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  1. #1
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    The Flywheel Effect.

    "Picture a huge, heavy flywheel. It’s a massive, metal disk mounted horizontally on an axle. It's about 100 feet in diameter, 10 feet thick, and it weighs about 25 tons. Your job is to get that flywheel to move as fast as possible, because momentum—mass times velocity—is what will generate superior results over time.

    Right now, the flywheel is at a standstill. To get it moving, you make a tremendous effort. You push with all your might, and finally you get the flywheel to inch forward. After two or three days of sustained effort, you get the flywheel to complete one entire turn. You keep pushing, and the flywheel begins to move a bit faster. It takes a lot of work, but at last the flywheel makes a second rotation. You keep pushing steadily. It makes three turns, four turns, five, six. With each turn, it moves faster, and then—at some point, you can’'t say exactly when—you break through. The momentum of the heavy wheel kicks in your favor. It spins faster and faster, with its own weight propelling it. You aren't pushing any harder, but the flywheel is accelerating, its momentum building, its speed increasing.

    This is the Flywheel Effect.
    "

    Source - jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.html


    Background
    I'm a 41 year old male. Grew up playing sports constantly. Became extremely inactive as I grew older. I just began getting into shape (again) around 9 months ago, by drastically changing my diet, and starting to exercise 4-5 days per week. I just began weight training somewhat seriously about 3 months ago. I had a little bit of experience previously, but didn't know what the hell I was doing (probably still don't, lol). I'd never squatted or deadlifted before, and hadn't done much of the other primary lifts either. I'm down from 202lbs. to 162lbs. I still have a decent amount of body fat to burn (I'm only 5'6"), but I'm in more of a recomposition phase right now. Body weight has stayed the same for the last month, but body fat continues to lower and muscle mass continues to increase.

    Goals
    I don't have specific goals for any of my lifts aside from just learning how to do them correctly.
    My primary goal (which aligns with the name of the thread, and the intro I left above) is to be consistent - to show up at the gym consistently, put forth a consistent effort once there, and to be consistent in my diet. I have just enough experience with yo-yo'ing between being in decent shape and in terrible shape to not want to do it again. I intend to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the remainder of my days, simply because it feels good.

    The Plan
    For my first serious attempt at weight training, I've chosen to follow the GST program which is stickied in the main 'Workout Programs' forum. I selected it for a variety of reason. I won't list all of them here, but one of the main things I like about it is it's potential to be used for a long time. If I haven't made it obvious already, consistency is kind of important to me, lol. Unlike most beginners, I don't have any interest in jumping from one program to another. I wanted a program that would be effective for years rather than months, even if that means I'll gain strength at a slower pace (and I don't know that that's the case...just sayin'). I'm not looking to get abs for the summer, or get jacked by the end of the year. I'm looking at this as adopting a lifestyle that I'll maintain indefinitely, and I'm looking at the physical changes (appearance) simply as side effects of that change rather than looking at them as the end goal of the change. Bottom line - GST fits my needs, and I feel satisfied with my decision to use it as the foundation of my newly adopted lifestyle. I will leave plenty of evidence in this thread as time goes on to let you all see the results of utilizing GST (for better or worse). Speaking of results...

    Results (so far)
    I don't have enough posts to share links or images yet, so I've attached a screenshot of my results so far. It shows my starting 1RM's, and weights and reps for AMRAP sets for each of my first 2 Macros, and then shows my starting 1RM's for my third Macro, which I just started today.
    Macro 2.jpg

    For the lazy:
    Lift - Starting 1RM > Current 1RM
    Deadlift - 260 > 280
    Incline Press - 115 > 150
    Back Squat - 130 > 180
    Bent Row - 150 > 175
    Overhead Press - 100 > 100

    I look forward to sharing my attempts to get that big old flywheel a movin' here on a regular basis. Feedback/interaction will always be appreciated.
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  2. #2
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    Macro #3 / Lift #1 / Supplemental Scheme #3

    Core
    Deadlift = 165lbs X 8 Reps X 8 Reps X 15 AMRAP

    Supplementals
    Squat Supplement: Front Squat = 90 X 8 X 8 X 6 X 5 (should've only done 6 reps on the first 2 sets)
    Lift Supp #1: Romanian Deadlift = 165 X 6 X 6 X 6 X 6
    Lift Supp #2: Leg Curl = 105 X 6 X 6 X 6 X 6

    Today was a bit of a struggle. I was short of sleep and working on an empty stomach about 30 minutes after I woke up. It took me over an hour to get through the 15 sets. Despite that, I was able to hit almost all of my reps, which means I'll be increasing the load on all of these supplemental lifts next time I do them on Scheme #3 (4-5 Sets / 4-6 Reps).
    I plan to get some good rest this evening, and hit Press Day hard tomorrow morning.
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  3. #3
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    Macro #3 / Press #1 / Supplemental Scheme #3

    Core
    Incline Press = 90 x 8/8/14(AMRAP)

    Supplementals
    Press Supplement #1: Seated Overhead DB Press = 35's x 6/5/5/5
    Pull Supplement: Bent DB Row = 40's x 6/6/6/6
    Press Supplement #2: Close Grip Bench Press = 110 x 5/5/4/4

    Man...the last 2 sets of Close Grip Bench Press were rough. I almost didn't get the 4th rep up in the final set. My triceps are getting consistently stronger, but are still a clear weak point for me, and it really shows when I get to these pressing movements. They held me back on the Overhead DB Presses today too. My shoulders could've handled a bit more weight, but the triceps wouldn't cooperate. I may need to fit in a few extra sets per week to focus on them.

    A few weeks into the start of my training, I had to remove dips from my workouts because my wrists couldn't handle them. Now that I've purchased some wrist wraps, I may need to try the dips again and see if I can do them with the additional wrist support. Honestly, I'm still pretty concerned about it though. The only reason I got wrist wraps a couple of weeks ago is because my left wrist totally gave out when I was getting up off the floor after some stretching exercises. Suffice to say, I need to be really careful about how much stress I put on my wrists.

    On the bright side, the rows felt really good. I feel like I've finally nailed down the form and movement path pretty well, whereas previously my arms seemed to be moving on different planes. The weight felt relatively light, and I'll be moving up to 45's next time.
    Last edited by CW47; 08-03-2016 at 12:38 PM.
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  4. #4
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    Macro #3 / Squat #1 (60% of 1RM)/ Supplemental Scheme #3 (4 Sets/4-6 Reps)

    I planned to lift in the morning, but woke up with no energy. I was feeling the effects of waking up early the day before. I ended up fitting my workout in after work. This is only about the third time I've lifted in the evening since I started lifting, and my body wasn't prepared for it AT ALL. The beginning was especially rough.

