Body by Alex

[FearFactory]

I hired Alex Viada on here to get my strength in the big 3 up over the next several months. From there, I want to lean out while maintaining that strength then transition into BB mode. I would like to hit 3/4/5 for reps before leaning out. But the biggest thing is I want to KEEP that strength, so I don't care if it takes a year to lean out as long as the strength remains. I am fucking tired of leaning out and losing all the strength I work hard for.

I figured I would log here since this is his primary site.

Just a quick background..

Got 3/4/5 pretty easily 2 years ago on the big 3, but I was a fat 245-250. I am 6'5". Leaned out to 210 that same year and it has been a struggle to get the strength back, so I hired Alex. I have been fighting lower back pain since I hit my growth spurt in middle school from 5'8" to 6'5". I took time off from lifting heavy the last 2 months and it actually made my back worse. I am convinced I will just live with it forever, so I may as well lift heavy while I still physically can.

I am currently 223-225 in the morning. A little smooth, some belly fat, but not nearly as obese as I was at 250.

[FearFactory]

‎3/10/13

DE Lower

Speed Squats
185 x 3 x 8

Split Jerks
95 x 6
115 x 6
135 x 6
155 x 4

Good Mornings
Arched back, 45-50 degrees
95 x 6
115 x 6
135 x 6
185 x 6
205 x 6
225 x 6

Leg Press
5pps x 8
5pps x 16
4pps x 20

[FearFactory]

3/12/13

ME Bench
Index on rings.
bar x 20
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 1
265 x 1
285 x 1 (really fast for 285)
305 x 1, spotter touched bar but I didn't feel any weight come off.
315 x 0, just wanted to feel it. Failed 4 inches off chest, whatever
225 x 10, really easy

Skullcrushers
with 45 lb barbell
95 x 4
95 x 6
95 x 6
these are the weights he wrote down, I could have done 20 reps.

Floor Press
135 x 8
185 x 6
225 x 7
225 x 7
Unloaded pause at the bottom. These are tough.

Pendlay Rows
135 x 8
185 x 6
205 x 4
205 x 4
185 x 10

These feel awful right now. Need to get my low back used to bearing weight again.

Hanging Leg Raises
3 x 12

[Alex.V]

Floor press. I do love it. Very much.

[GazzyG]

Excellent! I can vouch that Alex is a legend, lol!

And boy, you're starting off with some serious strength already with the Bench!

Also, why does Body by Alex sound like a celebrity cologne...?

[FearFactory]

Floor press. I do love it. Very much.

I feel like it is the exact sticking point I had on the 315. Maybe a bit higher, but I can't dig holes in the floor to let my elbows go lower lol. God damn long arms I have.

Excellent! I can vouch that Alex is a legend, lol!

And boy, you're starting off with some serious strength already with the Bench!

Thank you. Funny thing is I did nothing but DB Bench the last 2 months. I am thinking there is some carry over there. Either that or I fixed my form, because I couldn't sniff 275 2 months ago.

[FearFactory]

3/14/13

ME Squats
Bar x 10 x 2, it was fucking freezing today, had to bar for two sets to warm up
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
295 x 1
315 x 1
335 x 1
355 x 1

250 x 6 x 2

Narrow, ATG (as far as I can possibly go), pause at bottom
135 x 8 x 2
135 x 10

SLDL
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 10 x 3

Cable Pull Throughs
120 x 10 x 2
120 x 13

[FearFactory]

3/16/13

DE Upper

Paused Bench
135 x 6 x 2
155 x 3 x 5
Paused and explosive.

Plyo Smith Bench throws
50 x 6 x 2
70 x 4 x 2

DB Rows
Like BB rows but with two DBs
55's x 10
65's x 10 x 2
55's x 20

Pullups
Neutral grip
BW x 12
BW x 8

[FearFactory]

3/17/13

Light conditioning
1.5 miles: 14 mins

[FearFactory]

I haven't had this feeling in 2 years...

That nervous/anxious feeling you get the day before you are supposed to slay big weights.

Good sign.

[FearFactory]

3/19/13

ME Upper

Bench
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 1
245 x 1
265 x 1
275 x 1
290 x 1 (absolute max today, stopped there)
Not fun when bench drops 15 lbs, but I was sick yesterday so maybe that is why.
225 x 6
225 x 6, wide grip paused on chest
225 x 6, wide grip paused on chest

DB Flies
3:1:3 cadence
35's x 10
1:00
55's x 6
1:00
55's x 4
1:00
45's x 7

Rope Pushdowns
3:1:3 cadence
90 x 10
0:30
80 x 7
0:10
70 x 6
0:10
60 x 5

Military Press
95 x 3
135 x 3 x 3

[FearFactory]

3/21/13

ME Lower
Squat
Bar x 10
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 1
335 x 1
355 x 1
380 x 1

Hypertrophy Sets
1 minute rests
225 x 8 x 4
Brutal lol

SLDLS
135 x 10
185 x 6
225 x 6
275 x 6 x 2

Back felt phenomenal. Daily stretching plus rolling is paying off big time. #feelsgoodman.jpg

Barbell Lunges
Alex gonna laugh at me for this one
Target was 135 x 10/10 x 3 with 1 minute rests. HAHA

115 x 10
95 x 6 (lol)
65 x 10 (bigger lol)
I am out of shape.

