Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

yeah. it'll help me big time, I think. it's good that he played college ball and is a strength trainer for local high schools, too. :) my fingers are crossed.

oh ... but I'm gonna break him on leg day, Friday. :D :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Just do it! :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Rocked chest today, heavy dumbbell inclines, heavy bench, heavy vertical bench, flyes....went to finish with dips and my right elbow said "No". :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Awesome, Admiral! I love having a day where mentally it seems like you can go forever ... and you only stop once a body part says "no." :r

Eating some pancakes before going in for a bunch of rows. Front delts are sore (just DOMS sore) from yesterday, which I guess means that I was doing something right for a change. :tf

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Hope the rowing is going well, Dokk...think I wll do some too! :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

It went well enough that a couple guys stopped to watch me do my old skool t-bar rows. :r Only got to 9 25lb plates. I tried 10; but my body said "no." :r So I went back down to 8 and cranked out some extra reps.

Did HS low rows, HS high rows, lat pulldowns, narrow-grip pulldowns, barbell bent-over rows, t-bar old skools, and finished with a few sets each of hammer curls and cable 1-arm curls -- all in an hour. :tu

I'm gonna be feeling that tomorrow. :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I am inspired, Dokk! :wo

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

You'll crush it, Admiral! :ze

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Good bench this morning. decided to try a 1RM for the first time. Hit 205, tying previous max, hit 215 with no problems, then crushed 225. Felt like I had more, but didn't want to push it too much. Followed up with some incline bench work and some bar curls. Spin in the morning, if I wake up - quite a bit past my bedtime now and I am wide awake. Hate it when that happens.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Nice job, Pete! :tu

Hit back and sholuders today, was short on energy so changed it up. Did 100 pull-ups, followed by high rep sets of T-Bar rows with 5 plates. Finshed up with reps on Bentover rows at 275.

I was pretty much gassed but manged to finish with some heavy seated military presses and heavy shrugs. I have training tomorrow, and a hockey game tomorrow night, so I am out of the gym until Thursday.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Thanks! I gotta ask, how the heck do you work full time, lift as much/often as you do, play hockey, and still have time to smoke cigars now and again? Do you sleep, maybe with a party 898 in your mouth?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Hola! I joined a gym today! :D

I'm 33, 5'9" and between 130-140 and I've never been into a gym... ever. Went to one around the corner today for a tour and joined today. Met up with a guy who gave me a quick orientation (I've only ever seen these machines on tv).

We determined my goal was definition... I used to be able to clearly see my abs when I was teaching skateboarding camp 8 weeks in a row in the summer and would like to see them again. Don't get me wrong, however, I'm not trying to lose any weight... I'd vanish. That being said, I'm not really looking to necessarily gain weight, either... I'm happy where I am.

Right now, I'm relaxing on the balcony with some water, coffee and an 02 SigV... I can barely move my arms at all, but I feel great. I'm hoping I stick with this, but considering this guy put me on a fast path to seeing results, I'm guessing I will.

:banger

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I stopped at 100 pull-ups :tu Nice lifting Pops!

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I sometimes wonder how I function, Pete, but the older I get, the less sleep I seem to need. Maybe I am already dead and just don't relalize it. :r

100 pull-ups is a good workout in and of itself, Son! :tu

Good luck at the new gym, Dan! :ze

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

335lbs 2 times on bench....you wouldn't be stretching the truth would you?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Sorry been out of the loop brothers. Been a little tired as of lately. Heres how the last two sessions went in a nuttshell

Mon-DE Squats - Max on Pulling
Camber Bar Squats worked up too 300 something + Strong Bands Doubled x3,3,3
( These were pretty crazy, first time I've had weight at lockout that made me shake )
Pulls ( EPIC FAIL X2 )
worked up too 600x1 625x miss, miss

Wed- ME Bench
Worked up too 435x1 475x miss, miss

Pulling sucked, my bar path was total sh1t...Not sure why, but it was off horribly. It would fly off the ground and end up away from me, so the lift would stall horribly. Tried the second time and same thing happened...Horsesh1t.

Benching sucked also. It was a mess. 435 was a smoke show. First time with 475, it went down, came off the chest fell out of my groove and got pinned. Second time around stayed in the groove and got pinned at the same place...Might have been from being a little gassed.

Well, like I said before planned on maxing out to give me time to take off and get ready for the meet in May. To be honest I am rather disappointed in myself. After talking to the Gorillas at the Gym, it's rather obvious I need a week off. So next week I'm 100% no weights. Maybe some treadmill work, and foam rolling but no weight at all...I need it.

