Spidey: Back in Black

Training Training Logs
1081

[quote]sd_law wrote:
Hey Spidey,

Please forgive me if you’ve already gone over this. I’ve gone through parts of your personal thread and the entire carb backloading threads.

Are you no longer backloading? It seems like you had great results from it. As you put it, you got lean without trying.[/quote]

Hey man, nice to have you along.

Yes I still CBL, though I’m not as ‘strict’ with it, or I do it my own way. Having used other methods in between my times of backloading, I have to say I do think it has benefits that make staying leaner and getting lean very easy.

I’ve made adjustments to it that I find work well, but it depends on your style of training. I’ll just tell you what I ate yesterday, give you an idea of my ‘style’ of doing it

8-10am: Wake up, sip coffee
10am: Protein Shake, tbsp VCO, coffee
11:30: Lift (30g of Carbs + Creatine during workout)
1pm: Protein Shake
3-4pm: 8 oz Pork, 10 oz of Pasta, veggies
8-9pm: 12oz Chicken, 12 oz of Rice, veggies, Sweet tea
10-mid: 3 servings of ice cream, banana, 3 slices of pizza, and a glass of milk

So this can vary a bit, like sometimes I’ll lift, have the PWO shake, go to work and not eat until 9 and just binge on carbs, it really depends. Also sometimes I’ll start eating carbs at noon, sometimes not until 9pm, I just keep them out of the morning/breakfast, etc

1082

[quote]LoRez wrote:

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Also, while my lower body ‘adjusts’ to high reps, I don’t feel like my upper body ever does lol[/quote]
Why the switch to high reps? PlainPat’s program?[/quote]

High reps will only last few more weeks

1083

DeathLifts

Sumo DL’s: So videoed set is like 3rd or 4th, as you can see I’m just rusty AF. Not tight, hips shoot up a bit, looking down. I make a bunch of adjustments mid-set, so I just need to work on some stuff obviously. So sorry for the ugliness
375x5x6

Paused Oly Squats: Slowed the descent, felt really good.
185x2x10

Chins: Honestly just felt like crap at this point, had to use a band to assist with these near the end lol
5x10

Done. So I got called at like 6am to go help with something at work (I had today off). So I came home, ended up eating a bit plate of eggs and sausage. With the chocolate milk I drank last night, it didn’t sit well, and I usually lift one a pretty empty stomach (just shake and whey). Regardless, I couldn’t even wear a belt because I thought the pressure would make me shit myself, so some of the DL sloppiness was that I just was afraid of getting really tight.

Also, the last 2 sets I took off my shoes, and DL’ed in just socks, which idk if I’ve ever done. Made a BIG difference in being able to opeb my hips and bit, and I took a bit of a closer stance.

1084

Bench Day

So I drank my coffee, was warming up, and my GF called pretty upset. She’s in pharmacy school and having a tough time. So ended up consoling her for an hour. Obviously don’t mind, but kind of took me out of my zone a bit, caffeine had worn off, etc.

Flat Bench: Endurance is and always is an issue with Pressing, just my body just hits a wall. Wanted 10 reps across all sets, but only hit that the first 2 sets.
195x4x8-10

Add Reverse Bands:
235x6

No Arch Flat Bench: It’s like I knock out the first 5-7 reps super fast, then boom, 8-10 are just horrifically difficult lol
145x2x10

Wide Grip Flat Bench:
145x2x10

Laterals:
5x20

Anddd that was it. Just kind of felt off and was disappointed I couldn’t get 195 for 10 across all the sets. But Idk, it happens. Even on Big Beyond Belief I’d have to realllyy reduce weights to hit my pressing numbers in the higher rep ranges, sometimes the last set being almost a 50% decrease from the first.

Speaking of, I’ve realized BBB worked very well for me, and it seems to be because it’s VERY similar to the whole DUP style of training that’s being popularized right now. Funny how ahead of it’s time it seems it is/was.

1085

Meant to put this in the previous post, but yeah here’s my second set with 195.

1086

I get the same burnout feeling with high reps with some pressing excercises also. Mainly overhead work. It sort if feels like my triceps shut off. I wish I had a more scientific/ logical explanation but bro science will just have to do for now. Bench looked good by the way despite you hitting a wall
Edit: looked at your deadlifts. Regarding what you already recognized as suboptimal form, I would definitely work on your lockout. The rest of the rep looks good but the lockout is not as consistent or powerful as it should be IMO. Sort of seems like you’re unsure where to stop the rep. Maybe just focus on squeezing the glutes once the bar gets to a certain point.

