The Pursuit of Mythical Gains

10-20-2017

Pull
Leg Curls, back extensions, rows, pull downs - 4x11.
Abs 3x8
Face Pulls 3x8
Hammer Curls 3x4
BB Curls 4x11
Shrugs 3x20

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10-22-2017

Push
4x12 except for TPD’s, 100 in a single set.

10-23-2017

Pull
4x12 except for curls and fp’s, 100 in sets of 50, 30, 20.

Short HIIT with warm up and cool down, 15 minutes.

Still gaining, 190 this morning. A few diet changes that have me carrying water so I don’t think the 190 is accurate. Going to do HIIT twice a week with increasing times.

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10-27-2017

Push
4x8 except - pec deck 3x10, tpds 4x10

Two days rest felt good, weighed 188 this morning.

Ran into the owner of the iron head gym I lift at, he was receptive to hiring me when I get my CSCS, hopefully in about two months. I just want to have a place to train my friends and get some experience as a coach.

Pass the test first.

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Still teaching, in NY?

Awesome man!

I am. Figure at least another eight years, hoping to use the CSCS to make extra money supervising the weight room at school and do some training on the side and to set myself up with something to do in retirement.

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10-28-2017

Pull
4x8 except TPD’s and curls and FPs, those were all 4x5.

Getting the itch to program hop again. I feel like I am spinning my wheels, which I am, because I program hop. Such a paradox.

Going to stick this out though.

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If anyone is interested, the SS Fall Classic is streaming live here

10-31-2017

WTF?
SQUAT, DL, BP, OHP all 3x5
Pull ups, assisted, 3x5
Hammer Curls 4x10
TPD’s 4x10
Shrugs 4x12
Ab machine 4x12

Been reading again, always dangerous. I had planned on going back to strength training but decided to go ahead ans start it today with a sort of SS workout to get used to doing the lifts again. Lifted pretty light compared to what I was doing before Summer. Just looking to get the muscles ready, will do this for two weeks and then either go into 5/3/1 two day per week template or run a modified LP for a few weeks to get my training maxes set. I’ll figure that out later.

I really want to add some upper body mass and I figured the direct work on the machines wasn’t going to make it happen so "ll be going back to my old gym to get back to barbell training.

The program hopping continues.

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11-3-2017

WTF C1D2
Squats, BP, OHP, chins, 3x5
Curls and tpd’s 1x20
Abs 4x12
Shrugs 4x12 - five second hold.

Quick workout, wanted to get in the progression on the main lifts so I can do it again on Sunday. Doing the barbell shit on a Smith, OHP on machine. Going to run this through next week at least, then rejoin the meathead gym and start an LP, run it for a few weeks and then back to 5/3/1.

Kind of curious how the LP will work out. I feel more knowledgeable about it now, figure I can run it longer with what I know, and run it smarter than last time. I’m still interested in getting a three plate squat and DL (got the DL one time with rubber band man back rounding), a two plate bench again, and get the OHP back to 150.

Think I’m a little smarter on nutrition as well. I’m really phat phobic but realize that if I get bigger, I can walk around at 15-18% and look fine. I just have to be sure not to gain too quickly, which is what I always do.

So, loosely, plan on smaller jumps, making sure I am recovered, moving to HLM sooner, being more patient, avoiding injury by maintaining good form.

It always sounds good on paper, but we all know about the best laid plans of mice and myths.

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Sounds like a damn good plan to me.

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Glad you’re in, will lean on you a bit for programming once I get close to stalling on the LP.

As you know, leg pressing isn’t squatting, and Smith squatting isn’t barbell squatting. So once I run out the LP and have training maxes I will want to plan back from my birthday so I can hit a 315 squat by the time I hit 55 in September of 2018, and you seem pretty good at doing that type of planning.

I’m sore AF now after starting up squatting again, even just 135. I know that’s mainly just CNS stuff and that it will come back quickly, but suspect I’ll stall again around 245-265, where I stalled last time on the LP. That should put me around March leaving me about six months to add the 50 pounds to the squat, totally doable methinks.

As long as I stay healthy, I’m not concerned with DL, bench, or OHP. I really would like to get to 1,2,3,4 plates on OHP, BP, SQ, and DL by September and my main concerns are SQ and DL at 405. I have no idea where my DL is at right now.

Anyway, glad you’re in!

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Definitely hit me up whenever you need. Sounds achievable, so no reason you won’t get there.

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11-6-2017

LP2D1

SQ3x5@135
OHP 3x5@95
DL 1x5@135

BPA’s 5x20 between squat sets
Curls and TPD’s superset 3x10 and 3x20 respectively
Shrugs 4x10 with 5s hold at the peak

Yep, started the LP. Joined the ironhead gym again and decided to get started. I figured I would start low to get used to barbell training again and to give me plenty of time to progress with recovery. I figure recovery is going to be key for me to sustain this LP so I am planning on taking 72 hours between workouts. Plan on starting BP at 135 as well. Will add ten pounds to SQ and DL to start, five on OHP and BP. I figure around 225 on the SQ I’ll need to drop it to five pound jumps while still bumping DL by ten. Hoping to get to 135 on OHP before I have to drop to 2.5 pound bumps - going to have to order new micro plates, can’t find my old ones.

