Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Perk up Tom! How many games have you been in this week? Still solid for low energy.

Good work Huy, I don't like those Bulgarian squats

Nice Charlie, program looks pretty heavy on PL

Squats 5x5
Bench 3-5x5
Row 5x5
ISO bench 2x5
Cable pushdowns 3 sets to failure, I may switch these to drop sets or maybe dips to mix it up.

Felt okay, bench is still giving me problems, progress there for me is slow slow slow.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Chris, if tomorrow rolls around and I haven't recovered enough (or Friday) then i'll back of the 5x5 by one time this week. I'd considered doing Mon/Wed/Sat, but figured that i'd rather have 2 full days off 5x5 over the weekend. If I feel like i'm in danger of overdoing it or hurting myself i'll just cut it down to 5x5 twice this week.

I'm feeling good and sore today lol ... we'll see how tomorrow goes.

My biggest struggle is that i'm trying to put on muscle while dropping fat/weight. It's a tough combo.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Tough combo for certain, Charlie....best of luck with both goals!

Switching it up always seems to help me, Chris.

After two low energy days in a row, took yesterday off after a tough hockey game Sunday night, and did a psuedo double today. Felt much better, kept it basic.

Cambered bar curls 125, 135, 145, 155, 165
Preacher curls 135, 135, 135, 135, 110
Seated Military Press 135, 155, 175, 185, 195, 185
Skull crushers 105, 125, 135, 145, 125, 105

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good work, Tom! Like I said before, you move some weight!!!

I managed 60min of cardio this evening. I know that gaining muscle while losing weight is tough stuff but if you want crazy results you gotta do crazy work. :)

What kind of cardio do you guys do? Tom, anything beyond hockey (i know what a workout that is; i grew up in Chicago)? Chris?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Charlie, it's strictly hockey for me. My team and two others I play for, I usually get 3 to 4 games a week, plus some rat time.

Keep pushing toward your dual goals, Brother! :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

5x5 again today (squat @ 180 / dead @ 180 / bench @ 190 - focusing super closely on form for all exercises) followed by chest/back supersets. 3/10 Incline Bench (HammerStrength) @ 120 w/ Close Grip High Row (HammerStrength) @ 180 , 3/10 Decline Bench (HS) @ 140 w/ Close Grip Low Row (HS) @ 180 , 3/10 Cable Flys @ 80 , 3/10 Dips @ 130 , superset 3/10 Barbell Wide Grip Rows @ 110 w/ Shrugs @ 110 , 3/10 Reverse EZBar Curls @ 50 ... followed it all up with 45min of basketball shoot around.

I feel sick LOL

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

THAT is some serious volume, Charlie! :tu :ze

Off day today, leg day manana.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Thanks Tom! :) I think that this is part of me learning what works for me. I lifted when I was younger but it was a more traditional style of lifting and i've been lifting again for awhile now as an adult and my body (sports, lifting) has always responded best to high volume. I think that I may just be one of those people that has to work out like this if i'm gonna get the results that I want. I have a hard time with feeling like I didn't leave it all out there too, so this kind of lifting helps me feel like i'm giving it everything I have.

Good luck with leg day! I'll be doing hypertrophic legs tomorrow after my 5x5 so i feel your pain.

Just cardio today ... not sure if that's gonna be the elliptical/treadmill or if i'll get some pickup basketball in.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Hola Psychos. :)

Didn't feel like training when I got to the gym so I knew I had to do something different for back. Ended up being pumped as a MoFo by the time I left.

T-bar rows 225 x 10 sets. Dropped rest time every set until I wasn't even catching my breath for the last one. 25 reps on set 1, down to 10 reps by set 10.

Cable rows 240 x 6 sets, decreasing rest again

Barbell rows 175, 195, 215, 235, 255

Finished with 3 supersets of pullups to failure and cable pulldowns:
Bodyweight/220, bodyweight/200, bodyweight/180

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

"Pumped as a MoFo" - new standard for being pumped lol :)

5x5 today - Squats (200) / Deads (200) / Chest (200) / OHP (160)

It occurred to me today that i've never counted the weight of the bar when totaling up my squat and dead weights. 200 up there means 200 in plates. Idk how much the bar weighs honestly.

Tomorrow is arms and cardio.

