My Journal

[Hercule]

Here is a journal I plan on keeping. Its been a month since I tore a muscle in my back on a set of SLDL's. It is almost better. I did some VERY light squats on Friday with 135lbs, my back didn't bother me at all. I am going to take this week easy, then next week ease back into things SLOWLY. I messed up my back 2 weeks ago, by stupidly deadlifting 405. I thought my back was all better, but on the second attempted rep, I felt a VERY uncomfortable stretch, and it was stiff for the next few days. It hasn't bothered me at all for the past few days.

My diet has been working great. I have lost 13lbs with no loss in strength. I am down at 220 from 233. It is mostly High protein, moderate Carbs, and semi low fat, and I eat 6 meals a day. The only cardio I do is jog for 30 minutes in the morning once or twice per week.

My routine is going to be part westside/part olympic lifting. I have no idea on any maxes since it has been about 5 weeks since I have done squats or DL's. My bench is still 280-295.

Monday- Back/Cleans
Wednesday- ME Bench Press
Friday- Squats/Leg Assistance
Saturday- DE Bench Press

I recently measured myself. I am not a bodybuilder, but I just thought I would give you an idea of my size.

Neck- 17"
Shoulders- 53"
Chest- 43"
Biceps- 17.3"
Waist- 36"
Quads- 27"
Calves- 17.5"

[Hercule]

Today was nothing special. MOnday is usually deadlift day, but I am not going to risk re aggravating my back. Instead I did some light powercleans, some BB Curls, Shrugs, and T-Bar Rows. Nothing at all to brag about. I am going to do some very light deadlifts next week.

[Frozenmoses]

Woo, new journal to hound! Sorry to hear about your back, bro, but I know EXACTLY how it goes. Best of luck getting healed and back in bidness!

[Hercule]

Frozenmoses- Haha, feel free to hound my journal all you want. Yeh, back injuries suck. It must be an annual thing, because I tore a muscle last year on the left side of my back, and this year it is the right side. I am really anxious to get back to working out hard. I have 7 months to prepare for my next powerlifting comp. I need to add 200lbs. to my total by then if I want to make it to state. Thanks for the post man.

[Hercule]

Nice day today. Back is feeling really good. I am going to start taking 2 aspirin every 4 hours, adding up to 6 aspirin a day to help my back. I am also laying on a heating pad for 30 minutes before I go to sleep.

Diet

Meal 1-
Pro Complex Whey
20OZ. Milk
Fat- 15G/ Carbs- 35G/ Protein- 75G

Meal 2-
1 Box Chicken Tenders
8OZ. Cheese Dip
30OZ. Water
Fat- 60G/ Carbs- 55G/ Protein- 60G

Meal 3-
Sante Fe Chicken Noodle Bowl-
Fat- 6G/ Carbs- 58G/ Protein- 23G

Meal 4-
Chicken Fajitas
Macronutrient Breakdown- Unknown
Most likely High Protein and Carbs, moderate fat

Meal 5-
Pro Complex Whey
20OZ. Milk
Fat- 15G/ Carbs- 35G/ Protein- 75G

Total-
Fat- 96G+/ Carbs- 183G+/ Protein- 233G+
Calories- 2528
Calories including Unknown Breakdown of meal 5- Approx. 3300

[DK]

Hey man, where have you been? Anyway, I'm going through the same crap that you are. I pulled/strained some muscles in my lower back bad two weeks ago doing some deads off a 5" box without a belt.

Good to see your doing powerlifting. I didn't think that bodybuilding phase would last long. Your just putting up too good of numbers.

I hope you get to start going heavy again. It still might be 2-3 weeks for me. I'm really pissed, and it's hard for me to lay off.

Good luck.

[Hercule]

DK- Eh, I've been grounded. I'm ungrounded now. Yeh, back injuries suck major balls. Mine is feeling a LOT better. I am going to ease back into squats and deadlifts next week. LoL, I just couldn't stay away from powerlifting..bodybuilding is gay. I am also doing quite a bit of olympic lifting in my new routine. I want to really develop overall strength and power, for when I do strong man competitions. Thanks for chiming in bro. Hope your back gets better.

