5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Dead Floor Presses
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x1
225x1
265x1
305x1
345x1
Wide Grip Pulldowns
105x15
145x8
165x5
185x5
205x5
225x5
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses
30’sx15
65’sx6
80’sx6
95’sx6
110’sx6
Chest Supported Rows
180x6
200x6
220x6
240x6
260x6
Stretching
Comments:
This week has been very stressful with work. I feel the tension in the
SI joint is from being tense rather than any activity I’ve been doing.
Could also be the weather fluctuating. This week will have it almost 80F
and then two days later possible snow. I’m glad I’m able to train with
some intensity so I have a healthy outlet for it. This was to be the
week where I was back up to six total meals but I felt it was best to
give at least another week to get used to five meals. With how Monday
and Tuesday have been, I feel it was a good decision. This is the last
week of this cycle. Warmed up on the AMT. Heartrate jumped from 172bpm
to 162bpm and I think it was just a bad reading on the one machine. Both
styles of box touches were good. Felt get my SI joint and hamstrings
calm down a lot to the point of not acting up so it kind of influences
my thinking that the stress at work just flair things up a bit. Big item
of the day was max single on dead floor presses. I’ve gotten a lot
better at getting tight under the bar and getting everything right. I
was going to do more sets to warm-up but I felt pretty good so went up
in big jumps. I was thinking between 335lbs and 345lbs for the top
single going into this workout. Just had to see how my penultimate
single went. Felt good so I went with the top number. Little slow to
lockout but no doubt. Probably had another 10lbs there. Next was wide
grip pulldowns. Used the modified form like I did with the neutral grip
last week and the lean back. Feels so much better and more natural to
me. Weights felt too light that my first set of what was to be my
working weight ended being more than the planned five reps as I forgot I
was doing less reps. I had only planned to go up a little bit in
weight to try and get things better compared to last time but that
didn’t feel like a top set so went up 20lbs more. Little more momentum
than the previous sets but still felt like solid effort and work.
Incline dumbbell pressing followed. I got a replacement part for the
collars but I had planned this session to be weights that didn’t require
the dumbbell handles (in case the part had not arrived in time). Really
trying to keep the right side from being all funky this time as the
weights got heavier. I felt stronger this time then I did two weeks ago
and felt like I could match the reps I got with these weights. Form much
improved on the top set but still a noticeable hiccup. Last item of the
day was the chest supported rows. These increased quite a bit from the
first session to the second session so I thought I was ready this time.
But I was wrong. Felt even easier this time and I again had to do an
extra set to really feel like I hit a near top set. Very happy with how
this session went. Almost like a preinjury workout session to be honest.
Home for stretching and burritos. I needed the burritos with the way
the past two days have been.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
February 25, 2017 – Week 11, Day 3
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Overhead Smith Machine Presses
14x10 (empty)
34x5
54x2
74x2
94x2
114x2
134x2
154x2
174x2
194x2
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
70’sx8
Triceps Pushdowns (v-bar)
45x25
80x20
115x20
Barbell Overhead Presses
45x10
95x29
Stretching
Comments: Sleeping in felt really good. Felt very rested going in to this session. Used the AMT again for warm-up. Heart rate up to 156bpm only. Compared to the 168bpm earlier this week, it shows how much I needed the rest and that I’m over this cold. Not much issues with the SI stuff today. Hamstrings were sore doing the box touches. Not sure what that was about. No rush this time so made sure the box heights were correct. Not a lot of exercises to go through this day but still working hard. Main one for today was the smith machine overhead pressing. I knew what to expect this time and I wanted to make sure I had the movement just like the last set from the first time I did these on every set and every rep. I had a goal of doing the equivalent of two plates a side but I figured that might be too much with how tough this exercise was last time. Had a little bit of a situation over the bench I was using with another gym patron that got my blood boiling. Might have gotten me to dip into that fight-or-flight response as the weights felt a lot better this time. Every rep was just how I wanted it this time. I went up in 20lbs jumps and hit the goal I had so that felt great. On to the arm work. Hammer curls same as last time but the weight I hit for six was to be for max reps. Warm-ups were perfect again. Aim here was to ensure I was controlling the negative this time. Managed to get another two reps over last time. The bench wasn’t as secure as I thought it was so I will have make sure I use a different one next time. Triceps after that with pushdowns with the v-bar attachment. This usually something I can do the same weight but more reps with compared to the straight bar attachment. I wanted to try and keep the body English out of these as much as I could this time. I think I did that alright. Feet didn’t slip this time and only the last two felt like I was heaving the weights. Then overhead presses for lots of reps. Muscle clean first rep and press away. Better prepared for the clean so no lightheadedness this time. Triceps were pretty beat from all the reps on the pushdowns but still got a decent amount of reps on the last set. Upper body (arms, shoulders and tarps) looked pretty big this session. Could just be all the reps but I noticed it even on the smith machine presses. Home to stretch. One more week left of this cycle to go.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Overhead Smith Machine Presses
14x10 (empty)
34x5
54x2
74x2
94x2
114x2
134x2
154x2
174x2
194x2
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
70’sx8
Triceps Pushdowns (v-bar)
45x25
80x20
115x20
Barbell Overhead Presses
45x10
95x29
Stretching
Comments: Sleeping in felt really good. Felt very rested going in to this session. Used the AMT again for warm-up. Heart rate up to 156bpm only. Compared to the 168bpm earlier this week, it shows how much I needed the rest and that I’m over this cold. Not much issues with the SI stuff today. Hamstrings were sore doing the box touches. Not sure what that was about. No rush this time so made sure the box heights were correct. Not a lot of exercises to go through this day but still working hard. Main one for today was the smith machine overhead pressing. I knew what to expect this time and I wanted to make sure I had the movement just like the last set from the first time I did these on every set and every rep. I had a goal of doing the equivalent of two plates a side but I figured that might be too much with how tough this exercise was last time. Had a little bit of a situation over the bench I was using with another gym patron that got my blood boiling. Might have gotten me to dip into that fight-or-flight response as the weights felt a lot better this time. Every rep was just how I wanted it this time. I went up in 20lbs jumps and hit the goal I had so that felt great. On to the arm work. Hammer curls same as last time but the weight I hit for six was to be for max reps. Warm-ups were perfect again. Aim here was to ensure I was controlling the negative this time. Managed to get another two reps over last time. The bench wasn’t as secure as I thought it was so I will have make sure I use a different one next time. Triceps after that with pushdowns with the v-bar attachment. This usually something I can do the same weight but more reps with compared to the straight bar attachment. I wanted to try and keep the body English out of these as much as I could this time. I think I did that alright. Feet didn’t slip this time and only the last two felt like I was heaving the weights. Then overhead presses for lots of reps. Muscle clean first rep and press away. Better prepared for the clean so no lightheadedness this time. Triceps were pretty beat from all the reps on the pushdowns but still got a decent amount of reps on the last set. Upper body (arms, shoulders and tarps) looked pretty big this session. Could just be all the reps but I noticed it even on the smith machine presses. Home to stretch. One more week left of this cycle to go.
