I’ve been sick since Sunday, so that’s why there haven’t been updates this week. I’m feeling a bit better today, and got to the gym this morning.
Arms:
Skullcrushers
70x8
80x8
85x7
Dips (weight belt still broken at the gym so I held a dumbbell btw my legs)
BWx10
25x8
One set of 25x8 then BWx6
Preacher curls (pulley)
50x10
75x10
112.5x10
Spider curls
30x10
40x8
45x6
Didn’t have a chance to update til today. Here was yesterday’s workout:
Legs
Back Squat
95x5
135x5
190x5
155x8
Leg Press
2 plates a side x 10
3x10
4x10
4 and a quarter x 16
Calf raises on leg press
3 plates x 12
3x12
Lying ham curl
90x8
110x8
145x8
Knees are caving in on back squats. From what I can gather, that’s either from a weak VMO or weak abductors. I’ll probably add something to target the VMO, like step-ups.
Chest and Back this morning:
DB Incline bench
45x10
55x10
65x10
75x8
T-bar row apparatus
45x10
70x10
90x7
HS decline press
90x12
140x10
220x9
Close grip (neutral grip) pulldowns
96x10
108x10
137x8
Hadn’t hit chest/back for 2 weeks because of being sick over the past week. Inclines felt a little weak - everything else felt okay.
For those wondering about volume - I’m intentionally keeping my volume low right now, because I know I’m not eating enough calories to grow. My goal right now, at a minimum, is to maintain strength. I’m aiming to shed another 10 pounds, which will put me down to a scale weight of about 175. Add water on top of that and I’ll probably level out to about 180, and then I’ll maintain for a few weeks before my next gaining cycle. At that point I’ll be increasing the volume of my workouts.
Haven’t had a chance to update til now, but did shoulders yesterday morning:
Seated overhead DB press
35x10
45x10
60x7
Side DB laterals
17.5x12
17.5x12
20x9
Machine laterals
50x10
70x10
90x10
Smith machine shrugs
2 plates a side x 2 x 12 (bar behind)
2 plates a side x 2 x 12 (bar in front)
Fooled around a bit today with shrugs on the smith machine. Didn’t like it much. I tried them on the Smith machine because regular BB shrugs just don’t feel right to me - my balance feels off, I feel like I can only do light weight with full ROM but a ton of weight with partial ROM and am unsure about what weight to use…a whole bunch of stuff. Maybe I’ll try trap bar shrugs or something.
Arms this morning:
Smith machine RGBP (Smith as 0lbs)
90x10
130x10
150x8
Skullcrushers
70x8
80x8
85x6
Preacher curls (pulley)
50x12
75x10
117.5x8
Spider curls
30x10
40x8
45x9
Got a crapload of snow dumped on us today, so no trip to the gym.
So, I did a bunch of bodyweight leg and ab stuff (split squats, bridges, etc.), as well as mobility drill at home here.
Tomorrow is chest and back.
Chest and Back:
Incline DB Press
45x10
55x5
65x5
75x9
T-bar row apparatus
45x10
70x6
90x8
HS Decline press
90x10
140x10
220x11
Close grip (v-handle) pulldowns
96x10
108x10
137x9
Rep increases on every exercise today. Had a wicked headache throughout today’s workout. Not sure why. I started taking Alpha Male yesterday - hopefully it wasn’t that.
It was probably just initial placebo effect, but I had a ton of energy last night and was euphoric as hell, haha. I wouldn’t expect Alpha Male to kick in that quickly (more like in a few days) but who knows.
I know that it’s standard to recommend Alpha Male for bulking cycles and HOT-ROX for cutting cycles, but I didn’t really have that much success with HOT-ROX last time. It blunted my hunger well, but that’s really not a concern for me when I’m dieting.
I rarely ever break my dieting rules because I’m hungry - it’s usually more social outings like dinner business meetings, parties, etc. So, we’ll see how Alpha Male works.
I’m 28, and have been having some trouble with motivation recently, so hopefully this will help with my T-levels, which I suspect have taken a further hit with dieting. I may try to get some blood work done soon as well.
Wow, haven’t been able to update all week. Had the week of hell. I won’t go into it.
Did legs today:
Front Squat
barx5
95x5
135x5
165x5
Trap-bar deadlift
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
Standing calf raise
90x12
135x10
145x12
Lying Ham curl
90x6
110x6
150x6
My normal leg press wasn’t available - waited 20 minutes for it and then just did a few sets of the shitty magnum leg press.
Chest and back this morning:
Incline DB press
45x10
55x5
65x5
80x6
T-bar row (the real kind - e.g. standing)
-note: used 25’s here for greater range of motion
95x6
120x6
145x6
170x10
HS Decline press
90x12
140x6
180x6
230x10
Close grip (v-handle) pulldowns
96x10
120x6
144x9
Shoulders:
Seated DB overhead press
35x10
45x8
60x8
Wide Grip smith machine overhead press (Smith counted as 0 lbs)
50x10
70x6
90x6
DB side laterals
17.5x12
17.5x12
17.5x10
Machine laterals
50x10
70x10
90x8
Smith presses were harder than I thought. I think part of it was due to the fact that the smith at my gym is not perfectly vertical…it travels in a straight line but slightly off from vertical. I tried to set up the seat so that I’d be pressing “out” from by body slightly, but that was possible because of how it’s situated against the wall. So, instead, I was pressing slightly back. In any event, the wider grip definitely felt different.
