The Flywheel Effect.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Anchor[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 163.0
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 8.5
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 55


[U]Primary Lift:[/U] Rep PR Attempt
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 10 / 95 x 5 / 115 x 3 / 135 x 3 / 155 x 2 / 175 x 1 (Warmups)
185 x 5 ([B]Rep PR[/B])
Success! Hit squat PR's on all 3 weeks of this anchor cycle. I did not think I'd make it today. I wasn't feeling very good in the warmups. I almost dropped the weight down to continue loosening up after the set at 155, but didn't want to fatigue myself too much. The rep at 175 felt great. Final set was kind of weird. I leaned forward too much on a couple of reps. The 5th rep was probably the best, going up pretty smoothly. I may have been able to do a couple more, or I may have failed the next rep. Still have work to do on this lift, because my balance seems to make or break me right now. I need to get that dialed in. Nonetheless, I'm very happy with the direction it's going.

[youtube]vzjjG4kzKfU[/youtube]


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] First Set Last
[B]Press[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
70 x 5/5/5/5/5

[youtube]2o9zNoyigOY[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pushup[/B]
BW+15 x 15/15/15

[B]Face Pull[/B]
37.5 x 15/15/15

[B]Back Raise[/B]
95 x 10/10/10

[B]Box Squat[/B]
45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 7
I came across a video from EliteFTS from a seminar, where they were explaining the benefit of Box Squats. I never fully grasped their purpose to this point, so I've never put them in my programming. I definitely want to add them in now, though I'm not sure exactly how to do that. I did some today just as a trial run to test out the setup and movement. Did them with a pretty wide stance, and they felt really good. I could tell they were working my glutes, and muscles around my hips, since they were burning pretty good by the time I was done. I'm not totally sure if I did them correctly, but it's a starting point.

[youtube]939SQGBuUv0[/youtube]


[B]Comments:[/B]
Good start to the final week of this Anchor Cycle. I'll be taking either tomorrow or Tuesday off, but I'm not sure which yet. Bench day will be next, going for 8 reps at 145 pounds.

Nice progress all round, Ive vmbeen subbed in for ages, just barely keeping up with my own log.
Form looks to be improving too. Especially on your pressing exercises.

Box squats are really good for removing the stretch shortening cycle of the hamstrings and glutes, means when you come back up its slightly tougher than without the box. Great for building explosiveness out of the hole and learning to sit back and create tension in the hamstrings.

That wider stance looks alot more natural for you, easy to see good hip activation as you come off the box compared to your normal squat with a narrow stance.

I have noticed one thing on your normal squats.... you explode out of the bottom then hit a midway sticking point, I actually think this might be due to lack of hamstring/glute activation, which comes down to foot width. At narrower than shoulder width you are forcing the quads to do alot of work rather than working in unison with your posterior chain.
Its easy to see when you compare the speed and smoothness of your box squat reps.

Box squats are a great way to improve your posterior chain activation in the squat and also help you get used to using a wider stance with lighter weights.

Keep the progress going.

[QUOTE=MynameisGregg;1563882121]Nice progress all round, Ive vmbeen subbed in for ages, just barely keeping up with my own log.
Form looks to be improving too. Especially on your pressing exercises.

Box squats are really good for removing the stretch shortening cycle of the hamstrings and glutes, means when you come back up its slightly tougher than without the box. Great for building explosiveness out of the hole and learning to sit back and create tension in the hamstrings.

That wider stance looks alot more natural for you, easy to see good hip activation as you come off the box compared to your normal squat with a narrow stance.

I have noticed one thing on your normal squats.... you explode out of the bottom then hit a midway sticking point, I actually think this might be due to lack of hamstring/glute activation, which comes down to foot width. At narrower than shoulder width you are forcing the quads to do alot of work rather than working in unison with your posterior chain.
Its easy to see when you compare the speed and smoothness of your box squat reps.

Box squats are a great way to improve your posterior chain activation in the squat and also help you get used to using a wider stance with lighter weights.

Keep the progress going.[/QUOTE]
I'm in the same situation as far as following everyone's progress. I've been popping in to check yours out every week or two, but barely have time to even post up my own logs usually. So thanks for stopping in and leaving some advice. It means a lot.

