Harken

Training Logs
1

After reading tnation for so long and been inspired by many training logs I figured I should
start actually recording my workouts in the hope I may laugh at their timidness a few years from now.

Quick Stats:
22y/o male
~79kg (175lb)
Postgrad University student(Mathematics)

Lifted ‘recreationally’ for the better part of 2 years, once a week, sometimes not at all.
Finally decided to get ‘ript’ and successfully attained teh hot abz at a bodyweight of 73kg(~160). One good outcome of this was cleaning up my diet and increasing gym frequency to 3times a week, unfortunately with it came a stark realization that I was far too weak for the amount of effort being spent at the gym.

This brings us to now - currently on 2nd week of 4th cycle of 5/3/1 based training, started actually eating food and have gained a solid 15lbs. (I’m Australian but will try to keep weights in pounds instead of kilos)

Max Lifts as of Feb '10:
Military: 126.5 x 5
Dbell Bench: 88 x 5
Deadlift: 220 x 5
Squat: 176 x 5

Max Lifts as of 5 May '10:
Military: 137.5 x 5
Dbell Bench: 100 x 2
Deadlift: 308 x 1
Squat: 176 x 5 (theres a story here)

And so we begin

2

Monday__03/05/10__Military Press

Gym closed, changed up normal proceedings due to garage workout:

[ Clean & Military Press ]
Warmup

115.5 x 3
126.5 x 3
137.5 x 3
137.5 x 4
137.5 x 5

105.5 x 10/10/9/9/8

[One Dumbell Snatch + Shoulder Press ]
50 x 5 each arm
55 x 5 each arm x 4 sets

3

Cycle 4 - Week 2

Tuesday__04/05/10__Deadlift

[ Deadlift ]
Warmup
135 x 3
176 x 3
198 x 3
220 x 3
242 x 12
242 x 5 w/straps

[ Rack Pulls w/ Straps ]
Never tried these before
220 x 3
242 x 3
264 x 3/3

[ Neutral Grip Chinups]
5 x 5 Bodyweight

[ Dumbell Rows ]
44 x 10
50 x 10
55 x 10
60 x 10
65 x 9 w/straps

4

Thursday__06/05/10

Sprints & other junk

5

Cycle 4 - Week 2

Friday__07/05/10__Dbell Bench

[ Dumbell Bench ]
Warmup
55 x 5
66 x 3
72 x 3
83 x 3
94 x 5
94 x 4
66 x 15

[ Flat Bench ]
132 x 5
154 x 5
176 x 5
198 x 3
220 fail :<

[ Rope Chinups ]
5 sets of 5 BW

[EZbar pullover]
44 x 10
44 x 10
55 x 10
60 x 7

6

Cycle 4 - Week 2

Saturday__08/05/10__Squat

[ Squat ]
Warmup
132 x 5
154 x 5
176 x 5
176 x 5
187 x 5
187 x 5
187 x 5

would have liked to do more but let someone else use the only rack

[ Dumbell Walking Lunges ]
44’s, 10steps x 2 sets
55’s, 12steps x 2 sets
60’s, 10steps x 2 sets

[ Sumo Deadlift]
88 x 10
132 x 10
132 x 10
132 x 10

first time doing these, felt ok

running late for time as always on saturday so was all a tad rushed, other than that good session

7

Cycle 4 - Week 3

Monday__10/05/10__Press

[ Strict Barbell Press ] (cleaned from floor before each set)
Warmup
88 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 3
121 x 5
132 x 3
143 x 3 PR
143 x 3 From pins instead of cleaning from floor PR

[ Dumbell Snatch into One Arm Press ]
44 x 2 each arm
50 x 5 each arm
55 x 5 each arm
60 x 3 each arm
66 x 3 each arm PR

[ Seated Dumbell Press ]
50’s x 10
50’s x 10
50’s x 10
50’s x 10
50’s x 9

alternating with:

[ Rope Chinups ]
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 7
BW x 5
BW x 5

Very happy with the pr’s and volume, but that completely slayed me, in no small
part due my novice attempts at incorporating some olympic style moves into press
days.

Pushing back deadlifts a day to rest up and hopefully hit another PR

8

Cycle 4 - Week 3

Wednesday_12/05/10__Deadlift

[ Deadlift ]
Warmup
132 x 5
176 x 3
198 x 3
220 x 5
242 x 3
264 x 3
264 x 3
264 x 3

Had my brother with me to inspect form on the work sets
and he suggested my lower back was rounding too much.
Did many more light sets after this focusing on form, sucks
as I really wanted to pull a PR :~<

[ Pullups ]
5 sets 5 x BW

[ Dumbell Rows ]
60 x 10
60 x 10
66 x 10
66 x 10
66 x 8

Came away a tad dissapointed, but I know
that patience now and reinforcing good technique
will pay dividends later on.

Prescribed reps were still hit! Onwards~

9

Cycle 4 - Week 3

Friday_14/05/10__Dbell Bench

[ Dumbell Bench ]
Warmup
44 x 5
55 x 5
66 x 3
77 x 5
88 x 3
99 x 3
99 x 2

Felt solid on all these so decided
to stick with the dumbells and try
for 5 x 5 with 88’s.

88 x 6
88 x 5
88 x 5
88 x 5
88 x 4

[EZbar pullover]
55 x 10
55 x 10
66 x 8
66 x 7
66 x 7

Simple but fun, definitely feel the
need for the upcoming deload though,
which will be helpful coinciding with
a busy uni week.

