Fugly's lifting journal...

[Fuglydude]

Aug. 25th Update:

Push Pull day.

Warm up with core, reverse crunch, rotator cuff work, stretching.

Unilateral one arm incline dumbell press (UIDP)

65/side x 8
65/side x 7
65/side x 7

One arm bent over dumbell row:

105/side x 8 (personal best!)
105/side x 6
65/side x 12 (surprisingly hard!)

Reverse grip benchpress:

Decided to establish a 1RM for this movement today:

135 x 5 (speed work)
185 x 4
205 x 6
225 x 4
235 x 1
245 x 1
255 x 1 ... My spotter had to give me a light "tap" through the sticking point... I'm not going to count this as a lift, but I'm sure I can do it when I'm not fatigued.

Sternum Pull ups/Chin ups:

BW x 8
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6

Used a variety of grips for these.

Hammer strength shoulder press:

50/side x 8
50/side x 6

Also did some light rotator cuff work, anterior and lateral raises. Post WO wt of 177.

Deadlift day is next...

 

[Fuglydude]

Trained deads/dips prior to leaving to go camp this weekend.

Deads (Aug. 27th)

warm up w/ core, hamstring stretches. All weight is in pounds.

Deads:

135 x 3
225 x 1
315 x 2
365 x 1
405 x 2 (felt off)
415 x 1 (felt crappy)
425 x 1 (felt a lot tougher than it should have and my form was crap)
335 x 6 (no problem!)
365 x 5 (grip was a slight issue)
385 x 3 (fatigue was setting in at this point)

Dips:

BW + 90 for 6
BW + 115 for 5
BW + 115 for 6
BW + 135 for 4 (chest didn't bother me too much for this)

One arm overhead dumbell squat:

80 x 5/side
80 x 4/side
80 x 4/side

Pistol

25/side x 5 for both right and left leg
25/side x 5 for both right and left leg

I did a fair bit of hiking and white water rafting this weekend. It was a nice change up from the gym.

Today, Sep. 2nd, was squat/chins

Warm up with core, dynamic stretching, powercleans

Powercleans:

135 x 5 (hangclean)
185 x 3 (hang clean)
205 x 3 (power clean)

ATG squat

135 x 8
225 x 6
255 x 5
255 x 5
255 x 5
255 x 5 (this was tough)

Chin ups:

BW + 90 for 6
sternum chin ups x 8
BW + 90 for 6
BW x 20
BW + 90 for 6
wide grip chin up and stretch

one arm overhead dumbell squat:

85 x 3 per side
85 x 3 per side
90 x 1 for right side (couldn't stabilize weight after 1st rep)

Pistol:

25/side for 6
25/side for 6 (tough after all that leg work!)

Static lunch:

2 x 25 lb dumbells for 8 reps/side

Seated bicep curl

25 x 8
25 x 8

Post WO weight of 178. Felt quite good today thanks to the rest and change up this weekend. Tomorrow is push/pull day.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update Sep. 9th:

Took a week off of training over the labour day long weekend and a few days around it.

Deadlifts/Dips on first day back.

Currently transitioning to higher reps.

warm up w/ core work, hamstring stretches, powerclean

Powerclean:

135 x 5 (hang clean)
185 x 5 (hang clean)
205 x 3

Deadlifts:

225 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 6
365 x 6
385 x 3 (felt off for this)
365 x 6
365 x 5
365 x 6
365 x 1 (static hold)
365 x 1 (static hold)

Dips:

BW x 6
(BW + 90) x 8 (last rep was quite tough!)
(BW + 90) x 8
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 5 (fatigue was starting to set in here)
(BW) x 3 (super slow w/ a 10 count up and 10 count down)
(BW x 2 (same as above)

Simple heavy work out...

Post work out weight of 180.

 

[Colossus]

Damn that's some volume on those deads!

Good weight for the dips, too.

 

[Fuglydude]

Damn that's some volume on those deads!

Good weight for the dips, too.

Thanks man... I'm coming off cycle now so I think I'll just stick to 6-8 reps and high sets and more modest weight. I figure if I stay away from non-compound movements, I'll get tired faster and this will get me out of the gym faster.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update Sep. 11th:

Trained Squats/Chins today. Again continuing the theme of lifting higher reps/volume but lighter weight.

Warm up:

Stretches, stationary bike for 5 min., more stretches, core warm up, powerclean

Powerclean:
* Standard protocol for me is 135 (hang) x 5, 185(hang) x 3, 205 x 1-3

I alternate squats and chin ups to work different muscle groups and "stay fresh".

