HCT12 Journal - Time to stop going through the motions!

[Rileigh]

Good workout. You tried doing anything static leg stretching to aid your squat depth too? I found it helped me a lot.

I've been doing nightly stretches to add to my flexibility.

I can get deep in there when I'm using lighter weights. Like with the last set of 135 there, my ass was barely a foot off the ground probably. I just subconsciously seem to creep back up when I start loading the weight on. I really think it's more a psychological thing then physical. I guess spending more time with lower weight and more gradual increases should help me get out of the habit of doing that.

[GazzyG]

I've been doing nightly stretches to add to my flexibility.

I can get deep in there when I'm using lighter weights. Like with the last set of 135 there, my ass was barely a foot off the ground probably. I just subconsciously seem to creep back up when I start loading the weight on. I really think it's more a psychological thing then physical. I guess spending more time with lower weight and more gradual increases should help me get out of the habit of doing that.

Probably right mate, just the subconcious fear of getting buried under it lol.

[Rileigh]

Probably right mate, just the subconcious fear of getting buried under it lol.

Today is my sort of go do whatever day (as long as it's light weight). So I'm going do some big sets (10+) of squats at 135, 155 and 185. I'll just keep really gradually increasing, try not to take big jumps like I did when I started.

[Rileigh]

Planks:
Sides and front 35s each x2

DB Front raises:
15s x10
17.5s x10
20s x10

DB Lat Raises:
15s x10
17.5s x10
20s x10

Bench
135 x10 x5 (messing around with different grips and form)

Leg Curls:
90 x6
100 x6
110 x6
120 x6

Lower Back Extensions:
bw+25 x8
bw+35 x8
bw+35 x6

Weighted Crunch Machine
bw+20 x10
bw+30 x10
bw+40 x10

So, I definitely feel like I was on the right track yesterday with the SLDL's. Holy hell my hamstrings were feeling it today. Definitely going to keep those in on squat day.

Meant to do some light weight squatting again today, but there was a group of people deadlifting in the rack, so didn't get a chance. Messed around with my grip on bench, tried a few different ones to see how they feel. Came to the conclusion that I should probably use a closer grip. Will try next week

[GazzyG]

Nice varied session. Liking the core work.

[Rileigh]

Fucking killer workout - so pumped right now and excited to write this!

Strict Barbell overhead press:
bar x15
95 x6
115 x6
135 x4
135 x2
145 x1.5(pr) (really tried to get that full second rep but stuck half way up in spite of holding it there and pushing at it for probably 3-5 seconds)

BB bent over Rows/Bench Supersets:
135 rowsx6 benchx10
155 rowsx6 benchx6
165 rowsx6 bench x6
175 rowsx5(pr) benchx4
175 rowsx2 +2

Lat Pulldown:
135 x6
150 x6
165 x6
180 x5 +2 +2(rep pr)

Dips:
bw x10
bw x9
bw x5
bw x5.5

Felt super strong today. I did the bench/bent over rows super sets because I wanted to practice my closer grip that I'm going to use for monday. It felt really good. Basically did my 6 rows standing over the bench, then racked it, laid down and did as many presses as I could.

I have numerous sample supplements at home that I've decided to give a shot. So today in addition to my normal supplement I take as sort of a pre-workout (technically it's not a pre-workout and I really don't notice a difference between whether I take it pre-workout or not, but it has l-arginine, HMB and creatine and I have to take a second dose at some point during the day so it may as well be pre-workout (ps holy run on sentance, I may as well make it longer by pointing that out)), I took a single dose of this ephedrine free fat burning supplement sample I had. It has caffeine, Niacin, green tea, taurine, carnitine and a bunch of other stuff that probably doesn't do much. So stacking the two probably made a pretty potent pre-workout. Felt good, but I'm not going to make a habit of it just because I'm trying to stay away from stimulants. The sample had two doses, so will use the second tomorrow and see if it really was the addition of this that caused the extra energy.

[Coke]

You ought to be well pleased dude, impressive outing indeed.

[Rileigh]

Deads:
135 x6
155 x6
185 x6
205 x6
225 x5 +2 +2

Calfs
xxx x10 x3 - I'm not concerned about these since I've been 'barefoot' running. Just did them quick with enough weight to work em a bit

DB curls:
35s x6
40s x6
45s x6
50s x5 +2 +2

Squats:
135 x10
155 x10
175 x10
185 x10

Took the other dose of that fat burning sample today. Energy level was no where near where it was yesterday which means that thing had nothing to do with it.

