Mailman Muscle: Story of The Bodybuilding Powerlifter

[K.Diesel]

OUTSTANDING Kaisheem!!!!!!!

What a fantastic result after these many months of extremely hard work.

You'll need to do a follow-up post of everything you eat this week.

I'm looking forward to where you take this.

Keep at it!

Thank you my friend! Since I did better than I expected, this story isn’t over yet. 🙂

As for food, you’ll see some if you scroll down a bit. Other than that, I went way overboard with a lunch buffet at an Indian restaurant on Monday. Delicious, but ill advised - as in I had been advised not to go to a buffet, and I became ill. 😁

Very well done! Maybe NOW Planet Fitness will come through with that endorsement.

Thank you! And they really need to!

I’ll probably be celebrating this thing for a while, as I have a few steps to take with OCB after this show (more on that in a moment). Also, I’m glad that some of you enjoy what I’m sharing in this log. I intend to continue posting here regularly. I thought the story would only be about my journey from powerlifter to bodybuilder. As it turns out, this show was the end of a chapter, and a new chapter in the story is just beginning…

POST CREDITS SCENE #1

Immediately after I went backstage following the announcement of my pro card win, I was met by a man - Mr. Austin - I had met the day prior. It was the guy who was administering the polygraph tests. He told me not to go anywhere, because as a pro card winner, I had to submit a urine sample for testing. I knew that was the policy of this organization (OCB), but had forgotten all about it in the whirlwind that was the show. Since they hadn’t announced the open class results yet, he said he would wait to see if I won my class and had to compete for the overall. Once I walked back through the curtain after being announced as 2nd in my open class, Mr. Austin escorted me through the backstage area to a table in a hallway outside of a bathroom. At this point, the backstage area was full of women’s physique and figure competitors who were getting ready for their session after the conclusion of the men’s. He pulled out a box full of cups and forms. We filled out the drug testing form for the lab, and he sent me into the bathroom so I could provide the sample. I’m glad he didn’t feel compelled to go in with me and watch. Since I was wearing nothing but posing trunks, I suppose he concluded that I had no means of cheating my way to filling the sample cup.

Once I came out and we sealed everything, he told me that I should be getting an email from the OCB in 3-4 weeks with my test results, lab report, and instructions on how to get my actual pro card. So once I get it, I’m sure it will be another round of celebration. I might laminate it or make some jewelry out of it. I don’t know yet. I do know that I’ll be stoked, and I’ll probably get some OCB PRO merch once I get it.

POST CREDITS SCENE #2

The Avengers went out for shawarma when they finished the first phase of their MCU story. I went out for pizza after finishing mine.

I don’t know if @homeslycepizzabar sponsors any local athletes or not, but I will gladly volunteer my services. 😁 (but seriously) Th... | Instagram

CHAPTER 2: TEASER TRAILER

As I said earlier in this entry, a new chapter in my story has just begun. If you all haven’t noticed by now, there are lots of references to and themes from the world of pro wrestling in this story. At the end of WrestleMania 12, after defeating Bret Hart and winning the WWE Championship for the first time, Vince McMahon famously said on commentary that “the boyhood dream has come true for Shawn Michaels!” Looking at the OCB pro calendar, I can’t help but wonder if fate is presenting me with an opportunity to have my own boyhood dream come true. Every little boy who grows up as a wrestling fan dreams of winning the title, and holding the belt in the middle of the ring.

I’ll never win a pro wrestling title. But on October 12, in Baltimore, there is another OCB Pro/Am competition. The pro side of this show are for masters 40+ only, and there are 4 pro divisions being contested: women’s figure & bikini, and men’s physique and bodybuilding. And in addition to a small cash prize, the promoter announced something else for the champion of each division…

OCB Chesapeake Classic | 🔥🔥🔥CHESAPEAKE PRO CHAMPIONSHIP🔥🔥🔥

Last year we introduced championship belts for our overall pro winners and this year... | Instagram

“I see the line in the sand
Time to find out who I am
Looking back to see where I stand -
Evolution
Evolution”

[K.Diesel]

On Wednesday and Thursday, I made it to the gym for my first two training sessions since the show. I tried to stop my work sets one rep before I expected to fail (1 RIR). I’m thinking that I should come out of the show in reverse of the way I went in, with lower intensity than I normally take my work sets to. I plan to ramp it up to my typical intensity level over the next 2 weeks or so. Thursday was also my first day back at work. I don’t even want to look at my step tracker from Friday through Wednesday. I know that those numbers are super low, and for good reason.

