03 Feb 2014
Weight: 186.4 lbs
Duration: 12:35pm - 1:50pm ~ 1hr. 15min.
Simplicity and minimalism. Some people scoff at the notion of having to experience, generally, the same thing over and over again. I'll agree to a point- I get bored pretty easily too. Sometimes, things can get seemingly monotonous and we decide to seek change. However, in the realm of strength training, personal experience has shown me that consistency from beginning to end is king. Sustaining a periodized program to leverage linear progression is the only way I know how to get stronger and it has yet to fail me.
“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
Squats: 3x5xBar +5x115 + 3x145 + 2x165 + 1x185 + 3x5x210
Felt strong on these, especially on the first 2-3 sets. I made sure not to round the back even when I was grinding out the last 2 reps. I rested about 3 minutes before the 4th and 5th sets.
Bench: 3x10xBar +10x75 + 10x95 + 1x115 + 5/5/4/5/4 x 130
Stalled on the bench, yeouch. I was trying to rest at most 30 seconds between sets. Fatigue got the best of me.
Rows: 5x85 + 3x105 + 1x125 + 5x5x145
At this point, I think I need to record myself and judge whether or not I'm totally butchering form. I do know that I'm jerking quite a bit with my upper body which certainly takes away training for strength.
Accessories:**
**Preacher Curls: 14x50
Incline DB Bench: 10x45
Standing EZ Bar Curls: 10x40
Dips: 10/4.5/4.5
Seated DB Curls: 8x30
31 Jan 2014
Weight: 185 lbs ??
Duration: 11:45am - 1:02pm ~ 1hr. 17min.
Time recorded is from when I started the pre-workout stretches until I started my post-workout stretches. The Shoulder Shocker felt hugely improved, weights felt light for the first 2 sets. Usually, I'm dying at the end of the second set. Weight on the scale was at 187 this morning! Getting into freshly washed and dried jeans was pretty tough, haha. Legs are getting too beefy from all this squatting.
Squats: 3x5xBar + 5x115 + 3x145 + 2x165 + 1x185 + 3x5x205
Went down pretty slow to control the bar and prevent tweaking the back. This makes it quite a bit harder since I'm increasing time under the bar. These are getting pretty heavy. Getting close to the magical 225, 2-plate squat. I think I may incorporate some back off sets, very similar to Madcow's heavy day scheme or Wendler's Boring But Big accessory.
Seated Plate Raises: 3x10x25
Seated Lateral Raise: *3x10x12
*Seated DB Shrug + Clean + Half Press: 3x10x12
Able to get to the end of the second set without feeling dead. Felt a huge improvement here. Doing the cleaning movement, I'm using a more explosive pull to clean the dumbbells up instead just using all shoulders. It is a clean after all.
Deadlift: 5x135 + 3x165 + 2x185 + 1x215 + 1x240 + 5x265
Supinated left, regular right. Pretty heavy, kept the bar glued to my shins. Not sure if I was rounding, but my low back wasn't killing me afterwards.
Accessories:
**Preacher BB Curls: 14x50**
Incline DB Press: 10x50
Standing EZ Bar Curls: 10x40
Dips: 12/4/4
Seated DB Curls: 10x30
Pushups: 10/10/8
Cranked out some extra reps on the 50lb preacher. I think once I get to 18+ reps on the 50, I'm going to jump up. Went up to 50lbs on the incline db press. These were pretty difficult, so definitely sticking to 50s for a while. Dips are still improving, both in strength and endurance. Pushups felt improved today as well. Going to for 3 sets of 10 reps across next time.
Core:
*Elbow Planks: *1min.
Burn, baby, burn.
29 Jan 2014
It's been about 3 months since I started lifting again. There were definitely some rocky points, especially very recently.
These are the stats from Week 1 -> Week 12:
Weight: 150lbs -> 185lbs (+35)
Squat: 5x45lbs -> 5x200lbs (+155)
Bench: 5x45lbs -> 5x125lbs (+80)
Deadlift: 5x95lbs -> 5x255lbs (+160)
Rows: 5x65lbs -> 5x140lbs (+75)