Yeah, I’m feeling good, thanks man. I may continue like 15% stamp collecting, some of that stuff was pretty good.
My girlfriend said I should keep doing calf raises because my calves actually grew. From flamingo to ostrich size. Now I can skip the implants!
Also doing 1 arm stuff to hit lats is really good.
Matt Wenning and Kaz!
Danzig!
I picked a Josh Bryant routine from the Powerbuilding Basics book. It’s “primarily to build size.” it’s pretty bare bones, there are no guidelines for weight or progression, so no percentages or calculations. Just getting that special feeling in the muscles for X reps. It’s a body part split, which I’m looking forward to because upper/lower is getting played out.
My gf is on a deload week for her Bryant routine, since it’s a light/short week for her I’m going to feel my way through the first week with deload weights for quick workouts too.
Last night was pecs/front delts/biceps.
Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Press. I added a mini band to get more extension / triceps hopefully to help my shitty bench press lock-out.
Flies
Barbell front Delt raise
Barbell Curls
Incline Curls
Prone Iso Front Abs
Prone Iso Side Abs
8-29 Legs
Squat 5x5. I did SSB box squats on my just above parallel box.
Front Squat. 2 x10
One Leg Deadlift. 3 x4
Sidebend. 2 x8
Plate Twist. 2 x8
I added seated and standing calf raises.
On paper it wasn’t much but it felt right as I was in the gym. Light Weights felt like plenty. I must have been ready for the deload.
I think I’m going to do the front squats with reverse bands. I have a little trouble with bouncing and twisting at the bottom. I think slowing the bar down will let me keep tension on my legs and get some good work in.
8-30 Tris/Shoulders
Close Grip Bench. Pause 3 inches off chest. 2 x10
Overhead Press. 5 x5. I used machine for this.
Face pull. 3 x15
Decline Close Grip. 3 x15
Tricep Pushdowns. 5 x22. Cables taken so I used monster mini band hanging on power rack.
Hanging Leg Raise. 3 x8
Leg Raise off Bench. 3 x15
I was really clumsy on the paused close grip bench. It seems fun to add some chains to this exercise to emphasize steadily increasing tricep pressure. Like when the bar slows down at the top of the bench press. Instead of blasting then coasting at the top.
On the leg raises off the bench I was getting the same pain in my leg that reverse Hypers caused last week. Slight pain from the front of my hip down into the front of my shin when I raised my legs.
I’m starting to get excited for more intense non-deloaded workouts.
8-31 Hamstring Backs
Stiff Leg Deadlift. 5 x10
Speed Deadlift. 6 singles
1 Arm Rows. x15/10/6
Pull ups. 3 x4 reps
Barbell Shrugs. 3 x15
Planks.
Program called for defecit stiff deads off a 3 inch platform. My ROM isn’t that far yet. No platform and I was still inches above the floor.
I had a little front hip/leg tingle on the first few conventional deadlift singles. It went away as I got better set up by the end.
Pull ups were super low rep, 3 x4, so I tried to make them tough. Gironda style, with the little close grip neutral handle, leaning back trying to touch sternum to handle. I’ve got a couple inches to go to get all the way up there.
9-1 Saturday
Upper body “sled drag” with a 25 dumbbell and 2 tow straps. Step till straps are tight then do; high rows, medium rows, low rows. flies, overhead tricep extensions. Curls. Like 5 minutes worth. I was kinda sore and tired and it didn’t take much to make my poor muscles burn.
30 minute dog walk.
Not too much. I didn’t want to spoil my deload.
Now Its Football Time in Tennessee! The Volunteers are 9.5 'dogs to #17 West Virginia? On a neutral field? Hopefully the Vols with surprise everybody.
What program?
It’s called “Power Building Routine #24” from one of Josh Bryant’s old books. Nothing super detailed or long term. But it fit my schedule and included close grip bench press and stiff leg deadlifts, which are 2 lifts I wanted to work on.
9-2
Some band leg curls laying on the floor.