It’s also worth noting that I set my diet app to maintenance mode until the end of the month. Starting in June, I’ll set it up for a slow mass gain diet. The maintenance macros, even at my new current weight, feel like a big boost in daily food allowance. I was blessed and fortunate that I was able to continue dropping fat without dropping calories over the last few weeks of the contest prep. But now, my daily fat macros are up 25-35 grams from contest prep, and daily carbs are up by 50-80 grams. Protein is down 15 grams per day to match my new weight, but frankly, I don’t see a difference in outcome if I overshoot my protein number.

Wednesday 5/15/24

LOWER, PLANET FITNESS

I wasn’t sure what this session was going to be when I got to the gym. I had something of a full body workout in mind. But it was 8pm, crowded, and equipment wasn’t easy to come by. So I went with the flow of what was useful and available, and it became a lower body session.

Leg Press
sled/12 reps
90 lbs + sled/10 reps
270+/10 reps
450+/12

Smith Machine Deadlift - I didn’t stand on plates for these, so the bar started about 4 inches higher than it would pulling from the floor.
180 lbs + bar/6 reps
270+/6 - started using Versa Gripps here
320+/5
320+/8 - used a belt for the second set

That 320+ was heavier than I expected. I thought I’d be able to do up to 360+ beltless. Once I felt how tough 320+ felt, I decided that instead of risking the heavier weight, I should repeat that weight but do it with a belt.

Lying Leg Cur
75 lbs/12 reps
105/13

Calf Press - on seated upright leg press
100 lbs/15 reps - done medium tempo
150/15 - slow tempo, slight bend in knees
150/15 - slow tempo, legs straight

Abdominal Crunch Machine - feel planted on the floor, sitting upright, crunch downward from top against armpads
50 lbs/5
100/10


Thursday 5/16/24: 16,319 steps, 7.5 miles, 13 floors climbed

BONUS: ARMS & ABS, PLANET FITNESS

This session wasn’t planned. I thought about it a few stops ahead of delivering to the PF on my route. I just wanted to get back in the gym, and figured this was something I mostly hadn’t touched on Wednesday, and would be recovered in time for my planned upper session on Saturday.

Cable Pressdown - rope attachment
30 lbs/10 reps
50/10
40/10

I normally use a short bar, either straight or the “EZ” bar . I wanted to experiment. I’ll probably stick with the rope for a few weeks.

Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl - bench was set to 1 notch below a vertical back pad; weights listed are per hand
20 lbs/12 reps - rotating arms; neutral grip at bottom, supinated grip at top
25’s/10 - normal, supinated grip throughout whole movement
25’s/8 - neutral grip throughout (hammer curls)

Hammer Strength Ab Crunch Machine - sitting up right, knees rise as upper body crunches down
30 lbs/10 x 3 sets

It felt good to be back in the gym after a more than a week away.

I got feedback from judges at the show. I’ll share that in my next post, as I was waiting for it before deciding how I should plan my training for the next 5 months.

[K.Diesel]

Bodybuilding is a subjective sport. The criteria for each category is established by each sanctioning organization. In OCB, those categories are for men are bodybuilding, classic physique, and physique. For women, they are physique, figure, bikini and wellness. The judges are tasked with comparing each competitor to the standards for their category, and then ranking them based on how well they meet those standards.

According to the OCB website, this is the criteria for men’s bodybuilding (my category):

“JUDGING CRITERIA

Bodybuilding judging takes four elements into account: muscularity (size), definition (leanness), symmetry, and presentation (ability to display development during posing in the group comparisons).”

