[n88tr]

Let's get to it. I'm on a cut but I still move heavy weights. I am currently recovering from a knee injury so I'm keeping my lower workouts on low weight.

Tuesday 25th 2008
up 930 am

945 breakfast:
1/2 lb reduced-sodium turkey
3 slices whole wheat bread
1/2 pt no calories Green Tea
1 cup oatmeal

1015
1 teaspoon creatine mixed w/ 1/2 cup water

1045 gym
traps and tris

shrugs starting out with 1 warmup set of 60 lbs [meaning one 30lb DB in each hand]
progress into heavier weights, 1 set [7-8 reps] 45 lbs
2 sets 40 lbs
1 set 25
1 set 35

chest raises w/ barbell
bar is 45 lbs, added 2 10 lb plates - 65 lbs total 1 set
added 2 more 10lb plates - 85 lbs total 1 set
minused 2 10lb plates, added 2 5 lb plates - 75 lbs total 3 sets

ropepull downs 1 warmup set [tris were my first exercise that I started out with]
60 lbs warmup set, 12 reps
heavier 90 lbs, 6-8 reps, 1 set
lighter 70 lbs, 1 set
lighter still 60 lbs, 1 set
little heavier final set, 70 lbs

ropepull downs w/ straight bar, overhand close grip
warmup set 80 lbs, 10-12 reps, 1 set
a bit heavier: 90 lbs, 6-8 reps, 3 sets

ropepull downs w/ single handle [like the cross cable workout, that grip]
left arm is weaker than right...
LA [left arm] 30 lbs, 10-12 reps, 1 set
RA 40 lbs, 10-12 reps, 1 set
LA 40lbs, 6-8 reps, 3 set
LA 40lbs till failure, 50 lbs, only 4 reps, 1 set
RA 50lbs, 3 set
RA till failure, 60 lbs, 5 reps, 2 sets

little break, 5 mins, started my whey shake while working out after drinking 500 ml of water

tricep press downs [machine]
till failure both sets: start out 72 lbs, 6-8 reps, 1 set
final set: 100 lb, couldn't do it, lowered to 84, was really hard but I got 7 reps done

cool down, post of 2 scoops whey [~ 45 g protein, 160 cal], 1 teaspoon creatine, 1 slice white bread [fast-digesting carb], 2 supp pills

1230 pm, back at home, 2nd meal
3 small carrots
1 medium head brocholli w/ tiny bit of Ranch dressing, maybe 1/2 teaspoon
Met-rx protein bar, 310 cal, 3 sat fat, 32 g protein
1 pt Green Tea [pre-made, 180 cal, 21 g sugar, bad I know]
2 fish oil pills
1 CLA flax seed pill
1 multivitamin

So far. I will complete it by tonight. All comments welcome, esp suggestions.

[ibanezman88]

meals are fine so far
what are you macronutrient totals?

you might want to add some variety to your tricep training. when you said chest raises, did you mean close-grip bench press? if so, that's good because close-grip bench press adds some good mass to your triceps.

you might want to add some overhead tricep extensions with the EZ bar and Lying Tricep Extension a.k.a. skullcrushers.

these exersises are good for building the mass on the triceps.

also, since you're not doing too much for traps (which is ok IMO) you might want to add that to your shoulder or back workout and then put biceps with triceps so you can work them both in the same day.

what is your current split?

also, for writing your workouts, you might want to follow one of these formats.

Close-grip Bench press - 4x12
rope pushdowns - 4x10
etc.

or

close-grip bench press
1x15 45lbs
1x12 55lbs
1x10 65lbs
etc

it's much easier to read and will keep people more interested.

keep it up buddy.

[n88tr]

I'm not doing much for traps? Aww man, I thought all those shrugs were plenty.

I've not done any close grip bench presses, though I want to try them.
------

315 pm 3rd meal
1 large banana
2 slices whole wheat bread
Promax Protein bar, 20 g protein, 280 cal
1/2 pint green tea [80 cal]
2 omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA fish oil pill

625 pm 4th meal
2 slices ww bread
1/3 lb meatballs w/ tomato sauce
1 2% skim glass milk
Promax Protein bar, 20 g protein, 280 cal
2 omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA fish oil pill

915 pm 5th meal
1/3 lb reduced-sodium turkey
1 yoplait yogurt, no sugar no fat [100 cal]
1 glass 2% skim milk [90 cal]
2 omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA fish oil pill

1200 pm 6th meal
casein shake w/ 300 ml water

bed 1215 pm

3-26-08 wednesday
845 am up

900 am meal 1
3 whole scrambled eggs, 2 slices whole wheat
1 cup oatmeal w/ water
1 cup 2% skim milk
1 multivitamin pill
2 omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA fish oil pill
2 advil liquid gell pills [for right knee]

10 am
1 teaspoon of creatine in 1 cup water

-- will do light lower workout today, at 1030 actually. I will try to neaten up my sets/reps numbers for readers, ty for the tip.

