Turning Obsession Into Progress

Training Logs
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1

At the time of this first log entry I am a junior mechanical engineering student that loves to do all kinds of random nonsense from hunting and hiking to baking. That being said, my goals have always been scattered, and I have always swung back and forth between wanting nothing but pure strength or pure size. Thus, my programming has lead to me switching back and forth between the two about a month at a time… for the past 6ish years.

This indecision has lead to poor planning and relatively zero results. Since I love working out with all my young thumping heart, I have never given up, and have just strived harder to see progress. I think all my shortcomings can point back to impatience with achieving my goals.

Another major setback was my lack of proper nutrition. I never (and I mean never) drank water (or any other fluids for that matter) and I ate only crappy foods. However, over the past year, I’ve begun eating right, and have seen my progress both in size and strength increase dramatically. I’ve been able to put on size relatively well, but strength is still a struggle.

P.S. My triceps suck

So the plan now is to continue to eat well and actually stick to a workout.

Current lifts at 5’11"/200lbs/12%BF:
Squat - 8RM@195
Bench - 8RM@205
Deadlift - 6RM@225
Pullup - 5RM@245 (BW + 45lb)

Current Goals:
Squat - 5RM@250
Bench - 5RM@235
Deadlift - 5RM@275
Pullup - 5RM@260
Stationary Bike - 2miles in 5min
Be a physically capable human

The plan for June 2019 to September 2019:

Workout:

Each Cycle will be days 1-5
Day 1:
Squat - 5x5
DB Press - 3x6-10
Tricep Pushdowns - 2x6-10
Ab Wheel - 2x8-15

Day 2:
Pullup - 5x5
DB Forward Lunge - 3x6-10
Close Grip Bench Press - 2x6-10
Battle Ropes - 3x30s

Day 3:
Deadlift - 5x5
Facepull - 3x6-10
DB Extensions - 2x6-10
Russian Twists - 2x20-40

Day 4:
Bench - 5x5
RDL - 3x6-10
Dips - 2x6-10
Stationary Bike - 5minutes as many miles as possible
*or C2 Rower - 3x100m as fast as possible

Day 5:
Neural Charge Workout

*Each rep of the big lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, pullup) will have a different tempo depending on what cycle I’m in.

Cycle 1 - Normal Reps
Cycle 2 - Slow Eccentric (2-5 seconds)
Cycle 3 - Eccentric Pauses (2 second pause at top, middle, and bottom of rep)
Cycle 4 - Concentric Pauses (2 second pause at bottom, middle, and top of rep)

After 4 cycles, I will increase the pullup and bench press by 5lb, and the squat and deadlift by 10lb.

Nutrition:

  • Currently 16:8 intermittent fasting
  • Lunch: usually around 800-1000 calories
    Lunch Meat Sandwich
    Apple or Banana
    Handful of almonds
    Protein bar
    Greek yogurt
    Small Salad or celery or carrots
  • Dinner: usually 1500-2000 calories
    Excessively large helpings of whatever momma makes (usually steak, pork, or chicken with some form of pasta and vegetables)

Let’s see what happens

jbooty115

1 Like
2

June/5/2019

Starting log in Cycle 2 (already done cycle 1)

Wake up: 5am (felt awake, ready to rock)

Supps:

  • MP Combat Pre 5:15am
  • ON Premium BCAAs w/ 5g of MT glutamine intra-workout 5:30-6am
  • ON BCAAs w/ caffeine and 5g creatine @ 9am

Workout: 5:40-6:05

  • Squat - 5x5 @ 190lb / slow eccentric (5th rep of some sets felt very hard, prob from lack of rest between sets)
  • DB Press (standing) - 3x6 @ 55lb DB(Solid effort, will keep next time)
  • Pushdowns - 2x8 @ 96lb
  • Ab Wheel - 2x12 (reps felt very easy, no soreness or discomfort from previous ab work)

Meals:

  • Normal meals, will only note exceptions (eating out, fasting instead of eating, etc.)
  • Will drink ON Casein Protein at 7-8pm before bed around 9-9:30pm
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June/6/2019

Wake up: 5am (felt awake, but cozy, so accidentally fell back asleep. Got up at 5:33am, woke up super hungry because I ate crap last night)

Supps:

  • MP Combat Pre 5:40am
  • ON Premium BCAAs w/ 5g of MT glutamine intra-workout
  • ON BCAAs w/ caffeine and 5g creatine @ 9am

