Muscletech Clear Muscle 12 Week Log

[sfgiants13]

8 reps on deadlift is cardio plain and simple.

Yep. I feel good and on that last rep I’m all of a sudden dead tired. I’ll have an update from yesterday and today’s workouts later. I wasn’t particularly happy with either but some exercises were better than others. My core lifts struggled though.

[sfgiants13]

Ok so as I said I had 2 average workouts. The focus just wasn't there. Yesterday it was an hour wait before I could use a rack so naturally my mind was wandering since I did everything I could before that. I also had to sub out front squats for leg extensions which is a terrible sub but unfortunately I had to do something and I couldn't wait at the gym forever. Anyway here are the results:

Bench - 235 x 3, 2, 3 - Not good. I really expected more
Decline bench - 220 x 5, 4, 5, 5 - I was happy with this so a little redemption
Lat pulls - 195 x 5, 4, 5, 4
DB shoulder press - 75 x 6, 5 - I tweaked my neck somehow dropping the weights and haven't had full movement for a couple days. No idea how that happened
Triceps pushdown - 160 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Leg press - 550 x 6, 5, 6, 6 - Usually toward the end so I was fresh for these
Leg extensions - 185 x 6, 200 x 6, 205 x 6, 6 -
Ab work
Squats - 275 x 5, 3, 3 - First set was good but the last 2 with it being at the end of my workout I tired out. Not too happy with that.
Good morning - 135 x 4, 4, 4'

Today starts the last cycle for the month. I'm back to 15-20 reps for the supp exercises but I'm at 1-2 for my core. Then I'll reevaluate my core lifts based on my calculated max for them during this cycle so the weights should be going up slightly.

[Marshall28]

I am sure you will bounce back. Keep it up mate!

[sfgiants13]

Yesterday was pull/OHP day and was pretty good. Growing up I was never able to do pullups and being able to do a few with 40 extra pounds makes me pretty happy. I also need a weight belt since it's getting harder and harder to hold a dumbbell between my feet.

Pullups - 40 x 3
Shoulder press - 165 x 3, 2, 1 -Got another rep on set 2 compared to last time
Cable rows - 145 x 18, 18, 16 - More reps again
Incline press - 160 x 14, 13 - Barely got 90% of the goal reps so the weight will increase again
Curl - 100 x 10, 9 - Had to up the weight and lower reps since the 90 wasn't available
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

Later tonight I'll do my workout which includes deadlifts at 1-2 reps. My back is a bit stiff this morning so any tips to help loosen it up before I deadlift? It's not painful just a bit tight and recently I've avoided re-aggravating my lower back and I'm trying to keep it that way.

[Marshall28]

Stay safe my friend on deads tonight.

[sfgiants13]

I was pleased with the start of my workout but it kind of slipped toward the end. But, deadlifts went really well as did lunges so I'll take progress on my core lift.

Deadlift - 255 x 5, 2, 2 - 5 on my as many as I can set it good for me. I recalculate my max for the next cycle so the weight should have a big jump
BB Lunge - 105 x 15, 13 - More weight and reps
Hyperextensions 25 x 15, 15, 15
Leg press - 490 x 10, 12 - Here is where my workout went south. No idea why
Leg curls - 175 x 15, 13
DB shrug - 75 x 15, 15
Ab work

[Marshall28]

Do you have a goal in mind for max deadlift ?

[sfgiants13]

Do you have a goal in mind for max deadlift ?

Well goal #1 was to get my DL past by bench press lol. I would like to get to 3 plates and go from there. It is a good middle ground for me with my crappy back.

Yesterday was just average. I did set a PR for weight actually lifted, but the calculators (which as mentioned may not be as accurate) have my max a bit higher.

Bench - 250 x 2, 255 x 1,1
Decline bench - 160 x 16, 13, 15
Lat pulls - 155 x 15, 14, 13
DB press - 60 x 15, 15
Triceps pushdown - 135 x 15, 15

I was able to get in some extra volume so that's a plus. Today is the last day of the entire 28 day cycle and it'll be max squats with higher reps for the rest. Starting tomorrow I recalculate my max on the core lifts and use that new higher weight. Supplemental exercises remain the same (if I get 90% of my goal reps the weight goes up the following workout). I'm feeling a bit groggy so I was a bit heavy handed on the PWO scoop.

[sfgiants13]

Yesterday went pretty well. I guess the extra scoop of PWO did it! I got my squat back over 300 and was able to get 3 solid reps in. In the past, I was at 300 but went nowhere near parallel so took off 100 pounds and worked my way close but several back injuries kept me from hitting 300. My back feel good today but my legs are burning from the leg day and volleyball last night.