With all that said, I've made a lot of progress in last few months. This was good for me.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Some great gains for sure, Frank, regardless of this week's workouts....I am thinking more will be coming soon.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Don't be disappointed Frank. Good gains and good lifts. You never know where your limits are until you fail. Take the week and come back stronger than before. I think it was you that posted the rest article a few months ago, wasn't it?

Tom, you should try sleeping 7-8 hours a night every night. I've been doing it for the last six months or so and I've never felt better. You should try it. :ze

Speaking of sleep, I've been off the last couple of nights, my lifts this morning were also off. Tried to press my 1RM, and quickly discovered that it wasn't happening today, so backed it off a little and did reps. Followed up with some rows, upright rows and lat pulldowns.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Today = ouch. :D

Treadmill today.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

:tpd:

Exactly!

Just a shoulder day for me. Some muscle tightness; so I spent a lot of time with the foam roller ... which hurts so good. :tu

Tomorrow: legs & lower back with a partner. My plan? Break the former football player. :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I actually have been getting 8 hours once a week or so, and seven 3 or 4. Might not sound like much Pete, but it is the most sleep I have probably gotten in total in a decade, so I actually am improving in that area. :)

For Dokk:



http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...hog3/drago.jpg

"I must break you". :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Day 2 (ever) at the gym... hopped on the treadmills... ran/walked around 2 miles. My heart rate, at one point, said 189... oddly I felt great and like I could keep going at that pace. I had a stress echo done last year and they got me up to 177... I coulda kept going but they had me stop. The results of that led them to tell me that I had the "heart of a competition athlete". When should I be concerned? I don't feel any pain or get dizzy, even in those high numbers.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Don't know that's it so much about getting concerned; but I'm not so sure you're doing aerobic activity at that point ... and you're almost certainly not in a fat burning zone. My rule of thumb with any cardio is that if I want it to be aerobic, I don't push past the point of not being able to cary on a conversation. In other words, if you're breathing hard enough that you can't cary on a conversation with the person next to you, then you're pushing too hard.

That said, the high heart rate, high intensity stuff has it's place. It all just depends on your goals. For example, when I do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), my heart will be racing something fierce at the peaks; but the point of that it so build up endurance and not to engage in aerobic exercise.

So that's my answer/non-answer. :D

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Ahh.. yeah, it wasn't steady at there... it peaked there, and not for a super long time either. It just shocked me because it was a really high number. It went right back down quick enough when I slowed the pace.

No one really explained how to work the machine, so I was kinda just mashing buttons.

As for my goals, I'm just looking for better overall fitness and a little definition... increased endurance would definitely be good. Again, I'm 5'9 135lbs so I'm certainly not interested in losing weight ;)

Also, this whole "working out" concept is foreign to me. Gotta admit, though, post-workout cigars taste better than post-sitting-around-doing-nothing cigars...

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Lifting is something I take very serious. I don't need to prove my lifts to anyone because at the end of the day if I were lying I'm only lying to myself. I only post it on here as a way to 1)Track my improvement 2) Get some praise (helps motivate me to keep going higher) 3) Compare my lifts to others.

Plus I'm not exactly sure where you even come off questioning the lift. Not like I went from 100lbs to 335 overnight. Hate all you want, it just helps me to push myself harder.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Considering it took me a little over an hour to do, I would say so!

I had a crappy day at the gym yesterday. No energy and tired. I think I'm actually starting to get a cold :( Taking today off, back at it again tomorrow.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

IMHO, that's really uncool to question something like that. :td I trust that no one here is lying ... and if they are, they're only really lying to themselves.

Several guys in this thread are benching that. Some more probably should be. :r

Don't listen to him, Christos. You done good. While a lot of these lifts come almost naturally to me, bench is one that doesn't. So kudos to you in cranking out that mean double. :tu :ze

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Thanks Dokk :tu

I hear ya on certain lifts being harder. I have the hardest time getting stronger on my Overhead Shoulder press. I try to raise my weight but it just seems impossible :td

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Yup -- overhead presses and bench are my downfall, which makes sense sort of (since my shoulder gives me problems off and on). Having a partner is already helping, though ... I'm really just *seeing* the bench differently (if that makes sense).

Keep at it! You'll shoot over that plateau at some point. You ever try to alter your rep rhythm or width of your grip?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I can bench over 335....ANYONE want to question me! (tom, don't answer)

:r

also, great lifting Christos :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I can't bench 335 kilos...=(

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Hahaha ... you will one of these days, Frank. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I can't bench 335 pound.....












.....dumbbells. ;) :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

First day lifting in some time. I have had some lower back problems(disc out of place) 7 months ago. Im glad to get back at the weights. I was taking 189 creatine along with protein. Im planning on picking up some more amp. creatine 189 and optimum nutrition protein, but I was wondering if taking pill form creatine vs. powder form makes a big difference. What do you guys prefer, pill form vs. powder? And why?

