Training - Press

28 January 2013


Incline press 250 lbs. x 6, x 3 sets x 5 - improvement here, still not where I wanted to be at the end of the 2-month incline press experiment, but it was fun.

Seated low pulley row with scap retraction 1 set x 10, then 4 sets x 6

Bench press 265 lbs. x 8

Seated BTN press on Smith machine 2 sets x 6-8, moderately heavy (couldn't get to a bar)

Pullups 3 sets x 5

DB skullcrushers (55s) 3 sets x 12

Concentration curl 4 sets x 6

Training - Legs

26 January 2013


Warmup/pre-exhaust leg ext. 2 x 12, abductor machine 1 x 20

Pause squat 135x5, 165x5, 215x5, 245x5, 265x5, regular squat 355 x 10

Leg press 5p x 10, 6p x 10, 7p x 2 sets x 8

Leg extension, heavy 3 sets x 12

Weighted incline board situps 3 x 8

Leg raises 2 x 8

Abductor machine, heavy 1 x 20

Adductor machine, heavy 1 x 20

Training - Press

25 January 2013


Incline press 250 lbs. x 6, x 3, x 5, x 5 - all over the place. Couldn't find a spotter until the fourth set.

Seated pulley row with scap shrug 4 sets x 6

Standing OH military press 185x5, 155x6, 135x8

Chinups 3 sets x 5

Barbell curl 3 sets x 10

Incline bench DB curl 1 set x AMAP

Seated pulley curl 2 sets x 15

Cable Pulls

24 January 2013


Made some short cables from Theraband tubing and am now using them together with the Hook handles and longer cables. The combined resistance is great and provides a longer range of motion, working the all-important beginning pull. Did sets of 12 on the following exercises:

Front chest pull
Overhead downward pull
Straight-arm front pulldown
Back press
Behind-the-neck forward pressout
Bicep curl
Front lateral raise
Hollow-position bent over row (2 sets, one 20 reps, one 15)
Archer pull

Training - Pull

23 January 2013


Warmup leg extension 2 x 12, abductor machine 1 x 20 (all light)

Deficit deadlift 135x10, 225x5, 315x2, 365x1, 385x1, 395x1

Shrugs 465 lbs. x 3 sets x 6

One-arm DB rows (105) x 20 each arm, rest-pause

Weighted incline board situp 3 sets x 8

Glute-ham raise 2 sets x 8

Training - Press

22 January 2013


Felt good today, after some sub-par sessions last week I've got my energy back. Presses felt solid.

Incline press 245 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 1 set x 7 - on to 250.

Bench press 265 lbs. x 9

Seated pulley row with scap shrug 4 sets x 6

Standing overhead front press 185x5, 155x5, 135x7 - interesting that I'm still pretty strong on these (in relation to my all-time bests) despite not training standing front military press for almost a year now.

Chinups 3 x 5

Rope pushdowns 2 sets x 12, heavy-ish

Concentration curl 4 sets x 6 (40 lbs.)

Training - Legs

20 January 2013


Pre-exhaust leg ext. 2 x 12, abductor machine 1 x 20

Paused squat 135x5 - 165x5 - 195x5 - 215x5 - 235x5 - 255x5

Reg squats 355 lbs. x 10

Leg press 5p x 10, 6p x 10, 7p x 10, 8p x 10

Leg extension 3 sets x 10

Weighted incline ab board situps 3 x 8

Abductor machine 1 x 20, heavy / adductor machine 1 x 20, heavy

Cardio work, about 20 minutes.

Training - Incline Press

19 January 2013


Weak day today, strength and energy at about 50%.

Incline press 245 lbs. x 4, x 5, x 4, x4

Bench press 265 lbs. x 8

T-bar rows 3 sets x 12 (3 plates)

Standing BTN press (115 lbs.) x 15, x 12, x 10

Tricep pushdowns, light, 3x12

DB bicep curls - wanted to do 100 reps with a pair of 20s, but only made it to 75

Bleh.

Training - Deadlift

18 January 2013


Today I did pulls at the gym near work. There's no platform there, so I had to lower the weights very carefully, which contributed to major lower back and hamstring soreness even before the session was done.

