Squats - First Week of 4-Week Cycle

27 February 2012


Back squat:

Warmup x a bunch of sets, 315x2, 335x2
380 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
425 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
440 lbs. x 1 (B+W) - misloaded here, should have done 450x1... but the way things were going 440 was enough
400 lbs. x 5
410 lbs. x 4
420 lbs. x 2
430 lbs. x 1

Paused squats 315 lbs. x 3, 325 lbs. x 1, 335 lbs. x 1

Leg press: 4 plates x 8, 5 plates x 8, 6 plates x 8

Leg extensions x 1 set A.M.A.P.

Abductor machine 1 set x 20

Adductor machine 1 set x 20

Still can't get rid of the pain in the left inner thigh.

Leg curl x 1 set A.M.A.P.

Extra Workout - Back and Arms

26 February 2012


Today I did about 45 minutes of assistance work to cover some areas I missed yesterday.

Seated low cable rows 4 sets x 8-10 reps (light, medium, then two heavy-ish sets)

Two-DB seated shrugs: 80 lbs. x 12, 100 lbs. x 8-10 x 2 sets

EZ bar preacher curl: 4 sets 6-10 reps plus some "burn" reps at the end of last 2 sets

Tricep pushdowns: 3 heavy sets x 8-10, then one light set x A.M.A.P (these were supersetted with the curls)

Incline ab board twisting situps x 3 sets

Bench Press Day

25 February 2012


Another strong session, although I couldn't finish the 5x3 with 290 lbs. as prescribed. Still did better than I expected.

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
295 lbs. x 1
320 lbs. x 1 (again, fast and explosive like it should be)
290 lbs. x 3 x 1 set, x 2 x 3 sets
275 lbs. x 3 x 1 set (lowered the weight on the last triple)

Triceps were pretty fried at this point, so I didn't do any close-grip pressing.

Pullups 5x5 (I still have that weird pain in my left lat)

Smith machine bent-over rows x 4 sets x 8-10 reps

DB flyes 40 lbs. x A.M.A.P

Tricep pushdowns, medium, 2 sets x 10+ reps

Cut the workout short due to time constraints but returned the next day to finish it off.

Deadlifts and Day 2 of Squats

23 February 2012


Lousy day today, the lower body hasn't recovered from the squatting on Monday yet. Fortunately this is the last week of high-rep squats (multiple sets of five after working up to a max for the week). It's been an excruciating experience - first the two weeks of sets of 8, then the five weeks of sets of five - but this phase is supposed to build the body up for the heavier triples, doubles and singles to come in the next 7 weeks. Seems to have worked well; my bodyweight is sitting at around 205 lbs. now with no noticeable gains in fat.

Once the deadlifts start getting heavy I'll have to rethink the whole squat-twice-a-week strategy. Or at least do one heavy day and some light squats on deadlift day, maybe with a safety bar.

Deadlift:

135 lbs. x 10, 225 lbs. x 5
300 lbs. x 1 (double OH)
345 lbs. x 1 (had to use mixed grip - too many shrugs on Tuesday!)
370 lbs. x 1 (mixed grip)

Sumo deadlift 275 lbs. x 5

Deficit deadlift 275 lbs. x 5

Squat: a few reps to warm up, then:

370 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
415 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
440 lbs. x 1 (B+W)

Paused squat 320 lbs. x 3 (even this felt more like 420)

Tried some leg presses, but legs were too sore and cramped at this point. Hit one 20-rep set each on the adductor and the abductor machine and left.

Press Training

21 February 2012

Seated behind-the-neck press:

140 lbs. x 5

160 lbs. x 4

170 lbs. x 3

180 lbs. x 2

195 lbs. x 1 x 5 sets

Seated front press: 185 lbs. x 1, 205 lbs. x 1, 185 lbs. x 2

Pullups 5x5

T-bar rows 4 sets x 8-10 reps

Seated chest-supported row 1 set x 10

Smith machine shrugs x 4 sets x 8-10 reps

Long-pause bench presses (5+-second pause on chest) – a few singles and doubles with 245 lbs., trying to find the optimal position for the bar on the chest.

