Just. Don't. Suck (Part 1)

Yep. So my OHP at 200 vs bench at probably 300 (tops) means bench is 20 lbs light

I just checked my presses compared to my bench and I’m a bit weak in that category. Just a few percentage points. I don’t think you should worry about your bench being less than it should be when using ratios. I’m pretty sure (contrary to popular belief) that having a weak bench compared to other lifts isn’t a problem.

But this article does remind me that I need to focus on one thing at a time. And, crap, I have a long ways to go with my lifts. My best front squat is 275. My goal is to back squat 4 plates someday. If I use CT’s ratios then I’ll need to front squat 345 to hit the 85% mark…

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I think that is very do-able for you. Personally was never a fan of maxing out on front squats though (I think someone on these forums just posted about passing out going for a heavy front squat single?). If you are going for the 405 back squat goal, I think a better way to gauge your “ratios” and say you are balanced would be if you are front squatting 315 for 3+ reps when you can back squat 405 1RPM.

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That sounds like a reasonable approach although I may not want to do that more than once!

4.30.17

Woke at 224.2 lbs.

Had dinner with my parents after church but added dessert because today is my mom’s birthday. I was good until I had 1.5 cinnamon rolls and 2 cups of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

Yesterday’s Nutrition
3659 calories, 400g carbs, 102g fat, 239g protein

These would be pretty decent numbers if I had a heavy lifting session planned today…but I don’t. I’ll probably end up doing some light walking just to move around a bit.

EDIT: Made it to the City Gym and walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Incline 2.0% to simulate walking on flat ground, speed at 3.5 mph. Covered 1.75 miles. Wore my uniform and gear and I"m not sure if that was a good idea. It adds weight but I felt like it was affecting my gait, mostly from the duty belt.

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It’s funny how something so seemingly minor has a major effect. I’ve noticed similar, and I carry FAR less kit.

I keep meaning to emulate your log and measure my weight every morning/night. Might need to set an alarm notification on my phone to get in the routine hah. Or just move the scale to my bedroom

My scale is in my bathroom and I nearly trip on it after I put in my contacts and brush my teeth. It’s an easy reminder.

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Haha yeah right now the scale is in one of the bathrooms in my house, but I just don’t consistently use that bathroom in the morning. My contacts and shit are upstairs. Sometimes need to take an emergency shit first thing. Basically haven’t quite got it worked into my routine just yet post-morning-excretion.

5.1.17

223.6 lbs

Yesterday’s Nutrition
2404 calories, 140g carbs, 64g fat, 244g protein

That kind of makes up for Saturday’s dessert binge. I think I still have about 600 calories to make up for from Thursday’s dessert.

If you’re doing the math and wondering why my macros don’t add up to my total calories it’s because I drink beer :grinning:

Forgot to mention that I feel like crap this morning. I have a severe headache which is rare for me. I’m battling a sinus infection and feel like my sinuses are dried out. I live on Sudafed when I’m sick but I’ve also had a cough so I’ve been taking regular shots of cough syrup meant for cough and congestion. Perhaps I’ve dried myself out with the combo…

I’m still seriously considering doing a real workout today. I want to pick up heavy things. And I’ve always heard a tight muscle is also a weak muscle. That means I need to strengthen my QL; that’s not going to happen by resting.

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Me liking that post was for the beer, not the headache. I’m sorry to hear about that part!

Headache is gone!!! Think I took 600mg of ibuprofen. The worst part about being a little sick is all of the meds that I’m taking. Pretty sure anti-inflammatory meds don’t help with building muscle…

5.1.17 Training

Warm-Up
2 laps dynamic warm-up
(I always do this before running and occasionally before lifting. 1st lap is just jogging. Lap 2 is a mix of walking knee hug stretch, walking lunged, high knees, butt kicks, leg swings, hurdle steps forward and backward, and then I do a build-up run on the back straightaway to finish lap 2. Start slow and build up to a decent speed, usually my planned workout speed.)
2 laps of running the straightaway and walking the curves at about 75% effort (I think).
Total Time: 9:04

Power Clean
185x2 (1 power clean, 1 clean squat for practice)
205x2 (same as above)
225x2 (regular power cleans from here on out)
235x2
245x2
255x2 (found my limit with good form today. 10 lbs better than last time)
265x1
275x1

Romanian Deadlift
205x5
225x5
225x5–my lower back started to feel weird so I shut it down. Wasn’t pain, maybe tightness or fatigue?

