M16 W3 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 3
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is last night's workout. Kanishk and I decided to hit the gym together. We also realized that over the last 4 months Kanishk has gone from weighing 265 lbs to 235 lbs @ 5'7. Kudos to him.

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
135 lbs x 3 reps
155 bs x 3 reps x 3 sets
Decent stuff. I almost lost the bar a couple of times but made quick recoveries.

Front Squats:
225 lbs x 7 reps
255 lbs x 2 reps x 2 sets
Several things to note here. For the past 3 weeks I have been training in the 225-275 lbs range for Front Squats when my max is 295. I've also managed to hit 295 just prior to this cycle and consistently for several weeks. However, this cannot be credited to my technique: I have none. I have been hitting these weights pure brute strength. And that is not good. Now, there are several things limiting me here: Firstly, I keeping squatting back when I should be squatting down. Secondly: the cross grip I use is bad because it gives me zero stability. The bar is always rolling off. SO, I am going to go back to the drawing board with this exercise, use MUCH lighter weights and work on pure technique over the next few weeks. I implemented this change after the workout on trying to use an olympic grip and I have a video of me doing that.

Back Squats:
295 lbs x 4 reps
295 lbs x 5 reps
315 lbs x 3 reps

Barbell Static Holds for Grip Work:
295 lbs x 10 seconds Over/Over Grip
205 lbs x 15 seconds x 3 sets Hook Grip

Front Squat Technique Work:
Practiced a whole bunch of short sets and reps using the clean grip. I had Kanishk's expert advice on all this which made the transition fairly easy. Next week onwards I am going to hit a weight between 155 and 185 and really get my form down 100%.

Zercher Squats:
185 lbs x 3 reps
205 lbs x 3 reps
225 lbs x 3 reps
255 lbs x 3 reps
295 lbs x 1 rep
I have never done this exercise and we only did it because Kanishk was hell bent on trying it out. I have no idea if my form was right or if the bar was at the right spot. If someone could point that out for me it would be swell

Videos:

Overhead Squats, Front Squats, Back Squats, Front Squat Technique Training and Zercher Squats:

Overall Impression:

Diet has been spot on

M16 W3 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 3
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is today's workout.

Workout:

Standing Unilateral Overhead Press:
66 lbs x 5 reps
70.4 lbs x 5 reps
70.4 lbs x 5 reps
74.8 lbs x 3 reps
79.2 lbs x 1 rep
57.2 lbs x 10 reps
I am pretty pleased with myself. Got all of these on video...

Chest Supported Rows:
180 lbs x 3 reps x 2 sets
190 lbs x 3 reps

Pull-ups:
BW x 6 reps
BW x 9 reps
BW x 10 reps
Total Reps = 25

High Cable Rows:
75 kgs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Renegade Rows:
18 kgs x 7 reps x 3 sets

Reverse Wrist Curls:
Some weight x 15 reps x 7 sets with 30 seconds rest in between

Videos:

Unilateral Shoulder Press and Chest Supported Rows:

Overall Impression:

My diet has been spot on today.

M16 W3 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 3
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I was in no mood to go train...

Workout:

Deadlifts:
425 lbs x 1 rep x 3 minisets
405 lbs x 1 rep x 5 minisets
425 lbs x 1 rep x 3 minisets
Ok several things to note here. Firstly, I need to desperately eat better. All I had eaten from 8:00 am till 5:00 pm was 500 grams of chicken and 2 scoops of whey. Secondly, I definitely overestimated my abilities here. I was supposed to take my 3RM and knock out 2 clusters of 5 reps each. However, I have never done clusters on Deadlifts before and they whooped my ass. Next time I am going to take 415 and stick to the plan. Lastly, this is a battle of the mind. You have to mentally go through the set.

Side Plank Rows:
Black Band x 30 seconds x 3 sets
Black Band + White Band x 30 seconds x 3 sets

Videos:

Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

Initially I was pretty disappointed with myself regarding this workout. But then I decided to take this as a learning experience. I've never done clusters before and this gives me something to work towards in the near future.

M16 W2 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Eating too much ****....I might end up putting on a lot of fat if I'm not careful or if I haven't already. I had a Pizza for the first time in 4 months and I followed that with 2 burgers and a ****load of coke. Awesome.

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
3 + 3 + 3 + = 12 reps
MUCH better form than last week.

Pull-ups:
(BW + 20 lbs x 2 reps x 5 minisets) x 4 sets
Total Reps = 40
This destroyed me. I wasn't gonna do my 4th set but I decided to anyway. I got Cluster Set #4 on record.

