Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

It's gonna take more than one day at the gym to work off *this* jelly belly. :r:r:r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

:r:dance:

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Tom did you start taking that prohormone? How you like so far?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

So, I have a deadlift question for you guys. I've been gripping the bar with both hands over, to work my grip strength as well as everything else. One thing I see a lot of guys doing(non-strap users) is flipping one hand palm-forward for a more secure grip. So, at what weight (% of 1RM) do you switch to a pronated/supinated grip?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

My strength is definitely up after 2 weeks. Hard to tell size gains when judged over the short run, but my lifts are up in just about every area.

For about 3 days last week I had severe nausea during the workout. Finished the workouts and was stronger than the week before, but really felt like crap...funny I was stronger when I felt so lousy. I can't be sure in any way that the nausea was connected to the pro-hormone, but that was the only thing I was doing differently. But I did not have any nausea the first week on it, so maybe I just had a bug.

Started week 3 today, and again all my lifts were up on legs and shoulders.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

85% / 3RM or higher for me, anything else I use hook grip to work on hand strength.

For some its more of a personal preference than others. A few guys I know cannot pull well using a mixed grip, but succeed when they pull double overhand. Figure out what works for you. The above is my person use of grips. Also on a side note, ditching wrist straps for accessory work will do wonders for grip strength.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Currently I'm using only my hands, no straps, double overhand grip on deads. If I were to start using straps/mixed grip on my main lifts, I would still skip them for my warmup sets. You work your 1RM on deads? I'm currently going no higher than my 5RM, but I'm also still building strength, and have a ways to go before I start getting close to genetic potential. Lifting for just a bit over a year now.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Very interesting, Admiral. Aside from the nausea those few days, have you noticed any other sides? Do you have anything special in your stack (milk thistle, etc.)?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Not stacking it, Dokk, if this works I may stack it with another product from the same manufacturer next cycle. I am still taking WF before training, as well as a post workout drink (Currently Vassive) about 1/2 hour before I take any protein in.

No other sides...I read some reviews saying some people developed some acne issues, but I haven't had any.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Awesome. All good to know. Keep us updated, Admiral. :tu




Oh ... and I just remembered. I *think* there's a hardcore gym in Denton. Found some info on a powerlifting website and emailed the contact for the place. I'm waiting to hear back. If the rates are good and the equipment is good, I might make that switch once I move. :ze

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Chest work today

Flat bench
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x5,4,3

Did some 1-arm incline dumbell work and some dips to finish out the morning. Helped the GF with her form on deads. Then walked to the train station instead of driving. Need to do that more often, is only 1.5 mi.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I wanted to thank ya'll for this thread. It has helped me to make a decision on just selling my Bowflex(which I have maxed out) instead of investing in increasing it's capacity. Now to find a good gym that won't shaft me on membership dues!!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Push-pull day, today. My supplement order didn't arrive yesterday, so I'm all out of everything as of today. :r No pre-workout juice, so I decided to kind of artificially impose energy by making today a speed/volume day.

Warmup
rope pressdowns 80lb x 10
overhead rope extensions 80lb x 10
flat bench 45 x 10 (fast), 95 x 10 (fast)

Flat Bench
12 sets of 3 reps at 135 (my 1RM is somewhere around 170 last time I checked; so that's 80% 1RM) -- this was done *fast* with minimal rest between sets (30-45 seconds)

I followed that up with 5 reps of 135 under tight control -- basically letting the weight down to my chest VERY slowly, focusing everything on the lats, then pushing up as strongly as I could. Thought about continuing up with weight; but after I did one rep of 155, I decided that would be stupid today. :r

JM Presses
Today was my first day trying JM presses, which are a flat bench triceps exercise. I did it under strict form and discovered something worth knowing: these things are effing hard! :ze

45 x 10, 65 x 8, 75 x 6, 85 x 5

F*ck me! If you want a good tri exercise, add these in. :)

Dip Machine
200 x 10, 215 x 5, 200 x 6

Tri Exercises
Basically, I supersetted some straight bar pressdowns, rope pressdowns, and v-bar pressdowns for 2-3 sets to failure.

