Training - Bench Press

31 October 2012

Bench press 295 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 1 set x 7 (finally)

T-bar row 2 plates x 20, 3 plates x 15, 4 plates x 10

Seated front military press 135x5, 155x3, 185x3, 205x1

Straight-arm pulldowns 3 sets x 6

DB skullcrushers (75s) x8, x8, x6

Concentration curl 4 sets x 6

Training - Deadlift (PR)

30 October 2012

Deadlift:

135x10 - 225x5 - 315x2 - 365x1 - 405x1 - 425x1 - 440x1 - 475x1 (PR)

Back-off 315 lbs. x 5

Bent-over row from floor 225 lbs. x 2 x 5

Barbell shrug 455 lbs. x 6, x 6, x 4

Glute-ham raise 2 sets x 8

Weighted situps on incline board 4 sets

Training - Bench Press

28 October 2012


Weak bench pressing session today, I was still very sore from pressing on Wednesday and the weight felt a good 15 lbs. heavier than it actually was. I think I'm hitting a sticking point in the program but I'll run the remaining 4 weeks and see where it gets me.

I also think eliminating the seated front military press from the second round of the program was a mistake. Will definitely do more of those.

Bench press 320 lbs. x 4 sets x 2

Close-grip BP 235 lbs. x 10

Low pulley row 3 sets x 10, progressively heavier

Seated front military press:

135x5 - 155x5 - 175x5 - 195x2 (got weak on these, that's for sure)

Straight-arm lat pulldown 4 sets x 6

Concentration curl 4 sets x 6, heavy

Tricep pushdowns with rope attachment, 3 progressively heavier sets x 8-10 reps

Training - Squat

27 October 2012


High-bar close stance squat:

Warmup x a few sets - 315x5 - 365x5 - 425x3x5

I usually wear a belt on at least 2 of the heavy sets, as the high-bar position tends to place extra stress on the lumbars.

Close-stance leg press: 10 reps with 5 plates - 6 plates - 7 plates - 7 plates +25s

Glute-ham raise 1 set unweighted, 2 sets weighted

Leg extension 3 sets x 10, heavy

Weighted situps 4 sets

Training - Bench Press

25 October 2012


Bench press 295 lbs. x 4 sets x 6 (just can't get that 7th rep on the last one)

Pullups 5x5

Standing BTN military press 125 lbs. x 12, x 10, x 6

Straight-arm pulldown 5 sets of 6 (new exercise, tried it and liked it, allows for a nice lat squeeze, low weight)

Concentration curl 5 sets of 6 (I never do these, worked up to a set w. 45 lbs.)

DB skullcrushers (75s) 3 sets x 8

Training - Pull (PR)

23 October 2012


Back on track with slow but steady progress.

Deadlift:

135x10 - 225x5 - 315x2 - 365x1 - 405x1 - 435x1 - 470x1

Back-off 300 lbs. x 2 sets x 5

Shrugs: 455 lbs. x 8, x 6, x 6

Glute-ham raise 2 sets

Weighted incline board situps 3 sets

Leg curl, single-leg, 1 set AMAP

Training - Squat

21 October 2012

Short session today, not much time.

Back squat - high bar, close-stance:

Warmup x a few sets - 315x5 - 365x5 - 415 x 3 sets x 5

Leg press 10 reps 4 plates - 5 plates - 6 plates - 7 plates

Training - Bench Press

20 October 2012


Bench press 320 lbs. x 5 sets x 3

Close-grip BP 235 lbs. x 1 set x 9

Pulldowns 3 sets x 20

T-bar rows 2 plates x 20, 3 plates x 15, 3 plates + 25 x 12

DB skullcrushers (75s) 2 sets x 8, 1 set x 6

Low incline bench DB curls 3 sets x 10

Training - Pull (No PR)

18 October 2012


Trained with a bad cold today but lifts went well. Got too greedy and tried a hit a third consecutive PR, 10 lbs. over last week's no less. Needless to say, it didn't work.

Deadlift:

135x10 - 225x5 - 315x2 - 385x1 - 420x1 - 440x1 - 475 x fail (welded to floor) - 295 x 2 x 5

Cut the rest of the workout short as energy levels were low.

Glute-ham raise 3 sets

Weighted abs 3 sets

Training - Squat

17 October 2012

Squat training - dialed the weights back a bit to focus on the deadlift more. The 3x5 cycle I ran worked perfectly, hit a 15-lb. PR without strain. I'll continue with the same training format, but I won't be pursuing a squat PR for a while until my DL improves.

