Rebuilding my RITUAL. An ANS fueled Story...

[B1GinNY82307]

What is in RITUAL?

Little About Me:

• Name: Jon
• Height: 5ft 8in
• Starting Weight: ~160

(Short) Preliminary Story:
I "disappeared" from the forums for a little while due to my priorities being on my home and personal life. I don't want to divulge much information to the public, but nonetheless, for those that have known me, I lost quite a bit of weight, and was not in the gym for approximately 3 months.
So my strength has gone down, though I am rebuilding my life (at home, appropriately) and with that, rebuilding myself within the gym. I am reinvigorated and refocused at the gym and ready to put in work to get myself where I was before and even better.



I will update this log appropriately, take a before picture and an after picture (both, of which, I will post at the end) and as promised to the KIND reps of ANS, will make a YouTube, final, review.


Thanks for those that join, follow and support me on my path of rebuilding. Thank you for the reps at ANS for supporting and understanding me during this difficult time and I promise to not let you down with this log.

It will be honest, it will be thorough and it will be fun!

[BogusForLife]

Looking forward to this!

Glad to hear you're making the necessary strides at home to get things back on track.

[B1GinNY82307]

Looking forward to this!

Glad to hear you're making the necessary strides at home to get things back on track.

Thank you very much sir!

This will be a good ride. I will be pushing myself for sure, in all facets of life.

[B1GinNY82307]

So my first couple of updates shall be forthcoming!!

[B1GinNY82307]

Squats:
Worked up to 245x3x3

Olympic Style Squats:
185x4x5
195x5

Leg Press:
4 sets

Back Extensions:
3 sets

Seated Weighted Abs:
4 sets x 8-10


Training Notes:

• Strength is obviously [a lot] low[er] than before...but keeping my mindset positive. 20 lbs lighter and only 20lbs off from what should have been on Monday.
• Leg Press felt strong though and that's a positive.
• Stronger and rebuilding day after day.

[B1GinNY82307]

Bench:
Worked up to 190 double

Bench:
135x15
135x15

Lat Pulldowns:
4 sets

Band Pressdowns:
100 Reps

HS Machine Shrugs:
3 sets

Seated, Machine, Shoulder Press:
3 sets


Training Notes:

• Biggest hit, with my weight loss, obviously is my bench.
• Though my focus on this cycle will be my arms - tri's & bi's. I feel this is a weak-point that I need to address to continue improving with my bench
• All else - Lat Pulldowns, Shrugs - felt strong.

[B1GinNY82307]

Deads:
Warmups
285x3x1


Deficit Pulls:
285x3x2
285x5


Block Pulls:
290x3
295x3

Olympic Stance Squat:
4 sets

SLDLs:
3 sets
Worked up to 185x10


Back Raises:
3 sets


Abs:
4 sets


Training Notes:

• With this weight loss, my leverages for my pulls have vastly improved. I thought for sure that my deads would take the biggest "hit", but deficit pulling was SOLID.
• I also mistakenly started working on "speed" first, rather than working on a deficit, but all in all, the increased volume felt great.
• Squatting, especially 2x/week will benefit me greatly.
• Kept it relatively light for SLDL's as I wanted to focus on the hammies and building them again.

[bucsdodgers]

Looks good so far keep it up!!

[B1GinNY82307]

Standing OHP:
Warmups
Worked up to 130x1 (no belt)


Other Accessory Work...


Training Notes:

• Wanted to test what my current max would be for Standing OHP. And worked up to 130 for a single, without a belt. Okay...but to put it into perspective:
  this past summer, I worked up to 135x10 and now I'm down in weight and reps. Motivation to build myself back up.

[B1GinNY82307]

Squats:
Warmups
305x2
315x2
345 (w/ wraps) x 1


Good Mornings:
135x3x8


Leg Press:
3 pps x 15
4 pps x 15
5 pps x 15


Lunges:
3 sets, across the gym floor


Back Raises:
(w/ red band) 2 x 15
(w/ orange band) x 20


Abs (on a decline bench):
higher reps; 3 x 20


Training Notes:

• While albeit a bit disappointing about my squat...I got it...and rebuilding. Day by day...lift by lift. Rebuilding.
• Lunges will stay within this cycle as I hate them...but they pay off huge dividends for me.

