Getting STRONGER and more JACKED

[DOMSPOWER]

Right when I walked into the gym I saw a guy about 20 years old pull 200kg. I guess this mainstream gym is better than I thought.

We also have a Squat record holder here but the guy come at different hours I think, and also has a membership in at least one other gym that I know of.

I'm thinking about training each of the big 3 only once per week. It will be less stressful for my shoulder, and my form has improved enough that I can build it with special exercises from here.

Chins
3x3xbw - like 97-98kg mid day weight.

I keep my shoulders back, down and rolled back like I'm supposed to to protect them and fully engage my back. Everyone should do it like that, yet it makes me a 1%'er.

Pulldown Rows - elbows flared
1x10x30, 40, 50, 60 PR, 45

Pushdowns 6x15, incline curls 3x8 (felt surprisingly good compared to other exercises), side raises 4x10. All of this felt better than normal.

[DOMSPOWER]

My body was trashed today but it still went well.

Squat
6x3x60
1x3x80, 100
1x1x110, 120
1x2, 5x100, 80

I almost got an ab cramp on the first backoff set.

I don't really think I need to Squat with a band around my legs anymore.

Bench Press - close grip
3x5x60

Just greasing the groove

Low Row Machine - unilateral
1x3, 11x60, 80 PR

Push ups
3x10xbw

Chins
6xbw

[DOMSPOWER]

Today went pretty damn well. I reached my Deadlift goal but due to late considerations in training style I'm gonna have to think things through before making another specific goal.

Deadlift - tng, bumper plates, oly bar
4x3x100
Straps
1x15, 2x140 PR, 180

Front Squat
1x3, 6x60, 80 PR

Lying Leg Curls - unilateral
1x8, 4x20,5, 40,9 too heavy, not full ROM
3x10x27,3 PR

Hams have gotten somewhat conditioned already.

[DOMSPOWER]

Time to spank the ass chest for once. I've neglected my bench too much, but my shoulder is still a bit tricky although I managed to work up a bit. Didn't take too much of a strength loss though, it's just that the movement feels ****ing crooked.

T-bar Rows - bar weight excluded
2x15x30
1x10, 12x50, 70 PR

Started out with back work to be more tight on the bench, failed hard.

Bench
2x8x60
1x3, 6x80
Close grip Spoto
2x6x60

If I work up over time I can prolly break a rep PR or 2 shortly.

Straight Bar Pushdowns 4sets 20-42reps straight up flushing to see if it increases my recovery a bit.

Doing tricep work feels a lot better on the shoulder joint when I make sure to squeeze the bar with my ring and pinky finger.

[DOMSPOWER]

I was starting to overreach and bit, then a conflict came and made it much worse, so I forced myself to have an extra rest day. It paid off.

Squat
4x3x60
3x1x80
1x1, 2x100, 120 - looked good
1x4x105

Deficit Deadlift - tng, bumper plates, oly bar
3x3x100
1x11x125 PR

Glute-ham Raises - assisted concentris
1x5, 4, 3xbw PR

I can almost do 1 full rep without pushing me off from the bottom.

Lying Leg Curls - unilateral
1x13x27,3 PR
1x17, 11x20,5

Short rest.

Pulldown Rows - elbows flared
1x12, 10, 9x50

[DOMSPOWER]

Saturday I got me a fever. In the middle of a big ****ing school project.. I got well a few hours into Wednesdays school day (had to go to school to deliver the assignment) and figured **** training cos I have to make sure I can do a proper presentation on Friday (today).

Long story short I managed to write 10 pages and make a solid presentation so tonight after de stressing I decided to get to work.

I was training too hard also. My core grew bigger and stronger during the "deload" and overreaching is part of what got me sick (lack of veggies, cold wind etc also).

Squat
2x3x60 - pretty good today
2x1x80, 100

Coordination was off today despite the 60kg.

Bench
1x4, 3, 2, 1x60, 70, 80, 90

Shoulder is almost back to normal.

Deads - double overhand, rest ~5-10 sec
10x1 120

GHR - controlled eccentrics
2x3xbw

Lying Leg Curls - unilateral
1x16, 8x20,5

Double set.

[DOMSPOWER]

Today I went in to do more moderate/easy work to get my body back in the game again.

