Friday: Random
Squats
345x3, 375x3, 405x1, 425x2(PR)
Good day. Didn’t get 3, but tough to complain after DL and 3.5 hours of cardio the night before. Will try this weight again Monday most likely.
Bench
225x6, 275x5, 315x5
Very slow negative, normal grip. Focused on squeezing the shoulderblades, didn’t feel any pain.
Face-pull
120, 160x20
HS V-squat
3PPSx10, 4PPSx10, 4PPS+25x7
Sunday: Rows
BB Row
275x10, 315x8, 345x7(PR), 275x12(Reverse-grip)
Concentrated on pulling back and down on the lighter sets, did what was natural on the heavier ones. This is much easier to do with a reverse-grip. Also, foam-rolling>>>belt.
DB Rows (2s hold at top)
60x10, 80x10, 100x10
Nothing hard about the weight, this was all about technique. It was much easier to do with my right arm, but the left one has trouble going through the proper plane of motion. I’ll be working on that for the next few weeks.
Narrow Pullup
BWx8,12
Pretty fatigued here, couldn’t do weighted pullups because the belt was broken.
Neutral FPs on Pulldown
90x12, 120x10, 150x10, 180x8
Same principal as other rows…back and down. May lighten the weight and do more reps as the form tends to break down easily.
Incline DB Curls
35x8,9,8
Monday: Legs
Squats
345x3, 375x3, 405x1, 425x2
Easier this time, not much of a grinder. Wasn’t quite ready to try 3 though…maybe Friday.
Trap DL
410x3, 460x8 (PR)
That’s all I got today. I got behind when I was ambushed by a massive shit, and I had class at 4. Looking forward to that 3rd rep at 425.
Tuesday: Random
Olympic Front Squats
265x3, 295x3, 330x2
Didn’t have much energy today, 2 was almost a max.
Bench
275x6, 315x7
Widened my grip today to see what it felt like. Lost tightness around 5 and felt a hair of pain, but readjusted and was fine. As long as I actively concentrate on squeezing my shoulderblades, I’m not getting any pain. Definitely won’t be benching Friday, though.
Low Trap Rows
60x10, 75x10x2 (12 with left arm)
Again, much easier to do correctly with my right arm…I’m sensing a theme here. Even if I don’t move up in weight, just doing these right should help my shoulder a lot.
OH Tri Bar Ext
120x10, 140x8
Better to ramp these. Much better form on 140 this time around.
Thursday: Pull
Sumo DL
430x1, 460x4.5
Motherfucking fuck. Felt great in warmups…really am pissed off for missing that 5th rep. I was about 3-4 inches from lockout, but I let the bar get out in front of me and just couldn’t finish. Technically it’s a PR, because I’ve never tried a 5th at 460 before.
Cleans
185xa lot of crappy reps
Working on technique, though I’m terrible in flat-soled shoes with these. Finally managed a squat clean on the last rep…just need more practice.
Wide Pullups
BWx8, +10x8, +20x8, +30x8
Didn’t have the grip to get any more reps or I would have.
EZ Curl
110x12
I’ll do OH squats tomorrow. Good day despite missing that 5th.
Friday: Random
Squats
345x3, 365x6
Back felt terrible today so kept it light. Sadly this will probably get me pretty sore.
GHR
BWx8, +25x8,10
DB Low-incline
95x12, 110x10, 115x8
Maybe not such a good idea to these, but felt like a great chest workout so I’m OK with it. Probably won’t make a habit of doing these, though…just too hard to keep my shoulder in the right position while I’m trying to get set.
Forgot about the OH squats…fuck.
Monday: Legs
Squats
345x3, 375x3, 405x1, 425x3 (PR)
Finally got 3…fuck yea. Squat’s up 10 since I started this lazy man’s high-frequency squatting.
Trap DL
410x3, 480x5 (PR)
Tried wrapping a mini-band around the bar instead of clips and it worked well. This gives me a little more wiggle room, as I should be able to get to 550 before I run out of bar.
GHR
BWx10, +25x13
I think that was a PR.
Great day after taking Sunday off. No complaints.
Tuesday: Random
Olympic Front Squats
265x3, 295x3, 330x2
Bleh. Still don’t quite have it in me to try the third. No complaints given that last night was a late squat and PR to boot.
Bench
285x5, 325x6
This was the best my bench has felt in years…no shoulder pain whatsoever. I would highly recommend prone horizontal abductions to anyone with shoulders that are rolled too far forward.
