TR's log

Monday, January 12

Front Squats 5x95, 5x135, 5x145,
Squats 10x45, 10x65, 20x155 (ms)

Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 2x10x55
Standing Calf Raise 20x205 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x205 (ms)

Bench Press 10x45, 10x65, 5x85, 4x5x70
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x70
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x55 (ms)

I did my squats and front squats together. I'm still using weeny weights and will be for another few weeks, but they're kicking my butt. Apparently my extended SD has done its job.

We've got a bunch of new equipment in the gym. The powers-that-be went out and spent about $40,000 on new Pro-Line workout machines. The old stuff was fine, but the new ones have fancy paint and chrome...  
rock.gif


I played on the Pec-Dec for a bit after I finished the rest of my workout.
 
Wednesday, January 14

RDLs 10x45, 10x95, 10x115, 5x135, 5x155
Deadlifts 10x45, 10x95, 5x115, 5x135, 5x185, 20x215 (ms)
Chins BW-15  4x5
Dips  BW-15x 4x5
Triceps Pushdown 2x10x80 (new machine -- the numbers are meaningless)
Preacher Curls 2x10x32
Skulls 2x10x32

Cardio: one hour walking at 3.2 mph (a bit over 5 kmh)

I am still surprised how much the weeny deadlifts are kicking my butt. Maybe I should back off the RDLs during warmups.

I've been using 35 lb plates for my deads rather than the larger 45 lb plates. These are a tad smaller, making the intial break from the floor a bit lower. It's a similar to lifting off a small platform. I'm hoping this may help the first stage of my lift when things start to get heavy.

The triceps pushdown was done on the new machine (PreCor Icarian Strength cable apparatus -- not Pro-Line as I posted before. Whoops). I have no reason to believe the weight was actually 80 lbs. I just use a weight that seems a little heavier than the previous workout.

Whoops again -- I forgot to increase the weight on my curls and skulls...! I'll get it next time.
 
<div>
(BAX67 @ Jan. 14 2009,11:36)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Precor Icarian Strength cable apparatus.....Whoa!!</div>
Yup, fancy! But I'm already more than half-way through the weight stack and my cycle has just started...
sad.gif


Friday, January 16

Front Squats 10x45, 10x65, 5x95, 5x135, 5x155
Squats 5x135, 20x165 (ms)

Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 2x10x60
Standing Calf Raise 20x220 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x220 (ms)

Bench Press 10x45, 10x65, 5x95, 4x5x70
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x70
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x60 (ms)

There was a line behind me at the power rack today. The guy offered to share it with me, but he looked like he was going to be squatting over 300 lbs for sets. So I went first and hurried through. I wasn't planning to lift heavy today, so I took less time with my warm-ups. Then I did my Calf Raises and Shrugs on the Shirley Machine so the other guy could use the power rack.
 
Tuesday, January 20

RDLs 10x45, 5x135
Deadlifts 10x45, 5x135, 5x185, 5x225, 1x275, 20x225 (ms)
Chins BW-15  4x5
Dips  BW-20 4x5
Triceps Pushdown 2x10x90 (new machine -- the numbers are meaningless)
Preacher Curls 2x10x37
Skulls 2x10x37
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x37 (what the heck, I already had the bar overhead...)

Cardio: one hour walking at 3.2 mph (a bit over 5 kmh)

I missed yesterday. Looks like this week will have to be Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday.

I've been having difficulty with deadlifts for my last several workouts, so I cut back on the number of RDLs.  Then I warmed up to a 275 lb single. It felt like I could have done three of them, but it was late and I wanted to get on with my work set.

I usually try to keep hydrated with water, but I tried drinking a protein shake along with my workout today. It was 60 grams of protein in 12 ounces of whole milk (I was all out of skim milk). I don't know if that is the reason, but I didn't feel completely whipped after I was done.
 
Thursday, January 22

Front Squats 10x45, 5x65, 5x95, 5x135, 3x175
Squats  20x175 (ms)

Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 4x5x65
Standing Calf Raise 20x225 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x225 (ms)

Bench Press 10x45, 5x65, 5x85, 5x105, 1x125, 20x90 (ms)
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x90
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x65 (ms)

Cardio: one hour walking at 3.2 mph (a bit over 5 kmh)

The weights are starting to get a bit interesting. The 3x175 Front Squats were actually 2 and then 1. I was having a hard time keeping the bar on my shoulders. I can't manage the clean grip, so I use the cross arms technique. I find it difficult to hold after a while.

