Today’s vids including my homemade board press
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1/4 Week 5 DL
Front Squat warmup because SSB was being used
45.95.145.195X5
Platform opened up
DL
135.225X5
285X5
325X5
375X5
405X3
425X2
Snatch Grip DL/HLR
3X5 225 too heavy today, lol
3X13.10.10
Left my truck in Pennsylvania so driving my wife’s car. She has a hair appointment today so cut my workout a little short. Probably finish up this afternoon at home after some food and a nap. Also going to post a picture for progress purposes tonight.
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1/5 Week 6/6 Bench
45.95.115.135X5
185X5
205X5
225X5 rep PR
205X5 4 sets
Superset 7 NG pull-ups
CGBP/Hammer Pulldown
155X8 4 sets
Up to 3 plates/side 10 reps
Tricep Rope Pushdows
Drop set a bunch of reps 75+
Incline Curls
Drop set 60+ reps
Speeding up my workouts is definitely something. This was just over an hour and created a really good upper body pump. Some woman turned off the fan about half way through my main sets so it turned into a sweat session as well. Overall happy with my bench progression. Trying not to push it with maximal loads. I never really built a base for my bench the way I have my squat and DL so more “work” seems to be paying the bills right now. Now off to watch some kids show goats at a local stock show with the family and finish my platform tonight.
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Squat 6/6
45.135.185.225X5
280X5
315X5
355X5
385X1
425X1 PR
Good Mornings/Band Crunches
3X10
3X25
Leg Press Drop Set
75 reps from 230-45
Good finish to my 5th round of 7 week protocol for squats. Started in June with a 315 absolute max to 425 in 7 months.
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Week 6 Press
45.65.75.95X5
115X5
135X5
150X5
180X1 PR
165X3 strip 10 pounds/side then
145X3 strip 5 pounds/side then
135X3
Floor Press
45.135X5
205X5 5 sets
Hammer Pulldowns superset with floor press
5X10 115/sideX3 135/sideX2
Seated Rear Delt Raises
TatePress
3X10 15s
3X20.15.15
Cable Lateral Raises no breaks
3X10.8.8 per side
Cable Front Raises no breaks
3X8
Curls/Cable Side Twists
3X15
3X10
Planks
3X30 sec
3X20 sec
10 sec rest between all 6 planks
Press went well today. Felt it a lot more in my rear delts than I’m used to, but it felt solid. Floor press because I forgot my board. Wore my new elbow sleeves and they really warmed them up and kept them pain free. Sped through accessories for a good shoulder pump. Then I tried the twist thing, not sure how I feel about that. So I went and did some planks and called it a day.
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Final DL Test before comp
135.225.315X5
345X5
390X5
435X1
475X1 20# PR
Good Mornings
160X8 3 sets
Bench Leg Raises superset with GM
3X10
First home gym workout and first time on my new platform. Went really well even with my two oldest kids jacking around. I went and had a huge breakfast then came home and smashed it out. Now we’re headed to the batting cages for some more competitive fun. Finished my 6 week run, will deload then have 8 weeks until my first comp ever. I’m going to pull 500 that day and smash my 1100# log goal then will reassess where to go from there. Thinking I may cut and see how lean I can get for beach season, lol.
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Okay, remind me of this when I start to waffle on my programming. I just finished my first cycle of 5/3/1 and I’m close to your starting point.
If I’m reading correctly, you just PR’d on deads, squats, and OHP. That’s a fun week right there. I had a similar run in 2018 when I finished my first round of CT’s Simple Guaranteed Size and Strength post hip surgery. They’re just fond memories now. Keep it up and be proud of yourself!
Don’t do it! Cut a little if you like, but don’t go crazy.
The platform looks awesome! What do you use for the lettering - paint or decals?
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Congrats on the PR! That’s a strong press. Are you aiming for a bodyweight press?
I’ll never cut too deep, I don’t do discomfort in the kitchen, lol.
My wife used decals, then I used a triple thick polyurethane over it.
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Yes I am, at some point. Right now, it just progresses how it progresses. After my meet in March I may push for a 2 plate press, 3 plate bench, 4 plate squat, 5 plate dl for my 40th birthday in July.