Everything you stated makes total sense, and yeah...that's exactly why I decided I wanted to add in the box squats. I'm pretty explosive out of the hole with a narrower stance, and that allows me to do the reps with some 'snap' at lower weights, much like what you saw with the box squats. But like you said, I struggle at the halfway point as soon as it gets a little heavier. It's pretty much the opposite with a wider stance. I struggle out of the hole a lot, but can finish relatively easily if I get it about a third of the way up (this is one of those sentences that could get me in some trouble if it were taken out of context, lol). I'll definitely keep working those box squats, and eventually try to transfer some of that over to my normal squats. It definitely feels more natural to me with a wider stance. I'm just weak as ****.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Anchor[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 164.8
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7.5
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 60


[U]Primary Lift:[/U] Rep PR Attempt
[B]Bench[/B]
45 x 5 / 95 x 5 / 115 x 3 / 135 x 2 (Warmups)
145 x 7 ([B]Rep PR[/B])
Just barely hit the PR. My setup was off on the top set again. I had it locked in on the set at 135, and would've hit the 8 reps much easier if I had the setup right. I think I figured out what I've been wrong though, so I have an idea of how to fix it now. We'll see over the next couple of weeks. Anyway, I'm extremely happy to have hit PRs on all 3 weeks on this lift.

[youtube]FMs91kQQEz0[/youtube]


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] First Set Last
[B]Deadlift[/B]
95 x 5 / 135 x 5 / 185 x 3 (Warmups)
220 x 5/5/5/5/5
You can see a little more of the explosiveness I talked about last week. I noticed some unnecessary movement still though. I should be able to make some more improvements as I cut down on that.

[youtube]9Weu6N8ItNA[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
40's x 8/8/8

[B]Chinup[/B]
BW x 10/10/9

[B]Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 20/20


[B]Comments:[/B]
Felt really good today. Had a high energy level throughout, and finished all the sets easily, aside from the PR set on bench. I'll probably be back for another session tomorrow, going for a new PR on Overhead Press.
The scale is going the wrong way again a little bit, but I'm not too bothered by it. Ended up going out a couple of times. Went to Red Lobster yesterday evening for a birthday celebration. I ordered the Endless Shrimp, and didn't even finish the initial serving. Still gained almost 2 pounds, lol. I should be able to get the scale going back the right direction the rest of this week.

[QUOTE=CW47;1563886051]I'm in the same situation as far as following everyone's progress. I've been popping in to check yours out every week or two, but barely have time to even post up my own logs usually. So thanks for stopping in and leaving some advice. It means a lot.

Everything you stated makes total sense, and yeah...that's exactly why I decided I wanted to add in the box squats. I'm pretty explosive out of the hole with a narrower stance, and that allows me to do the reps with some 'snap' at lower weights, much like what you saw with the box squats. But like you said, I struggle at the halfway point as soon as it gets a little heavier. It's pretty much the opposite with a wider stance. I struggle out of the hole a lot, but can finish relatively easily if I get it about a third of the way up (this is one of those sentences that could get me in some trouble if it were taken out of context, lol). I'll definitely keep working those box squats, and eventually try to transfer some of that over to my normal squats. It definitely feels more natural to me with a wider stance. I'm just weak as ****.[/QUOTE]

That did make me giggle a bit. Once you get everything firing properly your squat will rocket up. Takes a bit of time to learn a new pattern, best thing is to do loads of warmup sets to increase repetition with good form.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Anchor[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 164.8
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 60


[U]Primary Lift:[/U] Rep PR Attempt
[B]Press[/B]
45 x 6 / 65 x 3 / 80 x 2 (Warmups)
90 x 10 ([B]Rep PR[/B])
Well I'll be damned... I guess this makes up for not setting a new PR last week. I beat my previous mark by 2 reps. I figured out why it wasn't feeling right last week, and fixed it. Focused mostly on keeping my upper back tight, and that made all the difference.

[youtube]S_6CnY1hTMo[/youtube]


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] First Set Last
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 6 / 85 x 5 / 115 x 3 (Warmups)
140 x 5/5/5/5/5
Widened my stance a little bit. I started out too wide, and made some adjustments on each set. It didn't feel great today. I realized in the middle of one of my set that what's causing my balance to get off is that I'm losing tension in my lower back. My upper back generally stays tight, but I relax my lower back. As a result, it flexes at the transition point as I start going back up, and throws off my balance. When I focused on keeping it tight, I saw some obvious improvement. That will be something for me to continue focusing on until it becomes second nature.

[youtube]hgnQVrsQQd4[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Dip[/B]
BW+10 x 9/9/9
I'll increase the weight next time, and shoot for 6 reps

[B]Face Pull[/B]
37.5 x 16/16/16
Going to continue adding reps each week

[B]Farmers Walk[/B]
120 x 100/100/100


[B]Comments:[/B]
I'm pumped about the Press PR. It really didn't matter what happened after that...nothing could've ruined this workout for me. I've really found my groove on that lift. I'm continuing to make steady progress on all of my accessory lifts. I'll have a rest day tomorrow, and then go for a PR on the Deadlift on Friday.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Anchor[/U][/B]
[B]Weight[/B] (Pounds) ====== 163.8
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7.5
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 60


[U]Primary Lift:[/U] Rep PR Attempt
[B]Deadlift[/B]
95 x 3 / 135 x 5 / 185 x 4 / 235 x 2 (Warmups)
290 x 8 ([B]Rep PR[/B])
Pretty much a carbon copy of last week. Happy with the PR, but the form is not great. I've made improvements in some areas, but need to keep building strength throughout my back to get rid of the lower back rounding. I was having trouble gripping the bar today for some reason, which is why I reset after to first few reps.

