TGreggors' Training Log

[TGreggors]

Hi everyone, my name is Taylor Gregory. I've been meaning to get around to making a log of my progress online for a long time now, but with hectic semesters, it's been hard to actually convince myself that I have enough time to log every workout. Anyways, I've been training since December 24th, 2011, and after spinning my wheels for the first year and a half with drastic cutting/gaining cycles, (pretty typical, I know), I started running some (what I think is) decent programming and nutritional protocols. I'm 21 years old and am an upcoming senior at the University of Tennessee. Ultimate goal is to compete on stage as a natural bodybuilder as well as the platform, but for now I am just trying to build a decent foundation on which to do so as I go through my 20's. This log is for myself to reflect on, and for anyone else who cares to follow this journey.

Here is my current physique....Not too pleased with the progress made so far for how long I've been training. Sorry for photo quality/angles haha tried my best







Weighing ~179.6 lbs. at 5'10.5. Apparently was 16.4% bf according to the bod-pod test I got at the end of March.

[TGreggors]

All right, getting this started with yesterday's session.

6/6/15-Upper

Bench Press:
100x5
125x5
150x3
180x3
210x5
210x5
210x4
205x4
200x6

Chest-supported t-bar rows:
2 45's & 10 x 9, 8, 7

HS lat pullovers:
210 x 9, 8

Seated DB Presses:
55's x 9, 9, 8

Incline DB Presses:
70's x 8, 7

Cable flies:
27.5 x 10, 10, 10

Cambered bar curls:
25 each side x 9, 9, 9

Reverse curls:
15 each side x 11, 11

V-Bar attachment cable pushdowns:
45 lbs. x 13, 13, 13, 13, 13

Face pulls:
35 lbs. x 14, 14.5, 13

Was not pleased with my bench, as I hit 210 for 5 x 5 two weeks ago, before my deload. Rest of the workout went well though. Doing a lower-body session tomorrow

[IK9]

1st

I definitely see major potential here. I'll be following!

[TGreggors]

1st

I definitely see major potential here. I'll be following!

Thanks, man! Nice to get some support

[happydude101]

Welcome!

New here myself, though interested to see your progress in the coming months.

[TGreggors]

Welcome!

New here myself, though interested to see your progress in the coming months.

thanks for following!

6/8/15-Lower
BW of ~178.4 lbs.

Deadlift:
165x5
205x5
245x3
305x5
330x5
350x10

Front Squats:
225x5
225x5
225x4
225x4
225x5

Lying Leg Curls:

110x10
110x10
110x10
110x9.5
110x8

Abductor machine:
160x17
160x17
160x16

Machine Leg Press Calf Raises:
295x14
295x14
295x13
295x12
295x11
295x11

Decline BB Situps:
100x10

Standing Cable Crunches:
84 +7.5 x 16
84 +7.5 x 15

Hammer Strength Seated Crunches:
120x7

Hammer Strength Oblique Crunches:
80x10

Not so bad at all. Was not at all acclimated to high-rep deads because I have been working with heavier weights over the last several months. Also my first time front-squatting with 225. Was pretty pleased with how the squats went. Wanting to get 5x5 w/ 225 sometime soon.

Today's top set on deads

[TGreggors]

6/10/15-Upper
BW of ~178.0 lbs.

Bench Press:
100x5
125x5
150x3
185x5
200x5
210x5

Close-Grip Bench:
175x9
175x8
175x6

Seated Low Rows(Chest Supported)
220x9
220x9
220x8

Cable Rows:
122.5x14
122.5x13.5

Incline DB Presses:
70's x 9
70's x 8
70's x 7

V-bar cable pulldowns
144x10
144x10
144x11

Wide-grip pullups
BWx7
BWx7

Standing Overhead Cable Triceps Extensions:
27.5x13
27.5x13
27.5x10
27.5x10
27.5x10

Standing Supinated DB Curls:
30'sx10
30'sx10
30'sx10
30'sx9
30'sx9

Machine Lateral Raises:
80x12
80x10.5
80x10

Was an okay session. I was somehow lighter than I've been in months this morning, which is strange because my calories have been extremely consistent while my activity levels have stayed pretty much the same. I think it may have contributed to my somewhat poor performance on my AMRAP set on bench.

