Yup! Excellent PR and Rows - and yeah, I hope you back is hurting…in the good way.
Dude, also, serious pullups! I want.
I hear you, after this weekend where I went balls out on food consumption I need to tighten up the diet big time. Its always a shock when your pants get a wee bit tighter than normal (and coming from me that means they’re basically painted on).
[quote]owlie wrote:
I just Looove going out to eat and of course portion sizes are so huge that even if I only eat half I end up overeating. I never eat fast food and I don’t regularly go for restaurants that are obvious dietary sabotage, but I do get Thai food almost every weekend and sometimes Indian buffets. I guess I just have to resign myself to the fact that I can’t go out to eat, at least not for Indian food, if I want to look a certain way.[/quote]
I must admit I’m a big social eater too. I tend to eat clean throughout the week and rather than having cheat days I have 1-2 social suppers usually friday and/or saturday. Considering I have 35 meals a week that’s not too bad of a ratio. How often do you eat out? Would 1 meal a week really have such an impact considering how intensive your workouts are? I’m thinking if your diet is tight the remaining of the week that 1 social meal should not be too bad. Just my 2 cents.
Cheers
N
[quote]nlmain wrote:
I must admit I’m a big social eater too. I tend to eat clean throughout the week and rather than having cheat days I have 1-2 social suppers usually friday and/or saturday. Considering I have 35 meals a week that’s not too bad of a ratio. How often do you eat out? Would 1 meal a week really have such an impact considering how intensive your workouts are? I’m thinking if your diet is tight the remaining of the week that 1 social meal should not be too bad. Just my 2 cents.
Cheers
N
[/quote]
I am not being entirely honest with myself here I suppose. The eating out 1 or 2x a week really isn’t the problem. The problem is that I throw caution to the wind and drop my standards when I go out sometimes. I do need to live a little, and the time I spend going out to eat with friends helps me unwind and decompress, which is good for my overall health and stress levels. I just need to exhibit a little more integrity and not gravitate straight towards the Nan at the Indian food restaurant or go back for more than 2 plates. If I exercise more self control I should be able to keep the occasional meal out. I need to stick to these standards not just for my physique but also for my general health and well being. In this way I can gain the benefits of meals out and good times with friends while also keeping a balanced and healthful diet. Sorry, after school special right hurr.
[quote]
I am not being entirely honest with myself here I suppose. The eating out 1 or 2x a week really isn’t the problem. The problem is that I throw caution to the wind and drop my standards when I go out sometimes. I do need to live a little, and the time I spend going out to eat with friends helps me unwind and decompress, which is good for my overall health and stress levels. I just need to exhibit a little more integrity and not gravitate straight towards the Nan at the Indian food restaurant or go back for more than 2 plates. If I exercise more self control I should be able to keep the occasional meal out. I need to stick to these standards not just for my physique but also for my general health and well being. In this way I can gain the benefits of meals out and good times with friends while also keeping a balanced and healthful diet. Sorry, after school special right hurr. [/quote]
Sounds like solid thinking to me. A good trick I use to prevent overeating when I go out is to down some pp about 1 or 2 hours before the meal. Makes me feel fuller faster.
cheers best of luck
N
[quote]owlie wrote:
Dumbell rows
2x15 @50lbs
1x10 @50lbs
1x22 @45lbs
dropsetted to
1x12 @40lbs
[/quote]
Seriously great rows! Were these unilateral, or two arms at a time?
uni. each set recorded designates one on each side, so 2x15=2x15 each side, 4x15 total.
Very nice! I love how going unilateral allows you to go a little heavier than you would otherwise!
yeah, I find I can be a lot more explosive with rows when i do one side at a time.
5/5/5 Bench day
BENCH
1x5 @95lbs
1x5 @100lbs
1x11 @107.5lbs
3x5 @107.5lbs
DIPS
bwx6
Added weight-did like a pyramid shit thing
5lbs x5
10lbs x5
25lbs x5
10lbs x5
bwx5
25 push-ups
then strip set in smith machine
15/12/9/8/8
reverse wrist curls
3x8 @40lbs
dumbbell curls
3x8 @20lbs
So, I’m going to start training my squats differently. More volume, more max efforts, and way more frequently. Back at the end of my “starting strength” phase, I was in the habit of back squatting over 200lbs 3x a week. Now, I can barely squat once a week without huge amounts of anxiety. I mean squatting heavy is difficult, duh, and always causes a bit of anxiety, but without regularly squatting heavy, my confidence for getting under a heavy load has really gone down.
I’m not worried about “over training” or recovery. Squatting heavy and often is regularly practiced as part of some of the best programs. Also, this will hugely increase my mental fortitude. The key to this method is that I am going to be more intuitive. On max effort days, I will make sure I am 'doing work" but not grinding.
The rest of my programming will probably remain the same. 5/3/1 has done good things for the rest of my lifts.
Anyway, to work myself up to this, I’m going to first start squatting 3x a week, then 4, 5, and probably settling at 6. I will alternate max effort days with lighter, “recovery” days at least at first. Eventually, I’ll be incorporating front squats 2x a week. This might push my cardio out of the picture for awhile. Swimming over running would probably be my optimal choice anyway.
SQUATS
barx8
2setsx5reps @135lbs
1x3 @165lbs
3x3 @185lbs
3x2 @155lbs
PULL-UPS-cuz dammit I need to do more of these too
5setsx3reps
Lookin good Owlie. fine squats & pullups.
