Puff and Pant

10 April 2017

Pulls 405x5, 415x4, 435x3, 455x2, 475x1, 495x1

Stiff-legged pulls 2s x 5

Bent-over row 3s x 5

One-arm DB row x 40 reps, done in 20-10-10 format, did not use straps.

Seated leg curl 3s x 8


12 April 2017

SlingShot bench press 345x5, 355x4, 365x3, 375x2, 390x1, 365x1

Chest-supported row 10-8-6-6-6

Barbell triceps extension 4s x 5-6

One-arm DB preacher curl supersetted with EZ bar preacher curl x 4 sets

Machine incline press 5x5


14 April 2017

Squat 365x5, 385x5, 405x5, 410x5, 415x5, 405x5

Puffed and panted enough to make John McCallum proud.

Close-stance squat 315 lbs. 3 x 5

Front squat x 5, x 3

Next installment of this shitshow - second week of May.

Rowing Toward Pointlessness

3 April 2017

Pull 405x5, 415x4, 435x3, 455x2, 465x1, 485x1, 505x1

Belt from 455 up. I helped a friend move over the weekend and didn't expect much from today's session, but the weights somehow felt lighter.

Stiff-legged pull 2s x 5

Bent-over row 3s x 5

Smith machine front squat 3s x 5 - these are becoming my new favorite exercise. More like a sissy squat with weight than a barbell front squat.

One-arm row x 40 reps per arm

I need to figure out a good weight for these. The weight I used was too light so I just kept switching arms until I was done. The progression I've envisioned is:

• Do one all-out max rep set in the range of around 20 per arm
• Rest 30 seconds
• Do a second all-out set, trying to hit at least half the reps from first set
• Rest 30 seconds, put on lifting straps
• Do a third set with straps, aiming to match Set 2.

Once I can total 50 reps with no strain, increase weight by 5 lbs. I think 75 pounds would be a good starting point.

This gives me something to shoot for, but doesn't necessarily make sense. E.g. the third set with straps is supposed to allow for more back work in case of a failing grip, because this is what everyone does. But my upper back always fails before my grip does, so the straps are kind of pointless. Decisions.


5 April 2017

SlingShot bench press 335x5, 355x4, 365x3, 375x2, 390x1

Upper back was very sore and I struggled to control the bar on the way down. So I worked up to a heavy single and left it at that.

Barbell tricep extensions 3s x 5-6

Seated cable row 4s x 6 - barely made it through these. I guess those DB rows did have some effect, although I couldn't feel much on Monday.

Incline bench press 5-4-3-2

Preacher curl superset DBs + barbell x 4 sets

Cable tricep extensions 4s x 10-12


7 April 2017

Squat 365x5, 405x5, 410x5, 415x5, 405x5

Front squat 3s x 5

Leg press 5s x 10 - 3 sets with feet low on the plate, 2 sets with feet high

Hack squat 3s x 10


9 April 2017

Bench press 305x5, 315x4, 325x3, 335x2, 350x1, 365x1, 380x1

Pulldowns 10-8-6-5

Standing BTN press 115x5, 135x5, 155x5, 165x3, 165x3

Barbell curl 5x5

Reverse curl 3s x 5

Barbell tricep extensions 4s x 5-6

Overhead cable extensions 4s x 10

The Night Ocean

Recommended reading for Lovecraft fans - "The Night Ocean" by Paul La Farge. Coach and maybe Sunny D would really enjoy it IMO. I read the Goodreads blurb and it didn't seem particularly compelling, the story itself turned out to be quite different from what I expected, but in spite of all this it was a tremendously enjoyable read.


26 March 2017

Bench press 300x5, 310x4, 315x3, 325x2, 335x1, 350x1, 370x1

Pulldowns 10-8-6-5

Standing BTN press 115x8, 135x5, 145x4, 155x3, 165x2

Barbell curl 5x5

Barbell extensions 4s x 5 - not sure these were a good idea

Seated DB curl 4s x 6

Band pushdowns 3 sets x AMAP


27 March 2017

Pull 395x5, 415x4, 425x3, 445x2, 465x1, 485x1, 495x1

Belt from 465 lbs. and up.

Stiff-legged pull 2s x 5

Bent-over row 3s x 5

Wide stance leg press 3s x 8

Smith machine front squat 3s x 5


29 March 2017

SlingShot bench press 345x5, 355x4, 365x3, 375x2, 385x1, 395x1

Barbell tricep extensions 4s x 5-8

Smith machine bent-over row 10-8-6-5

Preacher curl DB + barbell superset x 4 sets

Overhead cable extensions 4s x 10-12


31 March 2017

Squat 405x5, 415x5, 425x4, 435x2, 405x2

I tweaked my right knee doing wide-stance leg presses on Monday, and it started to hurt a bit on the heavier sets, so I stopped squatting. The lack of volume is hurting my squat gainz (from previous experience, I know I need to squat twice a week to make progress, and I'm not interested in that right now), so, I'll probably switch to something more generic like 5x5 for squats going forward.

Front squat 3s x 5

Leg extension 2s x 12


2 April 2017

Bench press 300x5, 310x4, 315x4, 330x2, 340x1, 355x1, 375x1

Nice and smooth.

Pulldowns 10-8-6-5-5

Barbell curl 4s x 5

Barbell tricep extensions 4s x 6-8

Seated BTN press 135x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x4, 185x2