Workout: 6:05-6:35

  • Pullup - 5x5@200lb (BW) (slow eccentric / all reps felt easy, but since I superset pullups with DB lunges in a time crunch, my grip was giving out at the end of the 4th and 5th rep of the 4-5th sets.)
  • DB Lunge - 3x8 @60lb each DB (I usually do reverse lunges to save the knees, but since I deadlift tomorrow, I switched to forward. My balance was good but not perfect / solid weight, will keep)
  • Battle Ropes - 3x20s (I strive to get 3x30s, but these whoop my little white butt. I love this exercise and try to attack each set)
  • Stretching (I forgot to mention this in my workout plan, but I stretch after every workout, even neural charge. My flexibility has greatly increased, and I believe it boosts my recovery. My usual stretches are: butterfly, seated hamstring stretches (both with feet apart and together), seated glute stretches, and hip flexor stretches (I think I need to begin stretching my chest individually, because it usually feels tight and pulls my shoulders forward and upward. My back gets stretched from pulling on feet/legs from other stretches)

Meals:
*since I posted the last log entry before dinner, mom ended up not cooking, so I ate like crap cuz we had no decent food (PB&J,cake,rice,chicken nuggets) sigh
*Today should be a normal meal for both dinner and lunch

  • Will drink ON Casein Protein at 7-8pm before bed around 9-9:30pm
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June/7/2019

Wake up: 5am (felt awake, eager to go to gym)

Song of the Day: The Heat is On

Supps:

  • MP Combat Pre 5:15am
  • ON Premium BCAAs w/ 5g of MT glutamine intra-workout 5:30-6am
  • ON BCAAs w/ caffeine and 5g MT creatine @ 9am

Workout: 6-6:30 (Joined by GF)
My Workout:

  • Deadlift - 5x5 @ 195 (Working on my form, and this lift feels a lot stronger. Previously my thighs would start parallel to the ground and my back would be at like a 60 degree angle from the ground. This put a ton of stress on my quads and low back, and made the lift very difficult. Now my thighs start at about a 30 degree angle from the floor, and my back is also about a 30 degree angle from the floor, my shoulders are over the bar, I pull the bar against my shins, and the lift feels strong. I also now do the switch grip on this lift. I look forward to adding weight next cycle. Previous and frequent back injury kept me from doing this lift, and when I started back I used a trap bar. That bar lead to me having DL form similar to squat form. Now my back is stronger, and I’m hoping to make it bulletproof.)
  • Face Pulls - 3x8 @ 192 (The pulley system I use makes the lift easier, but I love heavy facepulls. I’ve almost maxed out this particular stack, and I’ll have to try another location if I go heavier.)
  • DB Extensions - 2x10 @ 25lb DB (Elbows always hurt during any form of kickback/extension/tricep push, but idk why. Might go heavier, but might work on controlling the weight since I work triceps so often)
  • Russian Twists - 2x40 @ 35lb KB (Training abs 2x a week instead of 3x has made my core exercises feel a lot stronger and more stable. I guess I wasn’t recovering properly between workouts)

GF Workout: (3 weeks post gallbladder surgery, starting back slow)

  • Goblet Squats - 5x8 @ 25lb DB (Form very solid, will probably keep weight for another week)
  • Face Pulls - 3x8 @ 48lb (Good form, will probably keep weight)
  • Tricep Extension - 2x8 @ 5lb DB (Didn’t observe form or weight, my bad)
  • Planks - 2x20s (very stable, no quiver or butt drop. Good recovery exercise)

Meals:

  • Mexican for lunch (taco salad with chicken, lots of chips)
  • I’m hoping for pizza for dinner, but might not happen (I will note in tomorrow’s log)
  • Will drink ON Casein Protein at 7-8pm before bed around 9-9:30pm
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June/8/2019

Wake up: 6:41am (slept poorly, had stomach issues)

Song of the day: Bound 2

Something I ate gave me really bad stomach problems so I will be resting today and continuing my workouts hopefully tomorrow. I’m in a 9 hour car ride to FL rn, so I’ll just be relaxing. I’ll be at the beach so I’ll have to get a temporary membership or just do bodyweight stuff, idk yet. Feeling better around lunchtime so I’m excited to get back to the gym this week. After 3 months of this workout program, I’d like to switch to Nsuns 531 (6 day version). Just some ideas

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June/9/2019

Wake up: 6am (in bed at 12, so not a ton of sleep, but half decent sleep for 6hrs)

Song of the day: Shell Shocked (ninja turtle song)

I’ll be taking it easy this week and will be eating at a deficit so I don’t get too fat over a week. I also will be eating breakfast cuz I enjoy that. So no IF for now. My next log will be when I get back from vacation

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June/16/2019

Wake up: 6:30am (ready to rock, excited to workout again)

Song of the Day: Run It (Logic)

Back from vacation and feeling fat and lazy…

Workout: Started Madcow 5x5 with some alterations:

Monday:

