OH_Broker's Training Log

[OH_Broker]

1.5 hour of competitive tennis today. My tennis game has gotten much better since losing weight. I can move better and am not winded at all.

Weigh in: 240.6 - down 3 pounds exactly. Pretty happy with that.

 

[El Freako]

Changed things up a bit today.

LEG PRESS
W-UP: 140 x 12
W-UP: 180 x 10
1: 220 x 5
2: 220 x 5
3: 240 x 5

MILITARY PRESS
W-UP: 65 x 10
W-UP: 85 x 10
1,2,3: 95 x 5

PENDLAY ROWS
W-UP: 95 x 10
1,2,3: 135 x 5

I performed the military presses on the smith machine, gave me a little more stability. Felt really good today. Weigh in tomorrow.

Personally I'd avoid the smith machine and just use free-weights. That way you will develop much more functional strength, especially in the core. Stability will come with time. The smith machine is a glorified coat rack as far as I'm concerned.

Q: I use the Smith machine extensively in my training, but I've been hearing that it's not the greatest piece of equipment ever invented. What's your take?

A: To be frank, I don't think much of the Smith machine. In fact, when I design a weight room for a client, I never ever buy a Smith machine. In fact, if a dork asks me a question about chest training during one of my workouts, I quickly prescribe him ten sets of 20 on the Smith machine as my way of getting revenge. One of the reasons that the Smith machine has so much publicity in the magazines is because it makes a great visual picture but, as far as functional transfer, it scores a big zero. It was probably invented by a physical therapist who wanted more business for himself.

What you might perceive as positives with the device are in fact strong negatives. The perceived positives are only short-lived because, in a Smith machine, the weight is stabilized for you. However, the shoulder really operates in three planes. But if you do exercises in a Smith machine, none of the shoulder stabilizers need to be recruited maximally. For example, the rotator cuff muscles don't have to fire as much because the bar's pathway is fixed. That creates a problem when the trainee returns to free-weight training. When that happens, the trainee is exposed to the three-dimensional environment called real life. Since the Smith machine has allowed him to develop strength only in one dimension, it predisposes him or her to injury in the undeveloped planes of movement.

Exercise prescription specialist Paul Chek of San Diego has identified what he calls pattern overload syndrome. In his seminar and videos, he stresses that the Smith machine bench press is one of the most common sources of shoulder injuries:

"People get a pattern overload from using the Smith machine. The more fixed the object, the more likely you are to develop a pattern overload. This is due to the fact that training in a fixed pathway repetitively loads the same muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints in the same pattern, encouraging micro-trauma that eventually leads to injury. If Johnny Lunchpail always uses a Smith machine for his bench presses, he ends up working the same fibers of the prime movers in the bench press all of the time: triceps brachii, pectoralis major, long-head of the biceps, anterior deltoids, and serratus anterior. But he can't change the pathway — the bar will always be in the same position."

Because of the mechanics of the human shoulder joint, the body will alter the natural bar pathway during a free-weight bench press to accommodate efficient movement at the shoulder. A fixed bar pathway doesn't allow alteration of this pathway for efficient movement of the joint, thereby predisposing the shoulder to harmful overload via lack of accommodation.

All in all, the Smith machine is a training piece for dorks. If you're interested in training longevity, you're far better off sticking to the standard barbell and dumbbell exercises or try the newer chest machines from Magnum and Flex.

By Charles Poliquin

From: http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=460033

 

[Hypocrisy86]

excellent work on legs man!
leg presses looking solid!. lol @ coat rack Freako lol

 

[OH_Broker]

Personally I'd avoid the smith machine and just use free-weights. That way you will develop much more functional strength, especially in the core. Stability will come with time. The smith machine is a glorified coat rack as far as I'm concerned.

That's very interesting and something I've never thought of before. Friday was the first time doing MP's with the Smith, but I've always done squats with the Smith. I think from now I may have to move to the free weight route. Thanks for the article...Like I said in an earlier post, I learn something new everyday.

I've been contemplating posting pictures, because deep down I know that truly is the best way to gauge progress. That is going to be very hard for me to do as I'm obviously not happy with my body image, but that will change. I'll probably post some pics sometime next week.

Thanks again for the article.

 

[El Freako]

Good on you mate! Pics are great for assessing your progress.

 

[OH_Broker]

Workout A

Off day yesterday

Well, I've officially abandoned the Smith Machine. I took El Freako's advice and went with the squat rack instead of the smith for my squats and am very glad I did. Because I wasn't sure of how different it would be, I scaled down on weight.

