A few lifts in the new year:
Squat 475x3, paused 380x3
Bench press 350x2, 330x4, SlingShot 365x4, 360x4
Deadlift 465x3
Seated BTN press 195x5
Looks like I've caught some sort of nasty virus to ring in the new year. About to travel for work through January and February, so no lifting.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Holiday Heaves
Deadlift 440x4 and 450x4
Bench press 340x4, SlingShot 335x8
Squat 465x3, paused 370x3
Back was hurting pretty badly after the most recent deadlift workout, and my left foot was going numb too. Thankfully my back is fine, but I did find massive trigger points in my piriformis and IT band. I've been using a foam roller and everything feels much better now. Added some stretching/yoga poses into my morning warmup routine too.
Other than that I think I could have pulled about 5 pounds more and should have gone with 345 on the bench press, but I was trying to hit more back-off sets (which I did, 2x4 with 320).
I'm currently reading Now and On Earth by Jim Thompson, which Coach sort of reviewed a while ago. It's okay, but nothing like the other books I've read by the same author. Thompson was infinitely better at noir-type stuff and I don't quite know what to call this book. I guess in the 1940s this sort of writing passed for "edgy", from a modern perspective it just seems unnecessarily disjointed.
Bench press 340x4, SlingShot 335x8
Squat 465x3, paused 370x3
Back was hurting pretty badly after the most recent deadlift workout, and my left foot was going numb too. Thankfully my back is fine, but I did find massive trigger points in my piriformis and IT band. I've been using a foam roller and everything feels much better now. Added some stretching/yoga poses into my morning warmup routine too.
Other than that I think I could have pulled about 5 pounds more and should have gone with 345 on the bench press, but I was trying to hit more back-off sets (which I did, 2x4 with 320).
I'm currently reading Now and On Earth by Jim Thompson, which Coach sort of reviewed a while ago. It's okay, but nothing like the other books I've read by the same author. Thompson was infinitely better at noir-type stuff and I don't quite know what to call this book. I guess in the 1940s this sort of writing passed for "edgy", from a modern perspective it just seems unnecessarily disjointed.
Friday, December 15, 2017
Volumization
Lifts in the past week (volume focused):
Deadlift 425x5 (no belt)
Bench press 335x4, SlingShot 345x5
Squat 445x5, paused 365x4
Press behind neck standing 155 x 2 sets x 5, seated 195x3, 175x5
Looking back, 2017 has been one of my best years strength-wise. Training has been haphazard and I wasn't able to follow a regular program, but I retained a decent amount of strength and posted some good numbers in the 3-5RM range. With some more consistency I'm pretty sure I could have equaled my best ever bench press and deadlift poundage and done a five plate squat.
Still doing a lot of constant-tension bicep work (mostly machines and cables) and tricep exercises with bands (e.g. band+cable pushdowns). It's a little easier on the joints (elbows are giving me trouble again) and produces a really great pump.
Friday, December 8, 2017
In Brief
Some highlights from the past week or so:
Deadlift 465x3
Bench press 330x4, with SlingShot 370x3 (not in same workout)
Squat 440x5, 370x3 paused
My December travel got canceled, so I will now have enough time to run a full 6-week power training cycle before the next trip. I don't feel like I lost too much strength this year, and I was pretty happy with the results I got from the cycle I ran this summer, so I'm pretty excited about this.
Bodyweight is consistently around 220, in spite of very sporadic training. I would prefer to stabilize it at 215, but all my pants still fit fine and I'm not overly concerned about it.
Deadlift 465x3
Bench press 330x4, with SlingShot 370x3 (not in same workout)
Squat 440x5, 370x3 paused
My December travel got canceled, so I will now have enough time to run a full 6-week power training cycle before the next trip. I don't feel like I lost too much strength this year, and I was pretty happy with the results I got from the cycle I ran this summer, so I'm pretty excited about this.
Bodyweight is consistently around 220, in spite of very sporadic training. I would prefer to stabilize it at 215, but all my pants still fit fine and I'm not overly concerned about it.
Friday, December 1, 2017
Pointless Logging
27 November 2017
SlingShot bench press 335x5, 345x5, 355x2, 370x3, 335x3
T-bar rows 4s x 8
Barbell curl 4s x 8
Barbell extension 2s x 10, reverse grip 1s x 10
I don't get reverse grip benching, or how people move huge weights that way. I used very light weights for the extensions and still almost died unracking the bar.