[youtube]_W2K0B_75mA[/youtube]


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] First Set Last
[B]Bench[/B]
45 x 5 / 95 x 5 (Warmups)
115 x 5/5/5/5/5

[youtube]vmao-ucWFzU[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Incline Press[/B]
55's x 8/8/8

[B]T-Bar Row[/B]
125 x 8/8/8

[B]Box Squat[/B]
45 x 5 / 95 x 5 / 115 x 5 (Warmups)
135 x 5/5/5
These felt better today. I was focusing on keeping my back vertical, initiating the lift with my back. That seemed to help me move everything in the right way.

[youtube]cSlxB-64H5g[/youtube]


[B]Comments:[/B]
This marks the end of my Anchor cycle. It was a great success, with lots of PR's. I have absolutely no complaints about it. I outperformed my expectations.
I'll be back in the gym on Monday, doing a deload week. After that, I'll do two more leader cycles (3 weeks apiece).

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Deload[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 163.2
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7.5
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 8
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 75


[U]Primary Lift:[/U]
[B]Squat[/B]
45 x 10 / 95 x 5 / 115 x 3 (Warmups)
130 x 5
150 x 5
165 x 5
185 x 1
205 x 1 [B]PR[/B]
Taking a different approach on my deload week since I'll be traveling for work next week, and I'm not sure what kind of gym access or time I'll have. I'm going to attempt PR's on the primary lifts. I hit it easier than expected today. I almost went for a second rep, but there was really no need. I accomplished what I wanted to.

[youtube]1rAHHp0gUlI[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Incline Bench Press[/B]
45 x 5
85 x 5
115 x 6/6/6

[B]Seated Cable Row[/B]
115 x 10
130 x 10
145 x 9

[B]Back Raise[/B]
95 x 10
115 x 10/8

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
85 x 8/8/8


[B]Comments:[/B]
Not really sure why it took me longer than normal to finish today. Anyway, a PR day is a good day. :)
Tomorrow will be Bench day. My current PR is 160x2, so I'll be trying to hit at least 165.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Deload[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 162.6
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 8
[B]Workout Time [/B](Minutes) = 70


[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench[/B]
45 x 5 / 85 x 5 (Warmups)
100 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 1
155 x 1
165 x 1 [B]PR[/B]
Hit the PR pretty easily. Probably around an 8-8.5 RPE. Form was solid.

[youtube]4nvA5MfNi1c[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pec Deck[/B]
100 x 8/10
70 x 15

[B]Kroc Row[/B]
50 x 20/20/20

[B]Bulgarian Split Squat[/B]
30 x 15/15/15
I freaking hate these, which is probably a good reason for me to do them every now and then. I always feel like I'm going to pass out. Somehow, I lived to tell the tale though. ;)

[B]Hanging Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 10/10/10


[B]Comments:[/B]
I'm trying to work in a bunch of new lifts, or ones I haven't done in a while, this week. It's nice to mix things up. I'm probably about due to add some new stuff in for a full cycle, so this is a good time to experiment and see what I want to incorporate into my next Leader Cycle.
I'll take a rest day tomorrow, and then do Press Day on Thursday. I'm doubtful that I'll be able to improve on my PR of 115, but we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll surprise myself.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Anchor[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 162.6
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 7
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 7.5
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 55


[U]Primary Lift:[/U] Rep PR Attempt
[B]Press[/B]
45 x 5 (Warmups)
65 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 1
100 x 1
110 x 1
120 x 0
I knew the PR wasn't gonna happen. I could feel it from the first warmup set. And then I knew for sure once I did the rep at 110. Tried for the PR anyway, because why the hell not. It moved about 3 inches, lol.

[youtube]vAueiygB_40[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Dip[/B]
BW+10 x 10/10
BW+25 x 5

[b]Chest Supported Row[/b]
55 x 112/12/12

[B]Single Leg Curl[/B]
85 x 9/9/9


[B]Comments:[/B]
Deadlift Day tomorrow. My current PR is 340, which I [I]think[/I] I can improve on pretty easily, but we shall see.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Deload[/U][/B]
[B]Weight [/B](Pounds) ====== 162.6
[B]Sleep [/B](Hours) ======== 6
[B]Energy [/B](1-10) ======== 6
[B]Workout Time[/B] (Minutes) = 70


[U]Primary Lift:[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
135 x 5 / 185 x 3 / 225 x 2 / 275 x 1 / 315 x 1
350 x 1 [B]PR[/B]
This was an ugly lift. I don't plan to max out on this for quite a long time again, because it looks dangerous for me right now. My grip started to slip just as I was locking it out. I slowed down the video to check, and it looks like I fully locked it out for a moment (you can see this on the video thumbnail also). It wouldn't count at a competition, but I wasn't at a competition. So, it counts, lol.

