Vin Training for Size and Power

[Vinny Brown]

Sunday quads

Have still been suffering from sciatica in my right leg which looks like a result of my hips being badly twisted out of line so although i have been filling the leg press to the max and getting 20 proper reps it has affected my whole leg routine for some time now. Keeping in line with the rest of my training and paying better attention to form and making the muscle work instead of just lifting silly poundages i made some changes to this weeks quad routine. I saw it on another web site and thought that it would be a good idea as it would mean a big drop in poundage so hopefully less aggravation to my back, hips and sciatic nerve. The idea is to do three cycles of each super set or giant set but i didn't account for the level of fitness required if you do the exercise properly so i bailed out a bit earlier than anticipated. However my legs were fried and are stiff and sore today so it must have worked them. The weights are not too impressive but i wanted to just try it out this week and build from there on.

SUPERSET
Front Squat with..............smith machine squats
bar-25reps.......................bar-15reps
60k-15..............................20each side- 10
80k-10..............................40each side- 8

was blowing fairly at this stage was not having any rest between the two so as soon as the bar hit the rack i got in the smith machine. Each rep was deep, held at the bottom and slowly squeezed up to contraction which was the same with the following giant set. leg press then dumbbell lunge round the gym to the leg extension machine to finish where i done a drop set to murder the quads the weight i don't know as my training partner changed it for me.
leg press............lunges.................leg extensions
100k-15..............22k-14................10 reps
190k-12..............22k-10................10reps

made a nice change and will be doing this for a few weeks to improve my shape and separation hopefully i will increase my cardio levels and the poundage too.

Monday Chest
Incline Smith Machine
bar-25reps
20k each side-15
40k each side-10
60k each side-9
20k each side 12
It sure makes a difference when you concentrate on pausing at the bottom and squeezing on the way up.

Flyes
22k-15
34k-10
50k-6
22k-10

Seated Chest Machine
stack-8reps
stack-6
stack-7

Dumbell Pullovers
22k-15
34k-10
48k-10

Will be seeing the shoulder specialist next month and waiting for a MRI scan on it too so fingers crossed i will be up to full power shortly after that.

[Vinny Brown]

MONDAY Chest

Incline smith machine
bar-25
20 each side-15
40 each side-10
60 each side-9
20 each side-12

Dumbell Flyes
22k-15
34k-10
50k-6
22k-10

Seated chest press machine
stack-8
stack-6
stack-7

Pullovers
22k-15
34k-10
48k-10

THURSDAY hams and calves

Leg Curls
22.5-20
37.5-10
47.5-10
47.5-10

Seated Calf Raises
25k-20
50-15
75-8

Standing Calf
80-15
160k-15
200k-10

These muscles really seem to benefit from doing the reps slower and holding the squeeze at the top of the movement.

FRIDAY BACK

Pulldowns Wide Grip
55-20
65-20
85-10
95-10

Bent over row
Bar-10
60k-10
100k-10
140k-10
(hard to hold the contraction on these)

Seated Row
90-15
100-10
85-10
trying to hold the contraction on these just hurt my biceps which is something i have never had before and so we have deduced that this method of training does not benefit all exercises.

[Vinny Brown]

SATURDAY off

SUNDAY SHOULDERS

Side Laterals
17k-15
22k-10
26k-7
22k-10

Dumbell Press
26k-10
34k-10
42k-10
50k-6

Laterals on incline bench laying face down
15k-15
17k-12
10k-12-5k-8 drop set

Shrugs
100k-15
140k-10
180k-10
holding the contraction for a second on shrugs sure hits the spot

MONDAY ARMS
Alternate Dumbell Curls
17k-15
22k-12
26k-8

Concentration curls
22k-10
22k-8
17k-10

Cable X-over low pulley curls
35-11
25-8
25-8

Superset
Pushdowns...... Lying cable extensions (rope handle)
60 15reps......10reps
70 10reps......8reps
85 8reps........3reps
50 12reps......6reps

1 arm cable pulldown
25-10reps
25-10reps
25-5 then 17.5-4 drop set

What a pump! Really done the business this time.

[Vinny Brown]

TUES and WEDS rest days

THURSDAY QUADS
Have found some great stretches to help ease my sciatica and they have really helped so decided to give proper squats a go this week and they felt OK. Could have left the gym there and then i was so pleased.

