thecityalive is dead meat

[thecityalive]

Awesome rob. Conventional stance too. lol at gym in crocs.

None of these lifts I do with shoes. Deadlift, lunges, hack squat, romanians. All barefoot. I might as well bring sandals really. I figure bring in these crocs, kick em off, lift things, put em down.

Every other day (with the exception of front squat) I just wear my Nike Lunarelites and go to work. I wanna just convert to Chucks, but I like wearing them when I go out...might just invest in a gym pair.

Got a similar thing, but I need competition with others, that's when I excel, I HATE losing at anything and I still haven't replaced the awesome training partner before I left Canada.

Good job on the PRs man, I'm definitely keeping an eye on this journal.

Thanks! Yeah, as a former sprinter, I feel ya on that. Track is a very individual sport when it comes to your own personal bests, but when you put me side by side another person who is doing the same thing, I want to be alpha male. I get bitter when I lose and figure out ways to improve. That is one of the things I love about sport: you learn so much though overcoming adversity. One of the few cliches that I feel holds any kind of truth.

Competition can drive a man to the edge of the Earth, looking for solutions to one problem. People change in competition. That focus, the entering into another realm of existence, is quite astounding when you see it in others after being in such a position yourself.

It's quite remarkable.



Thanks for the support guys. Again, if anyone has any comments/ suggestions/ tips/ criticisms .....let me know I'm all ears.

[thecityalive]

Week 6 Day 2

Incline BB Press

• 155x6
• 175x6
• 185x6
• 175x6
• 155x6

Neutral Grip pulldowns

• 170x6
• 180x6
• 170x6
• 170x6

Neutral DB Press (increase next week)

• 60x8
• 60x8
• 60x8
• 60x8

Push Press

• 95x8
• 100x8
• 100x8
• 100x8

Bent-Over lateral raises

• 15x8
• 15x8
• 20x8
• 20x8

EZ Bar curls

• 55x6
• 55x6
• 55x6
• 55x6

Single arm preacher (each arm)

• 25x25
• 25x25

Russian BB twist
3x16@ 45BB+10



Backed ez-bar curls back. I mean it felt cool to curl that badboy with 45s slapped to the side, but I just wanted to control it better. Felt nice to rep 185 on the incline. Dragged ass today and forgot again to weigh in. FML.

[thecityalive]

Dragging ass today...time to do work!

[thecityalive]

WEEK 6

Day 3

Weight 178.8

Box Jump 5x3 (40 inches)

Front Squat (135 warmup)

• 185x6
• 225x6
• 225x6
• 225x6
• 185x6

Reverse DB Lunge

• 100x8
• 100x8
• 100x8
• 100x8

Weighted Jump Squats (increase next week)

• 80x10
• 80x10
• 80x10

SHELC 3x8

Battling ropes 6, 1-minute rounds, 1 min rest

Calves

• 110x10
• 110x10
• 120x10
• 120x10

[BallsWideDeep]

40" Box Jump 3x5 That's pretty insane!

I'm wearing fake low top Chuck's. They told me they were going to kick me out of the gym if I kept taking my shoes off, so I bought an $8 pair off Amazon. I wear a 12, but the ones I bought feel just a tad small and bunched in the toes. I've come to like it! It's like your foot is in a slight binding. You just naturally shove through your heels when your toes aren't sprawled out. I read something that suggested a half size too small. Might have been on the starting strength wiki. Wouldn't be practical if you wanted to where around, but if you don't have narrow feet chuck's will be pretty tight anyway.

[thecityalive]

Yeah I wear high top Chucks just for walkin around. I tried them with front squats one day and was a bit unsure if I liked them to lift (at least for that particular movement). I do want a pair I can just use and abuse though. Hmm...

Yep! I suppose I have some ups, that or just explosive hips and calves. Weighted squat jumps will do that to ya. Today is the last day before a much needed deload week.

