Ok, let's see your stats!
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I finished my test day for Cycle 3 this morning and here is where I am:
Start -> Cycle 4 (starting Monday)
Barbell Squats: 55 -> 75 lb
Barbell Bench Press: 50 -> 65 lb
One Arm DB Row: 20--> 35 lb
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 15 -> 20 lb (FAILED!!!)
SLDL: 55--> 75 lb
DB Upright Rows: 15 -> 45 lb (I'm switching to a barbell, the DBs are too cumbersome and my boobs get in the way :laugh: )
I 'failed' the shoulder press...again! Boo :explode:
Nice work! And yeah, ditto to what pandorakick said: OHP is one of the hardest, I've been "stuck" several times along the way, it's been one of my slowest to progress! I think I stayed at 20 lbs for at least two cycles if not three! Even now, at the end of cycle 6 I'm only at 24 lbs and I'm not sure if I'll progress this time around (I'll find out in a few days!) Even though I've been "stuck", though, my shoulders are still developing really nicely, so I can't complain too much
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Nice work! And yeah, ditto to what pandorakick said: OHP is one of the hardest, I've been "stuck" several times along the way, it's been one of my slowest to progress! I think I stayed at 20 lbs for at least two cycles if not three! Even now, at the end of cycle 6 I'm only at 24 lbs and I'm not sure if I'll progress this time around (I'll find out in a few days!) Even though I've been "stuck", though, my shoulders are still developing really nicely, so I can't complain too much
Thanks, I feel a little bit better now because you and pandorakick have rockin' shoulders so I'll stop whining and just press on (pun intended)
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I wonder if I have a weird anatomy - I am at some piddly level for all of workouts, but DOHP I managed my Cycle 3 Test Day at 26 lb, so I can up that next time. I failed on the Bicep Curls though (also 26lb) - and funnily enough I have started doing worse on my curls after I realized my order was wrong - for the first two cycles I ended with the SLDL and then realized I should do that before the curls.
Incidentally, does the order matter? I am managing my SLDL okay and can move up next time, but since curls came at the end, I find I have worsened on them.
I am trying this supinating bicep curl which means holding the dumbbell off centre and curling in at the end - and after 10 reps it becomes a killer
Anyway, other than bicep curls I can move onto Cycle4 with a little more weight.
Did any of you add on exercises in Cycle 4? I recall the faqs say that nothing should be added for 3 cycles - was wondering about pushups/latpulldowns - any thoughts?0 -
I wonder if I have a weird anatomy - I am at some piddly level for all of workouts, but DOHP I managed my Cycle 3 Test Day at 26 lb, so I can up that next time. I failed on the Bicep Curls though (also 26lb) - and funnily enough I have started doing worse on my curls after I realized my order was wrong - for the first two cycles I ended with the SLDL and then realized I should do that before the curls.
Incidentally, does the order matter? I am managing my SLDL okay and can move up next time, but since curls came at the end, I find I have worsened on them.
I am trying this supinating bicep curl which means holding the dumbbell off centre and curling in at the end - and after 10 reps it becomes a killer
Anyway, other than bicep curls I can move onto Cycle4 with a little more weight.
Did any of you add on exercises in Cycle 4? I recall the faqs say that nothing should be added for 3 cycles - was wondering about pushups/latpulldowns - any thoughts?
As far as I know the order has been set up in a specific way. I couldn't begin to tell you WHY, but I know that it was designed with order in mind and All Pro himself has been fairly adamant that it be followed. As for adding extras, I added weighted triceps dips (on a bench) after round 3, and added pull-ups after round 4. I think you're not supposed to add any more than one new thing per cycle.0 -
Re order - oh, just wishful thinking - I don't really want to play around with the order but the curl-failure since I put them last is annoying! I guess he made that order so that larger muscles are worked first - and he didn't think much of curls as I recall, so figured they could be done last.
Weighted tricep dips - that's interesting, thanks0 -
That's exactly how I understood it.I guess he made that order so that larger muscles are worked first - and he didn't think much of curls as I recall, so figured they could be done last.
As for adding exercises, I'm only now adding something new: glute work! Did my C6W3D2 workout today and added hip thrusts at the end at 25 kg. The weight didn't feel that heavy, so I think I can easily go up at least another 10 kg. Next time though, I'll try barbell glute bridges instead. Those will be a tad easier to arrange because I won't have to drag a bench halfway across the gym to the barbells or vice versa :laugh:0 -
I guess he made that order so that larger muscles are worked first - and he didn't think much of curls as I recall, so figured they could be done last.
