Cycle 4
New Maxes:
Press - 100
Sumo Deadlift - 225
Bench - 175
Squat - 205
Comments:
I lowered my Press max because every single rep felt like a grinder last cycle. I need to deload it a bit, and focus on grabbing more reps and just increasing the size of my yoke, to support maximal weight in the long run.
March 1, 2010
Press
5x65, 5x75, 9x85
5x10x45
5x10x50 Lat Pulldown, same grip as my press.
‘Kroc’ Row - 30x15, 50xRep max
-15 neutral grip chinups spread out throughout my 5/3/1 work.
6:00 Uphill Treadmill Walk
PW: Chicken, Potatoes, Fruit
Comments: The 5x10 made my shoulder girdle burn and pump, a lot. Despite only being 50 pounds, it would qualify as a ‘Kroc’ row in my case. My right side is noticeably weaker than my left.
My shoulder didn’t hurt after this session.
I have been foam rolling the SHIT out of my calves and IT band as per my Physical Therapist’s recommendation. Wow. My ankle feels brand new, after 2 days.
March 2, 2010
Sumo Deadlift
5x150, 5x175, 16x195
5x10x90
Face Pull: 5 sets between the 5x10’s
PW: Lots of garbage… milkshake, fries, chicken, my favorite. It was hard to stuff it all down this time, probably cause my core was shot.
Comments: I got an old dude at the gym to count my reps for me. As I suspected, when I’m not counting I have no preconceptions about how well I am doing, so I can do more. 16 on a 5+ set is pretty nice, I’m happy with it.
I added in face pulls during my rest period to try to get my right shoulder healthy again.
March 4, 2010
Bench
5x120, 5x135, 9x155
Standing Horizontal Cable Row - 5x10
Bench - 5x10x75
Penlday Row - 4x5x95
6:00 Uphill Walk
March 6, 2010
Squat
5x135, 5x155, 17x175
Leg Press (one leg at a time, switch legs in middle of set)
90 lbs 5x10
Face Pull -
5x10
Hanging Leg Raises - 3 sets (this is a horrible movement for abs. I don’t feel them at all. Will not continue.)
PW: Lots of chicken, fries, Milkshake. GFH.
Comments: Some guy at the gym who was smaller than me told me I should keep my reps lower, 17 reps is too much. Thanks bro, I was supposed to do 5 but managed 17.
I got a lot of reps on my Sumo deadlift, I wonder why my numbers are jumping so much? I guess my deload week gave me time to supercompensate. I’ll keep progressing normally and just take the high reps. It’s good foundation.
March 8, 2010
Press
3x70, 3x80, 8x90
5x10x45
Lat Pulldown -
5x10x60
‘Kroc’ Rows: 30 lbs warmup, 60 lbs - max reps (about 13)
PW: Don’t remember.
Comments: I started to work out in the morning. Feels good. I’ll keep trying it.
I need to stretch my hams, I really hate it so I usually ‘forget’
March 10, 2010
Sumo Deadlift
3x160, 3x180, 12x205
5x10x90
Face Pulls: During rest periods
PW: Breakfast food- eggs, avocadoes, outmeal, frzn bluberries
Comments: I feel powerful on the sumo deadlift. My ankle was killing me the rest of the day.
March 12, 2010
Bench
3x130, 3x145, 6x165
5x10x80
Cable Row
5x10x90
Comments: I couldn’t do horiontal standing or face pulls cause the machines were busy and I was supersetting. My bench is adequate. My legs seem to be getting stronger much faster than my bench.
March 13, 2010
Squat
3x145, 3x165, 14x185
Lunge (with back in the rack, so like a front squat)
5x10x45
Leg curl with feet on a stability ball (video: - YouTube)
5x10
PW: Chicken, lots of mashed potatoes, fruit
Comments: This was hard, but not THAT hard. I felt like I didn’t want to work out on this day, but somehow I rocked when I finally came in to train. Again, the high reps on my max set is good, I’m just going to progress slowly and give my tendons some time to get thicker and stronger to handle heavy loads and constant progress.
Feb 15, 2010
‘The Big 55’
Circuit of KB swing and KB one arm press, switching arms halfway through the set of presses
10 swings, 10 presses, 9 swings, 9 presses, etc down to 1/1. Adds up to 55 reps. Read Dan John for more info.
Random KB deadlifts, swings, and other drills.
Half Turkish Getups. To promote stability in my right (less stable) shoulder.
Feb 16
Press
5x75, 3x85, 5x95
5x10x45
Wide Grip Lat PD
5x10x70
‘Kroc’ Rows,
30x10, 50x8, 70x max reps (~10)
PW: Don’t remember
Comments: The Kroc rows felt very unstable on my right side. I need to work on that.
Feb 17
Sumo Deadlift
5x175, 3x195, 12x215
Face pulls in between sets
Left the gym, drove to pick up my meal,
At home: two 35# KBs, Sumo deadlift
5x10x70 lbs
PW: chicken, mashed potatoes, fruit
Comments: I felt REALLY tired this day. I was considering not going the gym, but I went anyway. These are the days that seem to blow me away as far as what I can accomplish.
I don’t know if I should keep these weights progressing as normal or raise them. I’m going to ask Wendler.
Feb 19th
Bench
5x135, 3x155, 3x175 (but my spotter was helping me… what a knucklehead. I didn’t have the breathe to tell him to stop mid-set)
5x10x80
Cable row, 5x10x90
PW: Breakfast food, but oatmeal for the carbs.
Comments: I feel like my bench is very unstable. Perhaps I will move my grip in, like in Wendler’s article, to shoulder width. That actually feels like my pecs and shoulders are working.
Feb 20th
Squat
5x155, 3x175, 12x195
Lunge - 5x10x50
Leg curl on stability ball - 5x10 (these two in a circuit)
I also did an exercise which I can’t remember the name of. Basically you do a front shoulder press, don’t even come close to locking it out, bring it above your head, transfer it to behind your head, lower it, and then bring it back to your front. Basically, you keep tension on at all times.
PW: Chicken, potatoes, fruit
Comments: Some dude had the worst squat form I’ve ever seen. It looked dangerous. And of course he was working in with me.