Pallof Press:
17.5 kgs x 12 reps
20.0 kgs x 12 reps
22.5 kgs x 12 reps
25.0 kgs x 12 reps

Videos:

Pistol Squats & Pull-ups:

Overall Impression:

I'm gonna eat better tomorrow.

M16 W2 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

So I arrived at 5 am today. I slept a lot on the plane...

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
135 lbs x 5 reps
145 lbs x 5 reps
155 lbs x 4 reps, FAIL on 5th

Front Squats:
225 lbs x 5 reps
255 lbs x 4 reps
265 lbs x 3 reps
Tried to focus on form.

Back Squats:
295 lbs x 5 reps
315 lbs x 5 reps
345 lbs x 1 rep
365 lbs x FAIL because spotter helped my wrists
My goal next week is to get 315x5. That would be AWESOME!

Barbell Static Holds for Grip Work:
295 lbs x 10 seconds Over/Over Grip
205 lbs x 15 seconds x 3 sets Hook Grip

Weird Ab Exercise:
This exercise is damn hard to do on a Smith Machine. I just did some static holds.

Videos:

Overhead Squats, Front Squats and Back Squats:

Overall Impression:

I had a Pizza today. First time in 4 months. My replacement for Tacos I guess....

M16 W2 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is yesterday's workout. I leave for Bombay in 20 minutes so I'm gonna me this quick...

Workout:

Incline Close Grip Crazy Bell Bench Press:
155 lbs x 5 reps
175 lbs x 3 reps
195 lbs x 2 reps
215 lbs x FAIL
185 lbs x 2 reps
This was super hard lol...

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 3 reps x 5 sets

Pull-ups:
BW x 8 reps x 3 sets
Definitely a PR...

Cable Rows:
170 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Weird Ab Exercise:
80 lbs x 6 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Press, Rows and Abs:

Overall Impression:

Time to go...

M16 W2 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I am finally done with exams. I leave for my hometown Bombay, India come Saturday afternoon. I am not looking forward to spending 20 hours on a freaking plane....I will workout tomorrow (Friday) and then I'll be gone for 2 days that it takes to travel to India. Then once I am home I'll be back online as regularly as always.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
415 lbs x 3 reps
455 lbs x 1 rep
475 lbs x 1 rep
455 lbs x 1 rep
I was supposed to do 3 singles. This is the last week of the Singles Training. Next week I begin clusters.

Videos:

Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

Diet has been super-gay during these exam weeks. I think I've gained 5 pounds just from eating tacos every night.

One of the cuisines which I really miss when I am home in Bombay is Mexican food. Otherwise, I'm all set to go

I hope everyone's had a good week. Friday is almost here and so is the weekend!

M16 W1 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 1
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is last night's workout...

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
7 + 4 = 11 reps
Decided to cut this short today. I wasn't feeling it and my legs were too sore for me to control my form properly.

Pull-ups:
(BW + 20 lbs x 2 reps x 5 minisets) x 3 sets
Total Reps = 30
Decided to do a cluster set for this today. I got all 3 sets on video...

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 4 reps
120 lbs x 2 reps x 3 sets
I absolutely hate it when my calluses hurt like this. It makes lifting VERY hard.

Unilateral Lat Pulldowns:
60 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets

Lying Dragon Flags:
BW x 7 reps x 3 sets.

Videos:

Pistol Squats & Pull-ups:

Overall Impression:

Nothing special to think about. I need my calluses to heal because they're beginning to really piss me off!

M16 W1 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 1
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I am going to be starting the 4 squat workout this Mesocycle. I dunno how long I will run it but I am going to gradually get into it. This session involved only 3 squat variations but come next week I will add in the 4th variant.

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
135 lbs x 3 reps
145 lbs x 3 reps
155 lbs x 3 reps
175 lbs x FAIL
I am just getting back to doing this exercise. It wreaks havoc on my shoulders and whenever I start doing this exercise after a big layoff (in this case a month or two), I need to relearn it in terms of hand placement. As you can see in the video, my sets with 135 and 145 lbs were kinda shoddy but my form was spot on with 155. Thats because through trial and error I finally found the sweet spot for my grip on the bar come 155 lbs. Too bad I lost it and failed at 175 though.

Front Squats:
225 lbs x 5 reps
255 lbs x 3 reps
275 lbs x FAIL
275 lbs x 1, FAIL
I am in a dilemma about this exercise. I tried using the clean grip with wrist straps (coz I lack wrist flexibility) but it feels extremely unstable on my shoulders. With all my shoulder injuries, this grip makes me feel like I am ripping my shoulders out and I don't know how to hold the bar in place. If I use that gay ass cross grip, I end up making the bar roll forwards as what happened with 275 lbs. Also, the safety bars distract me for some reason because they make me want to touch them on every rep. I've spent so much time doing Anderson Front Squats that regular front squats baffle me at times!

