Nice squatting dude. Are you running a program or just on your own? I like the structure of those sets, a few 3 rep sets with a higher rep set to end it. I might copy this.
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Completely made up. Hit 9x3, plus set on the last set. Or not, if I donāt feel good for it. Generally stick to the same weight for 3-4 weeks then add 5 or so, and repeat. Purposely limit my +sets, so it ends up a lot of week 1 7-8, week 2 10, week 3 12ish, then reset. Squats never felt so good
4 Likes
25oct24
Press: 140x5, 140x5, 140x5, 140x5, 140x8 (RPE 8)
CGBP: 155x8, 155x8, 155x8, 155x8 (RPE 7)
Assisted dip: 90x10, 90x10, 90x10, 90x11 (RPE 8)
Overhead barbell tricep extension (JM press?): 45x15, 65x12, 65x12, 65x12
Conditioning: 40 min run, 5.3 mph
Notes:
- the more i read on strength training, the more i find myself falling into 5x5 for strength. Think itās just a hard scheme to really beat.
- Plan is 5x5, starting at around 70%. Add 5lbs per week for 4 weeks, take a deload, then start over at 145 for 5x5 week one.
- Keeping form pristine on these. Been lowering down to my nose area for a long time (read; years). Lowered down to my chin on these. More difficult, but felt good. Mobility a factor here.
- Does this look marginally like 531 to some of you? If so, keep it to yourself lol. Thereās only so many ways to lift heavy circles. Similarities bound to happen.
- Assisted dips feeling good, shoulder definitely warming up to them compared to when I first started implementing them.
- Idk what to call the last exercise. Never seen em before, just made it up due to equipment availability. Grab a grip about Skullcrusher with, hoist barbell overhead; lower barbell to back of head by bending triceps. Canāt really do Skullcrusher, or at least my mobility isnāt good enough; so the elbows kick out just a little, and itās like a vertical JM press. I actually really dig it lol. These shall henceforth be known as the āAtlas Pressā unless one of you ruins it for me by telling me an actual name.
- Running continuing to go well. Still easy, breathing through my nose the entire time, which is saying something given the congestion I have right now haha. Not sure when/if Iām going to bump speed.
Decided that I am going for my CSCS. Is it necessary? Nope. But I always like the idea of adding a title to my name, and it seems like it would be a fun thing to put on a resume for a completely unrelated field. Plus, Iām finding I just really enjoy digging into a lot of this material, and am having to work very hard to keep my goals the goal lol. Learning more about plyometrics, force vs power and velocity curves, depth jumps (which seem super sketchy but I want to try them), it all sounds really fun. And Iām 100% going to be doing all of those, and maybe just maybe finally learn some Olympic liftsā¦. After I take this next year to relentlessly chase the goals I said.
Edit: idk why I deleted this. Fat fingers
11 Likes
26oct24
Lat pulldown: 160x10, 160x10, 160x8, 160x7 (2RIR)
Seated cable row: 130x10, 130x10, 130x10, 130x10
Straight arm lat pulldown: 50x10, 50x10, 50x10
Cable upright row: 90x15, 100x15, 100x15, 100x15
Barbell curl: 60x10, 60x10, 60x10, 60x12
Notes:
- cutting down on my reps. Iāve let that number drift up and up, doing a lot of sets of 12-15+. Not sure why, suspect it was me feeling beat up and wanting a lighter load, and then just doing that for too long. Nothing over 10 on compound lifts, will go a bit more on isolation. Guideline, not a rule, but should help keep me in check.
- Hitting failure less. Will keep 2ish reps in the tank on my compounds, final set or so to failure on smaller movements.
- Cutting out some body English on the lat pulldowns. Not actually sure if I suffer from it, but my elbow gets cranky sometimes, and I think I can smoke my lats just as much being controlled.
- Big thing Iām realizing is my recovery just isnāt up to par with my training, so making efforts on both fronts to correct.