    Core
    Back Squat = 115 x 8/8/16(AMRAP)

    After my second set of squats I felt like I was going to pass out. Rested for a few minutes, and then pumped out 16 reps on my last set, which I was pretty damned happy with. I had forgotten to update the weight in my notebook ahead of time, so I guessed that I should be squatting around 115. I checked when I got home, and it turns out I was only supposed to be lifting 105, so I did the 16 reps with an extra 10lbs on my back. Nice! (Hey...don't laugh, lol. I'm proud of those numbers. I could barely do 20 bodyweight squats six months ago, so I've made some good progress)


    Supplementals
    Lift Supplement: Hyperextensions = 35 x 6/6/6/6
    Squat Supplement #1: DB Lunge = 30's x 6/6/6/6
    Squat Supplement #2: Leg Extension = 90 x 6/6/6 100 X 6

    Hypers
    Oooheee, those Hypers killed me today. This is literally the first time I lifted enough weight on this exercise to really feel a burn. I could definitely notice an imbalance in my back, because my left side was much more fatigued than my right. I imagine that will work itself out over time.

    Lunges
    I had only planned to use 27.5's this time since I struggled to get through the 25's last time. Apparently I overlooked the fact that the gym doesn't have 27.5lb DB's. I had no choice but to attempt it with 30's, and then I went and hit all my reps.

    Leg Extensions
    These felt much easier than expected. I added an extra 10lbs on the last set because 90lbs wasn't pushing me very much. I probably could've hit all the sets/reps at 105 or 110.

    All of my supplemental exercises will get bumped up next time through.
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  5. #5
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    Macro #3 / Pull #1 / Supplemental Scheme #3
    I didn't know how this was going to go since I lifted late last night and then was hitting it again right away this morning, but I woke up feeling good and fresh. I got a little something in my stomach and then headed off to the gym.

    Core (60% of 1RM)
    Pull Core: Bent BB Row = 105 x 8/8/18(AMRAP)
    OHP Core: Overhead BB Press = 60 x 8/8/13(AMRAP)

    Rows
    I touched the floor between each rep, which is something I hadn't been doing previously. I like it! I got a fuller range of motion. I also didn't need to worry about my grip strength holding me back, since I could do slight readjustments as I went.

    OHP
    I was pretty disappointed with this result. The lift feels much better than it did when I first started a couple of months ago, but I've seen literally zero progress. 7 Weeks ago I did the same lift with the same weight, and got 13 reps on my AMRAP set. Frustrating.


    Supplementals (4 Sets/4-6 Reps)
    Pull Supplement #1: Cable Row = 155 x 6/6/6/6
    Press Supplement: Flat DB Press = 40's x 6/6/6/6
    Pull Supplement #2: Pull Up = BW-10 x 6/6/6/5

    Cable Row
    I tweaked a muscle on the left side of my back 2 weeks ago doing this exercise. I was still feeling it a little bit when I did them last week. Today I didn't feel a thing. I felt strong. I was able to really focus on moving the weight with the correct muscles, with good control.

    Flat DB Press
    Each time I do these they feel a little bit better. This time around I was able to consistently get into the right position to let my chest muscles do the work instead of my forearms or triceps, and the weight went up easier as a result.

    Pull Up
    I was skeptical about hitting my reps on Pull Ups today since I really struggled with them last time. It felt great to hit nearly all of them. I'll be moving up to bodyweight pull ups next time around.

    And so ends Micro 1. Rest day tomorrow, and then back at it on Monday.
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  6. #6
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    Macro #3 / Lift #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Deadlift = 195 x 6/6/12(AMRAP)

    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Squat Supplement: Front Squat = 65 x 20/20
    Lift Supplement #1: Romanian Deadlift = 115 x 20/20
    Lift Supplement #2: Leg Curl = 75 x 20/20

    The 20 rep sets kick my ass every time. Conditioning overall isn't very good right now. In my next Macrocycle I'm going to put a little more focus on it.

    The Deadlifts and RDL's felt good. The only thing with those is that I'm feeling them a lot more on the left side than on the right. I'm not sure if that's because my left side is just weaker, or if it's because of my form (My right leg is longer, which makes it pretty much impossible to stand so that I have an even weight distribution between both legs). I feel like I'm anchoring most of my weight on my left side.

    I have a similar issue when I Squat also. The brunt of the weight is always on one leg or the other, because in order to have it be balanced I'd have to put my right leg in an unnatural position. When I first started squatting, I'd end up caving my right knee inward to create an even balance between my legs (it wasn't really a conscious action, and I didn't even notice it until I looked in the mirror), but I realized pretty quickly that I was asking for trouble by putting stress on my knee in that unnatural position. I have a feeling this is something I'm going to need to be very careful with as the amount of weight I'm lifting continues to increase.

    Overall this was a pretty successful session. All supplemental lifts will go up next time.
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  7. #7
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    I was running on about only 6 hours of sleep. I generally don't function well at anything less than 7, but went to the gym feeling decent. I did my weigh in on the inbody scale, and the results were okay, but not great. My bodyweight is staying basically the same (just a hair higher on the scale, but it varies from day to day and hour to hour obviously). Body fat is the one I'm a bit disappointed in, as it's stopped dropping for the moment. Muscle mass is continuing to increase (Awww Yeah!). Here's a look at my numbers from the last 3 weigh-ins:

    June 28
    Bodyweight = 161.4lbs
    Body Fat% = 26.3
    Muscle (lbs) = 67.5

    July 12
    BW = 162.3
    BF = 25.7
    Muscle = 68.2

    August 8
    BW = 163.3
    BF = 25.8
    Muscle = 68.6

    With my workouts coming first thing in the morning after I wake up, I began eating late in the evening, and then eating just a tiny amount right before my workout to make sure I have some energy. I think I just need to cut back on the eating in the evening, since that's the only thing that's really changed. I'm not TOO disappointed, but I really want my BF% going down. That's priority number one right now.

    On to the training session...


    Macro #3 / Press #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Incline Bench Press = 105 x 6/6/11(AMRAP)

    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Press Supplement #1: Seated Overhead DB Press = 25's x 17/12
    Pull Supplement: Bent DB Row = 30's x 20/20
    Press Supplement #2: Close Grip Bench Press = 70 x 20/20

    I was relatively happy with these results. I got fewer reps on the DB Press than I did last time at the same weight (19 vs 21), but I actually felt better about them this time. I used the full range of motion, whereas last time I only lowered the weight until my upper arms were parallel to the floor. Weight will stay the same on that one next time, and I'll see if I can finally reach a 20 rep set. Everything else felt really nice. I mentioned a few posts ago that I felt my triceps were lagging behind. Well the Close Grip Bench Press gave them a great workout today. I was able to knock at the 20 reps easier than I did last time even though I was lifting more weight than last time. Don't get me wrong...the arms were a shakin' on those final reps, but they held up and got the bar up. Progress!
    The Flywheel Effect - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=172103043
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    Back at it

    Trained today for the first time in a week. A combination of traveling and being sick prevented me from making it to the gym.
    I was about due for a de-load anyway, so it was good timing. Today's session was purposely light. I'm still pretty run down from being sick, and didn't want to overtax my system. Hopefully within the next day or two I'll be back at full strength.


    Macro #3 / Squat #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Back Squat = 125 x 6/6/6 (didn't do an AMRAP set today)

    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Lift Supplement: Reverse Hyper-extensions = 40 x 15/15
    Squat Supplement #1: DB Lunges = 20's x 15/15
    Squat Supplement #2: Leg Extension = 75 x 15/15

    Energy was extremely low throughout the session, but I made it through. It felt good to work up a sweat.