The dumbbell rows took a bit of effort as well. It's nice to feel a little &quot;worked over&quot; afterwards.
 
Monday, January 26

RDLs 10x45, 10x95, 10x135
Deadlifts 10x45, 10x95, 10x135, 3x185, 3x225, 3x285, 20x245 (ms)
Chins BW-20x5, BWx5, BW+15x5, BW+35x1, BW-10x4x5
Dips  BW-20x5, BWx5, BW+15x5, BW+35x1, BW-15x4x5
Triceps Pushdown 2x10x100
Preacher Curls 2x10x47
Skulls 2x10x47
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x47

Cardio: one hour walking at 3.2 mph (a bit over 5 kmh)

I warmed up my deadlifts to a triple at 285 lbs. I don't know if that counts as a PR. I've never really tried to do a triple with that much weight before. I was surprised how easily it came up, so I pulled it again and again, though my right hand felt a little weak on the third rep -- I was using a double overhand grip.

My right hand felt weak on my work set as well, when using a double overhand grip. Even though I was only pulling 245, I had to switch to a mixed grip after about ten reps.

The weights are getting heavy enough that I'm going to start using M-time between reps on my curls and skulls. Last week 37 lbs seemed simple and easy, but this week, I incremented the weight too much. I was supposed to do 42 lbs, but did 47 instead. I think I'm going to do that weight over again.
 
<div>
(fearfactory @ Jan. 26 2009,9:51)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">that's some serious deadlifting TR, great work!</div>
And it goes up ten pounds per week!

Dan Moore is a tough taskmaster.
 
Thursday, January 29

Front Squats 10x45, 5x65, 5x95, 5x135, 3x185
Squats  20x185 (ms)

Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 4x5x65
Standing Calf Raise 4x5x245 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x245 (ms)

Bench Press 10x45, 5x65, 5x85, 1x135, 20x95 (ms)
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x95
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x65 (ms)

Cardio: one hour walking at 3.2 mph (a bit over 5 kmh)

I would have tried for five front squats at 185, but I had trouble holding up the bar. It wasn't my legs or back that gave out, rather the Dave Draper, crossed arms method of holding the bar becomes increasingly problematic for me as the weights get heavier. I haven't been able to us the clean grip; my arms and shoulders just don't seem to bend that way...  
sad.gif
 
<div>
(TunnelRat @ Jan. 29 2009,3:13)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I would have tried for five front squats at 185, but I had trouble holding up the bar. It wasn't my legs or back that gave out, rather the Dave Draper, crossed arms method of holding the bar becomes increasingly problematic for me as the weights get heavier. I haven't been able to us the clean grip; my arms and shoulders just don't seem to bend that way...  
sad.gif
</div>
I had trouble when I started front-squatting and thought I was not able to hold the bar with a clean grip, but I kept trying and eventually I got to front squat with a clean grip quite comfortably. I had to widen the grip a little and point the elbows something like 45 degrees out but it felt good. I tried the crossed arms method once and it wasn't pretty, I couldn't picture myself doing a heavy front squat with it.
 
Saturday, January 31

RDLs 10x45, 10x95, 10x135
Deadlifts 10x45, 10x95, 10x135, 5x185, 5x225, 1x275, 2x295, 20x255 (ms)
Chins BW-20x5, BWx20 (ms)
Dips  BW-20x5, BWx20 (ms)
Triceps Pushdown 2x10x110
Preacher Curls 2x10x47
Skulls 20x47 (ms)
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x47

Cardio: Only 48 minutes walking at 3.2 mph (the gym closes early on Saturday)

That double at 295 lbs was supposed to be a triple, but the bar would not go up a third time. Squat day last Thursday wasn't hard and I wasn't tired or sore afterwards, but deadlifts today kicked my butt. My M-time on my work set was high from the start: it quickly went to 15 seconds, then to 20 seconds. For the last ten reps I was fighting to keep the M-time below 30 seconds.

I think I might try the Tudor Bompa or Ed Coan trick of cycling back the weight for a week or so. I'm not sure I'm going to do well with a simple linear increase in weight each workout.

