To The Moon And Back: Moonflower's Training Log 🌕

[Moonflower]

11/22/25 - Push + Biceps

Flat Bench +38 lbs. chains - 275 x 1, 215 x 9, 215 x 9
Seated Barbell Overhead Press - 75 x 13, 75 x 13
Sling Shot Weighted Dips - 135 x 8, 135 x 8
EZ Bar Spider Curls - 65 x 12, 65 x 12
Dumbbell Hammer Curls - 40 x 10, 40 x 10
Unilateral Cable Floor Curls - 35 x 10, 35 x 9

Summary

Felt really good on this one! Well, the last two movements were pretty brutal, to be fair…I was seriously considering dropping the weight to 35 or 30 for the second set of hammer curls, and the floor curls were pretty much the same. Everything else was absolutely amazing though and it was a day were I felt really strong at the compounds.

So the last time I did regular flat bench with chains was in March, about a month after I got pneumonia. So then I did 225 x 1, 185 x 7, 185 x 7. Not bad, but I noted in my log then that at that time the first compound in my workouts was still down in weight and/or reps. Prior to that, the last time I did this movement was 12/29 of last year when I just did two working sets of 185 x 11 (and looking back, my max was still 225 x 1, since I did it a week prior, and also did two sets of 185 x 8 in addition to that max single). So after all of that context, it probably shouldn’t be that surprising to me that I added 50 pounds to the top single, but I’m still happy. The lockout at the top is 313 pounds, so I can lock out three plates on regular flat bench at least, in theory–I just have to get the last little bit of the way there. Also the backdowns were pretty nice too, only ten pounds off my regular flat bench (not counting the chains!) for similar reps. Love to see it!

The OHP was a bit too easy, I could have gone heavier but I wanted to save more for dips…I’m not overhead pressing anything amazing in terms of numbers, but in terms of size my front delts are decent enough to the point where I would rather go harder on chest movements instead (and the front delts get a bunch of indirect stimulation from a bunch of those presses anyway, so yeah). Decided to do dips with the Sling Shot and it’s still a bit new but these two sets were awesome. Delightfully heavy and I think spending a bit of money on this was super worth it for the overloading variations I can rotate in now. Honestly the Sling Shot felt better on dips than it did on bench, but I think that phenomenon might originate from the user.

Anyway. Great lift, I know I keep saying I want to keep hitting three plates on bench soon but it’s a process. I think even considering the way this year has been and that it’s been slower than I’ve wanted it to be for pretty much the whole way, I think it’s not unreasonable to push for that by Christmas at the latest. Then I can start the unT-raditional T-ransformation (chasing numbers instead of abs this year for me) and focus on on probably weighted pull ups, squats, and deadlifts in that order of priority from January to May, I think. A little bit of thinking out loud and preplanning, but I like having goals…I usually need things to at least aim for to keep me going.

[Moonflower]

11/26/25 - Pull + Triceps

Weighted Super Wide Pull Ups - 60 x 8, 60 x 7
Small Mag Grip Cable Inverted Rows - 195 x 11, 195 x 11
Unilateral Seated Cable Row - 80 x 12, 80 x 12
Unilateral Incline Pushdown - 35 x 11, 35 x 10
Dumbbell French Press - 45 x 12, 45 x 12
Barbell Skull Crushers - 75 x 12, 75 x 12

Summary

Great workout, things have been a bit all over the place this week with working a bunch of overtime and a bunch of family gatherings and stuff happening.. Hard to stay consistent in in light of both of those factors combined but we do what we can, right? Anyway, triceps were smoked after the incline pushdowns–the lockout on those is so hard and I need to keep doing more pushdowns and tricep isolations that overload the lockout to build up that weak point. After that the French Press and especially the skull crushers were really easy, a couple nice PRs there.

Hoping to get in a brutal leg session tomorrow (Saturday) morning, then some solid time spent with the family and watching college football (rivalry week games go pretty hard) and then off to work again in the evening. Full day tomorrow, but good.