Squat - 300 x 3, 2, 2
Good morning - 105 x 15, 15
Front squat - 160 x 15, 12 - I still tend to tire our the more I squat so the reps decrease. It's still over 90% of goal reps so the weight goes up again
Leg press - 490 x 15, 12
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

Also I should mention I start the next cycle today. My new maxs which I use for the core exercises are as follows:

Squat - 320
Bench - 271
Shoulder press -177
Deadlift - 293

All numbers went up by about 5-7 pounds with deadlift going up by around 20. It's slow but I'm making progress. I've been lifting for between 2-3 years now so any progress is good especially with the lack of progress that I've mentioned for a while before I started this program and log.

[anandagirl]

Also I should mention I start the next cycle today. My new maxs which I use for the core exercises are as follows:

Squat - 320
Bench - 271
Shoulder press -177
Deadlift - 293

All numbers went up by about 5-7 pounds with deadlift going up by around 20. It's slow but I'm making progress. I've been lifting for between 2-3 years now so any progress is good especially with the lack of progress that I've mentioned for a while before I started this program and log.

Nice progress!

[sfgiants13]

I didn't sleep well last night but I still had a good workout. I was just absolutely dead after the first 3 exercises but I was able to finish.

pullups - 20 x 8, 8, 9 - I've never hit 8 reps with pullups above 17.5 so that's good
standing military press - 120 x 8, 8, 10 - I did incline bench prior so I was gassed but I took a longer rest before my as many as I can set and was able to get 10 somehow
Incline bench - 195 x 8, 8, 6 - Still hitting 90% of reps so moving on up
cable rows - 165 x 9, 9, 8 - I was dead at this point but not bad
bb curl - 110 x 9, 8, 8
Ab work

[Marshall28]

Awesome progress. Keep it up.

[sfgiants13]

Yesterday was ok. Wasn't too happy with deadlift but I did get more total reps than the last time I did that weight.

Deadlift - 205 x 8, 8, 9
Hyperextensions 25 x 15, 15, 15
Leg press - 500 x 10, 10, 10, 10
Leg curls - Didn't enter the weight for some reason
Shrugs 70 x 10, 10, 10
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

I started off strong but tailed off again at the end. It was national bench press day at my gym apparently and I had to do bench in the middle of the workout since I couldn't get one to start. Thus my first two exercises went well but toward the end of my bench sets I started to tire out.

Lat pulls - 190 x 8, 8, 8
Shoulder press - 70 x 10, 10, 10
Bench - 190 x 8, 8, 10
Decline bench - 210 x 4, 205 x 5, 5 - I was really displeased with this. Last week I did 205 x 8 for all 3 sets and just failed miserably here. It's usually exercise #2 but it was #4 today so that didn't help.
Tricep pushdowns - 145 x 10, 10, 10

[sfgiants13]

I'm still plugging along and just finished my 2nd bottle. Nothing really earth shattering to report otherwise.

Squat - 225 x 8, 8, 10 - Wasn't too bad but I had some pain in my hips/upper thigh that kept me from doing more than 10
Good morning - Didn't record the weight for some reason
Front squat - 205 x 8, 8, 7 - Had to push hard but got 90%+ again of my goal reps to moving up again
Leg press - 500 x 10, 10, 10
Ab work

[Marshall28]

You do much stretching before lifting ?

[sfgiants13]

I try to do some. Or at least warm up on a bike. But, on days where I need a rack, if it's open I'll go straight for it and try to integrate stretching into my warmup. Otherwise I'll have to wait a half hour for the equipment to open up!

[sfgiants13]

I was able to get in a decent workout yesterday. I felt like crap after just having got off a plane and being gone for a few days, but I started to feel better and more normal as the workout went on.

Pullups 25 x 6, 6, 6
Standing Military Press - 145 x 6, 6, 6 - Came up just short of that 7th rep on the last one
Cable rows - 185 x 6, 6, 6, 6
Incline machine press - Had to sub for incline bench since one wasn't open but still got in 4 solid sets
BB curl - 110 x 6, 6, 5, 5
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

I was very pleased with yesterdays workout. My deadlift is still making good progress so that's something to be happy with.

Deadlift - 235 x 6, 6, 10
BB lunge - 160 x 4, 4, 4, 4
Hyperextensions 25 x 15, 15, 15, 15
Leg press - 450 x 5, 6, 6, 6 - Took some weight off here since I do a higher positioning to target hamstrings more and I wanted to make sure my form was better since it was getting sloppy
Leg curls - 190 x 6, 5, 5, 6
DB Shrug - 80 x 6, 6, 6, 6
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

Sorry for the delay. Some ding dong backed into my car in the parking lot yesterday so I've been dealing with that.