1087

[quote]Samplaysbaseball wrote:
I get the same burnout feeling with high reps with some pressing excercises also. Mainly overhead work. It sort if feels like my triceps shut off. I wish I had a more scientific/ logical explanation but bro science will just have to do for now. Bench looked good by the way despite you hitting a wall
Edit: looked at your deadlifts. Regarding what you already recognized as suboptimal form, I would definitely work on your lockout. The rest of the rep looks good but the lockout is not as consistent or powerful as it should be IMO. Sort of seems like you’re unsure where to stop the rep. Maybe just focus on squeezing the glutes once the bar gets to a certain point. [/quote]

Yeah triceps just die on me as well.

Yeah the lockout thing is very accurate. I had a bad tendency to hyperextend for a long time when lockout out DL’s. As a result, I kind of taught myself to use my glutes and not lower back, and mentally ‘stop short’ at the top as a cue not to use my back. So while I got the hang of that with conventional, I think I’m going to have to readjust that with sumo. I need to think push ALL the way through, because I doubt I’ll hyperextend with Sumo. I hadn’t noticed that though, so thanks

1088

Gunsss

Band Pushdowns + Band Curls:
5x20

EZ Extensions + Reverse Curls: Ohh these felt good
5x12-15

BB Curls + JM Presses: Starting to get the hang of the presses, liking it
5x10-12

Solid quick workout. Getting comments on looking leaner by multiple people, probably just the extra volume/reps making me look a bit fuller, but still nice to hear. lol

Also congrats to HeavyTriple for being right on the edge of top 10 in Bench for his weight class <3

1089

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Bench Day

So I drank my coffee, was warming up, and my GF called pretty upset. She’s in pharmacy school and having a tough time. So ended up consoling her for an hour. Obviously don’t mind, but kind of took me out of my zone a bit, caffeine had worn off, etc.

Flat Bench: Endurance is and always is an issue with Pressing, just my body just hits a wall. Wanted 10 reps across all sets, but only hit that the first 2 sets.
195x4x8-10

Add Reverse Bands:
235x6

No Arch Flat Bench: It’s like I knock out the first 5-7 reps super fast, then boom, 8-10 are just horrifically difficult lol
145x2x10

Wide Grip Flat Bench:
145x2x10

Laterals:
5x20

Anddd that was it. Just kind of felt off and was disappointed I couldn’t get 195 for 10 across all the sets. But Idk, it happens. Even on Big Beyond Belief I’d have to realllyy reduce weights to hit my pressing numbers in the higher rep ranges, sometimes the last set being almost a 50% decrease from the first.

Speaking of, I’ve realized BBB worked very well for me, and it seems to be because it’s VERY similar to the whole DUP style of training that’s being popularized right now. Funny how ahead of it’s time it seems it is/was.[/quote]

GFs always getting in the way :wink: what year in pharm school is she? We have a pharm student rounds with us last week and this week.
I have the same thing on benching. I have almost stapled myself becuase i got the last rep so clean then all of a sudden my body decides 1000 lbs was added and its not gonna move it at all

1090

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:

GFs always getting in the way :wink: what year in pharm school is she? We have a pharm student rounds with us last week and this week.
I have the same thing on benching. I have almost stapled myself becuase i got the last rep so clean then all of a sudden my body decides 1000 lbs was added and its not gonna move it at all
[/quote]

What do you know Ryan, you’re only 25 lololol

This is actually her first semester. It’s a pretty big change for her, because our undergrad was a D-1 school, but class size was a bit smaller, so when she didn’t get something, she could simply ask for help from the professors and it was a bit slower paced. But in Pharm the classes and material to cover is much larger, so no time to slow down and get much clarification mid-class, so she’s just having a rough time. She’s doing fine, but she’s a perfectionist lol.

Yeah the Benching thing it’s such a big ‘wall’. Squats can get feel ‘heavier’ and so can DL’s, but usually moving the weight is just ‘tougher’, not basically about to staple me like on pressing variations. lol

1091

So last few days, 5 or 6 I’d say sleep has been horrible. Like I have no issue falling asleep. but I’ve been having just horrible dreams lately, which I just never have. They are just always involving random things, like GF cheating and leaving me, to my family dying, friends getting in car crashes, just really sad shit. And it’s not like outrageous like watching my family murdered, but instead like just me coming home and a cop telling me, so it’s pretty realistic which kind of makes it more fucked up. lol

Regardless it’s not allowing me to get good sleep, I’m tossing and turning all night, waking up kind of suddenly, having to kind of calm myself down afterwards and get back to sleep. So whether I ‘sleep’ 6 or 10 hours, I feel really unrested. I’ve tried to look back and figrue what could have started this or what I’m doing differently recently to explain this, but no luck.