Back Squats:
275 lbs x 5 reps
305 lbs x 3 reps
335 lbs x 1 rep

Farmers Walks:
110 lbs x 2 trips x 3 sets
120 lbs x 2 trips
Finally moved up to the heaviest dumbbells in my gym (which isn't saying much).

Pallof Press:
37.5 lbs x 12 reps
42.5 lbs x 12 reps
47.5 lbs x 12 reps

Videos:

Overhead Squats, Front Squats, Back Squats and Farmers Walks:


Also, here is my boy Paul who doesn't believe in Pre workout nutrition who almost got killed doing Full Clean and Presses with 205 lbs:

Overall Impression:

Decent workout...Time to get back to studying. Tomorrow is going to be Pistol Squat Day.

I hope everyone had a fun weekend! Thanks for reading!

M16 W1 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 1
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is Friday's workout. Tonight I'm gonna go do Squats...

Workout:

Military Press:
175 lbs x 1 rep (95%)
185 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
185 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
175 lbs x 2 reps (95%)
155 lbs x 5 reps (83%)
I weighed in at 190 lbs that morning. I am pretty pleased with this workout. The Press was definitely hard and 185 was a bit of a grinder but I think all this cross-training of bench and dips have definitely helped me.

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
My calluses were hurting a lot after Deadlifts on Thursday and I've ripped some flesh off my palms. So it was very painful to do this exercise which is why I cut it a bit short. I need to figure out what to do about this problem I have with my calluses.

Wide Grip Pull-ups:
BW x 5 reps x 5 sets

Cable Rows:
170 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Lat Pulldown Crunches:
80 lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets

Videos:

My Military Presses:


My boy Conner Wilson hit a 715 Box Squat @ 18 years of age:

Overall Impression:

I'm done with 2 finals and I have 2 left: Wednesday and Thursday. After that I am a free bird lol...

I hope everyone's having a good weekend.

I went and saw Invictus last night. What an awesome movie. "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul."

M16 W1 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 1
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I went in last night got this workout in....I have finals going on this week and the next and I had just consumed 4 scoops of protein and 2 chicken breasts over the course of the whole day before I hit this workout.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
415 lbs x 1 rep (91%)
435 lbs x 1 rep (96%)
455 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
455 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
425 lbs x 2 reps (93%)
I was supposed to get in 9 Singles but I slept in such a weird position my upper trap was hurting and in extreme pain and my form went to ****....I applied some tiger balm at night but it's still hurting today though the pain has subsided considerably.

Weird Ab Exercise:
BW x 6 reps x 3 sets

Pallof Press:
32.5 lbs x 12 reps
37.5 lbs x 12 reps
42.5 lbs x 12 reps
47.5 lbs x 12 reps

Videos:

Deadlifts and Core Training:

Overall Impression:

My diet has gone to **** recently but I am making changes. And I hope my trap heals up. I hate it when I get these tweaks...and I got it while sleeping!

M15 W4 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 4
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Went in on Tuesday again....

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
7 + 7 + 7 = 21 reps
My form went to complete **** come the 3rd set. I was pretty pissed off about this.

Pull-ups:
BW x 3 reps x 3 sets
BW + 20 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 35 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 50 lbs x 2 reps x 2 sets
BW + 40 lbs x 1 rep
Total Reps = 20
Decent session.

Banded Bench Press:
Orange short band x 10 reps x 2 sets
A friend of mine bought these bands so I thought I'd be the first to break them in

Renegade Rows:
50 lbs x 7 reps x 3 sets

Alternating 1 Arm 1 Leg Front Planks:
BW x 60 seconds x 3 sets
I got this one video.

Videos:

Pistol Squats, Pull-ups and Core Training:

Overall Impression:

I hope everyone's having a good week. Thanks for reading!

M15 W4 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 4
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is last night's workout. I have such a love-hate relationship with the Front Squat. I love FS and it hates me

Workout:

Front Squats:
255 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 1 rep
285 lbs x 1 rep
295 lbs x FAIL
295 lbs x 1 rep
Oh man....This destroyed me. The bar rolled forward in 295 on the ascent and I had to dump it. I got the weight on my second attempt though.

Front Squat Cluster Sets:
(225 lbs x 1 rep x 4 minisets) x 1 set
(225 lbs x 2 reps x 4 minisets) x 1 set
Did 2 sets here. Tired the **** outta me. If anyone is wondering: you do clusters by choosing a weight, doing some reps, resting for 20 seconds, doing some more reps, rest for 20 seconds and then do some more reps, etc. I have these two sets on video but I warn you that they are VERY boring because of all the waiting around I did.

