TCam's Log - Get Strong(er)

Training Logs
21

Despite my 19 pounds of meat, last night’s training session sucked.
It was supposed to be a vertical back day (my weakest type of movement), and it kind of was…I just think I found the origin of my left elbow pain; it’s weakness in my left shoulder. I believe my shoulders have always been a weak point strength wise, so I tend to use my elbow flexors/extensors more than my shoulder flexors/extensors. That obviously puts a lot of stress on my elbow joint, so…pain.

Here’s the “workout”:

Compound Cable Row: ( Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION )
10 @ 80
8 @ 100
7 @ 120
5 @ 120

Pull-ups, Pronated:
5 (god those felt weak)

Pronation-to-Supination Single Arm Lat Pull-down: (each side)
10 @ 60
5 @ 80
5 @ 80

Neutral Pull-ups:
1 X 2 with 10 second eccentrics
1 X 3 (I could only get 3!??)
1 X 2 with 10 second ecc.
1 with 10 second ecc. (went up for second rep but couldn’t even go halfway up. wtf)

At this point, I realize I’m having an awful day and my elbow hurts like a bitch. Originally I believed it was caused by strong triceps and weak biceps. So I decide to test how curls feel and then test my shoulder girdle.

EZ bar Curls:
3 X 8 @ 75

ITW Raises with 20 lb. DB:
4 sets X 5 reps in each position

Lateral Raises:
8 @ 35 each side

Cable Facepulls:
20 @ 50
15 @ 80
10 @ 100

The T portion of the ITWs was especially hard. My posterior delts seem to be incredibly weak in the transverse plane. I also believe my shoulder injury last year was due to a weak supraspinatus that tore or was badly strained. So, new plan for every day that I can handle it: Do a shit load of transverse plane posterior delt work, scapular retraction and depression, and supraspinatus strengthening. When those things get stronger, I believe my elbows will feel better and when I start focusing on my bench 1RM, it will skyrocket.

22

Squat Session 2: Dynamic Effort Day

10 @ 135
10 X 3 reps @ 225
2 X 6 @ 185 starting at bottom position off pins (to increase explosiveness out of the hole)

Goodmornings:
1 X 10 @ 135

Barbell Glute Bridge Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION :
3 X 15 @ 135 (first time trying these, I like them a lot)

Cable Face-pulls:
15 @ 60
12 @ 80
12 @ 100
12 @ 80 Kneeling, for more scapular depression

DB Thumbs-Down Lateral Raise + Front Raise, Hold at top:
4 X 5 (each movement) w/ 20 lb.

Wrist Curls:
3 X 15 @ 95

Good session with regard to working my shoulders. Squats were too light. My 1RM is 385, so 55% would be 212, and I used 225 an got through a 10 X 3 easy easy easy. I know DE day is form/explosive work, but I think next time I should go 255 or so. Next DE day is box squat anyway.

Protein: 270 grams. Delicious.

Random Quote: “There are several good protections against temptations, but the surest is cowardice.” --Mark Twain

23

This is from Thursday night

Horizontal Back Day:

T-Bar Rows-
15 @ 1 plate
10 @ 2 plates
10 @ 3 plates
5 @ 4 plates
3 @ 5 plates (I hardly ever do T-bar rows, anyone else have a problem with the other end of the barbell lifting up as you lift the weighted side? I feel like I’m doing something wrong.)
3 X 5 @ 4 plates

Barbell Rows:
10 @ 135 Underhand
10 @ 135 Overhand
5 @ 225 Underhand

1-Arm DB Rows:
4 X 5 @ 110

Gettin’ thoses scapulae movin’:
DB Front Raises:
10 @ 25 Each side

Reverse Flies:
2 X 10 @ 25 Each side

Facepulls:
15 @ 60
10 @ 80
2 X 10 @ 40 Single arm, each side

Horizontal back is doing well as always, I’m actually feeling my scapular stabilizers and movers working now that I’ve started focusing on them. That’s always helpful.

I didn’t work out today (Friday), shit just came up. I was scheduled for a bench maintenance day, nothing special missed other than working my overdeveloped anterior delts and chest. I kinda screwed up in my schedule anyway and put too bench days in a row, so Sunday is bench day instead of Friday and Sunday. Oops.

Can’t wait til Monnndayyy. 2nd ME Squat day. Got 2 sets of 2 of 355, I want to get 2 of 3 this time and maybe a set of 4 335’s.

24

So, Everclear…damn. 2 drinks with one shot each in about 2 hours and I was happy. 35 bucks + 1.75L = Many nights of hilarious.

Anyway, week 2 has started in my program, here’s tonight’s workout:
Bench Maintenance:

Flat Bench:
10 @ 135
10 @ 225
5 @ 275
8 @ 225 Wide

Slight Push/Overhead Press:
10 @ 135
Missed 185…?
10 @ 135

Seated DB Arnold Press:
10 @ 50s
5 X 5 @ 50s

Forearm/Wrist Rolling Thing:
15 lbs
2 X 25 lbs
(All Flexion and Extension)

HammerStrength Iso-Lateral Bench Press:
10 @ 90
10 @ 180

Machine Fly:
10 @ 150
8 @ 190
8 @ 150

As you can see, it was a shitty workout. I’m used to high volume benching throughout the week, I’ve slowed down a lot recently, so I’m not as comfortable right now. I’m not too worried though, tomorrow is ME squats and a shitty day today means a good day tomorrow.

