Once and a Future Quest

[JoniChivalry]

Hello,

This is my training log. Welcome and I hope you enjoy whatever you may find.

Age: 26
Height: 170cm (5'7")
Weight: ~76kg

My all time 1rms are;
Squat: 170kg x 1
Bench: 130kg x 1
DL: 190kg x 1
Weighted Pull-Up: 65kg x 1

Other PR's from the big lifts:
Squat: 155kg x 5
Bench: 120kg x 3
DL: 180kg x 4

But just as disclaimer:
I'm not that strong now. Not by a long shot. These are PR's from 3 years in the past. Then life happened and I got weak. Not for the lack of trying though. I honestly don't know what happened.

But I am on the road there and beyond.

Right now I'm following 531.
The plan is as follows:
Cycles 1&2: basic 531+fsl/ssl, bbb, triumvirate.
Cycles 3&4: basic 531+ssl, bbs, triumvirate.
Cycles 5&6: basic 531+jokers+ssl, simplest strength, triumvirate.
Rinse, repeat.

Thank you.

[JoniChivalry]

Bench Press:
70kg x 5
80kg x 3
90kg x 6
80kg x 6 x 4 sets
-> SSed DB Row 5x12 @35kg

DB Overhead Press:
17,5kg's x 10 x 5 sets

Lat Pulldown:
45kg, 55kg, 65kg x 12
70kg x 12, 11, 8, 7, 6
- 1 min rest

DB Facepull:
10kg's x 12 x 4 sets

Cable Curls & Tricep Extension:
20kg, 25kg, 30kg, 35kg x 10
40kg x 10 x 4 sets

This was a good session though benching 1x week isn't really optimal for me. I thrive when I bench twice a week but for these hypertrohy purposes once a week of BB benching will do.

[JoniChivalry]

Squat:
90kg x 5
102,5kg x 3
115kg x 6
120kg x 1
125kg x 1
130kg x 1
90kg x 8 x 3 sets

SLDL:
85kg x 10 x 3 sets
90kg x 10 x 2 sets
-> SSed Hanging Leg Raises 5x10
-> SSed Wax-on-plank 5x10

Bulgarian Split Squat:
20kg x 10/10 x 5 sets

First thing you need to know about me: I am not a clever man. I have been training solely high bar squat for about a year because of back tightness. Today I had a gut feeling that I should try low bar and it felt amazing. Wanted to go up to 140kg but knew that this wasn't the time for that.

I hate bulgarian split squats. Might switch to single leg press.

[JoniChivalry]

Warm Up: - light band
- cuban press
- Y rear raise
- T rear raise
- W rear raise
x10 x3 sets

Seated OHP:
45kg x 5
50kg x 3
57,5kg x 5
45kg x 8 x 3 sets

Pull-Ups: - supersetted with OHP
10kg x 8 x 6 sets
Bw x 12

Standing OHP: - dropset
40kg x 7
30kg x 8
20kg x n
- fried my triceps with this one

DB Bench:
27,5kg x 10, 10, 8
22,5kg x 10, 10, 14
- used a ****ty bench for the first 3 sets but decreased the weight all the same. Will try 27,5kgx5x10 next week.

Cable Row:
45kg, 55kg, 65kg, 75kg x 10
80kg x 10, 12, 8, 6 (1min rest)

DB Lateral Raise:
5kg, 7kg, 9kg, 12,5kg x 12
15kg x 12, 12, 10, 8

BB Curl:
20kg, 25kg, 30kg x 10
20kg x 10 x 3 sets

Seated DB Curl:
7kg x 15 x 3 sets

Overall an okay session. Might make a switch from seated to standing OHP completely. Been nursing my back injury with the seated version, while building my core stability. I think I can now handle the standing one better. I feel it better anyway.

DB Bench was a disappointment but will have a redemption run next week.

I hate BB curls but all the EZ bars were taken. No biggie. Will do more direct bicep work either tomorrow or saturday.

