Post: #226

Great bench workout yesterday.

Bench press - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 5 x 185
5 x 3 x 195

Standing overhead DB press - 4 x 8 x 45 >ss> Bend over BB row - 3 x 8 x 135

Decline DB flys - 3 x 15 x 20 >ss> Reverse DB flys - 3 x 12 x 20 >ss> Standing tricep pull over with plate - 3 x 12 x 45

195 was a comfortable weight. Not too taxing, maybe should have done 4 rep sets. May move up in weight next week.

Post: #227

Some more progress last night squatting.

Squat - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
1 x 4 x 225
5 x 3 x 255

RDL - 1 x 12/10/8 x 185/205/225 >ss> Reverse hyper - 3 x 12 x 90

Leg press - 3 x 12 x 290 >ss> calf raise - 3 x 15 x 290

Dude squatting next to me complimented me on my form during my working sets so that was great to hear. Still not using a belt workouts are feeling great. Between the heavy squats, RDLs, and reverse hyper last night I was really hammering my back and it still feels great.

Post: #228

Hit a PR tonight for the first time in a long time:

Overhead Press - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 6 x 115
1 x 4 x 135
5 x 3 x 140 >ss> pull up - 5 x 5

Incline bench - 3 x 8 x 135 >ss> bent over BB row - 3 x 10 x 135

Side lateral raise - 3 x 10 x 22 >ss> side lateral cable pulldown - 3 x 10 x 40 >ss> tricep pulldown w/ rope - 3 x 10 x 80 >ss> facepulls - 3 x 10 x 80

Flipped through my workout journal and can't find any point in time where I was repping 140 on overhead. Felt great to hit those sets. Last reps weren't even all too grindy. Noticing my assistance movements are going up too.

Post: #229

Fantastic deadlift session tonight. Feeling stronger by the day I've here.

Deadlift - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 8 x 185
1 x 5 x 225
5 x 3 x 265

Squat - 1 x 10 x 135/155/175 >ss> BB hip thrusts - 3 x 10 x 135

Bend over BB row - 4 x 8 x 185 >ss> reverse hyper - 4 x 8 x 140 >ss> dips 4 x 8 x 25

These DL working sets did not feel bad at all, and I recorded myself and form looks pretty damn tight still and not using a belt still. Nice neutral spine throughout the lift, hips not rising early all movement happening fluidly, and lockout is tall and straight with no bar wandering during concentric or eccentric. Only personal critique is that I'm doing cheat reps. I'm not resetting every rep and I'm not even really doing touch and go. I'm lifting up again about an inch or so from the floor every rep. Going to work on doing whole reps with reset moving forward.

Post: #230

Is this your first time doing hip thrusts? I've added in lunges and frog pumps. Having strong glutes makes everything FEEL better, hard to explain.

Post: #231

I've been incorporating them into my deadlift workouts for a few weeks now but yeah I never did them before a couple weeks ago. Great workout. The reverse back hypers are great glute excercises too. If you go to a gym that has a reverse hyper machine I highly recommend.

Post: #232

Bench press workout was great! More numbers climbing back up.

Bench press - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
5 x 3 x 205

Pause bench - 3 x 6 x 135

Bent over BB row - 3 x 10 x 135 >ss> pullover complex - 3 x 10 x 50 >ss> DB flys - 3 x 10 x 25

Was really happy to get those sets in at 205. Reps were great. Solid no grinding. Was training with a friend and showing him some stuff so we did pause bench so I could help him out with some cues. Feeling good over here.

Post: #233

Had my first "bad" day at the gym since I started back up again. Despite the fact I was super motivated, I was really short on energy for some reason. Had to back off weight and reps moved slower. Still got in a great workout just my performance was not what it has been, though my pullups are getting really good. I also cut out my warmup with 95 on the bar which is a possible factor too.

Squat - 1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
1 x 4 x 225
1 x 3 x 245
1 x 3 x 255 (last rep was a real grinder so I back off)
3 x 3 x 245

Pendlay row - 3 x 10 x 135 >ss> RDL - 3 x 10 x 135

Belt squats - 3 x 12 x 200 >ss> calf raise - 3 x 15 x 100 >ss> box jump - 3 x 10 x 1.5'

Just felt a little gassed this workout.

