Sick Lifts

Been sick since Thursday of last week; was really surprised to get all my lifts yesterday. I’m starting a new notebook today though (old one is getting unwieldy, and I want to tool around in sci-fi land rather than fantasy and would rather not get my streams crossed.)

Here’s Wednesday:

Another Workout – 4/13/11

START: 10AM
Body Weight: 161.5lbs.

Deadlift

1. 135lbs. x 3 (double-overhand)
2. 195 x 2 (d-o)
3. 230 x 2 (third rep failed at half; left hand under, straps)
4. 205 x 2 (left hand over, felt form weakening so didn’t go for a third rep)

I was incredibly surprised on the top set here just flying up at me.

Incline Bench

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 45 x 5
3. 50 x 5
4. 70 x 3
5. 90 x 2
6. 105 x 4
7. 95 x 6
8. 85 x 7
9. 75 x 8

This required a lot more “GRAHH!” on the last rep of everything, but it felt good to hit the top of the rep range on all the sets.

Chin Assist

1. 33lbs. x 5
2. 33 x 5
3. 53 x 5
4. 73 x 3
5. 93 x 2
6. 113 x 5
7. 83 x 5

The thing I like about pulldowns is that the weight being lifted is a little easier to negotiate. I had the workout prescribed at 125lbs. for the top set and I somehow managed to mess up the math between sets. Oh well.

STOP: 12:33PM
BW: 164.5lbs.

I didn’t really eat anywhere near enough post-workout, as I still was feeling pretty appetite-less from illness. I had a giant smoothie and went to bed immediately when I got home.

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First Day Fast

The first two weeks of dieting always suck.

The first day doesn’t, but it’ll never be perfect. Can’t let it get to me. Gotta stay loose.

At exactly the same time yesterday as I’m writing this, I took the photos for this:

I didn’t have all the data yet (weight and lifts were measured the same day, just five hours later) but I made a flattened version just to get an idea of what the final image might look like. Then my .psd got corrupted ¹ so I just filled in the information on top of it. That’s why there’s a discrepancy in the font even though the font is technically the same.

Cool story, I know.

My goal is to be doing daily fasts, from 9PM to 1PM the following day. This was fucked by a hypoglycemic episode (80mg/dL), so I had a bagel around 7:20AM and took 50mg/200mg ephedrine/caffeine at 8AM. Both pre-workout.

I tested immediately pre-workout at 219mg/dL, and I stayed pretty high (I’m talking 400 range) until just an hour before I began my fast.

Pre-workout: Bagel with peanut butter

Post-workout: Cup of tea at Teavana (Zingiber Ginger + Strawberry Lemonade + 4tsp German Rock Sugar); followed immediately by a Strawberry Hulk from Smoothie King (made skinny, sub ice cream with fat free yogurt.)

Dinner: Bowl of chicken with rice. It was crap. I was disappoint.

Last Meal: 238g 2% expired cottage cheese (I actually weigh everything I eat at home, but this was specific to make up my protein requirement for today); 5 Babe Ruth minis (just had a taste for it.)

After the fast started I took some psyllium husk fiber. I wanna poop.

A Workout

All sets are singles unless noted; I’m testing rough 1RM to set up the rest of the workout. Pretty much just adding 5lbs. to the top sets and calculating downward from there.

Body Weight: 169lbs.

Start: 9:08AM

Deadlift

1. 150lbs. (double-overhand)
2. 175 (d-o)
3. 195 (d-o)
4. 220 (d-o)
5. 245 (left hand-over; started using straps)
6. 250 (l-u)
7. 255 – FAILED, passed ankles (l-o)
8. 225 (l-u)

Time Check: 10AM

Incline Bench

1. 50lbs. x 3
2. 60 x 2
3. 75
4. 85
5. 100
6. 110
7. 115
8. 120
9. 105 x 3

Chin Assist (total weight: 180lbs.)

