ATPs lifting journal or "Where did my phosphate group go?"

[ATP]

Thanks fugly.

Yeah I've been wondering about that for a while as well. My squat is increasing way faster than my deadlift. I don't try to squat the deadlift up at all and I've followed the good instruction vids on deadlifts to no avail. I used to think that my hamstrings were the weak part but now I'm starting to wonder if it is my traps that's holding me back since they are the only muscle group which is kinda small and weak. So starting from now I'm gonna do a few rack pulls and perhaps some heavy shrugs as well to see if it helps.

When I'm squatting I have the bar just behind my delts, stance is about shoulder width stance.

 

[CaptainJ]

Thanks fugly.

Yeah I've been wondering about that for a while as well. My squat is increasing way faster than my deadlift. I don't try to squat the deadlift up at all and I've followed the good instruction vids on deadlifts to no avail. I used to think that my hamstrings were the weak part but now I'm starting to wonder if it is my traps that's holding me back since they are the only muscle group which is kinda small and weak. So starting from now I'm gonna do a few rack pulls and perhaps some heavy shrugs as well to see if it helps.

When I'm squatting I have the bar just behind my delts, stance is about shoulder width stance.

Do you do Power Cleans? They help immensely with the deadlift

 

[Fuglydude]

Sounds like you're doing a low bar squat. Like captainJ said, you'll benefit from powercleans as it really recruits your hips and upper back muscles. This will help to bring up your weak link. Are you doing any heavy back work like kroc rows, heavy dumbell rows, or weighted pull ups? I've noticed my deads have been slowly creeping up after I added heavier squats and continued to do intense back work.

My deadlift:bodyweight co-efficient right now is sitting around 2.6... watching youtube vids of guys w/ co-efficients in the 2.5-3 range, you'll see that most of the these guys pull w/ their backs after using their legs to get the initial launch off the floor. You're obviously training your legs pretty well... but step it up w/ your back, and I bet your deads will shoot through the roof!

 

[Fuglydude]

sorry... double post.

 

[ATP]

Do you do Power Cleans? They help immensely with the deadlift

I used to do them but I don't seem to be able to get the hang on the form so I've dropped them. It also sucks because in our gym we are not allowed to drop the weights for heavy sets of power cleans. In one of my earlier gyms we could pretty much as much racket as we wanted without anyone caring.

I could try to incorporate low weight PC until I learn the form. It seems to be hard when to do the thrusting movement and to catch it at the right spot at neck height.

Sounds like you're doing a low bar squat. Like captainJ said, you'll benefit from powercleans as it really recruits your hips and upper back muscles. This will help to bring up your weak link. Are you doing any heavy back work like kroc rows, heavy dumbell rows, or weighted pull ups? I've noticed my deads have been slowly creeping up after I added heavier squats and continued to do intense back work.

My deadlift:bodyweight co-efficient right now is sitting around 2.6... watching youtube vids of guys w/ co-efficients in the 2.5-3 range, you'll see that most of the these guys pull w/ their backs after using their legs to get the initial launch off the floor. You're obviously training your legs pretty well... but step it up w/ your back, and I bet your deads will shoot through the roof!

Thanks for the responses.

Atm I'm doing barbell rows for the upper back and lat pulldowns. Never really fancied the db rows that much even though the ROM is a bit longer, I get better "contact" with bb rows. For now I'll try to continue with the bb row and add in some power cleans, power shrugs and rack pulls.

I def agree with your statement though, the deads will probably increase a lot if I build up the back more. Did some rack pulls today and man I could feel that my back was the weak spot. I must have pulled with the legs a lot more than I should have had. Rack pulls are here to stay at least.



Todays workout

Db bench 8x41.5 kg
Db bench 6x41.5 kg
Db bench 3x41.5 kg

Rack pulls 5x130 kg
Rack pulls 5x150 kg
Rack pulls 3x150 kg
Rack pulls 4x150 kg
Just below knee level

Power shrugs 6x90 kg
Power shrugs 6x90 kg

It's like a clean but instead of pushing the bar to the neck I'm doing a shrug at the top. Thinking of just doing normal shrugs or jump shrugs.