[youtube]9Lydgn1_0q4[/youtube]


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Incline Press[/B]
45's x 8
I didn't have much left in me after the deadlifts. After doing 3 sets of 8 with 55's last week, I literally couldn't even budge them today. I did a lighter set, and then moved on to something else.

[B]Tricep Rope Pressdown[/B]
35 x 12/12

[B]T-Bar Row[/B]
125 x 8/8/8

[B]Box Squat[/B]
45 x 5 (WU)
95 x 5/5/5
I had to use a stool that sat just a little lower than the bench I was using previously. It made a big difference. I struggled with 95 pounds

[youtube]rWnkPhEqfS4[/youtube]


[B]Comments:[/B]
This was my final workout of my deload week. As I mentioned already, I'm out of town for work next week. There's a fitness center at the hotel I'm staying at that supposedly has free weight, so hopefully I'll be able to get some workouts in. Not sure what my schedule will be though.

Got back from my trip yesterday afternoon. I didn't lift at all since I was typically tied up with conference meetings until after 8pm, at which point I had to try to catch up on my regular work.
I got in a workout today. Did each of the main 4 lifts, working up to a 5-rep top set. Was just hoping to re acclimate my body. Warmup sets not listed below.

[B]Squat:[/B]
175 x 5

[B]Bench:[/B]
145 x 5

[B]Press:[/B]
95 x 5

[B]Deadlift:[/B]
295 x 5


[B]Comments:[/B]
The lifts felt pretty good. No video of anything today. I may stop posting video's for a while. It's not super hard to do, but does take some time to record and upload, and I'd rather use that time elsewhere at the moment. I may upload one here and there.

I'll be back to my normal routine beginning on Monday. It's the start of a new leader cycle. I'll be repeating Portal's program again, since I had fantastic results from the first go-around. I'll be looking to cycle some new accessories into my programming. Other than that there won't be much different.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Leader[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift:[/U]
[B]Squat[/B]
135 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5/2
135 x 5/5/5
Rough start. It felt pretty bad. I stopped part way through my second set at the top weight because it wasn't feeling right. I think I should've deloaded on my squat, especially since I'm coming off a pretty long break. I may just adjust my training max now and move forward with it at the lower level. Not sure yet.


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] 3-5 Reps @100% of Training Max
[B]Press[/B]
90x3


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pec Deck[/B]
85 x 10/10/10

[B]Seated Cable Row[/B]
130 x 10/10
115 x 10

[B]Back Raise[/B]
115 x 10/10


[B]Comments:[/B]
Not a great day. My energy was really low after being short of sleep the last couple of nights. I felt like I needed a day off, but felt motivated to get a workout in since I've been off for so long. It wasn't a total loss by any means, but definitely wasn't the most productive session. I'll try to get some good rest tonight, and be back at it again tomorrow.

As a note, along with cutting out things like weight and sleep that I usually list at the beginning of my post, I'm also going to be leaving out warmup sets. I need to reduce the amount of time it's taking me to post my workouts for now, though there may be some days where I'll give more detail depending upon what I have going on.

Read the intro and skipped through some posts..

Perseverance is key, good luck with the flywheel effect.

[QUOTE=DrunkenMoron;1565569251]Read the intro and skipped through some posts..

Perseverance is key, good luck with the flywheel effect.[/QUOTE]
Thanks man. I'm keeping at it. ;)

Yesterdays workout:
[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Leader[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Bench[/B]
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5/5/5/5/5

[youtube]-UnSRZay1Qk[/youtube]


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] 3-5 Reps @100% of Training Max
[B]Deadlift[/B]
300 x 3
I'm able to control this weight pretty well now. Form stayed good on all 3 reps.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Shoulder Press[/B]
40's x 6
Didn't feel good at all. I think I need a break from this exercise.

[B]Tricep Rope Pushdown[/B]
37.5 x 10
35 x 12/10

[B]Chin Up[/B]
25 x 5/3
BW x 5/5/3

[B]Hanging Leg Raise[/B]
BW x 8/8


[B]Comments:[/B]
I had a rough week. Felt exhausted all week, so I skipped working out on several days. Energy was a bit better. My work capacity dropped noticeably after only a couple of workouts over the last 2.5 weeks. Need to work my way back into it.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Leader[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift[/U]
[B]Press[/B]
65 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5/5/5/5/5
Felt good today. I worked through these sets pretty quickly, and still had plenty left in the tank.


