Sometimes that's the nature of the beast. If you could add 5lbs to an exercise every week, in 4 years you'd be lifting well over 1000lbs :D

What's your cardio looking like? Any GPP? It could be as simple as increasing your work capacity through doing strongman type cardio such as wheelbarrowing or pulling a sled. And you certainly don't need to go out and buy a $180 masterpiece either. Mine was free from some stuff out in my garage.. My truck tire weighs 50 lbs by itself, so I took a paint can and started filling it up with the beach sand I've been pulling on until I hit 70 lbs.

Invaluable IME because after doing this for a couple of months now, not only has my strength shot up on my squats and deads, but I don't need to rest between sets half as long as I've done in the past.

Wednesday July 9th/2008

Weight: Hovering around 179lbs. I didn't gain or lose I don't think. Which considering I haven't done anything for a week I'm just happy not too have lost.

Deads
-60kg x 5
-80kg x 3
-100kg x 2
-120kg x 1
-140kg 3x3 (old PR)

Well this was a tough pull but this was my old 3x3 PR. It was definately not as hard as I remember it was last cycle though. So hopefully I still have another progression or so in me for deads. That would be sweet.

Front Squats
bar x 5
95lbs x 5
115lbs x 3
135lbs x 5
145lbs x 5
155lbs x 5

Decided to ramp it up a bit. Felt nice. Awesome depth and held perfect back arch the whole time.


Standing BB Military Press
- bar x 5
- 75lbs x 3
- 95lbs x 2
- 115lbs x 1
- 125lbs 3x3

I think I might have been supposed to do 120lbs this time but I was feeling strong and feeling like I should make up for the lost week of time. I really want to hit 135lbs 3x3 but we'll see.

Pull-ups
bw+25lbs x 3,3,3
bw x 6

One rep better then last time I did this on dead day. Nice.

Dips
bw x 5
bw+20lbs x 10
bw+30lbs x 10
bw +45lbs x 8

Felt strong here again.

Diet

Diet was not too bad today. The kitchen is slowly getting peiced back together so its getting better. However, its still not where I want it to be so I'm not going to post it up.


Thougths

Its good to be back.

IronWorker

Darkhorse: I think the sled drags would be some sweet HIIT. I think it would be way better then sprinting because it would feel more like weight training which is much more motivating to me. Also, I hear it helps with DOMS which would be great too.

IronWorker

Oh definately. Especially in conjunction with your goals.

Today I did 12 one minute pulls w/ 70 lbs in beach sand. My legs were killing me from my previous ME squat day, but now a few hours later they feel a little better with the increase in blood flow.

That is the true beauty of sled work it really helps flush out doms.I def agree on getting one IW,it sure is a great tool.

I think it would be pretty sweet to bring one to work and drag it out in the park at lunch. However, I think I'd get some strange looks especially with it sitting beside my desk.... lol imagine if it was a tire.

IronWorker

Saturday July 11/2008


Squats
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 195lbs x 3
- 215lbs x 1
- 235lbs 3x3

Changed down to 3x3. This was harder then it should have been....

Bench
- bar x 6
-135lbs x 4
-175lbs x 2
-195lbs x 1
-210lbs 3x3

This was also harder then it should have been.

BB P.Rows
-bar x 6
-30kg x 5
-40kg x 3
-55kg 4x8

Good form, solid.

Hanging Leg Raises
bw x10,8,5

Weak.

Pallof Press - variation
40lbs 3x5

Added in a torso twist to each rep. Much harder.

Thougths

Hopefully the weekday workouts feel easier.

IronWorker

Get some good rest. Hopefully that will help. Numbers are looking good.

what's left to do on the house?

Done so far:

- 2 bedrooms painted
- all window/door frames + doors painted white
- old cabinets out
- moved range vent hole
- new cabinets in
- drawers/doors put on
- handles on
- countertops done
- new dishwasher in
- new sink + faucet in and plumbed with new drain

Left to do:

- paint laundry room/dining room/ front entrance
- put toe kicks on cabinets
- remove carpet from front entrance/closet

and the big ones:

- tile laundry room/kitchen/dining room/ front entrance + closet
- paint living room

and finally: baseboards

And then clean the shit out of this place. So much DUST!

On a sweet note: I bought a 2003 Honda CBR 600 RR. Its in awesome shape and is soooooo fast. :biglaugh: I still have my dad's '74 CB 750 and will be hanging on to it for obvious sentimental value.

IronWorker

keep that bike forever man :)

i did some of that shit a few years ago to my buddies house...turned the upstairs into a master bedroom...put a shower in...new toilet, new vanity...ceramic tile...closet...drywall....

it was nice to have it all done :) good luck on finishing up :)

Good Luck with all the work IW, Renovating drives me nuts :)

Lol if I wasn't living in here it would be fun but when you have to deal with all the dust/noise/mess 24/7 it gets old pretty quick.

