The Testosterone Monologues

Dragan

Workout : Chest and Back ( yummy! )

Flat Dumbell Press : 24(12 - warm up ) 36kilos (8,8,8)
Chins(sloooooow)/Lat Pulls(150 lbs) : 3/7 , 3/7 , 3/6
Pec Dec : 90(12) 110(10) 130(7 - PB)
Seated Row : Full stack ( 10,10,10)
Flat Bench : 80kilos 3,3,3,3
Bent Over Rows 80kilos : 12,12,12

Thoughts :

1) Back was still tired from Saturday would you believe? Nuts I tells ya.

2) Chest is very nicely domificated today I gotta tell you.

3) The chins were awesome, did them really slow, stopped before failure then straight into the lat pulls.

4) Was happy enough to knock out 4 sets of 3 with 80kilos on an already tired chest.

5) That’s about it! Tonight is shoulders and arms , I changed up the split this week as I needed to do two workouts two days in a row!

Dragan

Nothing like having someone working out with you from Fitness over on boards.ie to make you post a good session!!

Location : Westwood
Training Partner : Sleepy!

Workout :
Dumbell Bench Press : ( warm up : 22 by 12 by 2 ) 36(10 - PB! ) 36(10-PB!) 40(4-PB!)
Bent Over One Arm Rows : 30(12 a side to warm up ) 45 (15-PB! , 12, 10 )
Standing Military Press : 20(12 - warm up ) 40(12) 50(10) 60(6)
Dumbell Curls(22kilos)/Hammer Curls(15) : 8/12
Hammer Curls(22kilos)/Dubmell Curls(15) : 12/8
Tricep Rope Pushdowns : 45(12) , 57(10) , 68(6)

Thoughts :

1) Nice session, really happy with the chest work, do I dare to dream about someday repping those big 45kilo dumbells??? Awesome! It seems my chest is finally making some ground on the rest of me, which I am happy about as I have been working it like a dog!

2) 15 reps raw with 45kilos on the 1 arm row…..happy with that.

3) Military presses were nice, reps would have been higher of fresh shoulders but they were just a little tired from the benching. Arms looks stupid big while I was doing them though!

4) Overall a nice workout! Met up with Sleepy and asked him did he want to train! He's more than willing to put the work in, and a couple of months of similar effort and a clever plan and diet will see him improve dramatically! It's nice to someone coming back with a willingness to work and learn, instead of sit there and wonder why things won't improve and never question it!

Song for the Day :

In Flames : Only for the Weak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm-AoCn7Wrw

Dr4gul4

Good to see you back posting away big man.

keep it up it's good reading

Dragan

Never, ever let assumptions hold you back.

Workout :
Plate Loaded Flat Press : 40(12) 80(12) 100(13 - PB! ) 140(6 - PB!)
Lateral Raises : 14kilos(10) 20kilos(8 - PB!) 20kilos(7)
Lat Pull Downs : 105lbs(warm up ) , 135(15) , 155(12) , 185(12 - PB!)
Tate Press : 12(8) 17.5(8-PB!) 17.5(6)
Preacher Curl Drop Set : 130lbs(5) , 110(5) , 90(5) , 70(7).

Thoughts :

1) Eh, what the ****? After Wednesday pretty decent session I was expecting myself to be a bit tired and week in the gym last night, so went in thinking ( just go for 12 reps or so, help recovery ) and figured I'd stick with 80 for reps on chest. 80 for 12 felt easy as hell, so I thought I would move up to 100 and see what I got. My previous best for 100kilos on this had been 9, so when I nailed it for 13 I knew something was up. Lets try 140! 6 reps and another PB later ( by 2 reps ) I was one happy boy.

2) Yesterday I got 5 PB's in one workout, and that was after a heavy session the day before. I think I finally have my food down to a point where it is really having a major effect on my workouts!!!

3) By the time I was done I was pumped to hell, and really feel like I am starting to get into decent nick. Another cut needs to happen but muscle mass wise I am pretty happy. I back up to 240 pounds even…. With no obvious addition of adipose that I can see. I like getting bigger.

Song for the Day :

Thrice : Image of the Invisible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY1SwqLOC3c

Sleepy

Feckin hell, Dragan, I'm still sore from Wednesday! Going to head up tonight just to get some blood into the muscles before my session with Ross on Saturday but no way could I even contemplate trying to lift the same as Wednesday, never mind lifing more! :eek:

Seems like you're really getting some results!

