baker's journal

[baker]

03/11/2011

Upper

Incline Bench
10x95(2)
10x135(3)

Pullups
10xWide Grip
10xMedium Grip
10xNarrow Grip
10xReverse Grip

Standing Rear Military
10x45(2)
10x65(2)
10x95(2)

TreadMill - 12 Minutes

it is about time you got back in here glad you are healed and back in the gym!

Thanks Doc, I agree. I think I'm going to add some of those hanging leg raises to by ab circuit. I can do a lot on the decline bench leg raise, need to up the intensity.

Welcome back, Baker!

Hi Jen-nay.

[Doc.Happy]

nice little workout today. one of these days i will be doing that many pullups!

run forrest, run!!!!

have a wonderful weekend!

[2nd_chance]

Those pullups are looking good baker.

[-=FLEX=-]

Sup bakes?



-=FLEX=-

[bamazav]

Those pullups are looking good baker.

40 total reps moves from good to great in my book.

[baker]

nice little workout today. one of these days i will be doing that many pullups!

I believe it too.

Those pullups are looking good baker.

Thanks.

Sup bakes?



-=FLEX=-

Sup Mr. Flexy.

40 total reps moves from good to great in my book.

Thanks Dave. It's not bad a bad start.

[baker]

03/14/2010

Squats
5x185(3)

Military Press
5x95(3)

Pullups
10x10(2) 10x0


Comments

Squats - (3) is the number of sets, just to remind everyone of how I type things out. Too lazy to type the same thing three times. I stopped at parallel on these. My parallel is the top of the thighs is parallel to the floor. That would be considered about an inch above in powerlifting circles. Doing them this way is easier on my knees and 185 felt really light.

Military - Military Press is done standing. These went well and the weight was a good starting point. All reps done in the full ROM, no push pressing, strict reps.

Pullups - These were done by pulling to the clavicle. Two sets with added weight and one just bodyweight. These are going to be a challenge to make progressions on, 10 pounds, full ROM will kick your rear end.

I did some conditioning work on Saturday and some abs. I used the ab wheel for the first time in years. If used correctly the ab wheel is absolute torture. I'm still sore today. This will become a regular part of my ab work. I'd like to be able to do the from my feet instead of from the knees.

[bamazav]

My Fit For The King folks start to curse when they see the ab wheels listed in the night's work.

Good job Bakerman. keep it up.

[baker]

03/15/2011

Power Cleans
3x95(2) 3x115(5)

Parallel Bar Dips
10x25(3)

Treadmill
5 Min. @ 6.0 Mph

Back & Side Extensions
15xBW(3)


Comments

Power Clean - The time off has cleaned up my form. No idea how that happened. Dropped the reps back to three since that's where the form seems to break down from fatigue.

PBD - Wow. I suck at these. I thought 25 was 90 for a minute. Hopefully these are back up to normal by the end of this little four week cycle. Doing them twice a week.

Conditioning - It's obvious that my conditioning has a lot of room for improvement.

My Fit For The King folks start to curse when they see the ab wheels listed in the night's work.

Good job Bakerman. keep it up.

Thanks Dave. I'm going to keep them in the ab circuit I run on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I can totally understand why they hate them. Unfortunately I'm a glutton for punishment.

[ChocoChick]

I like how you are so strict with yourself. And congrats on getting the form down on power cleans. I think I just mastered them, too, after not doing them for a while. I guess time off is the magic charm.

[Doc.Happy]

nice workouts the past few times. im with you on the top of the thighs being parallel! if you arent a powerlifter or a bodybuilder, why stress the knee joint so severely by going lower.

have a fantastic day!

[baker]

03/17/2011

Squats
5x195(3)

Bench Press
5x175(3)

Parallel Bar Dips
10x25(3)

Comments

Squats - Better. Starting to get used to the new depth.

Dips - Much better than Tuesdays training. Could have upped the weight on these but I decided to wait till next week. Maybe a 10 pound jump.

I like how you are so strict with yourself. And congrats on getting the form down on power cleans. I think I just mastered them, too, after not doing them for a while. I guess time off is the magic charm.