Thanks for stoppin in guys,

IronWorker

Monday July 14/2008

I ate a bit too much before this workout and my stomach was all knotted up. I still managed to have decent energy though.

Squats
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 195lbs x 3
- 215lbs x 1
- 240lbs 3x3

The last rep was a grinder but I made it. It was mostly because on the 2nd rep of the last set I didn't control my decent enough and I ended up way too far forward and that makes squatting WAY harder. lol I dug deep and drove it home though. Sweet. 245lbs was where I was stuck at last time so I'm hoping to be able to hit that. We'll see.

Bench
- bar x 6
-135lbs x 4
-175lbs x 2
-195lbs x 1
-215lbs 3x3

Also a slow grinder of a last rep but complete none-the-less.

BB P.Rows
-bar x 6
-30kg x 5
-40kg x 4
-50kg x 3
-57.5kg 4x8

We did these again today because we wanted to keep MP on a DL day because its gotten too heavy to have it on a bench day.

Dips
bw x 5
bw + 10lbs x 10
bw + 20lbs x 10
bw + 35lbs x 8

Pretty good for a bench day.

Pull-Ups
bw x 5,5,4,3

Pull ups always suck on row day but it went better then I thought. I was so F*in burnt out by this point. So hot in that gym.

Thougths

Well my energy level was pretty good until pull ups. This is why I'm lookin forward to starting a new program with only 4 exercises per workout. I think I'll be able to stay much more focused/intense.

My next couple workouts are going to be big days.

DL: 145kg 3x3 (this will be a 5kg PR if I make it)
Press: 130lbs 3x3 (old max is 140lbs)
Squat: 245lbs 3x3 (this will be 5lb PR as well)
Bench: 220lbs 3x3 (another 5lb PR attempt)

Soooo... I'm pretty nervous/excited to see what happens. I guess I should get to bed and rest up to prepare and start eating like a fiend.

IronWorker

Good luck for the upcoming weeks IW, those pullups are sure tough after a heavy squat and bench day.Training on a bloat can be hard too, but an extra inch or so on the waist can help your lifts tho so who knows. :)

yeah good luck coming up man :)

Thanks Boyz!

Wednesday July 16th/2008

Weight: 179.5lbs Up .5lbs according to last time.

Deads
-60kg x 5
-80kg x 3
-110kg x 1
-130kg x 1
-145kg 2x3, 1x2 (3x3 attempt)

Well I didn't make the 5kg PR like I'd hoped on this. I was really mad at the gym because for some reason I thought 145kg 3x3 was my last PR so I thought I had gotten worse. Now that I look though it is an improvement just not exactly how I wanted it. Oh wells.

Front Squats
bar x 5
115lbs x 5
135lbs x 5
155lbs x 5

No mirror today. That kinda felt awkward.


Standing BB Military Press
- bar x 5
- 75lbs x 3
- 95lbs x 2
- 115lbs x 1
- 135lbs x 1
- 145lbs x 1 (5lb PR)
- 135lbs x 2
- 135lbs x 1

Well the plan was 130lbs 3x3 but I couldn't find any 2.5lb plates in the whole damn gym. WTF So I just decided to max out. Made a bit of PR so thats good. Judging by the weights, I probably could have made 130lbs 3x3...or close anyways. I'm really stoked to start hitting MP way harder in the up and coming WS program.

Hanging Leg Raises
bw x 10,6,5

Well I've started doing these properly now. I found out I was swinging my legs back at the bottom and using the momentum to get more reps. So, now I'm slowly bringing them down to a stop where they are straight down and then brining them up again from there.

Pallof Press - Variation (more like a wood chop?)
40lbs 2x5
50lbs x 5

Thougths

So I was pretty mad while I was at the gym today but looking back, I made some PRs and I guess that is really all I should expect. I just get some things in my head sometimes and get down on myself.

Also, *really* stoked about starting a WS style program. I think it will be sweet! I need a change!

IronWorker

Friday July 18/2008

Squats
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 185lbs x 3
- 205lbs x 1
- 245lbs x 3

I stopped after the first set because my back was still too sore from deads. Damnit. My energy was great and power felt good but I didnt' want to hurt myself.

Bench
- bar x 6
-135lbs x 4
-185lbs x 2
-205lbs x 1
-220lbs 2x3

The last set just wouldn't go. So mad.

BB P.Rows

skipped these cause they hurt the back too

Pull-Ups
bw x 5,5,4,3

Dips
skipped


Thougths

One of the most frustrating days I've had in a long time. I went in feeling great and came out feeling like shit and frustrated. Bah.