10

Cycle 4 - Week 3

Saturday__15/05/10__Squat

[ Squat ]
Warmup
132 x 5
154 x 5
176 x 5
187 x 5
187 x 5
198 x 5 PR? ;o
198 x 5
198 x 3 pants tore :x

[ Dumbell Walking Lunges ]
55’s, 2 x to the end of the room
60’s, 2 x to the end of the room
72’s, 2 x to the end of the room

Decent workout, really need to get a hold
of some weightlifting shoes to help with
squat form though

11

Cycle 4 - Week 4

[ Deload ]

Not much of anything all week,
many uni assignments.

12

Cycle 5 - Week 1

Monday__24/05/10__Press

[ Overhead Press ] (cleaned from floor before each set)
Warmup
88 x 5
100 x 3
115 x 5
126.5 x 5
137.5 x 5
137.5 x 5

[ Dumbell Snatch into One Arm Press ]
55 x 5 each arm
60 x 5 each arm
66 x 3 each arm

[ Dips ]
BW x 8
22 x 6
33 x 5
44 x 5
44 x 5

[Seated Dumbell Shoulder Press ]
60 x 4
60 x 5

13

Cycle 5 - Week 1

Tuesday_25/05/10__Deadlift

[ Deadlift ]
Warmup
132 x 5
154 x 5
176 x 3
198 x 3
220 x 5
242 x 3
264 x 3
286 x 2
308 x 1
308 x 1
330 x 1 PR
330 x 1 w/straps

[ Dumbell Rows ]
60 x 10
60 x 10
66 x 10
66 x 10
72 x 7

Well this was good in a bad way, hit a PR but
had to laugh at myself for the godawful form.
Not going to try that again till I get my technique
downpat.

14

Cycle 5 - Week 1

Friday_28/05/10__Dbell Bench

[ Dumbell Bench ]
Warmup
44 x 5
55 x 5
66 x 3
72 x 5
82 x 5
94 x 5
94 x 4

[ Chinups ]
semi-neutral grip
BW x 5
22 x 5
22 x 5

wide-rope chins
22 x 5
22 x 5

neutral-grip
33 x 4
BW x 5

[ Cable Flies ]
Threw these in between chins

[6] x 10
[6] x 10
[6] x 9

Well that was the most un-chesty chest day
in a while but i’ve been looking for somewhere to
fit in weighted chins and this makes sense. Probably
add a bench variation in at the end next time, main
left felt solid, hopefully PR the end of this cycle

15

Cycle 5 - Week 1

Monday__31/05/10__Squat

[ Squat ]
Warmup
88 x 5
110 x 5
132 x 5
154 x 5
176 x 5
187 x 5
198 x 5
209 x 5 PR
220 x 5 PR
220 x 4

[ Smith Machine Front Squat ]
Never tried these, i really need some
shoes before doing them freeweighted properly

132 x 10
176 x 5
176 x 5
176 x 5

Huzzah!!! Quite sad how happy I am at squatting 100kg
but it took the best part of 4 months stretching and mobility
to even be able to hit parallel. This was a big goal and I’m
chuffed, weightlifting shoes are on order now too so hopefully
better squats inc~

16

Cycle 5 - Week 2

Tuesday__01/06/10__Press

[ Overhead Press ] (cleaned from floor before each set)
Warmup
88 x 5
99 x 5
121 x 3
132 x 3
137.5 x 3
143 x 5 Rep PR
143 x 4

[ Dumbell Snatch into One Arm Press ]
55 x 5 each arm
60 x 5 each arm
66 x 3 each arm then 3 more alternating each side

[Seated Dumbell Shoulder Press ]
50 x 5
55 x 5
60 x 4
66 x 5

[Poor attempt at dips]
9 x BW
fried~

Overhead press felt very solid, confident
in hitting new weight PR next week

17

Cycle 5 - Week 2

Friday_04/06/10__Deadlift

[ Deadlift ]
Warmup
132 x 5
154 x 5
176 x 3
220 x 5 GIANT PANTS SPLIT WOW

Literally tore half my shorts open to the point
of borderline indecency, so very annoyed at
this.

Not all bad though, in my rage I went home
and loaded everything on the bar at home
(only about 90kg) and did about 200 reps
over the next 2 days

Note to self: buy new pants

edit: also rage-cleaned and overhead pressed 155
which was very pleasing, looking forward to Press day

18

Cycle 5 - Week 2

Monday_07/06/10__Dbell Bench

[ Dumbell Bench ]
Warmup
44 x 5
55 x 5
66 x 3
77 x 3
88 x 3
99 x 4 Rep PR
94 x 5
94 x 5
94 x 5

[ Chinups ]
supinated
BW x 5
BW x 5

wide-rope chins
BW 22 x 5
BW 22 x 5
BW 11 x 5
BW 11 x 4
BW x 4

neutral-grip
BW x 4
BW x 4

[ Cable Flies ]
Threw these in between chins

[6] x 10
[7] x 10
[8] x 8

Rope chins remain brutal, rep PR
on bench is nice, onwards~

19

Cycle 5 - Week 2

Tuesday__08/06/10__Squat

Gym membership ran out as they are demolishing
the uni gym :~< Dicked around at home with some
low weight squats, felt extremely fatigued for the
most part so I cut it short.

[ Squat ]
135 x 15 x 5 sets

20

Cycle 5 - Week 3

Thursday__10/06/10__Press

Still without a gym membership
so spammed some OHP at home~

[ Overhead Press ] (cleaned from floor before each set)
Warmup
88 x 5
110 x 5
127 x 5
138 x 3
149 x 4 Rep PR
149 x 4

132 x 5
132 x 5
132 x 5
132 x 5
132 x 5

[ Dumbell Snatch into One Arm Press ]
44 x 5 each arm
60 x 5 each arm
60 x 5 each arm

Feels like all the random lifting done in
study breaks at home is adding up fatigue-wise,
need a few days off methinks