Thanks! It's a very technique oriented exercise. Glad to see you back.

nice workouts the past few times. im with you on the top of the thighs being parallel! if you arent a powerlifter or a bodybuilder, why stress the knee joint so severely by going lower.

have a fantastic day!

Thanks Doc. I've always been a parallel or lower guy. I notice my knees have been bothering me on the treadmill and the stairmill so we'll see if this experiment has any affect on them.

[Doc.Happy]

dont forget to take your joint supps! they will help a ton too. sucks getting older doesnt it?

[baker]

03/18/2011

Deadlift
5x225(2) 5x275

Chinups
10x10 7x10 5x0

Treadmill
5 Minutes @ 6.0Mph

Comments

Deads - Did these conventional stance. I was able to watch my form and I did notice that my hips shoot up first which causes my back to flatten, thus creating more of a back exercise rather than a leg exercise. This is really why I started pulling sumo style in the first place. It is however a weakness in the lats that's causing the issue (I believe).

Chins - Kinda stalled out on these today.

News - I've been wanting to change where I train since the "Evil Empire" has been getting busier and busier in the mornings. P90X people running all over the place and PT's hogging up the power rack to train clients. So I joined Brute Strength Gym today and am really looking forward to training there. It's about the most hardcore gym in the area. I'm not going to be in the area much longer and wanted the opportunity to lift there before I leave.

dont forget to take your joint supps! they will help a ton too. sucks getting older doesnt it?

I'm not old, just broke in.

[righter]

Much luck, baker, on the new gym. Chins seem to be one of those exercises where I stall and then advance out of nowhere, so I'm learning not to take the stalls too seriously. Hope you've had a nice weekend!

[baker]

03/20/2011

Squats
5x205(3)

Push Press
5x100(3)

Pullups
10x10(3)

Kroc Rows
22x70

Comments

Squats - I've got the new depth programmed into my head now so I'm hitting it consistently. The issue with my hips driving up and back seems to have subsided for the time being. I think it's due to not dropping my rear end below parallel and then having to really concentrate on exploding out of the bottom. I guess we will see when the weight starts getting heavier.

Push Press - Switched to these in lieu of Military. I don't see any negative affects from getting my whole body involved in a movement.

Pullups - Pullups are stronger than chinups, hmmmm. Interesting. My guess is it's because I'm doing chins after deadlifts. I actually like treating these as 10 singles, I'm tall enough to be able to completely deload the weight in the bottom. Feels like my lats are more sore when I do them this way.

Kroc Rows - Added these to training this week. I've mentioned before that my upper back rounds excessively when I deadlift in the conventional stance. Sumo too when I pull heavier weight. This is due to a weakness in the mid-upper back traps and lats. Kroc Rows should help with the issue.







That's not me in case you were wondering.

Much luck, baker, on the new gym. Chins seem to be one of those exercises where I stall and then advance out of nowhere, so I'm learning not to take the stalls too seriously. Hope you've had a nice weekend!

Didn't you just hit a PR on them last week?

It's really nice out this weekend, got a little sunburn on my bald head.

I'll be down your way this week, got a meeting in Raleigh on Thursday.

[bamazav]

Great Job Jason. I have been wanting to incorporate push press also, may have to do it now.

How ya liking Brute Strength?

Favorite part of the video.... the vise grips.

[righter]

Didn't you just hit a PR on them last week?

It's really nice out this weekend, got a little sunburn on my bald head.

I'll be down your way this week, got a meeting in Raleigh on Thursday.

That PR is so last week, baker!

Raleigh is okay. Chapel Hill is very nice, check it out if you get time. I'm on the other side of the state, near Charlotte.

Great work today! But what the hell is a Kroc row?

[baker]

03/21/2011

Power Cleans
3x135(5)

Palms Up Grip Static Hold - Shrug Position
225,275(2)

Shrugs - Conventional Grip
31x225

Parallel Bar Dips
10x35(3)

TreadMill
5 Minutes @ 6.5 Mph

Comments

PC - My explosiveness is coming back quickly on these. Sets four and five were a little less than stellar but we made it through them.

