JohnB's Journey

[Woody-5]

Volume PR for the squats is more win!
Ready to pwn 500???

[MatTheCur]

Nice squats man. There's no better feeling that squatting your old max for reps

This!

[dopamine72]

Damn bro your squats are really going up!

[KenshinH]

Awesome squatting brah! I can see a 405 squat coming around the corner

[johnblythe]

Nice squats man. There's no better feeling that squatting your old max for reps

This!

indeed! can't wait to pwn.

Volume PR for the squats is more win!
Ready to pwn 500???

dude. so much pepper, so much angus, so much ready.

Damn bro your squats are really going up!

gotta catch up w/ all the hunks like you that i follow on here. long way to go still, but i'll get there in time.

Awesome squatting brah! I can see a 405 squat coming around the corner

thanks, man. w00t. can't imagine what that will feel like. and i don't mean that in the sense of accomplishment. i mean 405 on my freaking back, lol. i did calve raises last week with 365 and felt like i was gonna snap, ha. need to incorporate heavy walk outs, lock outs, or calves in more often to get the CNS peppered.

[PeterGibbons316]

give it a whirl after you're done with nick's programming. it'll put hair on your chest and balls all over your body.

I can confirm, I am johnblythe's balls.

This has happened to all of us- go into the session thinking that it's going to be easy and then you end up not giving the weight the respect that it needs because you're looking ahead to the max, then it gives you a hard time. Even with a max of 500, 465 is a 93% pull- serious biz!

Ugh, so true - definitely been there.

Volume PR for the squats is more win!
Ready to pwn 500???

DO IT!!!!!

[johnblythe]

I can confirm, I am hairy johnblythe's balls.

fixed

Ugh, so true - definitely been there.

DO IT!!!!!

sucky feeling not this time, though. turn your PWN filters off, guise, gonna be good.

[MatTheCur]

thanks, man. w00t. can't imagine what that will feel like. and i don't mean that in the sense of accomplishment. i mean 405 on my freaking back, lol. i did calve raises last week with 365 and felt like i was gonna snap, ha. need to incorporate heavy walk outs, lock outs, or calves in more often to get the CNS peppered.

Yeah, I've been thinking about starting to do this, also. Walk-outs, mainly.

Inspiring moments, John

[HunterMC6]

Are we going to get a video of this 500# DL? If not I won't believe you (srs)



















(no srs)

[PeterGibbons316]

Are we going to get a video of this 500# DL? If not I won't believe you (srs)

Yes, I am certain that you sill see it. I will believe it anyway though, John's go-go-gadget arms have always made him freakishly strong in the deadlift.

[mstatefan91]

Awesome squats. Ready for the 500 lb deadlift. Please video!

[johnblythe]

Yeah, I've been thinking about starting to do this, also. Walk-outs, mainly.

Inspiring moments, John

doeeeeet!

Are we going to get a video of this 500# DL? If not I won't believe you (srs)

(no srs)

it'll be video'd, no worries.

Yes, I am certain that you sill see it. I will believe it anyway though, John's go-go-gadget arms have always made him freakishly strong in the deadlift.

lol, ya. go go deadlift is the only go go good thing going on in the gym, lol.

Awesome squats. Ready for the 500 lb deadlift. Please video!

thanks man. here's hoping i get it done tomorrow.

wife has been progressively sicker all week. i caught it wednesday. squatted anyway, felt fine after getting active and what not. felt better in some ways, worse in others when yesterday hit. woke up this morning pretty achey, couldn't hardly breathe, headache, etc.

i'm pretty hard headed when it comes to planning, goals, and the likes, so i'll probably try it tomorrow even if i'm coughing up blood. just may have some issues as a result and have to go for it again next week at some point. would suck. but it'll get done one way or another.

[KenshinH]

My wife's sick too brah, but luckily I haven't caught it yet (knock on wood!)

Saturday is shaping up to be an epic day for both of us - you with deadlift, and me with squat. But if you're not feeling up to it, no need to kill yourself. A few days won't make a difference in the grand scheme, but may have a large impact on your result.