Yep, order definitely matters... Muscles that work larger and more muscle groups are first... More bang for the buck, more fuel for those exercises that bring the most benefit.
Also correct re: curls. You can eliminate curls at any time, substituting standing upright rows, again towards the end of the routine.Q12: Can I substitute any of the exercises in this routine for other exercises?
A: as a general rule, no, you can't (barring certain situations where an injury may prevent you from doing a specific movement). One exception being the curls, which can be substituted for standing upright rows ... This is more of a compound exercise and it actually fits the rest of the routine more nicely. Curls were added by all pro mostly because "everyone would want to do them anyway", so if your ego will survive it, go for the upright rows instead of the curls - it's a far better overall body exercise. Up to you though.
With that said, upright row is a controversial exercise in its own right. If you do it incorrectly, you can really bugger yourself, and it's not something that's easy to detect as it's happening.
I actually do upright rows as part of my routine, and use an EZ bar to reduce some of the strain that a straight bar can cause, but see these for some info re: upright row safe/unsafe:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=137279673&p=735641273&viewfull=1#post735641273 (post #15)
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/are-upright-rows-safe-qa.html
http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/members/Will-Upright-Rows-Wreck-Your-Shoulders.cfm
If you wanted to swap something our for curls but want to avoid upright rows, you could substitute lateral raises, shrugs, and/or face-pulls (the latter requires a cable or resistance band system of some sort I guess).
Apart from adding upright row and, for now, keeping curls, I haven't made any additions to the list of exercises I'm doing. I do abs-only stuff on off-days, and walk/jog a day or few a week, depending on how I'm feeling & how busy I am. Usually the jogging's reserved for Sat, and then Sun = full on slob (aka "rest") in preparation for my heavy day on Monday. 0 -
Thanks for those links on the upright rows jason, apparently I've been doing them wrong
I don't have any issues with discomfort but I'll still work on my form and stick with the dumbbells instead of the moving to the barbell.0 -
Thanks Pandora, Jason, i have some questions on upright rows so I will put those in another thread
Pandora - I like your new pic!0 -
Thank you :happy:0
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Finished my test day and it went well! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
I think I can advance on all my lifts, though the curls were a little body-English-ey at the end; I might stay where I was, but I'm going to think about it....
Here's where I started, and here's where I'll be next week when I start cycle 7:
Cycle 1 ---> Cycle 7
Squats - 40 ---> 92 lbs
Bench Presses - 30 ---> 66 lbs
Bent-Over Rows - 40 ---> 57 lbs
Overhead Barbell Presses - 30 ----> 52 lbs
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - 50 ----> 110 lbs
Barbell Curls - 30 ----> 52 lbs
Calf Raises - 15 ---> 45 lbs (single leg)
Extras:
Triceps dips - bw ---> 30 lbs
Chin-ups - 10 (as many as I can, then negatives; up to 4!)
Pull-ups - 5 (as many as I can, then negatives; up to 2!)
REALLY happy about the DL, bench and squat progress, and also with the "ups" 0 -
Well done Cmeirun! Amazing stats! :drinker:0
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Excellent Cmierun! I finish Cycle 3 this week and I want to thank you for pointing me in this direction when I PMed you about it.0
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Great job!0
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Excellent progress cmeirun! You are one strong woman! :drinker:0
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Thanks guys! :bigsmile: I'm pumped about this next cycle - well, partially terrified (OMG 90+ lb squat!) but optimistic because of my bulk - feeling pretty strong these days!0
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Jumping in!
This is where I'm starting for week 1. Weights were calculated using my tested 5 rep max, so I may need to tweak if any are too heavy.
Squat: 75
Bench Press: 40 (DB)
Rows: 30 (DB)
OHP: 40
DL: 85
Curls: 30 (DB)0 -
Also, because of all the other stuff I do that I'm not willing to give up, I'm basically following the 100% day 1x/week and doing the same exercises at a higher weight and lower reps (3-5) 1x/week. So I'm not really following All Pro to the letter. But I hope you'll still let me hang out here.
:flowerforyou:0 -
Finished my test day and it went well! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
I think I can advance on all my lifts, though the curls were a little body-English-ey at the end; I might stay where I was, but I'm going to think about it....