PUG Static Hold - This is basically a move to help strengthen my grip and to re-train my upper back to stay in a fixed position when holding heavy weight.

Shrugs - Another exercise to help out with grip strength and upper back. Like the Kroc rows I'm jut doing one set to failure. Target reps is 40.

Dips - Ten pounds was enough weight to make me struggle to get all the reps.

Great Job Jason. I have been wanting to incorporate push press also, may have to do it now.

How ya liking Brute Strength?

Favorite part of the video.... the vise grips.

You didn't like the Marilyn Manson playing in the background?

I'll be starting @ the new gym the first week in April.

That PR is so last week, baker!

Raleigh is okay. Chapel Hill is very nice, check it out if you get time. I'm on the other side of the state, near Charlotte.

Great work today! But what the hell is a Kroc row?

I heard there is a nice pub down by where the Durham Bulls play, may have to go check that out.

A Kroc Row is just a dumbbell row done for 20-40 reps. The guy in the video coined the term Kroc row bacause of his last name.

[baker]

Thought I'd take a minute to outline the new program I'm going to run for 10-12 weeks starting April 4th. It's very similar to the split I was running prior to the pnuemonia, just a couple tweaks to make it target my weak areas. I'm going to call it the Norton/Wendler Hybrid Split. The split is all Laynes program but the assistance work has a lot of the 5/3/1 protcol in it.


Day 1. - Upper Power
Bench Press - 3x5
Incline Bench Press - 3x5
Military Press - 3x5
Parallel Bar Dips - 3x10

Day 2. - Lower Power
Squats - 3x5
Sumos - 3x5
Leg Press - 3x5
Calf Raise - 3x10

Day 3. - Rest Day

Day 4. - Chest & Triceps (Assistance Day)
*Floor Press
*DB Bench
*Dips

Day 5. - Shoulders, Back, Traps (Assistance Day)
*DB Military
*BB Shrugs
*Kroc Rows
*Farmers Walk
*Reverse Hyper

Day 6. - Legs & Calves (Assistance Day)
*GHR Bench
*Lunges
*Box Squats
*Good Mornings

Day 7. - Rest Day


The exercises listed on the assistance days will be mixed up added/subtracted, etc. depending on how I feel my body is responding to the heavy training on the first two days. I will have access to a very nice GHR Bench and Reverse Hyper so I intend on taking full advantage of them in the limited amout of time I'll be training there.

Macros are going to be about 4,000 plus per day. Clean food. I'd like to hit about 210-212 by the end of the program. Looking forward to getting hyooooge.

[bamazav]

You didn't like the Marilyn Manson playing in the background?

I wouldn't know Marilyn Manson if He/She/It spit in my face.

New routine looks very interesting. I will be watching closely.

[baker]

03/23/2011


Squats
5x215(3)

Bench Press
5x185(3)

Parallel Bar Dips
10x35(3)


Comments

Squats - Almost back to normal on these. Next week will be the real test.

Dips - These flowed a little better than the last time. Will move up to 45 next week.

[Bo_Flecks]

Macros are going to be about 4,000 plus per day. Clean food. I'd like to hit about 210-212 by the end of the program. Looking forward to getting hyooooge.

Dang. That's a lot of calories.

I thought you were going to cut down to the proportions you posted in this picture:



Now I see you want to beef up the the proportions in this picture:



Don't get me wrong... I would rather look like Arnold than Scott any day. But, jus' sayin'.

Squats - Almost back to normal on these. Next week will be the real test.

Dips - These flowed a little better than the last time. Will move up to 45 next week.

Glad to see you are feeling better!

[bamazav]

Great job Bakerman Go Sox. I would echo Steve Go Sox, "glad to see you are feeling better!"Go Sox


Go Sox

[baker]

03/25/2011

Sumos
5x185,225,275
3x315,345
1x365,385

Chinups
10xBW(3)

Kroc Rows
30x70

Treadmill
4 Minutes @ 7.0 Mph


Comments

Deads - Felt really good today and had a lot on my mind so I figured I'd try some heavy singles. I failed miserably a couple years ago with 365. This time 365 went up nice and smooth, no hitching, no form break, just a nice clean pull. After hitting that I put on the 35's and hit 385. I got it to about mid thigh but wasn't quite able to lock it out. Either way good day pulling.