What do you mean by macronutrients... like my breakdowns of fat, protein and carbs?

[n88tr]

1030
lower body workout [light, light, light for working knee]

3 mins LI on track, warmup
seated leg press
1 x 6 100
1 x 6 120
2 x 6 90

leg press
2 x 6 130
2 x 6 230

hack squat
2 x 8 130
2 x 8 260

single leg curl
left leg 2 x 8 50
right leg 2 x 8 50
left leg 2 x 8 70
right leg 2 x 8 70

leg extension
2 x 8 90
2 x 8 120

machine squat
4 x 8 100

seated calf raises
2 x 6 100
2 x 4 170

stretches

post of
2 slices white bread
2 scoops Whey isolate, 40 g protein
1 teaspoon creatine
2 supp pills

1230 pm
1 no-fat yoplait yogurt [100 cal, no fat, 2 g protein]
1 Met-rx ProteinPlus bar [32 g protein, 3 g sat fat, 310 cal]
1/4 scrambled egg sandwich on whole wheat
1 glass 2% skim milk
1 CLA fish oil pill
2 Omega 3-6-9 pills

315 pm
1 no-fat yoplait yogurt glass 2% skim milk
1 CLA fish oil pill
2 Omega 3-6-9 pills
last bit of reduced-sodium turkey, about 3 slices
2 Promax protein bars [20 g protein, 3 g sat fat, 280 cal]

-- my split:
mon: bis and chest, forearms
tues: traps, tris, abs
wens: lower [all below waist]
thurs: bis and chest, forearms
fri: back, shoulders, delts
sat: cardio, no weights
sun: cardio, no weights

[ibanezman88]

no i meant the volume for traps was not high. but they're more than enough.

why do you do regular bench press on tricep day?

do you have a chest day?

[ibanezman88]

ok
split is good
is biceps and chest something you wanna bring up? is that why you have them down twice a week? if so, that's fine. ok, you're split is ok i would say.

umm.. yes the macros are a breakdown of calories, carbs, protein, and fats.
and water

meals are good bro!!
good job.

umm... you might wanna have eggwhites instead of whole eggs if you're cutting

[ibanezman88]

ok, about your leg workout, i would workout all the exersises that work the quads first, and then work your hamstrings. or vice-versa. just try to do all the quad exersies and the hamstring exersies all together.
the muscles are worked better when the blood is already in the muscle.

so i would change that workout to

seated leg press
leg press
hack squat
leg extension
machine squat
leg curl

actually, i think this is OVERKILL IMO for legs. take out one of the squats. i usually do 3 exersises for quads followed by 3 exersises for hamstrings.

this is an example

squats
leg press
leg extension

followed by

lying leg curl
stiff-legged deadlift
seated leg curl

no wonder why your knee hurts. also make sure you're going as deep as you can and go down slow. even if you have to use less weight.

[Frag Hag]

I'm glad you've decided to make a log! We have similar goals, so i'll keep an eye on this one. You're doing great!

[n88tr]

ibanezman88, bro, you are extremely helpful, please keep up the crits.

I can cut out the squats, considering I don't do them hardly at all. Back a few months ago, winter break at uni I go up to the max plates on the machine, hack squat, 410 lbs with ease, good deep squats, way before my injury to the knee. I fully expect I could do 300 or 350 max now, after 5 weeks of no leg workouts, but I just to EASE back into leg workouts. I think I'll cut out squats or maybe switch every month or so, cut out leg press and squats and the other month do leg press but cut out squats. What do you think about that?

Ty hag, nice to know.

--

up 815 am

830 breakfast
2 slices whole wheat bread slices for my 2 scrambled egg sandwich
1 glass 2% skim milk
1 cup of oatmeal
2 Omega 3-6-9s
1 CLA fish oil pill
1 Multivitamin pill

920
1 teaspoon creatine in 1/2 cup water

940
bicep and chest workout [it's 916 now]

[ibanezman88]

don't cut out squats completely. i meant that you had too many different types of squats in one workout. you had 3.

good breakfast there.