  • Squat
  • Bench
  • DB Row
  • Reverse Hypers - 2x8-10
  • Ab Wheel - 2x8-15

Wednesday:

  • Squat
  • DB Press
  • Deadlift
  • Pullups - 2x8-15
  • Russian Twists - 2x20-40

Friday:

  • Squat
  • Bench
  • DB Row
  • Dips - 3x8-10
  • BB Curls - 3x8-10
  • Tricep Extentions - 3x8-10

I said I wanted to stick to a program, but I believe this program will be more fun for me since I love doing the big 3 (4 if you count pullups like me). I’m using an excel spreadsheet for the workout, and that’s where I will get my weights from. If I stall, I will repeat the week’s weight. I plan on sticking to this program for 12 weeks.

Today’s workout with gf:
Me:

  • Squat: 5x5 @ 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 (weight moved well, feel rusty a bit)
  • Bench: 5x5 @ 105, 130, 160, 185, 210 (solid weight, not very hard)
  • Pullup: 5x5 @ BW, BW, BW, BW, 230 (30lb db in feet) (last set was rough, but might be weight gain)
  • Hypers: 2x10 @ BW
  • Ab Wheel: 2x8
  • BB Military Press - Don’t know max, so worked up to a top set of 3 @ 135. DB’s always felt safer, and due to shoulder issues, might be more helpful for stability, so that’s why I’m subbing them for BB Press. Will assume 5RM with DB is 60lb.

GF:

  • Squat - 5x5@45lb (not good depth, but will come with time. Will slowly add weight to this lift due to the amount of ease she had (add 5-10lb every friday))
  • Bench - 5x5@45lb (solid form and seemingly decent effort. Will keep weight until next week)
  • Pullup - 5x5@BW-80lb (decent form, will remove some assistance next week)
  • Plank - 2x30s (still recovering from abdominal surgery. avoiding tears or hernia by taking ab work slowly)
  • Hyperextensions - 2x8 @ BW

Looking forward to next workout, and I LOVE the idea of squatting 3x a week.

Loving minimalist programs and loving having a gym buddy.

8

June/18/2019

Wake Up: 5:02am (feeling drowsy, want to work out but energy wasn’t there, slept funky) (GF seemed groggy, gave her ON BCAA+Energy)

Song of the Day: Take It Out On Me (Bullet for my Valentine)

Workout: 5:30-6:25

  • Squat - 4x5 @ 100,125,150,150 (Butt wink hurt my back on first set, will be addressing this today and until my next workout. Will consult Athlean X probably.)
  • DB Press - 4x5@55 (Felt like a solid weight, could probably do 8-12 reps at maximum effort)
  • Deadlift - 4x5@ 135,160,190,215 (Felt strong, but back was nearly parallel with the floor at the start of each lift. Probably overcompensation for having butt too low. Need to work on position over the bar at the start and finish of lift. I need to push through my heels without leaning back hard and bringing my butt down and making it a dangerous squat)
  • Pullups - 1x8,1x5 @ BW
  • Russian Twists - 2x30@35lb KB (felt harder, but probably from rust)

GF Workout:

  • Squat - 4x5@50 (will slowly add weight. Heels come up, feet might be too wide, and not hitting depth. Should progress with stretching and practice. I won’t let it get too heavy until she has better form)
  • DB Press - 5x8@5lb (will go up to 10 next week, but needs to bring elbows forward a bit. Arms are flat with her torso, could lead to injury later)
  • Deadlift - 4x5@45lb (gave her the deadsquat bar to practice form on. Form is solid, just needs to practice)
  • Plank - 2x15s (plank form is great)

Took an epsom salt bath this morning after stretching, but didn’t notice anything. Might try again tomorrow night with more to see if I’m missing something, no clue?

Both GF and I are now IF. We started back at the beginning of this week and plan to follow indefinitely. Has helped me gain weight without getting too fat, and has helped her slim down. Looking forward to progress after 12-14 weeks of this program and diet. Having her with me should keep me sticking to the program, which would be great.

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June/20/2019

Wake up: 5am (felt cozy cuz of new bed, hesitant to get up, but excited to lift)

Song of the Day: Doomsday (Nero)

Workout: 5:30-6:30

  • Squat - 4x5,1x3,1x8@100,125,150,175,215(should have been 205),150 (felt super weak today, almost reached technical failure on 1x3 set. Idk if it’s loss of strength from vacation or lack of recovery. We will hopefully see on monday. The plan is to remain in a caloric surplus (with somewhat clean eating), and to try to stretch/mobilize so that I can recover better. I’ll also continue to take evening protein in the hopes that might help too.)
  • Bench Press - 4x5,1x3,1x8@105,130,160,185,215,160 (lighter weights felt okay, but the heavy set was brutal. Same issue as squat)
  • DB Row - 4x5,1x3,1x8@50,60,70,85,95,70 (Rows felt strong. Makes me think my issue was recovery instead of strength loss, especially since my squatting on monday felt strong, and only now feels weak.)

