BergMuscle's Lean Mass Training

[ironwill2008]

SLDL
10x220 failure
8x225 failure
6x230 failure
burnout x130
Nice ham MMC. Going up 5# across next week.

These have really come along, Dan.

[mharrislove]

There's some serious work up in here; great chest + ham session!

[BergMuscle]

These have really come along, Dan.

There's some serious work up in here; great chest + ham session!

Thanks guys. Today was pretty awesome as well.

[BergMuscle]

Back and Triceps
Front Lat Pulldowns
10x92.5
10x92.5
10x92.5 failure
burnout x55
Rest/pause at bottom, slow negatives. Hit target reps solid so I'm bumping up by 2.5# next week.

DB Rows
10x80 failure
8x85 failure
6x90 failure
burnout x50
Diligent attention to strict form. I was feeling the muscles all over my back.

Carlman Pulls
10x50
10x50
10x50 failure
burnout x30
Good form, worked the lats all the way down. Picked up a rep on the third set to hit target with some gas in the tank so 2.5# are being added here as well.

Skullcrushers
10x95 failure
9x95 failure
9x95 failure
burnout x55
My left wrist was bothering me today, but I still got good reps.
I had a huge gun pump going.

2-hand Pushdown
10x72.5 +2.5# failure
9x72.5 failure
8x72.5 failure
burnout x40
Got solid reps here with the added weight. Hitting 10 on the first set told me it was the right decision.
Seriously swole triceps.

Great session today. I hit target reps all over the place and I swear I had the biggest arm pump I've ever had. Proof positive that the triceps need to be worked hard to get big guns.

[pastorpritch]

Agree on the working triceps hard! I've noticed a huge change after focusing on form and going heavier when I can.
Great workout day and looking good!

[Bo_Flecks]

Proof positive that the triceps need to be worked hard to get big guns.

^^^QFT

Are you using the 2-Hand Pushdown to focus on the medial head, Dan? That exercise is one of the best tricep pumpers I can think of.

[Mountain_Goat]

Hell of a back/tri's day Dan!! I got arms today...I appreciate the motivation sir!

[BergMuscle]

Are you using the 2-Hand Pushdown to focus on the medial head, Dan? That exercise is one of the best tricep pumpers I can think of.

Agree on both counts.

Hell of a back/tri's day Dan!! I got arms today...I appreciate the motivation sir!

Glad to help out.

[BergMuscle]

Quads and Deads
Squats
12x175 WU
10x220 failure
8x230 failure
6x240 failure
burnout x130
Rest/pause with quads parallel to the floor, just what I want to be doing. UWWM (Used the Weight to Work the Muscle).

Dead Lifts
5x195
5x255
5x285
4x300
3x305
Solid reps all the way. Not gonna lie - these were hard work.

BB Hack Sqats
10x190 failure
8x200 failure
6x210 failure
burnout x115
Very good quad MMC. Seeing stars at the point of failure.

Crunches
50, 50 failure, 50 failure
Minimal rest between sets today; really killed the abs.
I am actually starting to see some abs, which I think has much more to do with what I eat than how I train, but I'll take whatever muscle definition I can get.

Good work was done today. Next week is a scheduled deload so I'm trying to go into that on a strong note.
Delts, traps, and biceps on tap for tomorrow.

[2nd_chance]

Squats + Deads = my kinda beatdown! Great job Dan

[ironwill2008]

Dead Lifts
5x195
5x255
5x285
4x300
3x305
Solid reps all the way. Not gonna lie - these were hard work.

Good deal. Hard Work = Progress.

[BergMuscle]

Squats + Deads = my kinda beatdown! Great job Dan

My kind as well.

[BergMuscle]

Delts, Traps, and Biceps
Scooby Press
10x42.5
10x42.5 failure
9x42.5 failure
burnout x25
Used the mirror to monitor form. Really worked the front delt muscles.

Lateral Raises
10x31.25 failure
10x31.25 failure
9x31.25 failure
burnout x11.25
Great form, solid work. These just keep improving.

Face Pulls
9x67.5 failure
9x67.5 failure
8x67.5 failure
burnout x37.5 +2.5#
Rest/pause at the end of the pull to work the rear delt.

Upright Row
10x85 failure
9x85 failure
9x85 failure
burnout x45
Slow, focused trap work.

DB Scott Curl
9x30 failure
8x30 failure
8x30 failure
burnout x20
Tight form on these. I needed to do the "opposite hand assist" to get that last rep.

Triceps Bar Hammer Curl
9x70 failure
8x70 failure
8x70 failure
Intense focus on the MMC with the biceps.

All muscles felt well-worked tonight. I'm inching up to 10 across on several exercises.

Cardio day tomorrow.

[Bo_Flecks]

I'm inching up to 10 across on several exercises.

It looks like you have your weight schemes dialed in perfectly. Will you wait for 10 accross before you add more?

[BergMuscle]

It looks like you have your weight schemes dialed in perfectly. Will you wait for 10 accross before you add more?

That's the idea. When I can handle 10 across consistently I know that I'll still be in my hypertrophy zone with the additional weight. If I add on too soon either I hit fewer reps (good for strength but not as good for promoting muscle mass growth) and, more importantly, risking joint injuries.

[hazto]

Strong workout, I see a trend in several people using the scooby press, I am going to have to figure out what that is and give it a try.

[BergMuscle]

Strong workout, I see a trend in several people using the scooby press, I am going to have to figure out what that is and give it a try.

It's really as simple move; just works the front delts without stressing the elbow joints too much.

[BergMuscle]

Cardio Day

Heavy Bag - 2 min/ 30 sec rest/ 2 min

Stationary Bike - 90/30 sec intervals - 20 minutes

Heavy Bag - 2 min/ 30 sec rest/ 2 min

I really poured on the speed and power on the heavy bag rounds today, especially the second 2 minute round of each set. My legs felt the stationary bike as well, which means I didn't hold anything back.

