Push Up Iron or Daisies. Cuso's Log 1.0

Hi my name is Cuso and I’ve been standing, laying or crawling on our world for 53 years. The last 6 months of that time has been a self induced hell, that hell being evenly divided between my weight room and dining room.

Hell is also how it feels when enough muscle returns and starts to bend your skeleton back into it’s original form, regardless of how crooked it had gotten. God how I hope that that is over with. Hell is also learning to eat enough to gain and retain that muscle, especially after five years of eating foods only fit for a toothless old lion.

So enough foreplay, I’m just going to post the routine that I’ll be using for my next 3 months of training and try to keep a log alive. My lifting weights are mine and nobody elses, and I’ve been around too long to get embarrased easily. Because of the lower weights I haven’t injured myself until now, but I’m hooked on this stuff and want to see some more gains.

Height 5’4"

Starting BW on 19th of January 138lbs, now 160lbs @ 15% BF. My food plan is copied from someone smarter than I, and my wife is German and loves to cook.

Bench Press start 80 now 167 (3RM)
Squat (atg) start 70 now 160 (3RM)
DL start 80 now 190 (3RM)

As I train alone and without a cage, I don’t really know my 1RM

My first 2 day split:

Day 1 Chest / Legs

3 X 4-6 BB Bench press
2 X 8-10 Inclined DB BP
2 X 12-15 DB Flys
1 X 20 Squats
3 X 8-10 Front Squats
2 X 12-15 Leg Presses
2 X 10-12 Preacher Curls
Calves

Day 2 Back / Shoulders

1 X 20 Deadlifts
3 X Max rep Pullups
2 X 8-10 BB Pendlay Rows
3 X 4-6 Military press
2 X 8-12 DB Side lifts
2 X 8-12 DB Bent over Lateral raises
2 X 10-12 French Presses
Abs

Simple day on, day off schedule with no bells or whistles, and the target is improved conditioning and strength. The Squats and Deadlifts are just 20 reps at my 5RM with as few 10 second breaks as possible.

The split probably sucks as I don’t have a separate arm day, but they do get used on both days and if they start lacking I can always add an iso or two as needed. As I can do these lifts technically correct, I think that I can risk 3 months on the split. To top it all off I’m tired of bullshitting around with the baby routines I’ve been using.

Thanks for visiting, and have a nice day. Cuso.

Morning everyone.

Just did the first half of the split and it kicked my ass, even though I kept the weights within reasonable limits. The front squats (which I’ve hardly ever done) after the 20 back squats are a real test of my endurance, but at least I didn’t pass out or get a nose bleed. I’ll be looking to add 8-10lbs on the bar on all big compounds and 2-3 on the smaller lifts next time.

Pre WO 200gms Steel ground Oats + 150cl low fat milk + 50gms dextrose + 1 banana. Half litre water.

Day 1 Chest / Legs

Bench press
6 X 125
6 X 150
6 X 150

Inclined DB BP
10 X 28
10 X 28

DB Flys
15 X 17
15 X 17

Squats
20 X 125 (no pause & explosive)

Front Squats
8 X 105
8 X 105
8 X 105

Leg Presses
12 X 90
12 X 90

Preacher Curls
15 X 50
10 X 50

Seated Calf raises
10 X 20
10 X 25

Total workout time 65 minutes

Post WO Protien shake + 4 egg omlette w/ham whole wheat toast 200gms jougurt. Fish oil tabs and 300cl water

Sun is finally shining here today, and I hope it stays that way for 10 hours. You all have a nice day, Cuso.

Yummy lunch, a huge portion of spaghetti alla vongole and a diet tiramisu for dessert. I am really getting used to eating stuff! Mid-afternoon snack 200gms raw broccoli with olive oil & red pepper topped off with 50gms of almonds. A liter of water through the afternoon.

Hi Cuso & welcome :slight_smile:

[quote]Cuso wrote:

Hell is also how it feels when enough muscle returns and starts to bend your skeleton back into it’s original form, regardless of how crooked it had gotten…
[/quote]

that is a really colorful & interesting statement! I have been strength training and improving my posture and it DOES feel a bit like hell, lol. Care to elaborate?

ps- I really like the title of your Log.

Hi Reconstruction, and thanks for the welcome.

Yeah, I had a lot going on with stooped shoulders, upper cervical pains that were accompanied with loud snap-crackle-pop noises every time I did my headbanger routine, and some lower lumbar stuff which was trying to change my life for the worse. Basically I was just starting to shrink myself down to coffin size.

Now everything is about 80% better. I can see over the dashboard of my car again, and when I lean back in a chair both of my shoulders actually touch the chair. I feel human again, and I’m sure if you keep at it you’ll get your payday, if you haven’t got it yet.

Welcome Iron Bro!

