7 July 2009 Chest, triceps and abdominal workout

Hello everybody!

So I’m writing about my Tuesday (7th of July 2009) training, i was yet to find a proper gym that i would find fitting for my training needs. So i had to settle for ANOTHER public gym, this one was a bit better but way too crowded, i actually went there at 12 noon to avoid that but didn’t help too much as people are not at work, specially during summer times. Well hey it’s a public place, so let’s stop complaining and start lifting some weights and continue with this fitness transformation process. I did a bit of warming up but nothing special as i wanted to get started.

Here is the workout i did:

Dumbbell flat bench press

Dumbbell Bench Press

Set 1: 10 reps with34kg/75lbs dumbbells

Set 2: 8 reps with 38,5kg/85lbs dumbbells

Set 3: 7 reps with 38,5kg/85lbs dumbbells

Note. I got a really good pump from these sets, I feel that I’m getting stronger each workout. Thanks to proper training, eating and adequate sleep.

Incline bench press

Incline Chest Press Machine

Set 1: 10 reps with 60kg/132lbs

Set 2: 8 reps with 70kg/154lbs

Set 3: 7 reps with 70kg/154lbs

Note. Didn’t like this exercise too much, but the other incline machines were occupied, even the incline bench was taken. So i chose to try this one out. So you gotta be flexible with your routine, specially in a new place and also to shock your muscles with new exercises hitting the muscles from different angles.

Bench press machine (weight plate loaded)

Bench Press machine

Set 1: 12 reps with 65kg/143lbs

Set 2: 10 reps with 75kg/165lbs

Set 3: 8 reps with 85/187lbs

Note. Felt my inner chest working and contracting nicely on this exercise, i like this exercise and every now and then i do it to ”spice” things up a little.

Dumbbell flyes

Dumbbell fly

3 sets of 10-12 reps with 20kg/44lbs dumbbells

Note. Having a controlled motion is key to really contract the chest muscles without the help of too much momentum, and when coming to the top of the movement, really squeeze the muscles to involve every bit of muscle fibre. Remember not too stretch your chest too far out and hurt yourself, moderate good stretch is enough.

Close grip barbell bench press (to finish up my chest workout and fire up the triceps)

Close Grip Bench Press

3 sets of 10 reps with 60kg/132lbs

Note. With this exercise i got to work my inner pecs and also get my triceps ready for some heavy lifting. Having balance during this movement is key, so plant your feet firmly to the ground and try to have a slow motion and elbows in close to your body with the exercise to really get the most benefit out of it.

Skull crushers for triceps

Lying Triceps Extension

3 sets of 8 with 30kg/60lbs

Note. I was getting fatigued at this point, because i couldn’t lift the normal weights that I do and even this weight was really forcing the reps out of me, I actually needed some help with my last set as I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself.

Overhead dumbbell tricep extensions (seated with back supported)

Overhead dumbbell tricep extension

3 sets of 8-10 reps with 34kg/75lbs dumbbell

Note. Try to keep your elbows in to force the triceps do most of the work, however if you feel that you can’t do it, either decrease the weights (which i recommend) or let your elbows out as it will make it easier for you.  Back support is really important in this exercise.

Cable tricep pushdown

Cable Tricep Pushdown

3 sets of 8 reps with 60kg/132lbs

Note. I really like this exercise as i can squuze the triceps and contract them really well. I feel that this exercise is great for both size and definition for getting the ”horse shoe” triceps. But this time, the cable machine was really old and not properly maintained, so didn’t really enjoy the exercise this time.

Dumbbell tricep kickbacks

Dumbbell tricep kickback

3 sets of 8reps/per hand with 15kg/33lbs dumbbell

Note. I love this exercise and find it to be a great exercise for bringing shape and definition to my triceps, make sure that you lock your elbows high next to your body and squueze on top of the movement for a second before letting it back down. This was my last tricep exercise for the day. Only abs left for the day.

Abdominals

Ab crunch machine

Ab crunch machine

6 sets of 8-15 reps, starting off with higher reps and lower weights and pyramiding to my heaviest set. Weight was in between 40kg-80kg/88lbs-176lbs.

Note. As mentioned in some previous post of mine, that I have been doing weighted ab exercises to really build strong and thick abdominal muscles.

Also did some different variations of abdominal exercises that i do and try to create as i go along. I try to use weight plates or dumbbells for these exercises also. I will soon post videos and pics of those too.

Copyright: Gif pictures are courtesy of http://www.exrx.net. Own illustrative exercise pics will be up soon as mentioned before.

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Exercise videos posted from my chest, bicep and tricep superset workout as promised

Hello everybody, so as promised that i will soon post videos of my training. Just click on videos and watch a little something from my chest, bicep & tricep superset workout. Hope you like it, i plan on taking videos with a high definition camera soon, as soon as i have time to buy a HD camera. So i apologize for the video quality.

