ooohhhhh wow, I had no idea

thanks for the heads up I'll start it up next time

nope, no bumper plates, just **** hexagonal plates that are annoying as hell for DL's and PC's because they always roll out of position and you have to pick the whole bar up to reposition it

I would consider buying a power rack but I don't think I have anywhere to put it. The only place I can think of is my backyard - anyone know some kind of setup that wouldn't get ****ed up even being outside in the snow during the winter? Doesn't seem likely.

I guess I could start looking for a new gym but the one I go to right now is a really quick drive from my place, and a pretty nice gym aside from the plates. They've got 2 power racks and a squat rack far off to the side and I've never had to wait for a rack.

9/8/08 -Workout A

Squat -

45x10
135x5
185x3

3x220x5

good squats. Watched squat RX 2 before this and I think I did a good job today at not going into good mornings

Bench -
45x10
85x5
105x3
135x2

2x155x5
1x155x4- I suck so close but couldn't get the final rep all the way up

DL-
135x5
185x3

230x5

9/10/09 - Workout B

Squat -

225x4 -GRAHH! Was so close to finishing the final rep I thought I might be able to finish the final 2 sets on 225

225x2- I was wrong

215x5

215x2 - out of steam

Press -

3x110x5

PC-

5x140x3

How awesome is it that my Squat is 50 pounds better and my DL is 60 pounds better than yours but my bench is the same and my press is 30 pounds lighter?

The answer is: Not very.

hahahha, we're both just weaklings atm I guess. Idk if you saw the thread about my friend that has the metal plate in his leg from a car crash, but that kid weighs ~210 and I've seen him put up 280 for multiple sets of 10+ reps on bench

kinda pissed that my squat progress has slowed so immensely around 225. I guess I'm still improving, 2 reps last time I attempted 225 and 6 total this time

I still definitely have a lot of room for progress on press, PC's, and especially deadlifts. I feel like I could probably make at least a 15 lb jump on DL's next time but I'm content to go up by 5's, I'm in no rush.

9/12/09 - Workout A

watch out kyleb, i be gainin! Finally got 225 on squats and pretty easily added 10 lbs to the DL today

Squat -

3x5x225


Bench-

2x5x165 - just bareeeeely got the last rep up
1x2x160
1x3x155

DL -

1x5x240

9/14/09 - Workout B

Squat -

3x5x230

after taking so long to stick 225 I assumed I might have trouble increasing from there. Just went in with the attitude that I was going to do all three sets at 230, and ended up crushing them

Press-

2x5x115
1x2x110
1x3x105

By the end of the first two sets I realized there was no way I was completing set 3 @ 115. I remember reading a section talking about how as the weight gets heavier the trainee will naturally want to bend back to get the weight up. That was all me today as I started to get fatigued starting set 2, but at least I realized it and brought down the weight so I could work on it finishing up.

PC -

155x1xfail fail
150x1xfail fail fail
145x1x3
140X3x3

Yes, I know I jumped up 15lbs lol. These just felt so strong in my warmups, that while I was looking around for 2.5'ers (infinite other plates but theres like 4 total 2.5'ers in the whole gym) for 150 I said **** it and threw on a 10 on the outside of the 45 instead. I don't think it was the weight itself that was the biggest factor in me failing these, I think my biggest problem was getting the rhythm down.I'm pretty sure that I didn't account for the difference the added weight would make on the ascent of the bar. I prob made about 4 attempts at 155 and successfully got up 1, and 5 or 6 attempts at 150 where I got 2

9/16/09 - Workout A

Squat-

1x5x235
2x5x230

BP -

1x5x165
2x5x160

I thought that I had done 160 last workout

DL-

250x5


decent workout. Looks like I'll go up by 10 on DL again next workout, 250 was pretty easy.

9/18/09

Was feeling really lazy on and haven't taken an extra day off in a while. Instead of going to the gym I did 3 sets of chin ups to failure, and then just a couple of pullups to mess around on the bar I mounted in my closet doorway

Chins-

8 reps
6 reps
4 reps

2 pullups

I have been absolutely terrible at these and used to not even be able to do a single pull up even when I was doing isolation exercises every day. Was really cool to see even though I'm still really weak at those that they improved dramatically without even doing them because of the rest of the program.

I want to start adding in pullups/chinups so I guess I'll start doing the Wichita Falls Program.



