Upping my activity coming up. I’m eating more and can handle it. Time to stop talking about it and just get it in!!! Active day today and it felt great. I’ve slacked since summer ended.
Friday 10/11/2024 7:00am
40min weighted vest walk
12:00pm AB - Torso
Close Grip Bench 215x5 205x6 205x6
Dips BWx3sets. Couldn’t find the weight belt at the gym so just did bodyweight to failure.
TBar Row 3plx12 3plx12 3plx12 / DB Side Raise 30x10 30x8 30x8
OHP 95x12 95x12 / Chin-ups BWx12 BWx12
5:30pm
3 mile walk. Every few minutes would sprint 30 seconds. Probably got in 10-12 sprints throughout. This felt good.
Have to change up my scheme for squatting. I went all out on the first set and it really burnt me out for the remainder of the session. I am starting to see why 5/3/1 is structured the way it is, at least in terms of the squat. First set can’t be balls to the wall. Learning as I go with self programming.
Also went for an hour walk with my fiancee on the beach this morning. Well over 10k steps into the day already and have some more walking to do later as I’ll be in the city. Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!
Day off today, got a ton done today to make the week easier! Solid workout today and a good conditioning session. Legs are still sore, so will do arms tomorrow and legs Wednesday. Good news is all of the guys on my team at work are off this week, so I can WFH every day.
Everything done in time to watch two NY baseball playoff games in a row tonight!
Monday 10/14/2024 11:00am
AB - Torso
Close Grip Bench 215x5 205x7 205x6 / Pull-ups BWx12 BWx10 BWx10. Will add +10lbs to the pullups next week.
Incline DB Press 85x11 85x10 85x8 / DB Row 100x12 100x12 100x12. 105s next week.
Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown 3plx8 3plx8
Extended ROM Pushups x2sets / Chair Leg Lifts x2 sets
GHD Sit-ups x3 sets
2:30pm
3 mile walk with sprints every few minutes again. Really liking this one. I get some good sprinting in with rest and don’t stop moving the whole time. Makes the walks feel a bit warmer in the fall weather too.
Chair Leg Lifts BWx3sets
GHD Sit-ups BWx3sets
BB Curls 85x11 85x9 85x8 / Bar Pushdowns 82x10 82x11 82x9
Preacher Curls +25x9 +25x8 +25x7
Incline DB Ext 35x11 35x11 35x10
Reverse Curl 55x11 55x10 55x10 / DB Side Raise 30x8 30x7 30x7
4:45pm
3mi walk + 30lb weighted vest
Thinking of adding in some simple daily work again, KB swings, pushups, squats, etc. Just to get some extra work in and get my body going in the morning.
Another day off work today. Thought I’d be able to get in a lift but the day took SO LONG. We went to get our wedding certificate which took hours and that threw everything off. I refuse to go to the gym at 5pm so just hit some GPP/Conditioning.
Wednesday 10/16/2024 5:00pm
50 KB Swings
50 squats
50 pushups
2.5mi walk with 10 20-30s sprints interspersed
@tlgains waiting for equipment is so crazy to me. Just a workout killer. I am lucky I have a flexible job where I can workout during my lunch break. I can’t imagine having 5pm as my daily time!
@barley1 That 3RIR+ is right where I get killed systemically too. I think my plan will be like this: if 325x8 was my all out set, maybe start with 3-4 sets of 3 at the same weight, and a final set where I go all out. It might decrease the reps on the final set, but I’ll get more time under the bar and reps. I guess it’s similar to the final set in 531 with the +.
Solid workout today. Felt really strong. Will get a walk and some GPP (pushups/swings/squats) after work, probably won’t post.
Thursday 10/17/2024 7:00am
2mi walk + 30lb vest
12:30pm AB - Legs
Leg Curls 110x19 110x14+partials
Leg Extensions 160x18 160x16+partials
Leg Press 5plx14 5plx13 5plx10. First two sets will be 6 plates next time.
Hack Squats 3plx7 3plx7 3plx9. Dug deeper on the last set.
