Diary of a Madman (Goldmill's Journal)

[goldmill]

This is definitely the best time to start tracking my progress more closely.

My two main goals as of now are to gain as much LBM and strength as possible. I finally have a pretty good handle on my diet for the first time in my life. I'm hoping that should help me make pretty significant gains.

My split isn't ideal but since I'm going to graduate school full time and working full time, I have to compromise a little. I also put about 850 miles a week on my vehicle with the amount of travel time I have so I'm definitely at the mercy of my schedule.

The split is:

Monday: Back/Rear Delts
Tuesday: Chest/Biceps/Calves
Wednesday: Front and Side Delts/Triceps/Traps
Thursday: Quads/Hamstrings/Forearms/Abs
Friday: OFF
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: OFF

Well, I guess that's it for now. Please feel free to critique me at any time or ask questions. I'm looking forward to feedback.

[goldmill]

MONDAY: Back/Rear Delts

WIDE-GRIP CHINS(10 sec. static holds at end of each set)
bw x 8
bw x 5
bw x 5

PALMS FACING EACH OTHER CHINS(10 sec. static holds at end of each set)
bw x 6
bw x 4

DEADLIFT
135 x 10
225 x 10
315 x 8
335 x 6

POWER CLEANS
135 x 6
155 x 5
165 x 3

REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS
210 x 10
230 x 8
250 x 4 (very slow reps)

DUMMBELL PULLOVERS
75 X 10
85 X 10
95 X 6

T-BAR ROWS (plate weight only)
90 x 10
115 x 8
125 x 8

HAMMER STRENGTH ROWS (top grip with palms facing down)
*weight is each side*
90 x 10
115 x 6

FACE PULLS (both are drops sets and performed very slowly)
100/80 x 10/10
100/80 x 10/10

BENT OVER LATERAL RAISES
20 x 8
20 x 7
20 x 8
20 x 6

Before anyone says that I'm overtraining, I just want to say that on Back and Leg days I usually do much more volume than on any other days. I'm finding that it is working for me very well right now.

[goldmill]

CHEST/CALVES/BICEPS

FLAT BENCH BARBELL PRESS
135 x 10
185 x 4
225 x 7
235 x 3
205 x 6

INCLINE SMITH MACHINE PRESS(5-7 sec. hold at the end of each set)
185 x 11
185 x 9
185 x 6
175 x 7

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS (1 double drop set)
80/65/50 x 5/2/3
*should have went a few pounds lighter*

FLAT BENCH FLYES (1 double drop set using the 1 and 2 halves method, emphasizing the top of the rep.)
40/30/20 x 6/3/3

DIPS
BW x 7

*8-week calves program*
STANDING SMITH MACHINE RAISES (30 sec. partials at the end of each set. 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th set also have a 30 sec. stretch hold)
205 x 10
205 x 10
185 x 10
185 x 8
165 x 9
165 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

REVERSE TOE RAISES ( 3 SETS)
BW X FAILURE

ALTERNATE DUMBBELL CURLS (psychoset)
25 x 4, 30 x 4, 35 x 4, 40 x 4, 35 x 2, 30 x 4, 25 x 4

EZ BAR PREACHER CURLS ss with DUMBBELL PREACHER CURLS
70/25 x 10/5
70/25 x 9/4
70/25 x 10/6
70/25 x 10/4

CABLE CURLS
90 X 21
90 X 21

The holds at the end of the Incline Smith presses are brutal. I haven't that good of a pump in a while. The calve program killed me. It's only been an hour since I worked them out and I can already feel the soreness in them. I'll definitely be hurting for several days.

[GetPsycho]

why chest, calves and bis ?

why not chest, bis and calves ?

i dont understand your ordering of muscle groups

[goldmill]

Well honestly, Biceps are not a priority for me. They respond well to little training and have always been a strength. Chest and Calves have always been 2 of my weaker if not my two weakest bodyparts. Therefore, I want to do them when I have the most energy. Also, I like the idea of alternating upper and lower bodyparts. This allows my chest to recover and upper body to rest some before hitting biceps.

[goldmill]

FRONT-SIDE DELTS/TRICEPS/TRAPS

FRONT SMITH MACHINE PRESSES
135 X 10
155 X 10
175 X 8
175/135 X 7/7

SEATED FRONT RAISES
20 X 9
20 X 10
20 X 10

SEATED LATERAL RAISES
20 X 10
25 X 8
25 X 10
25 X 10

ONE-ARM CABLE SIDE LATERALS
40 X 8
40 X 7
40/30/20 X 8/7/10 followed by a 7 sec. static hold

SKULLCRUSHERS
90 X 10
100 X 10
110 X 6
90 X 10

CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS
165 X 8
185 X 5
185/135 X 4/6

STRAIGHT BAR PUSHDOWNS (one big drop set)
140/110/80/50 x 10/8/10/12 followed by a 10 sec. static hold

REVERSE ONE-ARM PUSHDOWNS
40 X 8
40 X 7
40/30/20 X 9/6/10 followed by a 5 sec. static hold

SMITH MACHINE BEHIND THE BACK SHRUGS
135 X 10
185 X 10
205/135 X 8/10

DUMMBELL SHRUGS
70 X 15
85/70 X 8/12 (10 sec. static hold before drop and after the set)


Today was the first and last time doing presses on a smith machine. It was not as smooth as I thought it would be. For some reason my right should had a tendency to pop every now and then which definitely isn't a good thing. Other than that, good workout.