Also i will add more tips and advice videos about training, dieting and my progress in general soon. So keep coming back for me, as i will keep giving more everyday.  By the way i had an amazing chest and shoulder workout, to finish it off with abs. I will post a fully detailed workout post within a day.

Go check the videos out and let me know what you think? Would appreciate it.

26 June 2009 Chest and biceps/triceps superset workout

Hello everybody! Hope you’re all doing great, enjoying your summer but still working out hard to stay in shape.

For this workout, i actually forgot my pre-workout supplement mix a home, so i had to manage with my natural energy and see how far that would take me. I was actually running pretty high on energy, since it was a noon workout, after a healthy breakfast. So i was mentally looking forward for the workout, so here goes:

Chest

Dumbbell flat bench press

Dumbbell Bench Press

Set 1: 10 reps with 26kg/57lbs dumbbells

Set 2: 8 reps with 31,5kg/69lbs dumbbells

Set 3: 8 reps with 36kg/79lbs dumbbells

Set 4: 8 reps with 38,5kg//85lbs dumbbells

Incline dumbbell bench press

Incline dumbbell bench press

3 sets of 8-10 reps with 26kg/57lbs dumbbells

Note. Was tired from the previous exercise, so wanted to really concentrate on the muscle and form, hence having only 26kg/57lbs dumbbells.

Incline smith machine bench press

Smith Incline Bench Press

Set 1: 10 reps with 60kg/132lbs

Set 2: 8 reps with 70kg/154lbs

Set 3: 8 reps with 75kg/165lbs

Dumbbell pullover (for the lower part of the chest)

Dumbbell pullover

3 sets of 10-12 reps with 23,5kg/52lbs dumbbell

Note. In this exercise it’s very important to have the muscle-mind connection, meaning you have to stabilize the rest of your body and only work the chest area by concentrating your mind on that muscle being worked. Having a controlled speed is important for reaching that muscle-mind connection for maximum benefit.

To cap off my chest workout, i did a fly with cables to hit the inner chest area and get some more definition on my chest

Cable standing fly

Cable Standing flies

3 sets of 8-12 reps with varying weight, heavy enough to get maximum muscular contraction but without pushing myself too hard, with this being my last chest exercise for the day.

Great, so i’m done with my chest exercises. Feeling good, had to have a 5 minute break before going through with my intense biceps and triceps superset. I do these supersets sometimes just to add variety to my workouts and also i find them to be great if you are looking to increase intensity of your workouts, have more blood flowing into your muscles and also if you happen to be short on time with a busy lifestyle. Supersets workouts don’t last too long and are extremely effective. Let’s get to it:

*First superset is barbell bicep curls with z-bar and lying tricep extensions with z-bar

Barbell Bicep Curls

Lying Triceps Extension

3 sets of 8  reps for each exercise, making a total of 6 sets, with no rest. Going back and forth between the two. Wow that was intense, you will see it from the video, when posted.

*Dumbbell bicep curls paired with cable tricep pushdowns.

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Cable Tricep Pushdown

3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise, total of 6 sets. Again with no rest. My muscles felt like they’re ready to explode. Imagine if i had my usual pumping pre-workout supplement, haha maybe next time.

*Last superset pairs are dumbbell preacher curls with dumbbell tricep kickbacks to get the final touch on my biceps and triceps for more definition and brining the bicep peak out.

Dumbbell preacher curl

Dumbbell tricep kickback

Did a total of 3 sets of 8-10 reps for each exercise, making a total of 6 sets. Didn’t go heavy weights, i usually want to go more for definition for last exercises that i have, no matter what muscle i’m working. I wanna stay injury-free, so no need to always be pushing maximum weights, but then again you have to in the beginning, specially if you want to grow bigger and stronger. Lift big, eat big and sleep big and you shall become HUGE 🙂 Anyway that’s it for the day, will be back soon with my upper back workout from sunday and my leg workout from yesterday (monday). Tune back in soon and maybe i have FINALLY posted the videos as promised so many times.

Keep training hard and smart!

Copyright: Gif pictures are courtesy of http://www.exrx.net. Own illustrative exercise pics will be up soon as mentioned before.

24 June 2009 Legs (quads and hamstrings) & calves

Hello everybody,

So this is a late post of my wednesday workout, which i was dreading since i usually hit the legs very hard and my muscles become very sore for the following 3-4 days. But hey, that’s the price you gotta pay for striving to achieve big things, right?

So i started my workout by warming my legs up doing a 5 minute light cardio and some explosive stretches to prepare the leg muscles for the up-coming workout. I didn’t take my usual pre-workout supplement mix, because i usually get a huge pump from leg workouts, so didn’t need more than that.

So let’s go to my workout:

*Barbell squats

Squat exercise

Set 1: 12 reps of 80kg/176lbs

Set 2: 10 reps of 90kg/198lbs

Set 3: 8 reps of 100kg/220lbs

Set 4: 8 reps of 110kg/243lbs

Set 5: 8 reps of 120kg/265lbs

Set 6: 8 reps of 130kg/287lbs

*Sumo squat (variation of normal squat, with wide stance and feet pointing outwards towards where your knees are pointing, will post a picture of this also).

