February 6th- Squat
Yay, my knee finally held up for a whole session. I was weak today after not squatting for a month and I wasn’t comfortable pushing it really hard, but I was able to get some work in and next week I will be ready to start killing it again.
Squat
1x5 185
1x5 225
1x5 275
1x5 315 -I was going to do several sets with 315 but I didn’t want to push it.
Paused Front Squats
1x3 135
1x3 185
1x3 225
DB Step Ups
2x10 25s
GHRs
3x12 BW
Front Planks
2x1 Minute
Side Planks
1x1 Minute
February 8th- Bench Assist
Closer Grip Bench
2x5 280
2x4 280
Seated DB Overhead Press
3x8 65s -These are still easy.
BB Extensions To Forehead
5x10 105
Hammer Curls
3x8 40s
BB Curls
4x12 100
Spread Eagle Situps
3x15
February 10th- Deadlift
This was my last week of doing stiff legged deficit deads, thank God these are killer.
Stiff Leg 3 Inch Deficit Deadlifts
1x10 225
1x10 260
1x10 280
2x10 230
Shrugs
4x15 275
BB Rows
3x8 215
Wide Pullups
2x9
Close Neutral Pullups
2x9
February 12th- Bench
Close Grip Bench
1x6 285
1x5 285
1x4 285
1x3 285
Wide Paused Bench
2x5 260
DB Flies
3x12 40s
DB Front Raises
3x8 45s
BB Extensions to Nose
6x8 120
February 13th- Squat
Still being careful with my knees but I am making progress.
Squat
3x5 315 -Im going to start slowly increasing the weight from here.
Paused Front Squat
1x3 225
1x3 245
DB Step Ups
2x10 30s
GHR
3x12
Front Planks
2x1 Minute
Side Planks
1x1 Minute
February 15th- Bench Assist
Closer Grip Bench
1x5 285
3x4 285
Seated DB Overhead Press
3x10 65s
Lying DB Extensions
6x12 40s
Hammer Curls
3x10 40s
BB Cheat Curls
4x12 105
Spread Eagle Situps
3x15
February 17th- Deadlift
I had to rush this workout because I got to the gym late, I got everything done in 45 minutes.
Regular 3" Deficit Deadlift
1x5 275
1x5 315
1x5 340
1x5 365 -These were pretty difficult. My lower back was still very fatigued from stiff legs last week and squatting. I am also still going beltless. I have one more week and then a deload week and then the weight really starts moving up so I am going to start using my belt after the deload.
1x5 280
Shrugs
4x15 285
BB Rows
3x8 225
Wide Pullups
2x9
Close Neutral Pullups
2x9
Now that I just threw up a gauntlet of updates again I will do a little diet update too. I am still carb backloading, my weight is hanging in the 231-233 range in the mornings, I started at roughly 240. I feel like I have lost more fat than that and gained muscle, I look a lot bigger through the chest, shoulders, and arms. My friend’s girlfriend even commented the other day that my arms look bigger.
I’m still not as lean as I want to be but I am slowly working in that direction and doing it in a way that I very much enjoy. I’m sure if I would have started a Shelby Starnes carb cycling diet 5-6 weeks ago instead I would have lost a lot more fat by now, but I also would have been fucking miserable and had a very unhappy girlfriend who would have to wait for me to eat my planned meals I brought from home 6 times a day.
February 19th- Bench
I don’t know that my bench has really gotten any stronger the past 6 weeks, but considering I am about 10 lbs lighter I am happy that it feels like I have at very least maintained my strength.
Close Grip Bench
1x6 290
1x5 290
1x1 330 -This felt pretty decent.
add spotter assist
1x1 375 -This felt quite a bit better than last time I attempted 375 with a spotter assist.
Paused Wide Grip Bench
2x5 265
Dumbbell Flies
3x8 45s
DB Front Raises
3x10 45s
BB Extensions to Nose
6x10 120
February 20th- Squat
Another good squat session as far as my knees go, I was able to push them harder today without issue.
Squat
3x5 325 -I plan on sticking with 3x5 for as long as possible. One of my goals in the next couple of months is to squat at least 375x5, I couldn’t tell you my best set of 5 but I know my best with 375 was 3 reps.
