Despade: Journey to Strong(ish?)

Training Logs
222

8/9/17

Weight: 209.4, 209.4

Squats

Warm-Up Stuff
2 x 5 x 135
2 x 5 x 185

Work
1 x 5 x 225
1 x 3 x 275
1 x 1+ x 300 (6 Total, had 8 the last time I did this workout)
1 x 3 x 275
1 x 5 x 225

Good Mornings
4 x 10 x 135

Standing Calves
4 x 12-15 x 95 (Smith Machine)

Lily Shrugs
3 x 12 x 55lb DBs

Leg Extensions
2 x 20 x 70

Walking Lunges
50 each leg x BW

Kind of feeling out where I’m at on my 5/3/1 cycles, so these are 5/3/1 “styled” workouts for my main work. Squats felt heavy but grooved well, filmed the top set to see if my hips shoot up, but I don’t feel like they did too much.

I’ve decided that it is a good thing that I don’t use the RPE scale…I’d be totally fuckered if I did, because numbers 5 and 6 felt hard/grindy, but looking on the video they seemed to go up pretty smooth and pretty fast in my humble opinion. Remember, I’m here for advice and critiques, so all is welcome.

If you see something, say something, ha!

1 Like
223

8/11/17

Weight: 208.8

Chest

Incline DB Bench

Warm-Up
25 x 25
35 x 20

Working
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 6 x 5
70 x 2 x 10

Incline Fly
25 x 10
30 x 10
35 x 10

Flat BB Bench
3 x 12 x 135

CGBP
3 x 12-15 x 95

Dips
4 x 10 x Bodyweight

Tricep Extensions (w/ rope)
Lots x Light weight

Good press day, elbow is still a bit cranky, so decided to go with DBs to allow my elbow to find the right angle where it didn’t hurt to press, 90 moved well, but didn’t feel “good” like it used to, just deconditioned (been saying that a lot lately) to heavy weight. Chest fatigued very quickly on the 135 flat bench, same with dips, gotta get back into it for sure, but did dips and bench pain free, so that is pretty neat.

1 Like
224

Well, you did get injured. So, normal. Don’t worry.

225

8/12/17

Weight: 209.4

Squats

2 x 5 x 135
2 x 5 x 185
1 x 5 x 225
1 x 3 x 275
1 x 2 x 315
3 x 2 x 325
3 x 8 x 225

RDL
5 x 5 x 225

Superset
Seated shoulder press
3 x 10 x 65
KB Swings
3 x 15 x 50

Felt like crap, had a few beers last night and can definitely feel them this morning, weight moved well despite that.

226

8/14/17

Weight: 209.6

OHP

Warm Up Stuff
2 x 10 x 45
2 x 5 x 95
1 x 5 x 115

Working Sets
135 x 5
155 x 3
165 x 2
185 x 2 (Lifetime PR) Second rep was grindy, but no leg drive and I got it locked out, there was no actual stall, just a slow, steady grind.

Boring But Big Sets
135 x 10
115 x 10
3 x 10 x 95

SNG High Pull
5 x 12 x 115

Rear Delt Row/Fly
3 x 20 x 25

Lateral Raise
4 x 15 x 20

Front Raise
3 x 10 x 25

Tricep Extension (w/ rope)
Lots of sets x light weight (8-10 reps) Top sets 4 x 8 x 90 then drop sets to polish it off.

A really good pressing day, no crankiness in the shoulder or tricep, so I pushed it on the over head stuff. I even snuck in a couple sets of wide grip pull ups, 5s and 3s, which was awesome, still a bit painful, but doable.

A life time OHP PR coming off of injuries. Pretty stoked about today’s workout.

2 Likes
227

Congrats man, man I love PRs.

