Taking the volume down a bit on Monday definitely turned out to be a good idea. It was much more doable and I didn't feel like Mondays might be the death of me.
One other thing I learnt that might help anyone learning the deadlift is when you go to lift the weight, try not to jerk it off the floor. It makes it much more difficult thank if you think of it as a smooth, slow motion. Just lift it off the floor in a deliberate and controlled way, don't jerk it.
Squat - 370 5x5
Bench - 240 8x3
Deadlift - 400 1x5
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday
I don't know what makes me more mad; a personal trainer who teaches someone how to do something wrong, or a personal trainer who after teaching someone to do something wrong starts texting on his phone while said person is helplessly lifting weight and getting closer to injury. I had the pleasure of witnessing this today, so I felt obliged to say something about it.
I don't think I was meant to be in the gym today, half of what I did looked like garbage, and the other half was on its way to looking like garbage.
Squat - 430 1x3 (I almost didn't make the last rep, but then I did. Next level shizznit!)
Press - 187.5 1x2 (Damn straight. Getting closer to pressing my bodyweight, which is an achievement in itself)
Clean - 174 5x3 (Picture throwing a bucket of water on someone the second they start lifting something heavy. That's what my first rep looked like, and from there I knew it wasn't going to be a good day)
I'll take this weekend to work on the new setup I'll use. I think I'll drop the weight for volume and go up once a month and keep intensity at a 5 pound increase/week.
Post-workout activities: IKEA
I don't think I was meant to be in the gym today, half of what I did looked like garbage, and the other half was on its way to looking like garbage.
Squat - 430 1x3 (I almost didn't make the last rep, but then I did. Next level shizznit!)
Press - 187.5 1x2 (Damn straight. Getting closer to pressing my bodyweight, which is an achievement in itself)
Clean - 174 5x3 (Picture throwing a bucket of water on someone the second they start lifting something heavy. That's what my first rep looked like, and from there I knew it wasn't going to be a good day)
I'll take this weekend to work on the new setup I'll use. I think I'll drop the weight for volume and go up once a month and keep intensity at a 5 pound increase/week.
Post-workout activities: IKEA
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wednesday
Pretty soon I'll be changing things up a bit; squatting 400 pounds for volume on Monday is starting to become borderline psycho. I can do it for now, but pretty soon I'll need to work on something different in terms of programming.
I've been told (from reputable sources) that dropping volume a bit and only increasing once a month while increasing intensity every week should be enough to drive adaptation and keep progress going. Not bad, I'll do it.
Since my gym is so garbage that they only have one squat rack, I had to share this morning. It was a nightmare. Especially since the guy was so much taller than me and kept racking the bar up high and I'd have to go on my toes to reach it. Moron. We're not all 8 feet tall.
Curls - 3x10
Wrist curls - 3x10
Tri-pulldowns - Kept going till new muscles appeared
Bench (incline, flat and decline) - 3x20
Treadmill - 2 hours
AbzZz - 800 situps in 4 minutes
What actually happened:
Squat - 300 2x5
Bench - 210 3x5 (felt easier for some reason. MUSCLES!)
Food - all that is in my way.
I've been told (from reputable sources) that dropping volume a bit and only increasing once a month while increasing intensity every week should be enough to drive adaptation and keep progress going. Not bad, I'll do it.
Since my gym is so garbage that they only have one squat rack, I had to share this morning. It was a nightmare. Especially since the guy was so much taller than me and kept racking the bar up high and I'd have to go on my toes to reach it. Moron. We're not all 8 feet tall.
Curls - 3x10
Wrist curls - 3x10
Tri-pulldowns - Kept going till new muscles appeared
Bench (incline, flat and decline) - 3x20
Treadmill - 2 hours
AbzZz - 800 situps in 4 minutes
What actually happened:
Squat - 300 2x5
Bench - 210 3x5 (felt easier for some reason. MUSCLES!)
Food - all that is in my way.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Hair Fluffing
The first though that goes through my mind on Monday mornings when I wake up is, Is this really worth it? Why the hell am I getting up so early to go put myself through so much. By the time I leave the house though I'm feeling much more energetic and ready to destroy that weight.
By the time I'm done my first set of squats, I'm usually think to myself, Is this really worth it? Why the hell am I even bothering to put myself through so much. It's by the time I'm done squatting that I think, that was good, I just proved I can lift 390 pounds 25 times. Good stuff brah!
I also reached the 4 plate mark on deadlifts which felt good.
I saw some guy fix his hair in that fluffing it sort of way before he started squatting on the Smith machine. At that moment I gave up on humanity.
Squat - 390 8x3
Press - 160 8x3
Deadlift - 395 1x5
Ballin!
