Tom Venuto's BodybuildingSecrets.com

The fireworks were in the gym today!

Tom Venuto

Happy 4th of July! Time for another round of deltoids and triceps! Holiday or no holiday, it’s business as usual… Gonna light some fireworks on these stubborn body parts and make them explode like cannon balls! Here’s what today’s Independence Day workout looked like:

DELTOIDS

A1 Seated 2 Dumbbell Front Raise
3 sets X 35 lbs X 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps
A2 Dumbbell Side lateral raise
Set 1: 30 lbs X 11 reps seated, then stand up for 6 more reps (stricter seated; easier standing)
Set 2: 30 lbs X 8 reps seated, then stand up for 6 more reps, then drop weight to 20 lbs X 5 reps straight arm laterals with 5 second holds at top (like “iron cross”)
Set 3: 30 lbs X 8 reps seated, then stand up for 6 more reps, then drop weight to 20 lbs X 6 reps straight arm laterals with 5 second holds at top (like “iron cross”), then rep out fast reps (1010)
B1 Seated Dumbbell Press
1 set X 70 lbs X 11 reps X 3020
B2 Seated “W Press” (press with neutral/palms facing grip)
1 set X 45 lbs X 8 reps X 2020
C1 Seated Dumbbell Press
1 set X 65 lbs X 10 reps
C2 Arnold Presses (rotate hands; supinate to pronate while pressing up)
1 set X 45 lbs X 8 reps
D1 Seated Dumbbell Press
1 set X 65 lbs X 10 reps
D2 Alternating Dumbbell Presses (left-right-left)
1 set X 45 lbs X 8 reps each arm
E1 Rear Delt Machine (reverse Pec Dec flyes)
3 sets X 140 lbs X 16, 15, 14 reps X 3011 tempo, last set, drop weight to 90 for 8 more reps with the pronated (palms down) handle grip

TRICEPS

A1 Seated Tricep Bar French Press (Behind Head tricep extension)
3 sets X 90, 85, 80 lbs X 12 reps, 8 reps, 7 reps
A2 2 Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
3 sets X 35 lbs X 12 reps, 12 reps, 12 reps X 2011 tempo
B1 Lying EZ-Bar tricep extension
2 sets X 100 lbs, 90 lbs X 12 reps, 10 reps
B2 EZ bar pullover
2 sets X 100 lbs, 90 lbs X 10 reps, 8 reps
B3 EZ bar close grip bench
2 sets X 100 lbs, 90 lbs X 8 reps, 6 reps

ABS

A1 Crunches
3 sets X bodyweight X 30 reps, strict
B1 Swiss Ball side flexion (side crunch)
3 sets X bodyweight X 20 reps, strict
C1 Hip lift (“toes to sky”)
3 sets X bodyweight X 25 reps, strict

Workout Commentary

If you compare this session to the last one, you’ll see that it’s mostly the same workout (with a few minor changes), but I bumped up the weights and or reps on almost everything. When I land on a workout that works, I like to milk it until it stops working…. But I don’t repeat it exactly, I build on the last one… more weight, more reps.

I don’t subscribe by any set rules about how long I stay with a workout, but as a generalization, I’d say any workout is good for about 4-6 sessions before the muscles adapt and say, “screw you, we ain’t growin any more!” That’s when it’s time for a new routine. Sometimes, I can notice the growth from a new routine start to diminish in as few as 3 exposures.

A beginner might be able to stay on the same exercises, sets, reps and techniques for months, but after you’ve been training 20 years, it’s a constant effort to keep stimulating new growth. For the advanced bodybuilder, it’s not a bad idea to change something every 4-6 weeks, if not sooner.

The problem you’re faced with is, how do you provide progressive overload if you’re always changing stuff? Well, for one thing, change (“muscle confusion), IS a form of progressive overload. However, the point can’t be dismissed. Continuity is important. So what I sometimes do is use continuity AND confusion. I may stay with one exercise or combination of exercises for six weeks, while changing everything else in the workout, so that each workout has elements of continuity and muscle confusion at the same time.

Years ago, when I used to train with Richie several times a week, he would never give me the same workout twice. Never, not once, did he ever repeat the same workout. I know this method works because I grew like crazy from those “Richie sessions,” but given a choice, I prefer the combination of continuity plus confusion. This helps me psychologically as well, because I know in advance what the goal is for each workout and I can mentally rehearse the session beforehand using visualization. Even when I change things frequently, it’s not by the seat of my pants - there’s a purpose for every change and every choice of new exercise.

Anyway, you can see this principle at work in today’s workout, as I kept half of my tricep workout the same as the last two weeks, while changing the other half.

There were no forced reps today, as I was training alone, but I did use some drop sets. I’m going to continue with this program at least a couple more sessions.

