23 February 2011
Weight: 204
Lifts (Day 11):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 167.5
Squat: 3 x 5 x 265
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 275
Comments: Bench press wasn’t bad at all. Squat also wasn’t bad, especially since I went ahead and raised my depth to just below parallel since going as deep as I was was causing my lower back to round, wearing out my lower back. Deadlift appears to jump up dramatically in this workout, but that’s because before I was forgetting to count the weight of the bumper plates. So this was really only a 10 lb increase over last time.
My lower back was still exhausted after this workout, but I’m not sure if that’s because it was already weak before it (which it was: I had to cut my lesson short this morning), or if there’s something else wrong besides my squat depth.
Weight gain continues to progress well.
25 February 2011
Weight: 206
Lifts (Day 12):
Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 92.5
Squat: 3 x 5 x 265
Chinups: 5, 5, 2
Comments: Overhead press was much easier at 92.5 than 90 was on Monday. I attribute that to the 4 lb weight gain. I was a dork on the squat and did the same weight twice. No big deal though: I’ll just up it by 10 next workout. It’s amazing how much easier parallel is than what I was doing before. I’m not sure if it’s the massage I got last night or the lesser depth, but my back feels much better. The gym didn’t have anywhere for me to do completely supinated chinups, so I had to do them hammer-style. I think I didn’t do as many as I thought I would because I’m going higher, much higher. I also wasn’t very mindful of the rest period for the last set.
28 February 2011
Weight: 207
Lifts (Day 13):
Squat: 3 x 5 x 285
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 170
Deadlift: 1 x 4 x 295
Comments: Squat was easy again. Just going parallel makes a big difference. I’ll try 295 on Wednesday.
Bench press was also not bad at all. If I have a good weight gain by Friday (2 lbs or more), I think I’ll try 175. The breathing technique of holding your breath to maintain tightness throws me off though. I think I’ll stick to the wrong way until the weights get too heavy for it.
Deadlift was funny. Back felt much better, and I just couldn’t hold on for the last rep. Weak grip I guess. I also introduced 3 warm-up sets for the first time on the deadlift today, and it went fine. Granted, the jump was big, but I still feel like my deadlift should be stronger. I’ll ask on the forum.
28 February 2011
Weight: 187–>207
Bodyfat: 14%
Chest= 37 to 40 (+3)
Arms= 12.5 to 13.5 (+1)
Thighs= 24.5 to 26.5 (+2)
Waist= 33 to 35 (+2)
Shoulders= 46 to 49 (+3)
Neck = 15 to 16.75 (+1.75)
Forearms = 12 to 12.875 (+0.875)
Calves = 15.5 to 16.375 (+0.875)
Hips = 39 to 41.5 (+2.5)
20 lbs gained! 67/33 muscle/fat split so far. So far, so good.
2 March 2011
Weight: 208
Lifts (Day 14):
Squat: 2 x 5 x 295, 1 x 2 x 295
Overhead Press: 2 x 5 x 95, 1 x 4 x 95
Chinups: 5, 5, 3
Dips: 5, 5, 3
Comments: Today I was tired and feeling kind of out of it, which I think explains why my workout wasn’t as good as it could have been. I also only did 3 warmup sets on the squat instead of 4, which was a mistake. 295 felt really heavy right off the bat, and I’m not surprised I couldn’t finish it. Overhead press was harder than expected given how easy 92.5: probably due to tiredness. Chinups improved a bit, again not as much since I was tired. I really enjoyed adding in the dips. I actually feel something in my triceps, which I haven’t felt so far.
5 March 2011
Weight: 209
Lifts (Day 15):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 175
Squat: 3 x 5 x 295
Dips: 8, 6
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 295
Comments: Good workout today. Bench press wasn’t bad at all. Squat wasn’t bad either, I think because I did the reps faster and took fewer breaths between reps. Although getting less rest seems counterintuitive, I think the less amount of time under the bar balances it out and more. Dips I did fast this time, but to the same depth, but I didn’t get the pump I got last time. Not sure if that was from doing them slower or doing chinups with them, but I miss the pump haha. There weren’t any bumper plates for the deadlift, so I switched to mixed grip and banged the reps out at a lower depth without too much problem.
7 March 2011
Weight: 211
Lifts (Day 16):
Squat: 2 x 5 x 300, 1 x 4 x 300
Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 95
Chinups: 5, 3, 1
Dips: 5, 5, 5
Comments: Got stuck in the bottom of the squat. I think I’m not using enough hip drive on the heavy sets. I think part of it happens when I’ve had a lesson that day and my back is tired already. Cheated a bit with my back arch on the last rep of the last set of the overhead press. I tried supersetting the chinups with the dips, which did not work well for the chinups. Dips were surprisingly easy today. I’ll probably work my way up to 3 sets of 10 in a 6,6,6 7,7,7 etc. fashion, and then start adding weight.
Good weight gain today.
