Love the Pain -- Make the Barbell Cry!

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 1

Squat
165 x 3
120 x 6, 6

Bench
120 x 3
100 x 6, 6

OHP
55 x 8, 8, 8

First day of cut. Squats were fine. Bench was harder than I expected. Tomorrow DLs and pulls.

[WolfRose7]

I think there's a possibility your eccentrics on bench are a tad slower than necessary and that's making it a bit harder off the chest.

[ECGordyn]

I think there's a possibility your eccentrics on bench are a tad slower than necessary and that's making it a bit harder off the chest.

Yeah I felt that during the first rep for sure.

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 2

DL
175 x 3
140 x 6, 6

Pendlay
85 x 6
87 x 6, 6

Chins
bw 87.0 x 8, 7, 5

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 3

Pause squat
155 x 3

Bench T&G
100 x 8, 8, 8

BB lunges
30 x 10, 10, 10

OHP
55 x 9, 9, 7, 2

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 4

MSSGDL
140 x 6, 6, 6

Pendlay
87 x 7, 7, 7

Bench T&G
105 x 5, 5, 5

Chins
bw 88.4 x 9, 6, 6

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 Day 1

Squat
170 x 2
140 x 6, 6

OHP
55 x 9, 9, 9

[WolfRose7]

Week 1 Day 4

MSSGDL
140 x 6, 6, 6

Pendlay
87 x 7, 7, 7

Bench T&G
105 x 5, 5, 5

Chins
bw 88.4 x 9, 6, 6

Those pulls are disgustingly smooth.

[ECGordyn]

Those pulls are disgustingly smooth.

A bit too light I guess. That movement feels good anyway

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 Day 2

DL
185 x 2

MSSGDL
150 x 6, 6

Pendlay
90 x 6, 6, 6

Chins
bw 87.6 x 8, 7, 6

BB curls
25 x 6
20 x 10, 10

Sadly I've lost almost no weight since starting this cut 10 days ago. Let that be a lesson in not tracking calories, hopefully.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 Day 3

Bench
100 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

OHP
55 x 10, 10, 10

Only presses today. Felt like the wrong idea to squat after DLs yesterday. Started Nuckols' intermediate medium volume bench program from his 28 programs, will run for the next 4 weeks.

[Millz12323]

Hello m8. Back in here to check some solid lifting.

[ECGordyn]

Hello m8. Back in here to check some solid lifting.

Cheers man, looking forward to seeing yours again.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 Day 3

Pause squat
160 x 2

Squat
150 x 4, 4, 4

BB lunges
35 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Ab wheel rollouts / deadbugs
3 x 10 / 10

Reverse crunches
bw x 10, 10

Crunches
bw x 15, 15

BB curl
35 x 2 sloppy

Squats feelin' crusty. Cutting's no fun. A bit of discomfort in lower abs during lunges, might switch to BSS.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 Day 4

Bench T&G
67 x 8
80 x 6
92 x 4, 4

Comp. bench
107 x 3, 3

OHP
50 x 8, 8

OH tricep extensions
Yellow band x 10, 10, 10

Curls
20 x 10, 10, 10

Heavier set of bench felt good but not exactly strong. Wonder what the amrap at 107 will be on Friday.

[sooby]

yup checking in

sounds like you got a lot stronger just taking a quick glance at your logs, especially your deadlift as I seem to recall you were struggling with it a little bit

good job m8 keep it up

[ECGordyn]

yup checking in

sounds like you got a lot stronger just taking a quick glance at your logs, especially your deadlift as I seem to recall you were struggling with it a little bit

good job m8 keep it up

Thanks mate. Impressive memory you have. Yes DL was problematic last year but this year it's better. Biggest change I made was controlling the eccentric/keeping position throughout, and somehow getting more comfortable. I think I found a good stance, can stay out over the bar better, and now I'm working on better lat engagement for this pivot block/cut. Watch out world.

[ECGordyn]

Bench T&G
107 x 8 (amrap)

Day 3 of Nuckols bench. Might have had 9 reps but misgrooved the 8th rep.

Seriously considering nixing this cut and training hard again. I guess I might gain ~3 kgs by 31 Dec (based on weight gain over the past 4 months, about +0.28 kg per week), that would put me around 89. Heavier than I want to be, but also stronger than 89 last year. I'm probably 90% decided to go ahead and do it.