Cable Pull-throughs:
90 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Farmers Walks:
110 lbs x 2 trips x 3 sets

Jackknife Pikes on a Swiss Ball:
BW x 7 reps x 2 sets

Videos:

Front Squats, Cluster Sets, Pull-throughs, Farmers Walks and Jackknife Pikes on a Swiss Ball. WARNING: VERY LONG!:

Overall Impression:

The workout was pretty decent. I am happy with 295 on the Front Squats. The Cluster Sets were really difficult (mentally) to go through.

M15 W4 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 4
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is yesterday's workout.

Workout:

Crazy Plate Bench Press:
185 lbs x 3 reps x 2 sets
205 lbs x 2 reps
210 lbs x 1 rep
215 lbs x 1 rep
185 lbs x 5 reps
My friend Paul managed to hit 300 on this. We had the 25 lbs plate suspended from the Blue bands.

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets
120 lbs x 6 reps x 2 sets

High Cable Rows:
160 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Banded Shrugs:
Blue x 15 reps x 3 sets

Cable Wood Chops:
32.5 lbs x 12 reps
37.5 lbs x 12 reps
42.5 lbs x 12 reps

Videos:

Crazy Plate Bench Press:


My boy Paul hitting 300x1:

Overall Impression:

Gonna take today off and then hit Squats on Sunday and Pistols and Monday.. Exams start from next week so I need to put my nose to the grindstone now.

M15 W4 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 4
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I have had a very relaxing week. Next week exams begin and all hell will boil over.

It's also bitterly cold here in San Antonio. It's been in the low 40s all week and I hate this weather. One of the reasons why I chose Trinity University was so I could enjoy the warm weather.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
415 lbs x 1 rep (91%)
435 lbs x 1 rep (96%)
455 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
455 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
425 lbs x 1 rep (93%)
I got 1 more rep than last week with 455 and I think my form improved as well. I am looking forward to next week when I am supposed to do 9 singles again.

Weird Ab Exercise:
BW x 5 reps x 3 sets

Ab Roller:
BW x 10 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Deadlifts and Core Training:

Overall Impression:

I hope everyone's having a good week! Thanks for reading.

The weather forecast says tomorrow is gonna be snow day. *shiver*

M15 W3 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 3
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I was not supposed to workout yesterday because I usually take 2 days off before Deadlifts. But, I decided to go in because this November has been terrible for me in terms of training frequency. I've been skipping my workouts like none other. So I figure with all the down time I can handle a wee bit more frequency for one week.

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
6 + 6 + 9 = 21 reps
I really tried to focus on keeping my leg suspended (the leg I am not squatting on, ofcourse).

Pull-ups:
BW + 20 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 40 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 20 lbs x 3 reps
Total Reps = 15

Weird Ab Exercise:
BW x 4 reps x 3 sets

Side Plank Rows:
22.5 lbs x 30 seconds
27.5 lbs x 30 seconds
32.5 lbs x 30 seconds

Videos:

Pistol Squats, Pull-ups, Weird Ab Exercise and Side Plank Rows:

Overall Impression:

I hope everyone's having a good week so far. Thanks for reading!

M15 W3 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 3
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I cannot believe the weekend is almost over. It literally flew by. Come next week I am going to be cramming for finals...****ing terrible.

So, I had to skip yesterday's planned Press Day so I merged the two workouts together today.

Workout:

Front Squats:
255 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 2 reps x 3 sets
315 lbs x Choke
So...I did my 3 sets with 275 which much better control than last time (I'm pretty pleased with that) but when I took the 315, I just couldn't do it. The bar was up against my throat and it literally choked me. I just stood with the bar for like 15 seconds, got extremely light headed and dizzy, saw some sparks and thought I was about to faint and I racked the weight immediately because I started learning backward. This has never happened to me before. Really miserable feeling. I am just waiting to break the 315 barrier lol....Only a matter of time, though. I am sure of it.

Dumbbell Rows:
125 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
125 lbs x 6 reps <<-- used straps
I saw 125 lbs DB's and I just had to jump on this. Hahah...

High Cable Rows:
160 lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets
190 lbs x 5 reps
175 lbs x 8 reps
I used this new bar which I've never come across before and I wanted to experiment it with it for a bit. It was awesome.

Farmers Walks:
105 lbs x 1 trip x 6 sets
I was toasted after this. I got 2 clips of this in my video.

