Once again I find myself evaluating my workout routine and making changes.  After my back injury and subsequent recovery, I've been in a constant state of evaluation so far as my strength training routine is concerned.  There are areas where I need to focus a little more effort, and there are areas where I've been pushing too hard.

For instance, I need to put more effort into my chest workout in order to get the results I want, thus I've added a supplemental chest workout to my Thursday routine.  This isn't permanent and will only last until I make some progress in that area, then I'll narrow it back down to one day per week.

Two areas (or one overall area) that I was overworking were my abs and obliques.  For that reason, rather than working those areas every day, I've consolidate those exercises to three days per week with one day of rest between each of those days.

I've also changed a few of the exercises and have increased the repetition range slightly in order to push myself a little harder.

My cardio routine still only consists of walking.  Since I always use the stairs at work, hour-long walks each day simply augment that and provide adequate cardio exercise.  Eventually I'll replace my bike and get back into riding.

I'm no longer getting up at 4:00 AM to hit the gym.  I just couldn't manage my time tightly enough to get enough sleep based on that schedule, so now I'm hitting the weights in the afternoon when I get home from work.  If I have to work late and am not able to go to the gym, I simply push that day's workout routine into the next day and perform two routines instead of one.  Since this isn't frequent, it shouldn't hurt me.

I stretch for 30 minutes prior to each workout.  I focus on the muscle groups that I'll be working that day but include a general full-body stretch routine as well.

I've updated the workout routine to exclude repetition numbers for exercises where the repetitions increase without limit (such as crunches, pull-ups, etc.).  For these exercises, the x in the repetition columns simply indicates that I don't have a limited or target range.  I simply force myself (to failure) by increasing the repetitions each week by at least two.  For instance, if I'm doing three sets of 20 crunches this week, I'll push myself to do at least two sets of 20 and one set of 22 next week.  Since these exercises don't include easily increased weight (only body resistance), it made more sense to remove the reps from the table and use a variable instead.

 

Monday	Chest, Abs, Obliques
	Set 1 Reps Set 2 Reps Set 3 Reps Crunch Twist/Leg Lift x x x Crunch x x x Bench Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Decline Bench Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Incline Bench Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Pec Deck Fly 8-12 8-12 8-12 Dumbbell Fly 8-12 8-12 8-12 Dumbbell Pullover 8-12 8-12 8-12 Decline Push-up* x x x Incline Push-up x x x Diamond Push-up x x x Chest Dip x x x Push-up x x x**
Tuesday	Upper Back, Lats
	Set 1 Reps Set 2 Reps Set 3 Reps Rear Pulldown 8-12 8-12 8-12 Bent-over Row 8-12 8-12 8-12 Front Pulldown 8-12 8-12 8-12 Bench Row 8-12 8-12 8-12 Straight Back Rowing 8-12 8-12 8-12 Pull-up*** x x x
Wednesday	Lower Back, Legs, Abs, Obliques
	Set 1 Reps Set 2 Reps Set 3 Reps Side Bend x x x Twisting Crunch x x x Incline Hip Raise x x x Squat 8-12 8-12 8-12 Standing Calf Raise 8-12 8-12 8-12 Deadlift 8-12 8-12 8-12 Leg Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Stiff-leg Deadlift 8-12 8-12 8-12 Leg Extension 8-12 8-12 8-12 Lying Leg Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12
Thursday	Shoulders, Traps, Chest
	Set 1 Reps Set 2 Reps Set 3 Reps Military Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Behind Neck Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Shrug 8-12 8-12 8-12 Upright Row 8-12 8-12 8-12 Haney Shrug 8-12 8-12 8-12 Lateral Fly 8-12 8-12 8-12 Decline Push-up* x x x Incline Push-up x x x Diamond Push-up x x x Push-up x x x**
Friday	Arms, Abs, Obliques
	Set 1 Reps Set 2 Reps Set 3 Reps Crunch Twist/Leg Lift x x x Incline Twisting Crunch x x x Hip Raise x x x Pushdown 8-12 8-12 8-12 Barbell Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12 Triceps Extension 8-12 8-12 8-12 Dumbbell Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12 Tricep Press 8-12 8-12 8-12 Concentration Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12 Hammer Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12 Wrist Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12 Reverse Wrist Curl 8-12 8-12 8-12

* I perform the decline push-ups in a progressively more difficult manner by inclining my feet higher for each set.

** I normally follow the last set of push-ups with an immediate drop-set.  That is, once I fail on the last set, I immediately put my knees on the ground and do a set that way.  I know — sissy push-ups.  All I have to say is try it once after you've done three sets to failure on the last set.  You'll understand.

*** For the pull-ups, I try to change the type of pull-ups I'm doing, sometimes from set to set and sometimes from workout to workout (weekly).  There's no science to it — it's all based on how I'm feeling and whether I think I'm up to a challenge.  The pull-up types are wide-grip, close-grip, and rear (behind the head).