Wednesday, August 3, 2011 Week 3, day 3
squats 245lbs X 3 x 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
situps body + 50lbs X 2, +25lbs x 3 +35lbs x 5 X 5 x 5 x 4
DB chest press 2 X 80lbs x 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 x 3
Bb bent rows 145lbs x 3 x 3 X 3 x 3 x 2
Great day today! Despite fears about my hamstring I killed a weight increase with squats without analgesic and so far i feel fine. Situps I noticed last week were too easy so I settled on 35lbs and I should progress beyond next week.
My other supersets are stepwise progressing too, some magic ingredient today.
I might on Friday do a light squat workout before I do dips and such. It is an easy day anyway sort of and a little extra work to partially mitigate missing deadlifts might be in order.
Friday, August 5, 2011 Week 4, day 2
dips body + 60lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2 fail x 1 fail
upright rows 135lbs X 3 x 3 X 3 X 2 X 2
situps body + 25lbs x 10 X 10 x 10 x 5
DB hammer curls 2 X 35lbs X L8,R8 X 8,8 x 5,5
fuck it, I awoke in the middle of the night and couldn’t drop back off, maybe 5.5 hours of sleep. Still, I was motivated to hit my targets.
Sort of a good day. Dips were 5lbs heavier than last week, but I have to acknowledge reaching failure twice.
Situps seem to have gone further, I wonder if my day 1 work is helping.
Curls, yes, progress.
I skipped the light squats because I have an appointment I want to walk to, so that will expense a bit of my hamstring.
Monday, August 8, 2011 Week 4 day 3
deadlift 235lbs x 6 X 6 X 6 X 6
Bb shoulder press 135lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2 X 1
chinups body (195lbs) X 3 x 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
shitty day today, but only sort of. I kept the deadlift weight at 3rd warmup load because my hamstring has been bothering me a bit. What I need to keep in perspective is that after a day 1, when I do squats, I do 5 160lbs deadlifts to set up the chest press supersets. Added work there. On the day 2, I forgot to set the upright row bar on the bench standards at a height I can readily retrieve and replace the weight. the result of having it on the floor is that with supersets with weighted dips (body + 60lbs last time) and the 135lbs bar I am deadlifting 195lbs 5 times to do the supersets, I don’t have time to take off the dip belt.
Next time i will be wiser. After my ham actually feeling better after the light dead work, I have an inkling of confidence I will succeed with 255lbs on Wednesday with squats.
shoulder press is humiliating, but I will need belted weight next time for chinups, they used to be the embarrassment.
Honestly, i still have moisture getting into my mattress, and I can see signs of mold on it, so that is another perspective. I will search for more anti microbial chemicals today, or despair.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 Week 4, day 1
squats 255lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2 stopped
situps body + 35lbs X 5 X 5 X 5 X 5 x 3
DB chest press 2 X 85lbs x 3 x 3 X 3 x 2 x 1
BB bent rows 145lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
A good day today, and I will explain. My hamstring had been bothering me over the weekend, but I achieved a 10lbs weight increase and still got something done, it feels good now. It is true I stopped short, but felt I did some good without too much risk of pushing it.
Well, I was sluggish waking today, and that is another mitigating factor as to why I also feel good about an increase with chest press weight. Rows I will increase for next time.
As to this program, I have run it 4 weeks and think I will cautiously go into a 5th.
Friday, August 12, 2011 week 5, day 2
Dips body (195lbs) + 60lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
upright rows 135lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 x 2 x 1
situps body + 25lbs X 10 X 10 x 10 x 2 fail
DB hammer curls 2 X 35lbs X L8,R8 x 8,8 x 6,6
Great day today, if only for dips. I raached full quorum of goal reps with 60lbs, and I am happy just there.
Rows and situps slightly off, but no big deal. Actually this is only 2 days after improving with my day 1 situps, so maybe not bad?
Curls a slight improvement.
How long I keep this program going is debatable, it is supposed to be short term because of some of the intensity.
Sunday, August 14, 2011 week 5, day 3
deadlift 285lbs X 6 X 6 X 5 stopped
BB shoulder press 135lbs X 3 X 3 x 2 fail
Chinups (body 196lbs) X 10lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2
2 out of 3 isn’t bad, so I am calling this a good day. I ran for a bus yesterday and my ham felt it a few hours later. I am therefore pleasantly surprised I did anything at all with deads at 285lbs. The reason I didn’t forge on for a 4th set was my grip was giving out, and when I realized I knew that I would spoil rest time setting them up. Also, my hamstring was good up to that point, it was 2 reps overall more than the last time I used 285lbs, so I left myself happy there rather than take a risk.
My shoulders on the other hand are fucking useless. I continued on with chinups and am happily surprised with my good progress, this move had always been a weak point for me.