Ab work

 

[ATP]

Todays workout, man I really felt that I had eaten less and had very little sleep a few days ago. Hopefully the next workout will be a lot better because of the cleaner diet.

Anyways here it goes

Squats 5x140 kg +1 rep
Squats 5x142.5 kg (313.5 lbs) +2.5 kg

Bent over rows 8x82.5 kg
Bent over rows 8x87.5 kg +2 rep
Increasing next time to 85-90. Felt very strong in the row today.

Lat pulldown 7x90 kg
Had to stop because I ripped a callous on my hand last time and it hurt like a mother****er on this one. Wanna be able to deadlift next time without bleeding all over the place.

Seated rows 6x90 kg
Seated rows 6x90 kg
Seated rows 7x90 kg

Calf raises 8x240 kg +10 kg
Calf raises 6x230 kg
Calf raises 6x210 kg
Calves were exhausted from the first set.

Good workout but I felt exhausted. Could use a day off with good food to prepare for the deads.

 

[ATP]

Todays workout, felt very nice. Finally the deads are moving up again.

Deadlift 5x140 kg
Deadlift 5x145 kg
Deadlift 5x147.5 kg +2.5 kg for 5 reps

Last set felt pretty easy, I think all the back work have helped.

Power cleans 6x50 kg
Power cleans 3x70 kg
Power cleans 6x50 kg

Not to max by any means but tried to nail the form.

Shrugs 3x8 on 140 kg on a machine, gonna use bar next time but I ripped open the callous I had torn last time so it started bleeding. Couldn't shrug with a bar.

 

[ATP]

Tired like a mofo today from a real monster/beach workout. We're supposed to do bb benches but it was taken so I had to do first set as db presses. Either way I felt pretty strong. I've definatly increased in strength. Weight is down to 87 kg (191) with clothes on (jeans and t-shirt).

Db presses 8x41.5 kg Not to failure, probably had 2 more reps in.

Pause bench 5x80 kg
Pause bench 3x85 kg
Pause bench 8x70 kg

By pause bench I mean pause at bottom and then push up. They are significally harder than normal benches.

Bent over rows 8x85 kg +2.5 kg
Bent over rows 7x90 kg +1 rep

Felt very strong today in the rows.

Lat pulldown 8x85 kg

meh... probably gonna switch exercise.

Power clean and press 3x40 kg
Power clean and press 3x50 kg
Power clean and push press 3x60 kg
Power clean and push press 3x70 kg (154 lbs)
Power snatch 5x30 kg (just tried)

Didn't feel very heavy, were checking form. It's a bit strange going down so low with hips on the start of a deadlift. Gonna try for 80 kg next time.

Biceps curl db 8x16.4 kg
Lol can't seem to increase this, gonna try to push and do a bit worse form on the heavier dbs.
Biceps curls olympic bar 6x35 kg
Biceps curls olympic bar 8x30 kg
Biceps curls olympic bar 6x30 kg
2 Set in biceps machine as well

Shrugs 8x120 kg
Shrugs 8x150 kg
Shrugs 8x150 kg
In a cable machine, my hands haven't healed up from ripping a callous so I'm waiting a bit with heavier bb work.

Forearm work 16.4 kg db 2 set each forearm

Rotator cuff work 4 set each cuff 5 kg db.

 

[ATP]

A bad workout today, it is probably due to having a 1500 cal intake per day the last two days. So, I'm dipping a little low on the cals and I'm gonna up them a bit so next workout will be better. I imagine my glycogen storage was used up yesterday and today I had very little reserves stored in my muscles. :nono:


Squats 5x135 kg
Squats 5x140 kg
Squats 5x120 kg

Lower back was dead since yesterday and I felt I couldn't stabilize as good as I usually do which had effect on the squats.

Hamstrings 6xfull stack
Hamstring, drop set from full stack down to about half the stack.

3x set Abdominal workout with 22.5 kg bb, need a heavier one next time. 15,10,8 reps

Went home after this, no point in staying if the energy isn't here.

