Lifted hard from about 2017-2020 then in 2020 we bought some property and moved some livestock in and the gym got put on pause up until this past June. Strength and size gains came back quicker than I expected but I’m also prioritizing getting enough sleep and enough protein this time around. 34 y/o so I want to hit it hard while I still can. Another motivation is my boy wrestled for the first time last year and is now playing football and is really into both. He’s 7 y/o and does pushups and pullups a couple times a week at home so I want to set a good example for him as well. Been lifting again since June of this year but I’ll start with Saturdays workout. About 5’ 10" and tipping the scales at around 212 currently.
9/18/23:
Paused BB rows: 5x5 @245 and a drop set of 1x10 @185
Weighted chinups: 3x6 w/25lb plate and 2x8 with no added weight
Paused trap bar shrugs: 3x12 @170
Farmer carries: 2 walks w/100s and 1 longer walk w/50s
went to camp over the weekend with the family so went 4 days with no lifting . . felt good to get back to it yesterday
9/25/23:
Zercher squats: 5x3 @225 then 1 set of Zercher shrugs with 155
Chest supported t bar row: 4x6 w/170lbs of added weight (3 plates and a 35)
Close grip pulldowns: 3x10 @140 w/ a pause at the bottom
Hang cleans: 3x8 @135 wanted to do this at the end for a little conditioning and a little more trap stimulus
9/27/23: early morning workout
did press day today instead of incline dumbbells so I could stay on schedule with pressing
Military press: 3x8 @135 (felt good so I’ll bump up to 140 or 145 next 3x8 day)
Standing BTN press: 3x8 @115
Dips: 3x12 w/45lb plate
Superset:
Laterals: 3x20 w/20lb db
Tricep cable snapdowns: 3x10 @60
been doing some research and I think I’m going to run 3 months of 5/3/1 BBB for bench press . . still going to do 8/5/2 waves with press on my 2nd push day of the week
9/29/23: early morning workout
Paused BB rows: 5x5 @255 and a drop set of 1x10 @205 (these were all strict, no body english)
Weighted chin-ups: 1x8 & 1x6 w/25lb plate and 2x8 w/no added weight
Paused trap bar shrugs: 3x10 @200 (60lb trap bar)
Farmer carries: 1 moderate distance walk w/100s and 1 longer walk w/50s
only did 1 set of carries w/ 100s this time as I was wiped after the shrugs . . not sure why though as I ate plenty of protein and carbs later in the day yesterday . . had 2 chipolte steak burritos in the afternoon, a NY strip steak, deer jerky, rice and tortilla chips and salsa for supper and then a shot of protein before bed . . slept good too from about 930ish to 5 . . before these early morning workouts I have a glass of water with a little mineral salt and preworkout and then after I almost always get a pint of local chocolate milk from a small farm stand just down the road from the gym
9/30/23: lunch time workout today; started 531 BBB for bench, going to run that for 3 months on bench days
Flat BB bench: 5x185
5x205
5+x230 got 10 reps, real happy with that
BBB work: 5x10 @145 did these explosively
Superset:
Lateral raises - 3x12 w/25s
Face pulls - 3x20
first time flat benching in a long time, felt good
10/6/23: 530am workout . . woke up hungry but took some pwo and got to er’
BB row (strict): 5x5 @255 and a drop set of 1x8 @225 (these felt really good, will probably start at 275 next week and drop weight a little if needed to get 5 sets of 5
Neutral grip pullups: 40 total reps (first set I got 15 then I just knocked them out as I could til I got to 40 . . not sure if supersetting with the rear delt rows burned me out but after the first set they felt really hard)
superset
Hi cable/rear delt rows: 3x12 with descending weight
10/7/23: lunch time workout, scale said 214 when I walked into the gym
Bench press: 3x195
3x225
3+x245 (12 reps)
the + set was supposed to be 255 but I’m still happy getting 12 reps with 245 . . I think I set my max a little low to start but that’s better than too high . . I’ll reset after next weeks 5/3/1+ workout
5x10 @145 (explosive reps)
Machine flyes: 3x12 light weight
Lateral raises: 50 total reps w/ descending weight
Military Press - since the weight felt so heavy last week I opted to do 3/2/1 waves as opposed to 3 sets of 2 straight across
3x150
2x155
1x160
3x155
2x160
1x165
3x160
2x165
1x170 this rep was really slow and grindy so I called it here
press felt really heavy again so I think I’m going to switch up my rep scheme, debating between 5/3/1 BBB or 5/4/3/2/1 HDL sets w/70% for a couple weeks
Barbell rows w/ a pause:
5x225
5x245
5x275
2x5x245
10x225
Neutral grip pullups:
40 total over several sets
Snatch grip high pull:
3x5 @185 . . . first time ever trying these, didnt want to go too heavy until Im comfortable with form
Trap bar deadlift w/an explosive shrug at the top:
3x5 @155 . . . I was just kind of experimenting here to see what I like better between these and the high pulls
Face pulls:
2x25 w/ light weight
definitely could feel it in my traps after this one . . think the high pulls and the trap bar deadlift/shrugs are too much together in one workout?
Gotcha. I don’t think it’s hurting you, but for me I’d rather put more effort/ volume into one of those moves. I’d probably choose the high pull instead of the trap bar, because you’re using so much effort in the leg drive on the trap bar.
That said, you could then use the trap bar as a bit of an overload. So instead of having it light enough that you can do that explosive movement, load it up and grind out some shrugs. You could even do something like 3-5 heavy deads with it, then just stay at the top of that last rep and grind out as many shrugs as you can. So not much different than what you’re doing, but changes the stimulus a little bit.
But as long as your lower back likes what you’re doing, I still think it’s ok as-is… so I just wrote a long circular ramble.
I appreciate it. I’m not super comfortable with the high pull form so I think I’ll take them from ya, doing some heavy dead’s with the trap bar followed by shrugs after the last rep . . thanks for the suggestion
seemed to be slightly weaker on bench this morning as opposed to last Saturday when I lifted after a full breakfast . . good workout still though . . now to get the boy to wrestling practice