Videos:

Front Squats, Dumbbell Rows and Farmers Walks:

Overall Impression:

My next workout will be on Monday night (unless something unexpected turns up). I need to focus more on diet.

I hope y'all had a happy thanksgiving. Good luck for the new week, everyone and thanks for reading!

M15 W3 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 3
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I am in Dallas celebrating Thanksgiving with some friends. We decided to hit the gym today early in the morning. I hadn't eaten anything all I was sipping on during my workout was 2 scoops of whey and 2 scoops of dextrose.

As I mentioned last week, this week is gonna mark the first of a small singles cycle. If you need any info on singles training, please give this a read: The Singles Scene by Eric Troy and Joe Weir.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
415 lbs x 1 rep (91%)
435 lbs x 1 rep (96%)
455 lbs x 1 rep (100%)
425 lbs x 1 rep (93%)
435 lbs x 1 rep (96%)
415 lbs x 1 rep (91%)
415 lbs x 3 reps (91%)
I got carried away by the last set...I didn't go quite to failure though. My calluses got ripped out in 435 and I lost all drive so I got frustrated with this weight and decided to crank out 3 reps.

Renegade Rows:
35 lbs x 7 reps
45 lbs x 7 reps x 2 sets

Pallof Press:
42.5 lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets

Cable Wood Chops:
35 lbs x 12 reps x 2 sets

Videos:

Deadlifts and Core Training:

Overall Impression:

I haven't been as consistent as I would like to be this month of November. Hopefully things will improve down the line.

I hope everyone's having a great Thanksgiving! Thank you for reading, guys & gals!

M15 W2 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 2
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I was supposed to do Military Presses today but I wasn't feeling it.

Workout:

Dips:
BW x 5 reps
BW + 10 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 20 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 40 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 50 lbs x 3 reps

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
120 lbs x 5 reps
I went all out on that last set..

High Cable Rows:
160 lbs x 9 reps x 3 sets

Facepulls:
80 lbs x 15 reps x 2 sets

Ab Rollouts:
BW x 10 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Press and Rows:


My boy Paul doing Military Press and Rows:

Overall Impression:

Good workout. I cannot wait for Thanksgiving. This semester has gone by so fast. Very soon it's gonna be May and I'll be graduating college.

M15 W2 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 2
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

So...it's been 5 days since my last journal update. Last week was one of the worst weeks of my life. I was swamped with school work and I didn't get more than 3 hours of sleep each night.

I am going to be starting a new singles cycle for Deadlifts (more on that later) come next Thursday so this week's Deadlift workout was going to be very light. Since I hadn't been sleeping well (or at all) I decided to skip it. I went in yesterday and did a squat session though. Today's gonna be a press day and tomorrow I'll focus on pistol squats. Thats the plan so far.

If any of y'all are interested, my next Deadlift cycle of singles can be found out here: The Singles Scene. I will be starting this come next Thursday (on Thanksgiving Day).

Workout:

Front Squats:
255 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 2 reps x 3 sets
295 lbs x 1 rep
Decent work.

SSB Squats:
335 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
This felt SOOO heavy..

Unilateral RDLs:
40 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets

Farmers Walks:
105 lbs x 2 trips x 3 sets
Each trip is 25 feet. So each set was 50 feet. And 3 sets made it 150 feet total. I am underestimating these values though.

Weird Ab Exercise:
BW x 6 reps x 2 sets
I really need to come up with a name for this exercise.

Videos:

Unlike last week, I did NOT forget my camera. Here's my squat session:

Overall Impression:

I am eating right and sleeping well for the last 3 days. I did eat decently inspite of having a terrible week though.

I hope y'all are having a good weekend. Thanks for reading!

M15 W1 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 1
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I am kinda overwhelmed with school work....

Workout:

Front Squats:
255 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 2 reps x 3 sets

SSB Squats:
295 lbs x 3 reps
335 lbs x 1 rep
295 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
365 lbs x 1 rep
Getting into it...

Unilateral RDLs:
40 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets

Farmers Walks:
105 lbs x 2 trips x 2 sets

Swiss Ball Jackknife Pikes:
BW x 10 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Forgot my camera...Really stupid of me.

Overall Impression:

I am beginning to like squatting again so thats good.

Have a good week ahead, everyone

M15 W1 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 1
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

SI have decided to alternate Military Press and Bench Press from here on out. This week I started it off with Bench Press. Next week I will do Military Press and so on and so forth. I am keeping a simple linear progression scheme of 5x3 and my base weights for Bench is gonna be 185 and for Military is gonna be 160. After 5x3, I plan on hitting one or two slightly heavier sets just for kicks.