1. 30lbs. x 5
2. 40 x 3
3. 50 x 3
4. 60
5. 70
6. 80
7. 90
8. 95
9. 100
10. 105
11. 110
12. 125
13. 140
14. 155 – FAILED

Time Check: Noon

Lateral Raise

1. 20lbs. x 2
2. 25
3. 30
4. 35
5. 40
6. 45
7. 50
8. 55 (5 minute rest after this, started doing tri-sets)
9. 60
10. 65
11. 70 (rest)
12. 75
13. 80
14. 85 (rest)
15. 90
16. 95 – FAILED (about half-way)

Stop: 12:53PM

For the next ‘A Workout’:

Deadlift: estimate 3RM based on 1RM = 255lbs.
Incline Bench:  estimate 5RM based on 1RM = 125lbs.
Chin Assist: estimate 5RM based on 1RM = 145
Lateral Raise: estimate 8RM based on 1RM = 90

Rep ranges for each exercise, respectively: 1-3; 3-5; 3-5; 5-8

Just going to do a basic progressive overload style workout for the next eight weeks, at which point I’ll test 1RM based on estimates from the most recent relevant workout. I don’t know if I will include drop sets in future workouts, it might just be a feel thing: today it was easy to include them due to lack of fatigue and sufficient, em, “fed-ness,” having been eating at maintenance and such.

So I’m probably looking at, for next time:

Deadlift (1-3) @ 230lbs.
Incline Bench (3-5) @ 105lbs.
Chin Assist (3-5) @  125lbs.
Lateral Raise (5-8) @ 70lbs.

If I get to the top of the rep range, bump it five pounds next workout. Fairly basic.

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My Shoulders Are Weird

You know you’re developing your shoulders (or perhaps neglecting your upper arms, which I am also doing) when someone points out the glaring slope differential of the peak of your lateral deltoid to the insertion point of your triceps.

(cue snorty geek laughter) Nyaahhawwhaw!

Anyway.

Body Weight: 181.5lbs.
Body Fat Percentage: 20.3%

I feel awful about the above. There are maybe three excuses for that, none of them I like.

So I decided that, if I was as carb-heavied as I hope I was, that I ought to be strong enough to make decent progress on deadlifts. I pretended that I didn’t have any other lifting to do today and just balls-out deadlifted.

Deadlift

1. 135lbs. x 3 ~ double-overhand
2. 155 x 3 ~ d-o
3. 220 x 1 ~ d-o (should have been mixed grip, but I lifted it anyway. This is a good sign.)
4. 260 x miss ~ left-under (pissed off)
5. 260 x 1 ~ left-over (at this point I am solid on my decision to keep adding weight to the bar until it doesn’t budge.)
6. 270 x 1 ~ l-u
7. 275 x 1 ~ l-o
8. 285 x miss ~ l-u; I didn’t retry this. I was starting to feel lightheaded.

I added fifteen pounds to my deadlift, which I would be doing consistently anyway if I hadn’t been dieting. Another nail in the coffin.

Incline Bench

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 45 x 5
3. 50 x 5
4. 70 x 3
5. 90 x 2
6. 100 x 6
7. 105 x 3 (the floor on this exercise is 6 reps)
8. 95 x 7 (prescribed drop set)
9. 90 x 12 (prescribed, though I went to failure.)

I’m still feeling this in my triceps. My chest doesn’t hurt nearly as much, but its barely getting taxed either… when I flex it it hurts, so I’m not going to worry about my form too much.

Chin Assist

1. 116lbs. x 3
2. 146 x 1

I didn’t like my lat activation here. I don’t think I had too much arm involvement (like I usually think I do) but my forearms were starting to cry from all the pulling and my triceps were on fire from the benching. So, thinking my lats weren’t firing properly (and shit, maybe they weren’t after all the DL) I decided to switch to pulldowns. I decided to do a five-rep test and reconfigure my workout from here on to have straight sets. I’m already starting to lag synaptically.

Pulldown 5-rep

• 45
• 70
• 90
• 115 (got five, but form struggled)
• 105
• 105
• 105

I want to work this up to 155 or so.

