4 April 2016
Bench press 300 lbs. x 5, 295 lbs. x 5, 275 lbs. x 5, 270 lbs. x 5
Paused bench press 270 lbs. x 5, 245 lbs. 2s x 5
Pulldowns 4s x 8
Standing BTN press 8 reps with 120-135-140-140 lbs.
Dips 2s x 10, 2s x 8
Incline DB curl + ring chinup superset x 4
5 April 2016
Pull 405 lbs. x 5, 385 lbs. 2s x 5, 365 lbs. x 5
Lats were tired and very sore from yesterday, so deadlifting was not easy.
Bent-over row 3s x 5 - cut it short due to low back twinge
Seated leg curl 4s x 8
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
End of Intensity Block
31 March 2016
SlingShot bench press 375 lbs. x 2, 365 lbs. x 2, 355 lbs. 2x2, 345 lbs. x 2, 335 lbs. 2x2
The top set with 375 felt light and explosive, maybe could have been 380x2. The other sets also went well.
Seated row 2s x 8, 3s x 5
Standing BTN press 155x5, 165x5, 155x5
Dips 4s x 8
Incline bench DB curls 4s x 8
Pushdowns 2s x AMAP
2 April 2016
Squat 435 lbs. x 3, 425 lbs. 2s x 3, 405 lbs. x 3
High bar squat 315 lbs. 3s x 5
Bent-over row 5x5
Leg extensions 4s x AMAP
SlingShot bench press 375 lbs. x 2, 365 lbs. x 2, 355 lbs. 2x2, 345 lbs. x 2, 335 lbs. 2x2
The top set with 375 felt light and explosive, maybe could have been 380x2. The other sets also went well.
Seated row 2s x 8, 3s x 5
Standing BTN press 155x5, 165x5, 155x5
Dips 4s x 8
Incline bench DB curls 4s x 8
Pushdowns 2s x AMAP
2 April 2016
Squat 435 lbs. x 3, 425 lbs. 2s x 3, 405 lbs. x 3
High bar squat 315 lbs. 3s x 5
Bent-over row 5x5
Leg extensions 4s x AMAP
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Back to Pulling
30 March 2016
I worked on my QL for a couple of days, and today was able to get some pulls in. Not just get them in, but actually hit the planned top set weight. So I'm very happy about that.
Pulls 455 lbs. x 2, 445 lbs. x 2, 435 lbs. x 2, 425 lbs. x 2, 405 lbs. x 2
All pulls were easy and explosive. I worked my way up very gradually so as to not aggravate my injury, and feel like I could have lifted more for my top set of 2 if I hadn't taken so many warmup sets. But overall I'm stoked I could deadlift at all.
In the interest of full disclosure, I used a belt on all sets from 425 up.
Smith machine bent over row 5x5
Leg curl 4s x 8
Leg raise 2s x AMAP
I worked on my QL for a couple of days, and today was able to get some pulls in. Not just get them in, but actually hit the planned top set weight. So I'm very happy about that.
Pulls 455 lbs. x 2, 445 lbs. x 2, 435 lbs. x 2, 425 lbs. x 2, 405 lbs. x 2
All pulls were easy and explosive. I worked my way up very gradually so as to not aggravate my injury, and feel like I could have lifted more for my top set of 2 if I hadn't taken so many warmup sets. But overall I'm stoked I could deadlift at all.
In the interest of full disclosure, I used a belt on all sets from 425 up.
Smith machine bent over row 5x5
Leg curl 4s x 8
Leg raise 2s x AMAP
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Quadratus Lumborum
28 March 2016
Bench press 320 lbs. x 3, 305 lbs. 2s x 3
Paused bench press 290 lbs. x 2, 280 lbs. x 2, 275 lbs. x 2
Halfway through my warmup set with 135, my right lower back cramped up badly. It was fine while I was pressing, more of a discomfort than a pain, but got progressively worse as the workout went on. I did some research when I came home and figured out it's a trigger point in my quadratus lumborum (Google that because there's no easy way to explain it). So bad news, I can barely bend over from the pain, but good news, I have located the trigger point and am currently working on releasing it. My squat and deadlift days might have to be moved to next week. I was still able to bench press without problem.
But yes, hurrah for new and exotic trigger point locations. A few months ago there was one in my traps (I think) that was holding me back on the bench press, also in a muscle group with a complicated name. That one I dealt with successfully, so I'm staying positive about this one too.
