15 replies to this topic

[IronInsanity]

I have been keeping an online training journal for almost 3 years. I just started a new upper/lower split and thought this would be a good time to start posting up over here as well.

Trained all natural until June of this year. Since then I have been on moderately low doses of test-e, and currently test-c (about 500mg a week).

Below is a pic of my starting point in January 09, compared with a pic in September 2011. I have gained about 20 pounds since the September 2011 pic. I usually post pics or vids 2-3 times a week as part of my workout entry.



I'll post up the past week's training over the weekend.

[mad_dawg]

Glad to see you putting a training log up here. Looking forward to following your progress. Also looking forward to following your upper/lower split. You've made progress already. Great to see the young guys coming up.

Peace,
Mad_dawg

[IronInsanity]

Thanks mad dawg

[IronInsanity]

Monday, December 5: Upper Heavy

So... I have changed my lifting program. I have been thinking for days on a way to improve recovery and with a traditional split, it never seemed to be a perfect fit for recovery purposes. Also, I have been wanting to get into the lower rep ranges on my lifts. Therefore, I will be going to the following upper/lower split for at least the next several weeks:

Schedule:
Mondays: Upper Heavy with rep ranges of 5-8
Tuesdays: Lower Moderate with rep ranges of 10-20
Wednesdays: Rest Day
Thursdays: Upper Moderate with rep ranges of 10-15
Fridays: Lower Heavy with rep ranges of 5-8
Weekend: Rest Days

Benefits, as I see them:

- Increased recovery time (a week in-between heavy days)
- Recruitment of all muscle fiber types with heavy/low rep days mixed with moderate/high rep ones
- I'm wired to take the additional working set volume in the individual workouts
- Additional recovery with overlapping muscle groups, which I feel is underrated
- The flexibility to increase/decrease working sets on certain bodyparts based on need or injury


Today's work:

Shoulders

DB Laterals
25 x 10 wu
30 x 10 wu
45 x 8
45 x 8
45 x 8

BB Shoulder Press - Seated (Smith)
135 x 10 wu
225 x 8 wu
315 x 5
315 x 5
315 x 5

Chest

Incline DB Flyes
50 x 10 wu
75 x 8
75 x 8
75 x 8

Flat DB Bench
115 x 8
115 x 8

Cable Crossover
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8

Back

Cobras
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8
--weight per side

Seated Cable Rows
Stack x 8
Stack x 8

Close Grip Pullups
BW + 50 x 5
BW + 50 x 5
BW + 50 x 5

Arms

Rope Pushdowns
180 x 8
180 x 8
180 x 7

1-Arm DB Extensions
70 x 8
70 x 8

Concentration Curls
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8

Comments
Beatdown! Felt really good though and I have a week before another upper heavy day. Back work did not include rows this week due to working back on Friday with 10 sets of rows. For the record, I've done this type of upper\lower split in the past with good success. However, the heavy/moderate alternating is new. I'm very excited about this new approach.

Weight is up +20 pounds since 10-1. I was cutting from mid-August through October 1 and was down to 208. Current weight is 228.

[IronInsanity]

Tuesday, December 6: Lower, High Rep

Tuesdays are lower body, moderate weight, high rep. Heavy and low rep leg work comes on Fridays. IMO, for legs at least, the high rep work is much more taxing.


Back Squats
135 x 12
205 x 12
255 x 15
255 x 15
255 x 15
255 x 15

Front Squats
205 x 12
205 x 13

Leg Press
445 x 25
535 x 25
735 x 20
735 x 20
735 x 20

Seated Leg Curls
125 x 15
125 x 15
125 x 15
125 x 15

Calf Press
445 x 25
445 x 25
445 x 30
445 x 30

Comments
Focus was on ROM and TUT with quality reps. Friday's leg work will be heavy and hex bar deads will be the anchor movement. Measured thighs today and since 9-1-11, the tape is +2 1/4". I'm happy about that.