Lateral Raise

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 60 x 3
3. 75 x 8
4. 75 x 6
5. 75 x 7

I kind of want to cut the last set from these. If I don’t, though, I’m going to count this as strike 1 of my 3 misses.

Posterior Delt Fly

1. 30lbs. x 6
2. 60 x 8
3. 60 x none

Just felt fried. Had to leave. Didn’t finish the rest of the prescribed workout.

START: 9:09AM

STOP: 1:02PM

I kind of want to go back to the basic Deadlift + Press variation workout and just forget everything else.

I’m not going to enjoy the winter holidays at all. I’m already back to where I started, fatass-wise, I don’t want to make it worse.

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260 fail

I was under the impression that this workout was a failure while I was performing it.

I don’t feel so bad about it at the moment.

Workout for Monday, November 29, 2010

Weight: 167lbs.
Bodyfat Percentage: 16%

START: 9:23AM

Deadlift

1. 135lbs. x 3 (double-overhand)
2. 155 x 3 (d-o)
3. 220 x 1 (left-over; goal was 2, felt TOO WEAK)
4. 260 = miss (left-under; rested 7 minutes, felt like I could have gotten it but my grip slipped; need chalk)
5. 260 = worse miss, barely off the floor (l-o)
6. 250 x 1 (l-u; good; fell through after lockout rather than lowering it controlled: my left hip! Fuck!)

No drop set performed. My left hip felt like something was pinching and I didn’t want to push the issue.

Incline Bench

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 50 x 5
3. 70 x 3
4. 90 x 2
5. 100 x 5 (goal was 6)
6. 90 x 7
7. 80 x 7 (goal was 8)

Not really sure what I want to do with this.

Only one set met my rep goal so I should really only increase that one. Unless I decide at the last minute otherwise,  I think that’s all I will do.

Chin Assist

1. 113lbs. x 2
2. 133 x 2 (goal was 3; GRIP! ugh!)
3. 113 x 4
4. 98 x 6 (goal was 5, but I decided to go for failure just to see)

I almost want to wear gloves.

No I don’t. I need to stop pansy palm-sweating.

Lateral Raise Machine

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 60 x 3
3. 75 x 2
4. 90 x 2 (goal was 4-6)
5. 80 x 6 (goal was 6-7)
6. 75 x 5 (goal was 8)

I’m not going to change the load on any set, here.

Crunch Machine

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 65 x 5
3. 90 x 3
4. 115 x 2
5. 115 x 3 (unintentional, forgot to change the weight)
6. 130 x 3
7. 120 x 3

Wanted to work on form with this exercise. It was definitely better this time. I’m going to keep this weight for one more workout, I feel like I should be getting a fuller contraction and I want to get that before I bump the load again.

Time Check: 2:16PM (the exercises below are strictly optional, I check time after the “requisite” maneuvers in case I have to plan for… brevity.)

Reverse Concentration Curl

1. 20lbs. x 5
2. 20 x 5
3. 20 x 5

I’m going to increase the load here, as well as include a warm-up set. I suspect that I should cut forearm work from one of the other workouts, but I have not yet decided which: to deplete them and not have them on tension would possibly increase the amount of glycogen storage; to not deplete them and have them on tension might not be enough recovery time but, if workable, would have me training them with a greater load which is necessary as well.

Will try them both and see.

Unilateral Cable Extension

1. 7.5lbs. x 8
2. 12.5 x 8

This was intended to be an 8 rep test, but after the second set it felt as though my left tricep was going to rip out. So I stopped.

The reason I even did this was suspecting that my arms are too involved with my benching and holding me back. It is also the reason for the next exercise.

Fly Machine – 8 rep test

1. 45lbs.
2. 50
3. 60
4. 70
5. 85 (7)
6. 75 (5; had to stop because my elbows hurt)

FINISH: 3:23PM

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It’s All In The Wrists

Well I just got home from lunch with pops, who picked me up from the gym.

I had an apple and a protein bar pre-workout. Probably close to 300kcal.

Getting Right to It:

This is the first time I've been sub-18% in over a year.

