Sweet selection on the thumbnail for
The video (your ass lol) keep it up. Looks like your doing well.
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Sweet selection on the thumbnail for
The video (your ass lol) keep it up. Looks like your doing well.
[QUOTE=Raigs;1612070021]Sweet selection on the thumbnail for
The video (your ass lol) keep it up. Looks like your doing well.[/QUOTE]
Figured I'd show off my good side. ;)
[U]July 31, 2020[/U]
[B]Bench Press: 115 - 6x6[/B]
This is definitely as high as I can go without a rack. As you can see in the video, the first rep was pretty awkward. Everything after was fine. I did notice that I wasn't setup evenly on the bench, so I'll pay more attention to that next time around.
[youtube]F50gWsRHGJI[/youtube]
[B]T-Bar Row: 80 - 6x6[/B]
[youtube]YHjwu4J-3VI[/youtube]
[B]Seated Overhead Tricep Extension (Plate): 30 - 6x6[/B]
[youtube]bpU86eVaMYI[/youtube]
[B]Bench Dip: Bodyweight - 6x6[/B]
Felt really easy today. I've struggled with it previously when done on the same day as close grip bench, but I'll need to increase reps or add weight on days when I'm not doing that exercise.
[youtube]PQcsi-6denk[/youtube]
Also got this yesterday - Bandbell Earthquake Bar. Won't be able to use it until I get that freaking rack, but I'm looking forward to testing it out. Definitely should be helpful for me since I had a shoulder injury a few years back.
[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/ZKhQD2T/IMG-2843.jpg[/IMG]
When does the rack show up? It looks like you like rogue. Have you checked rep fitness out?
The earthquake bar seems wild. Can’t wait to see your thoughts
[QUOTE=Raigs;1612245771]When does the rack show up? It looks like you like rogue. Have you checked rep fitness out?
The earthquake bar seems wild. Can’t wait to see your thoughts[/QUOTE]
Yeah man, I've checked out just about every possible vendor when looking for certain items. In a lot of cases I ended up with Rogue stuff because they were the first to have that specific item available for purchase. I would've gotten the Rep Bumper Plates in a second if they'd been available when I was looking.
The rack is from Body Solid, and I purchased it from a local vendor. I was told they were expecting it to arrive in 3-4 weeks. That was 9 weeks ago. I talked to the owner again about 3 weeks ago and was told I should have it within 2 weeks. I'm very limited on rack options because of the low ceiling. If I had any other good options I'd jump on them real fast.
[U]August 2, 2020[/U]
One of the perks of lifting at home is that I can give not f***s about my appearance. I kind of like working out looking like a bum, with my hair (what's left of it) going every which way. Energy level was high today, but overall I was pretty uncomfortable with the lifts. To be expected since I'm not really used to doing any of them. I'm seeing improvements though - even with more weight they generally are feeling easier to do. The grind continues...
[B]Landmine Squat: 105 - 6x6[/B]
Can definitely handle quite a bit more weight on this, but it's still somewhat awkward. I'll probably jump up around 20 more pounds next time.
[youtube]PUak1ahsyuI[/youtube]
[B]Barbell Hip Thrust: 105 - 6x6[/B]
Still all over the place. It felt sloppier than last time. Will keep working on it, refining foot placement and getting my shoulder in the right position on the bench.
[youtube]350_fU-a5fI[/youtube]
[B]Good Morning: 105 - 6x6[/B]
Noticed in the video that I'm favoring my left side. Tried to improve that in the subsequent sets, and I will focus on it next time around also. Seems like it was a result of my feet being uneven.
[youtube]HkGNnwCGiXg[/youtube]
[B]Plank: Bodyweight - 1:45 (1 min, 45 seconds) x 2[/B]
Nothing much to say here. Added 15 seconds more than last time. It was painful (especially the second one), but planks are pretty much all about how much pain you can withstand. If you're curious what it's like to watch a plank for 1:45, check out the video, lol.
[youtube]8_HddNWc9kQ[/youtube]
[U]August 3, 2020[/U]
Taking a week off from Pullups since I've been doing them for a few months now. Don't really have a good replacement for them either, so just doing 3 lifts today.
[B]Seated Military Press: 85 x 6/6/6/6/6/4[/B]
Had to really grind out some of these reps. Didn't have anything left in the tank on the last set. I'll try this same weight again next time.
[youtube]xBb7PITQcO4[/youtube]
[B]Bent Row: 125 - 6x6[/B]
Feeling good. I'll probably jump up another 10 pounds next time.
[youtube]XMcWj2ObMmc[/youtube]
[B]Bicep Plate Curl: 35 - 8x[/B]
Gave myself a couple of good whacks to the mouth. Nothing much else of note here.
[youtube]LURUvQMIGgA[/youtube]
You’ve reached master stage of lifting when you don’t give a **** when you are at the gym how you look. Once your over the babes the real growth happens 😅
Seriously though nice work with the land mines and not neglecting the biceps. Do you hit the triceps a lot?
That stinks about the rack. I’m eyeing up a split rack so it’s easy to move. I’m super limited on space. Plus I do 90% of my workouts outside
[QUOTE=Raigs;1612590761]You’ve reached master stage of lifting when you don’t give a **** when you are at the gym how you look. Once your over the babes the real growth happens 😅
Seriously though nice work with the land mines and not neglecting the biceps. Do you hit the triceps a lot?
That stinks about the rack. I’m eyeing up a split rack so it’s easy to move. I’m super limited on space. Plus I do 90% of my workouts outside[/QUOTE]
LMAO, I've not managed to get over the babes, so it's probably a good thing I'm lifting at home now. And I'm happily committed to my partner of 8 years now, with a kid on the way. That caveman in me just can't help but be distracted by females though, smh.
I pretty much do only 1 bicep specific exercise each week, though obviously there are several others that hit them indirectly. I've done VERY little bicep work over the last several years, so it was a good time to add some in. Triceps get much more attention since they're one of the main movers (and weak point) for pressing exercises. I typically still only do 1 or 2 lifts per week that are primarily for triceps, but I very frequently do pressing exercises with a close grip to put more emphasis on triceps. Keep in mind that my programming is really bare bones right now, and I'm only doing about 14-16 lifts total per week. That will definitely increase noticeably over the coming months, and I'll have more lifts aimed at specific muscles.
I honestly wish I could workout outside. There's not really anything quite like lifting with a nice fresh breeze and some birds chirping. Done that a couple of times before, and I'm pretty jealous that you get to do that a lot, though obviously it can be a pain when the weather gets to be extreme.
What even is a split rack? I'm going to have to search that one up...
