David Carraturo's Blog - Posts Tagged "dips"
Background before workout begins!
A little history!
Okay, you have decided to exercise. Why are you doing it? To lose weight, to look good, get healthy or even intimidate your annoying neighbor? It is nice to set some goal, but the whole losing weight angle does not jazz me up to go to the gym. If you are significantly overweight, then I highly recommend you concentrate on that first before you consider a workout regiment like I am recommending. There is a level of fitness and strength that is needed as a foundation before this program should be started. This is especially true if you are significantly overweight.
Consult your physician first. It is imperative that you get a clean bill of health before you start this program. If you can come close to touching your toes that is a good first test. Can you jump? Besides the normal creeks and pops, is your body telling you that you need a pre-workout season (2-3 months) before you embark on a program that will kick the heck out of you? If you think you pass the initial smell test, then you are ready to begin.
But first, a little on my exercise and sports history; back in the day, I played high school and college football. I played a bit of baseball too. I was not coordinated enough to play basketball or hockey. After college, I stayed active by playing rough-touch football and also softball. This weekend warrior participation led to back and shoulder strains, tears, elbow pain and other minor annoyances that you deal with in your indestructible twenties. Along the way, I lifted weights regularly but never ran or sweat more than I had to. By my early thirties, I had gotten married and became the father of a few daughters. My workouts became condensed and rushed as the demands of fatherhood and worker bee took priority in life. Somewhere along the way I remember having a dream that I had run the New York City Marathon. That dream actually led me to begin running and I set my first post-college football goal; to run the New York City Marathon.
Previously never even looking at the gym treadmills, I began to run. Importantly, I did not overdo it. I started with six miles a week (three sessions of two mile jogs) and methodically worked my way gradually up. Nine months later, while I did not gain entry into the New York City Marathon, I had made great strides and had even logged a fifteen mile jog and was logging twenty miles per week to augment my basic weightlifting routine. In 1996, prior to my daughter, Samantha being born, I also made a decision to change my philosophy to lifting weights. Up to this point, I had been a max weight/heavy lifting guy. In 1996, I changed gears and went with lighter weights and higher repetition totals. Psychologically, it just felt better. I modified it a bit over the next few years but continued with high reps and no max weight as I watched my kids grow.
Over the next few years I was very consumed with work and father/husband duties. However, I still had the bug in my mind to run a marathon. I continued running and lifting semi-regularly as my second daughter, Julianna was born in 1999. By 2002, I finally turned the switch and made the decision to enter a marathon. Coincidentally, my third daughter, Amelia was due on New York Marathon Sunday 2002, so I scouted around and saw that there was the inaugural Baltimore Marathon scheduled for late October. I read the best marathon running books and put pen to paper and mapped out a running schedule. Rule 1 is to find your end game or goal. Rule 2 is to put your plan of attack on paper and clearly show what will be needed from you and your body (and mind) to accomplish this goal. What became apparent was that much more than 20 miles a week of running was necessary to get into the shape I needed to be in to run a marathon. By October 2002, I was regularly running 40-48 miles a week and had logged long runs of 18 & 20 miles. I was ready for Baltimore, and set a goal of four hours to finish. A week before Amelia was born I crossed the finish line outside Camden Yards at 4:04:53, just over my goal. It did not matter, I was done, marathon training was grueling and consumed my life. Done, forever; well at least until the train ride home when it began to gnaw at me that if I only finished five minutes sooner!
Two months later, I had begun training for my ultimate marathon goal of the New York City Marathon. Along the way I continued to lift weights and my physique had a good lean look to it. I felt comfortable at 185 pounds for two decades, but with all the marathon training, I had lost weight and reached a low point of 168 pounds right before Marathon Sunday in November. By that point, I was a running machine and had logged a few half marathons with a best time of one hour and forty-three minutes, and countless shorter races where my average mile pace was sub-eight minute. Ironically, with all the time consumed with running, I had countless energy. This stretch of time was my most productive at work and even though one year old Amelia decided not to sleep – ever, I was never tired. The New York City Marathon was anti-climactic; it was not what I had envisioned. Getting up at dawn, boarding a bus at Bryant Park and then waiting for three hours till the race started sapped my energy and strength. I finished in 4:23:38, which was worse than Baltimore, but considering the logistics and conditions, I was happy with it and the picture perfect moment of crossing the finish line will always be displayed on my wall. Regardless, the marathon running phase of my life was over. This time, for good!
This led to the dark ages of working out for me. From 2003 to 2010, I cancelled my membership at a sports club, bought weights, treadmills and other exercise equipment for my basement gym. I set goals of running half marathons and five mile races but for the most part, I went through the motions, lifted and ran as it fit my schedule and got comfortable in a semi-active/sedentary life. I even happily purchased three pair of “fat pants” in 2005 that had a 36 waist (I never was above a 34 before that).
This brings me up to speed on where I was in the fall of 2011. I had a horrific two-three year period of family issues and even work strain and was seriously looking for direction in life. No, I was not obese or even out of shape, but I was not diesel! Mentally, I was also shot. My mother had just died and the economy had imploded, Obama was president … I can go on and on! Sitting at my desk at work, a few of my co-workers began to talk about the recently completed Wall Street Decathlon. “Hey, wait a minute. There is an event where Wall Street guys can compete in ten events, including a football throw, bench press and dips? Back in the 1980s they were my specialty. I played quarterback in high school and for the Iona College football pre-season workout I bench pressed 225 nineteen times and pumped out 49 dips. The decathlon was actually a combination decathlon and NFL combine and was segmented into age groups. Nobody over forty was going to out-bench press or dip me! I’ll do it! The next day, I reached over my head to scratch my other shoulder and in the process strained my shoulder/back muscle. Thankfully, it did not hurt my phase one conditioning for the 2012 event. While it would take six months to fully recover (the first time I needed physical therapy sessions and saw the benefit of regular sessions) it never affected my bench press, dips or pull-ups. The only event it hindered me on was the football throw and it took a while to be able to throw deep.