My weight is averaging a bit more, really I haven’t been doing as many walking trips of late, so fat is up and cardio is being neglected. I was going to skip rope yesterday, but maybe tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 16, 2011 Week 5, day 1
Squats 255lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 x 3 X 2 fail
situps body + 35lbs X 5 X 5 X 5 x 5
DB chest press 2 X 85lbs x 3 X 3 x 3 x 1 fail
BB bent rows 155lbs x 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
Great day today. I achieved an extra 3 reps over last day with squats. As I still reached failure I forgot my last set of situps when taking the bar down. Strange thing, I wonder if it was just in my head to not achieve full quorum. Same weight next time, hopefully 4 reps last set.
Chest is off, but I was sluggish getting out of bed and energy was first used earlier, so no big deal.
Rows are 10lbs heavier, but i want to use the same weight next time to be stricter with form, even though I reached full quorum.
yesterday I skipped rope for 20 minutes. The first 10 minutes non stop accept for once catching on my heels or toes. then the balance in intervals of what I could until the 20 minute mark. I am walking less to avoid cumulative stress on my hamstring, which is fine at this writing.
Friday, August 19, 2011 week 6, day 2
Dips body (198) + 65lbs x 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
upright rows 135lbs X 3 X 3 x 3 X 3 X 2
situps body + 25lbs X 10 x 10 x 10 x 9 fail
DB hammer curls 2 X 35lbs X Left8,right8 x 8,8 X 5,4 fail
Great day today. A 5lbs increase for dips over last time and I still made quorum, I suppose 70lbs next week. Next week? I am still making gains with this routine even though I am into week 6, and the original Waterbury type structure would only have been for 3 weeks.
Rows, not any better, but who cares? I am still getting a pull opposite the dips pushing move.
Situps I am very pleased with, except I don’t know why I ended only one rep short of full quorum, funny isn’t it?
Biceps about the same place.
Sunday, August 21, 2011 Week 6, day 2
deadlift 285lbs X 6 X 6 X 6 x 4
BB shoulder press 115lbs X 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 4
chinups Body + 10lbs x 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
Great day today. I am actually in targetted range of achievement with deadlifts. I had to pull out straps for the last set, it has been a while since I could say that.
Shoulder press is down to miserable weight, but I am ready for a weight increase for chins for next week.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 week 6, day 1
squats 255lbs X 3 X 3 x 2 stopped
situps body + 35lbs X 5 X 5 x 5 x 5 x 5
DB chest press 2 X 85lbs X 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 1 fail
BB bent rows 165lbs X 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 X 2
largely a terrible day today, but with a silver lining. I buggered up my meal planning yesterday with a series of shopping trips culminating in a matinee viewing of ‘rise of the planet of the apes’ (I saw it before, it left me with the same warm fuzzy feeling ‘I am legend’ did.) I did things very cost effectively, so I am glad there, but I ended up staying up later than usual just to get my dietary variety and total calories in. No, I don’t exactly weigh and calculate things on a normal basis, I just eat every few hours and make sure I get carbs and protein in at each meal. Over the course of my day I know I get olive product, vitamin C, grains, veggies, leafy greens etc.
So, after the first working set of squats I knew I was behind last week. I continued with situps for 90 seconds between sets (it was 2 minutes between superset pairings when I was still doing squats) but realize that it might not be significant that I achieved full quorum when I stopped doing an opposite push.
Chest press, I did better at this weight than all before but still felt like I would have done better.
Rows I did 10lbs heavier than last time, but I think form suffered so I could post numbers here.
I will cautiously feel out Friday’s work and determine if it is time to wrap this routine up.
Friday, August 26, 2011 Week 7, day 2
dips body (197lbs) + 70lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 x 3 X 1 fail
upright rows 135lbs X 3 X 3 x 3 x 2 x 2
situps body + 25lbs X 10 X 10 x 10 x 8 fail
DB hammer curls 2 X 35lbs x L8,R8 X 8,8 X 8,8
Great day today. I actually felt like giving up before starting because I awoke in the middle of the night and got only a dozing sleep until I decided to just get up.
Dips I dropped 2 reps on from last time, but 5lbs heavier and so I am calling it fine.
Rows I never seem to make any change with, I wonder if I should drop the weight a bit. Still, is it valuable as a pull opposite the push of dips?
Situps not an all time best, but still better than in past weeks.
Curls finally I am happy with. they are more accessory, but I can raise weights for next time.
sunday, August 28, 2011 Week 7, day 3
deadlift 285lbs X 6 x 6 x 6 x 6
BB shoulder press 125lbs X 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 4
chinups body (199lbs) + 15lbs x 3 X 3 X 3 x 3 x 2
Great day today. I actually felt like I should give up during deadlift warmups, but said fuck it, I need to at least try. I maybe could have got an 8th on the last set, but held back to be austere with my hamstring.
Also pleased with superset moves, and with these I used to despair. Higher weights than last week,and I will advance shoulders for next time.
