A LIfter's Iron Log...

[ghettostudmuffin]

2-14-05

Full Squats-warmups to 225x5x5
effort meter 4

Barbell Bench-135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, 210x5
effort meter 4

JS Curl-grip row 115x5, 125x5, 135x5, 145x5, 160x5
effort meter 3

Glute/Ham Raise BW+10x6

Good workout overall. knees have been a little tight right above the knee cap. Not actually on the knee cap but like the tendon above it. It's not painful, just kinda tight feeling. Feels good during squats. I think it's just that it's alot more squatting than I'm used to doing frequency and volume wise and my tendons are getting some work or something. Definitely not my form as my knees feel good while squatting and they don't buckle in and don't extend too far forward as I am built very well for squats and squat in Chuck Taylor's. Also I don't bounce in the bottom. I think my theory of the high volume really working them knee tendons is it. Like I said, they don't hurt, just kinda feel stretched or tight sorta. Hindu squats feel good so I'm gonna do sets of 10 or so several times on my off days which should help. I think it's the volume of work and constant stretching from the full squats.

Don't know how many times I'm gonna repeat myself, but it's not pain and it went away by the end of the weekend further giving credit to my theory of the high workload the tendons are puttin up with.

Felt pretty strong while lifting, definitely not overtrained by any means and my whole body feels strong. Legs not having any trouble from the squatting workload, nor the chest from the twice weekly benching.

So far the cycle is going well and I am right on track with the weights. Week 3 will be hard, but doable and my 3x3 period is really gonna be fun! I'm not weighing myself until the last day of the 3x3 deloading phase.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

2-16-05

Full Squats warmups to 180x5x5
effort meter 3

Deadlift warmups to 250x5x5
effort meter 4

Military press warmups to 115x5x5
effort meter 4

Chinups BW only 2,1,2,1,2,1,3 called it good
effort meter 3-4

Didn't do Glute/Ham Raise as my hammies were a little sore/tight, not much, but I didn't feel like doing them

Overall a good workout. Have felt stronger, but I didn't feel weak either. Gotta go with the flow, ya know?

I am enjoying the simplicity of the routine so far. Next week is gonna be hard, but doable. Knees feel better or actually the tendons above the knees. Been busting out 20 hindu squats every 3 hours or so and that definitely helps ALOT. I think what happens is they just get tight after the full squatting and need some stretching and blood pumped to them. Feeling good right now.

I also read an article yesterday about not relaxing at the bottom of the squat and I realized I had been doing that somewhat to sink deeper, but stopped doing it today and noticed a big difference.

 

[JohnnyCoho]

It ain't no thang. They can't hold me down. I'm not even trippin. I knew from week 1 what was going down.

I'm still gona workout there because they have the best powerlifitng area around. It's gonna be great watchin myself get bigger and stronger while all the personal trainers there obsess over their "6 packs" and wonder why they never get bigger and stronger haha!

Hey Brah' how goes it? Definately not the best PL area around...have ya checked out that Eastside Gym yet? It will blow yer mind..totally hardcore PL gym with quite a few BB's as well.

I know yer pretty down with Personal Trainers too Brah' but I've got a good one for ya not far from ya if yer interested...Anthony Aponte... he's trained many top Body Builders, including his wife "Lora Ottenad" Here's his site (still in its construction stage though as he's been doin quite a bit of traveling..best way to get ahold of him is by e-mail) http://www.specificfitness.atfreeweb.com/

 

[super_rice]

2-16-05

Full Squats warmups to 180x5x5
effort meter 3

Deadlift warmups to 250x5x5
effort meter 4

Military press warmups to 115x5x5
effort meter 4

Chinups BW only 2,1,2,1,2,1,3 called it good
effort meter 3-4

Didn't do Glute/Ham Raise as my hammies were a little sore/tight, not much, but I didn't feel like doing them

Overall a good workout. Have felt stronger, but I didn't feel weak either. Gotta go with the flow, ya know?

I am enjoying the simplicity of the routine so far. Next week is gonna be hard, but doable. Knees feel better or actually the tendons above the knees. Been busting out 20 hindu squats every 3 hours or so and that definitely helps ALOT. I think what happens is they just get tight after the full squatting and need some stretching and blood pumped to them. Feeling good right now.