The training for the Wall Street Decathlon was a major turning point in the metamorphosis of my exercise routine. I rejoined the sports club because I needed proper weights and equipment to do bench press, dips and pull-ups. I also stepped on a football/track field for the first time in thirty years to throw the football, run forty yard dashes and 400 meters. By the time of the July event date, my forty-seven year old body had transformed. I could now call myself a quasi-athlete competing against a hundred twenty/thirty something year old Wall Streeters who were former college athletes. I held my own and met my pre-event goal of beating all over-forty year olds in bench press and dips. I even came in third place overall in the bench press. My thirty-four reps of 175 pounds was six reps off the first place total. Heck, I hadn’t benched since 1996 and with only a few months of training I came in third place – not bad for an old man.
For fun, because I was in shape and my testosterone level was through the roof, I also looked for other events to compete in. Prior to the decathlon, I competed in my first Spartan Race. If you are not familiar with these events, it is one of many obstacle course races. They take place on mountains and involve running, hiking, jumping, and other type of military training obstacles. They were grueling but fun as heck to compete in. From 2012-2014 I competed in seven different events of various distances.
Unlike my marathon training which I considered grueling and not fun at all, the training for the Wall Street Decathlon and the Spartan events was fun and invigorated me. I immediately looked forward to the next year of events and obsessed over it. I modified and enhanced my workout even more and dedicated myself to not only improving my bench press reps for the 2013 event but to win it outright and break the event record of 41 reps of 175 pounds. I also knew that my dips total of 36 was good for a forty something year old but I knew I could improve. My pull-ups total of 15 was also good for my age group but had room for improvement.
The method to my madness was just laid out in the prior paragraph. In order to improve my bench press, dips and pull-up totals, I needed to do more of each movement. It was not rocket science, so I mixed and matched and came up with a workout formula that I believed would work. The result of the focused training at the 2013 Wall Street Decathlon led to a record breaking performance in the bench press (175 pounds for 42 reps), 44 dips and 18 pull-ups. The 2014 event was just as strong. Working through the after effects of the stomach flu, I again won the Bench Press event (175 pounds for a disappointing 41 reps), 54 dips and 25 pull-ups. I love crunching numbers and if you look through the data you will see the dramatic improvement. 2012 total reps of 85 (bench-34, dips 36, pull-ups 15) was dramatically improved in 2013 with 104 total reps (bench 42, dips 44, pull-ups 18) and then dwarfed in 2014 with 120 total reps (bench 41, dips 54, pull-ups 25). Think about that for a second, as I aged from 47 to 49 I got noticeably stronger.
That’s what this workout will do for you! I have transformed from a good physique to one with ripped muscles and veiny arms that look like the Amazon River flowing. Another motivating factor to get back into muscle growth was a radio commercial that played at the time that had a line “arms like steel cables” and that image resonated in me. Yes, it was just a stupid commercial, but the visual drove me to have “jacked up” arms like steel cables. Now, if only I can apply this exercise to stop the graying and falling out of my hair.
In the next post, I will layout a realistic workout schedule, time/hours needed per week and various tidbits of information to get yourself prepared and committed to a new phase in your life.
Okay, you have decided to exercise. Why are you doing it? To lose weight, to look good, get healthy or even intimidate your annoying neighbor? It is nice to set some goal, but the whole losing weight angle does not jazz me up to go to the gym. If you are significantly overweight, then I highly recommend you concentrate on that first before you consider a workout regiment like I am recommending. There is a level of fitness and strength that is needed as a foundation before this program should be started. This is especially true if you are significantly overweight.
Consult your physician first. It is imperative that you get a clean bill of health before you start this program. If you can come close to touching your toes that is a good first test. Can you jump? Besides the normal creeks and pops, is your body telling you that you need a pre-workout season (2-3 months) before you embark on a program that will kick the heck out of you? If you think you pass the initial smell test, then you are ready to begin.
But first, a little on my exercise and sports history; back in the day, I played high school and college football. I played a bit of baseball too. I was not coordinated enough to play basketball or hockey. After college, I stayed active by playing rough-touch football and also softball. This weekend warrior participation led to back and shoulder strains, tears, elbow pain and other minor annoyances that you deal with in your indestructible twenties. Along the way, I lifted weights regularly but never ran or sweat more than I had to. By my early thirties, I had gotten married and became the father of a few daughters. My workouts became condensed and rushed as the demands of fatherhood and worker bee took priority in life. Somewhere along the way I remember having a dream that I had run the New York City Marathon. That dream actually led me to begin running and I set my first post-college football goal; to run the New York City Marathon.
Previously never even looking at the gym treadmills, I began to run. Importantly, I did not overdo it. I started with six miles a week (three sessions of two mile jogs) and methodically worked my way gradually up. Nine months later, while I did not gain entry into the New York City Marathon, I had made great strides and had even logged a fifteen mile jog and was logging twenty miles per week to augment my basic weightlifting routine. In 1996, prior to my daughter, Samantha being born, I also made a decision to change my philosophy to lifting weights. Up to this point, I had been a max weight/heavy lifting guy. In 1996, I changed gears and went with lighter weights and higher repetition totals. Psychologically, it just felt better. I modified it a bit over the next few years but continued with high reps and no max weight as I watched my kids grow.
Over the next few years I was very consumed with work and father/husband duties. However, I still had the bug in my mind to run a marathon. I continued running and lifting semi-regularly as my second daughter, Julianna was born in 1999. By 2002, I finally turned the switch and made the decision to enter a marathon. Coincidentally, my third daughter, Amelia was due on New York Marathon Sunday 2002, so I scouted around and saw that there was the inaugural Baltimore Marathon scheduled for late October. I read the best marathon running books and put pen to paper and mapped out a running schedule. Rule 1 is to find your end game or goal. Rule 2 is to put your plan of attack on paper and clearly show what will be needed from you and your body (and mind) to accomplish this goal. What became apparent was that much more than 20 miles a week of running was necessary to get into the shape I needed to be in to run a marathon. By October 2002, I was regularly running 40-48 miles a week and had logged long runs of 18 & 20 miles. I was ready for Baltimore, and set a goal of four hours to finish. A week before Amelia was born I crossed the finish line outside Camden Yards at 4:04:53, just over my goal. It did not matter, I was done, marathon training was grueling and consumed my life. Done, forever; well at least until the train ride home when it began to gnaw at me that if I only finished five minutes sooner!
