4/28/06

BWT 290#

2,000-2,500 Cal/day for the past couple of days. I will keep my diet strict until I get under 285#, and then take a day off (4,000 Cal).

Workout: Military Press: 170#x5x5x5x5 175#x5

These are feeling pretty good and don't seem to be bothering my piched nerve in my upper back.

Barbell curls:100#x5x5x5x5x5

Rack Pull: 510#x5x5x5x5x5

4/25/06

Thanks Cat. The real test of bodyfat% is going to be at what weight I can see my abs. I am guessing that is 40-50# away.

BWT 291#

Military press: 170#x5x5x5x5x5

I am starting to develop a groove on these, so I should be able to increase the weight soon.

Standing Barbell Curls: 100#x5x5x5x5x5

Doing these on an Olympic bar, with no swing whatsoever. Nice slow reps.

Assisted pull-ups (-150#)x5x5x5

Leg Press:390#x5x5x5x5x5

4/21/06

BWT 289# Bodyfat percentage:26.1% BMI: 35.5

I have been under 2,000 Cal/ day all week.

My back is better since dropping the inclines, but it may be a while before the inflammation completely subsides. I will try to avoid irritating it, and start working on resolving the strength imbalances that helped cause it. I think I caught it before it developed into a serious problem, but it is something to keep an eye on.


Standing Overhead press: 170#x5x5x5x5x3

Surprisingly, these don't really bother my back. It seems to be a "shot putting" motion rather than an overhead press that aggravates it. I will slowly build the weight on these.

Standing Barbell Curls (Olympic bar): 100#x5x5x5x5x5

Nice change of pace from the cable curls.

Rack Pulls:505#x5x5x5

Precor Row:160#x5x5x5

4/18/06

BWT 294#

My weight is a little up from a bit of an Easter gorge, but I am trying to get things rolling again by sticking under 2,000 cal/day. I have been bothered by that pinched nerve in my upper back the past few weeks, and I have decided to drop all bench pressing (incline and flat benching) for the forseable future. I lifted once last week but my I started to feel like I was aggravating my back so I cut my incline pressing short after 3 sets and switched to dumbell presses (65#x10x10x10).

I recall now that a fellow lifter at my gym that does a lot of heavy incline presses developed a bulging disc in his upper back that caused him to lose strength in his right arm. He never figured out what caused it, but I am starting to suspect the incline work was the culprit. So it is back to the OHP for me. I may do the Incline as an occasional Max Effort exercise, but I will not train it as my main press anymore.

DB OHP: 75#x5x5x5

These feel better than the Incline, but still irritated my back a little.

Precor cable curl (drop set) 110#/80#/50#x3x3x2

Barbell Military press:95#x5 140#x5 160#x5 180#x3 200#x1

These felt pretty good, and didn't irritate my back at all. I will start with 170# for 5x5 next time and work from there. I should be able to increase the weight pretty quickly, but I want to be careful of that pinched nerve.

Leg press: 380#x5x5x5x5x5

4/6/06

BWT 291#

Today's Goal: 2,000 Cal 120g protein

I have been slacking a bit on both diet and gym visits the past two weeks. I will try to get back under 285# in the next few days.

Work out:245#x5x5x5x5x4

Left a little in the tank that last set. I would have been very close to failure on a fifth rep.

Cable curl(drop sets):110#/80#/50#x3x3x2

OHP lockouts on Smith machine(from top of head):275#x5x5 295#x4 285#x5x5

Adding these as a triceps exercise. Something, possibly the reverse bench, is piching a nerve in my upper back, so I am dropping the Bradfords and rev bench for now.

Rack pull: 500#x5x5x5x5x5

Trying to up the volume on these.