At least it was nice to do some big boy chins and dips -- no assist at all.
 
Tuesday, February 3

Front Squats 10x45, 5x65, 5x95, 3x135, 3x195
Squats  20x195 (ms)

Seated (single-leg) Calf Raise 4x5x70
Standing Calf Raise 20x255 (ms)
Power Shrugs 20x255 (ms)
Rack Pulls (from pins) 5x365 (ms)

Bench Press 10x45, 5x65, 3x95, 1x140, 20x100 (ms)
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x100
Lying Dumbbell Row 20x70 (ms)

Cardio: one hour walking at 3.2 mph (a bit over 5 kmh)

I was beat after last Saturday's workout. So I took an extra day off, coming in on Tuesday rather than Monday. I don't know if that is what did it, but I felt much better today.

I bench pressed a Personal Best of 140 lbs and nailed the triple 195 lb. Front Squat.  I felt as though I owned my 195 lb Squats. I even had enough energy left to do a few rack pulls. My Lying Dumbbell Rows, however, are getting noticeably heavy at 70 lbs...
 
Wow! That's some great progress in your front squatting and benching, TR. Good work. Your front squat 1RM must be over 200lb now.  
cool.gif


You're right. Depending on where you are in a cycle, an extra day's rest can work wonders for a bit of strength recovery.

I see, from one of the posts above, that you are using the crossed-arm technique. I find it works pretty well for lower reps but tends to make it hard to keep the bar in place during higher rep sets. I'm assuming you've tried lots of different clean-grip widths? Recently, I've shifted my hands a bit further apart which has helped remove some of the wrist strain. And then there's the thumb thing which I tried to describe in the last post in my log.
 
<div>
(Lol @ Feb. 03 2009,11:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I'm assuming you've tried lots of different clean-grip widths?</div>
I'm not able to bend my arms to the point that I'm able to get a proper clean grip. Part of the difficulty with my rotator cuff is some permanent damage to both my infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles and their respective tendons. Even after surgery the tendons there only remain intact at the extreme margins of the cuff.

Thus I try to make do with the crossed-arm technique. Although, as you point out, it seems to work less and less effectively as the weights and reps increase.
 
<div>
(TunnelRat @ Feb. 04 2009,1:41)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Lol @ Feb. 03 2009,11:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I'm assuming you've tried lots of different clean-grip widths?</div>
I'm not able to bend my arms to the point that I'm able to get a proper clean grip. Part of the difficulty with my rotator cuff is some permanent damage to both my infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles and their respective tendons. Even after surgery the tendons there only remain intact at the extreme margins of the cuff.

Thus I try to make do with the crossed-arm technique. Although, as you point out, it seems to work less and less effectively as the weights and reps increase.</div>
I see. Well, you have been making really good progress despite these difficulties. More power to you, Sir! Sticking with sets of 3-5 with your working loads seems like a good plan. Multiple doubles could be useful too.
 
Tuesday, February 17

RDLs 10x45, 10x95
Deadlifts 10x45, 10x95, 10x135, 5x185, 5x225, 1x275, 15x225(ms)
Chins BW-20 4x5
Dips  BW-20 4x5
Triceps Pushdown 2x10x100
EZ-bar Preacher Curls 2x10x32
EZ-bar Skulls 2x10x32
Serratus Shrugs 2x10x32

Hello! Back again after another unplanned SD...  
sad.gif
 I've had the plague or whatever has been going around. It left me flat on my back for a week, and dragging about for another. Anyhow, I got back into the gym today for the first time in 14 days.

I don't really want to start my Max-Stim cycle all over again, so I thought I'd just go back a few weeks and pick up from there. Rather than starting my deadlifts over at 185 lbs (75% of 10RM), I lifted 225 lbs (or 90% of my 10RM). However, I only did 15 reps for my work set, rather than 20.

I scaled back my other exercises as well. It may take me a bit to get back in the swing of things, but I'm hoping things will pick up again quickly.
 
That was/is a nasty bug going around.  It caught me twice, but not nearly as bad as you had it.  Glad you're feeling better!!
smile.gif
 
Welcome back TR. You were conspicuous by your absence. Glad you are now on the mend. Hope you are not suffering too much today from all those deads.
cool.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top