Aug 1
Comp Bench T&G
250x14 (7.5)
250x8 (7.5)
250x8 (8)
SSB’s
442x10 (7)
442x8 (7.5)
442x8 (8)
some bulgarian split squats and seated DB press
First set of bench didnt seem overly hard but it did make the next sets harder than they shoulda been. Took it a little easier on squats today.
Aug 5
SSB’s
462x11 (8.5)
462x5 (6)
462x5 (6)
Comp bench T&G
260x12 (8.5)
260x5
260x5
Short rests on the bench sets, 260x5 actually felt as easy as it should.
Aug 7
Paused close grip slight incline bench
135x3
155x3
175x3
195x3
215x3 (7)
235x3 (8)
135x16
Deadlift (sumo)
475x1
500x1 (7)
Clean and press from floor
150x3
150x5
150x5
some curls
I think SSB squats are helping my pull more than my comp squat, this is the easiest 500 I think Ive pulled. Normal grip incline was a no go for my shoulder, slight incline and a close grip worked out okay.
I still suck at cleans.
Aug 8
Comp Bench T&G
270x11 (7.5)
270x5
270x5
290x1 (6)
310x1 (7)
330x1 7.5)
330x1 (8)
SSB’s
482x10 (8.5)
482x5 (7)
482x5 (7.5)
Short rests on everything this day. 330 was annoyingly heavy.
Aug 10
Strict overhead press
155x13 (7.5)
155x8 (7)
155x8 (7.5)
155x8 (7.5)
ATG squats
285x11 (8)
285x5x3
Aug 12
Comp Bench T&G
285x9 (9)
285x5x3
No squats today. It was my roommates birthday yesterday, so I am not feeling great today. Puked on the second bench set haha. Not sure how useful an RPE rating is on a hungover day, so I won’t pay it much attention. May squat later today if Im feeling better.
Aug 13
ATG squat
300x9 (8)
300x5
300x5 paused last rep in the hole
Strict OHP
165x10x2
Some rotator/shoulder work
ATG squats felt about as good as they ever have, but Im not sure how I feel about 300x9 being a tough set. I dont want to test my comp squat til after this cycle though, hopefully its going up. I know my DL is.
Shoulder continues to feel better, hopefully today I didnt over work it.
Aug 14
SSB’s
502x8 (9)
502x3
502x3
Comp bench T&G
300x8 (8.5)
300x3
300x3
Short rests
Aug 15
Speed DL against light bands
365x2x10
Some upper body stuff
Next few days off, out of town
Aug 18
ATG Squats
315x9 (8.5)
315x3x3
Strict OHP
175x11 (8.5)
175x3x2
Some PR’s today, I dont think Ive ever taken 3 plates ATG, and 175x11 might be one on the press too. My OHP did not take the hit my bench did with the shoulder problems, which is odd.
Got a week to finish this training cycle, then Im gonna do a bit of a test day. Not entirely sure what my programming will go to then.
Aug 19
SSB’s
522x8 (9)
522x3 (7.5)
Bench
310x7 (8)
310x3x2
Hardest SSB set so far, I did not leave one in the tank today. Wasn’t grindy enough to call it a 9.5 though. And again, I want to mention my disclaimer on that lift, I am using reverse mini bands and squatting to a box that is a bit ABOVE parallel.
Bench: damnit this lift is frustrating me, even though I am showing very reasonable progress. I would have gotten an 8th but not a 9th rep at this weight had I gone all out, and this was something like a 12-14RM not too long ago.
Alright, so the last few days have been off/deload/testing days, new training cycle starts monday with going back to school (schedule change and access to a full gym) I spent a decent amount of time deciding how to program, and Im just gonna end up keeping it simple. Linear progression is working for me right now.
Gonna be two days a week at the college gym, one bench with whatever upper body accessory work I dont like doing/cant do at home, and the other a box squat day with leg press and hammy curls. Days in the home gym will be pretty much exactly what Ive been doing in this log, SSBs and bench, and ATG or paused squats and OHP, and maybe an extra days for speed DL’s or other crap.
I have a few buddies that Im kinda training, so with mixing schedules its easiest to do more full body on those days rather than a bodypart/movement split.
