I plan on getting some cardio in as well today but won’t be on my computer to post due to traveling. My fiancée’s bridal shower is tomorrow so I won’t be on tomorrow either. Monday I’ll catch up on everyone’s logs. Hope everyone who sees enjoys the rest of the weekend.
Saturday 7/20/2024 7:30am WS4SB W1D4 – ME Upper
Bench 95x3 135x3 155x3 185x3 205x3 225x3. I planned on deadlifting but turns out there is a Saturday morning class at the gym that took up the squat racks while I was there.
Incline DB Bench 75x13 75x11
DB Rows 100x11 110x9 110x8
Dips (focusing on maximum ROM and moving slow) BW 4x10. These felt great on the triceps. I think I’ve been unconsciously cutting off some of the ROM when I do dips.
DB Curls 30x10 35x10 40x6 drop 25x8 drop 15x8
As Dan John would say I am very “pull/hinge” dominant. My pressing has always been a weak point compared to rows, deadlifts, etc. Have to work on this.
A little off the wagon yesterday diet-wise with the bridal shower but had a nice day with family and friends so that was fine with me. Back on track today.
Front squats are absolutely killer. So much more exhausting than back squats to me. A movement I want to keep incorporating and improving on.
Monday 7/22/2024 12:00pm WS4SB W2D1 ME Lower
Front Squat 45x12 95x5 135x5 155x5 185x5 205x5 225x5
DB Split Squats BWx20 50x15 70x12
Standing Hamstring Curls 40x20 60x18 80x11
2 rounds:
Leg Lifts x20
Oblique Twists w/20lb med ball x20
Plank for max time
Didn’t get any conditioning in yesterday but will tonight. All we have been doing is putting things together and unpacking from the shower. Assembling things for hours turned into my conditioning last night.
Incline DB Bench 75x13 80x11 85x6 drop 50x10 drop 30x10
DB Rows (no straps) 90x12 90x12 90x9 / Band Pullaparts 3x20
DB Side Raise 25x15 30x9 30x9
DB Curls 30x15 40x12 45x6 / Pushups 3x20
Hammer Curls 40x7 40x7 40x6
Busy workday so opted to get a quick workout in at the apartment gym. Only has dumbbells but goes up to 100s so can still get some decent upper body days in.
Just got back from a work trip today, so didn’t get anything meaningful in the past two days. A few 16 hour days in a row but basically was off today so not bad.
No set conditioning but I’ve walked about 12k steps already with another walk coming after dinner. Active day overall.
Friday 7/26/2024 2:30pm WS4SB W2D3 – DE Lower
Jump Work – Lateral Box Jumps 5 sets x 4 jumps @ 24in
Hang Power Cleans 95x5 115x5 135x5 155x3 175x2
GHD Sit-ups 4x15
4 rounds:
12 KB Swings @ 70lb
0.1mi sprint on the curved treadmill
Haven’t been as consistent as I should be on my conditioning the last week or 2, so have to get back on the train this week.
Weight loss trending in the right direction. I was consistently around 197-199 at the beginning of July and have been floating at around 194-195. This has honestly been with a really minimal deficit and had some blowout days in there too. I have more effort to give on the cardio and diet side.
Monday 7/29/2024 12:00pm WS4SB W3D1 – ME Lower
SSB Squats 125x3 165x3 185x3 215x3 235x3 255x3 275x3 305x3. Bar is 75lb, hence the weird increments. These last few sets were HARD.
RDL 225x15 275x11 295x7
Sled Push ~50yds x 3 sets
2 rounds:
Med Ball Twists x20 / Sit-ups x20 / Plank
Late gym night because of a long workday in NYC. Still got it in though. Gym was packed so I did some exercises I wouldn’t normally do and out of my usual order. Honestly a few of these exercises felt great to push on, real traditional bodybuilding type work. Rep ranges were kind of off as people were waiting on equipment and I really did not want to be there anymore.
Did not get my usual rear delt work in. After RDLs yesterday my rear delts are torched.
Lat Pulldown Narrow Grip 120x15 140x12 160x10
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press (weights are as if the machine = barbell) 135x15 185x13 225x7
Incline Smith Bench 155x13 185x11 205x6. These felt so good compared to incline with a barbell.