SQUATS
Bar x 2 sets warm up
60k-12
100k-10
140k-10
180k-10
220k-10

Leg Press (done real slow)
250k-20
330k-20
410k-12

Single leg extensions
25-11reps
25-12reps
2 leg extensions drop set
59-10....30-6 just to push the last bit of blood in

FRIDAY CHEST

Incline Smith Presses
bar-40
20k each side 20
40k each side 10
50k each side 8
40k each side 7

done slow with a pause at the bottom and a big squeeze at the top this murdered my chest.

Dumbell Press (slight incline)
34k-10
38k-9
34k-8

X overs
25-15reps
30-12
35-10

Dumbell pullovers
47k-12
47k-10
60k-5

Sunday Back

2 X warm up on light pulldowns
chins 3 sets of 10

SUPERSET

Close grip pulldown with Barbell row laying on incline bench
60-15reps...........................60k-15
75-11reps...........................60k-10
75-10.................................60k-10
got the blood forced in there again holding the squeeze.

Seated cable rows
80-12reps
105-10reps
135-8reps

MONDAY HAMS and CALVES

Laying leg curls
22.5-20reps
37.5-10reps
47.5-10reps
47.5-8reps

Standing calf raises
80k-15
160k-12
200k-8

Seated calf raises
25k-15
50k-11
62.5k-7

static cycle

Tues Rest

[Vinny Brown]

Tues and Weds Rest

Thurs Arms

Dumbell Curl
17k-15
22k-12
26k-8
22k-8

Concentration Curls
22k-10
22k-10
17k-10

EZ Preachers
40k-10
40k-8
40k-8

Pushdowns superset with cable extensions
60 20reps........8reps
70 10reps........6
60 10reps........4

Reverse grip pushdown
30-15reps
40-10reps
50-9reps

Friday Shoulders
Had a banging headache so did just the maintenance level
Dumbell Laterals
17k-15
22k-12
26k-10
28.5-8

Standing Press
45k-12
60-10
80-6
60-10

R delt laterals face down on incline bench
22k-15
22k-10
17k-10

Saturday Rest

Sunday Quads
Squats
60k-10
100k-10
140k-10
180k-10
went to 220 as i am able to squat again properly and done it OK last week but i guess it was a bit too much still as my knees where having other ideas about it so left it there to fight another day and went to

Leg Press
120k-20
220-15
320-12
410-20
530-20
enough! knees hurt so finished there.

Monday Chest
Incline Dumbell Press
22k-20
28k-12
42k-10
50k-9

Flat smith machine press
20k each side-12
40-9
50-5
20-25(no pause just pumped them out)

X overs
35-12
45-10
45-10

Incline Cable Flye
20-10
20-8
15-8
wow pausing and squeezing drops the weight you can shift!

[Vinny Brown]

Tues and Wed Rest


Thurs BACK

Pulldowns
65-15
90-10
110-10

Close grip pulldown superset with Bench dumbell rows
90-10................26-10
90-8..................26-9
90-10................26-10

Seated Row
100-10
80-10
80-25 (stopped holding the squeeze and just pumped it)

Fri Hams and Calves

Laying Curls
22.5-20
37.5-10
52.5-10
(triple drop set)
52.5-7.....32.5-6.....17.5-10 ouch!

Standing Calf raises
120-20
160-15
200-10

Seated Calf Raises
25-15
50-11
75-6

Sat Rest

Sunday
ARMS

Dumbell Curls
17-15
22-12
26-9
31-6

Concentration Curls
22-12
22-10
17-10

Close Grip Preacher Curls
40-10 x 3sets

Monday SHOULDERS
Standing Dumbell Laterals
17k-20
22k-10
26k-10
17k-10

Seated Dumbell Press
26k-10
34k-10
50k-10
42k-7

Bench Rear Delt Laterals
17k-15
22-10
17-10
17-10......10k-10(drop set)

Tues and Wed Rest

Thurs QUADS
(Here goes the aches and pains again. My knees were sore so warmed up pretty good and kept the reps on the squat down to not go too mad and it seemed to work. )
Squat
bar-15
60-10
100-10
140-5
180-5
220-5