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] 3-5 Reps @100% of Training Max
[B]Squat[/B]
170 x 3
Did a LOT of warmup work to loosen up my joints. It felt much better than my last squat session, but still not great.


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Dip[/B]
BW+25 x 5
BW x 10

[B]Face Pull[/B]
35 x 20/20


[B]Comments:[/B]
Pretty solid effort today. Ran out of gas a bit at the end.
I'll be off for the next couple of days. I should be able to lift on Wednesday, if nothing changes.

Portals 5x5/3/1 - Leader

[U]Primary Lift:[/U]
[B]Deadlift[/B]
250 x 5/5/5/5/5

[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] 3-5 Reps @100% of Training Max
[B]Bench Press[/B]
150 x 3

[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]DB Incline Press[/B]
40's x 12

[B]Chest Supported Row[/B]
55 x 10/10


[B]Comments:[/B]
Was in a rush today. I didn't really have time to workout, but it's been 4 days since my last one, and going to be several more before I'll be able to lift again.
It's been a rough couple of weeks. Just extremely busy between family and work obligations. I'm hoping I can get back to normal next week.

[B][U]Portals 5x5/3/1 - Leader[/U][/B]

[U]Primary Lift:[/U]
[B]Squat[/B]
110 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 5/5/5/5/5
Finally felt comfortable on the very last set. Better late than never.


[U]Supplementary Lift:[/U] 3-5 Reps @100% of Training Max
[B]Press[/B]
90x4


[U]Accessory Lifts[/U]
[B]Pec Deck[/B]
85 x 11/11/11

[B]Seated Cable Row[/B]
115 x 11/11/11

[B]Back Raise[/B]
115 x 10/10/10
These are killer. My hamstrings and lower back were totally exhausted. Didn't think I was going to hit the last few reps.


[B]Comments:[/B]
This workout destroyed me. Amazing how out of shape I can get in a few weeks time. I think I should be back to a mostly normal schedule for a while now. Hopefully I won't be too sore tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, it will be Bench day.

[B][U]Update & Current Status[/U][/B]
It's been a while. I've continued lifting pretty regularly all along. Just didn't have time to log my progress here. I did have a bit of a break thanks to the recent world happenings, and am getting back into the swing of things again over the last couple of weeks. Like many others, I've started putting together a home gym. I've gathered much of what I want over the last 2-3 months, but still need a few things. The major items I'm waiting on at the moment are the flooring and the rack. For the flooring, I ordered a 6x8 Oly Platform. I'm only waiting on the shorter legs of the frame. I have the rubber mats for the outer edges, and will be adding some wood in the center on my own. I'm waiting until I get the frame fully constructed and rubber mats installed so that I can get exact measurements of what I need for the wood. Hoping those last pieces will arrive soon, but have not received an ETA as of yet. I ordered a Body Solid half rack about 6 weeks ago. It was supposed to arrive in 2-4 weeks, but that didn't happen, lol. Talked to them last week and they were expecting it to be available for pick up by the end of this week, so we'll see.

In the meantime, I've been doing what I can with what I have. I have enough weights for the moment, an olympic bar, and hex bar, T-bar attachment, plenty of bands, chains, boards, and various other accessory items.
To work back into things I've been doing a very basic workout. 4 lifts per workout, doing 6x6 on each, except for a couple that are either timed or have higher rep goals because of the limitations I'm working with. I started out relatively light, doing workouts every day without rest for the first 2 cycles. After that I moved to 2 days on, 1 day of rest. I'm now finding myself unable to recover (mostly from what's proven to be too much lower back work), and I've moved to a lift, lift, rest, lift, lift, rest, rest cycle. This is what I intend to stay on for the foreseeable future.

_________________________________________________________________________________________


[B][U]Programming Plans[/U][/B]
Soo....that's where I'm at right now. I'm using this post to give an overview of what I'm planning moving forward though...
I've found that despite lifting regularly for nearly 4 years now, my progress has been really poor. There are potentially many reasons for this - diet, sleep, stress, not pushing myself enough. At the moment I have at least 3 of those in a really good place. The only questionable one is diet, which is not bad, but not really on point either. When I look at the programs I've run, they've all been relatively similar, and have resulted in similar results (surprise, surprise, lol). I've found myself consistently building up my lifts to a certain point and then having to reset. While I've been making some progress, it's painfully slow. I might hit a PR by a few pounds or by a rep, be unable to progress any further and reset my max. I then spend another 2 months building up to a max, hit a PR by a couple of pounds or a rep, and repeat the same process. While this would probably be fine if I was an advanced lifter, my lifts freaking suck. My best squat is like 210, and my best bench is basically my bodyweight. Now for some perspective, it's never been my goal to be super strong - my goal has always been on general health and well being. But it's getting to the point that the lack of progress is causing frustration, and has impacted my level of enthusiasm. I need to try something different, even just for the sake of novelty to keep my head in the game.

