double bi / abs and thigh

· Back – both width and thickness. More width though – really need to improve width development – gotta get that V

· Inner thigh – I’m fairly happy with legs as a whole (certainly need improvement) but feel quad fullness is a bit lacking – especially inner thigh

As always rest needs improvement / size etc – but feel the above are some of my more challenging parts. So have 89 wks to get them going.



While I’m spewing information – my diet.

Ok – well – kind of on a see food diet right now. It has tapered off a bit and feel like I am falling back into my better habits. My main consideration has been ensuring that I am taking in enough Protein. Still eating healthy as a whole. Drinking more milk (and 1% instead of skim) eating more carbs (having pancakes a lot – love pancakes) and also eating “whatever” is for dinner. So increased carbs. Still usually having some spinach as a side if not my main dish to which I add the rest of dinner – but in order to just make life a bit easier around the house I have acquiesced to whatever we are eating (most of the time I cook – so I do have some control over it). But trying to set a “family dinner” which I think is very important.

Weight is now floating between 172 and 174. Certainly not cut any more – but not thinking of myself as fat either – although Cindy has made comments (she actually likes me better this way). I think my weight has come back on a bit differently as well. I think it is more spread out and hanging out “in the right places” more so than last year. Don’t feel like I have a gut at all – feel it a bit more in my back, shoulders and legs and no so much in my waist.

Well – here we are 6 wks down – let’s see how things go.

I have also made the mental switch to my next goal. PRO (ok when you are all done laughing let me know – done yet, ok not yet, how about now). Ok so – in thinking as a motivation to keep myself going and doing this – I need to have a new goal – so I figured PRO was the most appropriate.
Now – I know the competition out there and everything else and the very fact that I haven’t even won a novice class as well – but conversely – I never thought I would ever be up on stage and now I am – I need to reach for that next rung on the ladder. It doesn’t matter if I reach that goal – but I have to aim for it. In order to improve I have to think about that next level.

So thanks to anyone who actually read this!

What a fantastic post Dave, Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

You work so hard and have come so far already...If you want it, that PRO Card can be yours!

I'll be rooting for you

Quad / Calf 10/8

Squat – 3 warm – 225/3, 245/3, 285/3
Leg Extensions – 4 sets

Hack – 90/10, 90/10, 180/10, (200/10)
Bar Lunge – 135/12 x 3
Donkey – 280/20, 300/20, 320/20, 20, 20

Good workout. Worked out with AL – got some good tips etc. Mixed things up just a bit but stayed pretty true to the general workout – kept the schedule for the 5.3.1. Squats felt good. Realize they are a bit lighter than what I had been doing but just nice and solid – good deep range. Got a good pump by the end of the Bar Lunges. LOVE THAT!!! Felt the range on the Bar Lunges opened up just a bit. Kept the weight the same – but the range, tempo and stretch felt better. Overall a good, quick workout.

Cloths are starting to get a bit tighter – but seems to be doing so in the right places. Pants are tighter in the quads – but still loose in the waste so that is happy. Shirts are tighter in the shoulders and arms – so feeling good and strong. Monday is Chest – love weeks where chest is hit twice!!