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TheMechanic55's log

Training Logs
#1

23yrs old, 250lbs

I’ve been lifting since I was 14, competing in powerlifting since '07.

I’ve been a member here for a while but have never been very active in the forums, I figured starting a log would be a good way to start.

I’m currently training for a meet in San Diego,CA on Dec. 11. Its week 4 of my 15 weekd training cycle.

Questions and comments are welcome.

SQUAT DAY Week 4

A. Squat, Belt
3 x 365 - 7
3 x 395 - 8
3 x 375 - 8

B1. Split SQ, SSB
3 x 12 x 45 - 8/9

B2. DB Swing, Alt
2 x 28 x 50 - 8/9

C1. Leg Curls, 1L
2 x 15 x 30 - 8/9

C2. Standing Calves
2 x 12 x 8th Hole - 8/9

C3. Side Bends
2 x 9 x 90 - 8/9

I recently switched from working out during the late afternoon or evening to working out at 5am. I can definitely feel a change in my ability to do work. I’m sure I’ll adjust with some time but my numbers are taking a bit of a hit at the moment.

I need to start working on my mobility/flexibility again. I’m starting to have problems getting to depth.

#2

BENCH DAY Week 4 9/22/10

A. Bench, wraps
3 x 265 - 7
3 x 290 - 8
3 x 3 x 275 - 7/8

B. DB OH Press, Seated
2 x 12 x 55’s - 8/9
8 x 55’s - 8

C. OH Tricep Extensions, EZ
2 x 12 x 90 - 8/9

D1. Cable Side Raises, 1A
2 x 10 x 2H - 8

D2. Tate Press
3 x 11 x 40’s - 8/8.5

Good session today. It turned out a lot better than I expected when I arrived to the gym.

I woke up feeling tight and very sleepy. It was nothing a spike and an extended warm up couldn’t fix though.

#3

DEADLIFT DAY 9/24/10 Week 4

Miss. I was in Vegas for the Olympia and wasn’t able to get the workout in earlier in the week. I wanted to get some back work in my hotel’s “state of the art fitness center” but it only had 4 cardio machines available. I guess I could’ve done cardio but I figured walking around the expo would be enough. lol

SQUAT DAY 9/28/10 Week 5

A. Squat, Belt
6 x 365 - 7.5
6 x 355 - 8

B1. DB Swings, Alt
2 x 24 x 55 - 8/9

B2. Split Squats, SSB
2 x 8 x 65 - 8/9

C1. Leg Curls, 1L
2 x 18 x 35 - 8/9

C2. Standing Calves
3 x 13 x 7H - 8/9

C3. Hanging Leg Raises
3 x 14 x BW - 8/9

I was supposed to squat with suit bottoms today but I forgot to put them in my gym bag. I was pretty disappointed.

A. Squats went well. I sat back less and set up with my feet turned out more. The squats were much more fluid as a result.

#4

Good to have you here.

how do you read your numbers?
"A. Bench, wraps
3 x 265 - 7
3 x 290 - 8
3 x 3 x 275 - 7/8 "

#5

Thanks.

3 x 265 - 7 = reps x weight - RPE (Rate of Perceived Effort)

3 x 3 x 275 - 7/8 = sets x reps x weight - RPE

The 7/8 means that the first set was a RPE of 7 and the last set was a RPE of 8. All other sets were somewhere in between.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

#6

BENCH DAY Week 5 9/29/10

A. Shirt Bench, 2 Board, Wraps
6 x 315 - 6.5
6 x 365 - 8
6 x 345 - 8

B. DB Overhead Press, Seated
3 x 10 x 65’s - 8/9

C. Overhead Tricep Extensions, EZ
11 x 100 - 8
10 x 100 - 9

Done. PWO meal then maybe a nap before class.

#7

DEADLIFT DAY Week 5 10/1/10

A. DL, Suit Bottoms, Belt
6 x 315 - 6
6 x 365 - 6.5

This was all I had time for. I might try to get some back work in tomorrow if I get off of work early.

Even though I wasn’t able to work up to the weight that I planned on, I’m still happy with this session. Pulling doesn’t come easy for me so I’m glad that I was able to get into a decent groove with the suit on. Having my girlfriend there to give me feedback definitely helps.

