25 Oct 2010 – Week 14

This is a long week, five days.  Read as # sets x # reps @ dumbbell weight (lbs).

Everyday:  Abs and calves, in that order.

• Weighted jackknifes, straight – 1 x 8, 12 lb ball at feet, 15 lb ball at head, extended overhead and back on slow descent.
• Weighted jackknifes, oblique – None.
• Slow sit-ups-and-downs – None.
• Slow weighted incline situps – 1 x 4 @15 lbs ball overhead, medium incline, knees bent.
• Slow weighted incline oblique twists – 1 x 12 @15 lb ball, medium incline, knees bent.
• Slow weighted incline oblique situps – 1 x 4 @ 15 lb ball, medium incline, knees bent.
• Seated calf raises – Warmup with 1 x 8 x 90 lbs, 2 x 6 x 180 lbs, slow.  Moved up 20 lbs.  Calves feel good.

Monday:  Arms.  Workout rating – excellent.  I super-setted bicep with tricep, alternating after several sets.  The workout took an hour.  Numbers are down a bit, but I still got the same amount of pain.

• Prone hanging dumbbell bicep curls – Warmup set, 1 x 6 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 20 lbs, very slow.
• Standing overhead tricep cable presses – 1 x 6 x 50 lbs, 1 x 6 x 42 lbs, 1 x 6 x 35 lbs, very slow.
• Seated decline dumbbell preacher curls – 2 x 6 @ 25lbs, 2 x 4 @ 20lbs, 1 x 4 @ 15 lbs, very slow.
• Horizontal dumbbell tricep kickbacks – None.
• Overhead standing dumbbell tricep presses – None.
• Standing cable one-arm tricep presses – None.
• Standing cable tricep pushdowns – 1 x 6 @ 60 lbs, 2 x 6 @ 40 lbs, very slow.

Saw chiropractor again, who massaged my right forearm and shoulder, and gave them ultrasound treatments as well.  They are much better now – I iced them over the weekend.  I am not taking it easy this week, but will be very careful.  She and her partner gave me some great tips on working hamstrings, which includes getting good quadricep stretches in first, to reduce their chances of adding to the effort, and using the large balls in exercises.  I lay supine, feet on a ball, raise the small of my back up, draw my feet in with knees equidistant apart the whole time,  and thrust my pelvis upwards.  I can also sit on a ball (he said use a 65 cm ball, or whatever lets me sit with knees bent at a 90 degree angle),  roll down while walking my feet out while keeping my back off the floor, raise one foot off the floor (knees even), and push my pelvis up and hold.  Then repeat for several reps, and switch feet.  I have to try not to use my lower back, but roll my hips upwards instead.  I tried this and I could really feel it in my hamstrings.  By using a ball, I have to balance a lot, which enlists additional muscle fibers through reflex movement.  Tomorrow I try it for real.

Tuesday:  Legs.  Workout rating – very good.  I am using the seated plate-press machine to avoid using my forearms, and have started using the 65cm ball for hamstrings.

• Dumbbell wide stance lunges – None.
• Dumbbell squats – Dry warmup
• Lying hamstring squeezes – None.
• Seated plate-press leg machine – 1 x 8 x 200 lbs slow, 1 x 6 x 300 lbs slow, 1 x 4 x 400 lbs slow.
• Ball-assisted hamstring crunches – 2 x 6 per leg, slow.  Sit on the ball.  Walk your feet out while rolling back until your head is resting on the ball and your body is suspended off the ground.  Lift one leg at the knee, keep the knees stationary.  Roll hips upwards, pull body towards feet slightly (rolling forward) – hold and roll back, dropping hips.  Repeat for set, then switch feet and do it again.  You have to balance, and this exercise really targets the hamstrings nicely.  I alternated sets with the plate-press to superset them.

Wednesday:  Shoulders.  Workout rating – good, but a little weak.