As I added weight on the overhead tricep extensions, my elbows started to hurt a little, so I may change the bar or switch to a dumbbell next week (I’ve been using the tricep bar that has the close neutral grip - palms facing each other). Sometimes if you get joint pain, a simple change of grip can help. I’ve used Joint support supplements like glucosamine / chondroitin in the past as well and will do so again if necessary. I find that increasing the healthy fats is good for joint relief as well.

I changed up my cardio today. Instead of 30 minutes on the stairmaster, I did 45 minutes on the lifecycle (I have a Lifecycle 9100 at home strategically located in front of the TV so I can watch videos and DVDs. Not much TV watching though… TV is “mental candy!”… the greatest mind-numbing, body-destroying and income-reducing device ever invented. You wouldn’t put candy in your body before a contest, so why would you put it into your mind?)

I was only on level 4, 85-90 rpms, which was good for burning 350 calories. If you go by the readouts on the machine, the calorie burn on the bike is much lower than the stairclimber, which makes sense, since you’re sitting on your rear end (gotta push it hard on a bike to get the heart rate up). My heart rate was only in the 120-130 range and I’d rate the perceived exertion a 5, and only that because the bike is fatiguing to the quads. Actually, that’s one reason I like the bike. I find it helps with hardness, definition and vascularity in the quads. I plan on starting to do some interval training soon for variety and to get the calorie burn up higher…. It’s all about burning those calories!

Until next time, train hard and if you want to know why I’m working out on a holiday, when I could be at Point Pleasant, getting a tan, drinking beer, eating pizza, surrounded by babes in bikinis, check out this article called, “Merry Christmas, Bob.” It’s posted on my friend Renee (Skwigg)’s website (great site & blog, by the way) http://www.skwigg.com/id13.html (Warning: it’s hilarous but rated “R” due to harsh language). The first time I read it when it was originally published on Testosterone magazine, I almost busted a gut laughing so hard… but I’ve never read anything more true…

Published on 04 July, 2005

Comments

Kev said:

Yeah, don't forget your Tan, Tom ;)
Do you use those tan tablets at all or is most of the tan the rub on kind for shows?

Re: your abs workout - do you use the kegel & vacuum excercises when performing the reps/durations?

Loved the humour in the excellent Merry Xmas Bob article lol
that's a great story to fuel the desire to get & stay lean :)

Posted on Jul 06, 2005 04:39 PM

Rich said:

tom, you're from new jersey right? It's odd because every time you post your blogs, it's always two days late. Like when you posted the july 4th workout, it's already july 6th today (in Massachusetts) so is there an error or are you just two days late?

Posted on Jul 06, 2005 05:06 PM

Tom Venuto said:

Base tan from the sun or tanning bed, then at least 3-4 coats of pro tan. Will go over the final week coloring process the week before the show...

Re: Do I do "Kegels"???? Uhhh... isn't that an, ummm... "pelvic" strengthening exercise? Got plenty of strength there already :-)

Re: Vacuums. I do mess around with vacuums a little bit, but not much... mostly the traditional bodybuilding style ab training with a little bit of swiss ball and core work. The only reason I did bodyweight only high rep ab work today is I've been going easy on my back lately and the hanging leg raises and heavy weighted ab work will aggravate my low back if I push it, especially to the point of fatigue or failure.

Posted on Jul 06, 2005 05:08 PM

Tom Venuto said:

Yeah, I'm from Jersey - NYC area. As a general rule, I will post on the blog on a 24 hour delay. Last few days I just happened to post 2 days late. In the future I will post same day, or on 1 day delay, but mostly likely, the blogs will be shorter.

Posted on Jul 06, 2005 05:11 PM

Abe said:

Tom,

With regards to your ab exercises, I have a question about the order. I was always under the impression that lower ab exercises such as the hip lift work both upper and lower abs, whereas exercises like the crunch target upper abs almost exclusively. With this in mind, I always work lower abs before upper, as upper will be slightly pre-exhausted by my lower ab exercises. Thoughts?

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 02:30 PM

Tom Venuto said:

Lower abs first is the general rule, but rules were made to be broken. I do in fact, usually perform the lower ab exercises first as they are generally more difficult, especially hanging leg raisese, etc., but I prefer not to limit myself with rules. Your body tends to adapt to anything and sometimes an order or exercise change is just what you need to shock complacent muscles into growing. Same story with compound before isolation exercises. Some people say "never" do leg extensions before squats, or flyes before bench press, or laterals before military press. Why not? Pre-exhuastion may limit your poundage, but who's to say you won't get even better growth with less weight on a compound exercise on a pre-exhausted muscle?

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 09:49 PM

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