Here’s the first PR with 265kg:
And here’s the butt-ugly attempt at 600lb:
19/10/11
Bench Presses
Bench Presses:
20x2x8
(Added doubled mini bands)
20x5
40x5
60x5
80x3
(All subsequent sets performed to a 2-board)
100x3
110x3
120x1
130xF
125xF
Dumbbell Bench Presses:
80lbx3x15
Dumbbell Rows (Paused):
50x10
60x10
70x10
75x8
Triceps Pushdowns w/Rope attachment:
3 sets
Seated Dumbbell ‘Power Cleans’:
30lbx3x12
I really should have taken a 5kg jump after the single with 120kg, but it had gone up so comfortably that I went straight to 130kg. That backfired spectacularly, and I found myself lying on the bench with the bar stapled to the boards. I dropped down to 125kg, but missed again as my set-up was pretty awful. Tried one last time, and almost got the rep, but I was pretty spent by this point, and the bands bit just a bit too hard for me. Assistance stuff went well though.
20/10/11
Squats
SSB Box Squats:
30x2x5
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
30x5
70x3
90x3x2
100x3x2
110x2
120x2
130x1
Good Mornings:
80x10
90x10
100x2x10
90x10
Glute/Ham Raises:
BWx15
BW 20x2x10
Ab Pulldowns:
120lbx12
130lbx12
140lbx8
22/10/11
Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
40x5
60x3x5
70x3x5
80x3x5
Pull-ups:
BWx6
BW 10x5
BW 15x5
BW 20x3
BW 25x3
BW 30x3
BWx11
Rolling Dumbbell Triceps Extensions:
40lbx12
45lbx12
45lbx2x10
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls:
45lbx10
40lbx2x10
Dumbbell Lateral Raises:
25lbx3x18
My training log has been a bit dull of late. A combination of a hectic work schedule, life getting in the way, and post-comp apathy regarding training in general has meant that I’ve been a little slack in writing proper log entries. I’ll try and rectify that from now on.
24/10/11
Deadlifts
Suspended Chain Cambered Bar Good Mornings:
30x2x5
70x2x5
90x5
100x3
110x3
120x3
130x3
140x1
150x1
Speed Deadlifts:
70x5
(Added quadded mini bands)
70x1
90x1
110x8x1
Reverse Hypers:
115x4x10
Pikes:
BWx3x10
I’ve maxed out on heavy deadlift variations for the last 3 weeks, so decided to do a bit of natural deload this week by switching up my exercise selection. Anyway, I’ve only done this good morning variation once before, and topped out at 130kg for a triple on that occasion. To match that today, and then go on to get 150kg, was pretty damn satisfying. I felt strong, the lift looked good, and I’ll post up a video when I get a chance to upload it. As for the deadlifts - they were pretty fast and my technique was good.
Edit: video added.
25/10/11
Bench Presses
Floor Presses (Paused):
20x2x8
40x5
60x5
80x3
90x3
100x3
110x3
120x1
115x2
127.5xF
Close Grip Bench Presses:
80x5
90x5
100x5
110x5
Ghetto Chest Supported Barbell Rows:
90x12
100x10
110x2x8
Triceps Pushdowns:
80lbx3x12
TRX Rear Delt Flyes:
BWx3x12
Spectacularly poor weight selection on a bench press variation, vol 23595825. Basically, I worked up to 120 and that felt pretty good. My PR is 125, and I wasn’t sure I could beat that, so my coach suggested aiming for a triple at 115, which would have been a rep PR. The first rep was propelled upwards like a rocket, but the second rep got a little out of line and was very tough. Annoyed at not getting a PR, I threw on some more weight, rationalising that my first reps had been good all evening and a PR was therefore a formality. It didn’t really work out that way, and I failed. Miserably.
Rescued the session somewhat with some decent close grip and assistance work.
27/10/11
Squats
Speed Box Squats:
20x2x5
(Added green bands)
20x5
60x3
80x2
100x10x2
SSB Good Mornings:
70x4x8
Glute/Ham Raises:
BWx15
BW+20x10
BW+25x6
Ab Pulldowns:
130lbx12
140lbx10
150lbx6
I passed my motorbike test today, and trained in the evening afterwards. Felt exhausted from a long day of riding, but managed to be awake enough to have a pretty decent session.
