PtReyesGreg's Workout Journal

[PtReyesGreg]

Killer workout Greg. That superset at the end with dips and CGBP and curls looks to be pretty tough. It is no wonder that you missed some reps doing CGBP and dips back to back. I bet your arms were tough to fit in a shirt after you were done though.

Hell I wish I had that problem...the shirt went on fine. The workout was definitely tough on the triceps, but I think if I keep up that combo it'll definitely give me some good gains.

[MooseTequila]

BP feeling heavy but knocking it out anyway is always a WIN!

Lucky you on the pre-thanksgiving weight... I still feel like a "Butterball"

[raynerd]

Great job Greg! Strong benching and squats and awesome the rows were feeling lightazz! Tri sets at the end sound sweet and must have had a wicked pump! Solid work on the diet, time to break some new ground!

[PtReyesGreg]

BP feeling heavy but knocking it out anyway is always a WIN!

Lucky you on the pre-thanksgiving weight... I still feel like a "Butterball"

Thanks Moose. I took a bit of a reset in starting this program, so I was hoping it would feel a little lighter now, but like you say as long as it's going up that's good.

Keep at it with the diet and it will start to come off. That's one of lifes little games...it is so easy and fun when the weight is going on, but coming off takes slow deliberate work.

Great job Greg! Strong benching and squats and awesome the rows were feeling lightazz! Tri sets at the end sound sweet and must have had a wicked pump! Solid work on the diet, time to break some new ground!

Thanks Shawn. Damn straight about time to break some new ground. I'm sticking it to it this time and looking forward to hitting 210 and then passing it on the way down.

[PtReyesGreg]

I was reading about the Greyskull LP program and came across this variant. I really like the looks of it as a future program to run for some linear gains so I wanted to post it here so I don't lose it and can find it later:



Another image with further details about the layout of the 3 work sets (i.e. 2x5 and 1x5+):

[mirroroferised]

GJ Greg.

[PtReyesGreg]

GJ Greg.

Thanks Dave.

[PtReyesGreg]

This morning I ran 4.41 miles in 1h:00m:00s on the Nevada City Tech Trail / Deer Creek Tribute Trail in Nevada City. I climbed a total of 446 ft at a max altitude of 2680 ft.

Bodyweight: 215.0 lbs (holding steady and ready for some more losses)

[shaneinga]

Nice run Greg. Those losses are coming, the way you are running on top of all that lifting the fat has no where to hide.

[raynerd]

Beauty run Greg, scale is looking great as well!

[PtReyesGreg]

Nice run Greg. Those losses are coming, the way you are running on top of all that lifting the fat has no where to hide.

Thanks Shane. I certainly hope so. The good thing is I enjoy the running...otherwise the hills would kill my motivation.

Beauty run Greg, scale is looking great as well!

Thanks Shawn. I think the losses are going to pick back up here again.

[PtReyesGreg]

This morning I completed Week 2 - Workout A of Madcow's Bill Starr 5x5 Intermediate program as follows:

Hypers 20-0, 20-0
Bench Press 5-120, 5-145, 5-175, 5-205, 7-235 (5+)
Squats 5-120, 5-145, 5-175, 5-205, 7-235 (5+)
Pendlay Rows 5-111, 5-121, 5-146, 5-166, 5-191
Decline Situps 20-0, 20-0, 20-0, 20-0 |-> Supersets
Chins 9-0, 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 |

Bodyweight: 214.6 lbs

Workout Duration: 59 minutes (with 1:00 rest between most sets)

Good workout today. Program seems to be flowing well. I decided to do + sets for my last set of Bench and Squats and will probably keep doing those. I reset my prows upwards by 15 pounds to 191 this week so I didn't do any plus reps there. I bumped up the situps by 5 reps per set and and the chins by 1 rep per set. All in all, workout felt productive.

The diet is going well. I've been sticking to it pretty closesly and my body seems to be doing well on it. I started taking creatine on Friday and am 3 days into the loading cycle now. I haven't noticed a real difference on it so far, but years back when I took it I didn't a strength surge at some point.

[shaneinga]

Great looking work out Greg. 7 at 235 is some great benching.

Those prows numbers are great also.

Another half a pound down, as you said, the diet looks to be working well.

Great looking numbers on the chins and sit ups as well.

Crushed it today!

[raynerd]

Solid work on the scale! Going to be lean in no time. Strong benching! Very nice and great job on the squats, and rows. Doing really good Greg, bw dropping, getting stronger...what more could a dood ask!

[Jtbny]

Nice benching and dieting, Greg. More power to you to be able to diet during the holidays...


Hmmm cheesecake


The thing I've noticed about creatine isn't any real strength gains per se but more stamina and better recovery. I never really notice when I'm using it but when I take a break from it I tend to notice when it's out of my system.