• Seated dumbbell military presses – warmup with 25lbs, then 1 x 5 @ 50lbs, 1 x 5 @ 40 lbs, 1 x 5 @ 30 lbs, 1 x 8 @ 20 lbs
• Standing dumbbell windmills – None.
• Prone hanging dumbbell shoulder flys – None.
• Standing dumbbell pullups – None.
• Standing cable pullups – None.
• Standing dumbbell circles (moving arms slowly in a large circle, as if to stretch and warm up) – 1 x 8 x 15 lbs

Thursday:  Legs.  Workout rating – ok.  I am using the seated plate-press machine to avoid using my forearms, and am using the 65cm ball for hamstrings.

• Dumbbell wide stance lunges – Dry warmup.
• Dumbbell squats – Dry warmup.
• Lying hamstring squeezes – None.
• Seated plate-press leg machine – 1 x 4 x 200 lbs slow, 1 x 8 x 300 lbs slow, 1 x 8 x 400 lbs slow.
• Ball-assisted hamstring crunches – 3 x 6 per leg, slow.

My legs are fairly pumped and full after this.  Just did not have the energy (late start).

Friday:  Back and chest.  Workout rating – adequate.   Chest first, then back.  My right shoulder is holding me back some, so used lower weights on dumbbell bench press.  Also had a mental breakthough that seems so obvious now – why exclude any one type of equipment, when I can use them all to maximize my workout?  Instead of focusing only on dumbbells, I will also start incorporating machines (Smith and Nautilus).  They all have their place, as long as you do not rely on any one to do every job.  Tools in a toolbox, right?  Who wants a toolbox that only has hammers?

• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 x 7 x 55 lbs (after warmup).
• Flat dumbbell bench press – 1 x 4 x 65 lbs.
• Decline dumbbell bench press – 2 x 4 x 65 lbs.
• Flat dumbbell bench press – 1 x 4 x 65 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 x 6 x 45 lbs.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, wide grip – 1 x 6 x 160 lbs (after warmup), very slow.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, narrow grip (used short bar) – 1 x 6 x 160 lbs, very slow.
• Seated cable lat rows – 1 x 6 x 160 lbs, 1 x 6 x 120 lbs, very slow.
• Standing cable flys – 1 x 6 x 30 lbs, 1 x 6 x 20 lbs, 1 x 6 x 10 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell flys – None.
• Flat dumbbell flys – None.
• Seated Nautilus bench press, parallel grip, main chest seating – 1 x 8 x 85 lbs (warmup before dumbbells), 1 x 8 x 110 lbs (last group of exercises), slow.
• Seated Nautilus bench press, parallel grip, upper chest seating – 1 x 8 x 110 lbs, slow.

My right shoulder bothered me throughout the workout, and I have been using a forearm strap the last two weeks to help distribute pressure across my right forearm – it seems to help.  The workout, while weaker and shakier, was ok overall.  My shoulders took most of the brunt during the dumbbell sets, but my pecs really got a good workout from the Nautilus sets.  I did dumbbell sets with the dumbbells held parallel to each other, rather than inline, on advisement of my chiropractor to help reduce the chance of shoulder injury.  She said the same muscles are worked, but doing it this way reduces stress and strain on the shoulders.  I iced my right shoulder and forearm in the evening, and will continue over the weekend.  Taking ibuprofen only occasionally – I do not want to build up a tolerance, and it is probably not too good to take it daily.

End-of-week weight:  186 lbs.

18 Oct 2010 – Week 13

This is a short week, four days.  Read as # sets x # reps @ dumbbell weight (lbs).

Everyday:  Abs and calves, in that order.

• Weighted jackknifes, straight – 1 x 6, 12 lb ball at feet, 15 lb ball at head, extended overhead and back on slow descent.
• Weighted jackknifes, oblique – 1 x 6, alternating side to side, same weights as above.
• Slow sit-ups-and-downs – 1 x 6, 15 lb ball on head for up, overhead and back for down slowly.  I draw the knees in going up to keep my hip flexors from helping too much, and extend out more going down.
• Inclined weighted situps – On Wednesday I tried using an incline board instead of flat on a mat like before.  1 x 6 x 15 lb ball extended outward.
• Seated incline board oblique twists – 1 x 16 x 15 lb ball extended outward.
• Seated calf raises – Warmup with 1 x 8 x 90 lbs, then 2 x 6 x 160 lbs.