Friday, February 24, 2017
February 23, 2017 – Week 11, Day 2
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (10” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (15” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (10” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
250x2
250x2
250x2
250x2
250x2
16” Rack Pulls
45x11
95x5
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x2
315x1
350x5
Shrugs
285x38
Added Straps
305x10
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx30/BWx30
BWx30/BWx30
Stretching
Comments: February has been weird. It was below freezing two weeks ago and now it is pushing 80. Still have SI joint symptoms and whatever nerve damage in the leg. Left calf is still noticeably smaller and less toned but not really anything I can do about it but keep working at it. Again, it is not any worse than it has been the last month or so and nothing I’m doing appears to be making it any worse. Started out with the AMT. Heart rate up to 164bpm. Calf raises were alright. Right calf was really tight and it felt like it was going to cramp up immediately. Despite that, the exercise was pretty easy. I was trying to get through this workout a bit quicker due to a previously scheduled engagement so I didn’t have the heights right for the box on box touches. One of the risers was missing and I didn’t want to spend time locating it upstairs if that meant I would have to wait for the power rack to open up. I actually didn’t notice it was lower than normal at first. Both styles felt good on the hamstrings. My rush also meant that I had the squat therapy height and inch lower than normal. The extra depth was noticeable in my quads haha. Form felt alright. I feel it was up to par by the end of the set. Box squats up next. Same thing as two weeks ago with five doubles but more weight. I set these up as EOMOM style to keep myself on some kind of pace. No issues here. Felt good. Weight felt light on my shoulders and moved better than 225lbs did last time. On to rack pulls from there. Plan here was to work up to a set with 350lbs and hit one to five reps if it felt good. This was tough. Most stress I’ve felt on the lower back so far. Happy that I didn’t let my arch in the lower back get compromised. Definitely at my limit for doing these double overhand on this slick bar. Right hand was slipping by the last rep and it would have been doubtful getting another rep more haha. Shrugs to finish up the weighed work. Max reps on the first set and then more weight with straps for an easy ten more. Grip definitely felt like it was going to fail before the traps but they ended up tied at the end. Still getting a lot of reps here. Really liking how easy it is to get the figure eight straps on. Finished up with the ab circuit which again, wasn’t that bad. Home to stretch and eat meatloaf.
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (10” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (15” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (10” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
250x2
250x2
250x2
250x2
250x2
16” Rack Pulls
45x11
95x5
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x2
315x1
350x5
Shrugs
285x38
Added Straps
305x10
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx30/BWx30
BWx30/BWx30
Stretching
Comments: February has been weird. It was below freezing two weeks ago and now it is pushing 80. Still have SI joint symptoms and whatever nerve damage in the leg. Left calf is still noticeably smaller and less toned but not really anything I can do about it but keep working at it. Again, it is not any worse than it has been the last month or so and nothing I’m doing appears to be making it any worse. Started out with the AMT. Heart rate up to 164bpm. Calf raises were alright. Right calf was really tight and it felt like it was going to cramp up immediately. Despite that, the exercise was pretty easy. I was trying to get through this workout a bit quicker due to a previously scheduled engagement so I didn’t have the heights right for the box on box touches. One of the risers was missing and I didn’t want to spend time locating it upstairs if that meant I would have to wait for the power rack to open up. I actually didn’t notice it was lower than normal at first. Both styles felt good on the hamstrings. My rush also meant that I had the squat therapy height and inch lower than normal. The extra depth was noticeable in my quads haha. Form felt alright. I feel it was up to par by the end of the set. Box squats up next. Same thing as two weeks ago with five doubles but more weight. I set these up as EOMOM style to keep myself on some kind of pace. No issues here. Felt good. Weight felt light on my shoulders and moved better than 225lbs did last time. On to rack pulls from there. Plan here was to work up to a set with 350lbs and hit one to five reps if it felt good. This was tough. Most stress I’ve felt on the lower back so far. Happy that I didn’t let my arch in the lower back get compromised. Definitely at my limit for doing these double overhand on this slick bar. Right hand was slipping by the last rep and it would have been doubtful getting another rep more haha. Shrugs to finish up the weighed work. Max reps on the first set and then more weight with straps for an easy ten more. Grip definitely felt like it was going to fail before the traps but they ended up tied at the end. Still getting a lot of reps here. Really liking how easy it is to get the figure eight straps on. Finished up with the ab circuit which again, wasn’t that bad. Home to stretch and eat meatloaf.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
February 21, 2017 – Week 11, Day 1
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Incline Bench Presses
45x5
45x5
85x3
85x3
125x1
125x1
155x3
185x3
215x3
245x3
2 Second Pauses
205x5
Parallel Grip Pulldowns
100x15
140x8
160x8
180x8
200x8
Dumbbell Bench Presses
25’sx15
45’sx10
75’sx8
90’sx8
105’sx8
120’sx8
One Arm Dumbbell Rows (supported, tripod)
90x5/5
100x5/5
110x5/5
120x5/5
130x5/5
Stretching
Comments: Some SI stuff lingering the past few days. Nothing serious. Just more persistent than I would like. Warmed up on the AMT. Heart rate got up to 168BPM. Perhaps I was a little stressed about stuff the last few days. I’m over the cold at least. Added in another weight gain shake for this week so up to two a day now. Both styles of box touches were good. Felt more tightness in my hamstrings on the regular style versus the wide style. Incline pressing up next. Plan was going up in jumps to a top set of three over five sets. I ended up doing four because I didn’t check the sheet. Form felt the best it has on these so far. Top set was tough but no uneven lockout. Last rep was grinder. Dropped the weight a bit and did a set of five with two second pauses on the chest. A bit easier than I expected, probably could have done heavier. Pulldown variation after that. Parallel grip attachment this time. Used the other cable towers to make sure I could get the full ROM on the lift. Modified things by leaning back to keep my chest up and pull like the reverse of my incline pressing. Felt good, top set was a bit tougher and I felt form break slightly. Dumbbell benching was up next. I did a really light set to see if flair my elbows out was doable but it was not fun on my left shoulder so went back to tried and true tucked style. Weight moved better than last time. Had one issue with the second to last set as when I placed the dumbbell down, the locking mechanism on the one pair of clamps broke. It looks like it will still hold weight on the dumbbell but I’m not sure if it is secure enough to put over my head or face. Have to see what the equipment manufacturer says about it. Final item of the day was the one arm dumbbell rows. Continuing to increase weight and drop reps. Extra cautious with how the lower back and SI joint were feeling on these. No real issues with the weights here. Grip still going strong. Last set was with the plateloadable dumbbell handle and the grip was easier compared to the thick and fixed handles. Home to stretch and eat and relax.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Incline Bench Presses
45x5
45x5
85x3
85x3
125x1
125x1
155x3
185x3
215x3
245x3
2 Second Pauses
205x5
Parallel Grip Pulldowns
100x15
140x8
160x8
180x8
200x8
Dumbbell Bench Presses
25’sx15
45’sx10
75’sx8
90’sx8
105’sx8
120’sx8
One Arm Dumbbell Rows (supported, tripod)
90x5/5
100x5/5
110x5/5
120x5/5
130x5/5
Stretching
Comments: Some SI stuff lingering the past few days. Nothing serious. Just more persistent than I would like. Warmed up on the AMT. Heart rate got up to 168BPM. Perhaps I was a little stressed about stuff the last few days. I’m over the cold at least. Added in another weight gain shake for this week so up to two a day now. Both styles of box touches were good. Felt more tightness in my hamstrings on the regular style versus the wide style. Incline pressing up next. Plan was going up in jumps to a top set of three over five sets. I ended up doing four because I didn’t check the sheet. Form felt the best it has on these so far. Top set was tough but no uneven lockout. Last rep was grinder. Dropped the weight a bit and did a set of five with two second pauses on the chest. A bit easier than I expected, probably could have done heavier. Pulldown variation after that. Parallel grip attachment this time. Used the other cable towers to make sure I could get the full ROM on the lift. Modified things by leaning back to keep my chest up and pull like the reverse of my incline pressing. Felt good, top set was a bit tougher and I felt form break slightly. Dumbbell benching was up next. I did a really light set to see if flair my elbows out was doable but it was not fun on my left shoulder so went back to tried and true tucked style. Weight moved better than last time. Had one issue with the second to last set as when I placed the dumbbell down, the locking mechanism on the one pair of clamps broke. It looks like it will still hold weight on the dumbbell but I’m not sure if it is secure enough to put over my head or face. Have to see what the equipment manufacturer says about it. Final item of the day was the one arm dumbbell rows. Continuing to increase weight and drop reps. Extra cautious with how the lower back and SI joint were feeling on these. No real issues with the weights here. Grip still going strong. Last set was with the plateloadable dumbbell handle and the grip was easier compared to the thick and fixed handles. Home to stretch and eat and relax.
