Flagaba's log

[davisj3537]

Fukin yoga pants are always to blame

Lol.

Nice squats man!

[Flagaba]

Fukin yoga pants are always to blame

Oh Penny, you and your notorious kinky comments!

That made me laugh, to be honest I wish it was such a manly excuse but I was in the part of the gym where you have all the dumbbells, the benches, a Squat rack and a power rack. It's also next to the men's locker room and it's a 24h gym so it smells the sweat of a thousand men constantly...we indeed have some women training there but the stench and the constant rain of sweat drops wouldn't make me lose focus to them even if they were training in schoolgirl outfits!

Damn brother those squats are getting hella heavy. Form looks good as well, good job!

Thank you buddy, I appreciate it! Yes, they are heavy to me but I feel more confident with them now, I want to keep it that way until a big plateau!

Lol.

Nice squats man!

Thank you Davis!

[WrathfulOne]

It's also next to the men's locker room and it's a 24h gym so it smells the sweat of a thousand men constantly

lol, you've gotta breathe those fumes in deep bro, then you can Hulk out on all that airborne test and see some sick gains.

even if they were training in schoolgirl outfits!

You dirty old man!

[Flagaba]

lol, you've gotta breathe those fumes in deep bro, then you can Hulk out on all that airborne test and see some sick gains.

You dirty old man!

I'll give it the whole "beathing in the fumes" thing a try tomorrow...if I pass out while doing Bench Press I'll know who to blame though!

Me? Dirty? Brother, clearly you haven't visited Penny's log!

[penny0527]

I'll give it the whole "beathing in the fumes" thing a try tomorrow...if I pass out while doing Bench Press I'll know who to blame though!

Me? Dirty? Brother, clearly you haven't visited Penny's log!

This is true. If you havent caught up in the last couple of days...prepare yourself

[Flagaba]

26/02/2015: Upper B (Bench Press)

Bench Press
- Warm Up 1x10 Bar
- Warm Up 1x5 75lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 115lbs
- Warm Up 1x3 135lbs
- Working Set 1x5 170lbs
- Working Set 1x4 170lbs
- Working Set 1x2 170lbs
- Working Set 1x8 135lbs

Pendlay Row
- Warm Up 1x8 Bar
- Warm Up 1x8 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 115lbs
- Working Set 3x8 135lbs

Hammer-Grip Pullup
- Working Sets 4x6 BW

Lateral Raise
- Working Sets 3x10 20lbs DB's

Dumbbell Shrug
- Working Sets 3x10 65lbs DB's

Comments: Bench Press wasn't at its best tonight...as you can see it didn't go as well as planned or as last week. I'll be honest, I am a bit bummed by it, I wish I could have done it more easily but the weight just felt much heavier tonight (even unracking the bar felt bad). Sometimes I can take it easy, tonight it was just more frustrating, I'm going to think about it until the next session and see if I try it again or if I take one or two sessions to do lighter work with more reps and work on form (which wasn't on point tonight because of how heavy it felt).

The rest was good though, Pendlay's were great (I found big 25lbs plates for my warm up's, it really helps) and Pullups, which were put again as a third exercise as I prefer to focus on my Rows, were good even with a shorter rest between sets. Isolation was good as well.

An okay session at best, the failed Bench Press just didn't feel good.

[Flagaba]

This is true. If you havent caught up in the last couple of days...prepare yourself

I always read your log...and everytime I think that I'm still not prepared enough!

[davisj3537]

1. Have you read my sticky on bench liftoffs in the injury section? I only ask due to you saying liftoff was rough


2. I'd take a reset on bench. Even just 10% will still keep you working at a high enough % to promote strength/growth, but allow enough of a break to recoop and kill it in a few weeks. Just don't overlook the benefits of slightly lower intensity training. It is a super important part of all successful programs.

[Flagaba]

27/02/2015: Lower B (Squat)

Squat
- Warm Up 1x10 Bar
- Warm Up 1x5 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 135lbs
- Warm Up 1x3 185lbs
- Warm Up 1x3 205lbs
- Working Sets 2x3 240lbs
- Working Set 1x5 225lbs

Romanian Deadlift
- Warm Up 1x10 Bar
- Warm Up 1x8 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x8 135lbs
- Working Sets 3x8 190lbs

Machine Calf Press
- Working Sets 3x15 180lbs

Weighed Decline Crunch
- Working Sets 3x15 40lbs

Comments: Good session tonight, I quite liked it. I was thinking about doing higher reps with Squats but wanted to give 240lbs a little try as well so I decided to do the latter. I didn't plan on doing 3x5 with it, it was more of a test to see how it felt like and I do think I could have done it but preferred to wait a bit. I actually attempted a sixth rep at two plates but I fell forward on my way up, I had had a pretty good bounce but it misgrooved and I really just fell, the bar hit the safety pins pretty hard but I wasn't hurt or anything...just a small Squat accident but besides that it went very well.