#8

SQUAT DAY Week 6 10/4/10

A. Squat, Suit Bottoms, Belt
5 x 405 - 7
5 x 435 - 8
5 x 415 - 8

B1. Leg Curls, 1L
3 x 11 x 45 - 8/9

B2. Standing Calves
3 x 11 x 8P - 8/9

B3. Hanging Leg Raises
2 x 10 x BW
14 x BW

#9

BENCH DAY

Week 6
10/6/10

A. Shirt Bench, 2 Board, Wraps
5 x 335 - 7
5 x 395 - 8
5 x 375 - 8

B. DB Overhead Press, Seated
9 x 75’s - 8
7 x 75’s - 9

C. Overhead Tricep Extensions, EZ
8 x 110 - 8
6 x 110 - 10

D1. Cable Side Raises
2 x 9 x 3H - 8/9

D2. Tate Press
2 x 7 x 55’s - 8/9

I didnt have high expectations for this session when I arrived at the gym but it went well. Once I managed to talk myself into getting out of my car I slowly started to pick up steam. Sometimes approaching workouts one segment at a time really helps to get through them.

-My form was all over the place with the bench shirt at first but some changes to my foot position fixed the probelm.

#10

DEADLIFT DAY
10/8/10
Week 6

A. Deadlift, Suit Bottoms, Belt
3 x 315
5 x 395 - 8

Decided to do some accsessories instead of my down sets. I was low on time.

B. Pull Ups
10 x BW - 10

C. DB Row
6 x 120 - 10

lol…pathetic…I really shouldnt have been surprised that my DB Row strength would be affected by doing a set of pull ups to failure immediately before, but I still was.

I had to rush this session because I had to get to work.

Although I didnt get in all the volume that I had planned on the deadlift lift I’m still happy that I felt a lot more comfortable in the suit this week.

#11

SQUAT DAY
Week 7
10/12/10

A. Squat, Suit Bottoms, Belt
4 x 415 - 6.5
4 x 465 - 8

The top set felt great. I’m excited about squatting with straps up next week.

B. Hanging Leg Raises
3 x 12 x BW

Woke up feeling sick. Its probably the result of not getting much sleep since last thursday. The session started slow but things improved as the session went on. I ended the workout early hoping that the reduced stress would help me get over whatever bug I might have been catching.

BENCH DAY
Week 7
10/13/10

Anyone else ever fall asleep while foam rolling? lol

Still sick but it could have been worse.

A. Shirt Bench, 2Brd, Wraps
4 x 375 - 7
4 x 415- 8

This was ugly, really ugly.

B. DB Overhead Press, Seated
2 x 15 x 50 - 8/9

Short one again today…I need to find a way to wash the sand out before I start cranking up the intensity next week.

#12

DEADLIFT DAY
Week 7
10/15/10

I was in suit bottoms and a belt. I worked up to something in the low-mid 400’s range. I didnt write anything down from this workout, I’m not sure why.

SQUAT DAY
Week 8
10/18/10

A. Squat, Straps up, Belt
3 x 525 - 8
3 x 495 - 8

B. SSB Squat, Belt, M (medium stance), A2G (Ass To Grass)
3 x 315 - 8
2 x 3 x 295 - 8

C. Reverse Hypers
I wasn’t counting reps or sets. I used 180 for some sets of 10-20 reps.

D. Spread Eagle Situps
3 x 8 x 10 - 8/9

Everything felt heavy today but it felt good to get under some weight today.

None of my squats were to legal depth but a couple got close. I’m not worried about it. I should be breaking parallel in a week or two as the weight gets heavier.

Next week I need to be sure that I’m sitting back into the suit more. I began turning my feet out more when squatting raw so that my squat would be cleaner but the same movement doesn’t seem to load the suit very much. I’ll rotate my feet in slightly and sit back more next week.

#13

BENCH DAY
10/20/10
Week 8

A. Shirt Bench, Wraps
3 x 365 - 7
3 x 385 - 7.5
3 x 395 - 8
3 x 375 - 8

No belt, shirt was riding high.

B. Shirt Bench, 3Brd, Wraps
3 x 415 - 8
3 x 415 - 9

C. DB Overhead Press, Seated
5 x 80 - 9
4 x 80 - 9

D. Overhead Tricep Extensions, EZ
15? x 70

I didnt anchor my shirt down with my belt today. I’m pretty horrible in my shirt so I think its best to limit the amount of variable involved as much as possible. Next week I’ll pull the shirt down a little and anchor it with my belt.

