Been toying around with starting a log…figured what the shit, if I don’t like it I’ll stop updating.
Background: Same old story… lifted for a long time (3-5 yrs) with not much progress…it’s easy to get into a routine and not be honest with yourself about the results. Always thinking next time you’ll have a better workout. Wasn’t till I found the FORUMS section of T-Nation I began to hit every single rep with passion, record my daily workouts/nutrition and re-dedicate myself. My maxes suck but I’m progressing week-to-week and that’s all I give a shit about.
Goal: To gain 30lbs in 6 months (October 1 - March 31, from 190lbs to 220lbs), or as much LBM as possible with fat gain reasonably in check. Reassess from there.
Progress: Gained 8 lbs in the first month and like the way it looks, so I may hit the 30lb goal by January. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Training: Nothing fancy, 4-day split based around doing one major lift each day (bench, overhead press, squat, DL). This way I can train as many consecutive days as I like, and take off days when I feel the need. I don’t like prescribed off-days because some days you feel great despite having trained 4/5/6 days in a row. 95% of the time I lift 5-6 days per week.
Numbers: I don’t know my 1RM because I rarely train to failure. My current PRs are:
Bench: 225x2
Standing Overhead Press: 150x2
Front Squat: 245x3
Deadlift: 275x3 (grip was limiting factor, finally caved and bought straps though)
A1) Standing Overhead BB Press:
warmups x some
115 x 3
120 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3
135 x 3
140 x 3
145 x 3
150 x 2 (PR - 2nd PR this week, after hitting 145 on Monday)
SUPERSETTED with shrugs - first and last time I try this superset
A2) Shrugs
225 x 10
245 x 8
245 x 7
245 x 6
B) High-incline Dumbbell Press - For some reason had nothing here…maybe because of the shrug superset… can’t hit PRs in everything though
70 x 4
70 x 4
65 x 6
65 x 4
C) Dumbbell Lateral Raises
25 x 5 (trying 25 was a bit aggressive)
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 7
Called it quits…very low volume for me but had to condense the workout due to work obligations today. Typically I do the two presses, 3-4 sets of lateral raises, then finish with a couple supersets involving calves shrugs and other forms of lateral raises.
I hate leg day. Mainly because I’m not progressing for shit on legs lately even though my upper body keeps hitting PRs. My worst enemy continues to be the mind/muscle connection, I just can NOT stay focused no matter how hard I try.
Felt better today than usual. Maybe it was because I gave myself two days off, but I was getting real deep on the squats without any discomfort. Anyway, the workout:
warmups etc.
Front Squat
175 x 3
185 x 3
195 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3
225 x 3
235 x 3
245 x 3
SLDLs
155 x 8
175 x 8, 8, 6
BB Lunges
125 x 9, 8, 7
Iso Seated Hammy Curl
55 x 9
55 x 8
50 x 8
Iso Leg Extension
50 x 14
60 x 12
65 x 9
Don’t usually do isolated movements on extensions/curls, just once in a while to make sure nothing’s getting imbalanced.
Tried to take a vid but found out my $500 phone’s video camera DOESNT WORK. Sweet.
Bench
warmups x some
165 x 3
175 x 3
185 x 3
195 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3
Felt a bit off, so dropped down to 185 for max reps…about 10-12 (this is where I tried to record)
Incline DB Press
(warmup) 60x6
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 4
Dips
(bw + 25) x 6
(bw + 35) x 6
(bw + 45) x 6
(bw + 45) x 5
For every tall guy with a good deadlift, it sure seems like mine sucks donkey balls in comparison with my bench, relatively speaking. My form could use some work I guess, but it’s probably just from so much more time spent benching before I starting DLing. At least I hope that’s it.
I came in hoping for a 300lb deadlift today (previous PR was 275, but grip gave out and now I have straps). Didn’t quite reach it BUT my grip didn’t give out before I maxed out, so it’s not all bad. Grip getting better by the week.
The lifts:
Deads
225 x 3
235 x 3
245 x 3
255 x 3
265 x 3
275 x 3
285 x 3 (PR)
Chins
bw x 7
bw x 5
bw x 5
bw x 4
Chest-supported T-Bar Row
70 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 7
70 x 6
HS Iso Lat Pulldown
65/side x 13
70 x 11
Face Pulls
25 x 10
25 x 9
22.5 x 9
Cable Row
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 7
Iso DB Hammer Curls
30 x 8
30 x 6
Yes my Bis suck, but they were also completely drained from the back exercises. More volume than usual.
