Thanks, man. You too. With your damn 225x4 military press acting like it wasn’t a good lift. haha
But yeah, just get creative with the bands. I like rowing with them too and holding them at the end of each rep.
DE Lower - Cycle 2, Week 2
Banded Speed Box Squat (1 Avg. per Side):
Bar
Bar+Bands
2x3 @ 135+Bands
7x3 @ 185+Bands (Again, it felt good to lower the bar weight, I’ll add more band tension next time)
Deadlift (5/3/1):
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 315 (Add belt)
3 @ 365
3 @ 405 (Switch to sumo)
3 @ 435
5 @ 460 (Match PR. Barely got the 5th)
BB Hyperextension:
8 @ 135
3x8 @ 185 (Match PR. Back pump)
Banded Sit-Ups (On Bench):
3x10 @ 1 Avg.
Felt good today. My back agreed with the lower bar weight for speed squats. I was more explosive, just like on bench. I’ll definitely continue that, probably won’t go above 225 bar weight and just load up on bands.
My deadlift form kinda crumpled once I got past 405, so I need to work on that. But that was part of the reason for doing hypers.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Upper - Cycle 2, Week 2
Board Press:
Bar
2x5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 225
3 @ 275 (Add wraps. 2-Board)
3 @ 315 (1-Board)
2 @ 345 (2-Board)
2 @ 365 (2-Board PR)
2 @ 385 (2-Board PR)
Bent-Over BB Row:
10 @ 135
8 @ 225
4x8 @ 275 (Straps and belt. Probably a PR)
JM Press (Pins):
8 @ 135
3x8 @ 185 (Wraps)
Pull-Ups:
5 Pronated
5 Supinated (Lats are not cooperating)
Hanging Scapular Retraction (Wide Grip):
3x10
Good day. Spent 3 hours sitting in Physics lab racking my brain and when I got out I wanted to kill things. My best double on flat bench was 375, so I’m very happy with the 385x2. Today I got myself to raise my head as I lowered the bar so I could see the bar and the top of the boards, then I drove my head back. It felt good to do that, as it made me slow down and stay in control. The second rep of 385 was very slow, but my form didn’t falter.
I had a spotter and a holder today, so I didn’t have to put the boards under my shirt. I think that helped my vision a lot. Along with raising my head, of course.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Lower - Cycle 2, Week 3
Squat:
Bar (More than usual, plus squat jumps and vertical jumps from a low box)
2x5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 225
3 @ 275 (Add belt)
3 @ 315
2x2 @ 365 (Started feeling weak here)
1 @ 405
1 @ 435
1 @ 455 (Tough)
0 @ 475 (Bar rolled forward. Had to bail)
Power Clean:
Some @ 95
Some @ 135
2 @ 185
1 @ 205 (Add belt)
1 @ 235
1 @ 255 (Held it too long at the top and almost passed out. Stopped there)
Leg Press:
8 @ 2pps
8 @ 4pps
5x8 @ 5pps
Cable Ab Pulldown (Superset with Leg Press. Nothing behind me made this much harder):
10 @ “60”
10 @ “70”
4x10 @ “80”
Not very happy with my performance today. Squats are the bane of my existence now. I felt like I could break through the sticking point with 475, but then I had to dump it forward. 455 wasn’t much easier, I just happened to get it up. My hip flexors were very tight, most likely because of sitting in physics for several hours every day. I’m going to adopt a morning ritual of mobility work. Probably the one that Wendler mentioned in his latest article.
The point of this log is to track myself and then when I am stuck, see where I have done better. I am officially stuck in the squat department. Back when I hit 515, I was squatting twice a week with heavy speed days. I was also not deadlifting at all for all 16 weeks or so. That last point is unacceptable to me, as it royal fucked my deadlift when I went back to it. The only thing I can think of is to raise my speed squat weight now that I potentially have my speed back (from the lighter speed squats and box jumps) and keep chipping away at the heavy stuff. Hopefully I can get back to 500 soon. I want to be able to maintain that by the end of the year. I also want to be able to deadlift 585 very soon if not 600 and bench 425.
I always seem to move up two of my lifts while the other falters horribly. It sucks.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 3/4
DE Upper - Cycle 2, Week 3
Banded Speed Bench (Bands = Per Side):
Bar
5 @ Bar+1 Dbl. Mini
3x5 @ Bar+1 Dbl. Mini and 1 Short Monster
2x3 @ 135+1 Short Monster
5x3 @ 185+1 Short Monster
Military Press (5/3/[b1[/b]):
Bar
5 @ 95
3 @ 135
3 @ 165 (Add wraps)
3 @ 185
3 @ 200 (10 lb. PR!)