3 minutes between sets for deads, 1 minute for superset pairings.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 week 7, day 1
squats 255lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 x 3 x 3
situps body + 40lbs X 5 X 5 x 5 x 5 x 4
DB chest press 2 X 85lbs X 3 x 3 x 3 x 1 fail
BB bent rows 165lbs x 3 X 3 x 2 x 2 x 2
Largely a good day. I didn’t sleep as deeply as I should have, and again buggered up meal planning yesterday with an early appointment that had me delaying enough calories until later. So, to have made full quorum with squats anyway was good. I maybe didn’t go past parallel on later sets, and had some forward lean, but if conditions are better next time I will raise it by 10lbs.
Situps a 5lbs increase, so I am pleased with what I got.
Chest and rows terrible, but with my hamstring feeling fine I am still calling this day progress.
How’s the squat/sit up supersetting going?
Does it not make your squats feel real shaky, what with all the ab fatigue?
[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
How’s the squat/sit up supersetting going?
Does it not make your squats feel real shaky, what with all the ab fatigue?[/quote]
I am thinking it is going rather good. I am using a 5lbs higher weight this week with situps. No, I don’t get too shaky, I actually thought that if I had tried to superset situps with deads that might more likely be the case. The squats are only more challenging because there is a superset, so it seems to me.
The idea is that the squats are push with the spinal erectors of my lower back, and the situps are pull across the lower torso to oppose.
What at first surprised me is that I am finishing week 7 and still going. The reason I say that is that the original Waterbury program I varied this one from was 4 days, whereas this is 3 days per week, and the total amount of volume, more the number of exercises is low and maybe just what I need for my recovery needs
Friday, September 2, 2011 Week 8, day 2
dips body (196lbs) + 70lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2
upright rows 125lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 x 3 x 3
situps body + 25lbs X 10 X 10 x 10 X 4 fail
DB hammer curls 2 X 37.5lbs X L8,R8 X 5,5 X 3fail, 4
Sort of a good day. I actually was too lazy to go grocery shopping and relied on low calorie sources of protein already available to feed myself yesterday. Carbs weren’t too high, but I did try to mitigate with more olive oil than usual. Still, I think I crossed my progress to day with it.
With dips, I was pleased to crank out an extra rep at this weight over last time, but am keenly aware of how much I have reached failure of late with chest moves, so I left it at that. Progress with my primary move of the day is progress.
Rows I lightened by 10lbs. Yes I made full quorum, but watch me end up in the same rut next week when I raise it.
I am thinking by the time I got to situps, my energy was gone and this carried over drastically into curls, although that was a weight increase over last time.
sunday, September 4, 2011 Week 8, day 3
deadlift 315lbs X 6 X 6 x 3 x 3
BB shoulder press 135lbs X 3 x 3 X 2 fail
Chinups body + 15lbs x 3 X 3 x 3 x 3 stopped
largely a good day. I awoke with a bit of spring out of bed, not lethargic at all, but suspect I got at most 7 hours of sleep, maybe less. Stool was very loose and I didn’t know why.
For deadlift, I was thinking all week to try a 30lbs increase and pull my heart out for what I can get. I took it one set at a time and felt I was making good progress through the first two sets, but knew I would need straps after. I realized I need practice setting them up and was worried I would spoil my 3 minutes rest between sets. I felt uneasy doing the last two sets and figure that mitigates the lower rep numbers there. Still a victory in my mind. 2.5 months ago I was doing 5/3/1 and at the top weight of 315lbs only got 3 reps, so progress must be there.
Bloody awful drop off in energy level for superset moves. It is interesting how my progress there yo-yo’s.
Edit: I just a few minutes ago noticed a distinct cramping in my bowels and knew I would soon after be doing the Pas-de-deux over to the toilet. Pretty much diarrhea, which might have been caused by warm temperatures yesterday impacting bacterial growth on food I didn’t promptly refrigerate. At least that is easier to get over than some bug, but I am happy how it puts my deadlifting performance in perspective.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 Week 8, day 1
Cancelled. The slightly sick feeling I had on Sunday got worse in the intervening time. Even though today I feel a good deal better I cancelled this weight day, it makes sense. I am likely going to lift next on Friday. I am really thinking of doing my day 1 then and just cancelling the day 2. It is true I wanted to hit full quorum of reps with dips, but it is less important than attempting a new heavier weight with squats.
Edit: Is there any point taking creatine without sugar? I don’t want to rot my teeth.
Friday, September 9, 2011 week 9, day 2
squats 265lbs x 3 X 3 x 3
situps body + 40lbs X 5 X 5 x 5 stopped
First day back from being sick. I tried my new target weight for squats, but wisely capped it at 3 sets just to not overdo it.
Hopefully back to a full program by Sunday.
Edit: a couple of hours ago I dipped my body weight as I was dressed of 203lbs 16 times. Is that, you know, good?
Sunday, September 11, 2011 Week 9, day 3
deadlift 315lbs X 6 X 3 stopped
I realized the lethargy I awoke with wasn’t just in my head, and I am still coming back from last week’s low grade sickness, whatever it was. I have 3 nights sleep to relax and maybe get back on track on Wednesday.