Jake's Road to Bodybuilding

Training Training Logs
401

[quote]ashylarryku wrote:
Nice deadlifting! Was that a PR?

If you’re looking to download whole albums (or purchase any, I have 100+ of my own :slight_smile: lol), here are some that are constantly being played while I’m in the gym:

August Burns Red - Leveler (check out “Empire”)
August Burns Red - Messengers (check out “The Truth Of A Liar”)
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - D.R.U.G.S. (check out “Stop Reading, Start Doing Pushups”)
The Devil Wears Prada - Dead Throne (check out “Pretenders”)
Emmure - Speaker of the Dead (check out “Children Of Cybertron”)
Sky Eats Airplane - Sky Eats Airplane (check out “Numbers”)
Texas In July - I Am (check out “Hook Line And Sinner”)
Texas In July - One Reality (check out “1000 Lies”)
This or the Apocalypse - Monuments (check out “Two Wars”)
This or the Apocalypse - Haunt What’s Left (check out “Charmer”)

I listen to a few others but these are the ones that are being played most. Lately it’s This or the Apocalypse - Monuments, that CD is awesome.[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestions Adam! I’ll check these out. Regarding the deadlift figures, thanks, but no PR there, best figures so far are: 419 x 5, 440 x 3 and 463 x 1 (missed 485/5 plates a few times).

EDIT: overkill but I may have most of these downloading now… seems like the sort of stuff that I’m looking for but as I say… I’m very open when it comes to gym music. chilling music is different and I have more specific tastes.

402

Chest & Tri’s: 5/3/1 Cycle 2- 5 week (kg/lb)

Bench Press
80/176 x 3 - 85/187 x 3 - 90/198 x literally couldn’t unrack it on this bench due to massive hooks, got 5 with spotting but without literally would have been 3 tops.

I’VE LEARNED MY LESSON, NEVER BENCH ON THIS BENCH EVER AGAIN.

DB Incline Press
32/71s x 10 - 35.5/78s x 7 - 36.4/80s x 3/4 + 1 spotted

DB Incline Power Flyes
22.7/50s x 10 - 25/55s x 6

Dips
BW + 7 < was dead

stretch x some

EZ-PJRs
Bar + 30/66 x 10 - +30/66 x 6 - +30/66 x 4

OH Rope Extension
40/88 x 15 (set/rep PR) - 45/99 x 12 (set/rep PR) - 50/110 x 6

V-Bar Extensions
50/110 (stack) x 15 - (set/rep PR) - Stack + 32lb dumbbell x 7 PR

stretch x some

Tricep work felt awesome besides the EZ-PJRs (didn’t know they made “bad ez bars” but it seems so)… chest work I ended up with decent pump but very dissapointing strength.

I didn’t listen to my own advice regarding benching, so next week to punish myself I might literally just bench and nothing else (in my home gym) and make sure I hit PR terrority weights.

403

Gojira are my go to for training. Nice easy listening metal thats gets you pumped up when needed. For Hip Hop stuff I like Army of the Pharaohs. Sepultura are also worth checking out.

These are my go to PR songs:

404

I’m a little late here… I don’t know HOW hard you like your music (because I can go down a very dark and insane hole in that regard,) but here’s some less intense stuff you may like.

Bonus: Slam-death

405

Awesome. I’ll see if I can throw in a few more of these for tomorrows leg/squat day!

Didn’t really expect anyone to respond to this. I was playing some songs Adam suggested in my training I posted earlier and metal is definitely awesome for training (even if I had a sucky session).

406

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
Awesome. I’ll see if I can throw in a few more of these for tomorrows leg/squat day!

Didn’t really expect anyone to respond to this. I was playing some songs Adam suggested in my training I posted earlier and metal is definitely awesome for training (even if I had a sucky session).[/quote]

Metal definitely has a positive training effect on the big lifts. I always stick on metal for the big 3 or something I’m chasing a PR in, and then something Hip Hop based for “boring” accessory or rep work.

407

I’m probably an idiot for dropping my converse for squatting in favour of my new olympic shoes & expecting to instantly adapt…

Leg Day- 5/3/1 w/BB assistance: Cycle 2, 3 week

  • walk to gym in converse, change to oly shoes before squatting -

Squat (high bar/olympic form)
107.5/237 x 3 - 115/253 x 3 - 122.5/270 x 4 < wanted 7+

Front Squat (clean grip/olympic form)
80/176 x 3 - 90/198 x 3 - 100/220 x 3 - 110/243 x 1 < wrist/shoulder flexibility became an issue on the 220 set and almost crippled me on the 243. Ignoring the fact I used clean grip, these feel WAY better with oly shoes then without. PRs for clean grip for what its worth.

