Quagmire911 Lifting Journal

[Kerpal]

I always get confused when people talk about "parallel". Are we talking hamstring parallel to floor? Top of thigh parallel to floor? The imaginary line created by the hip crease and the top of the knee parallel to the floor?

This is why I like the deadlift. It's the true test of strength. You either pick it up and lock out or you don't.

 

[MrS]

Supposedly it's when your hip passes your knee.

Deadlift is easier, but still, some people go upright, others lean back into it, all that jazz. With the squat the easiest to show depth is the olympic so called ass to grass squat.

 

[Quagmire911]

Monday

Pretty productive today. Here it is:

Bench 95kgx3x1 (209lbs) PR-Pretty pleased with this, as it was my previous 1RM. I am trying to follow the 5% solution with bench where you increase the weight 4-5% each workout and do one rep less than the week before. However both last week and this week I had to increase more than 5%, so I expected to get 3 reps rather than 4 reps. On the second set my wrist did something funny which may or may not have thrown me off, I just kind of died anyway. I don't think there is much point in continuing with the 5% solution as I can't do it properly with bench, as it is asking to much. So I reckon next week I will max out. 2 plates here we come...

Close grip 75kgx8/9 (PR?)-I got 8 on my own and my dumbass friend who has been coming with me in the last few weeks helped on the 9th at the top. So it may have been a PR, but I can't count it which sucks. Next week.

Rows 70kgx5x5x5-Reckon I have the form down on these. Time to bring them up.

One arm OH press 30kgDBx5x5 PR-Decent. Right is still stronger than the left.

Pullupsx9x7-Improvement on last week. Bw is around 180ish still. More like 185 with clothes etc on.

Oh press hold 50kgx15-20sx3-This was an exercise I saw for the core where you hold the weight at lockout. Was pretty difficult, especially on the lower back. Tried to do overhead squats for the core, but there was a flexibility issue I reckon.

GPP-Rowing 10 minutes-Quite a fast pace Between 2-2.5minutes for 500m. The last 15s was all out, same as last week. Did 2230m+ which was a bit more than last week. It was also quite a bit easier.

And that was all. Pretty good day. Will do some cardio tomorrow, squats+deadlifts (PR time!) on Wednesday, until then...

Quagmire

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Very nice bench. The ohpress sounded pretty intense. Good luck on the squats+deads...don't friggin hurt yourself because I've noticed you've been doing 1 rep maxing a heck of a lot lately. I may have to take a plane to the UK and beat your a$$ if you do.

 

[Quagmire911]

Thanks Stallion.

Do you mean beat up? Not a chance of that happening .

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Thanks Stallion.

Do you mean beat up? Not a chance of that happening .

Your forgetting the fact that you'll be injured and I've got like 50 pounds on you Might want to start eating :crackup:

 

[Quagmire911]

Your forgetting the fact that you'll be injured and I've got like 50 pounds on you Might want to start eating :crackup:

We'll see

Note: Ran up from the station again today. Felt fine on the heart, but my legs didn't like it at all. Lots of lactic acid in them.

 

[Quagmire911]

Wednesday

Decent day today. Here it is:

Wide stance box squats 102.5kg 6x2-Felt like I was getting more hip drive today. Like I was being pulled forward at the hips, which is good. Something new happened on the 4th set which has never happened before. I heard a loud tear, and I knew it couldn't be boxers, and yes my trousers ripped. My friend was with me so I went and changed into his jeans for the rest of the workout, which you will see.

Sumo deadlifts 170kgx1 185kgx0-Was close to locking it out but I couldn't. I was pissed as I was videoing this and didn't want to let you guys down, so I had another attempt and told myself to stop being a ***** and have at it. So yeh I was pissed off now.

185kgx1 (407lbs) PR-Walked up to the f***** and went right for it. Made it my bitc*. I will post both videos, first attempt, and second attempt. At the end of the second I do a thumbs up thumbs down to my friend as I didn't know if I got it or not, turns out I did Again, no belt or anything, all raw. Here are the videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezXJCHrQmRU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPyqEFb3qaI

Romanian deadlifts 115kg 2x10 PR-My grip struggles with this for some reason. I feel like I could do more too. Perhaps beacuse you don't actually set it down like a regular deadlift, but are holding it throughout the entire set.

Hip abductor 45kgx15x15
Hip adduction 100kgx15x15

That was all. Pretty happy with how things went. Tommorow will be some cardio and plyo pressups and whatever else. Will update with what I do, until then...

Quagmire

 

[Lifeforce]

Hey great job on the deadligt man. Grats on breaking 400! Looked like it went up very easy.

 

[Quagmire911]

The first attempt I messed up, didn't get the setup right. It was a lot slower off the floor than the second attempt. Still had trouble locking out on the second but it came off the floor pretty well.

And you have already congratulated me for 400+, but thanks

 

[Lifeforce]

Oh lol, I'm reading so many journals, not only on this site Add ADHD and you've got yourself one guy having hard time to make sense of it all having information whirling like a washing machine in your head.

Ye looked like you burnt some ATP by doing a light push before actually lifting and having legs bent instead of just going there and lifting.

 

[Quagmire911]

Thursday-Extra work

Bi curls 70lbs 3x10
COC No.1 Overcrushes, holding for 5s. 1x6 each hand.
Door grabx2
Pullups 3x4

Would have done cardio but I buggered my knee running yesterday. Sucks as it was pretty much back to normal. I did get some cardio though, and that is all I will say. The knee doesn't feel to bad, should be alright in a few days. The right shoulder is still iffy at some angles as well, I may deload soon.