I weighed 190 last week, about ten pounds heavier than the last time I ran an LP. I’m going to try to avoid gaining much weight until I start to stall and then try to bump cals slowly - not my strong suit. I was 197 at the end of that LP. I’m not planning on gaining 17 pounds this time, but I’ll be ruled by the mirror.

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11-9-2017

LP2D2

SQ 3x5@145 RPE 4
BP 3x5@ 135 RPE 4
DL 1x5@ 145 RPE 3
KROCS 3X10@ 40 RPE 5

BPA’s 5x20 between squat sets.
Curls and TPD’s and FP’s giant set, 3x10, 3x15, 3x12 respectively
Shrugs 3x10 with 5s hold superset with HLR’s 3x10

I didn’t need the second day of recovery but I was a little stiff yesterday. It’s mainly just from squatting again. Obvs, the RPE is really low but from experience, I know this will go up very quickly.

I’m fat AF, weighed in at 193.4 this morning. I’m gaining too fast and think it’s from adding in carbs without cutting fat. I need to save the weight gain for later in the LP and since these weights are really easy, I’m going to go slightly deficit in calories for a few day to slow down gaining weight.

But, on the upside, starting to look like I lift again. Clothes still fit fine even though I have gained 15 pounds or more in the last ten weeks, but, shirts are starting to get a little tight in the shoulders.

1 Like

11-12-2017

LP2D3

SQ 3X5 @ 155
OHP 3X5 @ 100
DL 3X5 @ 155

Curls, BPA’s, TPD’s, Shrugs, Ab Wheel

Just got home, cooking dinner. Spent yesterday and today at a live exam prep clinic for the CSCS. Realizing how difficult that test will be and how much bullshit is on it. Did you know mirrors have to be 20" from the floor? Important shit.

Weighed 191.3 on average this week, up from 189.5 from last week. Body fat up to 14.8 from 14.7 last week according to the Omron. One of the instructors mentioned scales and hand held BIA’s and called them awful, lol.

Mirror tells me I’m fat AF - spoken like a true adiphobe.

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BPA’s 5x20, Curls 3x20, TPD’s 50, 30, 20, HLR’s 4x10, shrugs 4x12.

All about the squat. Should hit a body weight squat for reps early next week, not a big deal but gets me closer to where I should be. Squats were an RPE of 6 or 7 today, expected them to be harder based on the difficulty I experienced restarting barbell training. Just goes to show that what the NSCA says about strength losses is true - you don’t lose them that fast, things come back quickly.

BP and DL RPE was about 5.

Feeling good about how things are going. Slight pain in my right knee, tendinitis in my elbows a wee bit, some lower back soreness, but otherwise, all good. I know I have to be vigilant on form to stay injury free, may be posting some vids in the next bit for feedback.

Cheers.

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11-18-2017

LP2D4

SQ 3x5 @ 175
OHP 3x5 @ 105
DL 1x5 @ 175

BPA’s 5x20 between warmups on squats, Crunches 4x25 between squats, lat pull downs 4x5 between OHP sets, curls and TPD’s supersets 4, Shrugs 4x12.

Re-read some from Practical Programming for Strength training and noted that the sample LP drops to five pound progression on squats much earlier than stalling. Am planning to make that drop after I hit the body weight squat just to make sure I don’t stall and get as long as I can out of this LP. May drop the OHP progression to 2.5 soon as well. Deads felt easy and I regret not starting them higher but am going to stay the course.

Shirts are getting tighter, weight has stayed the same this week.

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When they start to get hard you might change your mind about regretting a light start. Start too light and progress slow.

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11-21-2017

LP2D5
SQ 3x5@185
BP 3x5@145
DL 1x5@185

Squats giant setted with BPA’s 5x20 and crunches 4x25 for WU’s, Vacuums for work sets.
BP super set with Face Pulls 4x10
DL Super set with shrugs 4x12

Curl and Tri extensions super set4x10 and 4x12.

Went to the gym after a long day at work and felt better/stronger than expected. The squats were about the same RPE as last work out. I have watched the demo on my SS app and I think it’s helping my form. I’m controlling my descent much better, definitely hitting depth, sitting back and driving with hips. It feels pretty good with no major aches or pains, touch wood.

I’m planning on doing 195# for my next work out - body weight for reps, finally - and am thinking about dropping the progression to five pound increments. It might be a little early to do that, but I think I really need to work on patience. If it seems like it’s too easy, I may go to 48 hours between workouts rather than 72 hours.I’m a little worried about the 72 hour recovery cutting short my gainz because it means I am benching and pressing only every six days. I know that I am getting overlap with those two exercises, but still, I may want to cut the recovery and just see how I feel. I am also considering adding in some incline BP on OHP days and laterals on BP days. My upper pecs and delts could definitely use some help. And, starting to see some very minor results from the shrugs and that is making my delts look even smaller.

We’ll see. Again, I should focus on doing and not thinking, lol.

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