18 Feb 2012
Weight: 176.8
Body Fat: 11.9%
Squat:
5 x 135
5 x 160
5 x 190
5 x 225
3 x 265
8 x 190
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH3ei3Qfz-k]
Accidentally did 5 more lbs than I was supposed to. I'm pretty happy that I'm progressing still. No stalls yet, luckily. 2 more weeks and I'm back to 270. At my current weight...265 is 1.5 x bodyweight. Glad to be back here again.
Bench:
5 x 70
5 x 85
5 x 100
5 x 120
3 x 140
5 x 100
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDZTegX99bA]
Form felt very inconsistent. This was probably the case because I didn't like what I saw on film when I reviewed my technique after each set. From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like I'm using full ROM. Every article I've found on the net praising they have the correct way of benching have always emphasized not lowering the bar past elbows parallel to the bench. I've also read that you should tuck your elbows when pressing. Now when I do this, I have to lower the bar from around face level to the top of my stomach or lower chest. This then seems to turn into more of a shoulder workout than a chest workout.
Rows:
5 x 70
5 x 85
5 x 100
5 x 120
3 x 140
8 x 100
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f10LUhoojlg]
The triple felt heavy. I made a note to tighten my entire body when pressing to avoid using hip drive. I'll have to post my video to get other people's opinion, but I think I may be using a little hip drive. I also lifted my chest up.
Accessories:
Weighted Dips - 12/9/6 x BW: Was a bit disappointed. I want to get to 3x20 reps before I add weights. I'm focusing more on hypertrophy at this point in my workout. These are, after all, accessory exercises.
Barbell Curls - 8x40, 8x50, 6x55: Not bad, last set was pretty damn hard though. Noticed that my left elbow wasn't tucked in like my right elbow. I think I need to narrow my grip a bit. Seems like the bar is shifted to the left a bit.
Tricep Extensions - 8x40, 8x45, 7x50: 1 rep improvement from last week. I was pretty scared that my right shoulder would pop up on the 7th rep. I'll stick with these weights again.
16 Feb 2012
Squat:
5 x 135
5 x 160
5 x 190
5 x 190
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-18eqBGzuC4]
Not bad. I think I may have rushed a bit too much though and did the negative way too fast causing my left side to lean forward. Other than this little tidbit, the rest of it was pretty breezy.
Press:
5 x 55
5 x 65
5 x 75
5 x 85
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8S4uywfM4s]
Not bad. Again, used a wider grip than shoulder width. From what I remember reading from the Stronglifts archive on proper Overhand Press technique, I recall Mehdi mentioning that I should re-position my elbows forward after each rep. I believe this was a method to ensure that my elbows didn't flare out and to engage the shoulders much more. This made the lift a headache for me because re-positioning my elbow forward would mean that my forearms would come to out to an angle and not perpendicular to the floor. Doesn't this reduce power transfer? Lately, I've been avoiding the repositioning of the elbow forward all together and just trying to press straight up and down making sure my forearms are perpendicular to the floor. I've also widened my grip. Seems to be helping.
Deadlift:
5 x 155
5 x 190
5 x 225
5 x 250
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC3jH6VRB8o]
Not bad (there seems to be a pattern here...). These weren't bad. Ended up using alternating (pronate-supinate) on the remaining 4 reps of the 3rd set; my grip was failing me and I didn't want my back to round because of it.
Accessories:
Situps - 32/26/17: Basically did as many as I can in 1 minute. Pretty exhausted by the third set.
Pullups - 4/3/3: Fairly pathetic... Going to do chin-ups. Google'd rippetoe and pull-ups and came up with a search result where rippetoe suggests use of the chin-ups as it engages pretty much the same back muscles and lats, but puts more stress on the biceps. Who doesn't want that?
14 Feb 2012
Squats:
5 x 130
5 x 160
5 x 190
5 x 225
5 x 255 (belt)
Surprised I wasn't as tired as I expected after the 4th set. Back definitely rounded on the top set. Learning forward a bit too much and going a bit too low.
Bench:
5 x 70
5 x 85
5 x 100 (really good set)
5 x 120
5 x 135
These were pretty easy. Third set was the perfect set. From what I remember, I think instead of lowering the bar to my chest, I simply lowered it straight down and straight up. My grip wasn't wobbly, the bar was comfortable resting at the base of my palm. This made the 5 reps ridiculously easy. I couldn't replicate the grip on the 4th and 5th set unfortunately.
Rows:
5 x 70
5 x 85
5 x 100
5 x 120
5 x 135
Not bad. I have to post my video to see if I'm doing these properly.
Accessories:
Weighted Situps - 25xBW, 17x10, 16x10, 12x15: Not bad. Decided to do until "failure" on each set. Slow and steady preferred on these to get the abs burning.