Back Update:
…Need to start training arms as they are noticeably lagging, at least from what I can see.
…Should probably practice posing if I am going to pose picks as well.
Back Comparison from 6/4/08:
…Not too concerned w/ progress pics until I am up to 190 then back down to a semi lean state.
11/23/08 Recovery
Foam Roll
KB Arm Bar + Sleeper Stretch x 3/ x 15 deep breaths
25 bw squats to stair
15 pushups +
x 3 rounds
Long Stretch…
focus on hamstrings, lats, hip flexors
Good definition. It’s hard to see with the lighting (and the fact that the first pic is closer) how much progress you’ve made. I think a pic of your lat spread would help.
Looking lean and I think going up to 190 is good thinking. You could afford too add a couple of % bf during your bulk.
I’ll try and get some better pictures up next week. I agree the lighting is off. My body fat is definitely going up, and my diet is pretty clean except for the shit people bring into work that I’ll eat now. I’m not dieting, so I might as well enjoy food for the time being.
My abs still poke through a bit, but I’m not as lean as I was, which was never as lean as I intended to get. I don’t give a shit though, I want to put on some muscle, especially on my legs.
Foods a chore now, and for the most part this is harder than dieting.
11/24/08 Lift
Warm Up:
Some
Back Squat:
135x8
185x6
225x6
275x2
235x20
…Thought I was going to puke for about a minute, even walked over to the garbage can. Let a pretty intense grunt/growl at 18 coming back up that seriously impressed me. I couldn’t have faked it, it was pure effort, and I didn’t know I was capable of making a sound like that.
Barbell Row:
135x8
165x6,5,5,8
…Waste of time and not a good choice after 20 reppers. Lower back was just dead.
DB Bench:
50x15
65x10
80x8,8,7
Shrugs + Calve Raises:
135x10 + 135x12
185x10 + 135x12 x 3
KTE:
5,5,5,4
Leg Raises:
3,3,3,3,
Tucks:
10,5
…Done circuit style. Do a set, walk and touch wall, another set, switch to easier exercises when you burned out on the harder ones.
Commentary:
I stepped on my IPOD charger about a week ago. Broke it. My IPOD can no longer charge. I work out w/o headphones and it really hasn’t been too bad. I would rather work out with it though.
11/25/08 Rest
…Feel beat up. Weight is getting to the point on 20 reppers where it feels hard. I’m driving home for Thanksgiving tomorrow night, after I do a set at 240. I’ll eat and probably get drunk w/ my buddies, and probably miss my workout on Saturday.
11/26/08 Change of Plans
…Not going home for Thanksgiving. Not doing 20 reppers today, just don’t feel capable. Actually, my legs are a mess, couldn’t sit still at work for more than 20 minutes. Recovery type workout then hit it hard on Friday.
Power Cleans + Fronts Squats:
Some
Back Extensions + Pull Ups:
Some
Bike:
15 minutes moderate pace
Back Squat:
Some
185x10x3
…OH Squats w/ bar dispersed throughout workout.
11/27/08 Thanksgiving
…Rest and eat a bunch of food. Regretting not going home, but I need to get my shit together pretty bad as in laundry and cleaning my apartment as there are clothes all over.
11/28/08 Lift
Warm Up:
5 min air dyne
foam roll
knees overhead to v sits
OH squats w/ bar + push ups
drom
Back Squat:
135x8
185x5
225x5
275x2
240x20
…Hard but not as bad as 235. Extra days rest and food did me good.
OH Press + Pull Ups (1 min between lifts):
Barx20 + bwx5
95x10 + bwx5
(135x3 + 25x3) x 4
(135x3 + 35x3) x 4
SLDL + Calve Raises (1 min between lifts):
(135x15 + 135x12)
(165x10 + 135x15) x 3
Bar Ab Rollouts:
165x10x3
…Had 2 45 plates on there. Not sure if the weight/height makes a difference. I just didn’t feel like stripping the bar from SLDL. I will experiment w/ grip widths/bar weight/bar height, or just do them at home w/ my ab wheel.
…Traps got real sore and tight from OH pressing + pull ups. I might have strained my neck cleaning the bar up or doing a pull up. I’ll stretch it tonight.
Notes on 20 Reppers:
240 is about 78.6% of 1 rm at start. My goal is to get 255 x 20, which would be something like 83%. I haven’t reached the point of muscular failure yet, however my legs ache after doing these pretty badly.