228

Kinda wish I would’ve filmed it, completely for vanity’s sake… (I mean to check form)

2 Likes
229

8/15/17

Weight: 206.6

Deadlift

Warm Up Stuff
3 x 5 x 135
2 x 5 x 225
1 x 3 x 275
1 x 3 x 315

Working (Straps/Belt)
1 x 3 x 365
1 x 2 x 405
1 x 2 x 455
1 x 1 x 455 (Miss)
1 x 2 x 405
3 x 5 x 315

NG Lat Pulldown
3 x 20 x 150

NG Cable Row
3 x 20 x 150

Strict DB Curls
3 x 10 x 30

A pretty good day pulling, missed my second set of 455 as I was trying to get a better set of pulls than my initial 455 x 2 set as it looked like my hips shot up, was going to go for broke on it if it felt good, but it did not feel good, just didn’t have the power. Ah well, moderately happy with the 455* (* for strap use).

Still can’t do a lot of wide grip vertical pulling, just not there yet.

Edit: @anon50325502 my locks are much more luscious :joy:

4 Likes
230

Lol, nice, regular Goldilocks.

231

Yep, hips. You can see your shoulders come forward as your hips rise. Still decent though.

232

Re-watched it, yep, definitely see it. Can’t tell ya how much I truly appreciate feedback from you and all the folks!

1 Like
233

8/16/17

Weight: 207.6

Chest

Incline Bench
2 x 5 x 135
3 x 5 x 185
2 x 3 x 205
1 x 4 x 185
1 x 6 x 165
2 x 10 x 135
3 x 8 x 135

Flat Bench
5 x 10 x 135

Low Incline DB Fly
3 x 10 x 30lb

Low Point Cable Fly
2 x 15 x 40

Skull Crushers
2 x 20 x 55

Tricep Extensions (w/ rope)
A few x not much

A very humbling chest day, but everything feels good at all angles, so I’ll take that as a win.

No lingering soreness from deadlifts yesterday, shoulders are definitely feeling the heavy OHP, it’s been a good week so far.

May try and overreach a bit as I have a family reunion coming up…but I also may use it as an opportunity to have a deadlift frenzy in a new gym fueled by potato salad and booze…decisions, decisions.

1 Like
234

8/17/17

Weight: 207.6

OFF

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235

8/19/17

Family Reunion/Bro Workout

Squats
2 x 10 x 135
2 x 5 x 185
3 x 8 x 225
2 x 12 x 135

OH Axle Press
5 x 10 x 115

Note: Superset with working sets on squats.

Superset:
Face Pulls
5 x 20 x 40

Sissy Squats
5 x 10-12 x BW

Rear Delt Row/Fly
3 x 15 x 25

Lateral Raise
3 x 15 x 20

Front Raise 3 x 15 x 20

Seated DB Z-Press
3 x 10 x 35

DB Row (L/R)
L 4 x 5 x 120 (w/ out straps)
L 4 x 10 x 120 (w/ straps)
R 6 x 8-10 x 60

Had a fun weekend, kept food choices in check really well, but then got into some limited edition whiskeys on Saturday…so food choices, good, drink choices, bad. Played some backyard football and aggravated my shoulder again, so couldn’t row heavy on both sides, but the 120s were surprisingly “handle-able” with and without straps, so that’s cool. The gym I found had a little stubby axle, decided to mess around with that a bit. Was supposed to be a much heavier squat day, but between driving 9 hours and sleeping on the “couch” of a camp trailer, my hips and legs just had no oomph.

1 Like
236

8/21/17

Weight: 209.2

1 Mile Run: 8:46 not pushing it, but not slackin’ too much either…ugh

OH Press
2 x 10 x 45
2 x 5 x 95
1 x 8 x 115
5 x 5 x 135
2 x 8 x 115
3 x 10 x 95

Bunch of biceps and triceps to get the blood flowing.

Hardly any sleep, residual hangover, poor food choices, and on, and on…yeah just needed to do something today, ran myself for a mile as punishment of sorts, hamstring was a little tight at the end, but not terrible, all weights felt heavy. Looking forward to tomorrow and a good night’s sleep.

2 Likes
237

Lol, I do the same thing. If it’s been a bad few days, I do something to punish myself. I’m usually doing a BB Complex though and I want to die by the end of it!