Chest, hams, calves, and abs tomorrow.

Two more training days before deload.

[BergMuscle]

Pecs, Hams, Calves, & Abs
Flat DB Press
10x65
10x65 failure
10x65 failure
Flat BB Press
burnout x110
Deep reps, good working pace. Not quite ready to bump the weight on the working sets, but I may add 5# to the burnout set.

Flat Flyes
10x55
10x55 failure
9x55 failure
burnout x30
Squeeze the pecs at the top of the movement. Mind-blowing failure and burnout.

Incline DB Press
10x55 failure
9x55 failure
8x55 failure
burnout x30
Grunt-inducing sets. Super form on the burnout set.
Pecs were finished!

SLDL
8x225 +5# failure
6x230 +5# failure
4x235 +5# PR(?) failure
burnout x135 +5#
With the added weight I was seeing stars at the failure point on every set.
235# may be a PR for SLDL. I'd need to look back so far that I'll just call it a "current PR" and celebrate that.

Single Leg Curls
10x40
10x40
10x40 failure
burnout x22.5
Good hamstring MMC all the way. I'm planning to add 2.5# to the working sets after the deload.

Single Leg Calf Raise
12x80 failure
12x80 failure
12x80 failure
Solid rest/pause at the top to work the calves. My right foot is feeling better so these went much better today.

Knee Raises
18 failure, 16 failure
Rest/pause in contracted position. Good ab hit.

Overall a solid session today. I'm in a good place for the deload; I feel like I'm on the brink of owning more of these sets, but just not quite there. I'm working on what my goals will be for the deload. I'm hoping to do another 4-day-in-row deload and be back to full iron.

[storm1507]

Nice work lately Dan.

I was concerned when I read a back workout and didn't see the deads. Squats n deads together is taking it to another level.

[Bo_Flecks]

Solid session for sure, Dan. Glad to see that the right foot is feeling better.

I'm in a good place for the deload; I feel like I'm on the brink of owning more of these sets, but just not quite there. I'm working on what my goals will be for the deload. I'm hoping to do another 4-day-in-row deload and be back to full iron.

I'll be starting my de-load after Thursday's training. I'll be doing another 5 day walk-away. It falls at a good time since I will be at the Gateway Naturals checking out the competition all day on Saturday.

[ironwill2008]

I'm in a good place for the deload; I feel like I'm on the brink of owning more of these sets, but just not quite there. I'm working on what my goals will be for the deload. I'm hoping to do another 4-day-in-row deload and be back to full iron.

Scheduled recovery FTW.

[BergMuscle]

Back and Triceps
Front Lat Pulldowns
8x95 +2.5# failure
8x95 failure
8x95 failure
burnout x55
Rest/pause at bottom of the pulldown + slow negatives + increased weight + excellent MMC = great work on the back muscles

DB Rows
10x80 failure
8x85 failure
6x90 failure
burnout x50
Great form, good MMC. I owned these today.

Carlman Pulls
9x52.5 +2.5# failure
8x52.5 failure
8x52.5 failure
burnout x30
Good lat work. I was more than ready for the added weight.

Skullcrushers
9x95 failure
9x95 failure
8x95 failure
burnout x55
Watched my form carefully on these; kept the upper arms as still as possible. UWWM!

Kickbacks
9x32.5 +2.5# failure
8x32.5 failure
8x32.5 failure
burnout x20
Rest/pause at full extension; felt the triceps at work all the way.

Ended up with a well-worked back and blasted triceps. Ready for the deload.

I'll be checking other folks journals soon; life is just a bit busier right now. I've been reading, when I can, but haven't had time to comment very much.

[BergMuscle]

Quads and Deads
Squats
4x8x130

Dead Lifts
5x5x165

BB Hack Squats
4x8x115

Crunches
3x50

Moved through this routine at a good pace, clean form, minimal rest. Great start to the deload.

[hazto]

Strong deload, is the deload what you perform versus taking a week off?

Quads and Deads
Squats
4x8x130

Dead Lifts
5x5x165

BB Hack Squats
4x8x115

Crunches
3x50

Moved through this routine at a good pace, clean form, minimal rest. Great start to the deload.

[Bo_Flecks]

I owned these today.

Nice! I love it when that happens

[BergMuscle]

Strong deload, is the deload what you perform versus taking a week off?

Exactly. Doing the same routine with approx. 50-55% weights and minimal rest periods. Active rest for my muscles.

[BergMuscle]

Delts, Traps, and Biceps
Scooby Press
4x8x25

Lateral Raises
4x8x11.25

Face Pulls
4x8x37.5

Upright Rows
4x8x45

DB Scott Curls
4x8x20

DB Hammer Curls
3x8x20
I tried doing these as spider curls (thanks, Bo/Steve). If I do that when I'm back at full weights I'll need to drop back the pounds. The different position changes the challenge of the exercise.

Again, good pace, good form, short rests, plus I got a very nice deload pump. Watching myself in the mirror I'm impressed with how much I'm working these muscles with these light weights. My delts looked great and I'm seeing the beginning of a new/better peak on my biceps. I haven't pulled out the tape measure, but I'm sure my guns look bigger, which is totally fine with me.

[pastorpritch]

Great work brother . Sometimes going light and more reps is like slowly pumping air into a balloon, the muscles just seem to get really vascular and burn like crazy!

[ironwill2008]

Watching myself in the mirror I'm impressed with how much I'm working these muscles with these light weights.

I agree; it's one more advantage of deloading--getting first-hand knowledge of biomechanics. Feedback like this is a very valuable tool in learning exactly how and why a particular exercise either works or doesn't work for an individual.