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T-Ransformation pics
Not excited about posting these, as I’m not a bodybuilder and feel stupid posing. However, it’s about accountability and a reference point for the future.
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Those used to be my goals and I’ve only hit one. I’d still like to hit the others but I’m not going to beat myself up getting there.
I’ll call those my “It’d sure be cool if I hit those” goals. My real goals aren’t PRs, but any day of the week I want to be able to hit _______. I haven’t really set the numbers for everything but these might be alright:
- deadlift 450
- bench 275
- squat 315 (I’d really like it to be more like 350 but I’m so far from that now)
- press 175? push press 225?
I’ve hit 545 on deadlift, 370 on squat, 305 several times on bench, and 170/245 on press/push press. The only problem with those is that I beat myself up getting to them and then had to back off. I quickly lost the ability to hit those or even close so I always had to start over.
I think I’ll be better off if I just do the lifts (or close variations) consistently without pain and maintain 85ish percent of my PRs.
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I think that’s pretty similar to how I feel. My day to day is too important to me to push to a point that my real life is affected negatively. I train around my family, around my job, and if something comes first, it certainly isn’t training, lol. I think an everyday number for me would probably be a 405 squat I’m cool with 3-5 reps at 225 on bench, pull 405 any time I want and as long as I can rep 135 OHP I’m fine. Right now I’m feeling great, but bench has suffered because I simply won’t push through any elbow or shoulder discomfort, not worth it to me for a meet no one cares about. I like being strong, but I’m stronger than 95% of the people I encounter day to day so it’s just fun to see what I can do.
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Unplanned fun session
Axle Bench
75.95.125.165X5
185X5
215X3
235X1
245X1
255X1
Some random bi/tri/back playing with the home gym setup not really counting anything.
Axle bench and my right bicep were not friendly today. I probably threw 200 batting cage pitches yesterday and just thought of it so that could be the culprit. However, I love the axle bar. It’s a novelty and fun to play with. Probably try to press with it next time home for a change of pace. Now I’m on a flight back to Pennsylvania for a few weeks and the “road” gym.
I previously wrote out 6 weeks of training, but I looked at it this morning, and I don’t like it. I’ll look back and see what I was thinking when I wrote it and probably stick with straight 5/3/1 5s Pro until after my meet.
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New cycle of 5/3/1 but it’s better if I call it Brett’s Bastardized 5/3/1 because it does stray a bit. I’m going to train 6 days a week but only 1 week of Wendler per week. I’m basically adding in an extra bench and squat day. Currently at 375 mg/week Test and started Ostarine at 20mg/day 1 week ago. Will run this through my comp in March.
Bench
45.95.115.135X5
160X5
185X5
205X5
No breaks other than loading plates up to this point
230X3X3 very difficult, maybe overshot a bit.
90 seconds rest
Board Press/Barbell Rows
4X6 205
4X10 135
60 second rests
Put on elbow sleeves
DB OH Tricep ext/Incline DB Curls
3X20.15.10 35.40.50#
3X15.10.10 25.20.20#
7 deep breaths between sets
Chest supported low row
4X10 140.180.140.90
Minimal rest maybe a minute
Tricep rope extension
A bunch in multiple variations probably 75-100 reps
Preacher Curl Machine
A bunch probably 50-60 reps
All done in an hour. Heavy sweating, out of breath at times, insane arm pump. This was a great feeling session. Needed that as 3 straight days off felt horrible, lol.
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Missed yesterday’s workout because of mental health and it doesn’t feel any better today. Now I’m supposed to be on day 3, but I need to do day 2. Sitting here wondering if I can do 2 days today and get back on schedule, all while debating training at all. After the last 8 months, I realize everything above is just irrelevant, however this is how my brain works. Going to go take a shower, grab some food, and see how I feel after. Thinking I should have mentally deloaded somehow and can’t seem to unlock that yet.
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Just do the next thing - whatever that is.
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Showed up to the gym at 3:50, closed at 4. This is beginning to really aggravate me. Don’t know if I’ll get to the gym again before Tuesday may just repeat workout 1 and call it a really long dumpster deload.