Seated Calf
5:5:5:5 cadence
1 min rests

45 x 10 x 4

I won't be walking very much the next cpl days LOL.

Vid of my 355 squat to show how well DE days are working for my squat. I never had pop like that out of the hole ever. My squats are normally slow the entire rep.

Note: those are inzer knee sleeves unbuckled, that is why they look like wraps. They just give some support. I hate neoprene sleeves because they fucking stink after 1 session.

[joey54]

Move the bar up, bring your hands in a tad, and keep your wrists straight. That'll help with hunching over. Work to keep your elbows under the bar.

[FearFactory]

Move the bar up, bring your hands in a tad, and keep your wrists straight. That'll help with hunching over. Work to keep your elbows under the bar.

Thanks

I'll try it Sunday on my DE day, but I think I am always going to have some hunching. Honestly, that was way less than normal for me lol. Normally I am GMing way worse out of the hole.

I think it will get less and less as my hips loosen up. 3 weeks ago I couldn't even squat 135.

Edit. I normally do bring my hands in a bit closer, but my chest was so sore from last upper day I had zero flexibility even after warming up with a broom.

[FearFactory]

No back pain today, just mild soreness. I think I finally figured out how to manage whatever condition I have (anterior pelvic tilt?)

I can't wait to deadlift heavy.

[GazzyG]

355 squat looked easy-mode, bud. Good stuff!

[FearFactory]

Thanks Gaz, feeling much better.

3/23/13

DE Upper
Speed bench, pause on chest
135 x 6
155 x 3 x 7

Lateral Raises
Don't laugh, I don't really ever do these.

15 x 10
:45
15 x 10
:45
10 x 20
:10
10 x 10

Ply Bench
50 x 6
70 x 6
50 x 6

Rope Pushdowns
3:2:3 cadence, brutal

80 x 6
1:00
80 x 6
:10
80 x 6
:10
70 x 6

Close Grip Bench
ez bar
115 x 6
115 x 7, 3:1:3 cadence

That was it. The ez bars suck at my gym, so the bar just kept slipping even chalked up. Put a lot of stress on my wrist so I shut it down.

[FearFactory]

3/24/13

DE Lower
Squat
Straight speed squats
Bar x 10 x 2
135 x 6
155 x 3
185 x 3 x 8

Split Jerks
135 x 6 x 3
155 x 4
175 x 2
Pausing at the bottom for a second.

Squats - Conditioning
135 x 20
:30
135 x 20
:30
135 x 20

/puke

[GazzyG]

Three lots of consecutive 20 reppers? Bastard!

[FearFactory]

Three lots of consecutive 20 reppers? Bastard!

Yes, brutal!

[FearFactory]

3/26/13

ME Upper
Bench - Pinkies on the rings = pretty much close grip for my long ass arms.
Bar x 10 x 2
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
245 x 1
265 x 1
275 x 1
285 x 1
295 x 1 = PR at this grip and better than last week's normal grip, so that's good.

Bench - wide grip, index 1 finger outside rings
1 second pause at bottom
225 x 6 x 2

I fucking love these, hits my off the chest trouble area so well.


DB Flies
35's x 10
1:00
55's x 6
1:00
55's x 5
1:00
45's x 6
Awesomely painful pump

Split Jerks
135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 0, stumbled and missed lockout. got it moving just fine though

Rope Pushdowns
80 x 8
:30
70 x 8
:10
60 x 7
:10
50 x 8

[FearFactory]

3/27/13

"ME" Lower
Deads
135 x 6
185 x 6
225 x 4
275 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1, easy
Obviously not a max, just testing the waters here per instructions. Didn't feel anything in the back at all. Loose belt.

Squats
High bar, as low as possible for me
185 x 8 x 4
1 minute rests

Front Squats
First time doing these, yes I am srs
135 x 10
185 x 6 x 2
135 x 15
Couldn't hit 20 But wait my legs are like twice as long as most, so is that 30 reps then?

Barbell Lunges
I just can't get the hang of these, they destroy me
115 x 10/10
1:00
115 x 6/6
That was it, lower back hurt for some reason.

Leg Press Calf
5:5:5:5 cadence, brutal
3pps x 10
1:00
3pps x 10
1:00
3pps x 6
:30
3pps x 4

[Alex.V]

405 easy? Right on. Abuse commencing.

[FearFactory]

405 easy? Right on. Abuse commencing.

Wait, I mean....it was hard...


No but seriously, I think a 465 next ME day would be a good transition. Then maybe a 5 plater after that. I am not gonna an idiot this time though. If something feels off, then I won't blow it

I am not in any rush.

[FearFactory]

3/28/13

Pendlay Rows
135 x 6
185 x 6
205 x 4
225 x 4 x 2
135 x 15
1:00
135 x 15

Neutral Chins
BW x 10 x 2

Concentration Curls
25's x 10/10
1:00
30's x 8/8
:30
30's x 4/4

Hanging Leg Raises
BW x 10 x 3

Planks
3 x 60 secs
Each set had 3 x 10 secs of pulling naval to spine