Arms 1

Took it really easy today. Overtraining is setting in hard with the stress of finals and the fact that I am in the last weeks of my 9 week cycle. That, plus this little bicep injury, are total bummer mentally, so I decided to just try and use today as a recovery day, take it easy on my body to try and prepare it for tomorrow (which is probably the hardest workout I have left), And feel out the bicep. Good news: Finals are officially done! Hopefully now I can start recovering better and feeling alright. The move home and change of schedule/pace might wreak some havoc as well. Either way, just gotta keep the chin up and keep at it.

Dear god... this picture is too many things to put into words. 

Started with a nice warmup, then a good walk instead of running. Got on the treadmill and just started walking at a moderate pace. Over the course of a half hour I bumped the pace up maybe a half a mile an hour, and added an incline, then went back down. Nothing hard, just something to try and get my blood flowing and help reverse all the fucking sitting I have been doing.

Next, went downstairs and did some light stretching. Sat in the bottom of a squat and banged out a few air squats to try and get my knees feeling okay (didn't really work haha). Did some light stretches for my glutes and hamstrings and ankles. Nothing crazy, just trying my best to get my legs prepared so it won't be such a struggle to make squats feel okay tomorrow.

Finally, did some really light high-rep arm stuff. Basically, grabbed an easy curl bar and did 3 x (3 x 10 curls, 10 skullcrushers), with 2 minutes rest between macro-rounds and no rest between micro-rounds. At first, bicep felt a little weird, but as I warmed up and went though the sets it started feeling BETTER, not worse, which is a good sign. Got a decent pump, without any real problems. I feel good about that. Ideally, I would like to go a little heavier than this, but it was good to show myself that I can still get a nice pump with limited weight, limited range of motion, and just focusing on squeezing and keeping rest down. I will probably try and keep the arms work like this until the bicep is feeling much better.

I gotta get me a tank top like that... and some fucking HGH to look like these two. 

So overall, took it pretty easy today. Just trying to do what I can to get the body healing, and leave it at that. It's not ideal, but I only have a little bit left and I want to stay healthy for this mock meet. Might skip saturday training altogether to give myself more recovery time, or, might just do another something like today, I'm not sure. Either way, lets hope tomorrow goes well, and lets keep at it... two weeks to maxes!

Bench 220 x 3

So today was a pretty horrible day. BUT, it wasn't a complete waste, because I figured out something cool. Basically, I watched a ton of great benchers recently, and noticed something they do that is different from me. I have always tried to BLAST weight off my chest, THROUGH lockout. Basically throwing that shit up as hard as I can. One thing I noticed with guys like Eric Spoto and CT fletcher, however, is they seem to squeeze to lockout, rather than trying to blast through it. Basically, as I was benching today, I had an end-point of the rep in mind, and tried to squeeze the weight to that end point, rather than just trying to blast it with everything I had. The result? I felt much more in control of the weight, reps seemed more consistent and uniform, and I felt my chest muscles working much better than usual. Although it certainly didn't result in a magical bench PR, I think it is a step in the right direction and something I am going to continue to do in future training sessions.

Started with 5/3/1 bench. Felt good warming up with this style change. Hit 95, then 135, then went to 170 x 3 and 195 x 3. Neither felt easy, but the control felt good. Finally, loaded up 220 and hit it for a very solid 3, and went for a 4th that pretty much pinned me. Pretty disheartening, but again I need to keep in mind all the stressors holding me back. I can't worry about bad workouts. One thing I definitely noticed was that the muscular fatigue was way easier to predict with this style of benching. Instead of hitting 3 easy reps, then all of a sudden failing, rep 1 was medium, 2 was tough, 3 was tougher, etc. Dropped back to 195 and hit it for 3 doubles, with a  long pause on at least 1 rep of each set. Weigh definitely moves a little slower with this style, but something about it just feels right. I think I am going to stick with it for a bit, and see if maybe I have an easier time making gains with this.

Next, did 3 x 16 rear delt flyes with 12.5 dumbells.

Next, strict press was atrocious. Hit the bar, then 115, then 155... I wanted to try and go 3 x 8 today, but I only got 6, 5, 4. Really bad. But it almost made me feel better, because that tells me that today was just an overall shitty day, which excuses the benching a little. 220 x 3 is pretty bad, but if today was a pretty terrible day through and through, then 220 x 3 might indicate that I am actually making some progress haha.

Finally, ended with some high rep cable pulling.

So, pretty terrible day, but I just have to keep my chin up. Bicep is feeling slightly differrent today - less bothersome in the morning, before I trained, started to feel it while I trained, but still not painful at all on it's own. However, now it is sore to the touch - when I press is, it feels like a bruise or some doms. That could be a good sign (i.e. it's on it's way to healing) or a bad one. But it's still not really affecting my workouts or painful unless I press it, so I'm not too worried. I think tomorrow, however, I am going to take it REALLY easy, simply because I need the recovery - probably walk instead of run, and so some really light weight, high rep arm stuff and that's it. I need to really err on the side of recovery this next week and a half. I'm so close to the finish line, just got to stay mentally strong and be very careful. Lets keep at it.

