Week 3: Day 3
Deadlift: 1x5-225
6x5 -190lbs, 60sec rests
Split Squats: 3x12/leg- 16kg DBs
Rows: 1x13,14,15-95lbs
Deadlift holds: 2x20sec-135lbs
Preworkout: Felt okay, not excited but not too tired either
Workout: Back unexpectedly tight and weights felt heavier than expected- managed to complete everything though. Split squats weren’t too bad on legs but really worked abs and grip- got heartrate up pretty good. I got straps so the rows weren’t too bad The deadlift holds weren’t too hard either.
Postworkout: pretty tired but mentally energized
Week 3: Day 4
Close Grip Bench: 3x10-75lbs
Ovh Press: 3x10-70lbs
`Skulcrushers: 3x15-35lbs w/1min rests
Preworkout: Felt pretty good but legs a bit sore
Workout: Shoulders were surprisingly tired. Close grip and skullcrushers killed triceps. Nothing was really tiring or hard to complete though.
Post workout: Arms tired but otherwise didn’t really feel like I worked out
Week 3: Day 5
Front Squat: 1x5- 135
5x5 125lbs
RDL: 3x12- 145lbs
DB row: 3x15/arm 20kg
Preworkout: felt pretty good. nothing sore but quads a bit tight. VERY humid so not really energized
Workout: Very pleased with front squats- first time doing more than 3 reps at 135lbs, I wanted 6x5 but completely lost tension and focus on last set and mentally failed (my legs probably could have done more but I had a really hard time keeping tight). RDLs went smoothly. My hamstrings were pretty dead afterwards. Rows weren’t bad but the sets felt long and mentally hard
Postworkout: tired but felt accomplished. Hamstrings and glutes pretty taxed.
I’m not sure how I’m going to handle 5 reps at 140 lbs. My form was already starting to break down pretty bad at 135lbs. Hips shifting severely to the left and loosing upper back tightness
Bench Press: 3x10- 90lbs
DB Incline Bench: 3x12-14kg Dbs
JM Press: 2x15-55lbs, 1x15-60lbs
3x(12Dumbbell Flyes-8kg DB w/5sec descents+15 rear delt flyes-8kg Db) w/1min rests
Preworkout: Felt okay, upper back a bit sore though
Workout: Touch and go bench wasn’t too bad to complete but mentally hard- needed longer rests to psych myself up. Incline bench and JM Press killed triceps. I was pretty surprised I got 15 reps at 60lbs.
Post workout: not tired but arms really worked
You can cut it 4 (or even 3) if technique is falling apart. The idea here is more to get some volume in than to go for PRs.
You can go heavier on JM press, I can’t remember what I told you before but 8-12 reps sounds good for now. This is an exercise that you can go quite heavy on once you get used to it, like sets of 5 or even less.
And in case you were wondering where I have been (I see I haven’t replied on your thread in 5 days) I was moving to another house, I haven’t even trained since Tuesday and I’m completely exhausted. I just got internet hooked up again yesterday.
WOW! That’s some big news. I’m sure getting back on the Internet is a big relief. Good luck with the new house :)
Week 4: Day 1
Back Squat: 1x5170lbs
6x5-150lbs w/1min rests
2x8-140w/pause
Lat Pulldown: 3x12-27kg
Preworkout: tired (slept late) but legs felt good
During Workout: Surprisingly good! first time doing 170 for 5 and the 6x5 felt really light and fast. Had trouble holding pause for pause squats- abs really tired.
Post workout: legs dead but mentally energized
Week 4: Day 2
Bench: 1x3-105- paused
6x5-90lbs
Dips: 4x12,11,10 w/6kg DB
Face Pull: 3x25- 17.5kg
HS technique
Preworkout: felt good mentally but arms surprisingly tired
Workout: everything felt surprisingly heavy despite having quite a bit of energy. I had a very hard time with the lockout. The barbell felt “stuck” halfway up on the bench. the 6x5 wasn’t that bad.Everything else wasn’t too bad. Dips killed triceps
Postworkout: disappointed at performance but rather energized
Week 4: Day 3
Deadlift: 1x3,2-230
6x5 -195lbs
Split Squats: 3x15/leg- 16kg DBs
Rows: 3x11,12,13-105lbs w/ slow descents
Deadlift hold: 3x30sec -145lbs w/ 30sec rests
Preworkout: felt good mentally and quite energized (had my coffee)
Workout: The deadlifts felt surprisingly heavy- I had to break up the set. Legs and glutes not too tired but couldn’t keep my grip. 6x5 went up easy and felt good. Split squats killed glutes but not too bad otherwise. Everything else wasn’t too bad but got a bit lightheaded after rows
Postworkout: disappointed at performance but felt good mentally. physically very tired
Thanks.