It is common for competitors to seek the feedback from the judges at their show to find out what they should improve on moving forward. Based on the way the show was scheduled, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do that at the show, but was told to email the promoter afterwards. When I did, he promptly responded with the email addresses of the two judges assigned to give the notes and feedback for men’s bodybuilding.

I reached out to them - one of whom I knew because she owns the studio where my posing coach conducted the group clinics I attended. Both ladies responded in a timely manner. Here’s what I sent them, and the feedback I received:

Me: When you have a chance, can you please share whatever you can with me? I’d especially like to know what, if anything, I can do to be competitive among the masters pros in OCB.

Judge #1: Congratulations on competing at the OCB Catonsville Conquer! I hope you enjoyed your first time on stage!

You had a really good stage presentation, displaying your development during the group presentation; good overall conditioning/definition and muscularity (size). Additionally your overall symmetry was good as well.

Keep up the great work and I think you will enjoy your time on the masters pro stage!

I look forward to seeing you on stage again!

Me: Just to make sure I’m clear: does that mean I didn’t have any major/glaring weaknesses to fix or improve? And does that mean I should plan ahead with an approach of getting bigger overall and/or leaner overall with even better posing next time?

Judge #1: I didn't note any major or glaring weaknesses. I think your planned approach is solid.

Judge #2: First I would like to say congratulations on competing and winning your Masters Pro Card. Going through the prep process to make it to the stage is something you should be very proud of. As far as your physique is concerned, these are my observations: You brought an amazing package to the stage. Your hard work and dedication to your prep definitely showed in your physique. Your conditioning was on point. My recommendation is to come in a little bigger given your category is bodybuilder however in adding size, maintain symmetry and ensure your conditioning stays on point. You have a very competitive physique. Adding some size to it while maintaining your symmetry and conditioning will make you even more competitive in the Pro League. Although not judged, your stage presence, posing and choice of suit bottom was great.

My wife told me to switch from black to purple posing trunks, so she popped big when I read that to her. 😁

I look at this feedback as a double edged sword. I truly expected them to tell me that something specific needs to be fixed. I think my triceps and traps are too small, and that I could probably use more size in my chest. I was hoping they would point me in a direction like that. Instead, I got very good news: I don’t have any major problems. But the challenge facing me might be a more difficult course to chart and execute. I woke up on the morning of the show weighing 168 pounds, and was probably at least as lean as 8% bodyfat, and maybe a bit lower but not 7%. So to me, that seems I have two outcomes that would both be improvements:

Outcome 1: Show up at the October show weighing 168 pounds, but at a lower bodyfat percentage (maybe 5-6%).
Outcome 2: Show up at the October show weighing 170-172 pounds, but at the same ~8% bodyfat I was at The Conquer.

I don’t know which of those is more likely or attainable in 21 weeks. But here’s my working plan for now, which may evolve over the next couple of weeks.

Diet: Maintenance calories for another 2 weeks, followed by a slow/lean gaining phase for 10-12 weeks starting on June 1. Once I get to that 10th week, I’ll see if it’s time to cut the surplus back to maintenance, or even start a deficit. If possible, I would like to be able torun the surplus through our Florida trip which is the next to last week of August (the 12th week). Regardless, if I hold out to August 31, I would only have 6 weeks left to get ready for the show. That means I can’t get too far away from whatever my stage shape is going to be. I wouldn’t want to cut more than 10 lbs in that short of a window.

Training: Since I supposedly don’t have major weaknesses to address, I’m going to stick with what got me to the dance. I’m basically going to stick with the rotating upper/lower template that I ran into the show, with a few tweaks. For example, I’m going to start incorporating dumbbell bench presses and a few other machines - particularly at Gold’s - that I’ve experimented with over the last few months. I’m also going to get back to some of my powerlifting roots with more regular squats and deadlifts. If I need to get bigger, then I’m going to go with the lifts that I believe have added more overall size to my frame than anything else over the years. In terms of volume, I think that in general, I’m going to go with 2 work sets on compound lifts and 1 work set on isolations. In terms of intensity, I might do two straight sets or a heavier set followed by a backoff on compounds, with the 2nd set in either scenario including rest pause. Maybe. For the isolations, they will almost definitely involve rest-pause, drop sets, partials - something to crank it up.

