Killian's Log

Hey guys been lurking the site for several years now but I haven’t posted in a long time. Former athlete, husband, and Father of two who’s been in and out of the iron game for many years. I’ve gone years without hardly touching a weight but about a year ago I got the bug again. I’ve been hitting it hard and consistently for about six months. I’ve been mostly doing bodybuilding type workouts and not going heavy at all. I’ve decided that needs to change.

I’m also coming off a pretty serious siatic nerve issue that has kept me in constant pain for several months, and has lingered for years. I’ve been working legs with mostly bodyweight exercises and back with exercises that didn’t cause stress. Thanks to a very good muscle/nerve specialist using ART techniques and several injections it’s finally came around. Anyways I’m starting really light on all exercises I’ve checked my ego at the door and plan on progressing for along time.

Right now I’m doing my own template and workouts and my current goal is to drop bodyfat and lose weight. I’ve lost 18lbs in the past several months so I’m on track. I like what I’m doing now but after the Christmas holiday I may decided to do the BBB template.

Here was today’s workout:
Bench
Ramp up to 240x8
185x11

Standing Hammer Strength Flat Bench
3-45s each side=10,10
2-45s and 1-25 each side=10,10,10

Standing Hammer Strength Row
3-45s each side=5setsx10reps

Hammer Curls
45lbsx4setsx8reps

St. Bar Pushdowns
65lbsx4setsx10reps

D. Laterals
25lbsx4setsx10reps

That’s it. I normally have been working out on Friday, Saturday, And Sundays, and then usually a Tuesday because it fits my family life better, but due to the Holiday and a touch of the flu I got a little of schedule. I plan on trying to get back to a Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and then Wednesday or Thursday schedule depending on what’s going on during the week so this week may look very odd.

Man I can hardly believe how heavy the bar felt on my back today. I haven’t done any serious leg work for several months because of the sciatic nerve issue I’ve had. Today during leg curls I could feel it start to flare up a bit so I really stretched out good hoping it wouldn’t completely lock up and fortunetly it didn’t. Todays workout:

Squat
Ramp to 225x11

Bulgarian Split Squat (leg elevated)
Bodyweightx4setsx8reps (each leg)

Leg Extensions
120x4x10

Leg Curls
100x4x8-10

ab work
crunchs
ab wheel

I was able to get into the gym a little earlier than normal and it was great. Hardly anybody was there so I went a little crazy during the assistance work.
Lets see if I can remember.

Military Press
Ramp to 160x8
115x12

Band pull a parts between sets of presses

D. Incline Bench/Lat Pulldowns Supersets
75x4setsx8-10reps/150x4setsx8-10reps

ez curls/rope upright row Supersets
100x3setsx8-10reps/100x3setsx12reps

Nautilus preacher curls/Nautilus Laterals
60?x3setsx8-10reps/150?x3setsx8-10reps

some other random biceps stuff.

Well I’m finally back into the 240’s. I’ve lost 20lbs in 2 months doing carb cycling and plain old not eating as much. I’ve lost some strength but right now that’s not my main goal. I’ve also realized my recovery is just not great anymore. I’ve always tried to hit bodyparts at least 2 times a week with medium volume, that’s really not working for me right now. I’m going to split the assistance up into more of a bodypart split routine. I also like working up to a max set on my bigger assistance exercises like biceps curls, and then keeping the weight static on my machine and dumbbell work. Just some observations I’ve made over the past few month. I’m definelty not young anymore :slight_smile:

Well it appears deadlifts are going to be a no go. I tried today and the sciatic nerve pain is just to severe. I’m going to continue to work around my injuries and do what I can. I can almost do any back exercise where I can brace an arm or keep pressure off of the lower back.

1-arm barbell rows
1-45lbsx8reps
1-45, 1-25,x8reps
1-45, 1-35x8reps
2-45’sx8reps

Deadstop D.Rows
70x8
90x3x8

Chest supported rows
180x3x10

Straight arm pushdowns
55x12
65x4x12

D. Shrugs (3 sec holds)
90x3x12

dips
Bodyweightx5setsx10reps

lying Tricep Ext
80x8, 90x8, 100x2x8

Rope Overhead Ext
145x3x12

Straight Bar Pushdowns
70x3x12+dropset

D. Upright Rows
30x8, 40x8, 45x3x8

Rear Lateral Raise/Lateral Raise Superset
25x3setsxMax reps

Did a couple of fullbody workouts the end of last week, nothing serious just to keep the blood flowing. Here was today’s workout:

Bench Press
Ramp to 275x3
175lbsx5setsx10reps

Dumbbell Rows
95x5x10

Skull Crushers
90x5x10

Dumbbell Laterals
25x5x12

Worked calves in between almost all exercies.

