Weight a minute!!! Week 1 Day 5

Today starts weight/resistance training.  First a couple of rules for the week.

Rule 1 - The Rule of 3 - 3 exercises per body part, 3 reps per, 3 minute break between exercises (not sets).
Rule 2 - 20, 12, 12 - if you cannot do 12 for set 2 and set 3, you are doing to much weight.  Rep 10, 11 and 12 need to be tough though.
Rule 3 - No spotter - again if you can't do 12 ON YOUR OWN, too much weight.

Now that we've got the ground rules laid out, lets look at a couple of details.  We are working on perfect form this week, so no sloppy reps and no cheater sets.  That means holding correct lines and staying true to form.  We are also working on speed this week, so we need to do our sets quickly but controlled.  This will help us to set the pace for the next 3 weeks - quick and controlled.

If you are working with a partner then you need to start your set right as they complete theirs so you have very short breaks between sets (remember though 3 minutes between exercises). If you are working solo, time your set and take the exact same time between sets - so if your set takes 36 seconds you get a 36 second break. This is important as it keeps constant tension on the muscle and starts an early muscular endurance, this coupled with the first 4 days of the workout will make cycles 2 and 3 a little easier to manage.

With that out of the way - here's what I did tonight - Friday - Back and Shoulders (always start with the major muscle groups this cycle).

Back (concentration on upper back and neck muscles today):

Seated Cable Rows - twin grip (palms facing each other at a slight angle) - back at roughly 95-100 degrees (so leaning back just past straight up) no flexion in the torso, so back stays in one plane as you pull and release weight.  As you bring the weight to you, pinch your shoulder blades together and push your chest out.
115 x 20
135 x 12
165 x 12

Machine Seated Row - Place seat so your elbows are parallel to the ground and keep them on this plane as you contract weight back - chest should be forced into chest pad and control maintained to keep it there.
105 x 20
115 x 15
135 x 15 (this one was tough for me)

Standing Upright Rows - weight is pulled up to chin from a resting position (hands at waist shoulder width apart) with small straight bar barbell (the ones that are about 3-4 feet wide).
50 x 20
70 x 12
80 x 12

Shoulders:

Seated Dumbbell Press (I got too ambitious on this one, failed a set and had to do a drop set...so pay attentions to what you grab - fatigue hits faster than normal on this type of workout)!
55 x 20
65 x 9 (failed set)
55 x 8.5 followed by 35 x 6

Standing Dumbbell Front Raises - back straight, arms straight but do not lock the elbows, you can injure yourself.
15 x 20
20 x 12
25 x 12

Standing Lateral Dumbbell Raises - back slightly bent forward (20 degrees at the waist) arms under the chest, raise arms to the side, keeping hands above elbows all the way through the movement.
15 x 20
20 x 12
25 x 12

Of coarse the workout requires the customary pre-workout Arginine Extreme, Catalyst x 3 and Thermoplus x 1.

Post-workout Recovery immediately following the final set as I leave to the car.

Tomorrow - Chest and Arms!!!