3/27 Back

forgot to do the DeFranco Agile 8, woops!  I was already into my first set by the time I realized it.  so excited to deadlift!

Deadlifts (all barefoot, no straps)

warm-up (double overhand, 1-2 min rest)

150 x 5

190 x 5

230 x 5

main (crossgrip, 2-5 min rest)

285 x 5

325 x 3 (put on belt for Set 5 onwards)

360 x 4

notes:  Got to rock the bumper plates again tonight, so a bit more touch and go than usual, a faster descent.  Belt was working hard keeping my lower back tight on that last set!

 

Assistance

Squats (Romaleos on, 60 sec rest)

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

Leg Raises (roman chair, 30 sec rest)

10

10

10

10

10

post-workout:  rumble roller on my IT bands, adductors, piriformis

2/27 Legs

A little motivation for myself 🙂

 

 

The new shoes arrived in the mail!  Some Size 13 Nike Romaleos 2.  And it was Squat Day!!  It was meant to be 🙂

 

warmup  DeFranco Agile 8

 

Squats (1 min rest) (wore the Romaleos)

warm-up

110 x 5

135 x 5

160 x 5

main (2 min rest) (wore belt)

190 x 3

215 x 3

245 x 8

notes:  I was ready to do some Joker sets, but another guy wanted to share the station, so I called it after the 6th set.

 

Assistance

Deadlifts (60-90 sec rest) (barefoot)

300 x 5

190 x 6

190 x 10

190 x 10

190 x 10

notes:  oops!!!  Mixed up a kg plate and a lb plate… I picked it up during that first set and was like, why is it soooooo heavy?  Turns out I had loaded 300 lbs, haha! At least the weight was even, just WAY too much.  My second set I was still exhausted from the first, but I had recovered sufficiently by set 3.

Weighted Core Twist Machine (30 sec rest)

200 x 10/10

200 x 10/10

200 x 10/10

200 x 10/10

200 x 10/10

2/27 Shoulders

(varying short rest, my partners set was my rest, vice versa)

Worked out with a partner today!  Again!  So no supersets, we just traded back and forth.

Overhead Press

warm-up

50 x 5 / over & backs w/ resistance band x 8

65 x 5

80 x 5

main

90 x 3

105 x 3

115 x 8

notes:  Some imbalance in my shoulder, and my core was going, so had to call it at 8 reps.

 

Assistance

Bench Press

85 x 10

85 x 10

85 x 10

85 x 10

85 x 10

Assisted Chinups (assisted for about 1/3 BW, grip varied)

10 widegrip

10 underhand grio

10 hammergrip

7 wide

8 under

Skullcrusher Burn Set (a bunch of reps to your nose, a bunch to your forehead, then a bunch behind your head)

60 x 15 nose, 15 forehead, 3 behind head

60 x 10 nose, 10 forehead, 5 behind head

notes:  60 was heavy for doing up to 45 reps, haha!  But its all we could find.

 

We only had an hour and it was tight, so we were totally out of time and had to call it by then.

2/27 Chest

(varying short rest, my partners set was my rest, vice versa)

Worked out with a partner today!  so no supersets, we just traded back and forth.

Bench Press

warm-up

70 x 5 / over & backs w/ resistance band x 8

85 x 5 / o&b

100 x 5 / o&b

main

120 x 3

135 x 3

155 x 10

joker sets

165 x 3

175 x 2

notes:  joker sets are just a term for keeping the strength workout going if you are feeling good and having good lifts.  just keep upping the weight until you feel like stopping

 

Assistance

Overhead Press

65 x 10

65 x 10

65 x 10

65 x 10

65 x 10

One Arm DB Row

100 x 10/10

100 x 10/10

100 x 10/10

100 x 10/10

100 x 10/10

Superset Tricep Pressdowns & DB Curls  (4 sec squeeze at peak for each pressdown rep)

90 x 10 / 40s x 12

100 x 10 / 40s x 12

110 x 10 / 40s x 12

Pressdown Burn Set (do not stop until you hit the reps, take a few seconds here and there to catch your breath as needed)

110 x 50

Cable Curl Burn Set

70 x 50

 

2/27 Back

warmup  DeFranco Agile 8

http://www.t-nation.com/training/defranco-agile-8

 

Deadlifts (1-2 min rest)

warm-up

150 x 5

190 x 5

230 x 5

main (2-3 min rest)

265 x 3

305 x 3

340 x 4

notes:  Some experimenting going on tonight.  I lifted barefoot – that went fine, easy transition for me.  I used my belt – that didn’t feel better or worse, just different.  will take some time to get used to that.  When I wore the belt for squats, it felt better right away.  For deadlifts… coming down was a little more awkward but coming up felt more solid.  I only got 4 reps on the last set because I felt my grip going.  Lots of regret I didn’t get more on that one.

 

 

Assistance

Squats (60-90 sec rest)

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

Leg Raises (roman chair, 30-60 sec rest)

10

10

10

10

10

post-workout:  yoga stretches and releases for my back, so thankful for that!  back has been tired all day.

 

1/27 Legs

Real sleepy, just gonna post and crash.  First session with the Inzer belt though!  I think I have found a new partner in crime 🙂

warmup  DeFranco Agile 8

 

Squats (1-2 min rest)

warm-up

110 x 5

135 x 5

160 x 5

main (2-3 min rest)

175 x 5

205 x 5

230 x 10

 

Assistance

Deadlifts (60-90 sec rest)

190 x 10

190 x 10

190 x 10

190 x 10

190 x 10

Ab Wheel (30-60 sec rest)

10

10

10

10

10

1/27 Shoulders, Arms

Shoulder Day!