1 Like
238

8/22/17

Deadlifts/Back

Weight: 209.0

Deadlifts
135 x 10
225 x 10
4 x 8 x 275
225 x 10
Superset w/
Dips
5 x 10 x BW

Bent Over Row
4 x 15 x 95
Superset w/
Straight Arm Lat Pushdown
4 x 12-15 x 60

NG Lat Pulldown
1 x 20 x 100
3 x 15 x 150
1 x 20 x 130

NG Cable Row
3 x 20 x 150

1 Mile Run: 8:45

A much better day, still feeling sluggish so kept the weight down and volume up, still no real significant vertical pulling ability, although the neutral grip did not feel terrible. Had a good sweat going, feels wonderfully terrible to be running again, today’s /j/og (I believe it’s a soft “j”) felt a heck of a lot better than yesterday’s even though it was the same pace. Good stuff, getting back into being fit-ish/athletic-ish/not mostly round-ish.

Chest tomorrow, then a super early leg session Thursday with a new guy that wants to train, younger fella (24?) and he seems to take it (training) seriously, so I am looking forward to a good leg day.

Here’s to hoping.

1 Like
239

8/23/17

Weight: 209.6

Chest

Low Incline DB Bench
75 x 10
2 x 5 x 85
2 x 5 x 100
1 x 3 x 100
2 x 8 x 80
2 x 10 x 70

Dips
2 x 10 x +45 (grind on 8-10 of second set: drop weight)
2 x 10 x +25 (grind on 8-10 of second set: drop to BW)
1 x 10 x BW

Note: Need to start at +25, was training the movement more than feeling it work the muscles at +45.

CGBP
1 x 10 x 135
2 x 8-10 x 155
1 x 10 x 135

Fly
3 x 10 x 30
Superset w/
Hex press
3 x 10 x 45lb plate

Cable fly (up and under)
50 x 10
40 x 12
3 x 15 x 30

Triceps
Extension w/ rope
Single Arm Extension

Pretty good day, had planned on 3 x 5 for my top sets of 100s, but it was a no go on the 3rd set. Had a decent pump, not great, have switched to some DB training as of late simply to mix it up, and I feel that I hit my chest more thoroughly with it. Will be keeping a barbell bench (incline or flat) in the mix as a secondary, but I think I’m going to push the DBs for a bit for funsies.

Early morning lift tomorrow, looking forward to legs.

1 Like
240

8/24/17

Weight: 207.6

Legs

Squats
2 x 10 x 135
2 x 5 x 225
3 x 2 x 315
2 x 5 x 225

RDL w/ DBs
3 x 15 x 55s

Leg Press
3 x 15 x 290

Calf Raise
3 x 15 x 90

Leg Extension
3 x 20 x 80

Genuinely nothing felt good about this workout, 135 felt like a metric shit ton of bricks, couldn’t find a groove to save my life, so I did a couple working sets that felt like hammered dog…poop, and then tried to get a bit of volume in, good lord I’m disappointed in today, hopefully shoulders tomorrow will help redeem this feeling of worthlessness, ha.

241

8/25/17

Weight: 203.4, 203.4, 204.2 (New Low Weight PR teh hotz abz are on the way)

Shoulders

OHP
2 x 20 x 45
2 x 10 x 95
2 x 8 x 115
2 x 5 x 135
3 x 5 x 155
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 8 x 115
3 x 10 x 95

Rear Delt Row/Fly
4 x 20 x 25

Lateral Raise
4 x 15, 12, 10, 8 x 20, 25, 30, 35

Superset:
High Pull (w/ rope)
3 x 15 x 100
Plate Raise
3 x 15 x 35

Rear Delt Row/Extension/Kickback thing
3 x 12 x 30, 30, 40

Z-Press (DB)
2 x 10 x 35
1 x 15 x 35

This was a really solid pressing day, worked out with Prospective Training Partner No. 1, he’s a bit smaller than me, and there is a bit of gap in strength, but he was no bullshit and genuinely wants to get stronger in the big lifts. Gonna try and work it out so we hit it a workout about once a week (possibly more).

155 felt a bit heavy, but moved alright for all 3 sets, didn’t realize how much volume I snuck in, even prior to my top sets, need to pay more attention to that. But all in all for a 4:15am workout this one was pretty invigorating.

Felt big and full in the upper body, thought I’d weight in a lot closer to 210 today, but hey! I’ll take it.

3 Likes