Ka Pow!

Here's the story summed up quick.

My last post was on May 20th.  Since then, I continued going to the gym through June, hit a couple of PR's.  Most importantly, I nailed the shit out of 225 on bench with little to no problems. 

Late June, my wife and I closed on our house, and then the real work began.  Moving was not easy, and the house required some work.  Painting, etc.  Plus, my real job became insane, and I was working 12 hour days for a while.

Needless to say, around early July I stopped going to the gym completely, and we finally moved into the new place late July.

Yesterday, I finally made it back to the gym for the first time in about a month.  I squatted, and now my legs feel like jelly.

Thursday - 8/8/13

Squats - 3 sets

135x8

185x5

225x5

205x5

205x5

Bent over barbell rows - 3 sets

95x8

115x8

115x8

115x7

Barbell Curls - 1 set

60x10

And that's about it.  Work is still crazy right now, but I think I'll be able to manage 2 days a week until things calm down.

And I'll try and keep this thing updated a little better.  For a few weeks I was just lifting blind. 

Squat and Deadlift, Push Press and Row

As I discussed last week, we moved forward with the plan for squats and deadlifts.  However, it was not what I previously thought.  I back-squat a lot.  It's pretty much all I do.  Occasionally, I've dabbled in some front squatting, but never more than 135 pounds.  I'm one of those typical guys who whines about their wrists when he's cleaning, and then whines some more when he's front squatting.

To my shitty credit, I'm trying to change that.  We decided to front squat and RDL, instead of the highly intense back squat and regular deadlift combo.  Went light on both, was very sore on both.  Also did some glute bridges with an empty bar.  It felt uncomfortable.

Thursday - 5/16/13
Front Squats - 3 sets
Empty Bar x 10
135x8
155x8
175x8

RDL's - 3 sets
135x8
135x8
135x8

Glute Bridges - 3 sets
Bodyweight x 8
Empty Bar x 8
Empty Bar x 8

Seems very light on all exercises, and it was.  I haven't really done any of these in a while, and I wanted to take it easy.  I was still sore as hell the next 2 days.

Saturday - 5/18/13
Push Press - 3 sets
Empty Bar x 10
95x8
85x8
85x8

Bent Over Barbell Row - 3 sets
95x10
135x8
135x8
135x8

Barbell Hammer Curls - 3 sets
35x8
35x8
40x8

Push press was more working on form than anything else.  Yes, it sucks that I suck at pressing.

Ridiculous

Ok, it's been a bit ridiculous.  I haven't updated in over 20 days.  That's a fucking long time.

There's no possible way I can go back throughout all 20 days and give a detailed recap of what has happened.  However, I can give a few important points and catch up to where I'm currently at.

I have been going to the gym since my last post.  A few weeks back, James and I agreed that we would slightly change things up.  Instead of just doing 5x5 (or 4x5 if we were being lazy) for almost every muscle group, we're going to go on cycles.  One cycle is 3x8, next cycle is 5x5, and final cycle is 5x1.  Then it would be a mixed week of things like cleans, box jumps, turkish get ups, etc.

We'd be changing up the actual exercises we do too.  One day is bench and chinups, another day is squats and deadlifts, and the 3rd day is shoulder press and rows.  We can also mix in some of the miscellaneous stuff in there in the form of dips, biceps, fly's... that sort of thing.

In preparation for this change, over the last week and a half James and I began attempting 1 rep max sets for each of our main lifts.  I don't remember which days we did what.  But here are my maxes.

Bench - 215
Squat - 305
Deadlift - 375
Clean - 155


The bench and clean are pathetic, but I'm pretty happy with the squat, and very happy with the deadlift.  I should footnote that the deadlift was done with straps.  I normally go without them, but have always felt that my back could lift more than my hands could.

Once we found our maxes, Sunday we began the new routine.

Sunday - 5/12/13
Bench - 3 sets
95x10
135x8
165x8
165x8
165x8

Chinups - 3 sets
No weight x 8
No weight x 8
No weight x 8

(Yeah, I was feeling pretty weak)

Close Grip Bench Press - 3 sets
Empty bar x 10
55x10
95x8
105x8
115x8

I've never done close grip before, so it was a little awkward.  Felt good overall though.  Obviously bench we had to go a little lighter to get 8 reps for 3 straight sets, but 165 was perfect for me.  On the 3rd set I struggled mightily, but got all reps with no spot.

If all goes well, today should be squats and deadlifts.  I'm a little nervous at pairing these 2 together, but from what I've read it's absolutely doable.

Some Bench on Friday, some Squats on Monday... and of course, Softball

Benched on Friday, didn't feel too bad.  Didn't feel great either.  Here are the sets.

Friday - 4/19/13
Bench Press - 5 sets
95x10
135x6
185x5
185x5
185x5
175x5
175x5

Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets
60x8
55x8
55x7

Tried some tricep cables, but it didn't feel right.  Pain in my shoulder.