IronWorker

Monday July 21/2008

Squats
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 185lbs x 3
- 205lbs x 1
- 225lbs x 1
- 245lbs x 2
- 245lbs x 1
- 255lbs x 1
- 245lbs x 0

Well I was going to try 245lbs 3x3 but it just wasn't going to happen so I just lifted as heavy as I could for today. I think my CNS is burning out. Need a deload.

Bench
- bar x 8
-135lbs x 5
-185lbs x 2
-205lbs x 1
-225lbs x 1
-235lbs x 1 (spotter just touched the bar...old PR)
-225lbs x 0

Well I'm kinda choked that I could quite hit my old PR. I hope it was just a bad day.

BB P.Rows
30kg x 5
40kg x 4
50kg x 3
62.5kg 4x8

Hanging Leg Raises
bw 3x7

Oblique Twisty Thing
50lbs 3x5


Thougths

Well this cycle has definately stopped progressing. I'm going to max out my lifts as soon as possible. Then I think I'm going to take a week and lift pretty light and work on flexibility and form.

Once again I dragged out this cycle too long and I think I burned myself out. :arg:

One good thing was I got a compliment on my bench (or maybe my squat). I asked a guy I worked with if he "lifted some mad weight today?" and he said "ya, but not as much as you with your 4 plates!"
That made me feel pretty good that someone at least noticed.

IronWorker

Enjoy the deload IW :) How you gonna go about it?

I think part of the reason you're not progressing is your exercise selection and volume. To me it looks like you cannot exclude any exercises you deem "the best", and try to fit them all into your scheme.. So soon thereafter, you burn yourself out.. Especially mentally walking into the gym with the idea that you have to hit a certain weight on each exercise and go for PR's.. Almost two years ago, I could not do a program that didn't have pendlay rows in it LOL. And that hindered my progress bigtime. There's also been many times where if I didn't hit a PR that I felt "let down" a bit because I base my workouts solely on increasing strength with those ME lifts.. Of course, that's completely wrong to think that way, and since then a lot of my success has been contributed to letting go of always looking for something better.

I would focus on your first exercise with low reps. You do NOT need to always go for a PR either. Just focus on getting the work in with your strength levels for THAT DAY. The rest of your workout you can focus on whatever supplemental exercises you want so long as you continue working on increasing the weight. They certainly don't NEED to all be sets of 5's either by any means. It anything, trying to keep the intensity so high for every exercise (and you picked all compounds) is part of the reason for the lack of progress.

For example, you do your deadlifts, then front squats, then standing OHP's to top that off (standing ohp is another full body lift). Personally I don't know too many people who can handle that kind of workload.

You need to stop thinking in terms of "here's exercises I'll die without and they all have to somehow fit my scheme" and start thinking in terms of PROGRESS supersetted with RECOVERY. Will you be lesser of a man if you focus your intensity on deadlifts, then move onto a high rep leg press vs. another free squat? Or using pullthroughs for your hammies vs. an SLDL? Or a couple of sets of 10 doing pulldowns vs. pullups? My point is simple. If you know that after that first exercise you'll be putting in some volume with more managable exercises without any added pressure of the infamous "PR", how likely are you to finish the workout strong and not start skipping exercises and getting down on yourself?

Is your CNS done or are you just mentally burnt out from putting so much expectations on yourself? If you were to go back in the gym with a much more managable format and the expectation that you're going to go only heavy enough to get the work in so long as you increase the weight weekly, would that lead to a more effective workout?

Finally, I hate to say it, but online journals are a big reason why so many people either do too much or fail. You're meeting perceived expectations and do not want to write down that you failed at a certain weight or that you did a few sets of curls when they aren't "optimal" or "popular". It's almost a kind of "peer pressure" to where you feel almost obligated to get those 10's on the bar instead of what YOU needed which was the 2.5's.. Or picking standing OHP's for sets of 5 vs. something "easier".

Darkhorse, I think you're right. I have kinda gotten trapped in the "Rippetoe box." Meaning, having the mindset that if I'm not progressing workout to workout then I'm failing.

This is the reason for my wanting to start the ME/DE style program. Each main lift gets its time and the rest are just kinda there to supplement.

I've outgrown this program (not sure what you'd call it now...its like half 5x5 and half SS lol). Its time for a change of mind and a change of programming.

Thanks for all the good thoughts Darkhorse.

As for the deload Hit, I'm not just sure yet. I think I'll just play it by ear.

IronWorker

I agree...

I think I warned you a while back about taking the rippetoe models and extending them beyond the rippetoe programs. That seems to be happening a lot and it just won't work. You can't take the expectations from one model and generalize them that way. You are expecting too much instead of reacting and adapting.

You did warn me Eric now that I stop and look back. However, at the time I don't think I really knew what you meant about "Stepping out of the box." I get it now. I guess I am at that point where I can't expect to smash through PRs day after day like you can when you start out.

Might be time for a new journal?


