In which case your TM is too high. With a well set TM you should be getting around 10 on your plus set in fives week.
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Gotcha. I’ll fix it.
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I didn’t realize my numbers were too heavy still so I’m just gonna have to tweak it some more. I’ve been seeing some of Wendlers stuff that has what you’re talking about so I’m probably going to use some of those templates as well.
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Saw this and thought of you
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@MarkKO I’ll get there eventually lol. I feel 405lbs coming soon so I’m getting excited lol
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after my most recent training session, the following 4 days up until today have just been me romping and playing around with friends and my husband. Much like I did when I was a kid.
Day one was hiking through some woodsy areas a bit up north from our city for the entire day. Got there at 7ish, hiked until around 8:30ish. Did some sight seeing, few inappropriate things, few “illegal” things, and then returned back.
Day two was basketball, and capture the flag.
Day three was a rough game of tackle-on-sight “freeze tag” with hubby and some classmates. And then basketball with my husbands little brother.
Day four was 4th of July, so I just did some errands, and worked on mobility and walked 3 miles that morning.
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LOG # 134
Deadlift
115x5
143x5
173x3
199x3
229x3
259x3
Assistance:
Back squat:
219lbs 5x10
Hanging leg raises
5x10
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LOG # 135
Bench
75x5
93x5
115x3
135x3
149x3
165x3
Assistance:
Wide grip bench:
95lbs 5x10
Secondary:
Triceps pushdown:
30lbs 3x10
Compound rows:
100lbs 5x10
Facepulls:
40lbs 3x10
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Okaaaayy, update wise I’ve taken break from measuring myself because for one, I keep forgetting, and for two, the mirror seems to be showing me decent progress.
The scale is being weird, but I do take it into account since I weight myself twice a day. My morning weight is now resting around 205 pounds. And that is after I’ve peed and whatever else. The mirror and my clothes say I’ve lost some fat around the areas I need most. Mostly all my jeans and sweatpants feel looser around the waist bands. Butt, legs, biceps, chest and forearms on the other hand get quite a bit of stimulation from workouts so they never really seem different. After a days worth of eating the scale tips up to 208, but it’s expected. Waist measurement is at 30.5 in the mornings, been itching to test my maxes but I’ll be patient.
Daily calories sit at around 3,060. Feels like not enough food, but eating bacon, eggs, veggies, fruits, fish, granola, trail mix, cheese, water, rice, and sweet potatoes all day every day is way better than stacking up 3,000+ calories from jack in the box or wataburger. I am hungry throughout the day, but it’s not something to gripe about so I’ll deal.
That’s about it.
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On a funny note, while popping fireworks, I had been under the influence during the whole party, managed to stuff a giant artillery shell upside down into the stand thingy, and then light it. Whole thing blew up at the base, with me standing directly over it. Had fun nonetheless, but everyone was so confused as to how I could almost ignite myself on fire lol.
Got a nice souvenir too lol
Outer casings burned right through the shirt immediately lol.
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LOG # 136
Squat
125x5
155x5
189x3
219x3
249x3
279x3
Assistance:
Sumo deadlifts: 200lbs 5x10 (aggravated my sciatica…nice job Franklin).
Secondary:
hanging leg raises 5x10
Back extensions: 130lbs 5x10
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General life update:
Been doing better emotionally. I had to silence whatever “captain a ***” complex I’ve slowly been developing because: 1) it’s not my place to save everybody, and 2) I have my own person to fix on and better.
Going to talk to a few people and start shadowing some doctors around for my career. Going to be a mix of some psych doctors, and medical doctors.
On the flip side of just basic encounters with my family and people in general, I immediately analyze people. Unbiased of course, it’s like I immediately jump into the “walk a mile in my shoes”, view points, problem with this, it keeps me from actually engaging with others. Most times I just end up staring at people, and nodding. Not exactly sure what to call this in text book terms, and I’m not going to slap a definition on it either. What’s even more melancholy about this, is that there really isn’t any good or bad feelings about this on my behalf. I suppose this could be characterized as me settling into what I’m meant to do. Career wise.
Going back to me intrapersonally, I had a hefty month’s worth of self-conviction, and humility and giant realization of a ton of things which has thrown me into a ping pong game of me being completely silent, or me being creepily nice to everyone. Doesn’t bother me in particular, but I am conscious of it.
