Squat 6 [O] Bench 4 [X] and Be Leaner [ / ]

Gonna be folding the dishes and washing laundry. Heh.

1 Like

BENCH Day
Overhead Press 5-3-1s@
45-95-145-195-225-235(PR)-245(PR)
Bench top set 10@275
BBB Dumbell 2*25@85s LOL

Week in Review
I am beat up. Deadlifting 3 times a week is a bit brutal (dcraig007 is nuts who is deadlifting erday!!!). But Benching was actually fine. I was most worried about my shoulders but on the 3rd day I hit an OHP PR and rep PR on Bench. It is up in the air if I could Squat and bench 3 times with 1 or 2 deadlift days. Now isnt the time to try though.

Diet I straight up can not make myself eat a veggie right now so I am just going to eat a kg of papaya each day and what else I want. I will try to keep the fattier meals before workout #1 (today was eggs and oats then for Breakfast 2 was a peanut butter and egg sandwich).

Physique My waist, definition and vascularity are good and what I would consider easily maintainable so I am happy. Hopefully I can get my head right in a few weeks and get a bit leaner and maintain that.

3 Likes

:joy: Some days I love them & some days Iā€™m literally choking them down.

1 Like

Iā€™m considering not even using a barbell for my drop sets on bench and OHP this next go around. Iā€™m enjoying the Training Maximally program with Jokers. I think Iā€™m going to alternate Jokers one week and PR sets the next. After each Iā€™m going to throw in the 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps at 70-80% BUT Iā€™m going to use DBā€™s if possible. Two reasons I like DBā€™s: greater range of motion and less joint problems.

The only reason I do bench now is just because I want to get better at bench. Other than that, it serves no purpose.

This sounds about right hahaha

So much this. Unless you are powerlifting or want bigger triceps I consider dumbells superior.

BLOATED and HEAVY AF buuuut my arms gained a full inch so whatevs Post cut they were 17" pumped then 4-6 weeks ago 17" cold and now 18" pumped and have better vascularity than before. Somewhere in there is some progress.

DIET: Been smashing some bone in Beef Shank Stew. All those tendons and marrow gonna go straight to my joints!! but I am drawing a line in the sand. I am going to keep cals on the low side today and go strict tomorrow. I need to lose some weight.

SUNDAY GUNDAY!!!
Tricep Stuff
Bicep Stuff
Some Calves

Did some body weight squats and I could tell I had an injury but the movement did not hurt one bit so I am very hopeful for squats tomorrow.

1 Like

Workout #1
Painful Squats to 3*5@315
Goblet Squats
Back X

Go Home, Pity Party, Eat

Workout #2 with Wifey
Pullups
Machine Uni Rows
BIceps

Ok after my first workout I was trying to decide if I was too depressed to eat or too depressed to stop eating. My knee was 85% but my back couldnā€™t squat the bar and even Goblet Squats with 30lbs were painful. Then I did some thinking, then planning, and this is going to go great.

I donā€™t know why I injured my back but I know the following didnā€™t help:

  • I developed a weak core from relying too much on the belt and not deadlifting. FIXED.
  • I never let myself fully heal from when I hurt my knee March 31st. FIXED.
  • I havent been able to take my diet seriously at all lately but for some reason being injured has re-motivated me. FIXED.
  • I also think my new deadlift form didnā€™t help my back so back to the drawing board.

This plan should take somewhere in the 6 to 10 week range. For the 1st 2 phases I donā€™t know how long it will take or even what numbers I want to hit before progressing to the next phases.

This gives me plenty of time to crash diet down to 200 and maintain it.

To begin I dropped almost anything that compresses the back even Barbell Rows or Dum Yates Row. I am not even going to be Dumbell Benching. I will add them back in as I can. And as long as I cant squat or deadlift I minds well Bench 3 times a week.

Then I will be doing a ton of paused work for both Squats and Deads.

Once I am feeling 100% healthy and strong AF I will begin the last 4 workouts.

Bench I might keep with 5-3-1 periodization or just run 5+ w/ Jokers on repeat.

