Tonight’s workout was quite stellar. I am returning to Good Mornings after July and back in July I peaked with 225 kgs x 4 reps x 2 sets. So coming back with my niggling hamstring issues tonight’s 225 kgs x 3 reps was great. I will start ramping up the volume on 185, etc over the next few weeks. Now that I have stopped all the lunges and other stuff that irritates my hamstring and glute the recovery should be relatively quick so I can begin plodding along soon.
Warm-ups & Acclimation: Dynamic Stretches Mobility Drills Front Plate Squats:
5 kgs x 5 reps
10 x 5 SSB Good Mornings:
35 x 5
85 x 3
105 x 3
135 x 3
155 x 2
Heavy Good Mornings:
175 x 3
185 x 3
205 x 2
225 x 3 @ 100%
205 x 2
185 x 1
V = 14
85 x 5 Back-Off Set
So this is another good high volume high intensity workout in the books. Bench Press was tough as hell but I believe I am almost back to my old strength levels. I am going to change the parameters next rotation. I will be benching twice. I will work up to a relative max in the first workout similar to today and work in the 90%+ range for 2-3 sets. Then the second workout is going to be about taking 100 kgs (for now) to failure for 3-4 sets. You might wonder why I need to care about strength when I am specifically chasing muscle growth right now. The thing is, with my shoulder dislocations, I have a walk a fine line between rep work and shoulder stability. So when I lift heavy it actually helps my shoulders stay stable and all the rep work that I do with front raises, side raises, chest flyes, etc can sometimes hurt me. So in a way I need the heavy lifting so that I can keep doing the isolation work that also helps growth (but it comes at a risk).
Bench Press: Zero Leg Drive
100 kgs x 2 reps
107,5 x 2
115 x 1 Relative Max
107,5 x 3
100 x 6; 90 x 4 Dropset
75 x 12
V = 30
Cable Chest Flyes:
4,5 x 13 x 4 sets
V = 52
Tricep Pulley Pressdowns:
15 x 18
17,5 x 12
20 x 10
22,5 x 8
22,5 x 6
V = 54
Tonight’s workout was stellar. I am super happy with 165 kgs x 2 reps x 2 sets on Low Box Squats. I focused on squatting down and not back and I tried my best not to rock at the bottom. Staying tight throughout the movement is a tough nut to crack. I also tried to pause consistently with every rep but I think on the 165’s I got a bit excited and cut the pause a bit short on the first rep and then compensated with the second or something. I’ll get better with time. But I am happy with 165 x 2 x 2. I am going to work to a triple with 165 before I pile on more weight. And soon I will be off Honeymoon Period Progression and I will progress in a manner similar to how I did with Good Mornings and Anderson Good Mornings.
Warm-ups & Acclimation: Dynamic Stretches Mobility Drills Piriformis Stretch ISO Band Holds:
Low to High Rows No. 2
High to Low Rows No. 2 Front Plate Squats:
5 kgs x 5 reps
10 x 5 Low Box Squats:
20 x 3
75 x 3
105 x 3
120 x 1
Low Box Squats: Honeymoon Period Progression
130 x 3
135 x 2
140 x 3
145 x 2
150 x 3 PR
155 x 2
165 x 2 PR
165 x 2
127,5 x 4 + 2 = 6 Rest-Paused
V = 25
Extra Stuff: Chest Cable Flyes:
4,5 x 15 x 3 sets = 45 Traps Hise Shrugs:
30 x 20 x 2 = 40 Tricep Pulley Pressdowns:
20 x 10 x 3 = 30
I think I have figured out what to do to make my Biceps kick in.
