Monday, Jan. 23
Incline Walk 1.05mi in 20min at 7.5 incline
Tues, Jan. 24
Speed Rope x 250 & Agile 8 & Stretching plus 1 mi warm up walk
1 mile run in 10:26
Next cycle (12) will start Thursday instead of Wednesday due to professional commitments…
but I get a killer steak dinner out of it, and a chance to rub elbows with all the big local muckety-mucks.
Thursday, January 25, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 1 Day 1
Speed Rope x 400
Agile 8 + friends
No Box jumps because some PT and his clients were hogging them all. Fuckers
Band Pull aparts 3 x 10 med blue band
Squats TM 360
Bar x 10
135 x 8 paused
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3 These felt heavier than usual.
295 x 3 Uh-oh. The last one got close to grinder territory.
325 x 1 Failure. Maybe it’s just in my head. I’ll reconfirm all my cues.
325 x 1 Awful . I really felt weak in the hip flexors. This is a new problem.
I sit for a spell and regroup.
Leg Press 50 reps at 388
Leg Curls 48 reps at 100
Weighted sit ups 10# x 50
Friday, January 27, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 1 Day 2
Speed Rope x 250
Simple 6
14# Med Ball Throws 3 x 5
Bench Press TM 325
Bar x 15
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 3
260 x 3
295 x 7 Spotter was annoyed that I didn’t try for #8. That would have been a PR.
225 x 14
After shitting the bed royale in the squat rack last night this effort was a big pick-me-up.
Kroc Rows
Warmup 55 x 10 l/r
85 x 25 l/r
Face Pulls
4 sets of 57.5 x 10
I tried doing the bike sprints I skipped last night, but my legs were not too interested. This is a worrisome trend.
Went home, ate, then set out for a little stroll through the neighborhood to get some blood flowing through my legs.
2.33 miles in 44 minutes.
Saturday I did a leisurely petal, about 30 min in zone 1 followed by about the same amount of time in hot tub. Some severe tightness of sorts in my right hammy, the lower outside part, right where it runs into the backside of my knee. Pushed deads scheduled for Sunday back a day due to this. Did a lot of walking around the compound to try to loosen things up. Pain receded as the day went on.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 1 Day 3
Speed Rope x 450; Lots of stretching; Box Jumps 3 x 5; Band pull-aparts 4 x 10 medium blue
Dead Lift TM 355 3’s -PR week
135 x 10
225 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3
285 x 3 Mixed grip & belted here
325 x 7 New Rep PR! Smooth as Slaughter House Whiskey on a single large rock of ice.
225 x 5 Paused set just for shits n giggles
BW Back Raises =60 total
10# Weighted Sit ups =60 total
Spent the whole time in between sets squirming like an infant on Red Bull formula just trying to find a spot where my back didn’t ache. I looked like a freak.
Stepmill intervals: 4 X :30 @ level 11
Heart rate bumped into the 160’s; at age 48, that’s running at about 95% of max heart rate; which doesn’t feel too good after a while. Will adjust fire so I can get more work on these.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 1 Day 4
Speed Rope x 375
Simple 6
10# Med Ball Toss 3 x 5
OH Press TM 200 3’s PR Week
45 x 15
75 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
140 x 3
160 x 3
180 x 8 New Rep PR
Lat Pulls
6 sets 120 x 10
neutral grip; 3 wide, 3 narrow
BW Dips 30 Total
Left big crowded gym at this point.
Face Pulls 60 Total
Had to perform these at the little gym at my apartment complex. A pulley aparatus is the only serviceable piece of equipment they have…and some cardio stuff like a bike and dreadmill.
Got called home for quasi- emergency right as I started my run… fuuuuuuuuuuu
Thursday afternoon, started feeling like shit…sinus infection dragged through Friday and Saturday, too. Felt well enough (so I thought) to hit it on Sunday.
Sunday, February 6, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 2 Day 1
Speed Rope x 350
Agile 8 and shoulders
Box Jumps 3 x 5
Band Pull Aparts 3 x 10 Med Blue band
Squats TM 360 5’s Week w/ Pyramid
Bar x 15
135 x 8
185 x 5
215 x 3
235 x 5
270 x 5
305 x 5 I’m feeling the sinus infection after every set. But I’m ok during.
270 x 5
235 x 5
At this point I’ve turned into grey, nauseous, gasping, clammy mess. I actually drew some looks of concern from other gym-goers.