Here's where I started, and here's where I'll be next week when I start cycle 7:
Cycle 1 ---> Cycle 7
Squats - 40 ---> 92 lbs
Bench Presses - 30 ---> 66 lbs
Bent-Over Rows - 40 ---> 57 lbs
Overhead Barbell Presses - 30 ----> 52 lbs
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - 50 ----> 110 lbs
Barbell Curls - 30 ----> 52 lbs
Calf Raises - 15 ---> 45 lbs (single leg)
Extras:
Triceps dips - bw ---> 30 lbs
Chin-ups - 10 (as many as I can, then negatives; up to 4!)
Pull-ups - 5 (as many as I can, then negatives; up to 2!)
REALLY happy about the DL, bench and squat progress, and also with the "ups"
Great news! You have been doing fantastic!!!0 -
Also, because of all the other stuff I do that I'm not willing to give up, I'm basically following the 100% day 1x/week and doing the same exercises at a higher weight and lower reps (3-5) 1x/week. So I'm not really following All Pro to the letter. But I hope you'll still let me hang out here.
:flowerforyou:
Nope, follow the rules or you can't play in our sandbox!!!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Actually, I haven't done this the "right way" since I hurt my wrist over a month ago. 0 -
Also, because of all the other stuff I do that I'm not willing to give up, I'm basically following the 100% day 1x/week and doing the same exercises at a higher weight and lower reps (3-5) 1x/week. So I'm not really following All Pro to the letter. But I hope you'll still let me hang out here.
:flowerforyou:
Well, since you gave us a flower - feel free to hang out! 0 -
Hi all,
ok finally ready to share my stats,
I'm just starting this week and here are my stats. I don't have a bar bell yet so I'm using a dumbell
Squats 20lbs (10 each arm)
Bench Press 30lbs (15 each arm).
Rows 20lbs (10 each arm)
OH Barbell Press 20lbs (10 each)
Deadlifts 20lbs (10 each )
Curls 30 (15 each)
All of these are not my max, but I am being cautios because of issues I have with my back and I just want to get my form right and avoid an injury.
I do feel like I am still getting a good work out. While these are not my max they aren't far from it. I'm also hoping that by the end of the five weeks i will be able to purchase adjustable weights. I'm not able to follow the lighter days exactly or the 50% and 25% warm up as designed as I don't have the variety in weights needed, but I really wanted to start weight training.0 -
Good stuff, Peppermint_Patty! A lot of us (myself included) are using dumbbells, so you're not alone in that respect! It can be tricky to get precise increments with non-adjustable dumbbells - just do your best to get close Adjustable dumbbells are great if you can get them (pandora's got a set). There are also microweights (bought or dyi) that you can add to hex dumbbells if that's what you're using. I use dyi micros, and I have also been known to cobble together ridiculous combos of multiple dumbbells tied together, wrist weights and weighted backpacks to get the job done (You gotta do what you gotta do, especially when you're on a budget!)
Also, a lot of us found the first week or two of our first cycles a little "easy" or light, but wait 'till week 5 - it's amazing how much more challenging 12 reps can be compared to 8!!! I think it's a good idea to start a little low rather than too high - like you say, you'll be able to work on your form without worrying about injury. Great start!0 -
Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for the tips I wouldn't have thought of that.Good stuff, Peppermint_Patty! A lot of us (myself included) are using dumbbells, so you're not alone in that respect! It can be tricky to get precise increments with non-adjustable dumbbells - just do your best to get close Adjustable dumbbells are great if you can get them (pandora's got a set). There are also microweights (bought or dyi) that you can add to hex dumbbells if that's what you're using. I use dyi micros, and I have also been known to cobble together ridiculous combos of multiple dumbbells tied together, wrist weights and weighted backpacks to get the job done (You gotta do what you gotta do, especially when you're on a budget!)
Also, a lot of us found the first week or two of our first cycles a little "easy" or light, but wait 'till week 5 - it's amazing how much more challenging 12 reps can be compared to 8!!! I think it's a good idea to start a little low rather than too high - like you say, you'll be able to work on your form without worrying about injury. Great start!
I'm really glad I found this group.0 -
Good stuff, Peppermint_Patty! A lot of us (myself included) are using dumbbells, so you're not alone in that respect! It can be tricky to get precise increments with non-adjustable dumbbells - just do your best to get close Adjustable dumbbells are great if you can get them (pandora's got a set). There are also microweights (bought or dyi) that you can add to hex dumbbells if that's what you're using. I use dyi micros, and I have also been known to cobble together ridiculous combos of multiple dumbbells tied together, wrist weights and weighted backpacks to get the job done (You gotta do what you gotta do, especially when you're on a budget!)