Standing BTN press 135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x5
This is the second OHP workout in a row that I've worked up to 175 on my heaviest set, which makes me happy.
Preacher DB curl 4s x 6
Overhead cable extensions 4s x 10-12
29 November 2017
Paused squat 320x5, 350x3, 370x3, 380x2
Squat 405x5, 425x5, 445x3, 465x3
Stiff-legged DL 3s x 5
Hack squat 3s x 12
1 December 2017
Bench press 300x5, 310x5, 320x5, 340x3, 355x2, 275x5
Pulldowns 10-8-7-7
Hammer curl 4s x 8
Preacher curl machine 3s x 12
Overhead tricep extensions 4s x 12
SlingShot bench press 335x5, 345x5, 355x2, 370x3, 335x3
T-bar rows 4s x 8
Barbell curl 4s x 8
Barbell extension 2s x 10, reverse grip 1s x 10
I don't get reverse grip benching, or how people move huge weights that way. I used very light weights for the extensions and still almost died unracking the bar.
Standing BTN press 135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x5
This is the second OHP workout in a row that I've worked up to 175 on my heaviest set, which makes me happy.
Preacher DB curl 4s x 6
Overhead cable extensions 4s x 10-12
29 November 2017
Paused squat 320x5, 350x3, 370x3, 380x2
Squat 405x5, 425x5, 445x3, 465x3
Stiff-legged DL 3s x 5
Hack squat 3s x 12
1 December 2017
Bench press 300x5, 310x5, 320x5, 340x3, 355x2, 275x5
Pulldowns 10-8-7-7
Hammer curl 4s x 8
Preacher curl machine 3s x 12
Overhead tricep extensions 4s x 12
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Turkey Trot
18 November 2017
Bench press 275x5, 300x5, 310x4, 320x5, 330x4, 345x3, 350x2, 280x5
Pulldowns 10-8-7-5
Seated cable row 3s x 8
Barbell curl 1s x 10, 3s x 8
Barbell extension 4s x 6-8
One-arm DB press 60 lbs. 3s x 8
Incline bench DB curl 3s x 8
Incline bench EZ bar extension 3s x 8
19 November 2017
Deadlift 405x5, 415x4, 435x3, 445x2, 455x2
Squat 3s x 5
Leg press close stance x15, x12, wide stance 2s x 12
21 November 2017
SlingShot bench press 325x5, 335x4, 355x3, 365x3, 315x3
T-bar rows 4s x 8
Barbell extension 2s x 10, 1s x 8
Standing BTN press 135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x5, push press 185x3
Barbell curl 1s x 10, 3s x 8
Preacher DB curl 3s x 6-8
Incline bench EZ bar extension 3s x 8-10
Overhead cable extension 2s x 15
22 November 2017
Paused squat up to 355x3
Squat 405x5, 425x5, 445x3, 455x3, 365x5
Stiff-legged deadlift 3s x 5
Leg press, close stance 3s x 12-15
24 November 2017
Bench press 305x5, 325x5, 340x3, 350x3, 315x5
Pulldowns 10-8-6-5
Barbell extension 2s x 8
Barbell curl 1s x 10, 3s x 8
One-arm DB press 65 lbs. 2s x 8
26 November 2017
Deadlift 405x5, 415x5, 440x3, 460x3, 415x1
Bent-over row 3s x 5
Squat 3s x 5
Leg press close stance x 20, x 15, wide stance x 10, x 15
Bench press 275x5, 300x5, 310x4, 320x5, 330x4, 345x3, 350x2, 280x5
Pulldowns 10-8-7-5
Seated cable row 3s x 8
Barbell curl 1s x 10, 3s x 8
Barbell extension 4s x 6-8
One-arm DB press 60 lbs. 3s x 8
Incline bench DB curl 3s x 8
Incline bench EZ bar extension 3s x 8
19 November 2017
Deadlift 405x5, 415x4, 435x3, 445x2, 455x2
Squat 3s x 5
Leg press close stance x15, x12, wide stance 2s x 12
21 November 2017
SlingShot bench press 325x5, 335x4, 355x3, 365x3, 315x3
T-bar rows 4s x 8
Barbell extension 2s x 10, 1s x 8
Standing BTN press 135x5, 145x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x5, push press 185x3
Barbell curl 1s x 10, 3s x 8
Preacher DB curl 3s x 6-8
Incline bench EZ bar extension 3s x 8-10
Overhead cable extension 2s x 15
22 November 2017
Paused squat up to 355x3
Squat 405x5, 425x5, 445x3, 455x3, 365x5
Stiff-legged deadlift 3s x 5
Leg press, close stance 3s x 12-15
24 November 2017
Bench press 305x5, 325x5, 340x3, 350x3, 315x5