OH Tri Bar Ext
70x10, 120x10, 140x10
Low Trap Rows
60x10, 75x10, 80x10
Got about 3.5 hours of sleep and still had a great workout. I think my bench is back (knock on wood).
Thursday: Pull
Sumo DL
430x1, 460x5 (PR)
Rant Warning
Preface: I have a “400 club” tattoo on my right arm. I was 20, arrogant, and thought that a 410-pound bench was amazing and made me King Dick of Shit Mountain. Fast forward through 5 years, injury, and maturation, and now I view it as nice but a stepping stone, not the end-all be-all of gym endeavors. Still love it though, and I can always edit it to 500 :). Moving on…
If you keep up with this log, you may remember grunter from my last DL PR. Decent sized, but weak and annoying. Well, he is occupying the oly platform doing some pussy-weight rows with 2 different bars (including the oly bar) with his butt-buddy. Fine, I’ll work in. The cute couple gives me some flak for wanting to use the platform for deadlifting gasp, and acts pissy as I work in and actually throw some weight on the bar. Whatever, exercise some fucking gym etiquette. Around my third warmup, this gem: “Did you get injured or something?” Thinking he is talking about my semi-sumo stance, which is admittedly odd, I start explaining the benefits to the spine of sumo. Before I can utter 6 words, this: “No, I mean bench. You don’t look like you can bench 400 pounds.” I stop dead. It is at this time I wish I could just once respond wittily in the moment. Nope. Instead, I confusedly say, “Yea?” Luckily I was able to conveigh through my look that it wasn’t a big deal. “Well, can you still do it?” Me: “Sure. I just did 325 for 6 on Tuesday after not benching for a month.” Asshat: “Oh. Roids?” Note that his tone reached a level of condescension I’ve seldom experienced in my life. Me: “Snort No. I’m just strong for my size.” End of conversation.
OK, so I’m by no means huge. But to act like I can’t bench 400 because your weak-ass can barely bench 3 at 220 is a fucking joke. Open your fucking eyes and watch the strong people lift instead of screaming bloody murder while you struggle with my warmups. Sans the condescending tone, I would have thought nothing of this incident. Like I said, I’m not big. But a 400 pound bench at 205 is not so unattainable that you should ever doubt someone who has a fucking tattoo documenting his ability to do it. Obviously, I was seething. I finished my warmups, pulled 430 and knew I was going to kill my set based on how easy it felt.
On to the set. Doucheboys try to get a set in as I’m setting up…fuck that. I make it clear I’m going, they back off. I smoke the first rep and get a little smirk on my face as I’m sure they thought this was a single. I blow through reps 2, 3, and 4, pausing just long enough on the floor to keep the weight from bouncing, all the while hearing, “you don’t look like you can bench 400” in my head. One breath, rip 5 up like it was my third last week. Fuck you dickhead. I dare you to even try that once. Thanks for the motivation, though. I actually struggled with this last week. Then they leave, which is good, because I needed to do hang-snatches. Sooo…
Hang-snatch
Barx3, 95x3, 135x3, 145x3, 155x2
Extended my arms a little at the top to get the 2nd at 155, so quit there. Best these have ever felt in terms of my shoulder.
Weighted Wide Pullup
BWx8, +15x8, +30x8, +45x6
Feeling better, still waiting on the dip-belt though.
Wide FP on the Lat Pulldown
90x10, 120x10, 150x10, 165x10
Got my lower traps into these pretty well, felt good.
In summary, great lift, despite dealing with douchebaggery.
Friday: Random
Squats
345x3, 375x3, 405x3,2
Back felt good, but knees were buckling too much so I stopped at 3 on the first set. Probably should have tried 6 or AMAP at 375 instead. Also I think I had 5 in me on that first set at 405, but it wasn’t worth the risk.
GHR
BWx10,15
Decline Bench
275x10, 295x10
Wider definitely feels better on my shoulder, but I was still narrower than flat. Felt like I hit my tris and chest pretty well.
One-arm Tri
60x10, 80x10
Went across the body on these, felt really good.
Chest Machine
200x15
Squeeze at the top, good burn.
Mediocre day. Decline is definitely better than dbs as far as pain goes, and I need to stay lighter/higher rep on squat…6 at a bare minimum.
Sunday: Rows
BB Row
275x10, 315x8, 355x6 (PR), 275x16 (reverse grip, PR)
Felt good.
