slogging on: just do it

i have to admit that when im doing these following exercises that hey are a struggle. but it so important to keep doing it. if i can only do 10 of my  twenty reps then i do another round until i have completed a total of 20. also, since this the first of the month i get to read clarence bass blog. always a treat and an inspiration.
deadlift 20x110
dumbbell curl 20x35
concentration curls 20x35
barbell curl 20x65
barbell row 20x65
hammercurl 20x25
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 20x35
crunch 95
military press 10x65
in between each exercise i will read an article by clarence to learn and to be inspired.
dl much better than last week. more determination. more grit
dbc stumbled through
cc not quite full movements but made it
bbc did it . last week only 13 reps. did shorter moves and as i progressed did longer moves.
bbr felt good.
hc think my body is still getting used to the exercise
rgbp finished completely this week. more time under tension
c no real prob. on my way to my 100 goal
mp a little too fast and some partials
total time about 50 mins
now to write a note to clarence

when you aint enthsed: fake it!

i dont quite know what it is but my enthusiasm is down recently. i think ill just do as good old dave draper does and says, just drag your body to the little black weights and start pushing.
squat 20x125
calfraise 20x125
bench press 20x155
arnold press 20x35
seated dumbbell extension 20x35
kickbacks 20x35
dips 13
pushups 15
military press 3x65
and away we go
sqt and cr got to work on form. keep trying to get deeper. whatever i do dont quit.
bp one good one. the rest partials. never give up. it dont have to be pretty. it does have to be done
reading dave draper weekly column in between moves. boy he is prolific!
ap one really good one. the rest smaller and smaller partials.
sdbe cant wait til i switch to lying extensions so i get much further movement
dave goes on forever so if you want good insipration he has plenty for ya
kb that woke up the tris for sure!
d cant go down deep mostly because of my shoulder. its still good . kind of like reverse shrugs. i think my traps are getting bigger (ever sooooooo slowly)
pu  ok
mp very controlled. good movement and form.
total time about 45min
til next time
fred from nashville

20 reps or else

trying to get back in the groove. my work hours and the extremely varied schedule does not help. but... modify and keep doing and trying.
deadlift 20x110
dumbbell curl 20x35
concentration curl 20x35
barbell curl 20X65
barbell row 20x65
hammercurll 20x25
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 20x35
crunch 95
military press 5x65
always reading dave draper and clarence bass while resting. its just that little bit of encouragement that counts
dl getting deeper. maybe the kettles help there too. well see
dbc what a mighty effort. whew!
cc still surprises me that my lft arm seems to do the exercise better. oh well
bbc yuk only 13. so i dom 7 after this round so that i do a total of 20
bbr knocked those puppies out. faster and higher each rep.
hc pretty good. slight popping of left shoulder. out of breath.
dbrbp boy what is going on! only 13? will have to do the 7 leftovers in a few minutes, i must be going backwards
c ok 100 is the eventual goal
mp wow perfectly executed.
round 2
bbc 7 well at least i finished with good form
dbrgbp 7 finally, did it. very good form.
hope to do better next time. it does remind me though that if i cant finish an exercise i can and will do another round til i reach 20 rep total.
total time about 70 minutes.
fred from nashville

way off schedule

well, im way off schedule this week. partly due to being sick feeling. got to keep getting enthused. not real happy with my results. dont get too discouraged. i plan to work on my weight in april. im about 175 now.need to get to 165.
2armswing 5,10,15lb and 16kg x10
1armswing "                       "
figure8       "                        "
front squat "                        "
fs decided to do first. boy are my thighs burning.also started heavy and went light
f8 started light to get the rythmn
2as mixed it up light heavier heavy medium
1as ok. did it backwards heavy to light.
since ive been doing my kettles my shoulder does not hurt as much. coincidence? full movement swings of the shoulder. dont know bu maybe its the kettles.
total time about half hour.
til next time

smashed finger and all

last night i smashed the heck out of my finger. i dont know how or if i cand do todays routine. so this may be a very short blog
squat 20x125
calf raise 20x125
bench press 20x155
arnold press 20x35
seated dumbbell extension
kickback 20x35
dips 13
pushups 15
 military press 10x75
sqt and cr. struggled thru. not the right mind set but i did it. very shallow sqt
bp 1 partial the rest very partial. finger hanging in
ap. very crappy. one full the rest partials
sde just dontlike this limited movement. but ill keep doing it til it expires after 45 lbs
kb. just going thru the motions. better than just sitting on my butt
d since ive started using kettlebells this exercise does not kill my shoulder as bad
pu did them a little less wide stance . ok.
not so hot. just feeling weak today.
next time...

using this as life's diary and its kb time again

i wish i had more folks peeking in. but its a great way to record what i was doing back when.
its kettlebell time again. very exhausting but really helps, i think
2 arm swing 5,10.15lb and 16kg x10
1arm swing  "                       "
figure 8        "                       "
front squat   "                       "
im building up enthusiasm to get started
2as im just feeling whimpy. boy does it hurt the back of thighs. and this is just the begining!
1as damn. its that final 16kg that just kills me. i hope i start getting better soon, gasping
f8 takes a few swings to get into the rythmn. kind of a rest to prepare the final and most brutal of all. which is the squat. i also switched the 16 kg to the begining since it the hardest.
s brutal with a capital b. i started with the heaviest and went down. legs darn near shaking
total time about 45 min
nest work out 20reps on my weight routine. im a struggler but im still struggling
fred from nashville

last of the 8s

ok, this is the last of the 8s and friday starts the 20 reps again with a different  number of weeks at each rep count. also, new exercises interspersed
deadlift 8x120
dumbbell curl 8x40
concentration curls 8x40
barbell curl 8x75
barbell row 8x75
hammer curl 8x30
dumbbell reversegrip benchpress
crunches 100
military press 5x75
inbetween exercises will read dave draper weekly column as my rest period
dl by doing the lighter weight i can go much deeper making it a more effective exercise. i also feel the kettlebells are helping a little on wednesdays
dbc oooomph. boy that will wake up the system!
cc fair form. a little fast
bbc struggle. cant weight til i do 20 reps. youch!
bbr pulling high high high. gets my shoulders attention which is feeling better
hc almost felt too light
dbrgbp another attention getter
c at my goal will be changing in a few weeks
mp 1 partial and 4 good ones
no excuses. at least get it done. does not have to be perfect just has to be done.
fred from nashville