 

[Quagmire911]

Monday

Last week of benching as the main move, going back to military press for 3-4 weeks as of next week. I decided to max out this week, and I also decided to do a small intensity deload. IE I didn't do as many sets as usual but kept the intensity high. Haven't deloaded in a while and I don't really feel the need, so this is why I did it this way. Here it is:

Bench press 102.5kgx0-Missed it. It didn't feel particularly heavy and I knew I had it in me. I reviewed the video and on the way up my elbows flared a bit and the bar tracked towards my head, so my technique went off. I also forgot to take my shoes off. When I leave them on my feet can slide and don't feel very stable on that surface. So keeping all this in mind, I had at it for a second attempt. Here is the failed attempt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX0kC3WRVE0

102.5kgx1 (225.5lbs) PR-Maintained form better, so I got it. First time doing 2 plates a side. I wanted to do 225+ so as to get the American standard as well though Sticking point is around 6-8" off the chest, I reckon tris are the weak link. Military pressing provides quite good overload for the tris and I will probably do close grips as a supplementary move although I am thinking of doing dips as I haven't done them in a while. In the video you will notice I lay on the bench for about 15s after it; I got tunnel vision as I was pressing through the sticking point and stayed on the bench until it went away. Just as well I didn't pass out Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1FxQ2mbC4o

Rows 72.5kg 2x5-These are feeling a lot better form wise. Sould have got videos, will soon.

Overhead press 50kg 2x8-Had a few more reps in me on each set, but I was just trying to prep the move for starting next week.

Standing abs 40kgx10 45kgx10-Doing these on the lat pulldown. I got a video so that people can tell me if they think I am doing them properly. Checked it against a westside/elitefts video and it looks pretty similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOuDnmtt_1A

GPP-Rowing 10 minutes, last 15s all out-2310m-I have made improvement in the distance every week, and I have been in better condition afterwards every time. Good stuff.

That was all for today. Pleased with how bench is going, that was a 7.5kg improvement on my 1RM from when I last tested it. It is nearly not total s*** now.

My goals now are 3/4/5, but I suppose there are stepping stones along the way. Bench 1.5x bw will be around 270, although over 250 will be pretty cool. Squatting 2x bw will be 360 will also be decent. Deadlifting 2.5x will be 450 on the deadlift. This is based on my current bw of around 180, although I will haven't checked it in a week or two. When I get down to it I will strip of around 10lbs of fat and add 10-15lbs of muscle. 180-185 at 10% or thereabouts.

That is all for today, some cardio tommorow, will possibly put it in. Until next time...

Quagmire

 

[Quiksilver]

Awesome Quag! Reading your journal gets me fired up for the next workout.

Good work on the 225.5 bench, and enjoy the tunnel vision I had that by the 16th rep of a 20 rep squat session last year, and it gave me a queasy feeling.

Realize that by the time you hit 3/4/5 your chest will be pretty thick. From my experience, guys can bench 225 and still have relatively flat chests but once you get up around 275-315 you're gonna have some nice pecs.

Race to 3/4/5! I got plenty of catch-up to do, and if you beat me then race to 4/5/6!!!

have fun with the cardio tomorrow bro.

 

[EFFORT]

good job man

 

[Lifeforce]

Hey grats on two plates a side on bench! Too bad in the first vid that you got out of balance or you'd have it. Quite the feeling to be push two plates on the bench. Kinda like one is leaving the newbieness behind and turn into an intermediate lifter.

GL with the 3,4,5 it's my goal as well

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Nice lift buddy. Looking good!

 

[Quagmire911]

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

I did a lot of walking today so I decided that would do it and I would forego HIIT and give my CNS a break. My knee is nearly 100% again and I thought not doing burpees or whatever today would be a good thing so as it is fresh for squats tommorow. Right shoulder still twinges occasionally but is fine on benching and overhead work. So I am nearly in 100% health again which is good.

Will update tommorow,

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Wednesday

Wasn't feeling it today, probably should have done an intensity deload but I just did a voume deload. It isn't so much my strength wasn't there, it was mentally. I picked up a bit towards the end I suppopse. Here it is:

Squats 140kgx1 (308lbs)-(1"-2" below) 120kg felt s*** and the 140 actually felt better. I got a video but I am not going to load it right now. Maybe tomorrow. I still think the angle of my back isn't upright enough. I'll see what others think when I load it. Looking at the video I think using a box for depth was still throwing my form off a little. Will have to rectify if this is the case.

Sumo deadlifts 105kgx25 (231lbs)-This was fun, never done it before. My hips were killing me after it.

Bi curls 35kgx10 PR 40kgx8 PR-Good going I suppose, even if it is curls

GPP-Rowing 6 minutes-Went at a faster intensity today. Pretty much 2 minutes per 500m the whole time. Did a bit over 1500m.

So yeh I PR'ed but I didn't feel very energetic. Had to force myself towards the end on the rowing. That is all for today, until next time...

Quagmire

 

[Rampage1]

Wow, thats alot of reps for that weight on the Sumo's...is the principle of this similar to that of the 20 rep squat? Primarily for growth!

Btw, you wouldn't think about taking any supplements to increase energy during workouts? I tried some today and they seem to give you more energy...more energy = better performance