AJ's log

[ajdonutz]

Have you been doing your stretches? the DC delt stretch will address this. More than likely its the biceps tendon and could be trapped. if you can get a massage on it to loosen the muscles then get into those stretches, it always helps me. I did the same thing being in the wrong position on the Incline HS machine one week.

Thanks, its definitely pec, I can tell for sure today. I haven't done much stretching other than warmups.. looks like I need to start

 

[ajdonutz]

Well, took a week off everything, pec felt good, went in today planning to do some moderate weight, 135 agitated it a tiny bit, so I figured I'd go no higher than 225 for some light work, and 225 felt crappy on it, so I decided no chest again this week, went ahead and did legs and I'm gonna take another week off chest at the least and go from there. I'm gonna use this time of having to take it easy and drop down to low dose test as well and let myself clear out, I need that as well. If I end up taking 2-4 weeks off pressing, what kind of size/strength loss should I expect on my chest/bench? Ive never taken longer than a week... lol

 

[ajdonutz]

Figured I'd update this.

I dropped cals to 3500 to maintain/recomp for a month or so before I start dieting for a show in August. Started at 253 lbs. I've dropped the water I was holding, a little fat already, also have been pretty much cruising.

Monday chest
Weight 248

Still had to go light due to my pec strain being rehabbed, went light, very slow movements and holding contraction and stopping when feeling a pinch.
All of my work was extremely light and very easy, nothing over 60% of my max on anything.
Flat bb bench
225x10
275x5(felt it pinch)
135x40
225x12

Incline Bb bench
135x20
225x5
225x8
225x8
135x30

Decline dumbbell bench
60x25
80x15
80x12
80x12

Db flyes at slight incline
30x10
30x8
30x8


Today was legs
Kept this easy as well
Weight 247

Squat
455x2
475x2
495x1
455x1

Leg press
585x10
585x10
585x10

Lying leg curl
150x8
135x12
135x8

Standing calf raise
150x10
120x10

Donkey calf raise
90x12

 

[RockShawn]

You call that easy legs. I wish my knees would allow me to squat and squat heavy, I'm grateful to have any size on them not having been able to do much squating.

Don't know if I missed this or what, but are you doing some therapy on the pec? Is there a dr involved and a diagnosis? I remember you hurting it but I missed the update I guess.

 

[TSizemore]

Agreed Rock!! At least the chest workout looks more Human then it normally does! Lol

 

[ajdonutz]

You call that easy legs. I wish my knees would allow me to squat and squat heavy, I'm grateful to have any size on them not having been able to do much squating.

Don't know if I missed this or what, but are you doing some therapy on the pec? Is there a dr involved and a diagnosis? I remember you hurting it but I missed the update I guess.

Nah man, i dont think it was serious amd its getting better daily. Juat doing some rehab on my own. but on the knee issue, I feel your pain. My knees are awful. My left one has been blown out somewhere between 5-10 times.. I wrap my knees when I squat heavy. Makes a world of difference. It never helped my squat more on their own, but taking the pressure off of my knee joints allowed me to do more heavy work than before and in turn I've progressed a ton

Agreed Rock!! At least the chest workout looks more Human then it normally does! Lol

Hahah, thanks man! Hopefully it'll be inhuman again soon 😛

 

[Blueedge]

Nah man, i dont think it was serious amd its getting better daily. Juat doing some rehab on my own. but on the knee issue, I feel your pain. My knees are awful. My left one has been blown out somewhere between 5-10 times.. I wrap my knees when I squat heavy. Makes a world of difference. It never helped my squat more on their own, but taking the pressure off of my knee joints allowed me to do more heavy work than before and in turn I've progressed a ton

Hahah, thanks man! Hopefully it'll be inhuman again soon 😛

When I had tendinitis in knees I went and bought 2 knee braces with the metal on sides of leg and hinge at knee on both sides amd strapped them on tight when doing legs..worked amazing

 

[ajdonutz]

Sorry I haven't been updating much other than chest and leg days just been busy. On a good note, the past 2 weeks I've dead lifted from the ground, first in months, and have had NO BACK PAIN! Knock on wood but its feeling good. Week before last hit 315x8 for 3 sets easy. Used to that many reps for 3 sets would have me wincing. Last week I hit 335x8 for 3 sets easy. I'm taking it slow and going up slowly, hoping it stays good to go....

