T-ransformation 2017: Buttwink's log

c1/9
bench 5/3/1 1s week: 5x165, 3x185, 1x210, 1x225, 7x210 (failed 8th)
CGBP 2x9x170, 8x170, 8x175+6x125+6x95
DB incline 4x8-10x70s (spot on last couple)
Dips 3x8xbw
Pec deck 3x8-10
Cable flies 3x8-10
Pushdowns 3x8-12x50 supersetted w light db curls for pump, 8x50+8x35+12x25

Still working on the MMC with my chest, doing a lot of flies just to get the feeling of contracting and squeezing. Joined a new gym with better bars and a hammer strength chest press, so Im looking forward to hitting that on my next workout

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My girlfriend got me these microplates!! Im psyched to use them for exact poundages for 5/3/1.

Try this.

OHP 5 3 1 5x97, 3x112, 8x127
supersetted w band pull aparts
DBMP 8x65s, 7x65s, 7x60s+7x45s+8x30s
Latl swings 3x30s+20s+10s (finished with an extra set of full range with 5s after last round)
Latl machine (seat on 3) 3x30x10 full range+5 top half+8bottom half, 3rd set drop to 20 and go to failure then 10 and go to failure
RDF 3x10s+5s
Band pull aparts 3 sets to failure
Dips bw+30x9, 9, 8+bwx7
DB Ext 20sx12, 10, 10+15sx10+10sx9

Upping the calories by about 150 for today–trained late tonight and hitting back early tomorrow morning due to my work schedule, so I wanted to err on the side of recovery since I’ve really been smashing my shoulders with lots of giant sets. My whole goal for this cut is to do things super slowly and limit muscle loss. Hopefully it will pay off down the line

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1/12
DL 5/3/1 3x275, 300, 11x335
Is this really the most efficient choice fory first back exercise? DL is fun, but I think I get more out of snatch grip rack pulls
Meadows rows 130x12, 11, 11, 10
NG chins bw+30x2x8, bw+25x9, 8
Supinated pulldowns 8x165, 9x150, 11, 11+10x120+13x90
cable row (medium grip) 120x12, 13, 10+90xwhatevwr+60xwhatever
NG close grip pulldown 150x10, 135x10+105x12+70x12
chest supported pronated row 3 sets
Straight arm pulldown multi iso hold
DB curls 3 sets, w 25s, 3rd set triple drop
Hammers 3 sets w 20s, 3rd set triple drop
incline curls (bloodflow restricted) 3 sets
Forearm complex (bloodflow restricted) 3 rounds

felt fucking great from bumping up yesterdays calories, got the most absurd bicep pump Ive wver had which was nice

Nice man, little auto-regulated adjustments like this can make all the difference if you really know how to listen to the body. Smart thinking for the long term! Keep killing it!

Thanks Rob! This kind of stuff is great to hear, especially for times when Im feeling impatient or tempted to rush things–helps me remember to stay in it for the long haul

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1/14
RDF machine 3x115 to failure, double drop to 85 and 55 on last set
Snatch grip btnp 120x2x7+1pp, 6+1pp, 5+1pp+8x90+10x65+15x45
Latls 3x12s+8s+4s (10reps each), finish 3rd set with 15x2s really squeezing delts
Latl machine 15x35+10sec iso hold, 10x35+10sec iso hold and 5 partials, 8x35+10 sec iso+partials+8x25 w iso hold
RDF 3x15-20x12s/8s
Occluded RD destroyer 55x20s+15x12s+10x5s
Dips bw+30x9, 9, 8+7xbw
DB ext 3x20sx8-12
Occluded pushdown for 90 sec or so continuous reps

Got the gnarliest contractions at the bottom of my medial head from the lateral machine and that last dropset of dumbell laterals, I honestly might drop the weights even lighter for laterals because it seems like the lighter I go, the more I feel it

1/15
HB squat 2x6x305, 7x305+10x225+12x155
Felt like shit–form was off today, kept pitching forward for some reason
Leg ext w 3-5 sec negative (outer sweep) 75x10, 10, 8 w iso+8x50 w iso+x30 w iso
Leg press w 3 sec negative (outer sweep) 380x15, 12, 11+270x15+180x15
Leg curl w slow negative 3x8-10x90, last set teiple deop to 60 and 30
Lying leg curl 3x70x8+partials and iso hold RDL to shins 10x275, 12x245, 12x245
BB curls w slow negative 65x7+1 cheat, 6+2 cheat, 5+2 cheat
Incline hammers 20sx8, 8, 15sx8
Lying cable curl multi iso hold w 60
supinated/btb forearm curls 3 rounds w 25lb barstrong text

