Comp done, went okay. Nothing went great but could have been worse.
Time to get bigger, tired of feeling undersized so I’m going to switch to more of a bodybuilding focus for the rest of the year. Not planning on another comp until next August. I have a general plan of what I want to focus on for 2-4 month spans over the next year. Going to stick to the plan, train hard, see what happens and make adjustments at the end.
Alrighty, switching gears to lower volume and higher rep/intensity stuff. Going to try to stick to this approach for the rest of the year. This past winter I got to my heaviest weight ever then shrunk to the same weight as last summer so I think I just got fat.
Leg day needs some work on exercise selection, only really felt comfortable with pushing front squats, hip thrusts, calf press, and leg extension.
Upper today was great, awesome pump in under an hour. Even noticed a lat pump when trying to do dips which is encouraging for my baby lats.
Tuesday (lower)
Hack squat 5x90 5x180 15x140 15x160 15x180 11x180
Leg press 10x180 10x270 10x360 2x10x450
Calf press 10x180 12x270 10x360 2x10x450
Hip thrust 10x135 10x225 2x15x315 2x15x335
Deficit deadlift 5x135 5x225
Front squat 5x95 6x135 2x8x185
Good morning 5x95
Leg extension 2x15x85
Thursday (Upper)
Log incline press 10x95 10x135 2x8x185 12x185
Ring pull up 5x8
Banded lat pull down 3x15x100
Lat pull over 3x15x100
2 min dip AMRAP 40
Facepull 2x25x100
Overhead tri extension 2x12x100
Cable fly 20x30 22x30
Ez bar curl 12x+50
Gotta work those baby lats!! Nice work
Had DOMS in them Friday. Kept flexing/flaring my lats when I was pushing my cart around the warehouse, it’s rare for me to have a mind-muscle connection with them so I wanted to play with it a little.
Don’t think I got any weird looks…
You probably did but who cares !!
Feeling pretty good about the higher intensity stuff, good pumps in a short amount of time. Going to make a few adjustments next couple weeks and I’ll be ready to grind for the next 5 months, we’ll see what the results look like.
The sets to failure/1 RIR that I can’t do straight sets with feel really good for how little time I spend doing them (hamstring curls and swiss bar overhead for example)
Saturday (Lower)
High bar ATG pause squat 2x8x135 5x185 5x225 5x245 2x5x275 4x275
Emom front squat 5x135 10x3x185
GHR 3x15
Lying hamstring curl 15x25 15x35 13x35 11x35
Prowler (high and low, 100ft) 1xempty 3x90
Sunday (Upper)
Swiss bar bench 10x125 10x145 3x12x175
Farmers walk (100ft, 1 turn) 1x105 4x155
Incline dbell row 3x15x55
Swiss bar overhead press 20x85 15x85 12x85
Neutral grip lat pull down 15x100 15x120 2x15x140
Ring strap wide rows 16 15
Jefferson deads seem decent for hamstrings on the front leg but I think my mobility is lacking to take full advantage of the movement. Will try stiff leg deads and/or dumbbell deads next week. All other movements are feeling good so just need to keep grinding. Dips felt smooth today too, last week felt uncomfortable on my left shoulder.
Tuesday (lower)
Jefferson deadlift 5x135 5x225 5x275 3x5x315
Front squat 5x95 5x135 8x185 2x10x185
Calf press 10x180 10x270 10x360 3x10x450
Hip thrust 10x135 10x225 15x315 3x15x335
Leg extension 2x15x85
Thursday (Upper)
Log incline press 10x95 10x145 2x10x185 12x185
Ring pull up 5x8
Banded lat pull down 3x16x100
Lat pull over 3x15x100
2 min dip AMRAP 45
Facepull 2x26x100
Overhead tri extension 2x12x100
Cable fly 2x25x30
Seated calf raise 2x15x25 15x35
Ez bar curl 13x+50
275 is a bit ambitious for stiff leg deads, 225 had a decent mind muscle connection though so may try that with more reps and/or a deficit.
Not sure if I have enough back work, may need some type of row on Thursday workout. Everything else feels pretty dialed in though, DOMS and pump are solid.
Right knee bugs me a little on Saturdays, unsure if it’s the deep pause squats or prowler, probably the squats. Think EMOM front squats will change to straight sets in 5-8 range and keep Tuesday fronts in the 8-12 range, wrists start to bug me about halfway through the EMOMs.
