Ark94's Workout Log

[Andalite]

Do you suggest getting a notebook? I normally type stuff into my ipod touch, then write it in a microsoft word, and put it on here, then the blog =D

Get a notebook.

The best way to go about recording your workouts is by creating columns.

So, create four columns per page. These are your weeks 1-4.

Then, write your exercises as you do them within each column separately. This is just so you are not restricted on writing down your thoughts.

im just reading the Overhead Squat article on Gustrength right now.

Good!

My gym doesn't have any brooms to use, but we have these bars that weigh from 2-12lbs, they are just normally a bit padded, and would work great i think for OHS. Would they work?

Like a beauty..

Front Squats, i do another 3x3 like i did on Monday? Or do i do different weight this time?

Yup. Just add weight. A little bit of weight.

For grip training, forgot to mention this. We really have nothing. Just dumbells, barbells, a trap bar, thats all i know of that i could use for a farmers walk. I won't be able to walk around with anything though, not even the trap bar, so should i load up weight on it and see how long i can hold it for?

Plate Pinches. Static holds for time sounds good too. Let me see....for now, do plate pinches. Stick with that for 4 weeks. We'll add an exercise at that time.

One other thing, if i took out Dynamic Rows, would you replace them with anything or no? Just curious.

I would definitely replace them and I would replace them with inverted rows.

It was really good, but really damn confusing. I get the picture of what im suppose to do. Should i start with the Deep Squat Progression first, then go into the OH Squat against the wall?

They run concurrently on separate days. On Squat Emphasis day, focus on the Deep Squat Progression.

On the Full Body Emphasis day, do the OH Squats against the wall. Build up to it like it describes in the article.

I hope i can record them, there is a spot in the gym that no one uses so i'll try to squat there and record them so you can see.

That would be cool. Remember the form.

Pull the Bar apart. Let it be directly over your head when you begin. It will go behind as per your body mechanics. Keep pulling the bar apart. Lock your elbows. Head up and look ahead. You might need to bring your feet in a little bit and spread your legs out. At the bottom position, try doing a stretch towards the ceiling like you would when you wake up in the morning. Try to hang in that bottom position for a little bit.

 

[ExtraMile]

keep your head up and back arched, this will help you sit back because if you lean forward then either you will loose balance or the bar will travel too far forward and you will drop it

 

[Andalite]

keep your head up and back arched, this will help you sit back because if you lean forward then either you will loose balance or the bar will travel too far forward and you will drop it

Correct. But DO NOT SIT BACK. Do not focus on sitting back.

With the Overhead Squat your sole goal is to sit DOWN. And DOWN as in BETWEEN YOUR FEET.

Do not think about sitting back.

Other than that everything EM said is correct.

 

[ExtraMile]

Whn I say sit back I mean keep the hips back, I thought that was good?

Ark dont use straps for anything and the rows will work your grip hard

 

[Andalite]

Whn I say sit back I mean keep the hips back, I thought that was good?

Ark dont use straps for anything and the rows will work your grip hard

Correct regarding the grip work.

As for the hips thing: no. You need to shove your hips DOWN. Not back. Forget the back. IT's all about Squatting DOWN. DOWN DOWN DOWN.

 

[ark94]

Not sure why this bugged me so much, but i really wanted to record everything today. I get to the gym with my camera, starting my deep squat progression to find out that i have the camera, but no fucking memory stick. So i couldn't record anything, and it bugged me lol. This camera is an addiction :O

But overall, its Canada Day, the gym was dead and i had a great workout.

B1 W1 - Squat Emphasis
​

OH Squat (Deep Squat Progression)
- Double Palm on platform
10 sets x 20 sec hold

Front Squats
45 x 7 x 1
95 x 5 x 1
115 x 3 x 1
135 x 3 x 3 (2nd set, last rep tough, 3rd set, last rep tough)

RDL
45 x 6 x 4

Cable PullThroughs
60 x 20 x 2

Grip Training (Plate Pinches)
30 x 30 sec
30 x 27 sec
30 x 30 sec
40 x 2 sec

Notes

RDL - I was just learning the movement. Very SLOW reps, down and up. Had no camera to check my form, so decided not to load any weight.

Deep Squat - i took almost 45minutes on this. Including my mobility stretches though, so probably around 30 minutes just dedicated to this. I didn't do anything with a broom though, was i wrong? As far as i could read from the gustrength post, was that it was mainly just stretching out your body. Not doing any squats. And i did double hand today, even though there were 1 hand and no hand variants just because i forgot my camera. So i dedicated time to stretching it out nicely.

Grip Training - omg. I loved this. Just loved this. My forearms were on fire after, and it was fun just holding it there. Was a real test of mental strength too.

Front Squats - Hmmm. It was tough. I jumped 10lbs rather than 5 to push myself. It still went great, but it was very tough getting through it. How do i progress on Monday for these?

 

[ark94]

Tomorrow is my Full Body.

Full Body:

OH Squat Practice: Do 10-20 sets of 1-2 reps. You really need to mentally focus on extending the thoracic cavity in the bottom position. Basically dedicate a good 30-40 minutes after your mobility drills to this exercise.
Overhead Press: these must be done strict. You can do your 3x5 here if you like.
Push Press: you can do 3x3 on this one...or 2x5. dunno what floats your boat. hell, because this is a template you can change this every 5th or 6th week
Pull-ups: Do 5 sets to failure. Very important.
Core Training: Hit it heavy and hard.