I got some fantastic news about my rack. I was finally able to find a different rack online. Yesterday I noticed that Titan was taking backorders on their T-2 short rack, with an expected ship of Sept 9 or earlier. It's about half the price of the one I had already ordered, so I jumped right on it. I called up the local vendor today to cancel my order, and found out that my rack is due to arrive tomorrow, LMFAO! So I requested a cancellation from Titan. They took care of it really quickly, without any squabbling at all. I've heard some negative things online about Titan, but I've had an incredibly positive experience with them so far. I got an 8 foot Trap Bar from them a while back, and that thing is awesome. Fast (and free) delivery, really sturdy construction, and it looks good too. So yeah, been pretty impressed by them, even if it is a small sample size. So anyway, I'm pumped to go pick up my rack this weekend and hopefully get it setup. Will for sure be sharing some pics once it's all setup.
[U]August 5, 2020[/U]
[B]Sumo Deadlift: 215 - 6x6[/B]
Did a better job of keeping my weight back today, and managed to eliminate [I]some[/I] of the unnecessary movement. Still lots of room for improvement though. My setup needs to get more consistent. Really trying to work on the setup for all of my lifts right now, because I'm having a tendency to forget cue's without a set routine. Tried to get a different angle on the video today to see if I could pick up on anything else I need to work on.
[youtube]kdm3mFdfGLU[/youtube]
[B]Hack Squat: 125 - 6x6[/B]
Starting to get more comfortable with this, aside from a few wobbly reps where my balance got too far forward or backward.
[youtube]EwD4TiTaVrg[/youtube]
[B]Decline Crunch (One Legged): 25 - 8x6[/B]
I didn't video this, and can't find a good picture of how it's done... It's basically a normal decline crunch like shown in the image below, but only 1 ankle is tucked behind the pad while the other leg is extended straight out in front of you. This forces you to have to stabilize yourself with your abs to stay steady/balanced on the bench. The 25 pounds turned out to be lighter than I expected (I struggled to do these with just my own bodyweight the first time I did them). I ended up doing 8 reps per set instead of 6. I'll increase to at least 35 pounds next time I do this.
[IMG]https://www.usa-homegym.com/wp-content/gallery/b004ovjmdc/xmarkxm4416declinebench-2.jpg[/IMG]
I typically would do a single leg exercise on this workout, but I was short on time so it got cut today.
Very interesting that magically the rack will appear tomorrow 😅
[url]https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-s-4-squat-stand-2[/url]
I don’t need it for much else then bench and squats anyway.
I’m not a fitness guru but when I do dead’s I like to keep my head in line with my spine vs looking up and having a curve in the spine. Feels like it keeps more stable.
[QUOTE=Raigs;1612712371]Very interesting that magically the rack will appear tomorrow 😅
[url]https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-s-4-squat-stand-2[/url]
I don’t need it for much else then bench and squats anyway.
I’m not a fitness guru but when I do dead’s I like to keep my head in line with my spine vs looking up and having a curve in the spine. Feels like it keeps more stable.[/QUOTE]
Ahhhh, squat stands. Never heard them called a split rack before, but that makes sense. Yeah, those are a great portable option. Should work out really well for you. 😀
Thanks for the deadlift feedback. I see what you mean. I started doing that as a corrective measure because I was looking at the floor and my back was rounding. It does seem like it’s throwing off my balance though. I’ll work on keeping my head more neutral next time around. 😉
[U]August 6, 2020[/U]
Post Dinner belly on full display in today's video, lmao. Had a short time frame for my workout again, so I cut out the JM Press (which I really don't feel comfortable doing without a rack anyway).
[youtube]bxjOX3qnx2M[/youtube]
[B]Pushup: Light Band - 6x2 / Mini Band - 10x4[/B]
The light band was putting too much pressure on my wrist and it was hurting quite a bit so I changed to the Mini Band for the last 4 sets. It may have been poor placement of the band in my hand, so I'll have to experiment with that. I started out with the band inside my thumb, and then later switched to having it below my thumb (like a thumbless bench press), and that seemed to alleviate the pressure somewhat.
[B]Meadows Row: 35 - 6x6[/B]
Watch the video if you're not sure what this is, but it's a one arm row with a landmine. This was my first time ever doing this lift. In the video (1st set) my grip was giving way, which made it a bit awkward. In the following sets I used my Cobra Grips and it was much easier. Definitely will be able to increase the weight a fair amount next time I do these.
[B]Bench Dip: Bodyweight - 6x6[/B]
Not gonna lie, I wimped out here. Definitely should've done a different tricep exercise or added some weight. I only did this easier exercise because of how much my wrists were bothering me after doing the pushups. Kind of disappointed, but I didn't want to risk damaging my wrists (which are already in rough enough shape). Live to lift another day...
Update on my rack. I feel like the local vendor is just jerking me around now. I got a call from him today saying that he was supposed to receive 3 of those racks today, but that the supplier didn't send them. He offered to lend me 'the little brother' to it (which is a lighter, shorter, less sturdy version) until my rack arrives. And if I prefer to keep the temporary one he'll refund me the difference. I told him I'll come pick it up and give it a trial run until my other rack shows up, and then decide. So I'll be picking it up this weekend.
I was irritated enough that I got online to see if the Titan offer was still available, and of course it's not... They're all sold out. Sheesh! At least I'll have something now, even if I decide not to use it long term.
[U]August 8, 2020[/U]
[B]Squat: 115 - 6x6[/B]
Felt off right from the warm ups, with my right knee feeling really unstable and with a little bit of pain. This isn't anything new - it's always been something I've had to deal with since getting a lot of wear and tear on my knees doing water sports in my younger years. I can struggle to do good bodyweight squats at times even. This was the first time it's bothered me lifting in quite a long while. Because of this, my right knee was caving in even at this light weight, and it resulted in some pretty significant hip shifting. I video'd every set so I could see what the impact was on the lift, but I've not had the time to upload it. It was pretty ugly to say the least. I think honestly I'll be better off just not squatting on days like this, and doing something different or taking a day off.
[B]Romanian Deadlift: 235 - 6x5[/B]
Maybe you'll notice that I only did 5 sets instead of my usual six. All was well here until the fifth set. And actually the fifth set seemed to go fine, but after setting down the weight and standing back up straight I realized that I'd tweaked something in my lower back. Not sure what I did, or when I did it. I was supposed to do Good Morning's next, and there was no way I was messing with that, so I just cut the workout short. Back is feeling mostly normal as I type this.
Anyway, tomorrow is another day. I should be fine to lift because there aren't any exercises that should have much impact on my back or knee.