Stiff-legged deadlifts 135x10, 225x5, 275x5, 335x5

Weighted incline ab board situps 3 sets x 6-8

One-arm DB row (105 lbs.) x 17 right, x 18 left

Neutral-grip pullups 3 sets x 5

Leg curls 2 x 10, light

Training - Cable Pulls

17 January 2013


Went to the gym and warmed up for deadlifts... then I couldn't get to a platform. I couldn't get to a power rack. I couldn't even find a bar to do deadlifts off the floor. The gym was overcrowded with New Year resolutionists and 95-lb. power cleaners. I hung in there for about 30 minutes, then left.

At home I did "heavy" cable pulls for 12 reps instead, and felt much better. The exercises went as follows:

Front chest pull
Overhead downward pull (after rep 12 I reduced the resistance and hit another 8)
Straight-arm front pulldown
Back press
Neck pressout
Bicep curl (2 sets)
Archer pull
Front lateral raise
Back lateral raise
Shoulder shimmy

Training - Press

15 January 2013


Incline press 245 lbs. x 6, x 6, x 5, x 6 - finally some progress here

Seated low pulley row with scap shrug 2 sets x 6, then lighter 2 x 10

Standing BTN overhead press 120 lbs. x 15, x 12, x 12

Pullups 3 sets x 5

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets (rope, heavy) x 12, 2 sets one-arm reverse-grip x 12

Concentration curl 4 sets x 6

Training - Legs

14 January 2013


Warmup/pre-exhaust leg extension 2 x 12, adductor machine 1 x 20

Pause squat: 135x5 - 165x5 - 185x5 - 215x5 - 235x5 - 255x5

Regular squat 350 lbs. x 10

Leg press: 5p x 10, 6p x 10, 7p x 10, 8p x 10

Leg extension x12, x10, x10

Weighted incline board situp 3 x 8-10

Cable Pulls - Sets of 10

13 January 2013


Today I used more resistance than last time and did ten-rep sets of each exercise:

Overhead downward pull
Back press
Front chest pull
Straight-arm front pulldown
Behind-the-neck pressout
Bicep curl
Front lateral raise
Back lateral raise
Archer pull
Shoulder shimmy

Training - Press

13 January 2013


Incline press 245 lbs. x 4 sets x 5, 1 set x 3 - still can't get the 6 reps per set

Bench press 265 lbs. x 7

Seated low pulley row with scap shrug 4 sets x 6, heavy

Bradford press 3 sets x 5, 125 lbs.

Chinups 4 sets x 5

DB skullcrushers 1 x 12, 2 x 8 (60 lbs.)

Seated DB curl, 3 sets x 8-10

Incline bench DB curl 1 set x AMAP

Training - Deadlift

12 January 2013


Warmup / pre-exhaust: leg curls 2 x 12, abductor machine 1 x 20, KB swings 2 x 10

Mid-shin deadlift:

135x10 - 225x5 - 315x2 - 365x1 - 385x1 - 405x1 - 415x1 - 435x1 - 455x1

Didn't look like I was going to get much higher from the 455 lbs., so I stopped there. I forgot what a merciless exercise this is, the eccentric part even worse than the concentric because you also have to stop the bar mid-shin and avoid it crashing down on the pins at this weakest point. The day after my lower back was shot to hell.

HammerStrength shrugs x 15, 2 x 12, 1 x 10

Chest-supported row 3 x 12

Hanging leg raises 2 x 10

Glute-ham raise weighted 2 sets x 8, unweighted 1 set x 8

Weighted incline board situps 2 sets x 8

High-Rep Cable Pulls

11 January 2013


20-rep sets of each of the below:

Front chest pull
Overhead downward pull
Straight-arm front pulldown
Back press
Front press-out (place cable set against neck and push horizontally)
Bicep curl (2 sets)
Front lateral raise
Back lateral raise
Shoulder shimmy - a side scapular shrug from back press lockout
Archer pull

I'll try to do one day of high-rep pulls and one day of "heavier" low-rep pulls per week. Got to get back into cable work, it feels great.

