Beyond potential: FrankTosk's path to awesomeness

Training Logs
1

Introduction

Hi everyone, and welcome to my log.

For many years, even before I started lifting, I heard people talking about me having potential. This was not specific to lifting either.

After putting my life in order, in all aspects, (was mostly dealing with personal and financial issues, no substances or anything related), I have a great urge to fulfill said potential, and not let it go to waste.

So, here I am. After 11 years of lifting, on and off, with sometimes as long as 2 years off, with the last 3 years being consistant-ish.

My current stats are:

Age: 28
Height: 1.83 cm / 6 feet or whatever that is
Bw: 100 kg / 220 lbs more or less

Incline bench press: little above 100 kg, but for the sake of this log, we’ll say 100 kg / 220 lbs
Ohp: 74 kg / 163 lbs
Squat, high bar: 161 kg / 355 lbs
Front squats: not tested, we’ll say 110 kg for now (probably more)

Shape: out of it

Training and goals

Although my goals are strength and size in a more generic sense, number I am shooting for, in a two years timeframe, are

Incline: 120 kg / 264 lbs
Ohp: 85 kg / 187 lbs
High bar squats: 200 kg / 440 lbs
Front squats: Wherever my current strength is, times 1.2 or something

The bar has been set a bit low for the time being, especially in presses, to avoid anxiety.

The plan I will be following will be 531, with some deviation from Jim’s latest instructions, at least for starters

For the first 6 weeks I’ll be doing

  • Incline
  • Squats
  • Ohp
  • Front squats

in that order (probably), in a 351 setup, with fsl. Training maxes will be at 85%, for all, other that front squats. So

  • Incline: 85 kg / 187 lbs
  • Squats: 135 kg / 297 lbs
  • Ohp: 63 kg / 139 lbs
  • Front squats: 95 kg / 209 lbs

The gym I will soon be attending has plates not appropriate for deadlifting, so I had 2 ways to go. Rdls or more squatting. Since I care about squatting much more, front squats instead of deadlifts it is, and we’ll see how that goes.

Now, on the deviation part.

Instead of doing full body style accessories, I will approach this as an upper - lower setup, with only the back receiving higher frequency.

From there, I will keep reading Jim’s work, and adjust my training as needed

Nutrition wise, after getting back in my home town, in 3 weeks give or take, I will probably start a cut, aiming for a 90 kg bw

No conditioning either for the time being, although I do realize it is a big part of the latest 531’s recommendation, as well as of having a good life in general, so it will be added sooner than later.

That is probably all for now. Thanks for stopping by :slightly_smiling_face:

4 Likes
2

Nice, will be following along.

I think this is smart since you’ll be doing a front squat and a squat day already. Cody Lefever (GZCL) is more popular in the Reddit lifting-sphere than on T-Nation, but he advocates for back work on every lifting day in some of his programs. Ran one awhile back and had a lot of success with that approach.

1 Like
3

can you clarify this point ? what type of plate is not appropriate ?

3 Likes
4

I’m going to guess he means no bumper plates.

3 Likes
5

Dont need bumper plates to deadlift, and if the gym doesn’t allow you to make noise when deadlifting then just substitute with an RDL or find another gym .

4 Likes
7

I actually prefer going without bumper plates personally. Unusual but those rubber hex plates are my favorite to deadlift with for some reason.

But some gyms do disallow deadlifts without bumpers, and I agree that’s not a gym you want to be at, even if you don’t deadlift.

2 Likes
8

Should have said “plates and barbell”

  • plates have pretty small diameter
  • the hole of the plate is slightly larger than the diameter of the bar, so when they hit the ground they jiggle around
9

So you could do RDL’s then.

10

Maybe I’ll go that route if the 2 squat variations do not work out for me

1 Like
11

Cycle 1 starts

Cycle 1 - Week 1 - Incline press - Physique gym - 27/8/2024

Incline bench press
60 kg x 3
68 kg x 3
76 kg x 8
60 kg x 5 ss 3 pullups
60 kg x 5 ss 2 pullups
60 kg x 5 ss 3 chinups
60 kg x 5 ss 3 pullups
60 kg x 5 ss 3 chinups

Hammer decline press
2 sets ss 2, 2 pullups

Dumbbell side laterals
9 kg x 10 ss 2 pullups
9 kg x 9 ss 2 chinups

Cyber eagle incline pull
2 sets

Rope cable pushdowns
3 sets

First off, really glad for how this went. A few days ago, when I was trying to decide between rdls and front squats as a main movement, I pulled an 1rm rdls. Due to me having not pulled for ages, as well as some form breakdown, I ended up with a ton of nerve pain and stiffness on my lower back. Being able to bench without issues was a win

On another note, fsl with not too much rest, and a big focus on bar speed was harder than I thought

2 Likes
12

Cycle 1 - Week 1 - Squat day - Physique gym - 28/8/2024

Still some nerve pain left, so no squatting today. Training made me feel better, to the point where it almost felt healed though

