Nice punishment on deadlifts haha. You’ll get that 545
Very good work going on in here! I see you’re following a westside template, have you found the DE work to be helpful?
Ashy: haha yeah, high rep deadlifts are deadly. I’ll get it soon with no problem I’m sure. I’ve just got to get used to my new form.
Aqua: Thanks, man. Yeah, I’ve been following the ME/DE style for I guess about a year and a half? DE work has helped significantly for sure. It’s a great way to work form and explosiveness.
DE Lower
Squat (New form again, low bar/wide stance/wide grip):
Bar
3 @ 135
3 @ 185
10x2 @ 225
Zercher Squat:
5 @ 135
2x5 @ 185
2x5 @ 135
Abs (Hands on bench, feet on stability ball, hip flexion):
3x10
I was rushed to get this done today. I felt good though. This was the first time I had really done a lot of sets of free squat with my new form. Zercher squats got significantly harder when I added 50 pounds from 135 to 185. I like them so far, so I’ll keep up with those and maybe use them as a max effort exercise once my arms can deal with it.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Upper
Fat Gripz Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
3 @ 315
1 @ 345
1 @ 365 (Nice. Haven’t hit this in forever)
0 @ 375
0 @ 375 (Hit chest too high)
13 @ 225
EZ Bar JM Press:
8 @ 70+Bar
5 @ 120+Bar (Too much for my wrists)
10 @ 90+Bar (Add Fat Gripz)
10 @ 90+Bar
Standing Band Abs (Like Westside Cable, but with an Average Band):
10,15,20 (Could feel these a lot more than with the cable, especially in the eccentric)
Pull Ups:
5 Wide
10 Regular + Straps (Haven’t hit 10 in a LONG time)
5 Narrow
Bench went well today for the first time in a long time. I’m very happy with the 365, which was relatively easy. 375 would have tied my record with the thin bar. My right triceps tendon is feeling pretty sore right now though. So, I’m probably not going to continue with the JM presses.
Definitely like the banded abs.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
Lunch from today:
-Pork chops sauteed in cast-iron (which have basically replaced chicken in my diet as a result of them being cheap as dirt)
-White Rice
-Plum tomatoes sauteed on cast-iron (Surprisingly fucking delicious)
ME Lower
Standing Average Band Abs:
2x20
Box Squat (Low-Bar, Wide Stance, Wide Grip):
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 315
2 @ 365 (Never had anything over 315 on my back with the new form)
1 @ 405
1 @ 425
1 @ 455 (Pretty tough on my back, where the bar rests)
0 @ 475 (Felt like it was rolling back, had to bail)
6 or 7 @ 315 (Upper back was dead)
Chest Supported T-Bar Row/Standing Avg. Band Abs Superset:
5 @ 2 plates/20
5 @ 2.5 plates/20
5 @ 3 plates/20
5 @ 3.5 plates (end supersets)
2x5 @ 4 plates (PR) (Usually 3 plates is decently difficult, this wasn’t bad)
Pull Ups:
5
10 (No Straps, haven’t done this in probably 2 or 3 years, since I hurt my shoulder)
5 Narrow
Good Morning:
2x10 @ 135
Zercher Squat:
2x10 @ 135
Been feeling kind of sick, so I’m very happy with this work out. I’m okay with missing 475 considering I’m still building up my back and form for low bar. The hardest part was trying to unrack it and get my wide stance set. I’m not used to it yet, especially above 400.
I’m excited about the 10 pull-ups and 4 plate t-bar since I’ve been hitting my back so much recently.
I’m assuming I need to deload soon, but I can’t really feel a difference in anything, so I may wait an extra week. We’ll see if my cold is just a short one.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper
Banded Speed Bench (Doubled-Over Minis):
Bar
5 @ 135
2 @ 185
8x3 @ 225 (Based on speed, it was maybe 275 at the top, just a guess though really)
Edit: 35 @ 135 (No bands. +5 or 6 rep PR)
One-Arm DB Rows:
3x10 @ 130
Pull-Ups:
3x5
Power Shrugs (w/ Straps):
10 @ 225
10 @ 315
2x5 @ 315 Wide Grip
Pretty simple workout. I didn’t use the Fat Gripz today because it was hard to deal with because of the way the bands pull on the way out of the rack. Made my wrists roll back. My elbows and wrists didn’t hurt with the regular bar though, so that’s good.