I’m happy just to get my main work sets in, and they were pretty solid in spite of my condition.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 2 Day 2
Speed Rope x 300
Simple 6
10# Med Ball Throws -15
Bench Press TM 325 5’s Week with Pyramid
Bar x 15
135 x 8
185 x 5
205 x 5
215 x 5
245 x 5
275 x 5
245 x 5
215 x 5
Push:
DB Bench
5 sets of 50 x 10 l/r
Pull:
SS with
DB Rows
Warmup 50 x 10
4 sets 85 x 10
Face Pulls
4 sets 50 x 10
Core:
Weighted sits 4 x 10 with 10#
Every little thing was a grind. Even though the symptoms of my sinus infection cleared up, the weakness still remained. Even the speed rope warm up sucked more than normal. Sets of 100 got shortened to 75 and I was still sucking air. After every set I was a gasping, sweat-drenched mess.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 2 Day 3
Speed Rope x 300
Stretching
Box Jumps 3 x 5
Deadlift TM 355
135 x 10
225 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 5
275 x 5 mixed
305 x 5 mixed & belted
275 x 5 mixed
245 x 5 back to double overhand
Push:
Pushups: Total of 60 (supersetted with DLs)
Pull:
Medium Band Pull Aparts: Total 50 (supersetted with DLs)
Curls: 40# for a total of 50
Core:
Back Raises: 50 Total
40 with 10#: 10 with BW
Still dragging myself through this. Besides last week’s illness, it’s been unseasonably warm and humid this week, and both seem to have sapped my strength and endurance.
Completed in 45 minutes
Friday, February 10, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 2 Day 5
Speed Rope x 200
Simple 6
OH Press TM 200 5’s with pyramid and bad math
45 x 15
75 x 8
95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 5
145 x 5
125 x 5
Realized I finished this in 16 minutes.
Push
BW Dips total 40
Pull
Chins/various grip
with 85# assistance -total 28
with 100# assistance -total 22
Face pulls
4 sets of 57.5 x 10
Monday, February 13, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 3 Day 1
Speed Rope x 300
Lower body and shoulder stretches
Jumps x 10
Squat TM 360 1’s Week
Bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
235 x 3
270 x 5
305 x 3
345 x 1 10lb personal best. Spotter said my depth was parallel
365 x 1 30lb PR. Spotter and mirror confirmed I hit parallel this time. Spent an extra (unintended) second in the hole. heh
Push
Pushups x 50 (in between squat sets)
Pull
Band Pull Aparts Med Band x 50 (in between squat sets)
Lat Pulls 120 x 50 total neutral wide and narrow
Core
Back Raises total 50 while hugging a 10lb plate
Conditioning
Bike Sprints
12 x :20 EMOM
Nice to have a day like this.
Tuesday, Feb 14 - Went on 2.33 mi walk in 43 minutes
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 3 Day 2
Speed Rope x 300
Simple 6
10# Med Ball Throws 4 x 5
Bench Press TM 325 1’s Week
Bar x 15
135 x 10
185 x 6
225 x 3
245 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 4 #5 had to be assisted by spotter
Push:
One-arm DB Press 4 sets of 35 x 10 l/r
Pull:
DB Rows
55 x 10 warmup
4 sets of 90 x 10 l/r
Face Pulls
50 total x 50lb
Core
Ab Roller 40 total
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 3 Day 3
Speed Rope x 325
Jumps x 12
Stretching
Dead Lift TM 355
135 x 10
225 x 5
245 x 3
275 x 5
315 x 3
345 x 1
385 x 1 High hips, too much back.
Put 405 on bar. Addressed bar and activated lats, then back stiffened. Stepped away.
Disappointed but I have no motivation to make anything worse for pride’s sake.
Push
Pushups x 75 total
Pull
Band Pull Aparts Med Blue Band x 60
EZ Bar Curls 40# x 50 total
Core
BW Lunges x 30 per side total. Quads got cold real fast after deads, and the first couple rounds were a chore.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Cycle 12 Week 3 Day 4
Speed Rope x some
Simple 6
14# Med Ball Throws 4 x 5
OH Press TM 200
Bar x 15
85 x 8
105 x 5
135 x 3
150 x 5
170 x 3
190 x 6 New Rep PR
BW Dips x 30
Chins/Pullups
BW x 3
75# assistance 27 total
Face Pulls
4 sets of 50 x 10
30 minutes in hot tub
After yesterday’s top DL attempt, my lower back has been really tight. Hot tub loosened it up for a while.
So Sunday I finished 12 Cycles of 531. Here’s some numbers to bring the past year into perspective:
March 2016:
Squat PB: 255 x 5
Bench: 315 x 1
Deadlift: 275 x 3
Press: 180 x 1
Here’s how I landed
February 2017
Squat: 365 x 1; 325 x 6
Bench: 355 x 1; 290 x 8; 315 x 4
Deadlift 385 x 1; 325 x 7
Press 225 x 1; 190 x 6
Now the handful of you who follow my log might remember 6 months ago when I set some goals for March 1.
Here they were:
Squat 405
Deadlift 405
Run 8 minute mile
Slide under 250lb.
I went 0-for-4.
