Painthappy's Journal

[lunchbreak]

From your first post:

Back to lifting... I was doing the 5 x 5 program, but changed up to a 3 x 5 when my squatting weight got over 240 lbs. I couldn't get enough rest doing a heavy 5 x 5 program and squatting 3 times a week.

Yes, I had exactly the same problem. I had to switch down at 250lb or by end of the week I'd be wiped out and unable to make the Friday lifts.

Sounds like you have a handle on what works for your chest anyway, nothing wrong with dumbbells, I just wish my gym had them in smaller steps than 2Kg! Have you ever had that shoulder checked out medically?

[painthappy]

Yes, had it checked out after the injury. Didn't have an MRI, but basically told that there is most likely a small tear. If I can live with it, great. So far, that's what I've been doing. I've found that the OHP actually helps build the shoulder up, and protects the injury. As long as I keep up with the lifting, oddly enough, I'm good. If it slacks, the shoulder starts to hurt. Go figure. One day, surgery, if I must, but it's my right arm. So writing, typing, shifting, shoot... anything is going to be out for a while I would think.

Anyhow:

Lifting last Friday:

Squats: Moved up to 230 lbs 3 x 5
Deadlift: Also 230 lbs. --> I'm lazy and instead of putting on more weight just do whatever my squat was. Working for me for now.
OHP
and chin ups to fail. Every time I do these I seem to add an extra rep.

Diet: I'm somewhat recontructing. I was looking into the leangains, and I've been somewhat following for a week. I've watched my weight shoot up ~ 3 lbs. Of course that's not from food, but probably the carb and salt intake. Coming from a mostly low low carb diet before. That and I've cut out my cardio the past two weeks and concentrated on lifting only. Where to go from here? Not sure. Going to continue counting my calories, and keep my carb intake lower than I have the past two weeks.

Cardio: Adding back in the cardio. Just did a nice easy run of ~ 4 miles using the Hal Higdon method, 3 minutes on 1 minute off. 6 mph running speed, 4 mph walking speed.

I'm going to be adding the cardio back in the morning for the next two weeks.

I'd like to get under 180, so 10 more lbs. I just need to stay focused, and realize that it's going to take time to make that happen. My goal date is Nov 19th...

[painthappy]

Another week... Another post.

Monday Night Squats: 235
Bench: 170
Cable Cross overs: 45 each side
and
Pendlay Rows: 120

Still working up to my fail points. Not sure where they are yet, still going strong. Slowly creeping up.


Tonight: Easy jog ~ 40 minutes on the treadmill


Diet: Low Carb High Fat - I've dropped the Leangains. Didn't last long. Only a week. I packed on ~4 to 5 lbs. I would imagine mostly water weight, but man, I've been doing well all this time, try changing it up, still follow my TDEE and pack on the weight. My waist went up 1/4 inch to 32 1/4, so not just my imagination.

Strict low carb this week and we'll see how that goes. I have a goal now. Nov 10th, I'll be most likely going to the Bahamas. So I need to get as lean as possible. I might ask for some advice in the general section with help on my diet plan.

[painthappy]

Current weight: 188.5

Wednesday Night:

Squats: 240
Deadlift: 240
OHP: 40 lb dumbbells / 80 total
Cable Tricep Ext: 50 lbs <-- Newly added to my routine
Chinups to Failure: After all the above only pumped out 6.


Diet: Low Carb >50 carbs
protein: 122 grams -- I need to move this up. I hit my calorie goal, but need to take in less fats and more protein. Would like to get at least 1 gram per lean muscle mass


Tonight:

Interval running on treadmill. I run 3 on, 1 off, with the running at 7 mph, and the off at 4 mph. I can watch a little tv while jogging, and will go for ~ 35 minutes.


Friday: Not sure yet... Should be my day off.

[painthappy]

Well, tonight's simple treadmill intervals just went to hell.

Wife got home from a 4 day business trip. She needed to workout and headed to the local crossfit gym where she's a member. Dragged my sorry ass down. So I forgot to mention I did more triceps today at lunch, and 2 sets of pushups to fail. I was bored...

Anyhow, went to crossfit and it was nothing but some form of pushup today. 3 sets of burpees (up - downs) while lifting a 45lb plate in the air on the way up of 15 reps. A quick jog, and some ab work (hanging knees to elbows). Then there was a pushup contest.

By the time it was all said and done, my triceps wanted to burst. I figure I've done over 200 pushups today.

So, tomorrow is going to be my day off. For real. No getting side tracked.

Drinking my whey shake, and off to bed to keep the wife up for a while longer. I suppose after all this working out, one more exercise won't hurt.