Today's diet:

[IronInsanity]

Quote

Tuesday, December 6:

I was asked about what I ate on another site, so I thought I'd post it here too:

In order, from 6:30a to 10:00p

- 1 cup MuscleEgg egg whites - chocolate
- 4 slices of wheat toast
- 4-egg steak and cheese omelet (8 oz. steak)
- 2 cups of oats
- 2 bananas
- 1 cup MuscleEgg egg whites - plain
- 2 scoops of whey
- Double Cheeseburger
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 bowl of shredded wheat cereal
- Steak (10 oz.)
- Baked potato
- Peanut butter sandwich

[IronInsanity]

Thursday, December 8: Upper, High Rep

I think that the high rep days may beat me down more than the heavy/ low rep days...

Chest

Reverse Grip DB Incline
50 x 12 wu
50 x 12 wo
75 x 12
100 x 10
100 x 10

Flat BB Bench
135 x 12 wu
225 x 15
225 x 15
225 x 15
225 x 20

Back

Bent Over Rows w/ EZ Bar
125 x 12
175 x 12
225 x 12
225 x 15

Carlmans
100 x 15
100 x 15
110 x 12

Cobras
120 x 15
120 x 15
120 x 15
--weight per side

Chinups
BW x 15
BW x 15
BW x 15

Shoulders

DB Laterals
30 x 12
30 x 12
30 x 12
30 x 12

DB Front Raises
25 x 15
25 x 15
25 x 15

BB Shoulder Press
135 x 15
205 x 15
205 x 15

Arms

French Press
125 x 20
125 x 25

DB Concentration Curls
40 x 15
40 x 15

Comments
Tough workout. It'll take me a couple of weeks to get used to this full upper body work. No more upper work until Monday's heavy day. Tomorrow is lower/ heavy.

[IronInsanity]

Friday, December 9: Lower/ Heavy Day

Tuesday was high rep day for legs, anchored by squats, back and front. Today was heavy, low rep work with hex bar deads being the main movement.

Warmup
10-15 minutes on the bike

Deads w/ hex bar
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
505 x 5
505 x 5

Leg Press
645 x 10
735 x 10
915 x 10
915 x 10

Leg Extensions
155 x 8
155 x 8
155 x 8

Calf Presses
915 x 8
915 x 8
915 x 8
915 x 9

Abs, Rope Crunches
150 x 15
150 x 15
150 x 15
150 x 15

Comments
The hex bar deads are really hitting the quads. I think they may be the biggest contributor to my recent growth on my thighs. Looking forward to weekend of rest/ recovery before hitting it hard Monday with a heavy upper day.

[IronInsanity]

Monday, December 12: Upper/ Heavy

Today was upper body, heavy and rep ranges of 5-8.

Shoulders

DB Laterals
25 x 10 wu
30 x 10 wu
40 x 8
40 x 8

BB Shoulder Presses - Seated (Smith)
135 x 10 wu
225 x 5
275 x 5
325 x 5
325 x 4
305 x 8

Chest

BB Incline Bench
305 x 8
315 x 5
335 x 5
335 x 5

Back

Bent Over Rows w/ EZ Bar
125 x 8
215 x 8
285 x 8

Seated Cable Rows
Stack x 8
Stack x 8

Close Grip Pullups
BW + 50 x 6
BW + 50 x 5

Triceps

Pushdowns
180 x 8
200 x 8
200 x 8
200 x 8

Comments
Shoulders: Lead off with shoulders again since from an injury standpoint I never have any issues with shoulder work. I was pleased with the work.
Chest: The inclines gave no no grief with my right shoulder for a change. Kept volume light while I was ahead and moved along.
Back: Back was still a little tender from Friday's deads so not much rowing. I am having a little trouble establishing the MMC with heavy back work vs. moderate weight and higher reps. It'll come.
Arms: Not much. No direct bicep work and only 4 sets of direct tricep work.

Tomorrow is high rep legs...

Between sets...

[IronInsanity]

Tuesday, December 13: Lower/ High Reps

Today was legs, high reps. Moved deads and squats to Friday (heavy) to give the lower back a little extra recovery.

