How are you liking the challenge so far? Been thinking about running it, but it just seems so…boring! Haha.
Hey thanks for checking in!
It is boring indeed, but with my busy schedule I’m loving it because it takes any guesswork out of the picture. I just focus on the basics, get in and get out. Im mid 2nd cycle right now and things are getting tough, going to expect the third months to be brutal. I’d definitely recommend it so far!
Monday 1/5/15
Press (195) Week 6
Today was my 24th bday and got a quick session in before going out for dinner.
Warmup:
-band dislocations, lat stretching, shoulder/tri stretch
Press:
-barx10
-75x5
-95x5
-115x3
-140x3
-160x3
-180x3
BBB bench press (60%):
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-170x10x5 sets
All I had time for unfortunately. In and out
Wednesday 1/7/15
Sumo deadlift (480) week 6
Warmup:
-foam roll lower body
-lower back ppu’s and hip leg extensions
Sumo deadlift:
-135x5
-185x5
-225x3
-275x3
-315x1
-340x3
-385x3 (add belt)
-435x3 (not bad, first rep ‘squatted’ too low and didn’t come off the floor as fast as I wanted but next two reps were quick and easy)
BBB front squat (60%):
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-200x10x5 sets (belt)
*definitely easier than last week
Cable abs/band good mornings/DB curls giant tri-set:
170x12x5 sets
20,12,12,12,12
25’s x12x5 sets
Thursday 1/8/15
Bench press (285) week 6
Warmup:
-band dislocations x20
-band ext/int rotations and 90 degree ext rotations x20
-lat stretching x 2 rounds
Bench press:
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-175x3
-200x3
-225x3
-255x3,3 (didn’t like how first set went so did another which was much smoother, also long paused the third rep for both sets)
Slingshot Bench:
-135x6
-225x6x3 sets (short paused reps)
BBB press (60%):
-barx10
-85x5
-115x10x5 sets
Superset with:
Top Paused DB rows (2sec at top & squeeze)
-70x12x5 sets
Rope triceps ext:
-70x15,15
-80x12,12,12
Superset with:
Machine rear delt flies:
-40x12x4 sets
Monday 1/12/15
Front Squat (335) Week 6
Warmup:
-foam roll thoracic spine, IT bands, glutes,
-frog stretching, hip flexors
-band dislocations, band good mornings
Front Squat:
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-215x1
-235x3 (add belt)
-270x3 (really fast)
-305x3,3 (PRs)
*accidentally didn’t record the first set of 305, so ended up doing an extra 305x3 which I got on camera
BBB Sumo Deadlifts (60%):
-135x5
-185x5
-235x5
-290x10x5 sets
*Easier than last week, did most of them dead stop reps this time and took a wider stance which felt better. Low back is feeling nice.
Cable Abs:
-170x12x5 sets
Superset with:
DB Hammer Curls:
-30x12x5 sets (pause each rep at the top)
Front squats and sumo deads from tonight
Video won’t work directly, here it is on facebook.
Wednesday 1/14/15
Press (195) Week 7
Warmup:
-Band dislocations, internal/external and 90 degree external rotation x 20
-Lat stretch
Press:
-45x10
-75x5
-95x5
-115x3
-135x1
-150x5
-170x3
-190x0,1 (misgrooved the bar first try, threw on some music, psyched up and smoked the second try very easily)
BBB Bench Press (60%):
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-170x10x5 sets (quick and easy)
Wide Pull Ups:
-3 sets of 10 with bodyweight
Low Cable Rows:
-135x10x3 sets
Superset with:
V-Bar Tri Pushdowns:
-70x20
-80x20,20
-110x12,12,12
DB Curls:
-25x15
-30x10
-35x6 ->25x6->20xfail
DB Rear Delt Flies:
-15x15x3 sets
Thursday 1/15/15
Sumo Deadlift (480) Week 7
Warmup:
-Foam roll lower body and thoracic spine
-frog stretch, yoga glute stretch,
-prone press ups (lowback) and prone hip extensions
Sumo Deadlifts:
-135x5
-185x5
-225x5
-275x3
-315x3
-360x5 (add belt)
-410x3
-460x1,1 (these were really easy)
*haven’t been using chalk on any of the deadlifts due to gym policy (will sneak it for the heavier stuff soon)
BBB Front Squats (60%):
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-200x10x5 sets (belt, so so easy compared to the first week of 200x10x5)
Cable Abs:
-170x12x4 set
superset with:
BB Curls:
-50x15x4 sets
Monday 1/19/15
Bench Press (280) Week 7
Warmup:
-Band dislocations x30, band external rotations and 90 degree external rotations x20
-lat stretching, shoulder stretching
Bench Press:
-45x10
-95x5
-135x5
-175x3
-210x5
-240x3
-270x1,1
Long paused all last reps and singles
Slingshot Bench Press:
135x5
225x6x3 sets (all long paused)
BBB Press (60%):
-45x20
-75x5
-95x5
-115x10x5 sets
2 sec Top Paused DB Rows:
-80x10x3 sets
Wide Lat Pulldowns:
-105x12
-150x10x3 sets
Rope Tri Extensions:
-70x15x3 sets
DB Reverse Flies:
-15x15x2 sets
Wednesday 1/21/15
Front Squat (335) Week 7
Front Squat:
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-225x3 (add belt)
-250x5
-285x3
-320x1 (EASY)
BBB Sumo Deads (60%):
-135x5
-185x5
-225x3
-275x1
-290x10x5 sets
Cable Abs:
3 sets of 12
DB Curl/Hammer Curl
30x5+5x3 sets
Thursday 1/22/15
Press (195) Week 8 Deload
Warmup:
-band dislocations/external rotations x20
-pec/lat stretch
Press:
-45x10
-75x5
-95x5
-115x5
BBB Bench Press (60%):
-45x10
-95x5
-135x5
-170x10x3 sets
Bodyweight Wide Pullups:
-3 sets of 10
T-Bar Row:
-80x20x3 sets
Triset circuit consisting of:
-Rope Triceps Extension
-Machine Preacher Curl
-DB Reverse Flies
all 3 sets of 20
Saturday 1/24/15
Sumo Deadlifts (480) Week 8 Deload
Sumo Deadlifts:
-135x5
-185x5
-235x5
-290x5
BBB Front Squats (60%):
-200x10x3 sets
Cable Abs:
-3x12
DB Curl/Hammer Curl:
25x8+8x3 sets
Wednesday 1/28/15
Press (200) Week 9 (3rd Month of Challenge)
Warmup:
-band dislocations x30
-band external rotations and 90degree external rotations x20
-lat/pec stretch x 2 rounds
Press:
-45x10
-75x5
-95x5
-115x3
-130x5
-150x5
-170x5 (Harder than anticipated)
BBB Bench Press (70%):
-45x10
-95x5
-135x5
-175x3
-200x10,10,10,9,9,2
*These became hard quickly, failed on the last rep of set 4 & 5. Rest was between 3-5 minutes. Had me really working here, unlike the previous two cycles.