Another positive, I was able to hit chest heavy today! First heavy workout on chest in a month 🙂 pec strain seems to be gone for the most part, knock on wood again.. anyway, I lost about 40 lbs on bench. I feel like its mostly just the stabilization and muscles not being ready for the load though, I think I can break back to 405-410 within 3-4 weeks. Anyway, today's workout

Chest
Weight 244

Flat bb bench
275x12
315x6
355x2
365x1

Incline bb bench
245x9
275x3
245x8
245x6

Decline bb bench
315x5
335x3
315x4
275x8

Incline dumbbell flyes
30x12
35x10
35x10


Not a horrible workout. I was definitely sore and weak after 6ish sets after not hitting chest hard in a month.

Body fat dropping weight dropping slowly... everything going good, show in august...

 

[N.O.V.]

Glad to hear you're back to pulling brother!

 

[ajdonutz]

Thanks man, I was pretty pumped when I was able to bang out the first set with zero pain, hoping it stays this way and I can work up to some decent pull numbers, maybe I'll catch you in that department this year 😉

 

[RockShawn]

Glad you're feeling better.

 

[N.O.V.]

Lol, you may just do that.. I'm shooting for 600 by December

 

[ajdonutz]

Glad you're feeling better.

thanks rocko, me too lol. Your competition prep seems to be going great

Lol, you may just do that.. I'm shooting for 600 by December

That'll be big man, I don't really have big number goals this year since I'm going to do that show, but if I could keep the pace on dead lifts and hit 500 or so that'd be nice. Keep my bench in 400s and get my squats up to 550-600 that'd be pretty cool. Once I have another off season I'll shoot for 455 bench, 600 squat, and 550 dead so long as my back stays healtht

 

[N.O.V.]

We'll have to do some work together, I need some work on my bench. I'm sure we can provide each other some useful advice.

 

[ajdonutz]

I'll update for tues wed and Thurs. Don't remember all the weigh ins, but am weighing 243 now, body fat still dropping. Looking better.

Tuesdays workout was legs

Squats
455x2
495x1
315x10
315x10(I went no belt in wraps on these and real slow and deep just to get a burn, but my low back would start hurting by the 8th rep or so without the belt)

Leg press
585x8

Leg extensions
150x12
150x12

Leg curl
135x10
150x8

Stand calf raise
120x12
120x10

Donkey calf raise
90x12

Wed work out was delts traps
Seated dumbbell overhead press
100x8
110x5
100x7

One arm side raises
30x12
30x12
30x12

Rear delt raise
45x12
45x12
45x12

Db shrugs
130x10
130x9
130x8

Front to side raises
20x10
25x6
25x6

Thursdays workout was back
Dead lift
365x6
365x6
365x6

Barbell row
315x5
315x5
245x12

Wide lat pull down
225x8
240x5
210x8

Neutral pull up slow
6
6
6


Decent week. Back feeling pretty good and dead lifts still feeling good and slowly climbing.

 

[ajdonutz]

Fridays workout was

Weight 242

Dumbbell hammer curls
55x8
55x8
55x6

Close grip bench
275x8
295x6
275x7

Dumbbell alternating curls
50x6
50x7
50x7

Skullcrushers
135x8
115x17
115x14

Barbell curl
115x8
115x6

V bar push down
120x8
110x12

 

[ajdonutz]

Today was chest day.. bench going back up fast! This was my second week going heavy since the pec strain or whatever it was. Today's workout

Weight 241.5

Flat bench
365x2
375x1
385x1
390x1 (assisted rep here, barely missed it)
315x6

Incline bench
255x8
275x4
295x1
255x7

Decline bench
335x4
355x1
315x4
245x12

Db flyes at slight incline
35x8
35x8
35x8

Added in a few sets of mixed decline crunches. 2 weeks back at chest and only about 20 lbs off where I was now after being 35-40 lbs off last week. At this rate bench will be back to 410 in the next week or 2.

 

[N.O.V.]

Looking good brother, I'll be in there pulling tonight. Trying to help my little buddy swell back up. He's been out for a few months.

 

[RockShawn]

Nice AJ. Don't over stress that pec just yet. Glad you are getting your strength back and getting it worked.

 

[ajdonutz]

Looking good brother, I'll be in there pulling tonight. Trying to help my little buddy swell back up. He's been out for a few months.

thanks man. And that's awfully nice if ya 😛 I'll be in there in an hour or so hitting legs. I'll be in there around 7 or so Thursday and Friday so I'll see you then

Nice AJ. Don't over stress that pec just yet. Glad you are getting your strength back and getting it worked.

Thanks rocko. I think I got pretty lucky with the pec, I think it was extremely small, still took me out about a month