Drudixon's See No Evil, Hear No Evil - Aesthetics Acquisition Log

[induced_drag]

Thanks y'all. I think what I'll do is finish this meso-cycle, and one more, then it'll be diet time. I'll read up on carb cycling. I think I'd like that better than Keto or even CKD. My energy sucked so bad on keto. I may toss in some cardio, not sure. I really thought I had more time to plan for it... At current course and speed, I'll be 200lbs and 23% bodyfat by new years, so maybe I can live with that... /sigh

I can help if you like when it comes to setting up your carb cycling diet. I have done several different variations. First I did it "by the book" then I came up with other variations that worked just as well or better, but I enjoyed more mentally.


I have a nice spreadsheet I made up that makes calculating out your diet, High and Low days, avg cals....etc. I need to clean it up for others to use, as I just made it for me, so I did not really put the "polish" on it.

[Payton1221]

Bench
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4

Who are you and what have you done with Dru? Dude, this is awesome!

[drudixon]

I can help if you like when it comes to setting up your carb cycling diet. I have done several different variations. First I did it "by the book" then I came up with other variations that worked just as well or better, but I enjoyed more mentally.


I have a nice spreadsheet I made up that makes calculating out your diet, High and Low days, avg cals....etc. I need to clean it up for others to use, as I just made it for me, so I did not really put the "polish" on it.

I'd definitely like to take a look. I see I'll have to plan off days, weigh, use myfitnesspal, etc. I have so little meal variety, it's usually pretty easy to know where I come in during my "mass gaining" phase.

Who are you and what have you done with Dru? Dude, this is awesome!

Thanks man. I definitely think I'm more of a fast twitch guy than slow. I'm mid leg workout and so far so good. "Funner" numbers soon to follow.

[drudixon]

Leg Day
Felt great today. Son is out of school, so I got an extra 30 minutes of sleep. Really trying to work on my focus and execution. Also trying to ratchet up the intensity. Going with more of a power lifting style squat now too. Guess I'm tired of ATG and also of people who've been squatting 30 days who squat more than me. I added an additional 20lbs to what the spreadsheet said I should, but it really felt good, so I was tempted to add 20lbs more. Oddly enough, I felt the squats more in my shoulders and elbows than anywhere. Anyway, here it is (plus a vid of the leg presses so ppl see what I'm talking about.

Yes, I worked out in jeans. Workout stuff is in the laundry.

Squats
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4

SLDL
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4

Single Leg Leg Press on Smith
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4

Last set


Leg Curls 30s rest
70 x 15
70 x 15

Single Leg Leg Extensions
70 x 15 x 15
70 x 15 x 15

Calves
185 x 15 x 15
185 x 15 x 15

[EB68]

Strong leg session Dru. I use my smith machine for a leg press also, but have never done it with one at a time. Do you do your calves with it as well?

[fittofattofit]

Strong squatting Dru! Great work with the 250 x 4 sets and then the 230 x 4 SLDLs
Those single leg presses on the Smith look hard --- you're using a good range of movement on those and it looks like you're getting great glute and hammie activation
Doing a lot of strong work lately!

[drudixon]

Strong leg session Dru. I use my smith machine for a leg press also, but have never done it with one at a time. Do you do your calves with it as well?

Thanks Eric! I'm hoping to squat 300 very soon. We'll see.

I just started doing calves, one leg at a time on the smith, using it like a leg press, but I may switch back to doing it standing up on plates and doing raises that way. I"m trying it the leg press way so that it's supposed to blend standing and seated, but so far I don't think my calves are responding to it. They measured cold yesterday at 15.25" (same as my arms cold )

I used to have a soccer coach who was a goalie for Liverpool in the 70s and 80s and he had 19" calves. They were just ginormous boxes. I'd love to get to that point, I just need to figure out who to do it.

[drudixon]

Strong squatting Dru! Great work with the 250 x 4 sets and then the 230 x 4 SLDLs
Those single leg presses on the Smith look hard --- you're using a good range of movement on those and it looks like you're getting great glute and hammie activation
Doing a lot of strong work lately!