By the time I'm done my first set of squats, I'm usually think to myself, Is this really worth it? Why the hell am I even bothering to put myself through so much. It's by the time I'm done squatting that I think, that was good, I just proved I can lift 390 pounds 25 times. Good stuff brah!
I also reached the 4 plate mark on deadlifts which felt good.
I saw some guy fix his hair in that fluffing it sort of way before he started squatting on the Smith machine. At that moment I gave up on humanity.
Squat - 390 8x3
Press - 160 8x3
Deadlift - 395 1x5
Ballin!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Friday
Nothing special happened today, sadly. The gym was unusually empty for a Friday, so I took advantage and went into reckless mode.
Squat - 425 1x3
Bench - 275 1x3
Clean - 165 5x3 (these felt easier today, but that's probably cos my form looked like garbage)
Squat - 425 1x3
Bench - 275 1x3
Clean - 165 5x3 (these felt easier today, but that's probably cos my form looked like garbage)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
FINALLY!
Finally, someone gets it. Today at work I was discussing weightlifting with someone, and after explaining to her what I do, she says something like, so you can move fridges and stuff if you need to right?
Well, maybe not a fridge, but she got the point! If need be, I can gladly make a huge contribution to moving - if not moving myself, the aforementioned objects (and the sort). Mr Biceps Boys and his fellow crew will find it that much more difficult, if not be able to at all.
Learning to use your muscles is completely different to building muscle. A bodybuilder or someone who trains along those lines hasn't learnt to use his muscles in the same way through neural efficiency as someone who trains for strength. How does a baseball player who has small shoulders than me know how to throw a ball faster than I can? I'm glad you asked. It's because he's learnt to use his muscles in a way that allow for this.
Squat - 305 2x5
Press - 155 3x5
Back extensions and pull ups.
Tell me this guy wouldn't be helpful in carrying your groceries.
Well, maybe not a fridge, but she got the point! If need be, I can gladly make a huge contribution to moving - if not moving myself, the aforementioned objects (and the sort). Mr Biceps Boys and his fellow crew will find it that much more difficult, if not be able to at all.
Learning to use your muscles is completely different to building muscle. A bodybuilder or someone who trains along those lines hasn't learnt to use his muscles in the same way through neural efficiency as someone who trains for strength. How does a baseball player who has small shoulders than me know how to throw a ball faster than I can? I'm glad you asked. It's because he's learnt to use his muscles in a way that allow for this.
Squat - 305 2x5
Press - 155 3x5
Back extensions and pull ups.
Tell me this guy wouldn't be helpful in carrying your groceries.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Evil Glares From the Netherworld
I think some of my squats today looked partly like Good Mornings which is not good, at all. It was only 1 or 2 reps so I wasn't too bothered by it.
I made the mistake of asking someone for a spot on my last bench set. At the point he grabbed the bar and lifted it to help me unrack the bar I knew what this guy was doing. He was basically holding on to the bar the entire time and pulling it up for me. He was doing all the work and I was taking the credit for it. If I wanted that much assistance I would have used the Smith machine. You only help someone lift the bar if they absolutely cannot lift it anymore. I didn't ask him to come lift the bar while I extend my hands up and down looking like a moron.
Then when I was deadlifting, this woman had the nerve to give me the ultimate look of death when I drop the bar. Sorry, next time I'm lifting 385 pounds I'll be sure to take my time and lower it gently as not to hurt your precious eardrums. >:[
Needless to say I was so mad after that that I didn't consider trying the last bench set again on my own. I just walked out all 'in yo face'.
Squat - 380 8x3
Bench - 230 7x3 (and a half; if it wasn't for that idiot lifting the weight for me)
Deadlift - 385 1x5 with evil glares
My legs feel like they're going to give in any second, so I will be bringing a mobile ice-bath with me to work from now on with a wireless mouse and keyboard so I can still you know, work.
I made the mistake of asking someone for a spot on my last bench set. At the point he grabbed the bar and lifted it to help me unrack the bar I knew what this guy was doing. He was basically holding on to the bar the entire time and pulling it up for me. He was doing all the work and I was taking the credit for it. If I wanted that much assistance I would have used the Smith machine. You only help someone lift the bar if they absolutely cannot lift it anymore. I didn't ask him to come lift the bar while I extend my hands up and down looking like a moron.
Then when I was deadlifting, this woman had the nerve to give me the ultimate look of death when I drop the bar. Sorry, next time I'm lifting 385 pounds I'll be sure to take my time and lower it gently as not to hurt your precious eardrums. >:[
Needless to say I was so mad after that that I didn't consider trying the last bench set again on my own. I just walked out all 'in yo face'.