Paused Front Squats
1x3 235
1x3 255
DB Step Ups
3x10 30s
GHR
3x13
Front Planks
2x1 Minute
Side Planks
1x1 Minute
February 22nd- Bench Assistance
A very good bench assistance day. My very close grip bench press (index on smooth) has really improved as well as my seated DB press and curling strength. While none of this automatically means a better bench, it does mean that I look bigger and I know it will help down the line for continued progress.
Very Close Grip Bench
1x5 290
3x4 290 -All of these sets felt very strong in spite of my feet slipping on a couple of reps, causing me to lose leg drive.
Seated DB Overhead Press
3x6 70s -These are still feeling really easy, I have always sucked at this exercise in the past.
Lying DB Tricep Extensions
6x15 40s
DB Hammer Curls
3x8 45s
BB Cheat Curls
4x12 110
February 24th- Deadlift
Last session before I finally get a deload. I am going to deload squats too and give my lower back a whole week off because it needs it at this point.
3 Inch Deficit Deadlifts
1x5 285
1x5 325
1x5 350
1x5 375 PR +10 lbs -Still doing these beltless. I believe this is very close to my 5 rep PR off of the floor.
1x5 290
BB Shrugs
4x15 295 -Lately I have been noticing my testicles sucking up inside of me when I do this exercise, I don’t feel like that is normal but I think its just the bar pushing them upward and that is where they choose to go.
BB Rows
3x8 230
Wide Grip Pullups
2x9 BW -This was honestly the strongest I have ever felt doing pullups
Close Neutral Pullups
2x9 BW
February 26th- Bench
Close Grip Bench
1x3 300
1x2 300
2x1 300
Wide Grip Bench
2x5 270
DB Flies
3x10 45s
DB Front Raises
3x8 50s
BB Extensions
6x12 120
February 27th- Squat
Squat
3x5 335
Paused Front Squat
1x3 245
1x3 265
DB Step Ups
2x10 35s
GHR
3x15
Front Planks
2x1 Minute
Side Planks
1x1 Minute
February 29th- Bench Assist
Closer Grip Bench
1x4 295
2x2 295
1x3 295 -Really bad day.
Seated DB Press
3x8 75s
BB Extensions
6x12 110
Hammer Curls
3x10 45s
BB Curls
4x10 115
March 1st-March 8th Deload
March 9th- Deadlift
3 Inch Deficit Deadlifts
1x5 295
1x5 335
add belt
1x5 365
1x5 390 PR
1x5 305
Shrugs
4x12 305
BB Rows
3x8 235
Wide Grip Pullups
2x9
Close Neutral Pullups
2x9
March 11th- Bench
Close Grip Bench
1x2 315
3x1 315 -These all felt really strong.
Wide Grip Bench
2x3 275
DB Flies
3x10 50s
DB Front Raises
3x10 50s
Tricep Extensions
6x8 130
Yeah, I really need to actually keep up with my updates.
March 12th- Squat
Squat
1x5 345 -I was going to do 3x5 but this was pretty heavy.
1x2 365 -This felt strong.
Paused Front Squats
1x3 245
1x3 275 PR
DB Step Ups
3x10 35s
GHR
3x15
Medicine Ball Slams
1x45 12lbs -I hadn’t ever tried these before but my friend who is very strong was doing them so I decided to give them a try.
So you do lift. How’s married life?
[quote]165StateChamp wrote:
So you do lift. How’s married life?[/quote]
Married life is good. I lift but only on every other Monday, my girlfriend doesn’t let me lift more than twice a month, she doesn’t want me to get too bulky.
March 14th- Bench Assistance
This was a bit of a shitty day so I had to take a step back and remember how good the progress my bench strength has made over the past year or so has been.
Closer Grip Bench
1x2 300 -Ties a PR.
3x1 300 -These all felt strong but I was expecting better. At this point I reminded myself I would have been happy/lucky to hit 300x2 with a wide grip a year ago.
Seated DB Press
3x6 80s PR?
