2

[dairygains]

Going to record my training here so I can track progress and see what works.

Goal:
Just beat my old PRs

Lifetime PRs
Squat: 160
Bench: 165
Deadlift: 210

Routine:
Monday: Heavy bench
Tuesday: Squat
Thursday: Upper/bodybuilding style work
Friday: Deads

Weights will be in kilos because WTC7 was a controlled demolition.

[dairygains]

Thursday

Weight: 103.2

Bench
100x14
90x12
90x12
90x10

DB bench (30 seconds rest)
40x12
30x12
20x14

DB incline (30 seconds rest)
20x15, 10, 8

Pulldowns
65x2x10
60x10
50x10

Rope pressdowns
40, 35, 30, 25 x 18-20 reps

Hammer curls
4 sets ranging from 12kg-7kg

Notes:
Trying out gripping the bar with ring fingers on the rings.
Just came back from a week off. Weights moved pretty easily. Good arm pump at the end, didn't feel much from the chest work though.

[dairygains]

Friday

Weight: 103.8

Deads
160x6
120x4x5

High bar close stance squat
60x3x10 (90 seconds rest)

Single leg extensions
30x3x10

1 arm seated rows
30x3x10

Ab wheel
2x6

Notes:
Top set of deads was harder than I thought it'd be. See what the next few weeks bring.
Squats were also rough due to lack of fitness and general leg weakness.

[CharlesSwann]

Good luck! Love the high bar squats. Do you do high and low bar or just one?

[dairygains]

Good luck! Love the high bar squats. Do you do high and low bar or just one?

Thank you!

I do both - Low bar for weight and high bar is to focus more on quads as (other than being weak overall) they're particularly weak.

[dairygains]

Monday

Weight: 104.7

Bench
110x11
100x11
100x10
100x10

Dips
Bodyweight x 15
Bodyweight x 12

Machine flyes
60x15
60x12
60x12

Pressdowns
50x20
60x20
70x20

Pendlay rows
60x8
80x5
60x8
60x8

Hammer curls
15kg, 12kg, 10kg x a couple of sets

Notes:
No sets taken to failure, but close. Tiring workout, still.

Rep PR with 110 is 15, so I've got a bit to go yet. Could've got 12, but why strain that much for only 1 rep.
Gotta bump those numbers up!

Also the mind muscle connection really is a thing. Normally my pressdowns are a bit lighter, and I get a way better pump from them.

[dairygains]

Tuesday

Weight: 104.7

Squats
80x5
100x5
120x3
Legs started cramping up after this set

Single leg extensions
30x4x10

Notes:
Only had 30 mins to train today, stupidly rushed through it.
Cramping + low strength must be due to lack of conditioning. I'd already had 2 litres of water during the day.

[dairygains]

Thursday

Weight: Around 104-105

Bench
100x2x10
90x2x10

DB bench (10 seconds rest)
30x20
30x12

DB flyes (10 seconds rest)
20x12
20x8

DB incline
30x16

Rope pressdowns
18x4x15-20

Hammer curls
8x4x12

Notes:
Tried out a new gym today. Usually perform poorly due to different equipment.
Dumbbells maxed out at 30kg (66lbs), so I used minimal rest periods to keep up the pump.

Pump was greatest on the first set of bench, then went downhill from there.
By the time I hit db incline, there was no pump left at all. Mind-muscle connection and intensity must be way off mark.

It's hot and humid AF here so I feel like constant death anyway, I'm amazed I can even function this well.

[dairygains]

Friday

Weight: 104.7

Deads
170x2x3
130x5x3 (speed reps)

High bar squat
60x8
80x2x8

Pullups
bodyweight x 5

Pulldowns
70x2x10
60x10
50x10

Ab wheel
3x6

Machine curls
Bunch of sets and reps

Notes:
Bodyweight doesn't seem to be moving, will have to up the cals further.
Deads felt slow, awkward and heavy as fuk.
Strangely enough, skwats were a breeze today.

Plan for main lifts next week: Increase intensity, lower volume. Also cut back on assistance. Just to see what effect it has on my recovery.

[dairygains]

Monday

Weight: 105.0

Bench paused
120x7
120x4
110x3x5

Spoto press
90x3x10

Pendlay rows
60x8
80x7
60x8

Bar extensions
30x2x12

Pressdowns
50x20
70x17
60x17

Bar curls
40x10
30x2x10
20x12

Notes
120x7 was more than I was expecting, but I've been training in roughly a similar fashion for a while now. Maybe a few extra calories lately helped?

[dairygains]

Tuesday

Weight: 105.7

Squat
110x5, 5, 4
70x3x8

Pullups x6

Pulldowns
70x10
60x10

Hammer curls
10x3x10

Ab wheel
2x6

Notes:
Heavy sets resemble squat mornings.
Quad weakness + poor movement patterns must be the problem.
Trying to stay upright with anything over 70kg murders my quads.
I think I'll still do heavy sets, but fewer of them. More sets and reps with lower weight and forcing myself to be more upright.