I was so excited with the gains I've seen, I just forgot to deload. My body needs rest and I think 6 weeks sounds just about right.

[chevelle2291]

Wow nice lifts man. 225x3x6 for front squats is solid.

[thecityalive]

Week6 -Day 4

Weight 179.4


1-Board Press (BBx10, 135x6 as warm-ups)

• 185x3
• 205x3
• 225x3
• 205x3
• 205x3
• 185x3

T-Bar Row

• 100x6
• 110x6
• 115x6
• 100x6
• 100x6

Weighted Dips

• +45x8
• +35x8
• +35x8
• +25x8

High Pull

• 115x8
• 135x8
• 135x8
• 115x8

Overhead DB Press

• 35x8
• 35x8
• 40x8
• 45x8

Ring Push-Ups (to failure)

• 12/12/10

Weighted Pull-Ups

• +20x8
• +20x8
• +0x8

Barbell Rollouts

• 3x10

Gonna deload next week...any suggestions or tips?

[thecityalive]

I think I'm gonna deload to about 80% this upcoming week.

The week of Aug 22 I can't work out because I am running an orientation program at Eastern Michigan University, and that takes literally all day to train 150+ orientation leaders for three days, then we have four days of worried parents, students with questions, and misc problems.

I will need my rest, and my mind clear and focused.

[Cards]

i vote no on a deload. You havent stalled and you seem to be progressing. Use the week where you cannot work out as a deload/rest week.

oh and nice workouts!

[thecityalive]

Fair enough. Thought about that as well. I think I just got discouraged with the 225 for front squat this week. Not all gains are as quick as a deadlift. I noticed that the deadlift is generally a quick one to build.

[Cards]

??? whats wrong with 225?

[thecityalive]

Nothing. I suppose I just want numbers to keep getting bigger every other week. But I have been increasing my numbers, set wise, so I am ok with what I have now. I'm just happy I can FS more than most people can BS (and some times I do mean bull shit AND back squat - some people's back squat form is bull shit).

Next week....#beastmodeengaged

[Cards]

why didnt you do 230? or 235? I'm, sure you could have managed.

[thecityalive]

230-235 sounds tasty...Where's the dinner plate? This Friday, I shall feast!

But I'll just continue going hard this week, perhaps I'll post an example of what my meals are looking like too.

[thecityalive]

WEEK 7

Day 1

FML...read below

Weight 176.8
Warm-up: Start up jumps, dynamic stretching, and foam rolling

Sumo Deadlift

• 315x6 (Regular with 4" defect)
• 365x6
• 365x6
• 365x6
• 315x6

Bulgarian Lunge <had to recalculate for smith....FML>

• 110x8
• 130x8
• 160x8
• 160x8

Romanian Deadlift

• 185x8
• 185x8
• 205x8

BB Hack Squat

• 205x15
• 225x15
• 225x15

Battling Ropes 6x60sec.

Calves 4x10 @ 115


I love hack squat. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. One of the exercises where I can get a substantial burn after completing a set. I feel like I could add more to this, but sets of 15 is gnarly enough.

The FML moment was when I realized that the weight I thought I was doing wasn't on the Bulgarian lunges. I do them on a smith machine just so I don't fall over, but I think in my documentation, I wrote down a quick estimate for what it could be. Today was the day it just dawned on me that the weight I was pressing wasn't what I thought it was. Oh well. 160/leg is still nice.

Had a nice deadlift kiss on my leg today...had people lookin at me like I should have wrapped it up. *shrug* what can I expect from other people in a Powerhouse gym who hardly ever see a deadlift? Not a whole lot.

[Cards]

why not up the weight? Didnt you pull 365 last time ?

[thecityalive]

Yeah, I'm not gonna up it until I get a belt. Oh well.

[Cards]

So I have to give you credit. Normally, I'm pretty impressed with your responses and your training ethic, so I'll pretend you didn't say you weren't going to up the weight without a belt. You pulled 365x6, throw 5s on there and go to town.

