HELTH !

[mbasic]

4-20-2023 Thurs

funny, dropped truck off at tire shop, needed to fix the one, and two more were baldish.
Walked 2-1/2 miles to gym (in heavy work boots), did Abs / Calves.....
Walked back in sneakers.
Knee seems to be holding up is the point.

--AB CRUNCH MACHINE--
60x15
90x15x3
85x15

--AB COASTER MACHINE--
100x15x3

in between all those did standing BW one leg calf raise.
Calves are a bit sore next morning.

Some Ahole was on the torso twist machine, and I need to get back to work.....so stopped there.

=======================

My BFR bands came in finally, just in time as next workout scheduled is "legs".

I think this is what I'm gonna do:

FLOATING DEADLIFTS:
255x10x2

BOX SQUAT:
225x10
245x10x2

BAD GIRL MACHINE:
180x10x4

<put BFR bands on>

LEG EXT: 4x20
LYING LEG CURL:4x20

. . . . . . . . .

And then I'll stagger my Ab days to be 48 hrs after this^.
I know it will sound weird, but I have a fascination with the rectus femoris (RF) part of the quad.
Its important for running/sprinting (which I don't do, lol).
But its a huge muscle.



Being that its biartcular, crossing the hip and knee, it not stressed much is any type of squat, lunge, leg press type movement.
'Papers' and EMG science studies bare this out, as the knee extends, the hip opens at about the same rate.
Most leg extension machines suck, as they are all a chair design, and being that your hip is mostly closed, the RF is shortened in a bad way.... google active and passive inefficiency. I think to there's been some EMG studies on that .....

The thing 'to do' with leg extensions, would be to laydown, and completely open the hip joint so the RF starts fairly stretched out.
Most machines are set up this way anymore, as the chair back is permanently attached. The old bench type machines aren't around.

Anyway, the Ab Coaster is a nifty device. Meant for Abz Razors, its also an awesome hip flexor machine (RF).....as your knee is full bend in the whole movement. The first time I did these, my RF was definitely sore the next day, down to the bottom third (at least half) of my thigh.



I used a longer ROM, almost smashing the bump-stop opening my hips as much as possible .... the downward momentum and stopping that weight before it bangs is not easy.

The other exercise I can do is simple lying leg raises. Problem with those is now the KNEE is fully open.

So plan is on Ab-day. Do the crunch machine first. Put the BFR bands on and do the Coaster, and then leg raises to waste my hip flexors.

Could do roman chair knee ups too I guess ??? maybe I could do a leg extension at the end of each rep?

So:
AB KRNUCH MACH: 4x15
<put BFR bands on at hip/high thigh>
AB COASTER MACHINE: 4x20
LYING LEG RAISE: 3x20
ROMAN CHAIR LEG RAISE: 3x20

[Renascent]

I know it will sound weird, but I have a fascination with the rectus femoris (RF) part of the quad.

Doesn't sound weird at all, imo.

Most leg extension machines suck, as they are all a chair design, and being that your hip is mostly closed, the RF is shortened in a bad way.... google active and passive inefficiency. I think to there's been some EMG studies on that .....

Ever tried the standing version? Or reverse Nordic curls?

[mbasic]

Ever tried the standing version?

Not sure what you mean ....standing leg extension? (Knee extension)

Or reverse Nordic curls?

Not sure about this term either (I'll Google)
I've seen some variants of sissy squats that would work well for the RF, because the hip is fully open, so the RF is stretched out more.

[mbasic]

4-21-2023. Fri

--FLOATING CONV DL--
lightly touch n go
135*10
205*10
255*10*2

--BOX SQUAT--
#2 box
135*10
205*10
245*10*only 1

Got emergency call from wife after first set. She and the boy are fighting again.... Had to go home and straighten the kid out and get him to school. Return to gym half an hour later.

<Put on BFR bands>
Middle of setting#12

--LEG EXTENSION--
various *15-25reps * 5sets

--LYING LEG CURL--
various *15-25reps * 4sets

....45-60sec rests

It didn't seem so bad at all. People say the pump and burn with BFR is crazy, IDK....maybe not tight enough but I thought they were.... Just seemed like typical burn from doing high rep "burn out" sets to me.