Today's top set on bench

[TGreggors]

6/11/15-Lower
BW of ~178.6 lbs.

Squats:
145x5
180x5
215x3
270x5
290x5
305x10

Stiff-Legged Deadlift:
225x10
225x10
225x10
225x11
225x11

Leg Extensions:
165x14
165x14
165x11
155x11
155x12

Abductor machine:
160x17
160x17
160x14

Machine leg press calf raises:
295x13
295x13
295x13
295x13
295x13
295x13

Decline BB situps:
100x9

Standing Cable Crunches:
84&7.5x16
84&7.5x16

HS Seated Crunches:
120x7

HS Oblique Crunches:
80x11

Session took a LOT out of me. Was already exhausted and dripping in sweat after the deads, but had to get the isolation work in. Really was aiming for 12 reps on my top set on squats, but I can't complain. Weight really didn't feel so heavy at all until the end. Will be back in the gym on Saturday/Sunday for some volume bench

Today's top set on squats

[bradroepke]

First page

[Bnizzle163]

Very nice sessions and good strength. I'll be following!

[TGreggors]

Very nice sessions and good strength. I'll be following!

Thanks man! Happy with how my lower body strength progression has been going, but my bench press is just being so stubborn.

6/13/15-Upper

Bench Press:
100x5
125x5
150x3
180x3
200x6
200x5
200x5
200x5
200x5

Chest-supported t-bar rows:
2 45's & 2 10's x 13
2 45's & 25 x 11
2 45's & 25 x 11

HS lat pullovers:
150 x 10
150 x 9

Seated DB Presses:
55's x 9, 8, 9

Incline DB Presses:
65's x 8, 7

Cable flies:
50 lbs. x 16, 16, 15

Cambered bar curls:
25 each side x 10, 8
22.5 each side x 10

Reverse curls:
17.5 each side x 9, 8

V-Bar attachment cable pushdowns:
120 x 13, 12, 10, 9, 10

Face pulls:
70 x 16, 14, 13

Not a bad session. Was at my hometown gym, where the plates are significantly heavier, so my bench numbers are a tad bit lower. Was pretty sleep-deprived going into this session because I had stayed up really late the night before watching a live deadmau5 performance, but I still got some good work in. Bench bar path feels like it's improving.

[TeamIronClad]

Strong work bud. Keep it up!

[TGreggors]

Strong work bud. Keep it up!

thanks man. I have a long way to go but just taking it one day at a time.

6/15/15-Lower
178.6 lbs.

Deadlift:
165x5
205x5
245x3
330x3
350x3
370x6

Front Squats:
225x5
225x5
225x5
225x5
225x5

Lying Leg Curls:
110x10
110x10
110x10
110x9
110x8

Abductor machine:
160x17
160x16
160x15

Machine leg press calves:
295x14
295x13
295x13
295x14
295x14
295x14

Decline BB situps: 100x8.5

Standing Cable Crunches:
84&7.5x16
84&7.5x16

HS Seated Crunches:
120x8

HS Seated Oblique Crunches:
80x12

today's top set on deadlifts


Session wasn't so bad, despite having a pretty poor performance on my deadlifts. After not doing so well on them, I tried my hardest to compensate for my performance on front squats, on which I delivered. Achieved my goal of hitting 225x5x5 on front squats, much sooner than I thought I would only last week. Can't complain

[TGreggors]

6/17/15-Upper
180.0 lbs.

Bench Press:
100x5
125x5
150x3
200x3
210x3
225x2

Close Grip Bench:
175x8, 8, 7

Chest Supported Seated Row:
220x9, 9, 8

Cable Rows:
122.5x14
122.5x14

Incline DB Presses:
70'sx9, 9, 8

V-bar cable pulldowns:
144x11, 11, 11

Wide Pullups:
BW x 7, 7

Standing Overhead Cable Extensions:
27.5x12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Standing Supinated DB Curls:
30's x 10, 10, 10, 8, 8

Machine lateral raises:
80x12, 12, 11

Was not at all pleased with bench....like I hardly ever am. I don't know why, but I just seem to stall SO hard on this movement. I plateaued a long time ago and I can't seem to break it.

[TGreggors]

6/19/15-Lower
179.4 lbs.