Post: #234

Was feeling spry tonight so I worked up to a heavy single on OHP. I say "heavy single" and not "one rep max" because I did more warmup then I would do if I was going for a true max effort lift. Anyway I put up 145 pretty easily but couldn't lockout 155 so I'm thinking about 150 is my true max right now.

OHP - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 6 x 115
1 x 4 x 135
1 x 1 x 145
2(failed attempts) x 1 x 155
5 x 3 x 140

Incline DB press - 4 x 8 x 60 >ss> Pullup - 4 x 6

Side lat. DB raise - 1 x 10 x 25/22/20 >ss> weighted dips - 1 x 10 x 25/22/20

Post: #235

Short deadlift workout earlier today but moved up in weight again. Went to the gym on an empty stomach so was a little lacking on energy. Weight felt a little heavy and reps were slow but I took video and it looked better than it felt. Still good form and steady movement.

Deadlift - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
1 x 5 x 225
5 x 3 x 275

Post: #236

This threads been going for a bit over a year now. From the first post:

Quote:Based on current 1RMs as of 4/26/16:

Bench Press: 230 lbs (~104 kg)
Squat: 275 lbs (~125 kg)
Dead Lift: 315 lbs (~143 kg)

How much have your 1rm's improved over this time?

Post: #237

Difficult to say because I hurt my back last year and took a lot of time off in the late summer - early winter, but the last time I ever truly tested 1RMs was last summer and they were:

Bench: 235
Squat: 300
Deadlift: 365

I may test 1RMs again before the end of the summer.

Post: #238

Bench tonight was another great workout. Working weight of 205 is moving pretty easy.

Bench - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
5 x 3 x 205 >ss> bent over BB row - 5 x 8 x 185

OHP - 3 x 8 x 105 >ss> Seated row - 3 x 12 x 110 >ss> dips - 3 x 12

Should have done less reps with the bent over rows. I didn't hurt myself but the last 3-4 reps were total cheat reps. I'm all for using some body movement on bent over rows but when you can barely pull the weight you should back off.

Asy weekly increases in weights taper off it may be wise to start increasing reps on my working sets. Maybe go to a 5 x 5 then try to move up in weight, or change up programming to heavy days/high rep days something along those lines. We'll see.

Post: #239

Squats today worked with 255 but depth was questionable every set so that weight may be a bit much. Might stick with 245 for the time being and build up more muscular​ stamina.

Squat - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
1 x 4 x 225
5 x 3 x 255

2" deficit DL - 3 x 8 x 185 >ss> calf raise - 3 x 20 x 120

Belt squats - 3 x 8 x 290 >ss> pendlay row - 3 x 8 x 135

Post: #240

OHP was feeling heavy today. Switched up my weight/rep scheme a bit for my working sets.

OHP - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 6 x 115
4 x 4 x 135 >ss> pull up - 3 x 5 (slow and strict)

Incline bench - 3 x 8 x 135 >ss> bent over BB row - 3 x 8 x 135

Side lat. raises - 3 x 10 x 20 >ss> DB skull crushers - 3 x 10 x 20 >ss> deficit DB curl - 3 x 10 x 20

Post: #241

Your belt work seems backwards on the squat. It's more common to use the belt for your heaviest work sets. The high-rep sets are designed more for hypertrophy so getting extra poundage out of your belt isn't as advantageous as it would be if you added 50 pounds to your 5x3 sets. In any event, the belt won't get you stronger, it just helps you lift more.

Nice bench.

Post: #242

I don't use lifting belts. Belt squats are a squat where you saddle the weight from your hips with a strap:

Post: #243

Deadlifted last night. Had a decent workout, kept the working sets at 275. Weight didn't feel quite as taxing as last workout but still felt heavy. Took a video of one of my sets and form is still tight so that's good. Warmup sets all felt really light. Even 225. My body could barely even differentiate the weight difference between 95 and 135.

Deadlift - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
1 x 4 x 225
5 x 3 x 275

Weighted roman Chair Dips - 3 x 15 x 45 >SS> Seated row - 3 x 12 x 120 >SS> Cable pulldown - 3 x 15 x 40

All the squat racks at the gym were taken up so I was unable to get in my squats which was unfortunate.

