Niks Journal

[Nik00117]

Just a general real quick guide has to how I write this Journal I use a lot of short hand because well 1, i'm lazy, and 2 refer to reason 1. So here is a quick guide on the work outs I short hand
DL: Deadlifts
OHDBR: One Hand Dumbbell Rows
CE: Calf Extenders
TR: Toe Raisers
BP: Bench press
LP: Leg Press
SC: Skull crusher
IBP: Incline bench press
CGBP: Close Grip Bench Presss

And thats about it.

Ok first off,

17 year old, 210 LBs, fairly large BF IDK what it is. Been lifting on and off since last august (2005)

I've been keeping a notebook Jorunal for a while and decided to keep one online too so people coudl judge my lifts. First off i'll start off with my last few work outs starting on July 17, 2006

But before that my current spilt is like this

Day 1 Chest/Tris
5x5 Bench
3x8 close grip bench
3x8 Incline BP (IBP)
3x8 SC

Day 2 (Leg)
5x5 Squat
3x8 Legpres
3x8 Toe rasiers (TR)
3x8 Calf extenders (CE)

Day 3 Bis, and back
5x5 Deadlift (DL) (consieering switching to GM every other week)
3x8 Shrugs
3x8 One Handed Dumbell Rows (OHDBR) not sure if this is the purpose name but o well

MY current maxes are
DL, 300, BP 185, Squat 215 (never truly maxed out yet)

My deit I try to get lots of protein and lots of water in, I try to stay away from sodas, and sweets as well.I can't say I have the best diet but I do make the effort to get lots of portein (IE meats) and lots of water in. I always drink a liter before I hit the gym.

Just to get yall generally caught up on my lifts here is last week
(sets, reps)
July 17, 2006 (Monday, Chest day)
BP 4x5, 1x5 @ 1-160, 3-150, 1-150
IBP: 2x8, 1x5 @ 2-105, 1-105
Tri PD 2x8 @ 130-2

Generally today was a poor day I tried 160 which really tried me out, and I was ticked that I didn't finsih my last set so my rest of my work out was crap.
Goals:
IMPROVE TRIS

July 19, 2006 (Wednesday, Leg Day)
Squat 3x5 @ 205-3
LP 3x8 @ 400-3
TR 3x8 @ 180-3

I didn't finish my squat set because I had gotten schooled by a guy on my squats some really helpful squats which made me think later on. My LP was fairly nice though since I started squating it has gone up.

July 20, 2006 (Thursday, Deadlift day)
DL 5x5 @ 225-5
Shrugs 3x8 @195-3
OHDBR 3x8 @ 65-1, 70-2

I felt great at 225, I figure next week i'll up it to 235 or 230 i'll make that decision when i'm looking at the bar. My OHDBR was good too, I am glad to be breaking into the 70s, I can't wait till I break into the 100s.

I had to lift today because I was going to a party on friday. Normally I lift on Friday.

July 24, 2006 (Monday, Bench day FIRST WORK OUT SESSION WHILE 17)
BP 5x5 @ 135-1, 150-3, 160-1
CGBP 3x8 @ 95-3
SC 3x8 @ 45-3

I skipped my IBP so I could work on the Close Grip Bench press and skull crushers. I did fairly light weight, next week intend on including my IBP into the work out.

July 26, 2006 (Wednesday, Squat day)
Squat 5x5 @ 205-3, 215-2
LP 3x8 @ 400-1, 420-2
TR 3x8 @ 180-1, 200-2
CE 3x8 @ 225-1, 230-2

I've noticed on squats I wasn't going where I liked too. My squat rack sits infront of a window with a window sill, and if my nose on the window touches thats where I wanna be so I got a point of reference to ensure I do a full squat. Next week i'll prob do 205x5x5 to get used too it knowing today I differently wasn't going 90 degrees. But now I found a postion where if I hit it I go below 90.

My current stats
210 LBs, 6 foot, and yea high BF I guess.

[ddegroff]

Welcome to journal land!

Lookin good bro! I stop by every now and then to see how your progress is goin.

[Nik00117]

Thanks man, i'm only going update this really on my work out days.

[Nik00117]

Browser missed up on me, stupid double post.

[Nik00117]

Today was a good day at the gym had some decent lifts.

