Saturday, April 28, 2012

Week 16: Intensity Day

Squats

Warm Up: 47/15, 138/5, 228/3, 278/2
Work Set: 318/4

Press

Warm Up: 47/12, 98/6, 138/3
Work Set: 168/3

Chinups (w/ pause at bottom)

10,8,8

Glute-Ham Raises (holding body bar)

10,10,10,10,10

* I felt weaker than I would have liked for this workout. Maybe it is because of the extra time off for vacation. I hope to feel full strength for next week's Volume Day.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Week 16: Recovery Day

Vacation was great, but I'm glad to be back in the gym!!!

Squats

Warm Up: 47/15, 138/7, 188/5
Work Sets: 248/5,5

Deadlifts

Warm Up: 138/10, 228/5, 318/2
Work Set: 368/3
Decided to do deadlifts on Recovery Day because I felt good after the long break.
I went up 8 pounds from my last workout and did 3 reps. Will try for 5 reps at this weight next week.

Rest-Pause Bench Press

Warm Up: 137/5,5
Work Sets: 187/5,5,5, 227/3

Pullups (pause at bottom)

5,5,5,5,5

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Week 16: Volume Day

Squats

Warm Up: 47/10, 138/5, 228/3, 278/2
Work Sets: 303/5,5,5,5,5

Press

Warm Up:  47/10, 98/5, 118/3, 138/2
Work Sets: 168/3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,2,0
My goal was to do 10 sets of 3 at 168. I made it through 8 sets of 3 and 1 set of 2. On the 10th set, I couldn't even muster 1 rep, as I was spent.


Videos- Squats: 303/5 & Press: 168/3

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Week 15: Intensity Day

Deadlifts

Warm Up: 135/10, 225/5, 315/1
Work Sets: 360/5, 385/1

Squats

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 185/3, 225/2, 275/1
Work Set: 315/4
I wanted to do 315/5 today, but deadlifts took a lot out of me. I barely made the 4th rep.

Rest-Pause Bench Press

A rep is performed, then racked, then a 10-15 second break is taken, then another rep is performed, and so on.

Warm Up: 45/10 (not rest-pause style), 135/5 (rest-pause), 185/3 (rest-pause)
Work Set: 225/4 (rest-pause)
This was much more difficult than doing 225/5 the regular way. I went into it thinking I'd do 225/5 without much trouble. Boy, was I wrong.  When I do this on Volume Day, I'll probably use either 210 or 215 pounds.

Chinups (w/pause)

9,8,8

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Week 15: Recovery Day

Squats

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 185/3
Work Sets: 243/5,5

Press
Warm Up: 45/10, 95/5, 135/3
Work Sets: 148/5,5, 173/3 (personal record!!)
I had no intention to try a personal record tonight, but I felt really good during my work sets of 148.  Since it's not often that I feel that good, I decided to give 173 for 1 a try. The first one went up so easily, so I just kept going. I stopped at 3, but could have probably performed another rep.

Pullups (w/pause) (Bodyweight: ~225 lbs)

5X5

Video- Pullups: 5 reps 
(almost nailed the 6th rep, but I came up a little short)


Back Extensions
10 (no weight)
10, 10, 10 (each holding a 5 pound dumbbell behind my neck)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Week 15: Volume Day

Squats

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 185/3, 225/3, 275/1
Work Sets: 303/5,5,5,5,5

Video- Squats: 303/5  (This was my 4th set.)


Bench Press

Warm Up: 45/10, 95/5, 135/5, 185/2
Work Sets: 225/5,5,5,4,4
I feel like I have hit a plateau with the bench press.  This exercise has always been my most difficult, and progression is either stagnant or very slow.  I will research some plateau busters that may help.


* As a side note, I usually do 3 sets of a type of bicep curl once per week at the end of one of the workouts.  I don't log these, however, as I do them as a supplement only.

* I isolate abs for a few sets about once a week or once every two weeks, as well. Again, no log is kept.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Week 14: Intensity Day

Squats

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5, 225/3, 275/1, 315/1
Work Sets: 350/1, 315/4

Push Press

Warm Up: 45/10, 95/6, 135/3, 165/1
Work Sets: 171/4, 176/2
* First time doing this exercise.

Deadlifts

Warm Up: 135/10, 225/5, 315/1
Work Set: 360/3
* Decided to move deadlifts to Intensity Day because I don't think I will progress the way I want to on Volume Day if I do them before squats & bench/press.
* 360/3 was tough. Maybe because I only had a 4 day rest from deadlifts, or maybe because I am not ready to do 360/5 yet. We will learn a lot more next week.

Chinups (w/pause)

9,8,8

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Week 14: Recovery Day

Squats

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/5
Work Sets: 240/5,5

Bench Press

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/6
Work Sets: 195/5,5,5

Pullups (w/pause)

6,6,6,6,5

Back Extensions

10,10,10,10

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Week 14: Volume Day

Squats:

Warm Up: 45/10, 135/6, 225/3
Work Sets: 300/5,5,5,5,5
The last set was very difficult, especially the last rep. I barely made it. But, I made it.


Video: Squats: 300/5


Press

Warm Up: 45/10, 95/6, 115/4
Work Sets: 165/5,5,5,4,4
Exact results as the last time I did the Press on Volume Day.  Ran out of gas during the last two sets.

Monday, April 2, 2012