Arm day:
CGBP (Smith - counting bar as 0 lbs)
90x10
130x8
150x8
Skullcrushers
70x8
80x8
85x5
Reverse grip pushdowns
3 sets of 12
Preacher curls (pulley)
62.5x10
87.5x8
117.5x8
Spider curls
30x10
40x8
50x7
Pinwheel curls
25x3x8
God my arms are weak. No wonder they look like strings.
I’d like to find a way to work arms twice a week. May have to think about that…
Leg day:
Front Squat
barx5
90x5
135x5
175x5
Trap bar deadlift
135x5
185x5
225x5
285x5
Leg press
2 plates per side x 12
3 plates per side x 10
4x10
5x16
Calf raises (on leg press)
3 plates per side x 12
3x12
Lying ham curl
90x8
110x8
145x6
Weight increases on squat, deads, and leg press. Good workout today. I love the feeling of barely being able to walk down the steps after leg workouts.
My hip flexor pain has gone away - coinciding with the switch from back squats to front squats. Hmm. I’m gonna stick with this for a while.
Chest and Back:
Incline DB Press
45x10
55x5
65x5
80x6 (same as last week)
T-bar row
95x10
120x8
145x6
170x11 (1 rep increase)
HS Decline press
90x12
140x6
180x6
235x9 (5 lb increase)
Close grip (v-handle) pulldowns
96x10
120x8
146.5x8 (added a 2.5lb plate)
Felt okay today, though my chest exercises felt a bit off. My tri’s are still sore from friday, so I think that affected it a little bit and prevented me from getting an extra rep or two.
Arm day:
CGBP (smith as 0lbs)
90x10
130x6
150x8 (same as last week)
Skullcrushers
70x8
80x6
85x6 (up one rep)
Preacher curls (pulley)
62.5x10
87.5x6
117.5x9 (up one rep)
Spider Curls (ez curl bar)
30x8
40x6
50x9 (up 2 reps)
Pushdowns
3 set of 12
Pinwheel curls
25x10
25x13 (up 5 reps)
Big increase in reps on pinwheel curls. I still have the arms of a girl.
Leg day:
Front Squat
barx5
95x5
135x5
185x4 (up 10 pounds but didn’t get 5th rep)
Trap bar deadlift
135x5
185x5
225x5
295x5 (up 10 pounds)
Leg Press
2 plates per side x 12
3x10
4x10
5 and a 25 x 14 (up 50 pounds)
Calf raises on leg press
3 plates per side x 12
3 and a quarter x 12 (up 50 pounds)
Lying ham curl
90x8
110x6
145x8 (up 2 reps)
Pretty good day overall. I’m a little pissed at myself for not attempting the 5th rep at 185 on front squat. I think I could have gotten it.
Chest and Back:
Incline DB press
45x10
55x6
65x5
80x8 (2 rep increase)
T-bar row
95x10
120x10
145x6
180x9 (10 lb increase)
HS Decline press
90x12
140x6
180x6
235x10 (1 rep increase)
HS underhand pulldown (1 arm at a time)
45x10
70x8
90x6
A bunch of d-bags were hogging the regular pulldowns, and I didn’t feel like waiting, so I subbed in the hammer strength pulldowns. I don’t do these often, but they do feel different. Everything except t-bar rows felt good today.
During my last set of t-bar rows last week, my grip was failing a little, so I used my straps today. I couldn’t really get them situated comfortably, though, and the weight never felt balanced.
My scale weight hasn’t budged for 3 weeks now. I have mixed feelings about this. One one hand, I look noticeably leaner in the chest area. However, on the other hand, my waist measurement also hasn’t budged in 3 weeks.
So, I’d like to think that I’ve been putting on muscle at the same time I’ve been losing fat, but the waist measurement doesn’t support this (unless I was losing fat in other areas, which is possible, but as far as areas go, I have by far the most to lose in the love handle and lower back region).
I know I need to increase cardio. I know, I know, I’ve said this before. I hate cardio.
Shoulders:
Seated DB overhead press
35x10
45x6
60x9 (up one rep)
Machine laterals
50x10
70x10
90x12 (up 4 reps - was much fresher at this point than normally though)
Rear delt machine
90x12
115x10
140x10
One-arm side laterals (pulley)
20x12
22.5x12
Waited for about 20 minutes for the Smith machine while a guy must have done 8 sets of presses on it. Couldn’t wait any longer, so that’s why I didn’t do that exercise today.
Arms:
CGBP (smith as 0)
90x10
130x6
150x9 (up one rep)
Skullcrushers
70x8
80x6
85x7 (up one rep)
Preacher curls (pulley)
62.5x10
87.5x6
117.5x9 (same)
Spider curls (w/ ez curl bar)
30x10
40x6
50x10 (up one rep)
Pinwheel DB curls
30x8
30x10 (up 5 lbs from last week)
Not a bad workout today. Strength continues to go up (though very slightly).
Leg day:
Front Squat
barx5
95x5
135x5
185x5 (up one rep - felt much better than last week)
Trap bar deadlift
135x5
185x5
225x5
305x4 (up 10 lbs, but way too much rounding today)
Leg Press
2 plates per side x 10
3 plates per side x 10
4 x 8
5 and a quarter x 15 (up one rep)
Calf raises on leg press
3 plates per side x 12
4 plates per side x 10 (up 40 pounds)
Lying ham curl
90x8
110x8
150x6 (up 5 lbs)
Chest and back:
Incline DB press
45x10
55x6
65x5
80x9 (up one rep)
T-bar row
95x10
120x8
145x6
180x10 (up one rep)
HS decline press
90x12
140x6
180x5
240x9 (up 5 lbs)
Wide grip front pulldowns
96x10
120x6
144x7