Friday
Upright rows hammer bar-
57.5 + bar x 27
86 + bar x 4
88.5 + bar x 2
I forgot to load the 2.5#, hence the extra set.
One arm croc row (brace on my knee)-
58.5 +hammer bar x 11ea side.
Oh I love those using the hammer bar. Going to alter them and 100# plate BORs several days a week.
Saturday-
Gym, BW 188 and thicker.
Squats-
180 x 20
215 x 12 belt
Farmers Deadlift-
Top set - 250 an arm (500) x 4 belt
I’m Coming back, ready for more!
Shrugs with 55# implements x 45reps
Sunday 9-10-23
Floor press-
120 x 50
Full zercher squat from floor-
135x 1
140 x 1
100# plate BOR- x21, 127.5 x7
Guys, 4-days in a ROW of back work, putting my method to the test here and as you see, numbers increase!
Sure the weights are lighter but I’m not the biggest strongest already, I’m a middle aged guy who took a long break of having a gains mindset. This defies the cookie cutter fad bb approach which is only geared to people who truly know they are dedicated, most will fail the cookie cutter way even if they want it that bad.
The zerchers were done for loosening up only today before the BORs.
Pre workout was - banana, homemade blueberry ricotta cheese cake, raw garlic clove the size of my thumb and honey.
Post workout is-
Left over rice,sausage,bean concoction, I’m going to add scrambled eggs, more breakfast sausage, left over shrimp, with some wraps.
The wife is so happy, I know how to demolish all the leftovers, something the cookie cutter who still thinks bro science of only eating the protein works LOL!!!
Monday
New exercise with hammer curl bar-
one arm curl (center of the horizontal part) and press-
26+bar x 1curl/10presses 1curl/5presses 1-set ea.
50+ bar 2hand clean, x 2 push presses right x3 presses left
my left feels much stronger. I haven’t done one arm presses in many, many years. I used to do one-arm barbell snatches, one arm overhead carries, all that stuff.
Hammer curls-
57.5+bar x25
57.5+bar x25
Barbell skull crushers-
70 x 47
100# plate side bends-
x30ea. x30ea. (120 total).
tuesday 9/12/23
Barbell Hack Deads-
top set - 240 x 20 DOH, regripped at 11, 19.
Those hack deads are hitting everything and more just like the high rep conventional, except no lower back stress at all.
CROC rows w/ hammer bar-
60+ bar x 12 ea.
Neck curls-
44# x 80 (finally).
Wednesday 9/13/23
Squats-
106 x 93
One arm cheat curl and presses w/ hammer bar-
36+bar x 5 each (1-cheat curl)
50+bar x 4 each (1-cheat curl, push presses)
That’s a hard lift, way harder than working with dumbells, I think the hardness will be effective.
Barbell curls-
101 x 15
Thursday 9/14/23
Floor Press-
132 x 40
100# plate BOR-
x23, 128.75 x 8
one arm side laterals-
11# +bar x26ea. x26ea.
Friday
barbell curls-
60 x 65
holy moly was that tough!
Saturday-
Squats-
141 x 40
Overhead shoulder presses barbell-
103 x 20
CROC rows hammer bar-
60+bar x 13ea.
I’m loving these CROC rows by the day!
Sunday-
Floor press-
111 x 60
Boogs Gorilla Glute floor press-
198 x 6
upright rows-
57.5+bar x 28
GAINS, GAINS, GAINS!!!
So Zappa was a pioneer and inspiration in later heavier music and I would say opened the door for some punk. The early Mothers had some very heavy and fuzzy Bass riffs via Roy Estrada and military percussion which sounds punk rockish and the lyrics are definitely anti-social or basically a parady of social behavior.
Zappa shouldn’t be overlooked for this influence.
Did you know Geezer Butler was one of those influenced by the Mothers, the two bands almost played together but Zappa could not sound check and only introduced Sabbath.
This is one of the best bass lines, and it seems very close to Pantera’s “I’ll Be Alright”-
Monday 9/18/23
Zercher full squats from floor-
135 x 2
145 x 6
One arm cheat curl and presses with tricep hammer bar-
36+bar x 10ea. (1-cheat curl).
100#plate BORs-
x24, 130 x 9
still increasing, but 24reps on the first set is starting to make the added weight very challenging.
Barbell curls-
102 x 15
Tuesday
Part 1, ego, let me tell ya, ego isn’t just heavy weights, ego is also people who want perfect form and perfect pace every workout. These types won’t even just go in, dive in just start working in fear they won’t be perfect.
Today was a 40rep dead lift, I normally go in with ego and try to get as many reps without regripping the bar. Yeah gee that measures performance blah blah blah.
