So I have been absent for a while. Because not only was my back hurt, and my training has merely consisted of bench bro stuff for the last 4 weeks of so, but my life also sort of fell apart for a while. Some life changing events happened, and training took a seat in the way back - I simply knew I couldn't mentally train as hard as I wanted, and because of my back I couldn't physically train hard either, so I embraced it and allowed myself some time off. Mentally. Just got into the gym, did my bench bro stuff, and got out, simple as that.
Well, now it is time to rebuild. My life is changing again, this time for the better. I have lost about 15 lbs from the shift in training focus, and I look pretty great right now. I think I am going to truly start back next week. I'm going to keep eating to lose weight, but I am going to try a little harder to get some more protein in to make sure muscle/strength gains aren't too affected. And I'm going to bench and squat every single day for a while, to work on technique and try and seriously master the lifts. Here's what the template is gonna look like.
squat, bench, deadlift, core
bench, squat, back, core
squat, bench, deadlift, core
bench, squat, arms, core
Try and keep workouts to around an hour and a half. Try and just have fun, work hard, and cut down to around 220. I think I will look AWESOME at 220 as is (that's another 12 lbs of fat), but hopefully if I add in all this extra stuff I will maintain/gain even more muscle, and look even better at 220. Then, after I hit 220 ish I think I will start really pushing myself hard again in the gym. Hopefully that will be 4-8 weeks from now, we will see.
Anyways, hopefully next week I will return to regular posting. This will be my last week being dark. Life is hard and strange and painful, but I am the master of my soul, no one else. Love and passion will reign supreme. And my hate will die with you.
Lets keep at it.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Tuesday bench
Really good day today. Started off feeling a little tight and weak and the weights were feeling heavy, but I got into the swing of things and ended up performing very well.
Decided to do sets of 4 today, so I could work up to some heavier weight. Started with 95, then 135, 165, all of which felt not great. But then 185 felt a little better, and 205 was solid, so I took the jump to 225, and ended up hitting it for a really hard 4! Pretty good shit, considering I hit it for a tough 2 just the other day. Because I made all 4, I took one more jump, to 240. Would have liked to have doubled it, but a single was hard enough. After, dropped back to 205 and hit it for 3 sets of 4.
Then, hit my arms. Did a rest-pause type workout where I only rested very little between sets of each exercise - I counted how many breaths I took, and rested for the same number of breaths as reps in the sets I was doing. So, for example, 10 reps - 10 breaths - 10 reps - etc. Did 5 x 10 close grip tricep bench with 95 lbs, then did 4 x 12 bicep curls with 20's and some lateral raises, 5 x 5 but with a rep out on the last set cause the first few weren't hard enough.
Making bench gainz, slowly but surely. Lets keep at it.
Decided to do sets of 4 today, so I could work up to some heavier weight. Started with 95, then 135, 165, all of which felt not great. But then 185 felt a little better, and 205 was solid, so I took the jump to 225, and ended up hitting it for a really hard 4! Pretty good shit, considering I hit it for a tough 2 just the other day. Because I made all 4, I took one more jump, to 240. Would have liked to have doubled it, but a single was hard enough. After, dropped back to 205 and hit it for 3 sets of 4.
Then, hit my arms. Did a rest-pause type workout where I only rested very little between sets of each exercise - I counted how many breaths I took, and rested for the same number of breaths as reps in the sets I was doing. So, for example, 10 reps - 10 breaths - 10 reps - etc. Did 5 x 10 close grip tricep bench with 95 lbs, then did 4 x 12 bicep curls with 20's and some lateral raises, 5 x 5 but with a rep out on the last set cause the first few weren't hard enough.
Making bench gainz, slowly but surely. Lets keep at it.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday Bench
Decided to bench a day early today, because I am going to have a crazy day tomorrow. It went pretty well - although I am starting to get some serious tightness and it feels like my pecs want to explode haha. But I think it's nothing serious - just adjustment to the new bench frequency.
Started with sets of 8, feet up and paused. Hit 95, 135, 175, then jumped straight to 205 because I was feeling strong. I thought I could crush it for 8, and was feeling REALLY strong up through 7 - then lost it on the 8th rep. I tried SO hard to lock it out, and just did't have it. Made me really mad. Dropped back to 175 and hit it for 3 sets of 8, easy, despite the pec tightness. Really wish I got that 205 x 8 and could have gone up, but alas, next time.
Anyways, finished up with some back work. 3 sets of 20 t-bar rows, 3 sets of 12 rear delt flyes, and then 3 sets of 16 lat pulldowns.
Feeling alright. Gonna keep hitting it. I know it is a lofty goal, but I REALLY want to bench 315 soon. I'm going to try and just believe and work hard haha. Lets keep at it.