[painthappy]

Teetering between 187 and 188 lbs right now.

Squats: 245 lbs - 3 x 5 - Feeling like I'm working now. Heading towards 1.5x my bodyweight.
Bench: 180
Cross Over Cable Rows: 50 each
Bent Over Rows: 125 (I think.. or 120)
Pushups to fail: 41

Made the best steak in my life after my workout. Grass fed, all natural tenderloin. Put it in a shallow pan, salted and peppered. Let sit until room temperature (2 hours). While I waited, I took an ice bath for my legs. Used peanut oil (high temp) in a pan, seared the meat 30 to 60 seconds each side, and then into my broiler. ~ 2 minutes, flip the steak, ~2 minutes flip again. x 2. Took the steak out flipped one last time and covered the entire pan with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes while I steamed some cauliflower.

The steak came out perfectly medium. If you want medium rare, I'd say skip the double flip (only once each side in broiler, not twice). One of the best steaks in my life. No sauce needed. Perfection.


Current Photo:



So here's the thing... Looks like I'll be traveling to the Bahamas in 5 weeks. I'm totally dedicated to looking the best I can look in 5 weeks. I'm going to strictly stick to my low carb diet, and maybe change up my routine for the next 5 weeks to make everything "pop". Or should I just stick with what I'm doing, which is a modified SS routine? If I changed it, I'd go for a more high volume low weight routine like GVT (Germain Volume Training aka 10 x 10).

But I don't want to lose the gains I've made on my weights either.... Or would I? So many questions...

[painthappy]

Another great workout last night.

Squats 3 x 5 - 250 lbs

I have to say this time it felt like I was working. The second set was harder than the third actually. I'm wondering if I didn't warm up enough.

Deadlift: 250 lbs - Again, I just drop the bar and weights I use to the safety bars on my squat rack and then lower them to the floor for deadlifts. Saves time, yes it's less weight for my dead's but I'm ok with it.

OHP - 90 lbs (45 dumbbells)

Chin ups to failure

Tricep Pulldowns (rope) on my cable cross over machine.

took an icebath for my legs afterwards, and feel great today. Getting plenty of protein, and having my macros fall in behind the protein.

---

Leaving for a few days, so that was my last lifting session until Sunday or Monday. Will do what I can to get some steady state cardio in. I need to get more cardio into my daily routines to help cut the fat. I'm just not getting enough cardio and the fat loss has slowed. Hopefully won't blow it while i'm away. Will check back in on Monday with an update.

[painthappy]

Been a few days (a week) since I posted.

Bahamas in 5 weeks. Time to get my sorry ass in gear. Tightened up my diet (no cheating), and I'm finally, as of these past two days, getting the right amount of protein. I've also incorporated the German Volume Training found here on bodybuilding.com for the next 5 weeks.

All I can say is: HOLY CRAP.

It's a program that will kick you in the ass and make you cry. It is the hardest I have ever worked while lifting. No photo progress really. Not much to report on that front. Look roughly the same.

Will snap some photos this weekend and keep a weekly running photo of any and all progress.

[painthappy]

I'm officially 1 rotation into GVT today, with today being a rest day. Trust me, I need it.

I also did an medium intensity 20 minute jog while I waited for my daughter to be done gymnastics. That with the hard running from yesterday, I can feel it more in my legs than my upper body lifting.

As promised here is a current progress photo so I can keep track of my GVT progression:



On a side / fashion note: I picked up some new jeans (Brand: Lucky) at Men's Warehouse last night. Very comfortable, with plenty of leg (read: Thigh) room. Which is good as the original pair I wanted wasn't there. So took a chance on these. They're having a buy one / get one free sale now, so will probably stop on in and pick up a few more items tonight before I head to Boston.

....

Current goals: Get under 180 lbs - Get fat % to 12% - Assuming 12% body fat and my current (good estimate) LBM, I will need to be 175, so I must lose ~ 12/13 lbs.

Goal # 2: Fill out my chest. Not a very measurable goal, more visual.

Time for completion: End of this year. 3 months, 12 lbs, 1 lb per week. It's doable.

[painthappy]

Time to revive this thread!

Been far too long...

What have I been up to lately?

330 lb x 5 squat - Nailed it tonight!

I'm currently on a cut too, running an RPT program and my diet is following the leangains program for cutting (aka losing the ugly fat).


Current lifting stats:

Bench 240
Deadlift 355
Squat 330

Also in the program are OHP, bent over rows, RDL's, triceps and chin-ups. Overall a good program and has allowed my top end lifts to go up while still dieting and losing some fat. I plan on running this program for the next two months (already a month into it now).

Been busy, but still working out. I'll put up some photos soon.