EB68's workout journal

[Vanguard1965]

Going to a lean gain phase to help heal up and capitalize on all this new strenght you have gained is probably a good idea and will allow you to get your metabolism back up as well.

[EB68]

Sorry to hear the shoulder is acting up on you, at least you can still bench without issue. I agree upping the cals a tad tends to do good things for the body. Olive oil heals all. The most recent pics you've been posting look great IMO, looks like a very successful cut even if you didn't quite hit the 8%.

Thanks! I think I will up the calories slightly for a few weeks to see what happens, I have started to see a decrease in strength in the past few weeks and I don't want that.

Nice work in that last session.

Interesting observation Eric, you're shoulder injury is unusual.. do you think it is a stability issue? You will really feel it in the socket rather than a muscle. It's a horrible pain that lingers even at rest and can take a whole night to ease off. Just aggravating the shoulder with the same movement starts it off again. Hopefully it's just soft tissue.

May be stay away from the curls for a little while, it obviously needs more time. Here's to a full recovery!

Thanks Louise. I am not sure what I did to my shoulder, but the pain comes and goes and is not unbearable just uncomfortable. I think it is just a minor issue that will pass soon though. As long as I am careful about it.

Going to a lean gain phase to help heal up and capitalize on all this new strenght you have gained is probably a good idea and will allow you to get your metabolism back up as well.

Thanks. I think you are right and will see what happems over the next few weeks with slightly more calories.

[EB68]

Today was deadlift day and here it is.

135x10
225x8
315x6
345x4
345x4
345x4
345x4
390x2 (added straps and belt, video below)
430xfail (video below)
430x fail
405x2
345x7

That was it for today. Don't know why I cannot pull the 430, I have done 435 before and 430 last week for one rep. Two weeks ago I pulled 420x2 with ease. It is frustrating to say the least, but what can you do but try again next week? I weighed 162.6 this morning and ate a little over my calorie goal for today, I did keep the carbs low though and protien high. I am going to try eating 150/200 calories more than I have been eating for a few weeks and see if that helps with the strength without hurting the scale too much. Hopefully it will help with some healing too.
Today's food

[thehobbes]

Nice effort on the 430 pulls nonetheless. It will go up next time, you shall summon the strength of 10,000 Spartan Warriors, oh and some oatmeal.

[EB68]

Nice effort on the 430 pulls nonetheless. It will go up next time, you shall summon the strength of 10,000 Spartan Warriors, oh and some oatmeal.

I hope you are right Hammie. I want that 430x2 to bo done with so I can move forward. At this rate my 12 week deadlift program is going to last all summer.

[EB68]

Today was Back and Triceps and here it is.

Pull-ups
BWx10
BWx10
BWx10

Underhand Bentover Rows
135x12
155x10
185x8
205x6
205x6
205x6

Overhand Bentover Rows
185x12
205x10
225x8
225x8
225x8

Skull Crushers
35x15
45x13
55x12
65x10
75x8
75x8

Tricep pushdowns
50x15
60x12
70x10

That was it for today. I took it kinda easy on my back today and here is why. I woke up at 1:00am to some terrible storms and no power, my wife woke soon after and I went down and powered up the back-up generator. I couldn't get back to sleep at all and got ready for work at 4:00am. I knew there was trouble on the road somewhere since the power was out and loaded up my chainsaw, gas, oil and headed out. I live on a long road miles from the pavement with one way in and one way out. Just a few hundred yards from the driveway I spotted a tree across the road and cut out a pathway, then a little farther down I found a powerpole broke off at the ground and three large trees in the road with power lines tangled all in them. At that point I went back home and called in. My first day absent from work in three years, but what can you do? I spent about 6 hours sawing trees today after the power company had cleared the line and restored power, and my back is feeling it. Diet was where I wanted it today although most of it came in three large meals as I was out most of the day. Today's food I raised the fats a little in hopes of healing up some joint issues I have been having. The workout wasn't bad today though my triceps are pumped and feeling huge right now, I also feel a good pump in my lats. The pull-ups really had no affect today on my shoulder, but I kept them light to be safe.

[cmoore]

Awesome work in here as always. Rooting for a speedy healing and your continued progress.

[thehobbes]

Holy crap, there's Eric just driving around chain-sawing trees lol, that's pretty cool actually. Stay safe with those storms, seems like they're all over the place right now.

[EB68]

Awesome work in here as always. Rooting for a speedy healing and your continued progress.

Thanks cmoore. The shoulder seems to be healing quickly, but I will continue to take it easy on it and abandon anything that irritates it for now.