Started with sets of 8, feet up and paused. Hit 95, 135, 175, then jumped straight to 205 because I was feeling strong. I thought I could crush it for 8, and was feeling REALLY strong up through 7 - then lost it on the 8th rep. I tried SO hard to lock it out, and just did't have it. Made me really mad. Dropped back to 175 and hit it for 3 sets of 8, easy, despite the pec tightness. Really wish I got that 205 x 8 and could have gone up, but alas, next time.
Anyways, finished up with some back work. 3 sets of 20 t-bar rows, 3 sets of 12 rear delt flyes, and then 3 sets of 16 lat pulldowns.
Feeling alright. Gonna keep hitting it. I know it is a lofty goal, but I REALLY want to bench 315 soon. I'm going to try and just believe and work hard haha. Lets keep at it.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Bench Friday
Good day today
Hit sets of 6, all paused and feet up. Hit 75, 95, 115, 135, 155, 175, and 195 x 6, then went to 215 for 5 which is pretty awesome. Then dropped back to 185 and hit it for 3 sets of 6.
Then, arms. Did a bunch of sets of curls, some close pushups for my triceps, and a bunch of lateral raises to hit shoulders.
Feeling pretty good! Lets keep at it.
Hit sets of 6, all paused and feet up. Hit 75, 95, 115, 135, 155, 175, and 195 x 6, then went to 215 for 5 which is pretty awesome. Then dropped back to 185 and hit it for 3 sets of 6.
Then, arms. Did a bunch of sets of curls, some close pushups for my triceps, and a bunch of lateral raises to hit shoulders.
Feeling pretty good! Lets keep at it.
Bench Thursday
Keeping this short cause it's a little late -
Bench went well. Everything was done feet up and with a pause. Decided to do sets of 10, so I hit 95, 135, 165 for 10 and then 185 for 9. Then, dropped back to 135 and hit it for 3 sets of 10.
Then, back work. Did a bunch of sets of 12 dumbell rows facing a bench, then some rear delt flyes, and then some lat pulldowns.
Felt solid. Lets keep at it.
Bench went well. Everything was done feet up and with a pause. Decided to do sets of 10, so I hit 95, 135, 165 for 10 and then 185 for 9. Then, dropped back to 135 and hit it for 3 sets of 10.
Then, back work. Did a bunch of sets of 12 dumbell rows facing a bench, then some rear delt flyes, and then some lat pulldowns.
Felt solid. Lets keep at it.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Bench Bro Cycle
Okay, gonna keep this as short as possible:
SO, lately I have been having some lower back trouble. It has been bothering me pretty much every workout for the past month or so, and I think it is simply tired out, overworked, and a weak point right now. FURTHERMORE, something is very wrong with my form on squat. It is NOT the same squat that I was feeling AMAZING with a month or more ago - form has eroded and I am now getting caught forward and loading my back really bad, not using my quads or keeping my chest up. Because of this combination of things, my back was feeling especially bad during my workout today, and I think it is time for some drastic action. So, this is what I am going to do: The plan is to stop squatting for 4 weeks, to let my back heal completely, and then rebuild from semi-scratch to get to a greater level of strength, with much more ideal form. In those 4 weeks, I am going to try and experiment, and live like a bench bro - bench press 4 days a week, in addition to a ton or core work, back work, arm work, and cardio. The goals are as follows 1) Heal my back 2) Address my bench weakness head on and try to make some serious gains 3) Lose some fat / make my upper body look awesome. Should be fun, and hopefully productive and the right decision in the long run.
The rough plan is as follows: Only feet up bench, to fully rest my back. Probably going to do
Monday: Bench, back, core
tues: Bench, arms core
wed rest/cardio
Thurs: bench back core
fri: Bench arms core.
Should be fun, and I BETTER make some solid fucking bench gains haha.
And, if I like it, when I come back in 4 weeks maybe I will simply bench/squat every single workout. We will see.
Anyways, here is how today bench workout went: Bench 225 x 3, 230 x 3. 235 x 3, 240 x 3, 245 x 2, 1. Then feet up bench, moving up in sets of 3: 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195, 205, 215, and finally 225 x 2. Then, 25 x 4 rows, and finally 3 x 15 dumbell bench with 50 lb bells.
Long journey ahead. Lets keep at it.
