Monday 4/18/16
BW 284
Squat
135x5
225x5
315x5
365x5
405x3
315x10
Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder
5 sets of 30
Notes: Have the day off, kept things brief today.
Tuesday 4/19/16
BW 283
Bench Press
95x8
135x5
155x5
185x5
225x3
240x3
255x5
225x9
225x6
185x10
135x10
135x10
Supinated barbell Rows
135x10
4 sets of 185x10
Lateral raises
3 sets of 12
supersetted with band-pull-aparts
3 sets of many
Notes:
Not running 5/3/1 this week. Just lifting. My partner and I need to discuss goals and come up with a reasonable plan that works for both of us. That plan may be 5/3/1. For now we just lift.
I also tried some pull-ups today and was pleased to hit a set of 5 strict reps. I should do more of those.
Still following here mate.
Great news on the injury scare.
Those pullup numbers will continue to increase surely as you drop BW also. Any other diet changes other than no beer for you? (can’t bring myself to not have a few on weekends still)
Hey raven78. Great to hear from you man.
Eschewing alcohol has been the biggest change by far, but I still make adjustments where needed. I’ve had a decent, not great, but decent solid food diet for a few years now. I think I can call it “good” now. Meat, veggies, protein powder, eggs, nuts and a little bit of fruit here and there is where I’m getting most of my nutrition from.
Now I just monitor and adjust. This week I’m cutting out whole milk, hoping to see the other side of 280 sometime next week. I’ve still got plenty of room to dial things in as time goes by too. I’m confident that I’m finally doing things right, or at least close enough to lose quite a bit of fat and keep most of my muscle.
Otherwise I just lift, eat and sleep. My body seems to be taking care of the rest and each week I look a little bit more like the type of person who does what I do. My strength seems to be holding steady through this process, and I expect it shall continue to do so for quite a while.
I also switched shifts so I bounce on Saturdays, which is yet another mechanism that keeps me on a good trajectory. Giving myself no option to drink on a Saturday certainly limits my chances to cave and spending 5 or so hours on my feet all night doesn’t hurt the cause either.
At this point the biggest challenge is probably the logistics of healthy eating. Planning, prepping and cleaning is a significant demand on my time. I get it done, but working two jobs, doing volunteer work and living life fill up the rest pretty fast. When i do “cheat” it is because I just want to be lazy on my day off, not for any specific food cravings.
Thanks for following along and thanks for stopping in!
Thursday 5/21/16
BW 282
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x3
455x3
495x1
545x1
565x1
585xFAIL
405x10
Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder
5 sets of 20, resting while partner swings
Notes: 585 was pretty close, but not quite locked out. My partner got 545, which was technically a 40 pound PR for him. He’s done 475x11 and finished today with 405x15, so I’m sure he’s good for quite a bit more than 545.
I’m pleased to have no real deadlift strength drop off with 30 pounds gone. I was 310+ when I pulled 585, in addition to being much better rested than I was today.
Friday 4/22/16
BW 282
Press
95x8
115x5
135x5
155x5
165x4
135x10
Strict DB Press
3 sets of 42.5x10
Lat PD - Narrow Neutral grip
5 sets of 190x10
Facepulls
4 sets of 12
Curls 3 sets of 10
Cable Flyes
3 sets of 10
20 min sauna
5 min hot tub
Monday 4/25/16
BW 283
Squat
135x5
225x5
315x1
365x1
315x15
275x10
225x10
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
3 sets of 135x10
Kettlebell swings - 88 pounder
5 sets of 20
Notes: I think that’s a 5 rep PR for 315, and the definitely the highest reps I’ve pushed a squat set to recently. My partner hit 20, and I think I can too. I had plenty of strength to move the bar, but I wanted that thing off of my back. I need to want it to stay on my back for 5 more reps. I’ll try that again soon.
Today was the first time I’ve done SLDL’s, and I think I’ll stick with these for a while.
I am still lifting totally beltless. I just use rehband sleeves on squats and wrist wraps on pressing movements. My partner has not used his belt since he began lifting with me. We talked about starting to use them a bit today. I might spend the evening poking around online for one. It is time for me to get one, get it broken in and learn how to use it.
