J0hn117's log to former strength and beyond

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 Week
C6W5D4

Front squat:
60 x 3
60 x 6
80 x 4
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 9
just because the first day of smolov jr was a 9.. damn brings back bad memories lol, but imma do it properly sometime soon and not get defeated this time..

T-Bar deadlift:
72.5 x 6
112.5 x 6
142.5 x 6
142.5 x 8
142.5 x 10

RDL:
60 x 6
80 x 6
85 x 12
85 x 12
85 x 12

Hip Thrusts:
80 x 6
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

Retract and depress your scapula and place all your weight on your traps to keep them pinched. I'd bring your legs back a bit so you could use some leg drive as well. They should be tight and your quads should feel activated. The bar path looked good, it may just be the positioning. Just remember the initial press is back toward your face and then straight up.

is this better?

edit: sorry bout the side-ways video..

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 Week
C5W1D5

Bench:
db
20 x 10
60 x 10
80 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 6
100 x 5
working on tech.. widened my grip on last set and working on tightness and having the straight shelf of my arms when i touch my chest (not flared since that ruins my rotator cuff). just have a problem with my elbows flaring too early on the concentric

dead hang WG pullups:
4 x 8 + some reps in some sets..

CG incline bench:
60 x 12
80 x 12
100 x 6 trying new form, still not good enough
60 x 12
60 x 12 better
tucking elbows a lot more and keeping them tucked to target triceps and delts more.. gonna build up weight slowly to work on form for a little while

1 arm cable row:
80 lbs x 12
80 lbs x 12
80 lbs x 12

Upright row:
35 x 12
35 x 12
35 x 12

Lateral raise:
10 x 15
10 x 15
12.5 x 15

CG lat pulldown:
180 lbs x 12
180 lbs x 10
180 lbs x 8

1 arm row from rack:
25 x 12
25 x 12
25 x 12

pretty sick atm so feel like chit.. might take an extra day off before squats next week because im dyin

looking a little better

[Kameronn]

Looks significantly better brah

[j0hn117]

some of the worst 2 days training in my life yday and today..
squats sucked everythings sore or tight or weak, cant work out this bench form at all - i don't feel like it's activating my chest at all its all triceps which makes me think it's not optimal since my chest is my strength..
gonna have to think how to proceed cus today made me never wanna lift again ngl

[j0hn117]

Front squat :
60 x 3
60 x 5
80 x 4
100 x 3
110 x 2
115 x 10 *PB
117.5 x 3
117.5 x 3
Phuck u 115, still sick and a bit weak so not doing all 5 but damnit if I wasn't gonna get this set of 10. Pretty sure this is an all time PB

Bench:
60 x 12
80 x 12
80 x 12
80 x 12
Took videos, changed cues and it works.. Ill upload later

[j0hn117]

Upper

Bench:
60 x 12
60 x 8
80 x 8
100 x 5
110 x 5
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 2
120 x 4 *slingshot*
heavier i go the worse the form gets in respect to the early elbow flaring, gonna spend some time greasing the groove at lower weight. think imma do a 3x a week bench with high reps (to avoid super flaring and gradually get used to heavier weights without "cheating") with a linear progression starting at maybe 80.. once i get to like 100 ish ill switch to a heavy, light/alt exercise, volume kinda thing. unsurprising that my bench is weak with the new form and the fact i havent gone heavy at all in it in 8 weeks. i feel like the strength is there it just needs brought out.