11 Likes
Work for today:
45 min run, 5.3 mph
If I do this first thing, no lifting before hand? I feel like I could run for hours. No fatigue, just boredom if anything lol.
10 Likes
Caught up. So great to see how fast you were back on your feet.
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Random note:
- I am trying to make a ātraining libraryā on my laptop. Every resource or study reference I could want in one place. Iāve bought pretty much everything on kindle, though have a hard cover copy of a few books. Well, for whatever reason, I canāt download the kindle app on my laptop. Signals just not good enough. Also have a few books Iāve bought paper copies of, but have no digital.
- So like a true millennial, I went to google. Without fail, no matter how niche the book, Iāve been able to find a PDF copy for free online.
- I confess I feel morally conflicted about this. On the one hand, I am definitely āstealingā by downloading theseā¦ but also Iāve already bought everything, Iām just trying to get a format that will work. So morally grey is the where Iām calling this one.
7 Likes
28oct24
Good morning: 235x5, 235x5, 235x5, 235x5, 235x10.
Sleeveless high bar squat: 260x6, 260x6, 260x6, 260x6
Single leg curl: 45x10, 45x10, 45x10
Cable crunch: 100x15, 100x15, 100x15
Notes:
- another cycle of good mornings. Starting with around 70% for 5x5, will ramp up for a few weeks, then planned deload when I fly home from deployment. (I donāt actually know when that is, so just running until then)
- I donāt know a single lift that builds the kind of pressure in my head like good mornings. Even submax, feels like my eyes are about to bulge out of their sockets.
- High bar definitely felt a bit tougher after good mornings. Already fighting the tendency to lean forward, the fatigued erectors makes an extra challenge.
- I think high bar is a terrible main movement for me. I can tell while doing it, not a straight bar path, lots of body compensations. Which is also why I think itās a pretty epic accessory lift to bring up my main squat. Forces me to strengthen some of my weaker spots without taxing the recovery from my main movers.
15 Likes
I think if you already paid for it in another form then it OK. Although I guess downloading it does encourage people to have copies available in the first place. But I think the ship has sailed wit one and the copies would be there no mater what.
1 Like
29oct24
Paused Bench: 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5
Db inc bench: 60x10, 60x10, 60x10, 60x12 (2RIR)
Assisted dip: 105x11, 105x11, 105x11
Db lat raise: 25x12, 25x12, 25x13
Rope extension: 50x12, 50x12, 50x12
Conditioning: 45 min run, 5.3 mph
Notes:
- spread my grip out one finger on bench, ring finger on the rings. Lowering the bar slow, very slight pause on the chest. Trying to make these pretty.
- Assisted dips feeling good.
- Lower back absolutely fried from good mornings
9 Likes
Thatās absolutely where I am at with the movement. Itās the worst way I could possibly squat, so itās bound to be strengthening something!
1 Like
Alright team, polling the room.
Planning to get a tattoo on Monday. Design below
The question is, where?
Was thinking ribs, but I donāt want to take time off of using my belt.
Part of me thinks left tricep. Already have some stuff on my left shoulder, would fit well I think.
Part of me thinks right arm. The design
would fit well, with the globe going over my shoulder, and itās virgin territory so no competing for space.
Part of me thinks quad becauseā¦ space?
And then open to other ideas of placement people think good. Whatchya think?
- Back of left arm/ on tricep
- Right arm
- Left quad
- Other
0
voters
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That sounds badass, definitely getting my vote
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What about calf with the Ball on the meaty muscle
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31oct24
Squat: 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x3, 325x10 RPE 8 (ties all time PR)
Single leg curl: 45x10, 45x10, 45x10, 45x10
Face pull: 70x13, 70x12, 70x12
Db side bend: 60x15, 60x15, 60x15
Conditioning: 50 min treadmill ruck, 3.3mph, 35lbs ruck
Notes:
- never thought I would say this, but squats may be quickly becoming my favorite movement.
