Flat Bench: Was a PR, but Idk I wanted 7 lol. And dammit my left side of my body is just fucking up everything lol. 2:30 min rest
240x1
210x6
200x6
190x6
CG Bench: All paused.
165x3x7
BB Rows: 90s rest
175x10
155x12
135x20
Then 3 sets of DB Tri Extensions and Reverse curls each, 15-20 reps
Was a decent day. Idk why my left side of my body hates me, just throws everything off, yesterday with Squats, today with Bench. PR’s are creeping up though, can’t complain, and this week so far has been rough so the fact I can keep on hitting PR’s when I don’t feel all too great is awesome.
Basically looked at my best Beltless Front Squat PR’s, and tried to do some of them paused today
Front Squats: Beltless and Paused. 2 min rest
255x1
225x3x3
Halting Sumo: Also beltless, these just looked really shitty today, idk why. Will do better next time around
405x1
365x5
I then just did some 50 rep band leg curls and extensions, get some blood there, 6 sets of paused lateral raises, and then finished off with 3 sets of calves and band pull-aparts.
I’m kicking myself in the ass for ever straying from the Big Beyond Belief style split, and just going for rep PR’s. I always make such good progress on this, and I’d be MUCH farther along had I just stuck with it a year or so back.
Light Upper, though I’m getting a bit greedy on this day ad meed to tone it down lol
Incline Bench: All Paused. Initially was going to go 3x3 with 185, but as you’ll see 2nd set was super hard, so went ahead and reverse pyramided that shizzzz. 2:15 rest
205x1
185x2x3
165x6
145x9
Fat Grip Chins: All paused. 60s rest
BWx3x7
+25x2x3
Wide Grip Bench: Once again, paused lol. 2 min rest
175x3x5-7
Then some pullovers, banded Incline curls, and Diamond push-ups, all for 10-15 reps for 3-4 sets
Workout was alright, but my breathing is being dumb, keep almost blacking out on random lifts. Idk, regardless, I need to choose ‘better’ weights for my light day if I’m not feeling it. Probably need to go for straight sets/volume PR’s as opposed to rep PR’s. Also, Incline Presses are so hard paused, not touching the chest literally makes it feel soooo difficult. It’s weird, it’s less ROM much my chest feels thrashed afterwards.
Squats: Did 2 sets with 345, to get vids of both angles. Also, my 315 set I started with my stance to wide, as you’ll see I had to adjust, think it cost me a rep. 3 mins rest
345x2x1 (paused)
315x6
275x3x7
HB Squat: Paused and Beltless
235x7
SLDL:
225x15
Snatch Grip High Pull: 60s rest
185x3x5
195x5
Then laterals, upright rows, and rear delt raises, 100 total reps of each
man, the pause on the 345 squats weren’t long, and Idk if you’d even count the second set as ‘paused’, but I’m happy about that, considering I’ve always been a ‘dive-bomb’ squatter so it’s not only a PR weight but a ‘having control’ PR of the weight too.
Flat Bench: I think I could have muscled up a ugly 4th rep on 225, but grinders kind of hurt my back-off sets so I was an adult and didn’t go for it. 2:15 rest periods
245x1
225x3
205x3x5
CG Bench: Paused, happy with this
185x7
BB Rows: 60s rest
185x5x5
Then some reverse curls and EZ extensions
Awesome workout IMO. 3 sets of 5 with 205 is solid after 2 heavy sets. Everything felt strong and fast, and I know I have more in me with 225. And the paused CG was a 20lb PR. Can’t complain today.
Also it’s been 2-3 weeks now of losing weight on just 300 C/ 260 P/ 65 F, with a weekly refeed and only 10 minutes of weekly moderate-intensity cardio. Dropping some fat in the midsection finally, so happy on that front too.
