Starting 2009

Sorry, this is not a new photo either.  I just wanted to put something up for those of you who mainly like to look at pictures.  It’s me and Ironman’s editor-in-chief, Steve Holman at the Fit Expo last year.  I’ll be heading to LA next week for the 20th Annual Pro Ironman and Fit Expo.  Raven Lexy will be in the booth with me to sign copies of the January issue (our cover).  I just got word that Christine Pomponio-Pate will be in the Ironman Magazine booth too.  I can’t wait!  It will be alot of fun!  Hopefully my new laptop computer will be fixed by then and I’ll be able to blog from LA.

So, on to what’s happened in 2009, so far.  I didn’t train on Jan 1st or 2nd because I was headed to Evansville, Indiana on the 3rd to work with Dr. Joe Klemczewski at his annual Dr. Joe’s Fantasy Bodybuilding Camp.  We limit the number of attendees for the camp so that everyone gets alot of attention from the instructors.    Part of the deal is that the attendees get to actually workout with us so that they can see what it’s like to workout with the pros.  Although I’m no longer a WNBF Pro, I’m still at the top of the all-time list for total prize money in the organization.  Anyway, I was resting up because I knew I would have to do 3 workouts in 2 days, and I would need to go very hard on the workouts.  As it turned out I did 2 upper body workouts on Friday evening and then legs on Saturday afternoon.  My leg workout with Ian was brutal!  Not only did I go full-bore on the workout (worked up to 1000 lbs on the leg press for 20 reps) but it was a little too close to lunch for me and I came dangerously close to hurling.  Ian had talked a little smack so I had to show him up.  Of course, I was laid out on the floor for about 30 minutes after that workout.  I had a head cold earlier in the week and that leg workout put me into a relapse!  Saturday night we all went out for a very nice dinner and then to a swanky club in Evansville.  Uncharacterisically, I headed back to the hotel around midnight.  By Sunday morning I had almost completely lost my voice and was not feeling well at all.  Still, I had a great time with everyone at the camp.  The enthusiasm of the pros and the athletes who attend always gets me fired up to start the year.  I highly recommend it to anyone who competes or is interested in competing.

Dr Joe and I have worked together on quite a number of seminars and camps over the last 10 years and I still learn something everytime I get to hear him speak about bodybuilding nutrition.

On Monday the 5th I was too sore and too sick to workout.  I did a back workout the following day but didn’t deadlift.  Sitting on planes always makes my low back hurt worse than anything else, and it was really knotted up.  Although I got my workouts in, it took me the rest of the week to fully recover from my cold and then the relapse.  This week my strength and energy are finally getting back to normal, although my lower back still isn’t doing very well.  It’s really tight and hurting as I sit here typing my blog.

1/6 Lats

Lat pulldowns 5 sets 8-12 reps

One arm DB Row 4 sets 10-12 reps

High Pulley Row 5 sets 6-10 reps

1/7 Chest

Bench Press Pause reps 8 sets (kinda weak)  worked up to 255X1

Bench touch and go reps (very lame!)  225X4, 185X12

Incline Press 5 sets worked up to 195X4

1/9  Legs (I trained at 8am which I’m not used to.  I don’t think I was actually awake until after squats)

Deep Squats 135X10, 185X10, 225X10, 275X10, 315X8

Leg Press 270X20, 450X20, 540X20, 630X20, 720X20, 810X20, 900X20

Super-setted Leg Ext and Leg Curls 5 supersets 12-15 reps

Standing Calf Raise  4 sets 12-15 reps

1/11  Shoulders/arms

I trained with a new client at another club.  I was writing down all of her sets and reps, and didn’t write mine.

We did Over Head DB Press, DB Lateral Raise and Rear Delt Flyes for shoulders

For arms Standing DB Curls, Cable Curls, Seated Tricep Extensions and Pressdowns.

1/13 Legs

Leg Extensions 9 sets 12-15 reps

Single Leg Press 6 sets 10-12 reps

Deep Squats 135X10, 185X10, 225X10, 275X10, 225X17

Calf Raises on the Hack machine  5 sets 12-15 reps

1/15 Chest/Lats

Today things just didn’t go well with timing and my workout time was ridiculously limited.

Supersetted Bench Press and High Pulley Rows  6 super sets 10-15 reps per set.