Sunday June 26th

Made it through the challenging week!
It was tough for the fact I was in NY for a couple of days to attend a funeral of my aunt. I missed two workouts and the diet was off track, but had a couple of great ones the last two days and back at it.

Today is a travel day as we are going on vacation for the week. I plan on continuing the 4 day split while I am away and plan on eating as clean as possible.
Once I come back, I will begin the 5 day split, hit the diet hard and then decide on the show for this year.

My plans may have changed for competing and when. It has nothing to do with being ready or not, its really a gut feeling on what I think is best for me at this time.
Balance and family are my priority. So I might do 1 or 2 shows this fall or wait till next spring.

All is well, and looking forward to see what lies next.

Not sure where I left off, but here goes!

Sunday June 19th.
Complete rest day.
Was off the diet for Fathers Day, and it felt good.

For this and next week, I will continue to do the four day split until I am back from vacation. The workouts are more instinctive for these two weeks, but all is good as I am very sore from yesterdays Quads/calves workout!!!

Here is what I did exercise wise,
Leg Press: 10 sets
Bar lunge: 5 sets (worked up to 2 sets with 175)
Leg ext ss
with sumo db squat: 4 sets
Calf work: 5 sets

Split cardio.

Today June 21st, I nailed out a solid Chest and Tricep workout.

Flat db press: worked up to 110's for two sets of 5!
In bench: 4 sets
IN db press: 3 sets
Rack push ups: 2 sets
Rope press down: 3 set
Dip: 3 set
Bar ext: 3 sets
Abs

Split cardio


Tomorrow I will hit Back and hams before going to NY for a couple of days.
Thursday will be an off day, and back to instinctive training!

Just a quick update:

Continuing with the deload workouts but its only a deload on the first movement.
The rest of the workout is still all out and making gains. To time to lose!
The last two training session were solid and happy with the progress.
I will finish up this 4 day split tomorrow with delts and biceps, and then a complete rest day on Sunday.

Thereafter, I will plan ahead start my 5 day split that I used last fall/winter.
This routine will allow me a little more volume per muscle group and give me more rest between workouts. A great way of leading into the competition.

6/15

Quads and calves workout:

Deload on the squat, but made my quads scream with higher reps. Fueled by Stike, I felt like I could have kept on going!! Pump and burn were great, and was strong all the way through. The drop into 225 after the last heavy squat set was just enought rest to take the weight off.

Squat: 5 warms, 265/5 285/5 305/5 325/5 drop right into 225/15
Leg press: 3 warms, 405/16 450/15
Db walk lunge: 1 warm, 60/6 65/12
Leg ext big drops: 65-55-45-35 (4x)
Calf singles raises: 6 total sets

Split cardio
20/20

6/12

Back and hamstring workout:

Little slow moving into the workout. We had nasty storms here and it kept the dogs and kids up all night. But fortunately, I was able to sleep in a little bit.
Looking forward to this workout, as it was the test out for the JN triples. I was happy to bang out 5 reps with 405. Personal best at my current body weight. Although I will continue to do deads through out the prep, I dont think I will be going to max. All in all an excellent workout and did more volume as the energy increased throughout.

Deads: 5 warms, 335/1 365/1 385/1 405/5
Lat pulldown underhand: 2 warms, 140/8 150/8,8
T bar row: 3 warms, 205/5 225/8 180/12
Lat pulldown wide: 110/10 100/12,12
1 arm row: 85/12,11
Leg curl: 2 warms, 60/7,6 drop set
Stiff leg bar: 2 warms, 225/20

Split cardio: 20/20


6/13

Shoulder and bicep workout:

Very effective pump and burn and did what was called for plus!!

Db press: 3 warms, 75/2 85/2 95/5
Side lateral big drops: 40-30-20 x4
Front raise db ss: 30 35 35
with bar shrugs: 185 x3
In db curl: 3 warms, 45/5 50/5 drop set
Cable curl big drops: 55-45-35-25 x2
Con curl: 30/12,12
Ab work: 3 ss

Split cardio
25/20


6/14
Will be complete rest day!


Great finish to the JN 3's. I must say it really did help keep me accountable on the main lifts during this time of prep. I will finish off with a deload on the main movements, or my version of. And then I will do a mix of workouts hard to set myself up for the next phase. Going into the show starting after my vacation will be a 5 day split. I may continue to use the JN program but for different lifts such as front squats, and db chest press instead. I will also begin to practice posing when I return.

6/10

Quads and calves workout:

Start to the final round of the JN. All in all really like doing this rep scheme and when I change split,(more to come later) I will keep this rep scheme in for the lead of exercises. The goal was to hit and exceed the number. Well, I did one extra rep which was solid. The back was still tender, but made it through.
The rest of the workout though, was killa and made straight up gains. The Strike has begun, and the sustained energy was fantastic. Morning bw was at 153.

Squat: 5 warms, 290/2 315/1 335/1 355/1 375/4
Hack squat: 2 warms, 270/6 295/8 drop set
Leg ext: 2 warms, 90/10,9 drop set
Squat w/chains: 2 warms, 235/6,12
Calf work: 6 sets of singles

Split cardio
20/25


6/11

Chest and tricep workout.

Awesome workout this morning on just one meal!! LOL Energy wa rockin and made all gains. The Strike is ON!!!!! Felt great and things are coming together nicely. Move the weight well with the last round of 3's for the JN on the flat bench. I was most happy with the slight incline db numbers.