Overhead Press (0 sec rest b/w supersets on warmups, 60 sec on main)

warm-up – Superset OHP and Rotator Cuff Work

50 x 5 / Over & Backs x 8

65 x 5 / Over & Backs x 8

80 x 5 / Over & Backs x 8

main – Superset OHP and Rotator Cuff

85 x 5 / Over & Backs x 8

100 x 5 / Over & Backs x 8

115 x 9 / Over & Backs x 8

 

Assistance

Superset Bench Press and Widegrip Free Cable Pulldowns (30 sec rest)

85 x 10 / 75 x 10

85 x 10 / 75 x 10

85 x 10 / 75 x 10

85 x 10 / 75 x 10

85 x 10 / 75 x 10

notes:  easy weight but the assistance isn’t a PR contest, it’s about working the contraction, focusing on form.

Superset EZ Bar Curls and Skullcrushers – Escalating Density Set

ok, for this, I put 15 min on the clock, and raced to do 15 sets of 5.  As it’s a superset, that means 75 reps of curls and 75 skullcrushers.  As little rest as possible.  Just go for it!

I also sinched (sp?) up some elbow sleeves tight so I got some blood trapped in the arms; great pump!  After about 8 sets I had to take the sleeves off, arms were swole!  Arms had some bruises, but they were pumped like mad.

65 pounds = 15 sets of 5/5 in… 13:36 min!  Success!

So, I go up in weight next time.

Rear Delt Cable Fly (30 sec rest)

15 x 15

15 x 15

15 x 15

1/27 Chest

Running late this morning, so by the time I got to the gym I had to shave time in order to be out of there by Noon.  so I cut out my pre-workout routine, cut the rest time, and went crazy!

 

Chest Day!

Bench Press (no rest between supersets, just enough time to change weights)

warm-up – superset Bench Press and Rotator Cuff Work

70 x 5 / 15 lb DB taken through ROM 15 times each arm

85 x 5 / Roto

100 x 5 / Roto

main – Superset Bench Press and Assisted Pullups (60 sec rest, alternating grips for pullups)

110 x 5 / 5 widegrip

130 x 5 / 5 underhand grip

145 x 10 / 5 hammer grip

 

Assistance

Superset Overhead Press and One Arm DB Rows (30 sec rest)

65 x 10   /   80 x 10/10

65 x 10   /   80 x 10/10

65 x 10   /   80 x 10/10

65 x 10   /   80 x 10/10

65 x 10   /   80 x 10/10

Superset Bicep Curl Machine and Tricep Pressdown Machine (30 sec rest)

70 x 15 / 80 x 15

70 x 15 / 80 x 15

70 x 15 / 80 x 15

Rear Delt Cable Fly (30 sec rest)

55 x 15

33 x 15

33 x 15

 

Then had to dash!  45 min, in and out

1/27 Monday Back

I am back!  Did you miss me?  I have been away for a few weeks.  I went to my sister’s wedding, ate a little cake, took in a little sun.  But no, I did not stop working out.  I did a few major workouts, retested my one rep maxes, and am ready to get back to it, hungrier than ever.

 

Welcome to my 27 week project to get big and strong, losing weight AND gaining strength  through lots and lots of compound lifts.  The basics:  lots of deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead press.  Four days of conditioning a week, and lots and lots of scary piles of iron, testing me and daring me to back down.  This will be the longest I have ever committed to a training program, so this will be both a challenge and a real chance to see how my body responds to progressive overload and a well-structured consistency.  No tricks, just a commitment to lifting.

 

Day 1, Back Day!

warmup  DeFranco Agile 8

http://www.t-nation.com/training/defranco-agile-8

 

Deadlifts (1-2 min rest)

warm-up

150 x 5

190 x 5

230 x 5

main (2-3 min rest)

245 x 5

285 x 5

325 x 6

notes:  I was going for 10 on the last set, but I ripped open my left knee and blood was trickling down my leg, so we stopped haha.  This makes the third time in a row, I think I need some sleeves, at the least, if not a form correction.

On a lighter note, check out my crazy face!

 

Assistance

Squats (60-90 sec rest)

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

135 x 10

Leg Raises (roman chair, 30-60 sec rest)

10

10

10

10

10

 

Real simple, real effective!  Did I mention I dropped 2 pounds this week?  I guess the 1RM testing agreed with me, as a sort of deload.  Then I went for a massage, reward!!

June 5 Arms, Calves

warmup:  5 min elliptical

 

Superset:  V-Bar Pushdowns & Fat Grip Cambered Bar Curls (rest varies)

95 x 20 / fat70 x 8

115 x 20 / fat70 x 8

125 x 20 / fat70 x 8

135 x 20 / fat70 x 8

 

Superset:  DB Hammer Curl & Assisted Dips  (rest varies, 3 second negative on the dips)

40s x 8 / (50%BW) x 10

40s x 8 / (50%BW) x 10

40s x 8 / (50%BW) x 10

40s x 8 / (50%BW) x 10

 

Superset:  Bent Over Overhead Extension & Incline Concentration Curls  (rest varies, extensions followed by partials out of the bottom ROM)

110 x 10, 5P / 25s x 10

120 x 10, 5P / 25s x 10

120 x 10, 5P / 25s x 10

120 x 10, 5P / 25s x 10

 

Superset:  Standing Calf Raise Machine & Dorsiflexion  (30 sec rest)

235 x 8 / 50

255 x 8 / 50

275 x 8 / 50

295 x 8 / 50

315 x 8 / 50

335 x 8 / 50

355 x 8 / 50

395 x 8 / 50

 

post workout:  30 min elliptical