Quik's Workout Log

[Quiksilver]

Now take the 1x10 and make it a 20 repper

That's a sickening thought...

--

In a year or five, warboss and effort might have to step down as the big guys in here

 

[Quagmire911]

That's a sickening thought...

--

In a year or five, warboss and effort might have to step down as the big guys in here

It's already happening, but Shhh don't let them know or they will stop helping us up the ladder

 

[Quiksilver]

Friday, September 21, 2007

A. DB Sit-ups(Heavy) 3x6

warm-up: BWx6
set1: 6x5lb
set2: 6x5lb
set3: 6x8lb

B. Incline Bench 2x5

set1: 5xbar
set2: 3x135
set3: 1x155
ws: 2x175 (f)
ws: 5x160
ws: 4x160 (f)

I don't know why I tried to hit the 175.. foolish move, it cost me the last workset rep.

C. Flat Bench 2x8 pause/explode

ws: 8x135
ws: 8x135

(didn't have another rep in me)

I can feel the lactic acid build-up doing these now. Fun and draining movement.

D. Skullfvckers 3x8

set1: 8x50
set2: 8x50
set3: 8x50

E. Lateral Raises 3x10

set1: 10x12
set2: 10x12
set3: 10x15

--------------

Just got my bf% checked. I'm at 16% now, which is as high as I'd like to go. I've been back at it for two weeks, now it's time to crack down on diet. While I've been eating a lot, I haven't been eating smart... time for carb cutoff, green tea, and timing the bulk of my carb intake at breakfast and around workout.

The week after next is when I'm starting offday morning cardio again.

This ball is rolling now, time to pick up some speed

Been sleeping like an idiot this week, time to fix that as well.

Until next week.

 

[BluEyes]

edit: nm

 

[Quiksilver]

Monday, September 24, 2007

A. Barbell Row 3x5

set1: 5xbar
set2: 4x95
set3: 3x115
ws: 5x140
ws: 5x135
ws: 5x135

Cut down on warmups, starting to increase the weight.

B. Barbell Curl 2x10

set1: 10x58(Reverse) +8
set2: 10x58 +8

Had abit of confusion here on the weight of the curl bar.

C. Rack Dead 1x3 max

set1: 5xbar
set2: 4x135
set3: 2x185
set4: 1x225
set5: 1x250
ws: 3x280 +5

just for fun, because I was feeling fresh, I also took a risk and went for these:
extra: 3x315 (didnt think I would hit this, but felt good.)
and I took another ambitious risk:
extra: 1x405 ( I can't believe I hit that! It took a second to get the bar off the rack, but once it was up it felt great. Grip was questionable though, and only did one rep. By the way, my rack deads are done with the middle of the barbell lining up with the center of my knees.

I don't know why, but I still feel like progressing from the 3x280 and not skip ahead to 3x315. Injury prevention mabye..


D. Good Mornings 3x12 light

set1: 5xbar
ws: 12x100
ws: 12x100
ws: 12x100

I'm still wary of fixed leg good mornings. I'm definitely going to take these up slowly..

Good workout though, starting to feel strong again! :box:

 

[Quagmire911]

I don't know why, but I still feel like progressing from the 3x280 and not skip ahead to 3x315. Injury prevention mabye..

Remember your age! It is your job to act irresponsibly and do too much and get a lot of injuries!

On a more serious note, if you can bloody well do 315 then bloody well do it! Just add in another warm up set! You big softie!

 

[Warboss Alex]

By playing it safe you will never make the right sort of progress. My belief is (from personal experience) that if you are truly going to progress at the optimum rate, you will get injured sometime - if you don't you're not really training.

note that this is -NOT- a hardcore, 'no pain no gain' snippet.. it is simply saying that injury is always a risk with heavy weights, and injuries due to pursuing a heavier weight (and not because you were arsing around) are not shameful; they're part of the package.

take all precautions to avoid injury while doing the lift - warmups, joint protection, good form etc but do NOT hold back on the weight out of fear it will hurt you. no-one is going to hurt themselves with 315, man up and lift the weight.

 

[spesmilitis]

How does an injury occur if you've taken the right precautions?

 

[Warboss Alex]

How does an injury occur if you've taken the right precautions?

because you are (or will be) dealing with such heavy weight that it is simply too much for your muscles, despite everything else (technique, warmup) being in place. simply because it's a heavy piece of slag iron.

look at Dave Tate and his list of injuries for example. can you say the guy doesn't know how to warmup or has bad form? no way. he just kept lifting extremely heavy weights.

same with Dorian Yates and his bicep tear. his form was great, but he was another guy who continually pushed heavier and heavier weights.

heavy weights are a dangerous thing.. because they're just that, heavy.

 

[Quiksilver]

Another reason is that I find when I jump weights, if I were to stop lifting for a few weeks, I'd fall way back in progress. Whereas if I take them up slowly and hit every step on the way to the top, then I won't fall as far.

example:

Lift 270 one week. Next week I skip and lift 315. Then I take 3 weeks off. Come back and can barely hit 270. much less 315.