GF:

  • Squat - 5x5@55 (solid form, bar starts to slow on 5th rep. Might add weight, but might hold it there for another week. Heels still come up at bottom of rep, and stability is a slight issue, but overall, good bracing. Need looser hamstrings for sure)
  • Bench Press - 5x5@45 (solid form, tendency to not touch chest. Failed 5th rep on last set (dont know if muscle failure, or lack of effort), will hold weight next week)
  • Row - 5x5@15 (didn’t notice form, but her past db rows have been good. So might add 5lb next week and see what the deal is)

The workouts are starting to last far too long. So I might split up the assistance and main lifts into different days. Might do the assistance lighter and the day after. Thinking of adding 10-15min incline walk to start the assistance workouts (mainly for calves and to warmup for stretching), and then performing the assistance work I listed after the main 3 lifts. Should satisfy my jitters, while not killing my recovery and making the workout last almost 2 hours. Changing weights gets tiring

I’m considering an executive decision to repeat week 1 in an attempt to get my body acclimated. I’ll provide an update after tomorrow’s accessory workout.

Looking forward to monday

jbooty115

10

I have no advice to offer, but best wishes to both of you in pursuing your goals

1 Like
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I appreciate you taking the time to comment, and I’ll pass this on to the GF. Good luck in your pursuits as well!

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June/21/2019

Wake up: 5am (felt groggy, my new bed is almost too cozy, up late so about 6hrs of sleep, my alertness ramped up faster than expected, so was ready to workout by 5:20)

Song of the Day: Wonderwall (Oasis)

Workout:

  • Dips - 3x8 @ BW (Gaining weight made these harder than usual obviously, man 185lbs felt good but doesn’t look nearly as good haha)
  • BB Curls - 2x6 @ 60lb (going light to feel more mind-muscle connection to specifically target biceps. Not going intense, but trying to boost recovery through improved bloodflow)
  • DB Tricep Extension - 2x6 @ 25lb DB (for some reason these always gave me some discomfort in my elbows. Going heavy makes them too painful to do. But stayed light for same reason as curls)
  • Walk - 5 min (set the incline to 15deg and plugged away for some good warmup before stretching)
  • Stretching (I love stretching post-workout, but my gf hates it (oh well, she still does it). My flexibility has been awesome up until my vacation, but I still have most of it)

GF workout:

  • Dips - 3x8@60 (solid form, but mainly only using arms with little forward lean. Will work on this next week)
  • DB Curls - 3x8@5lb (good concentration on primarily using biceps only, might go up to 7.5 lb)
  • DB Extension - 3x8@5lb (good form, unsure of weight)
  • Walk / Stretching

Overall, I’m enjoying this program, but I am still uncertain about recovery. I think the best solution is to perform week 2 to the best of my ability, and if I begin to stall before my body adapts to the frequency, I will repeat week 2 or just revert to week 1 even if im in the middle of week 2. We’ll see

13

June/23/2019

Wake Up: 6am (feel well rested, excited to workout)

Song of the Day: Pretty on the Outside (BFMV)

Workout: 8-9am

  • Bench - 5x5@110,130,160,185,215 (weight moved well, and top set was harder than expected but couldve done 2 or so reps more if needed)
  • Squat - 5x5@105,130,155,185,205 (Not sure why, but my squats feel so weak. The last set was super hard, which doesn’t make sense to me. A month ago I was squatting 225 for 5 reps with about 2-3 reps in the tank. At this point I’m not sure if I’m weak because of body needing to adapt to frequency, vacation strength loss, or lack of calories. I’ve decided to eat 3 meals since I have a hard time eating my maintenance while IF, and maybe that will help)
  • DB Row - 5x5@50,60,70,85,95 (rows all feel strong, I’m starting to fall in love with this exercise)
  • Hyperextensions - 2x8@BW+25lb plate (these felt good, and I was able to use my glutes and hamstrings entirely)
  • Ab Wheel - 2x10 (the lack of direct ab work has really brought my strength up in this lift specifically. These felt easy)

GF Workout:

  • Squat - 5x5@60 (first 4 sets were good, but form broke down on last set. Still having same issues as before, but have corrected a butt wink that appeared today)
  • Bench - 5x5@45 (seeming to really improve strength on this lift. form is great)
  • DB Row - 5x5@15 (will keep weight probably, 20lb might be too hard)
  • Plank - 4x5@20s (form is good, getting stronger on this lift)
  • RDL - 2x8@25lb (form is good, felt it in hamstrings and glutes)

Still trying to fix this conundrum. Hopefully the extra calories and rest will boost recovery.

