Reply
Results 1 to 20 of 20
  1. #1
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline

    Post Building a Thing

    So I decided to start a journal here to track my strength training progress and some other statistics. I keep a detailed workbook offline, but thought it a decent idea to put something here in case I need some feedback or just for reference (if only for myself).

    I plan to keep track of the primary lifts as well as my weight and provide some notes if applicable. I do several additional assistance exercises, but I won't bother listing those at this time. Updates will be ~weekly. So here we go...

    7/16/2019

    Bench Press 3x5: 235 lbs
    Squat 3x5: 225 lbs
    Deadlift 3x5: 245 lbs
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 185 lbs
    Overhead Press 3x5: 135 lbs

    Weight: 172.8 lbs

    NOTES
    Just recently started barbell training in earnest (~4 weeks ago) so my squats and deadlifts are progressing nicely as my body learns the mechanics and builds strength, etc. Bench and OHP are getting tough, though, so I'll have to get creative with loading and/or set/rep layout to move forward.

    Nutrition-wise, as of today I'm back on maintenance and will transition to a lean bulk in about 2-3 weeks. I want to get a good feel for what my true maintenance requirements are before I move forward. Up until now, I had a reasonably idea but I want to narrow it down further.
    Reply With Quote

  2. #2
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    7/27/2019

    Bench Press 3x5: 240 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Squat 3x5: 245 lbs (+20 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 3x5: 275 lbs (+30 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 195 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 5x3: 140 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 172.4 lbs (-0.4 lbs)

    NOTES
    Lifts continue to progress well - no complaints there! To keep increasing weight on OHP, switched to 5 sets of 3 from 3 sets of 5. For my assistance exercises (not listed above), added Lying Tricep Extensions and love them! Definitely recommend adding them to any routine if you can fit it in.

    Change in weight is relatively small; I expect it to start trending upward (I'll adjust my calories as needed to gain at +0.5 lbs/week). Was losing ~ 1.0-1.2 lbs/week up until I bolstered my calorie intake. Currently aiming for 2600 calories a day (237c, 195p, 97f) and hitting it every day. I have to say, I personally benefit a lot more from a higher fat (i.e. more nuts, cheese, etc. in my diet) intake as opposed to more carbs. I made this adjustment recently and I have seen a noticeable improvement in energy at the gym and throughout the day in general.
    Reply With Quote

  3. #3
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    8/3/2019

    Bench Press 5x3: 250 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Squat 5x3: 255 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 3x3: 295 lbs (+20 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 200 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 5x3: 145 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 174.2 lbs (+1.8 lbs)

    NOTES
    Honeymoon period is close to over with my lifts as it seems neuro-muscular adaption has all but run its course. Progress is getting tougher to come by, but I see that as a positive since now true strength gains can be had. Had to reconfigure set/rep combos on several lifts to keep progressing in weight, but I'm progressing so that's good.

    Expected bump in body weight finally came. Previous week may have been an outlier (lower water day or something...who knows). Average weekly weight change over past two weeks is +0.65 lbs. That being said, I am probably going to bump my caloric intake to ~2800 calories a day (from 2600). I feel I need the extra fuel as my workouts are getting pretty strenuous. I'll continue to monitor my weight gain to make sure it doesn't get too out of control.
    Reply With Quote

  4. #4
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    8/10/2019

    Bench Press 5x3: 255 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Squat 5x3: 265 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 3x3: 300 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 205 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 5x3: 150 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 173.0 lbs (-1.2 lbs)

    NOTES
    Lifts are progressing well. That being said, I'm pushing more working weight than I ever have in my life. I have to admit that on some lifts (namely, bench press and incline press) I have a bit of a "confidence hurdle" I need to overcome. It's purely mental; sort of a "That's a lot of weight compared to what I've done 'in my past' - am I really doing this?" thought process that I just need to dispel. Having the right mindset can help you eek out that last rep or two - I can't let uncertainty take hold at these times.

    As for my weight, bumped to 2800 calories average per day for the past week, and .... -1.2 lbs. :sigh:

    In reality, it's well within that range of standard water weight fluctuations. I'll keep at it for another week and see where I land. For what it's worth, noticing subtle improvements in the mirror since the beginning of this log, so I believe I'm headed overall in the right direction.

    P.S. I'm going to add my height - 5'10" (178cm) - to the initial post for reference.

