Lifting Blog

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Saturday 28 MAR 09

World Gym ABC

Warmup - lat pulldowns
Rackdeads - warmup sets at 225. Few sets at 315.
One arm DB rows - 110-10, 120-10
T-bar row - 1plate-10, 2p-10, 3p-10, 4p-9+1, 5p-6+2 (ish)
Hmr Str High Row - 1pps-12, 2pps-10, 3pps-6 2pps-10
Seated calf raise - 1p-15, 2p-15, 3p-15, 4p-15
Calf Raise 10x10- 1p (100/100)

Good stuff. My lower back was still shot so Lunatic was cool with it and we moved off the rack deads. One arm rows went well. T-bar was great and those few forced reps let me feel it. We really got into the back groove. Then we blasted calves and hit a 10x10 alternating. Quick sets back and forth. My legs died. The entire drive home had them cramping up. Good stuff.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Wednesday 01 April 09

10 min cardio
Incline DB press - WU45, 80-10, 100-10, 110-5, 120-8 PR, 5
Rope pushdowns - WU70s, 10x10- 50lbs - 30 sec rest, 99/100
Machine preacher curl - 10x10 - 55 lbs - 30 sec rest, 95/100
Cable crossovers - 10x10 - 50lbds - 10,10,10,10,10,9,8,7,8,7 (89/100)

Still pretty sore but my lowerback has recovered enough that I'm not in pain when I try to sleep. Hit the gym mellowly. The 10x10s are all first timers so they are technically PRs but I'm not recording them as such until I beat them. 120s went up pretty easily. I think I could have had 9 if I was willing to push past the wall. But I was trying to get back into it without overdoing it.

Weight: 253something. Lets hope I'm a bit leaner.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Saturday 04 April 09

5 min cardio

BOR - WU135, WU135, 215-15, 275-10, 315-8,7,5
Hammer Str High Row - 2pps-10, 8x8-3pps- 8,8,7,7,5,7,6,4 (52/64) 30 sec rest
Reverse Grip lat pulldown - 10x10 - 105lb - 99/100 - 30 sec rest
Seat cable row - WIDE - 105-20, 210-10,8, Narrow Grip - 210-12
BB Shrugs - WU225, 405-10, 495-5, 10x10-275-99/100-30sec rest ?? I might have done 12 sets.
Standing EZ bar curls - 10x10 - 55lbs - 96/100

Good stuff. Huge pump. Strength levels are pretty low. I'm down a solid 10%. I'm guessing the CNS isn't quick back up to snuff yet. Still my 10-12 rep range is still on target. I should have had 495 for about 12 on the shrugs. Bleh. I'll get back there.

Weight: 252.8 - did some side by side pics from last month. Looking leaner.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Monday 06 APR 09

Bench press - WUbar, WU135, 225-12, 275-6, 295-3, 315-3,3 225-12,11,6,4 (30 sec rest)
Behind the neck press - warmup only - 95lbs for a few here and there
Upright row - bar-12, 65-12, 85-12,10
Machine lateral raise - 40-20,20,20,20
Straight bar push down - 70-20, 100-10, 120-8, 80-12,23

Good time. Just wanted to see how I was responding strength wise and get back in there with some more rep work. Huge pump. Again. Minor elbow pain on the upright rows. Gonna stick in the 65-75 range and see if I can get that to 20 with no pain. Probably need to see someone. Had it Xrayed in the fall and there was nothing wrong on that. But the DR is an idiot so there is that.

Weight: 252.8 - was going to do some cardio but got to the gym late. Might get some in tonight.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Wednesday 08 Apr 09

10 min cardio
ATG Back Squat - bar-20, 135-20, 225-12, 275-12 (PR)
SLDL - few light sets
Seated Calf Raises - 2p-15, 3p-15, 4p-15, 5p-10,12
Leg Extension - few light sets, 20+ reps, slow cadence
Lying leg curl - 10x10 (30sec rest) - 70lbs (100/100)

Didn't have it today. Focus wasn't there. Tried to gut it out. Squats tweaked the lower back again. So screw this - time to start belting up again. I was going to hit another set. 275 went to 12 easy. I sat in the hole on each with no issues. But the lower back is pissed. Has been for the last 2+ weeks.

