I’ve been working the farmer’s walks in here and there. I feel like they hit my traps almost as good as shrugs, which just feel awkward to me for some reason. Plus they fit into my full-body strength training ethos quite nicely.
If I had unlimited time I would do sauna and hot tub after every lifting session. It just feels great. My gym may have old equipment and tacky decor (as you can see in my videos), but I really like it. At $300 per year I think it is a steal, especially with an indoor pool, hot tub, cold tub and sauna. Those are especially nice things to have access to during a Maine winter. Old weights are just as heavy as new weights, they have everything I need and the convenience factor is hard to overlook, as it is a 2 minute drive from my office.
All it is missing is more strong guys who workout when I do.
[quote]twojarslave wrote:
Got a little light-headed on the 3rd rep of the last set. I took that as a sign to rack the bar and squat another day. 315 work sets again next week.
[/quote]
Nothing wrong with this at your current stage. Not that I object to hard work, but for guys that are just working out for health and/or vanity reasons, there is NOTHING wrong with deciding to rack it and fight another day after a rep that feels like a real grinder. Maybe one day you’ll be “ready” for that if you’re training for a PL meet, but for now, live to fight that next workout
The light-headedness was the same feeling I get after I push my limits on a set of heavy deadlifts. It passes after a minute. This is the first time it has happened on squats, but this is also the first time I’ve done a solid group of work sets at 315. I don’t think I ever did more than one set of five at that weight before playing it safe and dialing it back to 295 or 275.
My theory is that my squat form is just now getting passable enough to allow me to actually approach my current physical and mental limits. Prior to improving my form I would usually stop due to discomfort in my knees or back, not necessarily because I had reached my capacity for work.
I am digging it.
The big challenge for me is outside of the weight room. I need to navigate the pitfalls of playoff hockey in the coming weeks and months, as my team is poised to make another long run. We don’t have cable, so we need to go to our neighborhood bar if we want to watch the game. It is a lot of fun and a great place to watch the game, but it obviously puts me in a position to fail on my diet goals.
I’m not sure if I am going to give myself a pass on drinking beer during the week. This may be worth it. Game 3 of BOS/DET is tonight. Go Bruins!
So I had some beers last night during an awesome game 3 wherein the Bruins dominated Detroit. I managed to make otherwise good diet choices. I also didn’t get as much work in today as I had planned, but that is just fine because my friend and neighbor, also present and drinking beer with me during game 3, asked me if he could come work out with me. I’ll have to put jjackkrash’s sadistic EMOM deadlift workout on hold for now while I bring my friend and neighbor (and hopefully soon-to-be lifting partner) under my tutelage.
The lesson here is that abandoning your diet plan and having some beers on a Tuesday night is always a good idea.
His first go-round with a barbell went great and I’m very excited for him. He has a lot of untapped potential. I’m also excited for me, as I’d really like a reliable lifting partner. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Deadlift
135x8
225x5
315x5
405x5
Overhead Press
125x5
145x5
165x5
165x5
165x5
I was supposed to be doing 175 work sets this week, but I was not paying attention to my plates until I finished the last set. I congratulated myself on how I manhandled 5 pounds more than I did last week with such ease, then realized that I actually did 5 pounds less than I did last week.
[quote]twojarslave wrote:
I was supposed to be doing 175 work sets this week, but I was not paying attention to my plates until I finished the last set. I congratulated myself on how I manhandled 5 pounds more than I did last week with such ease, then realized that I actually did 5 pounds less than I did last week.
[/quote]
LOL. Happens sometimes. It’s nothing to worry about that much. In the long run, there isn’t much difference in doing 165x5 vs. 175x5 in a single workout. Just add those plates next week
Today was the second workout for my friend. He is doing very well and embracing the challenge of compound lifts. He is very focused on the motions and very unconcerned with poundage. He has already purchased a pair of Chucks and a 5 lb tub of protein. I have high hopes for him.
