Becoming the leanest, strongest 165-pounder I can be: the saga continues.

[musicianman]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=124257001

Well, these past two years and change have involved quite a few adventures. I started my last journal in May of 2010, at the end of my freshman year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I had no idea what I was doing with my life at that point, other than that I was studying physics and cognitive science, and dealt with some bouts of depression amidst not knowing where I was going.

I considered being a musician at some point. After moving from California to Massachusetts at thirteen, I continued my pianistic studies that I had been pursuing since the age of five. I began studying under my teacher, Niva Fried, whose musical lineage traces back to none other than Beethoven himself - Leonard Shure was one of her teachers. At some point during high school, my dream was to end up at Juillard and I was competing and performing in concert halls.

Three years of college, a heartbreak and a few end-of-my-worlds later, here I am. I'm going into my senior year of studies dual majoring in biomedical engineering and psychology. I have aspirations to pursue psychopharmacology, neuroscience, nanotechnology and a combination thereof as part of a PhD. I'm currently working on genetics-related nanotechnology research under my professor's NIH grant, am first-authoring a paper, and am pretty thrilled about how things are panning out.

Oh, and I really enjoy picking things up and putting them down.



My last powerlifting meet was in April of 2012, where I broke my second New York state-record for age and weight with a 485 deadlift. My lifetime best lifts are 385/285/515 (S/B/D).

Here goes - round two. Here's to fresh starts and getting the **** up when you're beat down.

Thanks for all of the support. Let's see how far these Russian genetics and this mind-body-thing of mine can take me.

[-Lucifer]

LuBear has arrived.

[Blizzard589]

[jshaw5]

[Woody-5]

[supmannn]

i no has in gif

but i is in newayz

[Jrahe42]

i no has in gif

but i is in newayz

[DanielBeauchamp]

More lift, less talk.

[musicianman]

Wednesday, July 25 - Power Lower, Core and Accessory:
This is my second day back from a week of rest from lifting, excluding a speed lower day on Saturday. Since high volume on any given exercise is currently a no-go, I chose to hit a variety of muscle groups in order to expedite my re-acclimation to heavy training.

Squats:
275x2
315x1
365x1 (beltless PR)
345x0
As (relatively) easy as 365 was, 345 felt like 405 and I did not even attempt to drive it out of the hole.

Glute-ham raises:
BWx9
BWx5

Overhead walks:
135
I overhead pressed 135, then walked around the gym with it for a little bit.

Hanging leg raises:
BWx15

Dragon flags:
3
Completely strict!

Standing rollouts:
3
No shot after squats and the dragon flags. I touched the floor with my entire body at the end of each rep so I feel hesitant counting these to begin with.

Skullcrushers:
65x8
65x8
This was silly weight, but I was actually bringing the bar to my forehead for a change as opposed to bringing it behind my head. I found that this made my elbows feel some discomfort and the shearing force was quite high, but I think that doing these in this fashion every week or two will help to strengthen my actual elbow joint. My elbows feel fine as I'm posting this.

Overhead triceps rope extensions:
110x4
110x6
Double-pulley system.

Seated calf raises:
3.5Px12
3Px15
3.5Px5 >>> 3Px10

Standing calf raises:
15 / 15
Just leaning against a wall. Fast concentric, held at the top, and then a slow eccentric.

Hammer curls:
45x12 / 45x12
Left / right.



Hey, what are everyone's favorite glute accessory exercises?

[DanielBeauchamp]

Why do you think you need one?

Good squat.

[-Lucifer]

Hey, what are everyone's favorite glute accessory exercises?

\/ \/ \/

[musicianman]

The notation of an absence does not necessarily imply a need

LuBear, I was thinking of doing those but could not find the "pussy pad" in my gym, as apt as its use would be in this given situation. Should I simply do it raw?
So many puns.
Any others?

[DanielBeauchamp]

The notation of an absence does not necessarily imply a need

That's right.

In any case, I prefer to keep my workouts brief, basic, and hard - and I don't spend any time on extras. So I have no idea.

[-Lucifer]

@DBC
So you don't do any auxiliary work, whatsoever? Not even situps?

LuBear, I was thinking of doing those but could not find the "pussy pad" in my gym, as apt as its use would be in this given situation. Should I simply do it raw?

I'd do you raw.

No, don't do it without the puss pad. Can't you use a towel instead? I'm sure you have one specially for fapping.

[musicianman]

That's right.