Thanks Andrew. I'm definitely doing a glute/ham focused leg press. Quad focused hurts my knees too much. I'm ready for a 3 plate squat in the biggest way, so hopefully next cycle will bring it! We'll see.

[ironwill2008]

Squats
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4

SLDL
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4

gj on a well-balanced pair of exercises.

Single Leg Leg Press on Smith
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4
185 x 4 x 4

I see these mentioned in the open forums occasionally, but this is the first time I've seen them logged in a journal.

[drudixon]

gj on a well-balanced pair of exercises.

I see these mentioned in the open forums occasionally, but this is the first time I've seen them logged in a journal.

Thanks a ton for coming by Bill. I'm surprised at how fast the hams are starting to catch up strength wise. Size wise... not so much...

The smith leg press I learned about in the smith sissy hack thread I posted a while back. I like it, but it's definitely not as good as the real thing. For one, I have to push laterally to ensure the smith handles don't turn, so some effort is wasted there. Also, if my foot isn't perfect middle of the bar, then the low side drags. I do it one legged so that my low back won't round with full rom. So far I'm glad I'm doing it. I suspect it's helping the squat, but it's too early to tell.

[drudixon]

Shoulders Arm Day

Agonizingly slow workout today. It took place in two parts. I kept getting interrupted with work (imagine that, work interrupting me while I work out during the work day...). My shoulder actually felt good today, but I have a new weird pain in the bottom of my left palm (not the thumb side) where the bar rests doing suicide grip. It's wicked painful when the weights there, but once the bar moves off that point. Guess I'll have to bat for the other team now and use a thickly padded glove and ice it (per google). Oh well. Workout is now done.

Shoulder Press *took ID's advice and used much narrower grip, this helped a ton with the shoulder pain.
135 x 4
135 x 4
135 x 0 ??? (no idea what happened, it just wouldn't go)
125 x 4
125 x 4
125 x 4
125 x 4
125 x 4

Straight Bar curls
115 x 0 (couldn't get it started without cheating)
110 x 4
110 x 4
110 x 4
110 x 4
110 x 4
110 x 4
110 x 4

CGBP (who knew CGBP could have so much drama.... /sigh)
185 x 4 *some pain
185 x 4 *hit the stupid catches, bar moved and waaah, fuark, that stupid nerve thing, almost lost the bar but got lucky

Part 2 of Workout - 5 hours later

My new EZ bar was delivered, so I did a couple sets to check it out.
Weighed it, the scale says 16lbs. Tried 3 different hand positions - Hammer, narrow, wide --->easiest to hardest

Oddly, I couldn't do 115 a single time with it. Maybe I just need to get used to it. I'll be subbing straight bar for ez bar narrow

185 x 4 put on padded gloves - much better
185 x 4
185 x 4
185 x 4
185 x 4

Arnold Presses * 30s rest (shoulders were pumped from CGBP - Really worked on going slow and feeling the shoulder muscle, got an awesome pump )
20 x 13
20 x 11

Zottmans *30 s rest, arms were really pumped, the vein started popping a bit which is nice
20 x 15
20 x 15

Dips *30 s rest still wearing gloves....
20
20

[fittofattofit]

It's always a treat when a new piece of equipment arrives in the post I like the EZ bar, but then a medium grip on the EZ suits my shoulders because it takes some strain off my LHBs. Curling 110lbs on the straight bar without cheating is a damn good effort
Good news about the shoulder pain and the presses were strong
You still covered a lot of ground despite it being a split workout
Good work Dru, and we'll be waiting for a full review of the new bar when you get a chance!

[Payton1221]

Shoulder Press *took ID's advice and used much narrower grip, this helped a ton with the shoulder pain.
135 x 4
135 x 4
135 x 0 ??? (no idea what happened, it just wouldn't go)
125 x 4
125 x 4
125 x 4
125 x 4
125 x 4

Is this the same as what you called OHP last week? If so, HUGE jump in weights!

[drudixon]

It's always a treat when a new piece of equipment arrives in the post I like the EZ bar, but then a medium grip on the EZ suits my shoulders because it takes some strain off my LHBs. Curling 110lbs on the straight bar without cheating is a damn good effort
Good news about the shoulder pain and the presses were strong
You still covered a lot of ground despite it being a split workout
Good work Dru, and we'll be waiting for a full review of the new bar when you get a chance!

