Iron Monkey: Teenage Log

[miked8c]

6/8

Despite sleeping like a log last night I went into this workout with some residual lower back soreness from the last deadlift workout on Tues. This didn't surprise me because week 4 of the Coan Phillipi routine is known to be the hardest of the entire cycle. Anyways, here is my squat day.

Back Squat
150x5
190x5
225x3
245x5
280x5
320x15 (w/ belt)

My back squats are always much closer to ATG than to parallel. These were no different and by the 10th set I had to take about a 10 sec breather to beast out the last 5 reps. I go into this day with a number of reps I need to hit in my mind, this number is based on whatever number of reps for whatever weight I hit the week before. In this case, I hit 345x11 last week, in order to have beaten this rep max with this week's weight of 320 I had to shell out 15 reps.

Front Squat
170x2x10
165x10
155x10

Was supposed to get 5 sets of ten on these, not 4. I was so fatigued by the end of the 2nd set that I was walking like I had a pole up my ass. I figured I had busted my ass off enough that I would be sore as sht tomorrow regardless of if I did the last set or not, so I just called it a day.

Ow...

 

[miked8c]

6/9

Pull Ups Weighted
BW+ 50lbs. x 11
50x5
50x4
40x5
35x5
30x5
25x5
20x5
BWx5 very wide grip

Did some curls and called it quits.

Turns out I twinged my lower right back pretty bad yesterday at some point during my squat workout. I thought it was just normal soreness until it got near bed time last night, then I realized the pain was just on my lower right side and it was sharp, not the dull muscular soreness I'm used to.


I woke up this morning, and Yep, I did something to my back. I'm not sure of the severity yet, I don't think it is too bad. However I definitely wont be deadlifting this Tuesday.

 

[Colstreamer]

Nice pull ups again bro

Where does your back hurt? Near the centre of your lower back or further out to the side?

 

[miked8c]

definitely more to the right side rather than the center. It is right above my ass.

 

[Colstreamer]

And it hurts when you do what? Stand up straight? Or sit down or both?

I'm asking cos I get a similar thing on my left, bang in between my side and spine right above my ass cheek, I mainly feel it when I stand up. I can stretch it by hugging my knees to my chest. that found like what you got?

 

[miked8c]

It doesn't hurt unless I move torso around. Whether its bending over or straightening my back I feel it. Its feeling a little better at this point in the day after I got the blood pumping at the gym. I'm hoping I can just rest it out, I think I should be set.

 

[Colstreamer]

Yeah doesn't sound too bad, a nice hot bath and a little light stretching might help a bit. Does for me

 

[miked8c]

6/11

Chest Day Best Day

Bench Press (75s rest b/w sets)
10x3x275

30 reps of 275 in 13 minutes. If you go to the beginning of my log you can see I have been working up to this weight for the past 3.5 months. I have been approaching it in 2.5 lbs. increments. I finally hit it today, now that my muscular endurance is pretty much peaked I will switch to the lower rep "Bench Press Cure" program by Tate. Ready to smash some long standing PRs.

DB Chest Press
100x9
85x11
75x11

DB Skull Crushers
45x8
40x7
35x8

DB Flyes
55x12
45x15

Finished off with some push ups on my fists.

Waiting for my body to calm down a bit before I assess how my recently injured back feels after this workout.

 

[Colstreamer]

Finished off with some push ups on my fists.

^^ makes you hard as fcuk mate. Good effort!

Well done on the benching too bro.

 

[Evan Tipps]

Im a bit confused.. Why do you add more volume/isolation if you powerlift? Sorry I am not very educated in powerlifting

 

[miked8c]

6/12

I had no business in the gym today, I really tweaked my back this past Friday o n squats. This heavy volume program would have been like the worst thing to do with a back injury. I really struggle with skipping the gym though. I'm not even trying to make myself sound like a martyr or some BS, I literally think I have a problem. I could have really messed myself up today, anyways here is my workout.

Purposely restricted my form, I could have pulled faster and more explosively had I not been worried about yanking out the ol' vertebrae.