Holy crap, there's Eric just driving around chain-sawing trees lol, that's pretty cool actually. Stay safe with those storms, seems like they're all over the place right now.

Thanks Hammie. Living here requires being prepared for the worst at times. I have been stuck in here for days at a time. The wind is picking up again tonite but nothing like last nite so far. We had 40+ mph winds all night long last night. My neighbor needed some firewood so I cut the two oaks up into firewood and stacked them along side of the road today while he was at work. The huge pine I just sawed to moveable size and chunked off the side of the mountain. I also went out today and purchased two 5 gallon jugs full of gas for the generator since it is that time of the year.

[EB68]

Off today. My traps, lats, spinal erectors, forearms, triceps are all very sore today. I tried to scratch the middle of my back earlier and from the top made my traps/triceps cramp, from the bottom made my lats, spinal erectors cramp. I guess I needed the off day to recover, I will work my legs tomorrow. Today's food Didn't go over today on the calories, I am in a mental struggle right now with eating more food. After just a couple of days of it I already feel fat. I wouldn't have thought that adding food would mess with my head, but seems worse than cutting at this point. I really want to get ripped, just not sure which direction to go right now, don't want to mess up what I have worked hard to accomplish over the past several months right here before summertime . I may try cutting for a while more.

[Lou1se]

You said you went light on back day but that was still good work. I figure the 430lb deadlift will happen when you begin the next bulk. Looking very lean in your videos, I don't know how you keep it going when it's so cold

Take care out there and your neighbour is very lucky to have you living next to him, that was a very thoughtful gesture Eric

[EB68]

You said you went light on back day but that was still good work. I figure the 430lb deadlift will happen when you begin the next bulk. Looking very lean in your videos, I don't know how you keep it going when it's so cold

Take care out there and your neighbour is very lucky to have you living next to him, that was a very thoughtful gesture Eric

Thanks Louise. Hopefully my next bulk phase will not be until this fall. I have been backwards since I started, cutting in winter and bulking in summer and I want to switch that around now. If I don't get the deads up much over the summer I won't be too worried, just as long as I don't lose anymore strength I will be happy. And my neighbor has helped me alot along the way, I try to return the favors when possible.

[EB68]

Today was Legs and Abs and here it is.

Cable crunches
50x20
60x20
70x20

Oblique sways
50x20
50x20
50x20

Hanging leg raises
x20
x17
x15

Squats
135x12
185x10
225x8
245x6
245x6
245x6

Calf Raises
250x20
250x20
250x20
250x20

Leg Presses
300x15
350x12
350x12
375x10
375x8

That was it for today. I had planned to do some SLDL's, but my hams and glutes are still sore from monday's deadlifts so I skipped them. I have been feeling a little anxious today and jitterty because I am trying to get a new job and after being on the same one for 18 years it is a bit scary to leave for a new one. But hopefully it will work out since the new job would pay close to twice what the current one does. I weighed 162 even this AM, which is down from 164 monday or tuesday. Hopefully I can get the weightloss back on track in the next couple of weeks. Diet was on track today. Today's foods

[EB68]

Today was shoulders and here it is.

Seated DB OHP's
20'sx15
25'sx13
30'sx12
30'sx12
30'sx12

Upright Rows
65x14
75x12
85x10

Facepulls
50x12
60x10
70x8

Behind the back Shrugs
135x15
185x12
225x10
245x8
245x8

BB Shrugs
225x12
275x10
315x6
315x5
315x5

That was it for today. Itried to do some front DB raises, but I couldn't do them. The right shoulder just won't work right now. No lateral raises or rear delt flyes either, they all hurt too much. The other exercises had no affect on the shoulder issue. My traps are pumped like crazy, maybe one day they will actually grow . Iweighed 161.4 this AM, and hope to be under 161 by tomorrow morning. Diet was spot on today, same as the past couple days. Today's food . I got a call about the new job today and set up an interview for tuesday. Hope it goes well as I could really use the extra money right now.

[Lou1se]

Best of luck for the coming interview! Nice work and I like your leg day

[Vanguard1965]

Solid workouts Eric and good luck on getting that new job!

[thehobbes]

GL with the interview, don't be shy if they ask you how much you can DL! (In all seriousness those who lift are better at most jobs that require effort and skill - dedicated, confident, hardworking, physically and mentally strong, can get over a failure quicker and move on, focused, organized.) You are the Mighty E-man, get out there and OWN IT!

[cmoore]

Great work and GL for Tuesday.