seems like forever and last of the 8s

this is the last of my 8 rep routines for several weeks. it busts me because of the greater weight but is also a rest since the reps are much lower. next week begins the 20s again. ouch! i did my kettlebells tuesday. today is saturday. seems like i have not exercised forever.
i also reiterate that reading a short inspiration from someone like dave draper or clarence bass between moves is helpful to me.
squat 8x135
calfraise 8x135
benchpress 8x165
arnold press 8x40
seated dumbbell 8x40
kickback 8x40
dips 14
pushups 16
military press 3x75
sqt and calfraise has the new kettlebell workouts helped me get one mm lower? maybe. feels like it.
bp still only partials but getting closer
ap mmmm... more like reverse shrugs the way i did them. but.... it will get better.
sdbe lying dumbbell extensions will be in my future for sure
kb funny, kettlebells have already helped me lift weights off the ground safer.
d   i think it works the deltoids and traps more than the triceps. maybe because i cant go deep enough.
pu just a nice exercise
mp 3 perfectly executed presses. this is important. i do it while i can. but i still try when i cant.
well, til next time
fred from nashville

overtraining or just kind of lazy

ok today is my second week of kettlebells. i sometimes wonder if im overtraining a little or just plain lazy. instead of being fired up im kind of hoping to get this over with. bad attitude or maybe not sure of myself. oh well, ill read dave draper in between movements . he always inspires, cajoles, etc
2 arm swing 5,10,15lb and 16kg x10
1arm swing "                                  "
figure 8         "                                  "
front squat     "                                  "
looks short, but for me it is brutal. in the future as i get better im going to switch to time swings.
2as brutal. really feel it in the back of thighs. wow dave is talking about not wanting to go to the gym. well, the end is that he will of course.
think ill do the squat next. start with the heavy and work light this time
s ooooh, the most brutal. at least i get very, very deep. much deeper than my regular barbell squats. hurts even more although my weight used about a quarter as much.
1as wow cant weight to get back to good ole mundane weights. this kb stuff is tough. panting like crazy. did switches in the air except for 16kg. accidentally added the 16kg this week. good for me.
f8 not sure what i think of this exercise. may replace it when i find something more "swingier".well, maybe not. nice rhythm developing, except for 16kg. total exercise about 25 minutes.
dont forget get up sometime this week.
til next time
fred from nashville

drop weight get better!? we'll see...

ok. after all this time im dropping 30lbs off my dead lift. trying to give the body a break and at the same time improve its effectiveness. the other curls etc will actually be more weight.
deadlift 8x120
dumbbell curl 8x40
concentration curl 8x40
barbell curl 8x75
barbell row 8x75
hammer curl 8x30
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 8x40
crunch 100
military press 10x75
as part of my routines that follow roughly clarence bass im going thru the lower rep phase. in a week or 2 ill really pump it up and go to 20 reps.
dl oops accidentally did 130 instead of 120. no wonder it still hurt so much. next time it will be 120
dbc uuuuugh. not pretty but ok. woke my shoulder up for sure!
cc oops did 8x40 for hammers instead. yikes. im losing it
cc now i got it done. duhhhh
bbc definitely feeling it
bbr i dont think its enough time under tension but that will change sooooooooon
hhc already did see above.
dbrgbp never underestimate the weight. be mentally prpared to try good form and great effort
c 100 was my goal. in a couple of weeks ill switch exercises. im thinking kettle bells swings. 1st by reps and then later by time. probably start with 2 hand swing and then in the future 1 arm. we'll see.
mp very good partials. lowering to eye level. when reps drop movement will be fuller
made it! go forward and backward all the time but doing it no matter what (except illness)
like dave draper who just keeps on keepin on
fred from nashville

db

more weight, less reps

now im adding 5 lbs to the routines. i will be getting close to my record on a couple of lifts. a few weeks ago less weight and many more reps.
squat 8x135
calf raise 8x135
bench press 8x165
arnold press 8x40
seated dumbbell extension 8x40
kickback 8x40
dip 14
pushup 16
military press 5x70
i know ahead of time that my form and execution will be rotten on some of these moves. thats ok since in the future i will be changing weights .
sqt did not get deep at all.when i reach 150 lbs i will cut back by 30 lbs. as usual i combined with calf raises. so far, on my wednesday kettlebells i get way deeper. i guess thats why my legs still feel it a few days later.
bp not deep at all. also, getting used to heaviness. only have 5more lbs to go to reach goal.
ap got 1 good rep out of it. the rest just partials
sdbe wish i could longer motion out of it. i think lying extension may be the future
kb i needed to use more concentration. only went thru the motions. getting distracted.
d shoulder gets activated. wish i could do l dips. might try working up to it. what you hate to do the most you need the most.
pu just a great feeling exercise. aggravates shoulder but not much
mp have to admit very good form full extension and range of motion. next time may not be as good but ill take todays result
fred from nashville

meeting dave whitley, getup and 32kg

well, yesterday i met with dave whitley on a private one on one meeting. he is an rkc certified trainer, strongman and masseuse. i could not do the turkish get up at all. within minutes we had decided that it was my lack of technique rather than lack of strength that prevented me from doing. within minutes he had me doing the get up (not too pretty but still ok). i am now putting this in my wednesday routine. money well worth the price! he also took a look at my swing and had it corrected in less than 5 minutes.
    also got a 16 kg kettle bell (35lb) this is much heavier than my 3 other kettles. im going to try to add this also.
new routine
turkish getup no weight lft and rt side 1 time no weight
2arm swing 5,10,15 lb, 16kg
1 arm swing
figure 8
front squat
tg very very rotten form. but... at least i did it. next week better form
2arm brutal! what a killer. especially using the 16kg for the first time. legs and waist muscles.try to remember to brathe explosively.
1arm even more brutal. could not do 10 16kg on lft hand. got to consider  this some more. technique tech, technique
figure 8 started 16kg FIRST then did the others. terrible rythymn but practice practice
frnt sqt wow! boy are my thighs going to pay tomorrow! just by doing the 16kg 1st made it so i could complete the set. i find im not getting all the way down but ill work on it
about 20to 30 minutes and absolutely beat! kettlebells are a great addition. friday will be my more traditional routine with weights
fred from nashville