Today I said all I need to do is add more weight than last time and do an extra rep, just do the work.
I didn’t care about when I regripped the bar, I didn’t care that every rep had to be RDL.
The results were super tough as ballz set, that left every muscle screaming for 10 minutes post set. Even my forearms hit me around the 6 minute mark post set, and this wasnt a hard grip workout for me.
My only goal on form was to avoid using my low back, my hamstrings were really doing the work.
I can tell you this the last 10 were regripped and reset every rep and I couldn’t wait to finish it. I some sections of 5-8 RDL. I stood up for a seconds about twice.
Dead lifts-
180 x 43 DOH by any means, just get 43.
Tuesday part 2
barbell skull crushers-
77 x 37
Wednesday 9/20/23
Squats-
98 x 113
Weather is getting better, but still sweating bullets!
CROC rows with hammer bar-
61 x 14ea.
Loving these more and more!
one arm side laterals-
11#+handle x27ea. x27ea.
Thursday 9/21/23
Floor press-
133 x 35
100# plate BORs x20, 140 x 3 (just getting a feel for the bigger weights here).
Hammer curls-
52.5 x 36
neck curls with teeth-
22 x 15 warmup
27 x 35
27 x 25, x 5
these are tough!
The 100# plate BORs, the reason I’m doing them with a 100# plate is because I don’t have any pulleys. I think barebell BORs are dumb, straps are needed and it’s way too easy to start moving upright with them. I have a theory, I may be wrong, but I think it’s working. My theory is because the plate (therefore the load) is 100% within the body it targets everything any pulley can do and more, the back becomes that solid freaking steel. The loading pin allows any amount of weight to be used, and no straps needed. This journal is unlearning everything traditional, well there’s nothing more traditional for back then barbell BOR’s and pulley rows, and CROC rows with dumbells, not a hammer bar.
Doing these every other day rotating the CROC rows = back is getting thick!!!
Friday
100# plate side bends x 31ea. x30ea. (122 total).
Saturday 9/25/23
Squats-
142 x 45
This, just like every week was cleaned and pressed on/off the shoulders. I was not doing that regularly with that weight a year ago, I was mostly doing it Steinborn style. Since I went up a pound before doing 50-60reps with 141, I decided to hit 45. The tempo was was faster than ever.
I think it’s the Dave’s Killer whole grain bagels. I’ve decided to stop getting any protein bars as they make me feel, not too good and just eat plain (no spread on them) bagels, I feel so much better and I think they will actually be more effective.
CROC rows (am I even spelling them correctly? who cares) with hammer curl bar-
62.5+bar x 15ea.
Sunday 9/24/23
Floor press-
140 x 28
Upright rows-
57.5+bar-
x20
x20
Later on-
bent over laterals - 10# plates x 60 (with another bagel).
Here is the weeks training. Been dealing with a pain in the arm, from those hammer curls, so I been doing multiple sets, it’s a good change.
Monday
Barbell hack squats-
Top sets-
220x 15
245x 15 no rest
275x 1
All DOH
Barbell curls-
65# x 30
65# x 31, no rest
105# x 2
Tuesday 9/26/23
100# plate BORs (add weight with a loading pin).
100#plate x 21reps
141.25# x 3reps
Barbell skull crushers-
65# x 30
65# x 35
Wednesday 9/27/23
Drawn blood today, so squats were rough, body was aching.
Squats-
107# (48.5kg) x 93reps
I did some one arm 2.5” thick dumbbell handle side laterals, I have a solid steel one, must weigh around 15# empty, no added weight needed-
X10 right
X20 left
X15 right
Thursday 9/28/23
Floor press-
114# x 35
114# x 36
Kroc rows with hammer bar-
63.5#+bar x 16ea arm.
Barbell curls-
66# x 31
66# x 32 no rest
106# x 3
Friday 9/29/23
100# plate side bends, the plate is hugged under the arm pit, I switch arms and do not put the plate down-
X31 ea. side, x31 ea. (122reps total no put down).
Raw garlic and honey
New rest pause training method-
Upright rows with hammer bar-
55# + bar x 41 rest pause-
I did sets of 2 and 3 on the last one. I would do two put the weight down, for 3-4seconds and then lift it and do another 2reps.
That method is a game changer for some stimulus on a lagging area.
Saturday 9/30/23
Gym BW 188-189.
Squats
Top sets-
185# x 20
220# x 13 belt
I’m not going all out here, just adding a little each time i come in.
Farmers Dead lift-
235an arm (470# total) x 1
Much easier than last time.
265an arm (530# total) x 1
Belt
I must not of been setup good because that was much harder than expected, i was no good for another rep. At least the 235an arm felt on the easy side. I’m about at my limit here, I will work up in reps as time goes by.