Dragan

Sunday :

Seated Cable Low Row (neutral grip ) : 105(warm up ) 155(8 ) 185(8 ) 215(8 - PB)
Seated Dumbell Press : (14x12x2 warm up) 34(7 - PB) , 34(6) , 30(10)
Incline Flyes : 14(10) , 20(8 - PB) , 22(5-PB)
Dips/Cable Bicep Curls(45kilos) : 8/15 , 6/12 , 7/13

Thoughts :

1) Felt pretty bogey yesterday so kept the session short and sharp. Pretty happy with some of the numbers moved over it, pretty happy with the fact that I have a vein the runs from my bicep to my wrist. Vascularity FTW!

2) Felt awful on Saturday when I was finishing work, got really hot and just as I got out of the cab at home I threw up. Went in to bed and woke up feeling pretty okay, but weak and tired and decided the best cure would be the gym.

That’s about it, happy enough with the session.

Song for the Day :

Brand New : The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6s5MZFm8RM

Dragan

I am a silly boy!!!

Workout :

21-15-9
Chins ( combo of jumping and kipping )
Free Squats
Push Ups
Ended each round with a 60 second bridge.

8mins and 19 seconds.

Rack Pulls ( from knee ) : 100(8) , 140(4) , 180(4) 220(2) , 260(1) , 280(1) , 300(0) BUGGER!
Standing Military Press : 60(6) , 60(6) , 60(8 - PB )

Circuit : ran through 3 times with no rest.
Bicep Curls ( 20kilos for 8 reps )
One Arm Snatches ( 36 by 2 left and right )
Lateral Raises ( 14 by 10 )
Tate Press (17.5 by 6 )
Standing Shoulder Press ( 20 kilos by 8 )

1) I was down with my training partner and was running her through the Crossfit style workout at the start. I just kind of did it with her without really noticing it until mid way through, then I decided to just finish it out!! Was pretty happy with the time as I wasn't pushing myself and was pacing to her time on a scaled back version. ( reps were the same, weights were different )

2) My abs hurt, and it aint from those 3 bridges as I would do them easily. Rather it was the circuit at the end, talk about constant Ab tension!

3) Annoyed I missed the 300 rack pull but I can close! Unlike the last two time my muscle were firing and taking the strain at least, rather than not being able to budge it at all!!!! I think I will drop back below the the knee now and see what moves from there. Maybe I would have gotten it without the 45 chin variants I crammed into 8 mins before hand???

4) Happy enough overall, twas a tough session and I was tired and hungry afterwards. I enjoyed the circuit at the end as well, lots of fun!!!

Song for the Day :

Cold - Happens all the Time : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1SF7q4FBns

Dragan

Workout : Back and Chest
3 rounds of
6 Power Cleans @ 60 kilos
15 Push Ups
30 sec Bridge

Power Cleans - 5 singles with 80kilos.
Lat Pull Down Super Set : 195lbs ( 5) 165lbs( 5) 135lbs(10)
Slow Negative Pull Ups : 5 with as slow a descent as possible. Done as singles.

Incline Bench Press (32kilos)/Flye(12kilos) Superset , 8/7 , 6/6 7/6

Thoughts :

1) Nice session, the first tri set for rounds really hit home hard. I was taking as little rest as possible between them and by the end of the third one my lungs were burning. I was finishing the push ups and dropping straight onto my elbows for the bridges so my abs are nicely fried today I must say! As a giant set it really smacks the hell out of the poor ab muscles!

2) The 80 for singles were pretty smooth and nice, happy with them. Ideally I would like to be moving a lot more weight on these but it will take time I suppose. Happy with the incline pressing as well, felt really good in my chest. All in all happy enough with the session and looking forward to arms and shoulders tonight.

3) By the time I was done my forearms were pumped something stupid. Some nice vascularity going on. I can only assume this is from constant pressure and grip over the various supersets!

4) I really liked doing a lot of high paced supersets, it really felt like I was being forced to work.

Song for the Day :

Tool - The pot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc_RVyd-284

brianthebard

Was just wondering, is the bridge also known as the plank? Sounds like a similar action.

Dragan

brianthebard wrote:

Was just wondering, is the bridge also known as the plank? Sounds like a similar action.