Everything else went well too.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Not enough)
Explosiveness: 3/4
DE Lower
Band Speed Squats (Average Bands = +90 I think) (Still new form, I’ll specify if I do anything different from now on):
Bar (Add bands)
2x5 @ 135
3 @ 185
2 @ 185
8x2 @ 225
5 @ 225 (No bands)
Standing Average Band Abs:
5x20
Band Hyperextension (Doubled Mini):
3x10
Leg Press:
10 @ 2 pps
10 @ 4 pps
5 @ 6 pps
5 @ 8 pps
3 @ 9 pps
3 @ 10 pps
1 @ 11 pps + 5-pounder (1,000 lbs. So jacked, brah)
Felt good today. My form started breaking down on the 7th set of my 8x2 of squats. I could feel my quads getting tired more than usual, which is weird since I would have thought that my old narrow stance would have done that, not this wide one.
Leg press was just for shits-n-gigs. Could have done more, but my ego was starting to chafe.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
Nice string of sessions brotha!
Thanks, bug! I think it’s time to deload though.
ME Upper
Bench:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
3 @ 315 (Feelin very weak today. Especially shoulders.)
Close Grip Bench:
1 @ 315 (w/ Fat Gripz. They completely screwed up grip)
1 @ 315 (No FGz. This was easy)
1 @ 335
1 @ 355 (+10 lb. PR)
Pull-Ups:
5x5
Close Neutral Grip Bent Row (Short Swiss Bar):
10 @ 90 + Bar
5 @ 180 + Bar
4x5 @ 190 + Bar
Mini Band Pull-Aparts:
100
I think it’s time to deload. Then again, I’ve only been doing flat bench each time instead of changing exercises. Everything else is going well though. Maybe I’ll deadlift on Wednesday and gauge it from there.
I’m happy about the PR obviously. It wasn’t particularly difficult, I would have failed any more weight though.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 3/4
ME Lower
Standing Avg. Band Abs (Some time in between warm ups):
20
10
Deadlift:
Bar+Short Light Bands
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 315
3 @ 405
1 @ 455
1 @ 495
1 @ 545 (Finally, match PR from months ago. +20 lb PR with new form)
0 @ 555
0 @ 555 (Got these of the floor but couldn’t hold form, I’ll get it soon)
15 @ 315 (Awful again 
…couldn’t get to 20 this time though)
Standing Avg. Band Abs:
3x20
Vertical Jumps (Some with a step, some without):
Somewhere around 8 of them
Rowing:
1:30 for 450m (quads were basically cramping, I’m spent)
Nothing like deadlifts to make you not want to do accessories.
545 came off the floor like nothing, I struggled a bit above my knees, but it was relatively easy. My form held up nicely too.
So, two PRs in two workouts…not sure if I should deload now. Maybe I’ll do a proper deload this time and just back the weight down a bit on everything and do sets of 5-8 on the main lift. Instead of, you know, not lifting at all. I don’t know, I’ll make a decision by Monday.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper
Banded Speed Bench (Doubled Mini on each side, +50 probably):
Bar
Bar+50
5 @ 135 + 50
3 @ 185 + 50
10x3 @ 225 + 50
36 @ 135 (No bands, +1 rep PR)
Pull-Ups:
2x5 Wide
2x5 Narrow
5 Neutral
Cable Voyer Shrugs:
10 @ “10”
3x10 @ “12”
Felt good today despite having an otherwise shitty day. I got in an accident (it wasn’t my fault, so free repairs other than costing me my time) and I had to sit in a lecture hall for 2.5 hours because of tornado warnings.
I was fast on bench. Pull-ups weren’t that great because we had to train at the rec center (as opposed to the aquatic center, where I’ve made my recent progress) and their pull-up bars have those awful rubber grips that roll around in your hands. Maybe that’s why my pull-ups have always sucked.
One of the main reasons we started using the aquatic center was because of the amount of people and stupid shit that was happening in the rec center, including the no chalk rule. Today I saw no less than five variations of curls, four or five HORRIBLE examples of bench form, and a couple of guys bosu ball quarter squatting while the other one rested on a stability ball.
Anyway, that’s enough bitching. I felt good on bench and I got a couple accessories done. I’m happy with that.
Motivation: 1/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Time constraints everywhere, will eat more)
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Lower
Banded Speed Box Squat (Avg Bands: According to this http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/training-articles/long-band-calibrations/ they added like 170. I call bullshit. It doesn’t really matter, but still):
Bar (Lots of this, no box)
Bar+Bands (No box, add bands for remainder)
5 @ 135 (No box)
3 @ 185 (No box)
3 @ 185 (Add box)
10x2 @ 225
Speed Deadlift (Conventional):
1 @ 225
8x1 @ 315
Ghetto GHR (w/ Mini Band Assistance):
2x5 (These were just not doable today)
Standing Avg. Band Abs:
5x20
Felt good again today. Squats were very fast and easy once I got my hips to work with me. Deadlift was also easy. GHR wasn’t even close.
