Intensity Day was done the day immediately following Recovery Day, despite this not being the recommended course of action. I did this because there will be numerous weekends over the Spring and Summer where I will not be able to lift weights. Therefore, I wanted to see how my body would react to consecutive days of working out using the Texas Method.
I was happy with my performance with squats. My bench press, however, did suffer a bit. I think this can be attributed to two factors: a) bench press has always been my weakest exercise, and thus takes a long time before I see improvement; and b) I had a strenuous bench press session on Volume Day this week and neglected to stretch afterward. I was extremely sore in the chest area during Recovery Day, as well as tonight.
Since many of my weekends will be busy for the foreseeable future, and since I will have to workout in consecutive days relatively often, I may just have to deal with less than an ideal progression with bench pressing. I will always stretch post workout, though, to try and avoid the soreness. I have a feeling that soreness was a major reason why I wasn't as strong as I would have liked to have been tonight.
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3, 275/2
Work Sets: 315/4, 340/1
Video- Squats: 315/4
Video- Squats: 340/1
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/7, 185/3
Work Set: 235/3
I tried 252 for 1, but I barely moved the bar off of my chest.
Chinups (w/pause)
8,8,8
Box Squats
225/5,5,5
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Week 13: Recovery Day
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7
Work Sets: 235/5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/11, 115/7
Work Sets: 155/5,5,5
Pullups (Wide, Pause at Bottom)
6,6,6,6
Back Extensions
10,10,10,10,10
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7
Work Sets: 235/5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/11, 115/7
Work Sets: 155/5,5,5
Pullups (Wide, Pause at Bottom)
6,6,6,6
Back Extensions
10,10,10,10,10
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Week 13: Volume Day
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/6, 225/4
Work Sets: 295/5,5,5,5,5
Felt good- will try 300/5X5 next week.
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/6
Work Sets: 225/5,5,5,4,4
Couldn't quite get 225/5X5.
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/6, 225/4
Work Sets: 295/5,5,5,5,5
Felt good- will try 300/5X5 next week.
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/6
Work Sets: 225/5,5,5,4,4
Couldn't quite get 225/5X5.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Week 13: Deadlifts
Something different- deadlifts on Monday, to lighten the load a little bit for tomorrow's Volume Day.
I usually play basketball on Mondays. Tonight, I played one game, lost, and thus ended up on the bench for the indefinite future, as the gym was crowded. So, I utilized that down time to perform deadlifts.
Warm Up: 135/10, 225/5
Work Set: 355/3
I was definitely weaker than normal for two reasons: the aforementioned basketball and less than stellar sleep. Thus, I wasn't surprised in the least that I didn't get 355 for 5 reps. All in all, I really can't complain about 3 reps, and am pretty confident that I would nail 5 reps on full rest.
Bottom line: If I elect to do deadlifts on a basketball night again, they will be done prior to setting foot on the court.
I usually play basketball on Mondays. Tonight, I played one game, lost, and thus ended up on the bench for the indefinite future, as the gym was crowded. So, I utilized that down time to perform deadlifts.
Warm Up: 135/10, 225/5
Work Set: 355/3
I was definitely weaker than normal for two reasons: the aforementioned basketball and less than stellar sleep. Thus, I wasn't surprised in the least that I didn't get 355 for 5 reps. All in all, I really can't complain about 3 reps, and am pretty confident that I would nail 5 reps on full rest.
Bottom line: If I elect to do deadlifts on a basketball night again, they will be done prior to setting foot on the court.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Week 12, Day 3: Intensity Day
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/5, 275/1
Work Sets: 310/4, 330/1
Video- Squats: 330/1
Press
Warm Up: 45/11, 115/6, 145/2
Work Sets: 170/1, 181/0
I felt good after doing 170 for 1 rep, so I decided to try 181 for 1. I didn't make it, as the video below indicates. Why am I posting an unsuccessful video? Because one day, I will be able to do this weight. When that day comes, I can look back at this video and see how much I've progressed. In a nutshell, it serves as inspiration.
Video- Press: 181/0 (FAIL)
Chinups (Pause at Bottom)
8,8,8
Pullups (Pause at Bottom)
5
Box Squats
Warm Up: 135/10
Work Sets: 225/5,5,5
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Week 12, Day 2: Recovery Day
Squats:
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5
Work Sets: 235/5,5
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/9
Work Sets: 200/5,5,5
Pullups
5,6,5
* Very wide grip, pause at the bottom of each rep
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5
Work Sets: 235/5,5
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/9
Work Sets: 200/5,5,5
Pullups
5,6,5
* Very wide grip, pause at the bottom of each rep
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Week 12, Day 1: Volume Day
Deadlifts
Warm Up: 135/10, 225/5
Work Set: 350/5
For whatever reason, this seemed much easier than 345/5 did last week.
Video- Deadlift: 350/5:
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3
Work Sets: 295/5,5,5,5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/14, 115/7
Work Sets: 165/5,5,5,5,4
I have no idea where this came from. (Take a look at previous posts.) This is, far and away, a personal record!!!!
Warm Up: 135/10, 225/5
Work Set: 350/5
For whatever reason, this seemed much easier than 345/5 did last week.
