Week 25: Recovery Day

Box Squats

Warm Up: 42/10, 133/5, 183/5
Work Sets: 253/5,5

Press

Warm Up: 42/10, 92/7
Work Sets: 142/5,5,5, 162/1, 173/1, 182/0
* I felt good during the sets of lighter weight, so I decided to go for a PR. I missed at 182- moved the weight for about 1/2 rep. Looking back at it, I should have tried 178 or 179.  I will be smarter with my weight selection next time.

Pullups

7,6,5

Pendlay Rows

193/3, 198/3, 208/3

Video: Pendlay Rows- 208/3  

Week 25: Volume Day

Bench Press

132/5, 152/4, 177/3, 195/2, 216/1, 229/1, 247/1, 208/8

This was Week 9 of the Paul Carter Strong 15. Next week calls for only one set at 50% of the 1 rep max that I will attempt the following week.  Based on the spreadsheet, 208/8 should translate to a 258 lb. 1 rep max, which would be a personal record if I am able to do it.  I will attempt it two weeks from today.

Incline: 172/10, 182/7, 182/5
3 sets of DB triceps extensions


Squats

Warm Up: 42/10, 133/5, 223/5, 253/2
Work Sets: 278/5,5,5,5,5


Video: Squats- 278/5

Week 24: Intensity Day

Squats

Warm Up: 42/10, 133/5, 183/5, 223/3, 253/1
Work Set: 283/5

Press

Warm Up: 42/12, 92/6, 132/4, 153/2
Work Sets: 163/5, 168/1, 174/1, 177/1 (personal record)

Chinups

I found a belt, so I was able to load weight onto it, instead of the difficult task of holding a dumbbell with my feet.

15/5,5,4
25/3

Curls

42 pound bar for 45 reps

* Finished up with 3 sets of the ab wheel for 10 reps each.

Week 24: Recovery Day

Box Squats

Warm Up: 47/11, 138/5, 188/4
Work Sets: 248/5,5

Bench Press

132/5, 152/4, 177/3, 197/2, 208/1, 222/1, 234/1, 195/10 (tried for an 11th rep, but failed)

Incline Press- 172/9, 177/7
Triceps- 3 sets of lying triceps extension using a dumbbell

Pullups

7,5,5 1/2 (7 is a personal record)

Pendlay Rows

193/3,3,3

Week 24: Volume Day

Squats

Warm Up: 42/10, 133/7, 223/4
Work Sets: 273/5, 293/4, 315/1, 273/5, 273/5, 273/5

Press

Warm Up: 42/15, 92/6, 132/5
Work Sets: 155/5,5,5,5,5

Deadlifts

Warm Up: 133/10, 223/5
Work Sets: 313/5, 343/1

The tweak in my lower back seems to be completely healed and it felt great to be under the bar again!

Week 23: Recovery Day

Press

Warm Up: 47/15, 97/7, 137/5 
Work Sets: 147/5,5,5

Pullups

6,6,5+1

Chinups

15/5,4,5

Curls

42/40,30 (I curled the 42 pound bar for as many reps as I could for 2 sets.)

Week 23: Bench Press & Back

Bench Press

130/5, 151/4, 177/3, 195/2, 205/1, 216/1, 229/1, 182/14
 
Assistance Work:
    * Incline Press: 162/12, 172/8
    * 3 sets of triceps pushdowns

Pullups

6,5,5

Chinups

15 lb. DB/4,4,4

Abs

Plank: 3 sets- 1 minute; 45 seconds; 50 seconds 

Week 22: Intensity Day

It's time to listen to my body. I've been struggling fighting through fatigue & lower back tweaking lately, and today was no exception.  Therefore, I had a light intensity day.

It seems as if three days of squatting and two days of basketball per week are taking their toll on my legs & lower back. I've been training like this for about 9 months (I started Texas Method about 2.5-3 months before this blog) and in a few weeks I am going try a new training philosophy, which I will detail then.

Next Saturday, I am moving. This move will require numerous trips up and down stairs carrying boxes, mattresses, air conditioners, and furniture. As such, I am going to refrain from doing any squats and deadlifts next week.

I will play basketball on Monday & Wednesday, train bench press and back on Tuesday, and possibly do a light workout on Thursday.

The following week, I will return to Texas Method training and continue it for about 3-4 weeks. After that, I will start the new program.

Here are the results from today's light intensity day:

Squats

Warm Up: 138/10, 188/5, 228/4, 278/3, 298/1
Work Set: 318/3 (not a very good set; I felt pain in my lower back on the 3rd rep, and completed the rep with bad form)

Deadlifts

138/10, 228/5, 318/1

Press

Warm Up: 42/10, 92/6, 132/4, 153/2
Work Sets: 165/3, 172/1

Chinups

10lb dumbbell/5
15lb dumbbell/4,4

* Concluded the workout with 3 sets of biceps curls.

Week 22: Recovery Day

I feel really beat up and worn down this week for some reason. I'm sleeping and eating well, so those are not the issues.

Box Squats

Warm Up: 47/15, 138/5, 188/3
Work Sets: 228/5,5

Bench Press

127.5/5, 148/4, 173/3, 192/2, 212/1, 224/1, 237/1, 204/8

Incline: 162/10,10

Pullups

6,6,6

Pendlay Rows

173/3, 203/3

Week 22: Volume Day

Squats

Warm Up: 47/15, 138/5, 228/4, 258/3
Work Sets: 293/5, 308/4, 318/3, 328/1, 228/10, 278/5, 318/2
* Lower back still not fully recovered from Saturday's deadlifting session. I felt it a little bit last night during basketball and again tonight during the heavy squat sets. As such, I modified the squat workout accordingly and went a little lighter than I had originally planned.

Press

Warm Up: 42/12, 92/6, 132/5
Work Sets: 165/5,4,3,3,3+133/3 (Did 133/3 right after my last set of 165/3)

Week 21: Intensity Day

I worked out in a different gym today. The bars there are not the same models as the ones used in my regular gym, so I don't know their exact weight. As such, I am going with the default 45 pounds.


Squats

Warm Up: 45/16, 135/5, 185/4, 225/3, 275/3, 295/1
Work Set: 315/5
Finally was able to do 315/5. It has taken me a long time to reach this goal. I wish I had this set on film because I'm curious to know how my depth was.

Deadlifts

To try and overcome my plateau, I have decided to implement the Paul Carter Strong 15 training philosophy for deadlifts. I have been using Carter's philosophy for bench pressing for the last 5 weeks.

155/5, 192.5/4, 231/3, 270/2, 308/1, 327/1, 346.5/1, 289/5, 289/5
This was more difficult than anticipated. I am not used to doing this many reps of deadlifts.

Chinups

9,9 (bodyweight)
3,3,3 (holding a 15 pound dumbbell with my feet)
The dumbbell kept falling off. I would have used a weighted belt, but I didn't see one in the gym.

* I did 4 sets of both abs and biceps last night.