Back squat - high bar and close stance: warmup, 315x5, 365x5, 405x3x5 (hit the quads nicely)

Leg press: sets of 10 reps with 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 plates per side

Glute-ham raise 3 sets

Weighted situps 4 sets

Super 100s: leg extensions (only got 60 reps)

Training - Bench Press

15 October 2012


Weak session after a binge eating/drinking weekend. I'm going into the part of the program where I do heavy triples on the second bench press day - we'll see how that goes.

Bench press 295 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 1 set x 4

T-bar rows 2 plates x 20, 3 plates x 15, 3 plates + 25 x 12, x 11

Standing BTN press 120 lbs. x 3 sets x 12

Pulldowns x 20, x 12

DB skullcrushers (75s) 2 sets x 8, 1 x 6

Super 100s: barbell curls

Training - Pull (PR)

11 October 2012


Another deadlift session, another small personal record. The 500 mark will fall 5 lbs. at a  time.

Deadlift:

135x10 - 225x5 - 315x2 - 365x1 - 415x1 - 430x1 - 465x1 (PR)

Not bad, considering I failed to lift 365 with a double overhand grip and felt shitty in general.

Shrug (straps) 445 lbs. x 3 sets x 8

Glute-ham raise 3 sets

Weighted abs 3 sets

Leg adduction 1 set x 20

Super 100s: leg extension

Training - Bench Press

10 October 2012


Bench press 295 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 1 set x 5

There was definite pain in the right pectoral, like a bad strain. Will have to work on this before the next bench pressing session. Another low energy session - will take 3 days off this weekend.

T-bar rows 2 plates x 20, 3 plates x 15, 3 plates + 25 x 12, x 10

Super 100s:

Front raise
Barbell curl (110 reps)
Tricep pressdown

Training - Legs (Light)

7 October 2012


I felt completely beat up after last week's big pulling and squatting PRs, so a light session was in order.

Bar x 10 - 135x8 - 225x3 - 265x5 - 275x5 - 315x5 - 345x5

345 lbs. x 5 felt ridiculously hard, my entire body seemed to rebel against the bar on my back.

Leg press 4 plates x10, 5 plates x 10, 6 plates x 10, 7 plates x 10, 8 plates x 8

Glute-ham raise 3 sets x 8

Weighted abs 4 sets

Super 100s: leg extension, 10 lbs. heavier than last super 100 set.

Training - Bench Press

6 October 2012


Bench press 295 lbs. x 6, x 5, x 6, x 6 - 2-rep improvement over last time, but still no rep 7 on that last set.

T-bar rows 2 plates x 20, 3 plates x 15, 3 plates + 25 x 12, x 10

Seated BTN press - worked up to a single with 205 lbs.

Pulldowns 2 sets x 20 (added 10 lbs. to last week's weights)

DB skullcrushers (70s) 3 sets x 10

Barbell curls, 95 lbs. x 30 reps total

Incline bench DB curls 3 sets

Training - Deadlift (PR)

4 October 2012


Today I broke a two-year-old deadlift personal record to finish a strong week in which I also set a PR in the squat (and probably a rep record in the bench press - never done a set of 6 with 295 lbs. before, let alone two sets in the same session). Feels good to break out of what seemed like an eternal rut with the pull.

Deadlift:

135x10 - 225x5 - 320x2 - 370x1 (all double overhand) - 415x1 - 430x1 - 460x1 (PR)

Of course I got greedy and went after 475 lbs., which stalled halfway up.

Back-off 285 lbs. x 2 sets x 5

HammerStrength shrugs 5 sets

Glute-ham raises 2 sets x 8

Weighted abs x 5 sets

Face pulls 3 sets x 20

Training - Bench Press

2 October 2012


Bench press 295 lbs. x 6, x 5, x 6, x 4

Should have gotten 6 on that second set, but was too beat up after yesterday.

Pullups 5x5

Standing BTN press 3 x 12 (115 lbs.)

Super 100s: tricep pushdowns, cable bicep curls

Training - Squat (PR)

1 October 2012


Back squat:

135x5 - 215x5 - 265x5x2 - 365x3 - 405x3 - 455x3 (belt) - 505x2 (belt, wraps) - 515x1

Both 505 and 515 are personal bests, felt pretty solid.

Leg press:

4 plates + 25 x 10, 5 plates +25 x 10, 7 plates x 10

Weighted abs x 5 sets

Leg extensions: went for 100 reps, but only got 70.