Lil Greggy- Gym Pact 2019

Training Logs
82

Monday PM, 5/22

Squat: 195 lbs x5, x6, x7, x8, x9 (35 reps total)
Seated Single Leg Curls
GHR
Back Raise
BW Hip Thrusts
Weighted Ab Kine Tings

I am absolutely STOKED. My knees felt great, the sleeves worked incredibly well, and the weights flew up. Felt only slight kinks in my knees at times, but had more to do with rust in the groove that just needed to be greased. The last set felt the best and definitely could have hit another for an AMRAP of 15-20, but I didn’t want to push it. Just testing the waters. I also tweaked my form a bit, limiting my depth to just at/below parallel. Before I was forcing it deeper even past my butt wink, which definitely was a factor in my tendinitis. Will hit squats again on Thursday or Friday depending on how the rest of this week shapes out. Just glad to finally be able to add it back into my routine. Will continue to keep it light for the next couple of weeks. If anything keep it at 195 this week, then 205 next week, and go from there.

Didn’t keep track of my assistance set x reps. Doing more hypertrophy work for the next couple of months, focusing on increasing strength in the 6-10 rep range. Will be hitting weighted pull-ups tomorrow. Aiming for the 25 lbs x100 reps in maybe 14 sets tomorrow (8x8, 6x6). Might split it up for the beginning and end of my workout. We shall see.

Weight before bed: 198.6lbs

Cheers!

5 Likes
83

I don’t think it matters much. I stretch and foam roll for 10 minutes every morning before work, then again at night. I’ve maintained splits level flexibility for over 10 years doing this.

1 Like
84

Tuesday PM, 5/23

Weighted Pull-Ups: +25 lbs: 2x8, 2x5, 9x6, 4x5 = 17 sets, 100 reps total
Farmer’s Walks 80 lbs DBs: 5x30 seconds
Bodyweight Pull-Ups
Bicep Work

The pull-ups felt okay (not great). I was at least able to do the same total work as Saturday’s (5/20) workout with fewer sets, so I’m at least happy with that progress. The reps towards the end were cleaner, too.

I upped the weight on the farmer’s walks compared to Saturday as well, but still kept it on the lighter side (80 lbs DBs). I had been doing farmer’s with 100-120 lbs DBs, which is great for my forearms, traps and my core, but I’ve found that when I use the lower weights, I’m able to better activate my lats, which then end up being the limiting factor (especially since they are fried after all the pull-ups). I think I will stick with this approach as long as I’m making weighted pull-ups a main lift, so probably another 2-3 weeks (4-6 weighted-pull up sessions).

Still uncommitted on the progression going forward with these pull-ups. I think an achievable goal for this cycle is to get to the point where I can bang out at least 3 sets of 10 while doing 100 reps total with the +25 lbs. If I can get to that in a few weeks, then I might switch it to an auxiliary lift with +25 for the next cycle, while trying to work it up to 5x10.

Overall, these next few weeks will be more of a upper push/upper pull/squat split with no deadlifting as I try get my squat back in the game. Did not do yoga today, but I plan on getting another session in tomorrow. Hitting the OHP tomorrow. Going to try hit the 175 that I failed after benching on Sunday and then some dumbbell work.

2 Likes
85

Holy wow you’re good at pull-ups…

2 Likes
86

Haha thanks! What has surprised me the most is how quickly my pull-up strength is coming back despite being fat af now. Still have a ways to go though! The last few reps can get pretty ugly, but as long as I’m going all the way down to a hang I’m happy with it.

1 Like
87

Wednesday PM, 5/24

OHP: 155 lbs 1x1, 175 lbs 2x1, 155 lbs 1x5, 136 lbs 1x8
Bench Press 225 lbs: 2x10, 1x7
Close Grip Bench Press
Javelin Press: 60 lbs 1x8, 1x6 each side
Standing Single Arm Dumbbell Presses: 50 lbs 2x10
BW Dips: 3x16

Well, that is technically a PR on my OHP. I probably could have hit 180 on it, but that’s still weak for my size anyway, so wasn’t gonna bother grinding out a max attempt. The third set of my benching I was doing 1 second holds at lockout that taxed me more than I expected. Maybe I could have squeeze out 9 reps instead of the 7 I did, but I would rather not force it since I wanted to get more volume into my workout.

I also did a considerable amount of band work through this workout. Shoulder dislocations, band pull aparts, tricep extensions, even some bicep curls to get the blood flowing there after yesterday’s workout. I was really happy with how my shoulder girdle felt doing all of these. Also did some stretching with them on my hips. Still just trying to get a feel for how to utilize these bands properly in various ways.

I had a couple of beers after this workout. Not happy with it, but it was with a buddy of mine who is leaving town for a bit, so not gonna fret over it. Obviously it’s always better when you cut it out, but OH WELL. Main thing is that I’ve done a fair job of laying off the booze for the past month or so. I also have a day off from work tomorrow, so I figured it wouldn’t be too bad for my recovery with that extra sleep.

