12/22:

Foam roll + some hip stretches

Squat: WU+, 3x3x340 (PR)

The 2nd set wasn't that great, but I went on short rest because I felt like I was ready. I need to stop this and make sure I get adequate rest. Mistakes happen when you I do stuff like this and I need to focus more when I'm in the gym.

OHP: WU+, 1x5x140, 1x5x145 (PR), 1x4x145

I did 2x5x140, 1x4x140 last time, so I decided to play it by ear. 140 felt real easy and the first set of 145 was actually fairly easy. Last set I couldn't get the last rep above my chin. :s So we gonna do 3x5x145 next time.

Pendlay Row: WU+, 3x5x185

Def done with 10lb progression here lol. I will get these videotaped soon and check on form because I don't think I'm doing them strict enough as my 1st set was 7/10 difficulty, last 2 10/10.

----

I think to really continue success here, I have to make more changes in life. It's going to be difficult and I know I'm going to hate it, but sometimes things have to go in a different direction.

And the first direction is north because I'm driving 11 hours tomorrow to visit my homeland. I hope, HOPE I can find someway to get in the gyms there because I would prefer not to lose any momentum.

IDK anyway...





ETA: http://www.rainymood.com/

Grats on the PRs.

<3 Daft Punk. Pretty good remix imo.

Didn't train at all over Christmas holiday because I couldn't get into a gym

12/28:

Squat : WU+, 1x1x340,1xfx355,1x10x225,1x5x315

So, I was supposed to do 3x3x340, but I felt gassed from the first rep. I decided to do some heavy singles and I failed on 355. Training + calorie deficits = fail I'm going to do a 10% reset and work back up. 3x3x305 next time. I just did the other sets to get some volume and there was no rhyme or reason to it really.

OHP: WU+, 3x5x135

Due to squat fail, I figured it'd be best to drop a little weight and just get some volume in. They were fairly tough, but not that bad. First set was harder than last. 3x5x140

Rows: WU+, 3x5x175

Fairly tough to keep these extremely strict, but I know my back is properly extended and flat for these, so I'm happy about that. 3x5x180

Ab Rollout: 3x5

Drove home after rows and completed 3x5 fairly easy. I didn't want to have mega-doms, so I kept the reps now. I'm going to work up in volume instead of weight. 3x7 or 10 next time.

12/19:

Bodyweight: 203.0

______________

Tilt self-banned fredd-bird the other day, so I'm posting on this account since I want to keep my log updated.

1/2:

Squat: WU+, 3x5x310

OHP: WU+, 3x5x140

Row: WU+, 3x5x185


Going to start Texas Methoding soon imo

1/4:

Weight: 205.4 :\

Foam roll + hip mobility

Bench: WU+, 3x5x210

Was going to go for some singles @ 225, but the squat rack opened up and I had to seize the opportunity.

Front Squat: WU+, 3x3x155

Starting Texas Method next week and just wanted to do some front squats.

Sumo DL: WU+, 1x7x295

All with overhand grip and I went until grip failed. I did a couple singles with the standard stance, but I still don't quite have it right.


------------------------------

x-post from goals thread for convenience
--------------------------------


As stated, I'm switching to Texas Method next week and the first week is going to look something like this:

Date		Sets	Reps	Weight
1/9/2012	Squat	5	5	280
	Bench	5	5	185
	Deadlift	1	5	270
	Ab Rollout	3	10
1/10/2012
1/11/2012	Front Squat	2	5	155
	Overhead Press	3	5	120
	Chinups	3
	Backextension	3	10
1/12/2012
1/13/2012	Squat	1	5	315
	Bench	1	5	210
	Power Clean	5	3	135

TM on a deficit, or is that later? If the former, gl hf.

Yes, TM on a deficit. I'm not going to concern myself with strength gains until I switch to a maintenance diet. I also don't think I'm quite done with strength gains, I just think I'm done with +5lbs/workout. I can easily see Volume day getting scaled back to 3x5 while on a deficit, but I need to try it out first.

I seem to recall GSLP and some other programming being good while on a deficit, I just don't understand why.

FWIW like 5 guys warned me against doing TM on a deficit. Maybe it's because I'm old though...

Anyway, some freaks (like Assani) get away with doing lots of volume on a deficit. This depends on the other factors (diet, recovery, sleep) being pretty perfect though. Most guys need to scale it back and be content if their strength levels are kept or at the very best go up a tiny bit.

I'd like to see you try TM on a deficit though, afaik no one in H&F's done it before. In before someone shows me up.

