T-ransformation 2017: Buttwink's log

3/6
156.4
More quad separation, shoulder striations, and tighter waist.

Bench 3s week: 3x165, 3x185, 205x5
CGBP 2x7x175, 175x6+135x6+95x9
Incline DB 4x7x70s
Incl machine press 170x7, 7, triple drop 170-130-100
(supersetted w 3 sets of seated calf raises)
Machine flies 120x8, 7, 6x105 MTOR
Rope Pushdowns (normally use v bar) 57.5x8, 7, triple drop 57.5-42.5-27.5
Occluded forearm ext/flex curls one ggiant set

1 Like

157.2
OHP 3s: 105, 118, 133x4+1PP
DBMP 9x60s, 6x65s, triple drop 60s-45s-30s (6-5-7)
Machine latls 60sx8+iso, 7+iso, quadruple drop 60-45-30-15 w isos
RDF on pec deck 9x130, 8x130, triple drip 145-115-85
Multi iso hold db latls w 5s
Dips bw+45 2x6, 6+2+1.5 RP
Tate press occluded multi iso hold w 12s

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3/9
156.0 new low
Strength was solid todayā€“compared to last couple weeks, at least. Worked out at 6:30 instead of 3, so I had an extra meal in me. I like alternating exercisesā€“feel fresher for each one since Im giving the muscle a mini break

SSB squats (first time with this bar) 6x295, 6x315, triple drop 310-250-180
SGRP 6x385, 7x385, 405x3+1+3 (narrower) RP
Leg ext w hard squeeze 150x10, 8+iso, triple drop 150-120-90 (6-6-5)
HS supinated hi row 9x240,7x250, triple drop 250-200-150 (6-6-9)
Leg press w 3 sec ecc 11x470, 10x560, 650x8+3+3 RP
NG pulldown 3x8x190
Bicepless pulldown multi iso hold w 60
DB curls 8x30s, 6x30s, 30sx5+2+2 RP
Hammers 3x6x20s
Rope curls occluded multi iso hold
Wrist curls occluded multi iso hold

1 Like

3/11
156.8
refeed-bumped calories up to 2370
Splitting up Sunday workout between today and Monday (traveling all day tomorrow). Hit hamstrings and biceps after shoulders and an extra half seeving of Surge, then Iā€™ll do back Monday after chest. Calories have been 2200 on training days and 1660 on off days, so 2370 had me feeling pretty incredible!

BTNP 2x6x120, triple drop 125-90-65 (4-8-9)
Partial machine latls w isos 2x90-67.5-45, 90-67.5-45-22.5
RDF on pec deck 7x145, 8x130, 8+3+3x130 RP
Occluded DB latls multi iso hold w 5s
Dips bw+45x7, 6, 5+2+1 RP
RDL 225x12, 275x10, 325x5+1+2 RP
Seated ham curls 6x90, 7x90, MTOR 6x70
These are agonizing with sore quads. The pad across the top of my thighs is always super painful
Machine preachers 9x75, 7x85, 90-67.5-45 (6-5-6)
Lying ham curls 110x7, 90x8, MTOR 6x80

Oh boy, the past few days have been crazy. Iā€™ve been in Florida since Sunday visting the MFA program. I havent been weighing myself but Iā€™ve leaned out some more, legs esp look tighter. Iā€™m driving home Friday, then flying out to TX Tuesday to visit another program, then California after that. I have until April to decide which program Iā€™ll be attending in the fall. Super stressful but also super exciting. Iā€™ve switched to Thibadeaus BDWP for convenience and also because Iā€™ve found lifting daily greatly reduces my stress levels. Iā€™ve got some big life decisions to make in a very short span of time and I want to make sure Iā€™m thinking straightā€“might honestly bump cals up to maintenance for a couple weeks to facilitate this. Iā€™m definitely leaner than Iā€™ve ever been right now, and my body could probably use the break.
Not going to try and remember specifics from the other daysā€™ workouts, but hereā€™s today:

3/16
NG pulldown 8x180, 6x200, 6x190+8x150+10x100
Seated ham curl 3x6x125 (last one MTOR)
Chedt supported pronated row (elbows out) 10x80, 6x105, triple drop 105-80-55
DB curl 2x6x30s, triple drop 30-20-12
Rev cable curls 1 occluded multi iso hold set