OHP was supposed to be a single at 8-9 RPE but it happened to be a 10. At such low weight, even for my strength level.......

Squat
4x3x60
1x1x80, 100
3x1x115

115 was really good. Tried sitting a bit less back and that helped a ton on the concentric.

I can't wait till my ME workouts. ME and in now im gonna do Conjugate.

OHP
5x30
3x40
2x50
1x60
5x40

Then I did laterals, triceps, pulldown rows, biceps and push ups.

[DOMSPOWER]

I've been busy and so I wasn't very fresh today, but still got some quality work in.

Deadlift - tng, bumper plates, oly bar
3x10
Straps
8x140

....

Incline - 30 degrees, close grip
1x8x30, 40, 50, 55

Weird movement that will help me for sure.

DB Bench - red mini band
12x14
10x24
8x24

Pretty cool movement that im also gonna do from now on. It's a tricep exercise.

Glute-ham Raises - assisted concentris
3x3xbw
2xbw

I never did as little of a push as I did today!

Lying Leg Curls - unilateral
1x13, 11, 10, 9x45lbs

Doing front Squats in 2-3 days. Gonna neglect back Squats for a few weeks to build me up (given bicep tendon some rest).

[DOMSPOWER]

Short workout. Got me a part time job besides my school and I'm going for the first time today.

Terminal Press
6x10x30

Awesome exercise for my own needs.

Close Grip Pulldown Rows
1x10, 10, 9, 6x60

Incline curls 2sets and push ups 2sets.

[DOMSPOWER]

Today I felt like **** but couldn't procrastinate then workout cos I gotta be with the fam today.

Job introduction last night was boring as **** but tomorrow I'm gonna try making mad money.

Terminal Press
3x10x30

Front Squat
3x60
1x
80
90

I was gonna rep this, but it turnt out to feel heavy as hell.

Spoto Press
2x3x60
1x
80 DAMN FAST
100 too slow eccentric cos I haven't touched this weight in a while so it got me feeling tired again.
2x3x85

Gonna go bowling and feasting in 2 hours.

Btw I'm gonna bitch slap my boss one of these days. I think he might like it.

[DOMSPOWER]

Today I had a Deadlift party.

I planned on doing something light but apparently was pretty fresh despite the last several days fatique.

One arm Deadlift - oly bar, bumper plates, straps
3x5x60
1x5x80 damn it's hard to keep **** even and also fatiquing.
Double overhand regular deads
120 flew up and i almost fell back on my ass
140
150 fail
150 win
Orange band and straps
150 fail - felt like 200kg or more
Red Medium Band
150 win - felt like 180-190 would have felt at the top after all this
Tng
4x120

Bunch of PR's. Double overhand was close to PR.

Later I'm gonna go to work and have a literal party while working.

[DOMSPOWER]

Why in the hell would I choose to go to work as a telemarketer on Friday instead of Thursday. Everyone's busy, specially with easter.. They say 0 sales on the first day is normal, but I don't like normal.

Went in for a light workout to keep the engine going.

Front Squat
3x4x60

Overhead Press
4x5x30

Standing Barbell Overhead Extensions
2x10x20

Pulldown Rows - elbows flared
2x8x40

Going to work tomorrow cos they say that's the best day to make the most sales.

A colleague in his twenties make over $500 a day. He said he was taught how to sell by the director of Wolf of Wall Street and recommended that I watch it for education. I Wathed it today and feel like I'm a better salesman already.

Might go to work again on Monday also, but if I'm not satisfied with the sales I'm gonna stay home and study the game instead.

[DOMSPOWER]

Yesterday I made my first sale. The sales coach said I'm improving very fast and doing very well. He also said that 0 sales the first day and close to 0 the second day to then start really taking off the third is normal.

Under normal circumstances I would have done better. These past shifts wasn't normal cos lots of people don't wanna be disturbed on easter holidays.

The sales coach said I have great potential and today he is convinced I can make 3-5 sales.

He also "promised" me 5-8 sales a day and guaranteed a spot working full time when the summer holiday comes in 3-4 months. By then I'm graduated and can keep working full time all year if I want and earning my teachers monthly pay every 2 weeks haha.

Today I was tired but the weights moved alright under the circumstances.

