Training Log: Entry 784

RE upper pull

DB row of 130
15,10,8,6

Notes: No rest between sets, just switch from one arm to the next.  Got some lower back pump here as well.

Weighted dips w/45lbs
3,3,12

Notes: Some chucklehead was in the rack the entire time I was at the gym, so I improvised.  On the last set, I quit worrying so much and just let myself drop and stretch back up.  I've been too ginger with my elbows, and doing this showed me that I have a lot more in me.

Mini band assisted chins
11,10,10,10

Notes: Used some rest pause just to hit as many reps as I could.  I never feel the lat recruitment during the pull, but after the set I got a pump.

Seated barbell overhead press of 95
8,8,7

Notes: Once again, guy in the rack the entire time made this happen, but not bad.  I thought I was keeping the weight light, but this was still tough.  I don't know what is up with my overhead pressing work capacity.

Light band pull apart superset/cable curls of 50
17/13, 15/13

Training Log: Entry 783

RE lower squat

Back squat of 275
2x10

Notes: This fried out my lower back.  Short rest periods are killer, and not using the belt is really getting a pump.  I'll prolly gain a lot of my size in my lower back at this rate, but that's cool.

If I need to lay down, I should just lay down.  I tend to recover better after closing my eyes.  If I find that this is just too much for me to do like my last RE squat attempt, I might go 4x8 or 10x3 or something.

Trap bar lifts of 315
3x5

Notes: Focusing on turning the knees out rather than letting them track in.

Front squats of 135
1x20

Notes: Started off clean grip, switched to arms folded after rep 10.  Don't ask how, I don't know.  This was a real ass kicker, and required long rest times again.

Average band good morning
15,15,10,10

Notes: Not enough space in my garage currently for pull throughs so hit these up instead.  Focus on putting the butt out.

Average band pull downs
2x60

 

Considerations: My calories are way up.  My appetite is bottomless, and I'm not holding back.  My waist isn't getting big though, I still fit in my blues just fine.

Training Log: Entry 782

RE upper push

NG seated shoulder press w/50s
15,9,7

Notes: First time trying this out.  Had more in me, but keeping the rest pausing to a minimum for the first week.

DB rows of 110
4x10

Notes: Gonna go for 6-8 next time.  I realize I can still go for strength on this movement.

CGBP of 155
12,10,8

Notes: This was an eye opener, both on how weak my endurance is and on why my right knee is killing me.  Setting up for the bench is causing a great deal of pain where my knee connects to the back of my calf.  I'm gonna flat back it for a while.

Lat pulldowns
2x12x160
2x12x140

Pushdowns of 65 superset with cable curls of 45
2x15

Considerations: Started up fish oil today.  Just using one tablet per day for now.

Training Log: Entry 781

RE lower deadlift

Conventional deadlift of 275
2x15

Notes: Worked from a dead stop with minimal rests between reps.  Really took a toll on my conditioning.  Working on "dive bombing" the deadlift and really getting my leg drive into the lift.  I know it's trying to front squat the weight up, but it keeps my back in a better position.  Used a belt.  Not bad light work, still had more in me, but wanted to keep the reps around 15.

Squats
385x3
2x3x365

Notes: The 385 worked well, but it was a pretty decent strain and I want to keep my momentum going here, so I cut it down a little.  365 went up like a rocket, and sunk down very deep.

SSB lunges of bar
1x20

Notes: 20 reps per leg.  My garage is still cluttered from moving, and trying to manuever around boxes with more than just the bar on my shoulders didn't seem smart.

Average band good mornings
3x15

Notes: Focused on sticking the butt way out and really stretching the hamstrings.

Saxon side bends of 15
2x8

 

Considerations: Gonna use the trap bar as my heavy movement on my squat day, just so I'm not deadlifting twice per week.

Training Log: Entry 780

RE upper pull

Pull-ups
4x10

Notes: First set was perfect, rest of sets used rest pause where needed.  Gonna try for 1 more rep per set per week.  Decided I'm going to have 1 extra set in all my pulling compared to my pushing to help correct internal rotational vs. external rotational strength.