I have 3 more workouts w/ them if I don’t fail any of them. Once I get 255 I am calling it quits, then back to a 10x3 or 5x5, or maybe even some conjugate methods w/ heavy back squats then speed box squats or something.
11/29/08 Rest
…Ordered some more supps, usual Flameout/Grow/Surge/Spike pills, and I’m going to give Alpha Male a try.
…Two days rest between workouts is killing me, tomorrow will probably be some active recovery.
Pull Ups (Hangboard Kiss the Ceiling):
3x10
plus some
…Got a new IPOD connector too and a new pair of training headphones. I had some Sony sport ones that broke from getting sweat in them, had a junk pair, now I have these new Nike sport ones. I want to see how good they are at staying in my ears during cleans though.
11/30/08 More Rest
KB Arm Bars + Sleeper Stretch 3x15 breaths
Jump Rope 10 minutes
Long Stretch
…I really don’t want to go to work tomorrow, but I get to lift.
…productive day. Cooked, did laundry, even cleaned my bathroom.
12/1/08 Lift
Warm Up:
Some
Back Squat:
135x12
185x5
225x5
255x3
275x2
245x20
…Another loud grunt/growl at 15. These are starting to get hard and I wanted to quit at 15.
Incline DB Bench + Chinese Row:
40x15 + 15
55x12 + 12
70x6 + 12 (70/75 need to be more careful)
75x5 + 12
75x5 + 12/8
75x6 + 10
75x5 + 10
…Started w/ 1 minute rests then moved to 2 for more strength work. Left side is weaker than right for rows.
SLDL:
135x8
165x12
185x12,9
…Adding weight. Can still go heavier.
Standing Calve Raises:
135x12,15
185x10,10
…Went heavier on these too, I think 185 is a good weight to progress on.
Kneeling Ab Pull Downs:
80x12
100x8
150x8,12,12 (whole stack)
…Tried to find a good weight that I could do like 5 w/. I guess they don’t make stacks that heavy these days. Never done this before and I felt it pretty good.
Comments:
Solid workout. 20 reppers getting tough, mental grind especially from 13-17. Working on progressions, need to get stronger all over, but I think I’m on the right track.
12/2/08 Tuesday
Warm Up:
Foam Roll
25 bw squats to stair
10 pushups plus
x 3 rounds
Turkish Get Ups:
60lb x 3x3
DB Curls
30lb x 3 x 12
Delt Raises
12lb x 4 x 12
Front Raises
12lb x 3 x 12
Almost worse than 20 rep squats. I’ve been neglecting these movements
KB Swings
44lb x 4 x 25
Stretch
Hamstrings, Calves, Hip Flexors, Lats, and Shoulders
[u] 12/3/08 Wednesday: Rest [/u]
Cooked and paid bills. Going to bed early.
Light Stretch
Hamstrings
Hip Flexors
[b] 12/4/08 Thursday: Lift [/b]
Warm Up:
bw squats + push ups
muscle snatch below knee
behind the neck press
oh squat
leg swings and some drom
Back Squat:
135x10
185x5
235x5
225x3,3
275x1,1
250x20
Took a longer warmup, because I didn’t feel like I was going to get it. I got it, 1 more to go. The weightroom was crowded and I made a lot of noise. Got it done though.
OH Press+Pull Ups:
Bar+BWx6
95x6+25x5
135x3+40x3 x 6
135x3+35x3 x 4
Tried to stay @ 1 minute rest, but forgot stop watch
Front Squat:
135x12
185x8,8,8
Sitting Calve Raise:
45x18 Explosive
Calf Crank Stretch
70x12,15,15
Decline Sit Up:
30x2
Comments:
Tough workout. I’m tired and hungry, and might be getting slightly depressed. I’m going to finish 20 reppers on Monday, test some 1 rep maxes on Thursday, then plan an 8 week training cycle.
250 x 20 - well done on the squats. Personally I wouldn’t stop these until I’d failed for 2 sessions in a row. You should really find your proper limit on these!! You might suprise yourself.
Keep it up.
Thanks, much appreciated. They are starting to get pretty tough, but I really haven’t been to the point of muscular failure on the 20th rep yet. I was looking forward to these being over, but I still want to finish a set of these where I can’t walk afterwards and experience the proverbial “talk to jesus” and I think you just convinced me to keep it up for another week or so.
