HustlingHat93's Road to 123lb and Weak to Strong

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 2 day 4 (Press)

OHP: 25kg/55lbs x5, 27.5kg/61lbs x5. 32.5kg/72lbs x5 | 10x5 with 25kg/55lbs
(super set with)
Pull ups (bodyweight): 2x7 +1x6 +x 10x5 (total: 70)

Flat DB Press: 2x15 and 2x20 with 20kg/44lbs

NOTES

So not much to say. Main work felt smooth. Very very smooth and I definitely see the benefit in BBS set up instead of BBB to get 50 reps at FSL.

Shoulder still feels achey. It’s a weird one because the pain isn’t in the joint but right on top of the shoulder near the clavicle area

9 Likes

Nice work!

I forget when exactly, but I ran 10x5 FSL for press as part of some 5/3/1 template, and I too found that to be very effective—more so than 5x10 FSL.

1 Like

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 2 day 5 (Prowler)

Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags

Hip thrust machine: 3x8 with 140kg/ 309lbs

NOTES

Not much to say. Got the sled work I missed yesterday on press day

I believe it was when you also ran hardgainers

4 Likes

LOL!!! I’m sure you’re right. Shows you were my head is these days…

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 2 day 6 (MISC)

Seated DB press: 12.5kg/28lbs x12, 15kg/33lbs x8, 17.5kg/39lbs x6 and 20kg/44lbs x4( slow tempo on these)

Cable side raises: 3x9
Face pulls: 3x12
Seated row: 3x10
Floor press: 40kg/88lbs x10, 50kg/110lbs x8, 60kg/132lbs x5 and 50kg/88lbs x8

6 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 2 day 7 (Squats)

Squats: 92.5kg/204lbs x5, 105kg/231bs x5, 120kg/265lbs x11 | 92.5kg/204lbsx20

Pull ups: 5x5 with 10kg/22lbs + 5kg/11lbs x6,5 + 2x7bodyweight only
Superset with
Dips: 10kg/22lbs x10,10,8,8,6 + 5kg/11lbs x8,7 + 2x8 bodyweight only

Death marches: Death marches: 2x30(15 each side) and 1x40 (20 each side) with 32kg/71lbs

Total accessory work:
Push: 73
Pull:50
Legs: 100 (50 each leg)

NOTES
Not much to say. Yesterday was a very weird day. My toe is swollen like a balloon ( may be an ingrown nail) so squatting in tight shoes was painful as hell. Add to that my wrist hurting and I feel like the 5+ set was a game of what gives up first my pain tolerance at the toe, the pain tolerance at the wrist or my legs… I don’t think my legs gave up first but 11 reps isn’t the end of the world.

Anyways Bench later today (above was yesterday) and I also need to call the Dr regarding an issue which I noticed yesterday to get checked out because my overthinking mind is thinking the worst.

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 1 (Bench)

Bench: 55kg/121lbs x5, 62.5kg/138lbs x5, 5x5 with 70kg/154lbs

Seal rows: 5x15 with 20kg/44lbs (superset with below)
Incline DB bench: 2x12+ 1x11+ 2x10 with 17.5kg/39lbs (part of superset) and 17.5kg/39lbsx12 + 20kg/44lbs x8 (to match reps done of rows)

Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags

NOTES

Well the 5x5 work was harder than I would have liked and forced me to actually have over a minute rest in between the 4th and 5th set.

The prowler is getting more and more torturous as I get more efficient at it. On the brightside (I hope!) weight is going up fast on this program. Despite calories being the same and despite having 40 minutes of hard prowler work Hard gainers is delivering on the adding weight front

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 2 (conditioning)

Tabatta Battle ropes: 8x20/10

Bench press into barbell row: 1x20 of both with 40kg/88lbs

Incline bench press into barbell row: 1x20 with 30kg/66lbs (The bench press) into 1x20 with 40kg/88lbs row

Power cleans: 40kg/88lbs x5, 50kg/110lbs x3,2 and 55kg/121lbs x2

Row: 55kg/121lbs x8

3x tricep extensions
3x seated curls

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 3 (Deadlifts)

Deadlift: 115kg/254lbs x5, 130kg/287lbs x5, 145kg/320lbs x8 | 5x5 with 115kg/254lbs

Shrugs: 2x12 and 2x13 with 115kg/254lbs and 2x25 with 70kg/154lbs
Dips: 2x10 + 1x6 with 10kg/22lbs and 2x12 with body weight only

Walking lunges: 2x50( 25 each leg) with 30kg/66lbs

NOTES

So today’s 95% set was the same as last cycle, which I used to get my TM, so I had a set rep goal to beat. I managed 1 more rep which is good but felt like I maybe could have pushed for two more. However, I’m happy I didn’t because I twinged my neck and it feels ‘off’ atm.

Dips were disappointing but considering I had shoulder issues last week and managed dips on Saturday I’m not going to cry about accessory work.

8 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 4 (Press)

OHP: 27.5kg/61lbs x5, 30kg/66lbs x5, 32.5kg/72lbs x5 | 10x5 with 27.5kg/61lbs
(super set with)
Pull ups (bodyweight): 3x7 +2x6 +x 8x5 (total: 73)

Decline DB Press: 5x15 with 20kg/44lbs

NOTES

So today was a bad mobility type of day. The pressing got done but felt like maybe my back was arching too much. Not in a momentum type of way but from a start to finish of reps way but nonetheless not great.