That’s pretty much it. I plan to get back in the gym for an upper body session after work tomorrow. I only have 21 weeks to make a visible improvement. I don’t have time to waste.

[Bill Anders]

No rest for the driven!

This is a fascinating journey, Kaisheem, especially for those of us who will never compete in that realm. You're giving us great insights to that world.

Keep at it!!

[K.Diesel]

No rest for the driven!

This is a fascinating journey, Kaisheem, especially for those of us who will never compete in that realm. You're giving us great insights to that world.

Keep at it!!

Will do! I’m learning a lot as I go along. It guess you never really know about something until you do it yourself. As many bodybuilding shows as I’ve been to, pros that I’ve met and talked to at the Arnold Classic, magazines and articles I’ve read, videos I’ve watched - there are still things I never would have known if I hadn’t taken this path. It’s a lot of fun so far. I’m glad I can give people a lens into this side of the strength sports arena.

My weight has been all over the place in the week since the show. That’s because my diet has been all over the place, and I didn’t go back to work until Thursday. If you had asked me last Saturday how much I expected to weigh a week later, then the answer would have been around where I was today. But I would not have guessed that I would take the path I took to get here. To illustrate what I mean, here are my wake-up weights every day since the show.

Sat 5/11: 167.6
Sun 5/12: 169.2
Mon 5/13: 171.8
Tue 5/14: 175.8 (My wife and I went to lunch at an Indian buffet on Monday &#128556
Wed 5/15: 176.4
Thu 5/16: 177.8
Fri 5/17: 176.4
Sat 5/18: 173.8
Sun 5/19: 170.4

I’m pretty sure all of that was me holding water and glycogen because of a crazy spike in carbs, combined with me sitting around a lot for several days. Starting Thursday, I was back to an average 14,000 steps on work days. I’m a little over my maintenance carbs today, and a little under maintenance fats. I’m tracking but not caring about whether or not I go over on protein. My goal is to stay 170-172 until the end of this month, before starting the slow 10-12 week bulk I described in the last post. Meanwhile, I was able to get back to Gold’s last night for some upper body training.

Saturday 5/18/24, Gold’s Gym, Upper #1 - I think these movements will stick around as the template for the first of my upper days in the rotation.

Low Incline Dumbbell Incline Press - bench set on #2 (vertical is 7); weights listed are per hand
25’s/13 - did first half of the set with neutral grip, second half pronated
40’s/11 - same with feeling out the different grips
60’s/7 - same deal
work set 1: 70’s/8 - all neutral grip
work set 2: 70’s/7 - all pronated

T-Bar Row
empty bar/10 wide/overhand grip + 7 narrrow/neutral grip
45+/6 overhand + 6 neutral
90+/5 overhand + 5 neutral
work set 1: 150+/11 - overhand; used belt and Versa Gripps for both work sets
work set 2: 150+/11 - neutral; looking at video, I cheated and rounded more than I should have allowed 😕

Standing Lateral Raise Machine
add-set warmup: 30/5 + 40/5 + 50/5
rest-drop work set: 70/9 + 70/5 + 50/5 - rests were 25–30 seconds

Seated Upright Pullover Machine - Cybex version of the old school Nautilus classic (they’re actually right next to each other)
80/10
rest-pause work set: 140/11 + 5

Dip
work set: bodyweight/18

Preacher Cable Curl Machine - short, straight bar
work set: 50/12

“Super Abs” Machine - my bread and butter abs exercise; crunching from top/bottom simultaneously, can turn in different directions
marathon work set: 125/10 middle + 125/10 left + 125/10 right + 165/10 middle + 125/10 left + 125/10 right

I only rested long enough at each + to turn the seat in the direction I wanted.

This Instagram post shows my first set of DB bench and first set of T-Bar row. The plan for tomorrow is to hit the gym earlier than normal - as in late morning - for lower body, then visit the chiropractor.