[Delphi]

Good luck with your back recovery.



Oh yeah, and

[Temptress]

I'm impressed at how massive and ripped you are
When you said you were built, I had no idea that you would look so good, nor was prepared to attempt the ongoing and strenuous excerices you preform everyday. I have no doubts that your well on your way to doing things of this sort professionally. Nor did I think that I would fall in love with you, but I have.Do you feel the same?

[Hercule]

LoL, thanks babe

[Ironman8]

Glad to see you back Herc! Still trying to catch up to your lifts, and I show no signs of stopping . Well, hope to read more dude, and congrats on your weightlost! See ya.

P.S Introduce me to your girlfriend dude

[Coke]

Good to see you back and look forward to seeing those strong lifts again.

[Hercule]

Ironman- Thanks a lot bro. Glad to see someone missed me, LoL. I'm sure you've caught up to me by now, since I havn't been able to squat or deadlift in over a month. Even my bench has suffered because my back has prevented me from getting a powerful arch. What are your lifts now bro?

Cocoa- Thanks a lot for the post man. I will try not to let you down. I plan on coming back with a vengance next week, and really killing the iron.

[Hercule]

GENERAL

Sleep- 9hrs.

Workout Rating- 9/10

Music of choice while working out- Static-X

TRAINING

2 Board Press-
45X3
135X3
185X3
205X3
225X3
245X2
265X1
290X1
305X0

Ah, very nice. Not too shabby at all. My 2 board press is always equal with my full range bench, which can only mean that this is my sticking point. 305 was a good battle, but I lost it just inches from lockout.

Incline Press-
135X8
165X5
185X5
205X2
225X1

Not too bad here either. I don't think I have done incline presses since 8th grade.

Lateral Raises-
25'sX6
15'sX8 (2)

Good sets. Got a nice little burn in the side delts.

Skullcrushers-
95X10 (2)

Nice sets. Got a good burn in my triceps. Weight is much too light, so next week, I will move up to probably 105-115lbs.

[Hercule]

Diet for today was very good. I don't konw the specifics because of a couple of unknown meals. Protein is an estimated 250G. About 2500 calories.

[DK]

Where's the workouts?

[Alke]

hey hurc, good to see you are back, sorry to hear about the back...so are you all healed up then?

[midee1]

Originally posted by Hercule
I messed up my back 2 weeks ago, by stupidly deadlifting 405. I thought my back was all better, but on the second attempted rep, I felt a VERY uncomfortable stretch, and it was stiff for the next few days. It hasn't bothered me at all for the past few days.

BE CAREFUL.

Back injuries are kinda rough to come back from. I'm trying to heal from a back injury 3 years ago. That what got me into the gym to begin with. Keep up the hard work and dedication.

[Coke]

Hercules, Hercules, Hercules...

I ain't Eddie Murphy, but I ought to be right about now...

Man, where you at?

[Hercule]

Awww, someone duz care! Thanks a lot Cocoa, i thought i was gonna have to dig this bugger up from page 30, LoL.

My computer was infected by a myriad of different viruses...stupid Kazaa. I took it to my mom's computer guy. He said my computer was in the worst shape he had ever seen. He had to destroy the hard drive, and reinstall everything. Only cost a mere $200. I'm back now, however, and don't plan on going anywhere for a while, LoL.

Workouts-
Not much excitement lately. I hit 500X3.5 on Leg Presses a couple of weeks ago. Nothing too spectacular, but please keep in mind that I use the biggest ROM the machine will allow, which is calves touching hamstrings. I also hit 315 on 3 board presses, I should have had an extra 20lbs., but hey, I'll take it.

Tommorow is Deadlift/Cleans. I am still going very light for rehabiblitational purposes.