- In retrospect, my favorite movement tends to always be whichever is moving the best at that time. But still, the point stands
- Very happy with my top set. This matches an all time PR for me, and thatās accomplishment was when going for a PR set of 531. I certainly hadnāt done 27 reps of 325 prior to the setā¦ with a cheap smooth barbell, on a moving warship.
- Never really trained obliques outside some half ass efforts during 531. Figure maybe I should. Canāt sit on my ass yet so a lot of core movements are out.
- Added 5lbs to my ruck weight. Wound has healed enough that the rucks not ripping it over anymore, so I can finally really get back to these.
Began studying for my CSCS in earnest yesterday. Iāve spent a lot of time reading other training resources, but yesterday was when I actually cracked open the NSCA textbook and started at chapter 1. I am very ready to skip to chapter 5 or so lol. The beginning is a lot of biology, and thereās a certain level of depth where itās just not really practical from a training perspective anymore. Learned more bio yesterday than in a year of high school. The biomechanics part comes a bit easier, my engineering background gives me enough of a physics base to know last of that part intuitively, if I just think to apply it.
(Also, thinking about this. I studied political science for my undergrad. Iām a certified nuclear engineer. Iām studying this CSCS stuff and seriously considering med school. Iāve got some academia adhd. But my dad had 7 minors by the time he finished his undergrad, so it may be genetic lol)
Once I pass the cert, I think I may start a YouTube channel for strength and conditioning. Not really coaching, more of just quick run downs on the science behind a lot of this stuff. I feel like thereās a lot of good videos like that for specific trainings (ie, powerlifting, bodybuilding), but not so much for the general sports development side. Less of a ādo this to get strongā and more of a āhere of the overarching scientific principles to understand so that you can make your own choices on how to get strongā
@creative_name i agree! My only concern is that I have a fairly epic quarter sleeve idea that wouldnāt work if I went right arm now, but Iām not sure if I actually care to do it or not. Back of left arm would leave the right open for possibilities later lol. But then again, maybe I should leave on arm unlinked. As it stands right now, all my tattoos are left side of my body. Didnāt really plan that, but maybe I should run with it.
@simo74 appreciate the idea. To be honest, I hate calf tattoos lol. Iāve only ever seen one that I actually liked, and I feel like even if I like my design, Iām gonna look down at my calf and go āwell shitā
9 Likes
I think itās also nice because itās acts as a little bit of a limiter, if that makes sense. I can only strain so hard at a movement that feels awkward. Put me low bar, and Iāll push until my blood vessels burst and I collapse face forward. High bar? Iām gonna push until my form gets ugly enough that I canāt justify another rep.
Suggestion was a bit tongue in cheek mate. I donāt have any tattoos and what you say above is primarily the reason. No matter how much I think I like the image I am pretty sure that when I see it somewhere on my body I will think oh shit. Each to their own though mate, so play on.
2 Likes
06nov24
Bench: 170x6, 170x6, 170x6, 170x6, 170x6, 170x6
Medium grip mag pulldown: 145x10, 145x10, 145x10, 145x10
Alt Db curl: 30x10, 30x10, 30x10
Decline sit up: 15, 15, 15
Notes:
- Just got done with a Scandinavian port call. Had an amazing time. Ate some amazing food, to include a surplus of reindeer and moose, plus a bit of whale. Saw some great sights, drank too many great drinks, and made some fantastic memories that I half remember. Also closed down the bars with a group elderly Norwegian swingers, but thatās a story for another time.
- Only about 3 weeks left for me on this deployment. Very happy to be saying that. My lifting plan is as a bit interrupted by this little port call deload, and Iāll have another little deload when I fly home. So, want to absolutely crush it the next 3 weeks. Weather looks like it will be pretty choppy, so no overhead pressing for me. Figuring out what I wanted to do to overload in 3 weeks vice longer, decided to run Smolov Jr. one of those plans that always had a mythic quality when I was in high school, but I never ran it. I DONT really think itās magic, but it is some crazy volume; and I think it will be a good opportunity for me to practice my bench form.