Rows
Did 2 sets (or was it 3?) of 10, 8 (and maybe another 8) rotating through close, medium, and wide grip with only 135 on the bar for bent-over barbell rows. Did these fast while still under control. I was dying by the end; but that didn't stop me from trying some t-bar rows with 2pies. Did 1 set of 10 and realized I was just totally out of gas.

Total time for session: one hour.

I feel like somebody used my body to mop the floor! LoL!!!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Sounds like a good workout to me, and fast for that many exercises/reps. Good job :ze

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I like how you did a lot of pulling after your pushes. I think this is the best way to maximize workouts. Also keeps your body balanced, fresh and you will get more bloodflow which is good.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I wonder where I got the idea. :hm :r

I'm thinking of making one of my Triplex pull days a triplex push-pull day ... to keep the balance and add a little more pushing into things. Maybe my Thursday? So that would be:

M: Triplex pull & grip (from ground)
T: Chest/tri/rows
W: "rest"
Th: Triplex push-pull (from hanging)
F: Legs

That would get me some shoulder work 48hrs after my chest day, which would probably be enough rest (probably). Just thinking out loud, here....

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Thursday (from the hang) is probably more of dynamic speed day, where you would want to keep things lighter. If you could somehow supplement some overhead presses I think that this would be a good idea. Not sure how you could work the presses in. If you were a man beast and started light enough maybe go

Close grip high row- then close grip over head press
mid grip high pull- mid grip overhead press

Your snatch grip work should be considerably heavy though and should be too much to press.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Or I could take over two racks. :) The time I'm in there, I'm usually the *only* person lifting away from the benches (which is all kids these days seem to be interested in).

Actually ... I could just bring a second bar over to the power rack and use one for my pulls and the other for overhead presses. :tu :D

I'm not enough of a "man beast" to press what I'm pulling. I guarantee you that. :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

hahah I wasn't saying you weren't a man beast. This much work would be hard for anyone to do. These are very complex movements which take a lot more out of you than most realize. I like the idea of having two bars. I think you should try to maintain the same idea of moving grips

The gym is always fun and a new place to try things, let us know how it works you could also work it where when you start light you could do them as strict overhead presses for the first 3 sets, then for the next 3 sets do them where they are push presses(dip underneath and press) then the following 3 do them as Jerks....That would be a impressive workout thats for sure!!!!!!!!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Hmmm ... I'll give something a try on Thursday and report back. Then again, my traps are so sore right now that I don't know if I'm going to be able to DRIVE to the gym on thursday, let alone actually do Triplex pulls. :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

At the gym doing cardio. Not going to touch a weight at all today. My body needs a break. Lol!
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Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Another full body day today. Pretty good, all told.

Work sets:

Squats
265x5 3 sets (new PR)

Standing OH Press
115x5 3 sets

Deadlifts
185x5
205x5
225x5 (new PR)

And wow, I am definitely having a tough time holding onto that bar, even with a hook grip, for that final set. I think I'm going to have to go pro/sup for next weight push.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Going to probably do chest and shoulders today after missing a day. Need to run to supplement warehouse after noon exam

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

deadlift day...

see you guys in a bit...

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Did some back work today, but shorter workout than I wanted(woke up about 10-15 minutes late)

Work sets:
T-Bar rows
115x5 3 sets
DB Rows
75x5 3 sets
Cable Low Row
180x5 3 sets

Way too much gas left leaving the gym, but I needed to get to work. Wanted to get at least another exercise or two in.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Interesting day at the gym for me -- triplex push-pull + rack pulls for grip work. Multiple personal bests.