[RT1957]

Great work on Madcow....Always good to add the + sets just for fun....

[MooseTequila]

Strong WO all the way around Greg, and the MADCOW name cracks me up (I am so juvenile!)

[PtReyesGreg]

Great looking work out Greg. 7 at 235 is some great benching.

Those prows numbers are great also.

Another half a pound down, as you said, the diet looks to be working well.

Great looking numbers on the chins and sit ups as well.

Crushed it today!

Thanks Shane. Yeah so far the diet and Madcow's routine are both treating me well. My strength has been feeling good and the fat is coming off.

Solid work on the scale! Going to be lean in no time. Strong benching! Very nice and great job on the squats, and rows. Doing really good Greg, bw dropping, getting stronger...what more could a dood ask!

Thanks Shawn. Damn straight. Both components, diet and workout, are chugging along now. I'm just hoping that train keeps on running smoothly for a good long while.

Nice benching and dieting, Greg. More power to you to be able to diet during the holidays...

Hmmm cheesecake

The thing I've noticed about creatine isn't any real strength gains per se but more stamina and better recovery. I never really notice when I'm using it but when I take a break from it I tend to notice when it's out of my system.

Thanks John. I think I'll be taking a slight break from the diet during Christmas...but only for a few days. The good thing is that this diet is pretty easy to stick to for me. Lots of meat protein and salads which is good. I do miss my potatoes and bread...and pizza though.

I think you're right about the creatine giving more stamina and better recovery. With the low carbs I was dragging a little before the creatine but i do seem to have more energy now. Also, my soreness has gone down as well. I'm definitely going to stick with it for a while.

Great work on Madcow....Always good to add the + sets just for fun....

Thanks Ron. Yeah I was missing the plus sets from 531 and since I'm still in the initial reset/deload phase of Madcows I figured I'd go ahead and add them in. Once I start pushing my strength PR's more I'll probably have to reassess that.

Strong WO all the way around Greg, and the MADCOW name cracks me up (I am so juvenile!)

Thanks Moose man. Yeah it cracks me up to...especially in combination with my Green Faces diet.

[PtReyesGreg]

This morning I completed Week 2 - Workout B of Madcow's Bill Starr 5x5 Intermediate program as follows:

Military Press 5-90, 5-105, 5-125, 6-140 (5+)
Deadlifts 5-175, 5-205, 5-245, 5-280
Front Squats 5-120, 5-145, 5-175, 5-175
Decline Situps 20-0, 20-0, 20-0 |-> Supersets
Fat Bar CGBP 6-200, 6-200, 6-200 |
Upright Rows 6-125, 6-125, 6-125 |
Seated Bent Over Lateral Raises 10-15, 10-15, 10-15 |

Bodyweight: 216.8 lbs (weight gain due to holiday party last night )

Workout Duration: 57 minutes (with 1:00 rest between most sets)

Good workout this morning. OHP felt heavier than I thought it would, but I still got one extra rep on the 5+ set. I decided to sub in front squats on my light squat days. I'm already back squatting heavy 2 days a week and I think it'll do me more good to do the fronts one day a week instead of a day of light squats. I did the final 4 accessory exercises as supersets and that went well.

My weight was up a little today. I went to my wife's work holiday pot luck party last night and since most people there are vegetarians/vegans there was no meat in sight. I ate 5 devilled eggs (and had to stop myself before I ate the whole platter of them) and was still starving so I wound up having to eat potato pie, cornbread and various other dishes including some desserts, all of which had to have been high in carbs. Then this morning I weighed before making my morning deposit (TMI) so my weight was up some. Time to hit some more HIIT tomorrow and bring things back down.

[shaneinga]

Great workout Greg. I really like the addition of front squats. I would really like to get those in my programming at some point on a consistent basis. 6 at 140 on SOHP is awesome! CGBP numbers are always impressive.

Deviled eggs are so easy to eat a bunch of. I would have done the same thing.

[MooseTequila]

When OHP feels heavy and ya still go +1... thats a good day!

TMI FTW!

[mirroroferised]

Nice couple o sessions Greg. OHP looked really solid.

I could devour a platter of deviled eggs. Just love them

[PtReyesGreg]

Great workout Greg. I really like the addition of front squats. I would really like to get those in my programming at some point on a consistent basis. 6 at 140 on SOHP is awesome! CGBP numbers are always impressive.

Deviled eggs are so easy to eat a bunch of. I would have done the same thing.

Thanks Shane. Yeah I am happy to get the front squats back in there. I really feel them in the quads, and I'm thinking they'll help me develop my legs better than just doing the back squats only.

I have many weaknesses and Deviled Eggs are definitely one of them.

When OHP feels heavy and ya still go +1... thats a good day!

TMI FTW!

Thanks Moose. I was definitely happy to go +1. I would rather have gone +10...but that's how I always am...impatient and wanting more.