[johnblythe]

Deadlift - March 30, 2013

Barbell Deadlift:
45 lb x 10 reps (+42 pts)
135 lb x 6 reps (+70 pts)
225 lb x 5 reps (+121 pts)
315 lb x 3 reps (+178 pts)
375 lb x 2 reps (+225 pts)
405 lb x 1 reps (+223 pts)
435 lb x 1 reps (+273 pts)
500 x 0 x 4 ---- fuuuuuuu
455 lb x 1 reps (+312 pts)
455 lb x 1 reps (+312 pts)
455 lb x 1 reps (+312 pts)

tried 500 after the 435. got it off the ground, started worrying about back rounding, bailed. watched video, no back rounding. fuuuuu. tried again, got it off the ground barely but was too gassed from the previous failed attempt (not to mention the other yank or two i tried to do immediately after it). sadpanda.jpg

Hammer Dumbbell Curl:
20 lb x 15 reps (+19 pts)
20 lb x 15 reps (+19 pts)
20 lb x 15 reps (+19 pts)
20 lb x 15 reps (+19 pts)

notes: well that sucks, doesn't it? everything was flying up. my biggest concern the night before as I thought through it was actually getting it off the ground. but i wasn't mentally as fortified as i thought i was, so as soon as i started getting it up all the fears/worries/etc. jumped into the ol' brain and messed me up.

i think part of it is that i haven't handled greater than 87% (until about two weeks ago) in over 3 months. pulling 455 three times after frying my back and draining my energy with failing 500 multiple times shows me i've got it in me. just gotta get used to handling the weight again.

so, tentative approach for the next two weeks is going to be 2-3 heavy singles (~475 this week), then some doubles or triples at 85-90% of that weight.one to two weeks of that should work out just fine, i think. but we'll see.

bummed, but we live and learn and move on.

[Woody-5]

Valiant effort JohnnyB! I know that feel- 12 weeks of hard work on the Hudson DL program and I missed lockout on 500 by a hair. I built back up over the following two months then nailed it

Be careful jumping right back into heavy pulls- those Max attempts take so much out of you. Might be better to reset with some reps in the 80% range and build back up. For me the first session after a max (success or fail) always feels 3x heavier than it should.

You'll get it soon! Excellent work on Ort, regardless of the 1RM attempt. You got stronger and that's the goal

[jshaw5]

Tough break man. You have it in you, just wasn't in the cards for today. A few weeks of working some heavy stuff, then take enough time to fully recover, and you'll smash it.

[MatTheCur]

Awesome effort, John, truly! At least your CNS is peppered for the next attempt, and you'll be able to drag it up your shins good and proper

Chin up, march on!

[KenshinH]

You'll get 500 soon bro! Just build up to it for a couple of weeks and go for it when you're feeling strong.

[PeterGibbons316]

Take a week off or go light for a week, then continue with your progression and smash it before your fitocracy challenge ends!!!

[johnblythe]

Valiant effort JohnnyB! I know that feel- 12 weeks of hard work on the Hudson DL program and I missed lockout on 500 by a hair. I built back up over the following two months then nailed it

Be careful jumping right back into heavy pulls- those Max attempts take so much out of you. Might be better to reset with some reps in the 80% range and build back up. For me the first session after a max (success or fail) always feels 3x heavier than it should.

You'll get it soon! Excellent work on Ort, regardless of the 1RM attempt. You got stronger and that's the goal

thanks man. ya we'll see how it feels this week and go from there. may take it light. may set a PR. will do some autoregulation on this one methinks, but will err towards wisdom either way.

truth, got stronger.

Tough break man. You have it in you, just wasn't in the cards for today. A few weeks of working some heavy stuff, then take enough time to fully recover, and you'll smash it.

no doubt brotha

Awesome effort, John, truly! At least your CNS is peppered for the next attempt, and you'll be able to drag it up your shins good and proper

Chin up, march on!

no doubt, man. winter is coming.

You'll get 500 soon bro! Just build up to it for a couple of weeks and go for it when you're feeling strong.

indeed. but now i feel the pressure is on with you dl'ing again!

Take a week off or go light for a week, then continue with your progression and smash it before your fitocracy challenge ends!!!

yes sir, that's the plan.

[johnblythe]

Bench - April 02, 2013

Barbell Bench Press:
45 lb x 10 reps (+42 pts)
95 lb x 8 reps (+57 pts)
135 lb x 6 reps (+70 pts)
155 lb x 5 reps (+75 pts)
175 lb x 2 reps (+58 pts)
195 lb x 5 reps (+99 pts)
195 lb x 5 reps (+99 pts)
195 lb x 5 reps (+99 pts)

repeat of 195 from last week cause it felt weak and was sloppy, wanted to give it another whirl.

