needsize's training journal

[needsize]

I'm only going to list what I consider working sets, not warmups, but will post warmups if anyone wants to see it. I'm not following my usual 5x5 right now as I'm trying to shock my body with a new approach, this routine is a spin off of that system with less sets of 5. I'm also just starting my mass training so the weights are low so that I can keep up the progressive resistance by adding weight every week.

03/09/2002 Back and Shoulders

Miliatary Press
215lbs 3x5, 185lbs x 8

Deads
405lbsx5, 455lbsx5, 505lbsx5, 405lbsx8

Side laterals
40's, 10, 10 8

Chins
(bodyweight) 8,8,6 (I used to do bodyweight plus a 45lb plate but doing deads first wipes me out)

Shrugs on smith machine
185lbs 3x10(after heavy deads I go light on this exercise)

Cable rows (all machines have different resistance)
180lbs 3x10

Bent Over laterals
25's 2x10

That's it for back shoulders today, feel free to add comments or questions on this thread

 

[abc 1]

you don't feel that the wide variety of rep ranges is sort of counter-productive like using 5 reps and then jumping to 8?

i've been holding steady to a theory a few co-workers' of mine have (speed/strength specialists) dealing with fiber and cns training. to increase fast twitch/slow twitch size you work their primary mechanism, i.e. fast twitch 3 to 5 reps, very heavy, as explosive as possible, 3 to 5 minutes rest between sets; slow twitch 6 to 12 reps, concentrate on form, eccentric and deep tissue fatigue with :45 to 1:30 rest between sets. i am consistently cycling micro-cycles, 2 to 3 weeks then switching up the whole program. i used to cross the two fibers up when training (utilizing 2 to 10 reps like a 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 for the flat bench let's say) then i started focusing more on fiber training and i have to say it is very effective (maybe that is simply how i reacted). i realize there is no way to seperate the fibers when training, but focusing on the specific action of the fiber i feel is extremely beneficial.

what are your feelings on my criticism?

 

[needsize]

I think you make some valid points, but in the past I have found that I get better mass gains when combining heavy low rep with lighter higher rep trainining, in the same workout. I found with just lower rep training I get a lot of strength but not much mass, and with higher rep trainining I dont get much of anything. Normally there is more low rep trainining in my workout but I'm trying a slightly different approach now

 

[louden_swain]

I like it because very basic and heavy. I am sure you spend no more than 1 hr in the gym. Deadlifts are great, but do you ever perform barbell Rows? Barbell Rows are the core of my back workout.

 

[needsize]

My workout comes closer to 1 1/2 hours, but at least the first 20 minutes is spent warming up, I'm not taking any chances with injuries. I've never managed to get the feel of barbell rows, I can never isolate back with them. As a result, when training for mass I tend to use t bar rows as my rowing exercise. I probably should work on rows though

 

[Cobin]

What do you do for biceps needsize?

 

[strong island]

sup bro,

I am doing something similar. I went from five day split to three day split. Only three days per week for a few weeks. Plus I cut my sets a lot. Feels good to get out of the gym withing a half hour.

 

[needsize]

05/09/2002 Bi's/Tri's/Forearms

I guess I should mention that I'm doing a lower number of sets than usual right now. Over the next few weeks I'll slowly be raising the number of sets to add to the progressive resistance factor, as well as adding weight every week (the reason I started light)

Close Grip Bench
280lbs 3x5

Standing barbell curls
120lbs 3x5

Weighted Dips
bodyweight plus 115lbs 8,7,6

Incline dumbell curls
50's x 8,6, 45'sx6

Skull crushers(ez curl bar)
130lbs x 9,8,8 drop set on last set

Preacher curls
90lbs x9,8 drop set on last set

After bi's/tri's I did 3 sets of forearm curls palms down, and 2 sets with palms up in the 10-15 rep range

 

[The Shadow]

Deads
405lbsx5, 455lbsx5, 505lbsx5, 405lbsx8

Whay waste effort on the first two working sets of deads as they ar not warmups nor are they close to maximal weights?

 

[needsize]

Re: Re: needsize's training journal

Whay waste effort on the first two working sets of deads as they ar not warmups nor are they close to maximal weights?

Normally I would only do doubles on 405 and 455 as part of a warm up and hit up my working weight, in this case 505, for at least 3 sets of 5. Instead I'm trying this approach where i do less of the heavy sets of 5 for now, but as I increase my number of working sets over the next little while, I'll cut back on the reps during the lighter sets and go back to probably 3x5. It's also a mental thing, lately I've had trouble psyching myself up for those 3-5 heavy sets, it's much easier to get into only doing one set on that weight instead.
As this is the beginning of my mass phase, I'm focusing on progressive resistance and adding more sets is going to be a part of that. I'm also training lighter right now, ie, 5 weeks ago my working sets on deads were on 540lbs.
Did that make sense?