The slower route is to go from 270 to 315 in 5 or 10lbs increments. If I take 3 weeks off, and come back. I'll be able to hit 300 at least.

See what I'm saying?

Also, by jumping ahead in weights, there could be many variables to being able to hit that much higher weight. Mabye I had an adrenaline rush one day. Then I come in the next week and attempt to hit another +5 PR at 320lbs, because I was able to hit the 315 the week before. I don't hit it... And suddenly im stuck in a hurricane with my pants around my ankles. I now have to guess at which weight I should be targeting.

From my perspective, waiting a couple more weeks to get to that same spot is much smarter.

Of course, I haven't heard all sides of this yet, so...discuss.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Lift 270 one week. Next week I skip and lift 315. Then I take 3 weeks off. Come back and can barely hit 270. much less 315.

if you took 3 weeks off you wouldn't be able to hit 270 not because you didn't 'consolidate' that weight, but because you took three weeks off.

if you took a deload/cruise week you'd still be able to do that weight or maybe a LITTLE lower (but still 300+) - and possibly even higher than that because of the overload followed by the deload/cruise.

the issue here is not your weight progression but your break.. 3 weeks of no gym work is an extended break and you can expect to lose ground - regardless of how quickly you made weight jumps.

 

[Quagmire911]

Another reason is that I find when I jump weights, if I were to stop lifting for a few weeks, I'd fall way back in progress. Whereas if I take them up slowly and hit every step on the way to the top, then I won't fall as far.

example:

Lift 270 one week. Next week I skip and lift 315. Then I take 3 weeks off. Come back and can barely hit 270. much less 315.

The slower route is to go from 270 to 315 in 5 or 10lbs increments. If I take 3 weeks off, and come back. I'll be able to hit 300 at least.

See what I'm saying?

Also, by jumping ahead in weights, there could be many variables to being able to hit that much higher weight. Mabye I had an adrenaline rush one day. Then I come in the next week and attempt to hit another +5 PR at 320lbs, because I was able to hit the 315 the week before. I don't hit it... And suddenly im stuck in a hurricane with my pants around my ankles. I now have to guess at which weight I should be targeting.

From my perspective, waiting a couple more weeks to get to that same spot is much smarter.

Of course, I haven't heard all sides of this yet, so...discuss.

You are way over analyzing mate, just bloody lift the most you can

If you work up to 350x3 in the next 4-5 weeks and drop to 330 after 3 weeks of, it would be better than the alternative. However genes play a part I guess. I take 4 weeks of and start hitting PR's on deads right away.

I would also say if you can rack dead 405x1 you have no business doing 280x3...

Ps.-Is there a specific reason you have the barbell at knee level?

 

[Quiksilver]

You are way over analyzing mate, just bloody lift the most you can

It would appear that way, but frankly I don't think about it at all. It's more of just a way of doing things. I go into the gym and aim to hit a 5-10lbs PR every workout for as long as possible, rather than hitting a +30PR one day, going for a +30 the next week and missing it, ruining that workout and having to drop back however many lbs/kgs.

Most times I take advice, but rushing is not something I care to do. I'm in no hurry to put weight on the bar, and as long as every workout I accomplish a little bit more than the week before, I don't mind.

I'm sure if I really went in there guns blazin', I could blow away all my PRs(except on bench..bloody bar).

The thing you'll learn about me, mate, is that I'm a very patient guy... I've already posted my longterm goals in this thread, that I intend to hit a 405x5x2 squat, a 405x5x2 deadlift, and a 315x5x2 bench press. Whether I hit those now or in two years isn't really a concern to me, as long as I'm always moving toward those goals. You may intend to go further than that in your lifting career, but that's my stop on the train.

If I do it slower rather than faster, I'll remain injury-free too. The last thing I want is for all of those "you'll permanently injure yourself weightlifting" drones to be justified in saying that.

That being said... What ARE your lifting goals quag? Like longterm, one-day-i'd-like-to-..., type goals? One thing I'd like to do is be able to do a 407x20 squat. That's like "I've made it" to me

p.s. I have the bar at exactly knee height because I read that that is where proper rack deadlift starting point is. Once your knees lock out on a conventional dead, your pulling the bar from knee level. Why?

edit: unless you are talking lateral measurements.. I'm talking vertical.. my stance is shoulder width if that's what you mean.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Quik:

1. Rack deads should be done below the knee, 2-3"

2. You are overanalysing. If you are only strong enough for a 5lb PR, get it. If you feel you can get a 20lb PR, do it. You don't have to try for another 20lb PR next time. Your rate of progress is not linear.

 

[Quagmire911]

Your deadlift PR is 315x3, you have lifted that weight in the past if you can do it now, do it. Nothing you do until you better that is a PR.

As for my lifting goals, I had some up until July. This cycle I haven't put up specific numbers I want to reach but have stated some goals in my journal.
Short term I don't really have specific strength goals except to keep putting weight on the bar as quickly as my body will allow.

Long term is different. I know kind of what I'd like to do but it is whether it is feasible or not. I'm not interested in using belts/wraps/suits etc to assist my numbers.