i1/16
Weighed 168.4 today, thats down a good bit more than Id expected. When I started trying to lean out at the end od last May I weighed somewhere in the range of 200 so Im psyched with these past six and a half months’ steady progress. The scale was one of those Tanita bf readers and it said I was at 22% bf, which I highly doubt is true. I also got 14% from a handheld reader two weeks ago and I can see all my abs when I flex so who the fuck knows. Id guess Im somewhere around 12% based on appearance

bench 5s: 5x145, 5x170, 190x10
(superset w band pull aparts)
Decline CGBP 170x8, 7, 7, dropset w 6x170+7x125+8x95
Incline DB (really focused on keeping all the tension on my upper pec, no tricep/shoulder) 65sx4x8
Dips 3x8-9xbw
Chest press machine w slow negative and iso hold 7x105+5x90, 2x10x90
Machine flies w iso hold 12x85, 10, 70x12
Pushdowns 60x10, 52.5x12, 12+37.5x10+25x8 supersetted w db curls for pump
Occludes overhead cable ext for pump
Cable fly (low to high) one arm iso hold set

Arms and shoulders were mad vascular–this is new for me so Im digging it. Might need to chill with the crazy shoulder volume, I could feel the fatigue in them pretty deep today. Not pain, just leftover soreness that sort of slowed down my pressing.Going to lower volume this week and recharge a little

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Looking leaner after yesterday’s low day. Wasnt expecting to feel great because I gave a shit ton of platelets yesterday (they started on my left arm but the needle started pumping the return blood back into tissue so they had to start over on my other arm, ended up getting vampired for like two hours), but felt decent enough–just might need to stop doing no-carb breakfasts, I feel more drained during workouts this way. Might switch back to it for priority days (shoulders and triceps) and leave the other days as-is

1/18
OHP 5s: 5x95, 5x105, 11x120 supersetted w band pull aparts
DBMP 6x65s, 8x60s, 6x60s+7x45s+iso hold+8x30s+iso hold
Latl swings 3x30s+20s+7.5s
Latl machine (3rd seat peg) 6x40+6x30+iso hold, 8x30+iso hold, 8x30+iso+8x20+iso+6x10+iso
RDF on pec deck (5th seat peg) 85x15+partials and iso, 10+partials and iso, 8+partials
Dips bw+30x9, 8, 8+6xbw
DB Ext 20sx12, 10, 10 (last set occluded)

Chilled a little bit with the volume today, dropped the drop sets from the last half of the workout. Probably shouldve cut them altogether but I didnt have the discipline not to smash it today. I still the gym feeing more energetic strong text

1/19
Deadstop SG rack pull (5th pin on middle rack) 6x365, 8x345, 10x345
DB rows 12x85s, 90sx3x11
Chins bw+30x10, 8, 8, 7
NG pulldowns (W handle) 150x10, 10, 9
HS high row (underhand) 150x8, 8, 9+partials
HS high row (overhand) 190x12x3
DB curls 30sx6+10 sec iso mid range, 25sx2x7+10 sec iso mid range
Hammers 20sx6+10 sec iso midrange, 2x15sx8+10 sec iso hold mid range
Occluded Forearm complex 3 rounds

Weighed 170 today. Dropped the rest pause and drop sets and finished the workout feeing stronger–Im not even doing a real deload, just dropping some of the intensifier sets, but it feels like my CNS is already benefitting

Decided to put the carbs back in at breakfast after today. I dont know that this switch has helped me lean out, and in fact I feel a little softer and smaller after trying it–probably just my imagination, but still. I’ll be eating my regular carb breakfast on training days from now on, saving the fats-only for the low days

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1/21
Smith seated btnp 5x155, 7x145, 8x145, 7, 6+7x125+7x105
Latl machine 8x60+iso hold, 10x50+iso hold, 10x50+iso+partials+5x37.5x6+iso+25x8+iso
DB Latls 12.5s+7.5s+5s, 7.5s+5s+3s, 6s+4s+2s
RDF 100x2x10+iso, 10+8x70+8x55+isos
Dips bw+30x 8, 7, 8+bwx5
Occluded db ext 1 rest pause set (light, for pump)

Im completely setting aside the drop sets the next few workouts, I havent cut the volume wbough this week and I can feel it in my CNS. Back to carbs for breakfast, too, which should help

