Fugly's lifting journal...

[Fuglydude]

Thought I'd start a lifting journal to help me keep track of progress...

Current stats: 26 yr old, 5'8" - 170 (no idea on bf%). I've been up as high as 190 at 17% bf, but don't like being that big unless I can do it lean and with good CV conditioning...dont' like to be completely gassed climbing up a flight of stairs.

1 RMs in pounds:
* all lifts done raw...yes I squat below parallel. Goals are in brackets.

- Back Squat: 325-330 (400+)
- Front squat: 280-285 (330+)
- Deadlift: 430-435 (500+)
- Powerclean: 225...this seriously needs to go up. (275+)
- Bench: I bence maybe once a month because I have really bad rotator cuffs...last time I did my bodyweight for 10 reps. (300+)

Background:
- ~9 years in the trenches.
- Former high performance athlete in bobsled and track.
- Currently I just work out for aesthetics and strength.

Diet:
- Aim to get 200 g protein per day. Calories vary but 2500-3000 per day...ya I know this is low.
- I eat maybe 2-3 servings of complex carbs per day (trying to increase) and 10 and up servings of fruits veges (trying to decrease this, as I have to spend a lot of money on toilet paper).

Supplements:
I have the luxury of working at a supplements place so I get access to cheap supplements as well as samples.

- whey protein isolate.
- Fish oil.
- Multi.
- vitamine A/D
- Stress B w/ C (take this pre-WO...its great!).
- glutamine.
- Pre-WO stuff (whatever I have sitting around).
- Tribulus.
- For thermos: I have some hydroxycut...that I use generally for pre-WO.
- Herbal diuretics: use these only before photoshoots.

Lifestyle:

I'm a pretty busy guy. I go to school fulltime, currently starting up my practicum (~40 hours a week...boo!), have 2 jobs, soon only one, and strip on the side as well. Needless to say I don't get too much sleep.

Current split:

- Deadlift day
- Arms day (isolation work for arms).
- Squat day
- Scapular stability day (basically a push/pull day for chest/back).

I have pics posted around...will post some updated back shots soon...

Tonight is a cardio day... tomorrow scap. stability day...

 

[EFFORT]

Do dips give your rotators problems? What kind of benching cause RC problems? (Heavy, flat, incline, decline, all?)

 

[Rampage1]

interesting routine...good luck with your journal

 

[Drum&Bass]

I'm catching up to you, better stay on your game.

 

[Fuglydude]

DnB... i'm always on my game!! Your diet and recovery regimen are probably better than mine, so you got me there!

EFFORT... I get sore rotator cuffs from wider grip flat bench press. The movement itself isn't that uncomfortable, but I definitely feel the effects over the next few days as my shoulder feels chronically sore and "loose". I don't have any problems doing incline dumbell press with relatively heavy weights as long as I keep my form tight. And no dips dont' bother the RCs.

Journal Update (may 15/08):

I decided to lift today. Did my scap. stability routine. Been sitting in front of a computer all day doin a large assignment, so I had to go and let off some steam.

Pre-WO supplementation:
- 2 caps hydroxycut HC (it was free)
- 1 serving NANO vapor (it was also free)
- 6 caps of NIOX (It was really cheap)
- 1 GNC mega man multi
- Stress B w/ C complex

I'm a firm believer in pre-workout nutrition/supplementation.

I had excellent intensity, focus and strength today, which was a welcome change from how its been lately. I did a fairly high volume routine just becaues I felt so damn good. here's the routine:

- Some warm up core work including hanging leg raises and crunches. Abs are still a bit sore from front squats 2 days ago.

- 5 x 5 regimen alternating incline dumbell press with one arm bent over dumbell rows. Used 85 lb dumbells, and got 7 reps on the 5th set for press and 6 reps on the 5th set of rows. I like to do as many as I can on the 5th set. Burned out on rows using 40 lb dumbells supersetted with the 85s. Gonna go to 90s next session. Gotta love NIOX for the vascularity and pumps!

- Bench press alternated with bent over barbell row. Did 1 set of 165 x 5, and 2 sets of 175 x 5 on flat bench press with a wide grip. Shoulder felt ok. Did bent over rows with only 2 sets of 115 x 10 reps. I still have trouble retracting my scapulae and maintaining tight form with the barbell row so I use a lower weight.

- Next was seated row using a wide grip bar to emphasize scap. stability. Alternated these with push ups on a swiss ball while my buddy was kicking the ball forcing me to really tighten up and stabilize my shoulders. Got 6-8 reps with 115 on the row and 12 push ups on the ball...for 2 sets each. Could have done more, but at this point my motivation and form were both compromised.

- Finished off with hammer strength shoulder press 3 sets of 45s' each side x 10 reps. This was alternated with bent over row using an EZ curl bar: 3 x 10 with 85 lbs.

* post work out weight of 169. Post WO nutrition, 40 g whey isolate with 5 g glutamine and sugar from a slurpee...there was a really hot girl at the convenience store too, haha, not sure why I'm mentioning that.

