Getting Strong: workout 01/14/07

[mastover]

In my last workout post I called myself out and initiated a challenge to get progressively stronger with some compound movements for this year. Something I haven't done in quite a while. I became too obsessed with getting an edge on hypertrophy, incorporating movements and volume that was probably holding me back in both goals. After realizing this, my plan was to go back to the basics and throw out all the esoteric, high tech, routines away for the time being. I also realized that whenever I'd go into a show focusing on movements other than squats, deadlifts, and heavy incline presses, I'd lose muscle and flatten out. I remember a show many years ago when my bodyfat was so low, I couldn't squat 95 lbs. for 10 reps 1 week out. Six weeks earlier I was squatting 315 for reps. I had striated glutes, but I virtually lost all my muscle mass. How did I do? I came in last in my class You live and learn.

I've noticed some posts and threads recently (Gravity Homer's comes to mind) where people have taken inventory of sorts, and want to improve in certain areas. This is good to see, as we forge a base of interdependence and awareness. I drove in an ice storm today to get to the gym, and once there, I was very tempted to do a volume workout complete with tri-sets, drop sets, but I remembered my goal (in this case to bring up my flat dumbell bench press)

Weighed in at 159.2 (puttin on the beef baby! ) and trained chest, delts, and tri's:

Flat DB Bench Press:
1x50x10 1x70x6 1x90x2 (warmups)
1x120x4
1x115x5
1x115x5 (with spot)

Incline DB Press:
2x95x8,6

Dips (Rest/Pause):
1x100#platex6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 (14)

Standing DB Press:
4x60x7,5,5,4

Skullcrushers:
4x95x8,7,7,6

PreWO: 15 Amino tabs, 10 gr bulk bcaa's, 1500mg. Vit C, 10 gr Glutamine

DuringWO: 4 scoops Glutamine Select, 10 gr bulk bcaa's

PostWO: 15 Amino tabs, 1500mg Vit C, 10 gr bulk bcaa's

Tomorrow it's deadlifts. Deadlifts, more so than squats, bring up my lean body weight. I am unsure why I respond to deads this way. Maybe it's because I hate doing them. But I can't wait to do them. I've come to love what I hate.