Two months later, I had begun training for my ultimate marathon goal of the New York City Marathon. Along the way I continued to lift weights and my physique had a good lean look to it. I felt comfortable at 185 pounds for two decades, but with all the marathon training, I had lost weight and reached a low point of 168 pounds right before Marathon Sunday in November. By that point, I was a running machine and had logged a few half marathons with a best time of one hour and forty-three minutes, and countless shorter races where my average mile pace was sub-eight minute. Ironically, with all the time consumed with running, I had countless energy. This stretch of time was my most productive at work and even though one year old Amelia decided not to sleep – ever, I was never tired. The New York City Marathon was anti-climactic; it was not what I had envisioned. Getting up at dawn, boarding a bus at Bryant Park and then waiting for three hours till the race started sapped my energy and strength. I finished in 4:23:38, which was worse than Baltimore, but considering the logistics and conditions, I was happy with it and the picture perfect moment of crossing the finish line will always be displayed on my wall. Regardless, the marathon running phase of my life was over. This time, for good!
This led to the dark ages of working out for me. From 2003 to 2010, I cancelled my membership at a sports club, bought weights, treadmills and other exercise equipment for my basement gym. I set goals of running half marathons and five mile races but for the most part, I went through the motions, lifted and ran as it fit my schedule and got comfortable in a semi-active/sedentary life. I even happily purchased three pair of “fat pants” in 2005 that had a 36 waist (I never was above a 34 before that).
This brings me up to speed on where I was in the fall of 2011. I had a horrific two-three year period of family issues and even work strain and was seriously looking for direction in life. No, I was not obese or even out of shape, but I was not diesel! Mentally, I was also shot. My mother had just died and the economy had imploded, Obama was president … I can go on and on! Sitting at my desk at work, a few of my co-workers began to talk about the recently completed Wall Street Decathlon. “Hey, wait a minute. There is an event where Wall Street guys can compete in ten events, including a football throw, bench press and dips? Back in the 1980s they were my specialty. I played quarterback in high school and for the Iona College football pre-season workout I bench pressed 225 nineteen times and pumped out 49 dips. The decathlon was actually a combination decathlon and NFL combine and was segmented into age groups. Nobody over forty was going to out-bench press or dip me! I’ll do it! The next day, I reached over my head to scratch my other shoulder and in the process strained my shoulder/back muscle. Thankfully, it did not hurt my phase one conditioning for the 2012 event. While it would take six months to fully recover (the first time I needed physical therapy sessions and saw the benefit of regular sessions) it never affected my bench press, dips or pull-ups. The only event it hindered me on was the football throw and it took a while to be able to throw deep.
The training for the Wall Street Decathlon was a major turning point in the metamorphosis of my exercise routine. I rejoined the sports club because I needed proper weights and equipment to do bench press, dips and pull-ups. I also stepped on a football/track field for the first time in thirty years to throw the football, run forty yard dashes and 400 meters. By the time of the July event date, my forty-seven year old body had transformed. I could now call myself a quasi-athlete competing against a hundred twenty/thirty something year old Wall Streeters who were former college athletes. I held my own and met my pre-event goal of beating all over-forty year olds in bench press and dips. I even came in third place overall in the bench press. My thirty-four reps of 175 pounds was six reps off the first place total. Heck, I hadn’t benched since 1996 and with only a few months of training I came in third place – not bad for an old man.
For fun, because I was in shape and my testosterone level was through the roof, I also looked for other events to compete in. Prior to the decathlon, I competed in my first Spartan Race. If you are not familiar with these events, it is one of many obstacle course races. They take place on mountains and involve running, hiking, jumping, and other type of military training obstacles. They were grueling but fun as heck to compete in. From 2012-2014 I competed in seven different events of various distances.
Unlike my marathon training which I considered grueling and not fun at all, the training for the Wall Street Decathlon and the Spartan events was fun and invigorated me. I immediately looked forward to the next year of events and obsessed over it. I modified and enhanced my workout even more and dedicated myself to not only improving my bench press reps for the 2013 event but to win it outright and break the event record of 41 reps of 175 pounds. I also knew that my dips total of 36 was good for a forty something year old but I knew I could improve. My pull-ups total of 15 was also good for my age group but had room for improvement.
The method to my madness was just laid out in the prior paragraph. In order to improve my bench press, dips and pull-up totals, I needed to do more of each movement. It was not rocket science, so I mixed and matched and came up with a workout formula that I believed would work. The result of the focused training at the 2013 Wall Street Decathlon led to a record breaking performance in the bench press (175 pounds for 42 reps), 44 dips and 18 pull-ups. The 2014 event was just as strong. Working through the after effects of the stomach flu, I again won the Bench Press event (175 pounds for a disappointing 41 reps), 54 dips and 25 pull-ups. I love crunching numbers and if you look through the data you will see the dramatic improvement. 2012 total reps of 85 (bench-34, dips 36, pull-ups 15) was dramatically improved in 2013 with 104 total reps (bench 42, dips 44, pull-ups 18) and then dwarfed in 2014 with 120 total reps (bench 41, dips 54, pull-ups 25). Think about that for a second, as I aged from 47 to 49 I got noticeably stronger.
That’s what this workout will do for you! I have transformed from a good physique to one with ripped muscles and veiny arms that look like the Amazon River flowing. Another motivating factor to get back into muscle growth was a radio commercial that played at the time that had a line “arms like steel cables” and that image resonated in me. Yes, it was just a stupid commercial, but the visual drove me to have “jacked up” arms like steel cables. Now, if only I can apply this exercise to stop the graying and falling out of my hair.
In the next post, I will layout a realistic workout schedule, time/hours needed per week and various tidbits of information to get yourself prepared and committed to a new phase in your life.
Diesel Dad - Bench and Dips specifics
So now you are ready to transform into a Diesel Dad. What secret workout techniques do I have to get this done? None-Zero. There are no secrets here. The key to this routine is consistency, technique, repetition, and building off base levels. There are some core movements that you will have to do. Bench Press, Dips, Pull-ups, Stationary Rower, Jog/run, Squats, Dead Lifts, Box Jumps and Push-ups will consist of the core exercises that will be incorporated into many slices of the schedule. Each workout will be different, though there will be core movements that will be done in slightly different ways.
