Bench and Dips

Tuesday - 10/23/12
Bench - 5 sets
95x10
135x8
185x8
185x7
175x8
175x7
165x10

Dips - 2 sets
25x8
25x7

Generic Back Day

Sunday - 10/21/12
Weighted Chins - 21 reps total
25x5
25x4
25x4
25x4
25x3
Bodyweight x 5

Wide-Bar Cable Rows - 3 sets
120x8
160x7
150x8
150x8

Shrug Machine - 4 sets
90x12
180x10
230x10
180x10
90x12

Squats

Thursday - 10/19/12
Squats - 3 sets
135x8
185x5
255x5
255x5
245x5

Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 1 set
30x10
40x10

Bench and Dips

Tuesday - 10/17/12
Bench - 4 sets
95x10
135x8
175x9
175x8
165x8
155x10

Weighted Dips - 3 sets (with weight belt)
45lbs x 6
25 x 8
25 x 7

Squats coming up on Thursday.

Deadlifts 5X5

Deadlifted Saturday morning with a friend who I used to lift with.  Having a partner was a good thing, and it's something I've really been missing.  Having a partner at the gym is great for several reasons:

It keeps you motivated and in the gym more often.  I've been going to the gym very infrequently lately,  2-3 times a week.  With a partner, you feel an obligation to make sure you don't miss a workout, or just put it off till tomorrow or the next day.

It helps you to try heavier loads.  I usually don't hesitate when I want to try a higher weight, but there have been times when I want to push the weight up on squats (for instance) and don't because there's a nagging worry in the back of my head that I don't have a spotter.  Or I won't try a 5th rep because I'm worried I won't be able to stand back up with the weight on my back.  Or I'll end up doing a shitty last rep because I didn't want to go all the way down.  Etc, etc.  Having a spotter and not needing it is better than not having one at all.

It makes you keep your workout fresh.  Having someone to bounce ideas off of helps.  Sometimes your workout needs to change, and a second pair of eyes on the workout helps make this happen.

And finally, it makes you train harder.  This one is the simplest, and most important.  Honestly, no matter how self motivated you are, when you have someone looking over your shoulder, you work harder.  Not only that, there's always a small element of competition, even if it's never acknowledged.

So there, some benefits to having a partner. Anyway, I deadlifted.  Here are the sets.

Saturday - 10/13/12
Deadlifts - 5 sets
135x8
225x5
285x5
285x5
285x5
275x5
275x5

And then a crazy blood blister formed on my right hand.  No idea how that's gonna turn out.  It's still there, beneath the surface, only hurts when I put pressure on it.  Maybe it'll just go away...?

Bench

Wednesday - 10/10/12
Bench -  4 sets
95x10
135x8
175x8
165x8
155x8
155x8

Tricep Rope Pulldown - 3 sets
50x12
50x10
50x8

Squats

Did some squats on Sunday, here they are.

Sunday - 10/7/12
Squats - 3 sets
135x8
185x5
255x5
245x5
245x5

Slight improvement.  Hopefully this picks up to 255 all across.

Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 2 sets
30x10
40x10
35x10

Bench Improvement

Benched late last night after a long day at work.  Saw some improvement in the weight I could throw up.  I'm still trying to push the 8-10 reps thing until I'm really doing that rep range at higher weight.  If I can get to a point where I'm doing 10 reps at 185, it'll make the transition to 5 reps at 205, and then at 215 and 225 that much easier.

Thursday - 10/4/12
Bench - 4 sets
95x10
135x8
175x8
165x8
155x8
145x8

Tricep Rope Pulldown - 3 sets
35x10
57.5x8
50x8
42.5x8

Bench, Squats, Back

Thursday - 9/27/12
Bench - 3 sets
95x10
135x8
165x10
165x9
155x8

Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 2 sets
30x10
40x10
40x8

Tricep Rope Pulldowns - 3 sets
50x10
60x8
50x8

Sunday - 9/29/12
Squats - 3 sets
245x5
245x5
245x5

Was very happy with this.

Tuesday - 10/2/12
Single Hand Dumbbell Rows - 3 sets
65x10
85x10
90x8
90x7

Dumbbell Shrugs - 3 sets
65x10
80x10
85x10
85x10

Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 1 set
35x10

Grip was destroyed at the end of the workout on Tuesday.