Dead hang WG pullups:
x12 1min rest
x8
x6
x4
x10 bit more rest, +5 with band assisting

DB OHP:
20 x 12
27.5 x 8
27.5 x 8
wanna get to 12+ on these at some point.. a lil unstable which is why im doing them

1 arm lat pulldown:
90 lbs x 8
80 lbs x 12
80 lbs x 12

Cable row:
160 lbs x 12
160 lbs x 12
160 lbs x 8, 140 lbs x 6, 120 lbs x 4

Front raise:
20 x 8
17.5 x 12
15 x 12 - did this seated and felt it much more in my shoulder so gonna switch to this

IYT kinda thing:
3 sets of burn

Band pullaparts:
3 x 15

[Kameronn]

Are your elbows flaring or not flaring when you are getting to heavier weight? Are you sure you're retracting and depressing your scapula? This cue might help keep your elbows in position and make your chest feel more activated (~7 min mark)



Grease that groove brah don't stress on it

[j0hn117]

Are your elbows flaring or not flaring when you are getting to heavier weight? Are you sure you're retracting and depressing your scapula? This cue might help keep your elbows in position and make your chest feel more activated (~7 min mark)



Grease that groove brah don't stress on it

nah shoulders keep retracted but elbows flare more when i go heavier.. makes sense since my chest is the strongest. imma grease the chit outta this groove for the next few months, build a solid base then get back to some reasonable numbers

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 Week
C5W2D4

Front squat:
60 x 3
60 x 5
80 x 4
100 x 3
110 x 2
117.5 x 5 way too fatigued to try a max set so just went for 5..
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
normally it'd have been 112.5 but since i didnt max out i went heavier.. tried to keep rests short but it was hard cus of already being fatigued today

T bar dead:
72.5 x 10
112.5 x 6
132.5 x 6
147.5 x 6
147.5 x 6
147.5 x 12
needa wear the strap hook things on both hands so my shoulders are even cus i felt a strain on one side of my back after and i dont want that chit. prob gonna work on sets of 12 and not force progression too much too quickly

RDL:
60 x 6
90 x 12
90 x 12
back iffy so stopped

Hip thrusts:
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
3 sets seemed enough for today, gonna keep it at 3 sets for now but do a pause at the top of each rep from now on

[j0hn117]

Upper

Bench:
60 x 12
60 x 12
80 x 12
85 x 13
85 x 13 i actually can't count
85 x 12
vids to come, feel it a lot more in my triceps than my old tech but still feel it in chest so ?

NG pullups:
x12
x12
x10 + 2
x12 short rest
x6 + 3 + 3
doing these super strict with more ROM definitely activates the back more

CG incline bench:
60 x 6
80 x 6
80 x 8
60 x 12
tucking elbows on eccentric and keeping them tucked on concentric + touching lower on chest than before makes this a much harder movement.. the big tuck was annoying my shoulder a little so i dropped to 60. also i subconsciously pause reps on this for whatever reason.

Seated lateral raise:
15 x 12
15 x 10
15 x 8
feel this more than standing variation too

Pause WG lat pulldown:
100 lbs x 12
110 lbs x 12
120 lbs x 12

Twisting DB curls:
15 x 8
15 x 12
15 x 12
trying to do different bicep exercises without stressing that forearm tendon which really hates any movement with supination

Facepulls:
some amount x 15
" x 15
" x 20

1 arm row from rack:
27.5 x 12
27.5 x 12
27.5 x 12
basically pre-exhausting from the bicep and rear delt "superset" for these lol

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 week
C5W3D1

Front squat:
60 x 3
60 x 5
80 x 4
100 x 4
112.5 x 2
122.5 x 6
122.5 x 6
122.5 x 6 *VPB*
not particularly fun.. definitely had at least 2 reps in set 2 but the other sets were harder

Tbar dead:
72.5 x 10
112.5 x 6
132.5 x 6
132.5 x 6
132.5 x 6
working on tech - back on first rep is usually a little more stressed since im not in the groove so trying to work on the first rep (more dead-stop reps)

RDL:
20 x 15
60 x 12
100 x 12 accidental
90 x 12
90 x 12

Hip Thrust:
60 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10
pausing each rep seems to target glutes better. glutes definitely getting stronger just the bar resting on my hips seems to have tightened up my psoas, irritation and a little bruising there despite the bar pad

bike sprints x 3

[j0hn117]