Strict press of 165
3,3,4

Notes: Still going light.  Elbows up helps.

Cable v-handle row of 140
4x10

Notes: Was originally gonna do t-bar rows, but the short ROM paired with bending over this late in the workout just didn't seem beneficial.  As it stands now I have 2 cable rowing movements and 2 DB rowing movements, so I'll prolly switch one for the other in each week.

Dips
3x10

Notes: Struggled a bit on the last rep of the last set.  Try not to drop so fast.

Light Band pull-apart superset/cable curls of 42.5
2x12/13

Notes: Anterior delts already blasted so hit up the posterior instead.   Gonna stick with cable curls as it's the only curl that doesn't make my shoulder click.

Training Log: Entry 779

RE Squat

Back squat
315x7
275x7

Notes: Didn't hit my rep goal.  Between moving, my job, my school, and my diet, I don't have much energy in the gym.  I'm getting back on creatine this week, so that should help.  I did this beltless since I don't know where my belt is, and it's gotten me thinking about just doing all my RE work beltless so I can get my ego out of the way and just go for high reps.

Sumo deadlift of 315
3x3

Notes: No chalk and no belt here.  Kept it light just to get familiar with the movement.  This will work much better than conventional deadlifts after high rep squats.

Front squats of 135
1x15

Notes: Kept the weight light just to get the movement in.  Went up like air.

45 degree hyperextension
3x15

Notes: Bands are packed, so I hit this up.

Cable ab pulldowns
3x15

Considerations:  I think I'm gonna stick with the sumo pulls here and use the trap bar for RE work for the time being.  I'll use the belt on my heavy work when I find it, and go beltless on the RE work.  Front squats weren't bad, but should use the olympic grip rather than arms folded if I'm doing more than 5 reps.  My upperbody seems to need more volume, but this worked out well for the lowerbody.  I think I might keep the rest times higher on the squats.

Training Log: Entry 778

Day 1 of the new routine

RE upper push

DB press of 90
15,8,7

Notes: Elbows were clicking a lot on these.  Wonder what that is all about.  Kept the rest times at 1 minute.  Might try some DC style rest pause on the last set in the future.

NG chins w/10lbs
4x5

Notes: Decided to swap these in at the last minute instead of normal chins.  In the past I didn't like these because I couldn't get much lat activation, but now that I have 2 back movements per training day I can focus more on just generating pulling strength.  1.5 minute rest times.  I'll go longer as it gets tougher.

Bradford press of 95
16,16,12

Notes: I was counting front and back as 1 rep, but realized that my shoulders are pressing twice in that period, so I'm changing my style of counting.  No shoulder pain, just some clicking on my colar bone.  Originally was planning on DB overhead work, but figured having two DB movements was gonna overtax my stablizers.

Low pulley rows w/straight bar of 140
4x10

Notes: Didn't have my straps (they're packed somewhere in the move), so I had to rest a little to reset my grip.  Incredible lat activation this time around.

Cable pushdown of 50 superset cable curl of 35
2x15/15

Notes: As much as I hate curls, cable curls seem to be what I need.  No shoulder clicking and great bicep pump.

 

Considerations: I've been moving for the past week, and haven't been able to get in the weight room.  My diet has been crummy just because I'm eating on the fly, and I tore both my lats picking up furniture (I unloaded the entire moving truck in an hour by myself).  The left side of my lower back is a little tweaked.  However, the training was a breath of fresh air.  Total time in the gym was around 45 minutes.  I went the bare minimum on everything just to assess where I am, will add sets and reps as I can, along with some rest pausing and other fancy stuff.  I have a physical tomorrow requiring me to fast for 12 hours, so I'm not starting my supplements until after that.