Front Squat
3x60
2x70
80 - poor rack position
80
90
100 - my thoracic was only strong enough for 95
2x3x75

Bench
8x20
8x40
4x60
2x80
2x90

Superset Terminal Press
12x20
12x40 PR
8x60 PR

Incline Bench - 30 degrees, close grip
5x60
2x6x50
3x60 -> 5x50 -> 8x40

Every set was keeping distance to failure due to knotted and deconditioned upper chest.

What I need to do from now on is keep some weight in the tank on my maxes and also work up to such weights a bit less frequently so that I have more energy to spend on practicing.

Also on bench I gotta do very little heavy or moderately heavy work so that I can spend the most time possible on conditioning my upper chest and front delts. I noticed that whenever they're fatiqued I don't **** up my tendon much so I need to bring the muscle tissues up to regain the balance by training unbalanced in the opposite way that I trained unbalanced to **** myself up to begin with so that in the end I can train more balanced and actually get stronger.

So ****ing simple but it will take a long time.

Going to work again today and will prolly only get 6 hours of sleep. School starts back up tomorrow.

[DOMSPOWER]

So I got zero sales.... I had 2-3 in me, but some damn rookie mistakes ruined all of that..

Talking to people in a way that makes them want to listen to me is way easier now though so I'm still gonna show up and try hard.

Deadlift - oly bar, bumper plates
3x100
140
Straps
180 - didn't even get it up to my knees....
Snatch Grip
3x5x100

Wanted 200kg today but apparently felt like **** when I tred to lift.. everything after the fail was not near my MRV cos I need to recover my CNS more.

GHR felt like **** so moved on..

Push ups
3x10xbw

CG Pulldown Rows
3x8x60

[DOMSPOWER]

First an update on my goals and then my training methodology.

GOALS

So I've hit 15x140kg on Deadlift. However I've done more maximal work the last 2 weeks and also that repout was with a bit of bouncing so what I'm gonna do now is try to get that set again and a bit cleaner before I change that goal.

I've also stopped Squatting with a red mini band wrapped around my knees. In fact I've cut out back Squats temporarily, however they're back in again on Monday cos I've gotten enough experience go get my workload right and un**** my shoulder. My goal is the same but without that mini band.

Also I have come to realize that my right tricep is weaker than my left one which is why my right shoulder is being overworked easily.

So my goals are now this:

Written in order of piority:
1. Squat 135kg.

2. Build my shoulder joint (upper chest, delts and triceps) up to par by doing hypertrophy type training.

3. Deadlift with tng, straps, oly bar and bumper plates 15x140kg.

They're all pretty simple and last time I Squatted I was good for 130.

TRAINING METHODOLOGY MOVING FORWARD

With the new job every Friday and Sunday, I've been bothered with a lot of thoughts about how to rotate the different workouts I've been doing without running into frequency issues etc. Thus I've made a template that I can follow loosely with primary work and do whatever I want with assistance exercises.

Monday:
Squat heavy
Optional: Snatch Grip Deadlift medium reps

Tuesday:
Bench heavy and Spoto

Wednesday:
Deadlift mostly rep based and alternating deficit and regular every week
Optional: Front Squat light

Thursday:
Close Grip Incline medium to high reps

Friday:
Work

Saturday:
Smaller workout with some medium to high reps Overhead Press, maybe some very light Squat/Deadlift type work if I feel like it but mostly a small workout with some small exercises.
This is also prolly the one day every week that I'm gonna CURL.

Sunday:
Work

Almost every Monday and Tuesday I'm gonna start out with a heavy single. I might do slight variations here and there if I feel a need for it, like paused Squat and close grip bench.

Like I've said before, a heavy single will be at RPE8-9 from here on out.

After the heavy single I'm gonna practice my skills. I plan on doing stuff like 10 sets of 3.

The optional exercises can be anything really. Hell they could be the primary lift instead of variations. They can also be moved to other days if I want some higher frequency. But in that case I'm gonna work them no more than what allows me to go hard on the main days (mostly practice work).

I plan on doing push ups on every day that isn't based around pressing to further increase shoulder stability by targeting my left anterior serratus.

[DOMSPOWER]

Yesterday was just a small deloadish workout.