Hammer Curls 30x12 40x9 45x7
DB Curls 30x15 30x15
Weird day as the gym was having some work done so I couldn’t use a lot of equipment I generally like to use…Will get in conditioning after work. Did not feel great working out today though, which is the product of a poor night sleep.
Thursday 8/1/2024 12:00pm WS4SB W3D3 – DE Lower
Box Jumps over the box – 8 sets of 2 jumps
ABC Complex AMRAP 10 mins (no press) x23 rounds
GHD Sit-ups 4x15
One of those days today where neither session felt good. On top of the sleep, I think dialing in on hydration is something I need to work on just for feeling better generally.
Overall, happy I got both sessions in today to build the habits.
No workout today. Early day in the office then some plans with family after work. Looking at 5x per week as a goal and I’ll hit that this week.
I weighed in at 193 today and I even felt bloated when waking up. July 1st I posted a picture at 198. If I can do another 5lb/month or more for another month or two I think I’ll be in a good spot to grow come winter. But man I’m learning I have a lot more fat than I thought and a lot less muscle…
Skipped arms yesterday so added an arm day to the week today. Got in a ton of steps this morning and planning on a weighted vest walk tonight if/when it stops raining.
I’ve laid off the high intensity cardio (by way of laziness) and had a large drop in weight the past week. Weighed in at 191.8 today which might be an all-time low as an adult. Curious if the high effort cardio was getting in the way and making it too difficult while already in a deficit, in the sense of throwing off recovery, sleep, etc. by trying to run sprints and lift same day while in a deficit. Will probably still keep it in a couple days a week but not on lifting days. I found an old blog from @T3hPwnisher (see below) on this and I think trying to do more to lose more was exactly what I attempted. Curious on everyone’s thoughts on this if anyone sees this…
Rope Pushdown 57x11 65x9 72.5x7
Machine Dips 130x23 175x10 190x9
Smith JM Press 95x20 135x9 135x9
DB Curls 45x7 45x6 45x5 drop 40lb barbell x20
Preacher Curl (plate loaded machine, regular was taken) 60x10 60x8 60x7
Reverse Curls 2 sets @ 50lb to failure
Weight progress over the past 30 days and a pic today with a pump below. Weight is definitely coming off the arms and shoulders faster than the midsection.
I know you were looking for “anyone elses”, but to expand even more
High intensity comes with high inflammation. It’s the body’s response to high intensity. High inflammation comes with high water retention: the body is trying to horde and heal from the damage. This comes with increased weight. Fat? No…not NECESSARILY, but ANOTHER body response to high intensity IS holding onto more bodyfat. And then also consider fuel sources: high intensity burns sugar, whereas low intensity burns fat. And in that regard, you burn your glycogen, lose the water that was in that, and then immediately replenish it with your next carby meal, which refills those stores, and the hamster wheel continues, compared to using a low intensity approach that just burns bodyfat for fuel.
All this is just a longwinded way to say that it totally makes sense that when you ease off the throttle, the bodyweight drops.
Thanks as always for jumping in @SvenG@T3hPwnisher, appreciate input from guys with experience like you two. It makes total sense when it is put that way. People will say do more to lose more, but when you write it out, that makes no sense, assuming you already are training and not totally new. I think keeping a couple hard sessions in on non-lifting days and really hitting the walks and light cardio hard is the plan to continue to lose. Thanks again for the insight.
Monday 8/5/2024 4:00pm WS4SB W4D1 - ME Lower
Squats 135x3 185x3 225x3 245x3 275x3 295x3 315x3 335x3 355x2. Felt like I could’ve maybe gotten a third on the final set but didn’t have the safeties set up so I racked.
Front Foot Elevated Lunges 3x12 @ 95lb. Didn’t like this exercise
DB RDL 100x15 100x15 100x12
GHD Sit-ups 4x15 Immediately Followed By:
40min walk + 30lb vest
There is a reason most bodybuilders do fasted walks or light stair climber first thing in the morning when they are prepping for a comp. It just works.
Yeah definitely. Over the last few years, I felt I held a negative stigma around that kind of bodybuilding training and style of cardio. Almost that I was better than it for doing set programs, lifting heavy, etc. But you know now I find myself enjoying those high rep BB type sets and the walks. I even want to just look better nowadays, which I always told myself I cared about only “performance.” Interesting how things change…