Upper

Bench:
60 x 12
80 x 6
87.5 x 12
87.5 x 12
87.5 x 12
seems to be a fair bit of cumulative fatigue through sets.. set 1 it felt eZ but set 3 was a lot harder

pullups:
x12
+10 x 8
+10 x 8
+10 x 8
way stricter than these were before

CG incline bench:
65 x 12
70 x 12
70 x 10 + 2
each rep paused with the new elbows tucked af, might add some tricep accessory movements to the programme at some point

Seated front raise:
15 x 12
15 x 10
15 x 10

1 arm lat pulldown:
90 lbs x 12
90 lbs x 12
90 lbs x 12

NG cable row:
210 lbs x 8
210 lbs x 8
210 lbs x 8, 170 lbs x 8, 130 lbs x 12

Concentration curls:
15 x 8
15 x 8
15 x 8

gonna start a modified madcow for bench once im comfortable with the new tech

[j0hn117]

Upper

Spoto press:
60 x 4
80 x 4
90 x 4
90 x 4
90 x 4
90 x 4
90 x 4
90 x 4
this is my "Light/control" day that imma start doing. was pausing a little close to the chest on the first few sets but sorted it out.

pause at top WG deadhang pullups:
x6
x12
+5x12
+10 x 8

DB press:
25 x 12 *PB*
25 x 12
25 x 12
das it mane. now to the 27.5's.

CG lat pulldown:
140 lbs x 6
180 lbs x 6
210 lbs x 12 *PB* big PB
210 lbs x 8
200 lbs x 8

face pulls w/ band 3 sets, superset w/ band pullaparts

DB upright row:
15 x 12
20 x 12
20 x 12
20 x 12

been running a bit to check that im not a fat phuck (800m time is in the high 2 minute range (2:45-2:50 ish)) but its straining my hip and causing me quite a bit of knee pain so imma stop as its affecting squats AF. might take a week deload after this cycle for squats so it calms down. also needa foam, tennis ball roll more

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 Week
C5W3lowerday2

Front squat:
60 x 3
60 x 5
80 x 4
100 x 4
115 x 3
125 x 6 *PB* ? e1rm is nowhere near my best 5rm but i never did 6's before so... ill take it. felt unconfident in my ability to get out of full depth today which is weird, but i think its cus my back and knee are aggravated. gonna add some pause squats in maybe.

T-bar dead:
72.5 x 8
112.5 x 8
132.5 x 6
152.5 x 6
152.5 x 6
152.5 x 12 *PB*
easily could've done more, but my back is dodgy with the tech.. its pretty weak so hurts even when my back is laser straight. doing 12 reps was probs a mistake as, at the time of writing, my back isnt too happy with me. may have to delay squats till tuesday to let it settle.

RDL:
60 x 6
75 x 6
95 x 12
95 x 12
stopped cus of my back

Hip thrust:
60 x 6
90 x 6
110 x 5 *PB*
110 x 5
110 x 8 *PB*
all reps paused, w/ 5s pause on last rep. glutes seem to be getting wayy stronger.

[j0hn117]

Upper day 3

Bench:
60 x 12
80 x 13 cant count
90 x 12
90 x 12
90 x 12
100 x 5
110 x 3
110 x 3
+Slingshot:
110 x 10
still gonna take a while to get used to this new tech, but the 2nd set at 110 was pretty good. triceps seem to fatigue mega on those high rep sets but speed off the chest is still really fast even when lockout slows. gonna need work on tris for a while to fix this. can also feel my shoulders working for the first time in idk how long but gonna needa work them too (wider grip OHP? Db ohp..)

NG pullups:
x8
x8
+15 x 8
+15 x 8
+15 x 8
pb with new form. trying to keep my head btw the bars at top and get my collarbone to the bar

OHP:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 8
ditto with the pullups, going right down to collarbone and not leaning back to try and build these tri's and shoulders. tris were tired from bench so i just went conservative today..

