MC: The Matrix Cannot Tell You Who You Are

[MC]

Hey Guys.

MC here! Decided to log over here and hopefully get some feedback and learn a lot.

Brief history: Former skinny (155 out of high school) comic book, pro wrestling loving nerd. Divorced dad of two great kids - a dancer and pee-wee footballer--who got tired to looking skinny and finally decided to build a body like his favorite X-Men (or Titans or Avengers, take your pic).

Trained for a long time using stuff read in Men's Health and got nowhere (I had no knowledge of nutrition or progression and thought I could look like fitness models by doing those fold-outs --yeah right!). Found a good site about a year ago and learned a ton. Bulked to 208 and injured my shoulder and rotator cuff (Shoulder was protracting a lot, pinching my RC and biceps tendon. I had to completely relearn how it was supposed to move and stay put). That, PT rehab, and stomach sickness took me out of the gym for 2 months and dropped me down to 193.

Have now been back in the gym since November 1st and have gained 11.7 pounds in that time.

Currently 205.5 @ 6'2" (and growing).

My split is a 5 day one. I hit the gym Mon-Fri at 5:30 am as most weekends are out for me due to kid committments and such. I work around a very sore back (I am making an appointment as I think it is arthritic) and my shoulder, which is better, but screams when I try to get crazy in the gym.

Training will look like this:
Chest/Core or Cardio
Back/Core or Cardio (depending on Monday)
Legs
Shoulders/Core or Cardio
Arms/Core or Cardio (depending on Thursday)

Goals for 2011:
I am bulking and feeling bigger at a lower weight and in better shape than when I was 208 last June. I'd like to see what 210 and then maybe 215 look like.

I don't have any lift-specific goals. The way my shoulder feels with pressing, I may never bench over 200 pounds again.

I just want to be able to train, grow and stay injury free.

Thanks to any and all who read and come along for the ride!

Cheers (as Carl would say)
MC

[Abaddon]

In for this buddy. Guarantee you're gonna smash it.

[Carl1174]

Nice log Nard... looking forward to see how this turns out for you

Cheers

Carl.

[MC]

Thanks Guys!

I have been having trouble replying and posting here. Seems my browsers don't like the Full WYSIWYG settings.

Here's to more strength and muscle in 2011!!

[MC]

Let's start from this Monday, shall we?

Chest and Cardio

Shoulder PreHab at Home
Bench: 90x12, 140x10, 180x8
Incline Bench: 140x10, 160x10, 180x10
Dips: BW+45x15, BW+45x15, BW+45x15, BW+45x15
Pec Deck: 115x15, 145x12, 160x12
Cybex Plate Loaded Calf Raise BW+180x20, BW+180x20, BW+180x20
LITT Treadmill 20 minutes

Workout Time: 50 minutes
Workout Grade: B+

-----


Back and Core

Seated Plate-Loaded Row 90x12, 140x10, 160x8 (narrow grip handles), 160x8 (narrow grip handles),160x10, 180x10
Reverse Closed Grip Lat Pull Down 120x12, 140x10, 170x10, 170x10
HS High Row 200x10, 200x10, 220x10, 220x10
Shrugs 435x12, 435x12, 435x12, 435x12
Back Extensions 70x50, 90x50
Seated Crunches 110x25, 110x25, 110x25, 110x25
Decline Weighted Twists (w/ 10# medicine ball) X15, x15

Workout Time: 50 minutes
Workout Grade: B

ON: EAS 100% Vanilla Whey, All-Max Creatine, Solgar vm75, Vitamin D, Arom-X RD

[Abaddon]

Good stuff MC. What's a HS High Row?

[BendtheBar]

Subbed! Looking forward to seeing you smash your goals in 2011.

[MC]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

Good stuff MC. What's a HS High Row?

Hammer Strength High Row.

It looks like this:


Had some help recently reconfiguring my back day (thanks, Dave!). Pull ups still kill my shoulder and I have to do reverse grip on the lat pulls.

The seated, plate loaded row looks (basically) like this:


My back is so awful that even being IN the Bent Over Barbell Row position (with no barbell) causes me great pain.

[MC]

Today: Legs

Hack Sled 90x8, 140x6, 200x5, 200x6, 200x5 (feet lower on platform to emphasize quads)
Leg Press 410x10, 410x10, 500x10, 500x10
Leg Extensions 130x12, 150x12, 160x10, 160x10
Isolateral Plate Loaded Leg Curls 70x10, 80x8, 90x8, 110x8 (each hammy)
Cybex Seated Calf Raise 180x12, 180x12, 180x12, 180x12
Cybex Straight-Legged Calf Raise BW+230x20, BW+230x20, BW+230x20, BW+230x20
Reverse Curls 30x20, 40x20 (to combat some forearm pain)
Cuban Rotations (with 8# DB) Against wall each arm x15, x15

Stretching

Workout Time: 55 minutes
Workout Grade: A

ON: EAS 100% Vanilla Whey, All-Max Creatine, Solgar vm75, Vitamin D, Arom-X RD

Came down with the beginnings of a cold yesterday morning and wasn't feeling 100% today. Still dragged myself to the gym and worked my legs. Leg presses are done with this constant tension that TitanCT has logged about. Calves get work today and again on Monday as they are stubborn and refuse to grow. Cuban rotations are an ongoing part of shoulder pre- and rehab.

Oh, here is my weight progression since I started bulking. I typically weigh in on Monday morning:

Weigh In
Weight this week: 205.5
Weight last week: 205.0
Weight 2 weeks ago: 204.2
Weight 3 weeks ago: 202.2
Weight 4 weeks ago: 198.8
Weight 5 weeks ago: 199.4
Weight 6 weeks ago: 196.2
Weight 7 weeks ago: 195.6
Weight 8 weeks ago: 194.2
Weight 7 weeks ago: 193.8

[bigtim27]

Nice leg work Nard!! Also strong on the shrugs from the previous post. Keep killing buddy!!