ITT: I become strong

[Datfox]

Good session today, felt a little bit ill this morning but felt really good at the gym.

Squats: 3x5x90 - Clean, do 95 next
Bench: 67.5 x8,8,7 - Missed the final rep because I got hip cramp, really good form throughout, 70 next
Pull ups SS: 2.5kg x10,8,7
Push ups SS: 3x17
Shrugs: 3x8x36 - arms were kinda numb at the start of these sets but they got better

[Datfox]

Dl: 5*130- realised as I started my set that I've not been dipping my butt low enough at the start of my lifts so I need to focus on that
Ohp: 3*5*50- proper bar this time, felt heavy, increase if possible
Seated row : 3*5*86- can probably increase
Db curls : 8*16,16,18- do 18 next time
Hlr :3x10

[Datfox]

For yesterday. Started a new job and had zero chances to get to the gym during the week so I was focusing primarily on maintenance.

Squats: 5x90- Pretty heavy but I struggled less than last time.
Bench: 67.5x8,5,8 - Forgot to inhale on the 6th rep of the second set and was lucky to be able to rack the bar.
Pullups SS: 5kgx9,9,7
Pushups SS: 3x18

[Datfox]

Think I may have forgotten to record my last dead lift day but I don't think it was too dissimilar from the previous one. Anyway:

Squat: 3*5*90
Bench : 8*60,65, 6*65,8*60
Seated row : 3*5*79 ss
Push ups : 3*15 ss

Definitely seeing some reduction in size and strength, especially in my upper body, but I'm hoping I can maintain like this until I'm at a stage where I can get to a gym midweek too.

[Datfox]

Terrible session today, probably the weakest I can remember. Work is definitely taking its toll on my fitness.

Dl: 5*120 felt heavy
Ohp: 50*3,45*4,5,4 I was all over the place
Seated row :3x5x79 felt heavy

I think today was just a combination of a bad day and getting weak from lack of practice. Hopefully things will go better next weekend, I have a week off so I'll hopefully be able to get some consistent gym time.

[Datfox]

Squats: 3*5*90
Bench: 3*7*65
Seated row: 3*5*81.5 SS
Push ups: 3*15 SS
Tricep pull down: 8,7,7*27

Felt stronger than the last session but still pretty weak. I think i pulled a muscle when squatting so today's lifts are gonna be cautious.

[Datfox]

Today

Deadlifts: 3*5*95- wanted to take it very easy on my lower back
Ohp: 3*5*45 - slightly grinded at the end but otherwise Ok
Pull ups: 3*10 bw
Db curls: 3*8*14 - assisted

[Datfox]

Squats : 3 *5*80- back felt dodgy so played it safe
Bench: 3*7*65
Seated row: 3x5x79 ss
Push ups: 3*15
Tricep pull downs: 3*8*28

[Datfox]

8/12

Deadlifts : 3*5*120
Ohp : 3*5*45
Pull ups : 3*10 bw
Db curls: 3*8*14kg

[Datfox]

Apparently I forgot to post the last four sessions. They were pretty similar so I'll summarise.

Squat: 3*5*90/80
Bench: 3*8*67.5/65
Seated row: 3x5x79 SS
Push ups: 3 *15 SS

Deadlifts: 3*5*120
Ohp: 3*5*45/47.5
Pull ups: 3*10
DB curls: 3*8*14

[GinjaNinja85]

Hey mate, how have you been? How is training? Are you progressing/staying consistent? I'm just easing back into fitness after a bad 2013.

[Datfox]

Squats 3*5*70 pretty easy
Bench 3*8*52.5 decided to drop it down a lot so I can consistently outperform each session
Seated row 3*5*79
Curious 3*8*12.5

Forgot to shrug

[Datfox]

Deadlift 5*100 felt surprisingly uncomfortable but was probably due to having to use a different type of bar
Ohp 3*5*45 had to clean these because the racks were busy but managed all reps ok regardless
Pullups 3*10 add weight from now on
Triceps pull down 3*8*27 do at least one more set with 27

Overall fairly ok, deadlifts were slightly worrying but hopefully that'll be sorted when I can use a proper bar.

[GinjaNinja85]

Back at it then?

[Datfox]

Squats 3*5*75 pretty easy
Bench 3*8*55 surprisingly difficult for the weight but all clean
seated row Ss 3*5*79 should really increase this
shrugs Ss 3*8*32 can increase this too
Curls (aka curious) 3*8*14 maybe 15 next time

[Datfox]

Back at it then?

For now. I just about have time to get to the gym for an hour a couple of evenings a week, I'm hoping work remains relatively quiet for a while.

[GinjaNinja85]

For now. I just about have time to get to the gym for an hour a couple of evenings a week, I'm hoping work remains relatively quiet for a while.

Cool. How much do you work? What doing?

[Datfox]

Cool. How much do you work? What doing?

Training to be an accountant. Spent Sept-Jan studying for pretty much all of my 'free time' and then had a few months working late/away from home but right now it's more like 9-5/5.30. The main problem is I spend about 3 hours a day commuting (nearer 4 if I go to the gym) but it's workable for now. Should be moving much closer to work by the end of summer, I don't know how I'm gonna fill the extra ten hours per week!