Got balls? Use them!

[thecityalive]

Week 7 Day 2

Incline BB Press

• 175x6
• 185x6
• 175x6
• 175x6
• 155x6

Neutral Grip Pullups

• BWx6
• BWx6
• BWx6
• BWx6

Neutral DB Press

• 60x8
• 65x8
• 70x8 <----- wooot!
• 65x8

Push Press

• 95x8
• 95x8
• 95x8
• 95x8

Bent-Over lateral raises

• 15x8
• 20x8
• 20x8
• 20x8

EZ Bar curls

• 55x6
• 55x6
• 55x6
• 55x6

Single arm preacher (each arm)

• 25x25
• 25x25

Russian BB twist
3x16@ 45BB+10


Really happy about increasing my NDBP 10# from last week. Felt good. can probably increase further. One thing I've discovered when lifting heavier loads on the incline press, is that my particular rack (an Icarian) has these stupid pegs that don't release well. It's so damn awkward to get the load off the rack and into press position. Will need someone to lift off to set. No big deal.

[thecityalive]

So I have to give you credit. Normally, I'm pretty impressed with your responses and your training ethic, so I'll pretend you didn't say you weren't going to up the weight without a belt. You pulled 365x6, throw 5s on there and go to town.

Got balls? Use them!

True. I think I'm just over thinking the functionality of a belt as opposed to the importance of increasing the load. Point well made.

[thecityalive]

WEEK 6

Day 3

Weight 179.0

Box Jump 5x3 (45 inches// 65.2% of body height) <---------[ New PR ]

Front Squat (95 warmup)

• 205x6
• 225x6
• 235x6 <----------[ New PR ]
• 225x6
• 205x6

Reverse DB Lunge

• 110x8
• 120x8 <-----------[New PR]
• 120x8
• 120x8

Weighted Jump Squats

• 80x10
• 80x10
• 80x10

SHELC 3x8

Battling ropes 6, 1-minute rounds, 1 min rest

Calves

• 110x10
• 110x10
• 120x10
• 120x10

Some pretty interesting PRs today. Added 10# to the FS, 5 inches to the box jump, 20# to the Elevated reverse DB lunge. I see the other lifts as more auxiliary than anything, adding more weight to the squat jump isn't a big concern at the moment. I probably could be jumping with 90#.

[thecityalive]

Week6 -Day 4

Weight 180.4


1-Board Press <---------------Increased overall weight total/average

• 205x3
• 215x3
• 205x3
• 210x3
• 210x3
• 205x3

T-Bar Row <-------[ increased ]

• 115x6
• 115x6
• 120x6
• 120x6
• 125x6

Weighted Dips

• +45x8
• +35x8
• +35x8
• +35x8

High Pull <Had to recalculate for smith>

• 110x8
• 130x8
• 130x8
• 130x8

Overhead DB Press

• 35x8
• 45x8
• 45x8
• 50x8 <-------------[ PR ]

Ring Push-Ups (to failure)

• 17/12/12

Weighted Pull-Ups

• +15x8
• +15x8
• +0x8

Barbell Rollouts

• 3x10

Been thinking about my usage of the smith machine for the high pull...anyone have any thoughts? I know it's a fixed ROM, but is it really gonna affect anything? Perhaps after this deload week I will just do everything free weighted.



I also had an epiphany while doing BB roll-outs. I watch people do them wrong all the time. I see people using their arms/shoulders more than they do their abs. When you bring the bar back, you are supposed to be doing a crunch maneuver. Silly noobs, cheats are for bads.

[Cards]

Awesome PRs and you hit the nail right on the head with the PM. Use your equipment as a supporting device and an alternative way to train, don't use it as a crutch.

[thecityalive]

I am considering purchasing an Inzer Forever belt (either the 10mm or the 13mm). My question is: would it matter which thickness I go for? I feel like 3mm difference isn't that much.