midnight sunday morning and the need to do it

now im going to do my sunday exercises very early. its the last day i do deadlifts at 150. dropping 30 lbs for form and complete movement.
deadlift 8x150
dumbbell curls 8x35
concentration curls 8x35
barbell curls 8x70
barbell rows 8x70
hammer curls 8x25
dumbbell reverse grip deadlift
crunch 95
military press 3x170
ok not too much to say so ill get right to it. i will be reading clarence bass in between moves
dl you should warm up with lighter lifts but i dont. yea! i can drop back in weight now and do better
dbc went well but my body does not feel warmed up but i go ahead anyway
cc felt too easy. next week ill add more weight
bbc just right amount of effort weight and reps. next week 5 more lbs
bbr lifting higher so shoulder starts sqawking
hc very slow controlled full range
dbrbp good movement. felt good.
c only 5 more reps and ill change exercises or drop many reps
mp very well done. very very controlled . last time i started struggling with 10 reps. 3 rreps feel better but next week ill add more weight and cycle thru 3,5 and 10 reps.
fred from nashville

back to more standard routine and ohhh those kbs!

today i do my more standard routine. in fact, i do fewer reps so my body rests a little. next week ill add more weight. wednesday i did my first real kettlebell routine only using 5, 10 and 15 lb kbs. im still hurting!! i have an appointment with a rkc guru,david whitley, tueday to show me basic routine. very expensive but i am hoping worth it in the long run. also ordered a 35 lb kb which i think will really help me advance. sometimes im so naive. but keep on keeping on.
squat 8x130
calfraise 8x130
benchpress 8x160
arnold press 8x35
seated dumbbell extension 8x35
kickbacks 8x35
dips 13
push ups 15
military press 10x70
sqt and cr still not getting very deep. the reason my legs are still burning is because when i did my kb squats i went waaaaaay down
bp a lttle deeper. must be getting a little tougher.when i drop back 30lbs in a few weeks im betting that my form will be darn near perfect yet ill be 30lbs better than i was last year or so.
ap perfect form for 2 reps then worse and worse. still i feel a little stronger
sde no sweat (unfortunately). wish it had further movement.
kb pretty satisfying. pretty controlled. mimics one of the moves the va showed me for my shoulder.
d really feel it in my traps. its like shrugs. my shoulder still does not like it
pu such a great disciplined exercise. good form might be able to go a little deeper but not too bad
mp ist time since ive dropped weight i had to modify the exercise. started off with partials and got longer movements as i went along. also, did partials at the end.
well, dave draper would be proud. even though im still sore i soldiered on (brave lad)
til sunday.
fred from nashville

really, really,really experimenting and what happened at pt

this will be my 1st all kettlebell experiment. i plan on changing and reforming it for the next few weeks.
yesterday, i had my 1st and last physical therapy sessions for the ache in my right shoulder. bottom line. she though i did not have enough counter strength in my rear deltoids and gave me some bands to do exercises with. it was fairly intense and i think i learned a lot. instead of bands i think ill substitute weights or bells well see.
using 5,10, and 15lb kettles this time. dont know if ill do 2 sets or 1. like i say this is an experiment this week.
2arm swing 10 reps per poundage
1arm swing 10 reps per arm and per poundage
1 arm abductor
figure 8
front squat
ok here i go
wow what a killer! definitly only one one set. rest between moves about30 seconds
back hurting, panting and shoulder protesting a little
2as 5lb way too light i plan for now to get a much heavier bell today. 15lb okay
the surprise is how much the squat takes out of me. no doubt not only shoulder not strong enough but legs not so hot. may be because i use weights too heavy during the week to go reall deep. at this point im bottoming out with the kettlebells.
next week more experimenting. i  need to work on get up  oh well
total time only 10 minutes. results achy achy. need to work on form dont give up
fred from nashville

record deadlift and still determined

today i will do my official record for deadlift. by others standards it laughable, but ive never done 150 lbs before. in a week or so ill drop 30lbs so i can do the move more properly. im also determined (at least mostly) work on doing at least 1 turkish get up. i might even have a gym look at my silly attempts.
also, 5 lb increase in this routine
deadlift 12x150
dumbbell curl 12x35
concentration curl 12x35
barbell curl 12x70
barbell row 12x70
hammer curl 12x25
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 12x35
crunch 95
military press 5x70
here i go. i exercised yesterday but im doing this anyway. muscle confusion and my work routine
dl darn thats heavy.also, runs me out of weight plates. i read a forum post inbetween exercises so im encouraged and rested between moves. today, that is ellington dardens posts
dbc felt pretty good actually. good form. a little fast but pretty controlled
cc not too bad. form ok but not quite complete movement. still, not bad
bbc very good effort. panting a little but good form. really feel it in bis. also sent an email to somemone on ellingtons site re kettlebells and the trouble im having trying to do the turkish getup
bbr never a problem so i concentrate on pulling higher.
hc an old friend revisited. very strict form
rgbp. good form. really feel it in chest.
c getting close to my goal of 100. will probably switch to kettlebell somethings then
mp good form and full extension. want to really stay with good form while i can
think ill play with some kettles for a few minutes.
total work out time today about 1hr 10m
fred from nashville

adding 5lbs AND the perils of the turkish getup!