Close grip Incline - 30 degrees
15x30 PR
12x40 - 2sets and PR
12x45 PR
8x50
6x60 PR

Nothing near failure.

Terminal Press
3x15x60 PR

Low Row Machine
13x75kg/side PR

Yates Rows
16x100 not all out and no straps (just wanted to show off in front of some weak friends that didnt train hard to make the point).

[DOMSPOWER]

Friday night after work I decided to stay at the office and get a handful of beers with my colleagues to get to know the people better.

My body somehow got really ****ing drunk by nothing and so I ended up spending the night at the trauma department of a hospital.

Now, 3 days later I still have a bit of hangovers.....

I have come to terms with my current training regime and decided that I shouldn't train every single day each weak that i dont have to work. Instead I'm gonna have 3 hard workouts and one small/medium workout so that I can better recover. It's gonna be a template that I can use as a guideline, which I'm gonna write up tomorrow.

First workout was today:

Squat
2x5x60
7x5x70

I feel like I got way more out of this workout than I did any of the heavy workouts I've done since I started this log.

Bench
5x5x60

Superset Terminal Press
3x10x60

Snatch Grip Deadlift - bumper plates, straps
2x10x60 PR and easy as hell

Snatch Grip Upright Rows
2x12x20

Awkward movement but i already feel more stable in the shoulder joint after doing this.

Close Grip Pulldown Rows
2x8x55

Incline curls 3sets and push ups 2sets

Training with hangovers suck but I can't wait to see what happens now that I do more to grease the groove. It's what got me to 150kg Squat the first time although that was with triples, but I'm gonna progress to lower reps soon when my form is ready to start going heavy again, so I know exactly what I'm doing with this.

[DOMSPOWER]

So i put together my new template that i'm going to follow loosely as a set of guidelines. Everything is autoregulated and i can deviate from the plan sometimes. Still keeping it instinctive to a big degree.

Problems that I need to improve on

Squat: positioning. Knees out and shoulders rising are my main objects. Left serratus anterior need to be brought up to best improve these.

Bench: strengthening all my tissue around the shoulder joint to increase longevity and maximise strength (mainly upper chest and triceps). Core need some improvement as well so my upper body doesn't lie unevenly on the bench.

Deadlift: just keep on building my ass by working on positioning on Squat/repping out on deads with tng (especially off a deficit) and increase thoracic strength a bit further. As with everything, improve core stability too although it's pretty good on this lift.

The Template

A:
Squat 5-10x4-6
Close Grip Incline (30 degrees) 5-10x8-15 *
Snatch Grip Deadlift 2-3x4-6
Pulldown Rows of any kind 3-4x6-10

* do mostly straight sets but use very high reps to warm up (and possibly at the end of the workout as well) with the intention of loosening up and avoiding too heavy weights. Avoid failure moreso than on competition bench. All of this goes for Overhead Press as well.

B:
Deadlift Repout (tng, oly bar, bumper plates, straps) *
Optional: heavy single double overhand
Bench 5-10x4-6 **
Front Squat 3-4x4-6
Barbell Rows or Machine Rows 1-2x5-20

* Alternate deficit and off the floor Deadlift. Chase rep goals at 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 (start high reps and increase weight as goals are reached).

** Some of these sets can be done as Spoto Press with less weight. Also, superset from warm ups and up to the first 3-4 work sets with Terminal Press to correct core imbalances (mostly targeting Serratus Anterior).

These 2 workouts are to be alternated Saturday, Monday and Wednesday, and I can follow them up with 1-2 assist exercises depending on how I feel.

Thursday workout:
One Arm Deadlift 3-4x5-8
Overhead Press 3-4x8-15
Follow up with 1-3 assistance exercises

Assist exercises are mostly based on fixing my bicep tendon (overuse and unbalanced core) and some hamstring work as well.

Periodization

Right now i'm just gonna focus on practice, mostly on Squats. The advantage on bench is generally just that the weight is not very high with many sets, which is a good thing for my shoulder. I'm obviously gonna have lighter days to avoid feeling too much like ****, but this is a good starting point to feel it out.