Apologies if this post has a depressing tone to it, it’s not meant to be, but I’ve slammed into a realm of peace in my life, that I’ve always been running after and realized recently that all I had to do was just stand still for a bit.
Training and diet wise I’ve finally slipped into the “boring” aspects of it, and I’m more relieved than anything else.
knew it was coming but I had no idea when. I know I haven’t been training long (not even two years, more like a year and 6-7months), but in my honest opinion it’s almost painfully easy to absorb info and then incorporate it into your training. For me personally, it’s just a matter of actually following through physically.
I must say I’m glad though. I’m glad for the time being everything training and diet wise has been flowing smoothly. It’s allowed me to balance other aspects of my life accordingly.
Diet wise: shove 3,060 calories worth of actually healthy food into mouth, sleep like nobody’s business, and parade around like the happy go lucky kid I still am.
Training wise: Get my butt handed to me in the gym every single time I show up, cry a little bit inside, get an insane pump, adjust my log accordingly, and then wake up and do it again.
As mundane as what I just typed sounds, I now see how and why people get to their goals. It’s a day in and day out thing, and while every plate of scrambled eggs, strip of bacon, or price of chicken starts to look the same, what I see in the mirror assures me that’s perfectly okay. For me personally, I’m the type of person that has to simultaneously see the big picture, but also had to notice the small steps it took for me to be able to see the bigger picture.
Been itching to test my maxes out and have videos to share with you all, but patience first.
However I did manage to come across some of my old photos of when I first started working out, and a photo of when I was at my lowest weight of 88 pounds. So as embarrassed and shy as I am about sharing progress photos here I go:
First one: 88lbs. It is hard to get a good view of it, but hopefully you can make it my legs at least. I found this picture on a forum I regularly posted on during my entire highschool career. Those girls were so sweet to me, but at the same time they enabled me to progressively get sicker. When I told them I was leaving for good, they all wished me fairwell. So there’s that.
After rehab and hospitalization…blah blah blah, this was when I first stepped foot into the gym at 148pounds. Before then all I did was swim for my school and take walks.
Nothing spectacular, but I was finally at a healthy weight to function.
Then the first few months I just started out with HIIT workouts and swimming:
Lingering around 150-160ish
Fast forward some months, after running a basic 5x5 full body program with BB type assistance.
And during this time I slowly creept up from 160-180ish range, and trained 5 days out of the week and three a fit if I didn’t.
Going up to most recently, and me switching to powerlifting/strength training, this is really the only photos I have of me clothed. I’ve gotten into the habit of taking photos of myself pretty much naked, just to clearly see what needs to be worked on, but future progress photos of me now are still coming (with an appropriate amount of clothing).
Most recent ones:
These are all of me after breaking the 190-200 barrier. Noticeably bigger. This is when my goals shifted to strength gains while maintaining fat gains as well. Last one was approx. around Father’s Day so not too long ago.
I’ve never been ripped. Only dealthy skinny, or basketball round. So I enjoy being strong now. Heck of a lot more rewarding. Although one day I will challenge myself to see how close I can get to ripped.
So that’s my progress in all it’s entirety. Lifts wise you guys all see what I post so it’s self explanatory. I just wanted to or some pictures with the words I log here, and give another general update.
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Got some new shoes. Well my mom got them for me. They didn’t have anything in Black, and I suck at keeping white shoes clean. But I immediately want to try these out as squat shoes. Velcro makes it easy access, but tight enough to support my feet. I’m not going to tell my mom about me using them for training because she will throw a fit. Plus my high top DCs I squat in are falling apart.
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LOG # 137
Bench
Warm-up: rotator movements, leisurely stretch, bar pressx20
75x5
95x5
113x3
139x5
159x3
179x1
Assistance:
My shoulder was feeling funky after the main set, and I tried incline bench, but it was irritating it Elmore so just opted for dumbells.
40s 5x10, flat bench
Secondary:
BB rows: 100lbs 5x10
Triceps pushdown: 60lbs 3x10
Volume for squatting:
Using 135lbs
5x12 (super narrow stance)
4x8 (ultra wide stance)
3x10 (low bar, powerlifting stance I usually set up with)
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Here’s my form on the super narrow stance. Got a bit shaky at the end because that was the last set.
I realize almost any squat stance feels good to me, although I prefer my usual middle semi wide stance because powerlifting lol. I also measured my torso length wise, (again) and then from my hips to my knees just to see the ratio, and I thought I had proportions similar to taller people who have longer femurs, and shorter torsos, but my torso is actually about an inch longer than my femurs…and I’m painfully short. So yay me. On any given day when I look at my pictures I swear up and down the opposite is true, but it’s just my chest in the way.
I’ve also been thinking about a breast reduction lately. But I’ve also taken into consideration that they aren’t causing me any back problems. Only problem I still have with my back sometimes came from my injury.
My main reasons are because they add damn near 15 extra pounds of mass to my overall weight, and they make up a decent chunk of my overall body fat percentage. To an extent it really isn’t something I should be worried about, which I’m not, but it is also something I think about regularly. They fill out well fitted shirts to the point where if I flex my chest, or put my shoulders back I hear the fabric rip. Plus I have to custom order sports bras (which actually makes me feel kind of speacial lol).
On the plus side…boobs. Duh lol. Running, jumping, BB rows, and C&Js are always weird because they just bounce everywhere even with extra stability.
But this is just something I’m considering. At the same time I’m thankful I’m healthy, and have a decent physique so I should probably stop complaining.
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Read up on power leaks and I’ve found some REALLY interesting stuff.
Power leaks are defined as (roughly summarized by myself)
A break somewhere along the kinetic chain (which refers to the body as a whole), that can lead to injuries, missed attempts when you could’ve hit them, or dumping undue stress on certain muscles/joints.
Some articles I scrolled through also refer to it as “following/driving through”. Which I also agree.
Common power leaks include but are not limited to:
•Bent elbows during deadlifting
•looseness while unracking the bar for squatting (particularly once the hip start to hinge for the squat itself)
•loose core when running (includes slouching)
•entirely relaxed upper body while swimming
•dipping pelvis while doing push-ups
•not tightening and driving through the legs while benching
•un-tight core during squatting as well
•improper hand placement during deadlifting (including a weak grip)
•not driving through your body during Oly lifts, or pressing (standing or sitting)
•dangling during pull-ups or even dips
These are just a few but there’s tons more.
Through personal experience this has always been an issue with me concerning benching. Ive missed attempts at 185, when on previous weeks I’ve hit 185 multiple times. I wasn’t tired or fatigued, and had worked up and warmed up properly. After analyzing myself I noticed a few things:
Scalps weren’t in my back pockets
Feet weren’t driving
Lower body completely relaxed
After fixing this within five mins or so I hit it.
This isn’t new info by any means, and I mainly wanted to jot down some notes I found for a personal reminder but if this helps anyone that’s also great. So if anyone is struggling, take into consideration that you may or may not be experiencing some power leaks, and aren’t actually weak. Sometimes a leak can be so small you don’t even notice it as well. I’ve also noticed this when deadlifting. Even the slightest movement or relaxation of my shoulders down to my finger tips cause me to struggle. Even if I get the weight up I always feel as though it could’ve moved a bit quicker/smoother.
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SICK PROGRESS!!! I have quad envy.
That close stance looked really natural to me.
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It felt nice too! It’s not completely optimal for me with something that’s on the heavy side (although it could be if I progress with that more), but I have this feeling it’s gonna help quite a bit with carryover on my other stance. Espeacially if I can cram some decent volume into it.
And I blame being short, and this weird fascination I had with wanting a bigger butt on why my quads are so big now. Lol
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My take on narrow(er) vs wider stance squats is: narrower is fast out of the hole, and feels great until a certain load (for me it’s around 70-80%) and above it feels horrible; wider is slower but steadier and feels the same no matter what load.
What I’ve had some success with in the past - and I’m about to use it again - is my normal wider stance up to and including my top set and any jokers, then narrow for backoff sets.
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I haven’t grasped the concept of joker sets just yet, but I’ve read up on them. And That’s a good plan to have. I’ve kind of done something like that, but not really. Usually I just do it after my main training stuff, just to get my hips used to squatting all kinds of ways. I always see Asian people squatting hella narrow with some serious poundage, and I wonder how much they could squat with a usual powerlifting setup.