2015-05-02
TNG Bench
9x3x190

Incline DB
3x8x60s

Pullups, Dips, Curls

Sorry, missed this one.

I only started benching erryday just before xmas. Most others still following the gym programming are on an upper/lower split.

2015-05-04
Squat
5x330 @9
5x330 @9
5x330 @9.5

Sumo DL
5x3x308 @7

Pullups


Eh, not my best workout. I was happy with my squats; it was a definite improvement over the last time I squatted heavy (5x2x330) but I'm not quite to previous strength levels yet. I planned on doing 2 more sets, but my right elbow was flaring up pretty badly so I decided to cut it short. I had the strength in my legs, but I could feel a ton of pressure building up in my elbow while squatting.

The DLs were probably too light. I haven't done sumo in awhile so I was still gauging my strength. One interesting thing I noticed is that my first rep was generally the weakest. I was doing a top-down setup but I was not resetting in between reps. I think one difference is that my shoulders (correctly) drifted more over/in front of the bar for reps #2 and #3.

2015-05-06
Wide Grip Bench
6x205 @8
6x210 @9
5x210 @9.5
6x205 @9.5

TNG Bench (burnout)
17x135

JM Press
3x8x115

Seated DB Press
8,4x50s
8,9x40s

Pullups, Curls, DB Flies


In order to protect my elbow I decided to go with wide grip bench. I also did my curls before benching to try to warm my elbow up (my curls are almost always 5x20x15s dumbbells). The elbow felt pretty good, and I didn't experience any discomfort until I did JM Press - this is where I'm folding my arm over at the elbow.

Bench went pretty good. I didn't have my spotter so I didn't get a liftoff. I probably do marginally better with a spotter but I doubt it made much of a difference. I liked doing the burnout set at 135. My triceps were the first to go, so that's interesting (maybe?).

2015-05-08
Pause Squat
12x2x269 @8-8.5 (7s, 5s, 3s pauses)

Pause DL
12x1x308 @7


2015-05-09
TNG Bench
9x3x195

DB Bench
8,10,10x65s

Pullups, Dips



Right elbow was flaring up pretty bad during these workouts, particularly when benching. Thing just won't heal.

2015-05-11
Deadlift
3x402 @9
3x375 @8.5
3x375 @8.5
3x375 @9.5
3x357 @8.5


Pretty lame workout. I decided to forgo squats today in order to give my left hip/groin/quad some time to heal up.

I wanted to do more DL volume (2-3 more sets) as well as some assistance exercises, but I ripped open a huge blister right at the base of my thumb, right where the bar is held under my hook grip. I had to call it quits at that point.

2015-05-12
Bench
1x245 @9.5
1x235 @10 (failed 2nd rep)
2x225 @9
2x225 @9.5
1x225 @10 (failed 2nd rep)
2x215 @8.5
2x215 @9.5

TNG Bench (Burnout)
25x135

DB Standing Press
6,6,8x55s

JM Press
3x8x115

Pullups


My goal today was to come in and hit a bunch of heavy doubles. I ended up doing a poor job of estimating my RPEs so I missed a few reps, but it shouldn't be a big deal. This wasn't my best performance.

2015-05-16
Squat
3x5x286 @7

3ct Pause Bench
5x3x185 @8

Pullups


I came here pretty injured so couldn't do much. My hip still flares up, so I took it light on squats. I couldn't DL due to my thumb blister so I skipped it. Bench felt good.

2015-05-18
Squat
2x352 @8
2x375 @9.5 (PR)
2x370 @9.5
2x370 @9.5
2x362 @9.5

Pause DL
2x5x308

Pullups


Great day today. My squats felt good from the start and continued that way. I believe this is a new PR for a belt-less double. I'm putting a renewed focus into keeping my upper back tight as hell throughout the entire movement. I've noticed that I can let my back relax a bit as I get close to the hole. More importantly, I went through this basically pain free. My elbow didn't bother me at all and my hip only got a touch sore towards the end.

2015-05-20
CG Bench
3x205 @7.5
1x225 @10 (fail)
3x215 @9.5
3x215 @8.5
0x225 @10 (fail)
10x185 (burnout)

Seated Military DBs
8,6,6x55s

Curls, Pullups, Dips, Farmer's Walks


This was a pretty bad day, I gotta stop failing on bench. I have two big problems: 1) I suck at estimating my RPEs, 2) My form isn't nearly repeatable enough, so I have some strong sets followed by pathetic sets and vice versa.

The good thing is I think I am starting to plug a leak on my bench. My training partner, who is a much better bencher than myself, keeps telling me that I tuck my elbows too much and touch the bar too low on my chest. I agree with him, and I'm starting to try to flare my elbows more. This should also help keep my elbows directly below my wrists. I did this the best on my 3x215 @8.5 set, but lost it again on my subsequent sets.

2015-05-22
Pause Squat (7s, 5s, 3s)
12x2x274 @8

Sumo DL
5x3x330 @7

I set up too low on Sumo, need to get the hips higher

this is probably false. video?

no vid but my buddy noticed my hips rising before the pull is initiated

2015-05-24
Bench
3x205 (normal) @8
3x205 (close) @8
3x205 (wide) @9
3x205 (normal) @8
3x205 (normal) @8.5

Incline DB
8,7,8x65s

Pullups.

Felt good. I kept it fairly light while working on learning to flare my elbows a bit more.

2015-05-26

I got some good rest over the weekend and was feeling good, so I decided to go heavy.