Squats:
145x5
180x5
215x3
290x3
305x3
325x7

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts:
225x10, 10, 10, 9, 9

Leg Extensions:
155x 15, 14, 12, 9
150x11

Abductor machine:
160x 17, 17, 14

Machine leg press calves:
295x 14, 14, 14, 13, 14, 13

Decline BB Situps:
100x9

Standing Cable Crunches:
84&7.5x 17, 16

HS Seated Crunches:
120x8

HS Oblique Crunches:
80x12

Today's top set on squats


Great session. Although I didn't hit a PR on my squats, I at least tied it, and at 2-3 pounds lighter than the last time that I did it, I'll take it. Straight leg deads felt good, but they were so taxing as usual. Will be back on Sunday for some volume bench work

[red_cat]

Very nice form on deads above. I think you'll be pleased with the progress when you get stage lean...or even diet down into the single digits. You've clearly built some good muscle up.

I'll be following like many others!

[IK9]

How did you come up with that progression scheme for your bench?

I think you coulda gotten more on the 225 if you didn't do more than 1 rep on the 200+ sets beforehand

[TGreggors]

Very nice form on deads above. I think you'll be pleased with the progress when you get stage lean...or even diet down into the single digits. You've clearly built some good muscle up.

I'll be following like many others!

Thank you. It just gets discouraging at times because of the rate at which my peers are progressing, and I'm just not very lean so I really don't know what I have under that layer of fat....Haven't cut in two years and sometimes it's hard to convince myself that there's any additional mass under there.

How did you come up with that progression scheme for your bench?

I think you coulda gotten more on the 225 if you didn't do more than 1 rep on the 200+ sets beforehand

I've gotten 225 for a triple before, but on three days of the week (aside from my first upper day in which I swapped out OHP for volume bench since my bench is my weakest movement), I follow the basic 5/3/1 progression scheme. On that particular day, the 200 and 210 sets were 80 and 85 percent of my training max, respectively

[TGreggors]

6/21/15-Upper
180.4 lbs.

Bench Press:
100x5
125x5
150x3
180x3
205x5
205x5
205x4
200x4
195x5

Chest supported T-Bar rows;
2 45's & 10 x 10, 9, 9

HS lat pullovers:
210 x 9, x7.8(lol)

Seated DB Presses:
55's x 10, 9, 8

Incline DB Presses:
70's x 8, 7

Cable Flyes:
27.5 x 10, 9, 9

Cambered Bar Curls:
25's each side x 10, 9, 9

Reverse Curls:
10&5 each side x 12, 11

V-Bar Cable pushdowns:
45x 14, 14, 14, 14, 13

Face Pulls:
45 x 14, 12, 12

Good session, in that everything went well except my numbers on bench, which were dropped due to an ongoing form problem that I've hinted at before, I think. Really tried to slow down the eccentric, not bounce whatsoever and strive for a better bar path in order to re-establish the awful motor patterns that I've engrained over the last few years. Anyways though, hit some PRs on chest supported t-bar rows and DB shoulder presses. so not so bad I guess.


So I've decided to drop some money on a 3dmj consultation when my birthday rolls around on the seventh. Interested to see the changes in programming and diet that they will implement

[red_cat]

If it has been a solid two years since you did any kind of calorie restriction then I would say it's high time. After a while your metabolism adapts to a calorie surplus just like it adapts to being in a diet phase. If you diet for too long, your body is more likely to eat away at lean tissue. If you gain for too long, your body is more likely to store extra calories as fat.

[TGreggors]

If it has been a solid two years since you did any kind of calorie restriction then I would say it's high time. After a while your metabolism adapts to a calorie surplus just like it adapts to being in a diet phase. If you diet for too long, your body is more likely to eat away at lean tissue. If you gain for too long, your body is more likely to store extra calories as fat.

It has been, but I haven't been "gaining" in the traditional sense since then. I ended my cut in early July 2013, at 167 pounds, then I bulked up to 182-183 by February 2014. Since then, I haven't gained any. Just have been maintaining at ~179-182. Keeping calories consistent and lifting heavy. You may be right that it's time for a deficit, though, because I've been worried that going about it in this way is detrimental to progress. kind of "spinning my wheels" in a sense. We'll see though. I'm going to talk to 3dmj and see what their advice is before I do anything rash. I want to bring an awesome package the next time I cut down, and I'm just not sure if I have the muscle to do so yet.