Been hitting it pretty hard, haven’t posted anything. I’ve basically been doing alot of experimenting with different types of splits and rep ranges. My plan has been to try and get severely overtrained because next week I’m taking off for the holidays and traveling. After the new year I plan on either doing the BBB challenge or my own template. Here was today’s workout:

Squat
ramp to 295x4, this isn’t great but the most I’ve had on my back since my sciatic nerve issues.

Front Squat/face pulls superset
135x5x10/5x12

Leg curls/D. Shrug superset
5x10/5x12

Lots of foam rolling and stretching. For some reason the leg curls seem to flare up the sciatic nerve more than almost anything. Might have to try something else. Tomorrow going to hit the Biceps and Triceps hard then call it good for the week. Happy Holidays.

Arm day

EZ curl /French press superset
5x10/5x10

Preacher curl / push down superset
4x10 / 4x12

Reverse cable curl / tri kickback superset
3x12 / 3x12

Last workout for the week. I’m pretty beat up so looking forward to it. Happy holidays.

Bench
200x5
230x5
260x7
200x10

Dumbbell incline
80x8
90x4x8

Pec deck
4x12

Ez curls
4x8

Preacher curls
4x8

Hammer curls
3x10

Found out I’m going to be going back to shift work which sucks but guess we do what we have to do. I’m thinking of going to a full body split because I feel that would be ideal because I’m probably only going to train 3 days a week.

The weight loss has been going pretty good but my all or nothing personality has kind of set me back. I’ve been eating like a bird and my workouts have been suffering. I’m going to up the food intake, eating lots of clean protein and eating my carbs around workout times. Today’s workout

Squat
220x5
250x5
280x7
Going to lower the max a bit more. Due to not being able to squat for so long with the sciatic nerve issue my core and back just need to get much stronger. I’m not out to impress anyone just continue to improve and work through the injuries.

Bulgarian split squat
4x8

Deadlifts
215x5x10
First time in forever I was able to deadlift without significant pain. Weight felt ok and I focused on staying tight and moving nice and slow. Sad to say these almost killed me.

Also did some chins and pulldowns between sets of squats.

Crunches

Press
125x5
140x5
160x8

Bench
190x5x10 these were way harder than I expected. The last 2 sets were brutal.

Meadow rows
2-45’s 1x10
1-45, 1-35 4x10

Press downs
3x20

D. Curls
3x20

Face pulls
3x20

My squats have felt really off lately and not just because of the injuries I’ve been working through, but just unnatural. I went back and studied some old rippetoe videos and put them to use today. Squats felt much better and way deeper.

Squat
185x3x15 kicked my ass but in a good way. Limited rest about 2 min between sets.

Dumbbell press
50x3x15

Standing tricep ext.
95x3x15

Crunches

Incline bench
205x7x4

Curls/press down superset
90x4x8 / 75x4x8

Dumbbell flys
65x4x6

Squat
225x5x5 getting healthier by the day.

Clean and press
155x5x6

Dips
4x12

CGBP
4x6

I’ve done my own workout planning for so long it’s hard for me to commit to any program, I’ve always just done what I felt was needed at the time . I’ve finally been doing a bastard version of the BBB, but I’m going to probably switch to a full body routine due to the shift work. Will see. today’s workout:

Bench press
190x5
220x5
250x9

Overhead press
125x5x10

One arm row
95x5x10

All I had time for today do to my schedule. Might go hit some light arm tomorrow.

Start my first night shift tonight for the first time in 7 years. I’ll probably die. Today’s workout.

Deadlifts
215x5
245x5
280x10 stopped here

Squat
185x5x10 I did these lighter than I was supposed to but like I said before my form just seems off. I feel like I’m fighting against myself somehow.

Ab wheel
3x10

Think I’ve finally nailed down my split trying to work in the confines of my shift schedule. I’ll be working out 3 days a week using an upper-lower-upper rotation. I’ll have 2 upper body sessions and one lower combining squats and deadlifts on the same day. Should fit my goals nicely. Today’s workout:

Military press
135x3
150x3
170x6
135x10

Incline press
185x10
175x10
155x10
155x10
135x10

Seated row
150x5x10

Curls / press down superset
80x3x10 / 70x3x12

Face pulls
120x3x12

Think I’ve finally put something together I can stick to for a long time. I’ve said a million times I’ve never really followed a routine just always kind of did my own thing, but I feel I need a little structure if I want to improve. I’m doing the BBB with different main assistance work exercise working down from my max 10 rep set. I also incorporate 1st last and always shoot for a PR in my final work set. Squats and deads I will always shoot for a PR on the final work set but drop the FSL.