Biceps supersets:

DB preacher curl 1 set + burn reps

EZ bar preacher curl 2 sets x burn reps

Barbell curl 1 set A.M.A.P.

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets x 10+ reps

Pressing is going well, despite being beat to death by yesterday's squatting.

Squat Training - Last Week of 5-Week Cycle

20 February 2012

Back squat:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
335 lbs. x 1
370 lbs. x 1 (belt + wraps)
415 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
440 lbs. x 1 (B+W)
360 lbs. x 5 x 4 sets (B+W)

Paused squats - fail

Glute-ham raise 2 sets x 5 reps

Leg extension 1 x set as many as possible

Leg curl 1 set x as many as possible

Calf raise 1 set x A.M.A.P.

Situps on ab board x 3 sets x A.M.A.P.

Bench Press Training

18 February 2012

Great session today, total opposite of the debacle last Saturday.

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
285 lbs. x 1
310 lbs. x 1 (smoked it)
280 lbs. x 5 sets x 3 (got all of them)

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

Pullups 5x5

T-bar rows x 3 sets 8-10 reps
Dips 2 x 10

Biceps medley:

DB preacher curls x 6 reps + 5-6 "burns"
EZ bar preacher curls x 6 reps + 5-6 "burns" x 2 sets
Barbell curls x as many as possible w. 95 lbs.

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Deadlift Training Plus Light Squats

16 February 2012

I'm taking it easy this week so today I did light safety bar squats to box instead of the usual heavy single sets.

Safety bar box squat - worked up to 225 lbs. x 5, then 245 lbs. x 4. Forgot how awkward the safety bar feels, especially when squatting to a box.

Deadlift: 135x10, 225x5, 245x1, 290x1, 335x1, 360 lbs. x 1 - all double overhand. For DOH the 360 might just be close to a PR.

Sumo deadlift 260 lbs. x 5

Deficit deadlift 260 lbs. x 5

A lot of ab work on incline board. Lately I've just been doing sets of twisting and regular situps without weight.

Hit a set of 8 reps on the glute-ham raise and left.

Press Training

14 February 2012


Much better pressing session than the one on Saturday.

Behind-the-neck press:

135 lbs. x 5, 155 lbs. x 4, 170 lbs. x 3, 180 lbs. x 2, 190 lbs. x 5 singles

Seated military press 135x3, 155x2, 175x1, 185x1, 195x1, 205x1, 215xfail

Pretty stoked about the front pressing, especially with the shoulders and arms very tired from the BTN press. Will definitely try doing more of this in the future.

Pullups 6 sets x 5

Seated chest-suported rows 3 x 10

Smith machine shrugs 3 sets x 10+ reps - much better stimulation of the traps compared to regular barbell shrugs and the shrug machine.

Dips (bodyweight) 3 x 10

One-arm machine preacher curls x 3 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 2 sets

Squat Training - Wekk 4 of 5-Week Cycle

13 February 2012

Back squat:

Warmup x several sets
315 lbs. x 1
360 lbs. x 1 (belt + wraps)
405 lbs. x 1 (b+w)
430 lbs. x 1 (bw)
350 lbs. x 5 x 4 sets (some with belt and wraps, some without)

Paused squat 330 lbs. x 2 (forget about five reps today)

Then one high-rep set of each:

Leg extensions
Leg curls
Adductor machine
Abductor machine
Glute-ham raise (only 8 reps)

Various ab work x 4 sets

Bench Press Training

11 February 2012


Shitty session today, felt weak and unstable while pressing. Perhaps at 75% of normal strength level.

