I had a long day at work, and I forgot my duffle bag at home this morning. I had the equipment in the apartment gym that I needed. Minus a barbell. What the hell is the Smith machine? And does it weigh anything? Does it take away some weight?

Incline Bench Drop Set: 4 Sets, 6*6: 55/40, 55/40, 55/40, 55/40. I upped the bottom weight this week. I was having a hard time with the form. I was using my right shoulder some how, and it started screaming at me. Good form matters.

3 Degree-Drops: 4 Sets 6*6*6: 40/40/40/40. Well, I don’t know if I got distracted when writing down the weights, but I didn’t realize I was supposed to go up to 45lbs. until the last set. Obviously, my mental game was off today!

Cable Fly: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 22.5/22.5/22.5/22.5. Different machine. I guess it was an alright lift here.

Close Grip Bench Press: This stupid…(rant coming) fucking Smith machine. I just don’t know. I’ve been a little stressed out at work. I was listening to a podcast where the guys were talking about leadership and bosses. It struck a nerve. I was going to do some push ups, but full disclosure here, I fucking quit this lift. Again, my mental game checked out. Fuck it I guess. 1 out of 100 ain’t bad.

Regrouped with my Super Set!

Floor Triceps Lift + Pull Downs: 4 Sets, 10/12 Reps: 15/32.5, 15/32.5, 15/32.5, 15/32.5. Got a good solid pump here. I didn’t rest too much between sets. I made sure to really get the body away from the pull downs so I was only using the triceps.

I’m a little upset with myself, but we’re not perfect. I got my ass to the gym. I crushed what I could. Tomorrow will be better. 3 a day Sunday Funday!

Drop me a comment. Thanks for reading, and I hope you don’t mind the ‘Fuck’ word.

Get Strong. Stay Strong.

So Shaun T’s schedule had me doing Upper Focus today. Not going to happen. It’s chest day at the gym, and one of my goals here is to get a bigger upper body shrink the trunk. I don’t think it’s a big deal. I do have 3 workouts coming tomorrow. Thanks for reading. Leave a comment. Good or bad. Get Strong. Stay Strong!

I really like this work out. It’s tough, but fun. There are a few movements that work the arms/biceps, but I’ll push through this afternoons workout none the less.

Pull Ups: 6/5/3/3/3. I think the should mobility really helped out here. This is the most I’ve done so far.

Dumbbell Row: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 70/70/70/70. I was really surprised that I didn’t struggle here. Good smooth form too. No beef jerky.

TRX Body Rows: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: I like these better than using a Smith machine or something. Using a static bar makes my wrists hurt too.

Incline curls: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 35/35 (5)-30(5)/ 30/30. I got through the first set with the 35lbs. I really failed out the second set.

Super Set:

Zottman, Cross Body, Pronate curls: 4 Sets, 8*8*8: 22.5/22.5/22.5…and my dumbass thought I was done. I was talking with a coworker, and I didn’t double check the book. I accidently quit.

Oh well, I got a good arm pump going. Looking forward to tomorrow. Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment or something.

Get Strong. Stay Strong.

Yesterday was a long one. Started off with Core Cardio. I had pretty good energy to get this work out done. I had to work at the golf course, and it’s hot out in Northern Virginia these days!

Time for Leg Day. I’m going to change this up just a little bit this month. I’m going to keep the heavy lifts, but I’m not a body builder. I don’t need to do calf raises. My calf muscles are to help me run and jump. So, I’m going to incorporate those type of movements. Plus, all the squats are making my legs bulky and my pants tight!

Back Squat: 4 Sets, 5 Reps: 165/180/205/205. Good range of motion. Getting heavy on the last few reps!

Front Squat: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 125/125/125/125. My arm flexibility was a lot better. I got the elbow up higher which really centers the weight throughout the body.