first, im doing fridays workout on saturday which means that tomorrow ill do another routine. back to back again. im adding 5lbs today. this will be a real struggle. but we will see.
    ive started messing around with kettlebells. everything i read and see says you must practice to get the moves down. ive been doing ok EXCEPT for this killer move called the turkish getup. you essentially are lying down and then get up. sounds simple. but i just cant do even one yet.! very discouraging. ill just study it more and keep trying. it really makes me feel like a weakling
well, now for today
squat 12x130
calf raise 12x130
benchpress 12x160
arnold press 12x35
seated dumbbell extension 12x35
kickback 12x35
dips 13
pushups 15
military press 3x65
     here i go
sqt done in combo with calf raise. ok. not very deep though. my goal is eventually 150 lbs . then i will cut back by at least 30 lbs
bp not so hot. only just barely partials. position is very important. ill get better. i only have 10 lbs more to go before the major 30lb drop so i can do fuller moves and with form
ap at least i did one full extension. the rest were partials. still, a little improvement. in between movements im reading dave drapers weekly blog.
se ho hum but relatively easy . hard to get a full extension.
kb felt pretty good. always makes me feel like i have tris
d always lets me know i have a right shoulder(going to the va tuesday for my first ever pt) always get a boost from dave draper, who sneaks in philosophy and workout advice at the same time. keeps on keeping on
pu pretty good. wide stance. felt it in pecs, but good form. i think my goal will be 50. not sure yet
mp extreme full extension. very very strict form. also, controlled movement the full movement
ok, im about done. im going to try a couple of attempts at turkish get up. just to see if i can learn the move correctly. im not real confident right now
total time of workout (including rests) about 1 hour
fred from nashville

another exciting wednesday adventure

ok, well, this will definitely be an adventurous wednesday. ordinarily, this would just be the last routine of the wednesday series. but this time its the last plus the beginning of my new kettlebell adventures . i have to learn the moves much better, but i will. next wednesday will begin my new all kettlebell routine, wherein i try not to bash my head in or destroy my arms with dents in them. oh well, very exciting
one set of these today. just felling my way with the kbs.
dumbbells
benchpress 8x40
flys 8x35
upright rows 8x35
seated press 8x30
alt curls 8x30
kickback 8x45
2 arm swing 5,10,15 x10
1 arm swing 5,10,15x10
figure 8 5,10,15 x10
1 arm snatch 5,10,15 x10
before i start im taking a look at a video to review 1 arm snatch.
well, here i go
the dumbbell portion has gone ok. i really should use warms ups but i just dont like them. because of no rest between the moves, im panting a little.
here goes my kb experiment
ohhhhh panting like hell!
did ok. kept hitting my calfs with the figure 8s. im glad i did the snatch video. still was wobbly. form terrible. it will get better. of course, pounded on my forearms
next week will be all kettlebell for at least 6 weeks
til next week
fred from nashville

keeping inspired and keep on truckin

i have to keep motivated. fortunately(?) exercise is almost like brushing teeth. dont do it and feel very guilty. even so, i like to read dave draper or other lifters from the 70s. he tells all in a comic way but at the end he just keeps going to the gym. im in better shape, i think, now than in my 40s . am i more more powerful, better looking or smarter than in my 20s. no, but im in good shape for 67. im trying to keep getting better.
this is one set of 12. last time it was 20 reps. always changing to some degree but on the way up in either poundage or reps.
deadlift 12x145
dumbbell curl 12x30
concentration curls 12x30
barbell curl 12x65
barbell row 12x65
inverted row 50
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 12x30
crunch 90
military press 10x65
here i go
dl boy do i hate those. 5 more pounds and ill be dropping about 30 lbs so i can do much better form
dbc felt good. did simultaneous curls instead of alternating
cc why is my left bicep better shaped and stronger seeming than my right, since im a righty?
bbc feeling it more but form good if not kind of fast
bbr still good for the back
ir ive reached my goal with that. will be doing a different exercise soon. thinking of hammer curls
dbrbp deep and fairly slow trying to get longer time under tension
c my goal of 100 is getting closer. i think i switch to a kettlebell exercise of all things then
mp 3/4 motion to full motion. not too bad for 10 reps.
thats it til wednesday
total time about 50 minutes.
fred from nashville

dropping from 20 to 12 on a cool friday

ok, always changing but staying the same. that is muscle confusion but still working on the routine. sometimes adding movements or , in this case, dropping reps to try to get better form and not tear up the bod. also, getting ready for next week where poundage goes up. ah, clear as mud.
squat 12x125
calf raise 12x125
bench press 12x155
arnold press 12x30
seated dumbbell extension 12x30
kickbacks 12x30
dips 12
pushups 14
military press 5x65
 ok lets see how it goes
sqt and cr feels ok but still want to go deeper. calf raises are routine. can feel shoulder already. still feeling back from the kettlebells. amazing. im going to really start looking into those in a more serious way
bp partials and 1 or 2 pretty deep ones. getting used to the heaviness of it. cant bounce it off my chest yet
ap pretty good form thru three quarters of the way. still much better than last week
sdbe feels good. i wonder if i could use a small kettllebell instead (or would it bounce off my head)
kb trying to remember form so i can feel my tris more
d like them but i cant go too deep because of my shoulder. btw will start getting physical therapy on the 21st. will see how that goes
pu good form pretty wide arms stance. guess you always feel good about something that is pretty easy. must remind myself to always reach a perceived effort . dont let anything feel too easy
mp very good form and FULL range of motion for the muscles. i think it was a good decision to drop about 30lbs a couple of weeks ago. this way i can do the move properly
    total time about 40minutes. good workout.
fred from nashville

wednesday routine PLUS!