Deadlifts (straps and belt) 315x20+. Saw god on this. Reps were not slowing down but I got so lightheaded and had to stop the set. Can’t wait to try it again next week.
Just a lift and a few walks today. I’ve gotten two conditioning workouts in this week, will save the third for the weekend. I don’t want to jump into doing it 7 days a week and burning myself out. Let’s get a few weeks of 3x per week and build from there. Building habits.
Friday 10/18/2024 12:30pm AB - Torso
Bench 215x5 205x6 185x12. Upper back was very sore and felt like a hindrance today.
Dips +25x10 +25x10 +25x8
Hammer Strength OHP 1.5plx12 2plx10 2plx9
Chin-ups +25x10 +25x8
Side Delt DB Raise 30x10 30x10 30x9
@s.gentz I noticed you said that losing fat quickly is never a good idea in another thread. Doing aggressive “mini-cuts” seems to be pretty popular now. I know you had a crazy successful cut this year so would love to hear your thoughts on that, I was considering 4 weeks before the holidays but not sure if I’m better off just gaining till I’m ready for a true cut.
Typically losing weight very fast is just not sustainable. In order to do this you need to be super disciplined and have a plan and the mindset/willpower to properly come out of the diet. Most of the time you do a super hard cut and you’re starving and then don’t have the discipline to ease back to eating more and end up binging and back to where you were or worse.
If you want to keep the weight off IMO get there slowly with small calorie drops so you’re not starving and you can properly maintain it.
If you want a great example of a hard diet and a hard rebound check out my contest prep log from last year.
Thanks for an awesome answer, always appreciate your comments. I’m still new to the bulk/cut cycles and you’ve been so successful just reading through your logs. I’ll probably continue to build for a few months then do a proper cut and scale into it.
Long weekend of wedding planning and some other stuff. Didn’t get any workout in but it was a productive weekend and was able to spend a lot of it with family, which matters too!
I’m loving this split of having legs/arms together on one day per week. It’s a bit of an abbreviated leg day but it is simply a fun day. I have a more bodybuilding type leg day with hack squats and leg press, but squats and arms is a blast.
Monday 10/21/2024 12:30pm AB - Limbs
Squats 135x15 185x10 225x1 245x1 275x1 315x1 335x1 365x1 385x1 315x10. Did some heavier work today since I felt super strong in warmups and it’s been awhile. I’d estimate my 1RM at around 425 right now based on how 385 moved. 315x10 was a grind.
Leg Extensions 190x15 220x9 220x9
Leg Curls 130x10 130x9 130x9
Barbell Curls 90x8 90x7 85x11 (EZ Curl Bar on last set, felt way easier)
Preacher Curls +25x9 +25x8 +25x7
Bar Pushdowns 82x11 82x11 82x9
Two long walks today. One before work and one after work. Spending less time on my phone, trying to appreciate what’s in front of me!! Beautiful sunset tonight.
@simo74@tlgains thanks gents, appreciate the comments. The squat is firing on all cylinders lately compared to other movements.
Workout started off strong on the bench. Once I switched to dumbbells I got this insane pain in between my thumb and index finger. I couldn’t shake the pain on presses so just basically turned the rest of the day into back/abs. I don’t think it’s anything serious, probably just hit some kind of pressure point or nerve wrong, but damn did it hurt.
Tuesday 10/22/2024 12:00pm AB - Torso
Close Grip Bench 215x5 205x7 205x7 / Pull-ups x10 x10 x10
Incline DB Bench 90x6*** note above
DB Row 105x12 105x12 105x10
Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown 3plx8 3plx8 3plx6
Chair Leg Lifts BWx3sets
GHD Sit-ups BWx3 sets
Will go out after work to get a long walk with some sprints in, won’t post again on it though.
mentioned this to @freshyfresh the other day, but for me all movements never fire at the same time. When my squat is up my bench sucks, when my bench goes up my deadlift stall. Would be nice to have them all firing together but its pretty rare.
