Cody's "Second Entry:" Back With A Vengeance! Starting Strength and Beyond...

[Farley1324]

I know! Not sure what got in to me.

Pistols: I was actually thinking about that while I was at the gym. I figure as long as I have a barbell and weights I will just do regular squats, but I might end up adding them anyway or just doing those exclusively. Time will tell. Before today I had only worked out once in the last 3 weeks. Did some abs and 225 3x3 squats about 2.5 weeks ago. Super duper hard getting up at 4:45 AM to work out when you work 10 hour days every day

Yeah...no thanks.

I took this picture today in Des Moines

Do people buy these? And wear them?

Seems...weird.

[cody333]

Yeah...no thanks.

I took this picture today in Des Moines

Do people buy these? And wear them?



Seems...weird.

Pretty sure I definitely would have bought one, and would wear it.

[Farley1324]

Pretty sure I definitely would have bought one, and would wear it.

Now that I sit here and look at it...I laugh.

But at the time I was just like...are they serious?

[cody333]

Tuesday February 11 2014

Abs/Core:
25 Sit Ups
Bridge: 10 reps 20 seconds each
Plank: 1:15
Flutter Kicks: 1:00
Supermans: 15 reps
Oblique Crunches: 12 each side
Plank: 1:15
Flutter Kicks: 1:10
25 sit ups
Quadruped Extensions: 60 seconds each side

Push Ups: (1 minute):
Prescribed Reps/Actual Reps
14/14
18/18
14/14
14/14
20/30

First time ever doing sets of push ups within memory. Last set was a max set, having to do at least 20 to move on to next day.

Squats (4-5 min): no belt or shoes
45x7
95x5
135x3
165x2

195 (3x3)
135x10

ATG. Last 5 with 135 I paused at the bottom.

Upside Down Row: (2 min)
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12

Pulls Ups (2 min): Prescribed Reps/Actual Reps
6/6
6/6
4/4
7/7
9/9

Last set was pretty tough.

Push ups and pull ups were humbling. Though I suppose 32 pull ups is pretty good overall at this point.

[cody333]

Thursday February 13 2014

Core:
25 crunches
Bridge: 10 reps 20 seconds each
Plank: 1:20
Flutter Kicks: 1:15
Supermans: 15
Plank: 1:20
Bicycles: 15 reps each side
Flutter Kicks: 1:15
Supermans: 15
Quadriped Extensions: 60 seconds each leg
Crunches: 25

Push Ups: 90 second btwn sets (prescribed reps/actual reps)
20/20
25/25
15/15
15/15
25/30 (atleast 25, max)

Sucked.

Squat (4-5 min):
45x7
95x5
135x3
165x2
195x1

205 (3x3)

Raw.

Pull ups: (90 seconds except btwn sets 2 and 3, about 5 min as I was talking to someone)
Prescribed/Actual

7/7
6/6
6/6
8/8
9/9

Barely squeezed out the last couple on the last set.

Upside Down Row: 2 min
BWx12
BWx10
BWx10

[Farley1324]

How are you liking the flutter kicks?

Do you lift your torso up off the ground as well?

I've done them at the end of squat day a couple times and they kill my abs in no time. Put your feet together and hold them 6" off the ground, then a foot, then 6" again...ouch

[cody333]

Sunday February 16 2014

Core:
Too lazy to post whole thing. Did crunches, plank, flutter kicks, supermans, oblique crunches, quadruped extensions. Most twice

Push ups: prescribed/actual
22/22
30/30
20/20
20/20
At least 28 (max): 30

Squat:
45x7
95x5
135x3
165x2
195x1

215 (3x3) raw

Pull ups: prescribed/actual
8/8
8/8
8/8
6/6
Max/9

Upside down rows:
Bwx10
Bwx10

[Farley1324]

The flutter kicks question from above?

[cody333]

The flutter kicks question from above?

Sorry did not see this. Flutter kicks are indeed a good ab exercise. I usually find myself with my hands flat under my butt and my head up (although not always). Do it anywhere from 1-1.5 min. Flutters combined with supermans and plank make a good threesome. Add some crunches in there and you have a solid core workout IMO.

EDIT: just holding your feet up is a good workout itself. I used to do this kind of core stuff routinely in high school at the trainer I went to junior/senior year. Core was strong back then.

[Farley1324]

I got quite the ab cramp doing the flutter kicks/whatever after squats the other day. Thought my top abs were going to roll over my middle abs

[cody333]

I got quite the ab cramp doing the flutter kicks/whatever after squats the other day. Thought my top abs were going to roll over my middle abs

What made you decide core work is worth doing?

[Farley1324]

What made you decide core work is worth doing?

Just realizing how all of the big lefts (except bench) really rely on it and I figure that if targeted core work can increase core strength that can only be a good thing for the back...

[cody333]

Just realizing how all of the big lefts (except bench) really rely on it and I figure that if targeted core work can increase core strength that can only be a good thing for the back...

Agreed. Partly why I like pull ups and push ups as well. Both greatly promote core strength.

[cody333]

Wednesday February 19 2014

Core

Push Ups: (60 second rest, before last set 90 seconds): prescribes/actual
21/21
25/25
21/21
21/21
atleast 32 (max)/24+8

Did not get 32 in a row, had to rest.

Upside Down Row: (2 min):
BWx10
BWx10


Thursday February 20 2014

Squats: (4-5 min): raw
45x7
95x5
135x3
165x2
195x1

215 (3x3)

Pull ups: prescribed/actual
8/8
7/7
6/6
7/7
8/8

Not too bad

Friday February 21 2014

Core

Push Ups: prescribed/actual
21/21
25/25
21/21
21/21
max (atleast 32)/35

After third and fourth set really was not sure about last set. But I managed.