However, 12 hours later (as a type this) my quadz feel heavy and tight.....wasted still. We'll see tomorrow am or at 24 hrs post workout

[Renascent]

Ever tried the standing version?

Not sure what you mean ....standing leg extension? (Knee extension)

Yep.

Or reverse Nordic curls?

Not sure about this term either (I'll Google)
I've seen some variants of sissy squats that would work well for the RF, because the hip is fully open, so the RF is stretched out more.

This is basically a regressed version of sisy squats.

But, like that ab carver thing you posted above, I've been trying to find some sort of movement that keeps the knees bent, while the hips move from extension to flexion. Only thing I could visualize thus far has been some sort of seated situp with feet on the floor. Or hanging knee raises where you keep your knees bent throughout.

Yeah, rectus femoris is an interesting one...

[mbasic]

Edit: D in DOMS is for delayed. Quads are pretty sore now 30 hours post BFR workout

[mbasic]

This is basically a regressed version of sisy squats.

But, like that ab carver thing you posted above, I've been trying to find some sort of movement that keeps the knees bent, while the hips move from extension to flexion. Only thing I could visualize thus far has been some sort of seated situp with feet on the floor. Or hanging knee raises where you keep your knees bent throughout.

Yeah, rectus femoris is an interesting one...

Actually incline situp on a typical decline bench would be really good....seems obvious now thinking about it. Maybe you knee is only bent at 90 deg.....idk



Edit: actually how this shit is innervated is something to think about. With all of the "knee up" type movements, you reeeeallly aren't trying to actively extend the knee. This is where that lying back flat leg extension comes in. That inclined situp....your tibia is blocked, and you can sorta actively (try to) extend your knee to raise your trunk sorta.....if you get what I'm sayin'

[mbasic]

4-23-2023 Sun

--STRAIGHT LEG CALF RAISE MACH--
240*15
260*12
280*12*2
260*12
About 2' s.i.

--SEATED CALF RAISES--
115*12*4

--AB CRUNCH MACH--
90*15*3;
90*11@10

--TORSO TWIST MACHINE --
160*15
170*15*2

<BFR bands on high thigh here>

--AB COASTER MACHINE--
100*20*2
100*11

--LYING LEG RAISE--
*25
*20
*15*2

Meh...hard to tell if BFR was really working the RF here. I couldn't feel a terrible burn....last couple of set of leg raises were almost to failure. I had trouble putting on my shorts standing; could lift leg up....had to sit.

It's kinda gay, in that if I put the BFR bands on over my shorts or sweats, they move around, and/or the loose sweats/shorts bunch up in spots. And it looks retarded.

So what I've been doing in wearing man-tights under my shorts, and then go tights only at the end of the workout with the BFRBs.....

[mbasic]

4-24-2023 Mon - BACK AND BIs!

--LAT PULLDOWN--
195x8x3
on 3' start intvls

--BENT OVER SUPINATED BB ROW--
135x8
185x8x4
the same 3'^

--GENISIS MACHINE ONE ARM LAT ROW--
140x8
130x10x2
faster rests

--REAR DELT FLY MACHINE--
105x10
107.5 x10x2
105x10x2
2'^

--SEATED INCLINE DB CURLS--
20x8
35x8
40x8x2
35x8

--REV. BB CURL--
60x10
50x12x2

no shrugs. Got deads tomorrow, maybe better to do shrugs on chest/delts day I think

=============================

I switched the order of the days to
D1 - Chest, Delts, Tris (traps)
D2 - Abs, Calves, Hip flexors
D3 - Back, Biceps
D4 - LEGS
D1 - same but 'B' workout
....and so on
This makes more sense from an upper/lower standpoint I think.

Also last 'off' day was 19 days ago.

=================================

Body looks a bit better I think. Especially with pump.

I think when the "Abs are made in the kitchen" mentality thing results in people not doing focused core work because their abs are hidden under layers of bodyfat and invisible.....that is .... not good.