Saturday, February 18, 2017
February 18, 2017 – Week 10, Day 3
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
20’sx10
20’sx10
55’sx5
65’sx5
75’sx5
85’sx5
95’sx5
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
10’sx10
25’sx8
45’sx6
Seated Bent Over Dumbbell Raises
10’sx10
20’sx8
35’sx6
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
65’sx10
Triceps Pushdowns (straight bar)
45x25
80x20
115x16
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Overhead Presses
20’sx10
35’sx45
Stretching
Comments: Slept in for this day again. Really needed the sleep. I thought I was done sleeping but fell back under and awoke 2.5 hours later. Some SI joint aches and tightness. I think it has a lot to do with the increase in weight on the squats as this is the most stress my upper hamstrings and hips have had to deal with this entire cycle. It’s a good soreness in the muscles. I imagine the slight irritation will calm down over the next few days. Lot of upper body exercises to get through again this workout. Gym was pretty much a ghost town today. AMT felt good on the lower body. Helped with blood flow and loosening up my back and hips. Heart rate up to 157bpm. Box touches both styles felt good. Hamstrings and hips were tight and these really felt good on those areas for warming up. Seated dumbbell shoulder presses again. Did two light warm-up sets to get ready. Plan was only a small jump in weight for the top set compared to the bigger jumps I’ve been making. Shouldering the dumbbells was pretty good this time. I could have used the mismatched set for the second to last set but I figured it was best to use the long plateloadable handles as I will need to use them if I want do anything over 95lbs. It is a good thing I did as the longer handles require an adjustment with the press. My head gets in the way so I need to press out from myself a little bit more. It was not something that I had when doing bench or incline with them. I used them for the top set as well even though there was a pair of 95lbs dumbbells to get more practice at it. Felt good for at least two more reps here so still going strong. More shoulder complex work after that. Again lateral raises. Much like curls have been, this was working to a heavy lower rep set. I wasn’t expecting that so it required some guess work to figure out what weights to do. Warm-up weights were perfect. I made big jump for the top set as I didn’t want it to be too easy like last time I did these. It definitely wasn’t too easy this time haha. Next was rear delts. I didn’t think the cable based exercise I used last time would really be the best for lower reps so I went with the supported by my knees dumbbell style. I probably could have gone heavier on the top set and I will be ready next time. The gun show followed haha. Same thing for the dumbbell curls the last time I did these but plan was to go for broke on the top set. Surprised myself getting ten. Pushdowns after that for triceps work. High rep warm-ups pretty fatiguing at this point. Still going strong with the reps on the top set so I will continue to make big jumps each time. Last thing for the day was standing strict pressing with dumbbells. Same as last time, high reps and no grinding reps. I managed a few more reps this time with more weight. Home to stretch and rest.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
20’sx10
20’sx10
55’sx5
65’sx5
75’sx5
85’sx5
95’sx5
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
10’sx10
25’sx8
45’sx6
Seated Bent Over Dumbbell Raises
10’sx10
20’sx8
35’sx6
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
65’sx10
Triceps Pushdowns (straight bar)
45x25
80x20
115x16
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Overhead Presses
20’sx10
35’sx45
Stretching
Comments: Slept in for this day again. Really needed the sleep. I thought I was done sleeping but fell back under and awoke 2.5 hours later. Some SI joint aches and tightness. I think it has a lot to do with the increase in weight on the squats as this is the most stress my upper hamstrings and hips have had to deal with this entire cycle. It’s a good soreness in the muscles. I imagine the slight irritation will calm down over the next few days. Lot of upper body exercises to get through again this workout. Gym was pretty much a ghost town today. AMT felt good on the lower body. Helped with blood flow and loosening up my back and hips. Heart rate up to 157bpm. Box touches both styles felt good. Hamstrings and hips were tight and these really felt good on those areas for warming up. Seated dumbbell shoulder presses again. Did two light warm-up sets to get ready. Plan was only a small jump in weight for the top set compared to the bigger jumps I’ve been making. Shouldering the dumbbells was pretty good this time. I could have used the mismatched set for the second to last set but I figured it was best to use the long plateloadable handles as I will need to use them if I want do anything over 95lbs. It is a good thing I did as the longer handles require an adjustment with the press. My head gets in the way so I need to press out from myself a little bit more. It was not something that I had when doing bench or incline with them. I used them for the top set as well even though there was a pair of 95lbs dumbbells to get more practice at it. Felt good for at least two more reps here so still going strong. More shoulder complex work after that. Again lateral raises. Much like curls have been, this was working to a heavy lower rep set. I wasn’t expecting that so it required some guess work to figure out what weights to do. Warm-up weights were perfect. I made big jump for the top set as I didn’t want it to be too easy like last time I did these. It definitely wasn’t too easy this time haha. Next was rear delts. I didn’t think the cable based exercise I used last time would really be the best for lower reps so I went with the supported by my knees dumbbell style. I probably could have gone heavier on the top set and I will be ready next time. The gun show followed haha. Same thing for the dumbbell curls the last time I did these but plan was to go for broke on the top set. Surprised myself getting ten. Pushdowns after that for triceps work. High rep warm-ups pretty fatiguing at this point. Still going strong with the reps on the top set so I will continue to make big jumps each time. Last thing for the day was standing strict pressing with dumbbells. Same as last time, high reps and no grinding reps. I managed a few more reps this time with more weight. Home to stretch and rest.
Friday, February 17, 2017
February 16, 2017 – Week 10, Day 2
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (16” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x8
Deadlifts
45x10 (bar on bumper plates)
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
Step Ups (18” Box)
BWx25/25
Hyperextensions
BWx25
BW+45x10
BW+90x20
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx30/BWx30
BWx30/BWx30
Stretching
Comments: Lower body session again. I’m generally not worried about these workouts anymore as I know that they are in my capabilities. Some symptoms in my SI joint and back from the previous session and I think it has more to do with getting stronger at the pulling exercises (pulldowns and supported rows) then doing anything that is off. The weight increased a bit on those exercises so my body is being pulled and stressed in different directions. But no worse for wear then it has been these previous two weeks. AMT for my workout warm-up. Heart rate read 162bpm at the highest. Calf raises were better than last time. Both styles of box squat went well. Hips were tight on the wide style but they had been tight the previous day too. Squat therapy followed and it went well. Some aches in my right knee on some reps but it went away as I tried to correct myself on each rep to ensure I was moving appropriately. I felt like I was moving faster on these this time. Box squats up next. Plan being to work up to two plates and a quarter for the top set with the aim being 3-8 reps. I can’t say I wasn’t nervous approaching this. Just had to tell myself I had this and stay focused. Each rep was controlled and deliberate. Hamstrings definitely felt these haha. Very happy to have no issues here other than just not being used to the weight. I had more in me as far as weight and reps. Then on to deadlifts. A bit different from the last time I did speed work. Less sets but more reps per set. Same weight too but with EOMOM rest. Normal style the first rep and then touch and go the other two reps. No banging the weight down, controlled the whole time. Despite being a strongman competitor since 2008, I’ve never done touch and go deadlifts. The negative on deadlifts has been a controlled drop for since forever. Always avoided them so this was a new movement pattern for me. Did if for the warm-up sets to try and get it grooved for the working weight. Felt weird but I think I will get used to it and it will be another tool for the toolbox. Shins took a beating on these haha. Only rep that I felt I lost form briefly was the second rep of the fifth triple. I tried to anticipate the touch and reversed the pull too soon. Didn’t feel as good as the other reps so lesson learned. On to the accessory stuff after that. Step-ups felt much the same as they have been. No issues there. Added a set to adjust to the weight on hypers as I bumped the weight up even more this time to try and get to the 15 rep range. I had to change how I gripped the weight as the plates are too slick to cradle in my arms like I was doing with just one plate. Almost matched what I got with 24lbs more weight for reps. Finished up with abdominal superset. Back down to 30 reps each to keep them conditioned. Another good one in the books.