Very happy with the deadlifts. First time since week 1 attempting to lift heavy from the floor and it worked out well.

Squats I'm sort of resetting. Going to do a much slower progression to get over my 'fear' of going deep with heavy weight. 185 was max weight today, tuesday is squat day so I'll go up to 205, and just increase it slowly like that. I really concentrated on bending at the hips as I went down and that seemed to help getting nice and deep.

[Rileigh]

You ought to be well pleased dude, impressive outing indeed.

Thanks Coke. Surprising how happy I was with that performance yesterday! Was on cloud 9 for the rest of the day.

[Rileigh]

BB Bench Press:
135 x6
185 x6
205 x5
205 x3
215 x3 +2 +2

DB One Arm Rows:
65s x6
70s x6
75s x6
80s x6
85s x6 +2+2(pr)

Dips:
bw x10
bw x10
bw x6
bw x6

Lat Pull Down:
135 x6
150 x6
165 x6
180 x5 +2+2

Pec Flies (machine):
70 x10
100 x10
130 x6
160 x6
205 x5 +2+2

Hammer Str Incline Press:
90 x10
180 x6
180 x4
180 x4
180 x3

Was a weird day yesterday. I forgot my shorts at home, so was all ready headed down to the gym at around 12:30 only to have to come back up to work. Got the gf to drop me off a pair of shorts around 1:30. Since I was off at 3:30 anyway, just waited until 2:30 went to the gym and stayed there till 4:30. So had a bit longer in the gym then normal.

Not overly concerned with the reduction of weight on bench (last bb bench was 225). Ate like shit all weekend, including getting very very drunk saturday night and spending all day sunday hung over. Combine that with a new grip....

Also spent the last 35 mins running/jogging. 5.5mph avg. Also started doing some yoga last night. Think I'm going to do it in the evenings 3 days a week or so. Help with flexibility.

[Rileigh]

Squats:
bar x10
135 x6
155 x6
185 x6
185 x6
205 x6
205 x6

Calf Raises (machine):
160 x10 x3

SLDL:
120 x8
130 x6
140 x6
140 x6

DB Curls:
30s x6
40s x6
45s x6
50s x5 +2 +2

Weighted Crunch Machine thing:
bw+20 x10
bw+40 x10 x3

Overall good workout. Squats felt good, definitely nice and low. Will continue with the slow increases to hopefully get over what I believe to be psychological barrier keeping me from going low enough when I use heavier weight.

[Beast]

Nice squatting, bro. I definitely hear you about the psych component of weight. Amazing, isn't it? Sometimes what works is adjusting your rep scheme and just throwing on the heavier weight, while dealing with the lower reps. Another thing is just walking away from that particular exercise for a few weeks, and coming back reinvigorated. This has worked for me in the past.

[GazzyG]

Great training, Rileigh.

Beast is definitely right - there's a huge psychological component. But I don't think it's something you just get over - for me it's still there every time I get under a new weight lol.

[Rileigh]

Nice squatting, bro. I definitely hear you about the psych component of weight. Amazing, isn't it? Sometimes what works is adjusting your rep scheme and just throwing on the heavier weight, while dealing with the lower reps. Another thing is just walking away from that particular exercise for a few weeks, and coming back reinvigorated. This has worked for me in the past.

Great training, Rileigh.

Beast is definitely right - there's a huge psychological component. But I don't think it's something you just get over - for me it's still there every time I get under a new weight lol.

Thanks guys! It's coming along for sure. I'm sort of doing what you suggested Beast. Kind of deloading it for a few weeks. So far it's been feeling pretty good. We'll see what happens next week when I start getting into the 225+ range.

[Rileigh]

DB Strict Overhead Press:
(total weight, not per hand)
100 x6
120 x6
140 x4
140 x3 (rep pr)

Lat Pull down:
135 x6
150 x6
165 x6
180 x6 +2 +2 (rep pr)

Bent Over Rows (smith machine):
105 x6
125 x6
155 x6
175 x6 +2 +2 (rep pr)

Triceps Rope Pull Downs:
30 x6
40 x6
50 x6
60 x6
70 x4 +2 +2

Tweaked my shoulder a little bit (probably cleaning the dumbells up to my shoulders for the press) so skipped dips and did the rope pulls instead as it felt a little easier on the shoulder.

