Back, Delts, Biceps, Abs (P2 + higher reps)

Shockingly great Saturday workout considering I woke up at 3 a.m. for no good reason. Although, it sure makes for a productive weekend when you’ve managed 4 hours of work and half a pot of coffee by 7 a.m. Workout might’ve been great because of the higher reps, or maybe because I was delirious (or maybe both?)…

Back: Chins (2×15,10); Pullovers (1×15); Behind-the-neck chins (2×10,8); One-arm DB rows (1×15); Bent-over bent-arm laterals (2×15,12); Forward-lean shrugs (1×18)
Delts: DB upright rows (2×15,12); Incline one-arm laterals (1×15); Lateral raises (2×14,12)
Biceps: DB curls (2×15,10); Incline DB curls (1×12); Concentration curls (2×15,10)
Abs: Full-range crunches (2×20)—last set ss with Planks (1×60 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: I guess I can’t say that I woke early for no reason, as my son was up with a cough most of the night, so once my brain got rolling around 3 a.m. there was no hope of going back to sleep. By 4 a.m. I gave up and got out of bed. It was rough to get started with the workout, but all was good after the first 30 seconds. Back, delts and biceps all responded really well to the slight increase in reps, and the short rest periods kept things moving along quickly, so no increase in time spent in the gym. Not a bad way to start the weekend – aside from the sick boy who won’t get much play time today.
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Back, Delts, Biceps, Abs (Phase 2)

Great workout, but I have to admit… Training every other day makes it hard for me to keep track of what day it is. LOL! I love the built-in rest/recovery, though. Today was great even though I rushed it a bit to stay on schedule. That actually seemed to make it better, as I made sure to keep rest periods at a minimum…

Back: Chins (2×12,10); Pullovers (1×12); Behind-the-neck chins (2×10,8); One-arm DB rows (1×10); Bent-over bent-arm laterals (2×10,8); Forward-lean shrugs (1×18)
Delts: DB upright rows (2×14,12); Incline one-arm laterals (1×12); Lateral raises (2×12,10)
Biceps: DB curls (2×12,10); Incline DB curls (1×10); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Abs: Leg raises (1×15); Full-range crunches (2×12); Planks (1×60 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the 20 Pounds in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: I got a great pump today for some reason, and I really think it’s just the reduced rest time from rushing a bit. I wasn’t in such a rush that I had to skip anything, but I wanted to make sure it was all done in the shortest time possible. That made the rest much more condensed, as I think I start to push the between-bodypart rest periods a bit when I’m not on a full-on 4X or TORQ sequence as with this routine. When I remember to keep low rest periods (35-45 seconds), the pump ends up off the charts.
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Back, Delts, Biceps, Abs (Phase 2)

We had to get to Saturday-morning Judo for my son, so this was a low-rest, all-out training session. I liked it! I had to condense 45 minutes of work into 30 minutes, and I didn’t want to skip anything at all. That meant very little rest between anything…

Back: Chins (2×12,10); Pullovers (1×10); Behind-the-neck chins (2×10,8); One-arm DB rows (1×12); Bent-over bent-arm laterals (2×10,8); Forward-lean shrugs (1×18)
Delts: DB upright rows (2×14,12); Incline one-arm laterals (1×10); Lateral raises (2×10,9)
Biceps: DB curls (2×10,8); Incline DB curls (1×10); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Abs: Leg raises (1×18); Full-range crunches (2×15); Planks (1×60 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: Great pump, and the lungs got a nice blasting, too. I thought for sure I’d have to at least skip abs, but all the huffing and puffing meant that I was able to jam everything into my limited amount of gym time. I could’ve rested more and skipped a shower, but who are we kidding… No body wants that. LOL
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Back, Delts, Biceps, Abs (Phase 2)

I think I’m a fan of this every-other-day split. At least now that I remember to train on the weekend. LOL! It gives me a day in between for interval cardio when I’m in the mood, and it means that I get more time to work on the “off” days even when I do cardio. Plus, workouts are still under an hour (usually close to 45 minutes) and focus is high thanks to the bonus recovery day in between…

