2/11 morning calisthenics
Pushups 45, 13, 10
Squats 3x33
Quadruped stomach vacuums 3x30 sec
5 min stationary bike
Pushups got very sloppy as I was trying to beat my amrap numbers. From here on I’m going to set fixed target numbers and raise them weekly. With more emphasis on the 2nd and 3rd sets, I think.
2/12
Week 3, workout b
Squat 185 5x5
Press 55 5x5
DL 175 1x5
Lots of extra time, so:
Leg press
Rope push downs
Pec flye machine
2/13
Bodyweight 181.0, stuck?
Morning calisthenics:
30 sec rest between each set,
Pushups 30, 15, 15
Squats 35, 35, 35
Quadruped stomach vacuums 3x30sec
10 bonus pushups
The quad burn from air squats is pretty crazy. And my pushup endurance sucks.
Calisthenics plan for now is to slowly increase pushups in the latter 2 sets but stick with 30 for the first. If I can stick with this for 6 months, I should be able to get to 3x30, then shrink the rest periods until its 1x90 in 2 minutes.
For squats, I’m not sure.
Or scrap that approach and do 10 pushups/15 squats until reaching, say, 100/150. Idk.
2/14
Bodyweight 178.0 (wow!)
Week 3 Rehab 5x5 workout A again
All 5x5:
Squat 185
Bench press 160
Barbell row 105
Extra time: abs
2/17
Week 4 workout B
5x5 squat 190
5x5 standing press 65
1x5 DL 185
Extra time, so:
Ham/quad machines superset
Curls
Assisted dips
Tricep pushdown machine
2/18
Morning calisthenics
Pushups 30, 15, 17
Squats 3x35
Quadruped stomach vacuums 3x30sec
30 sec rest between everything
2/19
Bodyweight 176.8 (lowest in years)
Week 4 workout a
All 5x5
Squats 190
Bench 165
Bb row 110
Bonus work:
RFE squats w 30lb dumbbell on chest
4x10 per leg
The squats were tough, raising the squat while lowering my bodyweight has me concerned about going much higher at this rate.
The bench press was a grind, which sucked. But I didn’t feel I needed much rest in between. I feel really weak.
The rows of course were remedial for grip rehab and I probably could have done all 5x5 in one straight set.
The RFE squats were great, its 13 hours later and already my glutes are sore!
2/20 morning calisthenics.
Pushups 30, 15, 15
Squats 3x35
Vacuums 3x30sec
Glutes are on FIRE from yesterday!
2/21
Week 4 workout B again
5x5 squat 190
5x5 standing press 65
1x5 DL 185
Extra time, so:
Quad extension machine
Rope pushdowns
Abs (1 set captain’s chair, 1 set decline situps)
The squats felt better today. I think a big part of it was that I rested 2:30 each set instead of 2:00 which I normally do.
2/24
Bodyweight: 175.4 lbs – that’s a new low
Week 5 workout A
All 5x5:
Squat 195
Bench 170
Rows 115
Extra time so:
RFE split squats, 3x10 per side, 35lb dumbbell.
Pec flyes, 35lb dumbbells, didn’t feel very effective. Felt stupid to be honest.
Abs, 1 set of captain’s chair.
The first set of squats was very hard. For subsequent sets I reset my breath more, and did 3 min between sets, and I felt like superman.
Bench was a real grind again. I had to widen my grip, which makes me feel much more stable, but my elbows end up pretty far out which I think is sub-optimal. However I just can’t seem to get a groove with elbows in close.
Rows of course were remedial.
2/25
Morning calisthenics:
30 sec rest between each set,
Pushups 30, 15, 15
Squats 35, 35, 35
Quadruped stomach vacuums 2x60sec
The pushups have been hard, and I really tried to do more on the last set but just couldn’t. Maybe I should try for more on the first set and just see what happens when I come to the last set.
2/26
Week 5 workout B
Squat 195 5x5
Press 75 5x5
Dl 195 1x5
Extra time: delt raises and curls and abs.
Morning calisthenics:
30 sec rest between each set,
Pushups 30, 15, 15
Squats 35, 35, 35
Quadruped stomach vacuums 2x60sec
1 mile run (street)
2/28/2020
Last scheduled workout before Vacation! This leaves week 6 of my rehab plan for after I return, which might suck for squat and bench, for which I’ve been struggling as is.