3/17

Did this right after driving all afternoon:
Front squat 6x135, 6x185, 3x225+3x205+6x185+10x135
Dips 2x7xbw+45, bw+55x4+2+1RP
Machine latls 8x60+iso, 6x60+iso, 60-45-30-15 w isos
DB bench (flat or very slight decline, hard to tell) 8x70s, 7x70s, 70s-50s-35s
Multi iso hold occl oh ext

3/18
153.8ā€“new low, big-time, and thats after a high day yesterday. Delts are trashed from front squats (hadnt done them in maybe 2 years)

RDL 12x225, 10x275, 5+2+2x325 RP
Chins bw+50x6, 7, 6+2+2 RP
RDF on pec deck 4x160+2x130, 6x130, triple drop 130-100-70
DB Hammers (3-3-3 tempo) 30sx7, 6, triple drop 30s-22.5s-15s
Occl rev cable curls multi iso hold

1 Like

progress

2 Likes

3/19
154.4

Leg ext 120x8, 150x8, 160-120-80
BTNP (wide grip) 2x6x115, 115-85-65
CGBP 135x8, 165x7, 165-125-95
Incl DB (4th rung on bench) 2x6x70s, 70sx6+2+0 RP
Occluded KB skullcrushers multi iso w 15s

Really digging this training style. This whole workout took 25 minutes

1 Like

3/21

Holy shit. Visiting Irvine this week (another MFA), and Johns Hopkins just called offering 30k/year. Thats 30k to write and teach one class. I also have offers from Boston, Florida, Austin (just declined them), and UNCW. Acceptance rates are somewhere in the neighborhood of 1%ā€“most places admit 6, and Hopkins only admits 4. Iā€™m so stoked right now. Iā€™m also leaner and more vascular than ever, and despite going keto this morning due to travel I got a pretty gnarly pump in the gym

Front squats 2x6x185, 6x215+6x185+10x135
DBMP 2x7x60s, 60s+45s+30s
DB latls 20s-15s-10s-5s
Machine chest press 5x170, 7x150, 150-120-90
V bar pushdown 2x8x120, 150-120-90-65

3 Likes

3/22
Seated ham curl 3 sets to triple drop
Machine unilateral pulldown 3 sets to triple drop
Chest supported face pulls 3 sets to triple drop
DB curls (upper back against wall) 3 sets to triple drop
multi iso hold unilateral rev cable curl

3/23
leg press 3 sets to triple drop
CGBP 3 sets to triple drop
DB incline 3 sets to triple drop
Plate-loaded latl machine 3 sets to quadruple drop
Multi iso hold OH rope ext

3/25
154.8
Bumping cals up to maintenance for a week or two. Iā€™ve got some huge life decisions coming up and I need to be clearheaded (plus my body could probably use a break from cutting anyway, Iā€™ve been having trouble sleeping and Iā€™m pretty happy with my level of leanness right now). Iā€™ll buckle down mid-April for the last push to June

RDL 12x225, 12x275, 325x6+2+2 RP
Chins bw+45x2x8, bw+55x6+2+1 RP
RDF on pec deck 145x7+iso, 130x8+iso, 145-100-70 triple drop w isos
Hammers (iso, slow, squeeze, etc.) 7x30s, 6x30s, triple drop 30s-20s-12.5s
Occluded rev cable curls multi iso hold

1 Like

3/26
153.6ā€“lowest weight so far, and thats after a day at maintenance calories

Leg ext 2x10x150, 180-135-90 triple drop
BTNP (wide) 6x85, 6x115, 115-85-65 triple drop (6-8-8)
Dips bw+50x2x6, 6+2+1.5 RP
DB press 2x6x70s, 70s-52.5s-35s triple drop
Latl machine multi iso hold w 20

3/27
Visiting hopkins now, went to a fancy dinner in hawaiian shirt and shorts but fuck it thats my life. Also missed my original flight but thats another story. Met Matthew Klam, who was super influential to me when I first started writing seriously. Weird to be shaking the hands of all these people whose books Iā€™ve idolized for years now.