SO, lately I have been having some lower back trouble. It has been bothering me pretty much every workout for the past month or so, and I think it is simply tired out, overworked, and a weak point right now. FURTHERMORE, something is very wrong with my form on squat. It is NOT the same squat that I was feeling AMAZING with a month or more ago - form has eroded and I am now getting caught forward and loading my back really bad, not using my quads or keeping my chest up. Because of this combination of things, my back was feeling especially bad during my workout today, and I think it is time for some drastic action. So, this is what I am going to do: The plan is to stop squatting for 4 weeks, to let my back heal completely, and then rebuild from semi-scratch to get to a greater level of strength, with much more ideal form. In those 4 weeks, I am going to try and experiment, and live like a bench bro - bench press 4 days a week, in addition to a ton or core work, back work, arm work, and cardio. The goals are as follows 1) Heal my back 2) Address my bench weakness head on and try to make some serious gains 3) Lose some fat / make my upper body look awesome. Should be fun, and hopefully productive and the right decision in the long run.
The rough plan is as follows: Only feet up bench, to fully rest my back. Probably going to do
Monday: Bench, back, core
tues: Bench, arms core
wed rest/cardio
Thurs: bench back core
fri: Bench arms core.
Should be fun, and I BETTER make some solid fucking bench gains haha.
And, if I like it, when I come back in 4 weeks maybe I will simply bench/squat every single workout. We will see.
Anyways, here is how today bench workout went: Bench 225 x 3, 230 x 3. 235 x 3, 240 x 3, 245 x 2, 1. Then feet up bench, moving up in sets of 3: 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195, 205, 215, and finally 225 x 2. Then, 25 x 4 rows, and finally 3 x 15 dumbell bench with 50 lb bells.
Long journey ahead. Lets keep at it.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Heavy squat - 405 x 1
Today was a rough day. There are a lot of reasons for it - largest among them the fact that I was drinking last night, that it was my first workout back at school, that all the driving/moving in has taken it's toll, AND that I worked out at a weird time today, after being READY to work out at 11 and then having to wait another 3 hours. Still a little disgruntled that it wasn't a better day, but I think it wasn't too bad, and hopefully next week will go really well.
Started with heavy squats. I was feeling alright, lower back was a little tight and feeling shitty, and for some reason weight felt REALLY heavy today. Warmed up, then hit the bar x 5, 135 x 5, 225 x 3, 315 x 1, then hit 365 x 1 with a loose belt, and then jumped to 405 and hit it for a REALLY hard single. I was a little loose and forward and it was really horrible. I wanted to hit 405 for a few sets of 2-3, and maybe even work up a little bit, but it simply wasn't happening. So I dropped back, hit 365 x 2, then 385 for a really hard double as well. Then tried 405 again and failed it. Again, technique was just a little off, I was forward and having a really hard time. Dropped back once more and hit 365 again for a solid single, then finally 385 again for a really hard rep. Called it there. Wasn't as strong as I wanted, not was technique as good as I wanted - but the point of this workout was to go up to heavy weights and hit them, over and over again, to adjust to heavy weight on my back and make technique tweaks, etc. And I hit a bunch of reps at 85 %, 90%, and a single at 95% so it wasn't really a bad day. I just hope that when I come back next week I have a good day and I can PR.
Next, pause squats. Again, took these heavy, although I was feeling like shit. Hit 135 x 3, 185 x 2, 225, 275, 315, then finally 335. It wasn't super hard, but I called it there.
Finally, stiff leg deads - 165 x 10, 245 x 10, 165 x 15.
So, okay day. Hopefully better days to come. Lets keep at it.
Started with heavy squats. I was feeling alright, lower back was a little tight and feeling shitty, and for some reason weight felt REALLY heavy today. Warmed up, then hit the bar x 5, 135 x 5, 225 x 3, 315 x 1, then hit 365 x 1 with a loose belt, and then jumped to 405 and hit it for a REALLY hard single. I was a little loose and forward and it was really horrible. I wanted to hit 405 for a few sets of 2-3, and maybe even work up a little bit, but it simply wasn't happening. So I dropped back, hit 365 x 2, then 385 for a really hard double as well. Then tried 405 again and failed it. Again, technique was just a little off, I was forward and having a really hard time. Dropped back once more and hit 365 again for a solid single, then finally 385 again for a really hard rep. Called it there. Wasn't as strong as I wanted, not was technique as good as I wanted - but the point of this workout was to go up to heavy weights and hit them, over and over again, to adjust to heavy weight on my back and make technique tweaks, etc. And I hit a bunch of reps at 85 %, 90%, and a single at 95% so it wasn't really a bad day. I just hope that when I come back next week I have a good day and I can PR.
Next, pause squats. Again, took these heavy, although I was feeling like shit. Hit 135 x 3, 185 x 2, 225, 275, 315, then finally 335. It wasn't super hard, but I called it there.
Finally, stiff leg deads - 165 x 10, 245 x 10, 165 x 15.
So, okay day. Hopefully better days to come. Lets keep at it.
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