[quote]llostintheworld wrote:
Fro you do you’re top set first?[/quote]
I warm up and stretch first, do my top set for the first compound lift, then go to my second compound lift, do some singles working up to my top set just to make sure my bar path is right and my joints won’t explode, then do the top set for the second compound lift.
it seems like a lot of running back and forth but I didn’t really start making progress until I put the top sets first, and put everything after that.
[quote]SSC wrote:
Shit man, no worries at all about the time off. I use to hate it but now I really believe it does the body a whole hell of a lot of good.
Just my humble, lame opinion, but I’m not a fan of “re-comps,” the more and more I get into this shit. I equate it to “waste of time” 99% of the time. Either get shredz or keep on piling weight on man. I know you know, but as a reminder this shit is measured in years not in weeks. I just don’t want you to spin your wheels like I have so many times before. Just my .02 brotha![/quote]
I think it does the body good if you’ve had a good few months straight without any real stretches off. I feel off about this particular stretch because it’s one week off, one on, almost one off. not necessarily because I’m missing out on growth (which does upset me), but more because I’m missing out on “practice”. perfect practice makes perfect, injury-free results. I’m all about results for the long haul.
I hear you on the recomp. I hate how my face looks all bloated and I would love nothing more than to diet down already… but I did a search and it seems to have worked for so many people that are huge now. the part that gets me the most is that you get so much better at holding weight, even if you end up eating like a bird for a bit (relatively speaking). and I didn’t put in all the work lifting and eating just to shrink back to my punier 170 lb self.
got about 6 hours of sleep in after getting to bed at 4am, thanks to going out last night for my little bro’s bday. I’m definitely getting too old for this shit and I can’t rage on the dance floor or drink like I used to. but idc.
breakfast was 10-12oz or more of turkey and some bananas.
back thickness
pendlay row
185x10^, good enough.
db deadstop row
115x10^, clean machine.
pendlay row
165x15 (+1 rep) jesus what a soul eater of a set.
BB row
145x17 (+1 rep) fmlll
db row
115x10, (no change) that last week off and last night are to blame here…
105x13 (+1 rep) tough but the last rep wasn’t too ugly all things considered.
95x17 (same) Kroc’d up the last 4 reps. my soul left my body. had to RP before the last 5 reps on the left side.
seated cable row
150x11, kept full tension on lats throughout, stopped just short of hitting my stomach with the handle and then stretched forward with a slight lean.
135x12 (+15 lb -2 reps)
120x12 (+15 lb -2 reps) I really don’t want to puke…
burnouts
face pull
110x10x3
100x12
90x15
reverse cable flye
10kgx10x3
I think on my lighter sets I will just aim for a 10/12/15 rep scheme and try to clean up/dominate reps after I hit the rep goal for that weight, instead of doing more reps. doing 15-20 reps of rows (or anything else) seems to be more of a test of conditioning when reps get to the upper range. also, my form takes a dump when I’m trying to squeeze out more reps. fuck that noise.
I wasn’t sure if my right bicep was strained or not but it is. I think it happened when I last tested my DL 1RM using an alternating grip. so, no more alternating grip, I’ll use straps and a hook grip if chalk isn’t enough, and no direct bicep work for a few weeks would probably be a good idea. I can get through a bicep workout with discomfort, but that’s probably not helping the strain heal.
I caught up with a friend who was in town for thanksgiving, so post-meal was dirty: about half a pound of burgers from Sonic (Texas toast bacon and mushroom melts) and a large powerade. made a point to take the MD GDA. I should probably take it more consistently. I looked bloated as shit in all the pics last night.
shoulders
bb ohp
145x9 (-1/2 rep) grrrrrrrrrr
145x6 (-1 rep) x5 (-1 rep) just remembered that db power C/P was part of my warmup last sesh and I didn’t do it today.
125x10 (+1 rep)
105x9, RP, x4 W T FFFFFF (+1 rep)
front db raise
30x15, a clean 15. repeat next week for domination.
30x14 (+1 rep, all clean) x12 (+1 rep, all clean)
25x15, clean 15.should pause a bit longer at the top next week.
20x15, clean 15.
Glass raises
30x12, cheated last 2 reps.
x8, cheated last 2 reps. x6, cheated last rep.
25x10 (aim for 18?)
20x12 (aim for 20?)
cable lateral raise (switching these out for seated machine laterals)
30x11+8 partials (+1 full rep)
30x9+8 (+1 full rep) x7+8(+1 full rep)
post-meal is chicken and white rice.
fucking pissed off at my ohp backsliding this sesh and not having a great MMC for the isolation exercises. graaaaaaaarrrr
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
shoulders
bb ohp
145x9 (-1/2 rep) grrrrrrrrrr
145x6 (-1 rep) x5 (-1 rep) just remembered that db power C/P was part of my warmup last sesh and I didn’t do it today.