Edit: I’m going to go ahead and deload. I have three tests this week and family will be home this weekend. Hopefully I’ll get to the gym a few times.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition 1/4 (But its been delicious. Chicken fingers, tater tots, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, milk, fruit juice, and Greek yogurt so far. Oh yes.)
Explosiveness: 4/4
Might as well get the excuses out of the way. Last week was just about the worst week for any kind of training. 3 tests, chemistry/math homework, no sleep, and family during the weekend kept me from doing anything close to training. Spent a whole lot of time hunched over a desk studying. So yeah, Sunday afternoon through Sunday? Nothing happened. Fortunately summer break is near, so my deloads can be done correctly for a while.
I’m Back - ME Upper
Close Grip Floor Press:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 135 + Fat Gripz
5 @ 225 + Fat Gripz (They still don’t feel good with close grip)
3 @ 275
1 or 2 @ 315
1 @ 335 (PR, I believe. Rarely do floor press)
Reverse Band Full ROM Bench (Still Close Grip):
1 @ 315 - Avg. Bands
1 @ 365 - Avg. Bands
3 @ 315 - Avg. Bands
Power Shrugs:
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 315 (Add Straps)
5 @ 405
3 @ 495
10 @ 315
Pull-Ups:
10x5 (30-60 seconds rest)
Straight Bar Cable Triceps Pushdown w/ Average Band:
10 @ “9” + Band
3x5 @ “12” + Band
10 @ Band Only
Mini Band Pull-Aparts:
100
Not a bad workout for not doing anything for a week. My shoulders felt tight as hell after those pull-ups. They feel fine now though (45 mins later). I’m really happy about the pull-ups considering I did them on the previously mentioned rubberized shit bar. My elbows started hurting around the 8th set. I think it was because I was trying to be explosive and be able to fix my grip at the top of each rep.
Floor press felt good too. I was able to control everything on the decent and not knock myself off balance when my elbows hit like usual.
I’ll try to work my way up to a 5x5 @ 495 on power shrugs. Not sure if I want to risk a shoulder injury by going super heavy. We’ll see how they affect my deadlift though.
Motivation: 3/4 (Oddly unfocused though. Weights didn’t really feel like anything despite being difficult during the singles)
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 3/4
Nice training as per usual. I completely and utterly share you sentiments on summer being oh so close. Just keep on pushing
Btw, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you majoring in?
Thanks, definitely ready for it to get here. Hopefully I’ll have a job by then. lol
Yeah, no problem, technically my major is Exercise and Sport Science with a focus on Nutrition and Pre-Professional. The pre-professional part is the only part that matters, as it is basically pre-physical therapy. I’ll be trying to get into PT school after undergrad.
[quote]TylerPK4L wrote:
Thanks, definitely ready for it to get here. Hopefully I’ll have a job by then. lol
Yeah, no problem, technically my major is Exercise and Sport Science with a focus on Nutrition and Pre-Professional. The pre-professional part is the only part that matters, as it is basically pre-physical therapy. I’ll be trying to get into PT school after undergrad.[/quote]
Ah ok, cool. I myself will be looking to attend grad school after my undergrad.
Tornadoes
So, I haven’t been on here in a few days as a result of the tornadoes that came through Tuscaloosa. I’m lucky that it didn’t hit where I was a few thousand feet away, because I would definitely be dead. The damage down there is unreal. I’ve moved back to Birmingham due to power outages.
Anyway, when we first got the warning, I was in the gym pulling. We decided to go back to our house rather than wait it out in the locker room since we had studying to do (we didn’t think anything would be happening, we get these warnings all the time). So, I got done with deadlifts and I was setting up rack pulls when we had to leave.
Deadlift:
Bar
Bar+Bands
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
3 @ 315
3 @ 405
1 @ 455
1 @ 495
0 @ 545 (Very…very close. I think the power shrugs on Monday hindered this. Lower back was tired.)
Rack Pulls:
Oh wait.
Back Home:
Some banded deadlift with pvc.
Free and banded bulgarian split squats.
Then realized this tornado was serious.
We’ll see how I do on speed bench today. I’m just happy to be alive at this point.
DE Upper
Speed Bench:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
10x3 @ 225 (Felt great. Fast)
Pull-Ups:
5x5 (3 sets wide pronated, 2 sets narrow neutral)
Seated DB Clean:
5x5 @ 35s
Average Band Horizontal Rows:
10 @ 1 Avg.
4x10 @ 1 Avg. per hand
HS Iso-Lateral Row:
8 @ 180
5 @ 250
5 @ 270
3x5 @ 360
Presses on HS Iso-Lateral Row (Got behind the machine and pressed. Angle was a bit lower than incline bench.):
3x10 @ 180 (Explosive)
Felt great today surprisingly. Still kind of distraught from everything. At least training went well though.
Motivation: 2/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
Glad to hear you’re alright.