HustlingHat93's Road to 123lb and Weak to Strong

If it’s too heavy you’ll have no choice but to push your self and eat to grow :man_shrugging:

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That’s a very valid point.
I plan on taking the deloads every 4th week so that eliminates my biggest fear which is over fatigue with heavy sessions and the MMA session

Did today’s workout and only got 4 reps.

Will take the rest of the week off ( mma and gym) and start next cycle next week.

Will update with a full recap later after work

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Summary of first cycle

Weight at start: 123lb
Weight as of this week: 130/131lb
Weight gain: 7/8 lbs in 12 ish weeks

Deadlift working max: 130kg/287 lbs increased to 157.5kg/347lbs
Bench working max: 70kg/154lbs increased to 77.5kg/ 171lbs
Squat working max: 110kg/242lbs increased to 142.5kg/314lbs
Incline working max: 50kg/110lbs increased to 60kg/ 132lbs

I decided to go ahead with the bold numbers as my working max for the next cycle. Don’t have much to actually say about progress due to having nothing real to compare to because of starting training back again after covid closure.

Good of running the programme

  • Progress has definitely been made strength wise. I remember trying 120kg/ 264lbs after my 10s cycle and missing the rep but managed to get 5kg/11lb more for 4 reps.
  • I feel like I have a better idea of accessory lifts to use through trial and error

Bad of running the programme

  • My upper body lifts did not really increase
  • I don’t think I have managed a full week of MMA and training without missing a day (usually the plyo or MMA sessions)
    -Weight increase hasn’t been linear and has been very confusing despite overall being a solid increase per week

Things I will change/ Focus on for next time running it (Sunday onwards)

  • Replace the Plyo days with more bodybuilding/ low stress work and more f’functional prep days for the 10s and 8s cycle

  • For the 5 and 3s cycle I will do the Plyo days instead of the above. These will be programmed to make sure I’m not just YOLOing it

  • I will consistently aim to get all my sessions done

  • I will deload every 4 weeks to make sure I am recovering. Certainly considering the above

  • I will focus on mobility/ stretching and also general recovery daily

  • For every MR week I will have set rep goals to aim for

  • Will aim for being 137-140 by end of next 15 weeks

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Great progress man!!

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REP GOALS FOR TRAINING WEEK STARTING 11/07/2021

Deadlift: 95kg/ 209lb x15 Reps
Bench: 45kg/ 99lb x 13 Reps
Squat:85kg/ 187lb x15 Reps
Incline: 35kg/ 77lb x15 Reps

All these goals are including having 2ish reps in the tank (as per programme).

Really excited about the deadlift and squat day considering the weight is either 2.5kg/5lb lighter (deadlift) or heavier (Squat) of last times week 3 MR weight.

Thanks man! Can’t wait to be at this stage on the next cycle and look back to see comparable numbers!

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Deadlifts 10 waves Accumulation week

4x10 and 1x13 or 14 (lost count so unsure) with 95kg/ 209lbs

Deficit Deadlifts

5x 82.5kg/ 182lb
5x 95kg/ 209lb
5x 107.5kg/ 237lb

Safety Squat Bar Squats
75kg/165lbs x3
85kg/187lbs x3
95kg/ 209lbs x3
110kg/242lbs x1

3x Good mornings (SSB)
3x Heavy RDL
10x Rows (done as a superset with the squats and good mornings)
3x Seated low cable rows
3x Back extensions with 20kg/44lbs kettlebells and rows at the top

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Bench 10 waves Accumulation week

Bench 4x10 and 1x 14 with 45kg/ 99lbs (suppersetted with Kettlebell rows)

Close grip bench: 5x42.5kg/93lbs, 5x 47.5kg/105 and 4x 55kg/121lbs

5x Weighted pull ups
4x Incline DB Press supersetted with seated low cable pulls
3x seated shoulder press
Arms ( Curls, extensions etc)

Notes

  1. Managed to get more reps then I planned and also a direct comparable is this point last cycle I hit 2 reps less with 2.5kg/5lb less so progress!

  2. The goal of doing all my MMA sessions has already failed as I did not go today. I didn’t take into consideration that I had my first Covid vaccine Saturday and I’m suffering from side-effects. I’ve been worried since yesterday because of a weird pain in my chest/ shoulder and I was thinking maybe it was a muscle issue. Woke up and I have what feels like a golf ball under my armpit. Further research says it’s a swollen lymph node in my left armpit which is a side-effect.

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Squat 10 wave Accumulation week

Squat 4x10 + 1x 15 with 85kg/187lb

Pause squat: 3x5 (7second pause) with 72.5kg/ 160lbs
(10 sets of rows in between the above)

Sumo : 5x92.5kg/204lbs ,5x107.5kg/237, 5x120kg/264lbs

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Incline Bench (instead of Military Press) 10 waves Accumulation week

Incline Bench: 4x10 and 1x11 with 35kg/ 77lb (Super setted with kettlebell rows)
Paused Bench: 45kg/94lbs, 55kg/ 121lb and 60kg/132lb all for 5 reps
5x Weighted pull ups
4x DB Bench Press
4x Seated Shoulder DB press

Well today was a disappointing day certainly with MR set. Only got 1 more than the 10 and I was not too conservative (was not failure but close) and just felt beat up around the pec area.