Also, a lot of us found the first week or two of our first cycles a little "easy" or light, but wait 'till week 5 - it's amazing how much more challenging 12 reps can be compared to 8!!! I think it's a good idea to start a little low rather than too high - like you say, you'll be able to work on your form without worrying about injury. Great start!
For those of you using dumbbells, what type of squats are you doing?0 -
During the past 5 cycles I've tried out a lot of variations:
1. Holding the dumbbells at your sides: these were ok, but ultimately hindered the wider stance I prefer for squats. Holding the dumbbells higher up on the sides made them more an arm then a leg exercise for me.
2. Holding the dumbbells on your shoulders: Great variation, when the dumbbells however became heavier I reached the point that I couldnt heave them up on my shoulders anymore, while my legs could take that weight without a problem.
3. Goblet squats: Very good for practicing good form, in time however I had a similar problem with these as with point number 2: couldn't get that single heavy dumbbell safely into the right position anymore.
4. Romanian single leg squats: Very good one. The one disadvantage of these it that you need to train the one leg and then the other making the exercise take twice as long.
When the dumbbells got too heavy to get them into the right positions safely, I knew it was time to switch to barbells :flowerforyou:0 -
For those of you using dumbbells, what type of squats are you doing?
I use a moderate stance (slightly wider than shoulder width) and hold my weights up on my shoulders, like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QwVDcqQQWw
Now that I'm at heavier weights, and don't have really heavy dumbbells, I'm having to get a bit creative to add extra weight: wearing a weighted back pack in addition to the dumbbells and/or weighted "belt" (ankle weights attached together and worn around the waist). Not sure how much longer I'll be able to hack sufficient weights
I find holding weights at my sides extremely awkward - have to hold my arms out unnaturally to keep them away from my legs, and also the weights invariably hit the floor because I aim to get really low/below parallel.0 -
For those of you using dumbbells, what type of squats are you doing?
I use a moderate stance (slightly wider than shoulder width) and hold my weights up on my shoulders, like this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QwVDcqQQWw
Now that I'm at heavier weights, and don't have really heavy dumbbells, I'm having to get a bit creative to add extra weight: wearing a weighted back pack in addition to the dumbbells and/or weighted "belt" (ankle weights attached together and worn around the waist). Not sure how much longer I'll be able to hack sufficient weights
I find holding weights at my sides extremely awkward - have to hold my arms out unnaturally to keep them away from my legs, and also the weights invariably hit the floor because I aim to get really low/below parallel.
I'll try that today. Thanks cmeirun!0 -
Hi all,
ok finally ready to share my stats,
I'm just starting this week and here are my stats. I don't have a bar bell yet so I'm using a dumbell
Squats 20lbs (10 each arm)
Bench Press 30lbs (15 each arm).
Rows 20lbs (10 each arm)
OH Barbell Press 20lbs (10 each)
Deadlifts 20lbs (10 each )
Curls 30 (15 each)
All of these are not my max, but I am being cautios because of issues I have with my back and I just want to get my form right and avoid an injury.
I do feel like I am still getting a good work out. While these are not my max they aren't far from it. I'm also hoping that by the end of the five weeks i will be able to purchase adjustable weights. I'm not able to follow the lighter days exactly or the 50% and 25% warm up as designed as I don't have the variety in weights needed, but I really wanted to start weight training.
I didn't start with my 10RM either - it was actually a mistake on my part that I realized after the second workout. I somehow got it in my head it was supposed to be 50% of my 10RM. However, as I have had back, knee and shoulder pain, I choose to stay with those weights. Like you, wanted to work on form and avoid injury. It was a good call as I found the workout to be challenging. Just a few months before I started All Pro I was unable to do even 1 bodyweight squat, so to be doing 4 sets of 8-12 reps - with weights - was quite an accomplishment!
As others have said, just do your best to get the appropriate amount of weight for warm up sets and medium and light days. I drove myself crazy trying to get the perfect weight, until I just accepted that it wouldn't always be achievable and choose to go lighter if needed.0 -
For those of you using dumbbells, what type of squats are you doing?
Goblet squats here.0