Workout:

Bench Press:
185 lbs x 3 reps x 5 sets
225 lbs x 1 rep

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 2 reps x 3 sets

High Cable Rows:
160 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets

Facepulls:
80 lbs x 15 reps x 2 sets

Ab Rollouts:
BW x 10 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Press and Rows:


My boy Didier hit a 365 Deadlift which is a new PR @ 140 lbs BW:

Overall Impression:

I am swamped with school work this week. I have 3 exams in a row from Tuesday - Thursday. So I am gonna be missing my Pistol Squat workout but I will hit the gym tonight for Squat Day.

I hope everyone's had a good weekend so far and thanks for reading!

M15 W1 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 15 - Week 1
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This week has been hellish for my school-wise. I managed to only get one sandwich in yesterday before this workout.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
405 lbs x 3 reps
415 lbs x 3 reps
425 lbs x 3 reps
435 lbs x 1 rep
455 lbs x 1 rep

Weird Ab Exercise:
BW x 4 reps x 4 sets

Videos:

Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

Good session. I ate like a pig after this workout though...Taco C all the way lol....

M14 W4 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 4
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I have never been this sore...My thighs are hurting like none other.

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
3 + 3 + 3 = 9 reps
Difficult as hell

Pull-ups:
BW x 5 reps x 3 sets
BW + 20 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 2 reps
Total Reps = 25

Barbell Rows:
165 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets

Cable Rows:
160 lbs x 5 reps
180 lbs x 5 reps
200 lbs x 5 reps
220 lbs x 5 reps
This was really really hard and 220 was almost impossible.

Videos:

Forgot my camera.

Overall Impression:

Time to rest up.

M14 W4 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 4
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I skipped Press Day yesterday...so I'm gonna throw in my rows tomorrow. Diet has been pretty solid these last few days.

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
155 lbs x 3 reps
165 lbs x 1 rep
165 lbs x 1 rep
175 lbs x 1 rep

Back Squats:
300 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
315 lbs x 3 reps
275 lbs x 5 reps

Front Box Squats:
225 lbs x 4 reps
255 lbs x 1 rep
275 lbs x 1 rep

Farmers Walks:
105 lbs x 2 trips x 2 sets

Lat Pulldown Crunches:
100 lbs x 6 reps x 2 sets

Pallof Press:
47.5 lbs x 12 reps x 2 sets

Videos:

All Squats:

Overall Impression:

I am falling into love with Squats again. Yay!!!

M14 W4 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 4
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

So...my hellish school week is over for another 8 days or so..LOL...

I did workout last Friday but I didn't bother updating my journal. I managed to hit a Military Press of 185 lbs weighing in at 190 lbs. Very cool. I have the video up since last Friday so I'll post it later in the workout...

Today was a long long day and I was tired and it was pretty hard to focus. Also, with all the school work my diet has gone very bad and I've been in too large of a deficit over the last 4-5 days.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
405 lbs x 3 reps
415 lbs x 3 reps
425 lbs x 2 reps
425 lbs x 1 rep
435 lbs x 1 rep
415 lbs x 1 rep
My ass jiggled like none other on that 435...I was so out of it by the time I came to 435...Really sad. I'm damn frustrated with this workout..

Weird Ab Exercise:
BW x 3 reps x 4 sets
Ever tried farting upside down? It's a weird feeling....I did that on Set 1.

Videos:

Deadlifts:


Last Week's Military Press:

Overall Impression:

Time to get back on the horse and focus on training....No more skipping and hopefully my motivation will return in a bit...

M14 W3 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 3
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I have had a hellish school week....And it's not even over....not for another week.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
415 lbs x 5 reps
This is a back-off week in general...

Weird Ab Exercise:
I got a whole bunch of sets with this one on video....I progressed on this by first trying static holds and then adding some movement in.

Videos:

Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

Nothing special to report here....I was super excited for the ab work lol...

M14 W2 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 2
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I was unbelievably sore from yesterday's workout...it's been a long time since I've felt this much pain in my hamstrings....

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
8 + 7 + 5 = 20 reps
Some of the reps were downright terrible but thats what happens when I am in this much DOMS....The second set was the worst because I just could not get the 7th rep with my left leg - I had to stop at 6, do 7 with the right leg and then come back to do the 7th rep with my left leg leg. Terrible.

Pull-ups:
BW x 10 reps x 3 sets
Really meh with this.....

Core Training:
Ok so I don't know the name of this exercise but I've seen some very strong people do this and I've never been able to do this before. It involves hanging on the bar and then doing a sort of leg raise but raising your leg and your hips till you're inverted to the floor - sort of like standing on the ceiling. You are then supposed to do "dragonfly leg raises" but I am far too weak to do this bit. Infact, I've always been very weak to do this exercise but I surprised myself today. I did like 10-15 sets of 1-2 reps just to see how it felt and I've gotten the last 2 sets on video....Needless to say my form is terrible and I have a long way to go but the GREAT news is that it only gets better from here on out!!!