ED Coan/ Phillipi Week 5

Deadlift
3x3x435 (belt)

These did not go up as fast as I would have hoped, but I was trying to keep very strict form, so grip and rip was the last thing on my mind.

Speed Deadlifts (2m rest b/w sets)
355x3x3(belt)

These all went up really clean, I was focusing on moving my hips under my torso to complete the rest.

Power Shrugs 3x5
310x3x5

Felt awesome, really wanted to go heavier but the program had me working with 310 and I didn't want to deviate

SLDL
365x3x5

Really wanted to go heavy on these, but again with the back. Next week I'll be going for four plates.

BB Row
195x5
190x5
185x5

Underhand Lat Pulldown 3x5

GM's
185x3x5


Overall I am pumped I was able to make it in to the gym this week for DLs. If you looking back a few posts you can see that I specifically stated I would be skipping dead lifts for the week. So much for that.

 

[miked8c]

6/13

Nothing like following a deadlift day with a back/lat day.

Chin Ups
BW + 25lbs. x 14
x7
x5
20x5
20x4
15x5
15x5
10x5
5x5

Took about a minute rest between these sets. Really going down slow on the negative phase and then focusing on pulling the bar into the top of my chest. I'll be feeling these in the ol' wings tomorrow.

Strict DB Rows
Reverse Curls
Weighted incline crunches
ab wheel

Nice glory muscle workout.

 

[miked8c]

6/14

About to switch gears in my training so I took a day off of my usual Thursday workout to test my bench

Bench Press 1x1
335 (w/ wrist wraps)

didn't have to fight it too much at any point, didn't really have a sticking point. I would still say this is my true 1RM for the bench.

I followed this up with high rep OHP
DB Incline
Bench Press burnout
Weighted dips

Will be starting my Dave Tate Bench Press cure cycle, hopefully it will bump me up to 350lbs.

 

[Colstreamer]

Good bench bro! That's 35lbs better than mine!

 

[miked8c]

Thanks man, but you can still bench 300 lbs. which is damn heavy.

 

[miked8c]

6/15

531 Back Squat

135x5
185x5
225x3
265x3
300x3
340x12 (w/belt)

Really solid form on these, my lower back was still a little sore from my deadlift day on Tuesday. Really want to up the weight so that I can stop doing such high reps haha, such a killer.

Front Squat
175x10
175x10
175x10
165x10
155x10

These destroyed my quads which have been getting some serious mass since I started these. Solid stuff here.

 

[themondtster]

340*12 is impressive to me. My lil ass can't even get 240*12.

 

[miked8c]

Hahaha thanks man, to be fair I took a couple breathers at the top to eek out the last few reps.

 

[themondtster]

Hahaha thanks man, to be fair I took a couple breathers at the top to eek out the last few reps.

Still counts to me as long as the weight is still on your back.

 

[Colstreamer]

Hahaha thanks man, to be fair I took a couple breathers at the top to eek out the last few reps.

I believe they're called breathing squats. I did 220 x 30 one time and after 15 I was taking 3-4 breaths before each rep.

 

[miked8c]

Yes, those are breathing squats. IMO they are not the same as normal squats, when I do my squat workout I try to crank out the reps ASAP because I feeling like I'm cheating the longer I wait around at the top.

Breathing squats are fantastic and build muscle and endurance like no other. But if I want to accurately measure my strength gains week to week I need to keep the tempo consistent.

I could do a straight set 330x12 one week, and 350x12 the next week, but on the second week I could have pumped out 6 consecutive reps and then rested between each of the last reps so that I was taking 5-10 seconds at the top between reps.

If I allowed this it would make it impossible for me to track my progress because yeah, I did do more weight for the same number of reps, but I also changed the tempo and rate that I was doing the reps making it easier for my body to handle the weight compared to the previous week.

 

[themondtster]

Yes, those are breathing squats. IMO they are not the same as normal squats, when I do my squat workout I try to crank out the reps ASAP because I feeling like I'm cheating the longer I wait around at the top.

Breathing squats are fantastic and build muscle and endurance like no other. But if I want to accurately measure my strength gains week to week I need to keep the tempo consistent.