    Measurements Update
    I got a scale that measures body fat% and muscle mass%, along with some other things. I'll be tracking my numbers each Tuesday for the next couple of weeks to see how the new scale compares to the machine I've been using for the last 5 months. I took my first readings today.

    Measure: Old Scale Result - New Scale Result
    Weight: 162.2 - 163.2
    Body Fat%: 25.9 - 28.1
    Muscle Mass%: 41.9 - 34.0

    The muscle mass measurements are drastically different. The other two seem to be in the same ballpark. Ultimately it doesn't really matter if the two scales give the same measurement, as long as they're both consistent. I'll compare again next week.
    The Flywheel Effect - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=172103043
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  9. #9
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    Macro #3 / Pull/OHP #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Overhead Press = 70 x 6/6/6 (didn't do an AMRAP set today)
    BB Bent Row = 120 x 6/6/6 (didn't do an AMRAP set today)

    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Pull Supplement #1: Cable Row = 110 x 20/20
    Press Supplement: Flat DB Press = 35's x 15/13
    Pull Supplement #2: Pull Ups = BW-55 x 15/15

    Same story as yesterday basically. I'm still really worn down from this cold I have. I got 8 hours of sleep, but felt like I needed another 2 hours. My plan as of right now is to have a day off tomorrow, and then restart this Microcycle on Friday or Saturday, depending upon when I'm able to make it to the gym. Hopefully I'll be back at full strength in a few more days. Not having any energy really sucks.
    The Flywheel Effect - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=172103043
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    As mentioned in my previous post, after a week off (and still being a little bit run down with a cold) I've decided to repeat my last microcycle rather than moving on to the next one. I'm still trying to avoid over-taxing my CNS since I'm nowhere near 100% right now.

    I don't remember if I've mentioned this in my log, but I AM doing warmup sets prior to my working sets. I just haven't been logging them because I didn't make space for them in my training log that I write in, lol. Since I'm still a lightweight, I'm typically doing only about 2 warmup sets: 1 at about 50% of my working weight for around 10 reps, and 1 at about 75% for 4-6 reps. This usually seems to be more than enough.

    Macro #3 / Lift #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1 (2nd time through)

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Deadlift = 195 x 6/6/6/6

    I was feeling slightly better, but still didn't want to totally wipe myself out. Instead of doing the typical 2 sets of 6 followed by an AMRAP set, I decided to do 4 sets of 6. That gave me the same amount of volume I did the first time through this micro, without exhausting myself as much. I made a slight change in form that felt much better. I tried to really focus on pushing with my legs (like a leg press) more than extending my back. It felt like a much smoother and more explosive motion. I also tried out a hook grip for the first time, and that felt pretty good. It should come in handy when I get to my heavier weeks.

    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Squat Supplement: Front Squat = 65 x 15/15
    Lift Supplement #1: Romanian Deadlift = 115 x 20/20
    Lift Supplement #2: Leg Curl = 75 x 20/20

    All of the supplemental lifts ended up almost the same as the first time through, which I'm happy with given my energy level right now. The one exception was the Front Squat. Having this day setup to start with the Deadlift, do Front Squats next, and then do Romanian Deadlifts has been creating a bit of an issue for me. I don't know what shoes to wear, lol. My first time through this micro I wore my squatting shoes. They help a lot with the Front Squats obviously, but don't feel quite right for the deadlift variations. This time I wore my normal shoes, which have a relatively flat sole. They feel great when deadlifting, but don't work nearly as well for squatting. I was only able to get 15 reps on my Front Squat sets compared to 20 the first time through. My form felt really sloppy.

    I have a couple of options. I can just bring a bag with me and change shoes in the middle of my workout (I don't think this would be against any rules in my gym...I just don't really like having to carry a bag with me as I move around). Otherwise I'll wait until the end of this Macrocycle and re-organize my lifts so that I don't have squats between my deadlifts (I could probably switch them with lunges, for example). I may do both actually. Change shoes, and then re-assess the structure of my training sessions at the end of this Macro.

    I'm kind of planning one more relatively light training day tomorrow, and then I'm hoping I'll be close enough to 100% to go full bore again.
    The Flywheel Effect - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=172103043
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    I'm feeling much better. My energy level was much better today, despite the fact that I was training on an empty stomach. My next training session will back to 100% effort.

    Macro #3 / Press #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Incline Bench Press = 105 x 6/6/6/6/4

    I once again avoided the AMRAP sets. I tried to make up for it through additional volume. I also shortened my rest periods between sets, trying to improve my conditioning. On my core lift, instead of doing 6/6/AMRAP, I decided to repeat sets of 6 until I couldn't make it to 6 anymore. I felt really strong, and managed to get through 4 full sets of 6 before running out of steam.
    I really liked this approach. I felt like I was able to exhaust my muscles just as much as I do with an AMRAP set, while putting less stress on my CNS. I may experiment with using this approach on the first 2 weeks of my Macro, and then doing AMRAP sets on weeks 3 and 4, since I need the AMRAP numbers to calculate my 1RM's for the upcoming Macro. I'm not sure yet, but it's something I'm considering.


    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Press Supplement #1: Seated Overhead DB Press = 25's x 16/11/8
    Pull Supplement: Bent DB Row = 30's x 15/15/10
    Press Supplement #2: Close Grip Bench Press = 70 x 15/15/13

    On my supplemental lifts, I took a somewhat similar approach to what I mentioned above. On supplemental scheme #1 I typically do 2 sets of 20. This time I decided to reduce the number of reps and instead add in an extra set, again hoping to increase my overall volume. This worked out pretty well. I think moving forward I'm going to use this approach anytime I'm unable to hit my rep goal. For example, if I'm on scheme #1 and I hit 2 sets of 20, I'll stop there and increase my weight next time through. If I'm unable to hit at least 90% of my reps, I'll add an extra set.
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    Macro #3 / Squat #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    Core (70% of 1RM)

    Back Squat = 125 x 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6

    After discussing with the creator of the Growth Stimulus Training method I'm using, I'm going to continue with the approach mentioned in my last post. During the first 2 Micro's of each Macro, instead of doing 2 sets and then 1 AMRAP set, I'll be repeating sets until I can't hit the prescribed number of reps. It'll be interesting to see how this little experiment turns out.

    I used this method today, and as you can see I was able to get through 9 full sets. I may have been able to get through a 10th, but I was on a tight time schedule and wanted to make sure I fit in the rest of my workout. Good god did that ever wear me out. Forget what I said about not be as taxing on my CNS, lol. It was obviously much more volume than I would've had following the typical setup of 2 sets and then 1 AMRAP set, because there's no way in hell I would've made it to 42 reps on my AMRAP set, lol. I'll be feeling this tomorrow for sure.

    My biggest takeaway from this is that my conditioning has probably been holding me back more than I thought. It's probably been the biggest limiting factor on my AMRAP, more so than actual strength. Otherwise it just doesn't make sense that I'd be able to do so many more reps using this approach. Of course, I'm a total noob, so I may not know what I'm talking about.