Last night was pickup bball for an hour.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Standard Olympic bar is 45 pounds, Charlie, it that's what you're using.

Did you get pumped as a MoFo? :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Well that puts my 5x5 squats and deads @ 245 LOL

No, I didn't get "pumped as a MoFo" :(
Honestly it wasn't my best workout ever. I barely had the energy to get through my 5x5 portion so I did't get to leg hypertrophy; I think that my basketball playing last night took it's toll. I'll just tack it onto the end of my arm workout tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow is my "pumped as a MoFo" day!!! :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Hope so too, Charlie. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Arms today ...

I tried to push the weight and progressively load ... my biceps are really really laggy and i'm starting to get frustrated. So if anyone has any advice for growing bis, by all means, post up anything you're willing to share.

Superset - Set 1 - Cable Curl 10 reps @ 140 / Close Grip Cable Pull Downs 10 reps @ 170
- Set 2 - " " 10 reps @ 150 / " " 10 reps @ 180
- Set 3 - " " 8 reps @ 160 / " " 8 reps @ 200
- Set 4 - " " 6 reps @ 170 / " " 6 reps @ 200

Superset - Reverse EZBar Curl 4/10 @ 60 / Overhead Rope Extensions Set 1 - 10 @ 120
Set 2 - 10 @ 130
Set 3 - 8 @ 140
Set 4 - 7 @ 140

Dips (Hoist Machine) Set 1 - 10 @ 215
Set 2 - 10 @ 215
Set 3 - 10 @ 235
Set 4 - 8 @ 235

Preacher Curl w/ EZBar - Sets 1-4 - 10 @ 70 / 10 @ 70 / 8 @ 70 / 7 @ 70

Standing EZBar Curl - Set 1 - 5 @ 80
Set 2 - 4 @ 80
Set 3 - 3 @ 80

Finished up with front (3/15 @ 30) and back (3/15 @ 60) forearm curls, since my forearms and grip strength need to get better for me to progress in my deads without straps.

30 min of cardio (treadmill set at 15incline and 3mph)

Still didn't feel "Pumped as a MoFo" ... i pushed the weight today but got less of a "pump" than usual. Meh :(

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Here's my arm Rx. When I workout biceps my arms are so pumped that it sometimes hurts. You have a lot of volume but the key to bicep training is the eccentric phase (lowering of the weight). I made the biggest improvements on my arms when I started doing weighted negatives on pull-ups (think eccentric phase). Physiologically our biceps are made to hold weight. So if you want them to grow, try doing a 3-second negative on each rep. Pair that with gripping it like someone is trying to steal it from you and that should give you quality reps. Think at the top to flex your bicep and hold that flex as you are lowering the weight.

Also my preference is to do triceps before biceps in a superset. For me it "greases" my joints, lets me get better reps, and more blood flow. Focus on the pump with partial movements as well. Say after you do pulley bicep curls, last rep only lower it halfway down and do 5-10 partial reps at the top (or as many as you can do on every set). Hope you can find something that works in that, Charlie.

Love all the action in here :)

Been working on my strength. Unfortunately tweaked my back deadlifting so working around that. Lifting heavy makes it feel better until the next day.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good to see you in here, Son. :tu

Today was shoulder day. Insomnia last night, funny that I recently read that lack of sleep decreases tolerance to pain. Maybe that was just in my head today, but after a set at 205, shoulder hurt so bad I had to shut it down, do a couple rep sets, then just a few machine sets to stretch it out. Maybe it was psychological, but it freaking hurt. :r

Military Press 135, 155, 175, 185, 195, 205, 135, 135
Seated machine press 95, 115, 135
Abs

Hoping for better sleep and a better workout before my hockey game tomorrow.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Arm day, nice and easy on my aching shoulder.....

Cable pushdowns (V grip) 90, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 165, 95
High dips 4 sets to failure (bodyweight)
Cambered bar curls 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 135
Hammer Curls 3 sets @ 55
Preacher curls 160, 160, 135

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Hope you can get back in the swing Tom, pain sucks, and you've been fighting it a long time. Do you ice it at all?

Had some recovery days myself after doing something to me knee again, back at 100% today and went to task:

Squats 5x5 @205
OHP 4-5x6 @100
Deadlifts 135,225,275,275,225,135x5

I'm going to feel it tomorrow I'm sure, but right now I feel awesome :)

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good stuff Tom & Chris.

