Watch Freddbird's videos. He makes it look smooth and easy, and the chicks dig it.

Post holiday lifting day yesterday!

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. Posted 215 and change on the scale that morning. Oh well. I ate great.

Bench press:
45x5x2
85x5
115x3
155x2
165x5x2
165x6

Took a step back here after the time off. I also didn't push the AMRAP on the last set that hard due to the lack of safety bars.

Chin ups:
1x3

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. Yeah, that was all I could do.

Deadlift:
135x5
185x3
255x2
305x1

Only one rep, because I ran out of time and had to run back to my cubicle for a conference call. Oops. I probably should have done squats here, but I knew I didn't have time for 3 squat sets before that call, so I figured I could get in a DL set. Not quite.

This gym isn't really good enough for my needs, but at least it's something.

Just do DL at your cube. Establish alphaness. You probably could have done the conference call during 305x5.

"Hey Doug, yeah I'm here.... phew - phew - phew - GAHHHHHHHHHHHH **** yes. Phew - phew - phew.... we'll have to... phew- phew - GAHHHHHHHH - phew - phew - touch base with Dr. Lawrence by Friday if we wanna... phew - phew - GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH COME ON BABY THAT'S THREE - figure out what the **** we're gonna do. Doug, I got 2 more lemme call ya back bud." Click

Heh. Maybe not during my first month.

Anyway, lifting day yesterday! I'm still not into a regular routine, but it's better to lift irregularly than to not lift at all.

Press:
45x5
55x5
75x3
95x2
107.5x5x3

Passed on a new high. Guess I haven't lost everything during the holidays.

Pendlay rows:
45x5
75x5
95x3
115x2
135x5x2
135x10

Achievement unlocked: full wheels. I maybe should have left a rep or two on the table during AMRAP, as I was pretty tired after this...

Deadlift:
135x5
185x3
255x2
305x4

Still not really feelin' squats in this place, I went with deadlifts. I was completely spent after the 4th.

Lifting day! Back at the original gym with the missus.

MrWookie:

Bench Press:
45x5x2
85x5
115x3
155x2
170x5x3

Passed what had been my previous highest pass, so that's good news.

Chin ups:

2x3

Not sure what happened here. Did the 5-6 lbs I added over the holidays make that much difference? At least it's better than the 1x3 from last time.

Squats:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x5x3

This was a substantial step back, but at the same time, my hamstrings and adductors didn't feel up to doing much more. Despite deadlifting near my PR recently, this felt like I was just getting back on the wagon. I think I'll take bigger steps from here, but I'm OK with what I did.

MrsWookie:

Squats:
45x5
65x3
90x3
115x3
135x2
155x3
150x5x2

155 was her previous best pass, so this was pretty close after a substantial break. We're counting this as a pass at 150, and she'll re-nail 155 next time.

Bench press:
45x5
60x3
75x2
85x2
80x3
80x4

This was tougher. 85 was her previous work set that she hadn't passed. I guess she'll give 80 a go next time.

Deadlift:
75x5
125x3
180x2
215x5

215 was her previous best pass, so she replicated that on the first attempt. Pretty good after almost a month off.

She is really good on that deadlift.

I just got 3 dead hang chins last night for the first time. I'd put on a few pounds over the holidays and noticed I felt heavy as **** when doing chins (was only doing 1), so yeah I think if you added 5-6 pounds that's a pretty big deal.

Lifting day for me, but not the missus. The good news for her is that she finally got a formal, permanent job offer from the company where she currently works as a contractor, so she'll now be able to use her company's gym. Anyway:

Press:
45x5
55x5
75x3
90x2
110x4
110x3x2

Couldn't pass the new weight, but it wasn't a bad effort. The good news here is that the company gym finally got some 2.5 lb weights (or someone returned them to the proper spot) so I actually could attempt 110. I was thinking I was going to need to buy 8 more washers.

Pendlay rows:
45x5
75x5
95x3
115x2
145x5x2
145x7

Took on a 10 lb jump here and still had extra reps in me. I may not have completely maxed here, because...

Deadlift:
145x5 (just use the last setting from pendlay rows, ldo)
185x3
255x2
305x5

Passed this time. It was tough, but doable. I'll be back at my best in no time.

A+

And yeah, even the slightest added weight and I feel it with my chins/pull-ups. Push ups, no problem. But starting pulling upwards, and it really gets me.

Life precluded lifting on either Thursday or Friday (Cirque du Soleil tickets Friday night, great show). So we went yesterday!

MrWookie:

Bench Press:
45x5
85x5
115x3
145x2
170x5x3

Oops. I forgot my phone, so I didn't remember what weight I was on. I thought I'd failed 170 last time. Turns out I passed it, and I passed it this time. Oh well. We'll get 172.5 next time.

Chin ups:
3x3

Getting back there.

Squats:
45x5
95x5
135x3
185x2
230x5x3

And getting back there here, too.

MrsWookie:

Squats:
45x5
70x3
90x3
115x3
135x2
155x5x3

Ties highest previous pass.

Press:
(15x2)x5 (dumbbells, minibar was taken)
45x3
55x5
55x3
55x5

This was her first attempt at this exercise after the holidays. She maybe could have passed with a longer break before the second set, but oh well. Next time.

Power cleans:
45x5x2

Just sorta getting back to form.

Negative chin ups:
6x1

She is interested in developing biceps, so we got started lightly on these.

Lifting day! I'm trying to get back on the W/F/Su plan that worked so well for me at first. Turns out it may work best with the job, too, but for my irregular travel schedule. Anyway,

Press:
45x5
60x5
75x3
90x2
110x5x3

Passed after one failure. Not bad.

Pendlay rows:
45x5
85x5
105x3
125x2
150x5x2
150x8

Still just crushing it here. Do people tend to be stronger at Pendlay rows or on the bench press? Because I'm not very far from matching my bench press.