Smith machine front squat
60-10
100-10
120-10

Extensions
43-13
59-15
75-10

Friday CHEST
Incline Dumbell Press
22-15
28.5-15
38-10
50-10
60-5

Smith Slight Incline
60-15
100-10
140-5

Crossovers
35-15
45-10
55-6

Cable Fly
17.5-8
17.5-8
15-10
my shoulder really hurt again after this but i am off to see the shoulder specialist on Tuesday so fingers crossed he will work some magic

Saturday Rest

Sunday Back
Pulldowns
65-15
80-15
95-10
110-10

Bench Barbell rows
60-15
80-12
100-10
120-8

Seated Row
100-10
120-10
135-10
felt rough on this workout and really run down. The kids are both ill and i think they have given me something which might be rotten as one has chicken pox.

[Vinny Brown]

Monday
the reason I felt rough yesterday is because I have got a stinking cold which has become quite apparent overnight so no training for me today. Oh well gives the joints a rest I suppose.

Tuesday
Visited the Shoulder Specialist and he kindly stuck a needle in my right shoulder joint, Guess I will have a dead arm tomorrow. I will have to train really light for a while as it is possible to rupture tendons after cortisone injections as they can thin the wall around the tendon. Should be interesting to see the effect it has.

[Vinny Brown]

Had the rest of the week off with illness and started back pretty cautiously on Sunday worked up to 220 for ten on the squat and my knee was fine until I started putting plates away and it hurt so bad I couldn't sit with my leg bent so the therapist sorted it out for me Thursday and we will test it again tomorrow. Have trained the rest of my body parts quite light to avoid injury in my shoulder after the cortisone injection.

Did try some deadlifts standing on a box on Wednesday and a bit of farmers walk to start building up for some strongman next year so I will write updates on this training as I go on. It felt good deadlifting again although it too hurt my knee. My main priority is the bodybuilding shows i am doing in October so I will focus on these and the strongman will be extra.

I was asked today to compete in a powerlifting comp at work in about ten weeks. I think I should be able to do OK by then so does anyone know of a good ten week training routine I can use? Think I will have to tap up my old mate Matt Saunders for some advice too.

So back to it tomorrow with some squats no more messing around resting this and that its time to crank things up and win some titles.

[Vinny Brown]

Wed Squats
Had to train at work during lunch so i was limited for time and hence only one exercise. (Better than none)
Bar-20
60k-10
100-10
140-5
180-5
220-5
240-5

Thurs Chest
(first proper session on chest since cortisone)
Smith Incline Press
Bar-10
60-10
100-10
140-5
160-5

Flat Barbell Press
60-10
100-5
140-5
160-3

Cable x over
30-15
40-15
40-15
25-30

Fri-REST

SAT Deadlift
Haven't done these in months properly pulled some off a block the other day but it felt OK and i didn't kill myself as i had been out in the sun all day and felt a bit drained.
Bar-20
60-10
100-5
140-5
180-5
220-5
260-1

Sunday ARMS
DB Curls
17-12
22k-10
26-10
31-10

Preacher EZ bar
40k-10
50k-10
60k-10

Single cable curl
17.5-10
22.5-10
30-10

Pushdowns
45-15
55-15
65-12
75-10

Rope grip cable extensions superset with rope grip pushdown
75-15....................50-10
85-10....................50-10
85-10....................50-10

Mon HAMS + CALVES
leg curls
27.5-15
37.5-15
47.5-10
57.5-10

Straight leg deadlift
60-10
100-10
140-10

Seated Calf Raises
40k-15
40-15
80-15
80-15

Standing Calf
140k-20
190-20
190 hold at top-10

Tues and Wed REST

Thurs Shoulders
Seated Smith Press
Bar-20
60k-15
100-10
140-6
150-4
100-10

Side Laterals
22k-15
26k-10
28.5-10

Ez bar front raise
40k-10
50k-10
60k-10

Friday Rest
Was going to squat but there was no-one to spot me so thought i would live to fight tomorrow instead of doing something silly.

[Steve Gardener]

vinnybrown said:

I was asked today to compete in a powerlifting comp at work in about ten weeks. I think I should be able to do OK by then so does anyone know of a good ten week training routine I can use? Think I will have to tap up my old mate Matt Saunders for some advice too.

