No Pain No Gain

[scj119]

Plan for next 4-5 months:

5/3/1 for Powerlifting. Warmups always the same, work sets on main lifts will follow this template (each set increasing weight):

Week 1: 3, 3, 3, 1, 1
Week 2: 5, 5, 5+ (as many as possible)
Week 3: 5, 3, 1+ (as many as possible)

Full template looks like this, working out 4x/week:

Monday:
Bench (5/3/1 sets and reps detailed above)
Incline Press (Week 1 - work up to 3RM. Week 2 - 8RM. Week 3 - 5RM)
Chins/Pulldown variations - “whatever vertical pulling station is available in a crowded ass gym” between sets of bench/incline
Dumbbell Row (3 heavy sets 8-12 or Kroc Rows)
OPTIONAL: Rear Delt/Tricep/Bicep work

Tuesday:
Squat (5/3/1 sets and reps detailed above)
Rack Pull (Week 1 - 2RM. Week 2 - 6RM. Week 3 - 4RM)
Leg Press (Week 1 - rep max @ 6.5pps. Week 2 - rep max @ 5.5pps. Week 3 - rep max @ 6pps)
Ab Wheel
OPTIONAL: BB Shrugs if time permits

Wednesday:
OFF DAY - Hill Sprints or BBall for conditioning

Thursday:
OHP (5/3/1 sets and reps detailed above)
Dips (Week 1 - weighted, Go for PR at 3x5. Week 2 - total rep PR at bodyweight. Week 3 - weighted PR at 3x8)
*Pulldown/chin variations between sets of OHP and dips
Cable Row
Face Pull
OPTIONAL: Tricep/Bicep isolation work

Friday:
Hang Clean (steadily increase top set in 1-3 rep range)
Deadlift (5/3/1 sets and reps detailed above)
Front Squat (Week 1 - 3RM. Week 2 - 8RM. Week 3 - 5RM)
GHR
Ab Wheel
Conditioning: Prowler

Saturday/Sunday:
OFF. Do Hill Sprints or bball on one of the two days.

That’s the plan. Thoughts welcome.

Edit: Will throw in weighted chins a couple times a month, going for rep PRs (want 45lbx3x3 and 25lbx6x3)

[scj119]

8/2/12. OHP.

I cut my session short because I got some impingement back in my rear delt / upper lat area. Dips, pulldowns, rows, and pretty much everything was bothering it when I hit a certain point in the range of motion. I’ll do some shoulder mobility stuff over the next few days, but I think it was just an effect of blasting my lats so hard on Monday (sorest my back has been in a long time). I’ve twice done neutral grip chins for ~50 reps in a workout and each time has left my lats more sore than anything else I’ve ever really done.

Anyway, I did at least make it through my main lift and perform decently on that. I decided not to push through the pain and just avoid exercises that I could feel the tweak.

Workout

A) Standing OHP
75 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3
-work sets-
135 x 3
150 x 3
170 x 3
180 x 1 <–flew up
190 x 1 ← bit of a grinder, knew I wasn’t hitting 195
190 x 1 <–big grinder

*did one set of chins, it hurt so I stopped

…then I looked for shit that wouldn’t bother my back/shoulder/whatever it was.

B1) Face Pulls… pulling up over my shoulder was fine
3 x 15

B2) Rope Pressdowns
2 x 12

C) EZBar Curls (Preacher Bench)
70 x 10
70 x 8
70 x 7

[scj119]

8/3/12.

I continue to have no clue how to deadlift. Yesterday I think I was tired and really distracted from coaching my gf through some lifts. I also think my hips are starting way too high, I have no power off the floor anymore. Gonna start doing trap bar deads on squat days.

A) DL
170 x 5
210 x 5
250 x 3
-work sets-
295 x 3
335 x 3
380 x 2

B) Front Squat
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 3
255 x 3

happy with FSs at least.

We had to jet early. Gonna try to do some hill sprints today since I didn’t prowl.

[scj119]

Weight gain has been coming along nicely the past week or two. Weighed in at 221 this morning, first time since about January I’ve been over 220. A couple pounds of waterweight will come off during the week like always, but I’m getting about 4-5lbs a month as planned.

Also I posted in the “How strong were you when you were untrained” thread, and realized how inexcusably weak I once was. First time I benched I couldn’t do 85lbs for 8 reps. Nice to see the long term progress even when you get frustrated about the short term stuff.

Benching 220 for reps today and going for 180x8 on incline.

[scj119]

8/6/12. Bench.

So, I trained with pre/intraworkout carbs for the first time in like 2-3 months and I couldn’t believe the pump I had in my chest/lats/tris. I wasn’t thinking about it at all and I’m like “what is that weird feeling” and then I thought “oh shit is that a pump? Maybe I should go back to preworkout carbs”

Anyway, I can’t eat any more food at dinner than I already am, and I like the idea of backloading my carbs, so the next step to adding calories was to put carbs pre workout. I train pretty late by CBL standards so it’s no big deal.