Chest Supported T-Bar Row:
8 @ 1.5p
8 @ 2p
8 @ 2.5p
8 @ 3p
5 @ 3.5p
3x5 @ 4p
12 @ 3p (Straps)
2 Mini-Band Triceps Extension (No rest):
25, 20, 15 L/R
1 Mini-Band Biceps Curls (No rest):
2x20 L/R
At least everything other than squats is going really well. I enjoyed this workout thoroughly. My thoracic extensors were very tight, which made getting into my bench setup difficult. But it ended up loosening up and all my speed sets were fast. I usually don’t move directly to military press without having done some pull-ups, but I figured I’d take advantage of the increased motor unit recruitment I was sure to get from using the bands.
My quads actually started cramping up at the end of the last set of military press. I had to grind the third rep pretty hard, but I knew I would get it the whole time.
At this point my elbows were aching, so I decided not to do pull-ups, but just T-bar rows and then the mini band finishers. When I got done with the bands, it was like my elbows were floating and I was swole, brah. Definitely will keep doing that.
Motivation 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Deadlift - Cycle 2, Week 3
Deadlift (Sumo):
Bar
2x5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 225+2 Short Monster Bands
5 @ 275+Bands (Add Belt)
3 @ 315+Bands
2 @ 365+Bands
2 @ 405
1 @ 455
1 @ 495
1 @ 535
0 @ 565 (Back collapsed. Need to work on this badly)
0 @ 565 (Stapled)
BB Hyperextension:
10 @ 135
3x8 @ 185
Cable Abs Pulldown:
4x10 @ “80”
10 @ “120”
I was pretty pissed after I missed this lift. But I’ll survive. 535 wasn’t very easy either, so I wasn’t exactly expected to get 565. It probably came up to a couple inches below my knees, which would have been a few inches above if my back didn’t fold over like a lawn chair. As I said, I need to work on that. It’s going to become a focus to flex the shit out of my thoracic extensors during every back movement and I’ll probably lower the weight on things like barbell rows so I can do that. I’m adding hypers back into the program and hitting them hard, along with Kroc rows and maybe shrugs. Other possibilities are deficit deadlift, low rack pulls, and RDLs.
I think all of that will also help my squat get back up to par.
Overall this wasn’t a bad workout. I still deadlifted 535 and probably could have gotten 555, but I figured I’d go for the PR.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Didn’t eat enough beforehand)
Explosiveness: 3/4
ME Upper - Cycle 2, Week 3
Board Bench Press:
Bar
2x135
5 @ 225
3 @ 225
3 @ 275
3 @ 315 (1-Board, Add Wraps)
2 @ 345 (1-Board)
2 @ 365 (2-Board)
1 @ 385 (2-Board)
1 @ 405 (2-Board, PR!)
1 @ 405 (1-Board, PR!)
Incline Bench:
Bar
5 @ 135
3 @ 225
2 @ 275 (Add wraps)
2 @ 295
1 @ 315 (Match PR, according to the log my spotter helped last time at lockout. Not this time)
Cybex Neutral Grip Row:
8 @ “150”
8 @ “170”
8 @ “190”
2x8 @ “200” (Stack)
Dumbbell T/Y/I:
2x(10/10/10) @ 15s
Let’s talk about those TYIs first. I think I’ve located the problem with my deadlift. My lower traps are apparently weak as all hell. I figured band pull-aparts were taking care of all that prehab bullshit. It seems I was horribly wrong. It hurt to breathe after those today and I was only using 15s. I will definitely be doing them regularly now.
On to the awesome. I got PRs all day today. The 405 2-board was slower and harder than the 1-board was interestingly. I think the fact that my triceps do all the work on 2-board as compared to shoulders and triceps on 1-board made it this way. 405 flat should be happening on this next cycle. It felt excellent today.
Incline press was done out of the blue really, but I think I’ll keep doing it for an accessory. I doubt I’ll continue to max out like I did today, other than every once in a while. I am happy I got 315 though. It wasn’t horribly difficult. Unfortunately I don’t really remember the last time. Apparently it was easier though, since it didn’t seem like I needed help from my spotter.