So back to it tomorrow with some squats no more messing around resting this and that its time to crank things up and win some titles.

I usually work back from what my planned / targetted weights are and work the percentages back to week one.

[Vinny Brown]

Seems like a good plan will work it out and write it up for all to see. Appreciate any help as powerlifting is not so much my sport.

[Vinny Brown]

Sat REST

Sun Squat & Deadlift
Squat
bar-20
60-10
100-10
140-5
180-5
220-5
260-5

Deadlift
Bar-20
60-10
100-5
140-5
180-5
220-5
240-5

Monday Chest
Decline Smith Press
Bar-20
60-10
100-10
140-10
180-9

Flat
100-5
140-5
160-4
140-4

Incline Flye
22-10
34k-10
38k-10
38k-10

Cable x over
35-15
45-10
45-10

looks like the cortisone is working as i was in pain doing flat or decline bench with anything over 100k so 180-9 was pretty good for the first real push on it.

[Vinny Brown]

Thurs Back

Pulldowns
80-12
100-10
120-10
130-10

Seated Row
135-10
135-10
135-10

Barbell Row
60-10
100-10
140-10
180-6

Friday ARMS

Dunbell Curls
17k-20
22k-10
26k-10
31k-8

Barbell ez curls
40k-10
60k-10
60k-10

Cable curl
45-10
45-10
45-10

Tricep cable ext superset Pushdown (no rest between at all)
85-15reps-10reps
85-12reps-8reps
85-10reps-6reps

Standing olympic bar extensions
40k-15
40-10
40-10

Sunday SQUAT DEADLIFT
Squat
bar-10
60-10
100-10
140-5
180-5
220-5
260-3 had no spotter and lost lost it a little here so stopped to fight another day

Deadlift
60-5
100-5
140-5
180-5
225-5
245-5

Monday SHOULDERS
Side laterals
17k-15
22-10
26-12

Smith Press
60-10
100k-10
140k-10

Cable bent over laterals
15-12
15-10
15-12

Cardio Versa Climber, Cross trainer, Rowing machine sprints

Thursday Hams & Calves
LegCurl
27.5-12
37.5-12
47.5-10
57.5-10
67.5-10

Seated Calf Raises
40k-20
80k-15
80k-20

Standing Calf Raises
130k-20
180-20
230-15
280-12

Friday CHEST
Flat Bench
Bar-25
60-10
100-10
140-5
160-5
180-3

Smith Incline
60-10
100-10
140-10

X over
40-15
40-10
40-20
40-20

[Vinny Brown]

Right I am having a nightmare I have misplaced my training log and am a bit jarred by that. But on the plus side i guess it makes easier reading to just write the main points from this last week. Training has been much the same the shoulder is holding up and i can flat bench again worked up to 180k for 3 again today. I took a leaf from Andy Bolton's book and have been doing squat and deadlift in the same workout which gives my back a much longer rest. It also gets you used to lifting with pre fatigued muscles as would be the case at a contest. Worked up to 270k for 5 on squat and only managed 265 for a couple of singles on the deadlift just couldn't focus on the deadlift with so many people socializing and gas bagging around me. Went home in a bad mood instead ha ha. Found a nice site with a workout calculator for a 16 week power lifting programme just put in your current 1 rep max and it does the rest for you. www.angelfire.com/nj/sports22/period.html hope its of some use i used it before and found it worked a treat.

todays workout looked like this

Flat bench
bar-30
60k-15
100-10
140-5
160-5
180-5

Incline Dumbell
42k-10
50k-10
60k-6

Decline smith
bar-10
60k-10
100-5
140-5

going to start doing some hammer curls too with this workout as i feel weaker in this area when benching.
Single arm hammer curls
22k-10
26k-10
34k-10
38k-5

[Vinny Brown]

Had an extra day off this week to visit the sports therapist. I have a big knot in the top of my right hamstring and i think its what has been causing all my problems. Hooray I am on the mend at last! Got to go back Monday for more torture on that one though but its worth it.

Friday BACK

Chins 15reps x 4sets

Seated Row (close grip)
100-15
135-10
135-10

Barbell Rows on incline bench
60-12
100-15
150-8

had a massive pump and it felt like i hadn't trained in an age it felt good though. Tried to keep too much strain off the hams whilst its on the mend from yesterdays treatment.