Carl1174's Training Log 'Building a Classic Physique'

[Carl1174]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I think you're doing a great job just finishing in 55 minutes. I usually take so long building up to squats, and recovering after that it slows me down.

How are you liking the exercise order?

I am intentionally keeping intensity high and taking shorter breaks between sets (so no more than 60 seconds - 30 - 45 seconds on curls, dips and calves), this will probably hve to change as I progress in the weight, but its keeping it moving along well. The squats are Ok at the minute as they arent heavy, so one warm up set and Im good, then after squats I am sufficiently warmed up for the other stuff anyway.

I ilke the xercise order. Shoulder before Bench has made a big differenc to my bench numbers and the fact that I am keeping rests short and reps higher than normal, makes me feel like a weakling lol, but it is the overall volume of the week thaat is important. like i said if i am hitting muscular failure (or almost hitting it) at 60kg for reps then thats OK... the weight is unimportant, its the progress that counts

I do feel like i should be doing dips after bench, but that being said, that last couple of reps for the dips were a struggle today, even with the break from the curls in between.

I have slight DOMS all over my body, but the chest area is definitely the most tender

I honestly cant wait for next session, im enjoying it that much, dont know whether I will get all the 12 reps im targetting for on everything mind you.

Carl.

[bamazav]

Great job Carl. Some of the old timers would actually start with the curls to add a little pre-exhaustion to the program and as a warm up. The nice thing with these programs is, as Steve is alluding to, you can play with the order to put more emphasis on one part or another. This cycle I have Overheads before my Inclines. It allows me to go heavier on my weaker lift. I am going to switch them up in my next cycle ( I use 4 week cycles) to focus on my chest more than my shoulders. For me, it also helps keep shoulder issues in check.

[bigtim27]

You guys are making me really want to run a full body routine

[glwanabe]

Great looking session Carl. Based on a few of your comments I think you have a good idea of how this works. I think we'll see you settle into some solid working weights, and do good things.

As you noticed, the chest work is decieving. Your actually working your chest harder than people would assume, until they actually do this.

Nice work.

[Carl1174]

Originally Posted by bamazav

Great job Carl. Some of the old timers would actually start with the curls to add a little pre-exhaustion to the program and as a warm up. The nice thing with these programs is, as Steve is alluding to, you can play with the order to put more emphasis on one part or another. This cycle I have Overheads before my Inclines. It allows me to go heavier on my weaker lift. I am going to switch them up in my next cycle ( I use 4 week cycles) to focus on my chest more than my shoulders. For me, it also helps keep shoulder issues in check.

yeh one of the things which excits me about it is the fluidity that it can give you. If you need to focus on something you can just be swapping orders and such, rather than just battering the part you want to grow into submission then hoping for the best...

Originally Posted by bigtim27

You guys are making me really want to run a full body routine

Originally Posted by glwanabe

Great looking session Carl. Based on a few of your comments I think you have a good idea of how this works. I think we'll see you settle into some solid working weights, and do good things.

As you noticed, the chest work is decieving. Your actually working your chest harder than people would assume, until they actually do this.

Nice work.

Thanks GL, that means a lot. I hope I have a pretty good handle on it, now I just want to slowly build up my weights and perhaps ramp the weights on a couple of the lifts (squats, bench and rows), but that will come with a couple more complete sessions... ie weeks

Yeh I am really surprised with how hard my chest has been worked, i assumed that it was jus the bench hitting it, but obviously the dips do too and with them having 5 sets it really exhusts the chest (and shoulders) well...

Carl.

[MC]

I agree. You're getting a lot done in a fairly short amount of time Carl! You're killing it!

[Abaddon]

^Seconded.

[Carl1174]

Originally Posted by *MC*

I agree. You're getting a lot done in a fairly short amount of time Carl! You're killing it!

Originally Posted by Abaddon

^Seconded.

cheers guys but it really is just focus and keeping the intensity up. I normally wait 2 to 3 mins between sets, but with the lighter weights Im not having to

Carl.

[glwanabe]

Originally Posted by Carl1174

I do feel like i should be doing dips after bench, but that being said, that last couple of reps for the dips were a struggle today, even with the break from the curls in between.

I thought about that aspect when I layed out the program. In fact I had dips, and BB curls swapped in an intial version.

I like the slight recovery aspect for the dip placement, especially with shoulder work coming before bench. As your pressing gets stronger it will have even more of an effect on your bench numbers.

Push hard on your pressing, and you may not even need to change bench weights for awhile. Just as I get strong enough to do 3x12 on bench again at the same weight I started the program at, I end up adding weight to my pressing, and my bench reps go down again.

As you noted, your still hitting your chest well. Give it some time and you will see how the work is hitting your pecs.

[Carl1174]

Originally Posted by glwanabe

I thought about that aspect when I layed out the program. In fact I had dips, and BB curls swapped in an intial version.

I like the slight recovery aspect for the dip placement, especially with shoulder work coming before bench. As your pressing gets stronger it will have even more of an effect on your bench numbers.

Push hard on your pressing, and you may not even need to change bench weights for awhile. Just as I get strong enough to do 3x12 on bench again at the same weight I started the program at, I end up adding weight to my pressing, and my bench reps go down again.

As you noted, your still hitting your chest well. Give it some time and you will see how the work is hitting your pecs.

I definitely enjoy the small recovery window that hving the curls first gives my chest and i think i get more out of the dips that way.

If I get all the 12 reps next session on o/h press and bench then i will up the weight by 2.5kg on o/h press for the beginning of the next weeks sessions and 5kg to bench, but i will keep the first set on bench at the weight it is now so that its not as much of an increase, then hopefully add 1 or 2 reps to bench ech session that week as i will be going to add 2 reps each session to o/h press... All squats sets will increase by 5 or 10kg and back down to 8 reps and bb row will be done in the same fashion as bench, curls will be upped to 15kg for the last 2 sets, but kept at 12.5 for the first set as i could feel the burn even today Calves will be kept at the same weight untill i can do straight sets of 20. And dips I will just keep going for straight 10's but i am assuming they will become harder as the shoulders and chest will be more and more fatigued from the pressing. I assume thats why there is no need to add weight as you are progressing on them just by keeping the reps the same as the build up work is heavier...

like i said im loving the program and how you have designed it so far, id rep you but i have to spread the love

Carl.