BB Extensions to Forehead
6x10 115
DB Hammer Curls
3x8 50s
BB Curls
2x10 125
2x10 95
Band Pullaparts
4x25 Mini
March 16th- Deadlift
This was a good session, that’s my commentary for the day.
3 Inch Deficit Deadlift
1x5 295
1x5 340
1x5 375
1x5 405 PR + 15 lbs -I am fairly certain this is better than my best set of 5 off of the floor. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to do it so I rested for a while and got really amped up for this set and it felt stronger than 390 did last week.
1x5 305
Shrugs
4x15 315
BB Rows
3x8 240
Wide Pullups
2x9 BW
Close Neutral Pullups
2x9 BW
March 18th- Benching
Welp, I have gotten burnt out of benching heavy every week. I made a decision on the fly today that I am going to do the inverted juggernaut method for bench and overhead press for the next 8 weeks, it will be a nice change of pace to up the volume and a much needed break on my elbows and shoulders to decrease the weight.
Close Grip Bench
1x1 325 -This was really slow, that’s when I made the decision to change shit around.
10x5 190 (60 seconds rest) -This was easy and fast, I am using a working max of 315.
Incline DB Bench
1x10 50s
1x10 60s
1x10 70s
1x10 80s -I hadn’t done any incline work or anything with dumbbells in a while. These felt awesome, I really focused on using my chest.
DB Lateral Raises
3x12 20s
Band Pushdowns
2x50 Monster Minis
Facepulls
3x50 25 -These felt awesome.
I felt great after this session and it was a lot of fun to do some more reps for a change.
March 19th- Squat
This session was all kinds of fucked up. I had to train in the morning instead of 4 or 5 PM like I usually do because I went out of town with my family. With CBL things get all switched around if you change what time you train. I also was pressed for time so I had to cut things a bit short.
Squat
1x3 355 -This was originally going to be for 5 but not today.
1x1 375
Paused Front Squat
1x3 247.5 -Whoops
1x3 280 PR
GHR
3x15
That was it!
March 21st- Shoulders/Arms?
I am not quite sure how I am going to split up my upper body training from here, but today went well. I was out of town for 2 days with my family and not really in control of what I ate so I ate a lot of carbs and didn’t backload. I was bloated as hell coming into this session which I feel helped me get a huge pump.
Standing Overhead Press
1x3 135
1x1 155
1x1 185 -I had to use slight leg drive to get this. It felt a little awkward after not doing this exercise for a couple months, my strength will come right back on it.
10x5 110 (1 Minute Rest) -I am using a 180 working max for this.
Seated DB Press
1x7 80s PR +1 Rep
1x6 80s
1x5 80s
Kneeling Cable External Rotation Things
3x20 20?
-Supersetted with
DB Lateral Raises
3x15 15s
-These were hard, my shoulders were on fire after all of these. I am really focusing on shoulder health stuff right now, I have been neglecting it for too long.
Lying DB Extensions
6x15 30s
DB Hammer Curls
3x10 50s
BB Curls
4x10 95 -Different grip every set.
March 23rd- Deadlift
Great fucking day. I took a video but the angle was really bad and all you could see was my lower half. This program is making me really good at pulling sets of 5 from a deficit, hopefully that transfers well to pulling singles from the floor.
3 Inch Deficit Deads
1x5 305
1x5 350
1x5 385
1x5 420 PR +15 lbs -This is better than my best off of the floor. Watching the video my bar speed was great, especially the first two reps.
1x5 325
BB Shrugs
4x12 325
BB Rows
3x6 245
Wide Pullups
2x8 BW
Close Neutral Pullups
2x8 BW
March 25th- Bench
Close Grip Bench
10x3 215 (90 seconds rest) -felt very strong
Incline DB Bench
1x10 50s
1x10 60s
1x10 70s
1x10 80s
1x10 90s -barely squeeked this out
DB Lateral Raises
3x12 25s
Band Pushdowns
3x50 Monster Mini
Facepulls
4x50 20 -These make my shoulders feel awesome.
March 26th- Squat
Squat
1x5 355 +2 reps from last week.
1x1 375
Paused Front Squat
1x3 245
1x1 285
DB Stepups
2x10 40s
GHR
3x15
Medicine Ball Slams
1x45 12lbs ball