[JoniChivalry]

BTN Press:
20kg x 10
25kg x 10
27,5kg x 10 x 3 sets

Standing DB Press:
15kg x 10 x 3 sets

EZ-Curl & Skull Crusher:
20kg x 10
25kg x 10
30kg x 10
35kg x 10, 7, 5
30kg x 10 x 2 sets

One Arm Cable Curl:
15kg x 15 x 3 sets

One Arm Cable Overhead Tricep Extension:
15kg x 15 x 3 sets

Single Arm Rope Handle KB Lateral Raise
8kg x 20, 15
4kg x 20 x 2 sets

This was an unusual fluff session for me. GF wanted to work out and I didn't have anything better to do so decided to join her. Tried two other kinds of pressing choices for T2 movements. Both had their pro's and con's but I think I will stick with seated DB Press for the next cycle. I'm almost positive with the change of switching from seated to standing OHP. It will lower my TM dramatically because my shoulder strength sucks, but I will make up for it with volume.

Tomorrow is DL day and I'm excited for it. I guess I could shed some light on recent history. Me and my GF moved to a new city 2 months ago because she got accepted to the Police Academy here in Finland. I got a job as a Personal Trainer in a pretty high end gym. Not high end as in a powerlifting gym, but like it's expensive.

First session at this new gym and I pull my back. Everything goes tight in there and I'm locked in place. After a few minutes of walking it gets better but there's still pain. I get home, lie on floor and soon notice it was a bad idea. I can't get without any pain. It took me an hour to get back from lying on the floor to standing position and I was trenched in sweat. After 3 days I walk normally again but my lower back is stiff.

Ever since I've been nursing it, taking it easy, doing McGills and trying to strengthen my core more. Then my hips got tight AF. Tried stretching but nothing worked. Laid back from heavy squats and DL's completely while I was working on hip mobility. Worked on my glute strength doing bridges, side plank clamshells, bird dogs etc. Then it just kind of went away.
Lower back is 100% now. Hips are golden. Even my right side of my torso that's been tight for like almost 2 years isn't even tight anymore. I actually feel healthy and it's the best feeling.

So because of all this I decided to treat myself as a newbie again and got back to my roots. Back to 531 and for the first time in a long while I'm actually super excited to hit the gym and break PR's. Especially since I'm eating more than I have ever these past 3 years. During these past years I've trained like a big boy but eaten like a tiny princess. You can guess how well my trainings been. Now that I'm eating like a ma of my size it's like I'm a new person. I'm looking forward to build some size and get strong.

My lifetime goals are 180kg squat, 200kg DL and 140kg bench and for the first time I actually I believe I can achieve these numbers.

#rant

[JoniChivalry]

Deadlift:
110kg x 5
127,5kg x 3
142,5kg x 10
127,5kg x 5 x 3 sets
- SSed TRX Pike Crunch 3x10

Front Squat:
70kg x 10 x 5 sets

Walking Lunges:
30kg x 10 x 5 sets

Finished off with standing russian twist and cable crunch for 3 sets of 20.

Frag Yeah for 3 plates for 10 on DL! Super stoked about that and it was easy too. Thinking about bumping the TM up by 5kg's.
Hoping to get up to 155kg-160kg for 10.

Then another good thing was the Front Squat volume PR. I've never done this much volume for front squat. Funny thing this was my goal for this phase, and there's still 3 weeks left.

Lunges were a killer.

[JoniChivalry]

Bench Press:
60kg x 5
72½kg x 5
82½kg x 10
72½kg x 8 x 3 sets

Standing OHP:
35kg x 10 x 5 sets
-> SSed with Ring Pull-Ups for 5x10

One Arm DB Row:
40kg x 10 x 5 sets

Dips:
5kg x 15, 15, 13
-> SSed with Facepulls for 3x15

Seated DB Curl & DB Skull Crusher:
4kg, 6kg, 8kg x 15
10kg x 15/15, 20/15, 15/12, 12/10

Notes:
For some reason I wasn't feeling this training session. I was excited when I came in and then all in all was just really irritated throughout the whole session. Still I got my numbers in that I wanted but was just somehow off. Also started feeling really sick about half-way the workout but it went away.

Decided to do Standin OHP as T2 on this day to get some more practice with barbell. I really want to improve this lift suddenly. I know it will fade but right now I'm all about OHP!