DEADLIFT DAY
10/22/10
Week 8

A. Deadlift, Straps up
3 x 405 - 7
3 x 425 - 8
3 x 405 - 7

B. Rack pulls
3 x 385 - 8
3 x 385 - 9

Out of time.

My upper back strength seems to be limiting my deadlift. I can break the weight off the floor pretty easily most of the time but I cant keep myself in position as I approach lockout.

#14

SQUAT DAY
10/25/10
Week 9

A. Squat, Straps up, Belt
3 x 455 - 7
3 x 545 - 9
2 x 3 x 485 - 8/9

B. SSB Squat, Medium Stance, A2G, Belt
3 x 295 - 8
3 x 315 - 9
2 x 3 x 295 - 8/9

C. Leg Curls, Seated, 1L
3 x 15 x 50 - 8/9

D. Side Bends
2 x 10 x 100 - 9/10

-I made horrible choices in weights when working up on my suit squat. I’m not sure why I thought jumping 90lbs was a good idea but I did and I paid for it. My body wasn’t ready for the 545. The weight moved well but I was very wobbly, this weight shouldn’t have produced a 9 RPE.

  • I’m going to start doing abs 4 days/week from now until my meet. I feel that my ab strength is holding back my squat and DL
#15

BENCH DAY
10/27/10
Week 9

A. Shirt Bench, Wraps, Belt
3 x 425 - 8.25
3 x 445 - 9
3 x 415 - 9

B. Shirt Bench, 3Brd, Wraps, Belt
3 x 455 - 9

C. Band Pushdowns

  • I thought I had somewhere to be so I left the gym early but it turned out I could have finished my workout.

-I dont think I’m getting anything out of the 3 Board Press after the main movement. I’m too tired to do the movement well so I think I’m going to replace it with a different tricep dominant press.

#16

I haven’t posted for a couple days. I’ve been busy. I also lost my log book for a couple days so I’m going to do this update mostly from memory, which means its going to missing a lot of detail.

DEADLIFT DAY
10/29/10
Week 9

A. Deadlift
3 x 365
1 x 405

B1. Pullups
4 x 5 x BW

B2. Hanging Leg Raises
4 x 12

C1. Rear Raises, Mach
2 sets

C2. Curls, Mach
2 sets

SQUATS DAY
11/2/10
Week 10

A. Squat, Straps up, Belt
3 x 455
2 x 495

I heard some pretty significant popping from my suit. Decided that I would call it a day since I didnt have time to check the suit.

B. SSB Squat, A2G, M
worked up to 345?

C. Spread Eagle Situps
2-3 x 12 x 10

I think I did another exercise but I’m not entirely sure.

-I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to work up that day, I felt strong.

BENCH DAY
11/3/10
Week 10

A. Shirt Bench, Wraps, Belt
3 x 425 - 8.5
1 x 475
3 x 465 - 11…3rd rep drifted toward my face and I was unable to lock out

B. 3 Board Press
3 x 355 - 9
3 x 385 - 11…I was simply out of gas. 2nd rep felt good but I couldnt get the 3rd off the boards.
2 x 3 x 365 - 9/10

C1. DB Overhead Press, Seated
10 x 70’s - 9
8 x 70’s - 10

C2. DB Row Hold
3 x 10’s x 35’s

D. OH Tricep Extensions, EZ
10 x 100 - 9
8 x 100 -10

-Even though I missed reps on two sets during this workout I’m still pretty happy with it. My top set on the bench was almost a triple with my old max.

  • I figured out how to keep an arch while benching in a shirt. Now I have to remember to tuck my elbows and pull the bar apart while holding the arch.

#17

I haven’t updated this for a while, some things have changed. I’m no longer doing a meet on Dec. 11. Training wasn’t going the way I wanted it to, I was feeling really beat up.

I’ve allowed myself to get horribly out of shape. My training will be changed to raise my conditioning level.

The military might be in my future, nothing is for sure yet but it has definitely caught my interest recently.

11/14/10

A. SSB Squat, 10" box
3 x 275 - 7
3 x 295 - 7.5
3 x 305 - 8

B. Overhead Press
3 x 165 - 7
3 x 185 - 7.5
3 x 195 - 8.5

C. Pullups
3 x (BW 15) - 7
3 x (BW 30) - 8

Push ups - 31
Pull ups - 8
Decline Situps - 25

1.5 mile walk, loaded - ~30min
.5 mile jog on sand - 5:18
5 stair sprints (each stair case is the equivalent of about three flights)

I’m keeping things easy in the gym to allow myself to recover from the cancelled meet prep cycle and to allow my body to adjust to the conditioning work that I added in.