I could do a straight set 330x12 one week, and 350x12 the next week, but on the second week I could have pumped out 6 consecutive reps and then rested between each of the last reps so that I was taking 5-10 seconds at the top between reps.

If I allowed this it would make it impossible for me to track my progress because yeah, I did do more weight for the same number of reps, but I also changed the tempo and rate that I was doing the reps making it easier for my body to handle the weight compared to the previous week.

Gotcha. In your case I guess it doesn't count

Sent from my PG86100 using EliteFitness

 

[miked8c]

Hey I wont tell if you dont

 

[miked8c]

6/18

Max Effort Bench

Floor Press 5RM
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x3
255x3
275x3
285x5
230x8

Kept my normal bench grip on these, felt great.

DB Skull Crushers
45x7
40x8

Rear Delt Raises
20x15
20x15

Dip an assortment of dips and pushdowns to smoke my tris, glad to be floor pressing again.

 

[miked8c]

Haven't posted for a while because I took a few days off due to a hardcore binger of Captains and coke. Fortunately it made me realize how bad alcohol consumption hinders one's training and how much I like going to the gym more than being drunk. I had a two day hangover essentially, the second day I was fine but I still was a bit out of sorts so I took that day off also. This came at a critical time where I have had to switch from pm to am training. Anyways I'll stop bitching and post some numbers

6/24 531 Squat

140x5
185x5
225x3
280x5
320x3
355x10

Pretty happy with this, hadn't squatted for a week in a half but still no drop in strength. Next week the weight goes down a lot so I am planning on smashing the light weight and hitting a PR.

Front Squat
175x4x10

Was supposed to do 1 more set but I was honestly about to lose my breakfast, thats the biggest drawback of am workouts for me. If I push my cardiovascular system I end up battling vomiting. That only happens in the few hours after I wake up.

Had to hit the beach after this for lifeguarding(why I workout in the AM now).

6/25
Weighted Pull Ups
50lbs.x10
50lbs.x5
40lbs.x5
25lbs.x8
25lbs.x8

Strict DB Rows
80x12
75x12
70x12

Chest Supported T Bar Row

Weighter Neutral Grip Chins
Decline crunch
Lat Pull down Super

Wont bother posting numbers for these.


Hopefully come deadlift day I will be up to strength to complete week 5 for Ed Coan.

 

[miked8c]

6/26

Floor Press
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
265x3
285x1
300x3

Pretty solid day, never pressed 300lbs. from the floor before. Felt really solid, the last rep was definitely a force, but it didn't really stick at any one point, smooth. For me, floor pressing feels like more of a CNS workout rather than a muscular movement, the ROM is almost halved but you really need to explode to force the weight off the floor.

True test of raw upper body strength, only if your legs are lying straight on the ground though. Definitely has some carryover to the bench.

DB Skull Crushers
45x8
40x8
35x8

Really focused on driving these up like I was locking out a bench


Did some other trip and chest work, some flyes and such.

Deadlifts tomorrow



Anyone have some suggestions for dynamic hamstring warm ups I can do because I strained it pretty bad a week ago and although it just feels a little tight right now I dont want to blow it tomorrow.

 

[moya]

nice way to keep yourself in check... im coming back from a 3 month fuck off myself... very easy to get caught up partying... a little here n there never hurt though...

 

[miked8c]

6/27

Ed Coan Week 6

Deadlift
135x3
225x2
275x3
315x2
365x2
405x2
465x2

Speed Deads
380x3x3

Power Shrugs
340x3x5

SLDL
385x2x5
365x1x5

BB Row
205x5
195x5
185x5

GMs
205x3x5


Usually suck at deadlifting in the AM, today felt ok though.

 

[miked8c]

6/29

Speed Bench
180x8x3

Board Press
305x3
305x3

Its tough for me to do these AM workouts and try to handle heavy weight, I think if it was a little later in the day I would have been able to do at least 310 for a couple triples.

 

[moya]

6/29

Speed Bench
180x8x3

Board Press
305x3
305x3

Its tough for me to do these AM workouts and try to handle heavy weight, I think if it was a little later in the day I would have been able to do at least 310 for a couple triples.

what is your diet like on those mornings?...