I did not feel strong today. I feel beat-up. I am going to take a break from lifting next week. This gives me a needed rest and an opportunity to focus on giving my friend a good leg-up into lifting without the distraction of trying to get my workout in.
I will swim some next week, and give my Yoga DVD a try. No weights other than lightweight demonstrations for my friend.
Nothing wrong with a little down week. You’ve been grinding at it pretty hard for awhile and I imagine you’ll return feeling even stronger next week. Staying in the weight room by helping your friend out as he gets started is a great idea. Kudos
I was planning on taking another day off from lifting, but I had an hour to kill between work and my buddy showing up for his second week with a barbell. I felt adequately rested with five days off, so I did some lifting with no real plan and had a little fun.
Squat
135x5
135x5
225x5
225x5
275x5
A strong-looking guy was there, so I asked him if he knew stuff about squatting. He watched a set of 135 and thought my knees were going too far forward with the form I have been using. The way he showed me seemed awkward, but I was able to keep my knees straighter. I felt like I was leaning too far forward in order to maintain balance while keeping my knees straighter, making the movement more like a good-morning. I’m not sure if strong guy at my gym today is right or if my established movement pattern is a better choice. I suppose I need to get my camerawoman back into the gym and get some work sets up for review from a good angle.
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
455x3
495x1
I tried something new on 405x5, which was to hold my big beer belly full of air and do touch-and-go for the whole set. It felt good and I was pretty freaking red by the end but I got all 5 without stopping for air. Prior to this point I would reset each rep at 405+ and draw air into my belly. I’m not sure which one I will stick with. This was also my first time pulling 455 for more than a single. 495 felt good. 545 will be mine very soon. Stong-looking guy said my work set of 315 looked good.
My friend showed up in time for my heavy single and thought it was pretty neat how the bar bends with five plates on each side. I think that’s neat too.
I spent the next hour working with my friend, but managed to get some other work in while he rested.
Standing DB overhead press
55x8
55x8
55x8
Wide grip pronated pullup
1
Medium grip pronated pullups
3
2
2
2
Wide grip pronated pullup
1
I think I need to keep doing sets of lat PD’s to get the work in, but I want to start transitioning to pullups. I started a thread about that last night.
Back to my regularly scheduled programming on Friday.
Front Squat work set PR. Haven’t tested 1RM on this lift. I may do that in the coming weeks. 240 next week.
Wide Grip Flat BP
135x5 - I felt that in my previously-strained left deltoid. No go the wide grip for me right now - ring finger on the smooth ring part of the barbell.
Close Grip BP
135x5
205x5
235x5
235x5
235x4
Romanian Deadlift
135x5
185x5
205x5
225x5
235x5
Work sets at 235 next week.
Bent Over Barbell Row
135x5
185x5
215x5
215x5
205x5
Bicep Dumbbell curls with elbow on incline bench
25x10
25x10
Pec Deck
100x15
100x15
Front Shoulder Raise
15x12
15x12
My buddy keeps showing up. He’s already getting stronger and doing very well with learning the movements. He has a great attitude.
I also made a BIG SCORE yesterday. I purchased a used weight set on Craigslist for $75. I think it is a Weider Pro 408. Included in the purchase was:
Flat and incline bench.
Squat Rack
Preacher Curl attachment
Leg Curl attachment
Olympic Barbell
300 lbs of plates
Another barbell that has threaded ends
Dumbbells with threaded ends
A hundred pounds or so of weight for the dumbbells and that threaded barbell that I will probably never use
The plates are all a bit rusty, but a vinegar bath, some steel wool and a rustoleum treatment ought to fix them right up. The bench and squat rack are in great condition and quite sturdy. I will continue going to my gym, but having a home option for snow days and such is very appealing to me. I have plenty of room in my basement. I just need to bolt it together and clean the plates up. Who knows, maybe I can even get the GF to pick up that barbell.