14

June/25/2019

Wake up: 4:55am (very awake, wanting to work out, but legs felt groggy/slow)

Song of the Day: Everybody Sells Cocaine (MIW)

Breakfast: 5-5:30am

  • 3 eggs
  • 1tbsp butter
  • bran flakes

Workout: 5:30-6:20am

  • Squat - 4x5@105,130,155,155 (Weight moved well, it actually felt light which was good. Will most likely feel very ready for thursdays workout)
  • Deadlift - 4x5@140,165,195,220 (Now that form is better, the weight feels a lot lighter. Every lift moved well, and I believe my form allowed me to feel very unburdened by previously heavy weight. Slight twinge in my back during set of 195 but idk what it was, not twinge of pain, but extra sensory. I’ve been dealing with low back pain/discomfort on my right side and not sure why. Will try to correct with dead hangs and stretching possibly)
  • DB Press - 4x5@35,45,50,55 (although weight moved well, it felt heavy. Shoulders would pop at certain points in my ROM, so i might work on muscle contraction and control for the next workout. Increase of food should help recovery and possibly boost workout energy and capability)

GF workout:

  • Squat - 4x5@55 (weight moved well while still maintaining form. 65lb was too much, so i backed it down. Will move up to 65lb on thursday)
  • Deadsquat - 4x5@65 (weight moved well, but form was breaking down in last 2 sets. Will keep weight)
  • DB Press - 4x5@5 (Weight seemed stable and moved well. Might move up to 7.5)

Overall, I feel better after eating a ton more during my recovery day yesterday. I will be eating this way for the next two weeks to see how I hold up. FYI my lunches and snack look like this:

lunch:

  • meat - chicken breasts or steaks
  • carb - potatoes, pasta, or grains
  • veggies - broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc.

snack:

  • yogurt
  • almonds
  • protein bar
  • fruit

This will be the plan for now. Hopefully i see some progress in my workouts, as well as feeling generally recovered. I will easily trade my almost abs for overall wellness and progress. I will try not to eat a huge surplus, but will maintain eating whatever keeps me at 100% in all endeavors. Maybe this will fix my issues.

15

June/26/2019

Wake up: 6am (meant to wake up at 5am, but accidentally fell asleep after both alarms, will use two alarms on either end of the room so i have to get up and turn them off)

Song of the Day: You Make My Dreams Come True (Hall and Oates)

I didn’t workout this morning, but it wouldve just been a rest day if I wouldnt have split up the assistance and the main work. I will get up early tomorrow to ensure that I complete the assistance work with the main work of tomorrow’s workout. I leave for NYC tomorrow and come back on July 1. So, there will probably be no workout logs until then, well, after tomorrow’s log.

Stopping IF has really allowed me to recover, and I’m starting to feel a lot better and less groggy. I think overall my body has been responding well to an excess of food and has been able to repair itself a lot better. I plan to maintain this and see where it leads. Looking forward to moving more weight tomorrow.

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June/27/2019

Wake up: 6am (ready to workout, body feels 90% recovered)

Song of the Day: Alive (Wage War)

Workout: 8-9am

  • Squat - 4x5,1x3,1x8@110,135,155,185,210,155 (all weight moved well, top set felt heavy but wasn’t slow. I think eating has boosted my recovery, and the start of week 3 should be a good workout. We’ll see)
  • Bench - 4x5,1x3,1x8@110,135,160,195,220,160 (Weight felt solid, could be described same as squat)
  • Row - 4x5,1x3,1x8@ 50,60,70,85,100,70 (all weight felt light, even the top set. I assume my rows will progress nicely, and I will quickly max out my gym’s dbs)
  • Dips - 3x10@BW (dips felt easy, will at 10-25lb)
  • BB Curls - 2x8@95lb (curls felt like perfect weight, will keep)
  • Pushdowns - 2x8@132 (there’s almost no point of recording weight with pushdowns cuz all the pulleys are different stacks and leverages)

GF workout:

  • Squat - 5x5@60 (form was excellent, weight was perfect)
  • Bench Press - 5x5@45lb (weight is moving well, will add 5lb next week)
  • Row - 5x5@15lb (form was good, and weight moved well. Will up to 20lb next week)
  • Dips - 2x8@70lb (form needs work, but the weight was right i think)

Overall, I think the extra food is making a world of difference for me. I will continue to eat this way for the rest of madcow. Hopefully I’ll get back to 100% over the course of this short vacation I’m about to take to NYC. I leave tonight and return July 1. I might do bodyweight squats and pushups or something to not just be a slob the whole time. Will be walking and biking though.