well today im going to a more extreme wedneday workout. remember that wednesday is experiment day. what im going to add is a few kettlebells. this is definitely an experiment!!
2sets mostly with dumbbells
bench press 8x40
flys 8x35
upright rows 8x40
seated press 8x30
alt bicep curls 8x30
1arm row 8x45
stationary lunge 8x25
kettlebell 2arm swing 10 reps 5,10,15lb
               1arm swing "                   "
               figure 8       "                   "
lets see how it goes
wow!!! one set today is more than enough! everything went ok except that those kettlebells are deceivingly easy but.... oh does it add up. my back muscles are screaming. cant wait til  a few hours from now when soreness kicks in. i think the kettles will replace at least one exercise, namely the stationary lunge. i dont know if ill do 1 set or 2 sets. i repeat wow !!!
fred from nashville

really getting my butt kicked and those wascally kettles report

well, today will be my most challenging routine for this series. it is 20 reps with 5 lbs added. next week ill be using 12 reps.
     in addition is the feed back of my new little kettles. i went out and bought jilliian michaels kettlebell set. only 5,10,15 lb of padded weights. i tried a few small exercises. man im still hurting. it really has hit my waist and legs. and that was just a couple of learning exercises. ill be incorporating them in the future. for sure!probably will become my middle of the week routine soon
deadlift 20x145
dumbell curl 20x30
concentration curl 20x30
barbell curl 20x65
barbell row 20x65
inverted row 50
dumbell reverse grip benchpress 20x30
crunch 90
military press 3x65
here i go:
dl not very deep but oh so painful( in a good, exhausting way)
dbc made it. if i had had to do a couple of more i would have had to split the routine
cc made it the bis are burning burning
bbc wow what a struggle! just barely made it. even if i think im going backwards, it is still progress
bbr just a good ole friend. i always feel i can complete this one
ir im at my goal. as soon as my guide recommends more im going to switch exercises (probably hammer curls)
dbrgbp boy that really kicked my tris and chest. surprising how only a 5lb increase matters
c my goal is 100. as soon as i hit that im going to change. at this point i think it might involve kettles but not sure yet.
mp full range and very strict contrlled form (while i can)
im learning all the time. i go up i go down but i  plan to keep on going.  i just feel that this is the one very positive thing i do. it makes a huge difference to my ego and also makes things go better at work where i need to be in shape to keep up with everyone.
fred from nashville

pushing up another notch/ thinking of kettles

im going to add 5 lbs to each exercise today. coupled with 20 reps. it will really get me going. im not worried if i have to use partials. every type exercise helps. just read my friend clarences monthly article emphasizing chaos training. to me that simply means variety is the spice of life. thats why you will see most routines changing over the weeks. confuse them thar muscles!
squat 20x125
calf raises 20x125
bench press 20x155
arnold press (dumbbells) 20x30
seated dumbbell extensions 20x30
kickbacks 20x30
dips 12
pushups 14
military press 10x60
     here i go
sqt and cr still a killer even though i dont go very deep at this point. i also combine with calf raises as always
bp not very impressive and i was in the wrong position. will fix that next time
arnold press yowch. only in name. became partials . very wussie like.things not going well this morning. but...keep on keeping on
sdbe more like waving the weight. well, some days are better than others. at least i can feel it in my tris. thats the thing, even when you are not doing well, its still good for you. next time may be better. ole dave draper keeps on keepin on. good enough for me.
kb  oooooh burning tris. ok ok
d limited by shoulder but thats how mature life is. get over it.
pu almost comforting to have a full range success today
mp another full range movement today. this emphasizes the need to drop weights for better form as needed. better form means full muscle movement and travel. feel better already. these huge weights and reps will change so im not too worried. just dont hurt yourself.
til next time
fred from nashville

middle of the week variation and the value thereof

well, here i am ready for my middle of the week ( i know its only tuesday, but close enough) variation with dumbbells. just finished reading another article that seems to reinforce the idea of changing routines almost every workout. again, good ole muscle confusion. i wish i had used this when i first started exercising. i would also have tried to lift bigger, faster. it seems that most folks agree that you make the biggest gains when you are a beginner.
today 2sets of these (all dumbbells):
bp 8x35
flys 8x30
upright rows 8x35
seated press 8x30
alt bicep curl 8x30
kickback 8x25
kneeling 1arm row 8x40
stationary lunge 8x25
ok round one:
     no rest (well 30sec or so) between exercises. panting (just a little). anylising  what weights to use next week. for the most part felt good
now for round two
ok. still panting. will add 5lbs each next week to every exercise except seated press and curl. also, when doing the moves am thinking of areas that still need LOTS of improvement, like legs!!!! sooooo... next round of exercises will include a little more leg work (yuk)
til next time
fred from nashville

another back to back and huge increase in reps continued

because of work schedule im doing another back to back exercise day. the good thing is that it helps in muscle confusion. the bad thing is it does not allow for enough rest between days. but it all works out since ill have several days to recoup before the middle of the week routine
the out line for this part b routine will be about like this:
2weeks 20 reps
2weeks 12 reps
2weeks 8 reps
there will be a decrease in weight used the 1st week and then gradually an increase before i go to the next phase.
today:
deadlift with trapbar 20x140
dumbbell curl 20x25
concentration curls 20x25
barbell curls 20x60
barbell rows 20x60
inverted rows 45
dumbbell reverse grip benchpress 20x25
crunches 85
military press 5x60
     its always nice to go to other sites of folks you respect and get their input and study their exercise philosophies. i follow clarence bass, dave draper and ellington darden. each one has something different to add. all are inspiring.
here we go ta da!
deadlift 20x140 yikes! i suppose the exercise that you hate the most is the one you need the most.
dbcurls pretty good form. hurts good
cc slight heaving towards the end, especially, the right arm of all things
bbc darn. quite a struggle. still gasping.
bbrow pretty good form. getting used to the reps. next time pull higher.
ir nice little change in pace using body weight
dbrbp different angle of attack for this basic exercise. really feel it in pec and tris
c even that is kicking my butt (or gut)
mp funny, that was almost a rest. almost childs play. concentrated on form and complete, proper extension. im reminded that it really is not the weight lifted but the effort expended, or more properly the perceived effort.
 well, im beat, ridden hard, put away wet.
fred from nashville

oh no i erased myself!

