Workout Journal of Matt Z

[Matt Z]

Honestly, I never gave much thought to opposing muscle groups before I started visiting this sight, although my efforts to look propotional prevented me from developing any serious imbalances.

[Matt Z]

My latest workout schedual:

Workout # 1 (delts, traps and abs/obliques)
Barbell Push Press 4-5 sets/03-12 reps
Dumbbell Lateral 3 sets/ 10-12 reps
Bent-over Lateral 3 sets/ 10-12 reps

Dumbbell Shrug 3 sets/ 10-12 reps
Prone Incline Shrug 3 sets/ 10-12 reps

Vertical Leg Raise 3 sets/ 15-25 reps
Twisting Crunch 3 sets/ 15-25 reps

Workout # 2 (back, biceps, forearms)
Curl-grip Barbell Row 4-5 sets/05-12 reps
Curl-grip Chin-up 3 sets/ 08-12 reps
One-arm Cable Row 3 sets/ 08-12 reps

Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 sets/ 10-12 reps
Prone Incline Curl 3 sets/ 10-12 reps

Standing Wrist Curl 3 sets/ 12-15 reps
EZ-bar Rev. Curl 3 sets/ 12-15 reps

[Matt Z]

Workout # 3 (chest, triceps and abs/obliques)
Incline Barbell Press 4-5 sets/ 03-12 reps
Parallel Bar Dip 3 sets/ 08-12 reps
Cable Crossover 3 sets/ 10-12 reps

Bent Cable Extension 3 sets/ 10-12 reps
Dumbbell Kickback 3 sets/ 10-12 reps

Vertical Leg Raise 3 sets/ 15-25 reps
Twisting Crunch 3 sets/ 15-25 reps

Workout # 4 (glutes/quads/hamstrings and calves)
Barbell Squat 4-5 sets/ 03-12 reps
Sled Leg Press 3 sets/ 08-12 reps
superset with
Romanian Deadlift 3 sets/ 8-12 reps
Sissy Squat 3 sets/ 10-12 reps
superset with
Prone Leg Curl 3 sets/ 10-12 reps

Standing Calf Raise 3 sets/ 15-20
Seated Calf Raise 3 sets/ 15-20

[Matt Z]

Once I get my squat back up to where it should be, I want to start substituting standard deadlifts for squats about once a month. I think improving my squat will be the key to improving my deadlift, since the starting point (mostly glutes) is the weakpoint of my deadlift. Once the bar passes about mid-shin the hamstrings can take over (for the most part), and the lift gets much easier (for me at least).

[Matt Z]

Notes:
* Barbell Push Presses are performed with a roughly shoulder width grip.
* Prone Incline Shrugs are performed at a high angle of incline.
* Curl-grip Barbell Rows are performed bent over at a 45-dergee angle.
* One-arm Cable Rows are performed standing at a cable crossover station.
* Incline Dumbbell Curls are performed at a high angle of incline.
* Prone Incline Curls are performed at a lower (~45) angle of incline.
* Standing Wrist Curls are performed behind-the-back.
* Parallel Bar Dips are chest dips.
* I bend over ~90-degrees one Cable Crossovers and cross my hands with each rep.
* Bent Cable Extensions are performed with a rope handle.
* Barbell Squats are high-bar style with a medium stance, going slightly bellow parallel.
* Romanian Deadlifts = Straight-back Straigt-leg Deadlift
* Standing Calf Raises are performed on a Sled Hack Squat Machine.

[Matt Z]

Yesterday's Workout:

CHEST
Incline Barbell Press
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 08 reps
3) 205 lbs for 08 reps
4) 215 lbs for 06 reps

Parallel Bar Dip
1) 12 reps
2) 10 reps
3) 10 reps

Cable Crossover
1) 50 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
2) 70 lbs x 2 for 10 reps
3) 60 lbs x 2 for 10 reps

TRICEPS
Bent Cable Extension
1) _70 lbs for 12 reps
2) _90 lbs for 12 reps
3) 100 lbs for 12 reps

Dumbbell Kickback
1) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.
2) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.
3) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.

ABS/OBLIQUES
Vertical Leg Raise
1) 15 reps
2) 15 reps
3) 15 reps

Twisting Crunch
1) 15 reps ea.
2) 15 reps ea.
3) 15 reps ea.

[Matt Z]

One change to my workout schedual that I'm already considering is dropping Cable Crossovers and Sissy Squats.

[Matt Z]

Yesterdays leg workout:

GLUTES/QUADS/HAMSTINGS
Barbell Squat
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 08 reps
3) 225 lbs for 08 reps
4) 255 lbs for 08 reps

Sled Leg Press
1) 180 lbs for 12 reps
2) 270 lbs for 08 reps
3) 360 lbs for 08 reps
super-set with
Romanian Deadlift
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 08 reps
3) 215 lbs for 08 reps

Sissy Squat
1) 12 reps
2) 12 reps
3) 12 reps
superset with
Prone Leg Curl
1) 100 lbs for 12 reps
2) 130 lbs for 12 reps
3) 150 lbs for 12 reps

Calves
Standing Calf Raise
1) 180 lbs for 15 reps
2) 270 lbs for 15 reps
3) 360 lbs for 15 reps

Seated Calf Raise
1) 180 lbs for 15 reps
2) 230 lbs for 15 reps
3) 200 lbs for 15 reps

[Matt Z]

My legs were still a little soar on Monday, so I put off training shoulders until today. Anyway, it payed off, because I set a new personal record on the Push Press. My workout was as follows:

DELTS
Barbell Push Press
1) _95 lbs for 12 reps
2) 135 lbs for 08 reps
3) 185 lbs for 04 reps
4) 205 lbs for 03 reps
5) 215 lbs for 03 reps

Dumbbell Lateral
1) 25 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
2) 35 lbs x 2 for 10 reps
3) 35 lbs x 2 for 10 reps

Bent-over Lateral
1) 40 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
2) 45 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
3) 45 lbs x 2 for 12 reps

TRAPS
Dumbbell Shrug
1) 55 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
2) 65 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
3) 65 lbs x 2 for 12 reps

Prone Incline Shrug
1) 45 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
2) 45 lbs x 2 for 12 reps
3) 45 lbs x 2 for 12 reps

ABS/ OBLIQUES
Vertical Leg Raise
1) 15 reps
2) 15 reps
3) 15 reps

Twisting Crunch
1) 15 reps ea.
2) 15 reps ea.
3) 15 reps ea.