For sure Andrew. I'll throw up a vid of it. Yeah, I'm thankful about the shoulder for sure. Amazing how much of a difference 2" makes. Hopefully the hand thing will go away soon.

Is this the same as what you called OHP last week? If so, HUGE jump in weights!

Thanks Mark. Slowly but surely. I'd like the OHP to help with my bench (not to mention big shoulders. I did do more warmup, some face pulls, dislocates, etc, so I'm sure that played a big part. Mostly wish I'd been able to finish everything at 135 tho. Was cool to have the big wheels on. Some day 4 wheels, but likely not for several years.

[Tifflex]

Good work in here! I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving.

[drudixon]

Deadlift Day

4 Plate Club! Nuff Said.

155 x 10
155 x 10
245 x 8
245 x 8
295 x 6
295 x 6
335 x 4
335 x 4
385 x 2
405 x 2

[induced_drag]

Good to see the shoulders are cooperating.

I think a lot of guys would be surprised how bad my shoulders are given the things I do.

Before I started back in the gym, I had a consult with a sports or tho and he wanted to do both my shoulders. They were so bad that I could not lift my infant child out of a car seat. My wife would have to do it for me.(SRS)

Anyway.....just rehabbed them slow and steady. I am super strict with form and have found what I can and can't do. BTW......muscle ups are a no no for me . Found out the hard way


On another note.....NICE DEADS.!

You seem to be responding well to this training. How do you feel it is working?

[drudixon]

Good to see the shoulders are cooperating.

I think a lot of guys would be surprised how bad my shoulders are given the things I do.

Before I started back in the gym, I had a consult with a sports or tho and he wanted to do both my shoulders. They were so bad that I could not lift my infant child out of a car seat. My wife would have to do it for me.(SRS)

Anyway.....just rehabbed them slow and steady. I am super strict with form and have found what I can and can't do. BTW......muscle ups are a no no for me . Found out the hard way


On another note.....NICE DEADS.!

You seem to be responding well to this training. How do you feel it is working?

Thanks ID. I like it. The variety is good. I think I'm going to change to 2x15 3x10 5x5 next time. 7 x 4 just takes forever. I like pumping up at the end. Doing a core lift first lets me feel like I'm doing something for strength, but I can still get the reps and the pump. I might consider trying the pyramid scheme that I do for deads for squats or something else tho.

I'm thinking of taking hand cleans out and doing lateral raises. I find those are therapeutic, and I recall they were part of my rehab when I tore my cuff years ago. The weight is still climbing. Even if it's a lot of fat, hitting 200 is a big milestone for me, so I'll be jazzed when I get there.

[induced_drag]

Thanks ID. I like it. The variety is good. I think I'm going to change to 2x15 3x10 5x5 next time. 7 x 4 just takes forever. I like pumping up at the end. Doing a core lift first lets me feel like I'm doing something for strength, but I can still get the reps and the pump. I might consider trying the pyramid scheme that I do for deads for squats or something else tho.

I'm thinking of taking hand cleans out and doing lateral raises. I find those are therapeutic, and I recall they were part of my rehab when I tore my cuff years ago. The weight is still climbing. Even if it's a lot of fat, hitting 200 is a big milestone for me, so I'll be jazzed when I get there.

Yea...ha sounds like a lot. 7x4!

I do 3x10
4x7
And 5x5

Just for reference.

[cmoore]

Nice work Dru.

[fittofattofit]

Deadlift Day

4 Plate Club! Nuff Said.

155 x 10
155 x 10
245 x 8
245 x 8
295 x 6
295 x 6
335 x 4
335 x 4
385 x 2
405 x 2

Awesome
You nailed that 405 and then went back for more! You also looked like you had more in you, so maybe 420 for a 1RM next time!
Nuff said!

[EB68]

Nice freaking job Dru! Heck with all the prior sets before the 405 you pulled it very easily. That was the biggest milestone for me so far was hitting the 405 deadlift, now I want to surpass it. Looked like with a few less warmup sets you could have pulled a couple more reps, or a heavier weight.