Yesterday, I got back to @goldsgymglenburnie for the first time since the show, and I was wearing some of the awesome swag I got for comp... | Instagram

[K.Diesel]

Monday 5/20/24

Wake-up weight: 172.0
Daily Activity: 4,505 steps, 1.8 miles, 10 floors climbed

Lower #2, Planet Fitness

Seated Leg Curl
40 lbs/15
add-set warm up: 4 reps each at 55, 70, 85, 100 & 115 lbs
rest-pause work set: 130/15 + 7

Smith Machine Squat
bar/8
90+bar/6
180+bar/2, 5 - An old friend who I hadn’t seen in a long time happened to pop up after my first 2 reps. Talked for 2-3 minutes.
possible work set: 230+bar/6 This felt kind of tough, so maybe I should count it. I’m not sure. First set with belt.
definite work set: 270+bar/6
work set 2 (or 3?): 220+bar/8

These were much more of my low bar, powerlifting style squat, or at least how I remember it. It has been a while. But as I said in my last log entry, I intend to go back to my powerlifting roots a bit in an effort to regain some of the lean mass that I built by training for squat/bench/deadlift. I feel much weaker than I’m used to being, but I keep reminding myself that I’m much lighter and leaner than I used to be too.

Smith Machine Good Morning - set the safeties at the bottom of the negative to standardize the ROM for each rep
90+bar/6
work set 1: 140+bar/7 - added belt; That first rep was really a half rep that I aborted, after which I reset my feet, and then did 6 more reps.
work set 2: 110+bar/10

Calf Press: on plate loaded leg press
90+sled/20
work set: 200+sled/25

Leg Extension
100/12
rest-pause work set: 160/13 + 8

This is the second consecutive Monday that I’ve gone way over my allocated macros. My wake up weight will be higher tomorrow. But I also start my work week tomorrow, and have my proper meals packed already. It should level out by Friday or Saturday.

Also, if you swipe twice in this IG post, you’ll be able to see the two and a possible third work set of squats from today.

Photos: I’ve been following @bodybuildingprof on Instagram for about 8 months or so. When looking at posts from/about the 2023 @ocbthec... | Instagram

[K.Diesel]

The professional stage photos from the show have been posted online. I’ll be sharing some of them on my Instagram and Facebook pages soon. Also, the show has been posted to the OCB YouTube channel… that is the show, minus the first hour and a half, which is the part of the show that had men’s bodybuilding. The promoter says it was uploaded, but YouTube took it down. They’re allegedly looking into other options. I translated that to mean that other than the video on my wife’s phone, I’m never going to see good video of my segment of this show. That’s a real bummer. 😕

Meanwhile, I guess all the Mike Mentzer focused content that I’ve consumed on YouTube over the past several months has influenced me (that algorithm has him popping up everywhere). I’m not doing his Consolidated Routine, but I have consolidated the 6 workout rotation I had into the show back down to 4 separate workouts. It’s basically 2 upper and 2 lower workouts, cycled through as lower #1, upper #1, lower #2, upper #2. I completed my first run through the cycle tonight, and this might be able to work for at least a few months. I think it’s worth giving it a run.

Tuesday 5/21/24

Wake-up weight: 176.6 lbs
Daily Activity: 13,539 steps, 6.1 miles, 13 floors climbed

Wednesday 5/22/24

Wake-up weight: 175.2 lbs
Daily Activity: 14,741 steps, 6.6 miles, 12 floors climbed

Upper #2, Planet Fitness

Arnold Press - back of the bench was one notch below vertical; weights listed are per hand
20’s/12 reps
35’s/8
50’s/6
work set 1: 65’s/8
work set 2: 65’s/7

Peck Deck
40 lbs/8 reps
add-set warm up: 5 reps each w/55, 70, 85, 100 lbs
rest-pause work set: 120/11 + 6 + 3

Rear Delt - same machine as pec deck, facing opposite way
add-set warm up: 40 lbs/8 reps + 70/5 + 100/5
rest-pause work set: 115/14 + 8