July 28, 2006 (Friday, Deadlift Day)
Deadlift 5x5 @ 235-5
Shrugs 3x8 @ 195-1, 205-2
OHDBR 3x8 @ 70-3

Deadlifts took longer then expected, they really tore me up I felt beat after a full 3 sets after them, last 2 were really hard I didn't expect to do to good on my shrugs or OHDBR I was just going do 195 for 3 sets, and 65 for the first, then 70 on the other two sets like last week. But I had set up with my shrugs pulled 195 like it was paper weight (well not really but was really easy) I then decided i'll toss two 35s on top of my 45 and make it a 205. Which is nearly my weight. I Pulled that twice.

I was pretty happy that I did what I did with shrugs, plus I was in a time rush as well. So I figured i'd just do 3 sets at 70.
As for my deadlift as least for next week i'll leave it at 235. but the week after that i'll go to 245. I wanna hit 275 or 285 as a repped out range before I max out again.

Overall a decent a day at the gym, can only hope monday is going be as good.

Goals for next week
Deadlift 235 @ 5x5 (same old same old as this week)
Shrugs do a full 3 sets of 205
1 or 2 sets at 70, then at least 1 maybe 2 at 75, i'll see how I feel.

[ddegroff]

Nice work on the deads! I know what you mean when the weight feels "paper" light, glad to see you made it harder!

[Nik00117]

I remember when I had gone from using the smith machine to using just free wight on my shrugs I was doing 210 215, because I thought the bar was 45 lbs, I donät think it was. But yea I didnät expect it to feel that light, I expected my shoulders to reallz feel 195 but thez didn't that extra 10 Lbs helped though.

[dblockspky]

yea nice deadlifts. keep up the work. good luck with everything

[Nik00117]

Today was a decent day
July 31, 2006 (Monday Bench Day)
Bench 5x5 @ 160-5 (YEAY!)
CGBP 3x8 @ 105-3
SC 3x8 @ 55-3
DBIBP 2x8 @ 60-2 (dumbells each was 30 Lber)

OK I'm happy that I was able to complete 5x5 BP! at 160. Net week 165

I figured out my form on CGBP was jacked and fired it. I found out how you actually doing it after spending 2 seconds googling it. My shoulders felt it. I still feel shaky on SCs though. Finding the best way to do it atm. Next week I will do 165!

Can't wait till squat day.

I've been busy today working on a troublesome PC.

[Nik00117]

August 2, 2006 (Wednesday Squat Day)
Squat
1x5 135
1x5 215
1x1 225
1x1 245
1x1 265
1x1 275
1x1 300
1x1 305 (Form cracked up here)
1x1 310 (Was able to maintain form)
2x1 315 (Maintained form)

LP 3x8 @ 420-1, 440-2
TR 2x8 @ 200-2 (Couldn't get last set)
CE 3x8 @ 240-3

I had gone into the gym not in my best of my moods, i didn't intend on maxing out, but I figured I might as well release some anger. So instead of just squating I maxed out, no belt, only extra stuff I had one was a pair of gloves. And of course the bar pad but I don't consider that extra. I was able to breeze reavility nicely throw the 200s then I hit the 300s and things started getting heavy. I hit 300 for one nice smooth rep. I then cracked up on 305 My arm gave way, but I was still able to push it back up. I was going stop at 305, but figured what the heck whats a lil extra 5 lbs. So I tossed on 5 lbs and I squated it was able to tighten up my form did a good squat. I then was looking at the weight which on each side was 2 45s, 1 25, 1 10, 1 5, 1 2 1/2 at 310 and I then saw that just 2 1/2 more and I would do a 6 plate squat. So I figured what the heck. I tossed on my 5th, and 6th plate after removing the weight. My first attempt failed I wasn't able to get to parell (I have a marker on the wall that tells me) I was going quit and say hey I got 310, but I went back and I did some quick warmups with no weight and hit 315 it felt pretty good, so I hit it again So excited taht I was able to hit 315 and add a extra 100 lbs to my total WITH NO BELT. I bet with a belt I could of pulled 15 to 20lbs more.

[Nik00117]

Today was a crappy day I didn't pull what I liked o well.

August 4, 2006 (Friday Deadlift max day)
DL:
1x5-45
1x5-135
1x1-225
1x1-255
1x1-275
1x1-295
1x1-305
1x1 315
Shrugs 3x8 @ 205-1, 225-2
OHDBR 3x8 @ 70-3

I think I went to slow on my DLs. I was taking too long of breaks in between sets. O well 315 is 15s bigger then my last max. I will prob keep repping deads until I hit 300 5x5 and shot higher then 350. Besides that not much can be said about today.