I know these were some ridiculously contradictory goals, but I rationalized that I could get the lifts through noob gainz (which I attribute mostly to improved form and experience). I pulled 405 up to my knees, so that’s coming soon (if I even care to test it). At the time I set the goal I was in a hot streak of personal records in the squat, and confidence was high. I got my run from a wheezing 12 minute mile to under 10 minutes in less than 6 runs. But I just couldn’t keep it up, finding myself too wiped out after workouts, and too sore the next days. The weight? I found myself increasing the volume in my workouts, and feeding that has its consequences.
There were some unexpected victories. Benching over 350 was a pleasant surprise, especially after stalling in the middle months. Ditching the Incline Press, and increasing volume on the Bench seemed to help me turn things around this last autumn. I also set a side goal of getting 225 on the Press, and squeezed that out after a couple of failed attempts. And my shirts fit differently than they did last winter. I wear XL or XXL depending on the brand’s cut, and some of the XL’s are at risk of getting totally Hulk’d. Just one wrong reach and I’ll have new ventilation on my sleeves.
Monday, Feb 20 25 minutes stationary bike in zone 2
Tuesday, Feb 21 30 minutes stationary bike in zone 2
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Post Cycle 12 Deload - Lower Body
Speed Rope x 350; Stretching; Box Jumps 2 x 5
Squats Deload
Bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3
285 x 2
315 x 1
Deadlift De-load
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
305 x 2
335 x 1
Pushups: Total 45
Band Pull Aparts Med Band x 40
Weighted Sit-ups x 30
Friday, February 24, 2017
Post Cycle 12 Deload - Upper Day
Speed Rope x 300+
Simple 6
10# Med Ball Throws 3 x 5
Bench Press TM 305 Deload
Bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 3
275 x 2
305 x 1
Press TM 190 Deload
Bar x 5
85 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 2
190 x 1
Lat Pulls 120 x 25 total
Face Pulls 50 x 25 total
Back Raises x 25
Brisk stroll, 1.25 miles in 19 minutes
New Cycle starts Sunday.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Cycle 13 Week 1 Day 1
Reset TM’s: Squat 315; Bench 305; Dead Lift 335; Press 190
Speed Rope x 350
Agile 8
Box Jumps 3 x 5
Squat TM 315 (45 lb down from last cycle)
Bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 6
225 x 5
255 x 5
285 x 5
FSL 225 x 5 x 5
Supersetted with pushups and BPA’s, this took an uncomfortably long 38 minutes from first warm up lift off to final set re-rack.
Pushups BW x 75 total
Band Pull Aparts x 75 total
Lat pulls @ 140 x 25 total
Back Raises BW x 50 total
Stationary Bike Sprints 6 x :20; 6 x :15 EMOM
Tight hips and back from 6 hours of driving yesterday made this more of a chore than it should have been.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Cycle 13 Week 1 Day 2
Speed Rope x 325
Simple 6
14# Med Ball Throws 3 x 5
Bench Press TM 305
Bar x 15
135 x 8
165 x 5
185 x 5
215 x 5
245 x 5
275 x 5
FSL 215 x 5 x 5
SS with One-Arm DB Press 40lb x 50 total per side
SS with DB rows 65 x 10/side for warm up
then Kroc style 85 x 25 per side
Face Pulls 50 x 40 total
Ab Roller x 40 total
Ate some dinner then:
20 minutes on stationary bike in zone 2
Agile 8
Shower, soon bed.
Notes: I don’t like 2 days in a row, especially with adding all the new volume, but life doesn’t give a shit about a gym schedule. Completed the Bench/DB Press/Rows in about 32 minutes…pretty good considering the gym was excessively crowded, and I invited another lifter looking for a bench to work in with me…and the supersetting made the top set a little more exciting than that weight usually is for me.
Tues, Feb 28
2.33 mile walk in 38 min
Legs were tight, but I made them stubby things move!
Agile 8
Wed, Mar 1
20 minutes stationary bike on the lower fringe of zone 2
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Cycle 13 (Leader A) Week 1 Day 3
Speed Rope x 375
Agile 8
Box Jumps 3 x 5
Dead Lift TM 335
135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 3
235 x 5
270 x 5
305 x 5
FSL 235 x 5 x 5
SS with pushups= total 75
SS with Medium Band Pull Aparts= total 90
EZ Bar curls 50lb x 50 total
BW Lunges x naawwwww
Notes: Wiped out after the FSL 5 x 5. No single leg assistance. No sprints. Nothing left.
Maybe, but in less than a year you made sick progress.
I am pretty sure you overhead press more than I do btw.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Cycle 13 (Leader A) Week 1 Day 4
Speed Rope x 200
Simple 6
10# Med Ball Slams x 15
Press TM 190
Bar x 15
75 x 8
95 x 5
115 x 3
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5
FSL 135 x 5 x 5
Hanging Leg Raises
20 bent knee
14 straight leg to 90deg
Chins/var grip with 85# assist- 25 total
BW Dips- 25 total
spaced out on remembering to do face pulls