Pull-up
-70 lbs assistance/7 reps wide overhand + 5 reps medium underhand
work set 1: bodyweight/12 - wide overhand
drop work set 2: bodyweight/7 + 70 lbs assistance/5 reps - medium underhand; didn’t plan a drop set here - habit

Smith Machine Shrug - vertical track (not slanted), wore Versa Gripps
180 lbs + bar/10 reps
drop work set: 230+/11 + 180+/12

Cable Pressdown - long, straight bar; used this so I could keep my hands outside of my hips at the bottom
50 lbs/5 + 5 + 9 - each of those breaks was me changing attachments to get the feeling I wanted
rest-pause work set: 75/11 + 6

Hammer “Super Abs” Machine - similar to the one at Gold’s, but middle only - doesn’t pivot left or right
marathon work set: 50 lbs/10 reps + 70/7 + 70/3 + 40/5 + 40/5

[K.Diesel]

HOUSEKEEPING

I decided to start my official “bulk” a week earlier, so I moved my start date from June 1 to today, May 26. The reason is two-fold, or maybe it’s one reason with two caveats. First, there are 20 weeks to go until my next planned show. By starting today, I can “bulk” for 12 weeks, leaving 8 weeks until the show and a wider margin for error to course correct along the way. Second, the end of the 12 weeks and start of those 8 weeks (August 17) is also when we leave for a 9-10 day trip to Florida. I don’t expect to be in a hard contest prep diet on that trip. But even though I’ll have access to a good gym, I don’t think I should plan to be doing anything but maintenance for that week and a half or two weeks of travel and settling back in at home.

I keep putting “bulk” in quotes because I neither plan to, nor want to, gain a lot of weight over the next 12 weeks. I’m thinking +5 to +6 pounds at the most, which is just a half pound per week. With my (possibly unrealistic) goal of increasing my stage weight by 2-3 pounds by the next show, that means I need to get back down to 170-171 for October 12. Based on this last prep, I know I can lose up to 10 lbs in 5-6 weeks. So I don’t want to go beyond 181 pounds during this process.

To help facilitate this bulk, and to return some of my dieting cards to my back pocket, I’m going to remove the extra activity from my workdays, and I’m going to stop taking fat burners. On the latter, I’m not sure that they help anyway, but if they do, then they’ll be saved for later. On the former, that means taking elevators up and down again, using carts for heavy-ish items that I had been carrying, and driving some short distances that I have been walking.

Sunday 5/26/24 - Stats
Wake-up weight: 175.6 lbs
Waist: 32.0”
Hips: 38.0”
Forearm: 12.75”
Neck: 15.5”
Bodyfat % (Covert-Bailey): 9.6%

Based on that, if I could lose 5 total pounds from where I am right now (4.5 lbs fat and 0.5 lbs lean mass), then I’d be 170.6 lbs and 7.3% bodyfat. I don’t know how possible it is to have that fat-lean mass loss ratio. But I would be over the moon happy if I could pull it off.

Anyway, thank you for bearing with me through all of this musing. Let me update some training in this training log.

Friday 5/24/24

Daily Activity: 12,441 steps, 5.6 miles, 12 floors climbed

Lower #1, Gold’s Gym - I did my first Lower #1 in this cycle at Planet Fitness, but the exercises were comparable to this L#1.

Standing Calf Raise
100 lbs/15 reps
140/16 - 2 count stretch at the bottom of each rep, 5 count stretch at the bottom of the final rep

Romanian Deadlift - free weights on a platform!
bar/8
135/8
185/8 + extra negative
235/8 + extra negative - started using Versa Gripps here
work set: 275/8 + extra negative - used belt here

“+ extra negative”: on RDL or SLDL, each rep starts with an eccentric from an upright position, and ends with the concentric. So after I completed my last full rep, I did one more slow/controlled eccentric as if I was doing another rep, but instead left the bar on the floor. It’s a way to extend the set without risking a lot.

Conventional Deadlift
275 lbs/4 - stayed with the Versa Gripps and belt
325/6
work set: 365/5

Two weeks post-show, pulling more than double bodyweight for reps - I’ll gladly take that.