I also read an article yesterday about not relaxing at the bottom of the squat and I realized I had been doing that somewhat to sink deeper, but stopped doing it today and noticed a big difference.

good job man. let me know if you get results similar to mine with 5x5, looking forward to it!

i don't know about them "hindu" squats though, i used to do them, but no longer feel comfortable about them.

oh yeah, it's very important not to relax in the hole, even if it means sacrificng a few inches of ROM in my opinon

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I've been a broke joke lately and waiting for my last check from that cornhole gym. Soon as I get it and get my car fueled up I'm gonna go check that Eastside gym, and if it's like you say it is, which I'm sure it will be, I will join.

Don't have anything against personal trainers in general, well just lame one's from lame gym's maybe. Can't afford a personal trainer bro and I wouldn't want one to be honest. Rather lift with a bunch of motivated lifters which I'm sure I'll meet at the Eastside gym soon as I can get there, but thanks bro.

Ya super_rice, I was relaxing just a little without really realizing it. Didn't do that today and it cut my full squat ROM down abit. Tops of thighs are about 1" below parallel as far as I can tell when I stay totally tight.

The hindu squats feel good on my knees. Really helps stretch em out. I don't bounce and don't relax when I do them and I use a moderate speed.

I'm projecting my lifts based on how they've been going and what I think I can do:

squat 230x5x5, 235x1x5, 260x3x3
bench 210x5x5, 215x1x5, 225x3x3
deadlift 255x5x5, 270x3x3
rows 165x1x5, 150x5x5, 165x3x3
military press 120x5x5, 135x3x3
chins BW+5x3x3

I definitely think I'll hit all these lifts. Next cycle 5lbs heavier on all lifts.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

dont project your lifts..it will limit your mind..the mind is muc stronger than than the body..

a few weeks ago i was working with this kid who was testing his max squat which he projected to be about 250..i spotted him on each set sure enough he got to 250 and felt that was it..but i was watching his forma nd bar speed and felt he had a lot more in him..well needless to say i got him up to 285 and i believe he still had more but he stopped there..

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Maybe man, but if you knew me I definitely don't limit myself when it comes to lifting goals. Those are just guesses at what I'll end up at. I've lifted more weight than them.

I don't set limits. When I project it's where I'd like to be, but I won't limit myself to it. I don't sit here and go, oh, I'd like to bench 260 and then do it and go ok, that's enough. I'll put 275 on and give it a go. I go until I can't possibly lift heavier, but only when doing maxes.

But thanks anyway bro, I understand what you're saying.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

2-18-05

Full Squats-warmups to 230x1x5
effort meter 3-4

Bench press-warmups to 205x5x5
effort meter 3-4

JS curl-grip row-warmups to 155x5x5
effort meter 4

Glute/Ham Raise BW only, 1x7 I think, squeezing your ass hard through the whole rep makes it alot harder

Good workout. Felt pretty strong overall.

Looking forward to next week. I am gonna own the weights baby! Also looking forward to the intensity phase! I am "the man". HYAH!

 

[BlondBomber]

What type of program are you running now?

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

2-21-05

Full Squats-warmups to 230x5x5
effort meter 4-5

Barbell Bench-warmups to 215x1x5
effort meter 4

JS curl-grip row-warmups to 165x1x5

Glute/ham raise BWx1x8

Good workout overall. Squats felt pretty decent. Bench felt strong. Rows felt decent. Gotta work on my control when exploding the weight up on the JS rows. Right side tends to tweak out of position a little. Knees feel good.

Based on todays workout and the way the squats and bench felt I'm going to do what madcow2 said and extend both phases to 4 weeks and not 3 weeks. I feel pretty confident that I'll be able to squat 235x5x5, and bench 215x5x5 on week 4. Monday's workout is a pretty good predictor for me it seems. I feel pretty strong. I don't want to cut my gains short and I want to overload the body enough so I get the maximum benefit from the intensity phase as well as the max growth from recuperating from the volume phase.

Got a couple compliments today. One YOKED bodybuilder that I've talked to a few times said I workout hard so that was cool. Another guy when I was benching asked if he could grab some plates by where I was at because he wasn't sure if I might need them cuz I'm a big guy. Talk about getting my ego stroked today haha. I dig this routine.