It has been about a year since I have done any type of workout. Evolution has inspired me to start training again.

If I miss any training days I invite anyone to call me Nancy, or Sally, or any other extremely effeminate name that would be offensive to a man.

Today was my first day back in the gym in about a year. I feel very fortunate the no matter where I live I seem to have contact the best people and the best facilities. I put in a call to a friend from college who happens to run an athletes training center in town, and now I am up and running.

My training is structured as such -

Day 1 - ME Squat
Day 2 - DE Press
Day 3 - DE Squat
Day 4 - ME Press

I will be training on Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri.

The max days will be a little "loose" in the beginning since I will not be going to an actual max. And this week is off since this is my first training day I did the ME Squat day and will start things right next week.

Todays Workout -

1. Box squat - 1 "brick" and 3 "flops" box height. (just below parallel) I took a wide stance since it is the most comfertable for me. All sets are 3 reps, weights are in kg.

1. 20
2. 60
3. 90
4. 110
5. 140

2. Glute Ham Raise - 3 sets 5 reps

3. Back Extensions - 4 sets 10 reps

4. Abs wheel - 4 sets 8 reps

5. Wide Dumbbell Rows - 4 sets 10 reps - 35lbs

6 & 7. Theraball abs and back extensions - 4 sets 10 reps each - no resting.

Gotta say that everything felt pretty good. I thought the glute ham's would be harder. Felt like just the right amount of work for the first day back.

good for you! ill definitly follow this one!

yeah. *tag*

friggin awsome

OK. Day 2. Still feelin' pretty good. Abs are a little sore from the roller, all in all I feel good today.

Today I did a Pressing day. More of a getting the feeling of a pressing day than either max or dynamic. All reps were done up to a weight that was not a struggle. So, here it is

1. Bench press. I took a medium grip and did sets of three. Weights are as follows.

1. 45
2. 135
3. 135
4. 185
5. 225
6. 250
7. 250
8. 250
9. 250

2. Log press. The log here weighs 96lbs empty. I cleaned it on the first rep and pressed from there. This was a straight press. No leg drive or anything. I did sets of 5.

1. 96
2. 116
3. 126
4. 126
5. 126
6. 126

3. Log row (the log is one of the best pieces of equipment, there are a lot of exercises that can be done and because of the girth stabilizers are trained like crazy) Here I did sets of 10.

1. 96
2. 116
3. 136
4. 156
5. 156
6. 156
7. 156

4. Lat pulldown - 3 sets 10 reps, 100lbs. I used various grips.

5. 6. 7.
These exercises were done in succession, with a short rest between. all were done 3 sets, all were done for 10 reps.

Reverse Hyper - 100lbs
Land Mine Twist - bar - 1 sets w/ bar, 2 sets w/ the grappling handles
Standing External Rotations - 15lbs

PWO Drinks - Kool-Aid / Shake - 2 scoops Muscle Milk, 1 scoops Cytosport protein. (cookies and cream, mmmmmmm.)

This day went well. Starting Monday I will be following the plan I initially stated. I feel like I have a good idea of what needs to be trained first, and where my weak points are. I will also be starting sled drag for conditioning next week as well.

So your not ready to attempt to kill evo yet?

I'll follow this one since I've been an inspiration. I think it's pretty awesome that you have a log to do presses with. Your numbers are really good for having been away from training for a bit. Awesomeness on the GHRs.

Yea, I am very fortunate to be able to train at a place with every cool piece of weightlifting equipment possible, as well as the best people that I could surround myself with. That makes training much better.

They even build new pieces of equipment and just put them in the gym to see how people use them and get feedback.

It is like a weightlifters heaven. There is more grip training stuff here than I could imagine. After the first month of training I think I am going to do all my speed training with the tendo unit. Making sure the lifts are fast enough.

There are definitely no excuses.

Refer to the Sally / Nancy comment if you see any slacking going on.

Do you have any goals as far as competition of any kind?

I have always liked strongman. I was a few places from getting a pro card a few years ago. Lots of training mistakes though.

I got too big, like 320lbs at 5'11" I couldn't move fast enough on the farmers walk / yoke. Not enough focus on work capacity or recovery workouts.

I guess I would like to top out at between 275 and 290 this time. (currently I am mid 240's) That will keep my bodyfat in an acceptable range. If I can get my old strength or higher, and be in a lower weight class (non pro contests tend to have weight classes).

So yea, some strongman would be fun. Don't know when, though. Probably know more after the first 4 or 5 months of training.

Of course your post peaked my interest in highland games. There is a guy here who is supposed to be one of the best in the country. A little sit down and maybe some training and that might be something I'll try as well.

Oh man...The Highland Games are sick. I think you'd love it. We have a pro thrower up in the Tulsa area. I'll be going to one of his clinics next month.

OK. First "official" workout. This is a ME Squat day. (Remember that the term "max" is used loosely right now.) We'll get right into it.

1. Deadlifts - worked singles up to 160kg. Went something like -

1. 20
2. 60
3. 90
4. 110
5. 140
6. 160

Felt good. Made sure technique was good.

2. Glute ham - 4 sets 8 reps

3. Reverse Hyper - Sets of 10

1. 100
2. 150
3. 150
4. 150

4. Iso Cable Row (weight is independent in each hand) - 5 sets 10 reps

1. 110
2. 195
3. 225
4. 225
5. 225

5. 6. 7. - Back Ext, Reverse Flys, Straight Leg Raise - 3 sets 10 reps each exercise. Used 15lbs on the rev fly. Short (15 - 20 sec) rest between sets. Abs were still a little sore from the exercise last week.

8. Straight leg sled drag - 6 building lengths (1 length is about a football field) 200lbs. Lit my hips / hamstrings up. Can anyone say "get in better shape."

PWO Drink - Kool-Aid, 2 scoops Muscle Milk, 1 scoop cytosport protein.

Video playing during workout - Pyrros Dimas Training Hall Video. (that guy = crazy strong)

All in all I feel pretty good today. Knew that my work capacity needed the most work. I will be doing some type of sled work on each workout day.

Today would be what we consider a speed press day. Things went very well. I think there will be much progress in the next few months.

1. Speed bench - 10 sets 3 reps, 135lbs. I used the parallel grip bar. That is much easier on shoulders.

2. Incline press - 4 sets 10 reps, 135lbs

3. Single arm Banded Kettle Bell Press - 4 sets with 35lb bell, I was shakin' like a tree in a hurricane. Go stabilizer muscles.

4. Single arm Banded Kettle Bell OHP - 4 sets with 27lb bell, shakin' my groove thing. Everything should be stabilizing well and shaking should stop within the next few weeks.

5. Pull-Ups - 4 sets 3 reps, did better than I thought with so much time off.

6. 7. Hanging knee raise - 3 sets 10 reps, Reverse Hyper - 3 sets 10 reps 100lbs.

8. 9. Face Pull Sled Drag / Overhead Front Raise Sled Drag. 2 building lengths each, no stopping. Hello upper back how are you.

PWO - Kool-Aid / Muscle milk and protein.

Feeling pretty good, I will start pushing the weights more after the first month of general conditioning.

Got my key to the gym today. Very exciting. I like my new extended family.

Fought the urge to stop at KFC. (mmmmmmmm.....fried chicken)

What's the weight comparrison between a KB and a DB? I remember thinking that throwing a 56lb weight would be no big deal because 55lb dbs don't seem heavy...but they're absolutely a nightmare.

KB is definitely harder than the DB since the weight swings and moves. (hanging them from bands and gripping the band makes things worse.)

I think it is safe to say that they are at least 2 X harder. Depending on the exercise.