male only Advice needed from weight lifters

xtightend · December 23, 2008

Over the years I typically have done something like this:

Mon - chest: bench, incline bench, decline bench, pec deck, flys or cables

Tues - back: pulldowns, close grip pulldowns and about 6 different Hammerstrenght plate loaded back machines, dumbell rows

Wed - shoulders: vertical rows, seated military press, shrugs, foward, plus 4 or 5 various shoulder machines

Thurs - legs: leg press or squats, power squat machine,leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, donkey kick machine

Friday - core: hanging leg raises, roman chair, torso twist machine, back and side extensions, medicine ball in roman chair to partner

Sat - arms: close grip bench, tricep machine, tricep pushdowns skull crushers, cable tricep curls. Bicep curl machine, curl bar, dumbell curls, cable curls

Sunday - off

Everyday also includes 3 sets of some ab exercise. My workout partner and I had about 20 we used. We also did 30 min of cardio every day.

We would get to the gym at 5am everyday except sat when we went later.

We kept this up for years until one day (A day where I had done the above shoulder workout with 3 sets of seated miltary press with 145lbs) I was called by my cardiologist after routine tests and told I had a serious heart prob caused by a virus. A week later I was in the best heart hospital in NY getting a defibrilator installed. Now amazingly 13 months later my heart is almost back to normal and I am cleared to lift weights again. In the meantime I gained weight which I have now lost 30 # of thanks to being banded. I dont want to build back all the muscle .There is no need to lift the kind of weight i used to(at 45 years old I came in 3rd in our gym's weight lifting contest) but it sure feels great to be back. I thought I would never be able to feel a good workout again.

The moral of this long story is go to the damn gym if you can. You never know when you won't be able to.

Ceradad · December 23, 2008

Great moral X. I used to say that if I had the drive to make it in the gym, almost noone could outwork me. Problem was, I would have the drive for about 6 mos, 1 yr tops, and then stop going. Wouldn't go back to 6 mos to a yr. What a waste.

Now, I've been at it since 2 wks post op. I don't try to lift heavy weights, only weights I feel I will be able to do for 3 sets of 12 at the end of the cycle. Of course, if it is a pretty impressive weight to some, I don't complain.:thumbup:

xtightend · December 23, 2008

To make myself go at 5am even on days when I didnt feel like it I said to myself "If you go to the gym today you can goof off and do a very light workout". When I got there I would end up doing the same intensity workout as always.

The problem with getting up at 4:30 am everyday was you get used to it and going to bed early. Like being on European time. When we went out with friends and came home really late...like 4am. I would get jetlag without even going anywhere.

Ceradad · December 23, 2008

To make myself go at 5am even on days when I didnt feel like it I said to myself "If you go to the gym today you can goof off and do a very light workout". When I got there I would end up doing the same intensity workout as always.
The problem with getting up at 4:30 am everyday was you get used to it and going to bed early. Like being on European time. When we went out with friends and came home really late...like 4am. I would get jetlag without even going anywhere.

Exactly. I am up at the same time every morning. I would tell myself that if I miss today, tomorrow will be easier to miss. I don't want to fall into that rut again.

And, you are right, I used to stay up late. Especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Now, by 9 pm, I am looking towards going to bed. Kind of a downer, but I'll take this to the alternative.:thumbup: