Quest for a Mountain of Muscles (More or Less)

Cycle 5 Week 6 - 7/15/11 (Upper Body Pressing)

Broke up workout into 2 parts due to new job and schedule. Still tweaking schedule.

AM Work Out

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
145x3
135x3
140x3
145x3
135x3
140x3
145x3
135x3
140x3
145x3
135x3

Incline Bench:
195x3
185x3
190x3
195x3
185x3
190x3
195x3
185x3

Bench Press:
245x3
235x3
240x3
245x3
235x3

PM Work Out

Bench Press:
*Warm-Ups
245x3
235x3
240x3
245x3
255x3
240x3
235x3

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
255x3
215x3
235x3
255x3
215x3
235x3
255x3
215x3

Seated plate raise/seated lateral raise/ seated clean and press
Set 1 = 35x9/15x8/15x8
Set 2 = 35x9/15x6/15x6

Holy s#@%, and I thought I was doing a lot of sets on Sheiko.

Took the weekend off to rest up for new 3RM’s. I will be doing new 3RM’s over this week. I will just edit this entry to cover all of the new 3RM’s.

Off to a pretty good start, Pretty happy with results.

cavalier - you asked if I was seeing good results, I’m going to yes… this time =)

New 3RM’s (7/18/11)

OH Press - 165 (vs 160 in Cycle5. Not real happy with this but I expected it. Struggling with shoulders lately. Going to give extra focus on them next cycle)
Decline Bench - 295 (vs 275 in Cycle5. Happy with this. I wanted to break 300. Next time.)
Deadlift - 345 (vs 305 in Cycle5. Stoked about this!!! Was hoping for 315. Wanting 400 now!)

New 3RM’s (7/20/11)

Leg Press - 520 (vs 470 in Cycle5. Happy with this!)
Bench Press - 275 (vs 260 in Cycle5. Actually did 280x2 which is a PR. I was hoping for more, so I’m not thrilled with this but I’ll take it.)

New 3RM’s (7/23/11)

Incline Bench - 225 (vs 205 in Cycle5. Happy with this!!)
Front Squat - 195** (vs 185 in Cycle5. **OK… only 10 pds but at 195, wanting to get 3 good reps, ass to the grass deep squats. F’ing shorts and boxers rip right down the back seam HOLY SHIT what are the chances!!! Thank god the gym provides towels, talk about an akward situation. So, I’ll take it.)

On to cycle6!!!

Cycle 6 Week 1 - 7/25/11

2 workouts today.

AM Workout:

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
145x3
DB Shrug 90x6
135x3
DB Shrug 90x6
140x3
DB Shrug 90x6
145x3
135x3

Bench Press:
255x3
245x3
250x3
255x3
265x3
245x3

DB Bent-over Row 90x6x3

PM Workout:

Incline Bench:
*Warm-Ups
195x3
185x3
190x3
195x3
185x3

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
275x3
235x3
255x3
275x3
235x3

Cycle 6 Week 1 - 7/26/11

Front Squat:
*Warm-Ups
155x3
115x3
135x3
155x3
115x3

Standing Calf Raise/Reverse Calf Raise (Super Set):
220x10/100x10
230x10/100x10
240x10/100x10

Leg Press:
*Warm-Ups
420x3
380x3
400x3
420x3
380x3

Decline Bench:
*Warm-Ups
255x3
235x3
245x3
250x3
235x3
**Left elbow was killing me again. Last 2 sets were very very difficult. May ease up on the exercise. Also considering a sleeve or something.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions on elbow pain/what to do during lifting appreciated.

Cycle 6 Week 1 - 7/27/11

Bi’s and Lat’s and Tri

Not a good day. Felt worked from the start, struggled with pretty much all exercises

Standing Lat Pull Down:
*Warm-Ups
70 x 8
80 x 8
90 x 8
90 x 8

Cross Body Hammer Curls:
*Warm-Ups
45x10
40x9
40x8

Pull-Ups: W-G BWx5
Chin-Ups: BWx5
Pull-Ups: W-G BWx5
Chin-Ups: BWx5

EZ Bar Preacher Curl:
85x8
90x8
90x7

Wide Grip Lat Pull Down:
160x8
170x8
170x8
180x8

Seated plate raise/seated lateral raise/seated clean and press
35x9/15x8/15x8
35x9/15x6/15x6
35x9/15x5/15x3

Tricep Push Down:
*Warm-Ups
110 x 12
120 x 12
120 x 12

Cycle 6 Week 1** - 8/1/11

After last workout 7/27/11 pain in left arm was pretty bad, and it was the entire arm. Decided to take a step back and listen to body. Took a few days off and now I’m coming back to it. I reset to beginning of week one for this cycle. This was good, No pain today. We’ll see how it goes.

Broke up workout into 2 parts

AM Work Out

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
140x3
135x3
140x3
140x3
135x3

DB Shrug 90x6x3

Bench Press:
250x3
235x3
245x3
250x3
235x3

DB Bent-over Row 90x6x2

PM Work Out

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
275x3
235x3
255x3
275x3
235x3

Incline Bench Press:
195x3
185x3
195x3
200x3
185x3

I think I might know what is causing my issue. Hopefully this doesn’t sound teh gay but its my wrists. They are bending back during the lift which I think is causing my arms to flex a weird way while lifting. Noticed it during bench press today. Think they need to be strengthened. Or, I could be full of s#!t…

Have you tried wrist wraps? Good pressing.

james

Cycle 6 Week 1** - 8/2/11

atypical (james) - Thanks for the comment. I have tried wrist straps before in different exercises. I hadn’t considered them for the bench pressing exercises, will have to give that a try. Thanks again!!

Need to tweak schedule, missed out on leg press…

Decline Bench:
*Warm-Ups
255x3
245x3
255x3
260x3
245x3

Front Squat:
*Warm-Ups
145x3
135x3
145x3
150x3
135x3

Standing Calf Raise/Reverse Calf Raise (Super Set):
220x10/110x10
230x10/110x10
240x10/110x10

Nice work.

I think James stated wraps, not straps. Never bench with straps, dangerous. Wraps will keep the wrist from bending back.

Cycle 6 Week 1 - 8/3/11

Bi’s and Lat’s and Tri

PeteS - Thanks for the comment, and thanks for the catching that. Have never tried wraps, definitely going to look into it. Thanks again!!

Standing Lat Pull Down:
*Warm-Ups
70 x 8
80 x 8
90 x 8

Cross Body Hammer Curls:
*Warm-Ups
45x10
45x8
40x7

Pull-Ups: W-G BWx5
Chin-Ups: BWx5
Pull-Ups: W-G BWx5
Chin-Ups: BWx5

Tricep Push Down:
*Warm-Ups
120 x 12
120 x 12
120 x 12

EZ Bar Preacher Curl: Struggled from here…

90x8
90x5 3 upper partials
90x4 4 upper partials

Wide Grip Lat Pull Down:
160x8
170x8
180x8

Seated plate raise/seated lateral raise/seated clean and press
35x8/15x8/15x8
35x8/15x5/15x3

Felt super drained after today. A bit frustrating, last couple of these wokouts have been difficult.

Cycle 6 Week 1** - 8/6/11

Schedule has been dorked up, finally got back to it.

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
275x3
235x3
255x3
275x3
235x3

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
140x3
135x3
140x3
140x3
135x3

Incline Bench Press:
195x3
185x3
195x3
200x3
185x3

Bench Press:
255x3
245x3
250x3
255x3
245x3

DB Shrug 90x6x3
DB Bent-over Row 90x6x2

Cycle 6 Week 1** - 8/7//11

Leg Press:
*Warm-Ups
420x3
380x3
400x3
420x3
380x3

Seated Calf exercise using Leg Press Machine:
220x10x3

Standing Calf Raise/Reverse Calf Raise (Super Set):
220x10/120x10
230x10/120x10
240x10/120x10

Front Squat:
*Warm-Ups
155x3
115x3
135x3
155x3
115x3

Decline Bench:
*Warm-Ups
265x3
255x3
260x3
265x3
270x3
255x3

Cycle 6 Week 2 - 8/8/11

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
275x3
235x3
235x3
255x3
255x3
275x3
275x3
235x3

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
140x3
130x3
130x3
135x3
135x3
140x3
140x3
130x3

Incline Bench:
195x3
185x3
185x3
190x3
190x3
195x3
195x3
200x3
185x3

Bench Press:
255x3
245x3
245x3
250x3
250x3
245x3**

Had to stop again, pain in left arm cam back BIG time. Think its time to stop the benching exercises until I invest in some wraps. Go ahead… shake your head, I am.

On that note can anyone recommend a good pair of wrist wraps?

Cycle 6 Week 1c - 8/15/11

After the 8/8/11 workout The pain in my left arm was BAD. I should have stopped much earlier but I didn’t. So I took a week off. Honestly a little out of fear that I really f’ed up my arm and also to look at what I was doing. I have been doing HPMass almost a year now and while my weights have gone up tremendously I started to think I’m over doing it, lifting heavy (at least for me) for that long with really no serious breaks.