9/20/09 - Workout B


Squat -

3x5x235


Press-

3x5x115

PC -

5x3x145

9/22/09

Squat -

3x5x240

failed rep 4 of the last set, but then reset the bar and did two more to finish it out

BP -

3x5x165

failed rep 4 on this too coincidentally, then had to finish the last two as singles

Pull Ups-

3 + lots of negatives/flopping around
2 +
1 +

I guess I'm still pretty bad at these, still better than it ever was

9/24/09

Squat:

2x5x145
3x145
1x145
fail

just barely got the 3rd rep up on the last set, rested then did a single, tried to then rest and finish it up with another single but failed out

Press

3x5x120


Deadlift

260x5

alright, I was able to do 260 today but I'm definitely questioning my form for the set. With the increase in weight it was tough to keep the rounding in my back, especially when putting the weight back on the ground. The hexagonal ****ing plates also made it tough to get into any sort of rhythm, the set was like 5 disjointed singles

definitely need to get my old digital camera working so I can record DL next time

9/27/09:

Squat

2x5x245
4x245
1x245

It really really sucked failing out the last rep and having to reset the whole bar to do one single and finish up, but this felt strong, 250 next time for sure.

Bench

2x5x170
2x165
2x160
1x160

pretty lucky I got the fifth rep on the second set, my arms get drained quick. I need a damn spotter

Chin Ups

9
4
3

I was doing strict no kipping for the first four or 5 chins, then my arms died and I had to kip and flail my way up for all the rest of the reps, idk if you can even really count most of these, lol.

9/29/09:

Squat -

3x5x250

Press-

3x5x125

PC -

5x3x150

been a little over a month since i put this log up figured I'd jot down my progress so far.

Bodyweight : 185->189
Squat : 195->250
Press : 100->125 (only recently got down the correct press grip and stopped doing push presses)
Bench: 155->170
Deadlift: 225->260
PC: 115->150

I'm looking into buying bumper plates and a power rack now

This rack looks like the best value around @360 w/ free shipping

These bumper plates also look like the best value/quality around.

The equipment will be set up in a basement w/ a concrete floor, I also need to get some kind of chinup bar to mount to the concrete wall as well.

I guess I'll also need a bench too, anyone have any recommendations?

I own those bumpers - they are very good. I didn't buy them as part of the set with the Pendlay bar, and I would recommend getting a B&R bar instead, but you can't go wrong with Pendlay products in either case.

Interestingly enough, I also own that power cage! It's okay. Kind of small, unfortunately, but it works well enough. Assembly was not hard - I put it all together myself using a set of pliers and an adjustable monkey wrench in about 1.5 hours.

You don't need a chin-up bar. Look at the power cage - it has one built into it.

You might want to build a platform, too. Here's how to DIY using plywood and horse stall rubber mats.

Here's what my gym looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H71jnzhVvAk

Good luck!

Oh, and buy as much stuff used as possible - especially iron plates, dumbbells, weight racks, and even bumper plates and/or your power cage if you can find it.

not exactly a DIY guy so I don't see myself building one of those platforms but the floor in the basement is solid concrete so I assume it'll be fine. I'll check out CL to look for a weight rack and a bench later.

Thanks Kyle, and v nice little setup of your own

what other kinds of flooring are there to cover up in a home gym? you'll bust up a concrete floor.

Plenty of people on the crossfit forums say they have gotten by just fine with just the floor mats. But definitely so something as your trying to protect your equipment as well as the floor.

I have just floor mats and I routinely drop 350+ lbs on the floor using bumpers that are barely larger than the 45 lb. iron plates that accompany it. That said, I am still planning on building a platform. The plans are really F simple.

hmmmmm, yeah I guess that doesn't look too hard, I'll look into it a little more. I stopped reading the first time when I saw "wood screws" and "reciprocating saw"

Yes, "reciprocating saw" nearly made me close the window, but you can get all the sheets cut for you at Home Depot or whatever.

10/01/09

Squat -

255x5
255x4
250x2
245x3

Bench -

175x5
175x3
170x2
165x5

Pull Ups -

all kipping

8
4
3


I probably should have eaten something today but last night I pigged out on pizza and wasn't hungry all day - seemed like my energy for each exercise dropped very sharply after the first set of each.

soooooo psyched I put in my orders for the power rack, barbell, and bumper plate set this morning. I bought this too, so hopefully I won't have to build my own platform. Can't wait to have my own set up, everything should be here around the end of the month

Cool. Pictures when you get it all set up!

for sure. There was just no place to put everything in my house, so I'm actually setting this up at my grandparents place.

They live in a really awesome house less than 10 mins away. The basement where I'm setting this up in is split up into two levels - the top level is cement with exercise equipment at one end, then a straight stretch that I used to run soccer and lax drills, and at the other end some couches, table air hockey and ping pong. At the center theres stairs that lead to a lower level half court indoor basketball setup.

Probably hard to imagine what this all looks like but it's really cool. I'll make sure to get some pictures up when its all set up.

Just make sure you have enough room to fully extend the bar overhead.