Amounirl's Training Log

[Cards]

nice deads, great 3 reps.

[amounirl]

Thanks man, although I feel I could have done them better, was kind of rushing but I gotta take my time and get tight before I lift it off the ground.

Back feels a lot better after swimming today, but triceps and hamstrings are very sore.

[Coke]

Quite an effort with the overhead presses, super with those deads in the vid.

Training is nice and varied, doing great overall!

[amounirl]

Thanks Coke!

[amounirl]

Felt lazy and tired today, and my left shoulder was hurting so I didn't go heavy on the axle. Just did a max yoke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMk4NJNdl70

[amounirl]

7-9-12: Squat Deload

Squat
10x135
8x165
6x200

Front squat
10x115
8x135

Hamstring Curl
10x90
10x110
10x110

Weighted Sit Ups
2x10x15 lbs
1x10xBW

Easy deload, squat form felt solid, finally finding my groove, not bouncing off any tendons or joints now, just stopping it with muscle, and lifting it with muscle. Felt very physically strong today but mentally worn out, so the deload is good.

[amounirl]

6-10-12: Bench Deload

Bench
10x115
8x135
165x7/7
145x8 (paused, close grips)

Barbell Rows
3x12x125

Shoulder Press
35 dbs x 10/10/12

Upright Rows and Face pulls
4 sets of 8

Tricep ext
27.5 dbs x 12/15

Fat gripz DB hammer curl
2x12x27.5

(Chest Supported) Rear Delt Swing on Incline Bench
37.5 dbs x 30 reps

Today felt pretty good, first time lifting in running shoes in 1.5 years, because they're so comfy, surprisingly felt strong even with the cusioned sole. Then again it was a deload. Bench groove felt great, against all odds, I was wearing the "wrong" shoes and didn't have any chalk or thin rubber mat (the one you see in my bench videos) on the bench, so it was slick. Not sure if it's the shoes or the lack of rubber mat but either could be a possibility, we'll see how I feel next week, but today I felt nice and tight and was holding the bar in my lats/traps pretty well. Didn't even stretch my hips or back before hand and I felt fine getting a decent arch. Did some paused close grips and leg drive felt stellar, even with the running shoes. If the oly shoes feel like crap next week I'll try with the running shoes on my down pyramid sets to see if it actually makes a difference with heavy weight, or if today was just an anomaly.

Did the barbell rows Dorian Yates style, feel it a lot in the lats and forearms. I'd like to go heavy on these next time, maybe even with a mixed grip alternating from set to set, using 4x8 sets/reps scheme. Shoulder presses aggravated my compromised left shoulder a bit but I pushed through it. Upright rows and face pulls were mediocre, pretty insignificant. I'll start doing face pulls regularly again, there's no good ropes in my gym so I'll just use the straight bar. I actually like the DB tricep extensions without fat gripz better, feel it in the triceps more, from now on I'll only do the hammer curls with fat gripz, and I"ll use different weights so I can hit the same reps on each. I actually think the tricep extensions might be to blame for the pain in my left humerus, because of both the elbow and shoulder hurting. Will look up some elbow rehab and start doing that as well. Rear delt swings could have been better, I think the incline bench was on too flat a setting cause I felt it more in my lats than usual. I'll try with a less steep bench and lighter weights next week to get a better ROM and focus better on the rear delts.

Played basketball yesterday, been pussing out of going to kempo using shoulder and sickness as an excuse, I'm gonna have to drag my ass in on wednesday so I can get back with it again. I just hate cardio, and I hate how hard it is on the joints, always messes up my lifting. Going to play basketball in about an hour, might do dips and pull ups afterwards.