    Edit: Doesn't look like I can edit a post that old - or at least I don't know how. Either way, guess my height reference will have to stay in this post.
    Reply With Quote

  5. #5
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    8/17/2019

    Bench Press 5x3: 257.5 lbs (+2.5 lbs; PR)
    Squat 5x3: 270 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 3x3: 305 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 5x3: 210 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 5x3: 155 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 175.6 lbs (+2.6 lbs)

    NOTES
    Good week at the gym - only wish is that I had been more disciplined with getting to bed on time, but unfortunately (for my sleep) I got into a good book. Had to go from 3x5 to 5x3 on Pendlay Rows, but still progressing. Once progression becomes too tough on 5x3, I'll go 5x2 until a stall, and then finally reset to 3x5 on my intensity days and start the process over. On a side note, I integrated paused squats into my routine and am definitely glad I did! I noticed improved push out of the hole on the primary lift which is exactly what I was going for. The creative/experimental aspects of programming and the causality of it all are some of the things that keep me loving this!

    For nutrition, I went ahead and bumped my calories to 2,900 daily (close to where I was on my previous bulk), and I think I'll stay at this level for a while. My energy is good, and I'm not excessively hungry. Weight is still bouncing around like a pinball (I suspect the changes in caloric intake/carbs affecting water retention are to blame - guess I'll find out soon enough), but the 4-week average movement is +0.7 lbs, so fairly decent.
    Reply With Quote

  6. #6
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    8/24/2019

    Bench Press 5x3: 260 lbs (+2.5 lbs; PR)
    Squat 5x3: 270 lbs (+0 lbs)
    Deadlift 3x3: 305 lbs (+0 lbs)
    Pendlay Row 5x3: 215 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 5x3: 160 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 175.0 lbs (-0.6 lbs)

    NOTES
    It looks like I derped in updating my weekly program and didn't adjust my squat and DL weights up so I inadvertently repeated the previous week's load :-/. On top of that, I have a vacation coming up over Labor Day so I'm compressing my normal schedule this upcoming week. I was planning on just repeating the same workload given the reduced recovery time, but since I did that with squats and DLs already I'll probably end up bumping those and keeping everything else the same. I'll see how I feel.

    For nutrition, I believe I've struck a good balance with my calorie intake and macro balance. Right now, I'm targeting 323c / 90f / 200p @ ~2900 calories daily and it's definitely working for me. My recovery has been really good as has my overall energy level. I'll stay with this intake level for the time being and see how my weight progresses.
    Reply With Quote

  7. #7
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    9/7/2019

    Bench Press 6x2: 265 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Squat 5x3: 280 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 3x3: 315 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 5x3: 215 lbs (+0 lbs)
    Overhead Press 6x2: 165 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 175.8 lbs (+0.8 lbs)

    NOTES
    The numbers above are the latest training cycle I performed (I actually performed a compressed cycle the week before my vacation, but I didn't log it here due to lack of time). My vacation and a subsequent cold/sinus illness meant my energy was s**t at the gym (not so much because of the sickness itself, but because of the highly disrupted sleep it caused). I hit some PRs, but had to alter my set/rep mix to do it. It looks like I'm getting close to a reset for several of my lifts, either way. Even though I felt my performance was less than stellar these last two weeks, looking at how much progress I've made overall given the time frame is encouraging. I've also managed to avoid injuries and debilitating DOMS (some soreness is there, of course, but not nearly enough to significantly impact performance) so I count that as a strong positive.

    I was at ~177 lbs prior to my vacation, but now for the last several days since I got back I'm hanging around 176 lbs. I took my measurements today (waist, neck, etc.) for the BF calculator I use and estimate I've put on roughly 2-3 lbs of lean mass in the last two months. That's decent, but with all the fluctuations and inherent inaccuracy of the calculators it's hard to say for sure. Two things I can say: 1) I'm not putting on fat in any appreciable amount yet; 2) I'm getting demonstrably stronger at the gym.
    Reply With Quote

  8. #8
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    9/14/2019

    Bench Press 6x2: 270 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Squat 6x2: 285 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 4x2: 320 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 5x3: 220 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 6x2: 170 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 177.0 lbs (+1.2 lbs)

    NOTES
    Overall, it was a good week at the gym. Lifts felt really good, and progress is steady. I rotated out paused squats as an assistance exercise and rotated in good mornings - great way to target hamstrings and lower back!