Took a sample pre-workout today I had. Mutant Rage. Meh, no real noticeable effects as far as I'm concerned (I don't think the rep pr's could be attributed to that, tho I could be wrong). I only really took it for the creatine because I'm out of the other creatine supplement I was taking and the new order will be in any day now (I hope).

Oh and Wed is normally a light core/accessory day but with the holiday and the fact that we're going away on friday I'm condensing the days this week.

[Coke]

Fine effort overall R.

[Rileigh]

Fine effort overall R.

Thanks bro!

Did notice any pain in the should again until this morning when I first got up. Did a few stretches and the pain went away. Luckily today is deadlift day so nothing too strenuous for the shoulder and then it's a four day weekend.

[LuNa]

Good to hear the shoulder felt better after stretching.

Im truly looking forward to the long weekend .

[Rileigh]

Deads:
135 x6
185 x6
205 x5
225 x4
245 x3
265 x2(pr)
265 x1 +fail (was trying for another double)

DB Curls:
35s x6
40s x6
45s x6
50s x5 +2 +2

Decline situps:
bw x10
bw+25 x8
bw+35 x6
bw+45 x6

Squats:
135 x6 x2
185 x6
135 x6 x2

Skipped calfs because I was punched for time and realistically I get a pretty good calf workout every time I run using these barefoot running shoes. I usually run ~3.5m 3 or 4 times a week (so far I'm at 2 this week, but will be going for at least one run and probably a bike ride this weekend).

Quick question on deadlifts, when doing sets of multiple lifts. Do you guys put the weight down on the ground after each rep? Or do you take it down almost to the ground and then raise it back up. I had been doing the latter (not putting it down completely) but on the 245 and 265 sets I actually put it on the ground for a split second before lifting it for the next rep.

[Rileigh]

Was away for most of the weekend, so didn't get a chance to hit the gym at all. Did end up going for a 3.5mi run Friday and then a 5.5mi run Saturday (2.5mi to the beach, .5 mi on the beach, then 2.5mi back).

Back to the gym today after a nice four day rest. Upper body deload I think this week. Not concerned with deloading lower body as I'm not lifting overly heavy there yet.

[Rileigh]

Bench
135 x10 x2
155 x10
155 x7 x2
135 x10

Lat Pulldown:
135 x10 x3
135 x7 x3

DB Rows:
55 x10 x5

Hammer Str Tricep Ext:
40s x10 x2
50s x10 x3

As mentioned before, going for a deload/volume week for upper body. Felt good, has a pretty good pump on when I left the gym.

[Alex.V]

D

Quick question on deadlifts, when doing sets of multiple lifts. Do you guys put the weight down on the ground after each rep? Or do you take it down almost to the ground and then raise it back up. I had been doing the latter (not putting it down completely) but on the 245 and 265 sets I actually put it on the ground for a split second before lifting it for the next rep.

For what it's worth, I always do a full reset on every rep.

[Rileigh]

For what it's worth, I always do a full reset on every rep.

Cool thanks.

I was worried that letting the weight hit the floor like that for a split second was cheating, but if that's the norm, then that's the norm.

[Rileigh]

Calves (machine):
Max x10 x until they felt a lil sore

Decline situps:
bw x10
bw+25 x10
bw+35 x10
bw+45 x6 +2+2

DB Curls:
35s x6
40s x6
45s x6
50s x6 x2 +3+3

SLDL
100 x10 x4

Squats:
bar xbunch
135 x6
185 x6
205 x6
225 x6
225 x4 x4

Squats felt great today, I wanted to increase the weight but I'm holding to commitment to progress slowly. So I did 5 sets at 225. Now as I sit here writing this, wow can I ever feel it in my quads.

Tried running yesterday after work. Found my foot was a little sore, toward the front when my toes bent up. Called it quits after a mile and biked instead. I went for a hike on monday through some rough, rocky terrain, I think I must have strained it a bit or something during the hike. Will give it a rest for a few days and try again.

[Beast]

Now as I sit here writing this, wow can I ever feel it in my quads.

Best feeling ever, haha. Nice squatting. For what it's worth, I agree with Belial on resetting during DLs. I feel like not doing it is almost cheating, since some people have a tendency of bouncing the thing off the ground on each rep.