And I got my temporary rack today. I'm pretty happy with it, and may end up just keeping this since it's half the price of the one I have on order. I'll share some images and more feedback on the rack another time though.
After thinking about the RDLs yesterday, I realized that I had overextended my back on the last rep of the 5th set. I was struggling just a hair, so I cranked up the speed and over did it. I didn't notice any pain in my back at the moment I did it, but I'm sure that's what caused it. I've done it once or twice before on a normal deadlift, but never on an RDL. Back is feeling nearly 100% today though, so it was just a minor tweak.
[U]August 9, 2020[/U]
[B]Pullup: Bodyweight x 6/6/6/6/6/5[/B]
Couldn't quite squeeze out that final rep. I had the bar sitting on the j-hooks on the highest level, and used that for my pullup bar. It worked really well honestly. The bar turned ever so slightly a couple of times, but felt surprisingly solid. One of my main concerns with this type of rack was whether or not I'd be able to do pullups, so I'm super happy with how well it works. The set shown was probably my worst as far as form. I was a bit uneasy about the bar so I restricted my range of motion somewhat. The other sets were done with better extension at the bottom. I was alternating sets with my 10 year old, which is why you can see the bands hanging from the bar. ;)
[youtube]X1srV4PXYDY[/youtube]
[B]Seated Military Press: 80 - 6x6[/B]
Decided against trying the same weight I failed at last time, and dropped back 5 pounds instead. Was a good decision since it took me a few sets to find a good setup for doing them on the rack. The set in the video was the first set, and it was really awkward. Not sure why the bar was so uneven throughout, because that's not something I've really noticed before on this lift, but I'll have to watch out for that I guess. The sets actually got easier as I went along. In the video I had the bar on the j-hooks, and I tried that for the first few sets but couldn't get into a position that felt comfortable. I tried using the safety bars and that worked much better. Sorry for the blinding light on these videos today. Not sure why I couldn't get the camera adjusted right.
[youtube]a5fxZXMjLhY[/youtube]
[B]Bent Row: 135 - 6x6[/B]
If you look closely in the video you can probably see that I was still favoring my left side. I tend to do that unconsciously when my right knee is acting up. Other than that I don't have much to say about this lift.
[youtube]OEQvvOhPDIM[/youtube]
[B]Plate Curl: 45 - 6x6[/B]
Curls for the girls!
I realize you can see it in the videos above, but I took a few pics of the new rack which I'll post below. It was really easy to put together, taking me less than an hour on my own. I'm really happy with it after the first 2 workouts. I plan to test it for at least 2 full weeks before making a decision, but at the moment I'm having a hard time seeing how the one that I ordered will be worth twice as much. I ordered the more expensive version because of the extra stability, but this thing is really, really stable, and can easily handle anything I'll be doing with it. So that worry is basically gone at this point. The downsides it has are all because it's a half rack, which I already knew and was okay with. Would be nice to someday have a full rack for the flexibility it offers with using bands and various attachments, but those aren't super important at this point, and I think I can work around most of the deficiencies.
Since I'm not sure if I mentioned it yet, the rack I'm using right now is a Body-Solid PMP150. [url]https://www.bodysolid.com/home/pmp150/powerline_multi-press_rack[/url]
[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/PhgFsP4/IMG-2885.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/qs3cvVZ/IMG-2884.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/tQy6BxT/IMG-2886.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/JkstGVt/IMG-2887.jpg[/IMG]
[U]August 11, 2020[/U]
I think I'm in need of an extended break, but more on that later on in the post...
[B]Bench Press: 115 - 6x6[/B]
First time benching in a rack in what feels like a year. One issue...the j-hooks are about a half inch too high and I was hitting them when unracking the bar. The think is, they're sitting at a place in the rack where there's a 4 inch gap in holes because the supports connect there, and lowering it to the next notch below sucks even more. Not sure how I'll resolve this yet, but I'll figure it out. The video below is from the second set of six. My setup was pretty poor on the first 2 sets, and was much better on sets 3-6. I got up on my traps far better and locked in my legs much better as well. Felt pretty good for my first relatively normal sets in a long time. Started cramping in my lower back and glutes in the last 2 sets, but that's pretty normal for me.
[youtube]RWaJbF1puCk[/youtube]
[B]T-Bar Row: 90 - 6/6/6/6/3[/B]
Felt good until the 3rd rep of the 5th set, where I tweaked something in my back again, ughhhh. I hadn't been having any discomfort at all, and thought I was just fine after doing Bent Rows 2 days ago without a hint of pain. I felt a twinge on the 3rd rep, and then it hit me full force as I tried a fourth rep. Dropped me to my knees for a bit. I'm thinking it was the bench press that actually aggravated it, since that tends to be the lift that puts the post pressure on my lower back. It feels almost fine now, about 30 minutes later, so once again I don't think it's anything major. I was supposed to do deadlifts tomorrow, but that isn't happening. I'm thinking it's a good time for a week off, or at least a major backoff on the weight I'm lifting. A break is probably better.
[youtube]6zi_dhaTNZ8[/youtube]
I'll be back in a week or so hopefully.
[U]August 15, 2020[/U]
Lower back is still a bit tender in certain positions, so I'm staying away from anything that puts me in a position where it's under any sort of pressure. And also not lifting anything heavy at all. I'm planning to do light accessory work exclusively for probably another week. I've been doing a minimalistic program since returning to lifting after a couple month break, so now's a good time to start getting my body used to more volume.
[B]Bench Dip[/B]: Bodyweight - 10x2 (10 reps x 2 sets)
[B]Pullup[/B]: Mini Band - 10x2
[B]Shoulder Press[/B] (Plate): 35 pounds - 10x2
[B]One Arm Row[/B]: 35 - 10x2
[B]Pushup[/B] - Close (hands elevated about 18 inches): Bodyweight - 10x2
[B]Overhead Tricep Extension[/B] (Plate): 25 - 10x2
[B]Leg Raise[/B]: Bodyweight - 10x2
I'll be consistently increasing until I eventually get to 3 sets of 10-15 on most of the accessory lifts. And then incorporating Max lifts and Dynamic/Speed lifts into the mix.
[U]August 19, 2020[/U]
Got an unexpected non-weight lifting workout over the weekend. We have some huge shelving racks in our garage that belonged to my partners ex husband. He asked if he could have them back, and we've been wanting to free up some space so that both cars can fit in the garage. So...my weekend was spent taking everything off the shelves and going through it to decide what we're going to keep and what's getting tossed. It took me a few hours on Saturday (after lifting) and then most of the day Sunday. That along with the normal stuff like mowing, weed whipping, bike rides, etc. had be pretty spent. I took Monday and Tuesday off, which is fine because I've been trying to take it easy on my back anyway.