Note that I’m not doing “by the book” CBL… I eat way more fat in the day and less carbs than recommended at night… but I am trying the base principles. So far I’m up about 15lbs and haven’t had to loosen my belt, so far so good.

Workout

Band shit for shoulders, still feelin a bit of the impingement from last week

A) Bench
105 x 5
130 x 5
155 x 3
-work sets-
165 x 5
190 x 5
220(5+ ) x 9

B1) Lat Pulldown
(underhand)
150 x 10
150 x 10
150 x 10
(overhand) 135 x 10

B2) Incline Bench
135 x 8
150 x 8
165 x 8
180 x 8 PR

C) DB Row
100 x 12
110 x 10
110 x 10

D1) Face Pulls
3 x 15

D2) DB Hammer Curls
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 8

[scj119]

8/7/12. Squat.

God, what a shitty day. I forgot to bring my gym clothes for the second time since last friday, went to the grocery store to buy a bunch of things I had forgotten on Saturday… I am so sick and tired of forgetting virtually every task I have (major or minor). It gets so frustrating to have the memory of a 90yr old with mild alzheimers at age 27.

Fortunately, I took my anger and exhaustion to a late night squatting session and hit a good PR. Form felt a ton better than last week. Ass back, chest up…

Workout

No stretching… it was late… did some leg swings though. Walking there was my warmup.

A) Squat
135 x 5
160 x 5
190 x 3
-work sets-
210 x 5
240 x 5
270(5+ ) x 10 PR.

B) Trap Bar DL
225 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
315 x 5

C) Rack Pull
185 x 5
235 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 5

D1) BB Shrugs
185 x 10 x 3

D2) Ab Rollouts
3 x 7

Also, I REALLY fucking hate heavy 10-rep sets of squats. Fuck Wendler for making me do them.

[scj119]

8/9/12. OHP

First time ever that I have hit 200+ lbs on Wendler’s 1RM calculator for 3 consecutive sessions on OHP. (only hit it twice total in about 8 months previously). I know OHP is the slowest to progress but I sense some PR’s coming.

I was thinking of sticking around because the session felt short, but then I thought why not leve while I’m still in a good mood before I beat myself into the ground for once. feelsgoodman.jpg

A) Standing OHP
75 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3
-work sets-
125 x 5
145 x 5
160(5+ ) x 8

*bw chins between every other set, 3x8

B1) Dips
bw x 12 x 5sets (60 total reps, tying rep PR from when I weighed 10lbs less).

B2) Chins/pulldowns/whatever vertical pulling apparatus I could find that wasn’t taken
5 sets x 7-10 reps

C) Cable Rows
9 x 10
9.5 x 8
9 x 9

Out. Think I’m gonna go have some sex tonight.

Also - I am looking forward to deads tomorrow, I’ve been thinking about it and I think I know why I’ve lost all power off the floor (I overcorrected my hips being too low, and now they start off way too high). Doing trap bar deads made me realize I have no quad drive on conventional. We will see.

Cleans/deads/front squats/prowler tomorrow.

[Spock81]

[quote]scj119 wrote:

Out. Think I’m gonna go have some sex tonight.

[/quote]

EFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

ALso, was going to say something about the how much you lifted when you were untrained comment, but I forgot.

I still remember the first time I benched 100lbs, I got it for a triple. I was so happy I ran to the bathroom and like high fived everyone on the way there, Lol.

Now I am like effin pissed if I can’t get 10+ reps outta 115. YEESH

[scj119]

8/11/12. Deadlift

So, I got tired of banging my head off the wall and pretending my max hasn’t gone down. Bumped down my training max 20lbs and despite the ego hit, deads felt good finally. I think I am just not flexible enough to get my hips low enough without rounding my low back at least a little. I can only arch it if my upper body is like horizontal to the floor and then I have zero drive from my quads off the floor.

8/10/12 - Deadlifts, Front Squats

A) Hang Clean
95 x 8
135 x 4
155 x 3
175 x 2

B) Deadlift
160 x 5
205 x 5
250 x 3
-work sets-
265 x 5
305 x 5
345(5+ ) x 8

C) Front Squat
155 x 8
180 x 8
200 x 8 PR

D1) GHR
bw + 10lb x 8
10lb x 8
bw x 10

D2) Ab Rollouts
3 x 7

Prowler Sprints
90lb x 40m x 8

[quote]Spock81 wrote:

[quote]scj119 wrote:

Out. Think I’m gonna go have some sex tonight.

[/quote]

EFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
[/quote]

Thanks for the offer, but I’m taken.

[quote]
ALso, was going to say something about the how much you lifted when you were untrained comment, but I forgot.

I still remember the first time I benched 100lbs, I got it for a triple. I was so happy I ran to the bathroom and like high fived everyone on the way there, Lol.

Now I am like effin pissed if I can’t get 10+ reps outta 115. YEESH [/quote]

It’s amazing how you can feel like you make no progress, but looking back at the big picture it can be crazy how far you’ve come.

[scj119]

8/13/12. Bench.

Not much to report about the weekend. Pretty much just laid around and relaxed. Not complaining.