Post: #244

Bench today was fantastic. Upped my reps and weight still felt easy and moved quick. Could have done sets of 5 or thrown a nickel on there and been fine.

Bench press - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 6 x 185
2 x 3 x 205
3 x 4 x 205

Bent over BB row - 3 x 8 x 185 >SS> Incline DB press - 3 x 8 x 55

Cable cross over - 3 x 12 x 40 >SS> Seated row - 3 x 12 x 110 >SS> Dips - 3 x 12

Post: #245

Used a belt for the first time today during squats. Felt like superman. Changed up my workout a little today. As the weight increases are tapering off I will start to modify/totally change my programming to something more varied or maybe even less linear. Time will tell. Anyway I did box squats today and even though I used lighter weight the increased depth made it much more taxing to get out of the hole so I through a belt on to aid.

Squats - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 8 x 135
1 x 8 x 135 w/ 1' box
1 x 6 x 185 w/ 1' box
1 x 4 x 225 w/ 1' box
4 x 4 x 225 w/ 1' box and lifting belt

RDL - 3 x 8 x 185 >SS> Bent over BB row - 3 x 8 x 185

Walking lunges w/ axle bar held overhead - 4 x 50' x 35 >SS> Calf Raise 4 x 18 x 115

Got a wicked calf burn going from the raises. Could have upped weight on lunges as quads weren't on fire as much as I'd like. Box squats are exhausting.

Post: #246

Decided I want to move to a new program starting next week. I will be trying out Investment Bro's program.

Getting my 1RM's this weekend to plug in to his spreadsheed he so generously provided and will begin monday. Did upper body maxes today, will be doing lower body tomorrow.

OHP - 1 x 6 x 95
1 x 2 x 115
1 x 1 x 135
1 x 1 x 155 (went up fairly easy no grind)
Failed attempted at 165 and 160. Possible I could have hit 160 if I had tried that first instead of 155 but I can't turn back time.

Bench press - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 4 x 135
1 x 2 x 185
1 x 1 x 225
BARELY missed 245. Made 2 attempts and failed inches to lockout both times (left side weak/imbalance). Dropped down to 240 exact same result, but at this point I was gassed. For the sake of programming I'm going to call it 240.

Post: #247

Good job on the bench. That's a solid improvement.

Post: #248

Maxed on deadlift and squat today. Lost a lot of strength ony DL since last year unfortunately.

Squat - 1 x 6 x 95
1 x 4 x 135
1 x 1 x 185
1 x 1 x 225
1 x 1 x 275 w/belt
1 x 1 x 305 w/belt (questionable depth)

Deadlift - 1 x 8 x 95
1 x 6 x 135
1 x 1 x 185
1 x 1 x 225
1 x 1 x 275
1 x 1 x 315 w/belt
Failed attempt at 365
Failed attempt at 345
1 x 1 x 335

I may have had more strength if I didn't max squat beforehand but either way I knew my DL would be lacking. Either way I wasn't trying to impress myself just getting numbers for programming. Rest tomorrow starting new program Monday.

Post: #249

^^ as a general rule when testing 1rm, never add a higher weight increment than you did for your last set.

For both your deadlift and squat, you added 40, 50, 40, 50 before getting to your top weight. Those increments should have been steadily diminishing as the total weight increased.

Going from a 315 attempt to 365 in one go, it's no wonder you failed - 50lbs is a huge increase if you're already getting into the higher reaches of weight you can move.

I would have started with a much higher weight, then added maybe 50, 40, 30, 20 lbs with each set.

Something like:

Squat
1x 5 x 165
1x 3 x 215
1x 2 x 255
1x 1 x 285
1x 1 x 305

After 10 reps, you were at 135, after 10 reps, I'd be at 255. You dont want to be wasting your energy at the bottom end.

Deadlift
1x5x 185
1x3x 235
1x2x 275
1x1x 315
1x1x 335

This is a much smoother progression that leaves you fresher for the business end. It took you 17 reps to get to a challenging D/L weight, this would take just 10.

Post: #250

I know what you mean. I did the higher reps to get more warmed up and I was moving up in 25/45 plate incrents which is why the 40/50. Next time I'll keep that mind though thanks.