Lateral raise :
15 x 12
15 x 10
15 x 10

Front raise:
15 x 12
15 x 10
15 x 10

Rear delt raise:
10 x 15
10 x 15
10 x 15

Cable row:
150 lbs x 12
150 lbs x 12
150 lbs x 12

DB row from rack:
32.5 x 12
37.5 x 12
37.5 x 12
needa watch the right supporting hand position cus i got the radiating forearm pain a bit on one set

Tricep pushdowns:
50 lbs? x 12
50 lbs x 12
machine broke (temporarily)
tricep extension 20 x 12

Rotating db curls:
15 x 12
15 x 8 + 4
15 x 8 + 6
grip on right hand gets destroyed cus i can only use 3 fingers so split the last 2 sets up.



app on my phone phucked up but you can still see in fullscreen..

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 Week
C5W4lower1

Front squat:
60 x 3
80 x 5
100 x 4
115 x 2
125 x 3
127.5 x 3
130 x 3
135 x 1
easier than last cycle iirc, depth was pretty good

Tbar dead:
72.5 x 10
112.5 x 6
132.5 x 6
152.5 x 6
162.5 x 6 *PB*
wont be doing this till next tues so skipped 10. decent but back dodgy so only 1 set.

Hip thrust:
60 x 12
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 12


130 set

[j0hn117]

Upper Day 1

Bench:
60 x 6
60 x 12
80 x 6
92.5 x 12
100 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 8
felt bad today even at 60, my nervous system must be tired. the set of 12 was still fine but i wasnt feeling up to 3 sets. went to 100 and played about with tech and grip and i think ill stay with the current grip, and the bad feeling is probs just fatigue.

deadhang pause wg pullups:
x8
+5 x8
+15 x 8
+15 x 8
+15 x 8

Incline pause CG bench:
60 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 10
went on the higher incline today, think i'll stay at it as it works the shoulders a lot more which i feel get underworked elsewhere.

1 arm lat pulldown:
100 lbs x 8
90 lbs x 12
90 lbs x 12

Cable row:
180 lbs x 12
200 lbs x 12
210 lbs x 10

OH Tricep extension:
20 x 12
25 x 10
25 x 10

Concentration curls:
15 x 10
15 x 10
15 x 8

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 Week
C5W4Lower 2

Front squat:
60 x 3
60 x 3
80 x 5
100 x 4
115 x 2
122.5 x 1
130 x 3
137.5 x 2
100 x 5 2s pauses
was meant to be 135 but the triple felt pretty strong so i upped it. equals the heaviest weight i've ever lifted and it wasn't a RPE 10 which is good for week 4 lol. back and right hip a little sore from sitting last night a bit. rest this weekend after upper tomorrow and a lovely carboload before monday lol. if i get 3 reps then i've got stronger and will probs do another cycle. if not i'll deload then start another cycle.
might do some light squatting between now and then just for mobility, but nothing above 80kg probably.

morning weight is ~192 but i feel leaner than i was in the 180s so maybe santa gave me some gains for christmas lol

[j0hn117]

Upper 2

Bench:
60 x 6
80 x 6
100 x 4
107.5 x 5
107.5 x 5
107.5 x 5
107.5 x 5
107.5 x 5
107.5 x 5
107.5 x 5
this was easy, especially when i attack the weight and push hard rather than just pressing as hard as i need to.
+Slingshot:
120 x 5
125 x 0.....
first set was like a warmup, but i had no spotter and phucked the unrack on the second cus the slingshot is awkward. never doing SS without a spotter again lol, aint about that decapitation life
and yes, this is smolov jr week 1, but only 2 workouts this week so i can rest for monday. gonna do the 3x a week until the end of next candito cycle then probs deload.