Squat: 345 x 3

Today was an okay day. The battle is a mental one - physically, I am just beat up a little. It's the end of the semester, stress and schoolwork (and sitting all day) is at an all-time high, recovery is low, and now is when I need to recover the most - right at the end of these 9 weeks. The trick is just to accept that these workouts will be less than perfect and not let it get you down... which is tough. However, I'm doing okay, I'm hitting all the numbers I need to and being smart about my workouts. Just have to keep my chin up and keep at it.

Started with 5/3/1 squat. Took longer warming up, which definitely helped with form and coming out of the bottom more smoothly, but still my reps just aren't as fast as normal, and the weight just feels heavier than normal. Haven't had a GOOD day in a while. Still, I would say warmups felt better today than they have been. Hit the bar x 10, then 125 x 10, 6, then 205 x 10 which actually felt pretty solid. 265 x 3 didn't feel awesome, but 305 x 3 was pretty solid, especially the third rep. Loaded up 345 and focused best I could - hit it for the first rep, which was definitely tougher than I would have liked, but the second rep was very solid, and the third, although slow and tough, was also very solid. Called it there. I honestly don;t know if I would have had another rep today, which might be a little disheartening under other circumstances. But taking into account all the crap goign on, and the fact that I trained later than normal, after taking two exams (and the fact that I threw an extra 5 lbs on my actual 5/3/1 weight), this is totally fine. I just need to focus up, rest up, and sack up come thursday, and I think I will definitely be able to hit the 355 x 4. Just gonna take some tenacity.

Next, speed deads had me a little bit nervous because of the bicep issue. Definitely felt it a little bit, which to me confirms that there is, in fact, a slight strain or something. But overall it wasn't a problem at all. Hit 315 x 10 x 1 from a 2 plate deficit on the minute. First 2 reps were a little out in front, but I quickly settled into a nice groove and the weight was moving very well. Just had to focus on getting my hips low enough, and keeping the weight in close to my body. Nice and fast overall, though.

Can't tell if this is real.... that's awesome

Finally, snatch deads went pretty well. Hit 125 x a slew, then 205 x 3, 265 x 3, and 305 x 3, all very solid, felt better than a lot of recent snatch grip warmups. Loaded up 365 and went after it. For the second time, I tried to pull it and something was slightly amiss, so I picked it up say an inch, put it down and immediately pulled it for the first rep, then the second, and finally got the third about to my knees before my left hand's grip slipped. I definitely could have finished the pull though. and 365 x 2 is still a PR, so that's cool. I think next week I will just strap up, try to get rid of that shitty first quarter-rep, and try and triple 365. I think I will definitely be able to, if I just focus up and work.

So overall, a really decent workout. Squats weren't AMAZING, but the thing I have to keep in mind is 1) I'm beat to shit for a thousand reasons, and 2) squatting 345 x 3 on a not-great day is something that was unthinkable just a short while ago, so I am definitely and without a doubt stronger. I just have to trust that, keep training the best I can despite not having the best of workouts, and the only true test of my strength gains will be when I max out in just over 2 weeks.

Finally, I think I know what I am going to do about this bicep issue. There is definitely something not quite right, and yet it isn't at all painful, bruised, etc. Probably it is just a little inflamed, or perhaps a little bit strained. But I can't let that get in my head too much. I think I am basically just going to keep training as normal, and just know that if it gets worse, I need to be aware. I am even going to keep training arms - with some slight modifications. Triceps I am pretty much going to train normally. Basically, going relatively heavy and pushing close to failure on extension and pressing movements (8-12 rep range) seems to work great for getting a tricep pump, so I am going to try and stick with that. Biceps, I am going to be especially careful with the next few days - but essentially, I am goign to stop training curls heavy and stop single arm training. I am going to stick with curl variations that involve both arms (cables, straight bar, curl bar), and keep the weight light - weight I can do 20+ reps with, strict. In order to increase intensity, I am going to do things like increase number of sets, decrease rest, and focus on squeezing the muscle harder with more controlled reps, rather than increasing weight. Hopefully, as long as I am careful, the bicep will heal up nice and quick, and the bicep work will even help it heal faster. Over time, I'm sure the tendons and connective tissue will strengthen. Still, I would rather do a shittier workout (lighter) consistently than a better, heavier workout that risks injury, or even just makes me paranoid. If it isn't getting better, I will need to consider, but for now that's the plan. So, lets keep the chin up, and keep at it. Can't wait to max out.