WideGrip Pull Ups:
-2 sets of 10
*called it here because both sets left me extremely lightheaded and not feeling well. Not sure what it was, food or sleep might have not been on point. Continued feeling shitty for a few hours after the workout (as i am typing this)
Looks like month 3 is when shit hits the fan.
Thursday 1/29/15
Sumo Deadlift (490) Week 9 Month 3 of challenge
Warmup:
-hip flexor stretching
-lower back prone push ups and hip extensions
Sumo Deadlift:
-135x5
-225x5
-320x5
-370x5 (add belt)
-420x5 (cake)
BBB Front Squats (65%):
-45x10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-205x1
-225x10x5 sets (had me near vomit after the last set)
*decided that using 240 would damn near kill me, considering 225 had me on the floor for 15 minutes after just trying to not throw up. Got through it though, and feel good now typing this an hour and a half later. I know the challenge is to do 70%, however the 40lb jump from 200 to 240 on front squats is just too much for now. 225 is 70% of my TM when I started the challenge (325lb) and its 65% of my current TM (345lb). I feel as though it is sufficient as it is still a TON of work and I remember 5-6 months ago 225x10 on front squat was my max while fresh (no deadlifts beforehand). Now that I am using that for 5 sets of 10 after doing deads is a clear sign of progress.
Saturday 1/31/15
Bench Press 285 Week 9 Month 3
Warmup:
-band dislocations x 30
-band external rotations and 90 degree ext rot x 20
-lat stretch
-pec stretch
Bench Press:
-barx10
-95x5
-135x5
-165x3
-190x5
-215x5
-245x4
*Felt awful today, yesterday worked until 3 am and didn’t get to bed until after 4 am. Also only had about 60 grams of carbs yesterday and my nutrition today was low on calories due to sleeping in. Lastly, I was using a completely different bar (lifting at university gym now) that had a weird “whip” to it and felt awful to bench with (squatting with it the other day was fine though). Combinations of bad nutrition, lack of sleep, and new lifting bar/bench = bad day. Moving on up from here…
BBB Press (65%):
-45x10
-95x5
-115x3
-130x10x5 sets
*decided to use 65% instead of 70% due to having an off day, all sets felt good and didn’t fail on any of them, last 2 reps of last set were challenging. Overall felt good.
Top Paused DB Rows:
-80x10x3 sets
*these were paused and squeezed at the top for 1-2 seconds before lowering the dumbbell, helluva back pump
Low Cable Row:
-120x15x3 sets
*insane back pump, short rest periods and lots of squeezing to focus on the muscle
Rope Triceps Extensions:
set of 12,10,8 reps
DB Curl/Hammer Curl:
-25x8+8x3 sets
Band Pull Aparts:
-3 sets of 15
Monday 2/2/15
Front Squat/Dead (345) Week 9 Month 3
Front Squat:
-45x10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-205x1
-225x5
-260x5
-295x5 (PR, had 8 in me, so easy)
BBB Sumo Deads (65%):
-320x10x5 sets
Death
Thursday 2/5/15
Press/Bench Press (200) Week 10 Month 3
Press:
-45x10
-75x5
-95x5
-115x3
-140x3
-160x3
-180x3 Easy
BBB Bench Press (70%):
-200x10,10,10,10,9,1 (failed last set on last rep, better than last week!)
T-Bar Rows:
-90x15,15,15
-135x10,10
Tri-Set:
Triceps Extensions
DB Curls
DB Reverse Flies
-3 sets of 10
Saturday 2/7/15
Sumo Deadlift/Front Squat (490) Week 10 Month 3
Sumo Deads:
-135x5,5
-225x5,5
-315x3
-345x3
-395x3
-445x3 (really easy)
BBB Front Squat (65%):
-225x10x5 sets
Tuesday 2/11/15
Bench Press (285) Week 10 Month 3
Warmup:
-40lb db bench press 2x10
-Band external rotations and 90degree ext rotations x20 each
-Lat stretches x2
-Band dislocations x30
Bench Press:
-45x10
-95x5
-135x5
-185x3
-200x3
-230x3
-260x3 (Strong set, PR)
BBB Press (65%):
-130x10x5 sets (used a wider grip, felt good)
Top Paused DB Rows:
-85x8x3 sets
Neutral Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns:
-135x15x3 sets
DB Tate Presses:
-25x15
-30x15x2 sets
BB Curls/Reverse Curls:
-50x12 + 30x12 x 3 sets