The rest went well, my grip was great on Romanian Deadlifts and isolation felt good, I focused on slower reps with Crunches. Overall I'm closing the week nicely.

[Flagaba]

1. Have you read my sticky on bench liftoffs in the injury section? I only ask due to you saying liftoff was rough


2. I'd take a reset on bench. Even just 10% will still keep you working at a high enough % to promote strength/growth, but allow enough of a break to recoop and kill it in a few weeks. Just don't overlook the benefits of slightly lower intensity training. It is a super important part of all successful programs.

1. Yes, I did read it and it was a very interesting read actually. It did make me think about it but to be honest the liftoff wasn't painful or anything, it was just that the bar felt heavier than last time so I was starting on the wrong food (it happens on Squats as well sometimes, if I take the bar off the rack and it feels bad it just hits my confidence).

2. I'm still thinking about it but I may end up doing that, a small reset could help me a lot. As a beginner I think I can still get away with linear progression but sometimes you just have to take a step back.

[davisj3537]

Squat
- Working Sets 2x3 240lbs

[Flagaba]

Morning weight: 166,6lbs

Lately the scale has been acting strange, last week I was at 162,8lbs and it seemed like I hadn't gained anything for the past two weeks. Let's hope this is not just water weight.

cookie monster!

Now that's a funny gif!

Thank you buddy, I appreciate it. It was heavy but nothing out of this world.

[davisj3537]

Morning weight: 166,6lbs

Lately the scale has been acting strange, last week I was at 162,8lbs and it seemed like I hadn't gained anything for the past two weeks. Let's hope this is not just water weight.



Now that's a funny gif!

Thank you buddy, I appreciate it. It was heavy but nothing out of this world.

My new fav gif. I found it when I was dropping the banhammer in the misc. Been waiting for the right time to use it.

[connorpat1995]

wtf carl why didnt u tell me u were beast-moding the bench?

[Flagaba]

My new fav gif. I found it when I was dropping the banhammer in the misc. Been waiting for the right time to use it.

Glad to know I gave you an opportunity! I guess sending people to b& camp has its perks.

wtf carl why didnt u tell me u were beast-moding the bench?

You abandonned us bby, I was too busy crying myself to sleep.

MFW you left us just like that lawyer in Jurassic Park who ran in the bathroom when the T-Rex went nuts.



My beast-mode didn't last long anyway, already the time to drop the weight a bit.

[AlacrityH]

Strong wtf @ davis being a mod now. I opened this page and had to double take at the bolded name.

Back when I squatted and would get ready for a PR in the next coming sessions, I would just unrack the weight and just stand there. Holding it. The heavier the weight the more psychological the battle brah. You gotta get yourself comfortable with it in whatever way works best for you. Even if it is just less volume to get accustomed to the weight throughout the movement.

Heck, just today was my 1+ day on 5/3/1 for bench. I'm 162lbs now rounded up and my all-time bench PR was 275 in december @ 170lbs. Program called for 250x1. Felt so light I hit it for a double. I spoil myself on 1+ days and give myself the permission to go for a PR at my discretion. Put on 275. Went up easy still relative to what the weight was. Thinking it must be a great day or something, I put on 280 which would be a 5lb alltime PR. Didnt even get a few inches off my chest before failing. Its all psychological mane. Keep up the progression.

[davisj3537]

Agreed^

Last time I was maxing on squats I had 415 (I think) on the bar and really grinded it out. I knew I screwed myself before the lift mentally so I got really amped up for the next attempt and loaded up 430. Smoked it. Probably could have gotten 3 judging how fast the 430 went up.

When you go into the lift with a mindset that it ain't sh*t and YOU ARE GOING TO DESTROY IT, then you'll do much better than having a single doubt in the back of your head.

[Flagaba]

Michael and Davis,

Good posts guys, thank you! I know that your mind can make or break a lift, I've experienced that quite a lot myself. In the case of my Bench Press, I was not lacking any motivation or feeling intimidated by the weight before I handled the bar. To be honest, it felt heavy when I unracked it and that probably killed my pump for it but when I stepped in the gym I did not feel really intimidated by it.