    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Lift Supplement: Reverse Hyper-extensions = 40 x 20/20
    Squat Supplement #1: DB Lunges = 20's x 20/19
    Squat Supplement #2: Leg Extension = 75 x 13/8/7

    Again, I'm using the method mentioned in my previous post for Supplemental lifts. Those squats destroyed me. I have no idea how, but I managed to hit my reps on Reverse Hypers and Lunges. I had nothing left when I got to the Leg Extensions though. I've been able to hit my reps on those every single time so far, but didn't even get close this time.


    Measurements
    Second week taking comparison measurements. For anyone who hasn't ready my previous posts in here, this is a comparison from two different scales used within about 30 min of each other. It's not a comparison to any previous measurement. Those are listed in my previous posts.
    I don't really know what to make of these results, but here they are:

    Measure: Old Scale Result - New Scale Result
    Weight: 164.2 - 164.6
    Body Fat%: 25.4 - 28.2
    Muscle Mass%: 42.2 - 34.0
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    Macro #3 / Pull/OHP #2 / Supplemental Scheme #1

    My legs are sore from yesterday, but nowhere near as bad as I expected. I came to the gym feeling well rested, strong, and ready to go.

    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Overhead Press = 70 x 6/6/6/6/5
    BB Bent Row = 120 x 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/5

    This was the most comfortable I've felt yet on the OHP. Grip width felt right. I really focused on keeping my core tight (upper back in particular).

    I got through a lot of set on the Rows. To be honest, I'm not completely happy with how I performed the exercise though. I felt like my form got pretty sloppy at times and I was using momentum to get the weight up rather than really isolating the muscles in my upper back. I need to stop worrying about increasing the weight on this lift and just focus on doing it the right way. I'm going to go back and read the section that covers this lift in Starting Strength to make sure my form is on point.


    Supplementals (2 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Pull Supplement #1: Pull Ups = BW-55 x 20/8/8
    Press Supplement: Flat DB Press = 35's x 20/9/7
    Pull Supplement #2: Cable Row = 110 x 20/20

    I changed the order of my Pull Supplements to put Pull Ups first. When I originally setup my program I was doing Rack Pulls because I didn't think my shoulders could handle normal Pull Ups. I ended up swapping them, but I never re-assessed my layout. I feel like the Pull Ups need to be given priority over the Cable Pulls, so I've now reversed the order to make that happen.

    My Supplemental lifts definitely suffered from the increased volume on my Core Lifts. I didn't have any wiggle room on the amount of time I had available in the gym today, and the fact that I had several more sets than normal on each of my core lifts meant that I had to try to get through my supplementals pretty quickly. I started out strong, hitting 20 reps on my first set of each lift. With a rest time of 1-2 minutes, I was nowhere near fully recovered for the subsequent sets though, and ended up not getting even close to hitting my reps. I'm actually okay with this result. As I've mentioned already, I want to put more of a focus on conditioning. While increasing my pace will slow down my weight increases in the interim, it should be beneficial in the long run.

    All in all it was a pretty good training session. I'll be off tomorrow, and then back to training on Friday.
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    Macro #3 / Lift #3 / Supplemental Scheme #2

    Core (80% of 1RM)
    Deadlift = 225 x 11/6/6

    This was actually slightly more than 80%. My 80% weight is 220. I just bumped it up to 225 because it was easier to load that number on the bar, lol. The lift felt quite good for the most part. I was feeling strong, with high energy. The last time I did 225 was about 3 weeks ago, and I managed 7 reps on my AMRAP set. Suffice to say, I'm pretty satisfied with the 11 reps this time around. I physically could've completed several more reps I think, but the form was getting away from me slightly.
    My grip has gotten noticeably stronger, which is helping out a lot when it comes time for the AMRAP sets.


    Supplementals (3 Sets/8-10 Reps)
    Squat Supplement: Front Squat = 80 x 10/10/10
    Lift Supplement #1: Romanian Deadlift = 135 x 10/10/10
    Lift Supplement #2: Leg Curl = 90 x 10/10/10

    I powered through all of these pretty quickly. The front squats were a bit of a challenge for me, but the others were relatively easy.
    I think I pinpointed why I hadn't been feeling the RDL's in my Hamstrings as much as expected... Seems like my weight was shifting forward too much, more towards my toes. I focused on keeping my center of balance more towards the middle/back of my feet, and there was a notable difference. My balance felt better, and I was feeling it in my hamstrings much more. I'm also getting better at keeping my back tight. I've noticed I have a tendency to let my shoulder drop, and I did a much better job of keeping them tight this time around. I'm not sure if it's directly related to the form adjustments, but the weight felt much lighter this time around. I'll be bumping it up 10lbs next time.

    This was a great training session overall. On top of hitting all my supplemental reps and having a good AMRAP set on my core lift, I worked at a pretty aggressive pace. I completed everything in around 40 minutes.
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    Macro #3 / Press #3 / Supplemental Scheme #2

    Core (80% of 1RM)
    Incline Bench Press = 120 x 6(AMRAP)/3/3

    I was expecting at least 10 reps on the AMRAP set, so I was pretty disappointed with the 6 I actually got. Halfway through my workout, I realized that I hadn't eaten anything all day. I also didn't sleep very well last night. Not a good combination, and obviously didn't do my any favors during this training session.


    Supplementals (3-4 Sets/8-10 Reps)
    Press Supplement #1: Seated Overhead DB Press = 35's x 9/6/6/2
    Pull Supplement: Bent DB Row = 40's x 10/10/9
    Press Supplement #2: Close Grip Bench Press = 70 x 10/9/7/5

    Didn't get anywhere near making it on the Overhead Press.
    Hit the prescribed number of reps on rows, so the weight will go up on that one next time.
    I was only 1 rep short on the Bench Press, but couldn't squeeze it out.


    I'll probably have a day off tomorrow and be back with Squat day on Monday. I'm eager to see how many Squats I can do on my AMRAP set after drastically increasing my volume on them last week.
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    Registered User mpacaldo's Avatar
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    Good journal you have there. Pretty strong numbers you have on your lifts!
    My GST Log:

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=172235263&pagenumber=
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  17. #17
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    Macro #3 / Squat #3 / Supplemental Scheme #2

    Core (80% of 1RM)
    Back Squat = 140 x 11/3/3

    I wanted to get to at least 10 reps on my AMRAP set. I'm really happy that I made it. I'm not so happy with my form today though. I feel pretty confident about maintaining good form at lower rep counts, but as soon as I get into higher reps (AMRAP sets) my form goes to hell. After doing a ton of reps with good form last week, it became really obvious today when my form started to get away from me, which started happening around rep 5 or 6. The main issue I'm having is that as soon as I feel my legs start to fail me I start shooting my hips up quickly, and then extending my back up (similar to a Good Morning?, but not as pronounced) to get the weight the rest of the way up. My understanding from lurking the site is that this is generally a sign of weak quads. I'll be re-arranging my exercise selection and order over the next week or two, so I'll make it a point to add in some quad focused lifts to hopefully help out with that.

