Awesome squat. Everytime I check in I see another huge PR. Good stuff man.
Thanks, Aqua!
DE Upper - Deload
Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5x5 @ 275 (Various grips)
Neutral Grip Cable Low Row:
8 @ “180”
3x8 @ “200”
Uni-Lateral DB Triceps Extension:
4x5 @ 50 (Elbow hurt with these)
Mini-Band Pull-Apart:
25 @ 1 mini band
3x25 @ 2 mini bands
I took three days off by accident. I haven’t had the motivation to move, let alone go to the gym. I think it comes from all the studying I’ve been doing. Unfortunately that lack of motivation included today, so this wasn’t the best workout. I wasn’t very explosive at all. But at least I’m deloading at the right time.
I’m done with finals tomorrow though, so I should be more awake after that.
Motivation: 1/4
Explosivenss: 1/4
Nutrition: 3/4
DE Lower - Deload
Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
10x3 @ 225
Pin Good Morning:
2x8 @ 135
3x6 @ 225 (Belt)
Leg Press:
10 @ 2 pps
10 @ 4 pps
5 @ 5 pps
5 @ 6 pps
4x10 @ 3 pps (Plus 1 doubled mini band per side)
My knees hurt until about the 4th set of 225 and my form was off. After that, they felt great and my form straightened up. I predicted correctly that I’d be better after I was done with finals. Much more motivated and happy to be at the gym today.
I’m going to do a lot more good mornings from pins. My hamstrings hate me right now, which means I need to keep doing it.
Leg press was just for shits. I was trying to be as explosive as possible.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
This log has too many PRs to handle! Awesome work man
This log has too many PRs to handle! Awesome work man
Thanks, pb! lol I’ll try to keep overwhelming.
ME Upper - Deload - Yesterday
Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
4x3 @ 315 (Wraps. Left pec or anterior delt was straining pretty hard)
Pull-Ups:
7x5 (Various grips)
4" Deficit Push-Up:
3x15
2 Mini-Band Pull-Apart / 1 Mini Band Unilateral Curls Superset:
3x15/10(L/R)
I moved the weight pretty quickly today, but as I said, I was feeling a potential strain happening. The deficit push-ups were for my pec/shoulder. The last set was extra wide and it was tough on it.
I feel fine today though, so I’m not worrying too much about it.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Lower - Deload
Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275 (Add belt)
5x5 @ 315
Clean:
5 @ 135
3x3 @ 185
One-Arm DB Snatch:
3x3 @ 85 L/R (Wraps)
Facepull:
3x15 @ “62.5”
Everything went well today. My knees hurt on a few sets, but nothing terrible. For the most part, everything was explosive and smooth.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper - Cycle 2 Started
Close Grip Speed Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5x3 @ 275 (Pec started hurting again)
EDIT: 100 @ Bar
2 Mini Band Pull-Apart (In between bench sets):
5x15
One-Arm DB Rows:
2x15 @ 130 L/R (Straps)
2 Mini Band Triceps Extenion (Video at the bottom. Minus the ball grip):
15, 12, 8 L/R
10, 8, 5 L/R
Well, looks like this cycle will be plagued with pec pain rather than elbow. I’ll just take speed days easy from now on and decline is the upper lift, so hopefully that will take some of the pressure off that area.
I was exhausted during those rows for some reason.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4 (Need to eat moar)
Explosiveness: 3/4
DE Lower
Banded Speed Squats (1 avg. per side):
Bar
Bar+Bands
5 @ 135+Bands
3 @ 225+Bands
5x2 @ 315+Bands (Just too heavy today)
4x2 @ 315
That’s it for the gym. I went to play wischixin (I’ve explained it somewhere in this log. Rugby type of sport) and I didn’t want to wear myself out.
I felt like shit in the gym anyway. I don’t know if I can complete the next two cycles like this. I’m going to have to make a decision at the end of this cycle whether to take off a cycle and prehab everything and heal up. We’ll see how I’m doing in a few weeks though. I felt this way during the last megacycle, but at the end I was completely fine.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 2/4
ME Upper
Warm up and stretch pec a lot
Decline Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275 (Add discomfort)
3 @ 315
3 @ 345
3 @ 365 (+1 rep/+10 lb PR) (Second rep tweaked my pec, third felt better, but it hurts now)
Ballistic Flat Bench:
50 @ Bar
Band Flies (On bench, bands run under):
3x10 w/ 2 minis
1x10 w/ 1 average
Banded Inverted Rows (2 minis):
10 @ BW
5x5 @ BW+Bands
Band Triceps Finisher (2 minis):
25, 14, 9 L/R
Band Curls (2 minis):
2x10 L/R
Voyer Shrugs:
3x12 @ “95”/hand
If my pec doesn’t feel better by my next upper day, I’m going to need to drop the heavy benching for awhile and focus on fixing whatever is happening. I haven’t torn anything before, but it seems like it’s around the corner if I don’t take it easy. Not at all worth it. I’ll just focus on squat and deadlift if it comes to that.
