I was going to skip out of training tonight (since I feel like throwing up), but in writing that last post I just realized how much of a pussy I’m being compared to when I was younger. Who cares if I feel like throwing up, as long as I still get the lifts in. I don’t need to feel great in the gym to do the work.
Low cable rows 160x12 160x8+150x4 150x9+140x3 140x12 (4 sets of 12 with weights dropped near failure)
Sternum pulldowns 70# 3x8 w 30sec break (was wanting to get out of there based on feeling nauseous)
I might get some curling in later, but feeling too sick right now. Plus curling isn’t nearly as important as back work.
Obviously volume is low … was supposed to do this twice today.
Last night I spent about an hour after lifting curled up on the bathroom floor with nausea. It went away on its own. That sucked.
Today:
Hadn’t squatted for awhile; started light at 180, trying to get 20. Did 16 then 4. Was feeling some tightness around my left knee. I could have done 20 – I chose to cut it short at 16 because of that tightness.
Later, did pre-exhaust with leg curls, then deep heavy leg presses on the balls of my feet for 15 or so. Not sure of the weight… was using the stack-based machine at my office.
Every time I get up from a chair it makes me laugh at how my legs give out.
I’m going to work back up to 20x200 and go from there. I missed these.
Yesterday I just did Standing Overhead Press 80# for 12, 10. Nothing else. The rest of my day didn’t cooperate… so today is another chest/shoulders/tri day.
Some strength goals - not size goals.
John McCallum:
Squat - 150% of Body Weight for 20 reps
Behind Neck Press - 75% of Body Weight for 12 reps
Bent Over Rows - 125% of Body Weight for 12 reps
Bench Press - 125% of Body Weight for 12 reps
Stiff Legged Deadlift - 150% of Body Weight for 20 reps
BlueCollarTr8n:
Over the course of 15-20 years…
During ‘offseason’ periods I think most disciplined natural lifters should strive to reach:
Squat: 2.0xBW 10-15 reps
DLift: 2.5xBW 3-5 reps
Flat Press: 1.5BW 4-6 reps
O.H. Press: 1.0xBW 4-6 reps
Bent Row: 1.5xBW 8-12 reps
[for 3-5 sets per workout]
I’m taking for granted that in the BB forum people understand conditioning, curls, extensions, calf raises, ab/core work, etc. must also be performed.
–
I can squat 1.3xBW for 20 so far. Working to 1.5.
I can [standing] overhead press .5xBW so far for 15. Working to 1x for 12.
I need to start benching… but I’ll give my shoulders another couple weeks with just pure standing OHPs.
Also, I’m going to start BB bent rows again in a few weeks, which is when I should max out the cable stack at the apartment gym. I’d probably have had better results if I were doing these all along, but at the very least, they definitely ironed in the movement pattern.
Apparently I wasn’t using 80# for my OHPs. Not sure what happened. Either way, I’m trying to add 2-1/2lbs each session, using (15, 12, 10) as the rep scheme.
First session:
Standing OHP - 85# for 15, 12, 10
45-degree laterals - 30# for 3x20
Rear raises - 20# for 2x20
Gironda Tricep Rope Pulls - 60# for 3x12
IN.
Anyone who Steinborn squats is a badass in my book. I’m also trying to focus on my OHP. I don’t know if it’s in my head or what, but when I started lifting with a good friend that regularly does 225x8 on ohp, I think I’ve pushed myself more so I won’t be that embaressed lol
Reversed my back workout yesterday… Gironda-style Pulldowns first, THEN low cable rows. Definitely got a nice lat pump going before the cable rows, which meant I had to go lighter on those.
Which means I don’t max out the cable stack quite so soon…
[quote]chobbs wrote:
IN.
Anyone who Steinborn squats is a badass in my book. I’m also trying to focus on my OHP. I don’t know if it’s in my head or what, but when I started lifting with a good friend that regularly does 225x8 on ohp, I think I’ve pushed myself more so I won’t be that embaressed lol[/quote]
Lol. I used to do that… but I bought a rack. But yeah, it felt pretty badass doing a Steinborn raise to then do 20-rep squats. Definitely good for training willpower.
One of these days I hope to do 225x8. I think it’s going to be awhile. I’ll work on 135x8 first.
That’s awesome you have a friend that can do that though, since that’s the best kind of motivation.
I guess I did all right, considering I had no appetite for most of September, and my training was pretty sporadic. Didn’t realize I’d made that much progress actually, until seeing these side by side.
Warmed up with Bradford presses using the bar.
Standing OHP 87.5 for 15, 12, 10
Partial Laterals 30# for 3x25
Rear Raises 20# for 2x25
Evening session:
Warmed up with Bradford presses using the bar.
Standing OHP 87.5 for 10, 8, 6
Partial Laterals 30# for 3x25 – tried these slightly angled forward; this hits the side delts better
Gironda Tricep Rope Pulls 70#x12, 70#x8 60#x4, 60#x8, 50#x12 (4 sets)
What happened here? I try to check in on your lifting, and… nothing? It seems like you’re not posting in any of the lifting forums anymore. You still improving?
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
What happened here? I try to check in on your lifting, and… nothing? It seems like you’re not posting in any of the lifting forums anymore. You still improving?[/quote]
I’m back at it. I got sick; GI issues.
Eosinophilic esophagitis… basically, an allergic reaction in my esophagus which causes all sorts of issues with nausea, poor sleep, sinus congestion etc. I lost every pound I gained (but kept some of the muscle).
But I’m now back to lifting, and returning to basics.
3x12 dips
3x15 straight arm pulldowns
1x20 breathing squats; doing them with at least 3 deep breaths between reps and that makes it quite a bit harder
1x20 light pullovers
3x12 curls
3x12 behind the neck press
One of the McCallum routines from the Complete Keys to Progress series.
Been at it about two weeks now. I don’t see any need to tweak it, unlike all the screwing around with Gironda’s and even John Meadow’s ideas I did before.
At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be quite enough pulling going on, but the straight arm pulldowns are heavy and actually doing a lot. I’m just going to trust the routine for awhile.