Triplex pulls started at 115 after the warmup. Ended at 225. These were hanging rather than from the ground. Interesting thing about these, today, is that I had a much harder time with the medium grip sets from the hanging position than I ever do from the ground. The close grip and wide grip were fine, though, for the most part. I had a harder time with my grip toward the end ... and finally gave in to use straps for the last set.

The pulls, today, were supersetted with standing overhead presses. Those started at 95 (after a warmup) and went up to 145 by the end. 145 x 3 was a personal best by far. Woo-hoo!!!

Followed up the push-pull with some rack pulls for grip work: 275, 315, 365, 405, 455. I effin owned 365 and 405 was a LOT better than Monday. In fact, I held 455 today for as long as I held 405 on Monday. I'm using a sumo stance with a close mixed grip. I'd like to move toward that stance and grip for my deads, too.

Was feeling strong ... so I loaded up the bar with 495 (can we just call it 500?), put on my straps, got into the sumo stance, and pulled. That's heavy. :r I held it for a few seconds just so my body could know what it's like. I'll pull it for reals before the next school year starts. Mark my words. :ze

Good lifting to all today!!!!!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Two other quick notes.

1. I've really felt jack'd lately. Don't know what it is ... maybe the NanoVapor, maybe diet, maybe just having things go my way (job, house, etc.); but I've just had a crazy intensity in the gym and have been feeling a lot stronger.

2. Dynamic workouts are da shiznit. This goes with #1, I think. My body has just really been responding well to these more dynamic and speed-focused sessions. For example, I "feel it" in my chest (the muscle soreness) despite having had plenty of water, rest, and protein since my chest workout on Tuesday. Feeling it even more then when I went for max weight a few weeks ago. Go figure.

Anyway ... my brain is in that rambling stupid post-workout state. So I'll shut up now. :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Congrats on a PB day, Dokk! :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I go to 95% of my 1RM and perform it for reps. Every so often I will attempt to do 105% or 110% for a single, if I am feeling up for it.

Like today for instance I tried to close grip press 455 and failed. 110% of my 1RM

got chalk?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

About 2 1/2 weeks into the prohormone experiment, and so far the results are great. Today I had my strongest day of military presses in many years, and never felt tired. I will still use the full 6 week cycle to evaluate the supplement, but so far I am more than pleased with the results.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Mediocre leg day today. Given the rest of the week, I'm okay with it being mediocre. Also, I didn't really set out for personal bests or anything like that. Rather, I was focused on doing good sets of box squats with proper form (sitting back not down) and really focused on the push off the bottom. So after warm-ups, my box squats (at or below parallel, depending on how u measure) were:

135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3 for 7 sets (breaking 20 reps was my goal)

My traps and delts were so sore from the abuse they took this week (especially yesterday) that just holding the bar took some serious effort. :r

Followed that up with 5-6 sets of stiff legged deads @ 135 and 185 (with no straps, per my orders).

Fished things off with some pull-down abs -- sets of 8-10 at 150, 170, 200, & 200.

Anyway ... not the best leg day ever; but I'm content with it. :ze

Happy lifting to all on this beautiful Friday. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I've been doing ok gradually moving my 5RM up with most exercises. Starting to slow with some of them, Press specifically seems to be advancing pretty slowly, but I could just not be working it enough. My squat and dead seem to just go and go. Pushing PRs every time I do them. It's wierd, I've been lifting for a bit more than a year and I never really started pushing the weight until I read that book, and now I don't want to stop... :ze

Not at my main gym. I do when I go to the gym at work - there is a bucket there. Not done deads there yet though. Should get some to bring to the gym by my apt.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Not that wierd at all, Pete -- deads and squats involve some of the largest muscle groups in ways that presses don't quite as much (they do, just not at the same level as a squat or deadlift). As such, it makes total sense to me that you can add weight more rapidly those those lifts than to any kind of press.