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (16” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x8
Deadlifts
45x10 (bar on bumper plates)
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
Step Ups (18” Box)
BWx25/25
Hyperextensions
BWx25
BW+45x10
BW+90x20
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx30/BWx30
BWx30/BWx30
Stretching
Comments: Lower body session again. I’m generally not worried about these workouts anymore as I know that they are in my capabilities. Some symptoms in my SI joint and back from the previous session and I think it has more to do with getting stronger at the pulling exercises (pulldowns and supported rows) then doing anything that is off. The weight increased a bit on those exercises so my body is being pulled and stressed in different directions. But no worse for wear then it has been these previous two weeks. AMT for my workout warm-up. Heart rate read 162bpm at the highest. Calf raises were better than last time. Both styles of box squat went well. Hips were tight on the wide style but they had been tight the previous day too. Squat therapy followed and it went well. Some aches in my right knee on some reps but it went away as I tried to correct myself on each rep to ensure I was moving appropriately. I felt like I was moving faster on these this time. Box squats up next. Plan being to work up to two plates and a quarter for the top set with the aim being 3-8 reps. I can’t say I wasn’t nervous approaching this. Just had to tell myself I had this and stay focused. Each rep was controlled and deliberate. Hamstrings definitely felt these haha. Very happy to have no issues here other than just not being used to the weight. I had more in me as far as weight and reps. Then on to deadlifts. A bit different from the last time I did speed work. Less sets but more reps per set. Same weight too but with EOMOM rest. Normal style the first rep and then touch and go the other two reps. No banging the weight down, controlled the whole time. Despite being a strongman competitor since 2008, I’ve never done touch and go deadlifts. The negative on deadlifts has been a controlled drop for since forever. Always avoided them so this was a new movement pattern for me. Did if for the warm-up sets to try and get it grooved for the working weight. Felt weird but I think I will get used to it and it will be another tool for the toolbox. Shins took a beating on these haha. Only rep that I felt I lost form briefly was the second rep of the fifth triple. I tried to anticipate the touch and reversed the pull too soon. Didn’t feel as good as the other reps so lesson learned. On to the accessory stuff after that. Step-ups felt much the same as they have been. No issues there. Added a set to adjust to the weight on hypers as I bumped the weight up even more this time to try and get to the 15 rep range. I had to change how I gripped the weight as the plates are too slick to cradle in my arms like I was doing with just one plate. Almost matched what I got with 24lbs more weight for reps. Finished up with abdominal superset. Back down to 30 reps each to keep them conditioned. Another good one in the books.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
February 14, 2017 – Week 10, Day 1
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Dead Floor Presses
45x5
45x5
80x3
80x3
115x2
165x2
215x2
265x2
315x2
Wide Grip Pulldowns
100x15
140x6
160x6
180x6
200x6
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses
30’sx10
55’sx8
70’sx8
85’sx8
100’sx8
Chest Supported Rows
130x8
150x8
170x8
190x8
210x8
Stretching
Comments: Still a little sick with a cold but it is what it is. Some SI joint aches but again, not as bad as it had been. Things are progressing. While the cycle is winding down, the workouts are still ramping up. I feel I’m going to be at a good starting point for the next cycle. In expectation of the increasing workload, I’ve added an extra meal to my day with a weight gain shake. When I was in competitive mode, I was eating three meals with three weight gain shakes. Plan is to add one a week until I’m back to six meals total again. Warmed up on the AMT. Heartrate was up to 157BPM. Both styles of box touches were good. More of a dynamic warm-up to help get the hamstrings to wake up and stop being so tight. Almost lost count as I was used to doing these for higher reps. Dead floor presses right off the bat. Goal was big jumps up to a 2rm. I already knew what weight I wanted to hit once I got this workout and it was three plates. This had to happen. Right side of my neck was acting up but no issues with lifting. Second to last set went up easy so I knew that only if I had some issue would I miss my goal. First rep, my left foot slid so my power off the pins wasn’t the best. I got set and the second rep was much better. I got it done but definitely tougher than expected. Next was wide grip pulldowns. I used a different pulldown tower this time. Reps lowered so I figured I could bump up the weight a bit. Last two sets, the movement wasn’t as crisp and controlled as I would like. Still getting full range of motion. Perhaps too much of an increase at this time so I think I will be at this weight range for a bit to get it to be like the lighter weights looked in previous weeks. Up next was incline dumbbell pressing. I had ordered new collars to use the plate loaded dumbbells since there is no longer a pair of 100lbs dumbbells and the 85lbs dumbbells are a mismatched set. I knew I’d need these eventually as there is only 10lbs jumps after 100lbs and only goes up to 120lbs. I was not expecting to need to use them so soon. I did have to stop at home after work to pick them up. They are definitely secure (for now) so that was a weight off my mind. First three sets were done with the regular dumbbells and then the last two were with the plate loaded dumbbells. A bit easier to shoulder since they are longer so I don’t have to bend over as much to get them tight to my body. Top set was definitely tough and near max effort. Right side was lagging behind on these. That is how it was when I was healthy so I’m not terribly concerned at this time. Final exercise for the night was chest supported rows. Same idea as last time but lower reps. I had the same idea as the pulldowns that I should be good for a bigger jump after getting used to it last time. I was guarded about it as pulldowns were a lot tougher than expected. Here I had the opposite in that the weight felt so easy. Like, to the point where I have no idea how the weight last time was even remotely challenging. I was to only do four sets but my top weight felt way too light so I did another one. Even that one still felt light but I’m saving it there for now. This ended up being a late night, even with trying to move through the exercises quicker. Home to stretch and eat. Really need to work on getting a good night’s sleep to help recovery from workouts and this cold.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Dead Floor Presses
45x5
45x5
80x3
80x3
115x2
165x2
215x2
265x2
315x2
Wide Grip Pulldowns
100x15
140x6
160x6
180x6
200x6
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses
30’sx10
55’sx8
70’sx8
85’sx8
100’sx8
Chest Supported Rows
130x8
150x8
170x8
190x8
210x8
Stretching
Comments: Still a little sick with a cold but it is what it is. Some SI joint aches but again, not as bad as it had been. Things are progressing. While the cycle is winding down, the workouts are still ramping up. I feel I’m going to be at a good starting point for the next cycle. In expectation of the increasing workload, I’ve added an extra meal to my day with a weight gain shake. When I was in competitive mode, I was eating three meals with three weight gain shakes. Plan is to add one a week until I’m back to six meals total again. Warmed up on the AMT. Heartrate was up to 157BPM. Both styles of box touches were good. More of a dynamic warm-up to help get the hamstrings to wake up and stop being so tight. Almost lost count as I was used to doing these for higher reps. Dead floor presses right off the bat. Goal was big jumps up to a 2rm. I already knew what weight I wanted to hit once I got this workout and it was three plates. This had to happen. Right side of my neck was acting up but no issues with lifting. Second to last set went up easy so I knew that only if I had some issue would I miss my goal. First rep, my left foot slid so my power off the pins wasn’t the best. I got set and the second rep was much better. I got it done but definitely tougher than expected. Next was wide grip pulldowns. I used a different pulldown tower this time. Reps lowered so I figured I could bump up the weight a bit. Last two sets, the movement wasn’t as crisp and controlled as I would like. Still getting full range of motion. Perhaps too much of an increase at this time so I think I will be at this weight range for a bit to get it to be like the lighter weights looked in previous weeks. Up next was incline dumbbell pressing. I had ordered new collars to use the plate loaded dumbbells since there is no longer a pair of 100lbs dumbbells and the 85lbs dumbbells are a mismatched set. I knew I’d need these eventually as there is only 10lbs jumps after 100lbs and only goes up to 120lbs. I was not expecting to need to use them so soon. I did have to stop at home after work to pick them up. They are definitely secure (for now) so that was a weight off my mind. First three sets were done with the regular dumbbells and then the last two were with the plate loaded dumbbells. A bit easier to shoulder since they are longer so I don’t have to bend over as much to get them tight to my body. Top set was definitely tough and near max effort. Right side was lagging behind on these. That is how it was when I was healthy so I’m not terribly concerned at this time. Final exercise for the night was chest supported rows. Same idea as last time but lower reps. I had the same idea as the pulldowns that I should be good for a bigger jump after getting used to it last time. I was guarded about it as pulldowns were a lot tougher than expected. Here I had the opposite in that the weight felt so easy. Like, to the point where I have no idea how the weight last time was even remotely challenging. I was to only do four sets but my top weight felt way too light so I did another one. Even that one still felt light but I’m saving it there for now. This ended up being a late night, even with trying to move through the exercises quicker. Home to stretch and eat. Really need to work on getting a good night’s sleep to help recovery from workouts and this cold.