[dairygains]

Thursday

Weight: 105.6

Feet up bench
90x10
100x8
90x10
80x12

DB bench (10 sec rest)
30x25, 10

Flye machine (30 sec rest)
60x2x15

Rope pressdowns
40x2x20

Rope overhead extensions
30x2x?

Hammer curls
10x3x?

Notes:
Not too difficult today, better pump than last few workouts.
Feet up bench is pretty weak, so I could work on improving that.
Don't think I got too much out of the high rep dumbbell work. Felt a lot better on that second, more strenuous set (plus really focused on squeezing together at the top).

[dairygains]

Friday

Weight: 105.8

Deads (tng)
180x8

Deficit DL
130x4
110x2x6

High bar squat
80x5
90x7
80x8
60x2x8

1 arm cable row
25x3x10-12

Ab wheel
2x8

Notes:
PR with 180 is 10 reps. Not too bad - my grip is what failed, plus I'm not really conditioned for reps I guess.
Haven't done deficits in like forever, so I'll see how they help.
My deadlift training is geared towards improving the start of the lift - sticking point is about 1-2 inches off the floor.

I might deload after this. 3 weeks of training so far, and this was definitely the most brutal week yet.

[dairygains]

Monday

Deload? lol?

Gym: 105.8

Bench paused
125x5 (+1, spotter mistake)
110x5x5 (no leg drive, comfortable and stronk reps)

Slingshot
130x7

Spoto press med grip
100x10
90x2x10

Pendlay rows
60x8
80x3x5
60x8

Bar extensions
30x15, 12, 12

Pressdowns
60x20, 20
50x16

Hammer curls
10x20?

Notes
Was supposed to deload, but still wanted to train heavy. Felt like hell, but still happy with how I did today.
Coincidentally, I also picked up a savage case of gastro. Going to take it extremely easy on eating and training this week.

[dairygains]

Thursday

Weight: 102.8 (down 3kg)

Bench
90x3x3

DB bench
25x20, 10, 8 myo reps

DB OHP
10x20, 15 myo reps

Rope pressdowns
30xlots

Notes
Wow this gastro infection wrecked me this week. Also my lower back developed some really bad tightness which I'll need to roll out.

Still had an awesome pump from the high rep/myo rep dumbbell work. Very light stuff though, hopefully easy to recover from and will begin serious training again on Monday.

Easy legs and back tomorrow.

[dairygains]

Monday

Weight: 103.2

Bench paused
120x5

Spoto press alternating medium-comp grips
100x8
90x2x8

Extensions
30x15, 12

Pressdowns
60x15
50x15

Pendlay rows
70x2x5
60x2x5

Notes:
Still recovering from the gastro, but retained more strength than I thought. Only -2 reps on 120 since two weeks ago.

Bench felt surprisingly good, despite time off training and bodyweight crash. Probably says something about my normal training volume/recovery/caloric intake.

Also missed Tuesday's squat workout today.

[dairygains]

Wednesday

Weight: 104.2

Squat:
80x5
100x5
80x2x5
60x5

Notes:
Took things pretty moderately today - Haven't done any lower body in over a week, and my next lower workout is in two days' time.
Guts are feeling a little better, weight is coming back, and lower back pain is gone
Also did my warmup sets extra slowly and controlled. This really seems to help dial in technique right from the start and as the sets progress. Must try more of this.

[dairygains]

Thursday

Weight: ?? Scales are fuked

Feet up bench
90x10
100x9
90x2x10

DB bench
40x12
35x12?
30x15?

DB incline
25x12
30x10
25x12

DB ohp
22x12, 10

Side raises
7x20, 15

Rope pressdowns
40x20, 18
35x2x20

Hammer curls
15x15
12x12
10x20
7x20

Notes:
Just felt like doing a lot today. Probably too much to recover by Monday, but I'll try to eat and rest well and see what happens.
Swapped extensions for OHP today because I just want some dat dere width.
Also rested a lot more between every set. Pump be damned, I could lift more on each set and also didn't feel nearly as tired.

[dairygains]

Friday

Weight: 105.4

Deads
150x3x3

Squats
80x5
100x5
60x5x10

Pullups
5 rest pause reps

Pulldowns - emphasising squeeze and eccentric motion
60x3x10

Ab wheel
2x8

Curl machine
40x15, 10
30x10
25x12

Notes:
DL strength just dropped about 20%. Must've been from squats two days ago, but that was only 80-100kg - hard to imagine it had that much of an effect.
Want to see what more squat volume might result in. Form is improving a lot lately - staying a bit more upright and keeping hips under.

[dairygains]

Wow been too lazy to record my workouts lately.