In a hurry at the moment so haven't got time to go into more detail, later

Quagmire

Ps.-I repeat if you can rack dead 405x1, you can handle 315x3 without a shadow of a doubt. If your dead record is 315x3 your rack dead potential for that number will be higher.

 

[EFFORT]

Correct me if i'm wrong but i'm sure i had you doing them from knee level for sticking point reasons.

 

[Quiksilver]

Rack Deadlift from knee level- 1x3max

That's an excerpt from the workout EFFORT gave me.

Hmm... I'm not sure about any sticking point. I never really had one on Deads.. Either the bar moved off the ground on the first rep, or it didn't.

I was just assuming that it was from knee level because that's where you get no leg drive, correct me if I'm wrong.
-----

About the PRs and how I progress, what's the difference between hitting a PR now, or in 3 weeks? I truly don't believe going faster is smarter. I much prefer plodding along at a slower and more consistent pace that yields results. Sure some other guy who's "listening to his body" will progress faster, however, this flies in the face of the adage that you should only be competing against yourself.

And saying that I hit a 320lb dead 3 months ago means nothing. I would not be able to lift that bar with good technique as of now, so right now it's irrelevant.

 

[Warboss Alex]

That's an excerpt from the workout EFFORT gave me.

Hmm... I'm not sure about any sticking point. I never really had one on Deads.. Either the bar moved off the ground on the first rep, or it didn't.

I was just assuming that it was from knee level because that's where you get no leg drive, correct me if I'm wrong.

YOU GET NO LEG DRIVE FROM BELOW KNEE LEVEL TOO AND IT WILL BE HARDER - GO LOWER.

-----

About the PRs and how I progress, what's the difference between hitting a PR now, or in 3 weeks?

YOU WASTED 3 WEEKS OF POTENTIAL FURTHER STRENGTH GAINS OR CONSOLIDATION OF THAT WEIGHT, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, THAT'S NEARLY A MONTH. NOW I AM NOT SAYING YOU NEED TO HIT A PR EVERY TIME, BUT WHEN YOU CAN, DO IT, AND IF YOU CAN HIT A BIG PR, GET A BIG PR.

I DO BELIEVE YOU SHOULD 'OWN' A WEIGHT BEFORE MOVING UP THOUGH. I.E. IF YOU GET A PR AND IT WAS HARD, STAY AT THAT PR WEIGHT UNTIL IT'S EASY. BUT AT YOUR LEVEL WEIGHT PRS SHOULD BE HAPPENING AT LEAST EVERY OTHER WEEK

I truly don't believe going faster is smarter. I much prefer plodding along at a slower and more consistent pace that yields results. Sure some other guy who's "listening to his body" will progress faster, however, this flies in the face of the adage that you should only be competing against yourself.

And saying that I hit a 320lb dead 3 months ago means nothing. I would not be able to lift that bar with good technique as of now, so right now it's irrelevant.

Quik - you think too much.

 

[Quiksilver]

Dude, you say that, but before this came up I was hitting a +5-10lb PR every workout and not thinking about it at all.

I'm not saying outright "YOUR WRONG!!11!!", I agree I do think too much. But I'm at a point in lifting where I really don't think about how fast I put weight on the bar. I go in there every workout, grab the weights from last week, and a pair of 5 lb plates. It's not as if I come in here every week and ask "How much should I slap on the bar this week guyz??"

I don't really see what the big deal is... I mean, by your logic I should lower the bar a couple inches, and hit the 405x3. By mine, I should hit every step on the way to that weight. See what I mean? I'd rather hit 405x3 after hitting 355x3, 365x3, 375x3, 385x3 and 395x3.

Alex, I've incorporated everything you've told me to do for a long time now, but telling me to be reckless is something I just won't do. I stated a couple posts ago that I'm in literally NO rush to get where I'm going.

I believe entirely in not skipping steps, however tempting it might be. And for what? To lift an extra 40lbs?

I'm confident that I can PR at a much faster pace than I am, but I'm just not willing to push my body like that. As you know, i hope, there's more than just muscle involved in pressing big weights.. joints, ligaments and tendons all have to get thicker and more dense. Throwing up weight that does not stress your muscles, but taxes ligaments and tendons, is something that every gym rat can do.

p.s. Some stuff which you don't know is that I have a medical record with a long list of injuries and surgeries from my days in rugby, tennis, and skiing. I don't care to go through them now, but they have taught me not to get ahead of myself.

 

[Quiksilver]

Max Test Week

Finished first max test(4 weeks in):

Flat Bench - 3x200lbs up from 3x170 +30

Squat - 3x275lbs up from 3x250 +25

Deadlift - 3x275lbs up from 3x250 +25

Hoping to continue at this rate, with the addition of cardio. I can feel that my conditioning is not what it was when I was PR'ing, because I struggle more now regardless of weight than I did before. Some good cardio should do the trick. Also sleeping habits were a mess(5AM to 4PM some days), so now that that's under control, gains should accelerate.