[amounirl]

7-12-12: Deadlift Deload, or DLDL

Deadlift
5x135
5x225
5x315

Hip Thrust
2x15x135

(Pronated) Pull Ups
BW x 5/8/8/6/5 (first set with fat gripz)

(bicep/shoulder stretch on pull up bar)

Hamstring Curl
Worked up with sets of 8 to 12x150 and 5x180

Short day today. I was going to squat but I was running late and had my 2 training partners do their squats while they were waiting for me. They finished a few mins after I got there and they already have to wait long enough for me to do all my deadlift sets, so I skipped squats. It's a deload, anyways. Technique was great on deadlift, I now have a 3 step checklist in my mind that I run through before every deadlift set, glutes tight, big air/core tight, bar close, then when I lift, chest up/heels through the ground. Simple and effective.

Hip thrusts are getting better, just pushing through it. Pull ups were painful as hell, especially with the fat gripz, and especially with my calluses torn up from deads, as I used no long socks, no belt, and no chalk. Makes even lighter deads more painful than heavy ones, all the skin tearing. Great pump though from the pull ups, decided to stretch my biceps and shoulders while they were pumped, on the pull up bar, by grabbing the bar behind me with both hands like I was going to do a supinated bench dip on it, then letting my arms come up and putting my shoulders under the bar, hanging as best I could from it with my hands in the awkward position. Hard to describe, but a phenomenal stretch, great for preventing bicep tears I've heard. I can link a video if anyone wants. Hamstring curls were hamstring curls.

Thinking about doing Magnusson/Orton for deadlift this fall (5/3/1 for everything else), as I don't like the high rep heavy deads that seem to come with 5/3/1. I'll just run 5/3/1 deads during the summer while I'm doing kempo, since 5/3/1 allows for bad/off days where you can take it easy, in case I have injuries or joint pain/soreness from kempo, which I get a lot of unfortunately.

[Coke]

Dig your approach and attention to detail.

Already thinking ahead and getting something set up for the fall, good deal on that - good luck.

[amounirl]

Thanks Coke! I'll also be doing weighted chins with the 5/3/1 set/reps scheme on my bench day, I'm inspired by you to get a huge weighted chin up

[amounirl]

7-13-12: "OHP Deload" and bench

Bench
Worked up to a very clean, 100% raw (no wrist wraps or belt or anything) paused triple with 3x245!

Poor man's slingshot bench
225x5
265x3 paused
300x2 paused 1st rep, touch n go second
315x1 paused: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AlVQbBsLxw

Clean and Overhead Press
1 clean, 12 presses with 95

Kroc Rows
10x50
15x100

That's it. Had a great bench day raw, (leg drive felt 100% perfect in running shoes, which I'm liking a lot more than oly shoes) and an even greater bench day with the improvised slingshot. Wore me out like crazy though, as I've never handled those kinds of weights. Feel it a million times more in the upper back and lats, though I got a sick chest and shoulder pump as well, I think this would be a great tool to work up to a heavy set but not all out, then go back to raw, to help teach the technique. Might do that for that pyramiding program I'm thinking about doing for bench, I'll just have to move around my bench and OHP days so I can still get work done. I'm thinking Pyramid bench and 5/3/1 OHP on tuesday, then 5/3/1 bench and 5/3/1 push press or jerk on fridays, since I'll be running the Mag/Ort the day before and would rather fully exert myself when I'm more fresh on tuesday. Can't wait to bulk this fall.

Oh yeah and the kroc rows were fun too. I'm worn out as hell.

[amounirl]

7-16-12: 3x5x85% OHP and "Week 2" Mag/Ort RB Deadlift

1 Clean and OHP (sets of 5 chins between all sets, work and warmups, 6 sets total: 30 reps)
warmups
3x5x135

Reverse Band Deadlift (135 off the bottom deload at knees)
warmups
4x4x365
1x2x410
1x2x470
1x12x365 no pauses/resets

Looks short on paper, but Ort/Mag is no joke, I was in there for about 2 hours, 1.5 hrs of it just doing set after set of deadlifts. I just wanted to try it out, so I did Week 2 with reverse bands with 525 "projected" max (used my predicted max instead of projected, which would have been around 550) since I've reverse band deadlifted 500 for 2 reps before (526). Ort/Mag was brutal. Each individual set was easy and submaximal, except maybe the last set where 13 reps would have been questionable, but the sheer added up volume wore me out a lot, especially mentally. I'm sure I could have had one more on the 470, but I didn't push for it. I'm definitely going to have to break up my ort/mag days into a morning deadlift session and an evening assistance work session, because with real deads instead of reverse bands this would wear me out way more. The fact the gym was hot didn't help either, I was sweating after my first set of OHP.

