Notes: Definitely getting stronger! The last 3 workouts I led off with the 50 pullups thing here’s how many sets it took: 12 sets, 10 sets, and today SIX sets. It’s weird but I feel like ballistic benching is actually helping me with that. It’s really helped me wrap my mind around what it feels like to really explode up and through a movement, so now when I get to the bottom and stretch of a pullup I really explode up to the top of the rep. The only negative from this workout was on the first set of shrugs I leaned forward a little bit on one of the reps and I pulled my left lat something wicked.
Thanks! I haven’t started cramming in extra protein…I’m actually going to make a thread about finding ways to do that cheaply, in the nutrition forum.
[quote]GetSwole wrote:
Also, are you putting on any weight?[/quote]
next weigh in is scheduled for tomorrow actually, I’ve gained over the last 3, I’m up about 10 lbs since I started eating more. Mainly I’m going for the strength side though. I started at 175 (not the 176.5 I said in the OP), I’d be happy to get to 195 and then maybe cut about 5 of that off. Of course I don’t look any softer than when I started really, so maybe I’ll go higher than 195.
[quote]Sir wrote:
Yeah I was going to mention upping your protein, but Swole beat me to it.
However, I do have a question. I’ve never thought about doing 1 arm DLs…how is that working out for you and what, if any, advantages does it have over the old fashion way?[/quote]
The balancing on the one arm DLs is tough, takes some getting used to. Definitely use catches on the bar because you will dump the weight the first couple times you try without them. I haven’t done them the last few back workouts because I can’t decide if I want them on my heavy or lighter back days.
As for the exercise itself…I have NEVER had ANY exercise that absolutely murders my stabilizing muscles the way these do. The oblique on the opposite side of the body from where I’m holding the weight looks like it’s trying to jump off my body when I do them. I also feel a lot the movement a lot more in my lats than in a normal deadlift, although I’m a hamstring-dominant deadlifter.
I also end up being exhausted after a few sets of them. I think I’ll reincorporate them as a finishing exercise on both my ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ back days because I’m pretty much toasted after doing them. I highly recommend trying them at least once.
I would think 1 arm DLs would be awkward and potentially dangerous but maybe not.
You said you are a ham dominant deadlifter:
If you are looking to get more out of the deadlift in terms of back thickness, why not trying rack deadlifts.
I dont know if you are familiar with this but is deadlifting off of the safety pins in a power rack. You set the pins about an inch below your knee so you are pulling only about half of the movement.
This will probably allow you to use heavier weight than your average floor deadlift and I promise it will make you feel like someone sledgehammered your spinal erectors.
Anyway, just a suggestion for back thickness. I doubt you’ll be disappointed with rack deads. It’ll give you that back work without the awkwardness of doing it 1 arm.
Also, for your weight gain, as long as your gaining thats good. I know you mostly going for strength but if you are gaining muscle your bound to gain weight. You were very lean to start with so you can probably get away with eating in calorie excess for a longer period of time than someone like myself, point being, just keep eating and lifting hard, you may find yourself at 195 and not all that chub. Don’t worry about losing your abs a bit. You’ll know the difference between being a little smooth and being tubby.
Smooth is fine, tubby is where you run into trouble. So just watch yourself in the mirror and don’t worry about cutting until your putting weight on in the wrong places. Keep working.
I would think 1 arm DLs would be awkward and potentially dangerous but maybe not.
You said you are a ham dominant deadlifter:
If you are looking to get more out of the deadlift in terms of back thickness, why not trying rack deadlifts.
I dont know if you are familiar with this but is deadlifting off of the safety pins in a power rack. You set the pins about an inch below your knee so you are pulling only about half of the movement.
This will probably allow you to use heavier weight than your average floor deadlift and I promise it will make you feel like someone sledgehammered your spinal erectors.
Anyway, just a suggestion for back thickness. I doubt you’ll be disappointed with rack deads. It’ll give you that back work without the awkwardness of doing it 1 arm.
Also, for your weight gain, as long as your gaining thats good. I know you mostly going for strength but if you are gaining muscle your bound to gain weight. You were very lean to start with so you can probably get away with eating in calorie excess for a longer period of time than someone like myself, point being, just keep eating and lifting hard, you may find yourself at 195 and not all that chub. Don’t worry about losing your abs a bit. You’ll know the difference between being a little smooth and being tubby.