[JoniChivalry]

Squat:
80kg x 5
95kg x 5
105kg x 12
80kg x 8 x 3 sets

SLDL:
90kg x 10 x 5 sets
-> SSed HLR 4x15

Leg Press:
200kg x 10 x 5 sets

Single Leg Curl:
30kg x 20 x 2 sets
20kg x 20

Notes :
All in all a good session even though I was in a small rush. I had my first day at my second job in a hiking/outdoor retail store. It was nice and I really enjoyed it. The people there seem nice.

Might do some core work tomorrow.

EDIT:
Didn't do core work since a PT client came in an hour late.

Also decided to use this time to further elaborate what is going on in my life right. Just for the sake if I happen to browse these pages later in life.

I am working as a personal trainer for a chain gym. My job includes instructing clients and trying to get my own clients. Every client that joins the gym gets a free PT session, my job is to instruct this session and then try to sell them a (overly priced) PT package. I don't get payed by the hour here but by sessions instructed. But right now there's not that many sessions going on for me, lucky if I can get like 10. I'm new here and don't have that client base, and there's not any new clients coming in. Because this building is about to be demoed and the people don't want to join in because then they would have to pay for nothing. So this job isn't really making me enough money to live off of.

So I applied for another job at this outdoor retail store that I've dreamed about working at. Yesterday was my first day and so far so good. Problem is I'm on a minimum 30h contract there so my days or weeks even could be pretty full. Today I have 1 client in the morning at 9am. then I'm off to the outdoor store for 7h and then I have another client coming at 7pm. I'm home around 9pm. But I guess that's just growing pains you know, of trying to combine two different jobs. It'll get better eventually, it's just this beginning that sucks. Because I'd also like to spend a little time the GF.

[JoniChivalry]

1a)OHP:
35kg x 5
40kg x 5
45kg x 8

1b)Pull-Ups:
12kg x 8 x 3 sets

1c)Ab Rollout:
Bw x 15 x 3 sets

2a)Standing DB OHP:
15kg's x 10 x 4 sets

2b)Pull-ups:
12kg x 8 x 4 sets

2c)Renegade Row:
5kg's x 20 x 4sets

3)DB Bench:
27,5kg x 10 x 2 sets
30kg x 10 x 2 sets
25kg x 14

4)BB Row:
80kg x 10 x 5 sets

5a)EZ-Curl:
10kg, 15kg, 20kg x 15
27,5kg x 15, 12, 10, 8, 6
5b)DB Side Raise:
10kg's x 20 x 3 sets
7,5kg's x 20 x 2 sets

Notes :
A crazy workout when you look at it from here but in reality it's not that crazy really. Pretty happy about the OHP top set honestly,didn't except much from this go around. I like Standing DB OHP, it feels so natural and forces me to use my core. I don't usely do core work on upper body day but I felt like I had been lagging. 7 sets of weighted pull-ups was nice especially for that weight. Soon I can switch the other upper day for a strength progression for pull-ups.

Redeemed myself on the DB Bench and then some. The last rep on 30kg's was so tough that dropping the weight for an AMRAP was a good choice.

Luckily today I only had PT clients. Bit of an easier day and I get to spend some quality time with SO. Tomorrow will be PT and retail again.

[JoniChivalry]

Deadlift:
100kg x 5
120kg x 5
132,5kg x 10
120kg x 5 x 3 sets
-> SSed with;
Pallof Press 3 sets of 10
Front Lever Raise 3 sets of 5
Hanging Leg Raise 3 sets of 15

Front Squat:
70kg x 10 x 3 sets
75kg x 10 x 2 sets

Single Leg Squat:
Bw x 10 x 3 sets

Single Leg RDL:
12kg x 10 x 3 sets

Notes:
Another good session in the books. Almost died from front squat intensity but really liked single leg squats.

I've spend a week at the retail store and I have to say I love it. It feels like it will be a kind of job that will give me a ton. Whereas the PT job feels more like it will just take and take. So I am planning to quit my PT job. That means that I have to find a new gym because I sure as hell am not staying in this current one. Luckily there seems to be a proper one pretty close where I life.