Bench felt weak leading up to my top set, but I say that every week.

Training

A) Bench
105 x 5
130 x 5
155 x 3
-work sets-
190 x 5
220 x 3
245(1+ ) x 5

B1) Lat Pulldown
135 x 12
135 x 10
135 x 11
135 x 10

B2) Incline Bench
135 x 8
165 x 5
190 x 5
205 x 5 PR

–was gonna do DB Rows, but the position was sending this shooting pain down my hamstrings. Tried a few other horizontal rowing positions (t-bar rows, bb rows), same thing. Decided to call it a day.

This happens sometimes. I need to get it checked out, I know.

[scj119]

8/14/12. Squat

That numb/burny feeling in my hamstrings turned up during squats and trap bar deads yesterday. I need to get it checked out sooner than later. It happens whenver there is a load on my lower back and there is an angle between my torso and legs.

Stopped squats a rep or two sooner than I could’ve. Still, got 4 reps the first time I’ve ever gone over 300lbs for more than 1 rep. Not a bad accomplishment in the big picture, even if I had the strength to bang out another and shelved it early. I also cut Rack Pulls out of today’s workout. Figured I could do a lot more harm than good in 3 sets.

Workout

Foam roll: lower back, hammies, IT bands
stretch: Leg Swings

A) Squat
135 x 5
160 x 5
190 x 3
-work sets-
240 x 5
270 x 3 ← belt on, easy as cake, started feeling numbness in hammies though
305(1+ ) x 4 <–plenty of strength left

B) Trap Bar Deads
245 x 3
285 x 3
315 x 3
335 x 3. Mighta been 345, I don’t remember and don’t have my logbook on me.

Called it a day. That weird nerve thing was acting up and I didn’t want to push it. Then I did hill sprints for the first time in months. It was humbling.

Conditioning

Hill Sprints - 6 trips, ~1min rest between sprints, 40-50meter hill

I’ll attach a picture of the hill when I get home.

[scj119]

The hill.

[scj119]

8/16/12. OHP.

Eh, Not quite up to snuff today, but not horrible. I have this weird thing when I OHP where I feel a lot stronger when I lean my upper back backwards, put my elbows under the bar and tuck them… until I get to about 170lbs, then that position feels weaker than my standard “stand straight up and down and muscle it up” position.

So I felt uber strong at 160 and uber weak at 180

A) Standing OHP
75 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3
-work sets-
145 x 5
160 x 3
180(1+ ) x 3… wanted 4 but even 3 was a huge struggle.

B) Dips
bw x 8
35lb belt x 8
35 x 8
35 x 8

*7 sets of chins (underhand and neutral grip) between sets of dips and OHP

C1) Cable Row
3 x 10

C2) Face Pulls
3 x 15ish

[scj119]

8/17/12. Deadlift.

Worked out with this bodybuilder today… almost 300lbs and he only deadlifted 410x5 and could barely make 6 trips with the prowler. Talk about unfunctional muscle.

Workout

Foam rolling n shit

A) Hang Clean - these felt way stronger not looking in a mirror
95 x 8
135 x 6
155 x 5
175 x 3
185 x 2 PR

B) Deadlift
160 x 5
205 x 5
245 x 3
-work sets-
305 x 5
345 x 3
385(1+ ) x 4… up from 380x2 two weeks ago… comin back.

C) Front Squat
155 x 8
185 x 5
215 x 5 <-belted
235 x 5 PR

D1) GHR
3 x 8ish

D2) Ab Wheel
3 x 7

Prowler
90lb x 40m x 8 in about 9:15

next week… 10 trips

[VTBalla34]

[quote]scj119 wrote:
8/17/12. Deadlift.

Worked out with this bodybuilder today… almost 300lbs and he only deadlifted 410x5 and could barely make 6 trips with the prowler. Talk about unfunctional muscle.

[/quote]

I hope you get hit by a herpes infested Metro bus

[Bellmar]

Yeah, he is a bodybuilder. He trains like one, not like a powerlifter or anyone whose goal is lift numbers.

Rather ignorant statement.

[VTBalla34]

[quote]Bellmar wrote:
Yeah, he is a bodybuilder. He trains like one, not like a powerlifter or anyone whose goal is lift numbers.

Rather ignorant statement. [/quote]

lol…sarcasm rocks!

[Bellmar]

Did … did i just get trolled? I feel so violated.

Anyway, I stand by my statement.

[Spock81]

How many cycles have you done so far post injury?
Do you think you’re gonna have to reset numbers soon or whatever? I’m like already calculating how many cycles I think I can go before having to reset and I’m only on my first cycle, ha.

UM YA! HELLO

[spar4tee]

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:

[quote]scj119 wrote:
8/17/12. Deadlift.

Worked out with this bodybuilder today… almost 300lbs and he only deadlifted 410x5 and could barely make 6 trips with the prowler. Talk about unfunctional muscle.

[/quote]

I hope you get hit by a herpes infested Metro bus
[/quote]
Not hard to find