darn! im such a beginner. i just erased my last log entry.! darn darn darn. well a summary would be that im doing 20 reps instead of 8. i also drop 10 lbs per exercise. it is/was very challenging for one like me (remember, an average guy)
squat 20x120
calfraise 20x120
benchpress 20x150
arnold press 20x25
seated dumbbell extension 20x25
kickbacks 20x25
dips 11
pushups 13
military press 3x70
i was able to struggle through the routine. i dont really care if i use perfect form or not during these. sometimes i had to use partials and what i think are called xreps. but, i was able to use good form  on some. total time was about 45 minutes.
little bit abbreviated  entry due to me screwing up the post. oh well, like life, it is always an ongoing experiment.
going to go read a couple of dave drapers articles. always inspiring.
fred from nashville

middle of the week variety spice of lite

well, its the middle of the week and time for the spice of lite, where in i do light weights in a different type of exercise compared to the rest of the week. i do believe in muscle confusion yet be consistent at the same time. IF that makes any sense to you who have been around for awhile.
all dumbbells two sets done in circuit style with only a 2 minute rest between sets.
benchpress 8x30
flys 8x25
upright rows 8x30
seated press 8x25
alt biceps curl 8x30
kickback 8x25
kneeling 1 arm row 8x35
stationary lunge 8x25
and away i go...
     okay, ist set notes. trying to have good form in every exercise except lunge which reminds me how weak my legs must be. really feel it in the butt. the next thing is im adjusting weights for next week. some will be the same but most will go up. if i struggle too much they will go down as needed.
 now for the 2nd set
      still panting... boy, that gets me going. it really brings to mind how weak i am in many aspects. but. surprisingly, i seem to be pretty strong in other ways. you win some : you lose some. but keep staying in the game. never quit
fred from nashville

last of this series and back to back again

well this is the last of the series of 8 reps. next friday begins the 20 rep series, which i look forward to (?) with trepidation  and hopefulness.
deadlift 8x150
dumbbell curl 8x30
concentration curl 8x30
barbell curl 8x70
barbell row 8x70
inverted rows 50
dumbbell reverse grip benchpress 8x30
crunches 90
military press 5x70
     and a one a and a two a... here we go
i dont like doing back to back days of exercise but my work schedule sometimes makes it easier. in general, i agree that you should take at least a day off between routines to rest and recover
dl  i hate deadlifts. one reason ( dont laugh too loud) but im afraid i might go thru the floor since im on the second floor. also, i just hate the struggle
dbc depending on my mood ill try to do it alternating curls or together. i like alternating better since i can concentrate better on each arm
cc feeling the movement and really emphasizing the full range of movement
bbc wow the bis are really feeling this. as you can tell, this is the pulling phase of my routines
bbr this really duplicates my motions at work with 5 gallon paint tubs.im trying to lift as high as i can without hurting my shoulder too much
ir another pulling exercise done with as wide a grip as possible
rgbp the purpose of this is to emphasize the triceps. for me it ads another variation to the good ole bench
c my eventual goal is 100. i keep my feet flat on the floor. i think this is one of the best gut exercises, so, when i change after 100 ill modify it by putting my legs on a chair or table to change the angle .
mp perfect form, full extension.
  i really like the feeling of exercise. my muscles feel hard and strong. i want to keep on keeping on as long as i can. i want to keep up with the younger folks at work. i dont ever want them to feel they have to help me cuz i cant do it. i dont think i can look like an athlete but i can be in good shape for my age. i feel like im 37 instead of 67. it would be nice if i looked like 37 though
fred from nashville

heavy, heavy, rest time

this is almost the end of my heavy  heavy phase. starting at the end of next week ill be switching to 20 reps! more on that later.
     i rest between each exercise . during todays routines and fridays routines i use about a 2 minute rest. but...on my experimental wednesday routine i try to take no rest between exercises and use about a 2 minute rest between sets. muscle confusion, semi cardio etc
squat 8x130
calfraise 8x130
bench press 8x160
arnold press 8x30
seated dumbbell extension 8x30
kickbacks 8x30
dips 12
pushups 14
military press 10x70
     here we go :
sqt i actually do the squat and calf raise as one exercise
calfraise  see above. form still not good. i SHOULD  use warm up sets but i dont. dont hate me.
bench press only partials. but... one day. in a couple of months i will hit my goal of 170 (no snickering please) then i will do at least a 30 lb drop so i can do complete movements. then begins the very slow build back up..
arnold press well, this is more the way it should be. that is, heavy enough so i can just barely finish the exercise but with very good form. the reason why i think many articles stress proper form is that  that way you use a complete movement thus exercising the  part more thoroughly thru a wide range of motion
seated dumbbell extension i like the feeling of my triceps after arnold press followed by seated dumbbell extension
kickbacks adds just a little more spice to the tris.
dips ohhhhh, that is borderline pain for shoulder. dont want to push it too much
pushups what a nice feeling, full range, exercise (so far)
military press 9 very good fast form, 1 partial. still panting a little
well, thats the end of this rotation. next friday i will drop ( thats righ, i said drop) 10 lbs ( 5 on the dumbbells) and switch to 20 reps . it is the most tiring frustrating, challenging, almost fun part of my rotations. as ive said before the guidelines for this come from my hero clarence bass lean for life book.
later,
fred from nashville

middle of the week experiment time/ MAJOR change

well, its the middle of the week and time for the routine that is more experimental . here is the major change. two rounds of these rather than just 1 set. so... do the entire routine. rest a couple of minutes. then do the routine again without resting. really ups the ante. at the beginning and end of the week i have a routine that is planned out for at least 12 weeks. the middle of the week i use a 6 week routine that is gathered from various areas of the routines. these routines are even more challenging because they contain a mixture of moves i like and others i hate. probably the ones i hate are the ones i need the most (like lunges yuk).
all dumbbells
benchpress 8x30
flys 8x25
upright rows 8x25
seated press 8x25
alt bicep curls 8x30
kickbacks 8x25
1arm rows 8x30
stationary lunges 8x25
     here we go...
bp 25 lbs was just way too light so this week im using 3 lbs. again, trying for good full motion and form. feel it more.
flys still use good form and being very careful about shoulder
upright rows. well, still experimenting. more of a bent over row mixed with upright rows
seated press pretty quick pushing listening to my shoulders "talk". its funny, ive always been proportionately stronger curling than pressing
alt curls 30 lbs this week. about right. again, again, again, keep the form
kickbacks fighting the tendency to go to fast. slower. feel it more
kneeling one arm row still too light. even using explosive drive followed by slow negative. will up it next week
stationary lunge by far the most difficult move for me. balance is a problem for mature guys and this one really makes me concentrate
the first set i did with a rest between exercise so i could jot my notes. the second set no rest. trying to increase the perceived effort and get more explosive/ cardio like feel.
til next time
fred from nashville

back to back but ohhh so good!