My hams, glutes, and lower quads were sore AF today. Glad it was an off day. It was nice outside, shot some hoops with my little brothers. Then did my cardio for the week. 10 mins of 20 seconds ‘hard’, 40 seconds ‘off’. Wasn’t full out sprints, because I haven’t done them in awhile and honestly sprinting all out after months of not running on pavement with sore legs seemed like a bad time. So I basically did fartlek style, just had a timer set on my head phones, when it was time for the 20s ‘hard’, I just pucked a point and tried to get there as fast as possible, if I failed whatever. Then I jogged for the 40 secs. Ran far enough to also have a nice cool down on the way back. When the weather is nice it’s cool to just be outside.
However once these become full on sprints, probably won’t do them on my off day, as it falls right before heavy leg day.
Thinking of having the deficit SLDL every Heavy and Rep Leg day, and on that middle day I might do this thing from Emskee for my Sumo
Week one: 70% 15 sets of 1 one min rest/sets
Week two: 75% 12 sets of 1 one min rest/sets
Week three: 80% 8-10 sets of 1 - 1.5 min rest/sets
Week four: 85% 4-6 sets of 1 1.5 - 2 min rest/sets
Week five: 90% 1-3 singles of 1 - 2 min rest/set
Front Squats: Have the heavy single, just 2 min rest
265x1 (beltless)
300x1 !!!
275x3
250x5
Sumo: Just did dead-stop reps, to kind of get an idea of what percentage to start the single’s program at. 2:30 rest
455x2x2
445x3
Then I did some abs, leg curls, and a shoulder complex from CT’s article today
Was in the gym for awhile today, just felt good. So glad to hit the 300 lbs barrier with Front Squats. Really hoping 315 comes sooner rather than later. Was a 1.5xBW Front Squat too, so I was excited, kind of a milestone IMO.
I did a very BB-style workout after all the low reps yesterday
Incline Bench: 2 mins rest, easy weight but stupid pump
205x1
155x3x8-12
Fat Grip Chins: 90s rest
+45x1
BWx3x8-12
Wide Grip Bench: 3 mins rest
185x7
175x10
165x10
Pullovers, Incline Curls, and some Push-ups
good workout, tried to stay above 7 reps the whole day. It was good, got a pump, didn’t feel beat up, and beat some significant rep PR’s, so holllaaaaaaa
HB Squats: All beltless. 2 min rest
305x1 (paused)
265x3x3 (paused)
225x15
SLDL’s: 90s rest, 5 sec eccentric
185x4x10
SG High Pulls: 30s rest
205x5x1
Then some rear delt flies and laterals, 4 sets of each
Solid workout. I’m happy with my weights moving up with paused, beltless HB Squats, but damn do I just feel like they are so ugly. I just feel like they are the worst lift for me, I’m just horrendous at them. A few sets leaves me wrecked. lol
Nice job on that front squat. Lots of good work in here these days.
What’s your basic long term plan on your training right now?
It looks to me like you’re mostly focusing heavy basic strength work with a flexible amount of accessory work added just for aesthetics reasons. Basically, get strong, see what that does for you, and then, down the road, maybe shift that toward a more bodybuliding direction now that you have a lot more strength to work with. But that’s just me guessing.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
Nice job on that front squat. Lots of good work in here these days.
What’s your basic long term plan on your training right now?
It looks to me like you’re mostly focusing heavy basic strength work with a flexible amount of accessory work added just for aesthetics reasons. Basically, get strong, see what that does for you, and then, down the road, maybe shift that toward a more bodybuliding direction now that you have a lot more strength to work with. But that’s just me guessing.[/quote]
Yeah that’s pretty spot on. I’ve kind of stopped worrying about if I’m ‘Powerlifting’ or ‘Bodybuilding’. I’ve been reading a lot of training logs of successful people, and talking to people like HeavyTriple and Stronhold on here, along with Omar Isuf, and reading some of Paul Carter’s writings, and watching a lot of Cody Lefever (GCZL is his youtube/reddit name). I also looked at what’s worked for me in the past, which as I’ve said a ton, it’s Big Beyond Belief aka hitting every body part 3x a week with lots of rep ranges and volume.