Flat bench: 4 warms, 205/1 225/1 235/5
Slight incline db press: 2 warms, 100/8,7 drop set
Slight in db fly ss: 40 45 50
Chest dips: 3 sets to fail
Tricep pressdown: 2 warms, 70/8 75/8
Ly Db ext: 30/9 25/10,8 into double drop

Cardio
20/25

Check in weight: 152.5
My changes over the last two weeks have done more than what I expected. Time to add in more carbs.

6/8

Shoulder and bicep workout:

Second round for this workout, and it still gives me a good pump. Increased were made all around and the energy was solid. Move through the JN 3's without too much of a challenge. Good gains on the in db curls and very happy since just 3 months back I wasn't curling anything!!

Db Press: 3 warms, 90/3,3,3,3,7
Side lateral big drops: 40 30 20 (x4)
Front raise: 55 65 65
ss with Db shrugs: 90 x 3
Incline db curl: 2 warms, 40/5 48/8,7
Cable curl big drops: 55 45 35 (x4)
Con curl: 30/9 25/14
Ab work: 3 ss

Split cardio
25/20

6/9
Complete rest day!

6/6

Chest and tricep workout:

Little more challenging but still blasted through as shown by the last set. I mixed the order up a bit for the fact of the chest dips becoming easier with chains. Pump was All Out! Starting to feel tighter now and will continue to push hard before the vacation.

Flat bench: 4 warms, 205/1 215/3,3,3,3,3,3,8
Slight in db press: 2 warms, 100/7,6 drop set
Chest dips ss: 3 x to failure
with slight in fly: 40 x3
Tricep pressdown: 2 warms, 70/8,8
Ly Db ext: 30/7 25/9,10
1 arm pressdown 15/12,14
Ab work: 3 ss

Split cardio 25/20


6/7

The back going into the workout was a bit tight. I had the deads laid out but when it was time, I felt a tad twinge. In the past I would have pushed forward but since I am prepping and at a lower bw, I didnt chance it. Other then that, I really slammed the back and got a decent pump and burn. Very happy. Althougth I didnt do reg deads, I through in stiff legs with chains for kick. Fried dem hammies!!!

Lat pulldown under grip: 3 warms, 150/6 165/8,8
Db bench row: 2 warms, 85/8,9 drop set
Attempted deads, but moved on.
Rope pulldown: 1 warms, 120/10 125/11 drop set
1 arm db row: 85/10,12 burn set
Leg curl: 2 warms, 55/8,7,6
Stiff legs w/chains: 1 warm, 225/10 265/14

Split cardio
20/20

Catch up.

6/3

Shoulder and bicep workout:

Continued on with the 3's for the shoulder press and the workout went well.
I can note that my side delts were sore the day after. Very effective training.
The giant drop sets on the side laterls did me in! LOL

Db shoulder press: 3 warms, 80/3,3,3,3,3,3,7
Side lateral drop sets: 35-25-15, 40-30-20(x3)
Front raise ss: 45 60 65
with db shrugs: 85 95 95
In db curl: 2 warms, 40/8 45/6,7
Cable curl: 50/12,11
Con curl: 30/12,10
Ab work: 5 sets

25 min cardio


6/4

Total rest day, weigh in: 156 still up from the b day weekend.


6/5

Quads and calves workout:

Slow moving into this workout for the fact mhy allergies have kicked in the night before. I was set out to do 5 triple's with 345. The first set was very slow moving and hard. But I stuck it out and plowed right through it. The last three sets were not to bad at all and did 4 reps for kicks on the fith set. I did a slight mod to the workout but the idea was still there. Made gains on the hack squat from last time and whacked my legs.

Squat: 5 warm, 325/1 345/3,3,3,3,4
Hack squat: 3 warms, 270/6 290/8 drop set
Leg ext ss: 70 80 80
with Step db lunge: 40 45 50
Squat w/chains: 175/10 195/12 215/12
Single calf raises: 6 sets

Split cardio
20/20

6/2

Back and hammies workout:

First go at the 3's for the JN, and it was not too bad. The first couple of set were slow moving, but midway through, I hit my groove. Best part is that I did 10 reps on the 7th set!! And to note, I did the deads after three back movements.
Another cool thing was beating my previous numbers from the last time I did this workout, and that was over a month ago!! Pump was all out and nailed this workout.

Lat pulldown underhand: 3 warms, 145/8 155/8 160/8
T bar row: 3 warms, 205/5 220/7 drop set
Rope pulldown: 1 warm, 115/10 120/10 drop set
Deads: 3 warms, 340/3,3,3,3,3,3,10
Db leg curl: 2 warms, 60/8,7
Leg curl: 40/9 35/12,11

Split cardio
15/20

6/1

Chest and triceps workout:

First round of 3's for the flat bench. Not really to challenging as indicated but the last set of 9 reps. The rest of the workout was great, and actually did more then the last time doing this routine a month plus ago. So, this a great indicator of strength is up at a lower body weight. Same goes for the quads yesterday. But I am very sore!! LOL Feeling good.

Flat bench: 4 warms, 195/3,3,3,3,3,3,9
Chest dips: 1 warms, 4 chains/8,9,9 drop set
Slight in db press ss: 75x3
with db fly: 40 x3
Db ext: 1 warm, 35/6,7,6
Tricep pressdown: 1 warms, 60/10 65/11
1 arm pressdown: 15/12,14
Ab work: 3 tri sets

Split cardio
25/20