Back at it today though. Continuing with the lower impact and higher rep approach today, shooting for 3 sets of 15 on everything. I did my workout in two circuits. The first was alternating pullups and pushups. The second was rotating through squats, face pulls, and crunches.
[B]Pullup: Mini Band - x14, x12, x9[/B]
Did as many full reps as possible on each set.
[B]Elevated Close Grip Pushup: Bodyweight - 15 reps x3 sets[/B]
This is primarily tricep work. I realized in the later sets that doing a shorter range of motion actually worked the triceps better. I was using my shoulders and chest to much in the first set.
Video of the first 2 exercises:
[youtube]2BW12JYIJXM[/youtube]
[B]Plate Squat: 45 pounds - 15x3[/B]
[B]Face Pull: Mini Band - 15x3[/B]
[B]Decline Crunch: Bodyweight - 15x3[/B]
Video of the last 3 exercises:
[youtube]icU-mcWrH48[/youtube]
I've not had any more pain in my back, even after moving a crapload of stuff on the weekend. I may take the next 2 days off and try to resume normal lifting on Saturday.
Heck yeah man. You got the rack. Probably new or easier moves so that’s why you feel so tired. Nice you took a non workout day and a few days off to recover. It’s crazy what a new piece of equipment does.
[QUOTE=Raigs;1614052781]Heck yeah man. You got the rack. Probably new or easier moves so that’s why you feel so tired. Nice you took a non workout day and a few days off to recover. It’s crazy what a new piece of equipment does.[/QUOTE]
Yes sir! Pumped to have a rack finally. Hope you can swing one soon too. As you already know, it opens up so many options.
[U]August 20, 2020[/U]
Decided to do some more light work again today. Tomorrow will be a rest day for sure, then I'll start fresh on Saturday with some Conjugate training, which will definitely be interesting...
[B]Incline Chest Supported Row: 95 pounds - 10 reps x 3 sets[/B]
Really don't know what these things should be called, lol. I'll have to find a way to elevate my bench if/when I do these again, so I can fully extend at the bottom. Otherwise it felt pretty good.
[B]Close Grip Bench Pin Press: 95 - 10x3[/B]
Again, not sure on the name of this exercise. It definitely got the job done on my triceps though. I barely squeezed out the last rep on the final set.
[B]External Shoulder Rotation: Mini Band - 10x3[/B]
Once again, no freaking idea what these are called. The back side of my should (posterior delts?) have always been a week point. I'll need to make sure I do these and face pulls pretty regularly.
Video of all 3 lifts from today:
[youtube]nj1uENimx5U[/youtube]
Haven't talked much about diet or weight here since I started posting again. I've dropped 8 pounds over the last 3 months without even really trying, which is awesome. I've actually been eating a fair amount more than I had been previously, and eating more carbs and fats. I've also been much more physically active, which I'm sure is the key factor. I've been holding pretty steady for the last 2 weeks, so I may make some tweaks to my diet. I'd really like to drop 5-10 more pounds as a favor to my joints. ;)
Are you following a program or just kinda going with flow? Either way the work is solid! Nice work on losing weight while eating more. Must be a cleaner diet.
[QUOTE=Raigs;1614152281]Are you following a program or just kinda going with flow? Either way the work is solid! Nice work on losing weight while eating more. Must be a cleaner diet.[/QUOTE]
It's funny...I'm actually eating less clean. I mean, I generally stay away from empty calorie items like pizza, doughnuts, fast food, and so forth, and I'm still not eating those. I'm eating far more carbs though - bread, pancakes, oatmeal, rice. Carbs have historically made me blow up as soon as I increase them, but I've been eating like this for several months now and continued dropping weight. Like I mentioned though, I've definitely increased my physical activity. The extra calories have given me a lot more energy to be active with, and I've put them to good use.
As far as programming, I've been writing my own programming over the last 2 months, working on gradually building up muscle and strength after a several month break from lifting. Been seeing really steady progress, and have actually learned that for many lifts I benefit from doing relatively high volume. My plan all along was to eventually transition to Conjugate Training. It's something I've always been intrigued by, and I need to give it a good run at least once. Transitioning from working out at a public gym to doing home workouts has given me the opportunity stock up on the type of specialty items that are often used as part of the Conjugate System. So it's a perfect time to give it a go. I start tomorrow, if all goes to plan. :D
I got a nice surprise today. Been looking for adjustable dumbbells for months, and decided I wanted either Ironmaster or Powerblock. I've been on the lookout for them for quite a while, and was quite surprised earlier today when I noticed that the Powerblock USA Elite's were available in the 5-50 pound range. I snatched those right up, and good thing I did because I checked back a little bit later and saw that they were sold out again. I then found that even though the 5-70 and 5-90 pound variants were not available, the 70 and 90 pound addons were both available. Snatched those up real quick too. So I should have a pair of 5-90 pound dumbbells in about 3 weeks or so. :)
[U]August 22, 2020[/U]
First day of Conjugate. If I can keep my schedule consistent I should be doing my max days on the weekend and dynamic days during the week, which is perfect.
[B]Max Bench: 160 x 1[/B]
Man...pressing has always been my weak point, but I expected to be able to hit at least 170. All things considered though, I'll take the 160. I'm still not totally confident in my lower back, so I had virtually no arch. This definitely affected my overall tightness and stability. I'm also keeping my grip quite a bit narrower than I typically have when benching (about halfway between my 'normal' grip and a close grip), and I know that even an inch makes a pretty big difference. Still, even at 155 I felt like I had 4 or 5 in me after doing the first rep, so I'm pretty surprised I hit the wall where I did.
I have my starting point now, and I'll use this as my guideline for the next six weeks and then see what I can do in the next cycle (in six weeks will be the next time I do a conventional bench press again).
[youtube]bouF2U0BuLA[/youtube]
[B]Seated Military Press: 65 x 10/10/9[/B]
Ran out of steam on the last rep. I think one of the reason I struggle with pressing is that one arm is a bit longer than the other. You can see it a little bit in the video below, and I've recorded other videos where it's really obvious that when fully extended my right arm is a noticeably higher than my right. I'm able to limit the impact more on bench than overhead press for some reason. This isn't an excuse since I know some top tier power lifters have limb lengths that are quite a bit different too. It's just something I've noticed when watching video of myself. I'll need to work on keeping the weight level and balanced.