NG pullups:
x8
+10 x 8
+20 x 8
+20 x 8
+20 x 8
strength is much more consistent through the set with new form, think because my back has got a lot stronger due to changing

WG lat pulldown:
210 lbs x 6 a little heavy..
190 lbs x 8
170 lbs x 12

Seated front raise:
17.5 x 12 *PB*
17.5 x 12
17.5 x 12

1 arm cable row:
100 lbs x 12
100 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10

Lateral raise:
17.5 x 12 *PB* dodgy form tho
17.5 x 10
15 x 12

BTN paused WG lat pulldown:
100 lbs x 15
100 lbs x 15
100 lbs x 15

w/ band pullaparts 3 x 30

Rotating DB curls:
17.5 x 10
15 x 10 + 4
15 x 10 + 4

Tricep pushdowns:
50? lbs x 12
50 lbs x 12
50 lbs x 12

upping my calories to 2600 w/ ~ 300c 175p 75f for next week starting with 2500 tonight, due the higher bench volume i'll be doing. ill likely take out my pressing accessories (maybe keep 1 tri exercise per week) and keep most of the pulling movements to try and keep my shoulders happy

[j0hn117]

Loosening day

Goblet sq 20 x 15
BS 60 x 3
FSquat:
60x 3
60 x 3
80 x 3
80 x 3

15min walk

Back a little annoyed, hopefully with foam rolling, stretching, rest and a lot of pre workout I'll be ready to go on Monday

[Fattgott]

How much do you think you can max out on front squats? Seems like it's almost the same as my low bar!

Also, how much are you weighing nowadays? How long until 180?

[j0hn117]

How much do you think you can max out on front squats? Seems like it's almost the same as my low bar!

Also, how much are you weighing nowadays? How long until 180?

idk since im fatigued for 90% of C6W, i'll know on monday when i kill myself trying to rep 3 pl8s. should be bout three fiddy if it goes well
weighing ~190/86 now, still on that cut life (was 92.5 after christmas binge lol). wanna cut slow so maybe june for 180?

keep forgetting i can keep it in kg when i talk to you, metric masterrace

[j0hn117]

Candito 6 week
C5W5Lower

Front squat:
60 x 3
60 x 5
80 x 4
100 x 3
115 x 2
130 x 1
140 x 3 *PB*
disappointing.. i suck with heavy weight and my U back was rounding with 140 (not at all with warmups?) even though i'd no problem with 137.5. anyway, ive never lifted this successfully before and now can rep 3 plates. depth is really good but confidence is an issue. going to change to maybe pause fronts now to build that confidence. was only a matter of time before i stopped progressing on a cut.

eye of the tiger came on after the set and i knew what i had to do
T-bar dead:
72.5 x 10
112.5 x 6
142.5 x 3
162.5 x 15 *PB*
legs had 20 in them definitely, but the hooks weren't happy with my wrists (have to use hook things cus i can only use 3 fingers on my rt hand). channelled the FS rage into this lol.

Back squat:
60 x 8
100 x 12
testing.. normal depth seems to annoy my knees and feel unnatural. might add ATG backsquat with my pause FS for a while.

[Kameronn]

Grats on that PR and huge milestone. Excited to see the back squat gains. They'll definitely feel like **** for awhile

[j0hn117]

Upper

Bench:
60 x 8
80 x 8
100 x 6
115 x 4
115 x 4
115 x 4
115 x 4
Semi drunk doing these sets and super low rest since I'm going out lol

Wg deadhang pause Phillips:
X8
+5x8
+20 3 x 6

Seated front raises:
17.5 x 12
17.5 x 12
17.5 x 12

1 arm cable row:
100 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 12
90 lbs x 12

Rotating curls:
15 x 12
15 x 12

Triceps pushdown:
60 lbs x 12
60 lbs x 12

[j0hn117]

Friday 4th Feb

2s pause front squat:
60 x 3
80 x 3
100 x 3
110 x 3
110 x 3
man 2 seconds feels a lot longer at the bottom of a squat