Bench Press:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
245 lbs. x 1
285 lbs. x 1 (should have stopped here, this felt like 315 at least)
305 lbs. x 1 (this felt like a max)
270 lbs. x 3 x 3 sets, x 2 x 2 sets (couldn't even finish the 5x3... pathetic)

Pullups 5x5 (definitely have a strain in the left lat, in addition to the inflamed tricep tendon)

Smith machine bent-over rows 3 sets

One-arm machine preacher curls x 2 sets

I didn't feel like doing more so I called it a day. I'll need to back off a bit next week, my entire left side is riddled with nagging little sprains (adductor - lat - elbow). Keep it down to 3 heavy sessions at most. Also ditch the rack lockouts for the next three weeks, then work them back in.

Pulls and Shrugs

9 February 2012

Deadlift:

145 lbs. x 10
245 lbs. x 5
285 lbs. x 1
325 lbs. x 1
350 lbs. x 1 - all double OH

Sumo deadlift 245 lbs. x 5

Deficit deadlift 245 lbs. x 5

HammerStrength machine shrugs 4 sets x high reps

Various abdominal work

Figured out the lat pain issue, turns out it's really a massively inflamed tricep tendon. Will be rehabbing until Saturday.

Second Squat Day and Some Assistance Work

9 February 2012

Back squat:

Warmup x a bunch of sets

315 lbs. x 1

350 lbs. x 1 (belt + wraps)

395 lbs. x 1 (B+W)

420 lbs. x 1 (B+W)

340 lbs. x 5 x 4 sets

Paused squat 320 lbs. x 3

Got a weird pain in my left adductor (or abductor? inside left thigh). Combined with the painful lat it definitely seems like I'm falling apart right now.

Ab work x a shit-ton of sets and reps

Glute-ham raise x 1 set

Abductor/adductor machines x 3 sets

Overhead Press and Lockouts Again

7 February 2012

Seated BTN press:

135 lbs. x 5

155 lbs. x 4

165 lbs. x 3

175 lbs. x 2

185 lbs. x 1 x 5 sets

Standing press: 185 lbs. x 1, 205 lbs. x 1, 215 lbs. x 1, 225 lbs. x 1

Pullups/chin-ups 5x5

Seated HammerStrength rows 3 sets x 10, last set 3 plates per side

Bench press lockouts – worked up to 345 lbs. x 3, 365 lbs. x 1, alternating close and regular grip

Machine preacher curls 2 sets x fairly high reps

I have some pain in my left lat when doing pullups, got to try to work that trigger point out. Feels pretty bad.

More Squats

5 February 2012

Back squat:

Warmup x a few sets
315 lbs. x 1
350 lbs. x 1
395 lbs. x 1
420 lbs. x 1 (bit of a grind as I came up)
340 lbs. x 5 x 4 sets

Paused squat 320 lbs. x 5 (each rep paused on pins)

Glute-ham raise x 2 sets

Light hack squats x 2 sets

Calf raise, standing, 1 set

Training - Bench Press

4 February 2012

Bench press:

Warmup x a bunch of sets, 275 lbs. x 1
295 lbs. x 1 (came up very fast, very explosive)
265 lbs. x 5 sets x 3 - all paused

Pullups 5x5

Incline bench press 135x8, 185x3, 225x3

Seated chest-supported row 3 sets x 10, progressively heavier

Barbell curl 3 sets x 10

Tricep pushdown 3 sets x 10

Seated two-DB incline curl 1 set

Training - Squats and Deadlifts

2 February 2012


Back squat:

Warmup x a few sets
340 lbs. x 1
385 lbs. x 1
410 lbs. x 1

Paused squats 310 lbs. x 5 (good pause on pins for each rep)

Deadlift (all reps done double OH):

135x10, 225x5
275 lbs. x 1
315 lbs. x 1
340 lbs. x 1

Sumo squat 240 lbs. x 5

Deficit deadlift 240 lbs. x 5

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

Glute-ham raise 2 sets

Calf raise x 1 set