Leg extensions
59 kg x 14, 11, 9

Lying leg curls
45 kg x 8
36 kg x 10

Seated leg curls
49.5 kg x 8 + partials

Belt squats
40 kg x 15
80 kg x 8
90 kg x 5

Hip thrust machine
3 sets

Seated V grip cable rows
1 set
Was irritating my back a bit

High rows
2 sets

Dumbbell curls
3 sets

2 Likes
13

Cycle 1 - Week 1 - Ohp day - Physique gym - 30/8/2024

Ohp
44 kg x 3
50 kg x 3
56 kg x 8 pretty happy with this one. Close to a plate per side for reps.
44 kg x 5 ss 4 pullups
44 kg x 5 ss 4 pullups with rotating grips
44 kg x 5 ss 3 pullups
44 kg x 5 ss 3 chinups
44 kg x 5 ss 3 pullups with rotating grips

Hammer decline press
3 sets ss 2, 2, 2 pullups

Cable crossovers
2 sets ss 2, 2 chinups

Cable pushdowns
3 sets

Cybex eagle incline pull
2 sets

I really love the pullups between my working sets

2 Likes
14

Cycle 1 - Week 1 - Lower day - Physique gym - 31/8/2024

Technically it would have been a front squat day, but until the nerve pain goes completely away, or I at least get the ok from a doctor, I don’t wanna irritate it

Leg extensions
59 kg x 12, 11, 10 or 11

Seated leg curls
58.5 kg x 9, 6
40.5 kg x 10 + partials

Belt squats
80 kg x 10
100 kg x 6
40 kg x 20

Wide parallel grip rows
3 sets

Dumbbell bicep curls
3 sets

1 Like
15

Cycle 1 - Week 2 - Incline bench - Physique gym - 3/9/2024

Incline bench press
55 kg x 5
64 kg x 5
73 kg x 5
55 kg x 5 x 5 ss 3 x 5 pullups

Flat hammer press
2 sets ss 3, 2 pullups

High incline hammer press
2 sets

Wide grip pulldowns
2 sets

Rope pushdowns ss dumbbell side laterals
3 sets

2 Likes
16

Cycle 1 - Week 2 - Legs - Physique gym - 4/9/2024

Leg extensions
68 kg x 8, 7, 7, 7

Good girls
3 sets

Seated leg curls
3 sets

Hip thrusts
3 sets

Ab machine
3 sets

Seated cable rows
3 sets

My lower back nerve felt weird, so no squatting. Returning to my home town in a few days, so gonna have it checked out.

On another note, many people online talk about getting your life in order. What is not so much talked about (and it makes sense why), is how when you do, time seems to fly so fast. I used to talk about training with my friends for hours upon hours at 18, now I usually copy and paste my workouts from my phone’s notepad in here, and forget them, until the next one comes around

Not complaining, I enjoy what I do. Just an observation. Maybe I’ll even end up managing my time even better through such observations. Who knows

1 Like
17

Cycle 1 - Week 2 - Ohp day - Physique gym - 7/9/2024

Ohp
41 kg x 5
47 kg x 5
54 kg x 5
41 kg x 5 x 5 ss 3 x 5 pullups
Although the negative was slow and the touch controlled, forgot to pause.

Hammer flat press
3 sets ss 3, 3, 2

Incline high hammer press
2 sets

Cybex eagle incline pull
2 sets

Cable.pushdowns
3 sets

Dumbbell side laterals
2 sets

I really like all the pullup volume between sets. Hopefully it will pay off too. Even if not much size-wise, I will definitely get better at the movement itself

1 Like
18

Cycle 1 - Week 3 - Incline bench press day - Home gym + Dal gym - 10/9/2024

Incline bench press
70 kg x 5 (instead of 65 kg, cause I loaded the wrong plates)
72.5 kg x 3
80 kg x 8 INCREDIBLY HAPPY WITH THIS ONE
65 kg x 5 x 5 ss 3 x 5 pullups

Pushups with grips
3 sets ss 4, 3, 3 pullups

Cable pulldowns
3 sets

Cable pushdowns ss dumbbell side laterals
3 sets each

3 Likes
19

Cycle 1 - Week 3 - Lower day - Dal gym - 11/9/2024

Lying leg curls
4 sets

Good girls
2 sets

Good mornings
15 kg x 25 x 3

Leg extensions
4 sets

Seated cable rows
2 sets

Standing cable curls
3 sets

1 Like
20

Cycle 1 - Week 3 - Ohp day - Home gym - 13/9/2024

Ohp
45 kg x 5
50 kg x 3
57.5 kg x 8
45 kg x 5 x 5

Pullups
Bw x 6, 5, 3, 3, 3
Reverse orange band x 4

Pushups with grips
2 sets

1 Like
21

Cycle 1 - Week 3 - Lower, back and bis - Dal gym - 12/9/2024

Did not keep track of it

1 Like