[Payton1221]

4 Plate Club! Nuff Said.
405 x 2

Dude!!! FWIW, I'm reading Dan John's "Never Let Go," and he says that the deadlift (along with pull-ups and the triple jump) are what he uses with his athletes to see if a program is truly working or not. Unlike the bench press that can be manipulated via chest bounces, the deadlift starts on the floor and it takes sheer strength to get the weight UP!

[Getsum]

Deadlift Day

4 Plate Club! Nuff Said.

155 x 10
155 x 10
245 x 8
245 x 8
295 x 6
295 x 6
335 x 4
335 x 4
385 x 2
405 x 2

I just wanted to stop by and say Gratz man, that was awesome. Excellent workout as well, I like that progression scheme you used there.

[ArchAngel'73]

All that in jeans nonetheless! You've gone from a skinny little sh*t (no offence) to a beast in the making, bloody impressive!

Keep at it Dru, the path ahead is clear. You're doing excellent!

[drudixon]

Nice freaking job Dru! Heck with all the prior sets before the 405 you pulled it very easily. That was the biggest milestone for me so far was hitting the 405 deadlift, now I want to surpass it. Looked like with a few less warmup sets you could have pulled a couple more reps, or a heavier weight.

Dude!!! FWIW, I'm reading Dan John's "Never Let Go," and he says that the deadlift (along with pull-ups and the triple jump) are what he uses with his athletes to see if a program is truly working or not. Unlike the bench press that can be manipulated via chest bounces, the deadlift starts on the floor and it takes sheer strength to get the weight UP!

I just wanted to stop by and say Gratz man, that was awesome. Excellent workout as well, I like that progression scheme you used there.

All that in jeans nonetheless! You've gone from a skinny little sh*t (no offence) to a beast in the making, bloody impressive!

Keep at it Dru, the path ahead is clear. You're doing excellent!

Thanks a ton guys. I feel like I'm getting there. The 200lb weight mark is sooooo close, but it seems incredibly far. I'm now give or take a big dump at my all time highest weight, 194 lbs, tho I'm at a 33" waist instead of 34" like the last time.

I need to modify this work out a tad. It's taking too long, and I think the volume is a touch much. This is my last regular week before deload for 2 weeks. I'll throw up a vid of my bench in a few minutes. I saw some things wrong with it and should have reshot the next set for comparison. Oh well.

The support y'all give is great. As a home-lifter, it really helps. It'd be easy enough to just slack, but knowing y'all are here to bust my chops keeps me moving, so it's much appreciated.

Re: the jeans, I kinda like deading in them, so I may keep doing that all the time. The bar transitions nicely up the shin and over the knee.

I'll post this workout in about an hour when I'm done.

[drudixon]

Awesome
You nailed that 405 and then went back for more! You also looked like you had more in you, so maybe 420 for a 1RM next time!
Nuff said!

thanks Andrew! I'm trying. I think if I make corrections to my set up I can do more. While the weight is climbing really fast, it's hard to say how much of it is strength versus technique improvements. Other than Bill Starr, I've never deaded, so there's really a ton of constant adjustments. Next week's deadlifts will be different yet again.

[drudixon]

Back at it. Shortened today's workout by converting incline presses from power to pump. Also changed it to dumbbells. Also shortened by changing low reps to 5x5. Pretty good workout.

Bench
235 x 5
235 x 5
235 x 5 vid
235 x 5
235 x 5



Next sets of bench, I slid the bench towards the head so that my butt had a better place to rest. I spread the legs a tad more and that gor rid of the butt lift. Oh well. solid anyway.

Pendlay Rows
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5

Incline DB Press 6:0:6 30s rest
30 x 12
30 x 9

Pull ups super flared and 3:0:2 30s rest
6
6

Pec Deck 3:0:2 30s rest
70 x 7
70 x 7

Lateral Raise 3:0:2 30s rest
10 x 15
10 x 15

[EB68]

Couldn't see the video Dru, it is set on private. But impressed with the weight none the less, nice weight on the pendlays too.

[drudixon]

Couldn't see the video Dru, it is set on private. But impressed with the weight none the less, nice weight on the pendlays too.

Whoops, fixed.