Ok back in action. I’ve been hitting the gym 4-5 days a week now, with the primary focus of getting strong, and hopefully as a result: big! I’m using a strategy that has worked well for me in the past: low-rep workout at the start of the week and repeated at the end of the week using high reps.

Why do it that way rather than go for size with the usual 8+ reps approach? Two reasons….

1) I’m lazy… I hate lifting high reps… with strength training your goals are much more clear cut. You get the weight up, or you don’t. If you don’t this workout, you’ll be looking forward all week to the next workout so that you can get your revenge! I personally don’t have this kind of motivation to lift a lighter weight up 50 million times until my arms fall off… Though it can be enjoyable other times.

2) It’s embarrassing! I haven’t been training seriously for a good 6-8 month, I want to get off these damn girly weights ASAP!!

Besides… anyone who says you can’t get huge from strength training.. refer to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S-buWkp9V8&feature=related haha!

Another thing I should point out: why am I training 4-5 times a week? Because I’ve split my workout into 2 with one low-rep workout each, and one high-rep workout each. Since the workouts are basically identical, it only ends up being equivalent to about 1.5 workouts/week per body part – recovery from the Monday-Tuesday workouts is much more rapid.

Enough rambling, here is my workout plan:


Monday

  • Weighted close grip chin-ups
  • Bent over rows
  • Chest supported rows
  • Dumbbell rows

Tuesday

  • Barbell shoulder press (standing)
  • Dumbbell bench press
  • Weighted parallel bar dips

Wednesday

  • Hill sprints (approx 30mins of interval training)

Thursday

Same as Monday

  • + ezy-bar curls

Friday

Same as Tuesday

  • + Back extensions
  • + Forarm/grip work

Notes:

  • Sets: I do 2 warmup sets, and 5 heavy sets. Every single heavy set I go up in weight a little bit.
  • Reps: are fast and smooth. Not painfully slow, but not stupidly swinging.
  • Monday+Tuesday = 5 reps for all exercises (3 for chin-ups)
  • Thursday-Friday = 10-15 reps for all exercises (sum total of 30 chinups on Friday, via any number of sets/reps).
  • Workouts are generally lasting 45-60 mins so far.
  • Ab workouts done Mon, Wed and Saturday outside the gym.
  • Where are the leg workouts you ask? Squats and deadlifts don’t agree with me: I don’t care what you say, they aren’t truly for everyone! I would love to do them, but I haven’t yet learnt how to do them without hurting my back. I’m trying to build leg strength through sprinting and cycling for now.

Status?

I started this workout in the middle of May 2008 and I plan on carrying it through for a couple of months hopefully. My dumbbell bench press is going up nicely.

Dumbbell Bench: At the start I was doing about 25-27kg each for 5 reps. Currently I’m at 32.5kg. My goal is to reach 40kg in the next 1-2 months.

Close grip Chinups: are a bit of a tough one to classify. As I get stronger I get heavier and the chinups don’t get any easier! Currently able to chin 10kg for 3 reps.

Barbell shoulder press: Started off at a measly 15kg + 18kg bar, currently at 25kg + 18kg bar, possibly a bit higher. I aim to get 50kg + 18kg-bar in total in 1-2 months.

The rest of the exercises aren’t that interesting to write about just yet. For now I am just training for the enjoyment of challenge of beating myself every week - this is my first month back in a long time :-)