The Cybex rows felt great too. I exploded on the concentric and slowed it down on the eccentric. Last time I got 3x10 @ 160, so that was a PR as well.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4 (Calorie-wise. I finished an Arby’s meal literally 30 seconds before I got in the gym. It works)
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Lower - Cycle 2, Deload
Squat:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 275 (Add belt)
5x5 @ 315
Power Clean:
3x2 @ 135
5x2 @ 185
Natural GHR:
5x5 (Some push off. I haven’t done these in a while, so they were tough)
Cable Ab Pulldown (Superset with GHR):
4x10 @ “100”
Simple deload. I squatting in my normal shoes and it felt really good. I may start using them instead of Converses since I have a relatively close stance. There’s barely any heel raise, but it changes something. Maybe just the added ankle mobility.
Squatting felt strong and fast. I didn’t lock out a lot of these reps. I just got to the top and dropped back down.
Cleans were just spur of the moment. No real goal for those.
GHR will be implemented more in this next cycle.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper - Cycle 2, Deload
Bench:
Bar
5 @ 135 (FatGripz)
5 @ 225 (FatGripz)
5x5 @ 275 (Wraps on last 3 sets)
100 @ Bar
Pull-Ups (Neutral, superset with bench):
4x5
Military Press from Pins (Eye level):
5 @ 95
5 @ 115
5x5 @ 135
Cybex Row (Pronated):
12 @ “120”
12 @ “130”
3x12 @ “140”
Avg. Band Vertical Row:
10 @ 1 Band
3x10 @ 2 Bands
Pull-Up (Wanted to get more than 4x5):
3 (Yep. I had zero strength after everything else)
Only Arms Rowing:
2x150m
Dumbbell T/Y (Skipped the I today):
2x10/10 @ 15s
I had some shoulder pain on my right side today. I haven’t felt that in a long time. It was bothering me a bit during bench, but as the blood really got in there from everything else, it felt fine. An hour or two later, it feels fine still other than some soreness in my anterior delt. It’s all good I think. Just need to rest more.
I really liked the military press from pins. At eye level, it was just below my sticking point. I did this because I was afraid that full MP would continue to aggravate my shoulder. It ended up lighting up my thoracic extensors and low traps because I was arching hard to get as much power from zero that I could. I’ll definitely keep these in my programming. Probably more after this next cycle.
I really need to get back on top of pull-ups.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Only got in one meal before lifting and it was 4 hours before)
Explosiveness: 3/4
Good stuff going on in here tyler. Have you seen the new fat gripz? They are ridiculously big.
Are you lifting tomorrow? Ill be in for a little bench/squat session. If not lets try and get a lift in next week.
Achilles: I texted you earlier when I was heading to the gym. I’m guessing you mean tomorrow as in Saturday. I couldn’t tell from the time you posted that though. I’m actually heading home for the weekend tomorrow morning. Definitely text me next though, otherwise I may not see it here.
DE Lower - Cycle 2, Deload
Paused Speed Squats (For a 1 or 2 count):
Bar
5 @ 135
9x3 @ 225
Speed Deadlift:
9x3 @ 135 (4 convo, 5 sumo)
Cable Abs:
4x12 @ “120”
Cable Row (D-Handles set at highest point, step back, kneel down, row):
10 @ “80”
3x10 @ “100”
I took it really easy today and just focused on form. I did the paused squats to practice staying tight at the bottom and exploding out of the hole. Same goes for deadlift. I actually was able to sit back enough pulling sumo to hit my shins. That never happens. Hopefully I can start getting that to work for me with heavier weights as well.
Good workout overall.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper- Cycle 2, Deload
Speed Bench (Some paused):
Bar
10 @ 135
9x3 @ 225
Pull-Ups (Neutral, Superset with Bench):
7x5
Military Press:
Bar
5 @ 95
5x3 @ 135 (Hold at the top at the end of each set)
Standing Kroc Row:
3x12 @ 100 L/R
One-Hand Plate Flip Pinch Catch (I don’t know what to call this. Grip exercise from StormTheBeach or BigBen):
3x10 @ 25 L/R (Thick bumper plate)
Felt good today. I took a Physics exam right before going and I felt brain dead walking into the gym. I got into it though and enjoyed this easy workout. I’m glad I took this deload pretty easy.
I’m going to be doing reverse band box squats for this cycle for my lower work. That’ll be Wednesday. I’m not sure how much the bands will take off, but I’m going for at least 475x3.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Good breakfast. No lunch. Arby’s Pre-Workout, Jim N Nicks BBQ post-workout with pie)
Explosiveness: 4/4
Pictured: Dinner. 20 Wings. I feel good knowing 5 chickens died for this meal.
