Man Up, Francis: My First Bulker

[Rabid_Goose]

April 18th, Week 7, Day 1.

Oly Squat:

95lbs for 5

115lbs for 5

135lbs for 5

155lbs for 5

185lbs for 5. I sunk like a bag of rocks in the lake on the first rep, I lost focus and just WHAM right down to the ground, it made the other reps a bit harder because of the shock but I pulled through.

CG Bench Press:

95lbs for 5

115lbs for 5

135lbs for 5

155lbs for 5

185lbs for 5. This was actually easier then expected. Probably could have cranked out another two.

G.P. Row:

65lbs for 5

85lbs for 5

105lbs for 5

125lbs for 5

150lbs for 5. Barley got those last two. It isn't hard to get it up, it is just bringing it all the way into my stomach to close that rep, I'm not exploding enough, need more acceleration in my lift I think.

Assistance:

Sit ups: 10lbsx8, 10lbsx8, 25lbsx8, 25lbsx8

Hypers: 25lbsx8, 35lbsx8

Great day, usually the top set of 5 is always a struggle on Bench and has really been the easiest Top Set of 5 I have had during the program. If I didn't lose focus on those Squats I wouldn't have been so bad off on the other 4.

Bodyweight this Morning: 190lbs.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

April 20th, Week 7, Day 2.

Oly Squat:

95lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps.

Standing Overhead Press:

45lbs for 5 reps

65lbs for 5 reps

80lbs for 5 reps

95lbs for 5 reps. I suck at these, did a little form change and they were much easier today then they usually are.

Dead Lift:

135lbs for 5 reps

155lbs for 5 reps

185lbs for 5 reps

215lbs for 5 reps. Easy, really never strained or stalled anywhere in this lift. I took time off of these due to possible injury, feeling very un-natural and all that hoopla. Doing 10lb progression on these since I used to be able to rip 315 off of the floor when I first started. God damn I love these, Best. Lift. Ever.

Assistance:

Sit Ups with BW: 15x15.


Today was good, I didn't really struggle on my OHP at all, I think I was putting my hands way to close together during previous weeks. I finally pushed them a little further out and wham. Anywho, they are brought all the way down to my chest and back up to lockout, not down to my nose and back up.

 

[Kabeetz]

Good job Goose.. you're gonna be at 225/135+/315, on those lifts respectively, by sometime in the fall..just keep eating a lot and keep it clean.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

Good job Goose.. you're gonna be at 225/135+/315, on those lifts respectively, by sometime in the fall..just keep eating a lot and keep it clean.

Thank ya, and ya, I'll try on the keep it clean part. Really nothing I eat is that dirty except for the chinease buffet once in awhile, I don't keep any dirty foods in my house. I eat the same stuff every day, day in, day out, morning to night.

If I get a little too plump I'll throw in HIIT once or twice a week. Hopefully we'll start playing thsoe full court Bball games here soon.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

April 22, Week 7, Day 3.

Oly Squat:

95lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps

160lbs for 5 reps

190lbs for 3 reps

135lbs for 8 reps. I could have done the 3 for at least another two reps I think, although I was straining, it really wasn't that hard. Controlled drop and a nice slow rise with no sticking points.

CG Bench:

95lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps

160lbs for 5 reps

190lbs for 3 reps

135lbs for 8 reps. I could have done the 3 reps just like squats, no real problems, didn't even stick at all or strain all that hard. 195 for 5 was where I got stuck at when I was cutting last time but I think 190 for 5 could have been done with little straining today. THe 135 for 8 could have been a lot more reps. Very easy. I swear it seems like my lifts are getting EASIER as I go.

G.P. Rows:

65lbs for 5 reps

85lbs for 5 reps

105lbs for 5 reps

130lbs for 5 reps

155lbs for 3 reps

105lbs for 8 reps. I'm still having trouble getting the bar all the way to the chest on the 3 reps, I'm still learning to position my form. My main problem is I'm at like a 95 degree angle, my shoulders are a wee bit further down then my hips. They just put in mirrors in the free weight room so I just now noticed that today. But I don't struggle with the weight.

Assistance:

BW Dips: 10x10x5. My triceps were so worn out I was shaking on the Dip bars. I've got to invest into a belt soon so I can stop doing Body Weighted Dips and start doing weighted. I'm afraid that is going to a stall in Bench.

Curls: 20's for 12, 25's for 10, 30's for 8. I only do these just not to forget about them. I wish I could use the EZ-Curl bar but my left forearm doesn't like them at all.

Another great workout, hopefully no stalls in site. I'm still eating like an asshole, especially last night. Nothing to fuel a workout like cheesecake, steak, and pizza all throughout the night.