[under construction]

Originally Posted by n88tr

ibanezman88, bro, you are extremely helpful, please keep up the crits.

I can cut out the squats, considering I don't do them hardly at all. Back a few months ago, winter break at uni I go up to the max plates on the machine, hack squat, 410 lbs with ease, good deep squats, way before my injury to the knee. I fully expect I could do 300 or 350 max now, after 5 weeks of no leg workouts, but I just to EASE back into leg workouts. I think I'll cut out squats or maybe switch every month or so, cut out leg press and squats and the other month do leg press but cut out squats. What do you think about that?

Ty hag, nice to know.

--

up 815 am

830 breakfast
2 slices whole wheat bread slices for my 2 scrambled egg sandwich
1 glass 2% skim milk
1 cup of oatmeal
2 Omega 3-6-9s
1 CLA fish oil pill
1 Multivitamin pill

920
1 teaspoon creatine in 1/2 cup water

940
bicep and chest workout [it's 916 now]

I would drop leg press if anything add lunges I think its a great transition exercise between quads and hams. I also do only one leg curling exercise and just add more sets of stiff legs, just my opinion. Go lighter,wrap your knee, shorten your range of motion but dont cut out squats unless you absolutely have to the two times that I injured my knee the doc told me " Well looks like your squating days are over" so in a polite way I told him to go f@#k himself so even if a doc tells you to stop listen to your body.

[n88tr]

I always listen hard to my body. I've never wrapped any part of my body, what good does that do?

--

1040 bis and chest

cable two-arms row
1x15 90
3x8 70

cable one-arm row
4x8 150 [left arm]
4x8 130 [right arm]

cable bench press
1x12 40
3x6 80

pec dec
1x15 84
2x7 100
3x7 130

lying DB bench press
1x15 50 [50 total, 25 lbs individual DBs]
1x8 70
3x6 80 [good failure]

concentration curls
1x12 25
3x10 30

preacher curls w/ bench
1x12 35
2x8 55
1x3 65 [failure]

1130 post
2 scoops ON whey isolate
1 teaspoon creatine
2 slices white bread
2 supp pills

230
6-inch sub w/
whole wheat bread
lettuce, tomatoes, chicken breast [nothing else!]
1 glass 2% skim milk
1 CLA fish oil pill
2 Omega 3-6-9 pills

400 [ate ^ too fast]
2 slices white bread
2 promax bars [easing off em']
1/2 pint green tea [freshly broiled!!]
2 Omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA fish oil pill

Can I get any help with my bicep or chest workouts, crits? I feel like doing more but when I hit 5-6 sets I feel like I should stop...

[ibanezman88]

in your workout, you got some back exersises there. did you know those work the back?

also, you should do the freeweight compound movements first because you'll get the most out of them in my opinion. do the dumbell bench press first in your chest routine.

another thing, if you want to add mass to your biceps, i would suggest sticking to freeweight movements like barbell curls and dumbell curls. the preachers are awesome but it's the barbell curls and dumbell curls that's gonna put on that mass.

hope this helps

do you have to do cable bench press? i'm not a fan

ok, so what's you plan on your chest routine. do work your mid-chest one workout, upper chest, another workout, and lower chest all separate?

if not, i would incorporate each into your chest routine.

this an example of a good chest routine if you wanna add some mass.

Flat Barbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbell Flies
Pec Deck
Pullovers (very important)

maybe you can subtract one of the inclines if you think that's too much volume. your lower chest gets worked but you can try a seated press machine that is incline but you're pushing streight so it's almost like a decline. these machines are good because they allow you to go real deep as opposed to decline barbell bench press.

try to use less machines and more free weights.

[under construction]

cosign with the free weights.... Wrapping joints help to support connective tissues like ligaments and tendons. Musle tissue grows and becomes stronger at a faster rate than connective tissue so to avoid injury you offer help in the form of a wrap also to a lesser extent wraps help to keep the joint warm.