9-3 Chest/Front Delt/Bicep
Warm up stuff
Dumbbell Shrug on Incline Bench x2
Y - Raise with dumbbells, standing up x2
Wide Grip Pulldowns x2
Hammer Curls x2
Work
Bench Press
105 x10
135 x2 x10
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press + Mini Band
40 x10
45 x10
Pec Deck
3 x12
Barbell Front Raise
EZ Curl Bar +30 x6 x3 sets
Barbell Curls
65 x12 x 4 sets
Spider Curls
65 x10 x 3 sets
Pulldowns and bench felt good with wide grip, elbows out, touching a little higher on chest. They both felt so tight and stable I went light and tried to stay in that groove.
Program said incline curls but everybody was curling dumbbells. I did spider curls (hanging off an incline bench) instead. I never tried them before, they were kinda cool. Heavier at the bottom than a standing barbell curl. It really felt more like a “strength move,” whatever that means.
Also did the Plank Series twice at the end. I used the clock to hit my 10 seconds in each position for the first time. I think I was doing pretty well counting in my head, maybe just cutting a couple seconds off the end.
9-4 Quad Legs
A few leg extensions, more leg curls. Some high knees and sideways band walks.
SSB Box Squat
115 x15
155 x10
205 x5,5,5,5,7
Front Squat
95 x10
115 x10
125 x10
Single Leg Deadlift
Double 25 kbs x6
Double 30 kbs x4 x 3 sets
Seated Calves
2 count pause at top and bottom, 2 light sets to focus on stretch. Then 3 x16
Sidebends
55 kb x8 x 2 sets each side
Plate Twists
25 x8 x 2 sets each side
Standing Calves
3 x16. Steady motion, no pause but no bounce.
Wednesday
Band shoulder stuff.
Thursday
Band Leg Curls
9-7 Hamstring Back
Stiff Leg Deadlift
135 x10
185 x10
205 x10
215 x10 x3 sets
Conventional Deadlift
8 or 10 singles up to 255. Snuck a couple doubles in there.
1 Arm Dumbbell Row
60 x15
70 x10
80 x8
70 x10
Gironda Chins
3 x4 reps
Barbell Shrug, wide grip
95 x15
145 x15
165 x15
165 x15. Had to bring the grip in a little on this set.
Planks with 2 legs.
Sprinkled in Calf Raises, 4 sets seated, 3 sets standing. Used narrow feet.
ROM increasing on stiff leg deads. Gironda Chins are cool but hard. I was able to pull like one slow motion inch farther at the top than last time. Dumbbell Rows and shrugs felt tighter. I’m trying to avoid rushing the weights and emphasise feeling muscles more.
We missed the gym Thursday, will make it up this evening.
9-8 Triceps and Shoulders.
Close Grip Bench, Pause 3inches off chest
95 x10
135 x10
150 x10, 10
Seated Overhead Press Machine
2 x10
5 x5. Up to a 35 plate for a couple sets.
Cable Face Pulls
4 x15, mixed in with overhead press
Decline Close Grip
115 x15
135 x15, 15
Cable Tricep Pushdowns, Double D Handles
5 x22. Used different hand positions, didn’t get to 22 reps a couple times.
Way easier to keep tension on triceps and push smoothly than last week. I’m really trying to keep elbows out and wrists straight, especially the right. In the past right elbow has been too tucked, dropped straight down(like below the bench) making the shoulder go through extra ROM. Causing right side to drop, uneven extension, messing up lockout. Doing it right today felt less weird.
This is like an advertisement for floor press.
This is a sorta boring video of Mike O Hearn and Stan Efferding Doing a speed bench workout with Matt Wenning.
1:15 or so they do some nice dumbbell inclines. Real tight, elbows out and not dropping too low.
2:15. Some nice pulldowns. Again, elbows out, tight, not going far below shoulders.
10:15. Max reps. Elbows out and not going to far below shoulders. Tightness. Real nice.
9-9 Football Workout
Concussion Prevention
Neck Flexion 3x20
Neck Extension 3 x20
Side Necks 2 x15
Done in a cool loop
Hamstring PreHab
Laying Ankle Weight Leg Curls 3 x50
Stretch Hip Flexor 3 times between sets
I’m ready if the Steelers call.
9-10
Band Rotation Shoulder Stuff x a bunch
Band Tricep Pushdowns 2 x75
Just sneaking a little extra work in.
