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A strength training journal

Week1 – Day3A

Weight:  182.4

Squats:  5x5x55 DB Incline Bench:  5x50 + 4x10x50 Rows:  5x70 + 4x10x70

Prowler:  10lbs * 4 reps

Dips:  4/2/2

Everything was pretty peachy today.  That's until I decided to push the prowler.  I was aiming for 5 reps, thinking to myself, "This ought to be pretty easy!"  Man was I utterly wrong.  My legs were completely obliterated in a matter of 3 minutes flat.  I was experiencing all the symptoms of complete exhaustion: head in a daze, jello legs, sucking in air like it was my job.

Other lifts were light.  Less soreness overall.  Performed high reps on the bench and rows since they were so light.

I'm pretty happy that there's a prowler at the gym now.  The new space below the gym is rarely occupied, so it's a great place to warm up and push the prowler around.

Week1 – Day1A

Weight:  182

Squats:  5x5x45 DB Incline Bench:  3x10x30 Rows:  5x5x60

Dips:  3

Pretty packed gym today.  3 squat racks were all being used.  Kindly asked a couple who were squatting if I could work in using an empty bar.  Got some confused and/or upset gestures.  Seems like the question did not compute properly.  Decided to clean the bar off the ground, press overhead and drop the bar behind the neck instead.  My right shoulder held up, but I don't believe any behind the neck pressing movements are the best for them.  Nonetheless, I managed to get my core lifts in.  The two bench stations were also being used and so I was not able to use them.  Instead, I performed incline dumbbell presses.

5/3/1 Cycle 1 Week 2 Bench, Squat, Deadlift

*Bench: *10x65 / 5x95 3x115 / 3x125 / 3x140

Bench was pretty heavy.  Thumbless grip.  Trying to figure out why the load is more concentrated on the right arm.  Frustrating.

*Squat: *5xBar / 3x95 / 3x115 3x140 / 3x160 / 3x180

Warm-up set was pretty painful for the right shoulder.  Will need to do mobility exercises prior to get the shoulders prepped for low bar position.  Interestingly...I decided to narrow my grip width by a lot and it actually lessened impingement on the shoulder.  Usually, it's the other way around due to lack of shoulder flexibility.  This also allowed me to have a more upright position and avoid doing a good morning on the positive.  Lowered lower back engagement so no sore back.

*Deadlift: *3x135 3x155 / 3x175 / 3x205

Pretty solid on these.  Was very happy to do these again.  Deadlifts are by far my favorite of the compound lifts.

Seated DB Press:  10x35 / 8x35 / 6x35

Somehow did worse on these than previous db pressing.

Chinups:  3 / 2.5 / 2.5 / 2 / 1.5 / 1.5

Actually did the other 4 sets.  These felt very strong.  No doubt getting some help from the curls.

Incline Bench:  8x85 / 6x85 / 4x85

Struggled with these a lot.  Again, same issue with regular benching, right lats, triceps and upper chest were getting more strained than left side.

Preacher Curls:  3x10x40

Pretty easy, struggled from fatigue on the last set, but I think I can get up to 50 for next time.

DB Bench:  3x10x35

Pretty easy as well.  Not sure of the dumb bell path, was using a pretty narrow path.  May go a bit wider to get more of the pecs involved.

DB Rows:  3x10x45

Pretty fatigued by the end of the session, but managed to complete all sets.  Was jerking a bit on the last few reps of the last set