21 March 2011
Weight: 212
Lifts (Day 17):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 177.5
Chinups: 5, 5, 3
Squat: 1 x 5 x 300, 1 x 2 x 300
Comments: Didn’t get much of a chance to workout during midterms or over break, which was disappointing. I’ll have to be extra careful these next few days to make sure I’m firmly back on the wagon. My food intake was also pretty low. Luckily, my weight didn’t go down much (I started the break at 214, and now I’m 212), and it seems like my bench press and chinups are fine. 177.5 actually felt pretty easy.
Squat was obviously difficult. My leg cramped up a bit the first set and my back got pretty tired out. I think I’m just out of practice, as the motion felt a bit off. I’ll move it back down to 290 for next workout and take it from there. I didn’t do deadlifts because all of the stations were taken, so I just subbed in chinups. I’ll probably ratchet down deadlifts on Friday as well.
23 March 2011
Weight: 213
Lifts (Day 18):
Squat: 3 x 5 x 290
Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 97.5
Chinups: 5, 5, 4
Dips: 6, 6, 3
Comments: Squat was pretty easy. Banged out all 3 sets with fairly quick reps without much problem. Overhead press I ran into a tiny snag on the last rep of the third set, but overall it wasn’t bad at all. Chinups also went well. Dips went pretty well too, I just gave out at the bottom of the 4th rep. Overall a good workout.
25 March 2011
Weight: 214
Lifts (Day 19):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 185
Dumbbell Curl: 2 x 5 x 40
Barbell Curl: 1 x 2 x 95
Squat: 3 x 5 x 295
Comments: Bench press was pretty easy, even with the 7.5 lb increase. I experimented with dumbbell and barbell curls, and was surprised at how much I liked the barbell curl: it gave me a great workout in my biceps and forearms, and some in my core as well. I think I’ll incorporate it into my A workout from now on. Dumbbell curl not so much. Squat wasn’t bad, just weird because the bench was being used, so I had to do it freestyle. Of course I ended up going too deep, I’m pretty sure, but oh well.
28 March 2011
Weight: 216
Lifts (Day 20):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 190
Squat: 3 x 5 x 300
Barbell Curl: 2 x 5 x 85, 1 x 2 x 85
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 305
Comments: Bench press was fairly challenging, but not too bad. I figure I’ll go back to 2.5 lb increases for a couple of workouts. Squat wasn’t bad at all. Barbell curl wasn’t too bad either, even though I thought I’d complete this weight. Deadlift was actually pretty easy, except that I think I had my hands too close together, as it was starting to pull my right bicep a little. I also want to use less back next time.
30 March 2011
Weight: 217
Lifts (Day 21):
Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 100
Squat: 1 x 5 x 305, 1 x 2 x 305
Chinups: 5, 5, 4
Dips: 6, 6, 6
Comments: Overhead press was easy. Squats were surprisingly difficult. I changed a few things though, so I’m not sure what caused it. My marker was a bit lower than normal, I worked out right after dinner, and the bar looked a bit bent. Considering that 300 was pretty easy two days ago, something went wrong. I’ll try 305 again Friday. Chinups weren’t bad. Dips also went fine.
1 April 2011
Weight: 216
Lifts (Day 22):
Bench Press: 2 x 5 x 195, 1 x 4 x 195
Squat: 3 x 5 x 305
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 85
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 315
Comments: Got a bit greedy on the bench press, but almost got all my reps. Squat was easy again, now that I was back with my bench marker. Barbell curl also wasn’t bad. Deadlift was fairly difficult, but I think that was mostly because i scraped my leg bloody during my warmup set and I was worried about aggravating it.
Weight dipped a bit, but I didn’t have breakfast and had a light dinner (food was kinda gross), so I figure I just had less in my stomach.
4 April 2011
Weight: 218
Lifts (Day 23):
Squat: 3 x 5 x 310
Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 105
Chinups: 5, 5, 3
Dips: 7, 7, 5
Comments: Squat wasn’t bad at all. Will be squatting 3 plates next workout, so that’s exciting. Overhead press wasn’t bad either, just had to grind out the last rep. Chinups took a little dip, but I think that’s mostly because I didn’t wait long enough for the last one. Dips improved, so that’s good. Really felt the pump this workout.
Weight is going back up, which is great.
6 April 2011
Weight: 218
Lifts (Day 24):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 195
Squat: 3 x 5 x 315
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 87.5
Deadlift: 1 x 3 x 325
Comments: Bench press was fairly challenging, but not too bad. Squat wasn’t bad either, even with me wearing the constrictive boxers that impair my movement a bit. I can’t tell if I’m becoming more high bar or low bar. The bar feels like it’s riding up a bit, but I’m definitely sitting back in the squat more, so who knows. Barbell curl wasn’t bad either. My back was kind of tired for the deadlift, so I could only get 3 reps. I did, however, discover that I’m much better with my right hand being the pronated one.
From now on, do sets of 2 x 8-12 for both dips and chinups. Start off with 2 sets of 8, don’t go to failure.