Front squat:

205 x 7 (this was quite tough for the last couple of reps...I'm thinking about using them more in my routine)

Back squat (ATG outside the rack... that way I HAVE to get it up!)

185 x 6
245 x 6
245 x 6
245 x 6
245 x 6
245 x 6
245 x 4 (felt off... too fatigued)

Chin ups (Narrow grip)

(BW + 90) x 7 (last rep was tough and I'm not sure I had full contraction)
(BW + 90) x 6
(BW + 90) x 7
(BW + 90) x 6
(BW + 90) x 4.5 (couldn't get the last rep all the way up)
BW x 18 (was going for 20, but wimped out)

Pistols:

55 (27.5 x 2) x 5 per side for 2 sets.

Overhead one arm dumbell squat:

75 x 6 for each side
70 x 5 for each side (this was done as one of my last exercises so fatigue was high)

Seat dumbell curls:

27.5/side x 6
27.5/side x 8

Surprised how tired my arms were at the end of my work out.

Overall I felt beaten up today. The high volume ATG squats and weighted chins are to blame. People might think pistols are easy but man do they ever take you down hard especially when done at the end of your work out!

 

[Fuglydude]

Sep. 13th

Today was Push/pull day

Warm up w/ leg raises, core work, one set of sternum chin ups and rotator cuff work, and other stretches.

Incline dumbell press:

My pectoral tendons felt a bit better than last week, but still not close to 100%

60 lb dumbells x 8 ... these were pretty easy. Did 3 sets.

Bent over one arm dumbell row:

105 x 7 (per side)
105 x 7
105 x 5

lateral raises (super-setted with incline press)

7.5/side x 8

Reverse grip bench press:

Felt quite strong at these today.

135 x 6 (speed work)
185 x 5 (no problem!)
205 x 6 (felt strong)
225 x 5 (felt decent)
225 x 5
135 x 6 (speed work)

Seated wide grip row:

I wasn't really doing these for strength, but just to stretch my back out following the reverse grip bench.

80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10

Hammer strength shoulder press:

55 lbs of plates/side x 6 for 3 sets.
(I'm not sure what the actual total resistance was...these were tough)

Finished w/ some pull ups. Just bodyweight today.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update: Sep. 15th

Deads/Dips today.

I'm off cycle and starting PCT. This involves using clomiphene use for the next 30 days at 100 mg PO daily x 10 days followed by 50 mg PO daily x 20 days.

Clomiphene is an interesting drug to say the least. It makes me blow big loads, but I also feel like a whiny little bizatch... Needless to say I didn't have the greatest mental intensity or motivation to train today.

Warm up:

* standard powerclean warm up - the 205 x 3 set.
* Lower back/hip/glute/ham stretches.
* Some hanging leg raises.

Deads:

225 x 3
315 x 3
370 x 6 (these felt really good)
370 x 3 (something was off...my lower back didn't feel right)
315 x 5 (w/ a full reset between reps)
...at this point I realised my lower back wasn't at 100%. I just did static holds for the rest of my deads. Static holds are done until I can't hold the weight anymore.

315 x 1 (static hold)
315 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
365 x 1
225 x 1 (wide grip)

I think I'm gonna spend the next several weeks really concentrating on getting my squat/legs and abs stronger. I think these will ultimately help in increasing my deadlift.

Dips:

BW x 5
(BW + 90) x 8
(BW + 115) x 7 (personal best!)
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 3 (was gassed by this point)

Pistols:

30/side x 3
20/side x 5

Donkey calf raises

120 x 15
(I've never really trained my calves directly before, so I'm gonna start)

Finished off with a couple of tricep cable work sets.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update: Sep. 18th

Push/Pull day today: I'm continuing to modify to routine to incorporate higher reps and lower weight.

Warm up:

Core work, back/shoulder/pec stretches, rotator cuff warm up.

Incline Dumbell press:

90's x 10 (personal best!)
90 x 8
90 x 6

Pectoral tendons are starting to feel a lot better. Will try 95 lb dumbells next work out for 10 reps.

Bent over one arm dumbell row:

105 x 8 (each side)
105 x 6
105 x 5

It was weird how fast I tire out after doing these.

Reverse grip Bench:

Today just focused on speed work.

135 x 6
135 x 6
135 x 12 (pretty tough!)
135 x 8

Chin ups:

BW w/ a variety of different grips. Did these to stretch out my back more than anything. Total of 50 reps in 4 sets.

Finished off w/ light shoulder work.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update: Sep 22nd: Deads/Dips today

Warm up:

Stretches, core, lower back/hamstring stretches.