[B]Chest Supported Incline Row: 135 x 10/10/10[/B]
Propped up the bench on a few plates, and that worked pretty good. I probably should've started out about 10 pounds lighter because this was a grind.
[B]Pushup Close Grip: Bodyweight x 10/10/10[/B]
[B]Tricep Overhead Press (Plate): 25 x 10/10/10[/B]
[B]Decline Crunch: 25 x 10/10/10[/B]
Some good volume overall today. Tomorrow will be the Max Lower day, where a standard back squat will be the primary lift.
Here's video of today's Overhead Press and Row:
[youtube]XMON26zjK5E[/youtube]
Man your home gym is getting super nice! Adding the dumbbells in now.
Nice first day! Isn’t it funny how 5# makes the biggest difference.
Do you ever go see a chiro or get a massage. Might just be an imbalance in the body somewhere.
[QUOTE=Raigs;1614338461]Man your home gym is getting super nice! Adding the dumbbells in now.
Nice first day! Isn’t it funny how 5# makes the biggest difference.
Do you ever go see a chiro or get a massage. Might just be an imbalance in the body somewhere.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I'm pumped to get the Powerblocks.
You're very right about imbalances. It could very well be just that. I saw a therapist a few years ago because of a shoulder issues, and there was definitely an imbalance in range of motion at the beginning because of the injury. By the time it healed, there weren't any noticeable imbalances. But actually that doesn't mean I don't have any. I'm sure I probably do. We all probably do. But no, I've not seen anyone in several years. It's definitely something I should consider.
[U]August 23, 2020[/U]
[B]Max Lower - Back Squat: 205 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
Was it was ugly? Yep. Did it go up? Yep!
Can't even tell you how shocked I am that I was able to hit over 200 pounds. I've only done that once before, about 2 years ago. And this was the first time I've squatted anything over 115 in six months. Lots to work on here though. Weight got shifted too far forward. Knees both caved. Hips shifted. I'll keep working on my weaknesses.
[youtube]8MRTiFjMxvw[/youtube]
[B]Hack Squat: 125 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
[B]Barbell Split Squat: 45 pounds - 2 sets x 10 reps[/B]
First time ever doing these with a barbell, and I struggled. Almost fell over once, lol. My legs were shot and I only managed 2 sets instead of the 3 I was aiming for.
[B]Single Arm Plate Row: 45 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
[B]Decline Crunch: 30 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps[/B]
Video of Hack Squat and Single Arm Plate Row:
[youtube]IrbGNRe-9PY[/youtube]
[U]August 25, 2020[/U]
[B]Dynamic Bench - JM Press:[/B] 80 pounds (50% of Max) - 9 sets x 3 reps
The focus for the primary lift on Dynamic Day in Conjugate is moving the bar with speed. The weight felt pretty good - very light in the early sets, with the reps slowing just slightly near the end.
[B]Close Grip Bench Press - 2 Board:[/B] 75 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
[B]Incline Skull Crusher:[/B] 45 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps
[B]Hammer Curl (plate):[/B] 25 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps
[B]Barbell Shrug:[/B] 165 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
[B]Face Pull:[/B] Mini Band - 3 sets x 25 reps
[B]Situp:[/B] Bodyweight - 3 sets x 25 reps
Continuing to ramp up to my full programming, increasing volume steadily. I left out the T-Bar Row to keep the stress off my lower back. Also left out Bench Dips. Added in some Face Pulls.
No video today. I recorded one set up the first lift, but was really in a hurry so I focused on just getting the work in. Video of my weekday sessions is probably going to be rare moving forward, but I'll get footage when I can.
[U]August 26, 2020[/U]
[B]Dynamic Squat - Box Squat (wide stance):[/B] 145 pounds - 12 sets x 2 reps
[B]Dynamic Deadift - Sumo Deadlift:[/B] 165 pounds & Mini Band - 12 sets x 2 reps
Did only the 2 primary lifts today. Dropped Good Mornings and RDL's because I'm still feeling an odd twinge in my lower back here and there, and I don't want to press my luck too much.
Not sure how much the Mini Band added on the deads. It was pretty tight even just in the setup. My guess would be around 40 extra pounds at the top of the lift, but I could be off on that. Felt pretty good lifting with the bands. It actually helped quite a bit in the setup, keeping everything tight and feet planted firmly. I felt like I could lean back without feeling like I would fall over. I leaned into more in the later sets, and that felt real nice.
Here's video of the first set from each lift. First set was probably my worst - it usually takes me at least 1 rep to get in the groove, and that was the case here. They got better as the sets went along, with all of the reps moving with pretty good speed.
[youtube]DkeGux79glI[/youtube]
Those dead’s looked Easy. Looks like you could 315 all day with that speed
[QUOTE=Raigs;1614776071]Those dead’s looked Easy. Looks like you could 315 all day with that speed[/QUOTE]
Thanks man, the deads definitely felt good. I don't see myself repping out 315 any day soon, but as luck would have it I'll find out what I have in me next week (Conventional Deadlift will be my primary lower max effort lift). ;)
Most I ever lifted is 350 a couple of years ago, and that was conventional. After that I switched to Sumo (where I'm noticeably weaker) to build up my weak points. It'll be interesting to see where I'm at with conventional after virtually not doing it at all for a long time now.
[U]August 28, 2020[/U]
[B]Max Bench - 45 Degree Incline Press: 135 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
This matches a personal best. My rep at 125 moved so quickly that I jumped right to 140. I was soooo close to getting that - another inch and I would've been able to lock it out. I'm pretty happy that I was able to still hit 135 after going all out on the previous lift. I probably would've made it pretty easily had I done it first. Anyway, I'm really happy with this result. Only thing I would change would be to have a more controlled descent on the 135 set. I tried to get a little bounce off my chest, but it honestly just threw me off balance, and you can see that in the video. The attempt at 140 was much better in that respect. Lesson learned.
[youtube]bjwbP7FzCBQ[/youtube]
[B]Pullup: Mini Band - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Much easier than last time. I'll probably eliminate the band next time and just do 3 bodyweight AMRAP's.
[B]Seated Military Press: 65 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Again, much easier than last time. I failed on the final rep of the final set last time. Made it easily this time, with a few reps in the tank still. I'll probably test out my micro plates for the first time ever next time around, and just do a small increase.
[youtube]ux6cF45vLJA[/youtube]
[B]Barbell Row: 115 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Seriously considered skipping these because of my concern over my lower back. Decided to give it a go with a lightish weight since I'm doing heavy deads in my next workout. Figured it would be good to give the back some kind of test before that. All went well - no discomfort at all. Good news!