    Supplementals (2 Sets/8-10 Reps)
    Lift Supplement: Hyper-extensions = 35 x 10/10/10
    Squat Supplement #1: DB Lunges = 25's x 10/10/10
    Squat Supplement #2: Leg Extension = 90 x 10/10/10

    After a couple of months, I'm finally getting into weights on the supplemental lifts that are really challenging. Even though I hit all of my reps today, they weren't easy. I couldn't have completed 11 reps on my last set of Leg Extensions, and I wouldn't have gotten anywhere close to hitting my reps on lunges if I'd been using 30's instead of 25's. Next time through, I'm going to need to fight for every rep on these supplementals.

    This was my fourth time through this set of supplemental lifts on Scheme #2. Here's my weight progression over that time:
    Exercise: Starting Weight (lbs) --> Current Weight (lbs)
    Hyperextensions: 15 --> 35
    DB Lunges: 12.5's --> 25's
    Leg Extensions: 60 --> 90

    That's pretty decent progress. Plus, the weights will go up again next time since I hit all of my reps today.
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    Originally Posted by mpacaldo View Post
    Good journal you have there. Pretty strong numbers you have on your lifts!
    Thanks MP! It's nice to know that I'm not the only person reading it, lol.

    I'm lifting baby weights compared to a lot of the people here, but I'm happy with my progress. I'm not increasing strength at as fast a rate as a lot of other beginners, but gaining strength as fast as possible was never my goal. Long term health is a higher priority for me. I'm happy to be learning these exercises (which are pretty much all new to me) at lighter weights, so I hopefully decrease the chances of injuring myself. If I can keep increasing my strength at this rate for the next year or two, while also limiting the likelihood of injury, I'll be extremely happy.
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    Macro #3 / Pull/OHP #3 / Supplemental Scheme #2

    Core (80% of 1RM)
    Overhead Press = 80 x 7/3/3
    BB Bent Row = 140 x 8/3/3

    OHP felt pretty good today. I'm still pretty stagnant on this lift (I believe I did 6 reps at this weight last time), but I feel better with it overall. I have much better control of my body and the weight, rather than feeling like I'm flailing everywhere, lol.
    Same goes for rows. Progress is slow as far as weight/rep increases go, but my comfort level is much higher. I could've done a few more reps today, but I was trying to keep my form as strict as possible. I did a 9th rep, but didn't count it because it was sloppy, and then decided to stop there.


    Supplementals (3 Sets/8-10 Reps)
    Pull Supplement #1: Pull Ups = BW-80 x 10/10/8
    Press Supplement: Flat DB Press = 40's x 10/10/10
    Pull Supplement #2: Cable Row = 155 x 10/10/10

    This was a good result for me. I'm starting to get the form really locked in tight. This has made a big difference on lifts like the DB Press, where I was previously expending a lot of unnecessary energy trying to get the weight up because my movement path was bad and I had to struggle to get the DB's re-balanced during a couple of reps on each set. I wasn't expecting to be able to hit all the reps on that today, but the weight moved much easier than I had anticipated. It was pretty encouraging, and nice to see all of the repetitions I've done over the last couple of months start to pay off. I'm already excited to see how I'll do with the 45's on DB Press next time around.


    Measurements
    Another Tuesday means another weigh in. Once again, I'm posting results from two different scales that were taken about 30 minutes apart. Changes from last week are notes in parenthesis.

    Measure: Old Scale Result - New Scale Result
    Weight: 163.9 (+0.3) - 164.8 (+0.2)
    Body Fat%: 25.6 (+0.2) - 28.1 (+0.1)
    Muscle Mass%: 42.1 (-0.1) - 34.1 (+0.1)

    I was cutting from Dec-June (dropped 40lbs while increase muscle mass). I needed a break from cutting to rejuvenate myself, so I decided to take a couple of months at maintenance before continuing my cut. Over the last 6 weeks, I've maintained my bodyfat% while increasing muscle, which has resulted in a small amount of weight gain. In the next week or two I'm going to resume my cut for 3 more months, and then re-assess. I'm ultimately trying to get down around 15% bodyfat before I think about bulking. I expect my lifting progress will be relatively slow until I start bulking, but I'm fine with that. My primary initial goal when I set out to get in shape was to get my bodyfat down to a normal level, and that goal hasn't changed.
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    Macro #3 / Lift #4 / Supplemental Scheme #3
    Interesting training day today. I've been short of sleep the last 2 days, and expected it to hurt my performance today. I ended up waking up early because it was noisy in the house, and had a cup of coffee before heading to the gym. I'm not sure if it was the coffee, just the fact that I was awake for a little while before going to the gym, or a combination of both, but I had a ton of energy.


    Core (90% of 1RM)
    Deadlift = 250 x 7/2/2

    The deadlifts felt damn good today. I'm generally quiet when I'm working out. On the seventh rep today, I initially struggled and then had to really push to lock it out. I found myself spontaneously letting out a war cry as I locked it out, lol. Felt awesome, and gave me a good chuckle.
    I recalculated my 1 rep max since this is my last time through on this macro. I started the macro with a 1RM of 280. My newly calculated 1RM is 305. That's a 35lbs jump in the last month. Not bad.


    Supplementals (4 Sets/4-6 Reps)
    Squat Supplement: Front Squat = 95 x 6/6/6/6
    Lift Supplement #1: Romanian Deadlift = 175 x 6/6/6/6
    Lift Supplement #2: Leg Curl = 115 x 6/6/6/6

    I've been dealing with some tingling/numbness in my lower left arm for the past 3 days. Years of repetitive motion at work is probably catching up to me. It may have been exacerbated by back squats. I've really tried focus on bringing my hands in to keep my upper back as tight as possible. The last two times I've done them I felt noticeable discomfort in my elbows afterward. I assumed this will lessen over time, as they become more flexible. I'll definitely need to watch it closely though and see if it might be part of the cause of the numbness. Anyway, the reason I mention this is that Front Squats probably put more strain on my elbows than any other exercise. Hoping to alleviate that pressure, I decided to try a cross grip (?), where my arms are crossed in front of me. I had originally tried to use this grip when doing Front Squats, and had great difficulty balancing the weight, so I immediately gave up on it and changed to the grip where the weight is held in place by the first couple fingers of each hand (not sure what the correct grip terms are for this lift). I've been using that grip ever since because it felt much more stable. As I mentioned, I tried a cross grip today instead. It felt great! My initial struggles must've been entirely related to my poor overall form. This time everything felt super solid. I'll definitely be using this grip from now on.

    Today was a great success for me overall. I'm going to try to get plenty of sleep this evening, and then get after it again tomorrow morning with my last press day of the cycle.
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    Macro #3 / Press #4 / Supplemental Scheme #3
    I was short of sleep for a third night in a row. Ugh. My girlfriend is changing jobs, and had a few days off in between. Usually she's at work early and then I sleep for a few more hours. These last 3 days she's been up and moving around the house early, and I'm a really light sleeper so I haven't been able to actually sleep once she's up.
    As you'll see in a moment, the lack of sleep finally caught up to me.

    Core (90% of 1RM)
    Incline Bench Press = 135 x 1(AMRAP) / 125 X 2/2

    For the second time in a row, I had a major fail on my press day. I actually felt decent during my warmup sets, but when it came time to do my AMRAP set I totally flopped. My second rep only made it half way up. I ended up dropping the weight for my remaining sets, because I felt like I wasn't even going to be able to get 1 rep at 135.
    I've recalculated my 1RM to 145lbs, which is a 5lb drop from what it was during this macro. It sucks, but it's my own damn fault for not coming into my press days at 100%.