Sunday was a cheat day so I took Sunday & yesterday off completely.

Today I got back to it ... 5x5 with some extra shoulder work ... also couldn't resist the leg press :)

5x5 Squat @ 275/ Dead @ 225 / Bench @ 210 / OHP @ 160
Leg Press - 4/8 @ 660
Low Cable Pull 3/8 @ 140 superset with High Rope Pull @ 160
Front Straight Arm Raise 3/8 @ 60

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Nice workouts, Chris and Charlie! :tu

Chris, I don't use ice except on new injuries, wish I had a full body ice tub like the professional sports teams have, I would give that a whirl.

International Chest today today, strength low, hit the moderate weights for some high reps and short rest periods.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Arms this morning ... PUMPED AS A MOFO!!!

Did the same arm workout as last time and got an awesome pump off it this time. Last time was strange cuz my pump was minimal and the soreness didn't hit me until about 2 days later but I'm already feeling it today. Good stuff!!!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Yes, Charlie! :tu

Back today. Fogot my preworkout drink, my headphones, and was late. Great day...not.

Cable pulldowns 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 290
Cable rows 220, 240, 260, 280
Barbell rows 225, 255, 275, 295

Dat's all, folks. :td

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Took the pain and repped out for shoulders.

Seated Military Presses 125 x 20, 145 x 20, 165 x 20, 185 x 16, 195 x 13, 205 x 9, 165 x 16

Tricep pushdowns 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 125, 105

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good work, Tom!

I played bball last night but started feeling sick as the night went on and work up with a pretty wicked sinus thing ... so today is a rest day.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Feel better soon, Charlie.

Kind of an off-day, just bi's and abs. Leg day manana.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Sick again today :(

How'd legs go, Tom?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Hope you feel better tomorrow, Charlie.

Legs went well.....didn't do much, 6 sets of leg presses at 655, some seated hamstring curls and some stretching. Between 3 games this week and another coming Monday, it's all I could muster. :lr

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Chest and back today, doubled up because I'm concerned about the roads tomorrow before work. Reps on chest, a littlle heavy on back.

Incline bench 185, 205, 225, 245, 265, 275
Bench press 245, 275, 295, 275
Decline Bench 245, 275, 295
Machine Flyes 175, 205, 220, 250

T-bar rows 205, 225, 250, 270, 295, 320
Barbell rows 205, 225, 245, 265, 285, 305
Cable rows 6 sets at 260
2 sets of pullups

That should hold me if I skip tomorow. :lr

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Still sick today ... i'm starting to become hopeful that tomorrow i'll be able to get back to the gym. I'll go lighter since it'll be my first day back after 4 sick days off and feeling pretty weak.

Nice work today, Tom!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

A little sick today but definitely on the up-swing ...

Decided to do a pretty easy 5x5 followed by some 3x8s to round out a full upper body workout since i've been off for 4 days :/

* 5x5 - Squats @ 245 / 3x5 - Deads @ 245 / 5x5 - Bench (HS) @ 200 / 5x5 - OHP (HS) @ 140
* Bent over barbell rows - 3/10 @ 180 supersetted with barbell shrugs 3/10 @ 180
* Cable Curls EZBar 3/8 @ 160 supersetted with Close Grip Angled Pull Downs 3/8 @ 200 ... final set of each drop-setted by 20lbs down to a total of 100lbs under starting weight; all dropset sets done until technical failure

No cardio today ... as long as i'm not dead in the morning i'll start back up with cardio tomorrow :)

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Hope you keep getting better, Charlie, listen to the body tomorrow for sure.

Cambered bar curls 125, 135, 145, 155, 165
Preacher Curls 4 sets @ 115
Seated Military Presses 135, 155, 175, 195, 205, 215
Dummbell shrugs 4 sets @ 105
Skull crushers 95, 115, 125, 135, 145, 155
Cable pushdowns 105, 115, 125, 135, 145

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good work, Tom! :)

How are the shoulders and back holding up?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Back is better than it's been, Charlie, not completely pain free but nothing like it was. Still have a hard time with flat bench, that's about it back wise.

Left shoulder has bad days and worse days. Today was only a bad day. :)

How you feeling?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Decided to change back workouts up this week to "shock" it.

Did all heavy cable work today, on 3 days rest (usually take 5).

