Overhead Pressing and Bench Lockouts

31 January 2012

Seated BTN pressing sucked, did okay on standing overheads and managed some heavy bench press lockouts.

Seated BTN press 135 lbs. x 5, 155 lbs. x 3, 175 lbs. x 3, 185 lbs. x 2, 195 lbs. x fail (WTF)

Standing press 185 lbs. x 1, 205 lbs. x 1, 215 lbs. x 1, 225 lbs. x 1 - all flew up explosively, even the 225.

Pullups 5x5

Bench press lockouts - did these with different grips, managed 365x2 and 385x1 using a normal grip and something like 335 with a narrow grip.

Machine preacher curls 4 sets

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets

Squat Training - The Five-Week Cycle

30 January 2012

Second week of the 5-week cycle - the four sets of five after hitting a weekly max still suck, and they will only get heavier.

Back squat:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
340 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
385 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
410 lbs. x 1 (B+W) - the singles still feel fast and explosive, which is good. Shouldn't be any grinders at this point.
330 lbs. x 5 x 4 sets (sheer murder on the legs)

Paused squats to pins 310 lbs. x 3 reps (couldn't do the required five)

Glute-ham raise 3 sets x 5-8 reps - getting pretty good at these

Calf raise x 1 set, fairly high reps

Leg extension x 1 set

Bench Press Training

28 January 2012

Bench press: warmup, then 285 x 1, 310 x 1 (both flew up with good speed)
Back-off sets 280 lbs. x 4 sets x 3, 1 set x 1 (could not get the 5x3)

Incline press 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 245x1

Pullups 5x5

Smith machine bent-over rows 5 sets

Barbell curl x 4 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 3 sets

Squat Training

I haven't been good about logging my workouts this week - missed this one from sequence.

23 January 2012


Back squat:

Warmup x a few sets
275 lbs. x 4
330 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
375 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
400 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
320 lbs. x 5 x 5

Paused squats 300 lbs. x 5 (good pause on each rep)

Glute-ham raise 3 sets x 5 (getting okay at these)

Miscellaneous ab work x a few sets

Squats and Deadlifts

26 January 2012

Back squat:

Warmup x a few sets

330 lbs. x 1

375 lbs. x 1

400 lbs. x 1

Paused squat 300 lbs. x 5

Deadlift:

Warmup x a few sets

265 lbs. x 1

305 lbs. x 1

330 lbs. x 1 (all double OH)

Sumo deadlift 230 lbs. x 5

Deficit deadlift 230 lbs. x 5

Shrugs in power rack 135x10, 225x10, 315x100, 405x10

Overhead Press and Bench Press Lockouts

24 January 2012

Shoulder warmup: two-DB press 50sx5, 60sx3, 70sx3, 80sx3

BTN press 135x5, 155x3, 185x3, 200xfail, 185x3

Standing press 185x1, 205x1, 215x1

Close-grip bench press lockouts (starting from bottom position) – worked up to 300 lbs. x 2, then 320 lbs. x 2. Should do these more as they absolutely kill the triceps.

Pullups 5x5

Barbell curl x 3 sets

Bench Press Training

21 January 2012


Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets, 280 lbs. x 1, 305 lbs. x 1
275 lbs. 5 sets x 3

Close-grip bench press 235 lbs. + medium chains x 3 reps

Pullups 5x5

Smith machine rows x 4 sets

DB flyes x 1 set x as many as possible

Lateral raise, cheating, x 1 set x AMAP

Barbell curl 3 sets

Behind-the-head skullcrushers 2 sets

Two-DB incline bench curls 1 set

Squat and Pull Training

19 January 2011

Back squat:

Warmup x several sets
275 lbs. x 3
320 lbs. x 1
365 lbs. x 1
390 lbs. x 1

Paused squat 290 lbs. x 5

Deadlift:

Warmup 135x10, 225x5, 250x1
295 lbs. x 1
320 lbs. x 1
275 lbs. x 5

Sumo DL 225 lbs. x 5
Deficit DL 175 lbs. x 5

Rack shrugs 135x10, 225x10, 315x10, 405x8

Overhead Press and Accessory Training

17 January 2011


Warmup - two-DB press for sets of 5-2 from 50 to 75 lb'ers

Seated BTN press 135x6, 155x3, 185x2, 200x1

Standing OH press - worked up to 205 lbs. x 4

Pullups 3 sets x 5

Light bench press 190 lbs. x 2 sets x 8

Smith machine bent-over row 4 sets (great exercise)

Lateral side raise, cheating, 1 set

Barbell curl 4 sets

Concentration curl x 1 set

Squat Training

16 January 2012

I've been on a caffeine fast the last couple of days. Never thought it'd be this tough. Dragged ass in the gym today, but managed to get through the session.

Squat:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
275 lbs. x 4
320 lbs. x 1 (wraps + belt)
365 lbs. x 1 (W+B)
390 lbs. x 1 (W+B)
315 lbs. x 8 reps, x 6, x 6, x 5 (this was hard)

Paused squats 290 lbs. x 5

Light stiff-legged deadlifts x 2 sets

Leg press 4 plates x 8, 5 plates x 8

Various abdominal work - incline ab board situps x 2 sets, machine crunches x 3 sets

Bench Press Training

14 January 2012

Bench presses felt strong today, the bar went up explosively, almost like a speed bench.