Bench Press. This is the core movement and will be an integral part of three workout days. The technique I use for all repetitions is a wide grip (on a standard Olympic bar that would be placing your middle finger on the circular grooves on each end. I am 5’9” which is average. For those taller you may choose to place your hands an inch or so wider and those shorter you may choose to place hands an inch closer. Also of importance, each repetition should go all the way down to your chest and touch (kiss it!). Half reps do not count and do absolutely nothing for you. If you can’t perform the rep correctly then go down in weight until you can comfortably do it the right way. This is critically important to this workout. Your back should be firmly on the bench (no “London Bridges” reps!!). You will only be cheating yourself and risk getting hurt if you cheat. Breathing is important. Before each set, I sit and compose myself, take a six count of breathing then lay down and place my arms correctly. Then I take a three count of breathing and begin. For each rep I will breathe out and in. (This sounds like common sense but there are many who hold their breath or do not breathe smoothly). I also recommend doing as many reps without pause as you can. Once you stop at the top to rest, your ability to do reps diminishes significantly. Ideally, on a max rep set I will do as many in a row (185x28 reps as an example). Then I will pause to rest and compose myself. This will be followed by 185x4, rest, 185x2, rest, 185x1, rest, 185x1, FAIL. The entire set would be 185x36. I guarantee that if my first portion had only been 185x26, my next portion would still have been 4 reps.
The three bench press workouts will be different. The first is done as part of a broader routine that also includes squats, dead lifts and other heavy movements. For this day, you would do 1 set of bench press – well actually it is 10 sets built into 1 set. To explain, the workout is 20 minutes of rapid sets, 10 in total. You will do the same reps with each of these sets but go down in weight on each set. I start at 205x20, then 195x20, 185x20, 175x20, 165x20, 155x20, 145x20, 135x20, 125x20, 115x20. From experience, the third-forth-fifth sets are the hardest. This workout is fast and will knock the hell out of your chest.
The second bench press workout is your core bench press of the week. Choose a comfortable number of total reps that you want to complete in 7-8 sets. You will start at a weight that you can do 20 reps and gradually increase the weight performed for 5-6 sets. The 2 final sets will be at the beginning weight until you compile the total rep goal. Currently, I have a goal of 140 total reps. My sets are as follows: 185x38, 205x22, 225x15, 245x10, 275x5, 300x2, 185x28, 185x20. That is it for chest on that day too. For a beginner who can do 135x20 you many want to start with 80 total reps. 135x20, 155x12, 175x8, 185x6, 205x2, 135x18, 135x14.
For the above two routines, you would only do flat bench and do it in a focused manner; that is solely do bench press and then move on to the next body parts. For the third chest workout, it is more involved and embedded in a full-body rotation (more detail on this in additional posts). For this chest workout, you will do 3 sets of flat bench press, 1 set of incline bench press, 1 set of decline bench press, 3 sets of flies (three different angles) and 1 set of bench press to exhaustion to end your workout. The flat bench press sets should begin with a set comparable to your prior workout. I do 165x50, 205x20 and 245x10. This would be followed by incline bench press 205x10 and decline bench press 245x10. The sets of flies should be done with perfect form and wide stretch. Incline Flies 65x10, Mid-incline Flies 65x10 and Flat Flies 65x10. IMPORTANTLY for the sets of incline bench, decline bench and flies you will do 10 reps in your first 4 week cycle. Every fresh four week cycle you will increase by 1 rep but keep the weight constant. So, now nine months into my 12 cycle routine I am doing sets of Incline Bench 205x18, Decline Bench 245x18, Incline Flies 65x18, Mid-incline Flies 65x18 and Flat Flies 65x18. After these 8 sets you will finish with a set of Flat Bench Press and you will be drained by this point. I do 135x30 and it is actually a hard set after a full-body workout.
As you see, there are no tricks her, no secret exercises, no new secret techniques from the Orient. These are very basis movements emphasizing repetitions and scaling up in weight. I do not do cable-crossovers or any nuanced exercises.
Dips go with Bench Press like peanut butter and jelly. A strong tricep is paramount to a strong bench press. Your tricep will look like you have gotten kicked by a mule as you progress with this workout. It will be beefy, well defined and have a huge indentation in the middle of the muscle. Yes, there are other exercises that will develop the tricep, but the Dip is by far the best.
Just like Bench Press, Dips should be done with strict form and completed on a stand-alone Dip rack. The grips/handles should be slightly more than shoulder width apart. For the repetition, start on top with your arms locked out and dip down to where your arms are below parallel. Doing at least one of the set of dips to failure is ideal. I have noticed that as you are repping out you can regroup on top with your arms locked and compose yourself to do a few more reps.
I do Dips three times a week. One workout lasts one minute and consists of one set/maximum reps. After you complete this you would go on to jog. Easy enough, right? A second Dip workout is incorporated into the calisthenics workout. You should do a set number of Dips in 1-3 sets. I do 70 reps in this workout and I break it out into a set of 45 and a set of 25.
The core workout is completed after the Bench Press workout where you do 7-8 sets for 100 or more reps. The Dip component of this workout entails doing 100 – 200 total reps of Dips in 6-8 sets total. Presently, I do 200 total Dips. I begin with a max set of 60 reps. I follow this with sets of 40, 35, 30, 20, & 15. These sets are done using your body weight only, and a warning … you will be very fatigued after Bench Press, so it will not be easy. Regardless, it should only take 15-20 minutes in total.
I spend a lot of time talking about, preparing, visualizing, and mapping out a Bench Press and Dips routine because I believe these two movements are essential for a Diesel Dad physique. The next post will detail the other core movements, including Pull-ups, Box Jumps, Push-ups and Jogging. But again, I want to reiterate that Bench Press and Dips are the two most important exercises you will do in this workout.
