Deadlift Training - Week 1, Cycle 6

29 April 2011

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
280 lbs. x 5 (all double OH)
320 lbs. x 5 (2 double OH)
365 lbs. x 10

Rack pulls from above knee - worked up to 555 lbs. x 1.

Machine shrugs 4 sets

Leg curl 2 sets x 10

Back raises (hyperextensions) 2 sets x 10

Hanging leg raise 2 sets x 8

Bodyweight this morning - 196.7 lbs. I'm not even trying to lose weight anymore!

Overhead Press Training - Week 1, Cycle 6

28 April 2011

Overhead press from rack:

Warmup 1 set
150 lbs. x 5
170 lbs. x 5
190 lbs. x 8

Practiced some half-presses from chest to eye level, maxed out at 265 lbs. x 2, then 265 lbs. x 1

Did some push press practice, 3 x 3 with very light weight. I still suck at pushing with my legs.

Regular bench press 190 lbs. x 2 sets x 10 (piss easy this time)

Pullups/chinups 5x5

Incline bench DB curls 4 sets

Tricep pushdowns 3 sets

Incline ab board situps with weight behind head 4 sets

Squat Training - Week 1, Cycle 6

26 April 2011

Back squat:

Warmup 2 sets
285 lbs. x 5
330 lbs. x 5
370 lbs. x 6 reps

Partial squat lockouts - worked up to 525 lbs. x 1

Super-deep Olympic squat: 185 lbs. x 5, 210 lbs. x 5, 235 lbs. x 6

Leg press machine 3 sets

Hack squat machine (tried this for the first time) 2 sets x 8 with a pair of 45 lb. plates. This one is hard!

Bench Press Training - Ed Coan Routine Week 4

25 April 2011

Bench press:

Warmup 3 sets

Regular bench press: 240 lbs. x 2 sets x 8 (didn't feel that hard)

Close-grip bench press: 215 lbs. x 2 sets x 8

Incline press: 185 lbs. x 7 reps, 200 lbs. x 3 reps (still lagging massivelly on this one)

Pullups/chinups 5x5

Pendlay rows (tried these for the first time today) 185 x 5, 205 x 5, 235 x 5, 255 x 3

DB flyes 1 set x 12

DB hammer curls 4 sets

Olympic bar skullcrushers 4 sets

Preacher DB curl 2 sets

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets

Weighted situps on incline ab board 4 sets

Deadlift Training - Week 3, Cycle 5

23 April 2011

Had a huge meal before going to the gym today, so cut the session short.

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
315 lbs x 5 (first 3 double overhand)
355 lbs x 3
395 lbs x 5

Stiff-legged DLs:

135 lbs x 5
225 lbs x 5
300 lbs x 6

Leg curls 1 set x 10

Bodyweight as of Friday April 22nd - 198.8 lbs. Lowest I've been at in years.

Overhead Press Training - Week 3, Cycle 5

21 April 2011

Overhead press from stands:

Warmup 2 sets
160 lbs. x 5
180 lbs. x 3
205 lbs. x 3

Back-off set 150 lbs. x 5

Behind-the-neck press 2 sets x 8

Light bench press 190 lbs. 2 sets x 10

Pullups/chinups 5x5

Squat Training - Week 3, Cycle 5

19 April 2011

Back squat:

Warmup 3 sets
320 lbs. x 5
365 lbs. x 3
405 lbs. x 5

Super-deep Olympic squat:

205 lbs. x 5
235 lbs. x 3
260 lbs. x 3

Squat partials - worked up to 500 lbs. x 1

Leg press - worked up to 7 plates x 4 reps

Leg extension 3 sets x 10

Hanging leg raise 2 sets x 10

Bench Press Training - Week 3 of Ed Coan Routine

18 April 2011

Regular bench press: 230 lbs. x 2 sets x 8 reps (this felt really easy)

Close-grip bench press: 205 lbs. x 2 sets x 8 reps (triceps cramping up again)

Incline bench press: 185 lbs. x 6, 155 lbs. x 10, extra set 165 lbs. x 5

Still lagging massively on the incline press (supposed to do 190x2x8), but it's getting better. I will keep working at it to bring it up to standard.

Pullups / chinups 5x5

Machine low row 2 sets x 6-8

DB hammer curls 4 sets

Olympic bar skullcrushers 4 sets x 5

DB preacher curl x a few sets

Deadlift Training - Week 2, Cycle 5

15 April 2011

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
295 lbs. x 3 (double overhand)
335 lbs. x 3 (1 DOH, 2 regular)
375 lbs. x 8

Stiff-legged deadlifts: 4 sets, worked up to 300 lbs. x 7

Back squat, moderately heavy - topped out at 300 lbs. x 3

HammerStrength deadlift machine shrugs 5 sets

Leg curl 3 sets x 10

Bodyweight as of this morning - 200.6 lbs., 0.4 lbs. increase from previous week.