[Moonflower]

12/1/25 - Legs

Rack Pulls - 405 x 1
Front Squats - 185 x 12, 185 x 11
Standing Bilateral Cable Calf Raises - 210 x 17, 210 x 17
Barbell Good Mornings - 145 x 10, 145 x 10
Original Barbell Hack Squat - 85 x 11, 85 x 10
Unilateral Lying Hamstring Cable Curl (Facing Cable) - 60 x 12, 60 x 12
Barbell Shrug - 205 x 13, 205 x 13

Summary

Decent lift today, definitely a few days later than I wanted but oh well. I was messing around in the basement early Saturday morning and stubbed my big toe bad enough that it took a decent sized chunk out of the top layer of skin. Needless to say, it did not feel pleasant and is still a bit tender a couple days later. (Terrible timing too with it being leg day, if it was an upper body day I would have full sent it but oh well.) Started out with a nice rack pull PR, which I was pretty happy about and then added a rep on my front squats…been running those for a while now and I really want to get to two sets of 12 at this weight but I think I’m starting to overreach a bit. Honestly this whole workout wasn’t really fancy, it more or less just happened. Off tomorrow because I’m working a bunch and then back to it again with a fresh push day.

[BethB]

@Moonflower

Started out with a nice rack pull PR,

Always a good way to start! Exceptional work.

[Moonflower]

Nothing to complain about!! Felt good to hit four plates on it, it was a mid session but all in all it was a good day.

[Moonflower]

@Moonflower

Off tomorrow because I’m working a bunch and then back to it again with a fresh push day.

I love how some weeks it seems like whenever I have everything perfectly mapped out and then life hits like a pile of bricks lol.

So I’ve been a bit quieter this week than I’ve thought (and would have otherwise preferred) because I’ve been finishing up a 61-hour workweek…with two overnight twelve hour shifts and an overnight 18.5 hour shift in that mix. So I’ve been brutally tired and with that many hours it’s basically just been work and sleep this week so I can continue to keep functioning. Hoping to finally hit that Push workout tonight when I wake up though, in between a busy work weekend with a bit more overtime.

And that, my friends, is why I purposefully have an asynchronous split. Training fits well (and often) into my life, not my life having to be crammed in and around my training. Been missing consistent workouts this week though.

[Moonflower]

12/5/25 - Push + Biceps

Reverse Grip Floor Press - 275 x 1, 205 x 10, 205 x 10
Seated Overhead Press +38 lbs. chains - 65 x 9, 65 x 9
Weighted Dips +38 lbs. chains - 55 x 12, 55 x 12
Barbell Curls - 90 x 11, 90 x 10
Dumbbell Hammer Curls - 40 x 11, 40 x 11
Incline Dumbbell Curls - 30 x 11, 30 x 11

Summary

This was a lovely session. My goal going into it was to absolutely annihilate my triceps from the indirect work and it was awesome. I’ve never done reverse grip floor press before but it seemed like just the thing to target the entire top half of my bench with the reverse grip for more triceps and the floor press for the 90 degree sticking point. Hit 275 for a single which wasn’t too bad! Failed 285 but two and a half plates wasn’t that bad. I went conservative in weight on the backdowns and I’m glad I did, those sets were pretty tough but it was great. Followed that up with adding chains to my OHP and dips for even more indirect triceps work, by the end of the dips I could tell it was adding up. I was blasting out of the bottom on the dips even at the end of the second set but the lockout became pretty painful. XD Exactly what I need to build right now! Curls also went great, added to my barbell curl and the dumbbell variations were nice. I think I’m going to spam hammer curls for a little bit since it targets some areas I’ve been neglecting and I want the extra width in my arm. I felt good doing this much tricep-focused work because of not being able to train until Monday, so I’ll have plenty of recovery time before I isolate tris. Wonderful arm pump after this one!

[BethB]

Some flowers bloom best in the darkness
In the cold night where light seems the farthest
Left alone by mankind either to wither or to bloom
In the starry silence that engulfs this garden like a tomb
In the shadows of the ruins of an unseen tower
Waits a solitary but strong and growing moonflower

Is this new? I don’t remember reading it before. I love it. I so very much love your log.