Monday:  Arms.  Workout rating – good.  I am taking it easier this week and only did biceps, with a tricep warmup.

• Prone hanging dumbbell bicep curls – Warmup set, 1 x 6 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 20 lbs
• Standing overhead tricep cable presses – None.
• Seated decline dumbbell preacher curls – 2 x 6 @ 25lbs, 1 x 6 @ 20lbs
• Horizontal dumbbell tricep kickbacks – None.
• Overhead standing dumbbell tricep presses – None.
• Standing cable one-arm tricep presses – None.
• Standing cable tricep pushdowns – None.
• Standing dumbbell concentration bicep curls – None.

Tuesday:  Shoulders.  Workout rating – surprisingly good.  Taking it easy all week.

• Seated dumbbell military presses – warmup with 25lbs, then 1 x 8 @ 40lbs, 1 x 6 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 20 lbs, and 1 x 4 @ 15 lbs.
• Standing dumbbell windmills – None.
• Prone hanging dumbbell shoulder flys – None.
• Standing dumbbell pullups – None.
• Standing cable pullups – None.
• Standing dumbbell circles (moving arms slowly in a large circle, as if to stretch and warm up) – 1 x 6 x 20 lbs.
• Standing dumbbell rotated lifts (arms out to sides, elbows ninety degrees down, rotate weights up to vertical and back down) – None.

I focused on form – straight back in the seat, arms wide, dumbbells held parallel (not inline) to each other.  Slow down, faster up, and making sure my arms were out to the side, not pulled forward.  This actually gave me an excellent workout – without all the dumbbell shoulder flys I had been doing.  My shoulder feels great, and my elbow is not bothering me now.

Wednesday:  Legs.  Workout rating – very good.  I used the leg press machine instead of the plate-loaded machine, and could not do dumbbell squats today – the gym floor was being stripped and waxed and that room was blocked off.

• Dumbbell wide stance lunges – Dry warmup only, then 1 x 10 x 50 lbs (two 25 lb plates, one in each hand).
• Dumbbell squats – Dry warmup only.
• Seated Smith leg presses – None.
• Standing leg curl machine – 2 x 8 x 25 lbsper leg, 4 x 4 x 25 lbs per leg.
• Seated leg press machine – 1 x 6 x 180 lbs, 1 x 6 x 260 lbs, 2 x 8 x 320 lbs, 1 x 6 x 320 lbs.  All done very slow, with seat as close as possible for maximum extension, feet placed both high and low on press plate.
• Lying hamstring squeezes – None.

I avoided using my arms, so my elbow and shoulder get to rest for tomorrow.  My legs feel very tired and pumped.

Thursday:  Back and chest.  Workout rating – ok.  Chest first, then back, with warmups.  Unfortunately, they were still stripping and waxing the floors and had the dumbbell room closed off.

• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 x 6 x 35 lbs (warmup) before i got kicked out of the room.
• Flat dumbbell bench press – None.
• Decline dumbbell bench press – None.
• Flat dumbbell bench press – None.
• Incline dumbbell bench press – None.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, wide grip – 1 x 6 x 140 lbs (after warmup), very slow.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, narrow grip – 1 x 6 x 140 lbs, very slow.
• Seated cable lat rows – 2 x 4 x 140 lbs, very slow.
• Standing cable flys – 1 x 6 x 30 lbs, 1 x 6 x 25 lbs, 1 x 7 x 20 lbs, 1 x 8 x 15 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell flys – None.
• Flat dumbbell flys – None.
• Seated nautilus bench press (vertical grip) – 1 x 8 x 90 lbs (warmup), 1 x 8 x 150 lbs, 2 x 8 x 185 lbs, very slow.
• Seated nautilus bench press (horizontal grip) – 1 x 4 x 185 lbs, 2 x 6 x 140 lbs, very slow.

