Cycle 1, Week 4, Day 3
Military press
5x60
5x75
5x85
Band Pull Apart, Lying Internal Rotation, and Scapular Wall Slide Tri-set
4x10 reps
Cycle 1, Week 4, Day 4
Deadlift
5x120
5x150
5x180
Finally done with the deload week and scarfing done turkey and other thanksgiving related food. Now I’m looking forward to setting some PRs.
Cycle 2, Week 1, Day 1
Monday 11/29/10
Bench Press
5x140
5x170
12x190 PR (this is a 1RM of 265, 5 lb PR)
Push ups
4x15xBW
T-bar rows (supersetted with BP and push ups)
7x10x2 plates
The bench pressing felt good. While the push ups absolutely killed me. I can definitely tell it’s been a long time since I’ve done any push ups. While doing the push ups, I really felt my triceps fatiguing. I was aiming for 5 set of 15, but after the 4th set I felt like releasing my lunch. But overall, I’m happy with the bench press PR. Especially after the sub par bench day I had before the deload week.
theres a whole world of difference between those two squat videos! well done and keep practising form
[quote]caveman101 wrote:
theres a whole world of difference between those two squat videos! well done and keep practising form[/quote]
I most certainly felt the difference. Thanks, I definitely will be continuing with the practice.
Tuesday 11/30/10
Rotator Cuff Work
A bunch of external rotations w/ 2.5 lbs, shoulder dislocates, band pull aparts, and behind the neck band pulldowns
Seeing as I can’t be bothered to study for close approaching exams, I figured why not put some time into saving my shoulders/rotator cuffs.
Cycle 2, Week 1, Day 2
Wednesday 12/1/10
Squat
5x165
5x190
14x215 (this is a 1RM of 315)
5x10x135
Planks (supersetted with squat assistance)
5x45 seconds
For the most part a good workout. Took me a bit longer to get the groove of the squat right while warming up. Glad I hit my goal of 14 reps of 215, I felt I could’ve gotten 15 but I decided not to go for it. Technically no PR today, but 315 is pretty close to 320. The 5x10x135 squats felt pretty good and the planks are getting easier. Of all the main lifts, I feel my squat still needs are crap load more of work to get it right.
I found this video quite entertaining.
Cycle 2, Week 1, Day 3
Friday 12/3/10
Military press
5x100
5x115
11x130 (this is a 1RM of 175)
DB Military press
5x10x30s
Chin ups (these were staggered w/ military pressing)
40 total reps
Band pull apart, external rotation, behind the neck band pull down Tri-set
3x10 (used a 2.5 lbs for external rotations and EFS pro mini band)
I was hoping to get a PR of 12 reps of 130, but I’m still happy with 11 considering that the kebabs I ate for lunch didn’t settle very well. I’m also happy that the DB military pressing and chin ups are slowly getting easier. There’s quite a disparity between my left and right arms when doing the external rotations, hopefully bringing my left arm up will bring up my presses.
[quote]caveman101 wrote:
theres a whole world of difference between those two squat videos! well done and keep practising form[/quote]
I agree! It’s obvious you’ve been doing your homework
Only thing I’d add is to limit the bounce at the bottom.
[quote]beermuscleU wrote:
[quote]caveman101 wrote:
theres a whole world of difference between those two squat videos! well done and keep practising form[/quote]
I agree! It’s obvious you’ve been doing your homework
Only thing I’d add is to limit the bounce at the bottom.[/quote]
Thanks! Good to know that what I’m doing has the some semblance of adequate technique. I didn’t realize I was bouncing so much. I also feel that I’m just not upright enough at the bottom. Regardless thanks for the input.
I have no idea why I haven’t watched this guys videos earlier, but I’ve begun watching them and am really looking forward to applying the info come next week’s squat day.
I’m specifically going to try to make sure I don’t lose my arch coming out of the hole, and that I don’t do a hybrid good morning-squat out of the hole.
I’m really not happy with how my squat feels and looks. Hopefully by using the tips from these videos I will get a more acceptable squat.
Cycle 2, Week 1, Day 4
Saturday 12/4/10
Deadlift
5x200
5x230
13x265 PR (this is a 1RM of 380)
RDLs
5x10x135
Planks (staggered with RDLs)
5x45 seconds
Today was a good DL session. Psyched that I got a PR today, it’s around a 15 lb increase. I was aiming for 12 reps, but managed to get 13. The RDLs and planks are feeling easier and I’m liking them. Overall today went well.
