Overcome's Training Journal

[overcome73]

I figured I would start my own training journal, since today I began a 9 week power training cycle. I am 34 and have been training since about 16...on and off. I am completely natural. I am 5ft 10 1/2 in and weigh about 207 lbs. I had a lower back injury for about a year or so and just recently began to squat and deadlift again. I am supplementing with Weigh Protein, Ethyl Esther Creatine (spelling), HMB, Amino Acids, Dessicated liver and vanadyl sulfate...plus a shit load of food! Anyway, there seems to be some very knowledgeabe people on here and I will listen to any advice or feedback.

Today, 5-1-06: This is my first training session in about 10 days. I just finished a bulking cycle before that and made very nice strength gains. I am seriously concentrating on my deadlifts and squats this time around, as my lower back problems have limited my work in these areas in recent years:

Deadlift:
135X5
225X5
275X5
295X5
315X5

Box Squat: We set this very low...which is good, since I been having trouble hitting the bottom. I stayed relatively light, since I have not done these in many, many years:

135X5
135X5
135X5
135X5

Calfs:

Seated calfs went up to 5 plates for 10 reps.

Overall, good deadlift. The box squat was easy, but I needed to get used to the movement. I will go heavier as we progress. It was just good to be back in the gym after a brief layoff.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Would you mind providing a bit more background info that might be relevant for those giving input? Say, the program you're going to be using and perhaps relevant pre/post injury/bulk numbers to put the numbers during this journal in a bit more of a context...

And, of course, welcome! The journals on here always seem to be extremely informative and helpful...

 

[overcome73]

Well, prior to injury, my max deadlift was approx 405-poss a lttle bit more. Thats was about 3 years ago. I really have not been able to steadily deadlift since then. My bench max is about 330. My squat, as far as getting ass to floor has been weak. That is an area I am focusing on now.

Back injury was a disk problem and it prevented me from deadlifting and squating for a good portion of a couple of years or so. My goal is to do rock bottom squats-nothing less is acceptable to me right now.

Training on a 4 week 5X5 program concentrating on Deadlifting, Squating and Benching with some supplemental movements. The first 4 weeks will include a heavy workload, starting a little lighter than the last poser cycle and then gaining momentum. Week 5 will be a "back off" week. And weeks 6-9 working on sets of 3.

 

[overcome73]

For clarification, I am on a "Dual-Factor" Training program....if that helps.

 

[overcome73]

Workout: 4-2-06

Bench: 135X5
185x5
215x5
245x5
275x3*

*Not really sure how to explain this. I had ended my last bulking cycle at 295X5. I really expected 275X5 to be relatively easy. It could be because I had tweaked my rotator cuff during the last cycle and it is still not 100% or.....it could be because I just bench like a punk yesterday. Either way, it was my first bench in two weeks, coming off a hurt shoulder, so I will use this dissappointment as fuel for next bench.


Bent Barbell Rows

135X5
155X5
185X5
195X5
205X5

These felt good. Back was a little fried from the previous night's deadlift, but that is to be expected.


Pin Press

Did about 2 or 3 sets to find a comfortable enought weight to be explosive-without any pause:

225X3 (The weight was not bad at all, but I did not feel explosive enough)
215X3
215X3
215X3


Weighted Chins

The funny thing about getting bigger is the more and more weight you gain, the harder and harder chins become. Needless to say, from the last bulking cycle I felt as if my weighted chins could have been better as far as a fuller range of motion. So my idea was to start lighter, work on exploding and encompassing a fuller range of motion:

10lbs X 5
20lbs X 5
25lbs X 5

The first two sets were very easy and explosive. The third set was also no hard, but I was concentrating on a full range of motion.

Random notes: It seems that the deadlift on monday kicked my ass more than I anticipated and some of the fatigue carried over onto Tuesday. Off-day today and I am going to use it to rest and prepare for squatting tomorrow. I weighed about 210, which is as heavy as I have been in a while-a certain correlation with eating my face off!!

 

[xblitz44x]

Workout: 4-2-06

Hello, and welcome to May.

Good workout. You'll see the strength go through the roof by the time the intensity phase falls upon us.