Belted Squats
1x375 @7
1x397 @7
1x419 @9 (terrible walkout)
1x441 @9
1x446 @10 (PR +5lbs)
1x430 @9.5
1x419 @9.5

Deadlift
3x5x330 @7.5 (probably a touch too heavy)

New PR! I didn't add much to my previous PR, but it's still progress. This is encouraging because I was feeling weaker lately due to some injuries and time off. The 446 was a solid grind, but the pause squats have been helping me remain confident during the sticking points.

I still need to work on keeping my upper back super tight. I've noticed that I have a tendency to relax it as the weights get heavy.

2015-05-27
Bench
5x205 @9
5x205 @9
5x205 @9.5
5x200 @9.5

Standing DB Press
8,8,8x60s

Dips (+25lbs), Pullups


Bench felt a little weaker than I was expecting. It probably has to do with those heavy squats yesterday as well as continuing to work on my form. I'm focusing on not tucking my elbows as much. My elbows didn't get sore at all today, which is nice. The leg drive was subpar, unfortunately.

Still, these numbers are solid. Very good day.

2015-05-29
Pause Squat
12x2x279 @8 (7s, 5s, 3s pauses)

Paused DL
15x1x308 @7


Today I experimented with wrapping my thumbs under the bar while squatting as opposed to putting them over the bar. I think I felt stronger. At the very least, it seems as if I can keep my upper back tighter this way. The downside is that my wrists got a little bit sore, but once I put on wrist wraps they were fine.

2015-05-30
3ct Pause Bench
3x190 @8
3x190 @8
3x190 @9
3x190 @8 (brought in grip)
3x190 @9

DB Bench
9,8,6x70s

2015-06-01
Belted DLs
1x418 @7
1x440 @8
1x462 @9
0x484 (stapled to floor)
1x440 @9
1x418 @9
1x418 @9

Squat
5x10x220

I was feeling good today so came in and decided to hit some heavy-ass singles on deadlift. My DL has been all over the place the last few times I've maxed out, so I just decided to keep adding 10kg to the bar until I couldn't lift it anymore. My PR on deadlift is 473, I can probably hit that if I didn't waste so much energy ramping up. I'm very happy with these results, and it looks like ceasing to deadlift heavy twice a week has brought my DL numbers back up.

Decided to go BBB on squat today to get more volume in with my thumbs wrapped under the bar.

2015-06-03
CG Bench
5x195 @8
5x205 @9.5
4x205 @9.5 (failed due to bar drift)
5x195 @8
8x195 @9

Seated DB Press
5,5,3x60s

Curls, Pullups, Dips (9 reps -- shoulder hurt), Farmer's Walks


Another sub-par day benching. My struggle on bench is really starting to take a toll on me mentally. I basically haven't made progress in 4 months. This time, I failed mainly because I let the bar drift way behind me, then too far forward. My bar path sucks and I am finding it incredibly difficult to generate a consistent, repeatable bar path on every rep. When I find the right bar path, my reps feel amazing.

I also seem to lose tightness during my multi-rep sets as the set goes on. When I lockout the press, my shoulders pop up a little bit.

2015-06-05
Squat
5x308 @7
5x308 @8
5x308 @8

Sumo DL
5x3x340 @7


I got drunk last night and had ****ty sleep. I've also been lifting pretty damn heavy lately so I decided to take it fairly light today.

Sumo DL is coming along nicely. I took some videos today. Any thoughts? Seems like my back might be getting soft on a few reps.

gotta pack my neck more as well. I was looking in the stupid mirror

2015-06-08
Squat
5x330 @8
5x352 @9
5x352 @9.5
5x330 @9

SLDL
3x5x220

Bench
8x175 @8
7x175 @9


Squat numbers were pretty good today, although I got fatigued rather quickly. On my final 2 sets I was losing my stability and had some butt wink and good morninging going on. I came in hoping to do 5 sets but didn't have enough energy for it.

I decided to bench today since I skipped it this weekend. My plan was to do 3-5x10, but I felt like **** from the work I'd already put in. My bench did not feel very strong today, still working on finding that groove. I think it's gonna take me awhile to figure things out.

2015-06-10
Bench
3x205 @8
3x215 @9
3x225 @9.5
3x215 @9
3x215 @9

DB OHP
10,8,6x65

Pullups, Dips (+25lb), Curls


Pretty good day today. I didn't have a spotter and did my bench without a liftoff, so I may have left some pounds on the table but I'm happy regardless.

I made an effort to review each set in my mind after completing it, in order to work on something for the next set. My last set was probably my strongest. The main things I worked on today were:
1) Tighter lower body (more leg tuck) and more leg drive
2) Shoulder blades pulled back the ENTIRE rep (don't pop out on lockout)
3) Consistent bar path

My speed out of the bottom is really bad. As soon as I get about halfway up, at the point where my triceps take over, the bar just shoots up as if I was benching 95lbs. I know the bottom is where raw lifters fail, but I think I need to train it more given the huge discrepancy in bar speed between the bottom and top of my lifts. Prob gonna be doing a lot of Spoto/paused bench in the future, as well as incorporate wide grip more.

2015-06-12
Pause Squat
2x308 @7
2x318 @8
2x323 @8
2x323 @8.5
2x318 @8
2x308 @8

Paused DL
10x1x330

Pullups


Felt strong today. I took some vids as well. I'm working on driving my elbows under the bar more on the squat. It looks like I can drive them under on my setup, but once I unrack they pop back up. As for the DLs, it looks like my back might be getting a little soft right at the beginning. I probably need to work on pulling the slack out of the bar more.

2nd week in a row where I skipped my Saturday bench workout. Gotta lock it in.