Deadlift:

135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 1
405 x 5 (Personal best!)
425 x 1
445 x 1 (Fail)
365 x 6
365 x 6
365 x 3 (losing form and really fatigued at this point)

Dips:

BW x 8
(BW + 90) x 10 (personal best!)
(BW + 135) x 5
(BW + 135) x 4
(BW + 115) x 7
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 5
BW x 2 (super slow dips)

Pistols:

25 lb dumbells/side x 6 for 2 sets/side

 

[Quagmire911]

405x5, sweet!!!

Do you reckon you would have made the 445 had you not done the 405x5? Based on the numbers you should be able to do.

And those are some sick dips. Keep it up...

Quagmire

 

[Colossus]

Great deads. You're catching up to me!!

I think if you abbreviate your DL workout you will be able to pull more weight, if that is your goal. You are doing tremendous volume.

If your 1 RM is ~425 currently, maybe try something like this, after a thorough hamstring and low back stretch:

135 x 10
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3
430 x 1
445 x 1

Not a drastic change but you'll be saving power for the singles. I bet you could get 445 or damn close.

 

[Fuglydude]

Thanx guys... Quag, not sure if I could have done the 445. I've done 445 once before, and it was a struggle, but I was able to lock it out. The 405 felt light so I just thought I'd try for a few reps.

Colossus, I'm still a ways off of 500! My all-time 1 RM is 445. Deads are kind of frustrating for me just because I've been stuck in the 430-445 range for a couple of years now. I do like your set/rep scheme though.

I've been working out less frequently lately just to let my body recover better because I'm coming off cycle. I hope this helps my workouts.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update: Sep. 26th

Squat/chins

Warm up:

Core, hip/glute stretches, ham/quad stretches, BW pistols.

ATG Back Squat:

135 x 10
225 x 10 (was pretty tough)
245 x 7 (personal best)
245 x 6

ATG Front squat:

185 x 7 (was tough towards the end)
195 x 3 (had too much fatigue)

Chin ups:

BW x 12
(BW + 90) x 7
(BW + 90) x 6
(BW + 90) x 6
BW x 14

Pistols:

25 lb/side x 2 x 5/side

Finished with some hip ext. and bicep curls. I'm gonna switch over to higher rep squats I think. They're tough, but my legs are seriously lagging, so its something I need to work on.

 

[Colossus]

Finished with some hip ext. and bicep curls. I'm gonna switch over to higher rep squats I think. They're tough, but my legs are seriously lagging, so its something I need to work on.

If your legs are lagging I'd suggest heavy squats and high rep leg presses.

Try working up to max doubles for a month in the parallel squat, then hit 2-3 sets of 20 rep leg presses, with a weight you could do for 12 reps normally. Do whatever it takes to get 20 reps.

Also belt squats build tremendous leg size if you have access to a weight belt and a platform you can stand on.

 

[Fuglydude]

Colossus thanx for the input on the 20 rep leg press. I actually tried it today, and it was tough, even with a really light weight!

Trained squats/chins Oct 5th.

Warm up w/ core work, stretches, BW pistols and powerclean

ATG Front squat:

205 x 6

ATG Back squat:

135 x 5
225 x 3
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5

Chin ups:

(BW + 90) x 8
(BW + 90) x 8
(BW + 90) x 7
(BW + 90) x 6
BW x 10

Pistols:

22.5/side x 6 x 2 sets

Leg press:

20 x 2 plates/side x 2 sets

Finished w/ leg ext. and some bicep curls.

 

[Quagmire911]

Try making that a 20 rep squat

Those are some great chins, get some videos up man! Try and aim for a bw+bw chin. Can you do a one arm chin yet?

 

[Colossus]

bw + bw chin would be ridiculous! I'll leave that goal to the lighter guys

Keep up those 20 rep leg presses man, and go even heavier with the squats if you can.

 

[Fuglydude]

20 rep squats... :nervous: ... I haven't done them in a long long time. I'm gonna do more leg press because its a movement I hardly ever do, so will provide my body w/ a different sort of stimulus.

The one arm chin up is still a bit out of reach. My goal is to be able to do 6-8 reps w/ 3 plates and dips w/ 4 plates. That's a BW+BW dip!

Colossus, should I still do ATG squats or switch to box/parallel squats. I've grown quite accustomed to ATG squats, and I'm not sure how my numbers would be w/ a parallel squat.

I'll try and get some vids up... problem is I usually train alone so really no one to take vids.

 

[Quagmire911]

I train alone too unfortunately. I set up a camera on a bench.

20+ leg presses are hard, but 20+ squats/deads are even harder. Keep the squats as low as you can.