Ok, Monday this week

Weight: 105.0

Bench paused
125x5 rpe 10
110x3x5

Bench touch n go, starting from comp and moving to medium grip
90x4x10,
90x8

Pendlay rows
70x5x5

Extensions
30x12, 10
25x10

Pressdowns
60x20, 15
50x15
40x20

Hammer curls
12x15
10x18
7x18

Notes:
Probably overdid things on last Thursday's workout.
Top set of bench today 125x5 also felt a bit too much.

[dairygains]

Tuesday

Weight: 105.7

Squat
70x5
90x5
110x5
70x5x10

done

Very low on time, quick workout today. Squats felt like chit.

[dairygains]

Thursday

Weight: 104.7

Bench feet up, paused
90x5
100x5
110x4 (1-2 rir)

Bench feet up, touch n go
90x3x10
80x2x10 (med grip)

Flye machine
60x15, 12x 12

Seated press
40x2x15

Extensions
30x15, 10, 10

Rope pressdowns
45x15, 35x15, 30x15, 25x15

Notes:
FU bench is super weak, gotta bump those numbers up!
Going to focus a bit more on bench specific work - seated press is definitely not part of that, just felt like doing some.
Also going to try lower the volume a bit to see if recovery improves.

[dairygains]

Friday 11/06

Weight: 105.0

Deads
160x3
140x2x3
130x3x3

Squat
70x5x10

Pulldowns
60x5x10

Hammer curls
some stuff

Notes:
Deads were much easier than last week, had a few reps left in the tank.
Squats were easy too.

[dairygains]

Tuesday 15/06

Gym was closed yesterday, so I did both workouts today.

Afternoon workout

Bench:
130x3
120x2x3

Slingshot
140x3

Bench tng
100x2x10
90x2x10 med grip


Evening workout

Squat
120x5
80x10
70x2x10
50x2x10 high bar, extra deep

Pressdowns
60x20, 15
50x15

Pullups
5, 5, 3

Pulldowns
65x2x8

Notes:
Volume lately has been a little less insane. Plus the extra day of rest, 130 felt good tonight.
Squats were hard though. Had more than 120x5, but felt like I was starting to squatmorning too much.

[dairygains]

Thursday 17/06

Weight 105.5

FU bench
100x10
90x3x10
80x2x10 med grip

Bar extensions
30x3x12

Rope pressdowns
40x20, 15, 30x20, 25x2x20

Curls
40x8

Hammer curls
4 sets

Side raises
3 sets

Notes:
Not too bad considering I had a pretty big bench workout only 2 days ago. Rest up as usual and see what Monday brings.

[dairygains]

Friday 18/06

Weight: 105.7

Deads
170x2x3
160x3

Deficits shoes + 5kg plate
130x3x3

Squats
80x5x10

Pullups
3x5

1 arm seated row
25x12, 30x2x10

Face pulls
35x3x20

Notes:
I feel like my body is realising dissipated fatigue rather than getting stronger just yet. 170 today felt at least as easy as 150 two weeks ago.
Deficits felt better (probs adapting to the new exercise).
Squats were easy today and nice tight form.
Going to just keep it up and see what happens.

[dairygains]

Monday 21/06

Weight: 106.7

Bench
110x3
120x1
130x2x3
120x2x3
100x2x10 tng

Flye machine
60x25? just getting some pump in

Pulldowns
60x3x10

Rope pressdowns
40x3x15-20

Notes:
Bodyweight is up a bit. Strength isn't though, which kinda put a downer on the workout. I'll take Thursday a little easier and try again next week I guess.

[dairygains]

Wednesday 23/06

Weight: 106.1

Squat - 90x3x5
Pendlay rows - 50x3x8
Hypers - 15

Notes:
Cruisy deload workout.
Lower back wasn't sitting quite right and was all tightened up. Squats were easy breezy, but it made pendlay rows very difficult.
Did some hypers to try and loosen up a little. Also lots of foam rolling at home.

[dairygains]

Thursday 24/06

Weight: 105.3

Bench: 100x3x5
DB bench: 27x25+7 myo reps

fantastic titty pump

Extensions: 30x10
Pressdowns: 35x15, 30x15
Seated press (leaning back): 40x20
Hammer curls:10x3x15-20

Notes:
Living with frequent GI distress + poor caloric availability means the rare occurrence I get to eat food I enjoy, I don't have a big appetite anyway.
Also makes my weight fluctuate a lot.

Developing world gon develop.

[dairygains]

Friday 25/06

Weight: 104.7

Deads: 140x3x3
RDL: 80x15
Squat: 80x10
Ab hwheel: 2x7
Pullups: 3 dead hang
Counterweighted pullups: 7

Notes:
End of deload week. Things moving easily.
Except pullups. Fk pullups.
Might do more Romanian deads. Always get good pump and soreness in the posterior chain.