Going to do all rowing (no cables) and pullups on Friday. Have hockey the next two nights, so should be interesting to see how much gas I have Friday, put my plan is to row heavy.

Today:

Shoulder width grip pulldowns 200, 230, 250, 270, 290, 310
Super wide grip pulldowns 180, 200, 220, 240, 260
V grip cable rows 240, 260, 280, 310
Shoulder width grip cable rows 200, 220, 240, 260
One arm rows (machine) 135, 160, 180

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

I'm hanging in there, Tom. Not nearly as sick as I was a couple of days ago. Looks like you got some good work in today!!!

Got an hour of cardio in today ... might get a little basketball in later this evening.

More 5x5 tomorrow.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Glad you're feeling better, Charlie.



Where've our cohorts been?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

I have no idea ... was wondering the same thing.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Huy? Chris? Son? Me and Charlie miss you fellas! :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

5x5 today ... Squat @ 275 / Deads @ 245 / Bench @ 210 and then legpress 2/10 @ 720 and final set 1/8 @ 720 ... 30min of cardio.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good to see you are obviously feeling better, Charlie.

All the flat and incline benches were occupado when I got to the gym, so I started with some decline.

Decline bench 225, 255, 285, 315, 365
Verical bench (plate loaded) 250, 275, 305, 335, 355
Incline bench 185, 215, 235, 255, 275
Machine flyes 235, 265
Dips (varying widths) 6 sets to failure

Back to do back again tomorrow for the last part of my "shockl" routine. Hockey game tonight.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

lol you're my benchpress hero, Tom. 210 is my 5x5 max ... so the idea of 300+ is hard to wrap my head around.

I managed to get in cardio today ... no lifting, as tomorrow is going to be a HEAVY lifting day.

I picked up a new pre-workout today that i'm excited to try ... NDS Cardio Cuts ... hold on tight! :)

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

I've been lifting for 35+ years, Charlie...and unfortunately, have Frankenstein's neck and a worthless shoulder to show for it. You'll get there. :tu (The 300 bench, not the monster's neck)

Did the second half of my back shock workout today. After all the heavy cables Wednesday, I didn't have gas for long on the rowing today, and the reps drooped down to 6 real fast.

T-bar rows 225, 250, 270, 295
Barbell Rows 215, 245, 275, 295, 265, 245
Pullups (bodyweight) 12, 11, 9, 8

That was it. We'll see how the lats feel tomorrow, even though I didn't have much volume, I feel pretty "full" even 9 hours later.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Had a great arm day today! Pumped as a mofo!
It was heavy weight for me and progressive loading (bis/tris).
Finished it off with 30min of cardio.

Started a new pre-workout today ... Cardio Cuts by NDS ... pre-workout and thermogenic. We shall see if I notice any results :)

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Let us know how the NDS stuff works, Charlie, and glad you got the MoFo. :tu

Skipped tofay, double tomorrow. Worked out better for my shoulders last time anyway, hitting biceps first.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Got an hour of elliptical in today ... it's been 2 days of NDS and i'm liking it so far. It doesn't hit you like a truck, like a lot of other pre-workouts ... no tingles or tomato face. Thus far I can say that the Black Cherry is much better tasting than the Grape. LOL

Tomorrow will be 5x5 + shoulder day! Looking forward to it!

Good stuff Tom ... have fun with the double!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Thanks, Charie....I kinda like the "truck in my face" effect, so I will probably pass on the NDS. :D

Wasn't a true double today as I only did one exercise per bodypart, saving some gas for hockey.

Have a good shoulder day tomorrow for me!

Preacher curls 165, 185, 165, 185, 165, 155
Seated military press 135, 165, 185, 205, 205, 185
Tricep pushdowns 95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 105, 95, 95
Shrugs 4 sets @ 315

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

After my week of straight 12's got back to the gym today:
Squats 5x5
Bench 3x5
Row 5x5

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Good to see you back, Chris. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Back is still bothering me but went the heaviest I've gone in 2 weeks. Felt good, trying just to do what I can to not cause any pain.

6x3 Snatch Grip high pull 225
6x3 Back Squat 365 ATG
Lots of accessory work for glutes and hamstrings. Followed by lots of stretching for my lower body.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3 II
 

Hope that back just keeps getting batter, Son! :tu