Destroy:Erase:Improve -- PBs Training Journal

[Protobuilder]

Week 3, Sat. (workout 3)

Squats

warmups
8x155 (I'm ramping up to my 8RM over the next couple weeks . . .)
3x175
12x115 (backoff)

Incline

warmups
5 sets of 3x165 (pretty easy) (rt. shoulder a bit sore from some sloppy burpees yesterday)
10x135 (backoff)

Row

warmups
5 sets of 3x160 (easy)
11x125 (backoff)

Lunges

8x95
8x95

Power Shrugs

warmups
10x315 (+10 PR)
12x225

I'm ramping up so the weights aren't too taxing right now. I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks.

 

[Protobuilder]

Week 4, Tues. (workout 1)

Squats

warmups
5x5x160 (+5)
10x115 (backoff)

Incline

warmups
3x8x140 (+5)

Rows

warmups
3x8x140 (+5)

Zercher GMs

8x95, 125, 145

Skullcrushers (haven't done these in months)

8x75
10x75

Curls (ditto)

3x95
5x95 (+7 BW chins immediately afterwards)

Hey, doing arms is kinda' fun! LoL

 

[BiggT]

Looking good, man. Again, after seeing your squat video, you've got nothing to worry about form-wise, you're right on. I am looking for lots of gains from you with the squats.

 

[Protobuilder]

Thanks man. Squats have been a constant battle and only now, after a year of squatting, am I able to consistently hit a healthy, below parallel groove that doesn't aggravate my back. The squat numbers should be higher so I'm hoping for good things as well.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

Alright, alright. My cutting secrets revealed! I ate less. And I moved around more.

Ever try asking a fat person about the diets they've tried? they will list every fad diet except for what you said. Eat less, move more. Perfect.....

i've wanted to make a diet plan called "Put the shovel down" for awhile now. Good work on your squats! Keep up the heavy liftin'.

 

[Protobuilder]

Thanks, bro. ^^

Week 4, Thurs. (workout 2A)

Front Squats

2 sets of 5x95 (too easy . . . still adjusting to these & trying to find my weight)
3 sets of 5x105

Pullups

5xBW, 10, 15, 20
4x25 (previous PR) (followed by 5xBW for good "pump" LoL)

Deads

5x135, 185, 225, 240 (good grief . . . this feels heavy even though my 5RM is 270)

Push Press
5x105, 125, 135, 145 (s l o w !)
17x65

I F'd up after completing my SF 5x5 . . . I was wasted & took time off, probably too much time (worked out to be about 5 weeks of "deloading" b/c I was totally unmotivated, etc.). Some people come back strong after they stop Deadlifting, but FUCK. My DL strength dropped pretty quickly, I guess. 5x240 felt very heavy. Goddammit. I need a new hobby. LoL

 

[BiggT]

No wonder the push presses were slow....after front squats and deads you probably had zero leg drive and pop.....I would actually push press first with this workout. Also, the deads MAY have felt heavy because you taxed yourself first on chins, but you just may be deconditioned to them after the layoff.

Are you training this weekend?

 

[Protobuilder]

I'm new to push press so thanks for the input there. I hadn't considered the lower body fatigue; I was just thinking about the ol' shoulders, which were totally fresh.

I'm lifting tomorrow, and doing cardio pretty much constantly, but I don't post it b/c it's boring. Sometimes I do some interesting GPP stuff w/ interval runs, runs + power cleans, heavy bag shouldering, etc., but the rest is mundane jogging/incline walking.

 

[Guinness5.0]

From what I can tell, if your quads aren't cramping or otherwise completely shot after push-press, then you ain't doin' 'em right. They are a total body spasm, more or less

 

[Protobuilder]

It'll probably take a few sessions to get motor learning down for push press. Right now it's sort of a sloppy jump + slow lockout.

Week 4, Sat. (workout 3)

squats (1x5)

warmups
5x180 (10 away from my PR)

Incline (5x5)

5x160 (too heavy)
4x5x155

Rows (5x5)

5x155 (too heavy)
4x5x150

Hanging knee raises

12
11
8

Side Bridges

2x10xBW (I do these like a static hold bridge but slowly go up and down using the obliques)

Very fatigued today (combination of a lot of cardio + low carbs) so didn't do assistance stuff.

I started working w/ 8s rather than 5s about 4 weeks ago, but I think I'm gonna stick w/ 5s. I just really need to work on my strength before I go hunting for more hypertrophy. And I'm still cutting, trying to knock off about 4-5%BF so figure the lower rep ranges are a good idea. Plus, I kinda' fucked up my strength gains from my 5x5 run by taking too much time off afterwards. I wound up w/ like a 5 week "deload" and one of those weeks was off completely. Upon returning, I'd lost a good chunk of strength. And it's taking me a while to get it back, which sucks. So instead of getting into sets of 8, finding my new maxes yadda yadda yadda, I think it's best if I keep running 5x5 type programs. At least I've got my benchmarks and can keep coming back to them over the months. My strength is too low, and my strength gains over the past year too crappy, to risk bouncing around and not really getting anywhere. So, I'm gonna run variations of 5s hopefully for a good long while and see where my strength is in 6, 12, 18 months. I dunno. This is all trial and error, and I figure if i stick to 5x5 type programs like Madcow (RIP) and Glenn P preach, at least I'm in good hands.