I still definitely understand what you mean, I know it's only temporary and I'll get it done soon enough. My lifts are still pretty light and I can get away with a relatively quick progression despite the few missed reps here and there, I'll just take the time to prepare my body and mind for it, will try it again and will achieve it. Heck, I think it's not that awful already since I could still do a few reps at 170lbs, it's still something I couldn't do before...now I just need to be able to do it with the numbers of reps I want.

Michael, that idea of holding the bar to prepare yourself for a certain weight doesn't sound half bad, I'll keep that in mind when I start doing heavy lifts to be ready for them.

[WrathfulOne]

I've seen that recommended on the AllPro thread too about unracking a heavy weight on squats and then just standing there with it. Apparently it then makes your regular squat weight feel like no big deal and it mentally prepares you for when you do actually hit that heavier weight so you don't go "Oh sheeeeyyyaat!" when you first feel it on your shoulders.

[Flagaba]

02/03/2015: Upper A (Overhead Barbell Press)

Overhead Barbell Press
- Warm Up 1x10 Bar
- Warm Up 1x5 75lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x3 105lbs
- Working Set 3x5 120lbs

Bent-Over Row
- Warm Up 1x8 Bar
- Warm Up 1x8 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 115lbs
- Working Set 3x8 135lbs

Dip
- Working Sets 3x12 BW

Hammer-Grip Pullup
- Working Sets 4x6 BW

Face Pull
- Working Sets 3x10 105lbs

Comments: Got my Overhead Press numbers tonight, pretty happy about that. On my last set, the first rep was a bit wobbly (with my arms, that is) and I think it didn't help the others, because of that my very last rep was a grinder but it definitely wasn't that bad, I think I did well.

The rest went well, I got some pretty nice numbers (especially on Dips). There's not much to say on the other lifts except for the fact that it was good, Pullups were good but, again, pretty tough. I blame the shorter pauses though so I'm happy because I feel like it's still a bit of progress.

On a side note, I'm definitely getting chubby...this bulk has made me pack on a nice amount of body fat and it's being noticed by the people around me. Truth be told, I don't really want to have to go through a cut but I think it will soon become a very good idea to lean out a little bit.

[Flagaba]

I've seen that recommended on the AllPro thread too about unracking a heavy weight on squats and then just standing there with it. Apparently it then makes your regular squat weight feel like no big deal and it mentally prepares you for when you do actually hit that heavier weight so you don't go "Oh sheeeeyyyaat!" when you first feel it on your shoulders.

I'll let you know how it helps me my friend, I'm very tempted to incorporate this in my Squat sessions for future/heavier goals.

[WrathfulOne]

I feel on the chubby thing - got some belly fat I have wanted to get rid of for ages, but I want to hit some targets strength-wise, so I keep flip-flopping on bulking/cutting.

You're getting close to 1-plate OHP using metric plates (20kg). Must feel pretty sweet.

Edit: Oh yeah, I tried standing with 100kg for a while this morning. Some scary sheeyat!

[Flagaba]

03/03/2015: Lower A (Squat)

Squat
- Warm Up 1x10 Bar
- Warm Up 1x5 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x5 135lbs
- Warm Up 1x3 185lbs
- Warm Up 1x3 205lbs
- Working Sets 3x5 240lbs
- Working Set 1x5 225lbs

Romanian Deadlift
- Warm Up 1x10 Bar
- Warm Up 1x8 95lbs
- Warm Up 1x8 135lbs
- Working Sets 3x8 190lbs

Machine Calf Press
- Working Sets 3x12 200lbs

Weighed Decline Crunch
- Working Sets 3x12 45lbs

Comments: Great session today, it was quite heavy though. Squats felt good but heavier than what I expected, I was feeling great in the gym and was very confident, it surely helped but the weight on the bar was still heavy for me. On the first set, my last rep was almost missed, I froze on the way up, dropped back down and just when I thought about putting the bar on the safety pins I got a boost of energy, thought I'd give it a try and pushed myself up again. Good news is, I got the fifth rep...bad news is, it took a lot of energy and confidence! At the end of my three sets (which were, again, quite tough and with grinding fifth reps), I decided to do one set at two plates as I'd like to get used enough to the weight to make it my new "base weight". Just like 205lbs was my good weight for quite some time I'd like to be able to rely on two plates if ever I don't feel like going heavy so I'm working on getting used to it, I thought about doing six reps but I just didn't feel like trying the last one.