Videos:

Pistol Squats and Weird Ab Exercise:

Overall Impression:

I have a lot of work coming up over the next 3-4 weeks. I plan staying on top of things school wise. I've already gotten my paper due on Tuesday done....I'm gonna start studying for my exam on Thursday tomorrow and my presentation 2 weeks from now I'll work on tomorrow night as well.

I hope everyone's had a good weekend. Good luck for next week and thanks for reading!

M14 W2 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 2
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is yesterday's workout...

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
135 lbs x 3 reps
155 lbs x 3 reps
160 lbs x 3 reps
165 lbs x 3 reps
175 lbs x 1 rep
Decent workout....My left shoulder really bothers me on this..perhaps I need to widen my grip.

Back Squats:
315 lbs x 1 rep
275 lbs x 5 reps x 3 sets
Speed work @ 185 lbs x 2 reps x 5 sets
So this is what I have come to realize. I hate squatting. But, I keep expecting to be as strong as I was 7 months ago when I last did this exercise. I am stronger though because 7 months ago I could only do 275x3x3. However, I need to allow my body to relearn the lift a bit and get my groove back. The speed work was thrown in there specifically for that. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks I'll destroy my old max of 355.

Bar Rollouts:
BW x 10 reps x 5 sets
This was super-setted with the Speed Squats.

Farmers Walks:
105 lbs x 2 trips x 2 sets

Videos:

A little bit of everything:

Overall Impression:

Decent workout...

M14 W2 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 2
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Still weighing in at a solid 190 lbs today....

Workout:

Weighted Dips:
BW x 6 reps
BW x 5 reps
BW + 10 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 20 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 5 reps
BW + 45 lbs x 5 reps
I wanted to take a break from all the overhead pressing - it places too much stress on my lower back and I am kinda bored of the exercise in general. So I decided to do this and I am really surprised by how much I could do. I got the last set with 45 lbs on video...

Barbell Rows:
205 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
225 lbs x 1 rep

Low Cable Rows:
180 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets

Facepulls:
100 lbs x 13 reps x 2 sets

Renegade Rows:
35 lbs x 7 reps x 4 sets

Pallof Press:
42.5 lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets

Videos:

Press and Rows:

Overall Impression:

Decent session...

M14 W2 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 2
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I had two HUGE exams on Tuesday and Wednesday this week....Intermediate Accounting 1 and Investment Principles. Rant time: I ****ing hate accounting and I am not even an accounting major but here I am studying accounting because someone told me that Finance majors with good back grounds in accounting do well. Be that as it may, I cannot understand how anyone could be an accountant. It has to be the most mind numbing job out there in the business world - right next to financial analyst but atleast you get to analyse stocks and securities which are ever changing. Having said that, both tests went decent although my sleep schedule has gotten royally messed up. The weekend has begun for me and my plans for the next 3 days are to workout, eat, rest and study for my exams over the next 2 weeks so I finally have a head start to this ****.

One thing which I have noticed is that my upper division classes are a HELL of a lot more interesting than the introduction classes I had to take.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
415 lbs x 1 rep
405 lbs x 5 reps
420 lbs x 1 rep
410 lbs x 4 reps
425 lbs x 1 rep
415 lbs x 3 reps
Decent session.

Dragonfly Leg Raises:
BW x 7 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

I had a pretty decent session today...I was very out of it and I had a terrible case of gas in my ass which is why I was being extra careful. I hate it when this happens - especially since I make it a point to take a dump before every workout...(yes, too much information).

There's a pretty funny looking movie coming out this weekend called Cirque Du Freak: The Vampires Assistant:


I hope everyone's had a good week.

Thanks for reading and I hope y'all have a good weekend.

M14 W1 Pistol Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 1
Pistol Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Today's workout...I went to the gym right after waking up and that was a mistake but I had no other time to spare today.

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
7 + 7 + 5 = 19 reps
I fell down on my ass in the first set lol....Some of the reps were downright nasty but a few were pretty spot on. Terrible. There was a huge difference in terms of quality of reps from last week to this one and unfortunately the difference wasn't in my favor.

Pull-ups:
BW x 5 reps x 2 sets
BW + 10 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 15 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 20 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 25 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 30 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 35 lbs x 3 reps
BW + 45 lbs x 2 reps
BW + 50 lbs x 2 reps
I got most of these on video...