[ECGordyn]

Back on the gain train. Will run 12 weeks of the Calgary 16 week program, omitting weeks 9-11 from the 16 week. This will be basically the 8 week with a new block at the beginning.

Week 1 Day 1

Squat
120 x 7, 7, 7, 7

Bench
90 x 7, 7, 7, 7

OHP
55 x 8, 8, 8

Chins
bw 87.1 x 8, 8, 6

Conditioning took a big hit. Feels good to have real structure to lifting again.

[SuffolkPunch]

Yeah, screw cutting. My weight always find a level anyway. My appetite always puts me around 85-87kg

The 16 week program sounds interesting, I didn't see any >5 rep stuff in the 8 week, that would suit me in the early stages of the cycle.

Is the 16 week program intended to be more or less advanced than the 8 week?

[ECGordyn]

Yeah, screw cutting. My weight always find a level anyway. My appetite always puts me around 85-87kg

The 16 week program sounds interesting, I didn't see any >5 rep stuff in the 8 week, that would suit me in the early stages of the cycle.

Is the 16 week program intended to be more or less advanced than the 8 week?

I couldn't say about level of advancement for the 16 week. I'd guess it just fits a different demographic or training schedule. Weeks 5-8 and 12-15 look exactly the same as weeks 1-4 and 5-8 respectively in the 8 week. There is much more exercise variety across the 4 different blocks, so in that regard it could be intended for more advanced/experienced trainees.

[WolfRose7]

Yeah, screw cutting. My weight always find a level anyway. My appetite always puts me around 85-87kg

The 16 week program sounds interesting, I didn't see any >5 rep stuff in the 8 week, that would suit me in the early stages of the cycle.

Is the 16 week program intended to be more or less advanced than the 8 week?

From memory the 8 week was just a cut down version of the 16 they released later on

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 2

DL
135 x 7, 7, 7, 7

Bench 3ct pause
80 x 5, 5, 5

Pause squat
135 x 5
125 x 5
115 x 5

Pendlay
80 x 8, 8, 8

Man that was tough. Long pauses on bench. Not sure those rows can be called Pendlays exactly because of my back angle but I'll keep them that way because that angle looks very close to my DL angle. Next chance I get I'll video from side and compare, hoping for some carryover.

[WolfRose7]

Can't really 8 rep a Pendlay anyway since it's supposed to be a power movement.
One thing I would say is the wrist curl Is probably taking away some focus from where you want it.

[ECGordyn]

Can't really 8 rep a Pendlay anyway since it's supposed to be a power movement.
One thing I would say is the wrist curl Is probably taking away some focus from where you want it.

How to eliminate wrist curl in a row? I've always done it, I guess.

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 3

Pin squat
115 x 6, 6, 6

Pin bench (chest level)
90 x 6
95 x 6, 6

OHP
60 x 6, 6, 6

Chins
bw 87.4 x 8, 8, 6

Enjoyed the pin work. First time trying it. Really trains positioning, and if you get off track, you definitely feel it. Might raise the pin on bench, feels like it barely unloads the weight at that level. Pins are 2 inches apart so I'd rather keep it as low as possible if I can get used to it.

[WolfRose7]

How to eliminate wrist curl in a row? I've always done it, I guess.

2 things that might help, focusing on leading with elbows instead of arms, and a thumb over grip

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 Day 4

DL
125 x 6, 6, 6

Bench T&G
85 x 10, 10, 10, 10

MSSGDL
80 x 8, 8, 8

Row
80 x 8
85 x 8, 8

BB skullcrushers
30 x 10
32 x 10, 10

BB curls
25 x 10, 10, 10

Birddogs
6, 6, 6 reps per side

Ab wheel rollouts
8, 8

Long workout but felt great. Loads of posterior chain work. DL was supposed to be pause DL, realized that after the 2nd set but just carried on with reg. DL. First 3 vids compare back angle of DL, MSSGDL, and row. We'll see how that combination develops over this block.

[WolfRose7]

That's ****ing work man, these are the sessions that set you up for big things later

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 Day 1

Squat
125 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Bench
95 x 6, 6, 6, 6

OHP
50 x 9
55 x 9
50 x 9

Chins
bw 87.9 x 8, 8, 8