Bench Press. This is the core movement and will be an integral part of three workout days. The technique I use for all repetitions is a wide grip (on a standard Olympic bar that would be placing your middle finger on the circular grooves on each end. I am 5’9” which is average. For those taller you may choose to place your hands an inch or so wider and those shorter you may choose to place hands an inch closer. Also of importance, each repetition should go all the way down to your chest and touch (kiss it!). Half reps do not count and do absolutely nothing for you. If you can’t perform the rep correctly then go down in weight until you can comfortably do it the right way. This is critically important to this workout. Your back should be firmly on the bench (no “London Bridges” reps!!). You will only be cheating yourself and risk getting hurt if you cheat. Breathing is important. Before each set, I sit and compose myself, take a six count of breathing then lay down and place my arms correctly. Then I take a three count of breathing and begin. For each rep I will breathe out and in. (This sounds like common sense but there are many who hold their breath or do not breathe smoothly). I also recommend doing as many reps without pause as you can. Once you stop at the top to rest, your ability to do reps diminishes significantly. Ideally, on a max rep set I will do as many in a row (185x28 reps as an example). Then I will pause to rest and compose myself. This will be followed by 185x4, rest, 185x2, rest, 185x1, rest, 185x1, FAIL. The entire set would be 185x36. I guarantee that if my first portion had only been 185x26, my next portion would still have been 4 reps.
The three bench press workouts will be different. The first is done as part of a broader routine that also includes squats, dead lifts and other heavy movements. For this day, you would do 1 set of bench press – well actually it is 10 sets built into 1 set. To explain, the workout is 20 minutes of rapid sets, 10 in total. You will do the same reps with each of these sets but go down in weight on each set. I start at 205x20, then 195x20, 185x20, 175x20, 165x20, 155x20, 145x20, 135x20, 125x20, 115x20. From experience, the third-forth-fifth sets are the hardest. This workout is fast and will knock the hell out of your chest.
The second bench press workout is your core bench press of the week. Choose a comfortable number of total reps that you want to complete in 7-8 sets. You will start at a weight that you can do 20 reps and gradually increase the weight performed for 5-6 sets. The 2 final sets will be at the beginning weight until you compile the total rep goal. Currently, I have a goal of 140 total reps. My sets are as follows: 185x38, 205x22, 225x15, 245x10, 275x5, 300x2, 185x28, 185x20. That is it for chest on that day too. For a beginner who can do 135x20 you many want to start with 80 total reps. 135x20, 155x12, 175x8, 185x6, 205x2, 135x18, 135x14.
For the above two routines, you would only do flat bench and do it in a focused manner; that is solely do bench press and then move on to the next body parts. For the third chest workout, it is more involved and embedded in a full-body rotation (more detail on this in additional posts). For this chest workout, you will do 3 sets of flat bench press, 1 set of incline bench press, 1 set of decline bench press, 3 sets of flies (three different angles) and 1 set of bench press to exhaustion to end your workout. The flat bench press sets should begin with a set comparable to your prior workout. I do 165x50, 205x20 and 245x10. This would be followed by incline bench press 205x10 and decline bench press 245x10. The sets of flies should be done with perfect form and wide stretch. Incline Flies 65x10, Mid-incline Flies 65x10 and Flat Flies 65x10. IMPORTANTLY for the sets of incline bench, decline bench and flies you will do 10 reps in your first 4 week cycle. Every fresh four week cycle you will increase by 1 rep but keep the weight constant. So, now nine months into my 12 cycle routine I am doing sets of Incline Bench 205x18, Decline Bench 245x18, Incline Flies 65x18, Mid-incline Flies 65x18 and Flat Flies 65x18. After these 8 sets you will finish with a set of Flat Bench Press and you will be drained by this point. I do 135x30 and it is actually a hard set after a full-body workout.
As you see, there are no tricks her, no secret exercises, no new secret techniques from the Orient. These are very basis movements emphasizing repetitions and scaling up in weight. I do not do cable-crossovers or any nuanced exercises.
Dips go with Bench Press like peanut butter and jelly. A strong tricep is paramount to a strong bench press. Your tricep will look like you have gotten kicked by a mule as you progress with this workout. It will be beefy, well defined and have a huge indentation in the middle of the muscle. Yes, there are other exercises that will develop the tricep, but the Dip is by far the best.
Just like Bench Press, Dips should be done with strict form and completed on a stand-alone Dip rack. The grips/handles should be slightly more than shoulder width apart. For the repetition, start on top with your arms locked out and dip down to where your arms are below parallel. Doing at least one of the set of dips to failure is ideal. I have noticed that as you are repping out you can regroup on top with your arms locked and compose yourself to do a few more reps.
I do Dips three times a week. One workout lasts one minute and consists of one set/maximum reps. After you complete this you would go on to jog. Easy enough, right? A second Dip workout is incorporated into the calisthenics workout. You should do a set number of Dips in 1-3 sets. I do 70 reps in this workout and I break it out into a set of 45 and a set of 25.
The core workout is completed after the Bench Press workout where you do 7-8 sets for 100 or more reps. The Dip component of this workout entails doing 100 – 200 total reps of Dips in 6-8 sets total. Presently, I do 200 total Dips. I begin with a max set of 60 reps. I follow this with sets of 40, 35, 30, 20, & 15. These sets are done using your body weight only, and a warning … you will be very fatigued after Bench Press, so it will not be easy. Regardless, it should only take 15-20 minutes in total.
I spend a lot of time talking about, preparing, visualizing, and mapping out a Bench Press and Dips routine because I believe these two movements are essential for a Diesel Dad physique. The next post will detail the other core movements, including Pull-ups, Box Jumps, Push-ups and Jogging. But again, I want to reiterate that Bench Press and Dips are the two most important exercises you will do in this workout.
Diesel Dad - Day 1, Week 1, Phase 1
The day has come where you now begin to transform your body. You should be in good basic shape, the doctor has given you a clean bill of health, maybe you are 10-15 pounds overweight but nothing too serious. You can run 3 miles no problem and you have been working out in a gym for enough time to know your capabilities. A hundred dollars or so later, you have new workout shoes, some tight fitting breathable shirts and shorts and you are ready to go.