But on we go. Tomorrow is a new day

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Deadlifts 10 waves Intensification week

The warm up sets + 2x10 and 1x13 with 105kg/ 231lbs

Deficit Deadlifts (supersetted with seated cable rows)

3x 90g/ 198lb
3x 100kg/ 220lb
3x 112.5kg/ 248lb

Safety Squat Bar Squats
75kg/165lbs x3
90kg/198lbs x3
105kg/ 231lbs x1
105kg/ 231bs x 1
115kg/253bs x1

3x Good mornings (SSB)
3x Heavy RDL
10x Rows (done as a superset with the squats and good mornings)
3x T-bar rows
3x Back extensions with 20kg/44lbs kettlebells and rows at the top
3x leg raises of the bench and 3x cable crunches

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Bench 10 waves Intensification week

Bench The warm up sets and 2x10 and 1x11 with 52.5kg/ 116lbs (suppersetted with Kettlebell rows)

Close grip bench: 3x52.5kg/ 116lbs, 3x52.5kg/ 116lbs and 3x 57.5kg/127lbs

5x Weighted pull ups
4x Incline DB Press supersetted with seated low cable pulls
3x seated shoulder press
Arms ( Curls, extensions etc)

So very disappointed with the MR set only getting 1 more rep. I looked back at my last cycle and also managed 11 reps at this stage but with 5kg/10lbs less so I’m definitely going to focus on the positive.

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Squat 10 wave Intensification week

Squat The prescribed warm up sets + 2x10 and 1x12 with 95kg/209lb

Pause squat: 3x4 (5second pause) with 85kg/ 187lbs
(10 sets of rows in between the above)

Sumo : 3x100kg/220lbs , 3x112.5kg/248, 3x127.5kg/281lbs

And I am WRECKED. Luckily I am off work today so might have a nap but completely shattered. My right hip feels weird, the current London Heat wave is making high reps much more taxing and think I have more stress from work than I can recover from.

With that being said happy with the 12 reps considering I got the same reps in April during this week but with 20kg/ 44 lb less. Also I was very tempted to do my week 3 MR set today instead of this workout because except for the hip flexor being weird I felt strong. I hope next Squat day I feel like this!

Will update later with goals for the week 3 MR sets

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Incline Bench (instead of Military Press) 10 waves intensification week

Incline Bench: Warm up sets + 3x10and 1x11 with 40kg/ 88lb (Super setted with kettlebell rows)
Bench: 50kg/110lbs, 55kg/ 121lb and 62.5kg/138lb all for 3 reps
5x Weighted pull ups
4x DB Bench Press
4x Seated Shoulder DB press

Notes

  • Terrible workout. Did not manage any extra reps on the last incline set. With me only getting 1 more last week things are not looking good for this lift next week.
  • Everything else felt meh
  • Not going MMA training this week. Spending more time with my mother before she leaves abroad to see her family (high chances she will not be allowed back to the UK without quarantine) and her birthday is this weekend so just prioritising people a son instead of strangling people this week
  • Also VERY SCARY FOR ME I’m keeping my nutrition the same and taking this no MMA week as a trial with my weight to see how much my current Kcals (3k) affects my weight with MMA energy expenditure. I am worried about gaining excess fat this week but in the grand scheme of things that should be negligible.
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GOALS FOR WEEK MR SETS

Deadlift: 117.5kg/259lb x14
Bench:57.5kg/ 127lbs x12
Squat: 107.5kg/ 237lbs x15
Incline: 45kg/ 99lb x12 (anything above 10 I am happy with considering the last 2 weeks)

I’m late, but want to comment. This is what I tell people when they mention checking someone at the gym. They should be prepared for whatever happens next.

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Weirdly enough I agreed with the actions of the small guy at the time and still do. Play stupid games intimating people smaller than you, win stupid prizes

Lower Body accessory work

3 rounds of Hex Bar deadlifts (not heavy) followed by Sled push sprints followed by Hex Bar farmer walk

3x Kettle Bell Step Ups
3x RDL
3x Rows
3x Hamstring Curl
3x Leg extension

Quite a boring and inefficient day. Wanted to just go in and not work on taxing lifts considering I squat and deadlift in some capacity 2x a week already.

I plan on supersetting more during this type of workout to allow me to get a bit more done in the 45 minutes I have.

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UPPER BODY ACCESSORY DAY

3x superset of Flat DB bench press + Seated Low cable row
3x superset of Incline DB press + Bent over DB Rows
3x superset of Cable Fly+ MR Pull ups
6x bent over rows
3x Lateral Raises
6x bicep curls
6x Tricep extenstions

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Deadlifts 10 waves Realisation week

The warm up sets + 117.5kg/259lb x14

Deficit Deadlifts (supersetted with seated cable rows)

5x 100kg/ 220lb
3x 107.5kg/ 237lb
1x 120kg/ 264lbs

Safety Squat Bar Squats
85kg/187lbs x3
90kg/209bs x3
110kg/ 242lbsx1
115kg/253bs x1

3x Good mornings (SSB)
3x Heavy RDL
10x Rows (done as a superset with the squats and good mornings)
3x T-bar rows
3x Back extensions with 20kg/44lbs kettlebells and rows at the top

Notes

Overall not a bad day, got my goal for the MR set. I’m wondering if I would have managed to get an extra rep or 2 if my goal was 1 or 2 reps more.

Deficit deadlifts felt very smooth and easier than usual.

Let’s see how the rest of the week goes!

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