IronWorker

Oh, I know. Looking back I figured it didn't make a lot of sense at the time. Sometimes you have to experience things and then hind-sight is twenty-twenty. So I wasn't trying to say "i told you so" but basically illustrating my agreement with what 0311 said.

I do the exact same, very well put Darkhorse.

Dont start a new journal, its easier to track for other peeps if you keep it all together and then others can see what went wrong and how you fixed it.Just my 2 cents tho.:)

Thats a good point HIT. It would seem like a waste to throw all these posts away anyways. lol


Oh ya,

P.S. I started tiling my floor the other day. All I have to say is although its not that difficult...its very labour intensive. Took me like 6 hours to do like 50sq ft. Ugh. Only like 150sq ft to go. I'm hoping that I speed up as I go.

IronWorker

Good luck with the tiling. I don't envy you....

Oh ya, that tiling time doesn't include grout/sealing either. I just cut/laid 50 sq ft. :arg:

IronWorker

It's a bitch......

it's a large bottom ended bitch. not the sexy kind either.

:biglaugh:

Wednesday July 24th/2008

Weight: 178.5lbs down 1lb according to last time. I think its probably due mostly to sweating my ballz off laying tile in my hot ass apartment.

Deads
-60kg x 5
-80kg x 3
-100kg x 2
-120kg x 1
-140kg x 1
-160kg x 0,0
-150kg x 1 (old PR)
-155kg x 1 (5kg PR)

Well I was looking for 160kg as you can see but couldn't pull it off. I think it has alot to do with the tiling...everthing you do is bent over and its real hard on the low back. I'm going to try again next week probably. Juding by the numbers I think 160kg should be possible.

Power Cleans
bar x 5
40kg x 5
50kg 2x5

Well I think the new program is going to incorporate some cleans so I thought it might be a good day to practice.

DE Push Press
- bar x 5
- 95lbs 6x2

Well I think we'll be incorporating these as well so I thought I would try out some dynamic work. Felt good.

We left it here for the day. Went out for beer/pizza after. What a good combo.

Thougths

Well it felt really nice to hit a PR and then just try some new movements. It was a short workout, which always feels good. I think this new program is going to be just what the doctor ordered.

IronWorker

Friday July 25/2008

Bench
- bar x 6
-135lbs x 4
-185lbs x 2
-205lbs x 1
-225lbs x 1
-245lbs x 0
-225lbs x 0
-185lbs x 3

I dunno again. I really should have 245lbs for sure but I keep missing. After failing twice in a row I really couldn't do shit after that.

Squats
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 185lbs x 3
- 205lbs x 1
- 225lbs x 1
- 245lbs x 1
- 265lbs x 1 (old PR)
- 275lbs x 0 (arg)
- 225lbs x 3
- 245lbs x 3

Missed this one too.


BB P.Rows
-bar x 6
-30kg x 5
-40kg x 3
-55kg x 3
-65kg 4x8


Hanging Leg Raises
bw 2x8 1x7

Really gotta improve these.

Pallof Press - variation

Skipped. Cables all full.


Thougths

Well I have determined that i have to stop trying to max out because I seem to overestimate myself and then once I fail once on an exercise then I can't put in any good solid work after that. I am going to have to shoot for stuff that I absolutely know I can hit because otherwise I dont' think it leaves much for an effective workout.


IronWorker

Tuesday July 29/2008

Squats
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 185lbs x 3
- 205lbs x 1
- 225lbs x 1
- 245lbs x 1
- 255lbs x 1
- 265lbs x 1, x1 (old PR)
- 245lbs x 2

Now I'm damn sure I can squat more then 265lbs with the proper warm up sets. Happy with this result.

Bench
- bar x 8
-135lbs x 5
-185lbs x 2
-205lbs x 1
-225lbs 3x1
-205lbs x 3

Well I'm pretty happy with this result as well.

BB P.Rows
30kg x 5
40kg x 4
50kg x 3
65g 4x8

Repeated. Couldn't find the 1.25kg plates.

Dips
bw x 5
bw+25lbs x 8
bw+35lbs x 8
bw+45lbs x 5

I was surprised at my performance here. Usually on heavy bench days dips suck. Maybe the low volume bench helped.

Pull-Ups
bw x 5,5,4

Burned out from rows and just tired at the end.


Thougths

Well I'm kind of at an inter-program stage right now. We haven't fully switched to the 4 day workout. We're kinda of doing our same exercise layout as before with a sort of ME/DE style. Mostly ME so far... only have tried a few DE movements.

Not sure when we're fully going to implement the new program. I was hoping to have my kitchen fully back together so I can finally get my diet really solid again and start making (hopefully) some serious gains again.


IronWorker

good stuff dude.

Thanks Pity. My kitchen is finally almost ready to put the appliances back in their spots. I just have to seal the grout and they can go back! Yay to having a good diet again!

IronWorker