Kroc Rows - Added eight reps from last time.

[baker]

Dang. That's a lot of calories.

It is a lot. I may back it off a bit. My maintenance is about 3,000 so maybe I should back it down a tad.

Don't get me wrong... I would rather look like Arnold than Scott any day. But, jus' sayin'.

I agree. My goals change on a daily basis, one day I want to be ultra lean and the next I want to just be huge. Maybe I'm bipolar brah.

One of the things I've noticed is that guys who are getting bigger and reaching their natural genetic limitations generally have one thing in common, they are strong enough to hit these:

Military Press: BW
Bench Press: BWx1.5
Squat: BWx2
Deads: BWx2.5

So, my goal from this point forward will be about strength, then worry about being ripped. Still don't want to get fat though, cause if I get fat those number go up.

Great job Bakerman.

Thanks Bama!!

I tried to quote that nonsense you posted but my laptop keeps shutting down.

[bamazav]

One of the things I've noticed is that guys who are getting bigger and reaching their natural genetic limitations generally have one thing in common, they are strong enough to hit these:

Military Press: BW
Bench Press: BWx1.5
Squat: BWx2
Deads: BWx2.5

So, my goal from this point forward will be about strength, then worry about being ripped. Still don't want to get fat though, cause if I get fat those number go up.




Thanks Bama!!

I tried to quote that nonsense you posted but my laptop keeps shutting down.

We are thinking along the same line pertaining to our training. Get stronger to get bigger.


Oh, I fixed your graphic for you.

[righter]

Excellent job on the deads, Baker, and adding reps on the rows!

I dunno about that pic of the guy. I have my preferences, but I don't think of myself as incredibly picky when it comes to physical appearance in the opposite sex, however, that guy is too lean, imo. At that extreme, it just gets weird looking. Just my preference, though!

[baker]

03/28/2011

Squats
5x225(3)

Military Press
5x115(3)

Pullups
10x25(3)

Kroc Rows
38x70

Comments

Squats - Went well. I can't wait to use an actual bar designed for doing squats. How does a gym expect someone to do squats with a chromed bar. Simply amazing. Now I'm glad I got chalk everywhere and didn't clean it up.

Military - Might be time to add a belt on these soon.

Pullups - Went up to the 25's for reps on these.

Kroc Rows - Almost got the 40 reps I wanted. My back is failing before my grip so I'm guessing that's a sign my lats and back need quite a bit of work.

Started my nutrition plan and creatine today. I'm going old school on the creatine, just monohydrate and grape juice. I'd like to do some of the newer stuff but it's not in the budget. I have about two pounds left of a four pound tub. Should be plenty.

We are thinking along the same line pertaining to our training. Get stronger to get bigger.

How strong? I have always considered myself a strong person. Then when I look at people who can hit the old school strength standards I feel weak. I'd like to be able to hit all those numbers. That's going to be my long term goal.

Excellent job on the deads, Baker, and adding reps on the rows!

Thanks PR girl.

I dunno about that pic of the guy. I have my preferences, but I don't think of myself as incredibly picky when it comes to physical appearance in the opposite sex, however, that guy is too lean, imo. At that extreme, it just gets weird looking. Just my preference, though!

He is extremely lean and there is a good bit of lighting in that pic helping him out.




Just noticed I used the term "Old School" twice in this post.

[baker]

03/29/2011

Power Cleans
3x135(3)

Palms Up Grip Static Hold - Shrug Position
225,275,315(2)

Shrugs - Conventional Grip
37x225

Parallel Bar Dips
10x45(3)


Comments

PC - My back was a little sore this morning so I cut these short. Had a six year old try and perform a move from the WWE off the couch and onto my lower back last night. I'm glad he's being more aggressive even at my expense.

PUG Static Hold - Upped the weight. Second heavy set I used straps to help keep my grip in place. Traps be sore this evening.

Shrugs - No straps. Almost got the 40 reps.

Dips - Ten pounds was enough weight to make me struggle to get all the reps.