Arms 2

Okay day. Wasn't quite right, and I'm feeling a little bummed right now.

Started with close grip, feet up bench to hit my triceps. Warmed up to 185, then tried to hit it for 20 reps as fast as I could. Got 5 in the first set, then pretty much just did sets of 2-3 with 30 seconds rest or so till I got to 20, took me about 7 minutes. No great pump from this.

Did some heavier straight bar curls next.

Did some skullcrushers with the straight bar after that.

Finally, tried to do some concentration curls but they felt so shitty I did cable curls instead. But I started feeling a weird, tingling warm sensation in my left elbow that made me completely paranoid that I was going to tear my bicep, so I stopped early.

I am feeling irritated about the whole thing. My elbow and tendons still feel kind of weird - not painful, just weird- and I can't get out of my head that there might be a problem and it is stressing me out. I really want to keep hitting my arms hard and often, but I am just feeling very uptight about this whole thing. I put a post on tnation about it though, in the hopes that some experienced BBers might be able to help me 1) know if anything is wrong, 2) know how to prevent it, and 3) maybe just chime in with advice about arm training in general, because I still haven't really figured out/decided what I like best - heavier arm training, 8-12 reps stuff, or high-ass rep shit. This type of training just isn't my strong suit, so I think asking for some advice is a good idea. Anyways, gonna try to keep my chin up and act like nothing is wrong. Lets keep at it.

Imperfect pressing: Bench 205 x 6,6,5

Wasn't a bad day yesterday, but there were some mistakes and problems that caused the benching to be less than ideal for sure. But it wasn't BAD, and the pressing work was pretty decent.

Holy shit this dude is huge

Started with bench. Felt pretty good warming up. I wasn't using the better bar, which might have taken a little bit away from me because that bar is the proper thickness, which I think helps my pressing. Also, I was a bit tight in my back from thursday's training, and I think that hard workout might have hurt friday a little bit. Hit the bar, then 95, then 135, then 185 x 3, then went up to 205. First set was pretty solid. I hit a nice set of 6, and went for a 7th rep that I got pretty sloppy on in order to try and make it, and still missed it. I don't necessarily regret going for it, because the point is to progress and I got 3 x 6 last week, but rep 6 wasn't SO easy that I thought I would get 7. Rested a bunch and hit the weight again, but this time I hit the hooks on one of the first reps, which threw off that rep, but also my tightness, and I started getting an ass cramp from being crooked. However, I still managed to hit 6 reps, which isn't half bad. Last set I tried to make the best, but I think I was pretty tired out, probably largely from that bad second set. I hit a tough 5 and then went for the 6th and just didn't have it in me. Overall not bad, I attempted the 7th on a set. If I had made it and gone 7,6,5 I would have felt better, rather than simply losing a rep from last week but hey, what can you do? It wasn't a great day, but not bad either. And despite not REALLY feeling the "squeezing it down" as well as last week, my chest got pretty pumped haha, so maybe that's a good sign.

Badass old dude

Next, pressing went pretty well. I hit the bar, then 95, then work sets: 125 x 5 and 145 x 5. That second set actually felt pretty shitty, and I KNEW it was because I was pressing the bar out in front, looping it around my face. SO, I loaded up 165, and really focused on a) using my shoulders to move the weight, and b) pressing the bar up and back, keeping it in a completely straight line. I hit it for a really solid 6. Probably didn't go for 7 cause I wouldn't have gotten it, but it wasn't a really tough 6, and that's a pr. Then, hit 145 x 9 and 125 x who knows how many, again trying to focus on keeping the bar in tight - but as I got tired, I lopped it out in front. I think that's a bad habit I got into from doing so much light volume. the weight was light enough that I didn't tire too quickly from the inefficient bar path, and the momentum from rep to rep was more important. But now that I am being much more strict with my hips and trying to focus on the muscle instead of purely the movement, I need to make sure that I am pressing in that straight bar path - it will make a huge difference as I hit heavier weights.

Finally, did a mini bodybuilding circuit on the cables upstairs. Did a set of 20 face pulls, followed by 12 bicep curls and 12 tricep extensions, heavy, with maybe a minutes rest between 3 sets of that. Got a nice little pump, especially the biceps - I don;t know why, but I have a much easier time feeling the muscle with the cables. I'll have to play around more on there before I leave for the summer, see if it can help me better establish my mind-muscle connection.

Anyways, not a bad day, but not great. A little disappointing after some of the really good workouts I have been having. But that's actually pretty stupid.... I just barely missed a bench PR, and GOT a strict press PR with great form, and all on a "meh" day. So overall, pretty happy. Lets keep at it.