So, I'm going to attempt [B]Westside/Conjugate[/B] training. I've done a fair bit of investigation into it, and feel like I have a solid enough grasp to give it a go. Again, I'm not an advanced lifter. I don't expect this to get me to a 600lb bench. I know that I don't have the expertise or experience to be always making the correct decisions on which exercises to focus on at a given time. This should not be used by anyone as evidence that this type of program works or doesn't. If anyone decides to give it a go, I recommend VERY STRONGLY that you learn as much as you possibly can about it before attempting it. It's a program that's designed to work for a very specific category of lifter (of which I'm clearly not a part), and it's probably a really bad idea to try it if you don't fall in that category. But I have nothing to lose, and so I'm going to give it a try. And even if I don't make any progress at all from a numbers perspective, I feel like I'll then be able to transition to a different type of training with a fresh outlook, and a much wider range of experience. I have my programming already written for the first 3 months, and will begin as soon as I have my flooring and rack ready to go.


[B][U]Links[/U][/B]
For those interested in learning more, here are some of the links I found most useful in constructing my programming:
- [url]https://www.syattfitness.com/westside-barbell/the-westside-barbell-conjugate-method-a-users-guide/[/url]
- [url]https://www.syattfitness.com/westside-barbell/the-westside-barbell-conjugate-method-a-guide-to-variation/[/url]
- [url]https://www.syattfitness.com/westside-barbell/the-westside-barbell-conjugate-method-a-guide-to-accessory-work/[/url]
- [url]https://www.westside-barbell.com/blogs/may-2017-articles/conjugate-raw[/url]
- [url]https://www.westside-barbell.com/blogs/march-2017-articles/westside-for-raw-lifters-part-2[/url]
- [url]https://www.elitefts.com/education/16-week-conjugate-periodization-program-for-novice-powerlifters/[/url]
- [url]https://www.andybaker.com/a-simple-complete-guide-to-conjugate-westside-training/#:~:text=Conjugate%20training%20is%20simply%20a,on%20the%20Dynamic%20Effort%20Day[/url].
- [url]https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=122954351[/url]
- [url]https://www.lift.net/2013/03/30/an-advanced-system-for-beginners-westside-barbell-method/[/url]
- [url]https://www.elitefts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/EFS-basic-training-2-copy.pdf[/url]
- [url]https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL85EA8F8B25F46FF6[/url]

And I always like to consider opposing opinions whenever I'm planning to try a particular program. This video is definitely worth watching:
[youtube]1d03a0NmGtY[/youtube]

[U]July 14, 2020[/U]
[B]Sumo Deadlift:[/B] 185 - 6x6
I've been focusing on Sumo rather than conventional deads for over a year now, to help build up my hip and hamstring weakness. After my couple of month break, I did sumo for the first time about 3 weeks ago. I put the weight at 185, thinking it would be a light weight to ease back into things. I didn't hit more than 4 reps in any of the 6 sets. Today was the first time I'd done it since then, and it was a totally different story. I made the 6x6 hardly even breaking a sweat, which is obviously encouraging. I took video from the side since I haven't done that in a very long time, and was relatively happy with what I saw. Was going to post it up, but I can't get it to download on my computer at the moment.

[B]Hack Squat:[/B] 95 - 6x6
First time doing this in a very long time. It took me a few sets to get comfortable with stance and grip width, but it felt pretty darn good.

[B]Landmine Squat:[/B] 25 - 6x6
First time doing this ever. Again, it took me several sets to figure out where to stand relative to the bar. This isn't going to be a lift that'll be done with a lot of weight, but it's a nice change up, and should help with working on squat depth.

[B]Decline Crunch:[/B] 35 - 6x6
This is pretty light for 6 reps. Without dumbbells I don't really have a great way to add enough weight to make it difficult at 6 reps, so I'll probably need to increase to about 15 rep sets next time.

[U]July 15, 2020[/U]
[B]Bench Press: 105 - 6x6[/B]
Super awkward cleaning this weight to my chest, laying down with it, and the sitting up with it at the end. This is probably as much weight as I can handle until I get my rack. The extra movements took their toll, and I struggled to hit all of the reps. The first rep was the most difficult on each set, since my grip or barbell placement seemed to always be a bit off. Once getting that first rep up and adjust grip as needed, it wasn't too bad.
[img]https://img3.exportersindia.com/product_images/bc-full/dir_22/655558/bench-press-1518693276-3651247.jpg[/img]

[B]T-Bar Row: 60 - 6x6[/B]
Used the narrowest grip possible with my attachment, which is just a bit wider than the close grip attachment that's typically used. The weight moved pretty easily. Now over stressing my lower back was my main concern here, since it's been slow to recover over the last 2 weeks. I can definitely handle a fair amount more weight when fresh.
[img]https://hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/brightcove/57894083e694aa370d883507/thumb_1468612741.png?crop=1xw%3A1xh%3Bcenter%2Ctop&resize=480%3A270[/img]