[mostmuscular84]

Was the knee injury major? If it was you are doing the right thing getting back into legs slowly i would start light with Smith Squats so you an rebuild the stability before hitting the hardcore free weight squats. I myself tore my hamstring and as soon as i was ready to do squats again I went as have as I could and that was a huge mistake. I stopped training legs for a month an eased back into it and my legs blew up. Wrapping your knees is good however you only really need wraps when the weight puts an extreme amount of pressure on your joints. Some people I train with hate them some people abuse wraps. It is all a preferance. Same with Straps Only use them when you need them, if you can hold the weight and do all the reps with no problem no need for straps. Keep up the good work man!

[under construction]

straps and back belt and things like that are different they compensate by protecting muscle from undue strain and retard the developement of muscle strength. yes you can protect mucle strain by developing the muscle in the lower back instead of using a back belt and you can strengthen forearm and grip instead of using straps. Wraps are quite a different thing in that they protect joints ligaments and tendons and not muscle its like comparing apples to oranges they serve two completely different purposes. While it is true that at lighter weight they are not a stead fast requirement any time you get within 75-100% of your max or desire an increased blood flow and elasticity in the joint or have a previous or present knee injury they are in order. I read an article about it though I cant remember where just yet cuz I have read a lot about the knee due to my injuries Ill find it and post it if you like. train hard but safe -UC

[n88tr]

Ok, I'll start up those chest workouts on my next chest and Bi day, monday.

Is a 'flat barbell bench press' just a bench press? I looked it up on google and it looks like the same deal.

Also, when you say incline, does it that mean up... like opposite of decline?

IDK about pullovers, I fear of dropping a 40 lb on my face... are there alternatives to this?

As for working out specific areas of my chest, I never put much thought into it, I was just doing it all... I should pay more attention.

[mostmuscular84]

Straps limit your forearm strength yea they are a great tool help for back and traps because your forearms will give out quicker than your back and traps. I just hate watching people bench press with straps or shoulder press with straps. Wrist Supports on the other hand i enjoy using when im doing heavy presses. And this is the first time i ever heard straps used for joint stability. If you do have knee injuries try both the wraps then give braces a try. I have done both i like the brace better due to more mobility i had. Its up to you its all a preferance. Weight training is all about what works best for you. Everybody is different your workout might not work for me my workout might not work for you. just play around with it and see what works best for you.

[n88tr]

520 pm [yesterday]
1 teaspoon creatine mixed w/ 1/2 cup water

530 pm
1/2 meatball sandwich [no steak at restaurant! cries]
1 large glass water
2 Omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA pill

800 pm
other 1/2 of meatball sandwich
1 pint green tea [boiled 2 pots eariler, only yielded 4 pints]

1100 pm
1 ON Whey shake, ~30 g protein mixed w/ 1 teaspoon creatine

800 am [today]
up

845
2 slices whole wheat bread
3 whole scrambled eggs
~1 pt water
2 Omega 3-6-9 pills
1 CLA pill
1 Multivitamin

-- damn, I think I've gained weight, fat, even though I dropped the bars. I've not done HIIT in a while, I guess it's time to start that back up again. I usually do it for 3 days, hard for 45 mins after my workouts, I've never done any LI. I don't think I've done any HIIT in 2 weeks... it doesn't say much for my cutting routine. Eat perfect but no exercise...someone slap me.

Ty for chest workout tips, I'll try those out, I'll try the pullovers and see how much control I can have.

I'll look around [I use Shapefit.com a lot for the illustrations] for some bicep and tricep mass building exercises. Could I get some mass-building exercise recommendations for traps, please?

[Frag Hag]

Don't lose heart, a perfect diet is probably better than a perfect exercise routine for cutting. Of course they're best together, but if i had to choose one or the other i'd go the way you're going. Maybe i'm biased, but i think cardio is overrated anyway!

[mostmuscular84]

I agree some people don't even need to do cardio. I do just because of y body type. Diet is 95% of the battle your diet is crap your body will be crap. Feed it what it needs and doing a hard intense workout will be just the ticket to the physique of your dreams. Avoid the over training as well

[n88tr]

95%... holy ****, I thought it was like a 60-40 split.

600 am
up

630
2 slices 12 grain whole wheat bread
1/5 lb reduced-sodium turkey
12 oz water
2 Omega 3-6-9s
1 CLA
1 multivitamin

930
1 teaspoon creatine w/ 6 oz water
- approx 1 min elapsed
1 scoop NoExplode w/ 6 oz water

idk if this is bad, waiting i mean, between breakfast and the no-explode, but it says it should be taken on an empty stomach. I'll have meal 2 as my post, triceps workout today, 10:00 am, then classes progress. Spring break was far too long.