After a while with this, i'm going to do 2-3reps per set with occasional singles, and later on i'm gonna allow myself to work up to a heavy topset of 1-3reps then do backoff sets. Either that or i'm just gonna decrease sets every 1-2 workouts until i have nowhere to go but max out.

Supplement/accessory exercises will change as my physical needs change.

[hamzatm]

Totally in on this, great to see someone who thinks for themselves, tries stuff out, and is making the plan work for them.

I'm in the opposite boat to you actually (not nearly as strong though). I used to do the almost fully instinctive approach to training previously where the only thing I'd track was my total volume on heavy S/B/D variations every week (ensure it kept progressing) but apart from that did pretty much whatever. Volume went up but I didn't manage to hit my goals in terms of body development.

Why was that? I found that once in the gym I got short-sighted. Often failed to make good decisions based on a bigger picture view of what I was doing. For example I made an overall goal to fix my upper/lower body imbalance (upper body lagging a lot). But once in the gym even when I thought I'd done a good amount of upper body volume, I'd come home and realise that I'd actually done more lower body work.

So right now I'm trying out a more structured program I wrote for myself, where I do all my self coaching and thinking in between sessions, but once in the gym all I know is I have a plan to do and I focus on bringing some serious intensity to it. And this way I guarantee I'm putting the volume where I need it first and foremost. Of course some things are still left to instinct like sets and reps on the day for accessories etc.

Anyway, been looking through your log - wanted to point this out because perhaps you missed it, but it doesn't look like you are doing much (if any) overhead work for that shoulder capsule and upper chest area? Might be a thing.

Good luck man and hit those goals!

[DOMSPOWER]

Totally in on this, great to see someone who thinks for themselves, tries stuff out, and is making the plan work for them.

I'm in the opposite boat to you actually (not nearly as strong though). I used to do the almost fully instinctive approach to training previously where the only thing I'd track was my total volume on heavy S/B/D variations every week (ensure it kept progressing) but apart from that did pretty much whatever. Volume went up but I didn't manage to hit my goals in terms of body development.

Why was that? I found that once in the gym I got short-sighted. Often failed to make good decisions based on a bigger picture view of what I was doing. For example I made an overall goal to fix my upper/lower body imbalance (upper body lagging a lot). But once in the gym even when I thought I'd done a good amount of upper body volume, I'd come home and realise that I'd actually done more lower body work.

So right now I'm trying out a more structured program I wrote for myself, where I do all my self coaching and thinking in between sessions, but once in the gym all I know is I have a plan to do and I focus on bringing some serious intensity to it. And this way I guarantee I'm putting the volume where I need it first and foremost. Of course some things are still left to instinct like sets and reps on the day for accessories etc.

Anyway, been looking through your log - wanted to point this out because perhaps you missed it, but it doesn't look like you are doing much (if any) overhead work for that shoulder capsule and upper chest area? Might be a thing.

Good luck man and hit those goals!

Thanks man and yeah you're right, i've been a bit shortsighted. Realized i didn't do enough work for Squats but tried to still do heavy lifts and just see if i could do backoffs, but well my work capacity sucks too much it seems.

Regards to upper chest and shoulder work, i had to recover my right shoulder after doing 4x1x100kg Bench at a time where i shouldn't have. That work is definitely in now!

I've made my own routine by modifying a beginner template i've created recently for someone else. It could easily be modifiedfor you if the style above is something of interest to you. Otherwise just the same principles, lots of quality work and stopping when you're done instead of whenever a typical program would say you've done enough sets.

[hamzatm]

Ah I see. Yeah I've been there, did a daft heavy shoulder press one time (24kg DBs I think, heavy for me) my competitive friend came to train, and set back my overhead progress for a while

Thanks for the offer but I'm good for programming. I do a similar approach, whatever is planned for the day always stop when I'm done and not at arbitrary numbers.

I've got a log around here somewhere... Ah here it is http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=171020221

[DOMSPOWER]

Subbed and like what I see man. Your Squat needs way more work though; it's lagging a ton.

Cut out the singles. You need more greasing the groove right now to harvest the rest of your beginner gains first. Due to my own experience you can expect like 30kg on your Squat and 3cm on your thighs in around 8 weeks if you do this:

8-10 sets of triples on your primary day. After around a month you can do 8x3, 6x2, 4x2, 2x2 with possibly 5-10kg more on the last double but adding 2,5-5kg per week. Then deload a week and max.