[B]JM Press: 65 - 6x6[/B]
Really struggled with this today. Some of the reps were really poor, and I'll need to either maintain or lower the weight next time I do this.
[img]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tZzvM72HyZE/hqdefault.jpg[/img]

[B]Dip: Bench Dip - 6x1 / Wall Press - 6x5[/B]
Doing these right after the JM Press, my triceps were done for. I did the first set with the bench and found my self compensating and putting more stress on my shoulders than my triceps. For the subsequent sets, I leaned back against a wall with my feet in front of me, hands against the wall just above my waistline, and pushed my body away from the wall. I'm not sure if this is even recognized as an exercise, or what it might be called, but it did the job.
[img]https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.myfit.ca/cache/images/benchdips_001.gif[/img]



Added some images just to break up the text. I received the final pieces for my platform today, so I'll be working on putting it together over the coming days. Hopefully my rack will arrive this week as expected, and then I can get going full speed ahead. Looking forward to that. :)

Rest day today. I got my platform frame put together yesterday evening. Today I went and got the wood for it. It's a TIGHT fit, which is good I suppose because nothing will be moving around. I just hope I won't need to take it apart for a very long time because it's going to be a pain. Did a few test deadlifts, and it feels really solid. I was a little worried because I have two 3/4 inch boards stacked on top of each other, and I didn't nail, screw, or glue them together. The upper one is literally just laying on top of the lower one. It must be because everything fits so tightly that there's no give in it at all. If the wood had been a milometer longer or wider, it never would've fit. I'm really happy with it.

Took a picture of it. You can see my weights scattered around, and bands hanging on the left side. I have a bunch of other items that aren't pictured because I moved everything out to put together the platform. I'm pumped to get my rack now. :)

[img]https://i.ibb.co/Nj0z7VB/IMG-2823.jpg[/img]

[U]July 19, 2020[/U]
Was supposed to lift yesterday but our Air Conditioning went out and it was 96 degrees. AC will probably be out for at least another week, but it's only supposed to be in the mid 80's during the day, and below 70 overnight. It should be bearable.

[B]Landmine Belt Squat: 85 - 6x6[/B]
First time doing this. It took me a few sets to realize that the chain on my belt was marking up the knurling on my bar. I used a towel from that point on. Hopefully no permanent damage. Overall it was a bit awkward, but is a good option to mix things up.
[IMG]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zIuVCBPgKEU/maxresdefault.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Barbell Hip Thrust: 95 - 6x6[/B]
Also my first time doing these. Again, a bit awkward, but a good movement that I'll definitely be using again in the future.
[IMG]https://upl.stack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/11153252/Andy-Hip-Thrust.gif[/IMG]

[B]Good Morning: 95 - 6x6[/B]
95 Pounds is about the maximum I feel comfortable with right now, since I still need to clean and press the bar over my head to do these until my rack arrives.
[IMG]https://cdn-xi3mbccdkztvoept8hl.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/watermarked/Barbell_Good_Morning_M_WorkoutLabs.png[/IMG]

[B]Side Planks: 60 seconds x 3[/B]
Haven't done this exercise in a couple of years. They felt good. Need to mix them in more often.
[IMG]https://www.muscleandfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/1109-side-plank-1.jpg?w=1109[/IMG]

[U]July 21, 2020[/U]
It's been an interesting couple of days. AC is still out. We lost power for half a day, and then the sewer backed up into our basement yesterday. Had a good workout dumping the sewer water into the back yard one bucket at a time, and them hauling out all of the rugs and other things that were submerged and washing them thoroughly. Without water I wasn't able to flush the toilet or use the shower, so I had an unplanned day off. Sewer got fixed today thankfully.

[B]Pullup: Monster Mini - 6x6 / BW - 6x1[/B]
Still had quite a bit in the tank after doing the 6x6 with the monster mini band, so I threw in another bodyweight set and just barely made the 6 reps. I'll change to the mini band next time.
[IMG]https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-21f546c7ce7e72fc47a5a6f4e4d741a2.webp[/IMG]


[B]Military Press: 75 - 6x6[/B]
Really happy with this. Last time at this weight I only managed 6 reps on the first 3 sets, followed by 4 on the final 3 sets.
[IMG]https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/exercise-library/large/43-1.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Bent Row: 105 - 6x6[/B]
Haven't done standard Bent Rows in a long time. This was pretty easy, and I'll need to increase the weight a fair amount next time I do them.
[IMG]https://bretcontreras.com/wp-content/uploads/basic-bent-over-row.png[/IMG]