    On the nutrition side of things, switched my macros up slightly: 343c (+20) / 90f / 180p (-20) because the amount of protein was causing bloating and other issues. Daily calories are the same. Couldn't be more pleased with the results so far. There is such a thing - at least for me - as "too much protein." I'll keep this going and hopefully have another good week.
    Reply With Quote

  9. #9
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    9/28/2019

    Bench Press 3x5: 255 lbs (-15 lbs)
    Squat 6x2: 295 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 4x2: 330 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 5x3: 225 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 155 lbs (-15 lbs)

    Weight: 180.0 lbs (+3 lbs)

    NOTES
    Finally got a chance to log an entry. It's been a busy set of weekends with travel, family in town, etc. I've reset on most of my lifts except for squat and deadlift; these are still progressing although getting quite challenging. Despite the resets, it's awesome to see how I can now move more weight on a 3x5 than I could before. This is solid confirmation of my progress and keeps the motivation strong. That being said, I feel I'll be due for a one-week break soon. I'm experiencing some built-up soreness and pain that's not dissipating under normal rest. I'll probably end up taking next week to do some light work and try out new assistance exercises (to get baseline working weights dialed in and practice the movements and so forth).

    For nutrition, I feel good energy-wise though the last couple weeks have seen higher-than-desired weight increases. My 4-week average rate of change is about +0.6 lbs/week, but the last two weeks have been a bit high. Even though I had several social engagements, I only blew my calorie budget two times and by no more than 300-400 calories. Despite keeping my diet on the rails for the most part, these overages and other inaccuracies in my tracking could be the primary drivers behind the excessive increases. Now that things are back to normal, we'll see how things go...
    Reply With Quote

  10. #10
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    10/5/2019

    Bench Press 3x5: 260 lbs (+5 lbs)
    Squat 6x2: 300 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 4x2: 335 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 5x3: 230 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 160 lbs (+5 lbs)

    Weight: 178.6 lbs (-1.4 lbs)

    NOTES
    Decent week at the gym, but I'm definitely ready to "deload" this upcoming week. I'll be trying out / titrating in some new assistance exercises while generally giving my body a break. Hopefully coming out of it I'll feel refreshed and ready to start progressing again. On the subject of progression, I'm considering switching to double-progression for my lifts (i.e. start at 4 reps/set for main lifts, progress up to 6 reps/set, bump weight and reset to 4 reps/set, etc.). The method appeals to me since it seems like it might better prepare me for an increase in weight, but I'm not 100% sold that it will make that much of a difference and it slows the progress with actual weight. Perhaps I'll try it on one lift and see how it goes...

    With nutrition, since I've gotten back to a normal routine (regular access to the foods I typically eat; Saturday morning LISS session; etc.), the drop in weight is perhaps not that surprising. I'll be keeping things as they are.
    Reply With Quote

  11. #11
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    10/19/2019

    Bench Press 2x4: 260 lbs (+0 lbs)
    Squat 3x5: 265 lbs (-35 lbs)
    Deadlift 3x3: 305 lbs (-30 lbs)
    Pendlay Row 6x2: 235 lbs (+5 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 3x4: 160 lbs (+0 lbs)

    Weight: 180.0 lbs (+1.4 lbs)

    NOTES

    TRAINING
    Well, it was a pretty terrible week of lifting, IMHO. I came off my deload of the previous week and just didn't have the strength for many of my lifts. The fact that I reset several lifts didn't seem to help. I half expected an "off" performance, but that doesn't mean it isn't disappointing when it happens. Chances are I'll have to re-assess my deload strategy - perhaps just take the entire week off next time. Either way, I've adjusted my programming to right the ship, so to speak, and hopefully begin climbing the mountain again.

    NUTRITION
    I couldn't help myself and generated a weight tracking Excel workbook to monitor my trends. Looking at 4-week blocks, I'm averaging +0.5-0.7 lbs / week. Furthermore, took my measurements today and it looks like my body fat % continues to remain fairly stable. That means since I began my "bulk," I've added ~7 lbs while maintaining roughly the same BF%. Definitely glad to see that!
    Reply With Quote

  12. #12
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    11/2/2019

    Bench Press -x-: --- lbs (+0 lbs)
    Squat 3x5: 270 lbs (+5 lbs)
    Deadlift 3x3: 320 lbs (+15 lbs)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 215 lbs (-20 lbs)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 157.5 lbs (-2.5 lbs)

    Weight: 181.2 lbs (+1.2 lbs)

    NOTES

    TRAINING
    The last two weeks can be summed up with one sentiment: injuries SUCK. I've accepted the fact that I likely sprained or somehow otherwise injured the AC joint in my left shoulder. While it's more of a nagging injury and has been getting better, it means that I've had to stop bench press, incline press, and dips. I believe I actually injured my shoulder doing weighted dips on one of those angled dip stands (i.e. the ones where the handle bars are angled outward allowing for a wider grip toward the "back"). It's a harsh reminder that proper form is incredibly important. I'm slowly working my way back into the bench press, but I still have some time to go I think until I'm 100%. I don't want to risk unnecessarily prolonging my recovery.