Sunday!

Sunday was the first and second of many softball games this spring/summer.  We didn't do well, but I had a blast.  I think I went 4/6 with a walk, 1 RBI and 2 runs.  I also missed a catchable ball that went over my head in left field.  Need to work on balls that are hit directly at me, but just over my head.  I can go back on an angle, but if it's coming directly at me, I struggle with getting a good approach.

Oh - and my shoulder still feels like shit.  And my left knee has a little pain.  Nothing I didn't expect, I guess.

Irregardless, I was sore as fuck on Monday.  Hell, I was even more sore on Tuesday, but I figured I had to go to the gym.  So I did, and squatted gently.

Tuesday - 4/23/13
Back Squats - 4 sets
135x8
185x6
225x6
245x5
245x5
225x6

Weighted Chinups - 3 sets
25x6
25x5
25x5

The bad news is that I felt some pain in what I'm assuming is a tendon or ligament on the in-side of my right elbow.  I figured I'd give it a rest before something else got hurt.

A lot of catching up

Ok - I haven't posted in over 10 days.  A lot has happened, and I've been to the gym a lot.

I'll try and summarize best I can remember.

Last I left off, I did some hang cleans and failed at 155.  A day or 2 later....

Deadlifts - 4 sets
135x8
225x5
295x5
285x5
275x5
275x5

Bent over barbell rows - 3 sets
95x8
115x8
115x8
115x7

A few days later.....

Bench - 5 sets
185x5
185x5
175x5
175x5
175x4

Incline Dumbells - 3 sets
60x8
60x4
55x5

Dips
25x10
25x8
25x5

A few days later....

Back Squats - 5 sets
135x8
185x5
245x3
255x3
265x3
275x3
285x3
285x2 (failed on 3)

Weighted Chinups - 5 sets
25x6
35x6
35x5
35x5
25x5

A few days later....

Hang Cleans - a bunch of reps/sets
95x3
95x5
135x3
145x2
145x2
155x2
155x2
165xFAIL
165xFAIL

Bicep Curls - 2 sets
80x6
70x10

Machine Shoulder Press - 3 sets
I don't remember the weight.

A few days later...

Deadlifts - 3 sets
135x8
225x6
275x5
295x5
275x6

Bent over barbell rows - 3 sets
95x8
115x8
125x7
115x8

One day later....

Hang Cleans - Multiple Sets
95x5
95x5
135x3
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2

RDL's - 2 sets
135x10
135x10

Seated dumbell bicep curls - 1 set
30x10


And that should just about catch me up.  I'm an idiot for not getting this down immediately, now my memory is a bit hazy and I could be off on reps and sets, even weight in some cases.

I think somewhere in there I did some box jumps and turkish get ups too.  In fact I'm positive I did.  Oh well, I'll get em next time.

A lot of stuff

I'll try and keep it short.  Friday, James and I did some cleans.  It was a good session, even though I struggled a lot.  Easter Sunday, I woke up early and did some fuckarounditis stuff at the gym.  Namely, turkish getups, box jumps, and squat thrusts with a 20lb medicine ball.  Monday, James and I did some deadlifts.  My grip was fucked though, and I didn't do well at all.  Here are the details.

Friday - 3/29/13
Hang Cleans - Many sets
95x5
115x5
135x3
135x3
145x2
145x2

After this, about 10 attempts at 155, all failed.  Dissapointing.

Sunday - 3/31/13
Turkish Getups - 3 sets
17lb kettlebell x 3
17lb kettlebell x 3
17lb kettlebell x 3

Box Jumps - 3 sets
Large box x 10
Large box x 10
Medium + Small box x 10

Squat Thrusts - 3 sets
20x10
20x12
20x15


Monday - 4/1/13
Deadlifts - 5 sets
135x10
225x6
315x4
305x5
295x5
295x4
285x5

Bent over Rows (deadlift position) - 3 sets
95x10
115x10
115x10
115x10

Bench on Thursday, Squats on Tuesday

Had a rough week.  My bench sucked last Thursday.  I think I was just pooped.

Thursday - 3/21/13
Flat Bench - 4 sets
95x10
135x6
195x2
185x4
165x8
165x8

Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets
55x8
60x5
55x5

Yeah, my chest was dead to me that day.

Weighted Dips - 3 sets
45x6
45x5
25x6

Went home, rested up and finally made it to the gym late Tuesday night to squat.

Tuesday - 3/26/13
Squats - 5 sets
135x10
185x5
265x5
255x5
255x5
245x5
245x5

Weighted Chins - 3 sets
25x6
25x6
25x6

Tuesday I was a wreck.  Got terrible sleep Monday night and then didn't even walk into the gym until around 8:30 at night.  I don't think I'm making excuses if I chalk up this shitty workout to those reasons.