Training - Press(es)

9 January 2013


Incline press 245 lbs. 1 set x 4, 3 sets x 5, 1 set x 3 (did the extra set to make up for not being able to hit 4x6)

Bench press 265 lbs. 1 set x 8

Seated long pulley row with scap shrug 4 x 6

Seated front military press 185x5, 155x6, 135x8

DB skullcrushers (60s) 2 sets x 12, 1 x 10

Concentration curls 4 x 6

Training - Squat

8 January 2013


Pre-exhaust / warmup: leg extension 2 x 12, abductor machine 1 x 20

Paused squats:

135x5 - 165x5 - 185x5 - 205x5 - 215x5 - 235x5 - 250x5

Regular squats 345 lbs. x 10

Leg press:

5 plates x 10 - 6p x 10 - 7p x 10 - 8p x 10 - 8 plates + 2x25s x 7

Leg extension 3 sets x 12 as heavy as I could handle

Weighted incline ab board situps 3 sets x 8

Abductor machine 1 x 20, heavy

Hip thrust 2 x 12

Training - Incline Press

6 January 2013


Started off with 1 x 20 on the abductor machine and 2 x 10 on the leg extension, even though it wasn't a lower-body day. Also did 3 x 12 front chest pulls with cables before going to the gym. Strange sensation today, felt like shit but the weights felt light.

Incline press 240 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 1 set x 7 (finally)

Bench press 265 lbs. x 8

Seated pulley row w scap shrug 4 sets x 6

Bradford press 3 sets x 5 (made it all the way up to 120 lbs. this time)

DB skullcrusher (60 lbs.) 1 set x 12, right tricep tendon felt a bit sore so I stopped here

Seated DB curl 4 sets x 10

Mixed in 2 x 10 on the leg ext. (moderately heavy) and 2 x 30 crunches.

Training - Stiff-Leg Deadlifts

5 January 2013


Stiff-leg deadlifts:

135x10 - 225x5 - 275x5 - 295x5 - 315x5

Barbell shrug 460 lbs. x 3 sets x 8

One-arm DB row (100 lbs.) x 20, x 10

Glute-ham raise 2 sets x 6 weighted, 1 set x 6 unweighted

Weighted incline ab board situps 3 x 8

Hip thrusts 2 sets x 15

Bench press bar x 100 reps ('cause I felt like it)

Training - Press

3 January 2013


Incline press 240 lbs. x 4 sets x 5 (still not even close to hitting 6 on any of the sets, let alone rep out on the last set)

Bench press 255 lbs. x 1 x 10 (felt like I had 2-3 more left in the tank, still no pain = win)

Seated low pulley row with scapular shrug 4 sets x 6, heavy

Seated front military press 185x5, 155x5, 135x5 (would like to work up to 205/185/155 eventually)

DB skullcrushers (60s) 2 sets x 12, 1 x 10 (triceps were fried at this point)

Concentration curl 4 sets x 6

DB incline bench curl 2 sets x AMAP

Training - Legs

2 January 2013


Continuing with the pre-exhaust and light paused squats:

Leg extension 2 x 12, abductor machine 1 x 15

Back squat:

135x8 - 155x8 - 175x8 - 185x8 - 195x8 - 205x8 - 215x8 - 235x8 - 325x7 - 325x8 (last set high bar, close-stance)

This was somewhat easier than the last squat session.

Leg press 5 plates x 12, x 12, x 20, x 10 - just did a bunch of reps

Weighted situps on incline board 3 x 8

Leg extensions, heavy 3 x 12

Hanging leg raises 2 x 10

Adductor machine 1 x 20

Abductor machine 1 x 20

Into the New Year - Cables and Foam Rolling

1 January 2013


Ushered in the New Year with some cable pulls and foam rolling. Cable pulls were done with the Hook - overhead downward pulls were also supplemented with Lifeline cables for a greater range of motion.

Front chest pull 3 sets x 12

Overhead downward pull 3 x 12, at the end of each set 1 x 5-6 with two Lifeline green cables

Straight-arm front pulldown 3 x 12

Neck press 3 x 12

Back tricep pressout 2 x 12

Bicep curl, two-handed 4 x 12-15

Front lateral raise 2 x 12

Back lateral raise 2 x 12

Foam rolling for lower back, thighs and piriformis.