Seated ham curl 10x110, 6x130, triple drop 130-90-65
NG pulldown 2x8x200, triple drop 200-160-120
Machine preachers 2x7x80, triple drop 80-60-40 (seat was a little lower, felt them better that way)
Chest supported pronated db rows 12x50s, 12x55s, 65s RP

3/28
Planet fitness sucks, but Im travelingā€“at least I got a workout in. Iā€™d have gone crazy if I hadnt. I should be super stoked right now but Im just stressed as shit

Smith CGBP 3 sets to triple drop
Leg press 3 sets to double RP
DBMP 3 sets to triple drop
Machine flies (spoiled by the version that takes out your biceps back home) 3 sets to triple drop
DB latls multi iso w 5s

2 Likes

Iā€™ve been following your log since the T-ransformation thread started, and have enjoyed it. Iā€™ve been intrigued with respect to your pursuit of the MFA. I didnā€™t realize it was in Creative Writing.

I have an MA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, have several short stories published (none in any publication of real quality), and was glad to finally find out what your pursuit was.

Kindred spirits Bro.

1 Like

@The_Myth No way! Do you still write? If you donā€™t mind me asking, what was your MFA experience like?

3/29
Lying ham curl 95x12, 115x8, 130-95-65 triple drop
HS underhand hi row 10x200, 6x240, 240-200-150 triple drop
HS pronated low row (elbows out) 160x10, 9, triple drop 190-140-100
DB curls 30sx2x6, 30s-20s-10s-15s
Rev cable curl occluded multi iso hold

1 Like

I find it hard to find time to write these days. I have two very active kids, thirteen and ten, and I teach HS English. Of course, the hardest thing about writing is carving out the time every day and keeping the appointment.

Once my kids get older, I plan to get back to it.

I really enjoyed my MFA experience once I got the rhythm of it. I did mine entirely online and it took some discipline, but I was pretty motivated so I got a lot out of it. Obviously, your experience will be a little different, but I expect it will have many of the same tenets.

One of the toughest things for me was to get into the bubble when my piece was being workshopped. Youā€™re not supposed to respond to criticism, but one or two of my classmates always seemed to be overly critical and failed to understand the message, when every one else did, and I was always tempted to set them straight.

I actually got hooked on screenwriting, partially because I am a slave to structure and screenplays are very structured, but also because of the challenge of visual storytelling.

Poetry, meh. Creative non-fiction was something new for me, and I enjoyed. Fiction had always been my passion.

Anyway, look forward to hearing about your experience and if you want to talk shop, hit me up.

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Gosh, yeah, the family thing definitely complicates it. Iā€™ve been having to do some serious thinking lately about what I want out of my life wrt keeping that appointmentā€“I write 3-4 hours every day, and I canā€™t see that happening if I ever decide to have kids of my own.

The workshop thing is an understandable frustration. I just committed to Irvine, and a big reason for my choice is how seriously the students take each otherā€™s work. Theyā€™re all smart, thorough, and careful readers. The programā€™s also fully and equally funded, which I think lends itself to a more cooperative atmosphere than other top schools with tiered funding (Columbia, NYU, Iowa).

Iā€™m with youā€“fiction first, though if I were to pick a second discipline Iā€™d gravitate more toward poetry than screenwriting. Iā€™m super interested in voice-driven stuff like Barry Hannah and David Means.

You realize, of course, that your opportunity to attend a fully funded MFA program puts you in a completely different class than myself, where I attended an online program at a private, for profit University.

Iā€™m sure you also realize that maybe two of your classmates will ever make a living writing. You have to do this for the same reason Annie Dillard does it - ā€œI write because I have to.ā€

You visited Hopkins, Baltimore, but committed to Irvine. Is that a move for you?

My poetry prof was a guy named Terry Hertzler and he was fucking awesome. I do okay with sonnets, villanelles, sestinas, shit with structure, but otherwise, I am lost.

Iā€™m a structure whore because I am a hack. I had a nineteen year old kid in one of my classes, and man, he could write. But, the vast majority of my classmates were worse than I. We all wanted to write, could afford the tuition, but honestly, we were workmanlike at best.

That being said, my screenplay COMING HOME was a semifinalist in the Creative Worlds Awards screenwriting contest, so Iā€™m not a total hack.

I suspect your experience is going to be very different - at a fully funded program, almost all students can write.

Iā€™m excited for you, looking forward to following your journey. How old are you, whatā€™s your end game plan?