Restarting Bench

Did bench last night.  I've been stalling at 205 for about 3 weeks now, so I think it's time I drop the weight, increase the reps, and build up some momentum over the next month or so to push beyond 205lbs.

Here are the sets.

3/27/12 - Tuesday
Bench Press - 3 sets
95x8 (warmup)
135x6 (warmup)
165x8
165x8
165x8

Tricep Cable Pulldown - 3 sets
50x8 (warmup)
60x8
60x7
60x6

Bent Bar Bicep Curls - 2 sets
60x8 (warmup)
80x5
70x7

It felt good to do more reps on bench.  I imagine I'm going to be more sore than I've been in a while.  On Thursday, I'm planning on a 20 rep squat of 195.

Deadlifts! Wart is still chillin

I've come to the conclusion that this wart isn't coming off on it's own.  I'm probably going to have to rip it off, dig it out, use some kind of sharp object or something.  Visualize whatever grossness that's gonna mean.  As far as I can tell, it's just chillin out on my hand with a pocket of puss and blood underneath it, and it's not doing anything. It's been 2 weeks since it was zapped with nitrogen, and the only change is that it doesn't really hurt anymore.  It's just weird looking, and weird feeling.

Anyway, now that I've gotten all of that weirdness out....  I ended up working a little later than expected on Friday, and didn't go to the gym as planned.  What did I do?  I ended up staying in with some friends and drank some delicious beer and black label.  Enjoyed some good times and some good laughs. Oh and the delicious beer?  Saranac white IPA.  I liked it so much I went and picked up a 12 pack of it on Sunday.

mmmmmm

Saturday morning, I woke up with a hangover.  Nothing crazy, but I definitely didn't feel like going to the gym.  So I didn't.

So that brings us to Sunday.  Went early in the day and deadlifted, my first time since 2/28.  That's like 4 weeks!  I can't believe how long it's been.  Either way, I took it relatively easy.. I calculated 80% of what I did last time (325), and came up with ~265lbs.  So I did 3 sets of 6 reps.  Felt good.  And I feel sore as hell today... in a good way.  Here are the sets.

3/25/12 - Sunday
Deadlifts - 3 sets
135x8 (warmup)
225x5 (warmup)
265x6
265x6
265x6

Shrug Machine - 3 sets
90x10 (warmup)
180x10 (warmup)
270x8
270x8
270x8

The shrug machine is just a fancy lever.  I'm putting the weights on a bar that's attached to a focal point and shrugging it up.

Today I'm off, but I'll be back there tomorrow.

And PS - My shoulder still sucks.  I tried some more trigger point therapy on it, and it helped a little... but it still hurts.  I keep saying I need to ice it, but I always forget when I'm home and ice is available.  Softball is gonna start up and I'm gonna be unable to throw.

Finally did some pulling - lightly

On Wednesday I made it to the gym and did some cable rows on the universal machine.  I normally shy away from the universal, but the gym was packed.  Both squat racks were taken, the dumbbell area was jammed, and even the regular back machines were taken up.  It's been packed the past few times I've gone, I guess because of the summer rush.

So I did some rows, and my bloody blisterwart survived.  It did so well, I'm gonna try some RDL's today.  Still kind of light weight, but it will help me get ready for deadlifts next time they're up.  Here are my sets from Wednesday.

3/21/12 - Wednesday
Cable Rows - 3 sets
120x8 (warmup)
180x7
195x5
180x7

Seated Military Press - 4 sets
95x8 (warmup)
115x5
125x5
125x4
115x6

Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 2 sets
30x10 (warmup)
45x5
40x6

Tonight it's RDL's... and I'm not really sure what else.  Maybe some chinups or shrugs.  We'll see how the hand is doing.

A quick bench session - and an idiot spotter

Short and sweet.

Got to the gym yesterday for short session of benching.  Nothing else because of the wart.  It's softening up, and once it pops I'll throw a bandaid on there and see what I can lift.  Here are the sets.

Oh.  Some dude worked in with me after I dropped the weight to 185, which was fine.  Which wasn't fine, was when he spotted me on my 3rd set and fucking practically lifted the weight for me.  Ok.  I was pissed.  But, being an idiot, I told him to only lift the weight if it's obvious I can't get it up.  And then gave him an opportunity to spot me again when I "redid" my set b/c he fucked it up.  Fucking guy does the same thing again.  When I asked him why he lifted the weight for me, he says "I thought you couldn't handle it."

Motherfucker.  Guy was curling the weight while I'm pressing it... on my FIRST REP!  I wanted to flip the fuck out.  Instead I just said, "I'm done," and left the gym.

3/19/12 - Monday
Bench - 4 sets
135x5 (warmup)
135x5 (warmup)
165x3 (warmup)
205x3
185x5
185x infinity
185x infinity

Yeah it's infinity, b/c I probably could have done infinite reps with this dude curling it while I'm benching.  Don't even remember what I did.

Finished up with a short jog around the block to cool down.

Warts Suck!

It's Monday again.  I went a whole week without posting.  Lets just say life has been busy.  I went to the gym just once last week, on Friday.  I squatted with 195 lbs again, and while I still didn't hit 20 reps, I nailed a solid 17.  I struggled mightily to get that last rep up.  I'm happy I made some kind of progress, even if it's only 2 reps higher than my previous.