Video- Deadlift: 350/5:
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3
Work Sets: 295/5,5,5,5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/14, 115/7
Work Sets: 165/5,5,5,5,4
I have no idea where this came from. (Take a look at previous posts.) This is, far and away, a personal record!!!!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Week 11, Day 3: Intensity Day
Squats
Warm Up: 45/11, 135/6, 225/3, 275/1, 295/1
Work Set: 305/5
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7, 195/3
Work Sets: 235/3, 250/1
Chinups
11,9,9
Box Squats
Warm Up: 135/6
Work Sets: 225/5,5,5
Warm Up: 45/11, 135/6, 225/3, 275/1, 295/1
Work Set: 305/5
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7, 195/3
Work Sets: 235/3, 250/1
Chinups
11,9,9
Box Squats
Warm Up: 135/6
Work Sets: 225/5,5,5
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Week 11, Day 2: Recovery Day
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7, 205/3
Work Sets: 235/5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 115/7
Work Sets: 150/5,5,5
Pullups (Wide)
7,7,7
Glute-Ham Raises (Bosu Ball)
10,10,10,10,10
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7, 205/3
Work Sets: 235/5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 115/7
Work Sets: 150/5,5,5
Pullups (Wide)
7,7,7
Glute-Ham Raises (Bosu Ball)
10,10,10,10,10
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Week 11, Day 1: Volume Day
Deadlifts
Warm Up: 135/12, 225/7
Work Set: 345/5 (difficult, will attempt 350 next week- expecting it to be a tough challenge)
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3
Work Sets: 290/5,5,5,5,5 (first time squatting in socks- felt fine & seemed to help my heel issue, so I will continue to do so)
Video- Squats: 290/5
Floor Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/10
Work Sets: 215/5,5,5,5,5
Warm Up: 135/12, 225/7
Work Set: 345/5 (difficult, will attempt 350 next week- expecting it to be a tough challenge)
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3
Work Sets: 290/5,5,5,5,5 (first time squatting in socks- felt fine & seemed to help my heel issue, so I will continue to do so)
Video- Squats: 290/5
Floor Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/10
Work Sets: 215/5,5,5,5,5
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Week 10: Volume Day
Only did one day of Texas Method this week, as other things came up that prevented me from lifting weights.
Deadlifts
Warm Up: 135/13, 225/7
Work Set: 340/5
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3
Work Sets: 290/5,5; 275/5,5; 290/5
I dropped down to 275 because I felt that my form was off on the second set of 290. After I discovered that it wasn't, I went back to 290 for the final set. I will stay at this weight next week, as I barely made it through the last rep on the last set.
Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 115/6
Work Sets: 160/5,5,5,5,5
I barely did 5 reps on the last set. There is no way I will be able to do 165/5X5 next time, so I have no choice but to stick with 160 until it gets easier. This may be a good time to purchase some 1 pound and less weights to carry with me when I lift.
Video- Press: 160/5
Deadlifts
Warm Up: 135/13, 225/7
Work Set: 340/5
Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3
Work Sets: 290/5,5; 275/5,5; 290/5
I dropped down to 275 because I felt that my form was off on the second set of 290. After I discovered that it wasn't, I went back to 290 for the final set. I will stay at this weight next week, as I barely made it through the last rep on the last set.
Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 115/6
Work Sets: 160/5,5,5,5,5
I barely did 5 reps on the last set. There is no way I will be able to do 165/5X5 next time, so I have no choice but to stick with 160 until it gets easier. This may be a good time to purchase some 1 pound and less weights to carry with me when I lift.
Video- Press: 160/5
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Week 9, Day 3: Intensity Day
Box Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 185/3, 225/3, 275/2
Work Set: 295/5 (felt much easier than I thought it would)
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/7, 185/3
Work Sets: 230/5, 245/1
Chinups
12,9,8
Good Mornings
Warm Up: 45/10
Work Sets: 135/5,5,5
Video- Good Mornings: 135/5- focuses on the bottom of the movement. (The entire movement is visible if you look at the mirror in the background.)
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 185/3, 225/3, 275/2
Work Set: 295/5 (felt much easier than I thought it would)
Bench Press
Warm Up: 45/15, 135/7, 185/3
Work Sets: 230/5, 245/1
Chinups
12,9,8
Good Mornings
Warm Up: 45/10
Work Sets: 135/5,5,5
Video- Good Mornings: 135/5- focuses on the bottom of the movement. (The entire movement is visible if you look at the mirror in the background.)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Week 9, Day 2: Recovery Day
Box Squats
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7
Work Sets: 225/5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/11, 115/6
Work Sets: 150/5,5,5
Pullups- Wide Grip
7,7,7
Form started to die out on the last few reps of each set, as I was going less than full extension by then.
Back Extensions
10,10,10,10,10
Warm Up: 45/10, 135/7
Work Sets: 225/5,5
Press
Warm Up: 45/11, 115/6
Work Sets: 150/5,5,5
Pullups- Wide Grip
7,7,7
Form started to die out on the last few reps of each set, as I was going less than full extension by then.
Back Extensions
10,10,10,10,10
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