My Training Log

[amounirl]

1-13-12: 5/3/1 Overhead Press: 3x5

Overhead Press
10xbar
5x65
5x75
5x95
5x105
(5+3=)8x120
3x120 rest 12 sec 3x120 rest 15 sec 2x120

Bench Press
5x10x135

Underhand Grip Pendlay Rows
1x5x135
3x5x165

Face Pulls with Rope
3x8x100

Was hoping to get 3 on my last set of rest pause but I was fatigued from the set of 8 earlier, so I only matched it. Either way, got my volume in. I was so worn out by the time I got to face pulls that I just winged it. Finally got my weightlifting shoes which helped a bit on bench but I need to increase by groin and calf flexibility to keep my heels on the ground better. Bodyweight was 187.6 before the gym, so I'm finally making gains, looking forward to the 3 day weekend, I'll finally be able to relax after all this school.

 

[amounirl]

Forgot to include this right after bench on this workout:


Schwab Press (JM Press on Smith Machine)
5x8x75

 

[amounirl]

1-16-12: 5/3/1 Squat: 3x3

Squat
5x135
5x185
3x215
3x245
(3+3=)6x275

Front Squat
5x135
5x185
3x210
(3+2=)5x235
1x225 (working on 1 little thing on my form)

Good Mornings (trying them out)
5xbar
5x135

Sumo Stiff Leg Deadlifts
8x135 with fat gripz
8x205 switched to hook grip with no fat gripz
4x8x255 hook grip (no bounce but also no pause/reset, b/c more weight, more time under tension, less CNS stress)

Weighted Abs (Full range sit up)
10 or 12x25 on a steep decline, dead stop every rep

Weighted Chin Ups
5xBW
5xBW+35

Great workout today, felt tired and incredibly sore afterwards. I probably could have gotten more on my squats, which were ass to grass btw, with no butt wink, but I didn't want to risk failure. Maybe I could have hit 8 if I stood up for a while and caught my breath, maybe 7 if I just pushed through at the pace I was already at, but I think 6 is good for my purposes. Front squats, 5x235 was truly the most I could get using that form, but my trainer noticed I was leaning forward quite a bit and we worked on my form a bit, just focusing on pinching my shoulder blades ever so slightly and arching my back, and it actually helped quite a bit. Normally I feel like my sticking point lasts for about half the lift, but this time since I was truly keeping my torso upright instead of bent forward, it felt a lot easier and like I was working more muscles. I'll hopefully set a big PR next time, I think I've got a good chance.

Assistance work... I only did 2 light sets of good mornings just cause I'm trying it out, but I'm doing stiff leg sumo DLs this cycle, so I worked up to 4x8x255, kicked my ass, I was so worn out, my hamstrings are gonna be killing me tomorrow. Good cardio. Did some weighted abs to decompress my back and also get a tiny bit of hypertrophy and such, then I just did one balls to the wall set of weighted chin ups since I was running out of time (had something afterwards), and limped out of the gym, my legs already getting sore.

Bodyweight is about 188.1 right now, I think I'll go to sleep around 190 since I"m a bit dehydrated and haven't eaten much yet today.

 

[amounirl]

1-17-12: 5/3/1 Bench: 3x3

Bench Press
Warmups
5x135
3x185
(3+2=)5x225
3x2x225 Paused competition style

Olympic Jerks
5xbar
5x75
5x95
5x115
4x135
3x160
(3+2=)5x170

Schwab Press (JM Press in Smith Machine)
5x45
5x75
added fat gripz
3x8x85

Face Pulls with Straight Bar
1x8x105
4x8x120

Today was awesome! I was incredibly stoked to have hit 5 reps with 225, massive PR there, I might have been able to hit more but I was mentally done and running out of breath at 5. It was kind of undermined by the fact that we worked out with a guy who benched 300+ at 148 when he was 17, in competition, which was a national record, and he hit 385 touch and go today at a BW of around 160. The guy's a beast. Then he repped out 2 plates for 21. Either way I'm still happy about 225 for 5. I got a little worried that it might have been because I took a pre workout today that had creatine, but I only had a half scoop and I only took it once, so even if it helped, it couldn't have added 2 reps. It did have caffiene though, so it might have given me more energy. Again, I felt I could have gotten more reps so I'm still counting this as a legit PR. I think it was a dumb idea to experiment with a pre workout today, I was not in the mood to lift today and it definitely gave me some motivation, but I should keep things consistant in each cycle. If I take it again it will be for a new cycle, and only for that cycle to see how much it helps. Also, I stretched a ton and managed to keep my feet completely flat today, I was pretty happy about that. Overall a great bench session.

Enough about bench, jerks went well, I kind of want to go heavier so that it stops being more cardio then strength. My technique was a bit off since it's my first time doing it in olympic shoes, but I'll probably get used to it fast. Schwab press felt a lot better with fat gripz since it put it way more on my triceps, not to mention the thumbless grip took my chest completely out. I got lazy at the end, so I finished off this short workout with some face pulls. I'm getting really strong with those, might have to go high reps since 120 is pulling my feet off the ground. Gotta get up my bodyweight. Speaking of which, I was 190.7 today, 189 when I left for the gym. Making gains, and I'm pretty damn happy.