ME Lower - Cycle 3, Week 1
Reverse Band Box Squat (1 Light Band per Side. 65 off bottom, 0 from top):
Bar
5 @ 135 (Add bands)
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
5 @ 315
3 @ 365 (Add belt)
3 @ 405
3 @ 455
3 @ 475
Sumo Deadlift:
3 @ 135
3 @ 135+Short Mini
3 @ 135+Short Mini and Monster
3 @ 225+Short Mini
3 @ 225+Short Mini and Monster
3 @ 275
3 @ 315
2 @ 405
2 @ 455
2 @ 495 (Match PR. Went for a 3rd. So close to locking out. My grip gave out)
Cable Abs:
5x10 @ 125
Box Jumps:
1x5 Mid-Dick Height
2x5 Vertical Jumps (From seated box)
Everything went well today. Box squats were tough on my back, but my form held up really well. I controlled the weight down really well. But I could feel it in my quads as I was lowering, something I’ve never felt. After seeing how I did today, I want to get 495x2 next week and then anything over 500x1 the week after.
As for deadlift, I was just going to do speed pulls against bands and practice my improved form. But then I just started adding weight to see how well the form held up. I still have to work on getting it stronger for anything above 455. I definitely had the strength for the 3rd rep of 495, I was pissed when I felt my grip giving out. Oh well.
I’ll be skipping the deadlift on the DE lower day since I did it today. I may continue to do it like this. I seem to be stronger after heavy squatting. I haven’t decided if I want to do the 3 week of 5/3/1 or the 2 week of 3/2/1. Scheduled for 470x3+ for 5/3/1 and probably 505+x2 for 3/2/1. We’ll see.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4 (Tested lower carbs today. Only about 75g. Felt good)
Explosiveness: 4/4
Pretty cool new rubber weights at the gym finally lol. We can DL Squat and Clean with blue weights now.
At the rec? I haven’t been there in a week. Are they bumpers or just regular plates?
DE Upper - Cycle 3, Week 1
Banded Speed Bench (1 Doubled Mini per Side):
Bar
Bar+Bands
2x3 @ 135+Bands
9x3 @ 185+Bands
Pull-Ups (Superset with Bench):
10x6 (3 Sets Pronated, 7 Neutral)
Military Press (5/3/1):
Bar
8 @ 95
5 @ 135
5 @ 155 (Add wraps)
6 @ 185 (+2 rep PR!)
Cybex Row (Neutral Grip)(15 second rest):
5 @ “120”
5 @ “140”
5 @ “160”
5 @ “180”
5 @ “200”
10 @ “60” (Focused on scapular movement)
Good session. Everything was very fast. No elbow pain. I have nothing to complain about. I’m surprised considering I didn’t eat well before the gym and got 4.5 hours of sleep last night because I had to wake up at 6, which I’m not used to. Once I got in the gym I felt great though.
Military press was intense. I didn’t quite lockout the 6th rep, but I’m allowing it. The grind was literally at least 5 seconds long. I should have shot my head through, but I wasn’t thinking and was blacking out.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 pre, 4/4 post
Explosiveness: 4/4
Where are you lifting now, scratch, i think you are in bham?
Yes they are oly style weights. Blue=45 Green=25 Grey=10 They have a good amount, much better for cleans and DL, I will also be using them for squats in case i ever have to bail haha.
Oh that’s awesome. No I’m still lifting in t-town, just at the aquatic center. My schedule has made me lift during the week almost exclusively. I’ll probably be at the rec on Sunday at some point because my GF is coming down and wants to lift.
DE Lower - Cycle 3, Week 1
Speed Squat:
Bar
2x5 @ 135
8x3 @ 225 (Back felt weak, used a belt)
3 @ 275
3 @ 315
1 @ 365
1 @ 385
1 @ 405
Cable Pulldown Abs:
12 @ “100”
12 @ “120”
12 @ “140”
30 @ “100”
One-Hand DB Snatch:
3x5 @ 80 L/R
My quads felt really tight today. Not just my hip flexors, but like at the mid-thigh. My lower back also felt iffy, as I said. The squats at 225 ended up being pretty quick by the end of those 8 sets though. I decided to go for 405 because I figured I’d like to always be able to get that on any squat day no matter how I feel. Same goes for something like a 365 bench and 495 deadlift. It wasn’t necessarily difficult either, it just was’t very fast.