Still feel good otherwise. Now I remember why I dislike going over 8 reps on squats - too much thinking. Makes it hard to stare at the pretty girls.

Weight: 255.2 - took a cheat day yesterday. Eat a mix of clean and crap. Oh well. Needed some extra recovery. ABC in 4 weeks.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Friday 10 April 09

Rack deads - 225-20, 405-10, 495-5,11
BOR - 225-3,3*
Shrugs - 225-15, 405-10, 455-10,10,7,8 (90 sec rest)
Seated Cable row - WU100, WU150, 200-10, 250-10, 300<stack>-12,10

Lower back is still less than happy. Wore a belt for the rack dead. Wasn't enough for the BORs so I stretched and tried again then I gave up and went to shrugs. Shrugs are fun. I missed them. Cable rows went well. I think I might have PRed with the 12. I'm still getting used to going over 10 reps on a set. Odd feeling.

Weight: 255.something - seems to be holding nicely here.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Monday 13 April 09

Decline smith bench - 2pps-15, 3pps-12, 3p+25ps-12, 4pps-7,6,7 (PR?)
Smith behind the neck press - 1pps-3,3 25ps-6,10,12,12 50ps-10,12
Bench press - 10x10 (30sec) 185-10,10,10,10,10,9,7,6,6,5 (83/100)
Machine lateral raise - 50-20, 60-20, 70-18+2rp
Cable crossover - 50-12, 60-12, 70-12, 80-12, 90-12 (PR), 100-8 (PR)

Holy shit that sucked. Finished the decline bench and my tris and delts were so fried that I couldn't move my arms. Did the behind the neck press just to try and loosen things up a little.

Got to my 10x10 but the arms and medial (no idea why...) delts were toast. Pumped to the sun but toast. Ended up doing wider than normal grip bench. Barely got the 185 going. Missed racking it once. That was a little freaky.

Cable crossovers are great but getting the handles down when your arms don't work is much harder than it seems. I really need a training partner.

Weight: 256.6 - up 1.5 lbs. Slightly leaner. Feel much denser and harder.

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Side note: To correct/help my back along I've been doing DB side bends (slightly to the rear) with a huge stretch on the concentric phase. Its been doing wonders. Do 3 sets of 12 per side and then crack and stretch the back again. Been doing that 2-3 times a day. Back is feeling tons better.

Also been adding in a 10x10 of alternating standing hammer curls. ~20 sec of rest between. Just passing the DB back and forth for each set. HUGE pump. Crazy on the forearms and the bi. Doing those everynight (give or take) starting last friday. Will be removing all direct bi work from my workouts as a result.

[UGHQ_Tempus]

Wednesday 15 April 09

5 min cardio
Leg extensions - 40-20, 70-20, 100-20, 160-20
Shrugs - WU1pps, WU225, 405-10, 505-8,6,4 365-10,10,10,10,9,7,4 (20sec rest)
ATG Squat - 135-10, 225-10, 225-60sec in the hole, 275-5, 315-5,10 PR
Leg Press - 4pps-20, 6pps-20, 8pps-10,10
Seated Calf raise - 2pps-25, 4pps-20,25

charlie foxtrot. The squat rack I normally used was down for repairs so I had to use the crappy one with the uneven flooring. Bullshit. Warmed up the legs with the extensions. Figured I'd hit the leg press but Tough Guy w/ the popped collar was "working out" on it. 6pps for 1/4 reps and texting between sets. He was still on there when i was squating and only did 4 working sets. Luckily he got done just as I was finished squating otherwise there might have been a beating starting.

Got a good pump going on the shrugs but my lower back was starting to go. Forgot my belt. Yeah, my bad. 315 to the ground wasn't too nice on it and i could barely bend when I started on the leg press. Got better during the calf raises.

I did noticed that my hip flexors are tight as heck still. I'm pretty sure thats part of why my back and I are having this argument. I guess I need to start doing this foam roller stuff - unless anyone else has suggestions. I am thinking maybe I need to leg press more - those used to help with my hips.

Weight: 256.6 - still leaning out a little.