I’m clearly stronger than my last megacycle though, considering the PR. I’m happy my joints feel good. Just can’t afford (financially or physically) to tear a muscle. I’m sure I’ll come back from rehabbing it stronger than I would have been in a few weeks.
For the inverted rows, I set up a DB on both sides of the smith machine, stretched the bands between them, slid underneath, and put the bands right above the xyphoid process. Worked pretty well.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: Hard to tell with the pec straining.
ME Lower - Monday
Deadlift:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 315
3 @ 405
3 @ 455 (Add straps)
1 @ 475 (Yeah, read below)
Snatch Grip Rack Pulls:
3x5 @ 315 (straps)
Glute Bridge:
3x5 @ 315 (Hold on 5th rep)
2 Mini-Band Pull-Apart Hold + Hyperextension:
3x10
Hanging Leg Raise:
2x10
I’m just going to take it easy for a few weeks until I go back to school. My plan for today was 495x3, but I wasn’t going to get close. My strength wasn’t there, for one, and the bars at this gym are like holding on to a cheese grater. Everything is breaking down right now, so I’m just going to focus on recovering, mobility, and speed.
Upper - Wednesday
Don’t remember the numbers exactly. I’ll just write the work sets.
HS Iso-Lateral Row:
4x8 @ 360
4 Inch Deficit Push-Ups:
2x10 Plyo
2x10 w/ 2 Minis
2 Mini-Band Triceps Extension:
20
15
12
Rope Lat Pulldowns (On Incline Bench):
10 @ 100
8 @ 160
10 @ 130
Seated Military Press:
3x10 @ 135
Lower - Yesterday
Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 135 (Added bands attached to rack to pull me forward)
5 @ 225
5 @ 315
3 @ 365
5 @ 315 (Subtract bands)
10 @ 225
Good Morning:
5 @ 135
3x5 @ 225
One-Arm DB Snatch:
3 @ 85 L/R
3x3 @ 95 L/R (PR)
Goblet Squat:
3x8 @ 130
Upper day felt good to go easy on the pec. It still bothered me a bit, but I’m working on it. Lower day was okay, but I didn’t feel strong on the squats. Everything else I felt great with though. My knees just need some fish oil, which I forgot in Tuscaloosa.
I’ll be back to writing on here when I actually work out soon. I’ll be in Destin for a few days with my girlfriend.
Happy New Year
Upper
Bench:
20 @ Bar
4x10 @ Bar+Bands (1 Doubled mini per side)
3 @ 135+Bands (Still some pain)
4x10 @ 95 (“Bamboo Bar” emulation. 25 plate hanging by short mini)
Pull-Up (Straps):
3x8
HS High-Row:
8 @ 180
5x5 @ 270
Bent-Over BB Row:
8 @ 135
3x8 @ 225 (Straps)
One-Arm Lateral DB Raise:
4x8 @ 35 (Alternate standing and seated)
Band Pull-Apart:
3x20
Pec-Deck:
3x8 @ “220”
8 @ “160” (Different grip, trying to feel pec)
4 Inch Deficit Push-Up (Wide):
3x10
2 Mini-Band Triceps Finisher:
20
15
15
Shoulders were aching a bit during this workout, but felt better than when I entered the gym a few minutes after leaving the gym.
I’m disappointed that there was any pain with just 135+Bands on bench. It wasn’t excruciating, but I know it would have felt worse with more weight. I’m sure using the bar is getting some blood flow going, but it’s also not enough weight for me to be able to feel the injury properly. Guess I’ll work with 95 or 115 next time.
Back work is going fine, I just need to do a lot more pull-ups. Hopefully they won’t hurt my elbows.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 3/4
Lower - Deadlift
Deadlift:
Bar
10 @ 135 (Conventional)
5 @ 225
5 @ 315 (Switch to Sumo, Add belt)
3 @ 365
3 @ 405
1 @ 455
1 @ 495
1 @ 525
20 @ 315 (Conventional, Straps)
Hyperextension:
3x8 @ BW+100
Westside Cable Abs:
3x12 @ “100”
It was great to push myself on deadlift again after going so long without doing them. I’m glad it went better than last week when the bar was sharp as nails. I was worried I had gotten weak. Only 20 lbs. off my previous PR though…not bad. I’m sure my pec being “injured”, or whatever it is, will only help my deadlift, as I’m doing more back work now.