Far as testing lifts, I am happy to say all the SSB squatting has indeed helped my squat, although I havent tested my actual comp squat, I did a straight bar, no bands box squat for 540x4 and it wasnt too tough. Typically my 3RM to this box is about my 1RM comp squat. So my earlier guess of mid-5’s is spot on.
For bench, today I worked up to a somewhat tough 365, not good for too much more on that lift at the moment, maybe 385. And as noted above, I pulled about the easiest 500 ever not too long ago so I have an idea where that lift is as well (mid to high 5’s, probly not 6 but not sure). I dont have a meet planned for at least the rest of 2014 so Im not too worried about knowing for sure where my DL and comp squat is, confident going forward with these variations.
And lastly, one of my classes this semester is Electronic Music Composition. The semester includes one single project, that is a 5-6 minute video accompanied by a light show and original music. What I plan on doing is a cheesy Rocky-style training montage, so my training will include some strongman stuff, and Im going to take my first swing at training for looks, since I will need some result to show. Should be interesting since Im a fat strength “athlete” that also happens to be very good at dropping weight if I feel like it.
Hopefully my lifts dont suffer too much, but thats gonna happen. I have no business being as chubby as am I now, and this project just sounds fun haha. I also took measurements for the hell of it. I will probly post up the final video on here too for people to laugh at
8/26
Straight bar box squat
405x12
405x10
Leg Press
928x15
Leg Curls
4 sets of 25
405 for 12 is a little underwhelming, but it is a PR and a couple other factors: my right knee has been bothering me lately, today is the first day where I would say its an actual concern rather than just annoying. Also my diet had an effect today, no food til after lifting today, and Im trying to drop some chub so my carb intake in general has been low. Gonna start taking Surge for a PWO but not for a few weeks Im thinkin.
A quick note on cardio: Im not gonna log it here, but I can post a quick weekly profile. Monday through Thursday I have a class that has a physically active aspect, Id call it light to moderate cardio for an hour each day. 4 hours of cardio per week is more than enough right now. I also bike to work every day, and have a physical job (sometimes). On top of that, Ill be doing strongman type stuff for my project, and I wont just be doing it for show, I will make it worth my time training-wise.
Aug 27
Bench
Paused, feet on the bench
195x15
195x10 long pause on last repto
Done.
Having knee problems, thrilled about it, but I think I can afford some time away from squats. Didnt wanna do too much today, benching again tomorrow. I may have to rethink programming for the short term.
Aug 28
Bench (T&G)
245x17
245x10
245x10 long pause last rep
Skullcrushers
100x12x3
Shoulder still feels a little better every day, and now the knee feels worse every day. Makes sense.
Aug 29
Some light high rep bench (less than 135 for 50+)
SSB good mornings
112x10x4
BB rows
Worked up from 135 to 265 for triples, 285 for a crazy body English single
Some shoulder/pec/tricep crap on my brothers bowflex
Just an extra bullshit day, can always use more back work. I really like the yoke bar for GMs. Also of note, I still really suck at bent over bb rows. 285 is 100 less than my bench and I couldn’t even get that without cheating. Need more work here. Within the week I’m gonna get an idea of where my strict row is at as well.
Been slacking on logging again, mostly because my training sessions have been kinda shitty. I thought my knee was good to go a little too early and went back to square one on that. 435x10 on straight bar box squats, tried to do some leg press assistance work and just called it. I should have known I was doing more harm than good on the squat warm-ups, form was bad, coming forward on my feet, etc. Mistakes I have no excuse making at this point in my training. However, I do know that this knee problem can be fixed without outside help, so that’s a plus. Gonna take the opportunity to get ahead on posterior work, and take at least 2 weeks off of squatting.
Upper body, I did have an okay bench day yesterday:
Sep 4
Bench (T&G)
265x14 (8.5)
265x8
265x8 long pause last rep
Close grip paused incline press
95x8
115x8
135x8
155x8
175x9 (9)
Tricep rope pushdowns
4 sets of 20
Last week of training has been 2 days each of pressing and rowing. Gonna quickly log the highlights:
Sep 4
Strict BB Row
220x8 +1 with some english
Sep 5
Strict OHP
195x5 (8.5)
210x1 (7.5)
Sep 9
Bench T&G
285x12 (8.5)
Close Grip paused incline press
220x7 I think, not positive.
Haha, reading back over this log the last few weeks, its embarrassing. Another week and Ill feel comfortable with my knee and improve this.