[mostmuscular84]

man you can train as hard as possible and if your diet is crap you will never see the results you want. i put so much effort into my diet and since i put everything i have into training the diet helps with training and such.

[n88tr]

1015

not enough time for triceps... did some quick lower work

standing calf raises
12x50
6x40
4x50

leg press calf extensions
15x225
7x225
7x225
7x225
2 min break
5x675
4x765
3x765 [fatigue]

leg press calf extensions single leg
7x225
7x225
3x315 [failure]

single leg curl
12x50 left leg
12x50 right leg
6x50 left leg
6x50 right leg

leg curl [both]
4x150

1040
stretches

post
2 slices white bread
1 rounded scoop ON Whey Isolate
1 teaspoon creatine
2 Cellucor R3 Extreme supp pills

1130
500 ml water

1230
2 slices whole wheat
1/4 reduced-sodium turkey
12 oz water

I ate that last bit because I have class from 1:00 til 230. At the 2:30 break [it's really from 1:10 til 3:40] I'll probably have some carrots, a bar and some water.

[n88tr]

yesterday
330 pm
3 slices white bread
1 Promax protein bar [23 g protein 280 cal]
1/2 gallon water

700
1 yoplait yogurt [100 cal, no fat, 12 g sugar]
1/5 lb reduced-sodium turkey

10:00
1 yoplait yogurt [100 cal, no fat, 12 g sugar]
1/5 lb reduced-sodium turkey

100 am
2 Cellucor R3 Extreme pills
300 ml water and 1 scoop ON Casein

today
700 am
up

715
2 slices 12 grain whole wheat
1/4 lb reduced-sodium turkey
2 Omega 3-7-9s
1 Multivitamin

10:00
2 slices 12 grain whole wheat bread
1 Met-rx ProteinPlus bar [310 cal, 2 g sugar, 32 g protein]
about 6 oz water

-- gonna do trap and tris today, got a crap load of homework, prolly go to gym around 2 or 3 pm. That NoExplode did not thing for me, but then again I've only gotten the pump in my forearms, never in bicep, chest or lower. I'll still give it a few more tries. The first dose I took yesterday was on an empty stomach, 1 cup. I think I'll try 2 cups today, all I got last time were the shakes, nothing else.

[n88tr]

1255
1 full-size carrot
1/5 of a large brocholli stalk
2 scoops ON whey isolate mixed w/ 400 ml water
2 Omega 3-6-9s

116 [not thinking clearly, lots of stress]
2 scoops NoExplode
1 teaspoon creatine
mixed in 7 oz water, creatine made it foam up, quite a sharp taste to it.

200
chest and bis [I remembered that only 2 days ago I did traps and tris, 4 days since bis and chest, so I did those] -- this is the exact order I did the exercises

pec deck
12x110
6x170

preacher curls w/ bench
12x35
4x55
4x55

db bench press
5x40
5x45
4x50

concentration curls
4x35
4x35

db bench press
4x45 [I thought failure, but it was just fatigue]

concentration curls
4x35
4x35

db bench press
4x45

preacher curl w/ bench
2x75 [failure]

pec deck
0x200 [too much, instant failure]
4x130

seated arm curl [machine]
4x80
0x100 [too much, instant failure]
4x70

I got pissed when I couldn't do the x200 pec deck, I think I went overboard with the last bit there, the seated arm curl, but I got out my last energy, complete failure.

I didn't do any pull overs, nor incline DB presses, I was unsure of my form, so I passed on it. I'll talk to my PT, schedule a meeting, just to have a pair of eyes on my form, I don't want to have improper form on anything.

post [mixed up in a plastic baggie, just pour in my blender bottle and shake]
2 scoops ON whey isolate [about 45 g protein]
1 teaspoon creatine
2 Cellucor R3 Extreme pill [doing a trial of them]

I didn't notice any effects of the NoExplode, even though I took 2 scoops today, yesterday was my first experience with it, I didn't get any feeling then either besides the bad shakes, this time no shakes. Then again, I wasn't really on an empty stomach when I took it, so I guess that's the reason.

I still do have a small pump going in my forearms, I've never had it last beyond maybe a few minutes after I'm done working out. Now, since I left the gym it's been about 10 mins with a small pump. Not a big deal, I don't feel pain this time, that's nice.

