Lightweight gets strong

I'm going to look into it. I was looking at some of the geared numbers too. The record they have listed for my age and weight w/ gear is only 65 lbs higher than my max deadlift. Guess I'll be benching a bit more than I want. If I want to try to compete I'll need to at least break 300.

Thanks for the push in the right direction

 

Starting my log again..I've kinda been slacking off in working out and my log the last 2 weeks. I've only been to the gym twice and didn't record anything. Here is today, though:

9-8-08

Squat 95 x 10
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 275 x 3
Squat 275 x 1

(wtf..)

SOHP 115 x 10
SOHP 135 x 4 (wtf..)
SOHP 135 x 5
SOHP 135 x 5
SOHP 135 x 5
SOHP 135 x 5

Looks like I lost a little, part of it is probably due to me not taking any creatine for 2 weeks. I'm back in my normal routine now, though. I was supposed to resume last week, but I worked a 12.5 hr shift + 11 hr shift on mon/tues then worked 8 hours wed and went to a wedding / reception which basically fucked my whole week.

 

Today was alright. I did some active recovery and some benching.

9-9-08

Squat 135 x 10
Squat 185 x 10
Squat 185 x 5
Squat 185 x 5

Bench Press 225 x 3
Bench Press 245 x 1
Bench Press 255 x 1
Bench Press 225 x 2

Pullup Bodyweight x 10
Pullup Bodyweight x 10

 

Following up heavy benching with light benching:

9-10-08
Bench Press 135 x 10
Bench Press 155 x 10
Bench Press 175 x 10
Bench Press 225 x 3

Pullup Bodyweight x 10
Pullup Bodyweight x 8

 

9-11-08

Deadlift 225 x 10
Deadlift 315 x 5
Deadlift 405 x 2

Friend hurt his back, so we went to bench and do pullups instead.. lol...

Bench Press 205 x 5
Bench Press 225 x 3

Pullup Bodyweight + 20 x 5
Pullup Bodyweight + 25 x 5

This was my first time doing weighted pullups, we don't have a belt, so I held a DB with my feet. I'm going to start doing them with weight and try to work in the 5 rep range.

Tonight I left a lot to be desired, I have plans to play football on Saturday if weather permits, so I'd like to be a little fresh.

 

9-15-08

Squat 135 x 10
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 245 x 5
Squat 315 x 1
Squat 315 x 1

Pullup Bodyweight + 25 lbs x 5
Pullup Bodyweight + 35 lbs x 5
Pullup Bodyweight + 45 lbs x 3
Pullup Bodyweight + 65 lbs x 2

 

9-16-08

SOHP 115 x 10
SOHP 135 x 5
SOHP 135 x 5
SOHP 145 x 5
SOHP 145 x 5

Pullup Bodyweight + 35 x 5
Pullup Bodyweight + 35 x 5
(got destracted by this guy pulling 405 for reps then proceeded to watch him pull 495 for 4 reps raw)

I was really stoked to meet someone at my gym that had a higher raw deadlift then me. I hope to meet the guy again.

 

Today was a quick in and out press day.

9-17-08
Bench Press 185 x 5
Bench Press 185 x 5
Bench Press 205 x 5
Bench Press 225 x 4 (4 rep PR)
Bench Press 265 x 0 (got stuck about halfway up)
Bench Press 225 x 3

 

9-18-08

Just cleans tonight. Trying to conserve myself as much as possible for PRing squat on monday.

Power Clean 135 x 5
Power Clean 185 x 1
Power Clean 185 x 1
Power Clean 185 x 1

I really wanted to practice cleaning a bit, especially at higher weights as I really haven't done very many singles over 185 lbs.

 

9-22-08
Squat 115 x 10
Squat 135 x 10
Squat 185 x 10
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 3
Squat 350 x 0 (failed miserably)
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5
Squat 225 x 5


Looks like my final improvement on the summer squat contest is +60 pounds.

 

That's quite the jump, 225-350. Why not try 315 for a single or double beforehand? Prime that CNS. Ever tried walkouts either?