9-10 Leg Squats
2 inch Cambered Bar Box Squat
95x15
135 x12
185 x7
195 x5
205 x5
215 x5, 5, 5
I was the 3rd guy squatting tonight. One guy grabbed the SSB when I did some warming up leg curls so I had to use the Cambered bar instead. Different bar so I lowered the box height again. 3 adjacent power racks, 3 dudes squatting, all wearing red shirts and black shorts. A few times we were all doing sets at the same time.
Front Squat
65 x10
115 x10
125x10
Had to use the 65 pound squat bar in the mono for these. Stiff Bar! Puss weight but these felt good.
Single Leg Deadlift
Double 25 kb x4
Double 30 kb x4, 5, 6
Sidebends x3 sets
Plate Twists x3 sets
Seated Calf Raises x4 sets
Standing Calf Raises x 3 sets
September 11th -18
Warm up bonus junk
Dumbbell Shrug, Face Down on Incline Bench x15, then a few rows
Standing - T -Y -I Raises with tiny dumbbells x8 with holds at top
Wide Grip Pulldowns to Front x15 hold at bottom
Official stuff
Bench Press
65 x10
115 x10
135 x10
155 x10, 10
Dumbbell Incline Press + Mini Band
35 x10
45 x10
50 x10, 10
Pec Deck, Hands on Elbow Pads
1 set to get proper seat height and hand position
3 x12
Barbell Front Raise (EZ Curl Bar)
+20 x8
+30 x6, 7, 8
Barbell Curls
65 x12
75 x12
85 x12, 12, 12
Spider Curl with Barbell
55 x10
65 x10, 10, 12
Plank Series x2
-Curls
I haven’t put much thought into curls for awhile. They sometimes irritate my shoulder, and without noticing i developed a pretty narrow grip. Which is probably why curls have sucked, become boring and bothered my shoulder. Vicious Cycle.
I started messing with them more and it’s been a useful change. Yesterday I did some sets wide, hands out against the rings on the Texas Bar. This kinda pushed my elbows into my sides and felt new and nice. I tried to go “medium” width and realised that grip was actually shoulder width. “Regular” grip was pretty close with elbows just barely turned out. By far the least cool and least natural of the grips.
Spider Curls were fun too. It felt natural to lift the elbows at the top and bring the bar up in front of my face. Like old school body builder style. ROM so far.
I think I let the Negative Nancy s who don’t like curls influence me for awhile there. But that was silly. Look how fun they are.
9-12
Neck Flexion 3 x20
Neck Extension 3 x20
Side Neck 2 x20
Loops
Laying Leg Curl with Ankle Weights x85, 65
Standing Leg Curl with Ankle Weight x50
The Sternocleidomastiod Song
9-13 Back/Hams
Single Arm Pulldowns and 45 Back raises to get lats/glutes x 10 or 12 x 2 sets each
Stiff Leg Deadlift
135 x10
185 x10
195 x10
205 x10
215 x10
225 x10
205 x10
Conventional Deadlift
225 x2 x5 sets
Really focused on locking the lats in to keep back straight and not round upper back over.
Step 1: Push arms down as low as possible, making the long.
Step 2: Once the bar is in hand, turn elbows towards the rear.
I kinda forgot about those for awhile. I think I’ve been slumping down to the bar and leaning over like a douche.
Dumbbell Row
65 x15
75 x10
85 x8, 8
These felt really stable and squared up after the deads.
Gironda Chins
4 x4 “reps.” Still not getting sternum to handle.
Shrugs, Hold at top
95 x15
145 x15
165 x12
175 x12, 12
Used straps on last few sets to keep grip wide.
Great workout, everthing felt stronger than last week. I skipped abs.
9-14 Tri/Delt
Close Grip Bench, Pause 3inches off Chest
95 x10
135 x10
155 x10, 10
Plate Loaded Overhead Press Machine
2 sets of 10, then 5 sets of five, working upwards. I was able to use 45 pounds for the last couple sets. And to wrap my thumb around handle pain free, instead of using the false grip. Progress.
Face Pulls On Cable with Double D Handles
4 x15
Decline Close Grip
115 x15
135 x15
155 x15
Double D Cable Tricep Pushdowns
5 x20 ish
Hanging Knee Raise
3 x12
Leg Raise off Bench
2 x25