Body Weight: 159lbs.
Fat %: 17.7%

Fat Weight: 28.143lbs.
Lean Mass: 130.857

Deadlift:

1. 1×4 @ 200lbs. (LU)
2. 1×4 @ 180lbs. (LO)

Getting there. Next week should be my last at 200lbs, haha! Following this, a personal trainer I had never met before (Andy, in case I mention him in the future) seemed interested in my program. He wasn’t trying to shove a new program down my throat, so we were able to talk for a bit.

And then he taught me how to power clean. I have a new friend.

Chin Ass:

1. 1×2 @ 124lbs. lifted (35 off)
2. 1×5 @ 99lbs. lifted (60 off; going to increase this set next workout)

Horizontal Row:
3×5 @ 75lbs. ~ Getting increased again next workout.

Cable Crunch:
3×5 @ 50lbs. ~ Increasing next workout as well.

Big ol’ carby meal PWO: Bagel in the car (plain, just wanted some fast carbs because I was feeling light-headed… very glad I brought it with me); swiss steak with mashed potato and corn at the restaurant. Today’s maintenance day, though, and so I still have enough calories for dinner!

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That’s Intense, Bro

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Motherfucking Back Day: Barbell Headbang

I’m glad I stayed home today. I mean, I have a reason beyond being a pussy bitch, but WOW. I feel like such a newbie deadlifter. It was only 195lbs.!

I’m really sore and my back is stiff, is my point.

I also banged my head into a barbell, racked and a bit lower than I was expecting it to be. I was standing up and, had it been in the same higher position as the rack next to me, I would have cleared it. I was actually looking at that rack (someone stole it so I had to move over to this one) while I was standing up. I knew it was lower, but I was just distracted, and BANG! Moved the bar up one pin, cranially. I kept my back “straight” though as I was standing, so aside from the unexpected pressure to the lower back, the sudden impact to the right front lobe and my teeth clapping together was the only pain sustained. No bumps, chewed through lips, or other injuries.

It would have hurt my pride if I had just fallen down, but I actually… head-squatted, I guess… I must really be dying to squat on a subconscious level, holy shit.

So anyway, on to back day, here’s the routine followed by more pissmoaning:

Deadlift

1. 195lbs. x 3 (left over)
2. 175lbs. x 4 (left under)
3. 155lbs. x 5 (left over)

Chin Ass (Body Weight 167lbs.)

1. offset 50lbs. x 4
2. offset 55lbs. x 2 (nothing left this set)
3. offset 70lbs. x 3 (lowered it considerably and still barely got three)

The thing with the chins is I don’t think I activate my lats as well when I go heavier. When I’m lifting light I seem to be able to concentrate my back more, but the heavier I go the more I ‘panic’ and feel like I’m trying to curl my bodyweight. I really honestly think it has something to do with my breathing pattern, because I don’t really know what I’m doing! It seems easier to inhale as I exert, though, so I’ll try that next week.

Horizontal Row (7RM test)

1. 40lbs. x 7
2. 45lbs. x 7
3. 50lbs. x 7
4. 55lbs. x 7
5. 60lbs. x 7
6. 65lbs. x 7
7. 70lbs. x 7 – felt finished here
8. 75lbs. x 6 – went into the set a little defeatist

I honestly like doing these machine rows, my legs and lower back were done for today so I opted out of doing the pendlay rows I had planned to do, but I felt I really need to develop my back or risk developing the “bro” look with all the enthusiastic chest shit I’ve done. Next week I’ll be doing three straight sets of 5 at 70lbs., and I really should have at least done another set of 70lbs after failing at 75, but I was just in a negative mood overall.  I just wanted to get on the treadmill and finish up for the day.

So I did.

30s/90s jog/walk 4mph/2mph as last time. Though this time I did 30minutes worth. I feel a lingering desire to run a marathon, and though that could be a year or more away, at this low intensity I really felt like I could do more. Working up to a 30 minute consistent jog rather than a 20 minute one didn’t feel like it would impact my recovery so much as to outweigh the benefits.

My posture is great today unless I want to groan like an old man!

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