Squats:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
185x2
235x5x3

Yep, squats at work. Having done a couple sets while working back up to previous highs has given me some more confidence. I probably should have attempted a 6th rep at the end there, but I'm still a little cautious. If I'm feeling saucy Sunday, though, I may just tack on 5 and go for a new high.

Nice work on squat and press.

Awesome progress woodie. Keep it up.

Lifting day!

Bench press:
45x5x2
85x5
120x3
155x2
172.5x5x3

A new high.

Chin ups (bw)
4x1
3x2

Added one here compared to last time. One off my max, and I'm still kinda fat, 218ish. There's time to cut later, though.

Deadlift:
135x5
185x3
255x2
310x5

Tied my previous max. No conference calls this time. Close to "three wheels," except at the company gym, you load up 315 as a 45, a 35, 2x25, and a 5. lol @ this assortment of weights.

Congrats on the near DL PR; "3 plate" work sets is a big milestone

Yeah, I have really enjoyed my deadlift progress. My only sadness is that before the holidays, 315 was a nice even 1.5x bodyweight. Now I have to take a few more steps to get there.

Lifting day yesterday!

Press:
50x5
70x5
80x3
100x2
112.5x4
112.5x3x2

Used minibars for warmups because another guy was squatting, and they only came in increments of 10. Couldn't pass the new weight, but that's par for press nowadays.

Pendlay rows:
50x5
95x5
115x3

And then the missus showed up to take me home. Oh well. A short day is better than no day.

Lifting day yesterday!

Bench press:
45x5x2
85x5
120x3
155x2
175x5x3

Passed on first attempt. Might have tried a 6th rep, but I had no spotter and no guard rails.

Chin ups (bw = 216.0)
4x2
3x1

Back to where I was, except fatter. So also stronger?

Deadlift:
135x5
185x3
265x2
315x1

One full rep, but while I got the weight off the ground twice more, I couldn't get it up either time. Oh well.

Lifting day today! Gittin' er dun before gorging myself watching the Seahawks pwn.

Press:
45x5
60x5
75x3
95x2
112.5x5x3 (AMRAP)

Passed on the second try.

Pendlay Rows:
45x5
85x5
115x3
135x2
160x5x3 (AMRAP)

Passed a 10 lb jump on my first try, but I didn't have any extra reps in me this time. Perhaps I'm near the limits of my n00b gainz on tihs one, but I think I should still be able to take 5 lb jumps from here.

Squats:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
185x2
240x5x3

Passed a new all time high on the first attempt. I didn't try a 6th rep, but I might have had it in me.

With that, I'm above Christmas levels in all exercises.

Lifting day!

Bench press:
45x5x2
85x5
120x3
155x2
175x5x3

Passed on the first try. Might have even gone for an extra rep, but I didn't have a spotter.

Chin ups (bw=217.8, post Super Bowl fat)
4x3

Added one again

Squats:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
195x2
245x5x1

I only did one set because I ran out of time. I probably would have passed otherwise. I figured it would be better to do an incomplete work out than skip one.

Good news: Lifting Day!

Press:
45x5
60x5
80x3
95x2
115x5x3

Passed on the first try. Not bad. I didn't think I was going to get the 5th rep up in the first set, but it got there. After that, I wasn't going to fail the rest, but it was a grind.

Pendlay rows:
45x5
95x5
115x3
140x2
165x5x2
165x6

I had an extra rep in me for this one, but I almost certainly would not have had 170. 5 lb steps seem good for now. Ghana pass my bench press pretty quickly.

Squats:
45x5x2
95x5
145x3
195x2
245x5x3

Passed, not really technically on my first try, but on my first full attempt. Maybe today should have been a deadlifting day, but I wanted to pass the squats.

Bad news: fat. I went on my first business trip with my new job Tu-Th (that's why there was no Wed lifting day), and a big night out entertaining customers along with some perhaps poor calorie estimating for other meals out take their toll. I'll probably shed a good bit of this over the next couple days, but I'm going to have to find some time to hit the gym, even if it's just the hotel gym, while traveling in order to not get fat.

Lifting day yesterday, and MrsWookie is back on the wagon!

MrWookie:

Bench press:
45x5x2
85x5
120x3
155x2
177.5x5x2
177.5x3

My foot slipped on the 4th rep of the last set, and I lost control of the bar. I probably had 5 in me, but oh well. I'll get it next time.

Chin ups (bw = 218, fat)
4x3

I couldn't add an extra one this time.

Deadlift:
135x5
185x3
265x2
315x5

Achievement unlocked: Three Wheels. And I did this at the original gym that actually had sufficient wheels in order to put 6 on there.

MrsWookie:

Squats:
45x5
70x3
95x3
120x3
140x2
160x2
160x4
160x2

Attempted to add weight after two weeks off, but not quite successful. Next time.

Press:
30x5
45x3
55x5
55x4
55x3

Still couldn't quite get it, but she's close.

Pendlay rows:
45x5x2
55x5
60x5x3

Adding a new exercise. These may replace the power cleans, but we had to do them today so I could show her how.

Deadlift:
95x5
135x3
185x3

Not a full set here. Just getting back into form and used to the exercise.

You're entering the IEL territory. Good work.

+1

One of these days I might not need that muscle shirt.

Lifting day yesterday. Once again figuring short, inexact workout > no workout.

Press:
45x5
65x5
80x3
100x2
120x2
120x3
120x2

I forgot my washers, so I couldn't do 117.5. I figured struggling through 120 was my best bet. I'll get 117.5 next time.

Pendlay Rows:
95x5
115x3
140x2
170x5x3 (AMRAP)

Passed.

And that's it. I ran out of time.