I got a video from yesterday I’ll upload at some point. Today was legs…replaced RDLs with GHRs and it killed me. Took a couple sets to get the feel but I loved it.
Front Squats
185x3 → 235x3
GHRs
bw x 5, 6, 7, 7
Unilateral Leg Press
1.5pps x 10, 10, 9
Unilateral Leg Extension
65 x 12, 10, 9
Unilateral Seated Leg Curl
60 x 10, 8
Preacher EZ-Bar Curl
55 x 10, 8
DB Curls
20 x 10, 8, 6
Once again, I have the biceps of a 10-year old girl. Maybe because I have long forearms? Maybe I’m just weak as shit? I dunno. Don’t really care as long as I’m progressing.
Now with Vids! Bench Press came out sideways but DB Press worked. Will upload military press from last week when I get home.
Bench Press:
warmups x some
165 x 3
175 x 3
185 x 3
195 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3
220 x 2
Incline DB Press (I didn’t realize till I saw my vid I wasn’t going quite deep enough…same with bench… will correct next time)
(feeler set) 60x6
75 x 6
75 x 6
80 x 6
80 x 4
Dips
(bw + 25) x 6
(bw + 35) x 6
(bw + 45) x 6
(bw + 55) x 4 PR
I must be fucking insane, or stupid. I cut my finger to the bone washing off a knife the night before. When I woke up I couldn’t even lift my gym bag, I thought there was no way I’d train. Then I convinced myself to do legs. Then I said fuck it and deadlifted, setting a PR (and thoroughly grossing out anyone who saw my finger after the bandaid came off).
11/16: Deadlift/back
Warmups: 5x5 jump squats with 25lb in each hand
Deadlifts (note on video: shitty angle, but looks like I’m moving the weight off the ground with my lower back, not my quads. Not good).
light weights x some
215 x 3
225 x 3
235 x 3
245 x 3
255 x 3
265 x 3
275 x 3
285 x 3
295 x 3 PR
Could’ve gotten 300 up once… maybe… but didn’t want to reopen my finger wound so called it after a 10lb PR.
Chinups
bw x 6, 5, 5, 4
No progression ever on these things. Maybe I’ll switch to lat pulldowns.
Leaning Cable Rows…not sure how to describe this machine
100 x 10
100 x 9
100 x 8
Ok my phone is seriously pissing me off. Tried to get a Front Squat vid today, failed. Gonna have to get a replacement or something…sigh…
Also, I’m not progressing on front squats and it’s pissing me off. Every lift is going up except ones that target my quads. On the plus side, RDLs felt great today.
Front Squat
warmups x some
185 x 3
195 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3
225 x 3
235 x 3
245 x 2
RDL
(warmup) 135x8
185 x 8
205 x 8, 8, 6
Leg Extensions
130 x 9, 8, 8
…supersetted with Lying Hammy Curls
115 x 10, 8, 7
One-legged Leg Press
1pps, max reps, maybe 10ish. This shit was awful for some reason…maybe the machine’s heavier than the one I used on monday (several sets of 7-9 at 1.5 pps). Or maybe putting it at the end made a bigger difference then I thought it would. Either way, Ima be sore tomorrow.
EZ-Bar Curls
60 x 11, 8, 7
DB Hammer Curls
25 x 8, 7, 6
(mandatory bicep comment) Holy dogshit my biceps blow.
Bench Press - finally went down to my chest like a good boy - surprisingly still got nearly as much weight up. This tells me that I was wrong in thinking my long forearms made it bad for me to not touch my chest with the bar
(warmup) bar x 10, 95 x 8ish, 135 x 5
155 x 3
165 x 3
175 x 3
185 x 3
195 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3 (vid)
Low-incline DB Press
(warmup) 65x6
80 x 6
80 x 6
80 x 4
75 x 6
Dips
bw x 6
+25lb x 6
+45lb x 6
+55lb b[/b] x 6, 4
Over thanksgiving, didn’t have access to much. On Friday I cobbled together a full body routine with my dad’s little weight room - bench press machine, upright rows, seated overhead DB presses, skullcrushers, bentover rows and some ab work.
Saturday I tried to do some hill sprints, but it was cold as sin and burned my lungs. So I went inside and did a 3 or 4 repetitions of a circuit involving pushups, back extensions (hooking my feet under a pool table), squat thrusts and curls. I think I had a 5th exercise I’m forgetting.