As for life... Last week was busy.  My wife and I are making an offer on a house we like.  It's a short sale, which can complicate things.  Needless to say, we took 2 trips to the house to give it a really deep look, and then kind of scoped out the neighborhood.  If things work out, the house is nice, but really needs a LOT of work.  And not just painting and cleaning.  The basement would need to be gutted, bathrooms would need to be redone, one of the bedrooms would need to have the carpet ripped up and the ceiling dropped.  This is just off the top of my head.

On top of all this, I've been working late almost every night.  It makes getting to the gym difficult.  Top that off with the house hunting, and these crazy wart blisters on my palm... lifting isn't so easy.  I picked up some dumbbells the other day and immediately I felt it tearing at the blister.

I'm gonna bench today, and I don't think it should be a problem.  The way the blister's forming, I don't think pressing should be a problem.

Here are the sets from squatting.

3/16/12 - Friday
Squats - 1 set
135x6 (warmup)
135x8 (warmup)
195x17

Updates!

It's been a few days since I've updated.  Went to the gym on Thursday and Saturday.   Thursday I did some seated military press, 1 handed rows, and some bi's.  Here are those sets.

3/8/12 - Thursday
Military Press - 3 sets
85x5 (warmup)
115x5
125x3
125x5

1 Hand Dumbbell Rows - 3 sets
65x8 (warmup)
100x7
100x7
100x6

Shrug Machine - 3 sets
90x10 (warmup)
180x10
270x10
270x10
270x9

Then, on Saturday I did some flat bench, and again put in some bi's and tri's.

3/10/12 - Saturday
Bench Press - 3 sets
95x10 (warmup)
135x6 (warmup)
155x3 (warmup)
205x3
195x3
185x4

Bent Barbell Bicep Curl - 2 sets
60x8 (warmup)
80x8
80x7

Tricep Cable Pulldown - 3 sets
80x10 (warmup)
125x7
120x7
120x6

Today, I had planned on doing deadlifts, but never made it to the gym.  For one thing, my forearms are still a little sore from shrugs and rows.  For a second thing, I went to the dermatologist today and he zapped a wart on the palm of my left hand.  The thing is crazy red and irritated.  And I'm not sure how soon it'll be okay to deadlift.  We'll see how it's doing tomorrow.

Squatting Failure

I failed 20 rep squats last night.  I really just punked out.

My plan was 190 for 20 reps.  Problem is, my gym doesn't have 2 1/2 lb weights.  My wife and I usually bring them from home.  I forgot them.  So, being a tough guy, I jumped to 195 instead.  And, like a tough guy, I only got 15 reps.  I think I could have eeked out another 1 or 2, but I just didn't do it.  Didn't have the drive.

The logical part of me is telling the angry part of me that it's okay.  I had just hit a PR on bench, and didn't eat great the day before.  I was a little tired, and I wasn't focused.  All resulting in me not having a great session.  I'm going to try again at 195 next week.

3/5/12 - Monday
Squats - 1 set
135x8 (warmup)
155x5 (warmup)
195x15

Bent Barbell Bicep Curls - 2 sets
60x8 (warmup)
80x8
80x6

All in all, I'm chalking this one up to just a bad day at the gym.  Next time I'll do better.

PS - Notice how I've substituted biceps for chinups the past 3 workouts?  That's called laziness, and I'm an asshole for doing it.

As Usual, I Lied

Ok, I didn't LIE, but I didn't follow my own instructions on Friday.  I ended up working later that I expected to on Friday and just couldn't get to the gym.  So, I went Saturday morning, nailed 205 on bench, and then went to my cousin's wedding.  Fast forward to a very hung over Sunday morning, and training wasn't an option.

So, today I'm going and working the 20 reps at 190 on squats.  Here are my sets from Saturday.

3/3/12 - Saturday
Bench Press - 3 sets
95x8 (warmup)
135x6 (warmup)
155x3 (warmup)
205x3 PR
195x3
185x4

Bent Barbell Bicep Curl - 3 sets
60x8 (warmup)
70x8
80x7
80x6

Tricep Rope Cable Pulldown - 3 sets
80x8 (warmup)
120x8
120x8
120x7

Yes, that's another PR on bench.  Feeling good.  Gonna stay at 205 for another week or 2, then try for 210.

To eat or not to eat

It's March.  Time for the age old question.  Continue eating like a maniac and trying to gain weight and strength? Or lower the calories a bit and aim to slim down for the hot summer months, but lose a little bit of strength.  Usually, I try to lower the eating and get some more control.  That's what I did last year, and almost IMMEDIATELY, my lifts began to drop.  

I don't want that to happen this year.  I don't want to be flabby when I take my shirt off at the beach either.  So, I have an immediate plan and a mid length plan, and a long term for the summer plan.  

For the rest of this week, I'm going to eat like a fucking champion.  I'm talking lots of calories, lots of protein, carbs, fat... hell even some alcohol on Saturday.  Today, I'm squatting 190x20.  And on Saturday, I'm hitting 205 for 3 reps on bench press.  

Then, I'm taking Sunday and Monday off.  Those days, I'm still gonna eat well and recover well.  Going forward, for another month or so, I'm going to eat heavy on training days, and I'm gonna eat medium to light on off days.  I'm going to walk almost every day.  I'm going to sprint once a week.  And I'm going to see if eating this new way will effect my lifts.  They shouldn't drop, because I'm still eating like a champ on days when I lift.  But I should be able to trim some fat in the process, especially with sprinting.

Once the full on summer blast hits, if I've still got some flab then I'll go into a little bit of crazy mode to try and slim down.  Increasing the sprinting, doing some intense barbell complexes and stuff.  But for now, I still want to hit those increases on bench, squats and deadlifts.  

Have a nice weekend everyone