Leg Press
180/397 x 8 - 220/485 x 8 < felt decent with oly shoes, probably less rom/more quad focused though

Hack Squat (a2g)
1pps x 10 - 1pps+10/22 x 8 PR - 1+1/2 pps x 5 PR < felt awesome with oly shoes

Leg Extension (setting no.)
7 x 8 PR

  • converse back on -

DB SLDL
72s x 15 - 80s x 8 < forgot straps

Lying Leg Curl
25/55 x 15 - 30/66 x 9

quick stretch x some

  • walk home in converse -

My gym has a 4 hour opening window (10am-2pm) until after new years day… ran out of time before calves, which I will have to do tomorrow.

408

Good stuff, nice to see Oly squatting getting some love in here.

409

[quote]phlegms wrote:
Good stuff, nice to see Oly squatting getting some love in here. [/quote]

depth is so legit in these shoes, I assume that’s part of the reason my squat wasn’t so great (along with slightly dif motor pattern). As it stands I’m basically going A2G, which may be a little bit of an overkill when my focus isn’t olympic lifting.

What can I say though, I just love training and experimenting with different/new things.

410

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
Awesome. I’ll see if I can throw in a few more of these for tomorrows leg/squat day!

Didn’t really expect anyone to respond to this. I was playing some songs Adam suggested in my training I posted earlier and metal is definitely awesome for training (even if I had a sucky session).[/quote]

No doubt man. I actually listened to a lot more of the stuff I posted here and slowly started transitioning into insanely brutal stuff, just because it helped with the PRs, Widowmakers, and what have you so much, lol.

These days I can listen to the Little Mermaid while lifting and be fine, but I’m not sure if that’s necessarily a good thing. haha

411

Shoulder & Bi’s day (w/calves) - 531, Cycle 2, 3s

Military Press (belted, no rist wraps)
47.5/105 x 3 - 50/110 x 3 - 55/121 x 6

DB Seated Military Press (full rom, fully upright)
27.2/60s x 8 - 27.2/60s x 9 - 27.2/60s x 9

Seated DB Laterals (feet on bench)
22.7/50s x 8 - 22.7/50s x 10 PR - 22.7/50s x 11 PR < bit too loose, sticking at this weight for awhile.

Incline Bench R.Delt Flyes
16.8/37s x 15 PR, 17 PR, 13 < stick at this weight till 3 x 20+ reps with good form

Machine Laterals (setting no.)
6 x 12 (set pr) - 7 x 9 PR

Reverse Pec Dec
40/88 x 11 - 50/110 x 10 - 60/132 x 10 PR - 70/154 x 5 PR

18 SETS SHOULDERS! YE BUDDY. BOLD!

Seated DB Hammers
25/55s x 5 - 25/55s x 6 - 25/55s x 4 < volume PR for weight, but too heavy

Incline DB Curls
14.5/32s x 10 (set 1 pr) - 18.6/41s x 3 PR < way too heavy, lol

Cross-body DB Hammers
27.2/60s x 8

Rope Double-contraction Hammers
30/66 x 10 - 40/88 x 7 < felt decent

Standing Calf Double Popped/Paused (setting no.)
14 x 8 - 15 x 8 PR - Rest Pause set: 18 x 4 PR, 3, 2, 3, 2, 1. Rest pause PR.
5 second ecc. & 2 sec. pause & slower contractions - 12 x 5

This session felt like a bit of disaster, but looking back at the numbers its not too bad, despite the sucky military. I’m not sure if I’ve given 531 much of a chance thanks to my weight loss, but I’m tired of being weak im everything other then deadlifts now, kthx.

412

Good stuff all round, get the military press up though! Start eating with extreme intent, no excuses!

413

[quote]phlegms wrote:
Good stuff all round, get the military press up though! Start eating with extreme intent, no excuses! [/quote]

Everything is going to improve lots, for sure

414

Decided since I’m still SO far off any sort of physique I’d consider worthy of competing in a natty comp. I may well set my sights on doing a meet (probably in the summer). Just for fun, but also to motivate me to hit 125kg bench, 180kg squat, 250kg deadlift etc… all of which I know are achievable assuming weight gain and training focus (I’m not going to stop training arms anytime soon though, lol).