[GinjaNinja85]

Training to be an accountant. Spent Sept-Jan studying for pretty much all of my 'free time' and then had a few months working late/away from home but right now it's more like 9-5/5.30. The main problem is I spend about 3 hours a day commuting (nearer 4 if I go to the gym) but it's workable for now. Should be moving much closer to work by the end of summer, I don't know how I'm gonna fill the extra ten hours per week!

With women of course! Stick with it man, it'd be a shame to miss out on the gains you can get before life becomes easier.

[Datfox]

Deadlifts 5*105 felt like much better form than last session
Ohp 3*5*47.5 bit of a grind, I'll struggle to repeat with 50 next week
Pull ups 3*10*1.25kg felt good, looking forward to next time
Triceps pull down 3*8*28.25 also felt pretty easy

Overall good but I had more time than in the week which is probably why it felt easier.

^^and thanks dude, I'll tell my girlfriend your suggestion and see what she thinks :-P

[Datfox]

Squats 3*5*77.5 not too tough
Bench 3*5*57.5 surprisingly difficult. I wasn't feeling 100% though today
Seated row ss 3*81.25 easy
Shrugs Ss 3*8*34 pretty easy
Curls 3*8*15 easy

Again, this session probably felt easier than usual because I had longer rest periods

[Datfox]

Deadlift: 5x107.5 decided to progress slowly from now on, only increasing by 2.5kg each time. I need to remember to 'flex' my back a little at the bottom of my lifts to keep my back properly straight but otherwise it was a decent set.
OHP: 3x5x50 - pretty difficult, I focused very hard to try to prevent my back arching and managed to grind out all the reps, think my lower back might ache tomorrow morning though
Pullups: 2.5kg x 10,10,9.5 - decent, increase next time
Tricep pull downs: 3x8x29.3 - these were very difficult, mainly because I was rushing and had barely any time to rest. Repeat this weight next time.

[GinjaNinja85]

Good work, especially pull ups and press!

[Datfox]

Good work, especially pull ups and press!

Thanks, muscle memory is on my side for now, I'm close to reaching my all time best OHP though. I'm happy to just be progressing for now, regardless of the numbers

[Datfox]

Fixing typos from last session:

Bench: 3x8x57.5
Seated row: 3x5x80.25

Today: felt a little drained actually, but lifts were decent...

Squats: 3x5x80 - kinda tough, starting to feel heavy. My lower body felt kinda stiff today, I had to chuck 50kg on the bar before I felt like I had enough weight to push me down properly.
Bench: 3x8x60 - felt easier than last time, changed breathing to 2 reps per first breath and 1 per rep from then on
Seated row SS: 3x5x81.3 - can increase this
Shrugs SS: 3x8x34 - repeat this aiming for perfect form
Curls: 3x8x15 - can probably do 16 if I have the same amount of time to rest (SS with stretching)

[Datfox]

Deadlift 5x110 - felt a bit heavy but i think my form was pretty decent
OHP 3x6x50 - felt 52.5 was too much so i compromised with 6 reps of 50. This was a serious grind. Again, I think my form was ok
Pullups: 3.75kg x10,9,8 bit of a rush
Tricep pull downs 3x8x29.3 - much better than last time, still difficult though

[Datfox]

For yesterday

Squats 3*5*82.5 pretty easy, knee is slightly sore today but only 1/10 discomfort
Bench 3*8*62.5 wasn't too much of a struggle, I noticed I wasn't pushing completely evenly with both arms but that always tends to happen as the weight goes up. Other than that form was decent.
Seated row ss 3*5*82.55 pretty easy, increase
Shrugs Ss 3*8*34 can increase to 36
Curls 3*8*16 not much of a struggle

All in all a good session, everything is progressing nicely. I did have more time in the gym though so I was better rested before each set.

[GinjaNinja85]

Good work mate. What's your name? Lifts are moving along slow but sure!

[Datfox]

For yesterday

dead lift 5*112.5 seemed pretty decent, no obvious problems
ohp 52.5*5,50*4 videod the second set and my form looked a bit dodgy so decided to be very cautious on the final set. Gonna have a look at some ohp form videos and maybe post mine somewhere to see what people think.
Pull ups 5kg*10,10,9.5 didn't feel hard
tricep pull down 3*29.3 tough but easier than recent sessions (maybe better rested)

@ginger, thanks dude, I'm very happy with the rate at which my strength is returning (sounds like I was ill lol). I'm afraid I'm pretty cautious when it comes to posting personal details online though, so don't want to share my name.

[Datfox]

For 23/5 (forgot to post)

Felt very bad so had a bit of a rest day

Bench : 3*8*60
Seated rows 3*5*79
shrugs 3*8*30

For 27/5

feeling slightly better

dead lifts 5*115 felt decent, think form was good
Ohp 3*5*50 forgot to check form videos so played it safe, felt much weaker than previous two Ohp sessions
pull ups 6.5kg*10,10,9 not great
tricep pull downs 3*8*29.5 these felt surprisingly easy

I think I may stop squatting and find some other leg exercise, it takes too much effort to maintain flexibility and cardio stuff always takes a harder toll on my legs when I've squatted recently.