[B1GinNY82307]

Bench:
Warmups
185x2x1
165x3x3
135x10


Decline Bench:
135x3x8-10


CGBP:
135x3x7-8


Life Fitness Seated Rows:
2pps (each side) x 10
2+25 x 3 x 10


Dips + Pullups:

Abs:



Training Notes:

• Eye opening for Incline Bench...Need to continue building. Day by Day
• Had to opt for Decline Bench due to the fact that all the adjustable benches were taken and couldn't do incline DBs. Was a nice slight change...as I haven't done Declines in a very long time.
• CGBP, I focused on contracting hard and quickly.

[B1GinNY82307]

Deadlifts:
Warmups
275x9x1
275x3


Block Pulls - Snatch Grip:
185x2x10


Squats - Olympic/Close Stance:
185x3x6


DB Shrugs:
3 x 15




Training Notes:

• Solid pulling for some speed work. All beltless
• Wanted to build on the reps the last set and did that. (HEX plates are horrendous)
• Snatch Grip Deads...how I recall having a love-hate relationship with this.
• Squatting felt pretty solid...need to stop underestimating myself on these, as these are clearly getting stronger.

[ChrisLS8]

Looking good in here and subbed. Glad to see you getting your problems fixed and your motivation back.

What are your thoughts on Ritual so far?

[B1GinNY82307]

Looking good in here and subbed. Glad to see you getting your problems fixed and your motivation back.

What are your thoughts on Ritual so far?

Great question, and I am long overdue to comment on it. I will provide a much more detailed response tonight or tomorrow, but overall, my thoughts is this: It's awesome! Considering my training time has switched from morning to afternoon/evening, the caffeine intake on 1 scoop hits the spot. Provides me with what I need and want, and doesn't keep me up all night.

More comments forthcoming!

[B1GinNY82307]

Squats:
Warmups
290x5x3



Good Mornings:
3x8


Lunges:
3x 15


Lunges:
3 sets, across the gym floor



Abs:
4x10

[B1GinNY82307]

Bench:
Warmups
175x3x5
185x2x3


Incline DB Press:
3x5-8
(worked up to 75s)


Band Pressdowns (Orange Band):
100 Reps


Standing MP Press:
3x10



Abs:

[B1GinNY82307]

Deadlifts - Block Pulls:
Worked up to 395x1


Sumo DL's:
225x2x5


Rows (Machine):
3x10


DB Shrugs:
3x20


Abs:
Planks

[B1GinNY82307]

Squats:
Warmups
2955x2





Lying Leg Curls:
4x6-8

Superset...

Leg Extensions:
4x8


Abs:
3x6-8


Training Notes:

• My back was shot...and had to take it easy on the supplemental exercises. I actually felt accomplished pushing through the main squat movements

[B1GinNY82307]

Bench:
Warmups
Worked up to 225x2x1

...added Slingshot...

worked up to 245 for a double.


CGBP:
3x12


Lat Pulldowns:
3x12


Tricep Pressdowns:
4x12-15


DB Shrugs:
3x12-15


Abs:


Training Notes:[list][*]Bench actually felt solid. I know I used to do more volume w/ the 225, but this moved relatively well and I'm pleased considering the layoff.[*]Adding the slingshot (versus board work), I'm confident will pay off more in the end. The extra overload will help.

[B1GinNY82307]

Deadlifts - Deficit Pulls:
Warmups
315x3
335x2x3


Block Pulls - Snatch Grip:
225x3x10


Squats - Olympic Stance/Squat:
185x2x5
205x2x5


Lunges:
4 sets


Back Raises:


Abs:


Training Notes:[list][*]Deficit pulling felt solid. If this weight loss has done, it has improved my leverage with the pulling. Though I know I still got a ways to go to where I was, but I'm definitely putting in the work and effort.[*]Pull day went very well today...overall pleased.

[B1GinNY82307]

Squats:
Warmups
315x1
335x1
345x1
355x1


Squat - Reverse Band (Orange)
365x1


Squats:
225x3x5


Leg Press (banded - orange):
3x15-20



Back Raises:
50 reps


Abs:
3x6-8


Training Notes:

• Squats are coming back...slowly but surely! 345 felt better than last and 355 felt strong as well.
• The REV band squat went up easily...so that's a sign of things coming along.
• Squats, overall, felt great.

[B1GinNY82307]

Bench:
Warmups
IIRC I did 185 for multiple sets (4-5) and opted for a rep range of 5-8


Standing Military Presses:
95 x 3 x 7-10


Pulldowns:
4 x 12


Tricep Pressdowns - Banded (Orange):
100 Reps


Abs:



Training Notes:

• Opted to stick with a weight that stimulated today. 185 was that magic # and pushed to focus on reps and contractions.
• Still working back on my OHP strength...
• Back (work) is feeling real strong and will continue...though I will need to implement more rowing.