DB Row with 2s Hold
80x10, 100x10
Still harder to keep form tight with my left arm. Don’t plan on moving up until that is resolved.
Explosive Narrow Pullup
BWx12
Stopped when my speed slowed down. Did these as an explosive movement because I’m getting tired of doing AMAP sets. Got my shoulders up to the bar on all of these.
Face-pull
130x20, 170x15
Struggled here.
Got a minor cold this weekend and wore down quickly in this workout. Rows are getting pretty strong.
Monday: Legs
Squats
345x3, 375x3, 405x4
Call this an “auto-regulate” day. Whatever bug I got really affected me today…I felt weak and had no energy, so didn’t want to attempt anything crazy. Slight tweak to my stance: I pointed my toes forward more and this seemed to help resolve my knee-buckling issue.
Trap DL
410x3, 480x5
This is where I really noticed how weak I was. This was an easy 5 last week, but this week I barely managed the 5th rep and it was a lot of back.
GHR
BWx8, +25x8, +45x7
These at least felt good.
Hope I get some energy back tomorrow. I’m planning on taking a bench vid, maybe I’ll get a FS vid as well.
Tuesday: Random
Oly Front Squats
265x3, 295x3, 330x3 (PR)
I got a little cavalier on that last rep, but the other 2 were so easy that I couldn’t not try it. My only issue seems to be the bar rolling too far forward. I’ll take a weak squat day for a front squat PR.
Bench
285x5, 330x6
Again, a little sloppy with my technique. Definitely didn’t pull my shoulderblades in as much as I should have, but by God I felt good and I was going to get six. Call that a post injury PR, though my all-time PR for 6RM was 360.
OH Tri Bar Ext
70x10, 120x10, 145x7
Low Trap Row
60x10, 75x10, 80x10. Getting a little better. Man is my left side stubborn though…it just hates the idea of developing a proper ROM.
Energy came back in a big way today. Gotta be a little more careful next week, though. Bench videos forthcoming…
My GF texted me smack in the middle of my video, so you’ll have to suspend your disbelief and trust that the 4th rep that gets cut off finished easily, 5 was missed by the video, and the second video is rep 6. Or wait until next week and I’ll take a video of 335.
Rep 6
Thursday: Pull
Sumo DL
435x1, 465x5 (PR)
Yay for PRs…but I’m a little concerned about my form. The video will show it, but my back isn’t in the position I want it to be. Next week I’ll really focus on my back on not worry about how many reps I get. Can’t stop me from moving up though, I earned that shit.
“Hang” Snatch
Barx3, 95x3, 135x3, 155x2
Every rep started on the floor, but I pulled from the hang position. No extension on the heavy set this time, but my coordination was terrible. I’ll take a video next time, but this was a good display of how not to do a snatch, I think.
Dead-hang NG Pullup
BWx8, +15x8, +30x8, +50x8
That damn Dorian Yates convinced me wide pullups are for pussies, so I went back to narrow. I’ve gotten a little weaker, but in fairness I still don’t have a belt to use.
FP on Lat Pulldown
105x10, 135x10, 165x10
Did my best to pause at the bottom. Definitely a better way of doing it, but I need some practice using that method.
Preworkout music: “Stayin Alive,” “Superstition.” Weird? Yea. But it works for me better than anything else for some reason. They got rid of the lat pullover. FML. On to the video…
465x5. I know, I look like a fucking newb. DL is making good progress, but I’d rather not herniate another disc.
Work on keeping your shoulders back more throughout your pull.
Yea I know, I got out of the habit last week for some reason. I’ll take a video of the next one. How long have you been on here?
Friday I decided to do OH squats to ease the load on my back after that back-wrecking set in the video. I got up to 145x3. During warmups for decline, the fire alarm went off twice. I took this as a sign and said fuck it and left.
Sunday
BB Row
275x10, 315x8, 355x7 (PR), 295x12 (Reverse, PR)
I was more worried about my back than my lats during these sets, but it ended up being fine and I hit PRs.
Meadows Row
1PPSx10, 2PPSx10, 2.25x10, 3x10
Figured I’d give them a shot…really liked them. Better than DB rows for sure.
Explosive Narrow Pullup
BWx12
Paused at the bottom of the hang…these were pretty legit.
Face-pull
130x20, 170x15
DB Preacher Curl
35x8,8