 

[Fuglydude]

All your workouts can't be good... and last time I checked 5 x 140 isn't what I'd call "bad"!

Nice hamstring strength. You probably naturally have very few muscular imbalances in your legs/hips/glutes to allow your squats to have come up so fast.

Just eat more over the next few days and lift hard your next workouts!

 

[ATP]

Aye that's true. Some are just ****, though it's never fun to come to the gym and feel like you're wasting your time. Squatting has always been easy for me for some reason, i guess I'm a natural squatter but a bad deadlifter just like you're great with few reps but not as good on high rep work.

Been eating more now and I had a lot more energy than last time. Legs were still sore though from the squats.


Deadlifts 5x150 - +2.5 kg PR!
Rack pull about two inches off floor 3x150 kg
Rack pull about four inches off floor 5x150 kg
Rack pull about four inches off floor 8x130 kg
These hit my back so damn hard it's not even funny. I guess my legs are doing most of the work in the normal deads.

triceps extensions 8x42.5 kg

Didn't wanna push tris since I got bench tomorrow. Went home after this, only came for the deads.

 

[ATP]

Phew another workout. It went OK.

Bench press 5x80 kg
Bench press 5x85 kg
Bench press 3x90 kg
Bench press 2x90 kg

using new lifting technique, not quite used to it yet but I feel a lot more stable on the bench than before. The main thing is that I feel that my chest is getting pounded hard which is a good indicator I think.

Db bench press 8x31.5 kg
Db bench press 10x34 kg

Used a tad bit lighter weight than usual because my elbow have been giving me some issues since I lifted off 60 kg from above my head without warming up. It acted up a little today so I kept perfect form just to be on the safe side. Paused at the bottom on each rep.

Bent over rows 8x87.5 kg +2.5 kg
Bent over rows 6x92.5 kg +2.5 kg
Bent over rows (tad cheating) 4x95 kg

Gonna stay at these weights for another workout and get 8x92.5 on second set before I increase again.

3x sets Ab workout /w 10kg plate behind neck

Skipped arm workout because elbow was sore, gonna take it a bit easy with presses and stuff until it heals up a little more. It hurt a lot more last time so I think it's getting better allready even though I did bench today.

Edit: I think my power is starting to come back for now, been eating more and today was one of those mediocre workouts following a too low cal intake. Still I nailed some improvements.

 

[ATP]

Yay Pictures

There we go, I thought it was time to add some pictures. I swear the camera I am using is adding 5% body fat or something, i look waay more defined in the mirror. Gonna buy me some new shiiizzz to photo myself with.

http://yfrog.com/juatpj

1st pic: Back relaxed
2nd: Latspread
3rd: In front
4th: Legs without calves cause they are too tiny :yes:

 

[Fuglydude]

Good shoulder girdle. If you want good pics get a nice harsh overhead light and try and get something shining from the bottom to softly fill in the shadows.

 

[ATP]

Good shoulder girdle. If you want good pics get a nice harsh overhead light and try and get something shining from the bottom to softly fill in the shadows.

Thanks m8, I'll try out that tip the next time I take some photos. Gonna get a higher res camera as well so details are more visible.



Great workout today - 3 PBs in one go.

Squats 5x140 kg
Squats 5x145 kg (319 lbs) +2.5 kg PB!
Squats 6x120 kg

Legs were allready fried when I came to the last set, couldn't lift for ****.

Stiff leg deadlifts 8x110 kg (242 lbs) +5 kg PB!
Stiff leg deadlifts 5-7x110 kg +5 kg
2 set ham curls 10 and 5 xtwo block less than max

Felt a tad bit heavy but still had good contact in hams. Grip were giving me issues but I guess that's good that my grip is getting hammered.

Also instructed a buddy of mine on how to bench properly since he have had shoulder issues. So I did some bench presses today as well

Pause Bench 8x50 kg
Pause Bench 4x70 kg
Pause Bench 3x80 kg
Pause Bench 7x90 kg PB! (198 lbs, touch and go on last rep)

Only one working set, rest was just warm up and illustrations on how he should lift. Emphasized leg push, flexing ass, not dipping elbows below bench, pushing shoulderblades together and tightening core. Pretty sweet how his bench turned from wobbly lifts to nearly textbook perfect benches. He said he felt a lot more in his chest now than before so I guess it was thumbs up.