Back: Chins (2×12,10); Pullovers (1×10); Behind-the-neck chins (2×10,8); One-arm DB rows (1×14); Bent-over bent-arm laterals (2×10,9); Forward-lean shrugs (1×18)
Delts: DB upright rows (2×14,12); Incline one-arm laterals (1×10); Lateral raises (2×10,9)
Biceps: DB curls (2×10,9); Incline DB curls (1×10); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Abs: Leg raises (1×18); Full-range crunches (2×15); Planks (1×60 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: Great one today! Everything just felt “in tune,” so the feel was great on everything. As mentioned above, I’m really enjoying this split, so even after Phase 2 comes to an end in 3 weeks, I’ll probably stick with the same split, but I’ll be incorporating some tension-time-extending techniques. Before that, however, I have a feeling some X-centric sets might be in my future, as the idea of burning of some winter-based adipose tissue sounds somewhat appealing.
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Back, Delts, Biceps, Abs (Phase 2)

Great workout! Back work was outstanding, delts felt great, and biceps got a good pump. Only complaint would be that the fullness and pump aren’t lasting as long as they do when I use more sets/reps. I’ll stick with things as-is for at least another week, and will stay on the same every-other-day split, but might end up adding some 4X or TORQ sets, or maybe just some regular X Reps for some longer sets…

Back: Chins (2×12,10); Pullovers (1×10); Behind-the-neck chins (2×10,8); One-arm DB rows (1×14); Bent-over bent-arm laterals (2×12,10); Forward-lean shrugs (1×14)
Delts: DB upright rows (2×14,12); Incline one-arm laterals (1×10); Lateral raises (2×12,10)
Biceps: DB curls (2×10,9); Incline DB curls (1×10); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Abs: Leg raises (1×18); Full-range crunches (2×15); Planks (1×60 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the 20 Pounds in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: Workout felt really good, and I probably don’t need any changes just yet, but I’m itching for some longer tension times. Probably some minor changes in the next couple of weeks, but I was really impressed with today’s workout. Strength is still going up, and the only change today was to abs, where I opted for 1 set of leg raises and 2 on full-range crunches, rather than the other way around. Looking forward to remembering my Sunday session this weekend. LOL!

Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Back, Delts, Biceps, Abs (Phase 2)

Apparently it’s been a long time since I trained on an every-other-day split, because I blew right through the weekend and only realized this morning that I missed a workout. LOL! I guess I’ll just consider the extra rest as a break-in for Phase 2. And NOW it’s in full swing…

Back: Chins (2×12,10); Pullovers (1×12); Behind-the-neck chins (2×10,8); One-arm DB rows (1×12); Bent-over bent-arm laterals (2×12); Forward-lean shrugs (1×14)
Delts: DB upright rows (2×14,12); Incline one-arm laterals (1×10); Lateral raises (2×10,9)
Biceps: DB curls (2×10,9); Incline DB curls (1×10); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Abs: Leg raises (2×15); Full-range crunches (1×15); Planks (1×60 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: While I have trained on several weekend days over the past several months, it’s never been part of the routine, and just something I’d do when I felt the need. This is probably the first time in 6+ years that weekend training has been part of my schedule, and old habits die hard. It was a great workout today, though, and back felt pretty outstanding. Pump was great on all bodyparts, and I love the level of focus you need when you’ve only got 1-2 sets per exercise to make it worth it. Yes, my rep counts are, and will continue to be, higher than prescribed in the Size Surge Workout, but only because I like to maintain a balance between power and tension time. This is a good balance for now, and a big change compared to the last few years of training. It’s like a flashback while utilizing techniques that work better for me now that I’m “well aged” compared to when I was in my 20s.
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Calves, Arms, Abs (Phase 1)

Today’s workout had to be adapted again, unfortunately. Calves became the first bodypart based on my single-rep warm-up attempt with deadlifts. Even with 1/2 my normal warmup weight, I almost couldn’t stand up. Still not sure how this happened, because it wasn’t in the gym or doing anything around the house. I really think it’s just a matter of always needing to sleep on my back or side. Oops…

Calves: Standing calf raises (2×15,14)
Biceps: Standing curls (2×10,9); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Triceps: Lying extensions (2×10,9); Bench dips (2×12,10)
Forearms: Wrist curls (1×12); Reverse wrist curls (1×12); Forearm rockers (1×10); Hammer curls (1×10)
Abs: Leg raises (2×15) ss Full-range crunches (2×15 + X Reps) ss Planks (2×45 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 1 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: As much as I hated not being able to do Deadlifts today, that anger actually helped elsewhere. LOL! I went heavier on everything else, and still managed to get a good number of reps with a good amount of time under tension. I’m surprised my early-morning yelling didn’t wake anyone, but it sure made for a great workout. Now to con my wife into going back to her massage-therapy roots today or tomorrow so that I can actually train legs again on Friday.
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Workout