Shrugs with the empty implements-
55# an arm-
X25
X30
X25
I did a Zercher full squat from the floor with 155# to loosen up the hips after that.
My entire body is sore now, the entire back is mostly.
Sunday 10/1/23
Floor press-
133# x 36reps
This helped my DOMS, but made the tendon arm thing flare a tad.
Ate a builder bar.
Part 2-
Upright rows with hammer bar-
60#+ bar rest pause x 46reps.
I sets of 2, and the last two sets were 3’s. Few seconds between ea set.
I’ll say it again, this might be a game changer. Let’s hope I don’t fuk up my arm, it was actually not hurting at all today, until I did this crazy high rep stuff. Its not any worse though.
I also did a Zercher with 135# to see loosen up my back from yesterday’s heavy lift, god that hurt, but I think it helped. Decided not to go any heavier.
Recovery has been rough, but I’m getting through it.
In the old days, I’d go and lift heavy again in a week, can’t do that anymore, I learned to utilize light days effectively now.
Monday 10/2/23
Didn’t have much time to train today, which is good really, for my arm.
One arm presses overhead with hammer bar-
20#+ bar-
X10 right (rough, thats my bad arm)
X21 left
X20 right
Barbell curls-
60# x 37
60# x 37
uesday 10/323 part 1
I did a hang gripping the top edge of the door frame, was having a hard time at first, so did a loud grunt and held myself by the fingertips longer than yesterday. My index fingers were so sore.
I also did some 2.5” thick dumbbell handle one arm side laterals-
X25 right
X30 left
X5 right
Zercher squats from the floor-
135# x 2
150# (68kg) x 3
Still painful as fuk, but it stretched me out good.
One-arm overhead presses using hammer bar-
20# + bar x 10 ea. arm
30# + bar x 5 ea.
36# (16.3kg)+ bar x 11ea.
Right arm is weaker due to the tendon pain. My left was nice and strict.
Barbell skull crushers-
65# (29.4kg) x 36
65# x 36
Wednesday 10/4/23
Training - busy day, only had about a 1/2 hour.
Squats-
99# x 100reps
That’s all I had time for, was brutal, not as brutal as last week, but the fuking heat was back today. Sweating fuking bullets.
Wednesday 10/5/23 part 2
The wall incline press wasn’t working too well,
But I found that I can put a ladder against the wall and lean on that, and that fuking worked!
Can’t really go too heavy though, but this isn’t for heavy work, this did a good job of stretching out my shoulders, I used a wider grip. Not sure if they hit upper pecs, but I like them.
Wall/ladder incline presses-
65# x 21
76# x 16
100# plate BORs-
100# x 20, 110# x 21 (rest paused 2 reps).
My lower half is still recovering from that 530# farmers dead. It’s not my back, it’s my hips glutish area.
Barbell curls-
65# x 33
65# x 34
Friday 10/6/23
Wall/ladder standing incline presses-
65# x 15
75# x 21
Reverse grip skull crushers-
55# x 30
Saturday 10/7/23
Squats, no rack, clean and pressed on/off the shoulders, top set-
143# x 50reps
2.5 inch dumbbell handle one arm laterals-
X26 right
X29 left
X15 right
Wrist curls 2.5 dumbbell handle-
X40 right
X45 left
Thickbar wrist curls are the squats of grip!
Upright rows hammer bar-
61# + bar x 51 rest pause-
Doubles, and 3, 4 on the last two sets.
Sunday 10/8/23
Floor press-
133# (60.3kg) x 38 reps
Arm is doing good.
Barbell curls-
98# (44.5kg) x 16 reps
This is the type of toon I’m talking about, it’s edgy, it wasn’t written to “sell out”, it gives it straight on society. It does not need hard heavy BS, the music adds to this parody of it’s time, yet it’s brilliant with the percussion, the loud symbols and oh yeah the bass is note for note with the vocals, this is something Zappa did in the 1980’s quite a bit, musical notes in line with each vocal note-
Monday 10/9/23
Part 1
Wall/ladder standing wide presses-
78# x 23 reps
That’s a 3# and 2rep increase, hitting some type of press almost daily.
Shoulder is even better now.
Monday part 2
Barbell hack squats-
120 x 13 DOH
170 x 10 DOH
220 x 8 DOH
250 (113.4kg) x 17 DOH
This is the best my back has felt in 7-8days. I took my time here and focused on form, there were rest pauses, who cares it’s all that matters is getting it done without fuking up the back.
Barbell skull crushers-
72# (32.6kg) x 45reps
Tuesday 10/10/23
Part 1
Wall/ladder standing incline press-
87# (39.5kg) x 16
Easy stuff! Just doing more and more to wake my azz up.