Warmup x a few sets, 280 lbs. x 1, 300 lbs. x 1
Working sets 265 lbs. x 5 sets x 3 (felt good for 5 more sets)

Close-grip bench press 225 lbs. + medium chains x 2 sets x 3

Pullups 5x5

DB flyes x 1 set x AMAP

Rear delt flyes face down on incline bench x 1 set AMAP

Seated chest-supported rows 3 sets

Barbell curls 3 sets

Seated incline bench DB curls 1 set

Deadlift and More Squats

11 January 2012

Deadlift - all done double OH:

135 lbs. x 10
225 lbs. x 5
245 lbs. x 1
285 lbs. x 1
315 lbs. x 1 (was supposed to do 310 according to the program but that would've taken too much messing around with plates)
265 lbs. x 5

Sumo DL 225 lbs. x 5

Deficit DL 155 lbs. x 10

Squat: worked up to 315 - 365 - 385 lbs. x 1 (B+W), then paused squats 285 lbs. x 5

Machine shrugs 2 plates per side x 10, 3 pps x 10, 4 pps x 10

Overhead Press & Accessory Bench Press

10 January 2012

Seated behind-the-neck press:

No real program here, just playing it by ear and trying to inch the weight upward.

135 lbs. x 8
155 lbs. x 5
175 lbs. x 3
185 lbs. x 2
195 lbs. x 1
205 lbs. x fail

Standing overhead press - 205 lbs. x 2, x 3, x 2

Pullups 4 sets x 5

Light bench press 210 lbs. x 2 sets x 8 (very heavy after the OH pressing)

Skullcrushers (lowering beihnd head) x 3 sets

Machine preacher curls x 3 sets

Squat Training

9 January 2012

Back squat - starting new 14-week plan to get the big 500.

Warmup x a bunch of sets
255 lbs. x 3
315 lbs. x 1
355 lbs. x 1 (belt + wraps - felt kind of ridiculous putting them on but this is what the program calls for)
380 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
305 lbs. x 3 sets x 8, x 1 set x 6 (supposed to do 8x4, could not get 8 reps on set no. 3)

Paused squats 280 lbs. x 5 (good pause)

Incline ab board situps x 3 sets

Leg extensions and leg curls - 2 sets each around 8-10 reps, moderate intensity

Bench Press Training

7 January 2012

Bench press:

Warmup x several sets
290 lbs. x 1
255 lbs. x 3 x 5 sets (all with one- to two-second pause)

Incline press: 135x5, 185x3, 205x3, 225x2

Pullups 3 sets x 5 (hands were beat up from yesterday)

Skullcrushers x 3 sets

Machine preacher curl x 3 sets

Light DB flyes x 1 set x 12

Lateral raises, cheating x 1 set x 8

Deadlift Training

6 January 2012

Deadlift:

Warmup 135x10, 225x5, 315x2 (all double OH)
335 lbs. x 1
365 lbs. x 1
385 lbs. x 1
415 lbs. x 1
435 lbs. x 1

Sumo deadlift 275 lbs. x 5

Deficit deadlift (3-inch platform) 185 lbs. x 10

Rack shrugs 135x10, 225x10, 315x10, 405x7 (straps)

Incline ab board situps, 1 set weighted, 2 sets unweighted

Glute-ham raise 2 sets x 5

Hip thrusts with barbell 2 sets

Overhead Press and Extras

5 January 2011


I've gotten weak on the overhead press, long time since I've trained it regularly. Today I did a medley of OH pressing movements, some upper back work and a few sets for the arms.

Standing behind-the-neck press 135 lbs. x 5, 155 lbs. x 5

Standing regular (front) press - worked up in triples and doubles up to 185x3, 195x2, 205x1, 215x1 (even this felt heavy)

Seated BTN press - 135 lbs. x 5, 185 lbs. x 3

Seated chest-supported rows 2 sets x 6-8 reps w. 3 plates per side

DB flyes x 1 set x 12 reps

Pullups 6 sets x 5

Machine preacher curls 3 sets

Tricep skullcrushers 3 sets (extending arms behind the head until bar touches bench)

First Day Back - Squats and Light(ish) Bench Press

4 January 2012

First day back from holiday trip, which was productive (bodyweight at 204 lbs., had a ton of fun). I did some random lifting to prepare for next week, when I'll start running a Juggernaut Method cycle.

Squats:

Warmup x multiple sets, 5-3 reps
315 lbs. x 2
335 lbs. x 2
365 lbs. x 2
405 lbs. x 2
440 lbs. x 2 x 3 sets (not bad)

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
255 lbs. x 3
275 lbs. x 5
280 lbs. x 3

Then did a few sets of weighted hip thrusts (which are fun and will hopefully improve my leg drive if I remember to do them regularly) and cable pushdowns and called it a day.