[Jtbny]

Best of luck for the coming interview! Nice work and I like your leg day

This. Good luck Eric!

[EB68]

Best of luck for the coming interview! Nice work and I like your leg day

Solid workouts Eric and good luck on getting that new job!

GL with the interview, don't be shy if they ask you how much you can DL! (In all seriousness those who lift are better at most jobs that require effort and skill - dedicated, confident, hardworking, physically and mentally strong, can get over a failure quicker and move on, focused, organized.) You are the Mighty E-man, get out there and OWN IT!

Great work and GL for Tuesday.

This. Good luck Eric!

Thanks to all of you. I hope it goes well, this job would make a huge difference in my lifestyle. It would be more hours and alot more money, may cut into my lifting schedule a bit but it involves heavy lifting all day so that would be okay.

Off today. Cut some more ifrewood and did some cleanup along the road in the snow today. It has been snowing since around 10:30 last night, we are usually past snow weather by this time of year. Today's diet was good, I weighed 161 even this morning. Today's food

[EB68]

Today was Chest and Biceps and here it is.

BB Benchpress
Barx15
115x15
135x12
155x10
175x8
185x7
195x5
205x4 (this set was causing pain in my shoulder so stopped there.)

Incline DB Flyes
30'sx15
30'sx15
30'sx15
30'sx15

Seated incline DB Curls
20'sx12
25'x12
30'sx12

Olympic bar Curls
Barx15
65x14
75x12
85x10
85x10

That was it for today. I took it kinda easy today, I have been working on disassembling my truck all day and turning those 28 year old bumper bolts out already had my shoulders worn out. I weighed 160 even this AM so I have finally got below the plateau of 161. Hopefully I can move on from here and reach the goal of 8% BF. Today was also my refeed day, but I didn't go over my cut calories by much.
Today's food



Here is a bicep shot after m workout, they were pumped like crazy.

[drudixon]

Pound for Pound totally beast. Man, you've come so far. It'll be a long time before I attempt 430 on deads. Very great forward progress buddy.

[EB68]

Pound for Pound totally beast. Man, you've come so far. It'll be a long time before I attempt 430 on deads. Very great forward progress buddy.

Thanks Dru. If I could stay injury free for a while I think I could make some decent progress this year given the knowledge I have gained from this forum and where I am now. Hopefully I will be pulling 500lbs. by the end of the year. I assume my bench and squat will still suck though

[EB68]

Today was supposed to be deadlift day but I decided to take the day off from lifting. The way my luck has been lately I would pull a muscle in my back and go for my interview tomorrow all humped over. The job I am trying to get involves lifting heavy all day long and I want to look strong for the interview. I did work on the truck some more today and I am sore all over. Diet wasn't perfect today, but was good. I weighed back at 162 this AM after yesterdays refeed, but it should drop quickly. Today's food

[Vanguard1965]

Biceps looking huge Eric and like you said last thing you need is to go into the interview tomorrow all hobbled over. Like you said getting this job will change a lot for you versus skipping one workout.

[Lou1se]

I went back to around the beginning of your journal. You were happy with a 230lb PR lift on deads in May last year! Great progress alright You're lifting more than that for BOR's and Squats. That pic speaks volumes

You should shoot that pic thru to them just before the interview ..with stats of course!

[EB68]

Biceps looking huge Eric and like you said last thing you need is to go into the interview tomorrow all hobbled over. Like you said getting this job will change a lot for you versus skipping one workout.

Thanks vanguard. This job would be a lifechanging move. And I think a week off from heavy deads will do me some good, I never do a deload even though I always think it would help in the long run.

I went back to around the beginning of your journal. You were happy with a 230lb PR lift on deads in May last year! Great progress alright You're lifting more than that for BOR's and Squats. That pic speaks volumes

You should shoot that pic thru to them just before the interview ..with stats of course!

Thanks Louise, I can still remember the rush I felt when I was able to pull 315 for the first time. Pulling 500 should give me that great feeling of accomplishment all over again and I plan to do it this year. I have been a nervous wreck all day thinking about tomorrow, hope it all goes well.

[drudixon]

Thanks Dru. If I could stay injury free for a while I think I could make some decent progress this year given the knowledge I have gained from this forum and where I am now. Hopefully I will be pulling 500lbs. by the end of the year. I assume my bench and squat will still suck though

Your squats still better than mine... Looking at my 5/3/1 sheet, I won't be doing 3 plate squats for a year almost.

[Jtbny]

Good luck with your interview today!

[cmoore]

Good luck with your interview today!

^^^^^^this