i just exercised yesterday so i should not do it today. however, because of my work schedule im not resting today. if you do back to back all the time it would not be good.  sometimes just shocking the muscles by doing something different is ok, though. yesterday was what i call a mostly pushing day while today will be a mostly pulling day
     the other good thing that im excited about is dropping some weight and doing better form. i like this cuz  i will have much more movement and will feel the whole move better than just tossing heavy weights around on the borderline of injury and discouragement.
deadlift 8x150
dumbbell curl 8x30
concentration curl 8x30
barbell curl 8x70
barbell row 8x70
inverted row 50
dumbbell reverse grip benchpress 8x30
crunches 90
military press 3x70
deadlift one of my very weakest moves. i will be dropping significant weight next rotation. i need to get deeper and in more control of the weight. for an inspiration ill read dave drapers weekly blog. just down to earth and keeps on trucking
dumbbell curls great form today if i do say so myself. it is hard to say but proper full movement makes the targeted muscles feel it more than just tossing it.
concentration curl just feels comfy but i really am concentrating on good form and exaggerated full movement done fairly slowly
barbell curl more stressful than i thought but at least no cheating. strict form.
barbell row using shoulder width grip. lifting as high as i can since the weight is so light for this exercise
inverted row ill be changing this out next rotation
dumbell reverse grip bench press just a strange different move i picked up on the internet
crunches my goal is eventually 100 then ill think of another movement. ooooph that smarts
overhead press if you look through the web youll see that many many lifters recommend overhead presses. so i do incorporate this move. now i will have better control (i hope). yeah, i did have much better form. it also feels good to do full movements instead of partials at the outer limit of safety
    thats about it for this diary
fred from nashville
   

up the intensity!

ok , today we up the intensity by adding 5 lbs more per movement. intensity helps. you can do it several ways like speed, sets, reps or weight . this week its weight. in a few more weeks you will see the number of reps sky rocket.
the exercises of the day
squat 8x130
calf raise 8x130
bench press 8x160
arnold press 8x30
seated dumbbell extension 8x30
kickbacks 8x30
dips 12
pushups 14
military press 5x100
squat didnt feel too bad. always aiming to get lower in the movement
calf raises i normally do that movement without resting after the squats. otherwise i rest a minute or 2 before the next exercise
bench press for the last few weeks every bp has been a personal record. are they perfectly done? no! the 1st one i lower as deep as possible, the others are quick partials. when i reach 170 i will cut back drastically so i can do "perfect" ones
arnold press upping the weight by 5lbs per dumbbell makes a   b   i    g     difference in effort.
seated dumbbell extension not a tough exercise but always gives a nice burn and my tris feel it the next day
kickbacks again makes my tris burn
dips if you have shoulder problems (like me) you will feel them . be careful
pushups just feels good, strong and still easy. good form(even for me)
overhead press okay thats the end of trying at 10 lbs for now. next week ill be way lower in weight, but higher in form, control and safety
well, thats it for this week. tomorrow ill do my "pulling " exercises
fred from nashville

a new routine !!! and the importance of previewing your blog

well. here we go. a new wednesday routine. this will be for the middle of the week for 6 weeks. how did i arrive at it. well, i knew i wanted to use dumbbells so i surfed the web taking a few exercises from here and there until i felt i had a viable set up. the first day is always an experiment in the amount of weight to use and how it feels.
     last blog i got a big head so i just wrote it and sent it. then i read it. oy! please preview ,then send it. good lesson. but after all im a new guy at this and it is an experiment.
here we go:
bench press 8x25 too light. next week will be 30 lbs. remember these are all dumbbells; not barbells
flys 8x25. go for form . try to feel it all the way. careful of shoulders
upright rows 8x25 ill be lifting as high as i feel comfortable.if you have an arthritic shoulder like me make sure you are not hurting it but rather are strengthening it.
seated press 8x25. i started pressing movements much too late in my routines of the past. i feel this or something similar should be used quite often.
alternating curl 8x25. just feels good. and gets the biceps warm.definitley heavier next week
kickbacks 8x25. try to feel your triceps at the end.
kneeling one arm row 8x25 way too light. add 5 lbs next week
stationary lunge 8x25 yuk! my weakest area. i think the exercise you hate the most you need the most.
ooooh. what rotten form. well, im just learning this. it almost feels like one legged squats. us more mature folks really need get strong legs. for sure for sure.
well, thats it . next wednesday we will add 5 more lbs to some exercises and add another set to the whole routine. i will, also, go through the routine without rests between reps. oh yes, it gets more demanding.
fred from nashville

sunday exercises/importance of written log

for me one of the most important aspects of doing my exercises is having a written plan/log for my routine. if im able to use the pictur ad ill show you mine (dont have to show me yours). this gives me the day, the weight, the exerise, how many and a grand overview of what i will be doing for the next few weeks. for instance not only do i know what im doing today but i know (groan groan ) that next week ill add more pounds or at least shift some of my exercises.
deadlift 8x145 try to get as deep as possible. because my "gym" is on the second floor of my duplex im a little afraid to put too much weight on the bar, so when i hit 150lbs im going to switch exercises.
dumbbell curl 8x25 again, since the weight is so light im using extremely controlled and strict form. next round ill be adding 5lbs. that will make it a total of 6lbs and i will feel it more.
concentration curls 8x25 way too light, but form and control counts. next week well see how controled i am
barbell curl 8x100 only able to 4. bummer. now i will do the rest of my routine and then come back and try to do the other 4reps well, the good thing ina way is next week ill drop a huge amount of weight and start working my way slowly back up
barbell row 8x100 almost relaxing after the curl attempt!!
inverted rows 45 remember this is done lying on my bench wide grip on my barbell and doing like a modified chin. im not sure how much it accomplishes but its almost a resting exercise except for the high speed i do it at
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 8x25 form, form. explosive up very controled down and deeeeep as i can go
crunches 85 my eventual goal is 10. after that im not sure what ill substitute if anything.
standing barbell press 10x100 welllllll...one almost good one followed by 9very partials.
barbell row 4x100 okay, that finishes the rest of my HEAVY curls
i think that about does it for today