My hips are pretty beat. I didnt realize how bad they were until today when I tried getting down to the box. Painful and Awkward.

the imbalances in my hips became pretty obvious while I was walking with a load. My legs dont step evenly and my right leg seems to be doing all the work.

#18

11/17/10

A. Deadlift
3 x 345 - 7
3 x 365 - 8

B. Dips
3 x (BW 40) - 7
3 x (BW 55) - 7.5
3 x (BW 65) - 8

C. Pendlay Rows
3 x 205 - 7
3 x 225 - 8

  • I moved my hand and foot positions out slightly. The new starting position feels a little better.

  • Deadlifting is slowly feeling less awkward.

11/19/10

A. Squat, M
3 x 365 - 8

B. Bench
3 x 275 - 7
3 x 305 - 8

C. DB Row, 1A
3 x 120 - 8

BEFORE WORKOUT
2 mile walk - ~33min
.5 mile run - ~4:30

AFTER WORKOUT
150m swim, free style
Practice CSS

  • I’m trying to alleviate some of the pain in my hips so I decided to do my squatting with a medium stance. I didnt feel as strong with that stance as I do with a wide stance but it didnt hurt and gettign to depth was easier.

  • The bar keeps helicoptering when I bench, I think focusing on flexing my left lat will fix this.

  • I was in and out of the gym in about 45min. Its a very nice change from 2hr long workouts when working in gear.

11/21/10
2 mile walk - 32min
.5 mile run 4:30
5 10yd sprints @ 7 RPE

  • The run and walk felt a lot better today than they did on Monday

  • I havent done any sprinting in probably over a year. It felt good to get moving but I know I need to take it easy initially. I’ve had problems with my hamstrings in the past caused from sprinting.

#19

11/22/10

A. SSB Squat, 10"Box
2 x 305 - 7
2 x 335 - 8

B. OH Press
2 x 195 - 7
2 x 205 - 8

C. Pull Ups
2 x (BW 35) - 7
2 x (BW 50) - 8

Push Ups - 38
Pull Ups - 9?
Situps - 20

  • Was having trouble forcing my right knee out. Right hip and hamstring were slow to loosen up.

  • I focused on bracign my abs while overhead pressing. It made a significant difference in the force that was transferred to the bar.

  • Pullups are feelign strong.

1 mile: 9:15

11/24/10

A. DL
2 x 375

B. Dips
2 x (BW 60) - 7
2 x (BW 75) - 8

C. Pendlay Rows
2 x 205 - 7
2 x 245 - 8

Pushups - 34
Pullups - 9
Decline Situps - 25

Swim: 45min. Practiced free style and CSS.

  • I should have switched to SLDL instead of trying to pull while feeling stiff. I’m paying for the mistake now. My hip and lower back are killing me.

  • I don’t think low reps work for rows. I don’t feel like my scaps are fully contracting when the weight is heavy.

  • Dips felt strong. Chest was a little tight but all was good.

  • Swimming is starting to improve. Free style is coming along, as well as the right handed CSS. Left handed CSS is garbage.

#20

11/26/10

A. Squat, M
2 x 345 - 6.5
2 x 395 - 8

B. Bench
2 x 295 - 7
2 x 325 - 8

C. DB Row, 1A
10 x 55
10 x 70
10 x 85

Push Ups - 36
Pullups - 8
Decline Situps - 20

Before gym:
1.5 mile walk, w/ load
1 mile run, sand: ~10min

After gym:
swim: 12 x 25m using CSS, one minute rest periods

I was gassed after this.

11/29/10

A. SSB Squat, 10" Box
3 x 285 - 7
3 x 320 - 8

B. Overhead Press
3 x 175 - 7
3 x 195 - 8.5

C. Pull Ups
3 x (BW 30) - 7
3 x (BW 45) - 8

Push Ups - 40
Pull Ups - 8
Decline Situps - 25

No run, out of time.

-I was feeling strong on the OH Press today but I let the bar drift away from my body on the last rep of my top set causing me to give it a higher RPE. I’m sure the bar would have gone up with any stall if I had kept it on the right path.

  • Felt strong while doing the weighted pullups today but I think I was forgetting to fully my scaps at the top. I felt more fatigue in my arms than in my back once I was done.