10/31/15 - Worth noting that I’m having a very hard to recovering from 20 rep squats each week. There’s no sign atm of the DOMS letting off each week. I had to actually force myself to train today even in spite of my lower body being completely wrecked. Stretching helps, as does warming up and getting the CNS ready.
Pause Deads (sumo, paused@ about 1 inch off floor)
45x10
135x8
225x3
225x3
315x3
405x3
500x5 hard set but easier than I thought, had 2 more, maybe 3.
500x5 brutal, 1st rep was really bad and the rest were better as a result of bringing my feet closer together.
11/2/15 - So I finally hit a 300lb strict like everyone in my life has been expecting me to hit lol. Kind of weird finally hitting this. This was a huge dream of mine when I first started lifting around 5-6 years ago. I was just so impressed at guys who could strict press 300lbs. I’ve only got a few more weeks of strict press training before I go back to log. Don’t think I’ll change my mind but who knows, the 3 plate prospect could lure me in.
Strict Overhead Press
45x8
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x1
275x1
275x1
275x1
300x1 technical PR but I’ve done 290x3.
drop set
225x11 PR here as well.
135x26
CG incline w/ axle
180x10
180x10
200x8
225x7
drop set
200x7
180x10
85x15
Upright Row w/ plate and Inverted Row Circuit
45lb x 15/x10
45lb x 15/x10
45lb x 15/x10
45lb x 15/x10
Back Squat
45x10
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x1
350x20 Man I suck at these after seeing Pwnisher do this weight twice as fast as I did :(. This was the first set so far that’s been difficult to complete, but it’s okay because I still feel I have some more in me.
In the process of all this 20-rep squatting I’ve devised some ideas for what i’d like to hit when I start training my squat heavy again. 405x15 and 550 for a single would be great. I wouldn’t mind getting 500 for a triple as well. I think I could have done that last time I doubled it but I wimped out.
Front Plank (took a break from doing these so heavy, i also drastically shortened the rest times and it really made it harder)
+45lbs x 60s
+45lbs x 45s
+45lbs x 30s
+45lbs x 20s lol spent
bw x 30s
11/7/15 - a lot of work done today. just felt like kicking the shit out of myself more than usual.
Bent Over Row
45x10
135x10
225x10
275x8
275x12
275x12
275x12 cheated a bit too much toward the end and tweaked my low back a little bit on my left side.
225x20
225x20 felt it acting up a bit on some reps. even if i load my hamstrings and keep my belly tight it still aggravates it.
DB row
100x20
100x15
100x15
100x10
Pull ups
x8
x8
x8
x8
Bent Over Rear Flyes (Dbs)
40x8
40x8
40x8
40x8
Shrugs (farmers handles, no straps)
120x35
120x30
120x30
Gonna start doing some extra ab work on my deadlift/back day just to do it. It’ll be weightless more simple stuff to compliment the heavier compound stuff like planks and shit done on squat day.
Oblique Crunch
x15
x15
x15
Russian twist
x20
x20
x20
Leg Raises
x15
x15
x15
Also worth mentioning that my right bicep is bothering me. Can’t seem to point out why but I hopefully it’ll be okay soon.
11/9/15 - Decent pressing day, but I didn’t get to eat an actual meal so I was maybe excused for being weak? Also, back to the log for a while.
Strict Log Press
110x5,5
160x3,3 shoulder is again being weird
200x2
230x3
230x3 massive grinder, did not set up good
230x3 better, really hard on the third
200x5
Band pull apart/Standing DB Press/Log Press Circuit
x20/40x12/110x10
x20/40x12/110x10
x20/40x12/110x10
x20/40x12/110x10 had to rerack the log several times. I’m starting to question if this thing really is 110lbs. It feels so fucking heavy sometimes.
Landmine Press
50lbsx15
50lbs x 15
50lbs x 15
50lbs x 15
11/11/15 - Tonight’s session rocked me. I wanted something more than last weeks weight on 20 reps squats, but I didn’t feel prepared enough to go for 365. Hit 355 for a pretty brutal set of 20.
Back Squat
45x10
45x10
135x5
135x5
225x3
275x3
325x2
355x20 yeah, my cardio is shit. I banged out 10 real fast, and by 15 I REALLY wanted the bar off my back lol. Took like 15 seconds in between reps by #18. Everything has gone peachy up until now, but I never said it was going to be easy. Onward, though.
Front Plank
x40s
x40s
x40s
x40s lol pitiful, just so tired
Side Plank
x40s
x40s
x40s
DB pull over
40x10
40x10
40x10
40x10
So in hindsight, it’s a good thing I hit this weight for 20. My best is 365x15 and it was done around the time I hit 530. If I can hit 365x20 (I will), I will be sitting very pretty to hit a 550 this winter.
