Didn't know what else to call this and am almost at 7700 posts so figured I'd just give it an easy name.

Basically I'm looking for somewhere to record my workouts. Back in 02-03 I had a journal on musclemag.com (I think) and it worked out well. It's good for motivation and also marking progress.

Little background story....

I've always been fairly fit and active, but never been terribly strong or stuck to a good work out routine. In the past have primarily stayed in shape from playing sports, but am getting too old (28) to play anything competitively or often enough to stay in good shape.

I've always been a good runner, but muscle mass is something I've never had much of. Not that I'm that skinny, but am looking for more strength.

In early August I was sucker-punched and ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks and had head surgery. Around mid-October I started feeling good again and able to do active things. I've sort of pushed it off for about a month, and I'm at the point where I want to pursue it more. I'm 6'4" and currently weight 200lbs which is 15-20lbs less that what I was in August. I assume half of that is probably lost muscle mass, and the other half probably lost beer belly/other weight due to the fact I don't really drink any more.

So I just did my first work out today. Was pretty bad for my normal standards, but I'm happy with the results and hope to build up back to my old level quickly, and then push past that. I hope to work out 4-5 times a week, and maybe throw in a run or two as well. The area I live in is all hilly, and I don't particularly like running on hills, but will have to do it. Also need to buy an mp3 player because my 2 ipods are broken.

Today's Workout
----------------

Bench Press - 3 x 10 x 135lbs
Incline Bench - 3 x 8 x 95lbs
Tricep Pressdown - 3 x 10 x 110lbs
Flies - 3 x 10 x 25lbs per hand
Skull Crushers - 1 x 10 x 40lbs+bar; 2 x 10 x 20lbs + bar

Pretty short work out overall. Didn't want to push myself too hard. Tried doing my second set of skull crushers at the original weight and completely failed after 4 reps. By the end of the 3rd set at half weight I was spent, and felt like a good time to leave. Didn't want to end up injuring myself. For the last couple years I've had a bit of a bum right shoulder. It comes and goes. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes I can feel it. I noticed it a little bit on the incline bench today. I think a good strategy will be to work out really light for the first few weeks, but do lots of reps. I have a hard time mentally to do that because I'm inclined to push myself, but it's probably the best strategy.

Naturally I went back to my chest/tris routine. Followed back back/bis tomorrow. Then should be legs/abs/shoulders the next day. Then a day of rest. That's always been my routine and haven't really looked at changing it, but am definitely open to ideas, since that's what I did 7 years ago, and maybe other ways are more effective. Before my head injury I'd also been doing some crossfit workouts from time to time. They are completely killer. I'd always do them with a friend. I'm not sure if I can drive myself enough right now to do them on my own.

Well that's it. Feels like a good start to my blog. Just slammed back a protein drink too that I haven't had since April. Hope to be back tomorrow, but it's possible I won't be back until Thursday because I have a fair bit of stuff on my plate tomorrow. I thought about posting some goals, but I don't really have any. I guess continuing to work out right now is my only goal.

I will say workout 4x/week until January 1st is my goal.

Before the flames, read the FAQ.

Do the Starting Strength beginners program.

In after good advice.

In before flames.

Little confused I guess. Not sure what the flames would be for. Don't really care either I guess. It's just somewhere to record my workouts.

I'm not looking for a starting strength beginners program. I've worked out lots in the past. Just always stop after 6 months or so.

Anyways I don't have anything really to say. Thanks for checking out my first post.

I want him to stay on this programming and chart his progress, everyone always chases people out of here early, how about letting him blog about his routine, his progress, and we make an honest assessment of whether or not this is a viable program.

Good call.

Also wtf at 28 being too old to play sport. A few guys on my soccer team are in their early 30s and still competitive, and our masters teams have 45+ year old guys who have been playing nonstop since they were kids.

i'm good with this. i would like to know his current and highest level of strength, because i crushed my highest level of strength in the one workout i had done lots of in the past (bench) in 4 months of SS.

but given this, he should at least look at SS.

i didn't say too old for sport. i said too old for competitive and often. i used to play jr. level hockey. played 5 times a week at a high level. currently the only hockey i play is beer league level, and am not even supposed to play this year due to head injury. other sports i like and participate in with any regularity are volleyball and squash. i like all sports, but as i was trying to say passive participation in them is good for a moderate level of fitness but it probably won't help improve my current fitness level.

used to do 3x8x185 of bench.
50 pushups.
curl 30-35.
have always completely sucked at chinups/pullups
i think 140 pulldown/row

my peak was probably 02/03 while in university.

i will check out the SS. having a program could be good anyways, rather than just doing my own routine. something to focus on.

What do you do for leg day?

Good question.

I used to do squats, leg press, calf raises (either one legged using own body weight, or on that machine). Can't recall what else. I don't really like leg extensions or the other one where you lie on your stomach and do it. Oh ya, box jumps too. This new gym I'm at doesn't have that though.

Are you squatting heavy ass weight twice a week at least? And breaking parallel?