- Plan is basically as follows:
- Day 1) bench plus pull and core
- Day 2) bench and belted RDL and lower accessory
- Day 3) bench plus pull and core
- Day 4) bench and squat
- Really trying to focus on good form with the bench, incorporating some leg drive, building something close to an arch, slightly wider bench grip. The benches on the ship are terrible, and freakishly tall, so itās hard for anyone under like 6ā3ā to get real leg drive, but itās better than nothing.
- Also got a new tattoo, so babying the cardio for a few days to let it heal up. (Went with right shoulder for those playing along)
14 Likes
07nov24
Bench: 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5
RDL: 315x6, 315x6, 315x6, 315x6
Superset:
Belt squat: 140x10, 140x10, 140x10, 140x10
Face pull (short cable machine): 50x15, 60x12, 60x12, 60x12
Notes:
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holy hell this was tough. My left pec insertion was painfully tight, felt like it was going to rip straight out my shoulder on my first warmup set. The weights didnāt feel too heavy, I just felt like the tin man. Need to incorporate some upper body mobility between sessions, really tight between the back to back benching and the hours working a desk.
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RDLs with a belt felt strong. Guessing this was about 70%, what I was going for anyway. Biggest issue still grip, even with straps. Itās just so damn humid, the barbells are actively damp.
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I really want to like belt squats, and I feel like I am slowly working my way there. Maybe itās the cable setup that rogue uses, but If I donāt set up JUST right on the footplate, the movement just feels all sorts of off. I wonder if I would like a lever belt squat more, never tried one of those.
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Still babying the new tattoo because Iām a delicate princess. (Also using the second skin stuff, which Iāve never used before, but I donāt think youāre supposed to sweat in it. Fortunately gym is exposed to air, and itās freaking cold, so I can keep sweating to a minimum if I donāt wear a hoodie)
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Read some more RP stuff, and honestly Dr. Mike Israetel may be one of my favorite coaches of all time. I donāt train how he does, I donāt have the same goals he does, but I donāt think Iāve ever had another coach who could as succinctly break down principles as he does.
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Now just monologuing, but I also think heās a great example of importance of genetics in pro bodybuilding. By which I mean, his really arenāt great. (Sorry Mike). He trains great, nutrition is great, Iām assuming uses the same thoughtfulness with his drug use, but his muscle insertions and joint thicknesses just make the guy look blocky, even when he does get pretty impressively shredded. I would bet that same thick torso was super useful in his powerlifting days, but it really goes to show that at the absolute top level, you really do need some god given talent on your side. Good thing I just really donāt care about bodybuilding lol.
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Other note, I think strongman (maybe not as much in the heavyweight class) is pretty awesome because you see guys with very different types of genetics dominate the sport in their own way. You have some guys who are super statically strong, some guys who are super explosive, some guys who are neither but have immaculate technique and conditioning, and each type can play different competitions to their advantage to win, which I think is pretty awesome, as well as just more entertaining to watch.
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Came to the realization that I will probably be able to buy most of my home gym during Black Friday sales, so thatās a major win. That will mean Iām shipping it to my buddies apartment as I crash on his couch for a few weeks until I close on this houseā¦ but he owes me, so Iām fine stuffing his guest bedroom full of my boxes haha.
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I also noticed rogue is having a Black Friday special where if you buy a power rack, everything else ships for $75ā¦. Which is the same deal they have always had. Sneaky marketing practices are ruining good sales lol.
13 Likes
holy hell this was tough. My left pec insertion was painfully tight, felt like it was going to rip straight out my shoulder on my first warmup set.
Iād keep an eye on it man. Did it just pop up or has it been an issue for the last couple of weeks?
1 Like