The rest was pretty good, Romanian Deadlifts were great except for the last set which wasn't my best. Isolation was increased today, I quite liked it and went back to 12 reps so I can work my way up again.

I also tried what some of you guys recommended yesterday, I got a 250lbs barbell and just held it up like I was ready to Squat with it. Truth be told, it felt quite heavy because it was after all my sets so I didn't quite feel like I could do it just yet but I can see that becoming a good way to get used to a certain weight. We'll see how that helps after a few tries.

[Flagaba]

I feel on the chubby thing - got some belly fat I have wanted to get rid of for ages, but I want to hit some targets strength-wise, so I keep flip-flopping on bulking/cutting.

You're getting close to 1-plate OHP using metric plates (20kg). Must feel pretty sweet.

Edit: Oh yeah, I tried standing with 100kg for a while this morning. Some scary sheeyat!

Well I haven't flipped/flopped myself, although I did spin my wheels with my weight for quite a few weeks I started at 134lbs and bulked my way up to my current weight. I wanted to make it worth it but right now I do feel like I may have to lose a bit of fat soon enough...

A one plate Overhead Press would indeed be great as it's a lift I love as much as I have a hard time with, it would be a great accomplishment for me. As for standing with a bar on your shoulders, if you read my log for today you'll notice that I tried it as well...it is quite something!

[hostelmaniac]

damn flag youre getting strong dude

120 for 3x5 on ohp??

[Flagaba]

damn flag youre getting strong dude

120 for 3x5 on ohp??

Thank you brother, I appreciate it.

Yes, I think that lift is getting somewhere. Going for 5x3 130lbs next week! If I was blessed with Chipotle restaurants in Canada I'm sure I'd be able to press 185lbs now though...it's too bad we can't all have the nice things.

[AlacrityH]

Dat OHP progression scheme flag
Nice job on the squats. Truth be told you did an elevator squat on the last rep. Those are hard as dick especially on the last rep. Just 3 more OHP sessions until that plate comes up

[Flagaba]

Thank you Michael, if I can get that done I'll be very happy (I still have to keep that flare in check though, I think I'm doing okay but I must not forget it).

Speaking of which, what are the consequences of flaring the elbows out too much on the Overhead Barbell Press? I know that on the Bench Press it puts more pressure on the shoulders and thus it can lead to injuries but on a standing press I've never read about the effects it would have on the body. Could someone elaborate a bit on this subject?

Regarding the Squats, that elevator rep was indeed hard as hell...it was obviously not planned and I don't even know how I managed it but it really was something and I'm glad it was only for one rep.

[AlacrityH]

Keeping elbows front helps keep the triceps involved as much as possible. Flaring your elbows puts a lot of stress on your elbow joint itself, rather than the shoulder as it would in the bench press.

In the overhead press, your wrist and your shoulders are locked in one position. Your wrists are pronated the entire time and your shoulders are internally rotated the entire time. Your elbows are the only thing that has the ability to move. Mechanically speaking, keeping them straight down transfers force the most efficient from the weight above your head down to your body (as your elbows should be resting on your lats at the bottom). By flaring your elbows, all that weight is transferred right to it, as it creates a moment arm. Further, your triceps work best in extending your arm in a straight line. By flaring, it's no longer a straight line your elbows are traveling, rather a circle. Think of it like a squat. Would you rather go straight down and up, or forward lean into a curve at the bottom.

[Flagaba]

Keeping elbows front helps keep the triceps involved as much as possible. Flaring your elbows puts a lot of stress on your elbow joint itself, rather than the shoulder as it would in the bench press.

In the overhead press, your wrist and your shoulders are locked in one position. Your wrists are pronated the entire time and your shoulders are internally rotated the entire time. Your elbows are the only thing that has the ability to move. Mechanically speaking, keeping them straight down transfers force the most efficient from the weight above your head down to your body (as your elbows should be resting on your lats at the bottom). By flaring your elbows, all that weight is transferred right to it, as it creates a moment arm. Further, your triceps work best in extending your arm in a straight line. By flaring, it's no longer a straight line your elbows are traveling, rather a circle. Think of it like a squat. Would you rather go straight down and up, or forward lean into a curve at the bottom.

Thank you for that my friend, that was well written and very clear.

I didn't think about the comparison with the Squat, it makes a lot of sense now that you mention it.