Dumbbell Flyes:
30 lb x 10 reps (+19 pts)
30 lb x 10 reps (+19 pts)
30 lb x 10 reps (+19 pts)
30 lb x 10 reps (+19 pts)

tough w/ dem monkey arms

Squeeze Press:
60 lb x 12 reps (+48 pts)
60 lb x 12 reps (+48 pts)
60 lb x 12 reps (+48 pts)
60 lb x 12 reps (+48 pts)

Arnold Dumbbell Press:
30 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)
30 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)
30 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)
30 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

harder than i expected. last 2-3 reps were tough. tris were just super fatigued at this point.


notes: nothing big here. can't remember if i posted last week's benching. if not, it was a rep and set (and thus repset) PR. this week was a repeat, but they were much better, stronger reps. moving up to 200 or 205 next week ftw. should be hitting 225 soon at this rate. FINALLY

[MatTheCur]

Reppin' more than me, lookin' good! Man I'm jelly of you

[KenshinH]

Good benching broski! You'll be repping 225 soon at this rate

indeed. but now i feel the pressure is on with you dl'ing again!

[johnblythe]

Squatz! - April 04, 2013

Barbell Squat:
45 lb x 6 reps (+38 pts)
135 lb x 5 reps (+66 pts)
225 lb x 5 reps (+121 pts)
275 lb x 2 reps (+114 pts)
305 lb x 1 reps (+113 pts)
335 lb x 2 reps (+172 pts)
335 lb x 2 reps (+172 pts)
45 lb x 5 reps (+36 pts)
135 lb x 5 reps (+66 pts)
225 lb x 5 reps (+121 pts)
275 lb x 5 reps (+169 pts)
275 lb x 5 reps (+169 pts)
275 lb x 5 reps (+169 pts)

just doubled (doubly) my old max. w00t. flew up, too. pretty excited about that more than anything.

Hammer Dumbbell Curl:
20 lb x 15 reps (+19 pts)
20 lb x 20 reps (+20 pts)
20 lb x 20 reps (+20 pts)
20 lb x 20 reps (+20 pts)
20 lb x 20 reps (+20 pts)

Barbell Shrug:
135 lb x 15 reps (+30 pts)
225 lb x 10 reps (+53 pts)
315 lb x 5 reps (+83 pts)
225 lb x 10 reps (+53 pts)
225 lb x 10 reps (+53 pts)

Incline Dumbbell Curl:
20 lb x 15 reps (+28 pts)
20 lb x 15 reps (+28 pts)
20 lb x 15 reps (+28 pts)
20 lb x 15 reps (+28 pts)


notes: feelsgoodman.jpg. weight flew up. literally. jumped off my back. just gotta get used to the weight on my back. left arm is trying to hold too much of it and is totally jackin' my elbow w/ some bad tendinitis. also vagitis.

onward!

[MatTheCur]

Awesome job John! What are the benefits of shrugging?

[KenshinH]

Doubling your max... Twice! Beast!

I had left elbow issues too. Had to analyze my whole setup and found that the bar wasn't centered on my back! Since I corrected that, both elbows are now sore after squats lol. But at least it's to a much lesser degree.

[johnblythe]

Awesome job John! What are the benefits of shrugging?

*shrug*, i dunno.

Doubling your max... Twice! Beast!

I had left elbow issues too. Had to analyze my whole setup and found that the bar wasn't centered on my back! Since I corrected that, both elbows are now sore after squats lol. But at least it's to a much lesser degree.

ha. i'll have to check into it. it's only on 90 or 95%+ weights for me. or if i'm super fatigued. i guess my fatigue causes me to hold it less with my back and try to compensate w/ my arm.

[johnblythe]

Deadlift - April 07, 2013

Barbell Deadlift:
45 lb x 10 reps (+42 pts)
135 lb x 6 reps (+70 pts)
225 lb x 3 reps (+97 pts)
315 lb x 3 reps (+178 pts)
375 lb x 2 reps (+225 pts)
415 lb x 1 reps (+238 pts)
475 lb x 1 reps (+357 pts)
475 lb x 1 reps (+357 pts)
425 lb x 3 reps (+373 pts)

10# pr. Twice. Peppering the angus for 495 next week. Hoorah

Preacher Curl:
48 lb x 12 reps (+16 pts)
48 lb x 12 reps (+16 pts)
48 lb x 12 reps (+16 pts)
48 lb x 12 reps (+16 pts)
48 lb x 12 reps (+16 pts)
48 lb x 12 reps (+16 pts)

notes: 475 felt pretty easy. didn't fly up, but certainly wasn't a grinder. quick off the floor, a bit slower midway through, locked out real strong and easily. second rep was easier than the first. was more peppered i guess.

leaving for mali next saturday. probably going to go ahead and yank 495 off the floor beforehand. my refrain from the preacher curls, though. don't want any issues with TSA.

[Woody-5]

Strong squat doubles and excellent 475 yanks! Moving some big weight fella

[johnblythe]

Strong squat doubles and excellent 475 yanks! Moving some big weight fella

thanks buddy