17

July/2/2019

Wake Up: 5am (felt super tired, little workout motivation)

Song of the Day: Empire State of Mind (Jay Z)

Workout: 5:40-6:30am

  • Squat - 5x5@110,135,165,185,210 (weight felt good. Certain parts of my legs felt great, but others were trashed. This made my last set a bit difficult, but that was expected)
  • Bench Press - 5x5@110,135,165,195,220 (weight moved well, felt groggy from the weekend, but wasn’t completely exhausted. Looking forward to benching 225 for 5 reps)
  • Db Row - 5x5@50,60,75,90,100 (all weight moved well, same grogginess can be said of this exercise as bench press.)

GF workout:

  • Squat - 5x5@60 (weight was solid, but form is still a slight issue. I noticed a serious imbalance today that we will be working on in the future)
  • Knee Pushup - 5x5@BW (her shoulder was hurting, so we ditched bench press. I’m concerned it has to do with her working near her maximum strength so much since weakness is an issue for her. the pushups were better on her shoulders, but I also feel that a lack of a warmup is hurting her ability to lift safely at that frequency)
  • Db Row - 5x5@20lb (this weight moved well, and it seemed hard enough to give her a good workout in her arms and lats. solid weight)

I just got back from a 4 day trip where every day I walked 12+ miles in manhattan, so my legs and back were noodles before long. I also was SERIOUSLY dehydrated and underfed the whole time, so that was nice too. I almost didn’t workout today, but my performance after such a rough weekend was relatively good compared to previous workouts.

I’m concerned that this program is good for me but terrible for my gf. At first it was working well while the weights were light, but she is beginning to stall at basically the beginning of the program. this makes me think that we need to start even lighter and that the bar itself is probably too much work weight. I will be doing a lot of reading about introductory female lifting since she is starting at such a strength deficit. She is not disappointed in her progress, but is beginning to feel a bit burnt out, and I believe it is because even the lightest available weights are still very stressful on her inactive body.

Another thing I haven’t mentioned about my gf is that she has chronic knee valgus, or knocknees, which causes her a very limited ROM and some serious pain. We’ve determined to fix the issue with some of the information that Athlean x has posted, and we will be doing those workouts every other day. This should also help her with stability, and therefore strength.

I will do my best to find a program that will suit both of our needs.

18

July/3/2019

Wake up: 5am (felt tired, little workout motivation, but quickly woke up)

Song of the Day: Despacito 2

Stopped madcow 5x5 to do something more suited to my gf’s strength level. So we started a modified version of CT’s hard body training for women. For everything but the conditioning circuits, the weights should get heavier. The gf should respond well to this as it allows for tangible weight increases, and will provide her with the basics to perform harder exercises such as deadlifts and backsquats. I copy-pasted the spreadsheet i made for the workout, but not everything translated exactly. The main changes are the weight progression (her 1RM for the backsquat shouldn’t be tested right out of the gate since form is lacking) and the exercise selection (again, basic strength and form is needed to perform some of the exercises.
Also, my gym is limited on some things like slammable med balls. On the leg press, the unilateral is only for me. It will allow me to use her weight, or close to it, reducing the amount of time spent changing weights. Everything listed below has been altered to reduce time by using machines and DBs more than BBs. I’ve only listed 5 weeks of the program, but if it’s successful, we will most likely repeat it once or twice

Day 1 Lower Heavy Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Box Jump 3x10 - 3x10 - 3x10 - 3x10 - 2x10 -
Goblet Squat 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Unilateral Leg Press 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Hip Thrusts 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
RDL 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Day 2 Lower Light / Conditioning Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Circuit KB Swing 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Lunge 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Leg Extension 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Conditioning Bodyweight Squat 3x15 3x20 3x25 3x30 3x10 BW
Jump 3x5 3x8 3x10 3x12 3x10 BW
Russian Twist 3x20 3x25 3x30 3x40 3x10 BW
Day 3 Heavy Upper Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
DB Clean and Press 3x10 3x10 3x10 3x10 2x10 0
Incline DB Press 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Machine Press 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Neutral Cable Row 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Lat Pulldown 4x8 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Day 4 Upper Light / Conditioning Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Circuit A Lateral Raise 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
DB Curls 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
DB Press 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Circuit B Wide Pulldown 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Narrow Pulldown 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Conditioning Row 4x100m 4x150m 4x200m 4x250m 3x10 BW
Pushup 4x5 4x5 4x7 4x7 3x10 BW
Day 5 Conditioning Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Farmer’s Carry 4x30s@72.5%BW 145 4x30s@82.5%BW 165 4x30s@92.5%BW 185 4x30s@BW 205 4x30s@82.5%BW 165
Bicycle Crunch 3x15s BW 3x20s BW 3x25s BW 3x30s BW 3x15s BW
Day 6 Total Body Conditioning / Stability Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
DB Complex Deadlift 3x4 95 3x6 95 3x8 95 3x10 95 3x5 95
Clean 3x4 95 3x6 95 3x8 95 3x10 95 3x5 95
Press 3x4 95 3x6 95 3x8 95 3x10 95 3x5 95
Squat 3x4 95 3x6 95 3x8 95 3x10 95 3x5 95
RDL 3x4 95 3x6 95 3x8 95 3x10 95 3x5 95
Battle Ropes 3x15s - 3x20s - 3x25s - 3x30s - - -
Day 7 Walk Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Incline Walk 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg -

Workout: 5:30-6:30am

  • Box Jumps - 3x5 (will perform 3x10 next week. these felt easy on highest box)
  • Goblet Squats - 4x8@65 (weight felt solid with slower controlled reps)
  • Leg Press - 4x8@130 (the weight was good, but the machine was not. I attempted to use slow eccentric reps. It didn’t allow the gf to use the proper ROM. She is tiny, so a few things have been modified since this morning.)
  • Hyperextensions - 4x8@BW+25 (I really love this exercise, and i felt great activation in my low back, glutes, and hams. But I am switching out this exercise for Hip thrusts since the Gf Can do them too.)
  • RDL - 4x8@40lb DB (I also love this exercise, and I believe it is a good choice due to the level of ham and glute activation while building grip and back as well)

GF workout:

  • Goblet Squat - 4x8@20 (form was good, this exercise should build a better foundation for the major squat variations)
  • Leg Press - 4x8@50 (this machine was less than crappy for her. Her legs are very short, so even at the lowest setting, she didn’t have any ROM. Will sub for regular leg press next time. this machine was only selected to save time, but I’ve listed above what i will change instead)
  • Hyperextensions - 4x8@BW (this machine is also terrible for her. It is too long and her stomach is resting on the end of the pads instead of her thighs. Thats why im changing this exercise out for BB hip thrusts)
  • RDL - 4x8@15lb DB (Her form was absolutely perfect. This will be a great exercise for her hams and glutes that are her weakest points.)

I’m excited to do a workout that allows me to be in the gym as much as possible. Also, this program has plenty of variation, which will be good for us both. Our goals are different, but I’m willing to set mine a bit aside to help her with her own progress. I believe the biggest results will be from her fat loss since she is still IF and will be doing lots of conditioning. I will try to keep track of her physical condition in case the workout becomes too much for her. It shouldn’t just yet since her strength prevents her from using weights that will burn her out, but her soreness might linger longer than what would be desired. Hopefully we both get in good shape and can enjoy intense training sessions together.

I have already changed my programming for the 3rd time in this 1 month-long log LOL

1 Like
19

July/4/2019

Wake up: 7:30am (felt good, excited to workout)

Song of the Day: Sicko Mode (Travis Scott)

Workout: 8:30-9am
Circuit A: 3 rounds

  • Leg Extension - 110lb (weight felt light, decent pump)
  • BW Lunge - 20@BW (these got a little tiring. I kept my steps closer so there was more quad concentration and i think it worked without excessively stressing patellar tendons)
  • KB Swing - 35lb (weight felt good, decent glute contration, will hold)
    Circuit B: 3 rounds
  • Squat - 20@BW (these got hard after the first round, but will try to follow the progression)
  • Vertical Jump - 5@BW (these wore me out cuz i was jumping as high as possible)
  • Russian Twists - 20@12lb (these were easier than expected, will add weight)

GF workout:
Circuit A: 3 rounds

  • Leg Extension - 30lb (these seemed to move well, no outstanding issues)
  • BW Lunge - 20@BW (seemed to be a solid exercise. probably wont increase reps for her)
  • KB Swing - 10lb (need to work on form. Doing most of the movement with arms which is the opposite of its intentions)
    Circuit B: 3 rounds
  • Squat - 10@BW (i think these got pretty hard for her due to yesterdays workout and the previous leg work)
  • Vertical Jump - 5@BW (she really doesn’t like jumping due to some insecurity, but she will quickly progress because she had little experience in this movement previously)
  • Russian Twists - 20@12lb (these were good form. her feet rested on the ground occasionally, but overall it was a solid movement)

I liked the conditioning days, and I do expect to see them have an affect on the gf’s bodyfat more so than mine due to my caloric intake. Looking forward to seeing cardiovascular improvement as well.