Tuesday Part 2
I didn’t plan any of this, I originally thought I was going to do Kroc rows and curls, but decided to hit Barbell Hack Squats (deads) again, with sore upper back, now why in the Frick would I do this, cause this is INSTINCT. I wasn’t going to do reps here, but go a bit heavier than my heaviest. This is called specialization.
Warmed up with-
One arm presses with hammer bar-
top set-
38.5# +bar x 5ea strict.
Barbell Hacks-
Mixed grip, gotta get a feel for mixed, I want to beat my best conventional with this-
220 x 2
240 x 1
260 x 1
280 (127kg) x 2
1 rep was just too easy.
100# plate side bends x33ea. x33ea.
never put the plate down.
2.5" thick handle dumbell wrist curls x 50 ea.
Damn good workout!!!
Wednesday 10/11/23
No part 1 or 2 today, no breaks today.
Warmed up with my new favorite shoulder builder-
Wall/ladder standing incline wide press-
Top set- 92# (41.7kg) x 11
Easy stuff just a warmup
Squats-
108# (48.9kg) x 94
Barbell curls-
67# (30.4kg) x 31
67# x 32
Boulder shoulders are filling in!!!
Thursday 10/12/23
Floor press-
121# (54.8kg) x 50
Kroc rows with hammer bar-
65# (29.4kg) + bar x 17ea arm
Hack Squat Deads mixed grip-
220 x 2
250 x 2
270 x 1
300 (136kg) x 3
Friday 10/13/23
Upright rows with hammer bar-
66# + bar x 52reps rest paused 3-4second rests, all 2s except the last two were 4s.
Barbell curls-
103# (46.7kg) x 15
I also played around with some new hammer curls. The hard set of hammer curls using that fixed handle is what messed up my arm.
I started now using the 2.5” thick dumbbell handle with a 5.5# lock collar on ONE end of it. This feels great, I’m thinking to use that and add more reps each time, or each day and reverse the end every time the collar is on hence on the top for a set then underneath for a set.
GOLD!!!
Saturday 9/14/23
Was being rushed today to get to an event.
Wall/ladder standing incline press-
97# x 15
This is just to warmup for squats.
Squats-
Clean press on off the shoulders-
144# (65.3kg) x 40 reps
Quick as possible. Clean and press felt strong.
At the event I sat by the free food. I ate wings and soft pretzels most of the time.
Sunday 10/15/23
Floor press-
142# (64.4kg) x 26
200# (90.7kg) x 4
Just getting a taste of some heavier stuff without hurting my damn arm.
100# plate BOR-
100# x 25, 142.5# x 6
2.5” thick handle with 5.5# collar hammer curls x 15ea. x10ea.
New lower back exercise-
100# plate rounded back good morning x 50
OMG, that hit me in ways I’ve not felt. I just grip the plate and with a rounded back go up and down and no locking out (you can’t with that plate).
I’m going to try some other ways to do this gripping with the loading pin.
Well, this week is going to start somewhat normal, but by the end of the week I will be backing off, gotta get my first colon screening so I’m dreading having to fast, which means I can’t train the day before the fast. Fricking sucks, but gotta get this shit done.
Maybe my arm will heal up, it’s fricking lingering.
If you been wondering I been doing, well, I had Covid, 1st time.
I wasn’t able to even function for the first 4-days, then I started back to lifting for low reps.
I got in some heavy stuff too. Can’t be doing that high rep stuff with Covid, and NO squats/CNS type stuff.
I have a bunch of new ideas coming. I been doing some rounded back RDLs with the 100# plate (and added weight on the loading pin), I think this is going to be a golden tidbit for posterior chain and low back protection for conventional deads. I’m excited, I was going crazy thinking about this while sick and not being able to do shit.
I’m also going to change the squats up for a bit, no rack but doing 5-sets of 20 and 10x10 all clean and pressed, who does this? NO ONE!
I’m excited on the gains ahead!
Anyway, happy Halloween and here’s a treat, this guitar work is not for the cookie cutter geetar hero, Zappa never played the same solo, and never rehersed, to the average joe, this is noise, this is not sell-out repeated fancy boy Eddie VH Eruption cookie cutter crap. This is serious picking in the correct “key” of this tune, all over the fret board, this takes “knowing your instrument”. A version of this was also called “Rat Tomago” it was more hardcore and faster tempo, but here, if you have the “ear” you can tell, it’s not noise, he knows what he’s doing. VH talked smack about Zappa, VH did too many drugs, that’s why he never achieved his real potential, only sell-out hammer-on/pull offs with some repeated fast muting practice.
A Halloween Tradition-