Squat - 380 8x3
Bench - 230 7x3 (and a half; if it wasn't for that idiot lifting the weight for me)
Deadlift - 385 1x5 with evil glares
My legs feel like they're going to give in any second, so I will be bringing a mobile ice-bath with me to work from now on with a wireless mouse and keyboard so I can still you know, work.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday
- Have you ever noticed how the girls that spend hours in the gym never seem to break a sweat? Why is that? It can't be cos they're aimlessly walking around the entire time modelling in the latest sports clothes rather than actually exercising.. no it can't.
- If you think you're so important that you need to bring both your BlackBerries to the gym and check them every 8 seconds, then you don't belong in a gym.
- If you're a personal 'trainer', then you should at least have the knowledge to teach people how to perform the exercises correctly, rather than show them how to prepare themselves for serious future injuries.
- If you're a personal 'trainer', then it doesn't mean that you're qualified to teach people how to improve their functional strength.
- If you're doing anything other than a pull, you don't need straps, otherwise you look like an idiot.
- Just because you can leg press 15 plates, it doesn't mean you can squat 15 plates, you can probably squat 1 plate.
- If you're paying a personal 'trainer' to do nothing more than give you a few hours of attention every week, then you're probably getting nowhere.
- If you approach me in the gym and try to teach me how to powerlift using examples related to bodybuilding, you are no longer entitled to an opinion on anything. Ever.
Squat - 420 1x3
Press - 187.5 1 rep max
Clean - 164 5x3 (not easy)
- If you think you're so important that you need to bring both your BlackBerries to the gym and check them every 8 seconds, then you don't belong in a gym.
- If you're a personal 'trainer', then you should at least have the knowledge to teach people how to perform the exercises correctly, rather than show them how to prepare themselves for serious future injuries.
- If you're a personal 'trainer', then it doesn't mean that you're qualified to teach people how to improve their functional strength.
- If you're doing anything other than a pull, you don't need straps, otherwise you look like an idiot.
- Just because you can leg press 15 plates, it doesn't mean you can squat 15 plates, you can probably squat 1 plate.
- If you're paying a personal 'trainer' to do nothing more than give you a few hours of attention every week, then you're probably getting nowhere.
- If you approach me in the gym and try to teach me how to powerlift using examples related to bodybuilding, you are no longer entitled to an opinion on anything. Ever.
Squat - 420 1x3
Press - 187.5 1 rep max
Clean - 164 5x3 (not easy)
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wednesday - Posted on Thursday
Nothing too amusing happened today at the gym, so I have nothing to comment on.
Squat - 300 2x5
Bench - 205 3x5
Back extensions
Pull ups 3x12
Expect to see me powerlifting in the Philippines soon.
Squat - 300 2x5
Bench - 205 3x5
Back extensions
Pull ups 3x12
Expect to see me powerlifting in the Philippines soon.
Monday, May 9, 2011
8x3.. WHAT WHAT!
Today was interesting; both in a good and bad way. I had to wake up at 5 to use the extra time in the gym for the new (old?) 8x3 setup. It's hard to get up and motivated at that time, but after eating everything in sight for breakfast I was ready to go.
8x3 is definitely doable, the only thing is it feels like it's never going to end. I think it took me 45 minutes or more to finish squatting. Overall it wasn't too bad, at least I didn't feel like I might not finish.
I was talking to someone the other about supplements and he was telling me how his roommate takes every supplement known to man. I had to pull over and face palm. Supplements have lost all meaning; you supplement with something when it's missing from your diet, you don't use it to replace your diet. Guys who live off of pills and powders don't know what they're doing. They're ruining their bodies and empyting their wallets. I go back to saying, the only supplements that I believe have stood the test of time are whey protein and creatine. Years of marketing and muscle magazines and hundreds of thousands of ads made people believe that supplements are necessary if you work out. That's absolute garbage.
Squat - 380 8x3
Press - 155 5x5
Deadlift - 385 1x5
Taking my time today made a huge difference. If it's worth it to you, try to find a way to make some more time in the gym if you see you're rushing through your workout, and you'll notice that taking slightly longer breaks in between sets can make all the difference.
8x3 is definitely doable, the only thing is it feels like it's never going to end. I think it took me 45 minutes or more to finish squatting. Overall it wasn't too bad, at least I didn't feel like I might not finish.
I was talking to someone the other about supplements and he was telling me how his roommate takes every supplement known to man. I had to pull over and face palm. Supplements have lost all meaning; you supplement with something when it's missing from your diet, you don't use it to replace your diet. Guys who live off of pills and powders don't know what they're doing. They're ruining their bodies and empyting their wallets. I go back to saying, the only supplements that I believe have stood the test of time are whey protein and creatine. Years of marketing and muscle magazines and hundreds of thousands of ads made people believe that supplements are necessary if you work out. That's absolute garbage.