Legs: squat 345 x 4

Today was a tough day. Last slew of workouts have been very tough - probably a combination of me drawing to the end of my programming and needing a rest, and the stress and sickness holding me back a little bit. Either way, I have been delicate and smart with my training, and thusly haven;t had a TRULY awful fail day yet haha. But no matter what, I need to keep my chin up and soldier on. I'm almost at the end!

I desire this man's legs 

Started with squats. Using 345 as my top set today allowed me to practice the way I'm gonna warm up when I max, except instead of just hitting 345 for a single with the belt and then going heavier, I just hit it for a set of 4. Started with the bar x 10, then 135 x 10, 6, then 225 x 8, then 275 x 4, then 315 x 2. Didn't feel great, but not too bad - basically, I felt like a much better version of monday. Just a little bit slow, a little creaky, not very explosive out of the bottom or very fast through the middle. Definitely not a great day, but not a bad day either. I took 345. First 3 reps were pretty much exactly the same - tough but very solid. 4th rep, I got a little bit out of position forward so it was harder and slower than the others. However, I think it was really only hard cause it was a little crappy, not cause my strength was going away, and if I needed to I think I could have taken a crack at a 5th rep. Not as easy as I might have liked it, but I think it's pretty cool that I can hit this kind of weight for reps on a mediocre day.

Next up, front squats. Hit 190 x 3, then 225 x 3, and finally 245 x 3 x 3. These were tough, definitely one of the hardest front squat sessions I have done, but I'm pretty cool with that because this was the single workout that I was the most worried about. 245 was more than I could do a single with, with the belt, when I started this, so hitting it for 3 triples definitely had me nervous, but I stepped up and got it done. They were tough, and definitely not perfect, but considering a) it wasn't a great day, b) I did heavy back squats first, and c) I didn't change the way I do these despite how heavy they were (I still only rested like 2:30 between sets). Pretty cool.

Finally, put 135 on the ground for some timed deads. I think these were probably the hardest part of my workout today. I set my times so I would hit a set every 3 minutes, - hit 135 x 3, 225 x 2, 315 x 1, 365 x 1, and then 415 x 1,1,1 with 3 mins rest. The reps were tough. I think part of the problem was that my legs were a little spent after all of those heavy sqizzy squats, so I was definitely using probably more back than ideal. Also, the weight was a tiny bit out front, again maybe because my legs weren't all there. And finally.... I was wearing shorts, and I severely underestimated how shitty locking out a heavy deadlift is with the bar sticking to your sweaty thighs haha. I need to make sure to wear fucking long pants on thursdays from now on. And to bring baby powder when I finally do a meet haha. Still, got all 3, which again isn't bad for the end of a tough workout under less than ideal conditions.

SO, overall a pretty kickass workout, despite not feeling great. I have really done a good job walking the line of overtraining, and I need to keep it up these next couple weeks. Probably going to try and stick closer to the prescribed reps monday, then nail the 355 x 4 thurs, maybe go all out the next monday, and then just have some fun with heavy front squats on my last leg day. Just need to be careful to rest, eat, and listen to my body these next couple weeks. But no matter how good or bad these workouts are, I know I have made a ton of great progress, so I just need TO..... keep at it.

Arms 1: good not great

Today was a good day, but not great. Still experimenting with different movements in different combinations. It went alright, didn't feel the mind-muscle connections as well as I'd like, but I still got a pretty decent pump.

Started with a light run for 8 mins at 5.5, then went to the weights

Started with biceps. Grabbed the easy curl bar and started doing sets on the 2 minutes - 15 with the bar, then 12 with 5's, 10 with 10's, 8 with both, then back down. Got an okay pump, but not great.

Started doing the exact same with skullcrushers, only it didn't feel heavy enough, so I did 3 tough sets of 12 at the heaviest weight instead of doing 8 then dropping back down. Got a solid pump from this - I should have done this with curls too I think.

Next, supesetted some heavier curls - used the 32.5 dumbells and did one arm at a time - and lying triceps extensions with that same weight. Again, for whatever reason I wasn't quite squeezing right with my biceps, didn't get a great pump. However, definitely got a really good triceps pump from the heavier weight, less reps.

Finally, ended with 3 x max single-arm preacher curls with 20 lb, with some forced reps on the last set.

Still couldn't really feel as much squeezing as I would have liked. Pump was okay, but not great. Maybe I just need to go heavier, for less reps overall. I think maybe the problem is that the weight isn't heavy enough to feel my bicep working, and then the muscle gets fatigued too fast so it feels jelly-like and not good and pumped. Maybe by upping the weight I will be able to squeeze harder from the beginning, and I will come up to failure before my muscle gets so tired that the rep quality is shitty.

Anyways, still a solid day. Not great, I want to leave the gym after arms day feeling like I really hammered my muscles and looking huge from the absurd pump I got, and today was definitely a little softer than ideal. However, I'm still working out the kinks, so no worries. Lets just keep at it.