Update:

My basement backed up one more time, and the government is finally moving me.  Thankfully, no gym equipment was damaged this way, but everything is packed up presently.  I've been brainstorming on my mass building program, and came up with this

 

Week 1

RE upper push
DB bench press 3 x Failure
(Weighted) Chins 3-5x3-5
DB shoulder press 3-4x8-12
Cable row 4-5x10-15
Pushdown/cable curl superset 2-3x8-15

RE lower squat
Back squat 2-3x10-15
Trap bar lift from a box or deadlifts off of mats (undecided) 3-5x3-5
Walking SSB lunges 1-2x10-20
Band pull throughs 3-4x15-20
Saxon side bends 3-4x10-20

RE upper pull
Pull-ups or lat pulldowns (undecided) 50 reps in as few sets as possible or 3xfailure
Strict press 3-5x3-5
T-bar rows 4-5x10-15
(Weighted) dips 3-4x8-12
Some sort of raise/Hammer curl superset 2-3x8-15

RE upper deadlift
Conventional deadlift or trap bar lift (undecided) 2-3x10-15
Back squat 3-5x3-5
Front squat 1-2x10-20
Band good mornings or SSB good mornings (undecided) 3-4x15-20
Band pull downs 3-4x10-20

 

Week 2

RE upper push
DB  NG shoulder press 3xfailure
DB rows 4-5x10-15
CGBP 3-4x8-12
Pull downs 4-5x10-15
DBPC/cable curl superset 2-3x8-15

RE lower squat
Back squat 2-3x10-15
Trap bar lift from a box or deadlifts off of mats (undecided) 3-5x3-5
Walking SSB lunges 1-2x10-20
Band pull throughs 3-4x15-20
Saxon side bends 3-4x10-20

RE upper pull
DB row 3xfailure
Pin press off chest height 3-5x3-5
Assisted chins 4-5x10-15
Bradford press 3-4x8-12
Pushdowns/hammer curls 3-4x8-15

RE upper deadlift
Conventional deadlift or trap bar lift (undecided) 2-3x10-15
Back squat 3-5x3-5
Front squat 1-2x10-20
Band good mornings or SSB good mornings (undecided) 3-4x15-20
Band pull downs 3-4x10-20

 

 

Alternate bewteen week 1 and week 2.

 

I'm gonna start supplementing with fish oil and get back on creatine within the next 2 weeks.  Presently sitting at about 200lbs even, and looking trim.  My joints are in pain, and my strength is dropping, so I think some muscle is really gonna help.

Training Log: Entry 777

RE upper

DB press of 115
11,5,3,4

Notes: Had someone spot me on the final rep of the final set.  I didn't turn it down, as I figure it's better than failing.  I might cycle down on weight to rebuild momentum, but we'll see how that goes.  I coulda hit a 4th rep on the third set, but I misgroved it.

Wide grip incline press of 185
5x4

Notes: I think 5 sets is a bit much.  I might just add 1 set one week, then add more reps the next, rather than keep adding sets.  Kinda like how I've been doing with the DB press.  I might even cut back to 3 sets and go for a rep PR.  Still kinda experimenting.  I could feel my labrum twisting a little.

Lat pulldowns
160*x15
140*x15
120*x15
100*x15
100*x15

Notes: * indicates an extra plate added onto the cable stack.  Focused on pulling with the elbows and feeling the lats.  Still getting strain in my elbows, I think I mighta wanna ditch the straps so I can put my hands down between reps.

Tate press of 35 superset with kelso shrugs of 50
20/20, 14/14, 12

Notes: Kelso shrugs are supposed to be arms unbent, but I do better with a little bend.  I'm getting more my middle back than upper, but that's what seems to be crapping out on me.

Training Log: Entry 776

ME upper

Box squats x hamstring injury

That tears it.  This is like my 4th poor box squat training.  My hips are killing me, forcing me to transfer the load onto my hamstrings and knees, which in turn is now beating up my knees and pulling my left hamstring.  I hate this movement, and I put off ME lower for days when this is next in my cycle.

Contributing factors:

Definite
-Increase in conditioning over the past 6 weeks
-Lack of calories
-Colder weather

Possible
-Squatting too frequently-Squatting is my supplemental movement for both days

 

Solutions:
-Get some powerlifting assistance gear.  I'm damn near 2.5xBW RAW, if not already there, and I don't know how many folks out there can train at that weight consistently without injury.