Protein: 150g…well damn, I just found out one of the reasons for the awful workout.

Random Quote: “EAT” -Everyone on T-Nation

25

ME Squat Day! Woo!

I didn’t do anything but back squat:

10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
3 @ 315
2 @ 365
2 @ 365
4 @ 335
4 @ 335 (mid/upper back rounding a lot on last two reps, legs fried)
10 @ 135

Great CNS workout! It’s fried though. One goal was 2 sets X 3 reps at 355, I felt like going heavier, so I got 2 X 2 at 365, that’s still a huge PR for me. My other goal was 1 set X 4 reps of 335 and I got 2 sets X 4 reps! Hell yes.

Plus, I got 5 hours of sleep last night that started at 7:15 this morning, not bad for that shitty sleep schedule.

Random Quote: “Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry.” -Thoreau

Protein: 255g

26

Vertical Back + Grip Day:
All pull-ups are pronated grip, other than towel sets

Pull-ups:
5 X 5 (2nd set=close grip, 4th set=close w/ towel)

Single Arm Face Pulls:
3 X 12 @ 50 Each side

Pull-ups:
3 X 5 (1st and 3rd = Close w/ towel)

BB Pull Overs:
8 @ 75
5 @ 75
5 @ 75

Cable Pull Overs w/ towel:
15 @ 40 (I don’t know if it’s per handle, I’m just going by what the stack says)
10 @ 60

I don’t know what to call these, Straight Arm Lateral Pull Downs? You put/grab the handles above you on either side of you and move the handle to your hip without bending at the elbow…The is the opposite movement of DB Lateral Raise (little help with the name anyone?):
10 @ 100 (total)
10 @ 120
10 @ 120

Cable External Shoulder Rotation:
12 @ 40 Each side

Kneeling Cable Scapular Depression/Retraction + More ROM for Lower Traps:
10 @ 100
10 @ 200
10 @ 200

Attempted another set of 5 pull ups, but only got 3.

Farmers Walk:
6 X 40-50 ft. @ 100 lbs Each hand

DB Scapular Retraction + External Rotation:
10 @ 20 Each side

EZ Bar Above Head Decline Weighted Sit-Ups (5 Aerobic Step Things High, Probably 50-60 degrees from the floor):
2 X 10 @ 75

Russian Twists (while slowly ascending and descending throughout set) on same Decline Bench:
1 X 20 each side @ 35

Stretch out lats with single arm lat pull down:
10 @ 60 Each Side

That was a really good vert. back session, especially when referencing my previous one. Got 8 sets of 5 pull-ups, including 3 towel sets (I like those for grip!). I took 300 mg caffeine beforehand to try to get the motor neurons firing more efficiently and to increase focus.

I did a lot of different things as you can see, but they all had similar qualities to one another, so the volume for each movement was still there.

Pullover movement is still weak. My shoulder injury came from stupidly trying to create a hybrid pullover/skull crusher exercise, I think it could have worked but I just did one of the transitional parts wrong and now I’m here. Working on it though.

I’m happy with the night.

Protein: Surprisingly, I didn’t have much of an appetite today. 178g as this is being written, but I’m forcing about 37 more grams in chicken nacho and milk form. So, 216g for the day.

Random Quote: “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” --Ernest Hemingway

As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

27

DE Deadlift Day

10 @ 135
5 @ 225
10 X 3 reps @ 275

Barbell Glute Bridge (Still just testing what I can do with it)
12 @ 135
10 @ 225
8 @ 335
4.5 @ 405

Not bad.

The deadlifts were easy apart from the grip because of yesterday, but I got through 'em no problem.
DE Box Squat day tomorrow and flag football, one will probably interfere with the quality of the other. Oh well, I’m focusing on lifting.

Made some of those protein cookie things today, and ate 60 grams worth of protein through them. lol
I feel fat, but I know I’m not! Woo!..

Protein: 203g

Now to start studying for Philosophy. Shit.

28

DE Box Squat/Flag Football Day

Box Squat:
10 @ 135
8 @ 225
3 X 10 @ 255

That’s it. Had to get to the football field. But I hit my goal from the last time, I probably should have done 275, this was very easy. But again, it’s about form.

Then basically short sprints for an hour in the form of flag football.

Protein: 190g…I gotta start waking up earlier so I can actually eat a lot in the mornings.

Philosophy time. It’s killin’ me.

29

i want my food porn NOW

30

420×630 175 KB

[quote]RiVaL6 wrote:
i want my food porn NOW[/quote]

Yessuh massah.

I don’t know if it’s food porn or food snuff. It looks disgusting, but I ate it last night as a study aide/reason to stop studying for a few minutes. 76 g protein, rich in delicious.

edit by the way, it’s an octostack.