Pulldowns 10-8-6-5
Barbell extension 2s x 8
Barbell curl 1s x 10, 3s x 8
One-arm DB press 65 lbs. 2s x 8
26 November 2017
Deadlift 405x5, 415x5, 440x3, 460x3, 415x1
Bent-over row 3s x 5
Squat 3s x 5
Leg press close stance x 20, x 15, wide stance x 10, x 15
Friday, November 3, 2017
Westside Experiment
30 October 2017
Deadlift 405x5, 415x4, 440x3, 465x3, 440x3
Third day lifting in a row, and I managed to hit my weight goals, but was definitely starting to feel creaky (piriformis pain, twitches around my left knee). Very happy about hitting three successful workouts in a row, though. Left knee has been bothering me since I went on a scrambling hike in September. I've been working on it with a foam roller, but I'm pretty inconsistent with that thing.
Bent-over row 2s x 5
Squat, light 3s x 5
Paused shrug x 20, x 15
1 November 2017
SlighShot bench press 335x5, 345x4, 365x3, 345x3, 325x3
Weak again on the geared bench press, but at least I picked the right weight for the top set and made all three reps. As long as I keep hitting my raw bench press goals, I don't really care how much I can lift with the SlingShot, so this is fine.
T-bar rows 2s x 10
Chest-supported rows 2s x 8
Standing BTN press 135x5, 155x5, 165x5, 165x5, 145x5
Push press 155x3, 185x3, 210x3
Haven't tried a push press in years. 210x3 felt a lot harder than I remember.
Barbell curl 2s x 10, 2s x 8
Preacher curl + spider curl superset x 3 sets
Pushdowns (regular + reverse grip) x 3 sets
3 November 2017
Paused squat 325x5, 345x5, 375x3, 390x3
Squat 405x5, 425x5, 445x3, 470x3, 445x2
Squats didn't feel very strong today and I had doubts about making the top set. But I went for it and it was good.
Reverse band bench press 265x5, 285x5, 300x5
Tried this for a change and some added press volume. Not really sure how I feel about it. 300x5 with reverse bands felt pretty much like 300x5 without reverse bands. Conclusion: I probably set the bands up wrong.
Deadlift 405x5, 415x4, 440x3, 465x3, 440x3
Third day lifting in a row, and I managed to hit my weight goals, but was definitely starting to feel creaky (piriformis pain, twitches around my left knee). Very happy about hitting three successful workouts in a row, though. Left knee has been bothering me since I went on a scrambling hike in September. I've been working on it with a foam roller, but I'm pretty inconsistent with that thing.
Bent-over row 2s x 5
Squat, light 3s x 5
Paused shrug x 20, x 15
1 November 2017
SlighShot bench press 335x5, 345x4, 365x3, 345x3, 325x3
Weak again on the geared bench press, but at least I picked the right weight for the top set and made all three reps. As long as I keep hitting my raw bench press goals, I don't really care how much I can lift with the SlingShot, so this is fine.
T-bar rows 2s x 10
Chest-supported rows 2s x 8
Standing BTN press 135x5, 155x5, 165x5, 165x5, 145x5
Push press 155x3, 185x3, 210x3
Haven't tried a push press in years. 210x3 felt a lot harder than I remember.
Barbell curl 2s x 10, 2s x 8
Preacher curl + spider curl superset x 3 sets
Pushdowns (regular + reverse grip) x 3 sets
3 November 2017
Paused squat 325x5, 345x5, 375x3, 390x3
Squat 405x5, 425x5, 445x3, 470x3, 445x2
Squats didn't feel very strong today and I had doubts about making the top set. But I went for it and it was good.
Reverse band bench press 265x5, 285x5, 300x5
Tried this for a change and some added press volume. Not really sure how I feel about it. 300x5 with reverse bands felt pretty much like 300x5 without reverse bands. Conclusion: I probably set the bands up wrong.
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