    Supplementals (4-5 Sets/4-6 Reps)
    Press Supplement #1: Seated Overhead DB Press = 35's x 6/6/6/5
    Pull Supplement: Bent DB Row = 45's x 6/6/6/6
    Press Supplement #2: Close Grip Bench Press = 115 x 6/4/4/4/3

    Not bad. Overhead DB Press will go up to 40's next time. Bent DB Row will go up to 50's.
    I was only supposed to do 110 on the Close Grip Bench Press, but I was in a hurry and just went with 115 because I didn't want to fiddle around with extra plates. I probably would've made it at 110, but ultimately it should really matter. I'll stay at 115 again next time through.

    I was planning to lift again tomorrow, but at this point I'm not really sure. I'm only going if I'm able to get plenty of sleep tonight, otherwise I'll take a day off.
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    Macro #3 / Squat #4 / Supplemental Scheme #3

    I was still feeling tired and wore down yesterday, so I took the day off. I got some much needed sleep last night, and headed to the gym ready for squat day today.
    I'm still feeling slightly fatigued overall. I only have one more heavy training session, and then I'll be moving down to 60% of my 1RM again. That's turning out to be pretty good timing, and should allow me to refresh/re-energize.

    Core (90% of 1RM)
    Back Squat = 160 x 5/2/2

    After doing 11 reps at 140lbs last week, I had my eyes set on 7 or 8 today. It just wasn't happening. I could've pushed through and done at least 2 more, but my form was sloppy on the 5th rep. Everything just felt like it was out of alignment today. My right knee was cracking on some of the reps. Decided not to press my luck this time around.

    My 1RM will go up to 190 in my next Macro. I was hoping to bump it up to 200, but I can live with a 10 pound jump I guess. If next Macro goes well, I should reach 200lbs finally. I started with an estimated 1RM of 130 about 3 months ago, so my progress has been really steady so far.

    Supplementals (4 Sets/4-6 Reps)
    Lift Supplement: Hyper-extensions = 40 x 6/6/6/6
    Squat Supplement #1: DB Lunges = 35's x 6/6/6/6
    Squat Supplement #2: Leg Extension = 105 x 6/6/6/6

    I don't have much to say about the supplemental lifts today. I hit all my reps so the weight will jump on all of these lifts next time. They're all starting to get pretty challenging finally, so I'm reaching a point where I don't expect them to go up every time moving forward. I wouldn't have been able to do Lunges with 40's today. The other two lifts would've also been questionable with higher weights. It'll be interesting to see if another 3 weeks of training (supplemental lifts are on a 3 week cycle) will allow me to hit those higher weights.

    My overall progress on these lifts has been good.
    Here's a comparison of where I started, and where I'll be after hitting my reps this time:
    Exercise: Starting Weight (lbs) --> Current Weight (lbs)
    Hyperextensions: 20 --> 45
    DB Lunge: 15's --> 40's
    Leg Extension: 75 --> 110
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    Originally Posted by CW47 View Post
    Macro #3 / Lift #4 / Supplemental Scheme #3
    Interesting training day today. I've been short of sleep the last 2 days, and expected it to hurt my performance today. I ended up waking up early because it was noisy in the house, and had a cup of coffee before heading to the gym. I'm not sure if it was the coffee, just the fact that I was awake for a little while before going to the gym, or a combination of both, but I had a ton of energy.


    Core (90% of 1RM)
    Deadlift = 250 x 7/2/2

    The deadlifts felt damn good today. I'm generally quiet when I'm working out. On the seventh rep today, I initially struggled and then had to really push to lock it out. I found myself spontaneously letting out a war cry as I locked it out, lol. Felt awesome, and gave me a good chuckle.
    I recalculated my 1 rep max since this is my last time through on this macro. I started the macro with a 1RM of 280. My newly calculated 1RM is 305. That's a 35lbs jump in the last month. Not bad.


    Supplementals (4 Sets/4-6 Reps)
    Squat Supplement: Front Squat = 95 x 6/6/6/6
    Lift Supplement #1: Romanian Deadlift = 175 x 6/6/6/6
    Lift Supplement #2: Leg Curl = 115 x 6/6/6/6

    I've been dealing with some tingling/numbness in my lower left arm for the past 3 days. Years of repetitive motion at work is probably catching up to me. It may have been exacerbated by back squats. I've really tried focus on bringing my hands in to keep my upper back as tight as possible. The last two times I've done them I felt noticeable discomfort in my elbows afterward. I assumed this will lessen over time, as they become more flexible. I'll definitely need to watch it closely though and see if it might be part of the cause of the numbness. Anyway, the reason I mention this is that Front Squats probably put more strain on my elbows than any other exercise. Hoping to alleviate that pressure, I decided to try a cross grip (?), where my arms are crossed in front of me. I had originally tried to use this grip when doing Front Squats, and had great difficulty balancing the weight, so I immediately gave up on it and changed to the grip where the weight is held in place by the first couple fingers of each hand (not sure what the correct grip terms are for this lift). I've been using that grip ever since because it felt much more stable. As I mentioned, I tried a cross grip today instead. It felt great! My initial struggles must've been entirely related to my poor overall form. This time everything felt super solid. I'll definitely be using this grip from now on.

    Today was a great success for me overall. I'm going to try to get plenty of sleep this evening, and then get after it again tomorrow morning with my last press day of the cycle.
    Sweet progress on your deads! I'm a big fan of deads too and your results excites me as well. Hoping to catch up with you soon haha
    My GST Log:

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    Originally Posted by mpacaldo View Post
    Sweet progress on your deads! I'm a big fan of deads too and your results excites me as well. Hoping to catch up with you soon haha
    I'm sure you will as long as you keep working hard. I only have a few months head start on you. That's nothing in the grand scheme of things.


    Macro #3 / Pull/OHP #4 / Supplemental Scheme #3
    Final workout for this Macrocycle. It was a tough one for me overall, with a vacation, a prolonged sickness, and various other challenges. I'm happy to have it done. I'm especially to have it done AND have made better progress than I expected to.

    Core (90% of 1RM)
    Overhead Press = 90 x 3/1/1
    BB Bent Row = 155 x 5/2/2

    Still zero progress on OHP. I'll be ditching it in my next Macro after not making any progress through the last 3 Macros. I'll be adding in some supplemental work that should help me build up overall shoulder strength.
    Rows went fine. Not particularly good or bad. My 1RM will go up 5lbs, from 175 to 180. Slow but steady progress.


    Supplementals (4-5 Sets/4-6 Reps)
    Pull Supplement #1: Pull Ups = BW x 5/4/4/3/2
    Press Supplement: Flat DB Press = 45's x 6/6/6/6
    Pull Supplement #2: Cable Row = 170 x 6/6/6/6

    Finally feels like I'm making some headway on pullups, though it's still one of my worst lifts.
    On the Flat DB Press, I totally messed up today. I did 4 sets of 6 with 40's, which is what I had marked down on my sheet. They felt too easy so I went back and checked my notes from the last time I did Supplemental Scheme #3, and found that I should've bumped the weight up to 45's today. I was feeling good, so I decided to try the 45's right away, and got through 4 sets of 6 without any problem.
    Cable rows started to get tough on the last couple of reps, but I still got through them.
    I'll be raising the weight on the rows and DB Press next time.