Overall was a really solid work out. Next is the dreaded deadlift day...

 

[EFFORT]

I'd switch over to dips for chest work in your situation.

 

[TheHoff]

i think your cool fugly, but I wouldnt listen to the above post...dips put alot of stress on your shoulders! Effort should have known better

 

[HandyAndy]

God damn 300lb benchpress?

 

[simon]

i think your cool fugly, but I wouldnt listen to the above post...dips put alot of stress on your shoulders! Effort should have known better

If dips don't hurt his shoulders, he should do dips.

 

[Fuglydude]

Thanx for the input on dips guys...i'll have to add that to my scap. stability day.

May 20th/08

Today was deadlift day...It was a long weekend here, so my diet/rest weren't great. Still, I had 4 days off to recover. I did play frisbee once this weekend, and had sex a few times...that was it for physical activity.

Pre-WO supplements:
- 40 g whey isolate w/ 5 g glutamine.
- 1 multi w/ 1 stress B w/ C.
- 1/3 bottle (1.33 servings) of ENDORUSH energy drink (this is awesome!).

Routine: (Bat this is for you)
Warmed up w/ singles and some power cleans.
- singles to 405:
- Did 1 x 405.
- Attempted 435 (failed).

* I use a 5 x 5 regimen.
- Basically I try to get 5 sets of 5 reps. When I can do 5 x 5 I up the weight.
- Today got 4 x 5 w/ 345 on deads. Only got 2 last set.

- PowerCleans: These are performed after deadlift.
- Did 3 x 3 w/ 185. My grip and back were pretty sore by the end.

- Split Jerk: These were performed after powercleans.
- Did 3 x 3 w/ 155. I'm very wary of this movement as its an overhead movement that bothers my shoulder.

* Depending on how I feel I'll also do accessory work such as leg curls and calf raises, but didn't do these today.

Post workout nutrition: 40 g whey isolate w/ 5 g glutamine. Again had a slurpee post WO...haha gotta love that.

 

[Drum&Bass]

I see your getting into the olympic lifts, very nice, whats your reasoning for it ??

 

[Fuglydude]

We used to do a lot of that stuff along with plyos when I was sledding and for track... For me I just like how it feels. In addition I think doing low rep and heavy olympic lifts at the start of your routine really fires up your nervous system without using up metabolic reserves. It's always been a good warm up for me, but now I through them in all over the place.

I think those lifts have a great beneficial effect on overall athletic ability (which affects aesthetics), as well as real life applications, ei: being strong, explosive when hauling stuff around, etc.

 

[Fuglydude]

Update... trained arms today.

only have like 45 minutes, so did minimal core work. I usually do some core at the start of arm day.

I'm gonna start using narrow grip bench and weighted dips for my tri's.

Today:

Narrow grip bench:
set 1: 135 x 5
2: 155 x 5
3: 185 x 5
4: 195 x 5
5: 205 x 5
These felt really good and strong.

Seated bicep curl:
- basically max out with 35 lb dumbells. I can only get 6 per arm with these so I do as many as I can. 2-3 sets.

Weighted Dips:
- 1st set: 90 x 5
- 2nd set: 90 x 4 (coulda have done 5, but was coming forward too much)
- bodyweight dips: bodywt. x 9

Finished with some core and more isolation work for arms.

Overall felt pretty good thanx to the narrow grip bench and weighted dips. Gonna try doing 2 plates on narrow bench next work out!

 

[Fuglydude]

Update: haven't been posting because I'm really busy with other stuff and have had very limited internet access from my home... I've had close to 72 hours of rest so was looking forward to a good work out today.

anyways...last WO:
- Scap. stability day mixed with some deads and olympic lifts.

* hanging leg raises: 2 x 15 and front plank x 45 seconds.
* incline dumbell press: 90 lb dumbells x 10 on the first set. (this is a PB...I was under 165 lbs bodyweight after my WO today so I felt pretty good!)
* 2nd set 90 lb dumbells x 8; 3rd set: 5 reps.
* one arm bent over dumbell row: 90 lb dumbell x 8 on 1st set.
* 6 reps on second and 5 reps on last set.
* Deadlift: first set 315 x 8 (this was a joke...it felt great)
* 2 sets: 3 x 385.
Switched to hang cleans after:
- 155 x 5
- 175 x 5.

Clean and jerk:
- 155 x 2 (i hurt my shoulder on my second rep, so discontinued the set)

Chin ups: bdywt x 20 (wide grip, just one set) ...haha, gotta love being light for these.

- finished up with some lighter cable isolation work for my chest. Weighed 164 lbs after workout!

overall felt really good today, especially considering I only had 3 hours of sleep last night.

K, gotta eat and and go crash....

 

[Fuglydude]

Update: August 8th.

Have been slacking a lot lately, but the rest should mean that I have a good work out!

Deadlift day:

Warm up:

Hang cleans:
135 x 5
185 x 3.

