Bison's Beef Building Blog

[MartinM]

Good Stuff Bison.......

Are you going to be able to add weight to all those exercises......for anouther........4 workouts is it? Gonna be tough on some you think, if they are already tough now??

[Bison]

Quote

Doing well Bison, is it as hard or harder than you exepected it to be?

This first week has definately been harder than I expected, in more ways than one.

I wanted to work out exactly what my RM's were and never got the chance. So this week has been a struggle to try and get the balance right between easy enough so I can push on each workout without hitting my limits, but also without it being too easy and a waste. Hit and miss so far... so harder than I thought but it's to be expected with such a poor start with the gym closing for 2 weeks.

Physically it's definately harder. The first set is so easy but with the short rest periods the 2nd set one can be a shocker, that lactic acid is no joke It's a good shock doing 3 full body workouts in a week, I feel tight.

I've most certainly dropped some bodyfat this week, my upper abs are clearly visible and even the lower ones are beginning to make a show. I was looking in pretty good shape today all pumped up, I'm excited what I'm going to look like in another 6 weeks if this carries on I'm going to try and get some pics done now to compare later.

[Bison]

Quote

Good Stuff Bison.......

Are you going to be able to add weight to all those exercises......for anouther........4 workouts is it? Gonna be tough on some you think, if they are already tough now??

Most of them I think I've done well judging the weight, I just hope I keep getting it right as regards to how much to add, don't want to peak to soon. It's made it harder with exercises like the BB Shrugs as I haven't done those for years, I've always just used deadlifts to build nice thick traps... so trying to gauge a weight is... well nearly impossible.

I'm struggling with leg curls, they're just burning like there's acid in my veins by set 2 and they're locking up. I'll just drop them to one set I think and I should be fine upping the weight.

[Bison]

Monday 6th March
5 min warmup

Squat - Ouch! Hated these bitches today!!
15x75, 15x90
Leg Curl - Much better this week.
15x15, 15x15
Bench (slight incline) - Struggled for feel in pecs today
15x55, 15x55
Decline Bench - Better
15x55
DB Flyes - Haven't done these in years, struggled for feel in pecs today so thought I'd give them a go while I'm repping 15's.
15x10
Pulldowns (shoulder width, palms in grip) - Weight is better this time, felt it a bit at end of 2nd set.
15x65, 15x65
BB Bent Over Rows (wide grip)- Good pump!
15x45, 15x45
Front Press - 1st set better, 2nd set burn really set in, will drop to 1 set. Think I may be overtraining shoulders? 12-15 sets a week is too much.
15x27.5, 15x27.5
Upright Row - Good weight, good feel.
15x28
Rear Raises - 15kg is a perfect weight for me in this exercise when done nice and slow.
15x15
Shrugs - Nice and slow, good feel, again still too light?
15x50, 15x50
EZ-Bar Curls - Ouch! These burn, think I'm going to struggle to go higher in weight and keep perfect form in 2nd set.
15x20, 15x20
French Press - I think I need to go heavier, so wary of my old injury flaring up though!!
15x20, 15x20
Calf Raises - Did these so slow, good squeeze at top on every rep, battery acid for blood by end of 2nd set!!!
15x115, 15x115
Weighted Crunch - Good, even better weight
15x20, 15x20
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hanging Leg Raises - Performed as a warm-down
15
Hyperextentions - Performed as warm-down
15

Total Workout Time = 70 mins in and out

Been working hard today and over the weekend, plus I haven't really had enough sleep. Energy levels were low today. Had a snooze for an hour before gym to try and help.

Those squats just murdered me straight away and my lower back is a little sore. I'm missing my deadlifts!! I'm a bit worried about the lack of lower back strengthening in this routine so I'm going to introduce good-mornings I think from now on?

Also I seem to have stored some bodyfat over the weekend, I did eat a lot though it was good food, no junk. My weight has gone upto 15st 6lbs Really need to workout my calorie intake better... Hmm.. see were I'm at on Friday after football (tomorrow) and another 2 high rep workouts.

[Resurrected]

I've always found hyperextensions good for the lower back; try doing these for a while.

Your looking good otherwise

I can certainly sympathise with you in the tiredness stakes, there is nothing worse when your itching to get in a good gym session

[Bison]

I thnik I might stick with the hyperextentions then, good mornings would be virtually a new exercise to me and I'm not sure I'll have the energy to really focus on them as much as I'd like.

[surfstak]

I agree Hypers are great for strengthening and for endurance of the lower back. Just starting back on heavier deads my lower back is taking a pounding so im gunna add hypers back in with no weight at high-ish reps.