Side Plank Rows:
27.5 lbs x 30 seconds
32.5 lbs x 30 seconds
37.5 lbs x 30 seconds
42.5 lbs x 30 seconds
This kicked my ass...

Videos:

A little of this and a little of that:

Overall Impression:

The next 3 days are going to involve some good food eating, resting and studying my ass off for upcoming exams.

I hope everyone's had a good weekend.

M14 W1 Squat Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 1
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This took place yesterday afternoon.

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
155 lbs x 3 reps x 3 sets
Felt really good and strong on this.

Back Squats:
315 lbs x 1 rep x 3 sets
I am doing this exercise after 7 and a half months so my form is a bit rusty and I haven't exactly found my groove yet. But, it'll improve over the next few weeks.

Hanging Air Kicks:
BW x 14 reps x 3 sets

Videos:

Overhead Squats and Back Squats:

Overall Impression:

This next week has a whole bunch of exams coming up and I am glad I spent the whole day yesterday studying. I went out at night to Austin (yes, we drove to Austin) to eat at this place called Salt Lake which is supposed to be the best Barbecue joint in the US according to the Food Network. The meat was absolutely delicious and I probably had the best turkey in my life - it literally melted away in my mouth and I could cut it with my fork. After this meal, my friends and I hit up 6th street in Austin and it was my first time to Austin (I have passed through it like 100 times before but I've never really stopped there) and 6th street was pretty cool. It reminded me of Las Ramblas in Barcelona - except there were pubs and clubs instead of shopping stalls and the street in Austin was much narrower. Good times.

Anyways, I'll be hitting the gym sometime today depending on how much work I get done and I'll post the workout later..

I hope everyone's having a good weekend. Thanks for reading!

M14 W1 Press Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 1
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This workout went down yesterday....

I checked my BW yesterday and I am now at 190 lbs. I'm very happy about this. Thats a 5 lbs weightloss in 3 weeks. Slow and steady is that I am aiming for.

Workout:

Military Press:
170 lbs x 3 reps x 4 sets
170 lbs x 2 reps
170 lbs x 3 reps
170 lbs x 1 rep
I did get my target of 18 reps so I'm happy. I find it kinda amusing that I can barely bench press 225 lbs but I can do clean presses with 170 lbs @ a BW of 190 lbs.

Barbell Rows:
185 lbs x 3 reps
195 lbs x 3 reps
205 lbs x 3 reps
I think these were JS Rows but I am not sure - the video should make it clear though.

Low Cable Rows:
150 lbs x 8 reps
160 lbs x 8 reps
180 lbs x 10 reps

Facepulls:
100 lbs x 12 reps x 2 sets

Pallof Press:
42.5 lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets

Videos:

Press and Rows:

Overall Impression:

I went a bit loose with the this workout after all the heavy pressing. I did not do any arm work today because I have been suffering from some elbow pain - which is another reason why I took those 5 days off recently.

I went out last night and saw Law Abiding Citizen and I have to say: it's a pretty entertaining movie. I liked it.

There were a bunch of previews which came on and here are some of the movies which I am itching to see:

A Serious Man:
2012:
The Blind Side:
Sherlock Holmes:
Edge of Darkness:
Shutter Island:

I saw the trailer for this creepy movie called "the Crazies" but it turned out to be just another mutant/zombie flick and it seemed kinda silly - like a mix between Quarantine and Dawn of the Dead.

I will be doing Overhead Squats and Back Squats later today.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far.

Thanks for reading, y'all!

M14 W1 Deadlift Day

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 14 - Week 1
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I took the last 5 days off to relax and unwind....I have lost motivation to hit the gym so I needed the down time. I also have been very busy with school work and applying for jobs - actually I'm still getting the application process started.

Workout:

Deadlifts:
405 lbs x 1 rep
395 lbs x 5 reps
410 lbs x 1 rep
400 lbs x 5 reps
415 lbs x 1 rep
405 lbs x 5 reps
420 lbs x 2 reps
I beat last week's numbers yet again....Feeling pretty good. Wish I had used gotten my hips closer to the bar.

Videos:

Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

Youtube is being gay and not allowing my video to upload. So I'm gonna be sticking with IronScene for now.

Tomorrow is Press Day.

Regarding today's workout: It was decent, I should've used better form and I did the 420x2 instead of 420x1 because I could. I would've done more sets but my calluses were hurting and I was a big baby about it.

On a lighter note, I've been watching Boston Legal and this new show called Leverage. Leverage is awesome. So is Boston Legal.

I am stressed out about finding work after I graduate. Unfortunately, there is no abundance of jobs in this world - nobody is hiring.