fred from nashville

what time should i exercise

     well, now im not use to exercising this late in the day. normally, i exercise early in the morning, but since i had to work today, im doing my friday routine at about 2:30 in the afternoon. just about every lifter ive talked to has a favorite day and time. but the real thing is just to do it!!
     here we go.  darn! couldnt find my gloves. yes i wear old work gloves. some folks dont . some folks do. its not important to me. just shove that metal around.
sqt 8x125 go as deep as you can. dont hurt yourself. i follow this immediately with
calf raise 8x125
now comes the bitch
bench press 8x155 one good one (or pretty good one) followed by 7 fast partials. not pretty but still much better than when i first started (think positive)
arnold dumbbell press 8x25 ahhh feels so good. probably because its so light. this too will change over the next few weeks. just watch.
seated dumbbell extensions 8x25 i love the way it stretches my triceps.
kickbacks 8x25 again, trying to emphasize the tricep burn
dips 11 boy, my rt shoulder hates this. go down as deep as possible. somedays you are the windshield. somedays the bug
pushups 13 boy that felt good. i use pushpstands because it keeps my wrists from hurting.
overhead press 3x100 way more than i should attempt. results only partials, but as i say this weight will be dropped drastically in a few weeks.
feel good now. biceps feeling like a tough guy. total time1 half hour. til next time
fred from nashville

that special wednesday exercise routine oh boy!

its wednesday. time for the creative routine. i like to workout 3x week. sundays and fridays i follow my alternating exhaustive routine that is ongoing. but wednesdays!!!!... i use a dumbbell routine for 6 weeks at a time. this happens to be the last week of this rotation so next week will start a new innovative tortuous, fun (?), semi cardio weight routine.
     if you check out the old school lifters they generally had a routine that they did day in day out, year in year out. the key variation being progressive poundage. nowadays, you will see more and more variation. check out clarence bass, logan franklin, even dave draper. btw, these guys all have their own great websites which i readily admit are my major inspirations.
     well...here we go: this routine only consists of 2 sets but they are non stop with only a rest between sets.
     set1
dumbbell squat 35lbs ea arm x10
stiffleg deadlift 35x10
calfraise 120barbellx20
bp 35x10
milpress 30x10
1arm row 35x10
concentration curls 30x10
kickback 30x10
few minutes later :  oooooph! still panting or should i say gasping. who said you cant use weights for cardio. in fact you can check out the info about this on the web.
also, i admit that on the "milpress" i actually am doing alternating arms. well, what do you expect? im just an average guy.
 set2
yea! i made it. i try to keep my form good since these weights are pretty light, but, whatever, if i have to get a little sloppy so be it. dont stop keep going!
if you want insight from a former mr universe, check out dave draper. his main message seems to be to keep lifting no matter what.  he uses intuitive lifting now which seems to mean, do a routine with moves that you are inspired to do at the moment. of course, hes been lifting about 50 years!
thats it for now

happy new year, moment by moment lifting, how i got started

happy new year! well, its 4:20am and im getting ready to do my exercises. i use an exercise log so i know weeks in advance what exercises ill do . im getting myself pysched up now. while im getting ready i thought id review how i started exercising.
     it was about 10 years ago and i was not liking my deteriorating body. its not that i was a blob but rather that i just did not feel happy about aging (not thrilled about it today either). so i got this book called top shape by joyce vedral. she was in great shape and her book looked so simple. just get a couple of super whimpy dumbbells, a bench and start doing it. that book is very encouraging. even though my weights were light and the exercises were  mild, i got into it. since that time ive been exercising 3 times a week. it becomes a habit that you just cant, wont, dont want to give up. i dont spend hours in some strange gym, youll see. but gosh i feel better.
well, here i go:
deadlift 8x145 oh that was good to get over with. i use a trapbar which allows me to keep the weights loaded on the bar and does not hurt my wrists as bad. boy do i hate (love) that exercise!
dumbbell curls 8x 25 boy, i almost feel guilty that is such a light weight.as you will see in the coming weeks, though, that this will drastically change. im also going through a strict form phase with this particular move.
concentration curls 8x25 per arm the important thing about this is to concentrate on form and use a very controlled movement. one of my weaknesses as you will see is to just toss weights around so i can get heavier. when i switch to very light weights i can do a proper movement and really feel the exercise while being in control. watch this next exercise!!
barbell curls 8x100 oh that was a bitch!!! im still breathing hard. actually, was a personal best . have never before done 8x100. ive always had to do a couple of curls and then come back later to do a couple of more until all 8 were completed. form??? rotten! throw weights around almost out of control? yup. soon you will see a drastic drop in weight to get more control and better all over muscle response.
upright barbell rows 8x100 for some reason i have always found this exercise fairly easy. i use explosive movements or very slow movements when i do this one.
inverted rows 45 for this one i lie down on my flatbench under my benchpress bar. i then do a movement like pullups with my arms very wide. i do it fast and always feel im not getting anywhere.
dumbbell reverse grip bench press 8x25 again, way too easy. but, as ive said this too will change!using very proper form fairly slowly. the more i get into this exercise thing the more i feel that variation is a good thing. i think joe weider used to call this muscle confusion. i think this is the reason you find more varied routines. my email, pal, clarence bass has a fabulous website that explores this and many other things. you will hear me refer to clarence often. he is my ongoing hero and inspiration
crunches 85 what can i say... a pain in the butt but needed
military press 5x100 form absolutely awful! its really more of partial reps. i dont have the oooomph for even one good press. in the next few weeks you will see a huge drop in weight and a return to full contrlled movement. its funny, i feel like even this failure is still helping make progress but it can definitely lead to injury.
     well, thats it for today. i hope some folks will eventually find this little blog and find it straightforward, and maybe even fun