[B]Plate Curl: 35 - 6x6[/B]
These are surprisingly difficult at this weight. They feel pretty darn effective though.
[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/db/16/eb/db16ebb4f94081f734e6554dd06a875b.png[/IMG]

[U]July 23, 2020[/U]

[B]Sumo Deadlift: 195 - 6x6[/B]
Felt really good. Focus today was on taking slack out of the bar with my upper back. Went well.
[IMG]https://upl.stack.com/wp-content/uploads/Sumo-Deadlift-STACK-629x419.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Barbell Hack Squat: 105 - 6x6[/B]
Still trying to figure out the best foot and grip width. Felt reasonably comfortable though.
[IMG]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cSId0_Q9fdM/maxresdefault.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Lunge: 35 - 6x6[/B]
[IMG]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qzoC5Im3COo/hqdefault.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Decline Crunch: 45 - 6x6[/B]
[IMG]https://www.muscleandfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/abs-decline-crunch-1109.jpg?w=1109[/IMG]

July 24, 2020
[B]Pushup: Light Band - 6x6[/B]
This was much tougher than I expected. Had to really grind out the final reps.

[B]T-Bar Row: 70 lbs - 6x6[/B]
Increased the weight 10 lbs from last time, but this was still way too light. Will need to take another jump up next time.

[B]Close Grip Bench Press: 80 lbs - 6x6[/B]
This is still really light, but I can't increase it much until I get my rack. Video below:
[youtube]wZaeZvblLJQ[/youtube]

[B]Overhead Tricep Extension (Plate): 35 lbs - 6x6[/B]
This was a good weight. Had to strain a fair amount to get through all of the reps.


Also adding in my deadlift video from a couple of weeks ago, since I finally got it on my computer.
This was [B]185 lbs - 6x6[/B]
[youtube]RSSGrrhlXJI[/youtube]

[U]July 26, 2020[/U]

[B]Front Squat: 95 lbs - 6x6[/B]
Not bad here. I have a tendency to lose focus, and therefore loose tension in my lower body, so that was my focus this time around. I drifted for 1 or 2 reps, but overall was relatively happy with the sets.
[youtube]SHUkddcBaFI[/youtube]

[B]Romanian Deadlift: 225 lbs - 6x6[/B]
For some reason, I really wasn't feeling this in my hamstrings at all. I can't pinpoint what I may have been doing differently than previous times. Of course, it could very well be that I'll wake up with really sore hamstrings tomorrow. I've had that happen before, so we'll see.
[youtube]2-DYrRfWGHA[/youtube]

[B]Good Morning: 95 lbs - 8x6[/B]
Still trying to figure this lift out. I feel a little off balance. I imagine have a rack will help me start out in a more stable position. I didn't feel comfortable increasing the weight without a rack, so I increased from 6 reps per set to 8.
[youtube]LfHigmvJ4aY[/youtube]

[B]Plank: Bodyweight - 1:30 (90 seconds) x 2[/B]
Planks are brutal. Still, this is a good improvement since I was really struggling to hit 1 minute a few weeks ago.
[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/06/23/e9/0623e9cb39807003a812775c9ec1db15.jpg[/IMG]

[U]July 27, 2020[/U]

[B]Pullup: Mini Band Assisted - 6x6[/B]
This was close to maxed out. Doubt I could've completed a 7th rep on the final set. Still, I'll try to increase to 7 reps per set next time and see how many sets I can complete.

[B]Seated Military Press: 80 - 6x6[/B]
Really surprised I completed this. I only got 3 sets of 6 with 70 lbs a few weeks ago. The 80 this time felt easier. Gonna keep raising it up as long as I can obviously.

[B]Incline Plate Row: 45 - 10x6[/B]
This is really too easy for me, but at the moment it's the best option I have that won't fatigue my lower back.

[B]Bicep Plate Curl: 35 - 7x6[/B]
Curls happened. Not much else to say here.

[U]July 30, 2020[/U]

[B]Deadlift: 205 - 6x6[/B]
Honestly, these keep getting easier each week, despite the steady weight increases. Watching through the video below helped me pinpoint some opportunities for improvement that I'll try to apply next time.
[youtube]jLshVqzfkrQ[/youtube]

[B]Hack Squat: 115 - 6x6[/B]
Awkward lift still. In addition to the quads, I'm feeling it quite a bit in my upper back. I actually like this lift a lot. Not sure how much it's helping at this low of a weight, but I'll keep working it up.
[youtube]an2AHoHsIUI[/youtube]

[B]Lunge: 45 - 6x6[/B]
I struggle with these. The weakness in my right leg compared to my left really shows up here.
[youtube]mQoIdE4F6X0[/youtube]

[B]Decline Crunch: 56 - 8x6[/B]
[youtube]z46lrlaDYko[/youtube]