Last workout of the year? That’s hard to believe, but what better way to say goodbye to 2014 than with some early-morning deadlifts for a New Year’s Eve workout? Plus, I started doing some semi-HIIT cardio on the “off” days for this routine so that I’m still active on those days. That means New Year’s morning intervals. Good times! Today’s workout ended 2014 on a great note…

Legs/Back: Deadlifts (2×12,10)
Calves: Standing calf raises (2×18,15)
Biceps: Standing curls (2×12,9); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Triceps: Lying extensions (2×12,10); Bench dips (2×12,10)
Forearms: Wrist curls (1×15); Reverse wrist curls (1×15); Hammer curls (1×12)
Abs: Leg raises (2×15) ss Full-range crunches (2×15 + X Reps) ss Planks (2×45 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 1 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: I made some interesting choices with my protein choices last night, and while it was all good food, let’s just say it wasn’t the normal set of food choices. That made the deadlifts a bit more interesting, so there was a bit of violent hacking and I was on the verge of throwing up a couple of times, but all in the name of big muscle gains. LOL! There’s really something to this idea of starting each workout with a big exercise like squats or deadlifts. As taxing as it is, it really makes the whole training session seem even more productive. I can’t tell if the overall sense of well being is from the potentially increased hormone production, or maybe just the fact that it’s my usual cold-weather training enjoyment. Either way, it’s good. Happy New Year!
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Friday, Dec. 26, ’14: Legs/Back, Arms/ Abs

I probably should’ve been feeling 100% today for deadlifts, and I would’ve had I not gotten 3 hours of sleep on Christmas Eve followed by the longest and greatest day ever. Plus, my wife is sick with a cold now, so that seems to be rubbing off on me a bit. Typical winter, I guess. LOL! Felt very good to get into the gym, though, and it was a combo of bodyparts I haven’t experienced in a long time, so the feel and pump was different… and good…

Legs/Back: Deadlifts (2×12,10)
Calves: Standing calf raises (2×40,30)
Biceps: Standing curls (2×12,9); Concentration curls (2×10,9)
Triceps: Lying extensions (2×12,10); Kickbacks (2×10,9)
Forearms: Wrist curls (1×20); Reverse wrist curls (1×20); Hammer curls (1×12)
Abs: Leg raises (2×15) ss Full-range crunches (2×15 + X Reps) ss Planks (2×45 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 1 workout in the 20 Pounds of Muscle in 10 Weeks e-book.

Summary: As great as I felt when I woke on Christmas morning, the day was just way too long. In a good way, but still rough for a guy recovering from the flu, so today was derailed a bit, but worth it. Still a good workout, but I kept it dialed down a bit. Deadlifts had me dying for oxygen, but also made the rest of the workout feel pretty good. I forgot just how much your mental focus gets dialed in when you only have two sets of an exercise to make use of. You have to make them count, and that helps with the intensity. Will continue with the SS Phase 1 approach next week, but with 100% intensity and effort. Already looking forward to it!
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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Monday, Dec. 15, ’14: Back, Chest, Abs

It must’ve been the pancakes I ate for breakfast yesterday, or maybe the Chipotle we had on Friday’s Christmas-shopping date night, but whatever the reason, the back and chest pump today felt incredible! Managed a good amount of power and tension time all around. So good…

Back: Chin ups (4×8,7,8,10–first two sets Xcen; third regular; fourth Xcel); Pullovers (3×9–DXO + X Reps); Bent-arm bent-over laterals (3×15 + X Fade); DB shrugs (3×15 + X Reps)
Chest: Incline DB presses (4×9,8,10,10–first two sets Xcen; third regular; fourth Xcel + X Reps); DB Flyes (3×9–DXO + X Reps); Dips (3×15 + X Fade)
Abs: Leg raises (3×12) ss Full-range crunches (3×12 + X Reps) ss Planks (3×45 seconds)
Note: My current PowerBlock gym split is based on the Phase 2 workout in the NEW Super-Size Crash Course e-book with PS 4X, TORQ and Super-TORQ sets.

Summary: Not much different from last Monday’s back and chest workout, except for a slight weight increase on everything. I’ve been without a means to do any sort of pull down or chinning movement until recently, so that probably plays a big role in the back pump, but chest has just had a much better mind-muscle connection lately for some reason, too. Maybe I’ll give more credit to the pancakes, though, since that’s a pretty nice pump-producing treat to convince myself to keep up with. LOL!
Diet, Supplements & Nutrient Timing: For meal-by-meal diets plus training and nutrition info, see the X-treme Lean e-book.

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