And I assume you've put heavy ass weight deadlifts on back day?

don't know about 'heavy ass' but given my current routine i'd be squatting twice every 8 days. and ya, deadlifts are great for back.

So I've had a read of the SS program and it seems like a good base. I will begin doing that. My only problem is it doesn't seem like enough excercise. Doing one of those workouts I could be out of the gym in 10 minutes. So I'll use it, and throw some other stuff in there as well. 5 reps should be good building more strength quickly.

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press
5x3 Power cleans

It might seem like not enough early on. But in a couple of weeks the weight starts getting heavy and it'll be more than enough. Unless you're using a broom handle, even in the beginning it'll take around 45 minutes. Don't forget that there are warmup sets included in the workout in addition to the 3X5.

Even if it takes 45 minutes you probably arent taking enough rest time between sets. With warmups you are doing way more than 3 sets per exercise too.

do you work out at fitness first in perth? i was in australia last year and got a membership. was in perth for 2 months and used the fitness first in northbridge.

Once it gets up to BW with everything its not easy or quick its ****ing hard and you'll be dying to get out the door.

So I did workout A of the SS today. felt pretty good actually. did about a 5 minute bike ride at the start, and spent a fair bit of time doing warmups as well.

Squat
3x5x155

Prob warmed up for this too much, and was pretty tired during it. Felt good but could probably kick it up a bit more with less warm up.

Bench Press
3x5x155

This felt good. Could have probably done 165 with a spotter but didn't have one so stuck to what I could do. Only got 4 reps in the last set actually.

Deadlift
1x5x135

Lol, this didn't feel so good. Started off doing 10x95. Then did 6x115. Then the last set.
Haven't done deadlifts in forever. Was a little awkward too and may stick to a low weight next few times to ensure good form.

Overall it felt pretty good. When in these SS workouts do you get to do abs? I'll probably just have to throw that in at some point.

Also besides chin ups, are there any SS workouts good for biceps?

squats, presses, deadlifts, power cleans
lol

SS Warm-Up Calculator

Oh, and you really, really need the book.

i agree those are good core workouts but they don't focus on the abs that much. yes there's some, but i think for a good sixpack more focused ab workouts are required.

i may get the book, but at this point just getting back to the gym and working out is fine. this forum seems to have a huge crush on SS, and it's probably not a bad program, but i think working out regularly is really the key to success.

It depends on what your goals are. If you want to build muscle and/or get stronger then SS is the best approach. If you aren't concerned with how exercising impacts your body and just want to go to the gym and have fun, then maybe skull crushers and triceps press downs are where it's at for you.

I think a lot of people start up an exercise program just wanting to start exercising regularly since it is 10x better than doing absolutely nothing. I was the same way until I posted a crappy dumbbell routine and got some feedback. Sure doing something is better than nothing, but if you are going to spend time exercising, why not spend that time in the best way possible for the results you want?

Basically I'm saying you should decide how you want your body to change as a result of exercise and choose or develop a program built around making those changes. If you want muscle/strength then do SS. If you want to lose weight then do cardio/HIIT/SS. If you aren't concerned with results and just want to play with yourself at the gym then do skull crushers, 10 types of curls, and body weight sit ups.

well already not following routine. i suck at motivating myself. on wednesday did

100 burpees
150 squats

it was a crossfit workout at work, and still feel pretty painful in the legs. looking to continue regular working out tomorrow.

Hello again....so I'm back at 'er. Or at least hope to be. My main goal is to feel fit and healthy, work off my slight beer gut (not too bad) and increase strength a bit.

Currently 6'4" 218lbs.

A lot of my regime will involve running...hopefully 3 times a week for that. I haven't really worked out at all since my last post. Went to the gym today with the intention of doing some weights.

Ran 1 mile on treadmill to warm up: 8:38

Bench Press

2x8x135
1x6x135

I could feel my right shoulder again near the end of the 2nd set and the 3rd. It's something that's been a slight problem for the last 6 years. I wrote about it in my initial post. I decided I didn't want to push it, and that I'd just go for a run. I hate treadmills but it was windy and cold outside. Also a good friend that I used to run with (and have to slow down to her pace) just ran a half marathon in 2 hours, so I figured I had some catching up to do.

Decided just to run 3 miles. Kept jacking the treadmill up faster, but it wouldn't let me go higher than 9.5. I think 10 to 10.5 would of been better.

3 mile run: 19:25

pretty satisfied for my first run in a while. need to do some working out and drop my ego at the door and do extremely light weights.

9km run: 46 minutes

Initially only planned to run 7km, but was on a new trail and at the 5km point it said to either go straight or left. I decided to go straight. After what I approximate was 1km I reached a fenced off dead end and had to turn back around. Definitely wasn't going for speed with this run and just wanted to feel comfortable getting that distance done and I definitely did. Pretty confident I could run it in under 40 mins.


Question: Is having a protein drink beneficial after a run?


edit: I see I didn't mention my run from Monday. I'm pretty sure I ran about 5km in 22 mins and felt absolutely dead at the end and couldn't go another step.

Answer: Yes.