BENCH PRESS:
W: 95 x 10
W: 115 x 8
1,2,3: 135 x 5

DEADLIFT:
W: 95 x 10
W: 135 x 8
1,2,3: 155 x 5

SQUAT:
W: 135 x 5
1,2,3: 165 x 5

 

[OH_Broker]

Cardio

Cardio only today - 25 minutes on the bike (LISS)

 

[OH_Broker]

Workout B

I feel as if I'm progressing on all my lifts except for the darn MP. I just feel so weak on that lift. I cannot for the life of me get over the 95 lb barrier. Oh well, I'm going to keep going for it and hopefully I'll see my strength improve.

STANDING MP:
W: 65 x 8
W: 65 x 8
1: 95 x 5
2: 95 x 3
3: 85 x 5

PENDLAY ROWS:
W: 95 x 8
W: 115 x 8
1: 135 x 5
2: 135 x 5
3: 135 x 5

LYING LEG PRESS:
W: 180 x 10
W: 230 x 8
1: 250 x 5
2: 270 x 5
3: 280 x 5

 

[OH_Broker]

Cardio

Forgot to post yesterday.

Thursday: 25 minutes on the bike (LISS)

 

[OH_Broker]

Workout A

I had a cheat meal today. For lunch, we went to a BBQ joint and I pretty much pigged out. Because of that, I had a lot of energy in the gym from all those calories and went on to have one of the best workouts I've had. I just felt really good and increased my weight on all my lifts.

SQUAT:
W: 135 x 10
W: 155 x 8
1: 185 x 5
2: 205 x 5
3: 205 x 5
DEADLIFT:
W: 95 x 10
W: 135 x 8
1: 185 x 5
2: 185 x 5
3: 185 x 5
DB PRESS:
W: 60 x 12
W: 70 x 10
1: 90 x 5
2: 90 x 5
3: 100 x 5

Went with the DB Press instead of the bench today and I really liked it.

 

[OH_Broker]

Cardio

Forgot to post yesterday.
Saturday was 1.5 hour of competitive tennis (won 6-4 6-2).
It was also weigh in day and I weighed in at 237.8. I'm down 2.8 pounds, right where I want to be.

 

[PrinceVegeta]

Congrats on winning man!

 

[OH_Broker]

Workout B

I was really looking forward to getting in the gym today. For some reason, I was itching since mid afternoon yesterday to get in there. Needless to say, I had a great workout.

LYING LEG PRESS:
W: 185 x 15
W: 225 x 10
1: 275 x 5
2: 295 x 5
3: 315 x 5
STANDING MP:
W: 65 x 8
W: 65 x 8
1: 85 x 5
2: 85 x 5
3: 95 x 5
PENDLAY ROWS:
W: 95 x 10
W: 115 x 8
1: 135 x 5
2: 135 x 5
3: 135 x 5

 

[Hypocrisy86]

Awesome work man, Standing MPs look good
that some serious torque you got man!

 

[OH_Broker]

Awesome work man, Standing MPs look good
that some serious torque you got man!

Thanks, I appreciate that. But I'm not gonna lie...I hate MP's. They may be the worst thing ever. But I know I gotta do them, so I suck it up and lift.

 

[OH_Broker]

Cardio

I've switched things up a bit on cardio days and started running, even though I really don't like to. I was doing the bike, but I really didn't see any improvements in breathing or overall cardio. For me, running is a great gauge as to if my cardio is improving. I really don't like to run, but it's the best choice right now.

Ran 10:33 minutes and was ttttiiiired. Boy was I pooped. This should shed some light on what kind of shape I'm in. I know it'll get better, but boy am I paying for all those years eating cheeseburgers and tacos.

 

[El Freako]

Thanks, I appreciate that. But I'm not gonna lie...I hate MP's. They may be the worst thing ever. But I know I gotta do them, so I suck it up and lift.

You have yet to try front squats... they blow giant elephant cock.

 

[OH_Broker]

You have yet to try front squats... they blow giant elephant cock.

You're very right, I have never tried them and by the way you describe them, it doesn't look like I'll trying them anytime soon.

 

[OH_Broker]

Workout B

I had a personal best on the squat and deadlift today, which I'm pretty pumped about. My back is sore right now writing this, I can't even imagine what it's going to feel like tomorrow morning

DB PRESS:
W: 60 x 12
W: 80 x 10
1: 100 x 5
2: 100 x 5
3: 110 x 5
SQUAT:
W: 135 x 12
W: 155 x 10
1: 185 x 8
2: 205 x 5
3: 215 x 5
DEADLIFT:
W: 135 x 10
W: 155 x 8
1: 185 x 5
2: 185 x 5
3: 205 x 5

 

[OH_Broker]

Cardio

It was pouring here today, so I couldn't run outside.
Ran on the treadmill for 15:00 minutes (3:00 cool down).
1.15 total miles.