Small Leg Circuit: Box Jumps (10) + Jump Rope Double-Unders (10) + Body Squats (10). I performed all three in succession for 3 Rounds! I’m not sure what I’ll do next week, but I may just add one more exercises or one more round. WHO KNOWS!

Basketball Fun Run: So, I have these Under Armour shoes that will track your runs. I am not mentally prepared at this point to go jog on the road (plus it’s hot as hell), but I figured that I’d just run around the court for a little bit and let the shoes track it. Well, they are not as sensitive as I thought. It pretty much just logged that I ran 100ft with in 15 minutes. I got what I wanted out of it physically, but for data purposes, I’ll have to come up with something else!

Thanks for reading. Get Strong. Stay Strong!

I’d like to say that I was super stoked about hitting the gym today, but it was hot. I was rushing to get the workout in because my golf addiction took over this morning which led me to play an early round. 77 if you care.

Round 2!!

Bench Press is the starter with my new 1RM: 5 Reps, 4 Sets: 130/140/160/160. I did an extra rep on the last one because I knew I could!

Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 45/45/45/45…failed at 7. This is a good thing!

Barbell Shoulder Press w/cleans: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 80/80/80/80. Man I grunted these out. Pushing weight, son!

This month I’m going to change up this lift. I’m swapping the ‘Scare Crow’ with a rotator cuff band pull. I have a yellow band that I can’t for the life of me remember the weight of, but I’ll find it and edit this post. 4 Sets, 10 Reps, both arms: boom/boom/boom/boom!

I’m changing the dips from a bench dip to a full body weight dip + pull downs: 3 Sets, #/35lbs.: 5/35,6/35, 6/35.

Lateral Raise, Front Raise, Rear Fly, Shoulder Press: 3 Sets, 8*8*8: I grabbed the 15s, but I knew it would be sloppy so I went back to 10lbs. Time under tension after this shoulder massacre is really all I need. 10/10/10.

Failing on the first shoulder press is a great positive. This means I’m really tearing the muscles, and I’m more than willing to eat my way to healing!

On another note, it was very tough to swing my driver tonight. I managed a 38 in the league, but that was from stellar iron play and timely putting.

Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment or ask a question. I’m really hoping I can show everyone that a little hard work can exponentially add strength and pile on some muscle!

Get Strong. Stay Strong.

I hit the gym to check and see where my 1 Rep Max’s got after just the first month of this Program. Man, I was surprised.

I started with bench press. Last month I pushed up 185, and it was a struggle. Today I hit a new personal best. 215lbs.!!! It took me two tries, but after I felt the weight, I knew I could throw it up. Thanks to the bro at the gym for the spot.

I squatted 250lbs. last month. I put 275 on the bar, and I got it up with a little strain. I can probably do more than that, but I didn’t have a team to help with the bar.

Deadlift: Last month I struggled to get 225lbs., but I put 250 on the bar and pulled it up with little problem. I felt a little twinge in the low back so I called it on that one. I can do more, but I didn’t really warm up properly.

So, this is a pretty significant jump in all. 16% for bench press. 10% squat. 11% deadlift. So this program works. Now that my body is primed, I’m sure that I can increase these at the same rate!

I’m going to really concentrate on the diet. I’ll give a first month run down soon. I’m going to increase the protein this month. I’m going to really get the 150 grams per day ‘body builders’ say it takes for adding the most muscle.

Stay tuned! Thanks for reading.

So this week I’m letting the body completely recover. I’m starting it off with a 2-3 day fast. I feel like 48 hours will be plenty, but I may carry it on for a 3rd day for fun.

Space food!

Man, this one got my hip flexers smokin’. This is going to be a fun month!

Incline Dumbbell Drop Set: 4 Sets, 6*6: 55-35/55-35/55-35/55-35. I was really hoping I could keep up with the 55 pounders. I like when my thought process works out. Throwing a bigger weight on the back end of this will lead to heavier weight on the front.

