Just got back from a short holiday, starting this new training plan liberally based on a CT “powerbuilding” program found here on tnation forum. Basically 5 day split each day has a main lift (bench press, squat, press, deadlift, row) trained with a simple double progression, a couple of assistance movements also trained for strength and at the end an hipertrophy circuit (sometimes I will mix in a circuit sometimes I won’t its just 3/4 isolation exercises done to failure, I don’t really keep track of those, maybe I should become more rigid about this part).
Main goals: generally speaking to gain a bit of strength and to look good. Also stay injury free for as long as possible. About 68 kg (150 lbs?) now I’d say quite lean don’t know percentages and 175 cm (I think 5’8" or something). I have very little hands, bone structure and so even if I’m small I don’t hate how I look, but I definetly could benefit from a bit of weight gain.
Just for my ego I’d love to be able to bench press 100 kg next August (just hit 87,5 for a single)
I’m 37 now and Italian. Working in a sport facility as a swim coach.
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04/09/2020 (4th of September, it’s written the Italian way )
bench day
Main
Bench press 5x5x70kg
Assistance
Close grip floor press 1x8x60kg 2x6x60kg
Incline dumbell press 3x7x22kg
Hipertrophy
Pek deck one set to failure (12 reps can’t remember weight), one drop set (10+6)
Cable Crossover 1x10 1x8+6
Dumbell triceps extension 1x16x8kg 1x13x8kg
Triceps cable pressdown 2x12x?
Nutritionally speaking I eat 2 main meals a day breakfast and dinner. Lunch is usually just a protein shake.
I have been dieting down for about 8 weeks from late June to early August, then holiday and vacation I have gained back a bit of fat. I’m too lazy to count calories I just try and stay consistent and eat quality food (or not so bad food) most of the time. I rarely drink alcohol.
Id like to stay in a bit of a surplus next month’s, just will wait and see how it goes.
Your goal by next August is very achievable.
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Yes I know. But I haven’t really improved my bench much over last year, main issue is too much program hopping I think
I’ve started to bench regularly since the end of quarantine (in Italy end of May/early August).
My bench wo have been
6x6x60 kg
1x6x62,5 5x6x60
1x6x65 1x6x62,5 4x6x60
And so on
Basically adding 2,5 kg every week on the first set, then 2,5 on the first and second and so on.
12 week and I was 1x75 1x72,5 1x70 1x67,5 1x65 1x62,5.
Then I took 10 days off due to vacation and started this program, trying a double progression (5x3/5). 5x5x70 felt the right weight to start.
row day
Dumbell row (lying on a bench at 30 degrees) 5x5x24kg (those felt really light)
Pullup bw 3x8/6/7
Pulley wide grip 3x8x59 kg
Hipertrophy
Straight arm lat pulldown 3x12/11/11x50kg
Biceps superset
3x
Spider curlx12
Db hammer curl to failure
Then some crunch on a Swiss ball
Light-ish session as tomorrow is squat and sprint day
squat day
Wu, mobility, 10 box jumps
Main
Squat 5x5x90 kg
Assistance
Front squat with heels elevated 3x8x60
Bulgarian split squats 3x8 with a couple of 10 kg db
Hipertrophy
Leg curls 4x12
Leg ext 4x10/12 (didn’t track weight on those)
Back extensions 3xsome
Conditioning
5’ run on a treadmill then
1’30" fast - 1’ rest
1’10" fast - 1’ rest
50" fast - 1’ rest
30" fast
On Sunday I can have a little longer session and just add anything I like. Usually a leg day and some conditioning just to justify any big dinner later.
press day
Main
Barbell press 5x5x42,5 kg
Assistance
Incline 60 degrees dumbell bench 3x8x16kgs
Arnold press 3x8x10kg
Hipertrophy
Db lateralraise 2x12x8 1x10x10 1x rp (10x10 5x8 5x6kg)
Db front raise 3x10x8kg
Rear delts machine 3x many
Good first “shoulder”/press session. Next time heavier weights I think it’s gonna take long to go from 5x5x42,5 to 5x5x45.
deadlift day
Did some hang power clean just for activation, 2x3x50 2x3x60 kg
Deadlift 5x5x90 kg, kept those fairly light as I haven’t deadlifed for a long time and my lower back is quite weak, I want to build up gradually
Romanian deadlift 3x8x40+ band around waist
Leg curl 4x many
Rdl and leg curls superset with dumbell bicipes curls (5/6 set of 8/10 not to failure with 10 kg dbs)
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bench day
Woke up feeling a bit odd, headache and general weakness, decided to train anyway (I train first thing in the morning at 7), because tomorrow is a “rest” day (actually a very busy day at work). Turned out a decent session
Bench 4x5x72,5, 1x4x72,5 (I definetly think I could try the last rep if I had a spotter, anyway I’ll take the weight for next week)
Floor press 3x8x60
Incline Db press 3x8x22
Cable Crossover 4x12
Pec dek 2x10/12 (to failure)
Triceps dropset at Cable pulldown 3x (max reps with a rope then max reps with a ez bar)
row day
Dumbell row lying on a bench 5x5x26
Pull up 1x8 2x7 xbw
Low cable row (wide grip) 3x8x59
Straight arm lat pulldown 4x12x50
Hammer curl 4 sets
Ez bar preacher curl 3x12x(bar+10)
Some rope curls
Som crunch on the Swiss ball
squat day
Squat 1x5x95 kg 4x5x90 kg
Front squat w heels elevated 3x8x65
Db split squat 3x8x12s
Leg curl 3x some
Leg extension 3x some
Conditioning on a treadmill
10’ slow and steady then 10’ 30" on 30" off
overhead press day
Main
Barbell press 1x5x45 4x4x45
Assistance
Incline 60 degrees dumbell bench 3x8x18kgs
Arnold press 3x6x12kg
Hipertrophy
Db lateral Rais 4x 10/12 with 10s,last session a double drop set to failure
Rear delts machine 3x many
Overhead rope triceps extension 3x some
deadlift day
Power clean 4x3x60 kg
Deadlift 5x5x95 kg
Ss
Biceps curls, 5x8/10x12 kg db
Romanian deadlift w band 1x8x50 2x8x55
Ss
Biceps curls, 3x7/8x12 kg db
Leg curl 3x
Ss
Shrugs 3x
bench day
Bench press 5x5x72,5
Floor press 3x6x65
Db incline press 2x9x22 1x8x22
Cable Crossover 4x
Rope triceps extension 4
Dips 3x8xbw
row day
Dumbell row lying on a bench 5x5x28
Chinup 3x8xbw
Wide grip cable row 4x8x59
Straight arm rope pulldown 4x
Preacher curl 4x
Rope cable curl 3x
Some crunch
squat day
Warmup then 10 jumps
The only squat rack was taken so I had to switch things around
Leg curl 4x12
Leg extension 4x12
Hack squat 3x8x100
Squat 1x5x95 4x4x95
Split squat 1x9x12 2x8x12
Intervals on a treadmill 10’ 30" on 30" off
press day
Ohead press 2x5x45 3x4x45
Seated dumbell press 4x8x16
Arnold press 3x7x12
Lateral rasie 5x
Rear delts machine 4x
French press w Db 4x8
deadlift day
Power clean 4x4x60
Deadlift 5x5x100 kg
Romanian deadlift w band 3x8x60
Deadlift and Rdl superset red with some light ish curls
Leg curls
Db shrugs
bench day
Bench press 2x5x75 3x4x75
Floor press 2x7x65 1x6x65
Incline dumbell press 10x22 9x22 8x22
Cable crossover 4x
Machine fly 4x
Rope triceps extension 4x