[Bison]

Tuesday 7th March
30 mins cardio
90 mins football

Wednesday 8th March
5 min warmup

Squat - Dreading these as legs sore from football. They were easy!!
15x70, 15x95
Leg Curl - Much better this week.
15x10, 15x16.5
Bench (slight incline) - Went lighter on first set to try and go real slow and get some feel in pecs, it worked
15x50, 15x60
Decline Bench - Nice weight
15x60
DB Flyes - Ok
15x12.5
Pulldowns (shoulder width, palms in grip) - I like these, good feel in muscle.
15x70, 15x70
BB Bent Over Rows (wide grip)- These hurt my elbows today?!!!
15x45, 15x50
Front Press - Dropped to 1 set and did them very slowly, need more weight for just 1 set.
15x30
Upright Row - Good weight again, done slowly these are deltoid killers!
15x30
Rear Raises - Really felt good on these, good weight.
15x16
Shrugs - Nice and slow, good feel, the weight is getting there slowly
15x55, 15x55
EZ-Bar Curls - What is going on with my curling I don't know, really struggled with these and didn't keep perfect form
15x16, 15x22
French Press - Too wary of elbows to push hard enough, I'm going to drop this exercise.
15x22, 15x24
Calf Raises - Again I did these very slow, good squeeze at top on every rep, didn't burn as bad as last time.
15x120, 15x120
Weighted Crunch - Awkward sized dumbell, I was really flagging, poor focus, wasting my time
15x22.5, 15x22.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hanging Leg Raises - Performed as a warm-down
15x5, 15x5
Hyperextentions - Performed as warm-down
15, 15

Total Workout Time = 75 mins in and out

Felt so tired after work today, my legs were killing me from football and I didn't really feel like hitting the gym tonight... but I did

I've dropped the weight on 1st in in most exercises that have 2 sets. I'm not getting enough sleep and I'm worried about over-training as these workouts are hard work and they're taking well over an hour to complete.

I feel full of energy now though...

[Bison]

Friday 10th March - Final 15 rep workout
10 min warmup

Squat - I hate squats
15x70, 15x100
Leg Curl - These hurt!
15x15, 15x20
Bench (slight incline) - Very close to limit
15x50, 15x65
Decline Bench - Could not have done a single rep more
15x65
DB Flyes - Ouch!
15x15
Pulldowns (shoulder width, palms in grip) - Ouch!
15x75, 15x80
BB Bent Over Rows (wide grip)- Wasn't going to hit 15 reps so dropped weight and immediately repped 15 out.
4x60, 15x50
Front Press - Struggled for feel, could have lifted more...
15x35
Upright Row - These really took it out of me, very tired now!!
15x35
Rear Raises - Had to use a belt for first time, my low back was so fatigued.
15x17.5
Shrugs - Got this one horribly wrong as far as judging my strength could have used much more weight over the 2 weeks.
15x60, 20x70
EZ-Bar Curls - Much better to just put maximum effort into 1 set.
15x24
French Press - Suddenly felt stronger...
15x24, 15x24 - Straight into 15x24 CGBP
Calf Raises -
15x125, 15x130
Weighted Crunch - Anymore weight would have been a waste of time, I was totally ****ed!!
15x20, 15x20
Hyperextentions - Performed as warm-down, thought I was going to pass out!!
15x5, 15x5

Total Workout Time = 75 mins in and out

Well that's the end of my first 2 week cycle, next week I will be hitting the 10 rep range. Today was one of the hardest workouts I've ever done. It's suprising how much a full body workout performed 3 times a week takes out of you, especially with the high reps.

Very happy all in all with my training so far, I'm glad I decided against skipping the 15 rep workouts. I think these will benefit me greatly later on... a very good shock to the system and my body has responded to it well. My muscles feel much tighter and they look fuller, especially my back and legs. To a lesser degree my chest and delts but my arms I see no real difference.

Too much arm training I think, from now on I'll only hit them with 1 set per workout.

One thing I am noticing this week is my wrists, elbows, knees and ankles are all sore any idea's? Is it the lactic acid thing that's spoke about in on the HST site? After all he recommends this 15 rep cycle to strengthen the tendons and joints!!

Maybe I should add some kind of joint support to my supplement intake? Glucosamine & chondroitin? MSM? I'm skeptical of their effectiveness and they aren't cheap...

EDIT - Bodyweight = 15st 3lbs

[Bison]

Monday 13th March - First 10 rep workout
5 min warmup

Squat
WU 12x70, 10x90
Leg Curl
10x12.5, 10x12.5
Bench (slight incline)
10x60, 10x67.5
Decline Bench
10x67.5
DB Flyes
12x12.5
Chins (supinated grip) - Good to be back on chins
10
BB Bent Over Rows (wide grip)
10x40, 10x45
Front Press
10x27.5
Upright Row
10x28
Rear Raises
10x12.5, 10x12.5
Shrugs
10x60, 10x62.5
EZ-Bar Curls - Superset
10x28, 10x28
French Press - Superset
10x28, 10x28
Calf Raises
10x125, 10x125
-------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- These are used as my warm-down ------------------------
Weighted Crunch - Superset II
10x15, 10x15
Hyperextentions - Superset II
10, 10
Hanging Leg Raises
10, 10

Total Workout Time = 65 mins in and out


I was very suprised at my strength level today, really thought I'd struggle.... was out drinking from 1pm Saturday until 3am!! I ate virtually nothing all day apart from breakfast and then whatever fast food garbage I ate on way home, can't remember. Cracking night out though
As you can imagine I was just plain ill yesterday and really struggled to eat much at all, pumped myself full of water and anti-oxidants as best I could...

Anyway it was a very easy workout, didn't even break a sweat. Good to be back in the 10 rep range, time to start pumping some iron