If i take out Push Press, since its pointless right after MP, would you add anything or no?

OHP. Just my 3x5? No progression type thing, or are we making a base for myself? :S

Core Training. What would you like me to do this time? Monday was planks, so today would be planks again, or a different exercise? If so, which. I suck with core training exercises lol.

Pull-ups. Any grip? As in does it have to be wide, or can i use a smaller grip aswell?

 

[Andalite]

This camera is an addiction :O

Imagine how feel!!! Hopefully my gym issues will be sorted out one of these days and then next week I can start recording my workouts...

OH Squat (Deep Squat Progression)
- Double Palm on platform
10 sets x 20 sec hold

How did these feel?

RDL - I was just learning the movement. Very SLOW reps, down and up. Had no camera to check my form, so decided not to load any weight.

Good idea. I hope you read the articles though so you could visualize the lift.

Deep Squat - i took almost 45minutes on this. Including my mobility stretches though, so probably around 30 minutes just dedicated to this. I didn't do anything with a broom though, was i wrong? As far as i could read from the gustrength post, was that it was mainly just stretching out your body. Not doing any squats. And i did double hand today, even though there were 1 hand and no hand variants just because i forgot my camera. So i dedicated time to stretching it out nicely.

Excellent!

Grip Training - omg. I loved this. Just loved this. My forearms were on fire after, and it was fun just holding it there. Was a real test of mental strength too.

Front Squats - Hmmm. It was tough. I jumped 10lbs rather than 5 to push myself. It still went great, but it was very tough getting through it. How do i progress on Monday for these?

Reduce the weight by 5 lbs. Do 3x3.

Ok, so next Squat Emphasis workout should look like this:

OH Squat: more practice with the Deep Squat Progression

Front Squats: I want you to aim for 5 reps with 135 lbs. Try to do 2 sets of 5 reps.

RDLs: Take 65 lbs. Take a video so we can analyze the form.

Grip Training: Try to increase the time on each of those sets.

 

[Andalite]

If i take out Push Press, since its pointless right after MP, would you add anything or no?

Hell yeah!

Add in Standing Unilateral Shoulder Press with Dumbbells.

Video of the exercise: YouTube - M21 W2 Press Training.wmv

OHP. Just my 3x5? No progression type thing, or are we making a base for myself? :S

We're setting a base

Core Training. What would you like me to do this time? Monday was planks, so today would be planks again, or a different exercise? If so, which. I suck with core training exercises lol.

Do renegade rows. 3 sets. 5-7 reps.

Pull-ups. Any grip? As in does it have to be wide, or can i use a smaller grip aswell?

Well, Pull-ups means palms facing away from you. Don't go ultra wide. Go medium or something which is comfortable for you.

 

[ark94]

B1 W1 – Full Body

OH Squat
12 x 2
Set 6 – toes 2-3cm from wall. Bar is moving a bit from top position
Set 7 – toes touching wall. Uncomfortable
Set 8 – toes 1cm from wall. 1st rep good, 2nd rep fail. Again a bit uncomfortable

OHP
45 x 7 x 1
65 x 5 x 1
75 x 3 x 1
85 x 2 x 1
95 x 5 x 3 (need to press better in a straight line!!)

Unilateral Shoulder Press (unsure how many sets you wanted me to do, went by what push press sets were suppose to be)
(how do I warmup with dumbbells? Still use a lighter weight then work my way up?)
- Tried out few weight
20 x 2 x 1 (light)
30 x 2 x 1 (light still)
40 x 2 x 1 (decent, can get more)
45 x 3 x 3 (was good. Possibly could have repped with 50)

Pull-ups
Unreal how shit I have gotten at these. Switched 6-7 months ago from doing these to chin-ups, now these are shit. Used to rep 15-20.
7,5,4,3,3

Core Training – Renegade Rows
15 x 7 x 1 (it was tuff, but I saw I was using a bit of my hips)
10 x 7 x 2 (I really liked these; however I thought I should train them more)
12 x 7 x 2 (should I not be hitting my abs harder?)

Notes

This goes with the OH Squat video.

You may notice in the beginning I was quite wobbly, it looks like im unsure and it was weird at first. I thought I had gotten more of a hang on it after. So if you want to watch the beginning few, then skip to the through to the later sets, let me know if you spot anything. Not sure if I am doing it right at all, I read the articles and I think I am getting it. Few problems I had at first was my head looking quite up. As I went to the later sets, I remembered what they told me, and I was suppose to tuck my chin slightly look up with my eyes, so I did that and it looked better but my head still had the tendency to go up on its own.

As for holding the bar, wow it was brutal. I was really pulling it apart and reaching to the ceiling after all the sets were done my shoulders killed. One problem if you can see it, that from the top point where the bar is, as I go down it doesn’t always stay in that same straight line, but it didn’t go too bad.

Any pointers? I took around 45minutes-1 hour doing these. Watching every video after the sets.

Last thing before I forget. Not sure if any of u are actually going to watch all of this, but there are my OHP on this. Skip to after I think 13minutes I believe.

But what I want to get to, at the bottom of the OH Squat. Some sets when my toes were touching the wall I would lose balance and fall in the bottom of the squat, whats the reason? Balance? Or am I descending wrong? :S
Thanks