125x10 (+1 rep)
105x9, RP, x4 W T FFFFFF (+1 rep)
front db raise
30x15, a clean 15. repeat next week for domination.
30x14 (+1 rep, all clean) x12 (+1 rep, all clean)
25x15, clean 15.should pause a bit longer at the top next week.
20x15, clean 15.
Glass raises
30x12, cheated last 2 reps.
x8, cheated last 2 reps. x6, cheated last rep.
25x10 (aim for 18?)
20x12 (aim for 20?)
cable lateral raise (switching these out for seated machine laterals)
30x11+8 partials (+1 full rep)
30x9+8 (+1 full rep) x7+8(+1 full rep)
post-meal is chicken and white rice.
fucking pissed off at my ohp backsliding this sesh and not having a great MMC for the isolation exercises. graaaaaaaarrrr[/quote]
Bummer man. Shoulders are so tricky sometimes. I know you’ve had some issues in the past with them, and I’ve recently taken them from pathetic to one of my better features by trying different stuff.
Would you mind laying out an example of how your delt training has progressed through the years? Could be worth looking at, considering you’re putting work in everything else.
lol progressed? dude I haven’t made any progress since this past year… if you look through issues of M&F from 2008-2010, that’s how my shoulder training has been like. so, basically different shit every month or so that didn’t work, no progress, and not enough eating.
when I finished 531 last winter though, my push press was 125x9, with a good amount of leg drive. my seated bb ohp is now 145x9 so that’s like a 30-40 lb increase if you factor in the leg drive, lul. I’ve never taken bent-arm db laterals heavier than 40 lb and I had a lot more trap and upper back involvement then. I haven’t really done much front delt isolation until I subbed front db raises in for db ohp, and I never worked my rear delts at all. I’d do rear cable flyes with a friend but I never got as much MMC as I’m getting now.
so in reality I’ve made good progress. lol it just irks me when I fail to reach a goal. but I’ve already known my ohp is stalling somewhat. a decent amount of sleep and warming up with one-arm db C/P would’ve helped a lot today.
edit: what would’ve also helped is not doing rows and rear delt work earlier in the day, and getting another meal in before the shoulder sesh.
also, I complained about not getting a great MMC during the sesh, but my delts are fried today, go figure.
Damn man, I definitely hear ya on the progression thing and the bullshit routines. IDK man… I feel like when I stopped trying to do everything so heavy on shoulders and really started blasting higher rep ranges, with lots of retarded super sets and just pump stuff I really started seeing some actual progress along. I kind of emulated some of the stuff I know guys like Bug / Waylander (and others who have good delts) and haven’t looked back since. I know everyone is different, but it may be worth a shot to go totally unconventional for a while and see if you can just straight-up force growth.
Have you ever given SHIPS (Smith High Incline Presses) a consistent shot? I’m sure you have but hell, just trying to come up with any kind of ideas that may help you out.
Regardless, you’re obviously still putting in work so don’t get down. My benching/tricep strength is still relatively terrible for my other “stronger” lifts, so don’t feel bad. Dry vaginas just happen. 
fuuuuuaaaaaa
I can see the higher reps thing working if you have to use lighter weights and then are able to target the delts better. but I won’t give up just yet. I’m gonna rep 1.5pps dammit!! I just have to do shoulders earlier in the day like I’ve been doing, get db c/p back into my warm up and wrap my wrists for added confidence.
I’ll show you who has a dry vag… wait, what…
edit: dry vag showed up for breakfast.
I had 10 eggs (5 whole), a cup n some worth of oats with 4 tbsp pb, and 3 oranges slightly smaller than baseball-sized. I ate the eggs, then the oranges then the oats. I drank my preworkout (3 scoops neurocore, 2 scoops primaforce citrulline malate, mixed in a cup of Gatorade) and as I was going back up to my room I gagged twice. I was pretty sure it was gonna come up but I kept it down. weird thing is that I don’t even feel all that full.
5/3/1 deadlift
cycle 1 working max 330
week 1: 215x5, 250x5, 280x5+[7] after a RP the bar flew off the ground looking like the first rep, then again. so 9 reps total? was I supposed to keep going since my rep speed was good?
decided to go for a 1RM again. pulled 375 off the floor more easily than when I pulled 365 a few weeks ago, AND with a double overhand hook grip, AFTER I failed on my first attempt.