[JoniChivalry]

Bench Press:
67,5kg x 5
77,5kg x 5
87,5kg x 8
77,5kg x 8 x 3 sets
-> SSed with Pull-Ups 10kg x 10 x 3 sets

OHP:
35kg x 10 x 2 sets
37,5kg x 10 x 2 sets
40kg x 10

DB Row:
40kg x 12 x 5 sets

BTN Lat Pulldown:
45kg, 55kg x12
65kg x 12, 12, 9, 7

Bicep Finisher: @7,5kg
DB Curl 3 sets of 8
DB Reverse Curl 3 sets of 8
DB Hammer Curl 3 sets of 8

Tricep Superset:@40kg
Cable Push 3 sets of 12
Overhead Tricep Extension 3 sets of 12

Shoulder Finisher:@40kg & @7,5kg
Cable Facepull 3 sets of 15
Cable Upright Row 3 sets of 15
DB Side Raise 3 sets of 15

Notes:
A good session despite feeling kind of rund down because of flu. Bench was pretty good, grinded out the last rep. Pretty happy but might need a spotter for next try. Was too tired to do 5 sets of pull-ups so did lat pulldowns to top of back work.

Arm pump was un-godly.

[JoniChivalry]

OHP:
37,5kg x 3
42,5kg x 3
47,5kg x 5, 3, 3

Squat:
85kg x 3
97,5kg x 3
110kg x 10
85kg x 5 x 3 sets

Pull-Ups:
BW x 8 x 3 sets
15kg x 8 x 5 sets

Standing DB OHP:
15kg x 10
17,5kg x 10 x 2 sets
15kg x 10

Glute Drive Hip Thrust:
20kg x 10
40kg x 10
60kg x 10

DB Side Raise:
12,5kg x 15 x 2 sets
12,5kg, 10kg, 8kg, 6kg, 4kg, 2kg x 15

Notes:
Been a while since my last workout but returned today!

So... I quit my PT job. It was the right call because it was just bringing me unwanted stress. Now I can focus on the hiking store and learn all about that especially since I want to learn everything there is to learn.

But because I quit I also had to find a new gym to workout at. Found this cool gym run by a local baseball club and it was pretty dope. They have all the stuff I need and then some. Will be excited to workout there.

Todays session was a roller coaster. Because the OHP went so bad I got discouraged. I have no idea why it went the way it did but that's life. Maybe next time will be better.

Squats were amazing though and I'm excited about next week. Kept the lower body volume low because will have to have a DL session in two days.

[JoniChivalry]

Bench Press:
72,5kg x 5
82,5kg x 3
92,5kg x 3, 1
82,5kg x 5, 4
75kg x 7
70kg x 7

Incline Bench Press:
40kg x 10
50kg x 10 x 2 sets

Lever One Arm Row:
10kg's x 10
30kg's x 10
40kg's x 10
45kg's x 10 x 3 sets

Lever High Incline Pull-Down:
20kg's x 10
40kg's x 10 x 3 sets

Dips:
10kg x 10 x 3 sets

Lat Pulldown:
40kg x 10
50kg x 10
60kg x 10 x sets

Arm stuff to finish.

Notes:
A super ****ty workout. I was supposed to do deadlifts today but my legs and hips were feeling beat up so I switched with Bench day. Bad idea considering that I had just done a high volume OHP session 2 days ago so I wasn't really recovered yet to press heavy. TBH I don't even want to raise TM because of how bad this went so I'm not going to. I will do some switches in my upper body routine because I'm not really happy how it is going. Going to do some research on how to proceed with these.

[JoniChivalry]

Deadlift:
110kg x 3
125kg x 3
140kg x 10
125kg x 3 sets
-> Ascending sets SSed with
Pull-Ups 25kg x 6 x 3 sets
-> Back off sets SSed with
Cable Row 70kg x 10 x 3 sets

Front Squat:
60kg x 10
65kg x 10
70kg x 10
75kg x 10
80kg x 10

Glute Bride Machine:
50kg x 15 x 3 sets
70kg x 15

Lever Leg Extension:
20kg's x 15 x 3 sets

Notes :
This was a nice "just another days worth of work" kind of session. Front squats were easy and leg extension for the first time ever was sick.

