13-April
STILL not feeling well. Not getting enough sleep either. Out of my control at this point so.
Kettle bell swings with strength exercise. Today was exactly as called for in 10K Kettle Bell challenge:
1 set =
10 swings
1 rep strength
15 swings,
2 rep strength
25 swings
3 rep strength
50 swings
2 minute rest
repeat 4 more sets for 500 swings total and 30 reps strength.
My wife is doing this challenge. So far I have done most of the days with her. She has completed 8 days.
My wife uses the 28lb kettle bell and I use the 53lb. The strength move for the day was the strict press. My wife used 25lbs, I used 105lb.
Today we completed in 30 minutes 50 seconds. This is our best when using a strength movement. This challenge really does do wonders for work capacity and conditioning. After 8 days my wife’s breathing is never out of control as it was when we first started. If you would like a different challenge that can improve conditioning, burn fat and keep your strength going (or perhaps increase it), I recommend the 10K KB challenge.
Oh and by the way - where has the ab wheel been my whole life?!?! Reading many of the logs here I kept seeing big, strong, we don’t do no stinking crunches types indicating that they use the ab wheel. And since it was only like $14 USD, I procured one. Two days ago I did something like 8 reps. Then I did one rep the next day and about feinted. I believe that I had to tell my kids to avert their ears lest they be plagued by the sailor-like language coming forth from my mouth. And my core is STILL sore today. Very nice.
14-April
Weighted vest walk. 60 lbs.
Really my only issue with the vest is the pain in the shoulders. I took some foam and put under my shirt and that helped quite a bit. Once I get the right amount of padding set up I feel like I could carry 60lbs for hours.
My wife actually would like to use the vest now. So as my next bigger gym investment I will look for the heavier vests. Thinking about getting this vest:
Then I can de-load the current and my wife and I can both look like SWAT team members patrolling the suburban neighborhood. We can BOTH get the double-takes as people drive by.
15-April
As I don’t yet feel fully recovered I abbreviated my strength circuit -
Out of cycle strength circuit. Performed 1 set of each movement in order:
- Bench Press 175x5, 180x4, 185x3, 195x2, 205x1
- Deadlift 315x5 for 5 sets
- Pull - up +35 x 5 for 5 sets
I broke the 200lb barrier on Bench for the first time ever! So Rattle - I followed your advice and arched a bit more. 205 felt easy-ish going up. I don’t know if I should attribute this to the arch, having had a break or what. So in your honor I will attribute all success to your suggestions. Cheers.
I missed the last rep on the last set of pull-ups.
[quote]Captain Needa wrote:
15-April
As I don’t yet feel fully recovered I abbreviated my strength circuit -
Out of cycle strength circuit. Performed 1 set of each movement in order:
- Bench Press 175x5, 180x4, 185x3, 195x2, 205x1
- Deadlift 315x5 for 5 sets
- Pull - up +35 x 5 for 5 sets
I broke the 200lb barrier on Bench for the first time ever! So Rattle - I followed your advice and arched a bit more. 205 felt easy-ish going up. I don’t know if I should attribute this to the arch, having had a break or what. So in your honor I will attribute all success to your suggestions. Cheers.
I missed the last rep on the last set of pull-ups.
[/quote]
16-April Strength Circuits
Today was another modified version of Strength Circuits. I was going to say abbreviated but once I did the rep count I realized the 75 reps completed today is exactly the rep count of the strength circuits that I normally do.
- Squat 265lb 5x5
- SGHP 165lb 5x5
- Dips 35lb 5x5
Again, this was a circuit - so 5 squats, 5 SGHP, 5 Dips, repeat.
17-April conditioning. Walk with weight vest ~2.5 miles.
18-April Modified Strength Circuits
Deadlift 315 5x5
Bench 175x5, 180x4, 185x2, 195x2, 195x1
Press 105 5x5
Then, Bench 135x10
Missed what was supposed to be 185x3 so switched to the scheme above. I am feeling over-trained. Or just tired. Not certain what the clinical definition is but I just feel weak and burnt out. Lots of work and home projects going on. I am thinking that I will switch to a strength split so that I am not doing all the major movements everytime.
Thinking
Day 1 - Squats
Day 2 - Bench
Day 3 - Deads
Day 4 - Press
With each day starting with a ramp up to the 1rep weight currently on my strength circuit schedule. Then some assistance work or ‘density’ work. Days off at least between day 2/3 and day 4/1. Then I can continue the kettle bell swings when my wife does them for conditioning and/or weighted vest walks (which are not that taxing from a strength standpoint).
19-Saturday Back and core
Partial pull-ups with straps BW x 10, 4 sets
Ring pull-ups (leaning w/feet on ground) - BW x 10, 4 sets
Barbell rows 105 x 12, 6 sets
Ab roller 4 sets of 10
Ring knee raises 4 sets of 10
So the ab roller only destroyed me the first time I used it. This time it was work and caused soreness but not too much.