I think I hit a PB because he helped me lift the weight off so I could maintain pressure in my body while I benched. It's way harder to lift off by myself and maintain it since the bar is so ****ing high up and I can't get it down without pushing shoulders a bit forward. Anyways, 90 kg felt really light today.

Biceps curls 8x19 kg +2.5 kg
Biceps curls 8x19 kg (3 cheat curls)
Concentration curls 8x13.something per arm

Rotator cuff exercises

 

[ATP]

Bench press 6x90 kg
Bench press 5x95 kg +5 kg

Db presses 6x41.6 kg
Db presses 4x41.6 kg

Bent over rows 8x90 kg
Db rows 31kgish x8 just tried them

Seated rows 8x85 kg
Seated rows 5x90 kg

Pull-ups Rest pause 8x4x1

Went good today. Been having slight back ache, been sleeping in a bad posture I think, didn't dare to push the bent over rows.

 

[ATP]

First day without back pain. I think I have narrowed it down to the calf raises and rack pulls. I'm doing them exactly like I should but I think my abs are too weak. After reviewing the program I'm on I will switch out the sit ups because I think they target my hip flexors or some **** and not my abs. Anyway, went VERY careful with lifts today.

Deadlifts 6x110 kg
Deadlifts 2x130 kg
Deadlifts 5x130 kg
Deadlifts 5x140 kg

Good mornings 5x60 kg
Good mornings 5x80 kg
Good mornings 5x85 kg
Good mornings 5x80 kg

These were soo damn awesome. I could feel my abs getting ripped up inside when I did them. awesome feeling. It hit my back as well but I felt that the abs had to do loads of work which is why I think my abs are kinda weak.

Since I've been having a bit of elbow pain when holding onto the squat bar I used wider grip today and tested the elbow out.

Test, liftoff from rack and standing still with weight on back.

15secx110 kg
15secx130 kg
15secx160 kg
15secx180 kg
15secx200 kg

Elbow felt good so I guess I'm good to start squatting again.

Bar hold double overhand, no chalk15s 110 kg
Bar hold double overhand, no chalk10s 130 kg
Bar hold double overhand, no chalk10s 110 kg
Bar hold double overhand, no chalk15s 110 kg

Sit ups until failure x3, about 10-12 in each set

Biceps curls db 8x19ish kg
Biceps curls db 4x21.5 kg + static hold for about 20 sec on last rep.

I'm happy that my back felt great and I'm gonna start doing a lot more good mornings.

 

[ATP]

haven't been to the gym in a while, got no gym card atm and I only have money to pay for scarce food so I'm doing my best to get back to it. Motivation is through the roof though.

 

[anglotalis]

Forearm exercise with a dumbell 14 kgx8
Forearm exercise with a dumbell 16 kgx8
Forearm exercise with a dumbell 16 kgx5

 

[ATP]

I think you might have ended up in the wrong journal m8.

Finally got gym membership again and a healthy supply of food. Had my first workout since a long while and it felt beyond awesome.

Started off with db presses

8x33 kg
8x36 kg
8x33 kg
4x33 kg

5x130 kg
6x130 kg
4x140 kg

Was happy to get 140 pretty easy. Especially since I was dehydrated like ****... It has been remedied now though.

Leg press (real one, switched gyms). Only managed to warm up on 100 kg before I got cramp in one of my calves. It is probably due to sodium deficit since I've been sweating like **** and eaten very little salt. Bought salted candy after the workout for quick carbs + sodium/chloride.

Seated rows 8x70-80 ish? kg
Seated rows 6x70-80 ish? kg

Biceps curls 8x16 kg
Biceps curls 6x16 kg

Went home after this. Just wanted to get the body back in trim. I've lost about 3-4 kg I think and a bit of fat. Strangely I havent lost a lot of strength while almost fasting. Maybe it is leg mass though, the squats will tell.