Been tracking waist at naval' waist at hips (Belt line?); thigh circumference; BW, etc on a spreadsheet.
BW seems to be stuck

[DCR]

I think when the "Abs are made in the kitchen" mentality thing results in people not doing focused core work because their abs are hidden under layers of bodyfat and invisible.....that is .... not good.

This is a fucking really good observation. Guilty as charged.

It's a stupid mentality both because abs obviously have an important function beyond being the sexy, but also in that my experience on multiple occasions was that ab work did in fact lead to midsection shrinkage. I'm not calling that an N=1 because I've seen many others attest to the same (including one Schwarzenegger, A.). I know it isn't THE SCIENCE, and of course I'm not suggesting that one will lose 50 lbs. doing sit ups, but one absolutely can tighten one's shit up if one is within a reasonable distance of not fat fuckedness.

[mbasic]

I think when the "Abs are made in the kitchen" mentality thing results in people not doing focused core work because their abs are hidden under layers of bodyfat and invisible.....that is .... not good.

This is a fucking really good observation. Guilty as charged.

It's a stupid mentality both because abs obviously have an important function beyond being the sexy, but also in that my experience on multiple occasions was that ab work did in fact lead to midsection shrinkage. I'm not calling that an N=1 because I've seen many others attest to the same (including one Schwarzenegger, A.). I know it isn't THE SCIENCE, and of course I'm not suggesting that one will lose 50 lbs. doing sit ups, but one absolutely can tighten one's shit up if one is within a reasonable distance of not fat fuckedness.

Yeah, I mean if you are VERY overweight, you should focus on cardio, diet, etc. of course.
If you are 15-20% BF, you might want to do some 'core' stuff.

AND "doing Abz" ...with a purpose .... is a whole another workout of sorts.....I'd rather do a ton of core-work (and calf) for 40 minutes than fuck around on a treadmill or a stationary bike. Think of it as GPP. Gonna make your squat, dead, press, etc all work better.

There's some additional "untapped" muscle to be gained there. Probably low-hanging-fruit gains there becuz most people have woefully undertrained "cores". Any additional muscle on your frame adds to your metabolic daily baseline or whatever.....more anabolic-ness so to speak. More muscle to soak up glucose, etc.

The wife and I were driving down a street in south phoenix, taking a detour due to construction. There was this black guy jogging down the street at us. I could see his six eight pack from 100+ yard away. The wife and I both commented how jacked he was .... it was commical. I mean when we got up close, yeah, he was a football player or something: delts, pecs, arms, etc .... jacked. Really didn't see that though so badly from 100 yard out .... could see his 8-pack though. I'm sure that dude does countless situps, crunches, leg raises, etc. It was clearly hypertrophied to the Nth degree.

A kid I coach on the track team has probably 7-8% BF (a realistic not shit%). You can obviously see a well defined six pack, but the ridges, valley are barely deep.....his turtle shell is as if its painted on his stomach and 2-dimesional. His core is weak (can tell by the way he sprints, etc)... when I commented his spine is overextended/dominating .... and his core is doing nothing to keep his posture neutral, he admitted his core was weak AF and he doesn't do anything (situps, core workwork, etc). If that kid goes 12% BF his sixpack will disappear for the most part.

[Renascent]

This is basically a regressed version of sisy squats.

But, like that ab carver thing you posted above, I've been trying to find some sort of movement that keeps the knees bent, while the hips move from extension to flexion. Only thing I could visualize thus far has been some sort of seated situp with feet on the floor. Or hanging knee raises where you keep your knees bent throughout.

Yeah, rectus femoris is an interesting one...

Actually incline situp on a typical decline bench would be really good....seems obvious now thinking about it. Maybe you knee is only bent at 90 deg.....idk



Edit: actually how this shit is innervated is something to think about. With all of the "knee up" type movements, you reeeeallly aren't trying to actively extend the knee. This is where that lying back flat leg extension comes in. That inclined situp....your tibia is blocked, and you can sorta actively (try to) extend your knee to raise your trunk sorta.....if you get what I'm sayin'

I was thinking up some pretty weird shit. Never considered a decline situp, though it may have been because I don't have access to an appropriate setup at the moment.