^^Thanks Colin. If you hadn’t used your family name in your profile, I would have mistaken you for Bill Goldberg’s big brother. Lookin good bro, may the Iron be with you.

[quote]Cuso wrote:
Hi Reconstruction, and thanks for the welcome.

Yeah, I had a lot going on with stooped shoulders, upper cervical pains that were accompanied with loud snap-crackle-pop noises every time I did my headbanger routine, and some lower lumbar stuff which was trying to change my life for the worse. Basically I was just starting to shrink myself down to coffin size.

Now everything is about 80% better. I can see over the dashboard of my car again, and when I lean back in a chair both of my shoulders actually touch the chair. I feel human again, and I’m sure if you keep at it you’ll get your payday, if you haven’t got it yet.

[/quote]

ok thank you for answering! I won’t ask what a headbanger routine is, haha! I am glad you are doing this. I see it as an investment for the next 40 years :slight_smile:

Chow log.

Dinner last night: about 300gms of North Sea Salmon with 200gms wild rice in a light lemon cream sauce, and a big salad with pine nuts. About 20:00 I got the urge for some meat so I made 2 lean hamburger patties with cheese and toast. Half liter of water

Afterwards grabbed a glass of Merlot and watched the film “Moneyball” which was very cool. Shake & bed.

This morning protein pancakes for breakfast with low cal blueberry syrup and a portion of jougurt. Half hour of stretching and a shake.

Get to work time.

you lifting in nancy-boy kilos or manly pounds? You’re a sturdy eater, you are.

welcome to the Iron Sanctum of the White-Hairs.

[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
you lifting in nancy-boy kilos or manly pounds? You’re a sturdy eater, you are.

welcome to the Iron Sanctum of the White-Hairs. [/quote]

I’d love those numbers to be in kilos. Ah someday…

“Iron Sanctum of the White-Hairs”

Sounds much better than “The Geritol Jerkers”

Thanks for the welcome, and may the Iron be with you.

Lunch: 2 big German rolls each with a 1" slab of pork roast and red hot “Loewen” mustard. Omega 3 tabs, Protein bar and a half liter of water. Got 2 oven fresh jelly doughnuts for later with my coffee.

Lots to do in my shop today and I’ve been sprinting up and down the flight of stairs here like a young elf. Quads and hams are a little tight from yesterday but it’s not like Godzilla is biting them or something. Comforting to think I can handle more.

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
ok thank you for answering! I won’t ask what a headbanger routine is, haha! I am glad you are doing this. I see it as an investment for the next 40 years :slight_smile:
[/quote]

Cusowiki:

Headbanger Routine: A violent up and down movement of the head preferably done with long hair at a heavy metal concert. Gives the appearance of mechanically trying to rid oneself of head lice.

Good morning to all the O35s.

Dinner last night: I’m not going to bore you with the details anymore as I think you get the idea.

I eat alot.

Workout this morning

Day 2 Back / Shoulders

Deadlifts

Warmed up then played around checking my 1RM and pulled 3 X 185, then a PR 1 X 209 directly followed by a PR of 216. I need to get a buddy to come over so I can check my 1RM bench & squat, as I have no idea what I can really lift.

Then did the workout:

20 X 145 (no break explosive lock out & shrug)

Pullups (wide grip full ROM)
1 X 6
1 X 3
1 X 3

Pendlay Rows
8 X 123
10 X 132

Military press
6 X 101
4 X 110
4 X 101

DB Side lifts
10 X 17
9 X 17

DB Bent over Lateral raises
10 X 17
9 X 17

French Press
14 X 40
12 X 40

Situps
3 X 25

Total workout time 70 minutes total, my shoulders and neck are fried.

Morning searchers of the holy grail,

I’m going to have to keep logging my food plan or I’m going to start cheating.

Last night: 27 baked fish sticks with 250gms of “Belgian” fries and 2 ears of corn. Took me almost an hour to put it all down, and a hour later I needed a Ramazotti to help keep everything in place. Won’t do that combo again.

Anyway today:

Pre WO as always: 200gms Steel ground Oats + 150cl low fat milk + 50gms dextrose. Half litre water.

Chest / Legs

Bench press
6 X 145
6 X 150
3 X 155 (F)

Last set to failure. Had to roll the BB off my chest down to my stomach. Ouch. I need a rack or some other solution. Sawhorses?

Inclined DB BP
12 X 32
10 X 32

DB Flys
15 X 21
15 X 21

Squats
20 X 132

Felt easier than last time and wasn’t as winded either

Front Squats (cross arm)
8 X 125
8 X 125
8 X 0

Form sucks, need to get some straps.

Leg Presses
15 X 110
15 X 110

Concentration Curls
10 X 32 & 10 X 27.5 (R then L)
10 X 27.5 & 6 X 27.5 (R/L arm)

Had to cheat to get the last 3 reps on both sets. My left arm is almost a useless appendage.

