New Split = better me

Being stronger makes you a better person. You can help more friends move, spot more people, help carry some one out of a burning building... you get the picture.

I have tweaked my split several times, as any one should. At the end of last summer, I had my best 1RM bench PR (370lbs), yet I was noticing some pressure building in my shoulder on any press day. With that in mind I went to 1 chest and shoulder day (alternated emphasized movement), 1 leg day, and two back days for my four day split.

I assumed building some more back strength and stretching my chest and shoulder muscles more regularly would help balance the pull forward on my shoulders.

After five weeks of doing back twice a week, I took out a back day and added in a separate shoulder day with some more legs. I am pressure and pain free in my shoulder and am benching 10 more pounds than I was working out with last summer.

A couple people have asked me what my current split looks like. After some more tweaking, this is my NEW split that just started last Monday:

Monday: deadlift, back, and bicep

Tuesday: Olympic lifts focusing on explosion, sled pushes and pull, and later in the day Chest, tricep, and some straight arm shoulders

Wednesday: LEGS

Thursday: Back and biceps- steady-state cardio

Friday: Shoulders, traps, triceps, and a fly movement + steady state cardio

I am always seeking improvement.

Box squats with chains

This exercise is necessary in your program, regardless if you are going for strength, hypertrohpy, or *cough* endurance *cough*. Box Squats ensure that you are getting adeque depth and when done right can give you gains in strength, size, and stamina. I added two 20lb chains for kicks, but I believe they are just as effective as bands.

Johnny Jackson= Beast

Most muscle per square inch????

The Arnold Classic 2009

I finally can say I have attended the Arnold Classic... I paid pennies to get into a fitness expo from 9am-6pm with a short supplement intoxication break in the middle to eat something not in a protein package.
This shows my intensity from 530am on when some buddies and I left Lexington to go to Columbus...

Tons of freaks of nature, both male and female just walking around. In their heads I know they were thinking the same thing I was... just a constant yelling of a one rep max oging through my brain.

Freak

One of the biggest backs there

The Arnold himself... taken with my terrible camera

Jay cutler

Any place that huge guys pick up women, literally, for fun is heaven

MR large arms

I don't know if this is my favorite picture or the one below... I took a shot with her right after some guy flexed next to her AND actually thought he was bigger than her.... what an ass

Animal pak had a cage in the middle of the convention center where they were lifting heavy weight and I just wanted to be a freak on display... I am about to send them my resume with my max out numbers and ask them what I need to do to be big enough to be in the cage

I was able to get some supplements, see plenty of freaks of nature, decide on probably never missing the arnold ever again, and take home some autographs and other free stuff shown below... well worth the $10 to be there for 9 hours

Lastly, what would the Arnold experience be without a girl painted like a cheetah

MAXED OUT and ready for Thanksgiving

Current max on bench : 335lbs
back squat: 395lbs

My goals for may are 345 on bench and 420 on squat. I am currently doing a body building workout five days a week. Everything is high reps (8-12 reps is high for me) and the rest periods are timed to start your next set right at a minute and fifteen seconds. this short time period crams a ton of volume into an hour and a half workout...
a minute fifteen might sound like a long time.... you are kidding yourself. sip of water, swig of protein drink, spot my lift'n partner, change the weight... HEY, it's my turn to go. try doing that one day for four sets of squat, even by yourself. the time limit really holds you to your workout, you stayed focused

this means you have to stay away from the clown that comes to the gym to get away from his wife and just wants to talk. THIS ISN'T A BAR, IT'S MY OFFICE SON. I'm trying to work and push weight around so I can improve myself. Unlike unhappy, complacement guy I want results. I want to get better. I want to improve. i don't lift bc it's fun. I lift to get stronger.... to get somewhere

Thanksgiving is approaching and I am sore as hell. I'm taking the day off but I will still get my five workouts this week, I'll just have to push a workout to Saturday.

take it easy