Calves

Calf Presses
335 x 30
335 x 30
535 x 30
535 x 30
535 x 25
535 x 22
535 x 29
535 x 30
535 x 30
535 x 30
535 x 29
--Varied the foot position, toes in/out

Legs

Leg Press
535 x 25
535 x 25
735 x 20
735 x 20
735 x 20

Leg Extensions
125 x 12
125 x 15
125 x 15
140 x 12
140 x 15

Seated Leg Curls
140 x 12
125 x 15
125 x 15
125 x 12
125 x 13

Comments:
Measured thighs yesterday and lower thigh (5" above knee) is +2.5" since 9-1-11. Some was muscle memory due to knee injury preventing most of my leg work but much of it is new growth. Heavy legs on Friday.

[IronInsanity]

Wednesday is rest day. Tomorrow is upper body/ high rep.

[IronInsanity]

Thursday, December 15: Upper/ High Rep

Today was upper body, high rep. I was gonna pull out the stops and do 200-300 pullups, but the bicep tendons don't like to cooperate with that kind of volume anymore.

Back

1-Arm High to Low Cable Rows
90 x 12
90 x 12
110 x 12
110 x 12
--AKA Carlmans

Pullups/Chinups
BW + 10 x 12 (V pullup)
BW + 10 x 12 (chin)
BW + 10 x 12 (V pullup)
BW + 10 x 12 (chin)
BW + 10 x 12 (V pullup)
BW + 10 x 12 (chin)
--All that the bicep tendons could handle.

Cobras
120 x 15
120 x 15
--Weight per side

Chest

BB Incline Bench
135 x 12
225 x 15
225 x 15
225 x 15
225 x 15
255 x 12
255 x 10
--BB Inclines are cooperating with my right shoulder!

Cable Crossovers
120 x 12
120 x 15
120 x 15

Shoulders

1-Arm Cable Laterals - Leaning
40 x 12
40 x 12
50 x 10

Front DB Raises
35 x 12
35 x 12
35 x 12
35 x 12

Arms

High to Low Cable Curls
70 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12
--Weight per side. Flexed and held FDB each rep.

1-Arm Pushdowns
110 x 12
110 x 12
110 x 12
110 x 13

Comments
Back: No rowing in order to save the lower back for deads tomorrow.
Chest: BB Incline work is feeling good on the shoulders ATM.
Shoulders: Went easy on the shoulders today. I beat them enough.
Arms: Just a little direct work.

Lower/ Heavy tomorrow.

[IronInsanity]

Friday, December 16: Lower/ Heavy (Rep Range: 5-8)

15 minutes on stationary bike

Leg Extensions
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
--These were done as warmup

Deads with hex bar
135 x 8
225 x 8
315 x 5
515 x 6

Back Squats
225 x 8
325 x 8
325 x 8
325 x 8

Leg Extensions
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8

Standing Calf Raises
Stack x 8
Stack x 8
Stack x 8
Stack x 8

Comments:
Second week of new routine in the books. Body feels a little less wrecked than last week.

100# plates on the end...

[IronInsanity]

Monday, December 26: Upper Body/ High Reps

My lower back was injured some how or another during the end of last week so I avoided rows and pulls and kept things pretty light otherwise. I'll keep working around it until I figure out what it is.

1-Arm High to Low Cable Rows
80 x 15
80 x 15
110 x 10
110 x 10

Cobras
120 x 10
120 x 12
120 x 15

Chinups
BW x 12
BW + 25 x 10
BW + 25 x 10

DB Laterals
25 x 10
30 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10

BB Incline Bench
135 x 10
135 x 10
205 x 10
255 x 10
305 x 5
275 x 10

Cable Crossovers
120 x 10
120 x 10
120 x 10

Rope Pushdowns
120 x 12
160 x 10
160 x 10
180 x 10

Comments
It was a good start back to the training week and I didn't aggravate anything, so all is good.

[IronInsanity]

Tuesday, December 27: Biceps

I was scheduled to work legs today but I bumped them to give a little more healing/recovery time to the lower back. The bicep tendons were feeling OK today so I just did a few sets of bicep work, which I rarely do.

High Cable Curls
50 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12
70 x 12
70 x 12
70 x 12
80 x 12
80 x 12
80 x 12
--Weight per side. Held and squeezed at peak contraction (FDB).

Plate Hammer Curls
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
--It's good to have 100# plates around for these.

DB Curls
40 x 15
40 x 15

Comments:
Felt good to get a little pump going in the biceps. I'll hit legs Wednesday or Thursday.