Dumbbell Press w/ 3* Drop: 4 Sets, 6*6*6: 40/40/40/40. This was great. I felt like I could have added a little more ‘squeeze’ at the top of the rep. I really wanted to finish the sets. Definitely getting stronger.

Cable Fly: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 15/17.5/17.5/17.5. Finally got on the cable fly. Not a lot of people working out on 4th of July weekend. I was hoping at this point I could be up to loading 40lbs. on the machine, but I was ok with the sets.

Close Grip Bench Press: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 95/95/95/95. Boom. I could barely finish the first week with 75lbs. I could have added more weight I think.

Super Set!!!

Skull Crusher + Pull Downs: 4 Sets, 10/12 Reps: 40lb. curl bar & 35lbs. on the machine. I dropped the weight down on the pull downs so I could really go slow and get a good stretch and squeeze on the triceps. I was definitely trembling after this. The first week I had to switch to a 30lb. curl bar on the 3rd and 4th sets & drop the weight to 25lbs. on the pull downs midway through the 2nd set.

I hope everyone is seeing the increase in power, strength, and endurance this workout regimen is providing. Tomorrow is the dreaded 3-a-day, but it will wrap up the first month of this masochistic mania.

If you’ve been reading, thank you. Hit me up on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quests4josh/

 

This is one of the best full body circuits I’ve ever done. I’ll probably end up doing this a few days out of the week after this because it was so fun.

Arm Day:

Pull Up Progression: 5/4/4/3/2. My range or completeness of the pull ups was excellent. I was surprised I got 4 twice.

Dumbbell Rows: 4 Sets, 12 Reps: 65/65/65/65. Strong. Real strong.

Body Row: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: Used a Smith Machine for the straight bar. My wrists got a little janky, but I got a good pull on the back.

Incline Curl: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 35…haha 4 finished the first set with 30’s/30/30/30. My buddy brought in some grip trainers into work today. I wonder if this had anything to do with my weak performance here. I got 30’s easy last week.

Super Set:

Zottman/Cross Body/Pronate Curls: 4 Sets, 8*8*8: 20/20/20/20. I knew I wasn’t going to get the 25’s. The next best thing was the 2o pounders. This was tough. I could barely hold onto the dumbbell. Good Pump though.

2 more days!

I don’t know if it’s from the growing boredom of the first months T25 videos, or these are just that much more fun, but I like the Beta phase so far. This was a good one to start the day. The body is mildly getting used to getting up a getting after it. I don’t know if this is such a good idea long term, but I can keep it going. Actually, I’m pretty sure that doing this first thing in the morning is raising my cortisone levels, but I’ll be alright!

 Played a round with our Assistant Pro, Steve Giermak. I’ve been working with a golf coach over the past year, but I am no where near hitting the ball like they do. My swing speeds and distances are on ‘par’ with the professionals, but they hit the middle of the face pretty much every swing. Steve played his best round ever, and I was 1 shot away from mine (lipped out an eagle on 18 for a 73). First time I’ve witnessed a -3 round. Getting closer to my goal of breaking par. Now on to leg day!

Again, Over Load Progression has me at the final phase of the first round. 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 40%, 50%, 60%, 60% 1RM.

Back Squat: 100/125/150/150. I’ve been listening to the guys at MindPumpMedia.com, and they gave some good advise on squatting. I remembered it before the 3rd set, and it really helped my range of motion (ass to grass).

Front Squat: 4 Sets, 10 Reps: 120/120/120/120. This almost broke me. I’ve been hot and running ragged. Mental toughness had to take over.

Single Leg Press: 120/120/120/120 per leg. This was a gritty round. This website got me through it.

Calf Crushers: 45’s! I had to take breaks between the moves, but I got it done.

Leg Raise/TRX Rollout: 3 Sets, 12/10 Reps. Not gonna lie, I felt like quitting here, but the second round was strong. I could definitely tell that my lower abs are stronger.

 

3 more days to get this first month done. If you’ve been following, I really appreciate it.