I’ll probably start doing some cardio (Swimming, rowing, maybe running) in a while here and diet to try to lose some of my winter “mass accumulation”. I don’t plan to drop calories, just make it healthier and eat the carbs at the right time instead of all of the time.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
Upper - Bench Without Pain - Yesterday
Bench:
Bar
10 @ 95
10 @ 135
5 @ 185
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
3x3 @ 315 (Wraps)
Straight Bar Cable Low Row (Pronated and Supinated):
8 @ “180” (P)
4x8 @ “200” (S,P,S,P)
DB “T-W-I” Incline Bench:
2x8-8-8 @ 15s
HS High-Row:
10 @ 180
2x5 @ 270
5 @ 320 (Straps)
15 @ 270 (Straps)
Explosive Push-Up From Smith Machine (Explained below):
3x9
The smith machine push-ups were basically explosive incline push-ups to standing. I set the bar 3 rungs from the bottom, did 3 reps then immediately lowered 1 rung, did another 3, then lowered once more and finished 3 more reps. I did that 3 times. I had to bend at the hips a bit to get to standing from the lowest position.
Anyway, I’m surprised bench went so well. I guess I’m healed, because I felt absolutely no pain. I’ll continue to be careful for a couple weeks though. I didn’t feel particularly strong and 315 moved slower than usual, but that was expected after a couple weeks without any weight in my hands.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
This was a meal I made yesterday. Pretty random, but it was delicious. It’s moo shu pork with goat cheese garlic mashed potatoes and strawberries.
Swimming
My girlfriend was a swimmer on the UA team for a couple of years, so I went and swam with her today. I was planning on working out a few hours later, but the gym apparently closed early. Fuck this place. Anyway, I want to start swimming pretty regularly as my cardio, since it’s no-impact and it’s refreshing.
I did this in about 45 minutes in a 25 yard pool:
2x25
1x50
2x25
1x50
10x25
The rest periods were between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, depending on catching my breath. I didn’t go all out with these, as I am out of shape cardiovascularly, but I was winded after each set. I was mainly trying to get my breathing and stroke down, as I’ve never really swam for exercise.
Squats tomorrow. I’m not really sure what I want to do. Right now I’m just “autoregulating”. Now that my pec is better and I know I can deadlift, I’ll probably get back into my cycle this week.
Lower - Squats
Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 315 (Add belt)
3 @ 365
8x1 @ 405 (PR)
Banded Hyperextension:
10 @ BW+1 Doubled Mini
3x10 @ BW+2 Doubled Minis (JESUS)
10 @ BW+1 Doubled Mini
Hanging Leg Raises:
5x10
Today went well. I really wanted to get 405 on my back again since it’s been a while. My form/speed was back and forth between perfect/moderately fast and leaned forward/fast. Obviously perfect and moderate was more comfortable and I need to try to keep myself there. Overall it was easy to get 8 singles, which I would have thought would be very hard. I need to keep working around 405-455 I think.
The hypers were ridiculous with the 2 doubled minis. They were lifting the 85 lb. DB they were looped under and the 45 plate on top and two 25s that were tipi’d on it. My back was pumped to hell. That’s why I did the hanging leg raises, to loosen my back up.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper
Speed Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
9x3 @ 275 (Elbow pain. Pec is fine)
20 @ 135
Pull-Up:
3x5 Neutral
2x5 Supinated
Face-Pull:
10 @ “100”
2x15 @ “80”
JM Press:
10 @ 115
8 @ 135
3x5 @ 185
Band Triceps Extension (1 doubled mini)/Plate Curls (Grip two 35-plates together):
20/10
15/10
15/10
15/10
My right elbow hurt during the bench and the pull-ups. It was aching for the rest of the time, but nothing terrible. I don’t know what to do about it for now other than to take my fish oil.
I like the plate curls a lot. The plates at the gym are about 2 inches thick each with 2 handles. I used the handles on the first set, but just grabbed the sides on the rest to make it harder. Definitely a great grip and forearm developer. It may help my elbow too. I’ll try the 45s next time.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 3/4
Have you checked out mobilitywod? There’s loads of info regarding mobility, I’m sure there’s a ton of videos about helping elbow pain and the like.