I also made a point to turn off all music on 20-rep squats to force me to not get psyched up and overworked. I take mental conditioning serious as well. I want to force myself to stay calm even when I feel like I’m gonna die.
Sumo Deadlifts @14 inch bar height
135x8
225x5
315x5
405x3
495x2
550x1
605x1
680x1 bit hitchy but I got it, ended up bringing my feet in closer like a narrow-sumo pull because going wide just made lifting it impossible of course. 700 could have been possible but I would have had to mariusz the rep.
635x3 hitched last rep a good bit.
Deads off 2 1/4 mats
585x4 PR and the first rep exploded off the ground which is great being this tired.
11/19/15- Didn’t log my squat session until now, (or lack thereof), because I basically bombed hard. Didn’t even feel like training tbh. Can’t put my finger on why. I felt off kilter in the morning of the day and although my warm ups went fine, when I put 365 on, after 6 reps banged out pretty fast, I just lost it and it folded me in half, whacked my head on the way down, and I reracked it right after. I tried it again, but I knew it was over. I felt physically prepared because the week before I had killed 355. Did not expect 10lbs to be such a trammel. Kind of killed my mood for a while so I refrained from logging but I felt I needed to share. Going to give my body a rest and peak back up to it soon.
11/22/15
Bent Over Row (close grip)
95x12
145x12
215x10
270x10
310x10 solid, no back issues
345x8 nasty 8, but refrained from body language, they were just hard and heavy.
Drop Set
305x10
255x10
235x10
145x17 grip was fried from a bunch of yard work i did yesterday.
Really enjoy drop setting with bent rows like this.
DB Row (using straps due to grip)
100x20 worlds easier with straps. Kind of feeling my lats get used more than my bicep with them. Maybe my biceps won’t perpetually cramp all day today from these.
100x20
100x20
11/24/15 - Good stuff on the log today. For some reason my left tricep was feeling triggery with warm ups (mainly the empty log) but waned as I ascended in weight.
BS (high bar)
135x12
135x12
135x12
135x12 i dont know why but this actually really bothers my quads. They feel really weak atm and they’re having a hard time finishing the upper portion of the squat. Both of my legs kind of hurt and feel really shaky and crampy.
When I squated 355 for 20 i had no quad pump at all. It was all in my hamstrings and back. Using 135 today actually gave me a quad pump which is fucking insane. I definitely have some SHITTY squatting mechanics. My right (injured) quad is hurting if i push with it too much and my left is taking up all the work.
Plank SS with DB Squat (100lb DB)
x60s/x10
x60s/x10
x60sx10
DB Pull Over
40x10
40x10
40x10
Lunge w/ band (right leg only)
x15
x15
x15
x15
Having an issue where I lunge on my right leg, but my left quad only gets worked. Made a small change to it and ended up getting better results. Had a good right quad pump which is a dime a dozen for me lately.
11/29/15 - Hit this workout up semi-fasted. Had some gatorade, vegetable juice and multi vit pre workout but no meal. Went in almost immediately upon waking and didn’t notice anything bad except for being shaky, but that might have just been the deadlifts.
Sumo Deads from 2 1/4" mats
45x10
135x10
225x5
315x3
405x2
500x7 felt good
Sumo Deads from floor (the blocks didn’t feel challenging enough so I lowered it)
500x8 felt pretty awesome, this was tough but manageable.
500x8 awesome volume PR with these sets.
12/1/15 - I will be benching more this winter by adding it in every other pressing week. Not sure what my pursuit will be towards but maybe it will build a better overall press. Who knows. Pec held up fine today.
Bench Press Superset W/ Pull ups
45x10
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x5/x8 Bench grip is about 3 inches outside knurling. Kind of close but it feels strong this way.
275x5/x8
275x5/x8
275x5/x8
275x5/x8
275x5/x6
275x5/x6
275x5/x7
Overall they weren’t too difficult. I probably had one more rep on the final set. Maybe 11-12 AMRAP on the first which is cool to be able to hit first day back benching.
12/3/15 - Took a friends advice and got some revenge from two weeks ago. Definitely not as hard as I thought, which really shows me how strong I am on squat sets less than 10 reps. On the other hand, I really have an issue with 15+ but I think I can get it very soon. We’ll see.
Back Squat -made a minor adjustment to form. Brought the bar down slightly lower on my back, but brought my feet in and my arms in
45x10
135x5,5
185x3,3
225x3,3
275x3
315x3
370x10 awesome set. Made each rep mimic the other, even toward the end.
370x10 getting tough, starting to good morning on the later reps.
370x10 pretty messy but had 2 more reps.
Reverse Deadlifts - these are a quad destroyer. These are great since I have a hard time activating my quads on anything.
135x10
135x10
135x10
135x10
Also, back to the log for a while.