Well you're #1 to warn me about it and if I was only going to be on a deficit for a couple more weeks I'd just tough it out. As is, I'm going to be on a deficit until March, so I took some time to rethink this. While weighing my options, I thought to myself, "What would Lyle McDonald do?" and I found my answer: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/tra...ss-part-1.html

After a not so tl;dr article, Lyle says "The basic conclusion, again from both research and practical experience is that both volume and frequency of training can usually be cut by up to 2/3rds (that is, to 1/3rd of what you did to improve it) but with one massively important caveat: the intensity of that training must be maintained."

He also shows this table for some basic programming:



I'm going to follow option 1 and tweak it as needed. I have no clue what sort of metabolic workouts I can do and I'll just get to those as I can. Here is kinda what I'm envisioning

Monday:
Squats: 3x5 @90% 5RM
Bench: 3x5
DL: 1x5

Tuesday:
Metabolic

Thursday:
Squats: 1x5 @100% 5RM
OHP: 3x5
Power Clean: 5x3

Friday:
Metabolic

I retain some of the tenets of TM in a sense with the volume squats and intensity squats and have slightly more than 1/3 total volume in squats. I'm going to progressively load the intensity squats at 5lbs/week and hope to continue progress on Bench/OHP/DL for a little while, then I may vary volume as needed.

So, the only question is, what can I do for the metabolic training sessions? Lyle describes these metabolic training below and all I know how to do is SS/TM/5/3/1 and other barbell programming.

1/9:

Foam roll + supermans + hip mobility

Squat: WU+, 3x5x280

Pretty damn easy. I almost went for a mega session on the last set, alas I'm a pussy and on a deficit.

DL: WU+, 1x5x275

Also fairly easy, but my grip almost failed on the 4th rep so I paused at the bottom and regripped.

Bench: WU+, 3x5x210

Last rep on last set was a grinder.

-----------

New programming.

Kinda pulling some concepts from TM.



Monday- Volume
Squat: 3x5 90% 5rm
Bench/OHP: 3x5 90%5rm
DL: 1x5

Tuesday- Meta 1
Power Clean: 5x3x135 +5/week
Ab rollouts: 3x10 add sets/reps

Thursday- Intensity
Squat: 1x5 100% 5rm+5lbs
Bench/OHP: 1x5 100% 5rm+5lbs
Row: 3x5x180 +5lbs

Friday- Meta 2
KB swings: (reading up on KB thread for programming swings/minute, swings/5 10 15 + minutes)
Offset farmer walks: No clue where to start with these, probably 75lb+ dbs

I was thinking about doing offset farmer walks, any idea on the distance, how many sets, etc?

I have no clue how long to walk or how much weight. There isn't much long walkway space in my gym, so I'm going to walk the distance of the gym which is prob 100ft and do 3 sets of each offset for now. I haven't really looked up any programming on them.

1/10:

Foam roll + half my hip mobility drills

Ab rollout: 3x10

Hang cleans as a warm-up: 5x45, 5x65, 3x95

Power Clean: 5x3x135, 1x155, fx175, 1x175

Sets of 135 seemed super easy. 155 went up alright and I should've moved up 10lbs to 165. Instead I just jumped up to 175 and lol failed the first attempt. Ghana blame the failure on short rest and it actually being somewhat tough. I took a break and didn't crush it on the 2nd attempt, but I got it. I'm going to be getting a couple sets of video for these from now on. I feel my work sets seem OK with improvement needed and my heavy sets could really display some weaknesses in my form.

1/12:

Foam roll + hip mobility

Squat: WU+, 1x5x315




OHP: WU+, 3x5x145

Set 1



Set 2

Left arm hates me in this one. The 3rd set went much smoother tbh.




Pendlay Row: WU+, 3x5x185

Set 3

I really felt form start to suck on the 2nd set. I'm noticing some hip movement towards the top and that probably means I'm not strong enough to do this weight properly.

1/16:

Long foam roll

Squat: WU+, 3x5x285

last rep on final set felt slow, but these were pretty easy.

DL: WU+, 1x5x275

warning, back going to explode... I really should stick to sumo, but I feel I'm very close.


Bench: WU+, 3x5x215

Gettin pretty brotastic imo. The last rep on all 3 sets was prettttty tough.

1/17:

Foam roll + hip mobility

Ab rollout: 3x10

Cleans: WU+, 5x3x140, 1x155, 1x165

Elbow started to hurt a little bit, so I quit before I set a new PR.

