Oct 17 2018
Think Big - Wk 1, Day 2
Sumo pulls
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3, 3, 3, 3
High Bar Squats
135 x 5
185 x 5
235 x 12, 12, 12, 12 (BRUTAL)
Glute hams
4x8
Ab rollers
4x8
I started Think Big by Ben Pollack on Monday but my boy and wife got some stomach virus. I ultimately got it too but thankfully only put me out a couple days. Had zero appetite yesterday and was surprised to be able to hit this volume today.
Wow, yes, this would be brutal!
I was having a look over this program the other day, looks solid. Looking forward to seeing how you do on it.
I have got to get used to these high rep sets. I felt like this would be a shock to the system as far as programming goes and can help get things moving along.
Squats are one of the few lifts that I like doing high rep sets of.
Deadlifts, no thanks.
Bench, grumpy shoulders.
OHP, grumpy shoulders.
Or maybe I just need to get my shoulder issues figured out…
But, if nothing else, the high rep squats are great for mass.
You and me both. My left shoulder has always given me grief. I cant stand doing anything over 3 rep sets on deadlifts.
Oct 18 2018
Think Big - Wk 1, Day 3
Bench
Bar x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 12, 12, 12, 12
DB Bench
65 x 8 x 4 sets (3 second eccentric)
DB Fly
20lb x 12 x 4 sets
Didn’t realize just how weak my pecs were and how challenging it was to activate them with such a light weight lol. Humbling
Overhead Plate Ext
45 x 15 x 4 sets
Pushups (slow eccentric)
3 x 15
It really feels great getting a good pump. I think it’s been at least a full year since I’ve really had a good upper body pump. I’m excited to see how much muscle I can put on by the end of this.
I’m not looking forward to the 4 sets of 12 on deadlifts coming up
Edit ** Took me 40 minutes to complete this from start of warmup to end.
Have you taken some measurements/before pictures to compare to after the program is complete?
I often plan to do this and then end up just trying to compare on how I THINK I did (well, I think I got a little stronger in a couple lifts, and I might be a little bit leaner…so yeah, I guess it worked)…a lot tougher to quantify results that way though.
Good point, Ill have to get my wife to shoot some pics. Not sure i have a tape. My bodyweight is sitting around 185-188 currently with 185 being first thing in the morning.
Post workout update from this morning. Not sure what I did but it didn’t start hurting till about lunch time and I lifted at 6 am. When I pinch or grab anything with my left hand between my index finger and thumb hurts. Hoping it clears up or gets bearable by Saturday morning otherwise I might have to duct tape my hand to the bar to do deadlifts
Oct 20 2018
Think Big Wk 1 Day 4
Front Squats
Bar x 5
95 x 5
135 x 3
185 x 3 (Frankenstein, no hands)
225 x 1 (no hands)
225 x 1 (no h)
225 x 3 (no h)
Deadlifts (fucking madness)
135 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
300 x 12, 12, 12, 9
Started to puke on the fourth set in my mouth. Had to run outside. That basically killed the lift session after lol. Tried to do a few chins but started feeling sick again. Man my work capacity is gonna be high at the end of this block of the program
Holy shit that is a crazy deadlift session…
Looking absolutely killer deadlift session.
I hate high rep DL.
Gotta love hitting the nausea threshold. Even a curl starts bringing up the vomit. Nothing to do but abandon the workout. You got the work done!
@IronOne I haven’t hit that nausea threshold in quite some time. While it was happening it really sucked but you almost feel “good” 30/45 min after. Weirdest feeling lol
Good so this is the kind of shit I can expect. I can hardly wait. I’m so fucked up from Wednesday hamstrings day I can barely walk. And there will be more great!
It’s the stuff that almosts breaks you that makes you stronger. But yea man lol I’m more sore this week than I have been in 6 months.
This week almost had me dropping this style of training and moving back to a more comfortable type of workout. Then I stopped and thought about this soreness and it is in areas of my muscles I’ve never hit before.
Building muscle in these areas and the body neurological adapting to activating these new areas can only help… maybe not in the execution of the main lifts, but stability, and perhaps overall strength.
So I’ve decided to stay the course and see where this takes me. If I’m able to just maintain my lifts while this is going on and then reset some maxes later it will be good in the long run.
I think you might surprise yourself. Building up weak areas can only help you get stronger. Sometimes switching stuff up sparks the gains. You’ve been killin it man lol