20

July/5/2019

Wake up: 5:30am (overslept due to extreme tiredness)

Song of the Day: Nice for what (drake)

Workout: 6-6:45am

  • DB clean press - 3x10@25lb (these seemed to be a decent warmup and substitute for med ball throws)
  • Incline DB Press - 4x8@75lb (This weight felt heavier than previous lifts, but that may have been due to brevity of warmup and short rest between sets)
  • Machine Military Press - 4x8@130 (used a slow eccentric to emphasize hypertrophy as well as preserve joints by avoiding excessive loading)
  • Wide Lat Pulldowns - 4x8@120 (These felt good. I tried to extend all the way up and pull all the way down to touching my chest. I used a pronated grip for these)
  • Neutral Grip Cable Row - 4x8@120 (These also felt like a solid weight. I let my back stretch all the way out between reps so i could maximize the ROM and get an excellent contraction. I noticed a strong fatigue of my rear delts. Due to lack of time, this exercise was supersetted with the pulldowns)

GF workout:

  • DB Clean Press - 3x10@5lb (form needed work, but it began to come together on the last set. We will work on this)
  • DB Incline Press - 4x8@10 (she has performed this exercise before and has good form. Idk about the weight though. She was able to perform all reps)
  • Machine Military Press - 4x8@40lb (the weight seemed good for her as well as the weight)
  • Wide Grip Pulldowns - 4x8@36 (this weight seemed appropriate, however i dont think she was getting a full stretch. she did touch her chest with each rep though)
  • Neutral Grip Cable Row - 4x8@36 (these were good. She didn’t extend all the way out through each rep, but that can be corrected with time)

Overall, I enjoy this program, but have made a few changes because I want to Squat, Bench, and Deadlift a bit. I found it easy to work in squats and bench, but dont know if subbing RDLs for deads is a great idea or not. Deadlifting last could be a recipe for disaster. I’ll have to do more reading, but for now I’ll just add squats and bench. So the program currently looks like this:

Day 1 Lower Heavy Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Box Jump 3x10 - 3x10 - 3x10 - 3x10 - 2x10 -
Goblet Squat 4x8 65 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Unilateral Leg Press 4x8 - 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Hip Thrusts 4x8 - 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
RDL 4x8 80 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Day 2 Lower Light / Conditioning Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Circuit KB Swing 3x15 35 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Lunge 3x15 BW 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Leg Extension 3x15 110 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Conditioning Bodyweight Squat 3x15 BW 3x20 3x25 3x30 3x10 BW
Jump 3x5 BW 3x8 3x10 3x12 3x10 BW
Russian Twist 3x20 12 3x25 3x30 3x40 3x10 BW
Day 3 Heavy Upper Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
DB Clean and Press 3x10 25 3x10 3x10 3x10 2x10 0
Incline DB Press 4x8 75 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Machine Press 4x8 130 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Neutral Cable Row 4x8 120 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Lat Pulldown 4x8 120 4x6 5x5 5x3 2x10 0
Day 4 Upper Light / Conditioning Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Circuit A Lateral Raise 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
DB Curls 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
DB Press 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Circuit B Wide Pulldown 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Narrow Pulldown 3x15 3x12 3x10 3x15 - -
Conditioning Row 4x100m 4x150m 4x200m 4x250m 3x150m BW
Pushup 4x10 4x12 4x15 4x20 3x12 BW
Day 5 Conditioning Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Farmer’s Carry 4x30s@72.5%BW 145 4x30s@82.5%BW 165 4x30s@92.5%BW 185 4x30s@BW 205 4x30s@82.5%BW 165
Bycicle Crunch 3x15s BW 3x20s BW 3x25s BW 3x30s BW 3x15s BW
Squat 3RM 3x1@3RM 5x1@3RM 3x2@3RM 3x1@3RM BW
Day 6 Total Body Conditioning / Stability Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
DB Complex Deadlift 3x4 60 3x6 60 3x8 60 3x10 60 3x5 35
Clean 3x4 60 3x6 60 3x8 60 3x10 60 3x5 35
Press 3x4 60 3x6 60 3x8 60 3x10 60 3x5 35
Squat 3x4 60 3x6 60 3x8 60 3x10 60 3x5 35
RDL 3x4 60 3x6 60 3x8 60 3x10 60 3x5 35
Battle Ropes 3x15s - 3x20s - 3x25s - 3x30s - - -
Day 7 Walk Week 5 (Deload)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Workout Weight
Bench Press 3RM 3x1@3RM 5x1@3RM 3x2@3RM 3x1@3RM BW
Incline Walk 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg - 30min@15deg -

Where the 3RMs are for the Bench and Squat, I will use a technical max instead of muscle failure. So I’ll use my 3RM as the heaviest weight I can lift for 3 reps with no form compromises.

Hopefully that added volume wont hinder me. I’m not making the GF do that extra volume