4 Likes

Itā€™s been raining most of the time for the last week or so. I missed the rain so much. My favorite memories as kid came in huge thunderstorms. Not ideal for apartment shopping because it is a ton harder to find a cab but small price for great weather.

Bench 1+
1s @
45-135-225-275
295-315-335-345
355-365-375-385
2@335-315-295
5@275
8@225
Dum Military 3*10 nice and light
Pec Dec

Walk home in pouring rain :smiley:

Bench went well. Tested my knee and back with some light work and they are feeling pretty good. Wifey and I are clicking on cloud 13. Diet was awesome today. I should wake up shredded (hahaha). Apartment is narrowed down to 2 on opposite ends of PDC but oh well. Filters finally arrived so now I made a couple batches but I feel like a pin cushion. Rehab week is about as ideal a week there is to test gear though. Just 1 more to test and then back to my normal programming.

4 Likes

Rehab and Pull Stuff
Squat Warmup
Body Weight assisted Squats
Unilateral Lat Down
Dum Yates Row
Dum Back Fly
Machine Cable Curl
Hammer Curl

Not a great workout. Gym has 73 various ab apparatus and not 1 back extension bench and my entire lower body felt like it was rusty and creaky. My back doesnā€™t feel great right now. Knee felt decent though.

DIET: I ate a vegetable, it was even green so yea, I got this hahahaha No diet been tight, probably should be eating a bit more I donā€™t think I am recovering very well. My Lats have been sore for about 5 days now.

Apartment: It is picked out, we sign papers tonight and can move in on Friday.

Time to try to nap before attacking a lengthy todo list.

2 Likes

Bench Day
Squat Warmup and Rehab Stuff
5-2s@
45-95-145-195
245-295
4@345 into a Drop Set
Pec Dec
French Floor Press*
Tricep unilateral Cable Down

*French Floor Press has become my go to tricep movement. Lay on the ground and do a skull crusher from the floor. I dead stop each rep to make it harder. I think this also could have been a contributor to my chronic lat DOMS too.

rehab Stuff WENT GREAT!!! Back minor tightness from Back X but quad extension and goblet squats were pain free.

Diet: 800g 95-5 Beef with 1kg of veggies. Before any workout I get a some carbs and eggs or what not around 500cals. If I cant lose some weight on this I give up til the NPP is done.

I think I have been battling dehydration lately so I am going to get back to being consistent with the No-Salt and water.

2 Likes

PM Pumpy Wifey Time
Squat Rehab stuff again
Lateral Raises
Calves
Wifey hit Squats and Bench

Signed apartment paperwork so that head ache is done.

Knee and back feeling pretty good.

It is going to be really hard to keep me from attempting a squat and deadlift session tomorrow.

3 Likes

I thought this was going to be pornographic.

Just sayinā€™.

6 Likes

Hahahahaha I didnt even see the innuendo.

LOWER 5+
All paused all 5s all RPE 10
Squats 135-225-245-265-285
Deads 135-225-245
Abs

I guess not bad for my first day back. Everything felt really hard because well my back was hurting and my knee wasnt 100.

I need to bring my stance in for my knee but I am afraid that will cause more issues with my back. I guess there is only one way to find out. I might try front squatting tomorrow.

Not sure if I will feel better or worse later. Fingers crossed eh?

1 Like

Iā€™m beginning to notice a trend. I only follow a handful of logs because itā€™s tough to keep up but Iā€™ve noticed quite a few of us have nagging and annoying aches/pains/injuries to the knee and back. Thereā€™s something going around here. Hopefully it turns into lots of healthy PRs soon because Iā€™m tired of modifying or skipping exercises.

6 Likes

THIS!!! Me personally I am going to sell out for 600 (which still requires a rehab) then go to a perma off season where I dont touch a set less than 5 reps hahaha.

TODAYs Workout
Squat Warmup knee not having it
Bench 5s @
45-95-135-155-175
195-215-235-255
275-295
3*2@315
Dumbell Row
Dum Miitary SUPASET Pullups
Calf Raises
Uni Cable Rows
Trap Bar Deads High Handle
Barbell Rows

No shock here but I am an idiot. TRAP BAR DEADS!!! This is going to be my rehab savior I think.