415

Forgot to take in my log book today… remember basically everything though:

Back/Deadlift: 531, Cycle 2, 1 week

Deadlift
155/342 x 5 - 175/386 x 3 - 195/430 x 2

Pull-ups
Wide grip - BW x 8 Medium grip - + 10/22 x 8 - + 25/55 x 3

Lat Pulldown
V-Handle/CG - 80/176 x 10 - 90/198 x 9 - 100/220 x 5/6 PR

Seated Cable Row
50/110 x 10 - 60/132 x 10 - 70/154 x 8-9

HS Low Row
3pps x 10 - 3 1/2 pps x 6 PR

Seated Wide-Grip Cable Row(for rear delts etc, using D-handle bar)
40/88 x 8, 10, 9 (volume PR at weight)

Forgot to get mah DB Pullover on :frowning:

DB Shrugs
Hold/squeeze - 90s x 8-10 - 135s x 2 MONSTER PR < ololol meant to pick up 100s - 5 second hold - 80s x 8-10 - 80s x 8-10 - 72s x 10

Need to get focused again with trap training, pretty random efforts there.

Guess I’m sticking with the same deadlift max for the next cycle, definitely have more in me but this is the most I’ve ever lifted at this gym (fairly thick barbell, SMOOTH ie. no proper knurling) and it was rolling about like a bitch after each rep which made it all feel much less solid then is normal. Should probably start using straps at this gym but I love mah mixed grip.

416

Good stuff, particularly jelly of the deadlifts after my disaster with them today!

417

phlegms: It’s all good man- smolov front squat & deadlifts = practically impossible formula (but something I’d want to try).

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS

Trained in my home gym for the first time since summer, benching feels WAY better (bar has actual knurling, can unrack whilst in set-up position etc.)

Chest/Bench: 531, Cycle 2, 1 Week

Bench Press
85/187 x 5 - 90/198 x 3 - 95/209 x 2.5

Bench Press - Boring but big
80/176 x 10 - 80/176 x 10 - 80/176 x 6 - 75/165 x 8 - 70/154 x 9

For those of you who have run 5/3/1 you’ll know I messed up my performance pretty badly by accidently going 85%/90%/95% where it should have been 75%/85%/95%… pretty annoying when 3 weeks of training basically lead up to one sets performance. Same bench max for 3rd 5/3/1 cycle next week then…

I did like just benching though, it was definitely a needed session for me. I have no problem with strength off the chest anymore but am failing mid-rep ie. where the stretch reflex “runs out” so I might have to use some pin presses or floor presses again (it’s been awhile). Observationz.

Here’s to 2012: the year where I see my best ever progress

418

While one should strive to constantly hit PRs, one should also not get too caught up in always hitting a PR. One thing I learned/came to realize while doing 5/3/1 was that I don’t have to always hit a PR on the top set. When I’m feeling awesome and just know I have a PR, I’ll go for it.

But the rest of the time I would focus on getting in good quality work in. You need to train optimally not maximally. You might not get a PR every session, but you sure as hell can get in quality work to lay the foundation for future PRs.

419

[quote]AquaCruzer wrote:
While one should strive to constantly hit PRs, one should also not get too caught up in always hitting a PR. One thing I learned/came to realize while doing 5/3/1 was that I don’t have to always hit a PR on the top set. When I’m feeling awesome and just know I have a PR, I’ll go for it.

But the rest of the time I would focus on getting in good quality work in. You need to train optimally not maximally. You might not get a PR every session, but you sure as hell can get in quality work to lay the foundation for future PRs.[/quote]

Well said. Having the 5/3/1 structure has very much stopped me trying to PR every session because I’m limited to one PR worthy set and even then the main “1 week” set is what it all sort of leads up to since typically the first two sets are lighter (though not in my case today…)

I’m not sure how long I will keep the 5/3/1 structure going, as for “asap progress” I am starting to view smolov as something I could see working very well for me (based on past experiences of squatting multiple times) but that said, 5/3/1 certainly is one of the better ways to train 4 days a week.

I know at some point relatively soon I will go on an all out squat assault via smolov… but I really do value 5/3/1’s simplicity and the ease it can be used in conjunction with more typical bodybuilding ‘assistance work’. If I add extra arm/calf days I even take away the only disadvantage I can make out: the fact I only hit these parts once a week this way.

420

Just a forewarning with smolov… if you do run a cycle for squats, be prepared to hate life for a couple of weeks until you adjust to the volume/frequency. You could definitely benefit from a bench/backsquat (maybe even Oly backsquat) cycle of smolov to get your strength back. You could even just run the base mesocyle (ie. first 3 weeks) to see how it treats you as I am doing at the minute.