[B]Pushup - Close Grip: Bodyweight - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
I'm gradually moving my hands closer together each time I do these they were still about 8 inches apart this time, so I have plenty of room for improvement. This was one of my harder exercises for the day though.
[B]Tricep Overhead Extension (Plate): 30 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Felt pretty easy, honestly. I'll increase to 35 pounds next time.
[B]Decline Crunch: 35 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Tomorrow will be a rest day, and then I'll do my Max Lower (Conventional Deadlift) on Sunday. Looking forward to that since I can't even remember the last time I did conventional deads.
Also tomorrow, my pair of Powerblocks is scheduled to arrive. I'm pumped to finally be able to do some dumbbell work. I have Kroc Rows scheduled in my next workout, so I'll get to try them out.
Nice work on hitting that 135 on the incline. Awesome that you are seeing progress in the lifts. Always a motivater when you can see the progress. That was a heavy session and serious volume! Bet that pump felt sweet
[QUOTE=Raigs;1614974511]Nice work on hitting that 135 on the incline. Awesome that you are seeing progress in the lifts. Always a motivater when you can see the progress. That was a heavy session and serious volume! Bet that pump felt sweet[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I was still feeling the effects of it today. Probably didn't help that I moved a crap load of lumber yesterday, lol.
[U]August 30, 2020[/U]
Today was my Max Effort Lower day, doing Conventional Deadlift. Everything felt great as I went through my warmup sets - 95, 135, 185, 205, 255, 285 - all moved really quickly and smoothly. Loaded up 305. Got it about 4 inches off the floor and then my back gave out. Fuuuuuuu**
The good news is that this felt like a Minor tweak. I was able to stand up immediately after dropping the weight, and walk with just minor discomfort. Sat down for about a minute, and then unloaded the bar. Was even able to lift the bar with a 45 on each end back up onto the safety bars without any discomfort at all. As I type this now (about 20 minutes later) I just have some slight tightness. Too bad, because I was really looking forward to seeing how far I could push it today. I'm not too down about it, just disappointed.
Will need to give my lower back another good long break. I think I should be fine to continue lifting with some modifications to my program. Definitely planning to do my Dynamic Bench day on Tuesday.
On another note, my Powerblocks didn't arrive yesterday. The delivery date was rescheduled (as seems to happen quite often these days...). I have a package scheduled to arrive tomorrow, and the second package on Tuesday.
Stinks about the back. Maybe focus on some smaller movements to strengthen the lower back
[QUOTE=Raigs;1615162731]Stinks about the back. Maybe focus on some smaller movements to strengthen the lower back[/QUOTE]
Yeah, for sure. Gonna re-assess everything I had scheduled that will stress the lower back, and figure out some alternatives. On the bright side, it'll give me an opportunity to learn some new exercises probably. I also want to add in some more stretching. My hamstrings are pretty damn flexible (when trying to touch my toes, I can basically touch my palms to the floor), but I have lost some flexibility there. I know that tight hamstrings (and other areas of the body) can definitely impact lower back, so in some cases I'll just add in stretches in place of some lifts. Basically taking this time to continue working on some weak points.
I got half of my Powerblocks today. Unfortunately it was the expansions, so I can't actually do anything with them. The other half is set to arrive tomorrow.
I got pulled into a special project at work, which is most likely going to mean 10-11 hour work days this week (possibly next week as well). Still going to try to fit in my workouts, but I'll have to see how it goes.
[U]September 2, 2020[/U]
12 hour work day yesterday, so my workout got moved to today.
[B]Dynamic Bench - JM Press: 80 pounds - 9 sets x 3 reps[/B]
[B]Close Grip Bench Press - 2 Board: 80 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps[/B]
[B]Single Arm Low Row: Average Band - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
[B]Incline Skull Crusher: 50 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[B]Hammer Curl: 20 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps[/B]
The other half of my Powerblocks showed up today. Put them to use with the Hammer Curls. I can see the downside to having the handle completely enclosed, and I already was aware of it beforehand obviously. I really like them though. They go from 5 to 90 pounds. It's super easy to adjust in 10 pound increments - a little more complicated if you want to adjust by 5 or 2.5 pounds, but still relatively quick. They feel more natural than I expected. They feel really nice actually. Very happy with them, and I'll definitely be using them a lot.
A few pictures:
[img]https://i.ibb.co/QkxWSkB/IMG-2946.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/jzwHnfq/IMG-2947.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/GQyGLR7/IMG-2948.jpg[/img]
[U]September 3, 2020[/U]
[B]Dynamic Lower - Box Squat w/Wide Stance (@75% of max): 135 pounds - 10 sets x 2 reps[/B]
[B]Dynamic Lower - Sumo Deadlift (70% of max): 145 pounds + Mini Band - 10 sets x 2 reps[/B]
Lowered the weight to less than the prescribed percentage on these two today, not wanting to have any setbacks with my back. I could feel it a bit on both lifts - more on the deadlifts, where I'll need to be really strict with my form (that's a good thing to focus on anyway). I'm pretty confident I can make these lifts work without any issues though, so long as I keep my core tight and my back angle maybe a little more vertical. I'll increase the working weight % as I get more comfortable and confident in doing so safely. Not going to be talking about my back anymore though, because I should totally be able to work around it and give it time to heal, incorporated exercises at the appropriate time as I'm able to handle them. Definitely going to be a slow process, which is perfectly okay. I'm not looking to break any power lifting world records anytime soon anyway, lol.
[B]Kroc Row: 40 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps[/B]
[B]Planks (combination of normal and side planks): Bodyweight - 4 sets x 1 minute[/B]
Starting light and easy on these, and I'll slowly and steadily increase the difficulty over time.
Pretty easy day today. I removed out Romanian Deadlifts and Good Mornings for obvious reasons... Rest Day tomorrow, and then will most likely do my Max Effort Bench day on Saturday.
[U]September 5, 2020[/U]
[B]Max Effort Bench - Close Grip Bench Press: 155 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
Was not expecting to lift this much - I was thinking it would be somewhere around 145, so I'm super happy. I tried 160, but that wasn't even close - got a few inches off my chest and then it wasn't gonna budge. Both lifts can be seen in the video below. A couple of things stand out in the video. First is a general lack of tightness, especially in my lower body. I had very little arch, not wanting any stress on my back, and found it pretty difficult to lock in my legs as a result. I'll need to work on this. The other thing is that I'm shifting the weight towards my right side (which is the stronger side on my upper body). This weight shift is really obvious. Probably need to add in some isometric work to continue building up strength in my left side.