[TGreggors]

6/22/15-Lower
~179.6 lbs.

Deadlift:
165x5
205x5
245x3
305x5
350x3
390x3

Front Squats:
225 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 3

Lying Leg Curls:
110 x 10, 10, 10, 9, 9

Abductors:
170 x 15, 14, 14

Machine Leg Press Calves: (w/ 1 min. rest periods)
295x14, 14, 12, 11, 11, 11

Decline BB Situps:
100x10

Standing Cable Crunches:
84&7.5 x 17, 16

HS Seated Crunches:
120x8

HS Seated Oblique Crunches:
80x13

Was an "eh" day on my compounds for sure, with only a 390x3 deadlift and failing to hit 225x5x5 again. Still enjoyed the session, but not sure why performance wasn't so great.

Today's top set on deadlift:

[TGreggors]

6/24/15-Upper
180.2 lbs.

Bench Press:
100x5
125x5
150x3
185x5
210x3
235x1

Close-Grip Bench Press:
175x 8, 8, 8

Chest Supported Seated Row:
220x9, 9, 7

Cable Rows:
122.5 x 14, 15

Incline DB Presses:
70's x 9, 9, 8

V-Bar Cable Pulldowns:
144 x 11, 12, 10

Wide Pullups:
BW x 6, 6

Standing Overhead Cable Extensions:
27.5 x 13, 12, 12, 13, 13

Standing Supinating DB Curls:
27.5's x 12, 10, 10, 10, 10

Machine Lateral Raises:
80x 12, 12, 11

Went into this session not feeling the best, because I woke up this morning with a nagging throat soreness. Hope it isn't anything too serious coming on, but I guess we'll find out soon. Session wasn't so bad at all though. While I was not happy with my bench, as I pretty much always say haha, I hit some PRs on some things, despite not feeling the best. Hopefully not so sick for Friday's squats, as they will be finishing out this training cycle before my deload next week.

Top set on bench:

becoming a master of the roll of shame

[red_cat]

Jesus! Your gym looks like some kind of Greek Colosseum!

[TGreggors]

Jesus! Your gym looks like some kind of Greek Colosseum!

LOL, never noticed it before but I can definitely see it in my bench video. I guess that's just what happens when you lift at a major university's gym

[IK9]

Your DB Incline bench is pretty strong.. pushing that on your 3rd-4th exercise too

Something just doesn't add up.. if you can do that with Incline.. your flat bench should be closer to high 200's in my opinion

[TGreggors]

Your DB Incline bench is pretty strong.. pushing that on your 3rd-4th exercise too

Something just doesn't add up.. if you can do that with Incline.. your flat bench should be closer to high 200's in my opinion

I've actually had other people say that to me before, as well. Those were with slower eccentrics too, haha. I've always just assumed that my shoulders are much stronger relative to my chest, so that my pressing movements get better and better the closer that I get to a vertical press. Got up to a 170 OHP back when I ran 5/3/1 textbook, which seems kind off odd to me when considering my bench max is probably 240 or so.

[TGreggors]

6/26/15-Lower
180.4 lbs.

Squats:
145x5
180x5
215x3
270x5
305x3
345x3

Straight Leg Deadlifts:
225x11
225x11
225x11
250x5
250x5

Leg Extensions:
150x15, 15, 15, 12, 11

Abductors:
170x15, 14, 15

Machine Leg Press Calves: (w/ one minute rest periods)
295x14, 14 12, 12, 11, 12

Decline BB Situps:
100x11

Standing Cable Crunches:
84&7.5 x 17, 15

HS Seated Crunches:
120 x 9

HS Seated Oblique Crunches:
80 x 12

Not so bad. Despite not feeling too great at all this morning, (throat still hurting for some reason... and just general feel of fatigue) I still had a decent performance on my squats. And felt the need to step up the weight on my straight leg deads, mid-session. Was going to make this change after my deload, but i was too eager to go heavy on these to wait. Or heavy for me at least.




Not my best performance, but one again, not so bad. Reps felt solid

[red_cat]

Not sure how you still had the motivation and energy to hit abs after a leg workout, but nice job!

[TGreggors]

Not sure how you still had the motivation and energy to hit abs after a leg workout, but nice job!

caffeine is a helluva a drug. Appreciate the support though....just wanting 405