Sup y’all, figured I’d start writing down what I do at the gym whenever I disappear there for 2h blocks and come back beat down, but more energetic than before. I’m betting it’ll help me stay a bit more accountable to my personal goals and have my experiences possibly help some random who stumbles onto my log. Here goes:
Training History
I started lifting a few months before I graduated High School, in Jan 2015. That’s right, I was a filthy Resolutioner. I even curled in the squat rack twice a few times (no shame). Good ol’ Jason Blaha’s ICF 5x5 got me going and made a few decent noob gains. Candito’s LP was next, and then GZCL’s Jacked and Tan 2.0 was used to peak for my first meet in June 2016. Thirds (and second bench) were 150kg/330lbs Squat, 85kg/187lbs Bench and 162.5kg/358lbs Deadlift.
Injured my back shortly after because I went back to training heavy too soon and focused solely on my bench, which went up to 100kg/220lbs in a matter of two months. Squat and deadlifts were a no-go for the better part of six months as any attempts at rehab would trigger another flareup. Switching to sumo deads and starting over at 40kg/95lbs high block pulls and working my way up were what allowed me to start lifting again.
Fast forward a few months of rehabbing my back, I was up to some mediocre numbers, 275 Squat/230 Bench/360 Deadlift. I then hopped on Layne Norton’s PH3 program. Here’s a link to the program review I’ve written on Reddit almost a year ago
Been on this program ever since. I know, I love crazy
On May 26 of this year, I had my second meet. Horrible. A wrist injury messed up both my squats and bench badly. Squats were doubly worse because I apparently wasn’t hitting depth with ATG squats. Oh well.
3rd Squat: 398lbs
2nd Bench: 264.5lbs
3rd Bench: 275lbs (Red-lighted; butt came off the bench, but pressed it relatively easily)
1st Deadlift: 424lbs
Starting Point
Bodyweight: 179.8
Bf %: 15-16%ish
All estimated 1RMs
Squat: 405lbs
Bench: 295lbs
Sumo Deadlift: 460lbs
Conv. Deadlift: ~425lbs
Short-Term Goals
Squat: 455lbs before end of year
Bench: 315lbs before midterms in mid-October
Conv. Deadlift: 465lbs before midterms in mid-October
Sumo Deadlift: 495lbs before end of year
Arms: 14 3/4" => 15.5"
Meet Goals
Compete in Feb/March 2019
Squat: 465-480lbs
Bench: 325-350lbs
Deadlift: 500lbs
Starting PH3’s Intermediate block next week Already did two cycles of Accumulation to build up fatigue and volume in preparation for a small mock meet at the end of Intermediate. I’m not doing the Intensity block for a full max out, as I believe it would not be productive given that I can make more long term progress training submaximally, or a more off-season approach while I can. Plus that block always makes old aches and pains come up, which I don’t need more of.
Anyways, see you Monday.