DTP Week 1 Day 2 -- Arms

I was supposed to update this yesterday but I just forgot. So, yesterday was my second day on this program and I did arms. Woo, it was NOT easy at all! I really am glad that I actually took the trouble to read the DTP article on arms yesterday, just before I went to do it. I planned to superset the bi's and tri's, and realized that even the test runners couldn't get it done.

So I started of with bi's. Not sure the actual reason, but it seems that my pull up strength decreased a little. But not to worry, gonna get it back in no time. So 3 x 6 body only parallel-grip chin-ups then went on to machine preacher curls for a quick warm up. 3 sets all together for 20, 15, 10 with 18kg (40lbs), 20kg (45lbs) and 25kg (55lbs).

Now my bi's are nice and tight, feeling good and fired up, I started my training in hell with pre-loaded straight barbell curls:

1st set: 50 x 10kg (22lbs)
I used a conventional overhand grip with shoulder width apart and started hammering my bi's, thinking it would be very easy since it's so light. But I was wrong. 50 reps were not little and since I've never taken my muscles to such high repetition workouts, I can feel the pump almost immediately after my 40th rep. But it still wasn't that bad as I was able to get through with it without much problems.

2nd set: 40 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
This is seriously tiring and my bi's were seriously pumped by then. Difficult but not enough to struggle. Took a few seconds to finish the last 2~3 reps though.

3rd set: 30 x 15kg (33lbs)
Seriously, I felt as if I was curling 60 pounds with this weight. It was MADNESS! My bi's have never felt weaker than it was. Started to struggle at about my 18th rep and to prevent swinging, I incorporated the rest-pause technique.
 
4th set: 20 x 17.5kg (39lbs)
Now this set was killing me. 20 reps seem so little yet so many. My bi's have never been so pumped, EVER in my life. It was already starting to get difficult for me to curl them up to full contraction as they were so tight and it was really very tough to get pass even 15 reps. Rest-pause was used at every other rep after 10 reps.

5th set: 10 x 25kg (55lbs)
This is the killer man. I thought since this and the next set were the heaviest set, I might as well get to 70% of my 1RM. I regretted making that decision. After my 3rd rep, rest-pause was seriously in play for every single rep.

6th set: 10 x 25kg (55lbs)
This set is dreadful, but not the craziest yet, you'll see. I switched to wide-grip to hit my inner bi's as they have been the weaker of the 2 heads. With this grip, not only my bi's were burning, I can feel my forearm a little more in this set.

7th set: 20 x 17.5kg (39lbs)
I swear that this weight felt twice as heavy than it was 5 minutes ago. It was pure madness. My bi's were literally burning right now.

8th set: 30 x 15kg (33lbs)
"I just wanted this to get over with." That was the only thing going through my mind at that point. I've never used so many rest-pauses in my entire bodybuilding journey before. I've set a new record, only to be broken in the next set.

9th set: 40 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
After about 20 reps, I started to cheat as I couldn't get the weights up properly by then. My rest-pause was even getting outrageous. Usually what I do is I hang on the weight and finish them up, but the stress was too high that I have to lie the bar on the floor, take a few deep breaths, only was I able to start again, A FEW TIMES in one single set!

10th set: 50 x 10kg (22lbs)
Surprisingly, this wasn't the most dreadful set, the previous one was though. My forearm was so pumped and tight and I couldn't even rack up the weights using one hand. I wasn't even able to close my grip properly, especially my left hand.



Up till then, only 20 minutes went past and 300 reps of biceps curl went past. 5 minutes short break with stretching, I went on with 3 x 10 of dips with body only.

I always thought that with my stronger tri's, it shouldn't be too much of a problem compared to my bi's. I was so wrong. And so I chose skull crushers with EZ-bar for yesterday:

1st set: 50 x 10kg (22lbs)
I started with the conventional close grip skull crushers. And even on my first set, I was already struggling on my last 10 reps. I can already feel the pump. Though the set was dreadful but the pump was awesome.

2nd set: 40 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
I was already struggling on this set. Never figured that my tri's are so weak towards high reps routines. Rest-pause was already in play.

3rd set: 30 x 15kg (33lbs)
My tri's felt so weak that I actually have to sit up and rest the bar on my lap at about my 20th rep, then only could I finish the remaining reps. The pump was so great that I felt as if my tri's are gonna pop right outta my skin.

4th set: 20 x 20kg (44lbs)
With only 20 reps, I actually have to sit up and rest the bar on my lap TWICE! Crazy pump. My tri's felt so fatigue that I started to realize that I may not be able to finish the workout and I was a little worried.

5th set: 10 x 25 (55lbs)
If it wasn't for that spotter, I wouldn't even made it to the 9th rep at all. My 10th rep was technically a forced rep. FAIL!

6th set: 10 x 25 (55lbs)
I switched my grip to a wider grip this time and everything went exactly like the last set. Again, FAIL!

7th set: 20 x 20kg (44lbs)
I struggled throughout the WHOLE set and cheating along the way. Just crazy.

8th set: 10 x 15kg (33lbs) [Something went wrong!]
With only 10 reps, my tendons felt a little weird and I knew that I have to stop this exercise. And so I did.

I racked the bar then went upstairs thinking that I should probably do v-bar triceps pushdown to finish it up, since the movement is the closest to skull crushers.

8th set (attempt 2): 30 x 22.7kg (50lbs)
Good attempt and the burn was still there. Not really able to hold at full contraction though, too tight up to do it and too weak.

9th set: 40 x 20.4kg (45lbs)
Insane burn and cheating a little bit right at the end.

10th set: 50 x 18.1kg (40lbs)
I was literally cheating the last 20 reps in a very fast pace. I wasn't really able to control my tri's anymore. Pure insanity!



And so, this concludes my workout from yesterday and now my arms sore so badly that I can't actually straighten my arms as my bi's will feel the pain. Really starting to love this routine.