Smooth is fine, tubby is where you run into trouble. So just watch yourself in the mirror and don’t worry about cutting until your putting weight on in the wrong places. Keep working.[/quote]
I’m going to have to try rack deadlifts it sounds like…maybe that would solve my ‘can’t DL and Squat in the same week’ conundrum.
That’s a great point about being chubby / smooth. Thanks for the input!
BB Flat: 2401 2501 260x 260x 2252-r. pec cramp 2102 r. pec cramp
BB Incline: 1756 1853 1659
DB Flyes: 2512 3010 357
Close Grip Rack Lockouts: 1856 2053
Elbows Out Extensions: 6014 703 65*10
Notes: Glad I had already scheduled a low volume day for today, I felt completely flat. Just a muggy muggy day here in Boston and the air in the gym was awful, felt like breathing soup. Missed on both attempts at 260…got REAL close on the 2nd one. Hopefully I’m feeling a little perkier next week and I can get it. In other news…I’m 187.5 lbs!!! I thought I might’ve lost weight because my abs have looked pretty cut the last few days…but I’m actually 3.5 lbs heavier than last time!
argggg my neuro class ran way over again so I didn’t have time for legs again today. I can’t fit them in tomorrow or friday either. This coming week I’m going to unleash some EVIL on them to make up for the missed time
BB SLDL: 3701 3801 24510
52 Pullups: 11, 8, 7, 7, 5, 3, 3, 4, 4
1 Arm DLs: 1355 1555 1755
DB Rows: 1204 1105
BB Behind Back Shrugs: 13515 22511
Gironda Perfect Curls: 3015 408
Notes: Welcome back one-armed deadlifts…holy moly do those things destroy your stabilizing muscles. I love it. Plus I can feel my hamstrings really workin on them. The DBs in my gym only go up to 120 so I’m just going to keep rowing those and adding reps. The Behind the back shrugs didn’t really work because now I hit my ass on the way up instead of my wang like on the front shrugs. Gironda Perfect Curls were alright…nothing to write home about. I enjoy seated incline curls much more.
Notes: Couldn’t do legs tomorrow due to meetings so I put it with chest day. This was one of those workouts that will probably always be somewhere in my top 5 for hardest I’ve ever done. I rarely do ATF squats, and never for sets of 10 like I did here. I crammed all those sets into about an hour which is incredibly short for me. I pulled my shoulder while doing flyes and cramped up my left calf on the seated calf pressing. Both should be fine in a day or two. Good stuff!
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
LankyMofo wrote:
I basically read this entire thread hoping to see more funny comments about deadlifting with a boner… you tease!
hahhahaha nah I always masturbate into one of the shower stalls before I work out now[/quote]
Notes: I am really flying through pullup sets now. When I can finish off 50 in 4 sets I’m going to start adding weight. One month ago this time it took me 10 sets to get there, I’ve halved that. In other news, I still hate bb rows and don’t feel them in my lats in the least, but thought I’d give em a try. Trap-bar shrugs are great, no more bruised scrotum! After all this I anhilated my abs since I haven’t hit them in a while. Then I went running, but my legs felt ‘hollow’ for some reason and I was really sucking wind, so I couldn’t go for a full round. Good times.
BB Flat: 2257 2401 2551 2601 (NEW PR!)
2005 1857
BB Incline: 16510 1854 1756
DB Squeeze Press: 5510 6010 658
Cable Benching: 4010 505 3512
Dynamic Bench Press: 9510 8510
Rack Lockouts: 2653 2802 2901 (NEW PR!) 3002 (NEW PR!) 3101 (NEW PR!)
Close Grip Benching: 1558 1656
Running: 30 minutes / 3.39 miles
Notes: Another new flat benching record! WHOOOOOO! Plus I broke my rack lockout record 3 sets in a row. Good times. I’m feelin pretty strong lately. I’m exhausted now though. I thought that run at the end was going to kill me. I want to nap now, but I have multiple projects due for school. blech.
Notes: I REALLY don’t like BB front squats. I feel a tremendous tugging in my knees when I do them. Plus they really tear up my shoulders, and the weight feels incredibly unbalanced when I do them. BB Hacks however I do enjoy. Only ran for 15 minutes today, as I was pressed for time.