Saturday, February 11, 2017
February 11, 2017 – Week 9, Day 3
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Overhead Smith Machine Presses
14x5 (empty)
58x3
80x3
102x3
124x3
146x3
168x3
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
70’sx6
Triceps Pushdowns (v-bar)
45x25
75x20
105x22
Barbell Overhead Presses
45x10
85x32
Stretching
Comments: Needed the sleep today. About 97% certain I have a cold. It has been awhile since I’ve been sick. Not a lot of exercises for this session so should be able to get some more rest today as well and get some quality sleep tonight. SI joint stuff felt stiff when I woke up but not so bad once I was up and moving. Used the AMT again for warm-up. Heart rate up to 160bpm. Hamstrings were a little tight on the box touches. Wide stance no issues but I felt some twinge in my left oblique on the regular stance. Not sure what that was all about. Kind of a new exercise for me with the Smith Machine overhead pressing. In the past, I would write this one off. But if they are good enough for Savickas… I started with just the empty bar (machine is counterbalanced so it is only 14lbs) to make sure it felt fine and to make sure I had the bench in the right spot. Left shoulder pipes up when it is like and then quiets down as I do more work. Any addition in weight was a huge change. I went up by 10kgs per set. I can honestly say these were the hardest shoulder presses I’ve done. I felt like I may be out of my mind going for another jump in weight after how tough the last set was. Each rep on the last set felt like a max single haha. I can see why Savickas likes this exercise. After that, on to the usual biceps and triceps exercises. Hammer curls followed the same rep scheme as alternating curls from last week. I knew I was good for more weight that I had done last week so I went for a weight I knew had to happen. Had a little hiccup on the fifth rep but got the goal of six. Warm-ups were perfect this time. Triceps after that with pushdowns with the v-bar attachment. I’ve been finding I can get quite a few more reps over the previous week’s weight with this attachment versus the straight bar. But I didn’t want to get a big head about it so I try to keep calm and humble. Got over twenty reps so still going strong. Similar to last week, last thing for the day was standing strict pressing. This time with a barbell instead of dumbbells. Muscle clean to the shoulders and press away to get a good shoulder pump. Not used to the clean to the shoulders as I forgot to breath and got a little light headed after first nine or so reps. Cold doesn’t help that haha. Stopped when I felt a noticeable slowdown in bar speed as there was to be no grinding here. Home to stretch. ¾ of the way through this cycle and things are still going good. Other than this cold. Hopefully soup, meatloaf and sleep will cure what ails me.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Overhead Smith Machine Presses
14x5 (empty)
58x3
80x3
102x3
124x3
146x3
168x3
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
70’sx6
Triceps Pushdowns (v-bar)
45x25
75x20
105x22
Barbell Overhead Presses
45x10
85x32
Stretching
Comments: Needed the sleep today. About 97% certain I have a cold. It has been awhile since I’ve been sick. Not a lot of exercises for this session so should be able to get some more rest today as well and get some quality sleep tonight. SI joint stuff felt stiff when I woke up but not so bad once I was up and moving. Used the AMT again for warm-up. Heart rate up to 160bpm. Hamstrings were a little tight on the box touches. Wide stance no issues but I felt some twinge in my left oblique on the regular stance. Not sure what that was all about. Kind of a new exercise for me with the Smith Machine overhead pressing. In the past, I would write this one off. But if they are good enough for Savickas… I started with just the empty bar (machine is counterbalanced so it is only 14lbs) to make sure it felt fine and to make sure I had the bench in the right spot. Left shoulder pipes up when it is like and then quiets down as I do more work. Any addition in weight was a huge change. I went up by 10kgs per set. I can honestly say these were the hardest shoulder presses I’ve done. I felt like I may be out of my mind going for another jump in weight after how tough the last set was. Each rep on the last set felt like a max single haha. I can see why Savickas likes this exercise. After that, on to the usual biceps and triceps exercises. Hammer curls followed the same rep scheme as alternating curls from last week. I knew I was good for more weight that I had done last week so I went for a weight I knew had to happen. Had a little hiccup on the fifth rep but got the goal of six. Warm-ups were perfect this time. Triceps after that with pushdowns with the v-bar attachment. I’ve been finding I can get quite a few more reps over the previous week’s weight with this attachment versus the straight bar. But I didn’t want to get a big head about it so I try to keep calm and humble. Got over twenty reps so still going strong. Similar to last week, last thing for the day was standing strict pressing. This time with a barbell instead of dumbbells. Muscle clean to the shoulders and press away to get a good shoulder pump. Not used to the clean to the shoulders as I forgot to breath and got a little light headed after first nine or so reps. Cold doesn’t help that haha. Stopped when I felt a noticeable slowdown in bar speed as there was to be no grinding here. Home to stretch. ¾ of the way through this cycle and things are still going good. Other than this cold. Hopefully soup, meatloaf and sleep will cure what ails me.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
February 9, 2017 – Week 9, Day 2
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (16” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x2
225x2
225x2
225x2
225x2
16” Rack Pulls
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x5
Shrugs
265x42
Added Straps
285x10
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx35/BWx35
BWx35/BWx35
Stretching
Comments: Today wasn’t a good one. The workout went well. Snow in the morning caused things to become stressful later. Body not feeling too hot. Not the injured areas. Just achy joints and muscles. Like I got a cold or something but affecting ears, nose and stomach. But nothing that will keep me from putting the work in. Heart rate was up a bit on the warm-up. Topped out at 167bpm. Calf raises were slightly better than last time. Not the easiest but a lot better than last time as far as how they felt and fatigue. Wide stance box squats felt good on the hamstrings. Tight muscles in my thoracic spine were definitely present this workout and woke up on squat therapy. They started off well but at around the 9th rep my knees ached and it wasn’t until about the 13th rep that I got to not having my knees aching. It didn’t feel like I had done much different between the first and the last rep though. Regular box touches also good with getting hamstrings good and ready. I unfortunately had to wait for about 20 minutes for a rack to open up to do box squats. The one that became available was the shorter rack that isn’t adjustable. Weight is still within my capabilities so it was fine for today. Doing twice as many reps with the weight from last week but over many sets. Felt the back muscles on the walking out and walking in of the weight. Trying to be controlled and then lifting fast on the concentric while keeping in line. I want to move fast but not sloppy. No knee issues on the squats, just some aches on the unrack. I had to wait some more before I could get to use the other rack to do the rack pulls. Plan just like the squats were last week by working up to a top set and going for what felt good. I really wanted three plates for five. Same bracing and breathing as deadlifts last week. Thankfully, no real SI joint or back issues on these. Some slight aches after getting above two plates. Grip definitely getting taxed with the double overhand on the top set. Happy to be doing this kind of weight again as this is most I’ve done on a deadlift variation since May of last year. It was kind of tiring moving that many plates around haha. Max reps set of shrugs again. Traps and grip failed at about the same time. 20lbs more than last time and an extra rep. A second set was done with straps. Didn’t need them but the plan was more weight for ten perfect reps. Got to finally try out my figure 8 straps and they work great. With the rumbles in my stomach, I wasn’t keen on the abdominal work but it had to be done. More reps than last time. Surprisingly, this wasn’t as hard (other than the initial “oof” of laying on my back haha). Going to try and get some rest and see if that helps with whatever issues I got.
