by

Joseph

Leg training became the focus of the third week of my deadlifting challenge.

Monday 11 July 2011

I set up a full body workout which I divided into two parts: thirty minutes of upper body strength training, and fifteen minutes of intense leg training. The upper body workout consisted of bent over barbell rows (5 reps x 5 sets x 200 pounds), flat bench dumbbell presses (10 reps x 3 sets x 65 pound dumbbells in each hand) and chest dips (10 reps x 1 set x body weight). I performed 3 minutes of cardio (running in place) in between rowing and benching sets - rest periods were limited to 25 seconds during this half of the workout. I would have done more bench presses but my tri's gave out at the start of the fourth set.

After finishing up the heavy work, I did crossovers for fifteen minutes, allowing myself 40 seconds between sets. To be honest, crossovers are a lot of fun. Jumping over things is a lot more challenging than a simple leg press exercise, it requires balance and coordination and the ability to absorb shock after repeated impact with the floor. The leg press just doesn't provide that level of intensity. They're good for leg development which in turn gives me greater dead lifting power.

When I had completed the crossovers, I performed clap push ups (10 repsX 3 sets x body weight) and called it a day. I would have liked to have done more bench presses but all in all I had a good workout.

Tuesday 12 July 2011

I performed a circuit of body weight lunges, dumbbell tricep extensions and hanging obliques with three minutes of walking between sets. Although my leg muscles had received a good workout on Monday, I wanted to continue it with lunges. I opted for body weight lunges, though, to allow myself to recover from the previous day's exercises.

I went easy on the dumbell tricep extensions, I did 9 sets using a 50 pound dumbbell; these were done to make up for the lack of bench presses during Monday's workout. I found my triceps were still feeling sore, so I kept the weight at 50 pounds.

I did multiple hanging oblique sets (16 reps x 9 sets x body weight) which was very good for me. In last week's deadlifting challenge progress report, I wrote that I would alternate between hanging obliques and side bends to help strengthen this muscle group. It would be a mistake to neglect obliques training because strong oblique muscles are essential to execution of a good deadlift.  

Walking helped me to burn fat, it allowed me to take a short break without actually stopping.

Tuesday was a very good day.

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Wednesday brought another round of leg training, this time with the dumbbell squat. After performing a warm up set at 100 pounds, I increased the amount by 90 pounds for the rest of the workout (10 reps x 4 sets x 190 pounds). I also mixed in multiple sets of standing one arm barbell chest press (10 reps x 4 sets x 90 pounds per arm) . To do this exercise, I set an Olympic bar on the floor with one end perpendicular to a wall; I attached a 45 pound plate to the other end of the bar which I then raised from the floor. I held the bar at a 135 degree and then pressed it away from my body until it rested at a 120 degree angle. From there I pulled the bar toward my chest again, I did this for ten reps with each arm; counting the bar and the plate totaled 90 pounds.

I walked between squats and barbell press exercises. My legs were too tired for running. I had a good workout that day.

Friday 15 July 2011

I had intended to deadlift but my legs were too tired. I couldn't get past the warm up set. It was the result of all the leg training I had done during the week. I wasn't going to allow that to set me back, though. Since deadlifting were out, I did multiple pull ups and chin up sets instead. I went easy on myself, performing only ten reps per set (for a total of sixty reps) and ran in place for ten minutes. 

It was a decent workout, all things considered.

Saturday 16 July 2011 - Deadlift Day 

My legs needed to recover, so heavy lifting would have worked against me. I performed five sets at 225 pounds, but even at that weight amount I could tell that my body needed a rest. In addition to deadlifts, I did three sets of standing barbell chest presses but increased the weight amount by 25 pounds (i.e. 6 reps x 3 sets x 115 pounds for each arm), and ran in place for twelve minutes.

I had a decent workout, but it wasn't as good as it could have been.

Deadlifting Plans For Week 4   

I had a good week as far as leg exercises were concerned, but my deadlift performance was not up to snuff (does anyone still use that word anymore? Obviously so, since I just did). Weather forecasters are predicting extreme heat for much of the country for 18 July through 22 July. Heat related injuries are very serious but they are highly preventable, so I'll be lowering my intensity this week. Other than that, I'm keeping every exercise in place.

I'll give you a progress report next Tuesday so please look forward to it.

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"Deadlifting Challenge - Week 3 Progress Report" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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