Vertical Leg Press - wide stance; glad I figured out how to use this new vertical they replaced my old favorite with
sled/6-10 reps - figuring out stance
90 lbs + sled/10
work set 1: 180+/10
work set 2: 200+/10

”Dual Platform” Leg Press - sled allows you to put your feet high or low, with different angles; I went high and narrow
180 lbs + sled/5-8 reps - figuring out stance
work set: 360+/11

Prone Leg Curl, Variable Resistance - this machine allows you to make the resistance highest at the beginning, middle, or end of the movement’s ROM
70 lbs/15 reps - hardest at end
rest-pause work set: 95/10 + 6 + 3 partials

Resistance was hardest at the end for the first round, middle for the second, and beginning for the third, which is probably why I couldn’t get it more than 1/4 to 1/2 way up for what ended up being partials at the end.

Post-workout recovery began with a drive to the other end of the parking lot and going into Denny’s for their Endless Breakfast. Details and clips from the diner and gym are in the post shared below.

Friday night, Kimberly (@strokeofwellness) and I went to the gym, and then to @dennysdiner Both of us trained hard. One of us ordered mor... | Instagram

[K.Diesel]

Please indulge me while I share what has kept me so busy over the last several days. Note: I still don’t know how to embed Instagram posts in here (if it’s even possible), but here are the links to the details on each of the days mentioned.

Wednesday, this plus an Orioles game:
CLOSING TIME, DAY 1 OF 3
The once in a lifetime A. K. Muhammad transition week is in full swing. After Ammar Kaisheem Muhammad’s 14th... | Instagram

Thursday:
CLOSING TIME, DAY 2 OF 3
Our once in a lifetime transition-filled week continues. Two days after turning 14, and one day after his little... | Instagram

Friday:
CLOSING TIME, DAY 3 OF 3
“Plans change, but purpose never changes.” - I heard these words several years ago at Muhammad Mosque #6 from my... | Instagram

For those keeping count (or who haven’t clicked the links), we had a 14th birthday, a lower school promotion, a middle school promotion, and a high school graduation - all on consecutive days. I wasn’t sure that I would make all of my scheduled workouts last week. But fortunately I did, even though I’m not sure how I feel about my performance on some lifts. If anything is down or off, I’ll chalk it up to being exhausted (or more exhausted than normal).

I’m recapping 3 workouts here, so to keep it as succinct as possible, I’m only listing work sets.

MONDAY 5/27/24 - Upper #1, Gold’s Gym

Standing Calf Raise
add-set work set: reps each at 80, 100, 120 & 140 lbs

This was my only set at all, warmup or work. I almost always hit this calf machine if I’m at Gold’s, even on an upper body day.

T-Bar Row
work set 1: 135 lbs/14 reps - wide, overhand grip
work set 2: 135/12 - narrow, neutral grip

Dumbbell Incline Bench Press - low incline, as in the first setting above flat
work set 1: 70’s/9 - neutral grip
work set 2: 70’s/6 - pronated grip

+1 on set one from last time, but -1 on set 2 from last time; same total reps

Cable Pulldown - These were supposed to be pullovers, but the machine I wanted was inexplicably being hogged for 15 minutes.
work set: 175/11 - medium width, neutral grip “anchor” handle

Hammer Strength Seated Dip
work set: 180/18 - I had to reset my seat position after the 2nd rep. The stretch on the triceps in this is insane. Definite keeper!

Standing Lateral Raise Machine
rest-pause work set: 70/10 + 6 + 4 - breaks between rounds were 20-30 seconds

Standing Cable Curl
work set: 90/13

WEDNESDAY 5/29/24 - Lower #2, Planet Fitness

I managed to squeeze this in between my daughter’s lower school promotion, and the Orioles game.

