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A strength training journal

Week 20 - Day 58A

Weight:  178.8

Squats:

5 x Bar 5 x 145 3 x 175 2 x 205 3 x 5 x 230

Pretty difficult.  Left knee was feeling awkward the entire day, probably because of the rain??  I'm getting old.

Bench:

****5 x Bar 5 x 95 3 x 115 2 x 135 3 x 5 x 150

First set of bench was pretty difficult.  I felt very unstable when pressing up.  I noticed that I was barely engaging my lats when doing the first rep.  My powerlifting arch was not being utilized properly.  I took ample rest between sets to make sure my arms didn't go anaerobic.  Stability, form and pressing strength was much better on the second and third set when I actually engaged my lats and upper back.

Rows:

****5 x 95 3 x 5 x 140

Rows were pretty easy. I noticed I had a fairly wide feet width stance compared to my grip width on the first rep so I narrowed my stance a bit for the following sets.

Accessories:

13/4/3 x BW Dips 10 min. HIIT - 4/7/3.6/8/3.6

Week 20 - FL.9

Weight:  179.8

*Meal #1 - 9:10 AM *1/2 cup thick rolled oats + 16 oz. 2% milk /w 1 scoop whey protein

*Meal #2 - 12:15 PM *Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

*Meal #3 - 1:30 PM *Half sandwich pastrami /w bacon

*Meal #4 - 4:30 PM *Half plate rice + buffalo chicken strips

*Meal #5 - 7:00 PM *Finished Meal #4

*Meal #6 - 9:30 PM *Plate rice + pork adobo

Week 20 - SL5x5.57B / FL.8

Weight:  178.6

Squats:

5 x Bar 5 x 135 3 x 165 2 x 195 3 x 5 x 225

Warm-up sets up to the work set were noticeably easier than previous days.  I can probably attribute this change to my increase in caloric intake again.  More cals = more energy?  The last work set was definitely hard as hell.

Press:

****5 x Bar 3 x 55 2 x 65 3 x 5 x 80

Presses were pretty easy.  I rushed into the 2nd workset leaving my traps and shoulders a bit burnt out (felt the lactic acid build up).  I waited and made sure to get ample rest before my last set to make sure I banged out all 5 reps.  Barely finished, I think I may have cheated my self and flared my elbows out instead of keeping them perpendicular to my body.

Deadlifts:

****5 x 175 3 x 205 2 x 235 5 x 265

Deadlifts were pretty easy.  Noticed that I would reduce significant strain on the back if I tightened it before lifting.  This would seem like a no brainer, but there have plenty of times where I pulled without making sure my chest was up thereby rounding my back.  This happened mainly once I got heavier.

Food Log

*Meal #1 - 8:30 AM *1/2 cup thick rolled oats + 12 oz. 2% milk /w 1 scoop whey protein

*Meal #2 - 11:05 AM *Peanut butter sandwich

*Meal #3 - 1:00 PM *Ham and pastrami sandwich /w 3 bacon strips + 18 oz. 2% milk

*Meal #4 - 3:30 PM *Half plate rice + pork adobo

*Meal #5 - 7:00 PM *Half plate rice + 1 can sardines in pure olive oil

*Meal #6 - 10:30 PM *16 oz. 2% milk + 2 scoop whey protein

*Meal #7 - 11:15 PM *Plate rice + 18 medium shrimp + 24 oz. 2% milk