I'm not sure if there's any merit to working the hip flexion aspect of rectus femoris with bent knees, but it's something I'm curious about. I'm not sure if it'd be necessary to try to extend the knees if the aim is to work it in the lengthened position via situps.

I keep finding warnings about the decline situp placing all the tension on the hip flexors (and APT being a potential result), but (1) I don't know if placing tension (primarily?) on the hip flexors is a bad thing, given there's probably no way to train the abs concentrically/eccentrically without hip flexor involvement, and (2) I'm personally starting to suspect APT is due to some sort of hip flexor weakness.

Anyway, now you've got me thinking it may be worthwhile to find some way to rig up a decline situp...

[mbasic]

Anyway, now you've got me thinking it may be worthwhile to find some way to rig up a decline situp...

Our gym has this type of bench, which sucks, because that extra part of the pad that L's down, keeps your knees from going past 90 deg.



with a bench like this, you could jam a foam roller underneath the support tube for the padded foot rollers to flex your knees more (more stretch of the RF).

[Renascent]

Anyway, now you've got me thinking it may be worthwhile to find some way to rig up a decline situp...

Our gym has this type of bench, which sucks, because that extra part of the pad that L's down, keeps your knees from going past 90 deg.



with a bench like this, you could jam a foam roller underneath the support tube for the padded foot rollers to flex your knees more (more stretch of the RF).

I have an adjustable Rogue bench that apparently is no longer manufactured. If the seat could be lowered to match the incline of the upper portion, I'd be set, even without a foot roller.

As it is, I may try something stupid if I come up with the right materials.

[mbasic]

4-25-2023

--FLOATING CONV DL--
135*10
225*10
265*10*2

--BOX SQUAT--
135*10
205*10
255*3
Felt a very trace twinge in left knee on rep3 so stoped right there and moved on.

<put BFR bands on here>

--LEG EXTENSION
various *15-25r * 5s

--SEATED LEG CURL--
various *20r * 5s

tightened up to where the whole "12" was fully visable.
Seemed maybe a bit too tight maybe...
No DOMS 24-36 hrs later at all.

=====================

4-26-2023

--OHP--
105*6*2; 145*5; 165*1*2
180*6
180*6
180*6@10
165*6
on 3 min start intervals

--MATRIX MACHINE CHEST BP--
230*10*2
230*9
180*10 Pretty wasted today
3's.i

--PEC FLY MACHINE
127.5 *10*4
1:30 rests, the machine has a countdown clock....using that I guess

--LTE--
ezbar w/35's *8,8,8,6(f7)
3's.i

--LATERAL RAISES--
30*8,8,6
20*10
@whatever rests

--STD ROPE TRI. PSH.DWN:50*10*3
SS with
--SHRUG MACHINE: 230*12*3

[mbasic]

4-27-2023 Thurs

--AB CRUNCH MACH: 90x15x4
superset with....
--STRGHT LEG CALFE: 280,15,15,15,12

--AB COASTER: 105x15x4
superset wtih...
--SEATED CALF RAISE: 115x15x4

<<put on BFR bands here>>

-- LEG EXTENSIONS--
various x 25-20r x 4s
short rest periods

--LEG CURLS--
various x 20-15r x 3s
short rest periods

.... we shall see what happens with this. Every other day I'll do BFRs + leg ext.& leg curls and we'll see. One day I will do some deads, squats, etc....the other I'll the leg BFR stuff with my abs/calves day.
That is supposed to be another advantage of the BFR training in that you really don't incur a bunch of the typical muscle damage associated with heavy (ier) weights/loads.....do recovery time might be a lot quicker. Thus you can/could/should hit it more frequently. Also, the volume is lower.

Just a reminder, mostly doing this just becuz my knee is (still a little) fucked up. Does the twinge thing and then mildly stiffens for 4-6 hours afterwards.