I noticed the emphasis on strengthening weak points, and I realized my ‘weak point’ is I don’t move enough weight in the 85-100% range. So I started to shift my focus to frequent bouts of getting under something that causes me to ‘strain’, and then just slowly but surely build up my volume through small rep PR’s.
With this kind of program, I feel I’m in a good place where I’m not stressing about the minutia, but also I’m primed to, where if I wanna prep for a show or a PL meet or really anything, I have a solid ‘base’ to do so.
[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Hit a new low in BW AFTER a refeed, so that’s awesome. Also, I’m a groomsman in a wedding this summer. Got measured for my suit, and the employee there not only commented on my ‘slim waist’ and ‘large legs and rear end’, but also when measuring my shoulders said I was very fit, began to ask if I workout, and then said ‘well I mean I guess it’s obvious you do’.
That’s right guys and gals, I made it. I fucking made it. [/quote]
Always the best feeling when you have a random third party recognize the hard work, though they rarely know the dedication and amount of work you’ve actually put in. Looking strong man and some real solid numbers! Those paused movements are no joke, definitely might start implementing in some of my compound movements more
Appreciate the support fellas. Feel free to comment with advice or really anything at all guys, I love input! Paused work helps, but honestly when you’re doing it, you’ll wonder if it’s worth it. Really humbling. lol
Yesterday’s workout was rushed because of work, just did 7 paused singles on Bench with 225, in 10 mins, then did 5 sets of BB curls/band extensions.
Today and tomorrow i’ll be out of town, so those are always crap workouts lol. I think I’m just used to the solidarity of my gym at home, so with a bunch of randos walking around I feel uneasy now, out of my element. Hit a 185x13 Front Squat though, which is a random technical PR lol. Also pulled 435 for 5 beltless singles Sumo.
Hit an upper session with my GF, was different than what I usually do but nice change of pace
High DB Incline: Idk why she wanted this angle. Somewhere between a standard 45 degree and vertical. Felt good though.
80’sx8
70’sx10
60’sx13
Wide Grip HS Press: Paused.
2.5ppsx3x7
Wide Grip Pulldowns: She likes to pyramid up (as opposed to my reverse pyramid style) so I tried that. So ascending sets
5x10
Then 3 sets of curls and push-ups.
We then did 10 rounds of sprints. Was kind of my Upper body structure but let her choose the lifts and rep ranges. Was good overall. Nothing insane. Also I’m hitting my macros while out of town on the road a lot with not too much stress or effort, so that’s pretty cool.
As for pin squats, I set the pins to where I was parallel, and squatted bottom up, adding weight to get to an “easy” max. Then I brought the pins up and worked up to another max, then again, and again. Managed to get a lot of weight on the bar that way. As the ROM shortened and the weight increased, you can feel the upper body start “falling apart” trying to deal with having that much more weight on it. Obviously don’t hurt yourself.
But the biggest thing I learned about doing those was the idea of driving the hips forward, wedging your body between the bar and the floor. If I just tried to “squat” the bar up with my knees and quads, it wouldn’t move. It forced me to learn how to use everything else.
Maybe something to play with for a session, just so you can understand what I’m talking about. Also, watch a couple videos of Lu Xiaojun and Pat Mendes squatting, and you can see how once they get the rebound, they shift to driving their hips forward.
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Love me some high incline DBs. Never been a fan of sheer overhead pressing.[/quote]
Yeah OHP’ing has always lead to issues with me. The high Incline DB press surprisingly hit a very solid amount of both delt and chest, I really liked it.
Lorez: Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. It’s something I used to actively think about with a higher bar position, but haven’t as much as I’ve lowered the bar on my back. I think I’ve been over concerned with bar ‘positioning’ over my mid foot, which IS very important, but instead turning it into a balancing movement instead of ‘wedging’ like you said and kind of exerting force on the bar. Don’t know how ot explain it better, but pushing my hips forward is helpful. Thanks
