Back from the Dead…lifts, Plus Trap Bar vs Barbell Debate
You can follow my daily updates here on Geek2Freak, and you can follow my overall weekly recaps every Sunday at FitBuff.com.
Also, for my daily updates from before this blog was born, check here: Personal Daily Workout Log (June 4, 2007 - July 17, 2008).
(I recommend perusing October 2007 and the following several weeks, as those were especially turbulent times, including major jaw surgery, being wired shut, and losing nearly 20 pounds in 7 days!)
Current Stats and Measurements (July 6-13, 2008)
Height - 6′3″
Weight - 191.6
Bodyfat - 15.5%
Biceps - 14.2″
Calves - 14.75″
Thighs - 24.1″
Waist - 32.1″
Chest - 43.75″
Current Supplements
BSN CELLMASS (Creatine)
100% Whey Protein - Gold Standard
Life Extension Multivitamins
NOW Foods, Super EPA Double strength - 60 Softgels (Fish Oil Capsules)
Flaxseed Oil 1000mg, 100 softgels
NOW Foods, Glucosamine & Chondroitin plus MSM
Greens+, 9.4 oz powder
Current Workout Routine
Custom Blend based mainly on the foundations of the following two books:
(I will be officially beginning and following Maximum Strength to the letter in a week or so, and right now I’m just introducing a new few aspects of it.)
Today’s Workout Log
“Heavy Load Friday”
SuperSet (Do the two exercises back to back, then rest 3 minutes, repeat four more times)
Incline Bench Press - 180 pounds - Sets: 5/5/5/3.5/3.5
Wide Grip Pullups - Bodyweight - Sets: 12/8/7/6/5
SuperSet (Do the two exercises back to back, then rest 3 minutes, repeat four more times)
Deadlifts - 135 pounds - Sets: 5/4/5/5/5
Dips (5 count up/5 count down) - Bodyweight - Sets: 5/5/5/5/5
Workout Journal Notes
I did it, finally! I’ve been avoiding deadlifts like the plague for over a year now, and I kept telling myself, “I’ll try and reintroduce them next week.”
Well, thanks to the added accountability of launching this new workout journal, today was the day.
The reason I gave up on them in the first place was because I’m built like a sideshow freak when it comes to my leg-to-torso ratio.
Standing up, I’m relatively tall at about 6′3″-6′4″, but, sitting down, my head is even with most 9 year old boys, not named Shaquille O’Neal.
In other words my legs are about 9 times as long as my torso which makes deadlifting an ugly sight, nevermind the fact that I certainly didn’t miss having the jagged bar scrape up and down my shins every week.
All that aside, I know that deadlifts really are a great exercise, and I’ve been ignoring them for long enough.
So, I started light with 135 pounds, and the first set was an extremely ungraceful welcome back party.
For the second set, I concentrated a lot more on form, which required me to look sideways to the mirror the entire time, so I stopped after 4 reps.
I hit my stride on the 3rd set when I remembered sumo deadlifts helped longer-legged folks like myself keep better form.
This helped, and I was relieved to have finished all five sets without any career-ending injuries.
Also, before giving up on them the first time, I had looked into trap bars, which allow for much better form, when your skeleton just doesn’t agree with traditional barbell deadlifts.
The consensus seems to be that trap bar deadlifts hit the legs a little harder and the back a little less. However, with enough emphasis on proper form, I can achieve nearly the same result, without any of the risks (and bloody shins!) associated with trying to adjust for my freakish body dimensions.
So, after doing some research, I ordered one today, and it should be here next week. For anyone interested, I found one on eBay for $100 plus free shipping, and at the time of this posting, there are still 12 left: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220230842413
There were several people on the BodyBuilding forums that personally vouched for this bar from this specific seller. They all said the bar was high quality and exactly what they would expect from the MUCH higher priced trap bars located elsewhere on the web.
Tomorrow I may head up and try a different speed camp class for HIIT day. It’s basically like a football practice with lots of sprinting, fast-foot work, etc.
The only drawback is it’s from 7:30-8:30AM! But, it will be good practice for the speed camp I’ll be starting on July 26 and a different/fun way to get in my cardio for tomorrow.
Weekly Progress Pics
Before (Mid to Late 2005)
Current (July 13, 2008)
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