Last day I did not lift or workout was the 5th or 6th I think. 20+ days?

[mbasic]

4-28-2023 FRI

--CHEST SPPT ROW MACH--
205 *8*4 (+5 on this)
on 3min start intervals

--BTN LAT PULLDOWN --
145*10*4
3'^

--GENISIS LAT PULLDOWN --
140*8*3
... tuff at 8 reps
faster

--REAR DELT FLYE MACHINE--
105x12,12,10,10
2'^

--STDG ALT. DB CURLS--
30x8
40x8x4
3'^

--STAND'G EZ BAR CURLs--
70x15
80x10
70x12

=========================
4-29-2023 SAT

FLOATING CON. DEADLIFT
135x10; 225x10
275 x 10 x 3

WALKING DB LUNGES
25's x 8 x 2

<put on BFR bands here>

LEG EXT
various x 30-12r x 4s

LEG CURL
various x 30-15r x 4s

NOTE: just those TWO sets of lunges (w/pathetic weight) made my ass
fairly sore 18 hrs later. Glad I only did 2 sets.
The squats seem to bother my injured knee.

=========================
4-30-2023 SUN

--INCLINE PRESS--
135*8,*5; 175*5; 205*2,*1
FOUR MIN. start intvls
220 x 8r x 3s (set 3 @10)
205 x 8

--SEATED DB OHP--
60 x 8r x 4s
3' start intvls
Just fucken barely did it

--PEC FLY MACH--
127.5 x 10r x 5s
~2'^

--SEAT'D O.H. TRI EXT w/ EZB--
80 x 8r x 4s

--CABLE SIDE DELT. LAT.RAISE--
used the Genesis Step lower cables cuz the cable crossover unit is still broke
25x15
30x12
35x10x3
Faster rests, but not krazy

--ROPE TRICEP CABLES PD--
50*10*3

[mbasic]

5-1-2023 Mon.

--CALVES IN LEG PRESS--
4plts * 15 * 6

--SITUPS ON DECLINE BENCH--
max decline *18
+45plt under *15
+45+35plts under *12,12,10,10

--STDG. CABLE BENT KNEE RAISE--
us d the Frremotion Genesis multiplane shoulder machine (lol)
60*10
70*10*3
Getting a very good isometric pump in the standing leg's glute (sadly). Idk how much work my RF is getting here. We'll see what kinda DOMS tomorrow if any.

<<put BFR bands on here>>

--LEG EXT MACH--
various x 30-15r x 4 sets
30-40sec rests

--LEG EXT CURL, SEATED--
various x 30-15r x 4 sets
30-40sec rests

--KIESER LEG PRESS #2 MACH--
various x30, x20

killr pomp
For leg ext and curl I try to do the 30/15/15/15 BFR protocol that has been widely circulated.

[mbasic]

5-2-2023 - finally missed a day

=========================================

5-3-2023 - Wed - Back and Bis

--LAT PULL DOWNS --
200*8*4
on 3min intvls

--ONE ARM CABLE SEATED ROW
145*10
150*10
155*10*2
@3'^

--FAKE CHINUP CABLE PLLDWN--
145*8
130*10*2
fast rests

--RR DELT FLY MACHINE--
120*10*3
120*8(9f)
@2'^

--SEATED INC.DB CURL--
25*8
40*8*⁴
@3'^

REV BB CURLS--
50*12*3

[mbasic]

5-3-2023 finally missed a day !

=================

5-4-2023 Leg day

--FLOATING CONV. DL--
135x10; 225x10
280x10x3

was pretty wasted from that, scrapped lunges

<<BFR bands on here>>

--LEG EXTENSIONS-
30/15/15/15/15 protocol

Weird snap in high neck skull area on last reps getting tense / while writhing around in pain in the machine chair.

I thought I either:
- pulled a neck/head muscle;
- popped a blood vessel;
- ruptured a vertebrae had a mini stroke;
- or something

Got scared honestly and shut it down. Feel weird. Maybe I just popped my neck like you crack your knuckles .... but have never done before so I am catastrophizing the whole thing. Fuck