Just got back from the gym. Little bench action, started feeling rather flat and tired at the gym. Hit my numbers than did some random stuff to get some blood in my chest and triceps.
Been having a little chest congestion with a cough, hurts a little when I cough. Think I might have a little infection in there. Picked up some OTC stuff on the way home, hoping to get this crap out before it gets bad. No fever, hoping that it is just a minor ordeal. If all else fails, got a few z packs in the cabinet :-)

Hope you feel better Frank! :-)

5 days off from the gym start for me tomorrow. It came at a good time between not having has a break for a few months and the little tweak to my back yesterday.

I've been off the White Flood for about 6 weeks now, looking forward to seeing how I react when I hit the weights again on Sunday. :-)

Thanks Tom. Hope the rest works out well. Eat like a horse and sleep!

Anyone have trouble finding the grove for bench some days? Was thinking about todays workout, the weight felt light but had trouble controlling the bar. Anyone have issues with this, its not all of the time but some days I bench I am all over the place.

If we could do our best in the gym every workout, Frank, imagine waht monsters we would be. I don't do a lot of flat benching, but I can relate to inclines. Some days the groove seems cut with a knife, and other times, I never find it. Doesn't always have to do with the weight for me. I just do what I can that day, and pick an exercise I haven't done for a few workouts as a substitute if I need more work.

woo-hoo! :-)

i dont eat right (ask darrel) i dont sleep right and i have awesome workouts??? :-)

You're Batman. :-)

You and most powerlifters myself included. :-)

shhh! Image

it's true.

I haven't even attempted any dips, since I've just brought pull ups into my routine in the last month. Still not strong enough to do more than 5 pull ups of my body weight consecutively. The machines help SO much!

I don't really like the position of the decline press either, but it works. I dont like it cause i have no range of motion when doing them.

icehog: that sucks man! I can imagine the situation, and I would never want to be in it. i'd probably go off on the manager.

Does that Mean Prof is Boy Robin? Or does Tom fill that slot? :-):-)

Nah, chit happens, Chris, They generally take pretty good care of the equipment. :-)

I don't fill any of Gerry's slots, Frank! I am the Admiral! :-)

I haven't been posting much, basically because I haven't been doing much. Seemed I re aggrevated my shoulder injury. The pain was much more managable in the past, now I have some throbing down the whole right side of my arm, and besides shoulder pain I have a lot of pain in my bicep. I truly fear the worst : (

That aside I have been doing light pulls. I benched today for the first time in 2 weeks. Kept it light worked up to 275. and even started to feel that

We have conference rolling around in two weeks. I will prob cut all gym activities. I will just increase my jumping as stimulus for my CNS. I did clear a 52 inch box the otherday, which got me a little juiced.... for people who dont like to do pulls but still want to work explosiveness I recommed jumping, and lots of it. In all directions!

Enjoy the time off ADB and your vacation...I imagine for someone who has been in the strength game for as long as you have rest/recovery is just as effective as a good workout You migrating South to avoid the cold?

leave my filling of Gerry's slot out of this. :-)

Really sorry to hear that news, Dave. I'll keep my fingers crossed, hoping for the best.

BTW, you're "light" bench is twice as heavy as my regular 5rm bench. :-)

Sorry to hear Dave...Hope it works out for you.


So I didn't do my 13 mile training run this weekend...Nor did I even get to the gym this long weekend. I have been sleeping a whole lot though. I think my body is just over worked from all the running and lifting. I'd hate to be behind on my marathon training but I'd rather be a week behind on training than get hurt and not toe the line.

Yup. Listen to your body. :-)

Back day today turned into upper back day. :-)

T-bar, close grip: 1p x 10; 2p x 10; 3p x 10, 9, 8

Bbell bent-over row: 135 x 10, 185 x 10, 8; 205 x 5

One-arm db row: 80 x 10, 80 x 10, 90 x 10, 100 x 10R/7L

Shrugs: 225 x 10, 275 x 10, 315 x 6, 6

Grip work with 2 x 10lb plates in each hand: 3 times to failure

Thought about deadlifts at one point, got above the bar, and just wasn't feeling it. That's when I decided it was an upper back only day.

Good lifts to all!!! :-) :-) :-)

Hearing a couple people talk about shoulder pain and have experienced it some myself. I'm just trying to learn some more about this whole thing, so am reading through Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. From ll the reviews I have read on bodybuilding.com forums and other places, it is one of the best resources out there. They mention the chronic shoulder pain a lot of people get from lifting in their section on the bench press. From what they say, a lot of it has to do with the angle of the arms in relation to the shoulder when doing bench/chest work. As I understand it, if the angle is too high, arms parallel to the line of the shoulders, it puts more pressure on the rotator cuff, which causes/contributes to this pain. Pulling the elbows slightly closer to the body reduces this pressure and lets the chest do the actual work. This does also move the bar slightly further down the torso. I am making some adjustments to my bar placement, as I know I have been lifting it higher, more arms parallel than slightly angled. I'm starting to adjust my bar placement, but it's definitely something I have to concentrate on, as I've gotten so used to lifting it higher.

Anyway, did some back/bi work last night. Mixed it up a little after the first exercise, doing last set at lower weight, but explosive.

close grip lat pulldown
120x12x3

t-bar row
70x12 80x12 45x12(fast)

high row (cable)
70x12x2 50x12(fast)

low row
80x12x2 45x12(fast)

db sup curl
30x12x2 20x12(fast)

Will Tom have internet on vacation? If not I can wait to ask my question.