So it looks like your training is going well, aside from not being able to do the planned number of reps for your top set from time to time. That will happen and at some point you won’t be doing 5’s anymore either, as the weight increases the reps will drop off. You should be getting stronger too, you can compare estimated 1RMs from week to week with a rep max calculator.
As far as stuff like pause squats, I would still increase the weight each week, don’t worry if you can’t do sets of 8 anymore. With the lighter high rep stuff 5lbs is a large increase so for things like face pulls or skull crushers I would aim for more reps the following week rather than adding weight every single week. The way you can look at this training strategy is basically block periodization with linear periodization within blocks, for the compound lifts the weight goes up and reps drop off but you will reset numbers for the following block.
Week 5: Day 1
I’m back from the States! I had a bit of a cold, but I’m better today- a bit of a runny nose. The squat rack was taken (guy had 12 sets left) and I was in a rush, so I deadlifted instead
Deadlift: 1x5-230lbs; 6x5-200lbs Every minute on the minute
Split Squat: 3x12-18kg Dumbbells
RDL: 2x8, 1x10-155lbs
Rows: 3x13,14,15-105lbs
Deadlift Holds: 3x25sec- 155lbs
Preworkout: felt pretty good and energized
Workout: The deadlifts felt good and I was pretty surprised that I got 230 for 5. the 6x5 also went up pretty quick and kind of killed back. I wasn’t really out of breath, but afterwards, my heartrate was pretty elevated. RDLs were really hard, especially on abs, but I couldn’t really feel it in hamstrings or glutes. Heartrate still high and got a bit lightheaded after sets. The deadlift holds felt good but lats really tired.
Post Workout: mentally good but back and legs dead
Does your gym only have one squat rack?
yep. It’s a Chinese commercial gym. One squat rack with fixed hooks, one bench with fixed hooks (neither of which really work with me), Dumbbells up to 40kg, a smith machine, a leg press, a few adjustable benches, a multi-purpose cable machine, a leg press, random machines I don’t know what to do with, a dip place and cardio.
No powerlifting gyms in Shanghai.
Week 5: Day 2
Bench: 1x3,2-105
5x5-90lbs
Dips: 4x12 w/6kg DB
Face Pull: 3x15- 21kg
HS technique
Preworkout: feeling good and pretty energized. Pretty excited to workout
Workout: Bench felt pretty heavy- failed 5 for third week in a row! I wanted to do 5x5 with 95lbs, but the bar wouldn’t move so I dropped the weight. The dips felt good and a lot easier than expected. They killed my triceps but easier than expected. Face pulls nothing too bad.
Postworkout: same as preworkout
My upper body workouts have really been problematic lately. I’m hitting the lower body numbers without much problem but upper body has really been struggling. What should I do?
Week 5: Day 3
Back Squat: 2x3175lbs
6x5-155lbs w/90sec rests
2x5-145w/pause
Lat Pulldown: 3x12,13,14-27kg
PreWorkout: Feeling pretty good. legs a bit sore but better after some coffee. pretty excited to squat but nervous
Workout: The weights felt pretty heavy and was pretty dissappointed I didn’t get 175 for 5, which would have been a big rep PR. I probably could have gone for 4 but rep 3 was quite a grinder. Volume sets were hard but not as bad as expected. Paused squats for sets of 8 just weren’t happening. Lat pulldowns were okay, nothing special
Postworkout: mentally excited but legs beat. felt good
Week 5: Day 4
Close Grip Bench: 3x10-80lbs
Ovh Press: 3x8-75lbs
`Skulcrushers: 3x12-45lbs
Preworkout: Felt pretty good but legs a bit sore
Workout: Arms felt good. Close grip and skullcrushers killed triceps. workout was quick and good
Post workout: Arms tired but otherwise didn’t really feel like I worked out
I’m pretty sure you could find a weightlifting gym though, China is one of the top countries in WL. If they have a bench for you to press on then it would be perfect.
Have you ever considered getting into weightlifting?
That’s why I was thinking that 1-1/4lb plates would be good, you could make 2.5lb jumps instead of 5lbs. I would just keep going with the same progression until you are struggling with doubles and then drop the weight down and do 5’s again.
Sounds good.
There’s a weightlifting gym, but it’s an hour from my apartment. I did dabble a bit when I was doing crossfit. I found it extremely frustrating as there are so many factors other than strength that impact your numbers ie bar speed, mobility, technique.
About the Chinese: The Chinese weightlifting “program” doesn’t work like American weightlifting “program”. In China, tens of thousands kids are selected at age 7-8 and put through intensive training schools where the 10-20 who don’t get injured or drop out end up on the Olympic team. It’s actually considered a “low class” sport since most of those kids are only put in the schools because their parents are poor and hope weightlifting will give their children a better future. Girls, for the most part, are still extremely discourage from pursuing strength sports.
My parents (especially my dad) actually don’t even know what powerlifting is and think I’ll get bulky or injured if I lift heavy. They think I run on the treadmill and do a couple of pushups at the gym.