Either way I'm really excited for the program, I can see this really helping out my technique A LOT. I alternated sets between right hand under and left hand under (first and last set were both right hand under, heaviest set was left hand under). I'm liking mix grip a million times more than hook grip, even if hook grip lets me get in a better position to start, mix grip lets me focus on keeping my core and glutes tight, getting my shins vertical, and pulling the bar into me, instead of pain signals from my thumbs frying my brain. It also lets me relax my shoulders and arms better, oddly enough, which helps at lockout. On all of my reps (except one rep on the 365 and the first rep of 410) the lockout was very smooth because I was able to get my shins vertical and back completely straight at the bottom, and therefore keep momentum over my knees all the way to lockout. I figured the 365 was going to be really high reps anyways, so I didn't pause them at the bottom. No bouncing, but no resetting either, just grinding them out. Quads and hands (not hams, hands, as in my bunched up calluses) were burning. Abs and spinal erectors are sore now too, but I'm sure I'll be sore all over tomorrow.

[amounirl]

7-18-12: 85% Squat and Bench

Squat
warmups
8x275 with belt

Bench
warmups
5x225 with wrist wraps
23x135 close grip (3 rep PR)

Medial Delt Work
About 15-25 mins worth

Rear Delt destroyer
25x35 lbs drop setted to 12x25

Decent training session, I messed up my neck grappling in kempo on Monday so that was irritating me the whole day, and my entire back and both legs were sore, especially the lower back and traps, from deadlifts on Monday. My buddy had an appointment at 11:30, so we had to go to the gym at 10:00 AM, and I got up at 9:00 AM, so I was also very tired, just in general did not feel very good going to the gym today. Despite that though I managed to get in a decent workout.

Squat form felt slightly off but my buddy said I kept my arch, so I'll take his word for it. I need to start bringing my camera to the gym more often though so I can see for myself. Bench form also felt a little off, I don't think it's because of the oly shoes or anything, but just because my neck was bothering me, back were sore, and legs were pumped from squats, so I couldn't get locked in as well as normal. I'll have to get used to it though because that's the condition in PL meets, leg stiffness from squats. I was planning on doing 3x5x85% on both lifts today but we didn't have time, so I just pushed the top set on squats to 8 reps, then did a close grip burn out set at the end of bench. Didn't go to failure on anything, but 9 reps on 275 squat, 6 reps on 225 bench, and 24 reps on 135 CG bench would have all been questionable, so I stopped 1-2 short of potential failure. Was really winded at this point, mostly because I'd just woken up and didn't have much food in me, so I didn't do rows like I"d planned, didn't have any energy left for compound movements, so I just experimented with some lateral delt work I saw in a thread by Diamonddelts on BB.com, then did a rear delt destroyer drop set.

Not the most productive day but still decent, and my shoulders got a good pump, might make some all right gains from today, or at least maintain what I have, until my next training session this Sunday, since I'm going to be out of town from tonight until late on friday night.

[GazzyG]

Workouts all going well, bud. Even your off days are looking strong!

[Coke]

Brutal stuff indeed, especially while in an oven hot gym - my place is the same, no air conditioning (or heat, in the winter).

Sounds like you are really getting into the new program!

Glad to see you still hanging tough with the kempo despite getting bruised and banged up at times, that's part of the game.