Thoughts on form (besides lol)?

I dunno if link works right, but..


http://www.wix.com/jonnorthattitude/...s/vstc1=page-4

1/18
Weight: 207.4

CrossFit Baseline Fitness Test


1/20

Foam roll + couch stretch + more hip mobility + shoulder ITY

Squat: 5x45, 5x135, 5x225, 3x275, 1x325,335,345, 5x320

This felt kinda tough after the heavy singles, but the last rep went really smoothly and quickly. 3x5x290 Monday and 5x325 next Friday

OHP: WU+, 5x150, 4x150, 1x150

I couldn't the bar above my head on the last rep of set #2 and my shoulders felt pretty worked. The last set just went hilariously bad and I'm wondering if this is enough volume for OHP every week. Maybe the shoulder ITY series did something and fatigued my shoulders a little bit. I'll try 3x5x150 next week, but I'll be ready to move down if necessary.
Rows: WU+, 3x5x175

i thought your squats looked good with a minor exception that I noticed when I watched your DL video.

If you watch your lower back in the 1/12 squat video as you set up on the bar your lower back has a good arch...then when you walk out and start to squat you relax it slightly. It does not look like a big problem there but it is something that you should work on maintaining. Not to the point that it is unnaturally exaggerated but just so that you keep that arched position.

Which is the only thing I see wrong (lower back rounding) with your dead lift. If you want to fix that, set up like you always do, put that arch that you can do in the squat video into your lower back, take a deep full breath, tighten everything to the max and pull.

1/23

SMR (foam roll and lacrosse ball) + couch stretch + hip mobility + wrist stretches

Squat: WU+, 3x5x290

ez

Chins: 4,4,3

Was just going for max reps in 3 sets and I don't think that's too bad since I haven't done one in 4+ months.

Bench: WU+, 5x225(PR), 3x225, 4x220

Had to do chins after squat because there were no benches open. Then I had to work in with someone on bench because they were still all in use when I finished chins. The guy was doing sets at 225 and since I was had planned on 220 that day, I decided to go for 2 plates. ANND we got the first set for a new 5RM PR! I only got 3 reps on the 2nd set and the guy I was working in with/getting a spot from said he was done. So I did a set at 220 and couldn't quite get 5... Guess we do 225 next week.

1/24:

Foam roll + couch stretch + lacrosse ball on forearms and bi/triceps

Cleans: WU+, 5x3x145, 1x155,165,175,180

New form check with neck alignment change.

BUMP

Haven't been to the gym for exactly a month. Kinda down in life and depressed, which means I should go to the gym, but this downward spiral is fun.

My Gold's membership ran out, so I'm thinking about checking a couple of different places out.

3/12:

Finally decided to stop being lazy... again.

I stopped by the gym on the way home and got my membership up and going. It'd been a month since I was there, but they had a lot more equipment, i.e. machine weights and some crazy ass multi-system station.




Turns out, they also got some bumpers and another squat rack, but it's in a really awkward location (not surrounded by mirrors so I can stare at myself). The bumpers are some standard cheapo VTX, but I'm pretty pumped to use them next time I'm in there.

Anyways, to the lifts..


Lightly foam-rolled for ~5 minutes

Squats: 1x5x45,1x5x135,1x5x185,3x5x225

OHP: 1x5x45, 1x5x65,1x5x95,3x5x115

Hang Clean (didn't find the bumpers until after I was done working out): 1x5x45,1x3x65,3x3x95

Overall, it was a pretty enjoyable workout. I probably could've pushed myself a little harder, but tomorrow I'll be glad I didn't.

We have the crazy jungle gym at my gym too. I pretty much just use it as a straight pull up bar but people do some weird **** in there.

4/4:

Light foam roll, just enough to get warmed up. I didn't really notice any adhesions but like always my IT bands hurt pretty good when I put some weight on them.

Squat: 1x5x45, 1x5x135, 1x5x155, 2x5x185, 1x5x225

185 felt tough when I did the first time so I decided to do 3 sets across, but the 2nd set was super easy, so I put some more weight on there and blasted out a set at 225. 225 was much more difficult. I prob need to start at 225 next time.

Bench: 1x5x35, 1x5x135, 1x5x155, 3x5x165

Last set was kinda tough. Just going up to 170 next time.

Clean: 3x45 (hang), 2x3x95, 3x3x135

Very gassed at the end of this as I was taking very short breaks so I didn't miss the first pitch of the MLB season. I actually had to go sit down and catch my breath before I could do anything else.