3 sets of 8-10 reps with 90kg/198lbs

*Barbell lunges

Lunge exercise

3 sets of 8 reps/per leg with 50kg/110lbs

Note. Gotta be careful with the weights in this exercise as you can easily pull a hamstring muscle,trust me as it has happened to me a few times.

Seated leg press machine

Leg press

Only 2 sets of 10 reps, didn’t really pay attention to the weight as i was feeling the machine out, since it was a seated leg press. I usually do the traditional leg press. I went fairly heavy though, that i wouldn’t be able to do 12 reps with the weights.

Leg extension machine

Leg extensions for quads

3 sets of 12 reps with 50-60kg/110-132lbs on the weight rack, increasing towards the last set. I wasn’t trying to go really heavy anymore at this point, just trying to get the feel and develop the peak, just above the knees.

After finishing the hardest part being the quads and hamstrings, i finished the workout session with 2 different calf exercises, which are the following:

Standing calf raise machine

Standing calf raises

4 sets of 12 reps with 120kg/265lbs on the weight rack

Note. I would do the reps in two motion phase, first i would do 60 % of the full motion, then squeeze the remaining 40% after a split second pause. I have come to experience that this brings the peak out of my calves much better and i get a better burn through this.

Seated calf raise machine

Seated calf raises

5 sets of 12 reps with 80kg/176lbs on the weight rack

Note. As mentioned previously in the standing calf raises, i would also do this exercise in a two motion phase to get a better burn and higher calf peak with that.

So that was it for my legs and calves workout, i was very tired at the end of the workout. I had been at the beach all day long, so needed rest badly.

Good news!!! I got videos of most of those exercises mentioned above, so very soon i will post them here. From now on, i will try to have videos of most of my workouts.

Copyright: Illustrative gif pictures are courtesy of http://www.exrx.net. I will post pics of exercises that i will have taken myself soon and videos will be posted regularly from now on.

21 June 2009 Chest, triceps and abs workout

Hey everybody!

So today i had chest, triceps and abs to do. Before hitting the weights in the gym, i took a Universal Nutrition Storm & SAN V-12 personal mixture of mine to get my body amped and ready for a hard training session.

After not being able to go to the gym for 4 days now, i was really excited about getting to lift some weights, so i started my regular warm-up routine, which i will show to you guys sometime soon on video.

I started with chest, followed by triceps and last i did abs. Here is what i did (haven’t included a few light warm-up sets):

Barbell bench press

Set 1: 10 reps 70kg/155lbs

Set 2: 10 reps 75kg/165lbs

Set 3: 8 reps 80kg/176lbs

Set 4: 8 reps 85kg/187lbs

Dumbbell bench press

Set 1: 10 reps with 26kg/57lbs dumbbells

Set 2: 8 reps with 31kg/68lbs dumbbells

Set 3: 8 reps with 34kg/75lbs dumbbells

Incline dumbbell press

Set 1: 8 reps with 26kg/57lbs dumbbells

Set 2: 8  reps with 31kg/68lbs dumbbells

Smith incline bench press (very high angle to hit the top of the chest area)

Set 1: 10 reps with 60kg/132lbs

Set 2: 8 reps with 62,5kg/138lbs

Set 3: 8 reps with 65kg/143lbs

Pullover (to hit my weak lower chest area)

Set 1: 12 reps with 21kg/46lbs dumbbell

Set 2: 12 reps with 21kg/46lbs dumbbell again

To finish off my chest workout, i went to the flye machine to open my chest up and bring more definition

3 sets of 12 reps with medium weights, i was just going for the feel of it and concentrating on contracting the chest muscle, not so much about how much weight i can lift/push.

Moving along to the triceps, at this point i’m very pumped and still have plenty of energy and excitement to continue with my workout

Triceps:

Weighted dips

3 sets of 10reps with only 5kg/11lbs as extra weight on my waist, but hey gotta start somewhere, right?

Two arm dumbbell extension seated on bench

3 sets of 8 reps with 36kg/80lbs dumbbell

Tricep cable pushdowns (narrow grip to bring the peak of my triceps out)

4 sets of 8 reps with 60kg/132lbs

Dumbbell tricep kickbacks both hands simultaneously

3 sets of 8 reps with 10kg/22lbs dumbbells

Feeling good and pumped, damn the pre-workout drink works great, loving it!

Gotta finish strong, so i did 4 different exercises for abs. I tried to have them all weighted, since i want mass and definition on my abs, big blocks. Tried to stay withing the range of 10-15 reps doing a total of 15 sets for the abs.

That’s it for todays workout, tomorrow i have upper back and biceps along with some cardiovascular/aerobic exercise. Be sure to tune back in and let me know how you’re doing with your training and dieting.

PS. sorry for not having any videos today, i was training alone. But in the future i will try to include video on almost every workout with a little spice 🙂

So take care and see you later!!!