Seated Calf raises
10 X 85
10 X 95

Total workout time 75 minutes.

Post WO Protein shake + 2 Bacon & Egg sammies 200gms jougurt. Omega 3 tabs 300cl water

Felt somewhat weak today after only sleeping about 6 & a half hours. I need more protein on recovery days and more sleep in general. I’m going to change my PreWO food to give me more energy and start drinking something other than plain water during my workouts.

You all have a nice weekend and stay healthy, wealthy and strong.

[quote]Cuso wrote:
Hi my name is Cuso and I’ve been standing, laying or crawling on our world for 53 years. The last 6 months of that time has been a self induced hell, that hell being evenly divided between my weight room and dining room.

Hell is also how it feels when enough muscle returns and starts to bend your skeleton back into it’s original form, regardless of how crooked it had gotten. God how I hope that that is over with. Hell is also learning to eat enough to gain and retain that muscle, especially after five years of eating foods only fit for a toothless old lion.

So enough foreplay, I’m just going to post the routine that I’ll be using for my next 3 months of training and try to keep a log alive. My lifting weights are mine and nobody elses, and I’ve been around too long to get embarrased easily. Because of the lower weights I haven’t injured myself until now, but I’m hooked on this stuff and want to see some more gains.

Height 5’4"

Starting BW on 19th of January 138lbs, now 160lbs @ 15% BF. My food plan is copied from someone smarter than I, and my wife is German and loves to cook.

Bench Press start 80 now 167 (3RM)
Squat (atg) start 70 now 160 (3RM)
DL start 80 now 190 (3RM)

As I train alone and without a cage, I don’t really know my 1RM

My first 2 day split:

Day 1 Chest / Legs

3 X 4-6 BB Bench press
2 X 8-10 Inclined DB BP
2 X 12-15 DB Flys
1 X 20 Squats
3 X 8-10 Front Squats
2 X 12-15 Leg Presses
2 X 10-12 Preacher Curls
Calves

Day 2 Back / Shoulders

1 X 20 Deadlifts
3 X Max rep Pullups
2 X 8-10 BB Pendlay Rows
3 X 4-6 Military press
2 X 8-12 DB Side lifts
2 X 8-12 DB Bent over Lateral raises
2 X 10-12 French Presses
Abs

Simple day on, day off schedule with no bells or whistles, and the target is improved conditioning and strength. The Squats and Deadlifts are just 20 reps at my 5RM with as few 10 second breaks as possible.

The split probably sucks as I don’t have a separate arm day, but they do get used on both days and if they start lacking I can always add an iso or two as needed. As I can do these lifts technically correct, I think that I can risk 3 months on the split. To top it all off I’m tired of bullshitting around with the baby routines I’ve been using.

Thanks for visiting, and have a nice day. Cuso.

[/quote]

This looks like a fine fucking routine. Doesn’t tax the CNS, adds some mass, adds some strength. Keep up the good work!

[quote]Headhunter wrote:

This looks like a fine fucking routine. Doesn’t tax the CNS, adds some mass, adds some strength. Keep up the good work!
[/quote]

Thanks for the kudos Headhunter, it’s nice to hear from you.

I also like the program because of its balance, and I needed to move to a simple 2 day split so I could start working harder. I have to give the credit to Karli, an Austrian trainer who works with some pretty successful lifters here in Europe for the routine. He posted it in a beginners sub forum on a German BB forum, where it shamefully went unnoticed. Well almost, as I loved it the moment I saw it.

As it’s Sunday I did a full recuperation program today with stretching, eating and laying around in the sun. I basically turned into a cat for a day, and I must say that felines have it pretty damn good.

Took a good look at the foam rolling videos and am going to experiment with that asap. If anyone reads this and would like to write something short about their experiences with FR it would be greatly appreciated. So, back to the log.

Last night a pound and a quarter of Argentine ribeye with a big baked potato and spinach. I found a place that sells great meat at wholesale and they hang the stuff to perfection. And, I honestly apologize to all the vegetarians who are reading this. A banana split with low-cal ice cream and a shake.

Weighed in this morning at 162 cold and empty. Holding the 160 and everything looks good in the mirror so I must be doing something right.

This morning I tried out some egg powder, which didn’t taste bad at all. Made a big pile of scrambled pseudo-eggs and ham, toast and hash browns. Lunch was a large salad with shrimps and a shake. This evening my wife made a huge pot (about 15 lbs) of German lentil soup containing potatoes and franks. I think this is her way of saying she’s fed up with my eating habits at the moment. OK with me, it’ll taste even better when I reheat the leftovers tommorrow.

Watched Italy lose with some popcorn and a Campari & soda. Taps has sounded.