As you work through the beginning phase you should visualize what you want to accomplish. Write down your daily accomplishments in an exercise log, extrapolate out some realistic (and even unrealistic) goals of where you want to be strength wise in 40-48 weeks. If you achieve these goals, then your body transformation will correlate. Around the 36-40 week timeframe your energy/testosterone level will be through the roof so you should start to look for things to do to occupy a few Saturday/Sunday mornings in the summer. Personally, I like to compete in Spartan Races, but there are so many others that you can also sign-up for that will be fun, challenging and get you hooked to do another … and then another, etc. Tough Mudders, Urban Mudders, Civilian Military Combines and extreme races of all sorts are out there. Google them and see what course and location is best for you. Ask other friends to come and do it with you, but don’t count on it. You are entering another level of physical fitness that 40-50 year old sedentary dads simply will not comprehend. I also look for charity inspired events and the one that I compete in to kick off my event season is the Wall Street Decathlon (www.thedecathlon.org). I end my 48 weeks of training with the culmination of this event. Then during my 4 week rest period (and first 8 weeks of the next yearly cycle) I compete in a myriad of extreme racing events for fun.
But that is down the road and you have a long way to go before you win bench press competitions, climb over walls, grapple down rope fences, carry bags of sand up and down a mountain and jump over a fire pit. Today is Day 1, of Week 1 of Phase 1 of Diesel Dad.
Saturday, AM. This workout will scale into your routine and will be performed once in the first three cycles, then twice in cycles 4-6, three times in cycles 7-9 and four times in the final 10-12 cycles. It is time for Bench Press. I will break this out into Beginner, Moderate and Advanced. Choose your level and set your goals. Do not kill yourself or go out at a heavier pace than you need to do. Your body will tell you when you will be ready with the increased number of repetitions at each weight lifted. The entire workout should take no longer than 90 minutes.
• Advanced: Your goal should be 100 total reps in 7 sets of flat Bench Press. You do not have to do a warm up set. Your first set will warm you up plenty. 185x20, 205x15, 225x8, 245x2, 185x15, 155x20, 135x20. Rest about five minutes between each set, you will need it. By rest, I do not mean stand around and wait. You should use the five minutes to do a few leg exercises. The entire Bench Press portion of the workout should be 30-35 minutes.
o I do legs multiple times a week and intertwine the workouts with upper body. Legs are very important but are one of the first body parts to be neglected. By doing legs in between each Bench Press set, you recover your upper body and get your leg workout in without losing time.
o For legs, I do low impact type of exercises for this workout. In total you should do 24 total sets (3 sets of 8 separate exercises). Between each set of Bench Press, you should do 2 sets of legs. Exercises should include Leg Extensions, Reverse Curls, Calf Raisers, Dumbbell Squats, Dumbbell Toe Touches, and a few others based on what you have at your disposal at your gym.
• Moderate: Your goal should be 100 total reps in 7 sets of flat Bench Press. You do not have to do a warm up set. Your first set will warm you up. 155x20, 175x15, 185x8, 205x2, 155x15, 135x20, 115x20. Rest about five minutes between each set, you will need it. By rest, I do not mean stand around and wait. You should use the five minutes to do a few leg exercises. The entire Bench Press portion of the workout should be 30-35 minutes.
o Also incorporate the legs exercises that are detailed above.
• Beginner: Your goal should be 100 total reps in 7 sets of flat Bench Press. You do not have to do a warm up set. Your first set will warm you up. 135x20, 155x15, 165x8, 185x2, 135x15, 115x20, 95x20. Rest about five minutes between each set, you will need it. By rest, I do not mean stand around and wait. You should use the five minutes to do a few leg exercises. The entire Bench Press portion of the workout should be 30-35 minutes.
o Also incorporate the legs exercises that are detailed above.
The second portion of the workout is Dips. In between each set, continue with your leg exercises until all 24 sets are finished. This portion should take 15-20 minutes.
• Advanced: 100 Dips total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be 60-75% of the prior set. So, an example of this Dips workout would be sets of 30, 25, 20, 15, 10.
• Moderate: 75 Dips total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be 60-75% of the prior set. So, an example of this Dips workout would be sets of 20, 15, 12, 10, 5, 5, 5, 3.
• Beginner: 40 Dips total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be 60-75% of the prior set. So, an example of this Dips workout would be sets of 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4.
The third phase of the workout is Pull-Ups. By this point of the workout, you may have a few leg exercises to complete. This would be the case if a machine was backed up and you could not do it in time and you had to go back to do the Bench Press or Dips set. This portion should also take 15-20 minutes.
• Advanced: 50 Pull-ups total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be lower reps from the prior set. So, an example of this Pull-up workout would be sets of 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4.
• Moderate: 30 Pull-ups total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be lower reps from the prior set. So, an example of this Pull-up workout would be sets of 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.
• Beginner: 15 Pull-ups total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be lower reps from the prior set. So, an example of this Pull-up workout would be sets of 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1.
The final portion of the workout is for cardio. Pick your non-treadmill pleasure (exercise bike, elliptical, etc. and break a sweat for 12 minutes. As with jogging, you will increase your minutes performed of this exercise by one minute every four week cycle until you have capped out at 20 minutes.
This workout will sneak up on you. You may not sweat much, but your chest and triceps should feel flush, tight, numb and good. If you do the workout early in the day, the fatigue may hit you by mid-day and you will crave a good nap! The next day, you should feel sore in all the right spots, yet you should not be hurting. This is a long road to travel and it is not the intention of Diesel Dad to burn you out this early.
The next post will be Day Two of the weekly workout. Day One totaled 90 minutes. Day Two will be 45 minutes, Day Three 60 minutes, Day Four 75 minutes for a total commitment of 5 hours. For the remainder of the first four week cycle, your weekly commitment will drop to 4 hours as you do not have to do this Day 1 – Week 1 workout again until Phase 2.
As you work through the beginning phase you should visualize what you want to accomplish. Write down your daily accomplishments in an exercise log, extrapolate out some realistic (and even unrealistic) goals of where you want to be strength wise in 40-48 weeks. If you achieve these goals, then your body transformation will correlate. Around the 36-40 week timeframe your energy/testosterone level will be through the roof so you should start to look for things to do to occupy a few Saturday/Sunday mornings in the summer. Personally, I like to compete in Spartan Races, but there are so many others that you can also sign-up for that will be fun, challenging and get you hooked to do another … and then another, etc. Tough Mudders, Urban Mudders, Civilian Military Combines and extreme races of all sorts are out there. Google them and see what course and location is best for you. Ask other friends to come and do it with you, but don’t count on it. You are entering another level of physical fitness that 40-50 year old sedentary dads simply will not comprehend. I also look for charity inspired events and the one that I compete in to kick off my event season is the Wall Street Decathlon (www.thedecathlon.org). I end my 48 weeks of training with the culmination of this event. Then during my 4 week rest period (and first 8 weeks of the next yearly cycle) I compete in a myriad of extreme racing events for fun.