Squat - 380 8x3
Press - 155 5x5
Deadlift - 385 1x5
Taking my time today made a huge difference. If it's worth it to you, try to find a way to make some more time in the gym if you see you're rushing through your workout, and you'll notice that taking slightly longer breaks in between sets can make all the difference.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Friday
I like being able to take my time on Fridays in the gym, it makes actually doing the lifts a little more possible since I can take my time with technique, and more importantly, rest between sets. I usually can't wait to leave by the time I'm on my last set which is power cleans (Cleans of Power!), and it usually is the case that my last rep looks like my first attempt ever at the movement. This is most likely a combination of wanting to get the hell out of there and getting my ass kicked from the 'workout'.. gotta work on ma fitnessss boiii.
It's nice to have people ask you for help on their form, and even nicer when they stop you in the gym to shake your hand because they were impressed by what you're doing. But then it's aggravating to see them not listen to a word you said.. sad times; for them. Hello muscle injuries!
After changing to a 8x3 rep scheme for Mondays I decided 5x5 wasn't that bad and was actually doable; but not anymore. It's destroying me slowly so I'll go back to 8x3 and sadly will need to wake up a little earlier since 8x3 takes a bit longer to finish.
Anyway, I got some pretty decent lifts today, except for my last power clean (Cleans of Power!) which looked more like I was trying to launch the barbell at someone while letting out a primal Tarzan/mating call.
Squats - 415 1x3
Bench - 277.5 1x2 (Was meant to do one rep, but since I'm so fly I got two). Hata'
Cleans of Power! - 159 5x3
Food - Everything in sight, even pianos.
It's nice to have people ask you for help on their form, and even nicer when they stop you in the gym to shake your hand because they were impressed by what you're doing. But then it's aggravating to see them not listen to a word you said.. sad times; for them. Hello muscle injuries!
After changing to a 8x3 rep scheme for Mondays I decided 5x5 wasn't that bad and was actually doable; but not anymore. It's destroying me slowly so I'll go back to 8x3 and sadly will need to wake up a little earlier since 8x3 takes a bit longer to finish.
Anyway, I got some pretty decent lifts today, except for my last power clean (Cleans of Power!) which looked more like I was trying to launch the barbell at someone while letting out a primal Tarzan/mating call.
Squats - 415 1x3
Bench - 277.5 1x2 (Was meant to do one rep, but since I'm so fly I got two). Hata'
Cleans of Power! - 159 5x3
Food - Everything in sight, even pianos.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Wednesday
Nothing special today, except someone who made it a point to see how far he can push himself before risking a major back injury. I've seen dumb things in the gym before but this one takes the cake. Why do some people insist on being so stupid?
When you see back curvature as bad as this, you can confirm the person has no idea what they're doing. Using Paintbrush, I've attempted to give a thorough and detailed visual description of what I saw. Behold..
This is what it should look like:
If the weight is too much and you feel like your form is breaking down, drop the weight and work on your form. Injuries are not fun and not worth the stupidity. A deadlift, as this fine young gentleman displayed above was attempting, is a pull using the back and needs a straight back with the natural curve at the lumbar region. Hips stay high, chest is raised up and the bar stays as close to your legs as possible the entire way up and down.
Squat - 300 2x5
Press - 155 3x5 Hard, but doable.
Back extensions and pull ups.
When you see back curvature as bad as this, you can confirm the person has no idea what they're doing. Using Paintbrush, I've attempted to give a thorough and detailed visual description of what I saw. Behold..
This is what it should look like:
If the weight is too much and you feel like your form is breaking down, drop the weight and work on your form. Injuries are not fun and not worth the stupidity. A deadlift, as this fine young gentleman displayed above was attempting, is a pull using the back and needs a straight back with the natural curve at the lumbar region. Hips stay high, chest is raised up and the bar stays as close to your legs as possible the entire way up and down.
Squat - 300 2x5
Press - 155 3x5 Hard, but doable.
Back extensions and pull ups.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday
I think waking up at 5:30 to work out by 6:30 is getting harder to do, especially since Mondays are volume. By the time I was done squatting for some reason I thought about squatting next week and the feeling made me want to quit working out forever. I'm almost at 4 plates for 25 reps on Mondays; it's not easy my friend.
Mark Rippetoe and the crew posted up a new video recently about squat depth, if you're interested here's the link.
It's the second video on the main page
Squat - 380 5x5
Bench - 230 5x5
Deadlift - 380 1x5
Lunch - Everything
Dinner - Everything
Mark Rippetoe and the crew posted up a new video recently about squat depth, if you're interested here's the link.
It's the second video on the main page
Squat - 380 5x5
Bench - 230 5x5
Deadlift - 380 1x5
Lunch - Everything
Dinner - Everything
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