31-December 365 Challenge
Performed the Colucci 365 challenge.
Squat - 135 lbs, 185 reps 28 minutes
5,10,15,15,15,20,20,20,25,20,20
Bench - 95 lbs, 180 reps, 27 minutes
5, 10, 15, 15, 10 (3), 15, 10 (7), 20
2-Jan Push 2 Hypertrophy ‘planning’
DB Incline Bench 45 x 12, 4 sets
DB Incline Press 35 x 10, 4 sets
DB Fly 25 x 12,12,12,15, 4 sets - increase to 15
Close Grip Bench 135 x 10,10,8,8 - drop to 115
Push-ups BW x 10, 8, 8, 7
Notes:
Total time was 50 minutes but I was also assisting my wife on her squat/press day.
CGBP needs to go down to 115 until I can get at least 12 per set. Will increase DB fly to 15 reps per set.
I use the ‘perfect push-up’ rotating handles. Will work up to 10 for all sets but will make the last set an AMRAP.
3-Jan Hypertrophy Pull 2 ‘planning’
warm-up with bands: face pulls, pull-aparts, etc
T-bar row 95 x 12, 4 sets
SGHP 135 x 5, 5 sets
leaning Ring pull-ups BW x 12, 12, 10, 8
BTN Press 65 x 12, 10, 10, 8
post deltoid raise 10 x 12 4 sets
‘speed’ curls 10 x 50 reps, 2 sets. Last set was 2 minutes.
Notes:
50 minutes but was watching my 3-year old. T-bar and SGHP were good. Will work-up on ring pull-ups to 15 and then figure out a different movement or increase reps. BTN will leave and work up to 15’s. Same with deltoid raise.
Speed curls I thought up on the spot. not sure if there is any value. Just took 10lb plate in each hand and curled them as quickly as possible with clean form (hard to have bad form on 10lbs). Was spur of the moment so not sure how long they took. The second set was 2 minutes. Gave some burn in the bicep.
4-Jan Hypertrophy Legs 2 ‘planning’
Front Squat - 135 x 10, 4 sets
Leg Curls - 50 x 12, 4 sets
Lunges - 45 x 10, 65 x 10, 3 sets
Good Mornings - 95 x 10, 4 sets
Notes:
Started light to see how things felt… especially after the 365 challenge. As expected, the 185 reps of 135 on squat produced quite the gift of DOMS. Surprisingly my chest was never sore after 180 reps of bench press. I seem to never have a very sore chest.
For front squat, I will go up 10 pounds next cycle and then adjust from there. I suspect I should be able to go up for a few weeks. For leg curl I will work up to 15 reps and then increase weight after that. For both lunges and good mornings I will go up 10lbs and then work up from there.
I never did a legs 1 day test because of the 365 challenge. Not really a problem. I will start Block 1 on Tuesday after a rest day on the 5th.
5-January Block 1 - Cycle 1 (hyper) Push 1
Today was supposed to be a rest day. However, an early work schedule on the 6th meant that getting the work out in this evening was my best option.
DB Flat press 45 x 12, 4 sets
Overhead press 65 x 10, 4 sets
2-hand overhead tri ext 45 x 10, 4 sets
incline db fly 25 x 10, 12, 12, 15
Dips BW x 7, 6, 5, 4
Ab roller 10 reps, 3 sets
Notes:
Continuing to fine tune the weight sets/reps to use. Went up to 12 reps for db bench. Barely made press… cheating badly on the last rep. Tri extension is good. Went up on incline flys. Made progress on dips. Want to get to 10 reps for all 4 sets.
6-Jan rest day
7-Jan Block 1, Cycle 1 Hyper Pull 1
Pendlay row 135 x 10, 4 sets
DB Row 50 x 10, 4 sets
Pull-ups BW x 5, 5, 5, 5
Hammer Curls 25 x 10, 4 sets
Lateral raise 10 x 10, 10, 12, 12
time - 33 minutes after warm-up
Notes:
Pendlay weight good. Strict form. Slowed on the last set
DB row weight good. Next time use pause at top.
Pull ups increased - it is interesting how this comes back quickly after taking so much time off from pull ups and hypertrophy in general.
Hammer Curls weight good. Slowed down by the third set.
Lateral raise - increase reps to 12 for all and eventually 15 for all before raising weight.
Nice progress dude, definitely a lot of good work going on in here!
8-Jan Block 1, Cycle 1, Hypertrophy Legs 1
Squat - 185 x 10, 4 sets
SLDL - 155 x 10, 4 sets
Deficit Deadlift - 225 x 10, 4 sets
Standing Calf raise - 135 x 10, 4 sets
Notes:
Must say that I really love my new oly shoes. I normally wear size 11.5 (US) but based upon multiple reviews I purchased size 11. Fit fantastically, no initial break in was required. They provide such a stable platform and the heel lift is perfect for me. My high bar squatting is easier to go deeper and remain more upright.
Squats weight was good. Started with 60% 1RM (rounded from 189) and this will work - I will keep here a cycle or two and concentrate on getting faster.
SLDL felt a bit on the easier side. Will increase 10 lbs and go from there.
Deficit deadlift - holy crap! In addition to the 1.75 inch plate that I stood on I kept the oly shoes on as well. Quads were shaking and I was breathing like a jack-rabbit in heat. Will keep this unchanged next week.
Calf raises seem meh… I used to do calf work for months when doing a hypertrophy routine and they never grew like they did when just doing heavy squats and deads. That said, as I am doing this hypertrophy phase after a longer emphasis on strength, maybe it will be of value. In any regard, it only takes a few minutes and does not accumulate too much fatigue.
[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Nice progress dude, definitely a lot of good work going on in here![/quote]
Thank brother! Much appreciated.
