Strength In Weakness

20 February 2017

Bench press 285x5, 305x4, 315x3, 325x2, 335x1, 345x1, 365x1

Some pounds lost, but not bad for having trained once in the past five weeks. My coordination sucks and the movement feels awkward, but the bar is still going up. If I can keep my lifts at this level (90-95% of usual weight) with minimal training, I'll be pretty happy. Although it would be nice to make some progress sometime.

Close-grip bench press 2s x 5

Pulldowns 10-8-6-5, then 10 reps close grip

Standing BTN press 135x5, 155x4, 165x3, 170x2

DB preacher curl + EZ bar preacher curl x 4 supersets

Seated DB curl 10-8-6-5

Cable pushdowns x 3 sets


21 February 2017

Pull 365x5, 405x4, 425x3, 445x2, 455x1, 465x1, 475x1

Not much strength lost on the pull. This is encouraging.

Stiff-legged deadlift 2s x 5

Bent-over row 3s x 5

Front squat 3s x 5

I wanted to add some extra squatting on deadlift day, but my hips and back usually feel too beat up to squat. So I decided on front squats because I suck so bad at front squats that the minimal weight I use won't affect me too much. So really my front squat weakness turns out to be a strength. Kinda.

Wide stance leg press x 3 sets


23 February 2017

SlingShot bench press 335x5, 345x3, 355x3, 365x2, 385x1

Seated cable row 10-8-6-5-10

Incline bench press 8-5-5-4-3-2-1

No strength lost on the incline press. Not that there was much strength to lose, but the bar even felt lighter than usual.

Barbell curl 10-8-6-5-5, cheat curl last set

DB pullovers 4s x 10 - did these for triceps because I'm experiencing a bit of elbow irritation and pressing really hurts. They felt okay.

Incline bench DB curl 12 x 10, 3s x 8


24 February 2017

Squat 365x5, 385x4, 405x4, 415x3, 425x2, 435x1, 315 x 2s x 5

Front squat 3s x 5

Leg press, close stance 3s x 20

Hack squat 3s x 10

One Week On, Two Weeks Off

Back from vacation with a heavy cold. Breathing recycled air for 24+ hours at a time is always fun. But I had a great time otherwise.


30 January 2017

Bench press 300x5, 310x4, 320x3, 330x2, 345x1, 355x1, 365x1

Not bad for 2.5 weeks of not touching a barbell. Unracking the bar was somehow the hardest part.

Pulldowns 10-8-6-5-5

Preacher curl superset (DBs + EZ bar) x 4 sets

Machine close-grip press 3s x 8-10


31 January 2017

Pull 405x5, 420x4, 435x3, 455x2, 475x1, 485x1

Stiff-legged pull 300 lbs. 2s x 5

Hamstring curl 3s x 8-10

Smith machine bentover row 3s x 8, 1s x 6

Standing BTN press 125x5, 145x5, 155x5, 160x5, 160x5

Tricep superset overhead extensions + pushdowns x 3 sets


2 February 2017

SlingShot bench press 325x5, 340x4, 350x3, 360x2, 375x1, 390x1

Seated long cable rows 10-8-6-5

DB curls x 5 sets


3 February 2017

Squat 385x5, 405x4, 425x2, 445x1, 405x3

Training irregularly is doing a number on my squat. Deadlift and bench press seem to be doing fine. But not only have I lost a ton of weight off my squat, I've also really been struggling with the walkout portion lately. Basically if I can walk it out, I can squat it, but even medium weights feel unstable.

Based on past experience, I have to a) squat regularly, and b) squat at least 3 times in 2 weeks in order to maintain/progress on the squat. But I a) don't want to squat twice a week, and b) don't really care about my squat numbers enough to try to change things, so I guess it will keep going down.

Maybe in 2018 I can get back on track with training. I am really enjoying this 5-4-3-2-1 thing, though. Just wish I could do it more consistently.

Incline bench press 5-4-3-2-1 to make up for yesterday

Hack squat 5s x 8 - really felt this in the quads later on

Leg extensions 2s x 15

Abductor machine 2s x 15

I'm way weaker on the abductor machine than I used to be. Could be that weak hips = sucky squats.