Cable Curls with Rope:
20 kgs x 10 reps
20 x 11
22,5 x 9
22,5 x 9
25 x 8
26,5 x 7
V = 54
Cable Curls with Bar:
26,5 x 9
26,5 x 8
25 x 10
22,5 x 12
20 x 15
20 x 15
V = 69
DB Preacher Curls:
10 x 6
15 x 3
15 x 2
10 x 7
10 x 6
5 x 12
V = 36
Extra Stuff: Cable Reverse Wrist Curls:
25 x 15 x 4 sets
V = 60 Cable Wrist Curls:
25 x 18 x 4
V = 72 Seated Overhead Press:
50 x 5 + 8 + 8 = 21 Rest-Paused
The weather’s been changing and it has been really messing with my asthma and breathing in general. One of the exercises that has taken the biggest hit is Weighted Dips. I should (ideally) have broken through some PRs on rep work but I keep missing breaths in between and that just throws me off massively. Hopefully this will change in a few weeks once the weather gets cooler and the humidity stops choking me. But despite all that the workout was very good.
Weighted Dips:
+38,5 kgs x 3 reps
+33,5 x 6
+8,5 x 12
V = 21
Tricep Pulley Pushdowns:
10 x 15
12,5 x 13
15 x 13
17,5 x 9
20 x 8
22,5 x 7
V = 65
EZ Tricep Extensions:
30 x 10 x 4 sets
35 x 7 x 2
V = 54
I was in the zone on Good Morning so I went and hit a Rep PR of 185 kgs x 8 reps. This is how I dialed back the overall intensity a bit and gave myself some breathing room from the 1RMs I have been flirting with. Good workout.
Warm-Ups & Acclimation: Mobility Drills Dynamic Stretches Front Plate Squats:
5 kgs x 5 reps
10 x 5 No. 2 ISO Band Holds:
Low to High Rows
High to Low Rows SSB Good Mornings:
35 x 5
85 x 3
105 x 3
135 x 3
155 x 3
Heavy Good Mornings:
175 x 3
185 x 8 PR
205 x 3
V = 14
Forearms: Cable Reverse Wrist Curls:
25 x 15 x 4 sets
V = 60 Cable Wrist Curls:
25 x 18 x 4
V = 72 Cable Reverse Bicep Curls:
15 x 8 x 4
V = 32
Bench Press really wrecked the hell out of my shoulders and biceps. You’d think my chest would get worked over but nope! Shoulders and biceps bore the brunt of this so I am very happy to have these Cable Chest Flyes to bombard the pecs. I worked up to 116 kgs as a Relative Max on BP so I am happy. I will inch my way back to 120 and pass it this time.
Bench Press: Zero Leg Drive
100 kgs x 2 reps
110 x 2
116 x 1 Relative Max
107,5 x 4
100 x 5; 90 x 3 Drop Set
85 x 10
V = 27
Cable Chest Flyes:
4,5 x 15 x 7 sets
V = 105
Extra Stuff: Cable Side Raises:
2,5 x 8 x 2
V = 16 Cable Front Raises:
2,5 x 8 x 2
V = 16 Neck Training:
No. 1 Band x 120 seconds
ISO Holds
Front, Back, Left and Right
Overhead Presses have really become the black sheep in my portfolio of big lifts. I nailed 93,5 kgs for a Relative Max today while weighing in at 92 kgs. I was hoping for a 95 Relative Max but ever since I’ve been treating Bench Press aggressively my OHP has reached a limit. I’m not worried, however. I am packing on size and improving on the isolation work through fractional loading and therefore I know that in the long haul this will all balance itself out. Plus, if I get hungry for a big OHP all I have to do is remove the emphasis on bench and I’ll bounce back pretty quick.
Overhead Press:
93,5 kgs x 1 rep Relative Max
91 x 1
87,5 x 1
82,5 x 3
75 x 5
V = 11
Cable Side Raises:
2,75 x 10 x 5 sets
V = 50
Cable Front Raises:
2,75 x 10 x 5
V = 50
Extra Stuff: Forearms Cable Reverse Wrist Curls:
25 x 20 x 2
V = 40 Cable Wrist Curls:
25 x 20 x 2
V = 40 Cable Reverse Curls:
15 x 10 x 2
V = 20
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