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (16” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x2
225x2
225x2
225x2
225x2
16” Rack Pulls
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x5
Shrugs
265x42
Added Straps
285x10
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx35/BWx35
BWx35/BWx35
Stretching
Comments: Today wasn’t a good one. The workout went well. Snow in the morning caused things to become stressful later. Body not feeling too hot. Not the injured areas. Just achy joints and muscles. Like I got a cold or something but affecting ears, nose and stomach. But nothing that will keep me from putting the work in. Heart rate was up a bit on the warm-up. Topped out at 167bpm. Calf raises were slightly better than last time. Not the easiest but a lot better than last time as far as how they felt and fatigue. Wide stance box squats felt good on the hamstrings. Tight muscles in my thoracic spine were definitely present this workout and woke up on squat therapy. They started off well but at around the 9th rep my knees ached and it wasn’t until about the 13th rep that I got to not having my knees aching. It didn’t feel like I had done much different between the first and the last rep though. Regular box touches also good with getting hamstrings good and ready. I unfortunately had to wait for about 20 minutes for a rack to open up to do box squats. The one that became available was the shorter rack that isn’t adjustable. Weight is still within my capabilities so it was fine for today. Doing twice as many reps with the weight from last week but over many sets. Felt the back muscles on the walking out and walking in of the weight. Trying to be controlled and then lifting fast on the concentric while keeping in line. I want to move fast but not sloppy. No knee issues on the squats, just some aches on the unrack. I had to wait some more before I could get to use the other rack to do the rack pulls. Plan just like the squats were last week by working up to a top set and going for what felt good. I really wanted three plates for five. Same bracing and breathing as deadlifts last week. Thankfully, no real SI joint or back issues on these. Some slight aches after getting above two plates. Grip definitely getting taxed with the double overhand on the top set. Happy to be doing this kind of weight again as this is most I’ve done on a deadlift variation since May of last year. It was kind of tiring moving that many plates around haha. Max reps set of shrugs again. Traps and grip failed at about the same time. 20lbs more than last time and an extra rep. A second set was done with straps. Didn’t need them but the plan was more weight for ten perfect reps. Got to finally try out my figure 8 straps and they work great. With the rumbles in my stomach, I wasn’t keen on the abdominal work but it had to be done. More reps than last time. Surprisingly, this wasn’t as hard (other than the initial “oof” of laying on my back haha). Going to try and get some rest and see if that helps with whatever issues I got.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
February 7, 2017 – Week 9, Day 1
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Incline Bench Presses
45x10
75x5
75x5
105x3
105x3
135x5
165x5
195x5
225x5
202.5x5
Parallel Grip Pulldowns
80x15
120x10
140x10
160x10
180x10
Dumbbell Bench Presses
20’sx8
40’sx5
60’sx3
80’sx10
90’sx10
100’sx10
110’sx10
One Arm Dumbbell Rows (supported, tripod)
80x6/6
90x6/6
100x6/6
110x6/6
120x6/6
Stretching
Comments: Last week went well and I hope this week is much the same. Less noticeable issues with the SI joint stuff so that is always a positive. Warmed up on the AMT. Heart rate got up to 160BPM. Both styles of box touches were good. Felt more tightness in my hamstrings on the regular style versus the wide style. Incline pressing followed suit. I do a bit more warm-ups on these because my left shoulder tends to get fussy these days and I don’t want to jump right into it like I can on the floor pressing. Plan same as last time I did incline; work up to a top set of five and then down 90% for another set of five. 135lbs felt really easy so I knew that would be getting more on the top set than last week. 195lbs felt quite a bit tougher so some of the enthusiasm left me. I was thinking that I had another big jump like I did with the floor presses last week but cannot get greedy or sloppy. Got a little bit out of the groove on the last rep with 225lbs and I had an uneven lockout but still got it. Down set felt good after that heavier set. Pulldown variation after that. Parallel grip attachment this time. Because of how long my arms are and how the attachment is made, I couldn’t get a full ROM to get that stretch at the top. I did my best with the circumstances. I knew this would be a stronger variation for me so I knew I could add some more weight to this one compared to the other two I’ve done this cycle. Last set was definitely tough but I felt I had good control and was pulling with the back muscles. Dumbbell benching was up next. I did more sets to get warm not because my shoulders and chest weren’t ready but because I wanted to make sure my back would be ok with the cleaning of the dumbbells and being on my back without the floor to brace me. This was not an issue thankfully. What was the issue was dumbbells. I’ve mentioned before that after 65lbs, the dumbbells get weird. Some have thick handles and some are mismatched pairs. They also only go up to 120lbs. I had thought I had that issue covered with the plateloadable dumbbell handles but it appears during my absence from the gym that the okie collars have either been stolen or broken so there is just a single one there now. I will need to invest in some secure collars if I need to go above 120lbs. So things were still going well until I got to 100lbs. There is now only one 100lbs dumbbell. Someone must have broken the other one. I tried to work around this by having someone add 5lbs of plate magnets to a 95lbs dumbbell but one of the magnets fell off midset. I guess I will need to get those collars sooner rather than later to handle some upcoming lifts with dumbbells for upper body work. But pressing felt good and strong besides that haha. Final item of the day was the one arm dumbbell rows. Continuing to increase weight and drop reps. I accidentally started out heavier than I had planned to but the weight felt so light that I just went with it. Sometimes the weight wants to move me but I’m doing my best to stay rigided in the midsection to prevent rotation. Still going strong. If I go heavier, I will have to use the plateloadable handles. The collars at the gym will work fine for this exercise but things going over head and above the face not so much haha. Home to stretch and eat and sleep.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Incline Bench Presses
45x10
75x5
75x5
105x3
105x3
135x5
165x5
195x5
225x5
202.5x5
Parallel Grip Pulldowns
80x15
120x10
140x10
160x10
180x10
Dumbbell Bench Presses
20’sx8
40’sx5
60’sx3
80’sx10
90’sx10
100’sx10
110’sx10
One Arm Dumbbell Rows (supported, tripod)
80x6/6
90x6/6
100x6/6
110x6/6
120x6/6
Stretching
Comments: Last week went well and I hope this week is much the same. Less noticeable issues with the SI joint stuff so that is always a positive. Warmed up on the AMT. Heart rate got up to 160BPM. Both styles of box touches were good. Felt more tightness in my hamstrings on the regular style versus the wide style. Incline pressing followed suit. I do a bit more warm-ups on these because my left shoulder tends to get fussy these days and I don’t want to jump right into it like I can on the floor pressing. Plan same as last time I did incline; work up to a top set of five and then down 90% for another set of five. 135lbs felt really easy so I knew that would be getting more on the top set than last week. 195lbs felt quite a bit tougher so some of the enthusiasm left me. I was thinking that I had another big jump like I did with the floor presses last week but cannot get greedy or sloppy. Got a little bit out of the groove on the last rep with 225lbs and I had an uneven lockout but still got it. Down set felt good after that heavier set. Pulldown variation after that. Parallel grip attachment this time. Because of how long my arms are and how the attachment is made, I couldn’t get a full ROM to get that stretch at the top. I did my best with the circumstances. I knew this would be a stronger variation for me so I knew I could add some more weight to this one compared to the other two I’ve done this cycle. Last set was definitely tough but I felt I had good control and was pulling with the back muscles. Dumbbell benching was up next. I did more sets to get warm not because my shoulders and chest weren’t ready but because I wanted to make sure my back would be ok with the cleaning of the dumbbells and being on my back without the floor to brace me. This was not an issue thankfully. What was the issue was dumbbells. I’ve mentioned before that after 65lbs, the dumbbells get weird. Some have thick handles and some are mismatched pairs. They also only go up to 120lbs. I had thought I had that issue covered with the plateloadable dumbbell handles but it appears during my absence from the gym that the okie collars have either been stolen or broken so there is just a single one there now. I will need to invest in some secure collars if I need to go above 120lbs. So things were still going well until I got to 100lbs. There is now only one 100lbs dumbbell. Someone must have broken the other one. I tried to work around this by having someone add 5lbs of plate magnets to a 95lbs dumbbell but one of the magnets fell off midset. I guess I will need to get those collars sooner rather than later to handle some upcoming lifts with dumbbells for upper body work. But pressing felt good and strong besides that haha. Final item of the day was the one arm dumbbell rows. Continuing to increase weight and drop reps. I accidentally started out heavier than I had planned to but the weight felt so light that I just went with it. Sometimes the weight wants to move me but I’m doing my best to stay rigided in the midsection to prevent rotation. Still going strong. If I go heavier, I will have to use the plateloadable handles. The collars at the gym will work fine for this exercise but things going over head and above the face not so much haha. Home to stretch and eat and sleep.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
