TCam's Log - Get Strong(er)

Training Training Logs
561

I changed the way I did the Westside template about 10 weeks ago. Before then, I had been doing Westside for 2 years, but not really. I was changing max effort exercises each week, which wasn’t really helping me get good at the different lifts. I was also mainly doing singles for max effort. Over the past 10 weeks, I’ve been doing a 4 week cycle (Speed stayed the same except for adding more weight, so I’ll just write what I’m doing for max effort):

Cycle 1:
1st Week- Triple on decline, triple on free squats
2nd- Double on decline, double on free squats
3rd- Single on decline, single on free squats
4th- Deload

Cycle 2:
1st- Triple on Rev. Band, triple on box squats
2nd- Double on Rev. Band, double on box squats
3rd- Single on Rev. Band, single on box squats
4th- Deload

Cycle 3 (Current):
1st- Triple on flat bench, triple on free squats
2nd- Double on flat bench, double on free squats (This week)
3rd- Single on flat bench, single on free squats
4th- Deload

All of the triples, doubles, and singles are rep maxes.

That’s all I wrote when before I started because I didn’t know how I’d react. So far I’ve added considerable amounts of weight to all my rep maxes. You can see the PRs in bold on the past couple pages. I’ve gotten PRs almost every week, I believe.

Next week I get to figure out if my flat bench has finally gone up after a long plateau.

But anyway, 2 years ago, when I started Westside, I had been training for about 2 years. I don’t really know how much I’ve gained over the past 2 years though. You can look at the first post on here to give you an idea of where I was then.

562

I appreciate the great response! How much did your weak points go into choosing your ME lifts?

563

No problem, man. Honestly, they didn’t go into it at all for these cycles. I didn’t know what to expect from it. I actually went with the lifts I’m best at. For bench, my starting strength isn’t great and my triceps are way overpowering. So decline and rev. band play to my strengths. As for lower body, I just stick with free squat and box generally anyway. My main goal was to just get some weight that I hadn’t used before in my hands and on my back. I think that has helped me greatly, even if it’s only psychologically, the numbers are still going up.

For the next few cycles, I’ll probably do floor press, then decline, then flat bench again. The floor press will force me to underload since it’s not a very strong lift for me,but it will also help my starting strength. So, that should help my overall recovery and keep my elbow from bothering me like it had been before the past couple weeks.

564

ME Upper

Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
2 @ 315
2 @ 345
2 @ 365 (Goal Achieved. +10 lb. PR!)
2 @ 375 (Holy shit. +20 lb. PR, previous 1RM=375)
12 @ 275 (Might be a PR too)

Cable Low Row (Straight Bar):
10 @ “160”
10 @ “180”
8 @ “200”
8 @ “200” (Supinated)
2x8 @ “180” (Supinated)

Single Arm Avg. Band Lat Pulldown:
3x10 L/R

Mini Band Pull-Apart:
2x30

Dreams do come true! haha I can’t believe I doubled my 1RM from 10 weeks ago after plateauing for so long. The second rep wasn’t very pretty, as I went slightly off balance as a result of the right side of my thoracic back completely locking up. But I got it without any assistance.

Next week’s goal was set at 385x1 originally. But after today, I’m more inclined to want 395.

As for Thursday (455x2 squat goal), it may be tougher than I thought. It’s playoff time for flag football and our game is set for Wednesday at 10pm. 12 hours from the beginning of the game to the beginning of the workout. I’m not going to go easy on either of these things though. May want to die come Friday morning.

Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 4/4

565

Geezus. 405 is knocking on the door.

566

Damn man! Nice PRs!

567

Aqua: That’s right! I’ll be answering the door soon enough.

PB: Thanks, man!

568

Last night we lost our flag football game. I did a lot of running. This hurt:

ME Lower

Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225 (So slow, no speed out of the hole plus knee pain. Hamstrings were shot, I think. Stayed this way the whole time)
3 @ 315
3 @ 365
2 @ 405
2 @ 435 (+10 lb. PR) Didn’t realize it at the time.
2 @ 455 (+30 lb. PR! Goal Achieved. Fuck this, I’m done for today)

Speed Deadlift:
5 @ 135 (Convo)
5 @ 225 (Convo)
3 @ 315 (Sumo)

Rack Pulls (Straps):
2x5 @ 315 (Snatch grip)
2x10 @ 315 (Clean grip)

Avg. Band Ab Pulldown:
3x15

I don’t know how I made it through squats. The 455x2 was probably the best set of all of them when it comes to explosiveness though. I had to get myself shaken up and mad, so that probably helped. The second rep wasn’t pretty, as I leaned forward, but I got it without assistance.

The rest of the workout was just me not wanting to be there. I’m so sore from football. But it’s over now, which I’m both happy and sad about. I’m glad it won’t interfere with my lifts now, but I’m sad I won’t get to do it again.

Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 1/4

569

DE Upper

Speed Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
9x3 @ 275

Shrugs:
10 @ 135
10 @ 225
5 @ 315
10 @ 405 (Add straps)
3x5 @ 405 (Power, from pins)

Monster Mini Band Pull-Apart:
4x25

Straight Bar Cable Low Row:
8 @ “180”
8 @ “200”
2x8 @ “180” (Supinated Grip)

Speed bench went really well today. I’m continuing to take speed days easy so I don’t aggravate my elbow.

Fuck LSU. That is all.

Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4

570

DE Lower

Speed Box Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 315
9x2 @ 365

One-Arm DB Snatch (from the floor):
4x5 @ 75 L/R (This shit is exhausting)

Plank:
1 minute

Avg. Band Abs:
4x20

Simple day. I usually don’t go as high on speed squats, but 365 was scheduled when I started the program, so I did it and it actually moved pretty well.

Definitely going to do more one-arm DB snatch.

I have to write a biology lab report on transpiration. Ghey.

Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4

571

ME Upper Test Day!

Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 275
3 @ 315 (Add wraps)
1 @ 345
1 @ 365
1 @ 385 (+10 lb. PR!)
1 @ 395 (+20 lb. PR!!!)

2 Mini Bands Pull-Apart:
5x15

Mini Band Curls (For elbow):
3x10 L/R (Different grips each set. Pronated, Neutral, Supinated)

YYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!

Feels so good to finally break through the plateau. Well, mentally at least. Both of my elbows started to ache soon after the last set. That was expected though. Last night my elbow was hurting differently than usual. I had an acute pain at the insertion point of one of my wrist extensors. I was scared that after all this, I was going to blow out my elbow or something. Didn’t bother me today though, fortunately.

The 385 went up very easily, but the 395 had about 3 different sticking points, I swear.

I decided not to do a damn thing but mini band work afterwards because fuck that.

I’m not going to worry about doing speed bench this week. I’m going to deload bench for the next week and a half. Most likely not going above 135 at any point and doing only back work/elbow prehab otherwise.

Thursday is ME lower test day. I’ve been thinking 495 for free squat. It’s a lofty goal, but fuck it. Time to write the next 3 or 4 cycles of this program. Because I’m certainly not dropping it.

Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4

572

wtf. that is all.

573

Dude, WTF x2. NICE BENCHING. And if youre going for 495 free squat, throw the fucking 2.5s on and call it 500!!!

574

Aqua: I’m going to take that as a compliment. Thanks. lol

PB: God damnit. Don’t put that idea in my head. 495 is already terrifying.

575

DO IT

576

ME Lower Test Day!

Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 315 (Add belt)
3 @ 365
2 @ 405
1 @ 455
1 @ 485 (+10 lb. PR!)
1 @ 500 (+25 lb. PR!)
1 @ 515 (+40 lb. PR!!!)

Avg. Band Abs/Avg. Band Wood Chopper Abs Superset:
3x15/15

Avg. Band Good Morning (No bar, just 2 bands):
3x10

2 Mini-Band Pull-Apart:
4x20

Well…holy shit. That was awesome. I followed PB’s challenge and just went for 500 after 485 was so easy. I got that relatively easily as well, with only a bit of a sticking point at the bottom, so I just went for 515. That one was not so easy. It was very slow, but I didn’t really lose my form surprisingly.

The rest of the workout was the same as Tuesday. I just did some band stuff because fuck it.

I’m surprised and happy that my knees felt and feel completely fine.

So, now that I finished the first three cycles (12 weeks) of this program, here’s what I’ve attained:
-Flat bench 1RM went up 20 lbs. to 395, and I got a double on my previous 1RM of 375.
-My box squat went up to 500 lbs. for a 5 lb. all time PR, but I had failed 455 three times this summer and fixed my form.
-My free squat went up 80 lbs. to 515. I was due from the beginning for a PR, which I got on the 3rd week at 475, so I more so added 40 lbs. in the last 8 weeks. My free squat is now higher than my box squat, which is insane for me.
-I got 405 on decline bench and 455 on reverse band bench. Two 10 lbs. PRs, although the band tension was probably about 20 lbs. less than my previous set up.
-I also set PRs weekly on my triples and doubles.

I’ve set up my ME goals for the next 3 cycles for floor press, decline bench, flat bench, box squat, deadlift, and free squat. I’ll write those on the next log entry.

Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Protein shake and gatorade before. Chinese after. MSG is delicious and debilitating!)
Explosiveness: 4/4

577

TOLD YOU YOU HAD 500! AWESOME work man, really motivating!

578

once again, wtf.

Good stuff man! Looking forward to the next few cycles.

579

Thanks, guys! You both are about to break into that 4 plate squat club. I got my 5 plates, now y’all get that shit done!

580

Great work on 515 man. That’s huge.