Halloween 2010

I wouldn't allow myself to see this Halloween without 700 push-ups. I hit that goal and I've also been motivated to edit and write on a splatterpunk vampire novel, EYES OF FRIGHT. It's my Halloween gift to you.

Two New Supplements

I'll be taking a new protein powder, Cytosport Muscle Milk : Banana Creme and a during-workout drink that aids in recovery, Cytosport Cytomax : Go Grape. I tried samples of 20+ supplements in September, and Cytomax was the only to get five stars. I like the carbs, dextrose, and electrolytes in it. It felt like a good product for cardio, and a workout with high reps that lasts over an hour could be considered cardio, maybe even over 45 minutes.

Log Update 101029

700 push-ups
61 pull-ups
61 dips
60 db curls
7 wrist rolls

Hitting 700 was a milestone I had planned three months ago when I was only at 376 total. The next milestone is 1000 push-ups, which I should hit in three more months. This coming week I'm practicing squats and deadlifts with dumbbells.

Progress Video 101026

Here's a video of four months training progress from goblincore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyqLhDobshI

Dip Variation

I use two variations for parallel bar dips: triceps and chest. The triceps version is done with your legs behind you and folded, and using a full range of motion going from top position to below parallel. Chest dips are the same but with your legs in front of you and your chin pointed down along with your chest slightly rotated forward. That puts your weight directly on your chest whereas legs behind with chin straight ahead, the weight is on the triceps.

Either way works the shoulders as well. If you want to incorporate your abs and serratus muscles, you can hump your back up in the up position, and even crunch your lower body upward. To get full range of motion on either dip variation, you must sink very low. It's fine to lower into the position of parallel with forearm and upper-arm, making a 90 degree angle in the first set or two, but each rep afterwards should be lower. Otherwise you won't be hitting all of the muscles.

Log Update 101022

675 push-ups, next is 700 push-ups
57 pull-ups, next is wk6 pull-ups, the last week of the 20 pull-ups routine, 2nd column
57 dips
44 db curls
6 wrist rolls

Log Update 101015

650 push-ups
54 pull-ups
54 dips
44 db curls
5 wrist rolls

Why Use Two Legs?

I've searched so many lists online for push-ups variations, so I don't know why it took me so long to think of using one leg. I've revamped my push-up routine for next week. I'm on Week 22. I've dropped the rotational ones and added 5 one-leg variations. I would say, "Hopefully this doesn't jack-up my legs," but I want it to.

Week 22 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
58 52 53 decline push-ups
36 42 43 decline one-leg push-ups
105 100 105 push-ups
20 27 28 triangle push-ups
20 27 28 triangle push-ups
30 32 33 three-chair push-ups
36 42 43 three-chair one-leg push-ups
48 52 53 one-leg push-ups
47 42 43 wide push-ups
26 32 33 wide one-leg push-ups
47 42 43 decline wide push-ups
26 32 33 decline wide one-leg push-ups
105 100 105 push-ups
26 31 32 incline one-leg push-ups
 
Total 630 653 675

New Routine

Tomorrow is looking like this for me: 605 push-ups, 50 pull-ups, 50 dips, 12 hammer curls, 12 zottman curls, 5 wrist rolls. I'm on Week 21 of push-ups, Week 5.5 on pull-ups, and Week 1 on hammer curls and zottman curls.

I included the biceps dumbbell curls because the only exercise targeting them were the chin-ups and close-grip chin-ups. I'll be using 21lb weights. starting at 12 reps total and upping it by 4 reps each workout. The wrist rolls target the forearms and the wrist flexors. It gives an instant pump. It's good for vascularity as well.

Exercise References

These two sites are great references. They have muscle charts for you to select from, that'll give you a list of exercises and stretches for that muscle. The first, which has videos is Bodybuilding.com and the second, which is more detailed and lists the smaller muscles is Exrx.net. Be careful not to accept any information as blatant fact. It's good to check a number of resources to ensure the technique you're using won't injure you, that the exercise you're performing is hitting the region you're trying to work, and so that you can find variations, finding what works best for you.

Log Update 101008

625 push-ups
47 pull-ups
47 dips

I finally started working legs this week. I've had trouble with squat form so I'm focusing on the following 4 exercises: Step-Ups, Lunges, Reverse Lunges, and Calf Raises. I'm using 1x 21lb dumbbell and switching hands half way through each set. I plan to use 2x 21b dumbbells and just increase in reps and sets since I have no other dumbbells. I'll update how that works out in 1-2 months time.

Pull-Up Technique

I've only recently started breathing correctly on pull-ups. I find it awkward because you're supposed to exhale as you begin the first rep. I also recently found out that when you're in the up position, you should pull your shoulders back and push your chest forward. For range of motion, your arms should be locked on the down position and your chest should touch the bar in the up position. Just getting your chin over the bar isn't good enough. I also recommend not using any momentum as used in kipping pull-ups.

Perfect Pushup

I recently was able to try out Perfect Fitness's Perfect Pushup. I had wanted to try them for a very long time and was excited as I tried it out. The handles actually spin both clockwise and counter-clockwise. I'm not sure if there's a way to lock it so that it can't spin. I have read in a bodyweight book that it's good to fight resistance and spin your hands inward to create a spiraling motion that goes all the way up to your shoulders. The bottom is rubber coated so it doesn't budge beyond the spinning left and right. I don't care for them and I wouldn't use them again. I'm aware that because you can move the two handles around that you can try more variations perhaps, but I prefer grounded push-up handles.

One-Leg Push-Ups and Rotational Push-Ups

The close-grip push-ups weren't working out for me. The grip was painful and the range of motion wasn't there. I'm sure I could have improved with them after a while, but I already have a similar close-grip push-up in the triangle push-ups. So I've exchanged the close-grip and decline close-grip with one-leg push-ups and rotational push-ups. One-leg push-ups involve holding one leg straight in the air while performing push-ups then switch for the next set. Rotational push-ups are normal push-ups where you go down, then up, then roll to left side and extend right arm straight towards ceiling and hold for a pause then do a push-up and come up and roll to the right side with left arm straight.

Log Update 20101001

605 push-ups, on to Week 20
44 pull-ups
44 dips

I tried using the back of a chair to get a steeper decline, but the chair just rocked up and down with each rep. I'm just going to have to kick my feet up on some furniture or the wall. I have had success with chest dips though. Grip the parallel bars,  start in up position with arms locked, point chin to your chest, cross legs in front of you and suspend them up. Your chest should be tilted down.