Thats the one!

Dragan

Workout Mission : Beat My Shoulders like the owed me money!

Standing Military Press : 60 kilos for 3 sets of 8
Power Clean and Jerk : 60 x 5 , 70x3 , 80x1
Dumbell Shoulder Press : 34kilos for 3 sets of 5 ( happy with this, though it would be worse due to fatigue! )
Lateral Raises Drop Set : 14x8 , 12x8 , 10x8 for 2 sets!!!

One Arm Barbell Snatches : 20x3 a side , 30x3 a side, 40x2 a side, 45x1 a side ( PB!), 50xmiss ( Dang it!, so close! )

Tate Press : 17.5 by 8,7,6
Dips : 6,6
Rope Push Downs : 34(12), 45(10), 60(8) big giant set.

Alternate Dumbell Curls(20kilos)/Hammer Curls(14kilos) : 8/10 , 6/11
Preacher Curl Drop Set : 130(6)110(6)90(5)70(8)
Back and Forth 1 Arm Prechers : 40lbs for 10 reps a side, back and forth 3 times.

Thoughts :

1) Ouch.

2) Was pretty happy with a lot of what I moved. I upped the weight on hammers and dropped on normal curls because I wanted to beat on my forearms a bit more tonight! They felt savage, were cramping by the time I was finished the work out.

3) Happy with my shoulder, especially endurance wise. They are starting to hold up a lot better and not get as tired as fast!

4) Overall a nice session - nothing that stands out on it's own but as a session in total it felt excellent!!!

Song for the Day :

The Kooks - Crazy (cover) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvPq54IymMM

Heard this on the radio one day and liked it.

Dragan

Workout :

Workout of the Week :
60 kilo Power Cleans
10 Push Ups
15 Sit Ups
20 Hindu Squats
As many rounds as possible in 20 mins.

Rounds : 9

Deadlifts : 60(3) 100(3) 140(3) 180(2) 205(miss - by about a centimeter!!! )
Push Press : 60(1) 65(1) 70(1) 80(1) 85(1 - PB! ) 90(miss)

Thoughts :

1) Workout of the week was good, knee held me back on Squats which cost me rounds. Felt nicely weak and queasy after so decided to do deadlifts, because I'm an idiot.

2) On the deads I had this thing where I wanted to do 180 for 1. I knee I was tired so only wanted that. I want to be able to perform at near to max levels of strenght even when tired and fatigued. To get it for 2 was awesome, so I upped the weigth for a new PB attempt ( like I said, I'm an idiot ). Honestly I just missed out on 205! I had one of the guys in the gym telling me "You can claim it man, it was so ****ing close" but he's a good lifter, so if he was saying it was "so close" that means it wasn't "close enough" to lock out. Still though, delighted to have moved what I moved and been as tired as I was. Might try a proper 1RM next week or the following week, depending on recovery.

3) Push Presses were nice, feel I could have gotten 90 but my knee was sore and cost me some push on the press, so to speak. Still though, got a new PB on it so happy out. And looking to build up to about 100 kilos on this I hope.

4) All in all a good day, lots of effort and felt good to be back in the gym after the last few days.

Dragan

First off I did the WOW.

"Move you Mass"

Tabatha Watts on the Concept 2
Each stage has a 10 second rest period between them.
Stage 1 : 240 Watts
Stage 2 : 255 Watts
Stage 3 : 270 Watts
Stage 4 : 295 Watts
Stage 5 : 310 Watts
Stage 6 : 310 Watts
Stage 7 : 310 Watts
Stage 8 : 310 Watts
Warm down stages took off 20 Watts a round for 6 rounds.

Chins 5, Press ( with 72.5 kilos ) 1
Chins 4, Press 2
Chins 3, Press 3
Chins 2, Press 4
Chins 1, Press 5

Time : 8:13 seconds.

Thoughts :

Terrible. This was a very, very rude awakening but also one that I needed and if I am honest one that I knew I would get. Don't get me wrong, it's all well and good to be big and strong but you need to be able to move it as well. Lots of work needs to be done around this in the future but happily it all leads back to my one main goal anyway. Tough, tough workout, physically and mentally.

I then followed that up with some additional work.