My knee felt like shit today either after the Squats yesterday or I actually think it was from sitting in my office too long this morning.

Ok, interaction with fitness ā€œexpertā€:
My back hurts from uneven pulling.
Learn hook grip
I would but it hurts

Hashtag HookGripCrusader

hahaha

OK time to eat more, nap then pack.

9 Likes

Wow I think I really missed my calling and/or overestimated the drug use.

I was watching the IPF Worlds 83kg weight class and thinking I would actually be competitive. I mean if I got to weigh my 96kg.

But now looking through the 93kg class and seeing the numbers I would have been top 10 in Squat and Bench and 12th in Deadlift and 10th in total.

Keep in mind this is off my gym PRs but I have never done a real peak.

I know I know a ton of factors etc but I have been PLing for 4 years with no coaching and only using drugs for about 16 months.

Just imagine if in my youth I could have had a direction.

Just imagine if any of us could go back in time with just a hint of direction from today.

Oh with all that being said this rehab to 600 turned into a rehab to 1700 mock meet. 600 might be hit in my prep. I just laid out a bit more detailed very simple build and peak plan. Letā€™s see what this old man can do.

3 Likes

Thatā€™s one of my main gripes with the IPF. If you can be competitive at a high level in a federation after only a few years training, thereā€™s something wrong. I could be competitive now at my weight class in the Australian affiliate. Itā€™s pathetic.

Ahhhh. I remember that rant. Didnt remember it was about them. How do they stack up against other tested federations? They are also the strictest squat rules too? That would account for a bit.

SUNDAY GUNDAY
Pullups
Machine Curls
Dum Curls
Hammer Curls
Tricep Rope 5*10 Light
Tricep Uni Cable
Calves

Pretty pissed actually. I had a bad injection in my hip and I couldnt do Trap DLs and I am not sure I will be able to do them tomorrow. I am going to Sub Q injections at least for my TRT.

DIET: 800g 95-5 Beef and 1kg veggies is the base. Then I add preworkout meals and usually an afternoon snack of peanuts.

It is a crashy diet but today I woke up at 95.4kg and a 90cm waist after being 97.7kg and 93cm on Wednesday.

2 Likes

Not that well, from memory, at least not in Australia. I think a couple of shw guys at elite level have super amazing squats, and there are a couple of lighter women with great DL and bench but thatā€™s about all Iā€™m aware of. Different story for single ply, absolutely IPF is the go for that.

With the squat depth, Iā€™ve seen and heard different things. It looks like a lot of IPF meets require ā€˜as deep as possibleā€™ instead of according to the rules. Plus their equipment rules are a bit over the top.

With the squats, and bench pauses, Iā€™ve seen plenty of non IPF meets with very respectable calls and standards.

1 Like

REHAB WEEK 2
Trap Dead 10s worked up to 10-10-10-10-15@330
Dumbell Rows
Pullups
Calves

Very minor knee pain but generally everything went pretty good. No time for anything today because we are packing and my wife might be clinically insane right now hahaha

3 Likes

Bench 1+
135-225-275-315
335-355-375-X395
3*5@275
Dum Military
Tricep Work

shoulders felt weird today. Hopefully this is my last rehab week and I can get into the Pause Work next week.

DIET: Yesterday I took the 2nd half of the day off and had ice cream a cookie and then a big sandwich grilled with cheese, BBQ sauce chicken and beef. So damn good. Still woke up at a recent PR of 95.3kg so awesome. Going to eat a bit more today and then back to crash diet tomorrow.

I FOUND A POWERLIFTING COMP ONLY 3 HOURS AWAY!!! 2 I think. 1 would be a little soon for me to get healthy build and peak (under 9 weeks). The other I wont be living here anymore (december). BUT IT IS A SIGN!! No matter what my prep doesnt change. Once I am healthy my training is the same for as long as I want and my peak prep is only 2 weeks added onto that. And it gave my new lifting partner some added motivation.

Some lift fuel:

5 Likes