I think I know which exercises need more weight for next week and which ones are close enough to failure that need an extra set instead. The grind continues
Saturday (Lower)
High bar ATG squat 2x5x135 5x185 5x225 5x245 3x5x275
Emom front squat 3x135 7x3x195
Stiff leg deads 8x135 8x185 5x225 5x275
Lying hamstring curl 15x25 2x15x35 10x35
Prowler (high and low, 100ft) 3x90
Sunday (Upper)
Swiss bar bench 10x125 10x145 12x175 2x12x185
Farmers walk (100ft, 1 turn) 2x105 2x155 1x175
Incline dbell row 15x55 2x15x60
Swiss bar overhead press 20x85 16x85 10x85
Neutral grip lat pull down 10x120 15x140 2x15x150
Ring strap wide rows 17 15
Didn’t have much mind muscle connection from stiff leg deficit deads except at the very bottom of the movement. Have hamstring DOMS though so that’s cool.
Did a little more reps/weight/set wise than the previous week and will continue to do so next week.
Tuesday (lower)
Deficit stiff leg deadlift 10x135 2x8x185 3x10x225
Front squat 5x95 5x135 5x185 5x185 3x10x205
Calf press 10x180 10x270 10x360 4x10x450
Hip thrust 2x10x225 15x315 4x15x335
Leg extension 3x15x85
Thursday (Upper)
Log incline press 10x95 10x145 5x185 10x195 2x9x195
Ring pull up 6x8
Banded lat pull down 3x17x100
Lat pull over 3x15x100
2 min dip AMRAP 47
Facepull 3x27x100
Overhead tri extension 2x12x100 15x100
Cable fly 3x25x30
Seated calf raise 15x25 3x15x35
Ez bar curl 14x+50 12x+50
Too lazy to post earlier so here’s the last week.
Think I need to up the reps on pause squats. That much weight doesn’t feel good high bar and the switch to low bar brought on some left SI discomfort. Plus, higher reps is more in line with current goals.
Used straps on the last set of deads Tuesday, nailed my hammies like never before so I’m going to keep strapping up for those.
Have had some very mild right knee discomfort, may be related to depth on pause and front squats. Not too worried but will keep an eye on it
Also there was a powerlifting meet at the nice gym I go to on the weekends, didn’t realize it until I got there so no lying hamstring curls. Was a fun 50 min drive…
Saturday (Lower)
Low bar ATG squat 5x135 5x185 5x225 5x245 3x5x275
Front squat 5x135 5x185 5x205 5x225
Stiff leg deads 10x135 10x185 3x10x225
Glider curls 3x15
Seated calf raise 10x25 10x35 10x45 10x55 10x65
Sunday (Upper)
Swiss bar bench 10x125 2x8x145 8x175 2x10x195 9x195
Farmers walk (100ft, 1 turn) 2x105 3x155 2x175
Incline dbell row 3x15x60
Swiss bar overhead press 20x85 18x85 13x85
Neutral grip lat pull down 10x120 10x140 3x15x150
Ring strap wide rows 18 14
Tuesday (lower)
Deficit stiff leg deadlift 10x135 2x8x185 2x10x225 15x225
Front squat 5x95 5x135 5x185 2x10x205 8x215
Calf press 10x180 10x270 10x360 4x10x450
Hip thrust 2x10x225 15x315 4x15x335
Leg extensions 20x85 17x85 16x85
Slider curls 20 13 12
Thursday (Upper)
Log incline press 10x95 2x8x145 5x185 3x9x195
Ring pull up 6x8
Banded lat pull down 3x18x100
Lat pull over 3x15x100
2 min dip AMRAP 49
Facepull 3x27x100
Overhead tri extension 2x13x100 15x100
Cable fly 30x30 24x35 22x35
Seated calf raise 15x25 15x35 2x15x45
Ez bar curl 15x+50 13x+50
Phew tired from reading all that. Nice work man.
1 post per week is a bit much, even with my “low-ish” volume.
Gotta condense the posts though, don’t want to hit the post limit and have to make a new log in 50 years
Cutting out swiss bar bench. Keep hitting the safety bar and hooks. The racks and benches at this gym are nearly as wide as the collars and a pain to use.
Knee discomfort is from squats, noticed some tightness/tension during my pauses on warm up sets. Cut out a set of front squats, realized my knee was a little sore between sets.
I think pauses will be taken out of squats, see how knee responds. Worst case I’ll change exercise order to pre exhaust quads so squats can be more chill. Also get some weird back tightness with high bar so back to low bar which may make pre exhaust a good idea regardless of knee pain.