[JoniChivalry]

Bench Press:
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
90kg x 5
80kg x 7 x 2 sets

Incline Bench:
50kg x 10 x 2 sets
55kg x 10
60kg x 10

Lever Shoulder Press:
5kg's x 10
10kg's x 10
15kg's x 10
20kg's x 10
15kg's x 12
10kg's x 15
5kg's x 20

DB Lateral Raise:
7kg's x 20 x 3 sets
10kg's x 27, 25 (1,5min rest)

DB Overhead Tricep Extension:
20kg x 15
25kg x 15, 15, 12

One Cable Tricep Extension:
5kg's x 15/15 x 3 sets

Notes:
Instead of doing OHP I opted in doing some fluff and puff on this day. Tried my hand at benching heavier weights and it did feel better than on Sunday so that put my mind at rest. Even Incline Bench went way better than on Sunday. Rest was just some fluff and puff.

[JoniChivalry]

Bent Over Row:
50kg x 10
80kg x 10
90kg x 10
95kg x 10
100kg x 10

Lat Pulldown:
50kg x 10
60kg x 10
70kg x 10
75kg x 10
70kg x 10 x 3 sets

Chest Supported DB Row:
20kg's x 15, 15, 20
--supersetted with--
Cable Pullover:
20kg x 15, 15, 20

Ez-Curl:
30kg x 10 x 4 sets

Incline DB Curl:
6kg x 12
10kg x 12, 10
8kg x 15

Cable Upright Row:
20kg x 15, 15, 27
--supersetted with--
Cable Facepull:
20kg x 15, 15, 20

Notes:
This was another fluff and puff session just to keep the weights moving. I'm trying and going to try harder to focus on my delt and arm development. Will be doing somekind delt and arm work every training day to get them growing a bit more. Will using different kind of exercises to hit those muscles as well as upper back region.

Tomorrow will be squats!

[JoniChivalry]

Squats:
90kg x 5
105kg x 3
120kg x 8
90kg x 5 x 3 sets - (first 2sets paused)

Core Circuit:
Stir The Pot: Bw x 10 x 2 sets
Elbow Plank: Bw x 30s x 2 sets
Foam Roller Dead Bug: Bw x 10 x 2 sets
- Supersetted with back off squats

RDL:
80kg x 10
90kg x 10
100kg x 10

Pendulum Squats:
30kg x 10
50kg x 10
70kg x 10
80kg x 10

GHR:
Bw x 15 x 2 sets
--supersetted with--
Hyper Extension:
Bw x 15 x 2 sets

Farmer's Carry Complex:
KB Side Bend: 24kg x 10 x 3 sets
KB Farmer's Carry: 24kg x 15m x 3 sets
KB Front Rack Carry: 24kg x 15m x 3 sets
- One hand at a time, no rest in between

Lean Away DB Curl:
10kg x 30 reps
- Rest-pause

Lean Away DB Lateral Raise:
10kg x 50 reps
- Rest-pause

[JoniChivalry]

Deadlift:
110kg x 5
132½kg x 3
147½kg x 10

Bench Press:
62½kg x 5
72½kg x 5
82½kg x 9
72½kg x 6 x 3 sets

Pull-Ups:
20kg x 5 x 5 sets

Dips:
8kg x 10 x 4 sets
10kg x 15

One Arm DB Row:
40kg x 10
45kg x 10
50kg x 20, 10

DB Side Raise:
12½kg x 30, 20, 25

Cable Curl:
10kg x 15
15kg x 15
17½kg x 15, 13, 12, 10

Cable Overhead Tricep Extension:
10kg x 15
15kg x 12
20kg x 10, 16
15kg x 15
10kg x 18


Notes:
A pretty good session overall. I was too tired on the day before to go to the gym and hit the last DL session of the cycle, so I just thought I'd combine it with my bench session since I had the time for it. Really happy about how it went and stoked about hitting 147½kg for 10. I made a pretty risky thing and pumped up my TM by 5kg's for the next cycle. Just want to hit 157½kg - 160kg for 10. Then my e1RM would be 200kg.

[JoniChivalry]

Squat:
85kg x 5
100kg x 5
110kg x 10 - beltless
85kg x 6 x 3 sets

SLDL:
60kg x 10
75kg x 10
90kg x 10 x 3 sets

Single Leg Press:
15kg x 15
30kg x 15
45kg x 15, 25, 10

Foam Roller Deadbug:
3 sets of 20

Notes:
Surprisingly good session even though I was dead tired. Tried to hold myself back for the AMRAP by going beltless but surprised myself by doing 10 reps.