Tuesday 4/26/16
BW 283
Bench Press
95x8
135x5
185x5
225x5
250x6
225x8
185x10
135x10
95x25
Barbell Row Underhand Grip
135x10
4 sets of 185x10
Lateral Raises
5 sets of many
Band pull-aparts
Many sets of many
Hammer Curls
3 sets of many
Kettlebell Swing Finisher - 88 pounder
1 set of 50
Thursday 4/28/16
BW 281
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
455x5
495x4
Partner got 495x10 with his belt on, no straps. Very impressive set.
Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder
4 sets of 25 resting while partner swings.
That’s it.
Friday 4/29/16
BW 282
Press
95x8
115x5
135x5
145x8
135x7
115x7
95x8
Lat PD Wide Grip
5 sets of 190x10
supersetted with…
Cable Flyes
5 sets of 10
Facepulls
5 sets of 12-15
supersetted with…
Bicep Curls
5 sets of 10
20 min sauna
10 min hot tub
Monday 5/2/16
BW 282
Squat
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x3
405x1
455x1
475x1
315x7
225x10
SLDL
5 sets of 135x10
Kettlebell Swings - 88 pounder
3 sets of 20 resting while partner swings
Notes: 475 felt heavy so I stopped there. Last time I squatted that much I had tight knee wraps and was closer to 300lbs. Partner got an easy 500, a 45 lb PR for him.
Tuesday 5/3/16
BW 279.8
Bench Press
95x10
135x8
185x5
225x10
185x10
135x15
Supinated barbell rows
135x10
4 sets of 205x10
Curls and facepulls
5 sets of 10
Notes: I normally round my reported weight up to the nearest pound, but not today. First time seeing under 280 on a scale in a LONG time. I was about 282-ish when I first posted on T-Nation, which was the lightest I had been since deciding to do something about my condition.
I was also complimented today by the sexiest woman at my office, who hasn’t seen me in a few months. She said that I looked like I was built out of solid muscle. That’s obviously not true, but I think I will wear black more often.
Thursday 5/5/16
BW 280
Deadlift
135x10
225x3
315x3
405x3
455x3
495x6
Kettlebell swings - 88 pounder
5 sets of 30, resting while partner swings
Notes: 1 rep PR at 495, 2 rep PR for an un-strapped set. Partner got 10 and a bloody leg battle scar.
Friday 5/6/16
BW 280
Press
95x10
115x5
135x3
155x3
175x3
185x1
205xFAIL
205xFAIL
135x10
115x10
95x15
Pull-Ups
5
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
Curls
5 sets 10
supersetted with
band pull-aparts
bunchofem
Notes: Fuck it, I’m doing pullups now.
Tuesday 5/10/16
BW 279
Time for a deload week
Squat
135x5
225x5
275x5 all paused 2 sec
225x10
Barbell Rows
3 sets of 135x10
Bench Press
95x8
135x5
185x5
135x10
135x10
Pull Ups
5
3
3
3
2
It’s always a good day when sexy people offer compliments!
It is indeed, kpsnap! I shall continue the grind with hope for more in the future.
Thursday 5/12/16
BW 279
Deload week continued
Partner was late so I did some kettlebellery with the 50 pounder.
10 one-arm swings per side followed by 10 snatches per side.
20 swings followed by 10 one-arm swings per side
10 cleans per side
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
Clean + Press
95x5
115x5
135x5
Pull-ups
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Facepulls
5 sets of 12
Curls
3 sets of 10
Kettlebell finisher - 88 pounder
One set of 50
20 min sauna
Monday 5/16/16
BW 280
Squat
135x5
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x1
405x1
315x12
225x10
Stiff Leg DL
5 sets of 135x10
Kettlebell swings - 88 pounder
20
15
Notes: Not my best day. Lower back started feeling funky on the swings so I shut it down. Partner got 315x21.
I finally bought a belt. Now I need to wait 6 weeks for it to show up. I went with a single-prong 10mm from Best Belts. I can’t wait to throw it on and deadlift 600 just like that.
@emskee If you’re still on these forums I appreciate the suggestion all those months ago. They seem like a good American business and people like that are who I prefer to give my money to.
Who knows, maybe some day I will lift in real shoes, too. The Vibrams are starting to fall apart, smell and get a little slippery on squats. One step at a time, though.
Tuesday 5/17/16
BW 278
Bench Press
95x8
135x8
185x5
225x5
250x6
225x9
185x11
135x15
Supinated barbell rows
135x10
185x10
205x10
205x10
205x10
Face Pulls
5 sets of 10
Kettlebell Swing Finisher - 88 pounder
One set of 55
Banged out five pullups
Notes: Felt better today. Partner got 250x8.