On the plus side, straps for deads hit the hammies great
Saturday (Lower)
High bar ATG squat 2x5x135 5x185 5x225 3x10x245
Front squat 5x135 5x185 2x5x205
Deficit stiff leg deads 10x135 10x185 3x15x225
Lying hamstring curl 10x25 15x35 11x35 9x35
Prowler (high and low, 100ft) 3x90
Sunday (Upper)
Swiss bar bench 10x125 2x5x145 5x175 7x195
Farmers walk (100ft, 1 turn) 2x105 2x155 1x175
Incline dbell row 3x15x60
Swiss bar overhead press 2x20x85 15x20
Ring strap wide rows 2x20
Neutral grip lat pull down 10x120 10x140 3x15x150
Saturday really got my legs, had lactic acid pain after my final set of prowlers that lasted for about 10 mins before it went away and I got the normal “kinda feel lightheaded/sick” feeling. First time the pain stayed a long time like that, legs better grow cuz it was no fun!
Saturday (Lower)
Low bar squat 2x5x135 5x185 5x225 5x245 8x275 9x275 10x275
Deficit stiff leg deads 10x135 2x8x185 3x15x225
Lying hamstring curl 10x25 15x35 12x35 9x35 AMRAP 18x25
Prowler (high and low, 100ft) 3x90
Sunday (Upper)
Incline dbell press 10x40 10x60 2x12x70 14x70
Farmers walk (100ft, 1 turn) 2x105 2x155 2x175
Incline dbell row 3x15x60
Incline dbell reverse fly 3x15x20
Swiss bar overhead press 20x85 2x18x85 14x85
Neutral grip lat pull down 10x120 10x140 2x15x150 18x150
Rope climb 2x1
Thats some nice volume right there. Im getting doms just reading it !!
I managed the same weight for several sets of 12 last year but I must have used a belt and sleeves, those 3 sets were semi challenging
Myo reps for calves are insane! My legs wouldn’t stop shaking when I would stand still afterword, on my way to full blown cows if I keep this up
Tuesday (lower)
Deficit stiff leg deadlift 10x135 2x8x185 5x225 2x12x245 14x245
Low bar squat 5x135 5x185 5x225 2x13x245 15x245
Calf press 10x180 10x270(myo rep 360lbs)x15,6,6,6,5,5,5
Hip thrust 10x135 10x225 15x315 2x15x335 19x335
Leg extensions 10x100 20x130
Slider curls 20 17 14
Thursday (Upper)
Log incline press 10x95 2x8x145 5x185 2x10x195 9x195
Ring pull up 7x8
Banded lat pull down 22x100 2x19x100
Lat pull over 3x15x100
2 min dip AMRAP 50
Facepull 3x28x100
Overhead tri extension 2x13x100 17x100
Cable fly 28x35 22x35 18x35
Seated calf raise 10x25 10x35 (myo rep 50lbs)x19,9,6,6,6,5
Squats felt really good, strong with minimal knee discomfort. Think I’m relearning how to squat without a belt and sleeves
Saturday (Lower)
Low bar squat 2x5x135 5x185 5x225 5x245 2x10x275 11x275
Deficit stiff leg deads 8x135 2x8x185 2x15x225 17x225
Lying hamstring curl 10x25 15x35 13x35 9x35 AMRAP 20x25
Prowler (high and low, 100ft) 3x90
Sunday (Upper)
Incline dbell press 10x40 10x60 2x12x70 15x70
Farmers walk (100ft, 1 turn) 2x105 2x155 1x175
Incline dbell row 3x15x60
Incline dbell reverse fly 3x15x20
Swiss bar overhead press 20x85 18x85 15x85
Neutral grip lat pull down 10x120 10x140 2x15x150 17x150
2 easy days, back on the grind Saturday.
Tuesday (lower)
Deficit stiff leg deadlift 10x135 2x8x185 2x10x225
Low bar squat 5x135 5x185 5x225 2x10x245
Calf press 10x180 10x270 (myo rep 360lbs)x15,6,5,5
Thursday (Upper)
Log incline press 10x95 2x8x145 2x6x185
Ring pull up 5x8
Banded lat pull down 2x15x100
Facepull 2x25x100
Overhead tri extension 2x12x100
Back on the grind
Saturday (Lower)
Low bar squat 2x5x135 5x185 5x225 5x245 3x10x275
Deficit stiff leg deads 8x135 2x8x185 3x15x225
Lying hamstring curl 10x25 2x15x35 11x35 AMRAP 23x25
Prowler (high and low, 100ft) 4x90
Calf press 10x90 10x180 (myo rep 270)x15,9,7,7,6
Sunday (Upper)
Log clean and press 2x8x95 3x10x145
Seated cable row 2x15x100 2x18x100
Banded lat pull down 3x15x115
Lat pull over 3x15x100
Dips 2x25 18
Facepull 3x25x100
Overhead tri extension 2x12x100 15x100
Cable fly 26x35 16x35 14x35