End-of-week weight:  187 lbs.

12 Oct 2010 – Week 12

I took this week off to rest.  I saw the chiropractor three times for work on my right elbow and shoulder, which helped tremendously.

4 Oct 2010 – Week 11

This is a short week, four days.  Read as # sets x # reps @ dumbbell weight (lbs).

Everyday:  Abs and calves, in that order.

• Weighted jackknifes, straight – 1 x 6, 12 lb ball at feet, 15 lb ball at head, extended overhead and back on slow descent.
• Weighted jackknifes, oblique – 1 x 6, alternating side to side, same weights as above.
• Slow sit-ups-and-downs – 1 x 6, 15 lb ball on head for up, overhead and back for down slowly.
• Seated incline board oblique twists – 1 x 16 x 15 lb ball extended outward.
• Seated calf raises – Warmup with 1 x 8 x 90 lbs, then 2 x 6 x 160 lbs.

Monday:  Arms.  Workout rating – good.  I super-setted bicep with tricep, alternating after several sets.  The gym was extremely crowded for some reason, and I had to struggle to get a good workout.

• Prone hanging dumbbell bicep curls – Warmup set, 1 x 3 @ 30 lbs, 1 x 3 @ 25 lbs, 1 x 3 @ 20 lbs
• Standing overhead tricep cable presses – None.
• Seated decline dumbbell preacher curls – 1 x 6 @ 25lbs, 1 x 6 @ 20lbs
• Horizontal dumbbell tricep kickbacks – 1 x 6 @ 25 lbs
• Overhead standing dumbbell tricep presses – None.
• Standing cable one-arm tricep presses – 2 x 6 x 30lbs per arm, 1 x 10 x 20lbs per arm.
• Standing cable tricep pushdowns – 2 x 6 @ 60 lbs, 1 x 8 x 50 lbs.
• Standing dumbbell concentration bicep curls – 1 x 6 x 25 lbs, 1 x 5 x 20 lbs, 1 x 5 x 15 lbs.  These are done with elbows tucked inwards, hunched forward slightly.

Tuesday:  Shoulders.  Workout rating – good.

• Seated dumbbell military presses – warmup with 25lbs, then 1 x 6 @ 50lbs, 1 x 5 @ 45 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 40 lbs.  Ended workout with 1 x 6 @ 35 lbs, 1 x 6 @ 30 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 25 lbs.
• Standing dumbbell windmills – None.
• Prone hanging dumbbell shoulder flys – 1 x 2 x 4 positions @ 15 lbs, 2 x 2 x 4 positions @ 10 lbs.  Each rep is held as high up as possible for 2 to 3 seconds and slowly released down.
• Standing dumbbell pullups – None.
• Standing cable pullups – None.
• Standing dumbbell circles (moving arms slowly in a large circle, as if to stretch and warm up) – 1 x 6 x 20 lbs.
• Standing dumbbell rotated lifts (arms out to sides, elbows ninety degrees down, rotate weights up to vertical and back down) – 2 x 6 x 15 lbs.

Had to ice my right elbow again, and I am taking ibuprofen to control inflammation.  I also stretched my right forearm for several minutes before beginning today.  I am managing so far….

Wednesday:  Legs.  Workout rating – weak.  I did use the plate-loaded Smith leg press again after using dumbbells.  My right knee started to bother me some on the second set of dumbbell squats..

• Dumbbell wide stance lunges – Dry warmup, then 2 x 8 x 30 lbs as final exercise.
• Dumbbell squats – Dry warmup, then 1 x 4 x 75 lbs, 1 x 4 x 65 lbs.
• Seated Smith leg presses – 2 x 4 x 180 lbs per leg, slow.
• Lying hamstring squeezes – None – forgot to do these.

Thursday:  Back and chest.  Workout rating – ok.  Chest first, then back, with warmups.  Unfortunately, my grip was weaker on back, so I could not hold the weight for very long.

• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 x 6 x 60 lbs (after warmup).
• Flat dumbbell bench press – 1 x 6 x 70 lbs.
• Decline dumbbell bench press – 2 x 6 x 65 lbs.
• Flat dumbbell bench press – 1 x 4 x 65 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 x 6 x 55 lbs.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, wide grip – 1 x 6 x 160 lbs (after warmup), very slow.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, narrow grip – 2 x 3 x 160 lbs, very slow.
• Seated cable lat rows – 2 x 4 x 160 lbs, very slow.
• Standing cable flys – 1 x 6 x 30 lbs, 1 x 6 x 25 lbs, 1 x 7 x 20 lbs, 1 x 8 x 15 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell flys – None.
• Flat dumbbell flys – None.

Friday:  Chiropractor.  She did great work on my elbow, both massage and ultrasound.  She also gave me pointers on shoulder work, advising me to try dumbbell exercises with the dumbbells held naturally, instead of rotated.  So I will try bench press and shoulder press with the dumbbells held perpendicular to how I normally hold them.  I have three more appointments next week to really work on my elbow.

End-of-week weight:  189 lbs.

13 Sep 2010 – Week 8

This is a long week, five full days.  Condensing the narrative to make it more readable.  Read as # sets x # reps @ dumbbell weight (lbs).

Everyday:  Abs and calves, in that order.

• Weighted jackknifes, straight – 1 x 4 to 6, 12 lb ball at feet, 15 lb ball at head, extended overhead and back on slow descent.
• Weighted jackknifes, oblique – 1 x 4 to 6, alternating side to side, same weights as above.
• Slow sit-ups-and-downs – 1 x 4 to 6, 15 lb ball on head for up, overhead and back for down slowly.
• Seated calf raises -  None this week – machine still not available.

Monday:  Arms.  Workout rating – fantastic.

• Prone hanging dumbbell bicep curls – Warmup set, 1 x 5 @ 30 lbs, 2 x 5 @ 25 lbs, 2 x 5 @ 20 lbs, 1 x 6 @ 15 lbs, 1 x 6 @ 10 lbs.  [IMPROVEMENT - I can do 30 lbs now; when I started, I could only manage 20 lb dumbbells.]
• Standing overhead tricep cable presses – 3 x 8 @ 50 lbs.
• Seated decline dumbbell preacher curls – 2 x 6 @ 25lbs, 2 x 9 @ 20 lbs
• Horizontal dumbbell tricep kickbacks – 1 x 8 @ 15 lbs (warmup)
• Overhead standing dumbbell tricep presses – None.
• Standing cable one-arm tricep presses – 2 x 8 per arm @ 40 lbs.

Tuesday:  Legs.  Workout rating – fantastic.  I had a much better energy level today, and am not as wiped out as usual.

• Dumbbell wide stance lunges – Warmup set, 1 x 8 @ 2 x 30lb dumbbells.
• Dumbbell squats – Warmup set, 2 x 6 @ 2 x 55 lb dumbbells, 1 x 4 @ 2 x 55 lb dumbbells.  [IMPROVEMENT - I went about an hour earlier, and I think that helped with my energy level.]
• Lying hamstring squeezes – 1 x 3 20 second reps.  (I lie down like doing a situp, knees bent, and use my legs to press my feet and shoulders into the floor, squeezing my hamstrings.)

Wednesday:  Shoulders.  Workout rating – nervous, but very good.  After the 50 lb shoulder presses, I felt tightness in my right tricep, just behind my elbow.  I stretched and loosened it up enough to get through the rest of the workout fine, but took ibuprofen afterwards and iced when I got home.  I hope I am good for the Friday workout….

Other than that, my shoulders were tight and on fire when I quit, and I upped abs to 6 reps of everything, really working my core hard.