I kept the rest of the workout simple and easy.
Motivation: 3/4
Explosiveness: 2/4
Nutrition: 4/4
ME Upper - Cycle 3, Week 1
Bench:
Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
3 @ 225
3 @ 275
3 @ 315 (Add wraps)
3 @ 345
3 @ 365 (10 lb. PR!)
Pull-Ups:
A few sets of 5
Incline Bench:
Bar
5 @ 135
3 @ 225
3 @ 255
3 @ 275 (3rm)
Chest-Supported T-Bar Row:
8 @ 2p
5x8 @ 3p
DB Bat-Wing Holds (5 seconds):
3x8 @ 45s
2-Mini Band Pull-Apart:
2x25
Bench continues to rise. Very happy with my performance today. Everything was decently easy. The toughest thing today was the bat wings, which I’ll continue to do.
You’ll see in the video that my feet looked uneven. I’ve never felt like this was a problem, maybe it was the camera angle. But I’ll try to feel it next time to see. Either way the lift felt great. On the second rep the weight hit too low, but I recovered easily. Third rep was a bit of a grind near the middle, but I knew I had it.
Incline went well, I didn’t want to push it.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
ME Lower - Cycle 3, Week 2 - Yesterday
Reverse Band Box Squat (1 Light/Side, 65 off the bottom, 0 off the top):
Bar
3x5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 225 (Add Bands)
3 @ 225
3 @ 275
3 @ 315
3 @ 365 (Add Belt)
2 @ 405
2 @ 455
2 @ 475 (Like speed work so far)
2 @ 495 (Goal achieved. PR)
2 @ 515 (Awesome. PR)
Deadlift (Sumo):
5 @ 135
3 @ 225
3 @ 315 (Add Belt)
2 @ 405
2 @ 455
2 @ 495
2 @ 515 (+20 lb. PR!)
DB Hyperextension w/ Leg Curl:
3x10 @ 100
Cable Pulldown Abs:
4x10 @ “100”
Sweet fuck I am sore now. My quads are taking a beating from these squats apparently. They were getting sore during the workout again. I felt excellent clearly though. I probably could have gotten more on box squat, but I wasn’t staying tight on the second rep of the last two sets. Anyway, 515 equates to 450x2 from the bottom, and my all-time 2RM box squat was 485. Considering the strength curve added, I think that’s pretty awesome.
Very happy with deadlift. I lost my grip at the top of the second rep, but I’m certainly counting that as a completed rep. I shouldn’t have sat in between the two reps for so long. I’ll correct that next time.
You won’t see it in the video, but my form is coming along nicely with increasing intensities. As in, at first it was hard to do with 135, then 225, then 315, now 405 is tough to stay perfect. It’ll get there soon though. It definitely helps save my back strength for the last few sets, which is also pretty awesome.
I’m about to go to the gym again for speed bench. I don’t know how hard I’ll work though. I stayed in the library til 2 last night studying for my physics final, didn’t fall asleep til probably 2:45, and got up at 6:30 for more studying. Now I only have one more class to go for undergrad though.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (A lot of caffeine though)
Explosiveness: 4/4
DE Upper - Cycle 3, Week 2
Bench:
Bar
10 @ 135
2x5 @ 225
5x3 @ 275
Pull-Ups (Neutral, Superset with Bench):
7x5
Military Press (5/3/1):
Bar
5 @ 95
5 @ 135
5 @ 165
3 @ 195
Facepulls (Focused more on scapular retraction and depression):
3x20 @ “70”
I said I probably wouldn’t work very hard and I didn’t. It wasn’t a bad workout, I just didn’t try to do anything special. Everything was easy other than the last set of military press, but even then I got the prescribed reps. That was 5 lbs. under my PR too.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that I’m going to the beach Saturday-Wednesday, so my schedule will be thrown off a bit. Every time I do this, it seems I come back shitty in the gym. I really want to avoid that somehow, considering how well I’ve been doing. It’s only 5 days though, and I would definitely much rather be at the beach after a month of 19 hours of physics per week and looking forward to another one with 102.
I’ll be attempting speed squats tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes. Yesterday may have killed that idea.
EDIT (Friday: Yeah, I’m not lifting today. I’ll start back with speed squats next week. I feel like I’m getting sick though. I need more sleep)
Motivation: 1/4 (Almost didn’t go)
Nutrition: 1/4 (Exam from this morning)
Explosiveness: 3/4