I’m very pleased with this find. Craigslist is great. Now to get some rubber flooring.
Great purchase. One of the great things about used plates and dumbbells is that it’s pretty hard to fuck them up; even if they’re a little rusty, that doesn’t really matter. Congrats on acquiring your own stuff
I’m living in an apartment, and thus lack the necessary space for a FULL setup, but just having some dumbbells and a kettlebell (all of which can be stashed under the couch) at home is nice for the ability to do light workouts when the gym is closed, or in the event of an early-morning flight, etc when one cannot reach the gym beforehand. My dad has a great setup at home, so whenever I’m ready to move into a house (in the next couple years depending on GF’s job status and whether a city move is required), he’s got an extra bar and plates for me whenever I’ve got the room for it.
Now that you’ve made the plunge and purchased your own stuff, I might recommend (personal preference here) looking for a kettlebell or two as well. A few sets of KB swings or goblet squats can be an excellent warmup for squat workouts, or a good “finisher” - which might be particularly useful since fat loss is one of your goals. Tacking 5 minutes of swings onto the end of a leg workout is a favorite way to sneak in some conditioning, and a few articles on this site have alluded to the use of KB swings as “finishers” for those seeking fat loss.
One final thought on your purchases: even the little threaded dumbbell handles and barbell might be useful to you. While the compounds are, of course, your principal focus, you might load the smaller barbell with a modest load (75-95 pounds) and use it for curls after your principal lift, or for light OHP/rows as a warmup on your bench days. As you alluded, perhaps your GF will be interested enough to pick it up and you can keep it loaded for her to do some deadlifts while you bench and vice versa.
In any case, congratulations on an excellent purchase and keep up the great work!
Ugly squatting. Poor focus. Knees hurt right now. I may suspend 5x5 on this exercise and go back to 225-275 and work on form for a few weeks. I need to get this right. I also need to get some video up for review.
Flat Bench Press
155x5
205x5
235x5
235x5
235x5
Work set PR. Ready for 240 next week.
Lat PD
210x8
210x8
210x10
Weighted situp
35x15
35x15
DB Incline Press
55x10
55x10
20 min sauna
10 min hot tub
5 laps in the pool, breast stroke
[quote]Derek542 wrote:
Question are you trying to drop BF, Scale Weight or just maintain and get stronger? [/quote]
Drop bodyfat is the goal, but I’m not exactly crushing it now. I’m going in the right direction, just VERY slowly. Clothes are a bit looser than they were a month ago, but not a LOT looser. I’ve been taking strength gains as a consolation prize.
I think it all boils down to diet execution. I’ve had success with using a food scale + myfitnesspal, eating in the 2,500 calorie ballpark with 200-250g protein as the stake in the ground with fat and carbs falling where they may around that.
What I have not had success with is consistently executing that diet day-in, day-out for more than 4 or 5 days at a time. There are three factors I have observed that drive that behavior.
I get REALLY hungry after lifting, especially on deadlift day. I let myself eat at these times and I eat clean when I do. Maybe an extra 200-400 calories over plan.
Hockey playoffs and beer. I’m a hockey nut and Bruins fan, but a cheapskate Luddite who doesn’t want cable in his house. The bar down the street is where I go to watch the games. Here I have beer and a very good time, as it is an awesome place to watch a hockey game. I also eat over my target on these days, but again stick to clean food. This has been 2-3 day per week behavior for the last few weeks.
Weekends. I basically suck at executing my diet on weekends. I don’t go crazy and eat all junk, I just eat some junk like a pizza or cheeseburger along with usually having some beers.
That’s why I’ve been getting stronger but not dropping fat very fast. I’m getting enough calories to drive strength gains and maintain weight but not shed fat consistently. The fat loss comes in short spurts of a pound here, a pound there, followed by periods of stagnation. This has been the case for roughly the last six months.
I’ve been following your log (Crossfit?) and you are definitely MUCH better at the whole fat dropping thing than I am.