[Nik00117]

Today I had gone in and I was on the bench thinking to myself squats release growth homrones. So I figured I bet if I squated on mondays it'd prob release the the stuff that it does or w/e and i'd have better gains. So lets see how this week goes.

August 7, 2006 (Monday Squat Day)
Squat 5x5 @ 225-5
LP 3x8 @ 440-3
TR 3x8 @ 200-3
CE 3x8 @ 245-3

Squats felt ok... however i'll do 225 for one more week before upping it up to 245 or 235. I really want to get my TR up its been at 200 LBs for a while. However it still feels heavy, even though my CE is improving. Anyways wednesday is my bench day.

[offhegoes03]

nice job man.. it's good to slowly raise the squats while keeping form in check. Everything else is good. I suggest not abbreviating most of the lifts except maybe for basic ones (DL = deadlift, GM = good morning) just so it's easier to know which ones you're doing. good luck with switching the routine around a bit.

[Nik00117]

I skipped Wednesday bench day, will do friday DL day though of course.

Next week because of football i'm going to do
Mon, Tues, and Weds so I have thursday to Monday to rest for try outs.

[Nik00117]

August 11, 2006 (Friday, Deadlift day)

Today was a generally good day at the gym. I curled 55 LBs wih a DB because my friend wanted to see how much I can curl but thats about it. Um also my dad was trying to keep up with me on my deads. I was doing 255 repped and he was all like my son ain't going outlift me for a fewmore months. Couldnm't get 255 up once. I got it up twice for 2x5. And yea felt pretty good overall shrugs and OHDBRs felt heavy for some reason.

DL: 5x5 @ 245-3, 255-2
Shrugs 3x8 @ 225-3
OHDBR 3x8 @ 70-2, 75-1

I really was haappy that I had lifted so well on my deads. I didn't expect such a good lift. 245 didnt' feel quite right and my form was in check so I upped it 10 Lbs. Hit 255 for my last 2 sets. However when I got to the shrugs I was in a hurry because of time so I didn't do as well as i'd like too. I was hoping to hit 235, but really I had a hard time at 225 so I left it at that. I then his the rows I was stuck at 70lbs for a while and I wanted to up that regradless. My form wasn't ideal nor do I think I got great ROM on that. I'll stick with 70-2, 75-1 prob for two weeks before upping it again. Or maybe I was just tried or somthing IDK. Anyways it was a fairly decent day at the gym. Looking forward to my squatties

[Nik00117]

Was a lil busy yesterday so I forgot

August 16,2006
Squat 5x5 @ 225-5
LP 3x8 @ 460-3
TR 3x8 @ 210-3
CE 3x8 @ 250-1, 255-1, 260-1

Ok so I left my squats at 225, I feel comfortable at this weight so next time I squat I will do 235 for either 3 or 2 sets depends on how I feel. So in 2 weeks or so i'll be squating 235 for 5x5. Or more, but no less. My LPs were great! However i'm not ready for 480 yet. So i'll wait one more session to do those. Its funny I believe one day loading, and unloading the plates on my LP will be more of a workout then actually doing them. I hope before I leave this gym I will be capable of a 1,000 LB LP that'd be fun to do, and prob get a lot of stares too. Figure if I had 5 Lbs a week it'd take me 2 years or so, and I got 2 1/2 years.

[ddegroff]

Haha, yeah loading the LP is a lot of work. Nice session!

[Nik00117]

I wouldn't say nice, decent. But hey thanks for the comment.

[Nik00117]

Had what i'd like to call decent/poor bench day.

August 17th, 2006 (Thursday)

Bench-160-5x5 (one more week then I go to 165)
CGBP-120 1x8, 2-7 @ 120-3
Incline BP-100 2x6 @100-2

I have decied not to try out for football because of my class schedule and a few other reasons as well. So since i'm in no hurry to get buffed up like I was I am intending on taking deadlifts out of rotation for this week. Next week I hit the gym like normal, monday squat, wednesday bench, friday deadlift. Next week I am considering tossing out IBP all together and tossing in crunches in its place. I hate it so much I perfer flat bench instead. So my bench day will prob look like this
Bench
CGBP
Crunches
Not going for that 6 pack ab look, but figured I should get my wasite down a bit. So I am prob just going do 4 sets of 10 crunches then slowly weight them up as I go on. Might even start up on cardo. I will max uot on my bench when I hit 175 for 5x5 which I judge should be 6 to 7 weeks.