 

[overcome73]

5-4-06

Today's workout I really focused on squatting to the bottom...a full squat. I never was one to squat really deep and after the back injury, I probably was barely getting paralell. Sure I was able to put some weight on the bar, but the key is to squat like a man. So I decided that I would basically start over and teach myself to do full squats again. I performed these squats with about a 12" wooden chair under me and had my training partner assess the squat to make sure I was getting deep enough:

135X5
185X5
225X5
225X5
225X5
225X5

Then went onto cleans. I really was trying to get down the form. I was having trouble with the snatch and squat under it. I could easily snatch it up and be in a standing position, but to snatch it and catch it in a squatted position was a challenge! I used the bar and very, very light weight for this exercise to get the form down. This execise will be a work in progress:

first couple sets just the bar to get used to it
65X3
65X3
85X3
85X3
135X3

Seated calf rasies:

2 platesX10
3 plates X10
4 plates X 10
5 plates X 5

plates were separated with either 2 1/2's or 5's.


All in all, not a terrible 1st week. A lot of room for improvement. I am going to eat my face off and hit it again on Monday. The weights will certainly increase!

 

[xblitz44x]

Your squats looked really good. Once your muscles adjust and strengthen at the very bottom of the lift the rest should be cake since you're use to handling heavy weights for the remainder of the lift. The box squats, and cleans should help you become a little more flexible so that sitting those extra few inches won't feel like as much of a chore.

The cleans are going to be a work in progress but it's better to start off with low weight and spend 2-3 weeks getting the speed and technique down - unlike me who spent 3 or 4 years performing the lift incorrectly. Honestly, I think the best thing for you will be to watch some Powerclean videos online and practice performing the lift as much as possible in front of a mirror without weights. Practice being quick and getting under the (imaginary) bar. Once you've got that part down, it'll be a matter of balance and practice.

Here is a picture that was posted on another thread. It displays in slow motion how the (squat) clean is supposed to unfold:

 

[overcome73]

5-8-06

Good workout tonight. I didn't sleep real well, but for some reason, I felt very focused in the gym.

Stiff-Leg Deadlifts:
135X5
225X5
245X5
275X5

My goal was to get to 205 here. Considering three months ago I could barely pick a plate up off of the floor, I would say my lower back has come a long way. 275 was a weight that I had to work at. But I kept my form and I certainly could go heavier.

Box squat:

135X5
155X5
185X5
135X5

I focused on exploding at the bottom. It is amazing how much I find my groin stretching...I guess I was not used to getting down there on the squat. Again, I had only dome 135 last week and I set a goal of 155. This is a movement that is seriously going to help my atf squat and my deadlifts!

Calfs:

We did sets of 5 as a change on the seated calf machine:

3 plates
4 plates
5 plates
6 plates (got 3 reps---felt very heavy!)

I have been keeping track of my calories and they have been consistent at 3,200-3,400 with about 300-320 grams of protein a day. I feel like I am gaining at these numbers, so I will continue to path for now. If I have to increase calories if I stop gaining, I am prepared to do that.

Tomorrow the upper body!

 

[overcome73]

Good workout tonight. I am really struggling with my shoulder injury, but I am not gonna stop. Each bench rep causes me pain. I am used to having problems with my shoulders, but this is pretty bad......anyway:

Bench
135X5
185X5
215X5
235X5
275X5
The 275 felt pretty good. Considering that I only got it for 3 pittiful reps last week, this was a significant improvement. I cannot complain. Still a lot of room to improve! Any advice on the shoulder would be greatly appreciated!!

Rows

135X5
165X5
185X5
205X5
225X3

Not sure why I decided to go up to 225, but it was on the bar and I gave it a try. The best thing about it is I pretty much kept low-I did not raise up to try to cheat the weight up. The negative was that I did not quite reach my stomach on the last rep or two. The other sets felt pretty easy and I feel like my core is strengthening.

Pin Press:

225X3
225X3
225X3

Pretty easy and I tried to stay explosive. Other than shoulder pain, I really enjoyed these and I feel like I could handle considerably more weight.

Chins:

25X......I mistakenly went overhanded and the pain that shot through my shoulder and up my arm can only be compaired to a steak knife being driven through my shoulder. It was horrible and I needed a few secs to regroup

The other sets were performed underhanded without much trouble:

25X5
30X5
BdywghtX5

Overall, good workout. I am concerned about my shoulder and what impact it will have on increasing my poundages on pressing movements. Needless to say, it will literally need to stop working before I give up. Weight was 211 tonight.