[Moonflower]

It’s not new, it’s been in my bio for a good while. I’m not sure exactly when I added it but I wrote it in early 2023 and I imagine I added it shortly thereafter. It’s a reflection on where I’ve been and where I’m going, and it encapsulates the whole idea behind my username. Moonflowers only bloom at night, during hours of the day filled with darkness and shadows, a time when most don’t see the fruit of growth. It’s a concept that I’ve resonated with over the past few years, as I’ve been through a bunch of things in that timeframe and dealt with and overcome significant amounts of loss, failure, depression, anxiety, and more. My personal growth and my lifting as an outlet have been things that have helped me walk through and overcome those dark things as well as ways that I bloom in the darkness when no one else is watching.

Thank you so much, I don’t post because I need people to care per se but the community aspect of people that do care enough to read and share means a lot to me. You’re very kind, thank you.

---

I’ve also successfully grown moonflowers the past two summers, it’s been a fun little project of mine:

my oversized nocturnal summer 'houseplant' lol

[Moonflower]

12/8/25 - Pull + Triceps

Weighted Pull Ups - 85 x 7, 85 x 6
Bent Over Rows - 175 x 11, 175 x 11
Cable Inverted Rows - 200 x 14, 205 x 14
Unilateral Cable Pushdown - 32.5 x 12, 32.5 x 12
Dumbbell Extensions - 30 x 11, 30 x 10
Cable Overhead Extensions (Rope Attachment) - 40 x 10, 40 x 9

Summary

I love a good evening workout.

It’s been 2.5 months since I’ve done regular weighted pull ups and I added…one rep to my first set, all other things unchanged. But I’m happy, weighted pull ups are pretty hard to progress on for me and it happens so slowly, so I’m happy about it! Also felt really good about the bent over rows, the form felt really good today and I didn’t drop the weight by a smidge like I have the past couple times. I did a warm up set with 135 x 5 and I think it made a world of difference in the form. I think I’m going to start doing that with other lifts where my form tends to break down a bit when it gets heavy. The cable rows also lit up my back, as always…def have the best grip on the straight bar compared to the mag grips and it shows, def should have tried more weight but I think the higher reps really pumped things up tonight.

Triceps…not a lot of progression numerically, but doing two extensions back to back is so difficult but the pump was real and those cable extensions always wreck me in a great way. After the massive back pump having an equally good tricep pump was absolutely unreal. Back and triceps were so pumped my rear delts looked small in the mirror afterword lol.

[BethB]

Two things.
One, the mom of a kid I dated when I was younger (oh so many moons ago) had one of those plants. I had completely forgotten about it until I saw your photo. Such a beautiful flower!
Two, every time I see that there is a new post on your log I smile because I can’t wait to read it. Then am fairly disappointed if it is just someone commenting. Lol.

[Moonflower]

@BethB

(oh so many moons ago)

Haha I see what you did there lol

@BethB

Two, every time I see that there is a new post on your log I smile because I can’t wait to read it.

Aw that’s so nice! Really appreciate that. I will also mention that I really enjoy reading your log as well because it’s so positive.

[BethB]

@Moonflower

enjoy reading your log as well because it’s so positive

Like calls to like.

[Moonflower]

12/10/25 - Legs

Front Squats - 185 x 12, 185 x 12
Standing Bilateral Cable Calf Raises - 230 x 17, 230 x 15
Zercher Good Mornings - 135 x 11, 135 x 11
Original Barbell Hack Squat - 85 x 11, 85 x 10
Unilateral Lying Cable Hamstring Curls (facing cable) - 60 x 12, 60 x 12
Barbell Shrugs - 205 x 13, 205 x 13

Summary

Ok workout, the high point was finally getting twelve reps on both front squat working sets, which was my goal. Definitely going to switch it out since I’ve been starting to overreach and I don’t want more overuse on these. These are brutal and I don’t like them, but it builds discipline I suppose lol.