DL:
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3 (haven't been able to hit this for a while!)
415 x 1
425 x 1
435 ... failed.

365 x 7 (2 sets)
315 x 5 (wide grip) 2 sets.
225 x 8 (wide grip) 2 sets.

Did some face pulls and 2 x 10 of body weight pull ups. My goal w/ pull ups is to get to 30+. Currently personal best is 23 x body wt.

I'm starting a bulking diet currently using PVL's mutant mass, so we'll so how that turns out. I was a little disappointed at my failure at 435, but I know I'll be back up to that weight soon.

Post WO wt of 165 (75 kg) on the electronic scale.

 

[Fuglydude]

Been a while since I updated this. September has been kinda crappy for training as I've been on the road and haven't been 100% healthy for the majority of the month. Still trying to work on a good high calorie diet that my body tolerates well.

Highlights this month include 275 (125 kg) x 6 for back squat, and 255 (116 kg) x 3 for a front squat. The front squat is a personal best! I'm slowly starting to get a feel for the width of stance that maximizes my squat based on my individual biomechanics. I'm changing up my routine to have separate days for chest and back/shoulders. I figure these days are generally lower intensity than my squat/deadlift/conditioning days, and will probably help bring up my chest. I also need help with upper back and general back thickness. It will be a bit of a departure from my regular routine, as it will be higher volume and less resistance/intensity.

Diet this month has been crappy. Plus I've been smoking weed regularly. I'm back to normal as of October though, so diet and training will be solid again.

Last squat work out:

warm up (cleans/stretches/BW squats)
- back squat 275 x 6 for 2 sets
- back squat 225 x 8 for 2 sets
- front squat 245 x 3 for 1 set
- front squat 185 x 8-10 for 2 sets (these were surprisingly hard!)
- back squat 155 x 15 for 2 sets
- Weighted narrow underhand grip pull up:
* (BW + 45) x 8 for 3 sets.
* 15 pushups for 3 sets immediately after pull ups.
- also did hip stabilization work by doing pistols. (3-5 reps/side for multiple sets intermittently).

Today's Deadlift workout:

- Warm up: Powerclean/hang clean and stretches.
Powerclean:
- 155 (70 kg) x 3
- 200 (90 kg) x 2
Hang clean:
- 155 (70 kg) x 3 for 3 sets.
- Pistols: 3/side for 2 sets.

Deadlift:

- 370 x 6 (felt strong!)
- 370 x 4 (didn't feel strong! Something was off, the lift didn't feel good).
- 370 x 5
- 370 x 5
- 370 x 3 (was fairly worn out by this point and was disappointed for not nailing 5 reps).

I found that my deads felt a lot stronger when I lay down between sets and relaxed. I think it really helped to relax my lower back.

Wide grip deads:

280 x 8 for 3 sets

Straight leg deads:

280 x 8 for 2 sets.

Finished with some more pistols and a few sets of pull ups...just did 10 x BW so don't really count these as work sets.

Can't wait to get back into it full throttle again!

 

[Quagmire911]

What were you thinking for the new routine lay out?

Start logging routinely! I want to see a 500+ deadlift. Stallion, yourself, and I are now in the race! I think yours is the best deadlift by quoefficient, unless you have put on weight-but you are the oldest .

How are your rotator cuffs doing? Have you switched to a closer grip for the majority of your bench work?

 

[Fuglydude]

Quag, new routine is designed to add strength and hopefully some size as well. With the higher volume of chest work and separation of back/shoulders from chest I hope to get thicker up top as well. I've largely been neglecting my chest, so I figure this will be a good change up.

Previous routine was:
- Front squat day
- Push/Pull day (back/chest/shoulders)
- Back Squat
- Deads.

Now I've just separated the Push/pull day into two different workouts, and merged the back squat/front squat together. I'll emphasize back squats sometime and front squats at other times.

As for rotator cuffs, I don't really do bench work. I do incline dumbell press and hammer strength shoulder press to assist with stabilization. I've also reduced my frequency for split jerks. These changes seem to be helping. Dips aren't really bothering my rotator cuffs, and I'm at the stage where I can do 6-8 reps with 100 lbs around my waist.

Still at around 170, so deadlift coefficient is still like 2.5ish...I had it upto 2.6 there for a bit when I was lighter! 500 for me will take a while to fall!

 

[I-tallionStallion]

You'll get there Fugly. Routine looks fun, you did a $hitload of deads the other day! Damn, that didn't sound fun to me haha. Good job.

For the record my deads have always been a little over 2x bodyweight.

BTW I want to see a video if you get the 500lb dead

 

[Fuglydude]

You'll get there Fugly. Routine looks fun, you did a $hitload of deads the other day! Damn, that didn't sound fun to me haha. Good job.

For the record my deads have always been a little over 2x bodyweight.

BTW I want to see a video if you get the 500lb dead

Haha, when I get it, I'll take a video and archive it so one day I can brag to my grand kids about it!

I think your deadlift coefficient will be considerably higher once you start cutting down and getting leaner.