[goldmill]

Quads/Hams/Abs/Forearms

SQUATS
135 X 10
225 X 8
275 X 8
315 X 4
275 X 7
225 X 6 (*** TO ANKLES)

STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFTS
135 X 10
*see bottom of page*

ONE LEGGED LEG PRESS (FEET WIDE AND HIGH)
(weight is plates only)
135 X 10
160 X 5
135 X 8
135 X 7

DUMBBELL LUNGES
30 X 7
30 X 7

SEATED HAMSTRING CURLS
70 X 10
90 X 10

SIDE BENDS ON HYPEREXTENSION STATION
BW X 11
BW X 10

KNEE-UPS OFF A BENCH
BW X 25
BW X 30

8 weeks to bigger foreams

REVERSE BARBELL CURLS ss HAMMER CURLS (15 sec. static hold at the end of each set)
60/30 X 10/7
60/25 X 8/8
50/20 X 10/8
50/20 X 8/7

BARBELL WRIST CURLS (1 DOUBLE DROP SET)
85/65/45 X 9+3/8+2/7+5 (followed by 15 sec. of partials)

Very pissy workout.
My lower back was still pretty sore from deadlifting on Monday for some reason. Because of this, I probably shorted myself on a couple of reps on Squats. I also had to skip Zercher Squats and SLDL's. I tried Seated Leg curls again since I had to skp SLDL's but as always I stopped because I think they suck big time. I really hope this isn't an every week thing because I don't think it is possible to get another day's rest between back and Legs. I guess I may have to ice my back before bed to help it heal faster.

Forearm workout killed me. I couldn't even finish the entire workout because they aren't used to being trained like that if at all. I will finish the workout next week though if it kills me.

[goldmill]

Well, my freaking gym at school is closed on Labor day tommorrow so everything will be pushed back a day this week.

[goldmill]

BACK/REAR DELTS

WIDE GRIP CHINS (10 sec. static hold at end of each set)
BW X 8
BW X 5
BW X 5

PALMS FACING CHINS
BW X 3
BW X 3
[img]/forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] [img]/forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

DEADLIFTS
135 X 10
225 X 10
315 X 8
350 X 5 [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

POWER CLEANS
135 X 5
155 X 3
175 X 2

REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS
210 X 8
230 X 8
250 X 5

DUMBBELL PULLOVERS
75 X 10
85 X 8
95 X 6

T-BAR ROWS (plate weight only)
90 X 10
125 X 8
135 X 6

FACE PULLS (drop sets)
110/90 X 12/10
110/90 X 11/9

SEATED BENT OVER LATERALS
20 X 7
20 X 6
15 X 8
15 X 10
I used a cool variation here that I think I may keep doing. Instead of having my palms face down I had them vertical with thumb side pointed towards ceiling. It allowed to better isolate the rear delt IMO.


Not a great workout. I've been pretty tired the past few days from work and averaging about 5 hours of sleep a night. I think that is part of the reason I couldn't get all of my reps on pullups. I also skipped Hammer strength row because of it. Power Cleans wore me out quick because of lack of sleep as well. However, my Deadlift is going up very quickly which is great. Even though I felt kind of sluggish I had a real good pump in my back and know I'll feel it tommorrow.

[goldmill]

CHEST/CALVES/BICEPS

FLAT BARBELL BENCH PRESS
135 X 10
185 X 6
225 X 6
235 X 3
205 X 7

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS (7 sec. static hold at the end of each set)
80 X 7
75 X 7
75 X 6

INCLINE SMITH MACHINE PRESSES(7 sec. negatives)
155 x 6
135 x 6 (5 sec. static hold)

INCLINE FLYES (1 and 2 halves rep method)
35/25/15 X 7/4/3

DIPS
BW X 8

8 weeks to bigger calves

STANDING SMITH MACHINE CALVE RAISES
225/185/115 X 10/10 + 30 sec. of partials/10 + 30 sec. of partials

225/185/115 x 10/8 + 30 sec. of partials/9 + 30 sec. of partials

BARBELL CURLS
90/70/50 X 10/5/5

WIDE-GRIP PREACHER CURLS
70 X 9
80 X 5

INCLINE CURLS
30 X 8
30 X 7
30 X 6

HYPEREXTENSIONS (active recovery)
BW X 20

I actually got 7 hours of sleep but I could probably use about 20 to get myself right. I should be able to get about 8-9 hours on Friday and Saturday which should help me catch things up. So yeah, lack of sleep means I was a little sluggish especially on Biceps. Chest was an ok workout but I couldn't do what I wanted to do because the gym was a little crowded. Those 2 sets of calve raises were intense as hell. Biceps sucked so I did them quickly to get something out of them.

I hope that little bit of active recovery will help the soreness from deadlifts because it is sore as hell again this week and I'm planning on an Austrian Blitz on my legs Friday using squats.