20-Sunday Conditioning
Installing paver walk-way and driveway borders. So shoveling, digging, leveling, etc.
Also had to move some lumber (sized 2x6 - 12’ and 4x4 - 8’) around the house so did ‘overhead carries’.
21-April Strength Split - Squats
Squats – 135x5, 225x5, 265x3, 275x3, 285x1
SLDL – 185 x 10, 4 sets
super set with
Front Squats – 135 x 10, 4 sets
22-April Strength Split - Bench
Bench 135x5, 135x5, 185x3, 195x2, 205x1
Incline Bench 95x15, 4 sets
DB Fly 27.5x12, 3 sets
super set with
Dips BWx5, 3 sets
Second time hitting 205 for bench. Yay. Probably time for me to go up by 2.5 lb increments.
23-April
Laying brick pavers all day. While watching 3-year old. Enough said.
24-April
500 KB swing
25-April
Day off
26-April
Strength Split Cycle 1 - Day 3 Dead lift
Dead Lift 305 x 5, 315 x 4, 320 x 3, 340 x 2, 365 x 1, 375 x 1 (pr)
Barbell Row 115 x 12, 4 sets
Face pull Band x 15, 4 sets
T-bar row 80 x 12, 4 sets
Evening - 500 Kettle bell swings with 30 BW pull-ups (total) interspersed throughout.
So I felt good enough on Dead lift today to jump ahead. My goal is to get to 405 this year, with a preference by mid-year. After pulling 365 with relative ease (my previous PR), I tried 375. In December when I tried 375 the bar was bolted to the floor. This time it broke from the floor fairly quick. I felt like muscularly I could pull at least another 10 pounds. However, I felt a twinge in my hip-flexor / lower back and decided to err on the side of caution. 10 lb PR is good enough for one day. The lower back / hip has been improving with time and rumble-roller. So hopefully by next week will be ready for more.
27-April
Strength Split Cycle 1 - Day 4 Press
Press* 105 x 5, 110 x 4, 115 x 3, 120 x 0, 85 x 10, 85 x 8, 85 x 6
Lateral DB raise 11.5 x 12, 4 sets
Reverse Fly 11.5 x 12, 4 sets
Evening
500 Kettle Bell swings. Used Snatch grip High Pull as my strength move. 30 reps (total) of 155lbs throughout the swings. That was taxing.
My current PR in Press is 122.5. Today I felt really weak in it. Hopefully this is from all the brick laying recently - as this is not what I normally do for a living. With the extra volume density work after the strength work, and extended recovery time prior to pressing again I am hoping that this continues to go up reliably.
28-April Conditioning - 60lb weight vest walk about 2.5 miles
29- April Strength Split Cycle 2 - Day 1 Squat
Squat 135 x 5, 225 x 5, 285 x 3, 285 x 2
Squat Density 225 x 10, 4 sets
SLDL 185 x 12, 3 sets
Hamstring Curl 45 x 12, 3 sets
The second set of 285 was supposed to be 3 reps. Bad form and I missed the last rep. Just did not feel solid enough to go for 290 x 1. After missing the last rep of 285, I reduced to 225 and squatted from the hole to return the bar to the top. THAT was tough.
I am currently scheduled to do Kettle bell swings tonight and plan to do front squat of about 135 or so for 30 reps mixed in. Will update once complete.
- EDIT - Did do the 30 reps of front squats at 135. Am sore today.
30-April Strength Split Cycle 2 - Day 2 Bench
Bench 135 x 5, 135 x 5, 185 x 3, 195 x 2, 207.5 x 0*
Incline Bench 100 x 12, 4 sets
Floor Press 135 x 10, 135 x 10, 145 x 10, 145 x 10, 185 x 5, 185 x 4
Bench 135 x 8, 135 x 6
Ab Wheel 10 reps 4 sets mixed in with above
*Missed the 207.5 by just THAT much. So close.
Today was a bit different as I did not feel my shoulders being worked as much as usual. Hopefully this means that my form is improving.
1-May
Weight check in: 200.4 lbs.
I seem to have dialed in the diet as I have gained almost exactly 2 lbs per month for the past three months. My caliper/mirror estimate indicates I have gone from 10 to 11% BF with these 6 lbs. If I am correct, then I have gained 3.4 lbs lbm and 2.6 fat.
My plan is to continue with the current diet/macro’s for May and then determine if I want to ‘clean-up’ for a month or continue.
1-May
Had about 20 minutes at my disposal. So:
Cleans @ 135 - 3 sets of 5.
Barbell (35lb) Curls - 1 set of 25, 2 sets of 50.
For the curls, I tried something along the line of Paul Carters program of 1x100 for curls. I have had inner elbow tendonitis for a long time and have not curled at all for months. So I used my wife’s barbell (35lb rogue ‘bella’). I am very pleased to state that I have no pain at all from these sets. If I do these again, I will work up to 1x100 non-stop and then work up to the man’s bar.