Pulldowns 5x5
Smith machine incline bench press 5x5
Preacher curl machine 4s x AMAP
Bench press 320 lbs. x 3, 305 lbs. 2s x 3
Paused bench press 290 lbs. x 2, 280 lbs. x 2, 275 lbs. x 2
Halfway through my warmup set with 135, my right lower back cramped up badly. It was fine while I was pressing, more of a discomfort than a pain, but got progressively worse as the workout went on. I did some research when I came home and figured out it's a trigger point in my quadratus lumborum (Google that because there's no easy way to explain it). So bad news, I can barely bend over from the pain, but good news, I have located the trigger point and am currently working on releasing it. My squat and deadlift days might have to be moved to next week. I was still able to bench press without problem.
But yes, hurrah for new and exotic trigger point locations. A few months ago there was one in my traps (I think) that was holding me back on the bench press, also in a muscle group with a complicated name. That one I dealt with successfully, so I'm staying positive about this one too.
Pulldowns 5x5
Smith machine incline bench press 5x5
Preacher curl machine 4s x AMAP
Monday, March 28, 2016
Squat and Out
26 March 2016
Squat 445 lbs. x 2, 425 lbs. 3s x 2, 405 lbs. x 2
Used a belt for the sets with 445 and 425. Again, squats felt strong. So I decided not to do anything else and went home.
Will work up to a heavy triple next week. Weight to beat is 425x3 from last cycle, which I think is doable.
Squat 445 lbs. x 2, 425 lbs. 3s x 2, 405 lbs. x 2
Used a belt for the sets with 445 and 425. Again, squats felt strong. So I decided not to do anything else and went home.
Will work up to a heavy triple next week. Weight to beat is 425x3 from last cycle, which I think is doable.
Friday, March 25, 2016
Better Gainz
24 March 2016
SlingShot bench press 365 lbs. x 3, 345 lbs. x 3, 350 lbs. x 2
Was probably good for 350x3, but decided not to use a spotter and quit the set early. On the 365x3 set, I did use a spotter but told him not to touch the bar.
Seated cable row 4s x 8 - used two separate handles instead of the V-handle as usual. Felt different.
Incline bench press 5x5
Cable fly 3s x 8
EZ bar curl 4s x 8
Tricep pushdowns 3s x 8-10
SlingShot bench press 365 lbs. x 3, 345 lbs. x 3, 350 lbs. x 2
Was probably good for 350x3, but decided not to use a spotter and quit the set early. On the 365x3 set, I did use a spotter but told him not to touch the bar.
Seated cable row 4s x 8 - used two separate handles instead of the V-handle as usual. Felt different.
Incline bench press 5x5
Cable fly 3s x 8
EZ bar curl 4s x 8
Tricep pushdowns 3s x 8-10
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Spotter Check
21 March 2016
Bench press 330 lbs. x 2, 310 lbs. 2x2
Paused bench press 285 lbs. x 3, 265 lbs. x 3
On my heavy sets I usually get a spotter, but tell them not to touch the bar unless it starts coming back down. It works really well and I haven't had issues unracking the bar at all. This time (for some unknown reason) I asked for a hand-off, with almost disastrous consequences. The spotter kept pushing the bar toward my feet and I kept fighting him back for a good ten seconds or so. By the time I actually stabilized the bar to lower it and press, I was completely out of the groove and had let out all my air twice (to ask the guy to stop pushing on the bar). The second rep was a struggle.
Note to self: yes to spotters, no to help with unracking the bar.
Pulldowns 5x5
Concentration curl 4s x 8
Pushdowns 4 sets x AMAP
22 March 2016
Pull 440 lbs. x 3, 420 lbs. 2s x 3
Bent-over row 5x5
Seated two-DB press 4s x 5 - because I skipped OH pressing yesterday.
Leg curl 4s x 8
Ab exercises 3 sets
Bench press 330 lbs. x 2, 310 lbs. 2x2
Paused bench press 285 lbs. x 3, 265 lbs. x 3
On my heavy sets I usually get a spotter, but tell them not to touch the bar unless it starts coming back down. It works really well and I haven't had issues unracking the bar at all. This time (for some unknown reason) I asked for a hand-off, with almost disastrous consequences. The spotter kept pushing the bar toward my feet and I kept fighting him back for a good ten seconds or so. By the time I actually stabilized the bar to lower it and press, I was completely out of the groove and had let out all my air twice (to ask the guy to stop pushing on the bar). The second rep was a struggle.
Note to self: yes to spotters, no to help with unracking the bar.
Pulldowns 5x5
Concentration curl 4s x 8
Pushdowns 4 sets x AMAP
22 March 2016
Pull 440 lbs. x 3, 420 lbs. 2s x 3
Bent-over row 5x5
Seated two-DB press 4s x 5 - because I skipped OH pressing yesterday.
Leg curl 4s x 8
Ab exercises 3 sets
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