PR+10 lb
gf told me she wanted to meet up for lunch omw to the gym, so I cut the sesh short here. had half a turkey club and some Gatorade, then since I finished my shake I got a 5 hour energy thing and a protein shot thing at a nearby GNC/Rite Aid. got back to the gym, and the power went out, so they evacuated everyone. idk why but there are crews everywhere and traffic lights are out. I decided to check out a gym nearby so i’m standing outside waiting for the owner to open up. there are tires, a GHR bench, a beer keg outside and all types of shit inside so it’s looking promising.
wow, for once, I get to train in a gym where I can use chalk, drop weights and do whatever. awesome.
GM
125x8, the last rep choked my balls. Â prob should set a wider stance…
115x8 (+10 lb -3 reps) balls-wide stance, much comfier.
105x8 (+10 lb -5 reps)
bb shrug
285x10, x10, x8 RP x2, x8 RP x2, x10, x6 RP x4
265x10 x7
245x10 x9
life fitness seated leg curl
175x10 x6 x4
160x6.5
145x8
burnouts x2
this machine is like 30 lb heavier than a startrac machine, wtf
SM Haney shrugs
245x15 x10 x7
225x7
205x9
burnouts
gtg meet up with my boy’s little bro and get the hookup on some new kicks for work… I’ll have another p/c shake then eat when I get home.
waste of a trip, they didn’t have the shoes I wanted. meh.
got in a meal of a big plate of egg fried rice, maybe 8oz of steak, some pieces of gizzard (I think it was chicken), and 6 tbsp EVOO. lol I measured it to be about 12 shakes of the bottle, or up to a line on one of my shot glasses. was stuffed heading back to the gym.
back width
pullups
wide grip 10 lb x10, hang more especially after rep 6.
underhand 10 lb x10, hang more especially after rep 7.
close 10 lb x9, get to 10 then stop kipping from rep 6.
life fitness close grip pulldown
145x10, aim to squeeze up to 10th rep. it was tough getting used to pulling only until my elbows were at 90* flexion to keep the bis out of the movement.
BW pullups
wide grip pullup x8 x7 Jesus it’s a struggle just to get through the set, nvm hanging.
underhand x7 x6 fuck might puke
close x7 x7 head throbbing
close grip pulldowns
145x8 x7
130x8
115x10
rope straight arm pulldown
47.5kg x12 x8 x7
42.5 x7 (+5 kg -6 reps)
37.5 x7 (+5 kg -7 reps)
I’m still full and it’s almost 930 so I’m just gonna finish my shake and pass out.
right after I play some mw3.
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
5/3/1 deadlift
cycle 1 working max 330
week 1: 215x5, 250x5, 280x5+[7] after a RP the bar flew off the ground looking like the first rep, then again. so 9 reps total? was I supposed to keep going since my rep speed was good?
decided to go for a 1RM again. pulled 375 off the floor more easily than when I pulled 365 a few weeks ago, AND with a double overhand hook grip, AFTER I failed on my first attempt.
PR+10 lb
gf told me she wanted to meet up for lunch omw to the gym, so I cut the sesh short here. had half a turkey club and some Gatorade, then since I finished my shake I got a 5 hour energy thing and a protein shot thing at a nearby GNC/Rite Aid. got back to the gym, and the power went out, so they evacuated everyone. idk why but there are crews everywhere and traffic lights are out. I decided to check out a gym nearby so i’m standing outside waiting for the owner to open up. there are tires, a GHR bench, a beer keg outside and all types of shit inside so it’s looking promising.[/quote]
Nice, man! 400 is in your reach for sure in the next month or two. :]
yup, thanks for stopping in. lol I’ll make sure that I’m fresh, and not do any back, leg or 531 pulling before I make the attempt. I might need straps but I’ll try just chalk first. I’ve never tried it but I’m almost sure I can get 405 with a belt.
pre-meal was pork belly stew with water spinach, salmon sashimi, white rice and a banana. I ate all the visible fat.
chest+medial delts
incline bench
215x7, left a rep in the tank.
flat bench
235x8, left a rep in the tank.
incline bench
215x3 x3 shooting for 5 reps.
195x5 aiming for 8.
175x8 aiming for 10.
flat bench
235x5 x5. start pausing these at the bottom.
215x6 get to 8.
195x7 get to 10.
Glass raises (center grip)
30x12 x8 x6 I’ll keep this the same number of reps as shoulder day but try to get them cleaner.
25x10
20x12
cable flyes
80x15 (+1 rep) must dominate through last rep.
x10 (+1 rep) x9 (+1 rep) get these sets to 10 then clean up.
70x12 (+1 rep) caught my breath for a second after rep 10.