    Measurements
    Our regularly scheduled Tuesday weigh in results. Once again, these measurements are from two different scales and were taken about 30 minutes apart. Changes from last week are noted in parenthesis.

    Measure: Old Scale Result - New Scale Result
    Weight: 163.8 (-0.1) - 164.0 (-0.8)
    Body Fat%: 25.0 (-0.6) - 27.5 (-0.6)
    Muscle Mass%: 42.3 (+0.2) - 34.4 (+0.3)

    Excellent results this week. I was totally not expecting this, after eating a bunch of bad foods at the state fair, and going out for dinner twice. I'm back in full-on cut mode now, so I'm hoping to see the weight and body fat numbers continue to drop over the next few months.
    The Flywheel Effect - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=172103043
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    Macro 3 Recap

    I'll be taking a rest day tomorrow, and then starting Macro 4 on Thursday.
    Before moving on, I figured I'd take a look back at Macro 3.

    Macro 3 started on August 2nd and ended on September 6. It ended up taking a week longer than normal, because part way through Micro 2 I had to go out of town and couldn't train for 5 days. I then got sick immediately when I returned, and was working at about 75% tops for another week. I ended up repeating Micro 2 because of how messed up it was.

    Here's how my 1 rep max's changed:
    Deadlift: 280 --> 305 (+25lbs)
    Incline Press: 150 --> 145 (-5lbs) (Had poor workouts on both Press days due to lack of sleep and food )
    Back Squat: 180 --> 190 (+10lbs)
    Bent Row: 175 --> 180 (+5lbs)
    Overhead Press: 100 --> 100 (+/-0lbs) (This is getting dropped after not making any progress for 3 Macros)

    A bit of a mixed bag, but better than expected considering the hiccups I encountered.


    Here's how my weight/body composition numbers changed:
    Weight: 163.0 --> 163.8 (+0.8)
    Body Fat%: 25.8 --> 25.0 (-0.8)
    Muscle Mass%: 42.0 --> 42.3 (+0.3) This is equivalent to approximately 1lb

    Not bad results at all here. I pretty much accomplished my goal of taking a break from cutting (after being on a cut for over 6 months), but maintaining my body fat%.


    For Macro 4, I'm making the following changes to my workouts:
    - I'm eliminating OHP as a core lift.
    - I'm changing my Lift Core from Conventional Deadlifts to Sumo Deadlifts.
    - I'm changing out some of my existing supplemental lifts.
    - I'm adding 2 more supplemental lifts on each day, which will target calves, abs, and upper back.

    One of my primary goals during this next macro will be to improve my conditioning. The 2 additional lifts each day will force me to pick up my working pace, since I'm on a tight time schedule. It'll probably be pretty brutal at the beginning with a bunch of exercises I've never done before, and the increase pace. I expect it to pay off in the long run though. As mentioned in my previous post, I'm also back to cutting for the next few months beginning right now. Should be fun.
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    Macro #4 / Lift #1 / Supplemental Scheme #1
    And so it begins... First training session of Macro 4. I gave some details regarding the changes in my previous post, so I won't go over that again. I was super excited to do some new exercises today.


    Core (60% of 1RM)
    Sumo Deadlift: 175 X 8/8/8/8/8/4

    I'll be honest, I was expecting this to feel pretty much the same as a traditional deadlift. I was wrong. It seems to simplify the movement, and shift the focus to fewer muscles, which places greater stress on those muscles. I didn't notice an enormous difference in how heavy the weight felt compared to conventional. It felt maybe slightly heavier, but a lot of that probably has to do with the fact that it was my first time doing the lift. The sumo variation seems to require better form/technique. With conventional I was able to muscle up the weight even if my timing, balance, or positioning were a little bit off. It felt like there's much less margin for error with the Sumo style. There are a number of other differences I could point out, but I've said enough for now. Overall, the sumo style seems more difficult to perform, but I like it. I'm definitely going to stick with it through the entirety of this macro. I may need to do something to save my shins though. I have scrapes spanning the length of them right now, lol.


    Supplementals (2-3 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Romanian Deadlift = 120 x 20/20
    Hyperextension = 30 x 15/13/12
    Leg Curl = 80 x 20/19
    Seated Calf Raise = 45 x 20/20
    Face Pull = 12.5 x 20/20

    Everything felt good. The calf raise machine isn't really a great fit for me. I have short legs, and I'm not able to set the height low enough to be able to stretch my calves at the bottom. ROM was less than ideal. I may need to try just doing seated calf raises with a barbell instead, but I'll give this one more try.


    Overall, I was happy with how this session went. The increased working pace was felt in a major way, and it hurt me particularly on the hyperextensions, because I was (understably) awfully winded from the six sets of Sumo deads and the two 20 rep sets of RDL's. I still managed to get done in less than an hour. I like this exercise selection and order.
    I'll be back at the gym tomorrow for Press day.
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    Macro #4 / Press #1 / Supplemental Scheme #1
    Feeling some good soreness from yesterday in my hamstrings, lower back/glutes, and groin area. The Sumo Deadlifts definitely worked those muscles over good. I got decent sleep. Came to the gym with an average energy level.


    Core (60% of 1RM)
    Incline Bench Press = 85 x 8/8/8/8/8/8/7

    I honestly could've done several more sets of 8, but I got to the gym late, so I didn't have the time for it. Rather than just stopping at a certain amount of sets, I kept reducing my rest time until I ran out of steam. The rest time was less than a minute before the last set I completed.


    Supplementals (2-3 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Push Press = 45 x 15/12/12
    DB Bench Press = 35's x 16/9/8
    Tricep Rope Pushdown = 40 X 20/18
    Front Lateral DB Raise = 5 X 20 - 7.5 X 20
    Decline Crunch = Bodyweight X 20/20

    Push Press wasn't much easier for me than a normal OHP. I expected it to be a little easier than it was.
    DB Bench was rough. Last time I did 20 reps in the first set at the same weight, but the shorter rest time made that impossible. For the first time ever on one of my supplemental lifts, I'm actually going to decrease the weight next time around because I wasn't even close to hitting my reps at this weight.
    For Tricep Pushdowns, I had the weight set at #4 and it felt just right. I'm going to assume it was 40 lbs?
    Front Lateral DB Raises felt really nice. I like it. I used 5's on the first set, then increased to 7.5's and still hit 20.
    Decline Crunches were a killer. Was totally not expecting that. I struggled to get to 20 reps on the second set.

    Mixed results overall on supplementals, which was expected considering I only have one exercise carrying over from before.
    I'll try increasing the weight on Tricep Pushdown's, Front Lateral DB Raises, and Decline Crunches next time through.


    Not a bad session today. I completed it in about 50 minutes, which felt like a reasonable pace. Tomorrow will be Squat day.
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    Macro #4 / Squat #1 / Supplemental Scheme #1
    I took three days off because I was short of sleep and feeling wore down. Was back at it this morning with squat day.