GPP for today- Unloading and stacking 300 bales of hay. Anyone looking for some great GPP work,I would highly recommend hauling hay bales. The ones I stacked to day weighed 80lbs. each. It was easy, until I had to throw them about 3 feet above my head, not easy. I basically grabbed it, twisted, and swung it up. My back didnt bother me at all, which is a good sign that it is almost healed up.

L8r guyz.

[Scott S]

Wow that probably is a good sign. Some of the temp jobs I've done required some heavy lifting. I just know I could have fux0red myself royally if I hadn't of either a) lifted with good form, or b) chickened out and made someone more experienced do it.

[Hercule]

TRAINING

Deadlifts/Cleans

Hang Cleans-
135X5 (3)
165X5
185X5
205X3

Nice sets. Took things easy for the ol back. The 3rd rep on 205 was mighty ugly, however.

Conv. Deadlifts-
225X8
315X5
350X4

Ah, not to shabby. I did these deliberately slow, so the sudden jerking motion wouldn't aggravate my back. 350X4 was very easy, I was probably good for 2-3 more reps, but my grip popped loose. I guess thats what I get for not deadlifting in 2 months.

Push Presses-
135X8
165X5
185X2

By this point I was sapped. 105 degree weather doesn't really boost the ol' energy levels. Its a wonder I even cleaned the 185 to my chest, much less pressed it. I went for a third rep, but had to bail half way up.

One Arm DB Rows-
75X8 (3)

Nice lat contractions. I think I will use 100's next week.

GHR Sit ups-
BWX10 (3)

Little ab work.

DIET

Meal 1-
2 Packets oatmeal
1 Bananna
8OZ. Milk

Meal 2-
Canned Chicken Breast
Triscuit crackers
20OZ. Water
Multi-Vit.

Meal 3-
Pro Complex Whey
1 Bananna

Meal 4-

Meal 5-
Pro Complex Whey
20OZ. Milk

COMMENTS

Great workout. This is my first full deadlift/clean work out in two months. My back didn't bother me at all. I am pretty sure that it is 100% better, but I am going to take it easy the next few weeks, just to be sure.

[Alke]

hey herc...350x4 >>not too shabby<< LOL, no not shabby at all bro'

good to see you around again........

this might be a stupid question, but for deads (I do mine sumo style) is there a point where a wide stance becomes too wide? I have long legs and I am thinking of widening my stance. Currently I stand inside the squat cage and brace my feet against the inside bottom bars (which seemed VERY wide at first, but now I feel cramped in there.)

[Hercule]

Hey bro thanks a lot. What I meant by the not too shabby comment, is that I havn't deadlifted since May, and my back is still in the rehab stages, so 350X4 is pretty good considering the bad conditions, heehee. Thanks a lot for the comments.

I can't really answer your question about your feet being too wide. I've seen guys with their feet against the plates. Try widening your stance, if it helps, then by all means do it. Give it a try and see how it goes.
I lift sumo as well, but i am doing conventional style right now to get more back strength, which should translate over and help my sumo. My feet are just outside the power rings when I do sumo.

[Hercule]

TRAINING

Rest

DIET

Meal 1-
2 Packets Oatmeal
1 Bannana
20OZ. Milk

Meal 2-
Canned Chicken Breast
Triscuits
Multi-Vit.

Meal 3-
Pro Complex Whey
20OZ. Milk
4 Scoops Peanut Butter
2 Graham Crackers

Meal 4-
Jumbalaya
Red Beans
Flax Seed Oil

Meal 5-
Tuna
Flax Seed Oil

Meal 6-
Pro Complex Whey
25OZ. Milk

Protein- 277G/40%
Carbs- 249G/32%
Fat- 86G/28%
Cals-2811


COMMENTS

Rainy day today. Diet for today is excellent. I ordered an 11LB. bucket of Dextrose, and an 8LB. bucket of COmplex Carbs for $42.25 total. Upper back is sore, and my outer lats are sore as well. Tommorow is ME Bench.