[JoniChivalry]

Close Grip Bench:
45kg x 10
52½kg x 10
62½kg x 10 x 3 sets

Pull-Ups:
15kg x 10, 10, 8+2
Bw x 13 - slow and controlled

Incline Benc Press:
50kg x 10
60kg x 10 x 2 sets
55kg x 10

Cable Row:
70kg x 15
75kg x 15 x 3 sets

DB Skullcrusher:
10kg x 15 x 4 sets
--supersetted with--
Seated DB Curl:
10kg x 15 x 4 sets

DB Side Raise:
15kg x 10 -> 10kg x 15 -> 5kg x 20
15kg x 20 -> 10kg x 20 -> 5kg x 20

Notes:
Close grip bench felt foreign for not doing it so long. Will get better over time. Honeslty I surprised myself by getting 2 sets of 10 at 15kg on pull-ups. Arm and shoulder pump was godly again.

I've been thinking about my diet. Right now I'm not really restricting my eating. It's been good for strength gains but I feel floppy around my mid section. Like really floppy and I don't like it. I've never been a lean individual so I've always carried a bit of fat with me. As a former fat kid I'm always afraid of getting fat again.
Right now I have strength goals I want to hit and I think a large caloric deficit would only hurt my strength progress so I will eat freely and pay attention to my protein intake until I hit my strength goals. I also bike daily 20km and have a pretty active job so that's another thing to factor in.
But then again today I weighed 76,6kg but if I hit 80kg I might drop down to 75kg and repeat.

[JoniChivalry]

Deadlift:
105kg x 5
120kg x 5
135kg x 5
120kg x 5
- All beltless
- Supersetted with HLR for 4 sets of 10

Front Squat:
50kg x 10
60kg x 10
70kg x 10 x 3 sets

Hip Thrust Machine:
70kg x 10 x 3 sets
- Supersetted with Barbell Russian Twist 10kg x 20 x 3 sets

Single Leg Lever Leg Extension:
10kg x 12 x 4 sets
- No rest in between

Notes:
This was a meh session. I did this one last Thursday. I was tired and fatigued so just decided to drop the DL volume a bit. It's been hard biking to work every day plus training. Took fri, sat, sun and today also off and will continue training tomorrow.

[JoniChivalry]

Been too busy to log last week. Work, work travel and training have been making too tired to do anything else besides just chill. Last week was mediocre at best training wise. Hit submaximal reps on all the AMRAPs to kind of try to recover. Squat 117,5kgx8, bench 87,5kgx5 and DL 145kgx5, nothing amazing there.

But I did hit a minor obstacle. The gym that I had been going to went down and they cleared everything last friday. There's going to be another one occupying the same space but it won't be there until the middle of August. So I had to find yet another gym for this month or so. Luckily I found a proper one close to work. It's a bit more expensive one but I'll handle it. It'll do for this time.

[JoniChivalry]

Bench Press:
72,5kg x 5
82,5kg x 3
92,5kg x 5
92,5kg x 1 x 5 sets
77,5kg x 5 x 3 sets
77,5kg x 10

Pull-Ups:
25kg x 5 x 4 sets

Swiss Bar OHP:
35kg x 6 x 4 sets

Dips:
15kg x 8, 9, 10

Chest Supported Lever Row:
40kg's x 10 x 3 sets

Lat Pulldown:
60kg x 10 x 3 sets

Finished off with a bit of arms and delts.

[JoniChivalry]

Squat:
100kg x 5
110kg x 3
125kg x 8
110kg x 5 x 3 sets

SLDL:
80kg x 5
95kg x 5
110kg x 5 x 3 sets
-> SSed HLR for 3 sets of 15

Bulgarian Split Squat:
25kg x 10 x 3 sets

Single Leg Press :
45kg x 15
55kg x 15
65kg x 20

Single Arm Farmers Walk:
32kg x distance x 3 rounds
Ab Rollout :
Bw x 15 x 3 sets