• Seated dumbbell military presses – warmup with 20lbs, then 1 x 6 @ 50lbs, 1 x 5 @ 45 lbs, 1 x 5 @ 40 lbs, and 1 x 6 @ 35 lbs.
• Standing dumbbell windmills – 1 x 8 @ 20 lbs, 2 x 8 @ 15 lbs
• Prone hanging dumbbell shoulder flys – 2 x 3 x 4 positions @ 15 lbs, 4 x 3 x 4 positions @ 10 lbs.  Each rep is held as high up as possible for 2 to 3 seconds and slowly released down.
• Standing dumbbell pullups – 1 x 6 @ 20 lbs.

Thursday:  Legs.  Workout rating – excellent.  I am getting over my “power hump”, and have a lot more energy and stamina in the gym now.  My muscles give out before I do, not the other way around.

• Dumbbell wide stance lunges – 1 x 6 25 lbs (warmup).
• Dumbbell squats – 3 x 8 x 50 lbs (someone else had the 55 lb dumbbells).
• Lying hamstring squeezes – 1 x 3 x 15 seconds.

Friday:  Back and chest.  Workout rating – good.  My right arm gave me no problems (taking ibuprofen and icing it each night helped immensely).  I think I need to up the weight now.  Doing back towards the end, since I need my grip for the dumbbells.

• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, wide grip – 1 x 4 x 160 lbs (after warmup), 1 x 6 x 120 lbs.
• Seated cable lat alternating pulldown, narrow grip – 1 x 6 x 140 lbs.
• Seated cable lat rows – 1 x 6 x 160 lbs, 1 x 6 x 120 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 x 8 x 50 lbs (after warmup), 1 x 7 x 45 lbs.
• Flat dumbbell bench press – 1 x 8 x 55 lbs, 1 x 4 x 55 lbs, 1 x 6 x 50 lbs.
• Decline dumbbell bench press – 2 x 8 x 55 lbs.
• Standing cable flys – 1 x 8 x 25 lbs, 1 x 8 x 30 lbs, 1 x 10 x 15 lbs.
• Incline dumbbell flys – 1 x 8 x 15 lbs, 1 x 6 x 25 lbs.
• Flat dumbbell flys – 1 x 8 x 25 lbs.

End-of-week weight:  189 lbs.

6 Sep 2010 – Week 7

I am back, and thanks to Labor Day, have a short week.

Everyday:  Abs.  Giving my calves a rest (I walked a LOT in last week).  Plus, the weight room is being painted, and the calf machine is out of use.

Tuesday:  Arms.  Very good, supersets of hanging prone dumbbell curls and overhead cable tricep presses.  Sets of six from 25 lb dumbbells on down for curls.  Sets of eight for cable tricep presses, from 60 lbs on down.  Also worked in dumbbell tricep kickbacks at 25 lbs, one set of six per arm, and several sets of incline dumbbell preacher curls from 25 lbs down, sets of six.  All done slowly to get the most out of it.  My arms felt like balloons when I was done.

Wednesday:  Shoulders.  After warmups, a set of eight seated dumbbell military presses with 50 lbs, followed by a set of eight at 45 lbs.  Prone hanging shoulder flys, sets of six from 20 lbs down to 10 lbs.  Windmills using 20 lb dumbbells down to 10 lbs, sets of eight.  My shoulders were burning by the end, and it was hard to pick up even light objects.

Thursday:  Legs.  After warming up dry, deep lunges (for my hamstrings) using 25 lb dumbbells, a set of ten or so.  This did not at first seem to do much, but I think it really helped.  Followed by two sets of six slow squats using 55 lb dumbbells.  I was too tired to attempt a third set.  My butt hurts now.

Friday:  Back and Chest.  Well, it was a somewhat weak day.  I got a late start due to a meeting, but I was still not feeling it either.  Discipline gets me through these days.  After core, I started with back.  Seated cable lat pulldowns, alternating reps front and back, one set wide grip, one set narrow grip.  Eight reps for each set, 160 lbs after a short warmup set at 100 lbs.  Done slowly, which is really hard on my forearms and grip.  After pulldowns, I did seated cable lat rows, a set of four at 160 lbs, and a set of four at 120 lbs.  Following back, I did six sets of dumbbell bench presses, after a short warmup.  Incline bench, eight reps, 50 lb dumbbells.  Flat bench, eight reps, 55 lbs.  Decline bench, eight reps, 55 lbs.   Decline bench, six reps, 55 lbs.  Flat bench, four reps, 55 lbs, four reps, 45 lbs.  Incline bench, six reps, 45 lbs.  I was so worn out I didn’t bother with flys (plus, the gym gets crowded around lunchtime).

19 July 2010 – Week 1

For calves, I am using the same seated calf raise machine, but with 160 lbs on it and very slow full extension reps until I can’t do any more (maybe 8 right now).  Then a short rest, and repeating for two more sets, each shorter than the previous.

For abs and core, I was using a sit-up board fully inclined while holding two 10 lb dumbells up to my shoulders.  Now I am lying flat on mats, and using a small medicine ball (4 lbs to 6 lbs).  I hold it between my feet, fully raise them straight-legged while crunching up to grab the ball and slowly lower it behind my head, then reverse the movement.  I also tilt my feet from side to side and raise and lower the ball with my feet, and mirror these movements holding the ball in my hands.  I do this till I cannot do any more.

Biceps is a mix of dumbell exercises – preacher curls, concentration curls, and standing hammer curls.  All very slow and deliberate, using no more than 20 lbs per arm.

Triceps is done with sets of cable pushdowns (two-handed and one-handed “concentration-style”).  I also do dumbell kickbacks (20 lbs) and standing overhead dumbell presses.  For these I take two 20 lb dumbells, raise together overhead, then lower from elbows back (I draw my elbows in close – seems to help).  Imagine standing skull crushers…

For legs, I am doing seated leg presses, slow and deep.  I also do multiple sets of deadlifts (straight-legged and Romanian, but not sure I am doing it right).  These are done in a way to target my hamstrings, but they work my lower back real good too.  Using 60 lb to 80 lb barbells for these.

For chest, I am doing all dumbells work – a mix of flys and presses.  I did a set of incline, decline, and flat bench presses today using 40 lb dumbells.  I finished up with a set of standing cable flys with 15 lbs per arm.  All reps were very slow.

For back, I did seated cable rows, slow and deep, all the way back so I could squeeze my back muslces.  I alternated this with sets of seated lat pulldowns, front and back, wide grip and narrow grip, using 85 lbs on the stack.  Slow reps till it burned on these too.

Friday I do shoulders, and I plan on doing traditional seated military dumbell presses (probably 30 lbs or 35 lbs), followed by front and side arm extensions using 10 lb to 15 lb dumbells.  They will burn when I am done with them.

I am watching carefully for any signs of injury, and stretching and massaging my forearms to make sure they dont cause problems again.  I plan monthly trips to the chiropractor as well to help with this.

Update:  My pecs are very sore, especially right side.  If it is still sore and stiff next week, may skip flys and just do presses to give it time to heal.  Stretching over the weekend…

5 Aug, 2009 – Is My Arm Fixed?

I have now been through a couple weeks of visits to the chiropractor, maybe nine altogether.  We are now spacing the visits out farther apart.  To date, my left arm no longer has numbness in the fingertips.  My right arm with all the elbow pain feels almost completely normal.  The sessions of muscle massage therapy, while mildly painful and uncomfortable, are really having an effect.  I was able to do yard work last weekend that I had been unable to do before seeing the chiropractor, and it was uneventful.  Nothing got worse.  Nothing broke.  Nothing hurt.

I am sure that I got this way over a long time, building scar tissue and adhesions without ever having any indicators something was wrong until it was too late.  To further muddy the waters, after the pain started, I was treating the wrong thing.  This has taught me a valuable lesson.  I will be stretching more, before and after exercise, I will be using forearm braces to distribute the force more evenly over my muscles, and I will be icing my muscles after workouts.  I also intend to set up regular visits to a massage therapist (the same one that hurts my chiropractor, hehe) to make sure this never happens again.  I know, never say never, but forwarned is forearmed.