31

that looks like an in N out burger on crack

32

Yeah, I injected it with a concoction of words ending in “-abol” and that’s what came out. lol

33

Well, I missed another bench maintenance day. Oh well. Big loss.
I went and worked on running form, ran football routes, and did frisbee hucks (where you sprint and the other person throws it as far as they can, good luck).

I’m home from college for the weekend, so I’m going to the gym tomorrow with my parents, my original workout partners.

Ate like shit today.

34

Today was Horizontal Back Day

BB Bent Rows (Overhand and Underhand):
10 @ 135 O
10 @ 135 U
5 @ 225 O
5 @ 225 U
5 @ 225 O
5 @ 225 U
10 @ 135 U

DB Single Arm Rows:
5 X 5 @ 110 Each Side

Supine Row w/ towel on one side + feet elevated on bench:
3 X 5 Each Side

Cable Face Pulls:
12 @ 45 Single Arm Each Side
20 @ 45 Conventional + Hold
12 @ 45 Single Arm Each Side
12 @ 85 Conventional

Glute-Ham Raise (My knee was bothering me and I think it has to do with quad tightness. It felt better after these):
3 X 5

Shot the basketball for about 25 minutes with lots of vertical jumping involved. I can now easily grab the rim as a standing vertical. So the squatting has obviously helped in that regard.

Protein: 168g so far. I’ll have another meal shortly though.

Edit: Yup, made it well over 200g.

35

Great log so far man! Those strength goals are lofty by the end of the year, but you are on your way. I am in your under 25 age bracket, so this should be cool to follow.

Keep it up!

36

[quote]Apostate wrote:
Great log so far man! Those strength goals are lofty by the end of the year, but you are on your way. I am in your under 25 age bracket, so this should be cool to follow.

Keep it up! [/quote]

I know they’re pretty high, my only real concern is getting the bench up because I’ve been plateaued for so long with it. But I’m basically taking 10 weeks off because of the squat phase and my next phase is deadlift. Hopefully that and the back work will help.

Thanks for the motivation!

37

ME Box Squat Day!

10 @ 135 (Felt like I was having a left hip mobility issue, but it settled)
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
3 @ 315
1 @ 365
1 @ 405 (Easy, probably could have gotten 425 on the next set, but I wanted to get some higher heavy reps)
6 @ 385 (Huh? My non-box 1rm is 385; but I’ll take it)
4 @ 385 (Again, huh?)
5 @ 355
3 @ 315 (Tried to explode, I was tired as hell though)
15 @ 135

Some rotational cable ab work. Just showing my friend some exercises.

It was a great session. I felt like I was blacking out when I held my breath to drink water after the squats. Good sign of hard work I’d say.

Protein: 156g so far, I’m about to eat a meal with 12oz. of chicken breast (81g), cheese (7g), and a tortilla (8g). So…253g

Random Quote: “If you don’t say anything, you won’t be called on to repeat it.” --Calvin Coolidge

38

Here’s my breakfast that I just finished eating. I thought I’d follow Nate Green’s latest blog entry (www.thenategreenexperience.com) and eat my damn vegetables.

3 Slices of Bacon
6 oz. Smoked Sausage
2 Cups Broccoli

Also, 1 Large Banana and Water

39

Vertical Back Day

Pull-ups:
5 X 5 (set #4 = w/ towel)

Cable Pullovers:
10 @ 60
2 X 10 @ 70

Bent-arm DB Pullovers:
10 @ 60
2 X 10 @ 80

Compound Cable Rows:
3 X 10 @ 100

Facepulls:
20 @ 40
20 @ 60

Lateral Raises:
3 X 10 @ 25 (each side)

I wasn’t feeling it tonight at all. I got a legit 5x5 on pull-ups but other than that…eh.
The excuse is that I was incredibly lazy all day and I feel like shit when I do that. An excuse for the laziness doesn’t exist though. Sorry, guys.

Protein: 138g (I only had the meal pictured above, some sushi, a frozen sausage and egg biscuit, and 3 ready-to-drink Protein drinks. Damn, I started out so well too. Laziness = fucks everything up) Edit Went to Wendy’s again. Praise the dollar menu. 3 Chicken sandwiches and 1 Large Chili= 66g protein. TOTAL:204g

40

Horizontal Back Day:

Bent BB Rows:
10 @ 135
10 @ 135

Kelso Shrugs:
10 @ 135 (Never tried these before; pretty cool)

Rack Pulls (just above knee):
10 @ 135
8 @ 225
10 @ 315
6 @ 405
10 @ 135

1-Arm Rows:
5 X 5 @ 115 (+5 lb PR; I only have up to 120 lb. DB)

Cable Low Row:
10 @ 145
8 @ 165
4 @ 185
6 @ 165
10 @ 135

DB Reverse Flies:
3 X 10 @ 25 (2 Uni: 1 Bi)

Neutral Grip DB Front Raises:
10 @ 25

Plank: No rest.
30 secs. Middle
30 secs. Left
30 secs. Right
30 secs. Middle

It wasn’t a particularly strong workout, nor a weak one. I’m too tired to recall my day nutritionally. Goodnight all.