[amounirl]

Thanks guys! Yeah lifting in the middle of the day in the summer definitely gets tough, especially when the gym has really weak A/C! And as much as I don't like Kempo and its "side effects" I know it's good for me, physically and mentally

[amounirl]

Just got back from out of town, slept poorly but ate well, and my body feels really good after the rest, ready to start hitting the gym again come Sunday. Here's the routine I"m going to be running:

Fri: Squat/OHP

5/3/1 OHP from rack, sets of 5 chin ups between sets
5/3/1 Squat (wrist curls between sets)
1 arm DB C/P 90% 5/3/1
GVT (10x10) Sumo Deadlift
4x8 or 3x10 hammer grip cable rows with side raises
2x15 abs
2x15 hip thrust

Sun: Bench/Front Squat

5/3/1 Bench, sets of face pulls, close grips on down pyramid
5/3/1 Front Squat
GVT (10x10) Dumbbell “BTN” press
GVT (10x10) Barbell Rows
shoulder raises


Mon: Kempo

Tues: CJ/Deadlift

5/3/1 Clean and push press (1 clean per set, chins)
5/3/1 Deadlift (shoulder raises between sets)
GVT (10x[half of rep max]) Dips. Add 1 rep per week, or if at 10 reps add weight
2x15 hip thrust
arms
50 rep Upper chest and rear delts dumbells


Wed: Kempo

Thurs: Kempo

[amounirl]

7-22-12: 3x3 Bench and Front Squat

Bench
warmups
3x215
3x230
3x240
14x185

Front Squat
warmups
3x205
3x225
4x240

Incline fat gripz DB Press
5x10x45s 60 sec rest between sets

Yates Row
10x10x95 60 sec rest between sets

Had a good workout yesterday, maintaining strength on bench even though I weighed in at only 200 lbs even right after bench. Bench technique was off on the 240, right shoulder wasn't fully locked in so it was rotating weird, so I didn't push for more reps. Did a set of 185 after, forgot to use close grip, so I pushed it to 14 reps, might have had 15 in me. Front squat I might have had 5 on the 240. Inclines I set my max too high and went to failure on set 5, so I cut it off. I used the perfect amount of weight on the rows, and my arms/lats were fried afterwards. Great pump too. Looking much leaner in the mirror, and my forearms are starting to show the individual muscles (looks like striations but not) and veins. I just wish I didn't naturally have not very many veins on my small forearms, I know people who don't even lift whose forearms look more ripped then mine. Deads on Tuesday.

[Coke]

Off to a nice start with the newly revised plan.

[amounirl]

Thanks coke!

Push Press and Deads

1Clean and Rep Push Press
5x135
6x145

Deficit Deads
5x365

Dips with 60 sec rest between sets
BWx7,7,7,7,7,5,6,5,5,5

Strict Straight Bar Curls (for the elbows)
8x45
2x8x65
8x45 reverse grip

Rear Delt Work
Swingers and flys

Pretty bad day today to be honest. My left trapezius is completely messed up, I have this sharp stinging pain in it at the top whenever it's stretched or contracted. When I got home I stuck a lacrosse ball under and and did a lot of rolling right in the problem area, but it's still hurting this morning. Gonna work on rehabbing it. Anyways I couldn't really go heavy on anything that involved the trapezius, so push presses were mediocre, and I did deficit deads so that I wouldn't be able to use as much weight, left hand underhand helped lessen the pain, and also i forgot my long socks so the shin pain helped distract a bit. Didn't want to go heavy on anything though. Still did the high volume dips, then did rear delt work to balance it out. Finally found out why my left shoulder is so f*cked up, it's because when I use my computer it's elevated, so I set up my computer so it can be more neuteral now, back/down even. Got a video of the deads but it's so light it's not even worth putting up, back was nice and straight though.

[amounirl]

7-27-12: 3x3 Squat and OHP

OHP
3x115
3x135
3x145
1x155
3x135
8x115

Squat
3x185
3x225
3x275
1x315 belt

T Bar Row
3x10x2.5 plates
1x25x1 plate

DB Shoulder Press
10x30s
2x10x35s

Sumo DL
10x135
10x225
10x315

Deadhang for the spine
With about 5 hanging leg raises, slow

Ok workout today, OHP technique was perfect, and didn't bother my shoulders at all, barely bothered my trap, lat support the whole way. However, the fact I was resting it on my clavicles and flaring my lats, like a front squat, on the bottom lowered my bottom end strength a bit, probably because I'm not used to it. Still I felt it a lot more with less weight. Either way my numbers were not impressive, likely because weight loss causes a loss in upper body strength, and the fact I was using a new, safer technique.