    NUTRITION
    So my average weight gain has settled around 0 for the last 4 weeks so I've increased my daily intake to 3100 calories from 2900 as of Monday (10/28). The 181.2 I posted today is a recent jump (i.e. happened in the last 2 days and stayed there) and likely water retention from the increase in carbs. We'll see how things progress!
    Reply With Quote

  13. #13
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    11/16/2019

    Bench Press 3x5: 245 lbs (-15 lbs)
    Squat 3x5: 280 lbs (+10 lbs)
    Deadlift 3x3: 330 lbs (+10 lbs)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 225 lbs (+10 lbs)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 162.5 lbs (+5 lbs)

    Weight: 181.8 lbs (+0.6 lbs)

    NOTES

    TRAINING
    I'm happy to say that I think I'm finally on the very tail end of my shoulder injury recovery. I only rarely feel slight discomfort, but then it quickly goes away and it doesn't occur during my lifts.

    I'm making noticeable progress in all my lifts - it's great to see that I'm able to push my 3x5s much further than I could before. That being said, I've been considering investing in a belt and maybe some straps. I'll see if I can take advantage of some upcoming holiday sales...

    NUTRITION
    I'm on track to hit ~185 lbs by the end of the year. I think there's good evidence I've attained a decent level of process control over my weight gain - finally! Thanks to a mild affinity for asceticism, I'm not too worried about the holidays knocking me off track...
    Reply With Quote

  14. #14
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    12/8/2019

    Bench Press 3x5: 250 lbs (+5 lbs)
    Squat 3x5: 292.5 lbs (+12.5 lbs)
    Deadlift 3x3: 345 lbs (+15 lbs)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 230 lbs (+5 lbs)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 167.5 lbs (+5 lbs)

    Weight: 181.2 lbs (-0.6 lbs)

    NOTES

    TRAINING
    Kind of a crazy several weeks. Entire family came down with some kind of stomach bug that put me out of commission for several days just before Thanksgiving. Thankfully I'm over that and it didn't have too much of an impact on my progress even though it forced me to miss a day at the gym. I've also reorganized my routine so as to give myself some more recovery time between major lifts. It's become basically this:

    Wednesday:
    Bench Press 5x5
    OHP 5x5
    Squat 5x5
    Deadlift 3x5
    [assistance stuff]

    Friday:
    OHP 3x5
    Pendlay Row 3x5
    [assistance stuff]

    Sunday:
    Bench Press 3x5
    Squat 3x5
    Deadlift 3x5
    Pendlay Row 5x5
    [assistance stuff]

    The higher volumes are done with less weight; all workouts are ~2 hrs. So far I like the new arrangement and had a really good day today. I understand this setup is probably unsustainable as the weights continue to get heavier, but for now it's working pretty well.

    NUTRITION
    Stalled out on weight gain again; bumping to 3350 calories daily. My fat gain has been minimal as far as I can gauge - want to make sure my body has plenty of fuel to continue adding muscle.
    Reply With Quote

  15. #15
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    1/5/2020

    Bench Press 3x5: 245 lbs (-5 lbs)
    Squat 3x5: 285 lbs (-7.5 lbs)
    Deadlift 3x3: 335 lbs (-10 lbs)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 225 lbs (-5 lbs)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 165 lbs (-2.5 lbs)

    Weight: 184.6 lbs (+3.4 lbs)

    NOTES

    TRAINING
    Hello 2020! Following the 15th of December, I took a complete week off from the gym and followed it up with a relatively light week to get back into things. Not only did this really aid with my recovery, but it allowed for family events, etc. associated with Christmas and New Years. It's amazing how much letting your body "lie fallow" occasionally aids in overall progress; if you're not taking the time for proper recovery, you need to. I'm still just a couple weeks shy of reaching my previous workload, but I already can tell I'm much better prepared to continue my progress. I'm looking forward to see where I can get to this year.

    I might end up doing a 2019 training summary if I find the time, but unfortunately it won't be today.