Again, I didn’t get to do yoga. I only had four hours of sleep last night, so I was pretty dead after work today. It was either force out an unenjoyable yoga routine, or relax a bit and compose myself for lifting tonight, so obviously I chose the latter. Will plan on doing yoga tomorrow while taking a day off from lifting; squats on Friday.

2 Likes
88

Thursday AM, 5/25

Did not get to weigh myself in the morning. But I did yoga again, and weighed myself afterward at 197.6 lbs.

Day 4 of Yoga

I may or may not be going to the gym tonight, we will see how I feel. I’m supposed to be squatting next, so I’d rather not go in just to half-ass it. All-I-can-eat Korean bbq dinner tonight, so I’ll be having 80+ grams of unhealthy red meat. Can’t wait.

Edit: I had a cup of coffee just now at 8pm, so I will be going to skwat.

Edit #2: Nevermind, something came up. I will just do some mobility work at home. Nothing worth logging. Squats tomorrow

3 Likes
89

Just kidding, I made it to the gym for a quickie tonight after all

Thursday PM, 5/25

Sumo Deadlift: 295 lbs 1x3, 335 lbs 1x1, 365 1x1, 395 1x1
Deficit (~5in) Conventional Deadlift: 225 lbs 2x8
Bicep Kine Tings
Weighted Ab Kine Tings
BW Pull-Ups: 5x6

Since I hadn’t been planning on going to the gym, I didn’t have my gym bag with me, so no knee sleeves or squatting shoes. I got under the bar for squats, went down into the hole, and my knees were just not having it. Felt like a pussy, but not gonna let my ego turn this tendonitis into a chronic issue. Still, since I was already on the platform, I felt compelled to lift something heavier than my bag of excuses.

I haven’t done sumo for years. It was how I used to compete (pulled 450 for a meet at a bodyweight of 163), but I’ve avoided doing sumos since I’ve returned to the gym since my conventional was always lagging considerably (due to a myriad of reasons, like poor mobility and imbalances in my posterior, which are still issues I have). I think anatomically I’m actually better suited for conventional once I get my hips loose enough, but we’ll see. Also, once I start pulling more regularly I might have to begrudgingly start strapping back on my belt. Will probably stick to conventional too, but definitely want to test out my sumo routinely. Maybe once a month just to grease that groove as it’s definitely something I shouldn’t completely toss to the side.

I didn’t have my usual chucks for deadlifting, so first I started off in socks, but felt like I was slipping, so just used my squishy nike trainers. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly 395 came off the floor. I used a double-overhand grip, which I don’t normally. My left delt (the side I usually supinate when I do switch grip) cramped up while I held the lockout, but luckily I avoided straining it; I felt fine after a few minutes of loosening it up.

I guess I’ll have to move squats to Saturday or Sunday, depending how the knees feel. I have to take my sister to the airport at 3am on Saturday morning, so I’d rather not do them on Friday night since my recovery would be shit. Either skipping the gym entirely or doing some light pressing. Most likely the latter, but I think I do need to learn to taking more dedicated rest days.

Weight at the end of the night: 198.2 lbs

2 Likes
90

So my grip is piss weak…

91

Lmao, you pull 5+, definitely not piss weak.Your strength level is where I can only hope to be at in 12-18 months if everything goes perfectly, which undoubtedly it won’t.

1 Like
92

Still can’t pull 400 lbs double overhand though.

1 Like
93

Damn. Well, my grip might be my strongest asset tbh. Never had to really train it, but I do wish my hands were a little bigger so that I could actually put that grip to good use.

This is just straight up bragging, but to put it into context: one of my best friends is this 6’1, 335 lbs Samoan kid who was picked up by the Patriots a few years back just for summer camps. To this day, I have always beaten him in this game of grip strength called “Mercy.” I’m not sure if you guys had that growing up in AU. Anyway, fun times.

94

Hellz yeah I love mercy! I kick arse at it to. Beat a bloke who had been roofing for about 8 years. As a roofer you need to cut a lot of tin with tin snips and holy hell does that give you a mad forearm pump! + he had about 20kg on me.

Are you a tradie? That’s what I put my decent grip down to.

1 Like
95

Right on! I’ve only done piping and carpentry for summer work after I finished up university. Most recently been using my grip to restrain psychiatric patients while in grad school.

1 Like
96

You’ve definitely got a strong grip. I do OK, but my grip just isn’t weak, it’s not actually strong. Yet.

1 Like
97

I’d try give you some advice, but you’re the more advanced lifter here hah. The weighted pull-ups definitely have helped me maximize my grip potential.

98

You’ve got a naturally strong grip, same way as I’ve managed to get a reasonably decent DL quite quickly despite only training semi optimally for about a year and a half.

1 Like
99

Damn, you’ve only been training like this for a year and a half? Nice man. How much time had you been training un-optimally

100

My hands are quite large and my double overhand grip fades around 300 ish. I never really pay attention to it though. I did 60 steps (30 out and back) with 100lb DBs yesterday and was hanging on by a thread on my 2nd set. I’m guessing I covered about 40-50m.

1 Like
101

That’s a damn good distance. I’d imagine that’s like 35-40 seconds of carrying. Maybe I should start tracking my steps instead of my time for carries just to switch it up for a cycle.