Are you familiar with the Smolov squat program? I did one cycle of it in December in an attempt to drive up my raw squat numbers and prepare for handling much heavier weight with gear. It calls for squatting four days a week. I highly recommend it. Not only did my physical strength increase, but I gained a much greater ability to push through a rep (or two or three) when I really thought I had nothing left. Your comfort level with the squat will absolutely grow. In fact, the squat will become your best friend. There’s a great online link to a program where you just plug in your 1 RM (err on the side of caution) and it lays it all out for you. I will definitely try it again when I’m not prepping for a geared meet.
[quote]owlie wrote:
So, I’m going to start training my squats differently. More volume, more max efforts, and way more frequently. Back at the end of my “starting strength” phase, I was in the habit of back squatting over 200lbs 3x a week. Now, I can barely squat once a week without huge amounts of anxiety. I mean squatting heavy is difficult, duh, and always causes a bit of anxiety, but without regularly squatting heavy, my confidence for getting under a heavy load has really gone down.
I’m not worried about “over training” or recovery. Squatting heavy and often is regularly practiced as part of some of the best programs. Also, this will hugely increase my mental fortitude. The key to this method is that I am going to be more intuitive. On max effort days, I will make sure I am 'doing work" but not grinding.
The rest of my programming will probably remain the same. 5/3/1 has done good things for the rest of my lifts.
Anyway, to work myself up to this, I’m going to first start squatting 3x a week, then 4, 5, and probably settling at 6. I will alternate max effort days with lighter, “recovery” days at least at first. Eventually, I’ll be incorporating front squats 2x a week. This might push my cardio out of the picture for awhile. Swimming over running would probably be my optimal choice anyway.
SQUATS
barx8
2setsx5reps @135lbs
1x3 @165lbs
3x3 @185lbs
3x2 @155lbs
PULL-UPS-cuz dammit I need to do more of these too
5setsx3reps[/quote]
I’ll be interested to see how this works for you. I’d been squatting heavy, high volumes multiple times each week for months and months and a number of people kicked me and said, drop the frequency etc and I bet your strength will grow much faster when I allow to recover. I’m on my third week of training the big three heavy only once per week. It was a tough transition so it’ll be fun watching to see you try the reverse. I prefer the ass busting volume and weight.
I’m definitely interested to see how the increased volume & frequency in squatting works for you.
Yup, also interested in the high volume/frequency. Your logic makes sense though. Can’t wait to see what happens.
Great stuff Owlie!
Legs will get huge with a high frequency/volume, it works for most people (while the same can’t be said for the upper body). Legs are used to this since we are on them most of the time. Back when I did Olympic lifting (I just started again), we did a squat every workout (overhead, back, or front), and a deadlift every workout (sumo or conv.), not to mention our snatches and cleans. My legs were ridiculously dense after 4 months of that. I’ll prove it to you after I take some pics of my legs with this Oly training I’m doing now (gimme some time). I’m sure you’ll benefit greatly from it.
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Legs will get huge with a high frequency/volume, it works for most people (while the same can’t be said for the upper body). Legs are used to this since we are on them most of the time. Back when I did Olympic lifting (I just started again), we did a squat every workout (overhead, back, or front), and a deadlift every workout (sumo or conv.), not to mention our snatches and cleans. My legs were ridiculously dense after 4 months of that. I’ll prove it to you after I take some pics of my legs with this Oly training I’m doing now (gimme some time). I’m sure you’ll benefit greatly from it.[/quote]
I actually got the idea to try squatting way more from reading some interviews about Olympic programming. I want to learn the Olympic lifts someday as well, but I will have to wait until I have access to better facilities and someone to show me.
SQUATS
bar 2x8
135lbs x5
165lbs x5
185lbs x3
200lbs x1
210lbs x2
back-off
190lbs 3x3
185lbs x3
135lbs 3x3
Owlie, interesting squat program! I’ll enjoy watching this.
I hear ya on the facilities. It’s taking some dedication on my part. I lift here (pictured) in the morning, about a 30 min drive and then a 30 min drive from there to downtown for class. Then in the afternoon I do strength stuff at my gym near me. It’ll be worth it though, I should be in next year’s national collegiates easily in the 105kg class. Ultimate goal: 2016 Olympics!.. haha.
You better make it to the Olympics Andy! How awesome would that be?
Nice change up on the squats. Do you have diffent types of squat bars to work with ? Safty squat ? Cambered bar ? Those are also great ways of changing things up as well. Nice work
Jim
[quote]owlie wrote:
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Legs will get huge with a high frequency/volume, it works for most people (while the same can’t be said for the upper body). Legs are used to this since we are on them most of the time. Back when I did Olympic lifting (I just started again), we did a squat every workout (overhead, back, or front), and a deadlift every workout (sumo or conv.), not to mention our snatches and cleans. My legs were ridiculously dense after 4 months of that. I’ll prove it to you after I take some pics of my legs with this Oly training I’m doing now (gimme some time). I’m sure you’ll benefit greatly from it.[/quote]
I actually got the idea to try squatting way more from reading some interviews about Olympic programming. I want to learn the Olympic lifts someday as well, but I will have to wait until I have access to better facilities and someone to show me.
SQUATS
bar 2x8
135lbs x5
165lbs x5
185lbs x3
200lbs x1
210lbs x2
back-off
190lbs 3x3
185lbs x3
135lbs 3x3
[/quote]
