My Training Log

[amounirl]

3-17-13: Deads/OHP

Deficit Deads
worked up to 5x365 with a 1 plate deficit

OHP
5x5x95

BTN Press
15x65
3x12x65

BB Rows
4x15x65

Rear/Side Raises
3x10x12.5s or something like that

Last BS day today. Decided to do deficit deads so I wouldn't feel like a total pussy. Somebody complimented me on the weight I was using and I got embarrassed because this is barely anything. OHP just did a few leisurely sets, then BTN presses I took a little more seriously. BB rows were BS but that's fine, and I actually got myself a good side delt and lat pump. Tried doing side delts with my shoulders hunched over which actually worked pretty well to take the pressure off the front delts. For too long I've been neglecting my side delts and it's time to make up for lost time. I'm starting to look bigger as a result though so good stuff,been doing lots of upright rows in the little dorm gym. Got a little rage into this session but not as much as what I was putting in last week. Wasn't necessary anyways. Real training coming up on Tues.

 

[Buildingup24]

It's good to see ppl understand the need to deload

 

[amounirl]

Yup, almost always worth it even if the deload week itself sucks.

 

[amounirl]

3-20-13: Squat and Bench

Squat
2x5x335

Bench
2x10x185
2x245 paused

Pretty BS session today. Mentally burned out from finals and all that.

3-22-13: Chins

Chins
4x6, 1x8

Side Raises
5x10x5s

Also another BS session while I find a gym that can give me a 1 week pass.

So this week was just bullshit: I'm slightly worried because I did a deload then a BS week, but I"m going to be starting a new routine on Monday because somebody stronger than me, even though it's most likely genetic, called me out on not training enough. He trains 6 days a week so I made a new 6 day routine for myself that I"m going to try. I'm also gonna try to get a bike so I don't have to walk to the damn gym 6 days a week. He also uses creatine so I"m gonna get on the creatine come wednesday, load till sunday then keep a maintainance dosage throughout the next few weeks. It's a win win situation, either I get to make some crazy good gains or I get to prove him wrong and prove that at least for me, I'm training smarter, not harder. But maybe I haven't been training hard enough, who knows. This is a good opportunity to do some bodybuilding stuff too. Anyways lookin forward to that.

 

[Buildingup24]

You don't use your schools gym?

 

[amounirl]

No I usually do it's just I'm on spring break for the next week haha

 

[NoFatChicks91]

*Does 335 lb squats, calls it a bs session....*

Haha just givin you shit man. I feel you on school... Enjoy your spring break dude. Means more time to hit it hard, if ya ask me how'd finals go?

 

[amounirl]

Haha yeah it was just BS cause I meant to do more stuff but time ended up cutting me short . Finals went pretty well, set the curve for my Astronomy final, did well on my final writing project, and totally bombed chem and chem lab, but it's no big deal cause I"m switching my major to econ.

3-25-13: "Heavy" Squat

Beltless Squat
315x5
rest 20 sec
315x2, 225x6

Curls
10x65 strict
8x95 cheat
2x10x45 reverse curl

Quad Extension
4x12

Hamstring Curl
4x12

Seated Calf Raise
5x10

Behind back wrist curl
5x20x40 lbs

Decent session today. Was good to get back in the gym. Squats were a bit weak since I didn't have my belt but it's no big deal, did some rest pause/drop setting to make up for it. For some reason my narrower stance felt way stronger even though I still feel it more in my hamstrings. Not a bad thing though since it takes a lot of the pressure off my hips and low back. Curls were disappointingly weak, but I've never really trained my biceps directly so I'm not worried about it. Quad extensions were BS as usual, just focusing on the outer sweep not focusing on weight, although I should go heavier, it just stresses my knee if I do. Ham curls: the hamstring curl at the gym I trained at was the worst thing I've ever used. Terribly designed machine. But whatever I'll manage, it's only 1 week. Calf raises were solid, on my 5th set I found the perfect position for a solid contraction. Was limping afterwards. Then did some wrist curls, should have gone heavier but I guess it's not a bad thing to start light so I don't injure myself. Part of the weakness today may have been that I got a blood test and 2 immunization shots earlier today, but I'm not gonna blame that. It's no big deal, this is just my introductory week to my new routine.

 

[themondtster]

You talk about feeling it in the hams and reminds me of an article I read. Not sure where or who but said that the trick to breaking plateaus or whatever is to learn how to engage the hamstrings. If yours are really strong already the narrow stance may help engage them easier. Not sure wish I could find it again and re-read it.

 

[amounirl]

Yeah a lot of powerlifting articles recommend using the hamstrings more on squats, off the bat I can think of Dave Tate's iron evolution. The reasoning behind it is that most people just squat with their quads, as opposed to engaging their glutes and hamstrings aka posterior chain (includes the back too), which is really inefficient considering they're only using 1 big muscle group out of the 3 in the lower body. But yeah I wouldn't say narrow stance necessarily helps me activate my hamstrings more, I'd actually say it helps me activate my quads more at the expense of the hips, since I used to be a low bar squatter I got really good at using my hips and really bad at using my quads. I started getting back and hip problems because of all the strain low bar puts on those areas, combined with my inadequate flexibility to low bar squat without buttwink. But yeah, narrow, high bar squatting, while the ROM is much bigger, doesn't drop off my strength and feels a lot more comfortable, while more evenly developing my lower body so I"m gonna stick with it and do GMs to supplement anythign I'm missing out on, unless I get knee problems from high bar close stance.