 

[ChinkNasty]

I have found that the 90-degree Pendlay rows not only emphasize your lats and biceps, but because you're more or less parallel with the floor it really forces you to have strong hammies and a lower back to perform the lift...maybe something to focus on - I find that it helps when I keep my abs tight and lower body 'tight' during the lift.

 

[ZGzaZ]

Doing great bro, I'm looking for big numbers from you in the next couple months!

 

[Rabid_Goose]

April 25th, Week 8, Day 1. Rushed today, my own fault really. They took the clock out of the free weight and DB room so I lounged around way too much and lost track of time and had to skip Hypers and two sets of abs. I needed to skip hypers today anyways because I have to do something at work tonight that hypers + that = very very tight back.

Oly Squat:

95lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps

135 lbs for 5 reps

160lbs for 5 reps

190lbs for 5 reps. I didn't get stuck, the 5th rep wasn't too much of a struggle but I had to push. I figured it would happen since the 3 Reps on Sunday were so easy I knew today couldn't be like that.

CG Bench Press:

95lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps

160lbs for 5 reps

190lbs for 5 reps I had a small sticking point at lock out, I managed to glance while pressing it and noticed I had my elbows flared a little awkard, re-aligned them to the normal position I push and got it up without too much struggle. Wasn't using my triceps in the last rep because I had them positioned so badly, got careless. Lesson Learned.

GP Row:

65lbs for 5 reps

85lbs for 5 reps

105lbs for 5 reps

130lbs for 5 reps

155lbs for 5 reps. I threw my shoulders into the last rep for some reason, I mean threw them up hard. No idea why I did that.

Assistance:

Abs 10x8, 25x8

Hypers Too rushed. I would have done at least one set but a guy thought it was our new towel rack. I hate this guy I thought he quit going to the gym. He complains a lot and uses the Smith Machine to bench a 10lb weight on each side. He did that for 4 weeks straight and left so I thought I was lucky.



I focused my hamstrings and tighted my back up Chink, that seemed to help a bit, spread my feet wider apart today too.

Ya, I am too ZGzaz, hoping. I'd like to put up a respectable Squat # sometime in a year hah.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

April 27th, Week 8, Day 2.

Oly Squat:

95lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps

135lbs for 5 reps.

Standing OHP:

45lbs for 5 reps

65lbs for 5 reps

80lbs for 5 reps

100lbs for 5 reps. No sticking points yet, didn't really struggle much.

Dead Lifts:

135lbs for 5 reps

165lbs for 5 reps

195lbs for 5 reps

225lbs for 5 reps. No struggle at all, easy. Pulled with back while pressing with legs, kept bar close and it was a ton easier. And the fact that someone at work into a fit of rage I could have beat a few people with a tire iron. I'll thank them at work tonight for this DL.

Assistance:

Sit Ups w/BW: 15x15.

Bodyweight this Morning, 192. Seems to be a pound a week, maybe pound and half. I don't mind it, fat comes off easier then muscle gains so, screw it.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

April 29th, Week 8, Day 3.

Oly Squat:

95lbs for 5 reps

120lbs for 5 reps

145lbs for 5 reps

170lbs for 5 reps

195lbs for 3 reps...Like taking candy from a baby.

145lbs for 8 reps

CG Bench Press:

95lbs for 5 reps

120lbs for 5 reps

145lbs for 5 reps

170lbs for 5 reps

195lbs for 3 reps...Not even a sticking point, at all, smooth motions up and down.

145lbs for 8 reps

GP Row:

65lbs for 5 reps

85lbs for 5 reps

115lbs for 5 reps...Meant to be 110, oops.

140lbs for 5 reps

160lbs for 3 reps...Not a problem

115lbs for 8 reps

Assistance:

Dips: 5x5x5. I lowered my dips so I could do Skull Crushers but it was getting late and the douchebag took the bench I laid my EZ Bar on, he saw I laid it there. Didn't want to fight with some high school kid over a bench so I'll start em next week.

Curls: 30'sx5, 35'sx5, 35'sx5


Today was cake. Usually, as a time saver I circuit part of my Squats with my Bench, as soon as I'm done with one I do the other and keep going at it. This time I took roughly 3 minute breaks between all sets, and just did one work out each time and didn't hop back and forth. I think this was the reason for how easy it was for me because honestley, the squats could have been done for 8 times if I gave full effort and bench could have been done for 6 at the least.

But Day 3's are always the easiest, Day 1's are like trying to f*** a rattlesnake. We will see what tune I'm whistlin come Wednesday I reckon.

Bodyweight this AM: 196 but I didn't drink enough water past two days, bloated more then usual.