In any case, I prefer to keep my workouts brief, basic, and hard - and I don't spend any time on extras. So I have no idea.

Is brief, basic and hard how you generally like things?

I'd do you raw.

No, don't do it without the puss pad. Can't you use a towel instead? I'm sure you have one specially for fapping.

The thought of an Indian Helen Thomas really gets me going.

Oh goodness, it's page one of my journal and we're already doing this...

[DanielBeauchamp]

Is brief, basic and hard how you generally like things?

Always. Except coffee breaks.

[Blizzard589]

Crazy workout. Did you ever max press after Smolov Jr?

My favorite glute accessory is the kb (or db) swing or band/cable pullthrus done explosively. Any squat or deadlift variation works them well enough IMO so I rarely do those.

[DanielBeauchamp]

@DBC
So you don't do any auxiliary work, whatsoever? Not even situps?

Nope. Unless you count grip work.


The entirety of my training is based on:

Deadlift
Squats
Press
Rows (barbell or old school t-bar)
Chins
Barbell curl
Heavy dumbbell work (one-arm lifts)
Grip work


I'll normally do heavy shrugs as well, but I've been laying off them lately due to a hand injury. That's about it.

[Blizzard589]

You don't bench, Dan?

[-Lucifer]

Yeah, my routine is similar. I do these lifts only:

Squat
Bench press
SLDL
Press
CGBP
Chinup
Suitcase deadlift

I also do heavy situps and some grip work (farmer's walk & plate pinch).

You don't bench, Dan?

Old-school style training, my good man. They were real men.

[DanielBeauchamp]

You don't bench, Dan?

Nope.

I believe in training on my feet. As far as meets, I'd probably bench a few weeks out to get an idea of where I'm at and then hit some token numbers.

The press is just plain superior, in my opinion.

[dk240t]

Sub'd again. In for lifting things up and putting them down.

[musicianman]

Thursday, July 26 - Impulse Lower:

2" squat lockouts:
405x3
405x2 (walking to each end of the rack)
495x2 (walking to each end of the rack)
585x2 (walking to each end of the rack)
675x1
765x1
855x1
945x1
Video shows 765, 855 and 945. 945 was instantaneous, but I ****ing got it. I will be setting the pins one lower next time.

Cleans:
185x2

Deadlifts:
295x2

Power cleans:
185x1
185x0
I never have any problems throwing the weight up to my chest. The problem is getting under.

Wide-grip lat pulldowns:
140x12
Ah, spinal decompression...



I sacrificed mice in the name of science today, performed a polymerase chain reaction, performed for parents of new students, and now I'm going to cook a cornish game hen. Let's see how this goes. So far, a good day.

[musicianman]

Always. Except coffee breaks.

Lulz.

Crazy workout. Did you ever max press after Smolov Jr?

My favorite glute accessory is the kb (or db) swing or band/cable pullthrus done explosively. Any squat or deadlift variation works them well enough IMO so I rarely do those.

I tested it, but ended up getting 155x1 and was feeling seriously depleted during my workout. There's a video that I took that shows me raging and punching walls and such.

I'm just going to train my press and see how it goes. I don't care what my 1RM is. I should be good for 170 given a week or two, tops.

I forgot about pull-throughs. Can't believe I did. They're awesome.

Nope. Unless you count grip work.

The entirety of my training is based on:

Deadlift
Squats
Press
Rows (barbell or old school t-bar)
Chins
Barbell curl
Heavy dumbbell work (one-arm lifts)
Grip work

I'll normally do heavy shrugs as well, but I've been laying off them lately due to a hand injury. That's about it.

Like ye old time men.

Old-school style training, my good man. They were real men.

x2!

Nope.

I believe in training on my feet. As far as meets, I'd probably bench a few weeks out to get an idea of where I'm at and then hit some token numbers.

The press is just plain superior, in my opinion.

Good philosophy. Not the best for getting the strongest possible bench, but I can't argue with the press being superior to the bench press.

You may want to look into doing speed and lockout work on the bench, in the very least.

[DominationStation]

Not a fan of cornish hens.

[supmannn]

Not a fan of 2'' squat lockouts.

[Jrahe42]

do that without a belt

[supmannn]

Goddamnit you were supposed to keep the "not a fan of" thing going.

[Jrahe42]

Goddamnit you were supposed to keep the "not a fan of" thing going.

you ruined the gif thing, we are even.

[supmannn]

Not a fan of in gifs.