    NUTRITION
    I'm happy to say that my weight gain has gotten back on track through the end of 2019. I need to start planning a training / diet strategy for my cut (which I plan to start around mid-Feb). I'm thinking I need to shave off about 6-8 lbs so it shouldn't take that long; I'll post progress pics at the end of it. After that, I may stay at maintenance for a bit but then it's back to a surplus.
    Reply With Quote

  16. #16
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    1/26/2020

    Bench Press 3x5: 260 lbs (+15 lbs)
    Squat 3x5: 300 lbs (+15 lbs; PR)
    Deadlift 3x3: 355 lbs (+20 lbs; PR)
    Pendlay Row 3x5: 235 lbs (+10 lbs; PR)
    Overhead Press 3x5: 177.5 lbs (+12.5 lbs; PR)

    Weight: 187.4 lbs (+2.8 lbs)

    NOTES

    It's been a great stretch in the last couple of weeks. I hit new 3x5 PRs on most of my lifts. Looking back, it's rewarding to see how far I've come, and it's a good high point on which to close out this bulking phase. I'll be entering a cut after next week; I don't expect it to take much longer than 8-10 weeks (I'm not going to be super aggressive with it). After that I'll ride maintenance for a while and then hit the surplus calories again.

    Some summary data (end of July to today):

    BODY WEIGHT: +15 lbs

    Bench Press 3x5: +20 lbs (this lift represents my poorest performance; I believe my shoulder injury played into this a bit)

    Squat 3x5: +55 lbs (solid improvement, in my opinion)

    Deadlift 3x3: +60 lbs (Another good improvement, but grip strength is becoming an issue)

    Pendlay Row 3x5: +40 lbs (Keeping solid form on this one needs to be a priority)

    Overhead Press 3x5: +42.5 lbs (I'm particularly happy with this one. OHP is a beast...)
    Reply With Quote

  17. #17
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    2/23/2020

    Weight: 184 lbs (-3.4 lbs)

    So, the good news is I'm 2+ weeks into my cut and it's generally going as planned. Weighed in @ 184 lbs (83.6kg) this AM, though I expect that to bounce up a bit (based on trending, this seems more like an outlier - I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow I'm at 185-186 lbs (84.0-84.5 kg)). Either way, strength is maintaining and weight is going down.

    The bad news, however, is that I sustained a bit of a lower back injury. What started out as a "tweak" during OHP turned into what I would categorize as a full-blown pull when I tried to deadlift two days later. I'm not ashamed to admit it was a pretty scary moment when the muscle "gave" and I felt a pop in my back. Thankfully, it was just that - my back popping - with no disk/spinal injury. Over the next several days, the pain subsided dramatically, but I won't be dead-lifting (or doing any hard pulling exercise that activate my lower back) until I'm back on a strength program after my cut (as opposed to the more volume-focused program I'm currently doing). One way or another, I'll be easing back into deadlifts very slowly. I think one of the main problems that led to the injury was excessive workload with insufficient recovery for my lower back. I've since modified my program to better balance the workload.

    The takeaway: Don't underestimate the importance of recovery!

    Lastly, I'll update my progress photos on my Bodyspace right after I post this.
    Reply With Quote

  18. #18
    LIKE A BOSS MoEcho's Avatar
    Join Date: Jun 2005
    Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 10,130
    Rep Power: 9665
    MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000) MoEcho is a name known to all. (+5000)
    MoEcho is offline
    Hey! Subbed and in So sorry to hear about your back injury. What a kick in the nuts eh?
    Team Amazon: Sisterhood of Iron

    The myth that women should be weak is perpetuated by men who fear strong women and women who fear hard work.
    #selfcare #pickitup #putitdown
    Reply With Quote

  19. #19
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    Originally Posted by MoEcho View Post
    Hey! Subbed and in So sorry to hear about your back injury. What a kick in the nuts eh?
    Indeed! Just got over a shoulder injury, too. I'm just glad it was only a strain...
    Reply With Quote

  20. #20
    Registered User mckajdos's Avatar
    Join Date: May 2019
    Posts: 113
    Rep Power: 424
    mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250) mckajdos has a spectacular aura about. (+250)
    mckajdos is offline
    Checking back in. Still training; still loving it.

    Since my last entry, my back was still bothering me slightly - enough to cause me to lose confidence in my lifts - so I visited a chiropractor and underwent several weeks of PT and treatment. I never could have imagined how much of a difference it would make! Though I'm not quite back up to where I was on my primary lifts, I'm well on my way there and my back and shoulder feel great. As I increase the weight, I'm focusing on being patient and using proper form.

    And, of course, the impact of COVID shutdowns on training :sigh:. Thankfully, I have since been able to acquire my own rack setup at the house so I'm somewhat insulated should everything close down again. The march must continue!
    Reply With Quote

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts