400 Club tattoo, wow.
Well, at least you have some motivation. Don’t know if I would automatically assume bench, but I guess that is the default strength test people ask about. On the pec would have been badass and amusing.
^^^Haha, like I said, I was arrogant and young. And I look forward to the day I get to change that to a 5. Eventually one of these videos will be close enough that you can see it.
Monday
Didn’t plan on an abbreviated workout, but got in too late and had class right after. Worked up to 430 on squat, did 1, felt pretty good but I kept feeling like I was going to throw up. I mistimed my eating badly and just wasn’t in the right state to attempt 3. Was working in with someone on Trap DL and ran out of time, so didn’t even get a heavy set in. Big waste of a day because my own stupidity.
Tuesday
Front Squats
265x3, 300x3, 335x1.5 (VIDEO)
Gave cross-arm a try, and despite the fact that I dumped the second rep, I liked the way it felt on my legs and back better. This should just be a matter of getting used to the new position.
Bench
285x5, 335x4.5 (VID)
Front delts were fried and sore after front squat. I’m finally going to have to reorder my workouts, since I can’t keep doing this after a heavy compound lift and expect progress.
OH Tri Bar Ext
70x10, 120x10, 145x8
Low Trap Row
60x10, 75x10, 80x10
HS Shoulder Press
2PPSx25
No lockout til rep 20+. Felt OK.
Going to make this just an upper body day and move FS to Friday. Will probably still back squat on Fri but for 6+ reps.
335x1.5. Tips appreciated. The weight didn’t feel heavy, but I guess I didn’t stay upright enough. The shirt was pretty slick too.
335x4.5. It was tough to keep my arms from drifting back, kept having to readjust.
Thursday: Pull
Sumo DL
435x1, 470x3
Backed off a little today. Kept my form tight and quit early, but definitely had a 4th ugly rep if I had really wanted it. Today was about form.
Hang Snatch
Barx3, 95x3, 135x3, 155x3
Didn’t really hold the third, but got it up.
Narrow Pullup
BWx8, +25x8, +55x7
Decided after DL that it’s time for a full deload. I’m going to drop the weight for a week and do sets of 10, no max effort. All the cardio from officiating finally is catching up to me, so a deload with a week of big eating should fix me up. Can’t wait for the season to be over.
Sunday
BB Row
275x10, 315x8
Meadows Row
1PLATEx10, 2x8, 2+25x6, 3x5
Narrow Pullup
BWx8,8
Face-pull
130x10, 170x10
Shrugs
405x8
Definitely going to keep these when I go back to full speed…felt a lot heavier than it should have and seems to be an area that needs work.
Tough to get motivated for the gym on a deload week. Didn’t go Friday so I could rest my shoulder.
Monday
Squat
275x6, 315x10
You bodybuilding folk are fucking nuts…I was wheezing and struggling to get ten. Someday I’ll become a man and do 20. Did these beltless and without knee sleeves, and my abs and lower back were on fire by the end. Had plenty of strength left in the legs, though.
GHR
BWx8,8
HS V-squat
2PPSx8, 3PPSx6, 4PPSx4
Focused on TUT here, didn’t rest at the top.
Will add Trap DL back in next week when I’m not deloading.
Tuesday
Bench
255x6, 275x8
Not too happy about how I felt here. My shoulder flared up on a rep or two. Next week I’ll give pre-exhaust a shot and probably keep the reps high. If that doesn’t work, it’s back to decline.
OH Tri Bar Ext
70x10, 120x10
HS Low Press
2PPSx10, 3PPSx10, 4PPSx5
Liked this a lot. Don’t remember the name of the machine, but it mimicked a decline. This will be my pre-exhaust.
Low Trap Row
60x10, 75x10, 85x10
Prone Horiz Abd
5x10, 10x10
Tough to hold at the top with 10s, prob will be a girl and get the 7.5s for this.
Friday
Front Squat
225x5, 245x5, 275x5
Tried the “no-hands” tip…definitely improved, and I have the mark of the bar on my throat to prove it. I think I’ll stick with this style (hands clasped together as if I was praying) and stay with 5 reps. My quads were blasted compared to olympic style. 285 should be doable next week.
Reverse Hyper
Unloadedx8, +20x8,10
These are fucking fantastic. We had to rig the GHR to do them and a DB provided the load, but it was a great lift for the lower back. A definite keeper. Used a 3s down/3 up tempo for the first two sets, normal on the last.
Floor Press w/chains
185+40 in chains x5
235+40 x5
275+40 x5
Didn’t notice the effect of the chains until the last set (315? Felt like 415), but this was the best upper chest/shoulder workout I’ve done in years, and no shoulder pain to boot. Can’t believe I stopped doing these. All reps were paused.
Lat Raise
20x15,15, 25x15
And here is the proof I’ve been doing lat raises wrong for 10 years. The shoulder study I participated in really taught me how to deactivate my upper traps, so I applied that here and got the best delt workout I can remember. Will prob do these 2x a week from here on, and no shoulder pain here either.
Prone Horiz Abd
5x10,10
Loved this workout. Made for a nice segway back into heavy lifting, and I finally figured out how to effectively work my shoulders with no pain. To quote a great poet, “I gotta say it was a good day.”
Sunday
BB Row
275x10, 315x8, 355x7
Good reps. Didn’t use much english on the last set.
Strict Shrug
405x10, 425x7
Really trying to isolate these without having to turn it into a full body lift. I’ve done 495 easily in the past.
Meadows Row
1Platex10, 2x10, 3x10
Explosive Pullup
BWx13
I think that was it. Had to get this in in about 50 minutes.
Monday
Squat
345x3, 375x3, 405x1,4, 435x1
Olympic shoes FTMFW. Got them at the Arnold and they felt 1000x better than flat-soled or tennis shoes. Might have had 5 at 405, but wanted to go a little heavier so I held back. Can’t decide what rep range I want, so I’ll figure it out next week.
Trap DL
410x3, 480x3
Shoes kind of hurt me here, but I should adjust.
Clean
225x a bunch of singles and doubles
Was so excited about the shoes that I had to try them on cleans. Did a legit squat clean a few times, and the rest were power cleans.
GHR
BWx10, +20x10
Love the shoes, damn good workout. Quads are fried.
Tuesday
HS Bench Thing
1PPSx10, 2PPSx10, 3PPSx8, 4PPSx6
Didn’t go anywhere near failure since it was a pre-exhaust. Felt good.
Bench
285x5, 335x4.5
Stalled around the same point this time, but the reps were much more even. Shoulder didn’t hurt either, but I’m either going to go to 10 reps or decline, maybe both to protect it.
OH Tri Bar Ext
70x10, 120x10, 145x8,7
Added an extra set for a little more volume, may add one more next week.
Lat Raises
20x15, 25x15, 30x12,10,10
Prone Horiz Abd
5x10,10, 10x6
Was able to hold the 10s for 2s at the top this time.
Good workout, bench still needs some figuring out though…
Thursday
Conventional DL
405x2, 425x2, 455x2, 475x2
Played around with weight since I’ve never lifted DL with a heel. Loved the shoes, back felt OK. Now I feel like I’ve wasted a year with sumo. I’ll probably stick with this, but I want to progress slowly and work on my position more than anything.
OH Squat
115x1,3, 135x3
Narrow Pullup
BWx8, +25x8, +55x7, +90x3
Wide Face-pull
120x10, 150x10, 165x10
Prone Horiz Abd
5x10, 12
Need to take a video next week of DL to keep myself honest. If my back feels OK tomorrow I’ll consider this a great success.
Friday
Front Squat
225x5, 255x5, 285x4 (Vid)
I think I almost passed out from the bar choking me out.
Reverse Hyper
BWx10, +25x8,7
Floor Press
185+40 in chains x5
225+40 x5
285+40 x4
Narrowed my grip this time.
Lat Raises
20x15,15,15
30s rests.
Back felt great, so that was encouraging. May do all HS next week for chest.
285x4
Monday
Squat
345x3, 375x3, 415x4 (PR)
Felt really good and not at all hard to get depth. I think I’ll mainly stick with 4 reps but will indulge whatever else I feel like doing if the moment presents itself.
Squat Clean
185x a bunch of reps. Still trying to get the form down, but seems to be better when I go from the floor.
BB Row
275x10, 315x12, 315x10 (reverse grip)
PRs for the sets at 315. Missed my Sunday lift so threw these in.
GHR
BWx8, +20x12
Love the olympic shoes, not much more to say.
415x4
Tuesday
HS Bench Thing
1PPSx10, 2PPSx10, 3PPSx8, 4PPSx7
Paused NGB
275x3, 295x3, 315x3, 325x3
Muuuuuch better. Should be an adequate replacement for flat bench. Shoulder is no issue when I’m in the proper groove.
OH Tri Bar Ext
70x10, 120x10, 130x8, 140x8
NGB fatigued me and I wasn’t as strong on these today. Will add the 5th set next week.
Prone Horiz Abd
5x10, 10x7
With 2 sec pause at top.
Good workout…triceps were significantly more taxed than normal.
Thursday
Conv DL
425x2, 455x1, 475x1, 485x1
Head wasn’t in it today…too busy watching basketball on TV. Pulled 485 so I could get improvement in some sense. Legs didn’t want to cooperate either.
OH Squat
135x3, 155x3, 165x3 (PR)
Getting tough to get the weight overhead while fatigued. Prob time to start doing them in the power cages.
Weighted NG Pullup
BWx8, +25x8, +55x7, +90x4
Improvement. Had 8 at 55, but wanted 4 at 90 more.
Wide Seated FP
135x10, 165x12