1092

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
So last few days, 5 or 6 I’d say sleep has been horrible. Like I have no issue falling asleep. but I’ve been having just horrible dreams lately, which I just never have. They are just always involving random things, like GF cheating and leaving me, to my family dying, friends getting in car crashes, just really sad shit. And it’s not like outrageous like watching my family murdered, but instead like just me coming home and a cop telling me, so it’s pretty realistic which kind of makes it more fucked up. lol

Regardless it’s not allowing me to get good sleep, I’m tossing and turning all night, waking up kind of suddenly, having to kind of calm myself down afterwards and get back to sleep. So whether I ‘sleep’ 6 or 10 hours, I feel really unrested. I’ve tried to look back and figrue what could have started this or what I’m doing differently recently to explain this, but no luck.[/quote]

Seems like you are working through something. I am not astute enough to offer any insight. I have heard that melatonin can help some people have better sleep. Never used it myself but I have been meaning to look into it.

My bad sleep night is always Sunday night. My mind knows that I am going back into battle… I mean work, the next day and it always takes me a long time to fall asleep. I used to think that my job was not that stress-full but clearly it is for me.

1093

Thanks for the insight and suggestions Needa. I took some time to really meditate last night before I went to sleep (something I used to do frequently about a year ago). Life is a bit stressful overall so that could be the cause, but I did end up not having the nightmares last night, so that’s a good sign.

SKWATS

Back Squats: These honestly weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be
285x3x10

250x2x8 (beltless)

Front Squats: Second set was technically 6 reps, a re-rack, then 2 more, because I went to fast on the reps, the bar ‘hopped’ off my delts and kind of rolled back in my throat and was choking me out lol
205x2x8

Chins, Rear Delts, Abs

Good workout, Squats are creeping back up, so yayy

1094

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
So last few days, 5 or 6 I’d say sleep has been horrible. Like I have no issue falling asleep. but I’ve been having just horrible dreams lately, which I just never have. They are just always involving random things, like GF cheating and leaving me, to my family dying, friends getting in car crashes, just really sad shit. And it’s not like outrageous like watching my family murdered, but instead like just me coming home and a cop telling me, so it’s pretty realistic which kind of makes it more fucked up. lol

Regardless it’s not allowing me to get good sleep, I’m tossing and turning all night, waking up kind of suddenly, having to kind of calm myself down afterwards and get back to sleep. So whether I ‘sleep’ 6 or 10 hours, I feel really unrested. I’ve tried to look back and figrue what could have started this or what I’m doing differently recently to explain this, but no luck.[/quote]

I’m exactly the same for the past 2 weeks or so - literally waking up multiple times a night, sometimes remembering what I was dreaming about, sometimes just feeling really amped up. My workload has gone up recently but I’ve never had problems because of that before - I tend to sleep fine but still feel tired whenever I’m stressed, now I’m tired because in total I’m probably getting close to 5 hours a night.

1095

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:

GFs always getting in the way :wink: what year in pharm school is she? We have a pharm student rounds with us last week and this week.
I have the same thing on benching. I have almost stapled myself becuase i got the last rep so clean then all of a sudden my body decides 1000 lbs was added and its not gonna move it at all
[/quote]

What do you know Ryan, you’re only 25 lololol

This is actually her first semester. It’s a pretty big change for her, because our undergrad was a D-1 school, but class size was a bit smaller, so when she didn’t get something, she could simply ask for help from the professors and it was a bit slower paced. But in Pharm the classes and material to cover is much larger, so no time to slow down and get much clarification mid-class, so she’s just having a rough time. She’s doing fine, but she’s a perfectionist lol.

Yeah the Benching thing it’s such a big ‘wall’. Squats can get feel ‘heavier’ and so can DL’s, but usually moving the weight is just ‘tougher’, not basically about to staple me like on pressing variations. lol[/quote]

Perfectionists normally have it the worst when going to professional school and learning they arent at the top of everything and everyone is the same level of smart or even smarter. Most dont like that.