Seated Leg Curl
rest-pause work set: 135/21 + 9 - That’s 8 more total reps with 5 more pounds than last time. 🤯

Smith Machine Squat - high bar, chest up, sitting on my ankles in the bottom
work set 1: 230+bar/6
work set 2: 250+/4
work set 3: 200+7

This was supposed to be 2 work sets, but a few things happened. First, I overshot the weight on set 2. I should have kept it at 230+. Second, between that set of 4 and set of 7, I tried to switch to a low bar squat, and essentially create a “drop set” effect by changing giving myself more of a mechanical advantage in the lift. That was almost a disaster. IMO high bar and low bar are more different than sumo and conventional deadlifts (which I can switch between rather freely without problems). I’ll know for next time. So anyway, I did a third high bar set to end that exercise on a high note rather than a downer.

Abductor Machine
work set: 145/21

Calf Press - on upright seated leg press
rest-pause work set: 160/16 + 10 - round one reps had a 2 count pause in the stretch at the bottom, round two reps had a 1 count

Leg Extension
work set: 160/15 + 8 + 6 - pauses between rounds were 20-25 seconds

Hyperextension - hip hinge only, no knee flexion at the top
work set: bodyweight/20

SATURDAY 6/1/24 - Upper #2, Gold’s Gym

Standing Calf Raise - Back at Gold’s, so you know what time it is.
add-set work set: 80/6 + 100/6 + 120/5 + 140/5

Pullover - Cybex version of the old school Nautilus machine
rest-pause work set: 155/9 + 5

Arnold Press
work set 1: 65’s/8
work set 2: 65’s/6

Pullups
work set 1: bodyweight/10 - wide, overhand
work set 2: bodyweight/10 - narrow, underhand

Rep 10 on both sets probably wasn’t full ROM.

Pec Deck
rest-pause work set: 110/11 + 5

Rear Delt - same machine, facing backwards
drop-set work set: 100/10 + 75/13

Hammer Strength Seated Dip
rest-pause work set: 180/10 + 5- tried 2 reps with 230, changed my mind in a hurry

Farmer’s Walk - used Elite FTS implement
work set(s?): 180+implement/18 seconds + 22 seconds + 22 seconds - breaks were how long it took before I ran out of room and had to switch directions

[K.Diesel]

I’m not sure that Tuesday’s workout was very good. For one, I didn’t start in the gym until well after 11pm, which is much later than I would like to train when I have work the next morning. The training late part isn’t bad. It’s the training, driving home, eating, getting to bed way late part. Plus, I wasn’t in the best of moods. It was one of those days where things just felt off. As they say, you can’t win them all.

I think I put a sincere effort into the sets that I managed to do. But I cut things short by 2 or 3 exercises. Once I got through the biggest lifts, I figured that rather than tempt fate to play an injury card on me, I should get out of there having done enough to at least maintain muscle. If I’m lucky, a little growth might have been stimulated.

TUESDAY 6/4/24 - Lower #2 (abridged), Planet Fitness

Calf Press - done on plate loaded leg press
sled/10 reps
90 lbs + sled/12
work set: 180+/20 - 2 count hold in the stretch at the bottom of each rep

Leg Press
sled/10 reps
90 lbs + sled/10
180+/10
360+/6
450+/5 - I thought this might be my top weight, but after a few reps, I could tell I had a little more in the tank.
work set 1: 540+/7
work set 2: 400+/14

Smith Machine RDL
bar/6-10 reps - did a few, realized that I needed to stand on plates to get the ROM I wanted, did some more
90 lbs + bar/7
140+/8 - This is when I started using Versa Gripps.
work set: 180+/8 plus extra negative - wore a belt for this

That was a wrap. My schedule this week might be a bit wonky. On one hand, my wife and daughters are gone for the weekend. Our youngest is with younger cousins at my mother-in-law’s. My wife and oldest are with older cousins and my sister-in-law at the beach. It seems like that should free up some time. However, my son and I have the house to ourselves, and we never get to hang out with no girls around. Not to mention that I still have work through Saturday, and he has baseball games each of the next 4 days. But he also started his own strength training program yesterday. So we’ll see what the end of the week brings.

Meanwhile, here is the link to the clips from the leg press sets and the RDL.

It seems that “fitness influencers” always have something positive to say. They’re inspiring, and often upbeat or in a good mood. I wish I... | Instagram