Push Ups : 2 sets of 15 to warm up
Incline Dumbell Pressing : 32kilos(11 - PB!) 36kilos(6 - PB!)
Dips : 6,6,5 ( triceps were pretty beat by now! )
Preacher Curls : 90(12) 110(10) that’s it, biceps got a nice beating from the chins.

After that I just did 20 mins of cardio.

Dragan

Last night was just a 40 minute spin class, but it was a durty one i must say! Excellent instructor.

Tonight is rest, tomorrow will be weights then Friday will be SUPER SPIN!!! Fantastic!

walt0r

strong shoulders, little fella - one thing : how do you do one-hand barbell snatches?? is this with a oly bar? you must have big hands

Dragan

Yeah i do them with an Oly bar. It can be hard to get your stance down, but just practice it with the empty bar and then work up.

JayRoc

Dragan wrote:

Last night was just a 40 minute spin class, but it was a durty one i must say! Excellent instructor.

Which instructor?
Good work on the spins by the way....not for the faint of heart, nor the shaky of leg.

Dragan

Helena, she looks meek, but man does she ever make you work! :eek:

Dragan

Deadlifts : 60(6) 100(6) 140(4) 180(1) 210(miss - by 15 degrees apparently ) 180(1)
Power Cleans : bar(3) 40(3) 60(3) 70(3) 80(1) 90(1 - PB!)
Double Cable Lat Pulldown : 80kilos(8) , 90(7) , 95(5 - PB!)
Single Arm Dumbell Snatch : 30(2) 37.5(2) 40(2) 45(1) All on each arm! Missed 47.5 on each arm but I was pretty tired by now.
Rear Delt Machine : 20(12) 25(12) 30(12) ( no rest in between )
Hammer Strenght Lat Pulls 40(12) 80(12) 100(9 - PB!)
Face Pulls (straight bar) : 20(12) 25(12) 30(12) - no rest in between

Alt Bicep Curls : 20 kilos, 6 a side or so
Into
Hammer Curls : 12.5 kilos, 12 a side into
Heavy EZ Bar negatives : 55 kilos for 4 reps.

Cardio : 20 mins on the Threadmill to the tune of about 150 calories and Johnny Cash.

Ab Work : 2 sets of sit ups to failure, 2 sets of leg raises to failure ending in heel holds, 2 sets of The Plank to failure. My tummy hurts now.

Finished up with some mobility and balance work for the knee.

Thoughts.

1) Deadlift is confusing me to be honest. Sure, it might be a little close to those 280 rack pulls and all but it felt so good until it just stopped moving! Me thinks a deload week, then another shot might be in order with a minimum of 14 days between this attempt and the next. It look good at the time. Form was solid, no shift, no nothing until it just stopped and just wouldn't grind out. I could have done about 4 different things to get the weight up, but non of them would have been good form or safe. As such I know I'm close to a decent PB and my first ever 2 x BW deadlift and I ****ing want it bad. I will not miss it next time.

2) That 90kilo power clean felt good. I have been chasing it for a while. Damn near pressed it out as well. Should have just jerked it.

3) Happy with the session as a whole, was pretty tired from low carbing it but **** it. Today my back is just on big ball of DOMs from my traps, to my lats to my rhoms. Yummy. Even my spinal erectors are in on the action.

4) Plan for the weekend is to do Super Spin tonight, 60 mins of interval torture! Do a nice big Volume Push day on Saturday in Micks, then do some kind of Cardio on Sunday.

pa daly

Would you reccommend the snatches Dragon? Iv never really done them in my workout but Im seeing a lot of people doing them.

At the moment Im doing Squats, Leg Extensions, Military Press, Upright Rows and shrugs on Day 1. But Im contemplating maybe dropping the Upright rows for snatches,

What you think?

*Maximum muscle mass is the objective

Dragan

Snatches are not really a mass builder, they build power and drive through the hips and PC, as such there would be better things to work into your program for mass.

You'd be replacing a shoulder excercise with something that doesn't really focus on the shoulder.

pa daly

Alright cool Thanks

I'll keep doing the uprights and shrugs in that case because I want to hit the traps.

Check your PMs man

brianthebard

Just a thought on the deads do you do sumos? I only tried them earlier in the week but they are a killer!

Dragan

Brian, i don't usually do Sumo's, but i really should to help out my hips!

Workout :

Staggered Push Ups/Chins Ups Supers : 10/5 , 10/4 , 10/2
Hang Cleans from the knee : 60 kilos, 3 sets of 5, ended each set with 5 presses.