I know I can get 255, 265 is maybe, and 275 I have a hard time believing I can get 20 for.
The whole 20-rep max thing is screwing me up as well because I think the last time I did 5’s across was w/ 255 lbs. To take a work set of 5 to pretty close to a 20 rm, makes me wonder what weights I will be using when I move back to 5’s and 3’s. I also want to see the 1 rm carry over.
[b] 12/5/08 Friday: Rest [/b]
…did jack shit. I seriously came home from work and sat at the computer for like 6 hours doing pretty much nothing. What a waste of time.
[b] 12/6/08 Saturday: Lift [/b]
Warm Up:
DROM
Usual Stuff
3 Position P. Clean:
135, 155, 175
Squat Clean:
185x1,1 (power cleans)
185x1 (squat clean)
185x3x4 (1 min rest)
205x1x4 (30 sec bw reps)
215x1x2 (30 sec bw reps)
225x1 PR
Set a PR. Felt pretty light too. Called it a day to save some pulling for deadlifts
Ring Dips:
5x8
4x1
3x2
Goal was 50 total reps. I tried to get 10 sets of 5 w/ 45 sec rests.
Deadlift:
225x8
275x5
305x5
335x3,3,2 (3,3 were mixed grip)
275x5
335 was my old PR for a single. I was pulling before w/ my hips too low. I’m still trying to perfect my form but a better deadlift session than what I am used to.
Comments:
A guy was impressed w/ the 225 squat clean but he called it a power clean. He told me I should be squatting about 500 lbs and deadlifting over 500, and I should get a coach because I would be a good powerlifter.
He was a nice guy so I didn’t call bullshit. I was in the gym what seemed like awhile too, but I really didn’t do that much stuff.
Got some of the Surge Workout fuel too. Set some PR’s. No complaints here but I have been working hard lately and was due for some PRs, I want to see how it effects the 20 reppers.
[b] 12/7/08 Sunday: Rest/Recovery [/b]
Recovery:
Foam Roll
15 min Jump Rope
Long Stretch
Comments:
Weight up to 185, post morning dump. Diet has been clean, but not too strict in getting the quantities of food I need in, especially on weekend. Earlier in the week is usually good, but I fall apart as dishes/laundry/life accumulates during the week. Sleep has been lacking. Preparing meals, verifying kcal intake, and sleep are my goals for the week. Logging my food is a pain in the ass, but I need to make sure I get enough in.
Strength is going up. Traps and lower back are sore from yesterday. 255x20 will be no easy task tomorrow and some recovery work will be needed tonight to be up to the task tomorrow.
[b] 12/8/08 Monday: Lift [/b]
Warm Up:
A lot…
Back Squat:
135x10,6
225x5
255x3
295x2
315x1,1 PR
255x20 PR
My back was so tight I said fuck the 20 reppers and go for a heavy single. I got 315 for two singles, relatively easy and it loosened up my back, for a PR by the way. Then I went for the 20 which was relatively easy conditioning wise. My back went out on the last rep and I am sure it was total flexion but I got it. I don’t know if the Surge Workout Fuel had any effect but I seriously wasn’t really sweating afterwards or breathing that hard and had little to no nausea. Still a weak squat, but 3 plates in something is a start.
DB Bench + Chest Supported Row:
25 push ups
40x15 + 35x12
65x12 + 60x8
80x8 + 80x7.5
80x8 + 70x10
80x8 + 70x10
80x7 + 70x8
(1 min rest bw lifts)
SLDL:
135x12
185x12
205x8
205x4
Grip went and my lower back was pretty beat. Should’ve at least got 8.
Standing Calve Raise + Chins:
135x12 + 6
185x12 + 5
185x12
185x10
Started waving the white flag. I could barely do chin ups.
Comments:
Despite some poor efforts in my assistance work, I still think I kick ass for a 1 rep PR followed by a 20 rep PR in the squat. My goal for when I hit 190 is 10 sets of 3 @ 315 + 8 towel chins x 10 rounds for time w/ 1 min rest bw rounds, to start leaning out a bit.
Edit:
On 6/4/08, I got 255 for a single. 6 months for 60 lb increase on squat 1 rm, then hitting old 1 rm for 20 is disappointing given the time frame. I wasted a lot of time dieting, when I should have been eating and lifting heavy. Live and learn I guess, but I’m still kinda ashamed of that major oversight and the progress I could have made.