[youtube]nHsONgkbwGI[/youtube]
[B]Pullup: Bodyweight - 8 reps / 8 reps / 6 reps[/B]
Squeezed out every rep I could. Only got about half way up on the rep #7 on the third set. Felt good to do pure bodyweight pullups.
[B]Seated Military Press: 67 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps [/B]
I was alternating sets between these and the close grip pushups. My triceps were on fire by the end, and I just barely managed to lockout the final rep.
[B]Pushup - Close Grip: Bodyweight - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
[B]Tricep Overhead Extension: 15 pound DB's - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Doing these with dumbells instead of a plate proved much more difficult than I expected. It probably didn't help that my arms were already dead by this time.
[B]Situp: Bodyweight - 3 sets x 25 reps[/B]
My arms were done by the time I got through. They still feel like jello now, about 4 hours later. I'm seeing good results from all of the tricep work, so that will continue to be a heavy focus on the bench days. Tomorrow is Max Lower day, where I'm scheduled to do Front Squats. I've never come close to maxing out on front squats, so it'll be fun to see what I can do.
[U]September 6, 2020[/U]
I scaled back my workout today, knowing that I need to be able to carry a couple of couches up and down stairs tomorrow. Still was light headed by the end of the workout. Leg days (and particularly days with a quad focus, for some reason) tend to do that to me a lot of the time. Quads were definitely burning by the time I was done.
[B]Max Effort Lower - Front Squat: 135 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
It's interesting seeing where I end up for maxes on all of these lifts... I expected to be around 145-155 here, but that obviously didn't happen. One of the major reasons for that is that I'm not allowing much room for my form to get out of whack. In the video below you can see shots of the rep at 135, along with a failed rep at 145. The speed out of the hole with 145 looks like more than enough to complete the lift, but my weight got forward and I was going to need to use a lot of lower back to get it up. I'm finding that I rely on my lower back strength quite a lot, and so my lifts lean (both conceptually and physically) towards relying on that. This lift is a perfect example of that, where my 'natural' movement has me leaning forward to utilize my lower back strength. I'm quite sure if I was using that to power through, I could've lifted another 20 pounds. I'll be working on correcting this tendency over the coming months.
One other thing of note... I mentioned yesterday that I was shifting the weight to my right side when benching. Here I see that I'm favoring my left side heavily on lower body lifts (which I already knew). It can be seen even in the way I'm balancing the weight, with the bar clearly being slightly off center towards my left side. It feels evenly balanced, probably because my left side is stronger, but clearly isn't. Again, isometric movements will probably be a good way for me to correct this.
[youtube]1534ZyX-c0M[/youtube]
[B]Barbell Hack Squat: 135 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps[/B]
Felt the burn big time in my quads, which I guess tells me I'm doing the lift pretty good since that's what it's designed to work.
[B]Kroc Row: 45 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps (each arm)[/B]
This was pretty light, so I'll need to jump up at least another 10-15 pounds next time.
[U]September 8, 2020[/U]
Another 12 hour day at work. Still got in my workout. Knocked this out in 40 minutes. Worked up quite a sweat. Triceps are a burnin'.
[B]Dynamic Bench - JM Press:[/B] 80 pounds - 9 sets x 3 reps
[B]Close Grip Bench Press - 2 Board:[/B] 85 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
[B]Single Arm Low Row:[/B] Average Band - 3 sets x 15 reps
[B]Bench Dip:[/B] Bodyweight - 3 sets x 15 reps
[B]Hammer Curl:[/B] 25 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps
[B]Barbell Shrug:[/B] 175 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
[B]Decline Crunch:[/B] 35 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
Nice work lately. Smart work on dialing it back knowing you had a hard day coming up doing other fitness things.
Nice work on the front squat. It’s tough to not hit a PR but there is next time and it seems like
You were smart about about it and saving your lower back and not going for it.
It be a longer road of recovery if you hurt yourself over missing the lift
[QUOTE=Raigs;1615976471]Nice work lately. Smart work on dialing it back knowing you had a hard day coming up doing other fitness things.
Nice work on the front squat. It’s tough to not hit a PR but there is next time and it seems like
You were smart about about it and saving your lower back and not going for it.
It be a longer road of recovery if you hurt yourself over missing the lift[/QUOTE]
For sure. It was already a PR anyway, lmao, because I've never come anywhere close to maxing out on a Front Squat. Truth is, I hate the damn things. They totally wipe me out, so I've programmed them less often than I probably should. They're a really good option for me right now, so I'll probably be doing them fairly regularly for a while. My body is feeling great at the moment, so all is good. I'm encouraged by how quickly I've recovered - wasn't sure it would be like that for the few days after tweaking it. Still going to be cautious for quite a while.
September 9, 2020
[B]Dynamic Lower - Box Squat w/Wide Stance (@80% of max):[/B] 145 pounds - 10 sets x 2 reps
This was more like 70-75% of my max. I reduced the load the last 2 weeks. Weight moved quickly today and felt really good. Took video from 2 different angles, and it's honestly probably the best my squat has ever looked. It's the lift that's been the biggest struggle for me by far, so I really encouraged to see something that doesn't look like total crap.
[youtube]0EkkTX9EMUY[/youtube]
[B]Dynamic Lower - Sumo Deadlift (70% of max):[/B] 165 pounds + Mini Band - 12 sets x 2 reps
Ramped the weight back up to where it was scheduled to be this week, since I'm feeling really good. Lift felt pretty decent. I was a little hesitant to move it as fast as I can, since that's what originally tweaked my back. But it still moved quickly - just with a bit more control (which is definitely a good thing).
[B]Romanian Deadlift:[/B] 135 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
First time I've felt up to doing these for about a month now. Started with about half of the weight I was doing before. It felt really good. Doing them with less weight allowed me to focus on the movement more, and I was feeling it in my hamstrings more than I was with more weight. I'll be keeping the weight relatively low for the foresee
[B]Inclined Hex Bar Seal Row:[/B] 110 pounds x 15 reps & 90 pounds x 15/15
These worked out really nicely. I'll have to take video sometime, because it's probably hard to imagine what it looks like...
[B]Side Planks:[/B] Bodyweight - 2 sets x 1 minute/side
They kicked my arse. Had planned to do 3 sets, but wasn't happening today. Maybe next time.
Man that’s awesome! Your back is feeling better and you crushed that workout. That’s some heavy movements strung together.
Yeah, feeling great now. I've neglected to mention this, but I've also been doing some stretching daily. Nothing major - just like 10 minutes in the evenings. It's focusing entirely on lower back, hamstring, and hip mobility. It actually loosens up decently pretty quickly, and after just that few minutes I can almost touch my palms to the floor when standing with my legs straight. Going to keep this up for the foreseeable future.