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Started my first cycle of the Kre-Alkalyn when I cycled off my prohormone a few weeks ago. Never tried the pill form before, but I am digging it for several reasons:

Lifts still going up.
No bloating.
No need to preload.
Inexpensive.
Less water retention.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/aap/kre.html

As far as the claims made regarding PH buffering, etc, I have no idea as to their validity. I just know it seems to be working well for me so far.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Let us know how it works for you Tom. My results from creatine have been lack luster to say the least.
I use/used powder form. Most companies now make a decent tasting drink so I usually drink it with amino acids during training.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I haven't been playing around too much with grip width because I have shoulder issues too. I just try to keep my grip shoulder width and my rhythm is explosive up, controlled down and right back up explosively. I've spent the past year rehabilitating it, through physical therapy and other tips I got from local athletes. I just started heavy lifting again for my shoulders about 2 months ago. It's been going good just I have really plateaued, but I feel it might be a little mental because I haven't pushed my shoulder to the max yet.

Thanks Jim :tu

The rest of you guys crack me up :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

I've always benched with a close grip Christos. A lot of guys give me a load of crap because they say im losing too much range by not maxing out my grip width. I take a close grip on benching even in competition benching. Keep that grip close, your shoulders will thank you later...

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

So far the Kre-Alkalyn is doing OK or so it seems. Been off the SUS-500 for a bit and my lifts continue to increase, though I guess this could be a "rebound effect" as well. I do like that I don't get the sh*ts and don't get bloated.

I also switched my pre-workout drink from White Flood to Jack3d so as to cycle off the White Flood for a while. The Jack3d doesn't give me the same focus, but it does seem to do as well with the pumps. It also makes me sweat more than a piece of rancid pork. :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

You copying me, Admiral? :r I switched to Jack3d a few months ago and really like it. My body responds well to creatine, which is part of the reason that Jack3d works well for me -- usually 2 scoops; but I'll do 3 on insano days.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Zicam!
It works.

Been beating teh crap out of my legs lately for a an upcoming trip.
In between sets of regular exercises for the body part I am working that day I am doing leg lifts, lateral hop squats, deadlifts, etc.

Heart rate is jacked for the entire hour workout, legts building stamina, and no cardio needed afterwards, :banger

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Mission accomplished. I broke the football player ... on abs. :r Great, explosive workout today with my new part-time partner. Did full squats to failure (I bombed at 405, he squeaked through at 315), banded sumo deads (choked tight; up to 275+bands x3 for him and 315+bands x 3 for me), banded high box squats (for quads and more; 225+bands just short of failure), calves (I cramped bad), pull-down abs (thats where he got the most ridiculous ab cramp -- says it happens from time to time), then stretching and foam roller.

It was a good day. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Then yes, Dokk, I am copying you! :r

Nice job on the "break" day. :tu

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

:r :tu :banger

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Low strength day on chest. Less reps on flat bench than last workout, gassed out on dumbbell bench, only got 2 reps at 315 on incline. Finished with reps on decline and dips just trying to get a pump, but I think cycling off the SUS-500 is catching up. Good thing is, even if my strength decreases a bit more, I will start the next cycle a lot stronger than I started the last one, and should make even more gains on it.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Damn, Admiral ... that's still good, brother. :tu

About to head to the gym for some recovery work. If I don't get the blood flowing back to my leg muscles and don't do some serious foam rolling, I'm gonna be one super-sore MFer. :r I don't know if it was just the volume or the intensity of yesterday or what ... but I already feel like I done been beat with a bat. :r

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Dokk, have you ever tried using a PVC pipe to do your rolling on? I found the foam rollers are useless because they don't stay intact. I bought a PVC pipe the same size and have been using that. It hurts bad at first but once you get used to it, it works way better than the foam crap.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

yesterday (day 3) I was sore as hell... took 2 of my wife's zumba classes just to do something, but couldn't do much more... stretching my arms fully out was nearly impossible... basically my whole upper body was giving me the finger. Funny thing is that my pecs have always been sort of strong, and I don't know if it was swelling or what, but I swear I had a-cups yesterday. They looked huge to me... and it was hilarious.

Today I can bend my arms, not too much pain... thinking I'll try the strength thing (arms, back, legs, abs) again instead of another day of cardio, then finish it off with a yoga class.

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

actually, I'm gonna let myself heal today and just do the yoga, I think....

Re: Pumping Iron with Zemekone and Icehog3
 

Feeling like another low energy day...but a lot of days when I think that while waiting for the Aleve to kick in, I end up having a great workout. We shall see shortly, back on tap for today.