February 4, 2017 – Week 8, Day 3
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
20’sx10
20’sx10
40’sx6
50’sx6
60’sx6
70’sx6
80’sx6
90’sx6
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
10’sx10
20’sx10
30’sx10
Rear Delt Cable Crossovers
15x10
30x10
55x10
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
65’sx6
Triceps Pushdowns (straight bar)
45x25
75x20
105x18
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Overhead Presses
15’sx10
30’sx42
Stretching
Comments: Slept in for this day again. Really needed the sleep. Wanted to be rested to ensure I hit the numbers I wanted today. Some aches in the SI joint area but not as bad as it had been the previous two weeks. Lot of upper body exercises to get through. Used the AMT again for warm-up. Heart rate up to 154bpm. Box touches both styles felt good but my hamstrings were quite tight. Seated dumbbell shoulder presses again. Did two light warm-up sets with more reps than last time I did these. I misread my sheet and thought I was doing just four work sets so I did an accumulating set. I realized after that it was five work sets so I guess I did an extra set. Left shoulder feels touchy still. Felt slower on the heavier weights compared to last time but still felt good for more reps. Every time I come to a top set, I’m telling myself that just one rep at this weight is progress as it is more weight than last time. Helps me with getting the confidence back and I end up crushing the weight. Biffed shouldering the dumbbell on the left side for the top set and I had been worried that this would kill the set. Thankfully, I was strong enough that even this error didn’t prevent me from hitting the goal reps. I felt like I was good for at least two more. More shoulder complex work after that. Haven’t done seated laterals in several weeks. I figured I could hit a certain weight for the reps. Sometimes these can irritate the one shoulder. Good focus on the shoulders and trying to keep the traps from taking over the movement. Went well and I probably could have used more weight. Next was rear delts. There isn’t really a good machine for them and the other option was to do them with my chest supported on my knees. ROM on that isn’t the best though with how long my arms are. I decided to try using the cable crossover station. I definitely started light and I made a big jump for the top set. Again, probably could have done more but didn’t want to overdo it with the shoulder and find a starting point. Didn’t want any failures on these today. Bis and tris after the shoulder work. Biceps were different with a focus on heavier weight. I went for what I figured I could hit. Surprisingly, this felt like I had another two reps there or so. It’s a fairly big jump on these so I have an idea where I can go from here. Don’t want to overdo on these either. Triceps after that were good. Getting above 100lbs for high reps is a good sign. Last thing for the day was standing strict pressing with dumbbells. Holding them in the same position as I would a log. Goal here to go to the point where I would start to strain and shut it down there. Ended up with quite the shoulder pump and a lot of reps haha. Home to stretch and relax. I feel like I’m just now on track to add some serious work.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
20’sx10
20’sx10
40’sx6
50’sx6
60’sx6
70’sx6
80’sx6
90’sx6
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
10’sx10
20’sx10
30’sx10
Rear Delt Cable Crossovers
15x10
30x10
55x10
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls
25’sx10
45’sx8
65’sx6
Triceps Pushdowns (straight bar)
45x25
75x20
105x18
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Overhead Presses
15’sx10
30’sx42
Stretching
Comments: Slept in for this day again. Really needed the sleep. Wanted to be rested to ensure I hit the numbers I wanted today. Some aches in the SI joint area but not as bad as it had been the previous two weeks. Lot of upper body exercises to get through. Used the AMT again for warm-up. Heart rate up to 154bpm. Box touches both styles felt good but my hamstrings were quite tight. Seated dumbbell shoulder presses again. Did two light warm-up sets with more reps than last time I did these. I misread my sheet and thought I was doing just four work sets so I did an accumulating set. I realized after that it was five work sets so I guess I did an extra set. Left shoulder feels touchy still. Felt slower on the heavier weights compared to last time but still felt good for more reps. Every time I come to a top set, I’m telling myself that just one rep at this weight is progress as it is more weight than last time. Helps me with getting the confidence back and I end up crushing the weight. Biffed shouldering the dumbbell on the left side for the top set and I had been worried that this would kill the set. Thankfully, I was strong enough that even this error didn’t prevent me from hitting the goal reps. I felt like I was good for at least two more. More shoulder complex work after that. Haven’t done seated laterals in several weeks. I figured I could hit a certain weight for the reps. Sometimes these can irritate the one shoulder. Good focus on the shoulders and trying to keep the traps from taking over the movement. Went well and I probably could have used more weight. Next was rear delts. There isn’t really a good machine for them and the other option was to do them with my chest supported on my knees. ROM on that isn’t the best though with how long my arms are. I decided to try using the cable crossover station. I definitely started light and I made a big jump for the top set. Again, probably could have done more but didn’t want to overdo it with the shoulder and find a starting point. Didn’t want any failures on these today. Bis and tris after the shoulder work. Biceps were different with a focus on heavier weight. I went for what I figured I could hit. Surprisingly, this felt like I had another two reps there or so. It’s a fairly big jump on these so I have an idea where I can go from here. Don’t want to overdo on these either. Triceps after that were good. Getting above 100lbs for high reps is a good sign. Last thing for the day was standing strict pressing with dumbbells. Holding them in the same position as I would a log. Goal here to go to the point where I would start to strain and shut it down there. Ended up with quite the shoulder pump and a lot of reps haha. Home to stretch and relax. I feel like I’m just now on track to add some serious work.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
February 2, 2017 – Week 8, Day 2
5 Minutes Percor AMT
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (16” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
Deadlifts
45x10 (bar on bumper plates)
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
Step Ups (18” Box)
BWx25/25
Hyperextensions
BWx25
BW+66x21
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx30/BWx30
BWx30/BWx30
Stretching
Comments: First time I think that I’ve come into the deadlift and squat workout with confidence in my abilities since the injury. Still have SI joint things going on but it is a lesser degree than it was the previous two weeks. Sometimes something flairs up for a minute or so but it generally goes away. AMT for my workout warm-up. Heart rate read 157bpm dropped down to 150bpm and then went back up. Not sure what that was about. Calf raises were a little tougher than usual. Probably because I didn’t do them last session. Wide box touches after that. No issues on anything. I was worried I wasn’t keeping good form but I checked and I think it was just in my head. Squat therapy followed. Knees were a little achy. Form felt fine, just maybe not as good as the last few sessions. Maybe just feeling off. Regular box touches felt fine too. Just like with wide style, I felt like I wasn’t keeping good form but things looked fine. Box squats up next. Plan being to work up to two plates and go for 1-5 reps. I didn’t have the best bar to make sure I was centered (no center knurling, ring spacing much wider than standard) so sometimes the weight didn’t feel easy. I got my spacing just right on the top set as it felt easier than the previous set. Could do a fair bit more I think. Then on to deadlifts. Goal to work up to ten singles of EMOM style lifting. I didn’t feel like it was a struggle to get to the bar and breathe or to keep an arch in my back. Fast concentric, deep breath at the top and control to the ground. Went better than expected. Actually felt like it was speed work weight. On to the accessory stuff after that. Step-ups felt much the same as they have been. No issues there. Hyperextensions next. I bumped the weight up a bit since I only did a small increase last time to try for 30 reps. The weight was noticed with the lower rep result this time haha. Finished up with abdominal superset. Five reps added to each set so it was quite tough to get through with no stops. But it was easier than I expected. Home to stretch and eat three double meat recovery burritos.
Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
Squat Therapy (16” Box)
BWx25
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx25
16” Box Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
Deadlifts
45x10 (bar on bumper plates)
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1
Step Ups (18” Box)
BWx25/25
Hyperextensions
BWx25
BW+66x21
Crunches/Leg Raises
BWx30/BWx30
BWx30/BWx30
Stretching
Comments: First time I think that I’ve come into the deadlift and squat workout with confidence in my abilities since the injury. Still have SI joint things going on but it is a lesser degree than it was the previous two weeks. Sometimes something flairs up for a minute or so but it generally goes away. AMT for my workout warm-up. Heart rate read 157bpm dropped down to 150bpm and then went back up. Not sure what that was about. Calf raises were a little tougher than usual. Probably because I didn’t do them last session. Wide box touches after that. No issues on anything. I was worried I wasn’t keeping good form but I checked and I think it was just in my head. Squat therapy followed. Knees were a little achy. Form felt fine, just maybe not as good as the last few sessions. Maybe just feeling off. Regular box touches felt fine too. Just like with wide style, I felt like I wasn’t keeping good form but things looked fine. Box squats up next. Plan being to work up to two plates and go for 1-5 reps. I didn’t have the best bar to make sure I was centered (no center knurling, ring spacing much wider than standard) so sometimes the weight didn’t feel easy. I got my spacing just right on the top set as it felt easier than the previous set. Could do a fair bit more I think. Then on to deadlifts. Goal to work up to ten singles of EMOM style lifting. I didn’t feel like it was a struggle to get to the bar and breathe or to keep an arch in my back. Fast concentric, deep breath at the top and control to the ground. Went better than expected. Actually felt like it was speed work weight. On to the accessory stuff after that. Step-ups felt much the same as they have been. No issues there. Hyperextensions next. I bumped the weight up a bit since I only did a small increase last time to try for 30 reps. The weight was noticed with the lower rep result this time haha. Finished up with abdominal superset. Five reps added to each set so it was quite tough to get through with no stops. But it was easier than I expected. Home to stretch and eat three double meat recovery burritos.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
January 31, 2017 – Week 8, Day 1
5 Minutes Elliptical
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Dead Floor Presses
45x10
95x3
145x3
195x3
245x3
295x3
Wide Grip Pulldowns
70x15
110x8
130x8
150x8
170x8
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses
30’sx10
60’sx10
70’sx10
80’sx10
90’sx10
Chest Supported Rows
100x10
120x10
140x10
160x10
Stretching
Comments: First week with the new adjustments. Less lower body stuff on the upper body days, more big exercises on the upper body days. Still dealing with SI issues but they have felt less intense the last three days. Not sure if improving or just fluctuating as it has been. I was looking forward to this workout for some things but anxious about other things. The AMT and Arc trainers were all in use as well as the newer elliptical machines so I had to use an older model that didn’t have an elevation adjustment. HR only got up to 119BPM. Both styles of box touches were good. More of a dynamic warm-up to help get the hamstrings to wake up and stop being so tight. Dead floor presses right off the bat. Goal was big jumps up to a 3rm. I had been thinking about what I wanted to hit since I was given this workout and even the day of, I was second guessing myself on hitting the top set I had planned. Triceps and biceps have gotten back or exceeded preinjury status but still have stuff lagging behind (shoulders, back, etc;). My second to last set felt easy so I knew I had to get it. I was successful and I feel I still had something in the tank. Big improvement on here. Next was wide grip pulldowns. Same idea as last time I did pulldowns; controlled, full range of motion and feeling the back muscles doing the work. No herky-jerky as I need to keep the lower back stable. This was less reps per set than last time but I was using more weight by the end. Hopefully working strict will help get my back muscles back to form. Then incline dumbbell presses. Plan being a comfortable set of ten. I was going to go with just 80’s as a top set but I was feeling good so I went up to 90’s. Not exactly a comfortable set of ten but well short of max effort to get these reps. I did the last two reps with pauses to ensure that I was doing the weight with control. Happy with how my pressing strength was going this session. Almost feel like how a preinjury session would be going haha. Last thing on the agenda for today was chest supported rows. This was something that concerned me as this was one of the exercises that had exacerbated my injury back in June. However, I knew it wasn’t the exercise but the way I was doing it. So used a lot less weight than I have in the past on this to make sure I was doing them full range of motion with control. Just like the pulldowns. I know that improvements will come. No issues here. Home to stretch and eat.
Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15
Dead Floor Presses
45x10
95x3
145x3
195x3
245x3
295x3
Wide Grip Pulldowns
70x15
110x8
130x8
150x8
170x8
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses
30’sx10
60’sx10
70’sx10
80’sx10
90’sx10
Chest Supported Rows
100x10
120x10
140x10
160x10
Stretching
Comments: First week with the new adjustments. Less lower body stuff on the upper body days, more big exercises on the upper body days. Still dealing with SI issues but they have felt less intense the last three days. Not sure if improving or just fluctuating as it has been. I was looking forward to this workout for some things but anxious about other things. The AMT and Arc trainers were all in use as well as the newer elliptical machines so I had to use an older model that didn’t have an elevation adjustment. HR only got up to 119BPM. Both styles of box touches were good. More of a dynamic warm-up to help get the hamstrings to wake up and stop being so tight. Dead floor presses right off the bat. Goal was big jumps up to a 3rm. I had been thinking about what I wanted to hit since I was given this workout and even the day of, I was second guessing myself on hitting the top set I had planned. Triceps and biceps have gotten back or exceeded preinjury status but still have stuff lagging behind (shoulders, back, etc;). My second to last set felt easy so I knew I had to get it. I was successful and I feel I still had something in the tank. Big improvement on here. Next was wide grip pulldowns. Same idea as last time I did pulldowns; controlled, full range of motion and feeling the back muscles doing the work. No herky-jerky as I need to keep the lower back stable. This was less reps per set than last time but I was using more weight by the end. Hopefully working strict will help get my back muscles back to form. Then incline dumbbell presses. Plan being a comfortable set of ten. I was going to go with just 80’s as a top set but I was feeling good so I went up to 90’s. Not exactly a comfortable set of ten but well short of max effort to get these reps. I did the last two reps with pauses to ensure that I was doing the weight with control. Happy with how my pressing strength was going this session. Almost feel like how a preinjury session would be going haha. Last thing on the agenda for today was chest supported rows. This was something that concerned me as this was one of the exercises that had exacerbated my injury back in June. However, I knew it wasn’t the exercise but the way I was doing it. So used a lot less weight than I have in the past on this to make sure I was doing them full range of motion with control. Just like the pulldowns. I know that improvements will come. No issues here. Home to stretch and eat.
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