[U]September 12, 2020[/U]
Yes, I'm lifting in jeans...
Low energy today. Removed out a couple of lifts so that I'll have something in the tank for tomorrow.
[B]Max Effort Bench - Bench Press w/Mini Band:[/B] 145 pounds x 1 rep
First time ever benching with bands. Took me a while to figure out a setup that worked well. The lift felt strange, and I liked it. The band tension actually seemed to helped with overall tightness in my setup. In the video I'm actually kind of all over the place (especially my legs). This is because my right glute started cramping up. It was definitely the shakiest of all my reps because of that, so I'm happy I got it up. I attempted a rep at 150, and it only got about 3 inches off my chest. Pretty happy with 145 though.
[youtube]3VvrgyVBPQA[/youtube]
Here's a closer look at the band setup:
[img]https://i.ibb.co/DR3nCXc/IMG-2976.jpg[/img]
[B]Pullup:[/B] Bodyweight - 8 reps / 8 reps / 10 reps
Only managed 6 reps on the 3rd set in my previous attempt. Today's plan was the same as last time - two sets of 8 and an AMRAP on the third set. Beat last week's effort by 4 reps, which is obviously awesome. My energy level was pretty low throughout today's workout since I've been fighting off some kind of bug for the last couple of days, so I took longer breaks between every set. That definitely made a difference - never would've hit this many reps with a shorter rest period.
[B]Seated Military Press:[/B] 68.5 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps
Making good use of the micro plates. Again, the longer rest periods helped here. No doubt in my mind that I could've easily made 3x10 with 70 pounds or more, which is fantastic progress for me since I failed to do it with 65 pounds only 3 weeks ago. :)
[B]Tricep Overhead Extension:[/B] Mini Band - 3 sets x 10 reps
Wrapped the band around the bottom of my rack leg, kneeled in front of it and extended overhead just like you'd do with a cable. It felt great - even better than with a cable. Not sure why, but it's just a different kind of tension. I'll being doing these again for sure, either for more reps or with a stronger band, because this was a little too easy.
Really happy with today's results. Tomorrow is Max Lower day. I'm scheduled to do a max Sumo Deadlift. Would really love to know how much I can do Sumo style, because I've never tried anything close to a 1 rep max on it. I'll have to see how I feel as I work up. Obviously if I feel anything odd I'll be stopping immediately. Otherwise I may work up to a 3 rep max instead of 1 rep max. We shall see...
Nice work on the banded bench. It hits so much different. It’s great that you can change it up like that.
I’m ready for some max dead numbers!!!
[QUOTE=Raigs;1616385891]I’m ready for some max dead numbers!!![/QUOTE]
Thanks man. Yeah, the banded bench feels real good. Max dead numbers incoming...
[U]September 13, 2020[/U]
[B]Max Effort Lower - Sumo Deadlift:[/B] 305 pounds x 1 rep
This definitely was not a max lift, but I didn't feel comfortable going any higher. It's the first time I've ever lifted over 300 Sumo, and it moved pretty well. Super satisfied. I should be able to build on this over the coming months.
[youtube]gYuNNQdr5os[/youtube]
[B]Barbell Hack Squat:[/B] 140 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps
[B]Band Pullthrough:[/B] Mini Band - 3 sets x 10 reps
Never done these before, even with a cable machine. I like them. Could feel it working my lower back. This should be a good way to get some lower back work in while it heals. Definitely need to use more resistance next time.
[B]Barbell Split Squat:[/B] 45 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps
Last time I attempted these was the first time I'd done them and they felt super awkward. I only managed 2 sets of 10 and even then there were some terrible reps. Felt about 100 times more comfortable this time around. I'll start adding weight now.
[B]Kroc Row:[/B] 50 pounds - 3 sets x 10 reps (each arm)
[B]Decline Crunch:[/B] 40 pounds - 3 sets x 15 reps
Have to say that I'm loving the program so far. I've spent the last couple of years doing lots and lots of sets of around 5 reps. Now I'm doing a lot of sets of 1-3 reps, AND a lot at 10-15 reps. This combination seems to be working really well so far. It's obviously too early to tell for sure if it will result in long term gains to my max's, and muscle growth - time will tell the story on that. But I'm having a great time and my body is reacting really well.
In and subbed!
You made that 305 look a little too easy! Also, mirin that home gym set-up. Really mirin that home gym set up :D
You have dynamic and max effort days.... so I am guessing your goals are strength oriented?
[QUOTE=400Lb Gorilla;1616503241]In and subbed!
You made that 305 look a little too easy! Also, mirin that home gym set-up. Really mirin that home gym set up :D
You have dynamic and max effort days.... so I am guessing your goals are strength oriented?[/QUOTE]
My overarching goal is always my long term health. It's the reason I started lifting in the first place, and why I've continue for a few years consistently now. Have a baby on the way in less than 2 months, and I can't be some old man not being able to run around with the little one as he grows up.
BUT, I also really enjoy working towards a goal, and my goal right now is to see how strong I can get. I've basically just maintained a similar level of strength over recent years, never really pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I really want to see how far I can push it while still staying healthy.
The home gym came together over the last few months. Spent a hell of a lot more money than I would've liked, but with the funny flu situation, AND knowing that I had a little one on the way, I decided it just made sense to start lifting at home. Best decision I've made. I freaking love it. I have 100% of what I need, and about 80% of what I want (that second percentage keeps shrinking, lol). Pretty happy with the rack, but I'm ultimately planning for it to be temporary. I'd really like a full rack at some point. Been looking at the REP 4000 series, and would lean heavily toward that one at the moment, but it's just daydreaming. I probably will continue with the one I have for a couple of years unless a really good deal comes along.
I have some adjustable metal plyo boxes on order that will allow me to adjust the height for my box squats, and I'll also be able to use them for belt squats, so I'm looking forward to getting those. Still need some more weights. I really wanted some colored bumper plates, but they've been basically impossible to find. I may have to cave and get some more black ones, because I only have 315 pounds in weights (320 if I count the micro plates, lmao). Other than that I'm pretty well set for now. It all came together really quickly.
And it's actually a huge relief not to have to wait to use equipment, and not feeling like I need to rush through things to try to get home. I can fit my workouts in whenever, or even do part of a workout, go do something else for a bit, and then come back and finish up my workout. And of course, I can workout in jeans or pajamas without being subjected to looks of disgust (except the ones I sometimes get from my partner, but those have nothing to do with my clothes). ;)