 

[amounirl]

1-19-12: 5/3/1 Deadlift: 3x3

Deadlift
3x135
3x135
3x225
3x275
1x315
1x365
4x375
3x3x225 speed deadlifts in olympic shoes with EFS monster mini short band

Squat
5xbar
8x135
2x10x185
2x10x205
1x10x155 working on form

Done. I was way too tired and sore to do more than this, in fact, I wasn't even planning on doing deadlifts, I was just gonna do dynamic, until my training partner called me a pussy and told me he was sore too. I grinded out 4 reps, I decided to use hook grip and just push until my grip failed, then do dynamic if I didn't hit 5. I felt my legs/back could have gotten 1 or 2 more reps with 375, but I was stoked that I managed to pull it for 4 with hook grip even once, let alone for 4 when my thumbs finally got worn out. Next time I'm gonna go for 3x405 with hook grip, hopefully I won't be sore next week. My training partner recorded a video so I could see my form, so I'll be putting that up soon, whenever he sends it to me.

I grinded out the squats but apparently I wasn't sitting back well enough, so I took off some weight and did a nice slow set focusing on form. Once I learned to push my knees out everything went well. Next week I'll go for 5x10x205 pushing my knees out. 10 rep sets of squats are freaking cardio. I was really tired afterwards so I left without doing hamstrings or upper back, but I still feel I got in a good workout today. Tomorrow is overhead press day and I'm going to aim for 3x5 pendlay rows and 50 pull ups in as few sets as possible.

 

[amounirl]

1-20-12: 5/3/1 Overhead Press: 3x3

OHP
warmups
3x95
3x115
(3+2=)5x135
3x140 rest 30 sec 2x140 rest 30 sec 3x140 rest 30 sec 2x140

Bench Press
5x10x155 paused at the bottom of the 10th rep on each set

JM Press with EZ Bar
warmups
3x10x75

Pendlay Rows
3x5x155

Wideish Grip Chin Ups
50 reps total, I think it went like 10, 5, 9, 8, 6, 6, 6. Something like that. Did very short rest after the first set before I realized it was a bad idea. Tried to get 7 on the last 2 sets but went to failure.

Today was a pretty solid workout, my prescribed reps for OHP were super easy so for my rest pause I went above and beyond, instead of doing 3x2 with 15 sec rest I did 3, 2, 3, 2 with 30 sec rest, all with 5 lbs over prescribed reps. My wraps popped off on the 2nd set which is why I only got 2, then the last set I might have gotten 3 but if I didn't it was due to fatigue.

Bench was super easy with 135 even paused so I went up to 155 and smoked it, next week I might bump it up to 165, since I can do 155 easy with the pause at the end. Tried JM Press with an EZ bar since I saw a video of Doug Young doing it that way, feels a lot better than a straight bar while not aggravating my elbows, so looks like I won't have to resort to the smith machine to save my elbows anymore. Got some solid Pendlay rows in, very strict form, I also had a few warm up sets, then went too heavy and ended up kipping, so I put it down to 155 and got a solid 3x5. Then I had a competition with my training partner to see who could reach their goal first, for me 50 wideish grip chin ups and for him 75 pull ups. I ended up barely beating him, but he had 50 when I had 32, so he obviously would have beaten me if we didn't scale to our strength levels.

Got a video of OHP, will be posting both videos hopefully pretty soon.

 

[joeblow12345]

Forgot to include this right after bench on this workout:


Schwab Press (JM Press on Smith Machine)
5x8x75

Have you tried reverse band jm press? This is a great exercise. Its the same as jm but when you put the reverse bands on it decreases pressure on elbows at bottom and allows you to overload tris at top.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using EliteFitness

 

[amounirl]

Have you tried reverse band jm press? This is a great exercise. Its the same as jm but when you put the reverse bands on it decreases pressure on elbows at bottom and allows you to overload tris at top.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using EliteFitness

No I haven't, sounds like a pretty good exercise though, I'll have to try it, thanks!

 

[moya]

nice work on the bench PR bro...
how do you like the feel of deadlifting in oly shoes? i prefer flat soles/socks/barefoot myself... keep in mind the lower to the ground you are, the less distance the bar must go... ive tried it a couple times myself and didnt care for it honestly... but if it works for you...
good that you are thinking to push out with your knees on your squats... if you dont already, pointing your toes out a bit will help with that...
keep killing it bro

 

[amounirl]

nice work on the bench PR bro...
how do you like the feel of deadlifting in oly shoes? i prefer flat soles/socks/barefoot myself... keep in mind the lower to the ground you are, the less distance the bar must go... ive tried it a couple times myself and didnt care for it honestly... but if it works for you...
good that you are thinking to push out with your knees on your squats... if you dont already, pointing your toes out a bit will help with that...
keep killing it bro

Thanks man! About deadlifting, this 5/3/1 cycle I'm sticking with flat shoes but I just wanted to try out some speed work with oly shoes after my work sets, since I read an article by mark rippetoe about it helping you with speed off the floor (because of higher quadriceps activation), but hurting you at lockout (since the ROM is larger). My lockout is way stronger than my power off the floor so I was thinking about running next cycle with oly shoes to see how it works for me.