Decided my next max outs will be like this
Squats will be when I hit 315 for 5x5
Deads 315 for 5x5
Bench 175 for 5x5
Once I hit those i'll max out the next week.

[Nik00117]

August 22, 2006 (Squat)
Squat 5x5 @ 225-2, 235-3
LP 3x8 @ 460-3
CE 3x8 @ 265-3

Ok, well I didn't get to go yetersday so this week i'll bench on Friday, and DL on saturday and hopefully next week I can do all mon-wed-friday. Squats felt good next time going go for 235-5 and then hopefuly 245-5. LPs will go up to 480 as well the felt good so did my calfs.

[Nik00117]

August 24,2005

Bench 5x5 @ 150-3, 155-2
CGBP 2x8, 1x7 @ 115-3
Weighted Crunches 10 lbs 3x8

I didn't have my notebook so I didn';t really know what I did last time so heh. I Just had to guess.

[Nik00117]

August 28th 2006 Squat
Squat 5x5 @ 235-5 (felt nice next is 245)
LP 3x8 @ 490-5
CE 3x8 @ 265-2, 270-1

I am finally starting to feel my calfs which is good as for my squats felt good I hit my mark point every time on ROM up and down 5 times 5 sets. Next week is 245. I also had a nice LP day. Lst time I had loaded up the bar with 2 100s, and 4 45s , and 2 10s equals 480 with the start weight. I didn't have any 100s so I just loaded a 25 on each side instead. I'll stay at 490 for one more week then go up to big 1/4 ton. Anyways next day is bench day and I intend on getting a full 3 work otu days this week I been slacking off ab bit lately. I am considering a max out attempt.

[Nik00117]

Few notes I did bench day however it was realyl short and sad.

Deadlift day wasn't so great either
DL 5x5 @ 235-5
Shrugs 5x5 @ 205-2

I had forgot my gloves, and my hands were killing me so heh and I didn't feel so good for some reason.

Side note going add a new section everyonce and a while to make fun of poeple I see in the gym most likely going be dealing with BPcurls, and half curls and really terriable laughable forms.

Half Curl

This is where you take what you can curl, and double it, hell triple it. Now since your biceps aren't strong enough to get the weight up do a swinging motion and use the motion to reduce the weight by 1/4 if not more effectively making the work out that much utterly useless bring it to your chest, GRUNT REALLY LOUD as if you just are squatting a new max. Then repeat, after a while you'll get tried of "swinging" the weight so your attempt to use the swinging to get it up, so your just try to curl correctly for 3 or 4 times failing each time. After that you can get up and wonder why all the buff big healthy poeple are looking at you like "WTF mate"

[Nik00117]

September 6, 2006 Squat Day
Squat 5x5@235-5 (I got a feelingit was 6 I might of miss counted o well)
LP 3x8 500-3 (felt extermely heavy)
CE 3x8 270-3 felt good

Besides that I may skip most of this week, I am going to spain however it is a higher end hotel so they might have a nice gym ther eif they do i'll be lifting there if not i'll have to wait.

Work out of the day
Push Leg Press
Your a small man, you can't do more then 200 LBs on the LP at least without your hands. So you figure heh who needs squat swhen I can push on my knees as I lift! SO you toss squats out the window and go to leg pressing. However its too much for you to handle so you going need to get it a lot of push from your arms. So your legs granted get hardly a workout but at least you got big arms. Now you can tell your friends about your sercet.

[Nik00117]

I did squats again today, cause I was ticked and I didn't feel like DLing.

I had missed a large porpotion of my workout this weekend cause the 4 star resort idea of a gym was a tent with a green carpet and a curl bar with about 50 LBs in weight...

August 15,2006
Squat 5x5 @ 245-5
LP 3x8 @ 500-5
CE 3x8 @ 270-5

Next week I am prob going to leave my squats where they are, work on form as well I want to get a bit lower then I am going cause I noticed yesterday on 90% of my squats I am staying just right above parrell. I am going work on going lower. I read that squat article and got some very helpful tips out of it. Next week I will get a full work out rountine in squat, bench, deadlift straight through regradless