Back squat:
60 x 3
80 x 3
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
last set was easiest. not comfortable with form - ive no groove or motor pattern to go off so it feels weird. very quad dominant though. heavier than it should be considering i can FS probably > 115 for 10 ATG at this point. tend to hyperextend my back a bit so needa watch. left scap was cramping since its tight and i get really tight when i set up but tend to lose it as i descend so needa work on that

Single leg hip thrust:
3 x 12

Bench:
60 x 8
80 x 8
100 x 3
105 x 5
105 x 3
105 x 3
105 x 3
man this just depresses me. cant get the form right on this. my shoulder is really annoyed with me, imma take it really easy (nothing above 90) and narrow my grip by a few inches to give my shoulders some peace hopefully and build my bench up from there. just gonna have to accept having a crap bench for a long time

High WG+ pullups:
x12
x10
x8

OHP:
60 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5

DB row from rack:
27.5 x 15
27.5 x 15
27.5 x 15

Tricep pushdown:
50 lbs x 12 x 3
superset w/
CG pushups 3 x 12

Concentration curls:
12.5 x 15
12.5 x 12
12.5 x 12
working on slow eccentric really works the muscle harder. gonna change to this style for my bro-style accessories (anything other than heavy back exercises or a press really..)

edit: abs are on the way now soon.jpeg

[j0hn117]

Sunday 5th Feb

only trained cus i was kinda bored and wanna get to grips with bSQuat

Squat:
60 x 5
80 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 3
i swear FS is still easier.. needa try and do that screwing your feet into the floor cue on ascent and activate more than just my quads.

10s pause FS @ 100

[j0hn117]

Monday 6th Feb
lower 1

Squat:
60 x 5
80 x 3
100 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3
120 x 3

pause front squat 100 x 5
nope

Tbar dead:
72.5 x 6
112.5 x 6
132.5 x 12
142.5 x 10
155 x 8
167.5 x 6 *PB*
man high rep deads suck

RDL:
60 x 20
60 x 20
60 x 20

[j0hn117]

Tuesday 7th Feb

Bench:
60 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
85 x 10
105 x 5
moved grip in and it felt like closegrip lol.. shoulder wasnt sore like before but left rotator cuff felt worked. super weak with this grip but i think ill stick with it for a while (or just do closegrip high reps forever...)

NG pullups:
x12
+15 x 10
+15 x 10
+15 x 8 + 2

WG 1 1/2 lat pulldown:
140 lbs x 6
140 lbs x 6
140 lbs x 6
probs should've lowered the weight and done more reps

Seated lateral raise:
15 x 12
15 x 10
15 x 10 w/ 10 x 12
slower eccentric

Some type of meadow row:
Bar with a 20 x 12
" x 12
" x 12

Rotating bicep curls:
15 x 10
15 x 12
15 x 12
slower eccentric, more squeeeeeez

Straight bar tricep pushdown:
50 lbs x 12
50 lbs x 12
50 lbs x 8, 30 lbs x 8
hits the outer head better which is kinda underdeveloped so gonna add these in

[j0hn117]

Thurs 9th Feb
Upper 2

Incline bench:
60 x 8
70 x 8
80 x 8
90 x 8
90x 8
Playing with grips

Slow eccentric WG+ Phillips:
3x8

T-bar row:
Pl8,10,15 x 8
" X 8
" X 8

Front raise:
20 x 12
20 x 10
20 x 10

Rear delt raise:
12.5 x 15
12.5 x 15
12.5 x 15

Meadow row thing:
Pl8,10 x 12 x 3

Conc curls:
17.5 x 6
15 x 6
12.5 x 8

Straight bar tricep pushdown:
60 lbs x 8
60 lbs x 8
60 lbs x 8

CG decline pushups:
3 x 12

Reverse curls:
15 x 12
15 x 12
15 x 12
Slow eccentric on everything.