29/10/11
Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
(Added doubled mini bands)
20x5
40x5
60x3
70x8x3
Pull-ups:
BWx6
BWx8
BW 5x4x8
Dips:
BWx10
BW 10x10
BW 15x10
BW 20x8
Face Pulls:
120lbx3x10
Barbell Curls:
3 sets
those suspended GMs look nasty!!
nice training fella.
Cheers man. Suspended chain GMs are horrible, but damned effective (especially at building the glutes, not that I need that with my baboon arse).
31/10/11
Deadlifts
Deadlifts:
70x2x5
(Added quadded mini bands)
70x5
90x1
110x6x1
120x1
130x1
140x1
150x1
160x1
170x1
Kettlebell Swings:
32x12
40x12
Pikes:
BWx3x10
Nothing scary about Halloween training… I have a nasty virus at the moment which is sapping me of energy, so just went in, did some speed pulls (which were feeling great) so worked up to a heavy single and eventually equalled my PR. That took it out of me though, so I called it quits soon after.
02/11/11
Bench Presses
Reverse Band Bench Presses:
20x2x8
(Added reverse light bands)
60x5
80x5
100x5
120x5
140x3
150x3
160x1
170xF
165xF
Close Grip Bench Presses:
80x5
90x5
105x5
115xF
Ghetto Chest Supported Barbell Rows:
90x12
100x10
110x2x8
Triceps Pushdowns:
80lbx3x12
TRX Rear Delt Flyes:
BWx3x12
Still sick. Felt crap. Taking rest of the week off. Woe is me.
As you may have been able to decipher from some of my posts of late, my training has recently been fairly lacking in direction, and my focus has been away from the gym somewhat. With priorities elsewhere at the moment, I’m reverting to 5/3/1 for a third time to keep me ticking over. It will ensure I have a finite goal for every session, and means I can get into the gym, get some solid work in, and get out again. So, here we go again…
[u]Starting maxes:[/u]
Deadlift: 215kg (actual max: 240kg)
Bench Press: 125kg (actual max: 140kg)
Squat: 180kg (actual max: 200kg)
Press: 70kg (actual max: 77.5kg)
07/11/11
5/3/1 Mesocycle 1, Wave 1
Deadlifts:
60x2x5
100x5
120x5
140x5
162.5x5
182.5x6
(Estimated max: 219kg)
SSB Squats:
80x5x10
Reverse Hypers:
100x12
110x10
120x8
Pikes:
BWx2x10
The last time I did 5/3/1, I had real troubles with deadlifting for high reps. I won’t be chasing big reps in wave 1 (5s weeks) this time around, and shut it down after a pretty easy 6 today. I’ll keep my powder dry for big pulling sessions in the 3s weeks and 5/3/1 weeks.
interesting…best of luck with the new venture!
I think that is the right path to take with 5/3/1. This site is full of examples of guys who completely wreck themselves from constantly going after rep maxes on all the lifts all the time. All that will do is grind you down into a bloody paste.
Cheers Adam! And nov, couldn’t agree more. The last time I did 5/3/1 I felt like I had to go for rep PRs every session, and that destroyed me (especially deadlifting). I think I’m finally starting to learn when to back off a little, and when to really push it. He says, optimistically!
09/11/11
5/3/1 Mesocycle 1, Wave 1
Bench Presses:
20x2x8
60x2x5
85x5
95x5
107.5x9
(Estimated max: 139.8kg)
Dumbbell Incline Presses:
80lbx2x8
70lbx3x10
Ghetto Chest Supported Barbell Rows:
90x12
100x2x10
110x2x7
Fat Bar Curls:
40x3x10
Good session. Incline benching feels very odd - haven’t done it for ages.
11/11/11
5/3/1 Mesocycle 1, Wave 1
Squats:
20x2x5
60x2x5
100x5
120x5
135x5
152.5x8
(Estimated max: 193.1kg)
Good Mornings:
80x2x10
90x2x10
Glute/Ham Raises:
BWx15
BW 20x2x10
Ab Pulldowns:
130lbx12
140lbx10
150lbx6
Again, there were at least a couple more reps in the tank if I’d have really wanted to push it.