Overhead Press Training - Week 2, Cycle 5

14 April 2011

Overhead press:

Warmup 2 sets
150 lbs. x 3
170 lbs. x 3
190 lbs. x 8

Back-off set 150 lbs. x 5

Behind-the-neck press 2 sets x 10

Bench press, regular: 190 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

Pullups/chinups 5x5

Machine low row 3 sets x 10

Incline bench DB curl 4 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 3 sets

Squat Training - Week 2, Cycle 5

12 April 2011

Back squat:

Warmup 3 sets
310 lbs. x 5
350 lbs. x 3
390 lbs. x 5

Super-deep Olympic squat:

200 lbs. x 5
215 lbs. x 3
235 lbs. x 5

Leg press: 4 sets, worked up to 6 plates x 5

Leg extension 3 sets x 10

Bench Press Training - Week 2 of Coan Routine

11 April 2011

Sets felt a little better this time round, perhaps I'm getting used to this murderous volume. I'm still way off the required poundage on the incline bench press, but I'll try to catch up.

Bench press, regular: 220 lbs. x 2 sets x 10 (tough, but definitely doable)

Close-grip BP: 195 lbs. x 2 sets x 10 (triceps cramped up, otherwise okay)

Incline BP: 180 lbs. x 7 (called for 2x10), 155 lbs. x 10

Chinups 5x5

Bent-over rows - light, worked up to 215 lbs. x 5

DB hammer curls 4 sets

Oly bar skullcrushers 4 sets

Light squats 3 sets

One set DB flyes, 65 lbs. x 10

Deadlift Training - Week 1, Cycle 5

8 April 2011

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
270 lbs. x 5 (double OH)
315 lbs. x 5 (2 DOH)
355 lbs. x 10

Light squat: 135x5, 185x5, 225x2

Stiff-leg deadlift: worked up to a set of 275 lbs. x 9 reps

Shrug machine 4 sets

Leg curl 3 sets x 10

Hanging leg raise 1 set x 10

BW this morning - 200.2 lbs. 2 lbs. down from last week, but this sort of fluctuation is so common with me that it doesn't even count.

Overhead Press Training - Week 1, Cycle 5

7 April 2011

Overhead press (from rack - no cleans this time):

Warmup 1 set
140 lbs. x 5
160 lbs. x 5
180 lbs. x 8

Back-off set 130 lbs. x 5

Behind-the-neck press x10, x6

Bench press - light day: 185 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

Chinups 5x5 (last set with 10 lbs. weight)

Low pulley row 3 sets x 10

Incline bench DB curls 3 sets

Tricep pushdowns 3 sets

Preacher curl machine 2 sets

Squat Training - Week 1, Cycle 5

5 April 2011

Back squat:

Warmup 3 sets
280 lbs. x 5
320 lbs. x 5
365 lbs. x 7

Close-stance high-bar super-deep squat:

185 lbs. x 5
205 lbs. x 5
230 lbs. x 5

Leg press 4 sets

Leg extension 3 sets

Experimented a bit with Romanian deadlifts - 3 sets x 5, light weight

Hanging leg raise 1 set x 10

Bench Press Training - First Day Of New Routine

4 April 2011

Started the Ed Coan routine in the hope of kick-starting my lagging bench press. I don't know if it's just me being uncomfortable with high reps, but I can honestly say this is the toughest pressing session I have ever done. I even used a rather conservative one-rep max of 310 lbs.

The first part (regular bench press) was tough, but doable. However, the close-grip bench presses totally floored me and I had to lower the incline press weight to a meager 135 lbs. instead of the 185 the program called for. I have never done any serious incline pressing, so I guess I'll have to catch up with this part of the program.

Regular bench press: warmup, then 210 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

Close-grip bench press: 195 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

Incline bench press: 135 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

This kicked my ass so bad that I just messed around with a few more exercises and called it a day.

Pullups/chinups 6 sets x 5

Low pulley rows 3 sets x 8-10

Olympic bar bicep curls 3 sets

Olympic bar skullcrushers 5 sets

DB hammer curls 3 sets

Deadlift Training - Week 3, Cycle 4

1 April 2011

Deadlift:

Warmup 2 sets
305 lbs. x 5 (double OH)
345 lbs. x 3 (first 2 DOH)
385 lbs. x 8 reps (not too shabby)

Stiff-leg deadlifts (subbed these for rack pulls): 135x5, 185x5, 225x5

Shrug machine 4-5 sets, relatively heavy

Weighted back raises 3 sets x 10

Leg curl 3 sets x 10

Weighted situps on incline ab board 3 sets x 8

Hanging leg raise 1 set x 10

Bodyweight as of this morning - 202.6 lbs. Hovering around the 200 mark, but will be trying to get back to a leaner 210 - this is the optimal weight for me as far as heavy lifting is concerned. I've lost too much ground on the bench press and squat to make the weight loss worth it.