Pump up the VOLUME!

[mrky03]

Ok, I've decided to start posting my training here as well. Inspired by my friend, fellow competitor and sometimes judge Steve, aka Ky Muscle!

I've been in this sport competitively for about 30 yrs. I started out in the AAU back in the day and won all of the local titles including 1991 Mr Ky.

I started competing in NPC shows in 1994 and eventually won the 2003 Master's and Open Overall NPC Ky championship. In 2007 I won the Master's Natural Northern USA, 2008 I won the Master's Bluegrass Classic.

2010 I pursued a new challenge and competed in my first NGA show and won my natural pro card as a Master's and Open competitor at the NGA Alabama Open in Birmingham this past July.

I will turn 50 Jan. 4'th and I plan on competiting as a Natural Pro sometime next summer, I haven't picked out a show yet.

I'm just under 5'11" and I compete at around 192-194. Not the most massive guy around!

[KyMuscle]

Good to see you here, Joel.

Guys and gals, here is another bodybuilder who keeps getting better with age. His physique is very Zane-like; awesome proportions, symmetry and definition.

Super-nice person too.

Good luck on your training. I'll be following your progress.

[mrky03]

Yesterday's leg workout

squats
135x20,225x15,275x10,315x6,365x6,405x6,6

front squats
225x10,275x7,6

leg extensions ss with leg curl
leg ex
105x15,15,15
leg curl
90x12,12,12

I was wiped out after that, big departure for me doing those high rep super sets!

Today's delt, bi and tri workout

seated dumbbell press
30x20,40x15,50x10,70x10,10,10,10,8

lateral raise
30x10,10,10,10,10,10

bent over lateral
30x12,12,12,12

The weights were light, I'm acclimating myself to some increased volume and decreased rest periods. Less than a minute between sets.

Alt. dumbbell curls ss with rope pushdowns
dumbell curls
30x20,40x10,10,10,10

rope pushdowns
50x20,60x10,10,10,10

cable curls ss with lying extensions
cable curls
50x10,10,10,10

lying extensions
90x10,10,10,10

wrist curls
95x10,10,10,8

Sucking some wind!

[joedemarco]

Good to have you posting here, Joel! Look forward to following your training.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Quality physique.....welcome aboard.



Baldie

[mrky03]

Thanks you guys, I hope I have something to contribute around here. I'm in some pretty impressive company!

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Not the most massive- but the most quality ripped muscle- and wins- Welcome !

[mrky03]

Haha, hows it going James? Great to hear from you!

[GerryT]

Great to see you here, Joel. Just a class act, on and off stage. Very inspiring and motivational, Best of luck with training and for your next show.

[mrky03]

Great to see you here, Joel. Just a class act, on and off stage. Very inspiring and motivational, Best of luck with training and for your next show.

Tryin to hold it together brother! lol You are too kind Gerry T!

[mrky03]

Bench press ss with lat pulldowns
135x20,225x10,10,10,8

lat pulldown
140x20,180x10,10,10,10

incline dumbbell ss with seated cable row
75x10,10,10,9

seated cable row
180x10,10,10,9

cable cross over ss with dumbbell pullover
35x12,12

dumbell pullover
60x12,12

Did this in 30 min. Then attempted to deadlift
135x10,225x10,315x8,405x10

My lower back just wasn't feeling right to day so I stopped there, tight as heck right now. Got a chiro appointment in the morning. I need an adjustment badly.

This workout is a huge departure for me. Typically I do Max OT style workouts. A lot less volume and reps. I'm enjoying the change of pace and my joints are feeling better overall.

The weights are pretty wimpy right now I just want to give myself a chance to acclimate to the increased volume and I will add weight as I progress.

[mrky03]

I gotta tell ya, I'm not used to high reps!

calf press tri setted with leg extensions and leg curls

calf press
230x20,20,18,15

leg extension
130x20,20,20,18

leg curl
90x15,12,12,10

leg press (Nautilus leverage type)
400x20,500x20,20,18

seated calf raise ss with hack squats

seated calf raise
4 plates x 15,15,14,13

hacks
2 plates x 20, 2 plates+25 x 15, 3 plates x 15

legs are shaking! Finished with 3 sets of hanging leg raises. Total workout time 45 min.

I'm in the process of figuring feeling out the right amount of volume and frequency. Probably settle on a three way split, rotated over Mon,Tue, Thur,Fri.

I'm used to warming up and attacking my heaviest work sets to failure for 4-6 reps so this is something different for sure. I don't need nearly as much warmup this way.

[Mac]

He stated that he won it above.