1096

[quote]MaazerSmiit wrote:

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
So last few days, 5 or 6 I’d say sleep has been horrible. Like I have no issue falling asleep. but I’ve been having just horrible dreams lately, which I just never have. They are just always involving random things, like GF cheating and leaving me, to my family dying, friends getting in car crashes, just really sad shit. And it’s not like outrageous like watching my family murdered, but instead like just me coming home and a cop telling me, so it’s pretty realistic which kind of makes it more fucked up. lol

Regardless it’s not allowing me to get good sleep, I’m tossing and turning all night, waking up kind of suddenly, having to kind of calm myself down afterwards and get back to sleep. So whether I ‘sleep’ 6 or 10 hours, I feel really unrested. I’ve tried to look back and figrue what could have started this or what I’m doing differently recently to explain this, but no luck.[/quote]

I’m exactly the same for the past 2 weeks or so - literally waking up multiple times a night, sometimes remembering what I was dreaming about, sometimes just feeling really amped up. My workload has gone up recently but I’ve never had problems because of that before - I tend to sleep fine but still feel tired whenever I’m stressed, now I’m tired because in total I’m probably getting close to 5 hours a night.[/quote]

Yeah man, it’s rough. Like I said, meditating before bed really seemed to help, so if you have any experience with that I’d say give it a shot

1097

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:

GFs always getting in the way :wink: what year in pharm school is she? We have a pharm student rounds with us last week and this week.
I have the same thing on benching. I have almost stapled myself becuase i got the last rep so clean then all of a sudden my body decides 1000 lbs was added and its not gonna move it at all
[/quote]

What do you know Ryan, you’re only 25 lololol

This is actually her first semester. It’s a pretty big change for her, because our undergrad was a D-1 school, but class size was a bit smaller, so when she didn’t get something, she could simply ask for help from the professors and it was a bit slower paced. But in Pharm the classes and material to cover is much larger, so no time to slow down and get much clarification mid-class, so she’s just having a rough time. She’s doing fine, but she’s a perfectionist lol.

Yeah the Benching thing it’s such a big ‘wall’. Squats can get feel ‘heavier’ and so can DL’s, but usually moving the weight is just ‘tougher’, not basically about to staple me like on pressing variations. lol[/quote]

Perfectionists normally have it the worst when going to professional school and learning they arent at the top of everything and everyone is the same level of smart or even smarter. Most dont like that.[/quote]

Well she’s very smart, but definitely the ‘work-horse’ kind of person. Like she’s just ridiculously driven, will basically pull all nighters repeatedly, not eat all day, etc to do the work she has to do, because she just isn’t someone who naturally just retains a lot of information without a lot of review. So in undergrad, she could go really hard for 3 or so weeks, then have a good amount of ‘down-time’. In Pharm school, there’s just sooo much stuff she’s having to learn to not just work hard, but to learn and be EFFICIENT. You can fuck up, get behind in undergrad, and catch up if you give it your all, that’s not something that seems possible in grad school

It also doesn’t help that she kind of hangs out with these kids that are douche bags. Like sometimes multiples ones in the group will claim to have had the highest grade in the class on a test or something, so I think she has a false sense of failure and that she’s the only one having a tough time because all of them are acting like it’s a breeze a lying about what their scores are and how much time their putting in.

1098

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
It also doesn’t help that she kind of hangs out with these kids that are douche bags. Like sometimes multiples ones in the group will claim to have had the highest grade in the class on a test or something, so I think she has a false sense of failure and that she’s the only one having a tough time because all of them are acting like it’s a breeze a lying about what their scores are and how much time their putting in.
[/quote]
Why is she hanging out with douchebags that hurt her esteem?

1099

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
It also doesn’t help that she kind of hangs out with these kids that are douche bags. Like sometimes multiples ones in the group will claim to have had the highest grade in the class on a test or something, so I think she has a false sense of failure and that she’s the only one having a tough time because all of them are acting like it’s a breeze a lying about what their scores are and how much time their putting in.
[/quote]
Why is she hanging out with douchebags that hurt her esteem?[/quote]

They are friends of her friends, if that makes sense? And with them all in Pharmacy school they all study together, etc.

1100

Accessory Day

CG Incline: Felt purrdy good
155x3x10

135x2x10 (first set paused)

Seated OHP: So tried this from pins, no back support. Still just feels awkward, like it’s a bit of pressure on my lower back, but from pins allowed me to comfortably take a wider grip and not allow pre-fatigued tris to take away from my delts… Will likely go to Push Presses from this point on.
75x10
85x10
95x8
105x8
115x8

Laterals:
5x10-12

Shrugs:
5x10-12

Numbers are creeping up, can’t complain about that, hoping that getting strong at these CG inclines will help my upper chest and triceps strength to help push my bench up sufficiently. But damn my close grip is still pretty wide when looking at the video lol