Squat was pretty weak, I think the fact I haven't gone over 315 in months has made me lose a lot of strength on my squat, but on the positive side my technique is a million times better than before, back held a great arch the whole way. Neither of my training partners could come today so I didn't bring my camera, but I had a guy on the squat rack next to me who half knew what he was doing watch my technique, he said I had a very pronounced arch that I held the whole way, and was concerned that I might be arching too much. As far as I know the more arch the better, on the squat, but please correct me if I'm wrong!

Did some T bar rows because my lats seem like they're shrinking, felt it a lot in the forearms, especially my right arm, but still got it in the lats. Oddly enough my shoulders look wider too, and my traps look smaller, almost like my clavicles have grown longer, stretching out the lats and traps and making them look less thick. I welcome the change though cause I've always had small shoulders, hopefully they'll grow more and I'll actually look big in a shirt. Shoulder press was a little weak but I'm still not used to dumbbells. Sumo DL I was gonna do multiple sets of 10 but 315 was crazy cardio, so I stopped there, felt it a lot in the legs, hips, glutes, which was the main purpose for me doing them, more leg volume and building the supporting muscles for the conventional deadlift. Very slow off the bottom though. Then I did a deadhang with some weight to extend my spine back out, and threw in some hanging leg raises. Felt it more in the forearms and hands than anything.

Bodyweight was 201 at home and 196 at the gym, looks like I'll have to hand in my man card soon, because I'm over 5'10 and almost or already under 200 lbs =/. On the bright side I look much leaner, cardio 3 nights a week, lifting 3 nights a week, and very low calories have treated me well. I also feel like my testosterone is naturally much higher, and I'm starting to really get into kempo, really enjoying the sparring and working on my techniques.

[Coke]

I'm starting to really get into kempo, really enjoying the sparring and working on my techniques.

Awesome, that's the role you been playing, now you are growing further into it.

The body is going to ever be changing, nothing to be done except to keep putting forth the efforts...if you did nothing though, all the hard work would waste away.

We both know you will never turn in your man card dude, lol.

[amounirl]

HAha thanks Coke, unfortunately I was 199 yesterday at the gym so they're putting my man card on suspension, but I'll get it back when I bulk this winter.

[amounirl]

7-29-12: 3x3 Bench and Front Squat

Bench
Warmups
5x185
3x210
2x2x240

Front Squat
3x185
3x225
5x245

Hamstring curl
15x100
15x150

DB Shoulder Press <60 sec rest between sets
10x10x25s

Shrugs 60 sec rest between sets
10x10x135

Had an ok workout today. My warmups felt really strong on bench but for some reason I was barely getting 2 reps on 240. Tried it again and technique felt good, yet I only got 2 reps again. Must be losing strength due to weight loss, as I weighed in right after at 199. Front squat went decently, matched my old PR of 245x5, but did it without a belt, so it would be a beltless PR. Might have had 6 with a belt on, but for some reason I didn't put it on. Hamstring curls were just for maintainance, but 15x150 was a pretty hard push for me. Just getting my strength up for when I have access to a real GHR. DB shoulder press I went way too light, so by the 7th set I was doing shorter than 60 sec rest, and between my 9th and 10th set I had a 20 sec rest. Shrugs were nice, did em slightly bent over, surprisingly felt it a lot in the rear delts, and had a good pump after. Gonna start doing those more often. Did some light rows between sets of bench, and before shrugs, but didn't do any serious enough to be worth logging.

[GazzyG]

Might be losing a little strength, but getting leaner, so worth it!

The strength'll bounce back, sure enough!