(What a horrible pun that was.  Stop me now, before I pun again.)

I expect to hit the gym soon.  I will probably work up to by doing home exercises first for a few weeks.  Plus, my schedule really works against an exercise regimen for the next couple months.

21 July, 2009 – More Good News…

Well, I went for my third visit to the chiropractor, and we were all surprised by the amount of progress that just a few visits have made.  I no longer get stiff arm and pain after a night of sleep, and I can now grip almost to full strength without any discomfort.  One of the chiropractors wanted to check things a little, and pushed on my forearms – he was surprised and said things felt much better, almost normal.   They also look much more relaxed and normal.

Now to note something from the last visit I forgot, so I do not forget again:

I remember the weakness I would have as well.  His explanation for sudden bouts of weakness made sense – that due to injury and incorrect healing, the muscles had been set in a semi-contracted state, so the full 100% I needed when lifting was now 100% plus however much my muscles were already tensed.  Or, another way, I no longer had 100% available, only whatever was left after factoring out my semi-contracted muscle state.  In short, I was trying to commit 100% to something when I only had,  say, 80%.  By attempting to overload my muscles, a protective mechanism (it has a name, but I do not remember it), like a circuit breaker, would kick in, pulling the plug on my muscles to prevent injury and resulting in a sudden weakness in the motion.

This visit was much less uncomfortable than the last one.  I personally think that they broke up adhesions that time, and that stretching has had a real affect because of it.  I am feeling pretty good about being able to start up again, slowly, in another month or two.

July 18, 2009 – Good News and Progress…

My second visit to a chiropractor was very very revealing.  My issues do not appear to be bone related, but entirely muscle-related (I figured).  No nerve weirdness from the spine either.

The bad news:  I am now feeling numbness in my LEFT hand (ring and pinky fingertips).  No pain or tingling, just loss of sensation in a small area of each.

The good news:  They think they know what is wrong and how to finally address these problems.  My right arm is doing better, but it is easy to overdo it and slide backwards.  Turns out that the muscle fibers may have something called “adhesion”.  As they explained to me, the muscle fibers are each wrapped in fascia which act as a low friction covering (among other things), permitting the fibers to smoothly slide past each other as they flex and relax.  Sometimes, muscles grow through the fascia and start to bind up with adjacent fibers, or otherwise interfere with the smooth movement of fibers.

Additionally, scar tissue from tiny injuries to the muscle can be layed down in ways that oppose and restrict motion, instead of inline (parallel) with the direction of motion.  These can combine to pull and push on the overall mass of muscles and ultimately end up exerting this force against the elbow tendons, which can then become inflamed and painful.

BINGO.

So the issue is not the tendon itself, it is the binding and sticking within my muscles that then pulls on the tendon.  Curiously, they think this is happening in my left forearm as well, even though I feel no pain.  I was told that pain is usually the last symptom to appear, and that this can be a slow and subtle process years in the making.  The chiropractor also noted that my forearms (left especially) appear to be in a constant state of flex (the big muscle that pops out over your elbow), calling it “atypical”. They think this could overall be pressing on the ulnar nerve along various parts of my forearm, which ultimately emanate from the neck via the C4 or C5 cervical vertebrae and are responsible for the “funny bone”.

The cure:  Ultrasound treatments and deep (painful) physical massage in the forearms to break up the adhesions, ice over the areas several times a day, and the use of elbow braces to redistribute forces away from my tendons (used during physical exertion).  Ice after physical exertion as well and  stretching exercises.  Not a cure really, but a way to manage this and make improvements.   They think that I can be ready in a few months to go back to the gym for light exertion, and work my way slowly back into my routines.

Only the second visit, but I kinda feel better already.  They expect little to no further improvement after 6 to 8 visits, so this hopefully won’t take long.

Medical readers:  Please don’t beat me up too much – I am regurgitating much of this just to remember it (too important to forget).