-Change my routine.  I usually get about 9 months out of Westside before I start hitting some serious stalls, and when I change the routine I'm able to make progress in some way.  However, I may go a route opposite of strength, and try to put on some much needed mass this time around.  I think I'm about tapped out at 200lbs.

I'm gonna spitball a little and come up with a routine that I might implement in the future, based on a lot of westside principles I'm sure, but without the ME stuff.  I can get stronger as long as the reps or weight progress.

Training Log: Entry 775

ME upper

Pin presses from chest height
Barx3
95x3
135x3
185x1
225x1
285x2
225x10
225x5

Notes: The 285 pissed me off, and I decided to try a different strategy.  The pin press is like a pulling movement, in that I can set the bar down between reps and rest pause without anything happening.  I think I'm gonna just stick with 225 and try to beat PRs on it everytime I lift.

CG Bench Press of 225
5,4,3,3

Notes: Trying my experiment of adding a set per week.

DB rows of 120
15,13,10,8,8

Notes: Not much on lat activation, but I had to use a different bench than normal.

Cable front raises of 12.5+plate
4x10

Notes: Experiment with arm bent vs. straight

Hammer curls of 40
11,7

Training Log: Entry 774

DE lower

Speed box squats of 205 against lights, -1 riser
10x2

Notes: Focused on pressing with the hips rather than the knees and arching hard.

Squats of 385
4,4,3

Notes: Had at least 1 more in the tank on everything, but still taking this slow and easy.  Depth is awesome, and doing a good job of using my glutes.

SSB walking lunges of 165
1x12

Notes: Once I pass my PFT, I'm planning on throwing a high rep conventional deadlift into my other day for 1 set.  I should be able to handle 1 set, and high rep deads will definitely help with weight gain.  Should be good for my form as well.

Light band pull throughs
20,15,17

Average band pulldowns
2x50

Hise shrugs of 385
1x15

Notes: Use a belt next time on the hise shrugs.  Getting it off the safety bars sucks.

Training Log: Entry 773

1.5 mile run

11:56

Notes: Finally broke the 2 minute mark.  First lap was 1:38, and I hit a 7:40ish mile.  Met my goal of a sub 12:12.  I could potentially run a sub 11:36, which would move me up another point bracket, but the 16 Sep deadline is closing in.

First time cracking 12 minutes since my junior year of college I think.  I'd have to really dig through my log to find out.

Training Log: Entry 772

RE upper

DB press of 115
10,5,4

Notes: 1 week of CG and 1 week off has made me forget the form on this a little.  I was trying to "pull the bar apart" on the way down, only to realize there was no bar.  I'll get back into gear soon.

Incline press of 185
4x4

Notes: Going to try just adding sets in 3 week waves rather than attempting to add reps per set.  The volume will increase regardless, and there'd be less chance of failure.  I'll see how it goes.  4 is just psychologicaly easier, and I don't burn out going for it like I do on 5.

Lat pulldowns
160x15
140x15
120x15
100x15
100x15

Notes: Using rest pause as much as needed here.  Grip is all over the place, but all I want is to get my volume up.  I notice that my point of failure is my elbows, as they tire out well before anything else.  Wondering if hammer curls will do anything there.

Tate presses of 35 superset w/kelso shrugs of 50
18/20, 12/12, 12

Notes: The tate presses sneak up on you, and don't cause any sort of elbow pain.  The kelso shrugs are always gonna be awkward, but I think they're gonna aid my upperback rounding on deadlifts.

Took a week off and went to visit my wife's family.  They're pig farmers with a great corn crop, so I ate nothing but fresh meat and veggies for 5 days.  I ran 1.5 miles in the dirt (no time, just to practice).  Came home and was 201.5.  When I left I was more like 205.5.  I'll take it, my PFT is real soon.  I'm thinking from there I'm gonna do a long slow bulk.  I always put weight on too fast, and starting off skinny might help with my momentum.