But that is down the road and you have a long way to go before you win bench press competitions, climb over walls, grapple down rope fences, carry bags of sand up and down a mountain and jump over a fire pit. Today is Day 1, of Week 1 of Phase 1 of Diesel Dad.
Saturday, AM. This workout will scale into your routine and will be performed once in the first three cycles, then twice in cycles 4-6, three times in cycles 7-9 and four times in the final 10-12 cycles. It is time for Bench Press. I will break this out into Beginner, Moderate and Advanced. Choose your level and set your goals. Do not kill yourself or go out at a heavier pace than you need to do. Your body will tell you when you will be ready with the increased number of repetitions at each weight lifted. The entire workout should take no longer than 90 minutes.
• Advanced: Your goal should be 100 total reps in 7 sets of flat Bench Press. You do not have to do a warm up set. Your first set will warm you up plenty. 185x20, 205x15, 225x8, 245x2, 185x15, 155x20, 135x20. Rest about five minutes between each set, you will need it. By rest, I do not mean stand around and wait. You should use the five minutes to do a few leg exercises. The entire Bench Press portion of the workout should be 30-35 minutes.
o I do legs multiple times a week and intertwine the workouts with upper body. Legs are very important but are one of the first body parts to be neglected. By doing legs in between each Bench Press set, you recover your upper body and get your leg workout in without losing time.
o For legs, I do low impact type of exercises for this workout. In total you should do 24 total sets (3 sets of 8 separate exercises). Between each set of Bench Press, you should do 2 sets of legs. Exercises should include Leg Extensions, Reverse Curls, Calf Raisers, Dumbbell Squats, Dumbbell Toe Touches, and a few others based on what you have at your disposal at your gym.
• Moderate: Your goal should be 100 total reps in 7 sets of flat Bench Press. You do not have to do a warm up set. Your first set will warm you up. 155x20, 175x15, 185x8, 205x2, 155x15, 135x20, 115x20. Rest about five minutes between each set, you will need it. By rest, I do not mean stand around and wait. You should use the five minutes to do a few leg exercises. The entire Bench Press portion of the workout should be 30-35 minutes.
o Also incorporate the legs exercises that are detailed above.
• Beginner: Your goal should be 100 total reps in 7 sets of flat Bench Press. You do not have to do a warm up set. Your first set will warm you up. 135x20, 155x15, 165x8, 185x2, 135x15, 115x20, 95x20. Rest about five minutes between each set, you will need it. By rest, I do not mean stand around and wait. You should use the five minutes to do a few leg exercises. The entire Bench Press portion of the workout should be 30-35 minutes.
o Also incorporate the legs exercises that are detailed above.
The second portion of the workout is Dips. In between each set, continue with your leg exercises until all 24 sets are finished. This portion should take 15-20 minutes.
• Advanced: 100 Dips total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be 60-75% of the prior set. So, an example of this Dips workout would be sets of 30, 25, 20, 15, 10.
• Moderate: 75 Dips total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be 60-75% of the prior set. So, an example of this Dips workout would be sets of 20, 15, 12, 10, 5, 5, 5, 3.
• Beginner: 40 Dips total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be 60-75% of the prior set. So, an example of this Dips workout would be sets of 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4.
The third phase of the workout is Pull-Ups. By this point of the workout, you may have a few leg exercises to complete. This would be the case if a machine was backed up and you could not do it in time and you had to go back to do the Bench Press or Dips set. This portion should also take 15-20 minutes.
• Advanced: 50 Pull-ups total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be lower reps from the prior set. So, an example of this Pull-up workout would be sets of 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4.
• Moderate: 30 Pull-ups total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be lower reps from the prior set. So, an example of this Pull-up workout would be sets of 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.
• Beginner: 15 Pull-ups total. Your first set should be max reps and each subsequent set should be lower reps from the prior set. So, an example of this Pull-up workout would be sets of 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1.
The final portion of the workout is for cardio. Pick your non-treadmill pleasure (exercise bike, elliptical, etc. and break a sweat for 12 minutes. As with jogging, you will increase your minutes performed of this exercise by one minute every four week cycle until you have capped out at 20 minutes.
This workout will sneak up on you. You may not sweat much, but your chest and triceps should feel flush, tight, numb and good. If you do the workout early in the day, the fatigue may hit you by mid-day and you will crave a good nap! The next day, you should feel sore in all the right spots, yet you should not be hurting. This is a long road to travel and it is not the intention of Diesel Dad to burn you out this early.
The next post will be Day Two of the weekly workout. Day One totaled 90 minutes. Day Two will be 45 minutes, Day Three 60 minutes, Day Four 75 minutes for a total commitment of 5 hours. For the remainder of the first four week cycle, your weekly commitment will drop to 4 hours as you do not have to do this Day 1 – Week 1 workout again until Phase 2.
Diesel Dad - Day 3, Week 1 - Phase 1
By the third day of the week, you upper body should be sore but feeling good and it is a nice time to give it a little rest. The Day 3 workout will be fast and focus on building your cardiovascular base. The upper body portion should take no more than 5 minutes.
The first thing on the agenda is one set of Dips, maximum reps. Do as many as you can. You will be fresh so you should be able to do more than your other days. Push yourself, it will be over in less than a minute.
The second upper body exercise is one set of Pull-ups, maximum reps. Again, like Dips, do as many as you can. Do this set after a 3-4 minute rest after Dips. Wide grip, good form for most of them but if you need to kip and yank yourself up for as many as you can get that is fine.
The next phase of the workout is the stationary Concept 2 rower. You should go to the Standard Workouts, 500m/1 min rest option. You should do one set of 500 meters, good form and try for the set to be completed in less than 2 minutes. You will be surprised at how hard this exercise will be as it works your entire body. Keep good form, pull hard, and shoot for 8-10 pulls per 100 meters.