Except for that everything went smoothly despite managing 3-4h of sleep last night and having a weird neck.

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 5 (Prowler)

Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags

Hip thrust machine: 1x9 with 140kg/ 309lbs and 150kg/330lbs x8,6

NOTES

So not happy with today’s output on the sled. I feel like I didn’t ‘perform’ as hard as I should with the sled moving slower than usual so less overall work done.

I got the minimum of 20 minutes in but feel like I cheated the work by not being able to pick up the pace. However, with that being said the effort was there which is the only thing in my control.

8 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 6 (MISC)

Seated DB press: 12.5kg/28lbs x12, 15kg/33lbs x10, 17.5kg/39lbs x7 and 20kg/44lbs x4( slow tempo on these)

Cable side raises: 1x8 and 2x12
Face pulls: 3x12
Seated row: 3x10
Floor press: 45kg/99lbs x10, 55kg/121lbs x8, 65kg/143lbs x3 and 60kg/132lbs x6

3x Rolling DB press
3x Bicep curls

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 1 week 3 day 7 (Squats)

Squats: 100kg/220lbs x5, 112.5kg/248lbs x5, 125kg/276lbs x10 | 100kg/220lbsx20

Pull ups: 3x6+ 1x5 with 10kg/22lbs + 4x5 with 5kg/11lbs + 1x7 bodyweight only
Superset with
Dips: 10kg/22lbs x10,10,10,6 + 5kg/11lbs x8,8,7 + 1x13 bodyweight only

Death marches: Death marches: 2x50(25 each side) with 32kg/71lbs

Total accessory work:
Push: 72
Pull:50
Legs: 100 (50 each leg)

NOTES

Not much to report. The squats killed me. Something about Max reps followed by a widowmaker just sucks the soul out of you.

13 Likes

Awesome!

1 Like

Legs do look and feel much more solid so indeed it is.

But I just realized that I have been doing widow makers for squats since November, except PR weeks, non stop. Next 5/3/1 template will definitely not have widowmakers

3 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 2 week 1 day 1 (Bench)

Bench: 50kg/110lbs x5, 57.5kg/127lbs x5, 5x5 with 65kg/143lbs

Seal rows: 5x15 with 20kg/44lbs (superset with below)
Incline DB bench: 5x12 with 17.5kg/39lbs (part of superset) and 17.5kg/39lbsx15

Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 2 week 1 day 2 (conditioning)

Tabatta Battle ropes: 8x20/10

Bench press into barbell row: 1x20 of both with 40kg/88lbs

Incline bench press into barbell row: 1x20 with 30kg/66lbs (The bench press) into 1x20 with 40kg/88lbs row

Bench press: 1x5 with 50kg/110lbs using a 3 second eccentric and 3 second pause

Power cleans: 40kg/88lbs x5, 50kg/110lbs x3, 55kg/121lbs x2 and 57.5kg/127lbs x1

Row: 57.5kg/127lbs x10

3x tricep extensions
3x seated curls

8 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 2 week 1 day 3 (Deadlifts)

Deadlift: 102.5kg/226lbs x5, 117.5kg/259lbs x5, 135kg/298lbs x9 | 5x5 with 102.5kg/226lbs

Shrugs: 4x15 +1x10 with 102.5kg/226lbs and 60kg/132lbs x30
Dips: 5x10 bodyweight only

KB swings: 2x50 with 20kg/44lbs

FULL TRANSPARENCY

I woke up this AM and went straight back to bed (late start at work) and ended up in bed from around 8pm yesterday to 9am today. I woke up feeling exhausted, covered in sweat and with my heart rate above 100bpm.

I’ve been feeling really exhausted recently and over relying on caffeine through the day. I was ready to take the week off in order to sleep more this week and start cycle 2 next week while also going cold turkey from caffeine.

Needless to say that being at work with an empty gym I ended up doing today’s session.

NOTES

So the session itself went better than expected considering I did not have a belt, the bars here are super thick and slightly heavier. Very happy with 9 for the 5+ set.

Accessory work suffered a tad due to lack of equipment so did what I could.

Not sure what the rest of the week will look like. I technically only have to do Sled + OHP and then squats on Saturday this week so I may either go to the gym or sleep in as planned but use the work gym when I can (until Saturdays squat session)

8 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 2 week 1 day 4 (Press)

OHP: 25kg/55lbs x5, 27.5kg/61lbs x5, 32.5kg/72lbs x5 | 10x5 with 25kg/55lbs

Flat DB press: 27.5kg/61lbs x8,6 + 2x10 with 25kg/55lbs and 1x16 with 20kg/44lbs
Lat pull down: 5x10

NOTES

So did this session at work and not much to say, The main work felt good and the accessory work was ‘lazy’ just to hit the minimum rep requirement.

7 Likes

Hardgainers cycle 2 week 1 day 5 (squat)

Squats: 90kg/198lbs x5, 102.5kg/226lbs x5, 117.5kg/259lbs x10 | 90kg/198lbs x20

Decline DB press: 2x20 + 1x15 with 20kg/44lbs
Lat pull down: 5x10
Leg curls: 50 reps

NOTES
So yesterday was a bad day. Didn’t feel great and (barely) managed the main work before choosing easy accessory work.

Anyhow today is a new day and new week

7 Likes