I also went and thought hard about my form and realized as my weight increased my grip got wider and wider. I realized this after doing some reading on proper grip for benching exercises. I couldn’t help but wonder if that somehow played a roll in my arm pain.

So, that brings me to today. I am researching new workouts and I finally invested in some wrist wraps. Until I finish my reading I am continuing with HPMass and yes, starting back at week 1.

Using the wrist wraps and narrower grip the benching exercises seemed more difficult and I did fell it nicely in my chest. I’m also happy to say NO arm pain. Although, quite honestly I’m still not really sure where to grip the bar properly. I’m 6’3 and have lanky arms. The grips I tried just seemed odd today. Any thoughts, comments as always are appreciated.

So… the workout for today:

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
145x3
135x3
140x3
145x3
135x3

Incline Bench Press:
195x3
185x3
190x3
195x3
185x3

Bench Press:
255x3
245x3
250x3
255x3
245x2

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
275x3
235x3
255x3
275x3
235x3

Was worked after today, but in a good way. I’ll attribute it to taking a week off. =)

Cycle 6 Week 1c - 8/16/11

Front Squat:
*Warm-Ups
155x3
115x3
135x3
155x3
115x3

Standing Calf Raise/Reverse Calf Raise (Super Set):
220x10/120x10
230x10/120x10
240x10/120x10

Decline Bench:
*Warm-Ups
255x3
245x3
250x3
255x3
245x3

Used wrist wraps again and NO pain. However the exercise still seems more difficult, guess I just need to get use to the wraps.

Cycle 6 Week 1c - 8/17/11

Bi’s and Lat’s and tri’s

Exercise for today, performed in this order:

Pull-Ups:
W-G BWx5
N-G BWx5
W-G BWx5
N-G BWx5

Standing Lat Pull Down:
*Warm-Ups
52.5kg x 8
57.5kg x 8
62.5kg x 8
65.0kg x 8

Cross Body Hammer Curls:
*Warm-Ups
45x10
45x10
45x10

Wide Grip Lat Pull Down:
160x8
165x8
170x8
175x8

EZ Bar Preacher Curl:
85x8
85x4 4 upper partials
85x5 (MF)

Tricep Pushdown:
125x12x4

Standing Bar Bell Curl(3 sec decent):
60x7
60x7

Seated plate raise/seated lateral raise/ seated clean and press
35x9/15x7/15x7
35x8/15x6/15x4
35x8/15x5/15x3

Was so f’ing worked after this but liked it =)

Cycle 6 Week 1c - 8/19/11

Weighed in at 230 today. Hasn’t been the cleanest eating so need to check myself on that. Will start new workout on Monday, looking forward to it. Will do a cycle of that then come back to this.

Deadlift:
*Warm-Ups
275x3
235x3
255x3
275x3
235x3

Standing OH Press:
*Warm-Ups
145x3
135x3
140x3
145x3
135x3

Incline Bench Press:
185x3
195x3
185x3
190x3
195x3
185x3

Bench Press:
235x3
245x3
250x3
260x3
235x2

Went wider grip today on bench presses. Felt better then narrower rip. Thinking with my lanky arms wider may be better. Will finish week up tomorrow with lower body. Hopefully decline bench will go smoothly

Cycle 6 Week 1c - 8/20/11

Today was awesome!! Figuring out the grip thing. No pain today, felt good getting that 275x3!! Been eating more carbs pre workout past couple days, that has been helping alot!!

I still plan to change workouts (start Monday) for a cycle then come back to this.

Front Squat:
*Warm-Ups
155x3
115x3
135x3
155x3
115x3

Standing Calf Raise/Reverse Calf Raise (Super Set):
220x10/120x10
230x10/120x10
240x10/120x10

Leg Press:
*Warm-Ups
420x3
380x3
400x3
420x3
380x3

Seated Calf exercise using Leg Press Machine:
220x10x3

Decline Bench:
*Warm-Ups
245x3
255x3
265x3
275x3
245x3
255x3
235x3

Week 1 Day 1 - 8/22/11

Started my new workout today. Definitely a change of pace from what I had been doing. This is a workout I found from the Chad Waterbury book “Muscle Revolution” It’s his older book but lots of good info in it IMHO. Workout is 3 times a week, so here we go.

Exercies for today:

Good Mornings: 155x3x5
Dips: BWx3x5 (Need Belt for more weight)
Chin-Up: BWx3x5 (Need Belt for more weight)
BB Front Squat: 155x3x5
BB Bench Press: 225x3x5

Its different, its the first day, I’ll reserve judgement =)