Total Body Training: Week 8 in 3 days

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets. Rest periods: 2 minutes on Day one and 3. 60 seconds on Day two.

I wanted to get this over with, and I don't want to work out while in New Jersey. So I committed myself to the daunting task of finishing this up in three days time. Barring Friday, where I did intervals in the morning, there will be no aerobics. Also since the weekend was here, I slept a lot more,and did a bit more. Here's how it went:

Day One (Friday night)(Supersets are paired up):

Hammer Front Pulldown (Weight is per movement arm): 35x12, 45x12, 55x12x3
DB Lateral Raises: 8x12x5

DB Shoulder Presses: 25x12, 30x12, 35x12x3
Barbell Curls: 35x12, 45x12, 60x12x3

Decline Twisting Situps: Repped Out at 18, 14, 12, 11, 10 reps
Cybex Donkey Calf Raise: 80x12, 100x12, 120x12

Sumo Deadlift: 135x12, 155x12, 175x12x3
Close Grip Pushups: Repped Out at 14, 12, 11, 10, 9 reps

A portent of things to come, I was so exhausted when it was all done. Question for myself at the end of the night was whether I would be able to pull again the next day.


Day Two(Saturday Afternoon)(Supersets are paired up):

DB Rows (Elbows Out): 25x8, 35x8, 40x8x3
DB Lateral Raises: 12x8x5

DB Bench Press: 35x8, 45x8, 55x8x3
DB Preacher Curls: 15x8, 20x8, 25x8x3

Decline Twisting Situp: Repped Out at 18, 16, 14, 11, 10 reps
Cybex Donkey Calf Raise: 100x8, 120x8, 150x8x3

Snatch Grip Deadlift: 135x8, 155x8, 185x8x3

Hammer ISO Shoulder Press: 45x8, 55x8, 65x8x3

A little easier on because it was lower reps and more dumbbell work. The Snatch Grip DL was the coupe de grace here. After this and a shower, I refueled at Chili's with an order of Southwestern Egg Rolls, a full rack of ribs, and a lot of Coca Cola. The I went to sleep late because my wife called, and The Matrix was on the TV. My back still has a pump, and squats are tomorrow. Great!?!


Day Three (Sunday Afternoon)(Supersets are paired up):

Weighed myself before I began, no shoes and no shirt: 232 lbs. about a 4 lbs drop in two weeks. I'm thrilled. I'm within striking distance of the 220s. But I'm so weak right now it's hardly a motivator. Should have gone to Starbucks. On paper, the pushups and squats will be the killer. Since my back did not feel up to the task, I did my squats on the Hammer V-Squat (Beginning resistance is 54lbs) machine.

Hammer ISO Low Row: 35x18, 45x18, 50x18x3
DB Lateral Raises: 6x18x5

Hammer V-Squat: 139x18, 159x18, 179x18x3

Pushups: Repped Out at 23, 18, 15, 13, 11 reps
BB Preacher Curls: 30x18, 35x18, 40x18x3

Decline Twisting Situp: Repped Out at 19, 17, 15, 12, 10 reps
45 Degree Hyper: Repped Out at 16, 14, 11, 10, 10 reps
Cybex Donkey Calf Raise: 80x18, 100x18, 110x18x3


So, with a whimper and a crawl, it was over. It was a good cycle. I could almost see why in his new book, Chad Waterbury takes out the last 4 weeks: it felt like cardio only worse. But I would do it again, it jacked my metabolism up. I'm back to a 225 bench, while barely benching because of all the DB, Blast Strap, and pushup work. My squat is back and with a faster launch, partly because of the GHR and all the front squats. I went from being able to do 2-3 reps on the GHR to now being able to do 8 reps. My waist is a little smaller but my back, arms, shoulders, and calves are thicker. I also have increased grip strength and more endurance. Triple Total Training is next after the break.