[n88tr]

[yesterday] 400
1 large carrot
1/4 lb reduced-sodium turkey
1/4 head of large brocholli stalk
2 Omega 3-6-9s

700
1/4 lb reduced-sodium turkey
1 yoplait yogurt

930
1/4 lb reduced-sodium turkey [last of it]
1 yoplait yogurt
2 Omega 3-6-9s

1100
1 scoop casein w/ 400 ml water
2 Cellucor R3 Extreme cell growth pills

600 am
up

630
1 cup oatmeal
1.5 scoops ON whey isolate in 300 ml water
1 multivitamin
1 slice 12 grain whole wheat bread

diet ****ed up a bit today

1130
1.5 scoops ON whey isolate in 300 ml water
1 slice 12 grain whole wheat bread

[should've eaten more for 1130 and previously, I realize that now, I got really catatonic... :(]

230 pm
2 slices 12 grain whole wheat bread
1/4 lb reduced-sodium turkey [new pack]

400 pm
1 gallon water

600 pm
2 medium carrots, full size
1 cup oatmeal
1 rounded scoop ON whey isolate

gonna do back, shoulders, lats and delts at 700... time for supps now

[n88tr]

645
2 scoops noexplode
1 teaspoon creatine
mixed in 7 oz water [not enough water, foaming over, lol]

700
I realized as I ran to the gym, takes me 5 mins to run there, that my shoulders and back hurt, I suppose from going to complete failure on my Bi and Chest day, earlier in the week. I made the decision to go to complete failure on my calves, something I've not done for quite a while. I wanted to be stumbling out the gym, completely spent. I did legs on Monday but it was only like a 25 min session, pretty much a waste of my time, fatigue didn't even set it.

This is the exact order that I did the exercises

my run to the gym, 5 mins. I count this as my warm up.

calf extensions on seated leg press
12x225
6x315
6x405
4x675
0x725 [instant failure, too much weight]

standing calf raises
10x50
6x100
4x200
4x150
4x100

leg press
6x225 [4 plates]
4x315 [6 plates]
4x405 [8 plates]

stretches

post of
2 scoops Whey isolate, 40 g protein
1 teaspoon creatine
2 Cellucor R3 Extreme muscle growth pills

Well I didn't go to failure, but I am extremely fatigued, but no soreness. I realize that this training session is probably over-training but I can't do bi and chest because I just did those, and my back hurts from that work out, and I couldn't do tris or traps, the football team was all in the squat racks, they have gym priority, and the rope pulldowns are right next to the squat racks, so it was a no go.

I don't think I had enough energy to do more sets, but I fully wanted to, more weight included. I'll wait till sunday when I do legs again. I am happy that I was able to go extra heavy on the seated calf extensions on the leg press and my knees are doing just great.

Now I g2g run to the library, print out some papers. Takes me 10 mins to run there. *Huff*

[ibanezman88]

Originally Posted by n88tr

Ok, I'll start up those chest workouts on my next chest and Bi day, monday.

Is a 'flat barbell bench press' just a bench press? I looked it up on google and it looks like the same deal.

Also, when you say incline, does it that mean up... like opposite of decline?

IDK about pullovers, I fear of dropping a 40 lb on my face... are there alternatives to this?

As for working out specific areas of my chest, I never put much thought into it, I was just doing it all... I should pay more attention.

flat barbell bench press is just a regular bench press

incline is on an up angle opposite of decline yes.

there are machines that are seated pullovers.
but if you wanna contract your chest, you should use heavy weight because you'll be working your lats more.

[ibanezman88]

Originally Posted by mostmuscular84

Was the knee injury major? If it was you are doing the right thing getting back into legs slowly i would start light with Smith Squats so you an rebuild the stability before hitting the hardcore free weight squats. I myself tore my hamstring and as soon as i was ready to do squats again I went as have as I could and that was a huge mistake. I stopped training legs for a month an eased back into it and my legs blew up. Wrapping your knees is good however you only really need wraps when the weight puts an extreme amount of pressure on your joints. Some people I train with hate them some people abuse wraps. It is all a preferance. Same with Straps Only use them when you need them, if you can hold the weight and do all the reps with no problem no need for straps. Keep up the good work man!

smith machine squats ****ed up my dad's knee so i dissagree with that. but maybe we're different because we're short and have shorter legs.