2010 I pursued a new challenge and competed in my first NGA show and won my natural pro card as a Master's and Open competitor at the NGA Alabama Open in Birmingham this past July

I don't think they give Pro cards to 2nd place finishers. So the above is ambiguous.

[nwtrnr1]

Great job Joel congrats on your win !

[mrky03]

Great job Joel congrats on your win !

Hey! How's it going! Good to hear from you! Thanks

[mrky03]

seated dumbbell press
40x10,50x10,60x10,75x10,10,9,8

lateral raise
35x10,10,10,10

bent over laterals
40x10,10,10,10

Sissy weights but it was kicking my butt! I am not used to this training pace (yet!)

alt dumbbell curls ss with rope push downs

30x12,40x10,10,10,10

rope pushdowns
50x12,60x10,10,10,10

incline dumbbell curls ss with single dumbbell extensions
35x10,10,10,10

dumbbell extensions
55x10,65x10,10,10

wrist curls
95x10,10,10,10

Keeping my rest periods to a minute or less. I'm going to work in some heavy days but right now I'm emphasizing some lighter training. Letting some minor injurys heal. I normally train 4-6 rep range with longer rest periods.

[nwtrnr1]

Things are going great, I'm training for a competition in July, down South I hope to make it. Need to put on another 20lbs before hand training hard. I get the injury thing I try to incorporate a few light days but when trying to gain mass it's tough.

[mrky03]

Things are going great, I'm training for a competition in July, down South I hope to make it. Need to put on another 20lbs before hand training hard. I get the injury thing I try to incorporate a few light days but when trying to gain mass it's tough.

Looks like you've put on some mass in your avatar! If you need any help just ask, plenty of experience around here.

[mrky03]

Man, I am going to commit myself to hardening up a bit. Let things get farther out of hand than I had planned!

My back was a little stiff today didn't squat as heavy as I wanted but I got a good one in anyway.

squats
135x20,225x10,275x10,315x6,365x8,375x8,385x6

I didn't want to take any chances so I stopped there, I was getting a good pump going and I did slow negatives good and deep.

leg press
400x20,580x20,670x20

Geez this pumped me to the max!

leg curls
75x12,105x8,7,6

Lower back started getting tight, not sure why either. Got a chiro appointment Fri.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Man, I am going to commit myself to hardening up a bit. Let things get farther out of hand than I had planned!

My back was a little stiff today didn't squat as heavy as I wanted but I got a good one in anyway.

squats
135x20,225x10,275x10,315x6,365x8,375x8,385x6

I didn't want to take any chances so I stopped there, I was getting a good pump going and I did slow negatives good and deep.

leg press
400x20,580x20,670x20

Geez this pumped me to the max!

leg curls
75x12,105x8,7,6

Lower back started getting tight, not sure why either. Got a chiro appointment Fri.

My legs got pumped reading this! Keep tabs on your response to all this- seems like the legs like higher reps- in general.

[KevinCouch]

Geez this pumped me to the max!

That's what Matters!! Great Intense workout.
Kevin

[mrky03]

That's what Matters!! Great Intense workout.
Kevin

I may get over concerned about how much weight I'm lifting vs. quality of the workout from time to time!

[nwtrnr1]

Thanks Joel, I have put on another 5 pounds since 09' trying to get to 220lbs this year then cut, at 5'11 not very big yet lol. when I get lower back tightening up especially after squats I do lots of hip stretches, and inversion seems to work. Chiro is a great option too. Definitely a super site here ! Makes you want to train night and day to keep up with this crowd definitely top of the game here.

[mrky03]

Thanks for the encouragement guys! I agree staying injury free is the most important thing, can't train if you're hurt! I almost didn't compete last summer because of a lower back/hip problem that really hampered my leg training thoughout my prep.

[KevinCouch]

When I work chest I usually will do two compound movements and two iso movements. But the iso movements are mostly db flyes at different angles. I'm really not into cable work for my chest until precontest when I incorporate it a little more.

[mrky03]

Ever go into you're workout with full intentions of squating and find that its just not a good idea on that particular day? Thats what happened to me today. I was going though my usual warmup and on the second set with 225 my lower back just didn't feel right. So I went on to the leg press.....

Nautilus incline leg press
400x10,490x10,580x10,670x18,760x15,940x10,400x25

My legs were really pumped and hurting at this point plus no back strain! I thought about hack squating but I ended up migrating back over to the squat rack for some front squats.

front squat
135x10,225x10,275x6,6,5

These felt great really loaded my quads without overloading my lower back. I've been doing them some on this training cycle anyway.

finished with 3 sets of leg curls
90x8,105x6,6

Legs were trashed so I managed to salvage the day and still get in a good leg workout!