Press day
BB bench - 215 x 6, 6, 8
Lat pulls - 200 x 4, 5, 5, 5
DB shoulder press - 75 x 6, 6, 6, 6
Press machine - Had to sub for decline because the only decline wasn't open...I still got a good 4 sets in
Tricep pulls

Squat day
255 x 6, 6, 7 - Not the greatest
Good morning - 140 x 6, 6, 6 - Still improving here
Front squat - 250 x 3, 4, 4
Leg press - 560 x 4, 5, 6
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

Started off strong with my deadlift improving again. I got 260 x 6. My back seems to be holding up this time around so my form just have gotten better. The rest of the workout was typical but I had to wait a while for every piece of equipment I needed after deadlifts so I did lose a lot of focus.

[anandagirl]

Started off strong with my deadlift improving again. I got 260 x 6. My back seems to be holding up this time around so my form just have gotten better. The rest of the workout was typical but I had to wait a while for every piece of equipment I needed after deadlifts so I did lose a lot of focus.

Nice!!!

[sfgiants13]

A couple of decent workouts this weekend. It looks like I have about half of the bottle left.

Bench - 235 x 4, 4, 4 - I probably could've had a 5th rep on that first set but I had no spotter so I didn't push it
Lat pulls - 160 x 15, 13
DB shoulder press - 60 x 17, 15, 15
Decline machine press - Sub since the decline bench was taken
Tricep pulls

Squats - 285 x 5, 3, 3 - Solid reps here that I hit good depth on
Front squat - 185 x 15, 12 - Still hitting goal reps and moving up
Leg press - 490 x 15, 15
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

I'm still making good progress on my deadlift. Now if only my other core lifts could follow because progress on those is slow!

Deadlift - 280 x 4, 2, 1
BB lunge - 130 x 8, 8, 7
Hyperextensions - 25 x 15, 15, 15
Leg press - 500 x 8, 8, 8
Shrugs 75 x 10, 10, 10
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

I had to change up my workouts recently. My car went in to the shop and I will be without it for a week. I will also be in San Diego for a bachelor party this weekend. That actually works out better for getting in a couple of workouts because there is a LA fitness down the street from where I'm staying. Anyway I had a very good workout Sunday followed by a dud on Monday. I did upper body two days in a row (press and pull/OHP) so that messed with my results on the second day. My bottle is getting very low now so probably by the weekend I'll be done with the log and get a final review up. I'll keep posting in the meantime.

Bench - 235 x 6, 4, 4 - Felt great here and would've likely had another rep if I had a spotter
Decline bench - 210 x 8, 7, 7
Lat pulls - 195 x 8, 8, 7
DB shoulder press - 70 x 9, 9, 7
Tricep pushdown - 145 x 10, 9, 5 - I crashed hard on that last set

Pullups - 35 x 3, 3, 3
Standing Military press - 165 x 2, 1, 1
Cable rows - 165 x 9, 9, 8
Incline bench - 185 x 7, 6, 5 - I really started to feel the short rest between workouts here
BB curl - 0- x 10, 10, 9
Ab work

[sfgiants13]

Bad news is my car is still in the shop so I had to Uber to the gym. Whatever works I guess. Only about a days worth left so tomorrows workout will be my last before my final writeup. I did switch my program back to Fierce 5 U/L 4 day split. With how much I travel it makes it easier to maintain a consistent schedule and being able to actually follow the program as written. I'm hoping now that I've busted a few of my plateaus that I was stuck on I'll be able to keep progressing. I dropped the weights slightly to allow for some progression before I fail and have to deload.

Bench - 230 x 5, 5, 5
Incline bench 185 x 8, 8, 8
Lat pulls 185 x 8, 8, 8
Machine rows - Had to sub these for bent over rows since I couldn't get a barbell anywhere
Reverse fly/curl superset - 20 x 12, 12, 6 and 90 x 10, 10, 3 - I about died on sets 3 since I haven't done a superset in a while

[sfgiants13]

Yesterday wasn't a terrible workout but I did have some pain in my upper thigh which didn't help. I get that every now and then and I have no idea why. I dropped the weights a bit to allow for some progression before I fail.

Squat - 265 x 5, 5, 5
Back extensions - 25 x 15, 15, 15
Leg press - 500 x 10, 10, 10
Leg curl 170 x 10, 10, 10
Calf/Ab superset

And with that that completes my log. I'll get a final writeup going with some of the progress I've made and my final review of it. Overall I'd say the biggest thing is in recovery and how I was able to not feel terrible the days following the lifting.

[sfgiants13]

Sorry for the delay in the final review but I'll get it up soon. On a side note lately I've had several people compliment me which is always nice. One of my buddies accused me of buying smaller shirts to make my arms look bigger even though all of my clothes are the same size so not only did I get a good laugh but I got an ego boost from that. It's nice hearing these things even though I'm putting on weight a bit quicker then I would like.