Spinning Class : 45 mins of gut wrenching effort. Hardest spin class to date, without a doubt. Legs were burning and gut was queasy when i left.

Push Press : 60 by 3. 80 by 1 for 4 sets.
Floor Wipers : 60kilos of the bar, 2 sets to failure, failure would be about 15 reps or so each time, a full rep being brining the feet to EACH side once.

Thoughts :

1) I have noticed that 50% of my time in the gym now is spent exploring my weaknesses instead of spending all my time playing to my strengths. I like it.

2) I love spinning glasses. I don't even class then are cardio they are so much fun. Hard as hell..... there was a pool of sweat under my bike when i was done!

3) I have never been so into my cardio to be honest, i think i am putting in more physical effort into losing weight than ever before, and backing that up with a strict diet. Sure, the diet over the GSD was harder, much harder, but i am putting far more effort into cardio and getting my metabolism up this time!

4) I am sore and i have to do the WOW tomorrow. Great fun!!!!

Dragan

Workout: Back

Deadlifts : 60(10) 100(8) 140(6) 160(4) 180(3 - PB!) 200(1) 210(miss)
Chins/Low Row Supers/Drops : 7 chins ( 5 on my own, woot!) 105kilo row for 5 reps, 80kilos row for 7 reps.
6 chins ( 4 on my own ) full stack for endless two arm reps, then 1 arm till failure
3 chins ( 2 on my own ) full stack with one arm to failure, switch then fail.
Shrugs : 40(8) 90(8) 140(8) 170(8)

EZ Bar Bicep Drop Sets : 50kilos/25kilos(5 second negs!) (6(PB!),9) , (4,7)
50 kilos heavy neg, 25 kilo reverse curl, 25kilos normal curls (1,5,12)

Abs : Floor wipers, 2 sets….can't remember how many I did. Kenny kicked booty at these!!!!
Sit ups , elbows to knees, one set to awful , horrible failure!

Row : 500m just to check my time, 1min 42 seconds. Very happy with that.

Thoughts :

1) That 180 for 3 was peachy. I never meant to go higher than it but **** it. NO MORE 1RM's for a few weeks.

2) The super set was lovely, really tore up my back and now it's all domilicious!

3) Arms felt good, very good. Picked up the 50 and it felt light so just went for it. Forearms were exploding, it was lovely.

4) Introduced Kenny to floor wipers. I love them, abs are in tatters today!

5) Nice session alround, feel sore today.

Dragan

Location : Westwood

Phase 1 :

"Push Me, Pull Me"

Bodyweight : 241 lbs

Chins : Bodyweight x 1 , +5 kilos x 1, +10kilos x 1 , +15 kilos x 1 , +20kilos x 1 , +25kilos miss , +22.5 kilos miss , Bodyweight by 5
Push Press : 62.5kilos x 1, 67.5 kilos x 1 , 72.5 kilos x 1 , 77.5 kilos x 1 , 82.5 kilos x 1 , 87.5 kilos miss , 85 kilos x 1 , 62.5 kilos by 8

Thoughts : Odd workout, extremely tiring but great. Very happy to be able to do a chin with an extra 20 kilos hanging off me I must say! Shoulders feel nicely battered as well.

Phase 2 :

Incline Dumbell Chest Press/Chest Supported Rows Superset :
32kilos ( 10, 12) , 36kilos(6[pb!]/8) , 36kilos(5/9) - yummy!!!!

Alt Bicep Curls(22kilos)/Hammer Curls(12.5) Supers : 6 a side/12
Alt Hammer Curls(22kilos)/Bicep Curls : 10/11

Dumbell Standing French Press : 32(10) , 36(10 - PB) , 40(5 - PB!)

Thoughts :

1) Very happy with the incline, row superset. It knocked the **** out of me I have to say. I was very careful to keep all the tension on the pectoral as well, and not let my admittedly strong delts take over the movement, it was a savage pump!

2) By the time I was done the pump I had was sick, I love X-plode II I must say. I know some people are finding it a bit less than the original but I have to say it seems to do the job for me perfectly!!! I actually found it hard to bend my arms at the end….and I was getting stared out of it by some of the guys in there for pressing the 36's , just glad some of my TT folk were not around to burst the bubble and make a show of me!