Upside Down Row:
BWx10
BWx10
BWx10

[Farley1324]

How long does this pushup thing go for?

[cody333]

The next push up workout will be week 4/day 2

http://hundredpushups.com/

The next pull up workout will be week 2/day 2

http://twentypullups.com/the-training-program/

[cody333]

How long does this pushup thing go for?

well technically it's 7 weeks, but in reality I supposed it goes until you can ACTUALLY get to the last workout and do it. You then do a final test. So not sure how long it will actually take me. For example, I had to repeat week 4/day 1 because I could not get all the reps the first time. But I also started at week 3, so there is that.

[cody333]

Sunday February 23 2014

Push ups: prescribed/actual
25/25
29/29
25/25
25/25
Max (at least 32)/32

Hard. Solid.

Core

Pull ups: prescribed/actual
8/8
7/7
7/7
6/6
10/10

[Farley1324]

In within 3 minutes again

Got all reps...seems good

[cody333]

In within 3 minutes again

Got all reps...seems good

Always impressive.

I like the push ups and pull ups idea for upper body work. Feel good. I can feel the push ups in my shoulders/tris/chest region a ton. Pull ups are obviously good for the back. After the next workout for push ups (assuming I get them all) I will do another one set max. Interested to see how that will go. I also will do one for pull ups in the fairly near future.

[Farley1324]

Always impressive.

I like the push ups and pull ups idea for upper body work. Feel good. I can feel the push ups in my shoulders/tris/chest region a ton. Pull ups are obviously good for the back. After the next workout for push ups (assuming I get them all) I will do another one set max. Interested to see how that will go. I also will do one for pull ups in the fairly near future.

Pull-ups are excellent. I've been doing more of those (pull-up being palms out, chin-up being palms in, as I use the terms) and fewer chin-ups (relatively speaking) lately.

[cody333]

Pull-ups are excellent. I've been doing more of those (pull-up being palms out, chin-up being palms in, as I use the terms) and fewer chin-ups (relatively speaking) lately.

Right. Pull ups are palms out, hands slightly wider than your shoulders. At some point I will probably incorporate chin-ups into my routine as well.



Monday February 24 2014

Squats:
45x7
95x5
135x3
165x2
195x1

220x3 (sucked balls, decided to take it easy, and for my backs sake and lightened the weight)
5 pistols each leg
185x5
5 pistols each leg
185x5
5 pistols each leg


Tuesday February 25 2014

Push Ups (2 min except before last set took 5-6 min): prescribed/actual
29/29
33/33
29/29
29/29
40/40

These were rough. If I did not take such a long break before the last set I definitely would not have gotten all 40. I will do a one set max test on Friday. Couple weeks ago I did 45. Hoping to improve a decent amount from that.

Core

Upside Down Row:
BWx12
BWx12
BWx10

[Farley1324]

Damn, almost 10 minutes this time.

Do you have your lifting shoes or just tennis/whatever shoes?

[cody333]

Damn, almost 10 minutes this time.

Do you have your lifting shoes or just tennis/whatever shoes?

Just tennis shoes. Squat with no shoes. And being on my feet all day, lifting things, make quite the difference squatting. Not to mention it's 5 in the morning.

[Farley1324]

Just tennis shoes. Squat with no shoes. And being on my feet all day, lifting things, make quite the difference squatting. Not to mention it's 5 in the morning.

Yeah...that morning stuff. ugh

I have voluntarily lifted before noon probably twice in the past few years or so.

It's all about routine though. When you do it often enough your body kinda gets used to it. Academy PT started at 6:00 and I got used to that. Kinda. But not really. 5:00 is just so damn early.

[cody333]

Wednesday February 26 2014

Bike 5 min

Always do this just never post it.

Light Core Work

Pull ups (2 min, except last set I took 4-5 min):
prescribed/actual

8/8
8/8
7/7
7/7
max/13

These felt really good. Makes a difference when you don't do a bunch of push ups right before.

[Farley1324]

In in under 3 minutes

Yeah...pushups or bench or press or whatever, and chinups, use a lot of the same muscles, mixing them together definitely takes away from what you'd get if you just focused on one.

With the 5/3/1 I'm doing now all bench and press days have pullups and chinups after every single set. It definitely makes a difference.

[cody333]

Thursday February 27 2014

Bike 5 min

Push Ups:
max test: 59

Gassed. But just about 33% better than initial test.

Stretching.

[cody333]

In in under 3 minutes

Yeah...pushups or bench or press or whatever, and chinups, use a lot of the same muscles, mixing them together definitely takes away from what you'd get if you just focused on one.

With the 5/3/1 I'm doing now all bench and press days have pullups and chinups after every single set. It definitely makes a difference.

How many pull ups or chins you think you can do for a one set max?

[Farley1324]

How many pull ups or chins you think you can do for a one set max?

I don't know. Good question.

If you aren't following/sub'd, log is very active now:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...44663&page=222

This is how they went today:

Bench 3x5
45 x 10 (4 pull-ups)
135 x 5 (4 pull-ups)
155 x 5 (3 pull-ups)
175 x 5 (3 pull-ups) (5 chin-ups)
200 x 10 (5 chin-ups)

Press 5x10 (3:00 b/t press sets)
95 x 10 (4 chin-ups)
95 x 10 (4 chin-ups)
95 x 10 (3 chin-ups)
85 x 10 (3 chin-ups)
85 x 10 (3 chin-ups)




I probably could have done 6 the first time that I did 5, and I'm sure my muscles were a little fatigued by that point (plus I usually do the 'ups about 45 seconds after benching)

One of the days I'll have to try just warming up going for max chin-up reps just to see.