9-January - Rest Day
10-January - Block 1, Cycle 1 Push 2
DB Incline Bench 45 x 12, 4 sets
DB Incline Press 35 x 10, 10, 12, 12
DB Fly 25 x 15, 4 sets
CG Bench 115 x 10, 10, 10, 8
Push Ups BW x 7, 8, 8, 8
Notes: All weights to remain unchanged. For DB fly, will use pause next time.
11-January Block 1, Cycle 1 Pull 2
Ring pull-ups (leaning) BW x 12, 4 sets
Snatch grip high pulls - 135 x 5, 5 sets
T-bar rows 95 x 12, 12, 15, 15
Behind the neck press 65 x 12, 12, 10, 8
Reverse DB fly 10 x 15, 4 sets
speed curls (per hand) - 12.5 x 50, 2 sets 1 - 2 mins 2 - 2 min 11 seconds
notes: Felt good on the t-bar rows so increased reps - go for all 15 next cycle. SGHP increase to 145 next cycle. Rest will leave as is.
12-January Block 1 Cycle 1, Legs 2
Front Squat 145 x 10, 4 sets
Ham curls 50 x 15, 4 sets
Lunges 75 x 10, 4 sets
G Mornings 105 x 10, 4 sets
Notes: Increase front squats to 155 next time. Work on getting ham curls slower with more TUT. Increase lunges to 85 and good mornings to 115.
side note - I feel like I am finally starting to get a basic ‘entry-level’ strength. Lowering the weights for hypertrophy work and really feeling the movements slow and under control is the way to go. Which is not news or any profound discovery. But worth reminding myself.
So this is embarrassing. And perhaps bragging? Really sharing as it might be considered humorous. So I am in my office and squat down to pick up a pen that I dropped. Squatting properly mind you… and the bottom of my pants ripped open. So may need to find a rationale to go home early as I don’t know how to share that I have a wardrobe malfunction. For the record my waist size is unchanged.
Better than scale or body fat measurements? The waist to ripped out pants ratio?
Side splitting giggles! hehe pun intended. 
Still following.
[quote]raven78 wrote:
Side splitting giggles! hehe pun intended.
Still following.[/quote]
Yeah, the bottom fell out on that one…
Thanks Bro
13-Jan Rest Day
14-Jan Block 1, Cycle 2, Push 1
DB Bench 45 x 15, 15, 12, 12
Press 65 x 10, 4 sets
2hand overhead tri ext 45 x 10, 4 sets
Incline DB Fly 25 x 15, 4 sets
Dips BW x 7, 6, 5, 5
Ab Roller x 10, 3 sets
Notes: 39 minutes total. Still using 1 minute rests. Tried upping DB bench reps to 15; third and fourth set could not make it. I stopped the reps before failure. Leave unchanged - keep trying for 15.
Hit all Press reps but just barely. Unlike last week I did not cheat on any reps.
Overhead tri was a good weight. remain here.
Incline fly works me but was not hard. Will remain here but add a pause next cycle.
Dips are progressing… hit one more rep on the last set.
15-Jan Block 1, Cycle 2, Pull 1
Pendlay Row 135 x 10, 4 sets
DB Row 50 x 10, 4 sets paused
Pull-ups BW x 6, 5, 5, 5
Hammer Curls 25 x 10, 4 sets slow
Lateral Raise 10 x 12, 4 sets
Notes: 36 minutes. Next cycle: Increase DB rows to 12 reps un-paused. Increase Hammer curls to 12 reps. Leave all remaining as is.
16-Jan Conditioning (active recovery)
20 KB swings (53lb)
1 push up
1 ring pull up (leaning)
20 KB swings
2 push-up
2 ring pull-up
…continue to 10 reps
14 minutes 25 seconds. Really like where I can take this one. Can double the push-up volume and graduate to real pull-ups. Or I can put a 1 to 2 minute rest after and do it one or two more times.
Like all good things I do, it is stole from my lifting elders. This is a ‘beta’ version of a conditioning routine Alpha did. Plus I don’t twist a barbell into a pretzel afterward.
Naming this ‘Push-pull-heave’. That way I can do it again later and challenge my time.
17-January Block 1, Cycle 2 Leg 1
Squat 185 x 10, 4 sets
SLDL 165 x 10, 4 sets
Deficit DL, 225 x 10, 4 sets
Calf Raise, 145 x 15, 4 sets
Notes:
Squats felt great. Will increase 10 lbs for next cycle.
SLDL still felt ‘easyish’ so will increase 10 lbs for that as well.
Deficit deads (1.75 inch plate plus .75 inch oly shoes) were easier than last cycle but still made me light headed after each set. Will continue unchanged.
Calf raises are… whatever. Not convinced they are helpful but will give it the six week block at a minimum. Will plan to raise weight to match whatever I am squatting.
Finally figured out that I can leave the Squat bar loaded in the rack for back squats and calf raises and use another bar for SLDL and deficit DL. Sad that it took me more than one session to make that leap.
18-January Block 1, Cycle 2, Push 2
DB Incline BP 45 x 12, 4 sets
DB Incline Press 35 x 12, 4 sets
DB Fly 25 x 15 paused, 4 sets
CGBP 115 x 10, 10, 10, 8
Push-ups BW x 10, 8, 8, 6
notes:
Will increase incline BP to 15 reps.
Finished the Incline Press this time, yay. Just barely. Leave weight unchanged.
Fly’s are easyish but I am wary of increasing weight. I think I will leave here and focus on increasing other parts of this day. Maybe take the last set to 20 reps or perhaps AMRAP. But not yet.
CGBP were exactly the same as last week. I think I might have eeked out another rep but it would have been ugly and in danger of failure.
Increased a couple reps on push-ups. Focusing on making these as perfect as possible.