Pull-Ups
2x10, 9-2-2-2 (Triple rest/pause)

Reverse Cable Fly (21’s style)
10 w/ delt emphasis (start with arms crossed, stop when upper arm makes 90 degree angle with pecks)
10 regular (start where upper arm makes 90 degree angle w/ pecks and go to 180ish)
10 complete range of motion
2 sets of this with 20 lbs each arm
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Try this! It’s a good burn/pump!

Conditioning
20 Minutes AMRAP
3 Deadlift @ 225 lbs
5 Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
7 Push-Ups
9 Body Weight Squats

11 rounds plus 3 deadlifts and 4 pull-ups. Heart rate seemed to stay between 150bpm and whatever my max is.

This all took about an hour and forty-five minutes and as you can see I couldn’t resist doing some pulls. Unless today cripples me I’ll probably be doing some form of deadlifts again on Thursday. Tried front squats by initiating the movement at the knee and felt like I stayed upright and had no hip pain. Might be doing those Wednesday.

Unless today backfires horribly I’ve decided to add things instead of avoiding them. I’m going to add some lateral hip work such as abduction and adduction as well as more oblique work such as planks and suitcase carries. Some sort of injury or imbalance led to this and I need to fix it. Backing off hasn’t really improved anything and it’s driving me nuts.

Off to the band work and foam roller!

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I hate headaches. I used to get a doozy every six to 12 weeks. Not so much now. Hope you feel better.

Thanks and I do! I actually had a pretty stellar day. I finished my workout around 11:30 this morning. I’ve spent the rest of the day rolling around on the floor with the foam roller, stretching, trying to get relief from the dull ache in my lower back. I definitely aggravated it lifting. Oddly enough I get relief from doing side planks and a glute bridge where I have my legs externally rotated like I’m about to do a butterfly stretch.

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What beer do you typically drink? I saw you mentioned a few Corona Lights before, which are a pretty good bang for your buck taste/calorie/carb wise. I’m also a beer drinker, so trying to find some good ones to stock up on and stick with.

I had a bud light the other day that my mate bought back from the states… Omg such a smooth lovely taste! We don’t get beers like that in oz.

My wife likes IPA’s in the warmer months which is now. We always try the seasonal stuff in the fall and winter too but they’re brutal if you track your calories and care about your waist line.

When I want something darker in the cold months I like stuff like Odell 90 Schilling and New Belgium 1554. I’m not too picky so I end up going with the variety packs which has all kinds of goodies. I’m not a beer snob and couldn’t tell you anything about them. I just know if I like the way it tastes.

Fortunately in the summer months I like light beers. Smooth, cold, taste decent and don’t fill me up. I’m a bit weird because my first choice is almost always Busch Light bottles. Never cans; I’ll only drink the bottles. It’s actually hard to find so if that’s not available I’ll go with Corona Light, Coors Light, or Bud Light. I usually drink if I’m grilling or after spending a few hours doing yard work. In either scenario I really don’t like the heavier, more flavorful beers. I prefer the cheaper lighter stuff which works out great. Easy on the pocket book and a little easier on my waist line.

@Irishman92, Last night I picked up a 12 pack of Bud Light bottles and got another half off :slight_smile:

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5.2.17

223.6 lbs again

Yesterday’s Nutrition
3323 calories, 350g carbs, 67g fat, 256g protein.

My body was a furnace after my workout and it was hard to stay satiated. Had a big lunch and was hungry again soon after; I was also craving carbs so I ate em. Toasted two pieces of bread an made open face peanut butter & jelly. One of my favorites but it’s 575 calories, 76g carbs, 27g fat, and 21g protein (3 TBS each of Jiffy natural creamy peanut butter and Dillons’ Simple Truth organic jelly).

If I’d avoided the local brewing company’s IPA and the last Corona Light I had in the fridge then I would’ve been right at my usual 3000 calories. I’m not too worried about it. My weight has been steadily dropping at 3000 calories/day until this past week when I’ve eaten excessive amounts of calories for dessert. I’ve been considering bumping up to 3100 calories/day.

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This is my downfall. Probably hits me for at least 2000 calories per week, likely more - I like the heavy IPAs that are about 300 calories a pint.