60x15 (+4 reps) needs major cleanup.
burnouts
post-meal was white rice, salmon sashimi, egg whites and Gatorade.
so, I supersetted some heavy Zercher squat lockouts sometime after I finished flat bench. by Zercher squat lockouts, I mean helping George the silverback gorilla with lifting off benching 5 1/2 pps. so, between flat, incline and decline bench, I must have gotten 6-8 lockout attempts. it was SCARY being the only person spotting this guy, though he said he wasn’t going for a new 1RM. if he stalled, it was halfway up then he just had to lock out, but every time he hit bottom and I heard the Velcro on his elbow wraps giving way, I was wondering how the hell I could ever get 5 hundo off this guy’s chest if his elbow blew out. on the last set of declines he said he felt a slight strain in his right pec but he was going for 530 anyway. to my relief he got it… praise Jesus…
Idk how to do this privately so im going to just ask on your log… Have you ever had or still have scapula winging? If so do you know how to fix it? My right scapula sticks out even when i pull my shoulders back and it hurts when i lean on something hard, I’m asking you because you seem to be a knowledgable guy… Sorry if there are any typos
lol normally you’d shoot me a PM, but I disabled them for this account.
I’d post about that elsewhere, maybe in the injuries/rehab forum. sorry but I know nothing about your problem.
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
lol normally you’d shoot me a PM, but I disabled them for this account.
I’d post about that elsewhere, maybe in the injuries/rehab forum. sorry but I know nothing about your problem.[/quote]
Thanks!
np bruh.
breakfast was 1.5 cup or so worth of dry oats, 4-5 tbsp of pb, 10 eggs (5 whole) and a banana.
squat/quads/calves
bb squat
215x10, got the last one after a 5 second breather. gotta spend more time in the hole.
front squat (switched back to crossover grip)
125x10, last rep was shitty even after a 5 second breather, def not to depth.
back squat
195x10, gonna keep these at 10 reps and just focus on pausing in the hole then exploding up. I noticed the weight shifting to the front of my feet. I blame this on maxing out deads earlier in the week.
175x10, RP x2, I could’ve gotten the last two reps but I felt a slight back tweak after rep 7 or 8. note to future self from capt obvious: maxing out on deads isn’t good for squat progression if done in the same week.
front squat
105x10 x10 noticed a bit of knee caving. come onnn
standing calf raise
165x10 I’ll move up after I get the 3rd set to 8 clean reps.
165x8 x8 almost got the last one before I had to rack and reposition.
150x8, had to rack and reposition before the last one.
135x8, again.
startrac leg extensions
150x13 get to 15.
150x10 x9 dominate through 10.
135x9 fuckkk. dominate through 10.
120x12 fuckkk dominate through 12.
burnouts x2 omggg good thing I brought a tampon.
seated calf raise
115x12, was distracted by some twig doing narrow stance half squats with 2pps. he tried 2.5pps and got maybe 2" down before he racked it (thank god)
115x7 (toes out, I should do all of these toes out) x6 get to 10.
90x8 x9 get to 12
post-meal was white rice, some grilled pork ribs and Gatorade.
breakfast: 10 eggs (5 whole), half cup oats and two oranges. figured I’d back off a little bit since I can’t get into the gym til Monday night at the earliest anyway, and even then whatever I do will be like 1/5th of my normal volume.
tris
no direct bicep work probably for another 2-3 weeks due to a strain in my right biceps.
did random pre-exhaust of front delts (db raises) and pecs (cable flyes).
dips
90x10, all reps were strong and under control. repeat with a squeeze at the top.
CGBP
225x9, last rep stalled for a second.
205x8, left a grinder in the tank. get to 10.
185x10, get to 12.
dips
70x8, man what a grinder of a set.
45x10, get to 12.
pushdowns
130x15, last 2 reps need cleaning up.
130x10 clean up last 2 reps x10 clean up last 3 reps.
120x10, clean up last 3 reps.
110x12, clean up last 3 reps.
burnouts
abz
db side bends, worked up to 110x10. finished just in time to avoid most of the teenieboppers coming in after school.
went food shopping right after. had a p/c shake when i got home while waiting for my rice to cook. post-meal was Chinese white chicken (stripped the skin and visible fat), white rice, and another p/c shake.
time to fire up le xbox and wave my magic stick around on mw3. type 95+red dot+kick = cheat code.
edit: just opened up the 2 attachments and rapid fire level ups. type 95+red dot+rapid fire = instant death from close to medium range wheeeee
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
abz
db side bends, worked up to 110x10.[/quote]
Wha?
Oh hey Fro, quick question.
What is your reason for doing side bends?