Since it’s the last one for a while, I went beyond the script a bit and added some pain:
5x5 Squat 195
single at 205
single at 215
Double at 225
5x5 Bench Press 170
5x5 Rows 115
Superset RFE squats, 45lbs, with DB bench press, 45 LBs,
5x10 of each; and last set of DB bench press was 20 reps.
The RFE squats absolutely drained me!
2/28 saturday bonus workout!
(Bodyweight 176, I’ve probably reached the bottom. Theres more fat, but i don’t think its worth going any lower)
Deadlifts:
5x135
5x185
5x205
5x225
5x245
5x265
3x285
1x305
Push press: never done this before.
3x85
3x105
3x125
2x145
Felt like I’d hurt myself if I continued this.
Landmine press: never tried this before either.
50lbs on the bar, 3 sets of 10 per arm.
There was a lot of body English in this, I’m not sure if its supposed to be that way or not. Definitely a grind.
Glutes still burning from yesterday’s RFE squats, with any luck I’ll spend my vacation enjoying DOMS from today’s workout.
Vacation tomorrow through Thursday, may be able to hit the gym Friday.
Got back from vacation at 2am Friday. Got a little sleep, went to the gym mid-morning. Having missed 2 workouts shouldn’t be a big deal but I felt like I needed a refresher, so i did this:
Squat:
5x135
5x185
2x225 * Felt like I could barely get up, the hip hinge took all the weight. I’m not very good at this. I think my butt was too high.
Deadlift:
5x135
5x185
5x225
BP:
5x135
5x185
Supersetted this (before and after, so 3 sets) with:
BB Rows:
5x135
OHP:
5x45
5x65
5x85
3x105
1x125* Went for a second rep here and just freakin couldn’t move it. Went for a single at 135, a lifetime goal, after a couple minutes rest, and… couldn’t freakin move it. So I guess I know my OHP 1RM, and it’s the same as it was 6 months ago and a year ago.
Supersetted each OHP with 2 chinups, so 5 sets of 2.
Oh, and despite the vacation, bodyweight was flat at 176.
I hope now to get back to eating and taking creatine.
3/9/2020
Didn’t weigh myself.
Been eating normally (non-deficit) since starting vacation. Didn’t gain weight on vacation, but by now I’m probably up a pound.
Week 6 of Rehab 5x5, Workout B:
Squat:
Single at 225
5x5@200
OHP 5x5@80
superset 4x25 decline situps
Deadlift 1x5@205
Preparing to run GMM, I need to determine some 1RMs with reasonable accuracy, and pick starting weights for the 350 method work. I’ve already established 1RM for OHP at 125; for squat I believe I’ll use 235 (should test it); need to test bench; today, tested stiff-leg deadlift at 225. Could have done more probably but I haven’t SLDL’d in a long time so that’s good enough for now.
For the 350 method, you just have to pick a weight for certain exercises and try to get 50 reps across 3 sets. Today I tried curls with an empty barbell, 30 reps the first time, above 20 the second set, and 15-ish on the third set. So I definitely need to go heavier, probably just to 55lbs, on that one. I’ll use the other two gym days this week to try to tune more of those things in in preparation for starting GMM next week.
3/10
Morning calisthenics
Pushups 30, 18, 18 - grueling!
Squats 3x35
Quadruped stomach vacuums 2x60sec
30 secs rest between all sets
3/11
5x5 squat 200 (Was really hard)
2x5 bench press 175 (very nearly failed)
3x5 bench press 170 (reduced the weight to complete the 5x5. This was disappointing.)
5x5 rows 120
Messed around with incline bench, since it’s part of GMM. I’ve never really done it before and setup was new to me. Not sure where I’ll start with it for GMM but it will be light.
3/12/2020
Today should have been the usual 8 minutes of morning calisthenics. It was not. I have a bunch of excuses but it doesn’t matter. I am letting noone but myself down by failing to perform it this morning. For penance I did a bunch of pullups at work, those feel good now that my forearm is healed!
3/13
Last workout of my 6-week rehab program! I’m very happy to have graduated. My forearm seems to have healed completely.
I intend to start GMM next week if my gym isn’t closed by coronavirus.
5x5 squat 200
5x5 ohp 80
3x10 ohp 65
1x5 DL 225
Leg press “350 method” 320lbs*
28, 14, 10
*this leg press isn’t a sled, it’s some kind of pivoting carriage. It seems to have mechanical advantage compared to the sled at my other gym, where I could not have done 320.