    Core (60% of 1RM)
    Back Squat = 110 x 8/8/8/8/8/8/8/5

    My ass = Kicked
    This totally wiped me out, and I was pretty worthless for the remainder of the workout.


    Supplementals (2-3 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Reverse Lunge = 20's x 10 / 15's x 10/8
    Front Squat = 45 x 20/20
    Leg Extension = 75 x 16/11/10
    Calf Press on Leg Press = 90 x 20/20
    Shrug = 95 x 20/20

    My legs were like Jello after back squats, and I didn't have much left in me. This was my first time ever doing reverse lunges. I like them a lot. They suck, but I like them, lol. I started out with 20's on the first set, dropped it to 15's on the next two, and never came anywhere near 20 reps. I don't think I could've even done 20 reps of body weight lunges. I had originally planned to do 65lbs on front squats. I did a few warm up reps with just the bar, and felt like there was no way I'd get near 20 reps with 20 more pounds, so I just went with the 45. Somehow managed to hit all my reps, but it required a huge effort, and I could hardly stand afterward. The leg extensions sucked too, since my legs were shaking before I even began. Looking back at my notes from last time though, I actually got 9 more reps than I did with this weight and rep scheme last time. I have no idea how that's possible, but it's definitely encouraging. The calf and shrug exercises went well. I had to go pretty light on the calf press because I was worried my hamstrings/quads/glutes were going to give out (and they nearly did).

    Not bad, all things considered. I'm not at all used to the increased volume, or the decreased rest time. The combination of both hit me really hard today, but I kind of expected it. Hope I don't fall down any stairs today, lol.


    Measurements
    Same story, different Tuesday.

    Measure: Old Scale Result - New Scale Result
    Weight: 163.8 (-0.0) - 168.0 (+4.0)
    Body Fat%: 25.5 (+0.5) - 28.8 (+1.3)
    Muscle Mass%: 42.2 (-0.3) - 33.8 (-0.6)

    Poor results. I think I mentioned last week that I was surprised how good my results were after splurging on my diet. Though my diet was pretty much on point this last week, it looks like the splurging caught up to a week later than expected. I'm not too concerned. As long as I stay consistent I'll be fine. The weight on the new scale was a shocker. It was significantly higher than expected. I'll have to consider it an outlier at this point.
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    Macro #4 / Pull #1 / Supplemental Scheme #1


    Core (60% of 1RM)
    BB Bent Row = 105 x 8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8/6

    Reps on top of reps on top of reps. 86 total. I'm not used to doing this many reps.
    This approach of repeating sets until I can't complete a set is proving much more difficult than I expected. In some cases it's more than doubling my volume. I don't think this is an approach I could continue long term. I originally expected it to be less taxing on my CNS, but it's turning out to be the opposite. After doing my core lift this way I'm all but useless for the remainder of my lifts, and it's taking longer for my body to recover in the following days. I'll be interested to see if there's any noticeable impact on my 1RM's at the end of this macro. I'm thinking it might be a nice twist to mix in when a plateau is reached.



    Supplementals (2-3 Sets/15-20 Reps)
    Pull Ups = BW-55 x 20/11/9
    Didn't come close to 20 after the first set, but I did 4 more reps overall than I did last time at this weight/rep scheme.

    Cable Row = 125 x 14/12/11
    These muscles were still exhausted from the Bent Rows. Every rep was a struggle.

    Hammer Curl = 12.5's x 13/12/11
    First time doing any bicep work since I started lifting. Wow, my left arm is significantly weaker than my right. There's not much doubt that I would've been able to do 20 reps with my right arm, but I counted a few marginal reps just to hit these rep counts with the left. I'm sure it'll even out over time, but I'm pretty surprised at how obvious the imbalance still is after lifting for several months.

    Reverse Fly = 7.5's x 20/20
    First time doing this exercise. It felt good. I'll bump it up to 10's next time.

    Hanging Leg Raise = BW x 20/20
    The last 5 or so reps of each set were brutal. I've never done weighted leg raises before, but I guess I'll need to figure out how to do them next time through.


    Today was a battle. I had to fight for every rep.
    With the exceptions of the Leg Raises, all the lifts either felt too hard or too easy. With the new exercises and working at a much faster pace, it's going to take me a few time through these rep schemes to get the weights really dialed in. I'm going to try to make it to the gym tomorrow, but not 100% sure if that'll happen. Either way, my next training day will be Lift Day. I have a love/hate relationship with lift day. It's the day I look forward to the most, but then once I'm knee deep in it I don't like it so much, lol. So right now, I can't wait to hit lift day hard!
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    Macro #4 / Lift #2 / Supplemental Scheme #2
    Well that's strange...I posted in here earlier today, and now the post is nowhere to be found. It's no surprise I typed up a bunch of stuff I don't feel like retyping now, lol.
    I've been struggling big time for the last couple of weeks. My volume has increased significantly, and I've reduced my wait time between sets. I've been short on sleep. Bottom line is that I've felt sore and tired constantly, and I've had to take longer rests between workouts. I was planning to be cutting weight right now, but being low on energy and tired, I've been eating more than planned just to get through the day without feeling like crap.
    I woke up today with a headache, and still sore from my squat workout 5 days ago. I didn't want to take another day off though (already had 3 days off), so I sucked it up and hit the gym for Lift day this morning.


    Core (70% of 1RM)
    Sumo Deadlift: 205 X 6/6/6/6

    I could've forced out 1 or 2 more sets probably, but things just weren't feeling quite right.
    A couple of weeks ago I think I strained a muscle in by back. I thought it was basically back to 100%, but it felt like I tweaked it a bit at some point today.
    What really worried me though was my form. My right leg is longer than my left, and it makes it pretty much impossible to perform squats or deadlifts with perfect form. On squats, when I keep my weight evenly balanced between my legs it feels completely unnatural, and my right knee start popping. It feels fine if I shift my weight a bit to one leg or the other. Obviously that's not ideal, but I figure it's the lesser of two evils. I've noticed it a bit on deadlifts too, but it hasn't been anywhere near as obvious...until today. During my second set, I looked in the mirror and noticed that my weight had shifted significantly towards my left side. When I set the bar down, it had shifted way off to the left. Rather than being centered relative to my body, the bar was shifted about 6 inches to the left.
    So anyway, the combination of those things had be feeling a bit skittish, so I didn't push it too far. Also, I forgot to mention that when I changed from conventional to sumo style, I didn't change my 1RM. The weight definitely felt a bit heavier than it should at 70%. That will even itself out soon enough though.



    Supplementals (3-4 Sets/8-10 Reps)
    Romanian Deadlift = 140 x 10/10/10
    Hyperextension = 40 x 10/10/10
    Leg Curl = 95 x 10/10/10
    Seated Calf Raise = 55 x 10/10/10
    Face Pull = 22.5 x 10 - 27.5 x 10/10

    It became clear after the first set of Face Pulls that the weight was way too light, so I bumped it up slightly for the next two sets.
    I'll be increasing the weight on all of these lifts next time through.
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