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Nice Save!- Looks GREAT!

[mrky03]

Today's delt and arm workout went well, I got an awesome pump and was able to get in some pretty good volume in about an hr.

standing calf
240x15,270x15,300x10,10

seated calf
4 plates x 10,10,10,10

seated db press
50x12,60x10,70x10,85x8,6,6

lateral raise
30x12,35x12,40x10,45x10,8

bent over laterals
30x12,35x12,40x12,45x10,8

alt db curls ss with pushdowns
30x12,35x12,40x12,45x10

pushdowns
100x12,115x12,115x10,115x10

hammer curls ss with seated db extensions
40x10,10,10,10

seated extensions
80x10,10,8,8


Pumped city!

[KevinCouch]

I haven't supersetted biceps and triceps in a long time. I'll have to give it a try soon I do remember the huge pumps in the arms too when I did it!

[mrky03]

I haven't supersetted biceps and triceps in a long time. I'll have to give it a try soon I do remember the huge pumps in the arms too when I did it!

Yeah, I enjoy working opposing muscle groups on occasion. Make for a faster workout too.

[mrky03]

I trained back today, my lower back is feeling much better. I've went to my chiropractor 4 times in the last couple of weeks. He's getting me back in line!

bent over rows
135x10,185x10,225x10,245x8,275x8,295x6,5

close parallel grip pullups to chest
bdwt x 10,8,6

seated cable row
200x10,220x8,240x6

Hammer Strength deadlift/shrug station
5 plates per side x 6 shrugs 1 deadlift, 5 shrugs 1 deadlift, 3 shrugs 1 deadlift

Good workout, I'm getting my intensity back.

[mrky03]

Chest and abs....

bench press
135x10,185x10,225x6,275x5,4,4

incline barbell
245x6,4,4

cable crunch
120x12,10

lying leg raise
35x12,12

[Hammerfit]

I trained back today, my lower back is feeling much better. I've went to my chiropractor 4 times in the last couple of weeks. He's getting me back in line!

bent over rows
135x10,185x10,225x10,245x8,275x8,295x6,5

close parallel grip pullups to chest
bdwt x 10,8,6

seated cable row
200x10,220x8,240x6

Hammer Strength deadlift/shrug station
5 plates per side x 6 shrugs 1 deadlift, 5 shrugs 1 deadlift, 3 shrugs 1 deadlift

Good workout, I'm getting my intensity back.

5 plates per side x 6 shrugs 1 deadlift, 5 shrugs 1 deadlift, 3 shrugs 1 deadlift

I love that exercise, I have clients do it with a BB also.

[mrky03]

5 plates per side x 6 shrugs 1 deadlift, 5 shrugs 1 deadlift, 3 shrugs 1 deadlift

I love that exercise, I have clients do it with a BB also.

Yes that is an intense workout, stole that idea from Doctor Joe!

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Good stuff! Walking ok??

[mrky03]

Thanks guys! I'm walking ok James, don't know about tomorrow though! lol

[mrky03]

Did bi's and tri's yesterday,

alt dumbell curls
warmup then 55's x 3 sets of 6

cable curls
70x3 sets of 6

Elbows are feeling good, now my right bicep tendon is bothering me! Always something!

pressdowns
warmup then 130x8,7

lying extensions
130x8,7,5

wrist curls
115x10,10

[mrky03]

calves, delts

seated calf
5 plates x 10,8

standing calf
345x10,8,7

seated barbell press
warmup then 185x7,195x5,3

seated dumbbell press
90x5,4

lateral raise
50x6,5

seated bent over lateral
50x6,6

[KevinCouch]

calves, delts

seated calf
5 plates x 10,8

standing calf
345x10,8,7

seated barbell press
warmup then 185x7,195x5,3

seated dumbbell press
90x5,4

lateral raise
50x6,5

seated bent over lateral
50x6,6

Solid Workout!! Great New Avatar Photo bro!!
Kevin

[Hammerfit]

Like the new avi.....I think we should all put our off season pictures on our avis........NOT!

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Thats OFF season????

[mrky03]

Thats OFF season????

Haha, I wish! No that was last summer about a month out from my show.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Jeez...... and this is off season......... and why you have a pro card and we dont yet... go get em!!!

[joedemarco]

It's good to change it up once in awhile. Good stuff!

[mrky03]

It's good to change it up once in awhile. Good stuff!

Yes it is good, I tend to get stuck in a rut doing the exact same workouts over and over. Geez my arms are sore this morning! Amazing concidering I only used half of my normal wt!