After no more than 10 minutes of workout you will be ready to get on the treadmill for 5 miles. Since you already jogged 3 miles in the previous day workout, you will complete your 8 mile goal this day. Now, if you decided to run 2 miles or 4 miles the previous day then adjust the mileage for this workout accordingly. Do not get too far ahead of yourself and run 10-12 miles, you will get there soon enough in the coming months. For this jogging portion, pick up the pace a bit. Advanced runners should be in the 8 minute to 8 ½ minute per mile range (and finish in 40-42 ½ minutes). Moderate runners should be in the 8 ½ to 9 ½ minute per mile range (and finish 42 ½ - 47 ½ minutes) while beginner runners should be in the 9 ½ to 10 minute per mile range (47 ½ - 50 minutes).
I like to run on the treadmill as you can increase and decrease your speed along the way. I like to go faster during the first half of the run and slow it down on the back end but average a 9 minute or less per mile pace.
You should do sets of 200 reps with the Hand Grip during the run.
The entire workout should be completed in less than 1 hour. For the week you will have worked out for 4 total hours and you will have one workout remaining in the week.
The first thing on the agenda is one set of Dips, maximum reps. Do as many as you can. You will be fresh so you should be able to do more than your other days. Push yourself, it will be over in less than a minute.
The second upper body exercise is one set of Pull-ups, maximum reps. Again, like Dips, do as many as you can. Do this set after a 3-4 minute rest after Dips. Wide grip, good form for most of them but if you need to kip and yank yourself up for as many as you can get that is fine.
The next phase of the workout is the stationary Concept 2 rower. You should go to the Standard Workouts, 500m/1 min rest option. You should do one set of 500 meters, good form and try for the set to be completed in less than 2 minutes. You will be surprised at how hard this exercise will be as it works your entire body. Keep good form, pull hard, and shoot for 8-10 pulls per 100 meters.
After no more than 10 minutes of workout you will be ready to get on the treadmill for 5 miles. Since you already jogged 3 miles in the previous day workout, you will complete your 8 mile goal this day. Now, if you decided to run 2 miles or 4 miles the previous day then adjust the mileage for this workout accordingly. Do not get too far ahead of yourself and run 10-12 miles, you will get there soon enough in the coming months. For this jogging portion, pick up the pace a bit. Advanced runners should be in the 8 minute to 8 ½ minute per mile range (and finish in 40-42 ½ minutes). Moderate runners should be in the 8 ½ to 9 ½ minute per mile range (and finish 42 ½ - 47 ½ minutes) while beginner runners should be in the 9 ½ to 10 minute per mile range (47 ½ - 50 minutes).
I like to run on the treadmill as you can increase and decrease your speed along the way. I like to go faster during the first half of the run and slow it down on the back end but average a 9 minute or less per mile pace.
You should do sets of 200 reps with the Hand Grip during the run.
The entire workout should be completed in less than 1 hour. For the week you will have worked out for 4 total hours and you will have one workout remaining in the week.
Wall Street Decathlon
Once again I am competing in the Wall Street Decathlon. As a reminder, the Wall Street Decathlon is an event held every June that is a combination of the NFL Combine and a track and field decathlon. Over 150 people come together to compete and IMPORTANTLY raise money for the Pediatric Cancer Center Research at Sloan Kettering.
https://nyc.thedecathlon.org/competit...
Almost $6 million has been raised via this great and fun event and I am proud to be a part of this for my fifth consecutive year. The support I have received over the years from my family and friends has been tremendous. I do not ask for much, and no amount is too small (or big). 100% of the proceeds go towards funding this cause and what had come as a shock to me – this fundraising effort provides almost all of the dollars that Sloan Kettering receives to support the program. You see, while pediatric cancer is horrific, because the patient population is fairly small (compared to other types of cancer) the pharmaceutical industry does not provide the adequate support to the hospitals to effectively treat the children in need. The more I hear about this, the greater my drive to help the kids!
I say it every year, and the broken record continues. This is probably my last year competing and I really want to top $25k in cumulative contributions for the five years I will have been a part of it. I will most likely be the oldest grayest participant, but I still compete as hard as the younger and better athletes. No, I do not run well, but I do represent at a very high level in the strength events. Bench press is my marquee event so if you are generous enough to support me then make me earn it and meet or exceed my 45 reps for bench press I plan on exceeding. By exceeding 45 reps of 175 pounds, I would break the bench press record once again. Each of the ten events is scored on a 1,000 point system, and my ultimate goal is to get 3,000 points in the bench press, dips and pull-ups – this would also be a record for the Wall Street Decathlon and one that a 51 year old man should not be able to approach.
I am going to try – please be a part of this and support not just me, but this great cause.
Thank you
David
https://nyc.thedecathlon.org/competit...
Almost $6 million has been raised via this great and fun event and I am proud to be a part of this for my fifth consecutive year. The support I have received over the years from my family and friends has been tremendous. I do not ask for much, and no amount is too small (or big). 100% of the proceeds go towards funding this cause and what had come as a shock to me – this fundraising effort provides almost all of the dollars that Sloan Kettering receives to support the program. You see, while pediatric cancer is horrific, because the patient population is fairly small (compared to other types of cancer) the pharmaceutical industry does not provide the adequate support to the hospitals to effectively treat the children in need. The more I hear about this, the greater my drive to help the kids!
I say it every year, and the broken record continues. This is probably my last year competing and I really want to top $25k in cumulative contributions for the five years I will have been a part of it. I will most likely be the oldest grayest participant, but I still compete as hard as the younger and better athletes. No, I do not run well, but I do represent at a very high level in the strength events. Bench press is my marquee event so if you are generous enough to support me then make me earn it and meet or exceed my 45 reps for bench press I plan on exceeding. By exceeding 45 reps of 175 pounds, I would break the bench press record once again. Each of the ten events is scored on a 1,000 point system, and my ultimate goal is to get 3,000 points in the bench press, dips and pull-ups – this would also be a record for the Wall Street Decathlon and one that a 51 year old man should not be able to approach.
I am going to try – please be a part of this and support not just me, but this great cause.
Thank you
David