Other than that it was a meh kind of workout, honestly I was pretty unmotivated so I really just matched what I did last time on most everything else and I wasn’t pushing super hard. If you can’t beat 'em, match 'em…right?

Anyway. Took yesterday off since I was feeling a bit drained and I wanted to be as fresh as I can get for max effort bench tonight.

[Moonflower]

12/12/25 - Push + Biceps

Flat Bench - 315 x 1, 225 x 12, 225 x 12
Weighted Dips +19 lbs. chains - 70 x 12, 70 x 12
EZ Bar Curls - 85 x 11, 85 x 11
Dumbbell Hammer Curls - 40 x 12, 40 x 12
Dumbbell Preacher Curls - 35 x 8, 35 x 8

Summary

So I’ve had a meme saved on my phone for a while now…

may or may not be completely historically accurate haha

and my main goal for the last fourteen months (or 422 days if you want to be slightly more precise) has been to bench three plates. In that span of time I’ve had to figure out how to correct my weaknesses, been through flu + pneumonia last winter that set me back, and had to figure out a long plateau at 275 and how to get the last few pounds up.

And tonight IT HAPPENED. Three plates for a single. It’s a bit cool to finally see 14 months worth of work pay off. I’m rating my form as not perfect but still pretty decent. It was a bit of a grindy rep but it finally happened:

On to the next goals! I’ll be putting in some good work this month and will be testing some other maxes later this month in preparation for the T-ransformation in January.

I was working out tonight with a friend, and it was a great workout. I skipped the shoulder exercise to save time (I’d rather get in more curls than do shoulders today) I think I added weight and/or reps to everything. Bench backdowns added two reps, dips felt strong, curls were amazing. Igniter and Surge remain undefeated for how awesome those workouts are.

[BethB]

@Moonflower

315 x 1,

You did it!!! I knew you would get there soon!!! I’m so excited for you. That gave me a great big smile.

[Moonflower]

@BethB

I’m so excited for you.

Aw that makes me happy too, thank you so much Beth. You’re super enthusiastic and supportive of others and that’s something I really appreciate from you.

Feels so good to hit that one! I’m still stoked about it!

[planetcybertron]

@Moonflower

Belt Squats - 265 x 20, 265 x 20

Perusing the log, don’t mind me. I know this is an old post, but I LOVE seeing folks handle 20+reps with their squatting regimen.

I don’t think I ever got past the Deep Water squats. Came shy of 20 full reps by like 3-5 with 225. Really gotta earn those reps though.

You’ve Got some great lifts in here too!

[Moonflower]

Thanks for the kind words @planetcybertron! Glad you’re here, thanks for stopping by!

So I’m unfamiliar with Deep Water squats so I looked it up just now and…wow. O.O That looks absolutely brutal. Mega props to you for pushing that so hard!

[Moonflower]

12/15/25 - Pull + Triceps

Weighted BTN Pull Ups - 45 x 9, 45 x 7
Small Mag Grip Ghetto Pulldown - 170 x 12, 170 x 10
Wide Mag Grip Cable Inverted Rows - 200 x 10, 200 x 10
Dumbbell Reverse Flies - 15 x 10, 15 x 10
Rope Pushdowns - 60 x 11, 60 x 11
Dumbbell French Press - 50 x 11, 50 x 11
Cable Overhead Extensions (Straight Bar) - 60 x 12, 60 x 11

Summary

Lovely back pump today, adding in a pulldown for the first time in a while had me feeling wiiiide. Great triceps pump with the back to back extensions at the end really doing the trick. Also had a bit more time than usual so I threw in some extra rear delt work since that’s never something I’ll turn down at the moment.

I did lose some reps on my BTN pull ups. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been slowly getting heavier this year or because today was just a weaker day…I’m going to guess the latter since my other pull ups have been fine for the most part recently. Going to be a great rest of the week–off tomorrow because of a very long work shift, should hit legs on Wednesday, then hoping to hit a session with a friend at a commercial gym (yeah, I do come out of my basement cave once in a great while haha). Looking forward to some good sessions!