Secondary day: 5x3x90% of your best 10x3.

After that you can do a month of greasing the groove and start trying to do singles before you do straight sets if you really love singles. Or you can just do tons of triples as backoff sets right now, but when I did something very similar to what I just outlined I got 10x3x100kg Squat and ended up with 1x150kg 5 weeks after and my thighs grew up to 2cm on the smallest one. That was a 20kg PR. You can expect way more progress cos you're smaller and weaker plus you're bulking which I almost didn't do any of.

Today didn't go too well. All those days of bed rest got me really tight and my throat still feels like vodka.

Deficit Deadlift - oly bar, bumper plates, tng
2x100
12x120
Double overhand
120 PR cos I never did DO off a deficit before
140 PR

Bench
8x5x60

Front Squat
3x4x60

The last set was with the best form I've ever done regardless of weight.

Neutral grip Pulldown Rows
7x60 dafuq!
55kg: 9, 8, 6 short rest on the last set

My CG Rows are also with neutral grip, but today wasn't a close grip.

Overhead Barbell Extensions - standing
20kg: 15 PR, 13, 12 - ready to start adding weight now!

Superset Barbell Curls 3x10x20 for active BICEP recovery.

Push ups
Bw: 15, 12

Finally able to do them to failure without the weak serratus anterior failing on me!

[hamzatm]

Congrats on push up gains lol! Just started doing them myself after the Greg Nuckols bench seminar. They feel awesome.

My days that sounds like a squat plan! Let me jump right on that then. Firstly forget singles I don't like them at all. So let me get this straight, is it like this:
For the entire first month:
Primary day always 8-10 sets of triples. Autoregulate weight (start at a reasonable weight and if it's manageable move up if not stay the same etc).
Secondary day always 5 sets of triples at 90% of best 10x3.

After a month or so:
Primary day periodize up in weight down in volume each workout: 8x3, 6x2, 4x2, 2x2. On any day the last double can be 5-10kg higher if it feels good?
Secondary day still 5 sets of triples at 90% of best 10x3.

Let me know if that's correct. I'll do this on high bar squats, it's going to be my primary stance.

[DOMSPOWER]

Yeah man. Just increase weight by 2,5kg every time you get 10 sets. Feel grest the next time? Add 5kg!

If progress is going great then keep doing it for longer than a month. And cut out Squat variations for a while until your CNS is efficient at the primary movement (coordination and rate-coding).

This method can be done on bench too.

[DOMSPOWER]

I'm really ****ing overreached today. My recovery sucks after that drinking accident. Not going to the gym today....

I've chatted with a Physiotherapist friend of mine who I have met at a few meets. He said I prolly have Tendinopathy. He said I have to do exercises that I can relax while doing, which is ****ing awesome.

[hamzatm]

Take it easy man, the weights'll be there for you when you return. They'll be there tomorrow. And next week. And next year too come to think of it

I plan to keep up a lot of volume at lighter weights on bench, so probably won't use that method just yet. Seems perfect for squats though. Gonna be a shame cutting out front squats but I'll live.

[DOMSPOWER]

If you just do stuff like Yates Rows, Close Grip Pulldown Rows and Leg Lowerings then you should be golden without FSQ.

Up to you man, but I thought you wanted to be a Powerlifter.

[hamzatm]

Yeah I'll do without FSQ for nao

Up to you man, but I thought you wanted to be a Powerlifter.

Is this regarding bench lol? In any case not really, just be strong and jacked. Instinctively. Pretty similar to someone else I know actually...

[DOMSPOWER]

I see but my best advice is to just get a ton of good quality sets in regardless of what you do. And do lighter work on assist exercises, which there will be more of on the upper body anyways cos it can recover from more work.

The physio ordered me to hold back on my volume when I feel pain or discomfort at more than 4-5 on a scale of 10 and give it tiiiiime. So I'm prolly gonna be doing a lot of 5-10 rep sets in the coming months.

[hamzatm]

Yes lots of good quality sets, I'll keep that in mind - please let me know if I'm straying away!

Sounds like fun, sets of 5-10 rock. It's a relief to have a plan in mind when dealing with injuries.