Thanks Hits, I'm pretty happy about it. The squatting is a PR I'm sure but mostly just because I have never done 5x5 box squats before. I just wish we weren't going to play sports in the park this afternoon because my legs are stiff!!! lol

I guess I've dropped ~5lb while still getting a bit stronger so thats not too bad. I was getting a little sloppy there for a bit up around the 196lb range. ha

IW

Tuesday June 23rd/2009

Bench Press
bar x 8
135lb x5,4
155lb x 3
175lb x 1
190lb x 1
200lb 3x5, 1x4

No go this time. I'm wondering if I should hammer away at that weight for a while or if I should work triples for a while... or 3x3....or?

DB Standing Shoulder Press
Skipped

It seems when I fail at bench my tris are instantly trashed.

Chest Supported Row
1*45 x 8
2*45s x 8
3*45s x8,7
2*45s + 1 x 25lb x 8,6

Standing EZ Bar Curl (superset with below)
50lb x 10
70lb x 10
70lb x 8
90lb x 6


Tricep Deadlifts
50lb x 8
60lb x 8,8,8


Thoughts

Well I think I'm at an old PR for bench now so I guess thats good. Any ideas on how I should try and progress from here?

IW

If your weak point is your triceps, try adding in some additional triceps stuff. Lockout work might help also.

Dub

It might be a good idea to vary the loading a bit more, you could try 3x3s or even try ramping to a top set of 1-5 for a while, then come back build your 5x5 bit by bit and keep going like that for a while.

What are your goals right now? Strength? size? both? recomp?

Well my schedule is nutz right now so I'm really only get 2 days a week in the gym and sometimes 3. It sucks big time. I think the only thing I can do right now is try to slowly work at strength/re comp.

IW

I've been gone for almost a week and I'm leaving again tomorrow night so.... needless to say the gym has been going down a steep hill.

I hope everyone has been having a good week. I'll catch up with ya later.

IW

Wednesday July 15th/2009

BW: 191.5lb ... about where I left off.

Military Press
bar x 8
65lb x 8
95lb x 5
115lb x 5
135lb x 5
155lb x 1
145lb x 1
135lb x 3
115lb x 5

Extra Wide Bench Press
bar x 10
115lb x 8
135lb x 8
155lb x 8
175lb x 8
185lb 2x5

I went at least a hand width wider then I usually and it felt weird but I felt like I still had OK power.

BW Pull-Ups
3 + 2
3 + 2
2 + 2 + 1
2 + 2 + 1
2 + 1 + 1 + 1

My pullups really suck. Gotta work on these.

Seated DB Skull Crusher Superset with DB Curls
30lb x 8
40lb x 8
50lb x 6
50lb x 6
40lb x 7


DB Curls
25lb x 8
30lb x 8
35lb x 8, 8, 7


Thoughts

Not bad for the first workout in like *edit* sigh 3 *edit* weeks but not utterly impressive.

IW

Personally I wouldn't be messing with extra wide bench exercises, too much stress on the shoulder for my liking.

A good way to get those pullups going is cluster sets, like you have here. Except I would do clusters of 1 the entire time and maybe do 3-4 clusters per set (so 3-4 total reps per set) and keep doing sets until you've reached some sort of target or until you're ability has dropped.

Just my 2 cents. :D

agreed....wide anything is teh bad news in the long run.

Well it wasn't super wide. It was index finger on the ring which is where I used to bench. Not sure if these are standard bars in this gym... they only have 1 ring.

So just do single pullups but sort of rest paused if you will?

IW