Regarding my DL technique it seems like I’m using a bit too much of my lower back instead of my hamstrings on the way up. Maybe it’s due to my weak hamstrings, which will hopefully change with the use of RDLs. Anyways just trying to find some way to further improve my technique.
Cycle 2, Week 2, Day 1
Monday 12/6/10
Bench press
3x155
3x180
12x200 PR (1RM of 280)
Push ups
5x15xBW
T-bar rows (staggered with bench presses and push ups)
8x10x2 plates
External rotations
5x10x2.5
Today’s session started out pretty normal. The warm up sets and work sets leading up to the 12x200 set were pretty average. Based on the previous sets I didn’t think I would own the last set. But once I got the weight in my hands I could just tell that it was going to be a good set. I’m psyched I got a PR, last week I set a PR of 265 and this week a PR of 280. After the 12th rep I thought I could probably get one more, but oh well a PR nonetheless. The push ups felt much easier than last week.
Cycle 2, Week 2, Day 2
Wednesday 12/8/10
Squat
3x185
3x205
14x230 PR (1RM of 335)
5x10x135
Planks (staggered with assistance squats)
5x45 seconds
Today was a good squat session. Glad I got a PR today, I was aiming to get 13 reps at 230 to beat my previous best, but managed to get 14. It’s about a 15 lb improvement. Overall nothing special about today. Still striving to get my squat technique better.
Man, after looking at my last 3 squat videos, it looks like in the most recent one my arch wasn’t as tight. I appear to sort of lose it at the bottom and that my chest wasn’t up enough. I need to drill those things in. Chest up AND tight back. Will be looking forward to next week’s squat session for sure.
[quote]AquaCruzer wrote:
Man, after looking at my last 3 squat videos, it looks like in the most recent one my arch wasn’t as tight. I appear to sort of lose it at the bottom and that my chest wasn’t up enough. I need to drill those things in. Chest up AND tight back. Will be looking forward to next week’s squat session for sure. [/quote]
Awesome job on the squat PR dude! I think what might help you with the chest up and tight back is to really drill those elbows under the bar. Overall the form looks pretty good dude. Just keep tweaking things here and there and itll get to where you want it.
Great lifting brotha!
[quote]pbclax1 wrote:
[quote]AquaCruzer wrote:
Man, after looking at my last 3 squat videos, it looks like in the most recent one my arch wasn’t as tight. I appear to sort of lose it at the bottom and that my chest wasn’t up enough. I need to drill those things in. Chest up AND tight back. Will be looking forward to next week’s squat session for sure. [/quote]
Awesome job on the squat PR dude! I think what might help you with the chest up and tight back is to really drill those elbows under the bar. Overall the form looks pretty good dude. Just keep tweaking things here and there and itll get to where you want it.
Great lifting brotha![/quote]
Now that you mention it, that might just do the trick. When I first felt a big change in my squat tightness was when I really tried to get my elbows perpendicular to the floor, sort of like doing a pull up.
I went and looked at my last three vids again trying to look at the elbow positioning. In my most recent vid, I could see that my elbows weren’t as forward and tucked as the other ones.
Thanks for the little tip! Looking forward to drilling, “chest up, tight back, and elbows tucked forward” next squat session.
[quote]AquaCruzer wrote:
[quote]pbclax1 wrote:
[quote]AquaCruzer wrote:
Man, after looking at my last 3 squat videos, it looks like in the most recent one my arch wasn’t as tight. I appear to sort of lose it at the bottom and that my chest wasn’t up enough. I need to drill those things in. Chest up AND tight back. Will be looking forward to next week’s squat session for sure. [/quote]
Awesome job on the squat PR dude! I think what might help you with the chest up and tight back is to really drill those elbows under the bar. Overall the form looks pretty good dude. Just keep tweaking things here and there and itll get to where you want it.
Great lifting brotha![/quote]
Now that you mention it, that might just do the trick. When I first felt a big change in my squat tightness was when I really tried to get my elbows perpendicular to the floor, sort of like doing a pull up.
I went and looked at my last three vids again trying to look at the elbow positioning. In my most recent vid, I could see that my elbows weren’t as forward and tucked as the other ones.
Thanks for the little tip! Looking forward to drilling, “chest up, tight back, and elbows tucked forward” next squat session.
[/quote]
Hell yeah. Get after it dude!
I took a look at my past military press videos, and it looks like when I try to lockout the weight I get all loose. Come tomorrow’s military press session I’m going to try to be mindful of this and hopefully it’ll help me push more weight.
I’m also going to try to widen my grip a few inches and see how that works for me.