I've been lifting since November 2007. I've been lifting moderately seriously since right around January 2008 (ish). Biggest gains were definitely in leg/back stuff ... e.g., I was pulling 315 x 3 on deadlift by April 2008. I didn't break 135 on bench *consistently* until July ... and that was on a Smith. Didn't break it consistently on a real bench until September or October -- just in time for me to hurt myself. Now that I'm better, I'm finally seeing my first noticeable gains on bench, overhead presses, etc.

Anyway, I'm not entirely sure what my point is. :r I guess just that what you're describing makes sense and you can eventually expect to see other gains as you work on things. Not sure what finally made things click for me. Still trying to figure that out. :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Triplex pulls from the ground, today. 135 to 245 in increments of 10-20lbs. Last set with straps so I wouldn't hurt myself. :r

Rack pulls held for grip work after that: 275, 315, 405, 455. Was able to hold 405 for 5-6 seconds, which is best yet. Was able to hold 455 for 2-3 seconds, which is best yet. :ze

Happy lifting to all today. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Chest day today. Got a new workout and picking up super pump and and protein after class. Any suggestions for creatine you guys use that you like? I tried Volu-Gro 2 months ago and liked it but didn't notice much of a difference compared to others

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I've just been using Optimum Nutrition's creatine mono. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Do you take it with gatorade or some sort of juice?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I take it with waxy maize post workout. If u use juice, don't do anything citrus ... do grape instead. Gatorade works well, too. Also remember that you should consume it fairly quickly after u mix it. It's unstable.
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Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I thought grape juice is bad to use because it is high in fructose which doesn't cause an increase in insulin release?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

could be. that's what Gerry told me to use at one point, though. aren't most fruit juices high in fructose???

I only did that for a short time, anyway. my preference is to use a good transporter like waxy maize. when i'm lazy, though, I'll just add it into one pwo shake -- protein, waxy, bcaa, creatine. I know you're not supposed to do that; but I figure it's better than nothing.

if I'm *on* my game, I'll do two shakes pwo:

#1. 35-60g waxy, 5-10 bcaa, 5-10 glutamine, 5-10 creatine (immediately after WO at the gym)

#2. 50g ON whey, 35-60g waxy (30 minutes later at home)

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Could be, but if not supposed to use citrus as well, Maybe grape juice is just singled out because it isn't citrusy.

I don't have a gatorade here, but I think it would work fine. Hopefully it is sucrose?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I think Gatorade (or G! as it's presently known) is maltodextrin and dextrose -- so it'll be a fine transport for the creatine. Remember, though, don't put the creatine *in* the Gatorade until you're ready to drink it. If you mix the two before you leave for the gym and then don't drink until after, you won't have useful creatine anymore (or, at least, not as much).

Are you going to go through a "load phase" or just start taking it? I know there are mixed feelings about this. I don't ... mainly out of laziness. I just take 5+g daily and don't purposefully cycle it (though I'll forget to take it on the weekends and don't take it when I travel).

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Get a jug of gatorade mix. Like 8 bucks from the store.

Pre-mixed gatorade that you buy from the store is dog ****.

Been taking creatine in the volu-gro for a month so no need to load. It has the waxy maize in it but I'm just switching to mono for now.
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Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

How do you measure the 5g?
I usually put a rounded teaspoon mixed along with the protein shake assuming that is about 5g of creatine :dance:

I have been taking the ON-protein with good results, but i switched from chocolate malt to cookies and cream and didnt like it. guess ill go back haha.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Try the Rocky Road...... :dr :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Hells yeah! :dr I *almost* bought the 10lb bucket this month. :r


As for measuring 5g ... I have a 5g scoop. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

hahaha ok, Ill try to get some of those cooking scoops :P

and Ill check the Rocky Road.

I loved the cookies and cream from the muscle milk brand so I thought this one was something like it, but :(.

I think I am getting good progress so far with the Max OT techniques, I lift now double of what my friend does, and he started out with me, but left for a while and returned. so far so good. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I just use 1 tablespoon. Comes to bout 6grams.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Ran 26.2+ miles today :D the good news is I am down to 187lbs :wo
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