1/23
Squat up to 1x335 (felt like shit), 3x315
Leg ext 100x12, 11, 11
Leg press (outersweep) w slow negative 430x13, 13, 12
RDL to shins 275x3x12
Hamstring curl 85x8, 70x10, 70x10
Lying hamstring curl 70x7, 50x8, 50x8
BB curl 9x65, 8, 7
Hammers 20sx8, 6, 8
Occluded reverse curls

Really drained from some personal stuff thats been going on, as well as a family emergency this weekend. Squats felt like shit–335 was shaky for just one rep, dropped it to 315 and still felt bad, so trusted my body and called it there

1/24
Bench 3s week: 3x185, 3x195, 205x5+2 forced negatives
CGBP 170x7, 7, 6, 6
DB incline 65sx7-8x4
Plate loaded incline Machine press 150x7, 120x9x2
Machine flies 80x3x12
Pushdowns 130x10, 11, 8

Definitely noticing a drop in strength the past week or so. That being said, Im looking more and more vascular every day. Upped the calories to maintenance yesterday and even though strength was down my CNS and energy felt better. Also really felt my chest isolated on pressing exercises for the first time today, I usually have trouble taking my shoulders and triceps out. I think it’s just been a matter of focusing on contracting it ever since I switched to a hypertrophy focus; before that I never really even trained chest except for a few occasional sets of incline press

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1/27
Snatch grip rack pulls 10x345, 6x365, 6x365+4x325+6x275
Chins 3x8xbw+30
DB rows 85sx4x8-11
NG pull downs 3x8-10x165
Machine row (pronated) 3x12x115
DB curls 2x6x30s, 6x30s+4x22.5s+8x15s
Hammers 20sx8, 17.5sx9, 15sx8+10sx8
Occluded wrist curls (superset supinated w pronated)

1/26
OHP 3s: 97, 112, 9x127
DBMP 65sx8, 7, 60sx8
Latl swings 3x30s+20s+7.5s full (also did 5s on last set)
Latl machine 50x8, 45x9, 40x8+30x6+20x8
RDF 100x10, 9, 8+resisted iso hold
Dips bw+30x8, 8, 7+5xbw
DB skullcrushers 20sx12, 8, 10 occluded w spot

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1/29
Seated btnp 135x6, 5, 125x7,125x6+95x7+65+10
Latl machine 50x9, 7+2 and isox40, 8x40+iso+6x30+iso+6x20+iso
DB latls 3 giant sets w 15s-10s-5s and 10s-8s-5s/4s
RDF machine
80x2x8+iso, 6+iso+6x60+iso+20xwhatever+iso
Dips bw+30x8, 7, 6+4xbw
DB ext 20sx9, 15sx9, 10

Dont know what the hell I was doing before I got access to the lateral machine–hands down the most useful piece of equipment I’ve ever tried. Im super careful on DB laterals to be strict, but the machine keeps constant tension throughout ROM and completely takes your arms out of it–also easier to lean into the chest pad and really shift tension around the lateral head

1/29
Weighed 167.6 today, after yesterday’s high day. Might start weighing more reularly to track averages

ATG HB squat (narrow stance, controlled descent) 2x6x295, 6x295+8x225+10x155
–tried to do this without pausing between reps, which made it a lot harder than the breathing squats I was doing during juggernaut. That plus the narrow stance and controlled descents made it pretty humbling
Leg ext (outer sweep) 85x9, 75x10, 7+6x55+5x30 (iso holds for each)
Angled Leg press (outer sweep) 370x16, 16, 15 w slow eccentric
RDL to shins 295x2x8, 8+9x225
Lying Hamstring curl 80x9, 10, 10
Hamstring curl (seated) 50x10, 10, 7+4 forced negatives
BB curl w slow negative+1 cheat/5sec negative 70x7+1, 6+1, 4+2+50x4+1+30x4+1
Incline hammer w slow neg and iso at top 15sx3x8

1/30
weighed 166.4

Vascularity keeps improving. My waist is way tighter and I think my arms look fuller. One thing I’ve learned from this cut is that I never want to go over 12% bf again, haha. Hopefully I’ll end up lean enough that I can end my next bulk around there.

Bench 1s week: 5x170, 3x195, 215x4 (failed 5th)
CGBP: 170x8, 8, 7+6x135+8x105
DB incline (4th rung of bench) 70sx7, 65sx8, 7, 8
Plate loaded incl machine press (3rd seat level) 130x9, 9, 8+8x100+9x70
Machine flies (hold peak contraction on every rep) 85x12, 10, 10
Supinated cable flies multi iso hold
Pushdowns 62.5x10 w straightbar (contractions werent optimal so switched to v bar) 62.5x8, 57.5x9, 8+42.5x8+27.5x9

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