[Matt Z]

Today's workout:

BACK
Curl-grip Barbell Row
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 12 reps
3) 225 lbs for 05 reps
4) 275 lbs for 05 reps

Wide-grip Barbell Row
1) 225 lbs for 08 reps

Curl-grip Chin-up
1) 3 reps
2) 3 reps
3) 3 reps

One-arm Cable Row
1) 100 lbs for 12 reps ea.
2) 110 lbs for 12 reps ea.
3) 110 lbs for 12 reps ea.

BICEPS
Incline DB Curl
1) 30 lbsx2 for 12 reps
2) 40 lbsx2 for 10 reps
3) 40 lbsx2 for 10 reps

Prone Incline Curl
1) 30 lbsx2 for 08 reps
2) 30 lbsx2 for 08 reps
3) 30 lbsx2 for 08 reps

FOREARMS
Standing Wrist Curl
1) 75 lbs for 15 reps
2) 85 lbs for 15 reps
3) 85 lbs for 12 reps

EZ-bar Rev. Curl
1) 50 lbs+bar for 12 reps
2) 50 lbs+bar for 12 reps
3) 50 lbs+bar for 12 reps

[Matt Z]

I've been feeling really tired all day. Still, I think I got a pretty good workout, although I didn't lift as much as I'd hoped on Inclines.

CHEST
Incline Barbell Press
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 08 reps
3) 225 lbs for 03 reps
4) 245 lbs for 01 rep

Parallel Bar Dips
1) 12 reps
2) 10 reps
3) 10 reps

TRICEPS
Dumbbell Extension
1) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.
2) 30 lbs for 10 reps ea.
3) 30 lbs for 10 reps ea.

Dumbbell Kickback
1) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.
2) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.
3) 20 lbs for 12 reps ea.

ABS/OBLIQUES
Vertical Leg Raise
1) 15 reps
2) 15 reps
3) 15 reps

Twisting Crunch
1) 15 reps ea.
2) 15 reps ea.
3) 15 reps ea.

[Matt Z]

Yesterday's leg workout. I could have gone heavier on squats, but my right groin muscle was feeling a little tight and I didn't want to push my luck.

GLUTES/QUADS
Barbell Squat
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 08 reps
3) 225 lbs for 03 reps
4) 255 lbs for 03 reps
5) 275 lbs for 03 reps

Sled Leg Press
1) 230 lbs for 08 reps
2) 320 lbs for 08 reps
3) 410 lbs for 08 reps

HAMSTRINGS
Romanian Deadlift
1) 135 lbs for 08 reps
2) 185 lbs for 08 reps
3) 225 lbs for 08 reps

Prone Leg Curl
1) 130 lbs for 12 reps
2) 150 lbs for 12 reps
3) 150 lbs for 12 reps

CALVES
Standing Calf Raise
1) 180 lbs for 15 reps
2) 270 lbs for 15 reps
3) 360 lbs for 15 reps

Seated Calf Raise
1) 180 lbs for 15 reps
2) 230 lbs for 15 reps
3) 270 lbs for 15 reps

[Matt Z]

This year I celebrated Independance Day with Barbell Rows, Chin-ups, Pull-downs and Curls. :-)

BACK
Curl-grip Barbell Row
1) 135 lbs for 12 reps
2) 185 lbs for 12 reps
3) 225 lbs for 08 reps
4) 250 lbs for 08 reps

Wide-grip Chin-up
1) 5 reps
2) 5 reps
3) 5 reps

Machine Pull-down
1) 90 lbsx2 for 08 reps
2) 90 lbsx2 for 08 reps
3) 90 lbsx2 for 08 reps

BICEPS
Incline DB Curl
1) 35 lbsx2 for 12 reps
2) 45 lbsx2 for 08 reps
3) 45 lbsx2 for 08 reps

Prone Incline Curl
1) 25 lbsx2 for 12 reps
2) 30 lbsx2 for 08 reps
3) 30 lbsx2 for 08 reps

FOREARMS
Standing Wrist Curl
1) 75 lbs for 15 reps
2) 85 lbs for 12 reps
3) 85 lbs for 12 reps

EZ-bar Rev. Curl
1) 50 lbs+BB for 12 reps
2) 50 lbs+BB for 12 reps
3) 50 lbs+BB for 12 reps

[Matt Z]

I'm thinking of moving chest and triceps back to Mondays and Delts and Traps back to Thursdays. This way I won't be training rear delts the day before back. Meanwhile, I don't think training traps before legs will be a problem, since I've done it before.

[Matt Z]

In other words I'm thinking of going from this:

Mon = delts, traps, abs/obliques
Tue = back, biceps, forearms
Wed = rest
Thu = chest, triceps, abs/obliques
Fri = quads, hamstrings, calves
Sat = rest
Sun = rest

Back to this:

Mon = chest, triceps, abs/obliques
Tue = back, biceps, forearms
Wed = rest
Thu = delts, traps, abs/obliques
Fri = quads, hamstrings, calves
Sat = rest
Sun = rest