[PtReyesGreg]

Nice couple o sessions Greg. OHP looked really solid.

I could devour a platter of deviled eggs. Just love them

Ninja post.

Thanks Dave. OHP is coming along, but it seems like I have been treading water for a while. I think the Madcow is about to start kicking my OHP butt, so we'll see in the next couple of weeks if true progress will be made.

I only wish I had more Deviled eggs right now. Instead I'm about to head out to the garage for some HIIT.

[PtReyesGreg]

This morning I completed Week 2 - Workout C of Madcow's Bill Starr 5x5 Intermediate program as follows:

Bench Press 5-120, 5-145, 5-175, 5-205, 5-240 (3+), 8-175
Squats 5-135, 5-145, 5-175, 5-205, 5-240 (3+), 8-175
Pendlay Rows 5-111, 5-121, 5-131, 5-166, 5-196 (3+), 8-161
Dips 5-0, 6-0, 6-0 |-> Supersets
Neutral Grip Chins 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 |
Fat Bar OHP 6-125, 6-125, 6-125 |

Bodyweight: 217.8 lbs (gained a few pounds this week possibly from creatine water retention)

Workout Duration: 64 minutes (with 1:00 rest between most sets)

Good workout today. I was a bit bummed about the weight gain over the past several days, but I've been pretty good with my diet and I really think it is probably water retention from the creatine loading. In any case, I'm looking leaner and the creatine seems to be giving me better stamina and recovery (less soreness) with the low carbs so I'm staying with it.

My lifts all felt good today. On the main 3 lifts I hit all my target weights and reps. The final 3 exercises were done as supersets and I'm still enjoying that setup. So far so good with the Madcow's. This marked the end of my second week, and I'm ready to keep riding this train as long as I can (possibly longer than my original 12 week plan) if I keep progressing.

[shaneinga]

Killer workout Greg. Nice looking numbers on that bench press to hit 5 at 240. Those prow numbers are awesome as well. I love the superset and I am sure that was some hard work to knock down with the dips and OHP's that close together.

Don't sweat the weight gain, as you said it is more than likely creatine and water retention. It will level out soon.

I like the idea of chasing the gains while you can get them with Madcow's, you might as well wring it's neck and get everything out of it. If it takes more than 12 weeks, so be it.

[PtReyesGreg]

Killer workout Greg. Nice looking numbers on that bench press to hit 5 at 240. Those prow numbers are awesome as well. I love the superset and I am sure that was some hard work to knock down with the dips and OHP's that close together.

Don't sweat the weight gain, as you said it is more than likely creatine and water retention. It will level out soon.

I like the idea of chasing the gains while you can get them with Madcow's, you might as well wring it's neck and get everything out of it. If it takes more than 12 weeks, so be it.

Thanks Shane. Yeah the superset is tough, but I really like the way it seems to blast my arms and give them a good workout in a fairly short amount of time. By the end of these workouts I definitely feel well worked.

I'm thinking you're right about the weight gain. I've just got to pay extra attention to my diet. Right now it's tough because people at work keep bringing in cookies and chocolates and tempting the hell out of me.

I definitely want to chase the Madcow's gains for as long as possible...similar to what you did with AP. I think I jumped ship to 531 too soon. I still had a little more linear gains left that I wanted to take advantage of. I have been looking back through my 531 books, though, and will be back there once the linear gains dry up.

[raynerd]

Strong benching, squats and rows today Greg! Wouldn't sweat the weight gain, creatine is usually good for a few lbs when u first start it. I pretty much never go off it and continue right through my cuts.
Hard work Greg!

[RT1957]

Nice work Greg...I do what Shawn does I just stay on Creatine...I use it on days I train and If I don't then I don't use it because it doesn't deplete that fast so I'll skip now and then..but I'm long past the loading stage...

Looks like Madcow is working for you

[PtReyesGreg]

Strong benching, squats and rows today Greg! Wouldn't sweat the weight gain, creatine is usually good for a few lbs when u first start it. I pretty much never go off it and continue right through my cuts.
Hard work Greg!

Thanks Shawn. That's good to know about the creatine. I figured it was something like that because once I started loading it I gained 2.5 pounds and it has held pretty steady with that. Now it's time to double down on the diet and drop some more weight.

Nice work Greg...I do what Shawn does I just stay on Creatine...I use it on days I train and If I don't then I don't use it because it doesn't deplete that fast so I'll skip now and then..but I'm long past the loading stage...

Looks like Madcow is working for you

Thanks Ron. That's good info about the creatine. I'll probably do that too eventually (i.e. take it mainly on days I work out). For the first month or so I'll probably just keep taking the regular (non-loading) dosage each day.

Definitely liking the Madcow...of course I'm only 2 weeks in, so we'll see how much I'm liking the linear increases in a few weeks.