 

Yeah, I probably should have done a set at 275 beforehand. I was a bit frustrated today though, as the power rack I usually use was occupied when I arrived. I had to share a rack with my friend and it was way too much of a hassle switching between what I was using and 135 lbs over and over.

I'll probably PR again in like two weeks just to say I did 350, it'll be too late for the squat contest though, which I'm kind of bummed about.

 

9-23-08

Bench Press 185 x 5
Bench Press 185 x 5
Bench Press 205 x 5
Bench Press 225 x 3
Bench Press 225 x 3
Bench Press 225 x 3
Bench Press 225 x 2
Bench Press 215 x 4

I've moved my workout schedule around a bit, now its like:

mon - squat / pullup
tues - bench only
weds - overhead press / pullup (no rack, I'll clean the weight for each set)
thurs - deadlift or squat or clean variant

I think I may start squatting twice a week for the next month or two, to try to get my squat up a bit as I'm really disappointed in the progress I made over the summer. I was thinking I'll do 3-4 warmup sets followed by a ton of sets at fairly high weight with good rest between sets (3-5 mins). I'll start with 225 lbs I did monday, then build on it over 4 weeks by adding 10 lbs per week on the designated day.

mon1 - 7 sets of 225 x 5
thurs1 - 10 sets of 255 x 3

mon2 - 7 sets of 235 x 5
thurs2 - 10 sets of 265 x 3

mon3 - 7 sets of 245 x 5
thurs3 - 10 sets of 275 x 3

mon4 - 7 sets of 255 x 5
thurs4 - 10 sets of 285 x 3

Then PR on the 5th monday. I feel like my form is lacking, so I want to do high volume at a still relatively high weight to attempt to build my glutes and hamstrings up.

If I am able to hit a PR after one month, I'll do it again. This means I'll be foregoing deadlift, even though I'm in several contests that involve deadlift. I feel like if this works well my deadlift should increase quite a bit at the same time, though.

 

You're going to bench the day before OHP? Has that worked for you in the past?

 

When I made my quickest bench gains, I did back to back benching days. I improved about 50 lbs in a 6 week span before I hurt my shoulder last year. I'm going to try it for a while and see how things work out. I actually felt pretty good today overhead pressing. I forewent pullups as I work at 8 AM, though.

9-24-08

Strict Overhead Press 135 x 5
Strict Overhead Press 135 x 5
Strict Overhead Press 135 x 5
Strict Overhead Press 145 x 5
Strict Overhead Press 155 x 4
Strict Overhead Press 165 x 2
edit: Forgot, I also failed singles of 175, twice.. kinda crazy but IDK..

After a few weeks if it becomes a problem I will alternate every tuesday between bench and OHP, then on weds I'll do the opposite lift only in much higher rep ranges (6-10 reps) for a greasing the groove / active recovery type thing.

 

Well, you hit my 1RM for two after a bunch of other stuff, so who am I to talk? Don't think it would work for me, though.

 

Its mostly just an experiment. I don't really have a choice due to a few factors, anyway. One being I must squat and deadlift, and I must do them as far apart as possible (monday and thursday) then the fact that I can only go to the gym 4 days a week(mon-thurs). This basically forces me to press on monday or tuesday or both, unless I want to press after squatting or after deadlifting, which may end up being what I do eventually anyway.

 

9-25-08

Wow..

Back Squat 115 x 10
Back Squat 135 x 10
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3
Back Squat 255 x 3

shit was intense..

 

9-29-08

Back Squat 135 x 10
Back Squat 135 x 10
Back Squat 235 x 5
Back Squat 235 x 5
Back Squat 235 x 5
Back Squat 235 x 5
Back Squat 235 x 5
Back Squat 235 x 5
Back Squat 235 x 5

 

9-30-08

Bench Press 135 x 10
Bench Press 185 x 10 (PR for reps by 1 or 2)
Bench Press 225 x 5 (PR for reps)
Bench Press 265 x 0 (fail..)
Bench Press 265 x 0 (fail again.. wtf)
Bench Press 205 x 5 (super wide grip)
Bench Press 205 x 5

I left a little in the tank cause tomorrow is SOHP day and I'd rather be more productive in that than bench press.