M8 W3 Deadlift Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 3
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Thursday's workout...

Workout:

Dumbbell Windmills:
25 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets
I do these while I am warming up with my Banded Deadlifts...Sort of like "supersetting". 

Banded Deadlifts using the White Bands Double Looped:
265 lbs x 2 reps x 3 sets
315 lbs x 2 reps x 4 sets
Damn hard. 

Deadlifts:
315 lbs x 1 rep
355 lbs x 2 reps
405 lbs x 1 rep
I need to work on symmetry in terms of grip. I need to start alternating my over/under grip. Stupid me has become dependent on only just one sort of grip.

Dumbbell Windmills:
20 lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets

Plate Pinches:
25 lbs x 25 seconds x 3 sets 

Bulgarian Squats:
25 lbs x 10 reps x 2 sets

Videos:

Banded Deadlifts & Deadlifts:


My best friend Didier added 25 lbs to his deadlift in one month.

Overall Impression:

Final exams are no longer around the corner: they're here NOW!!! 

M8 W2 Press Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 2
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is from Monday...I've been lazy, sorry.

Workout:

Press:
135 lbs x 3 reps
155 lbs x 3 reps
160 lbs x 3 reps
165 lbs x 2 reps
165 lbs x 1 rep
175 lbs x 1 rep
185 lbs x FAIL
I felt so weak on this.....Last time I nailed 185 weighing 207 lbs. Now 185 seems soooo much harder when I weigh 190. 

Pull-ups:
BW + 20 lbs x 2 reps x 10 sets
BW + 30 lbs x 2 reps x 5 sets
BW + 10 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets
BW x 5 reps x 2 sets
Total Reps = 50
I love doing this sort of stuff 

Band Punches:
12 reps x 3 sets

Push-ups:
BW x 10 reps x 2 sets

Videos:

Press:

Overall Impression:

Diet has been absolute crap over the last few days. I need to get back on the horse.

M8 W2 Squat Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 2
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

This is yesterday's workout....

Workout:

Front Box Squats:
225 lbs x 3 reps
245 lbs x 1 rep
265 lbs x 1 rep
280 lbs x FAIL
280 lbs x 1 rep
270 lbs x FAIL
270 lbs x FAIL
245 lbs x 1 rep
225 lbs x 3 reps
I have no idea what the heck happened here. I have been focusing on Pistol Squats for so long that I have lost the practice of doing squats. But I'm not too worried because next month I'm gonna be incorporating the 4 squat principles into my training so I am sure I'll find my groove once again. 

SSB Good Mornings:
295 lbs x 3 reps
335 lbs x 3 reps
365 lbs x 1 rep
Very sluggish....Gonna go lighter next time. 

Prone Glute Ham Raises:
BW x 10 reps x 3 sets

Kettlebell Walks:
40 lbs x 60 feet x 1 set
60 lbs x 60 feet x 2 sets

Videos:

Front Squats & SSB Good Mornings:

Overall Impression:

I got barely 17 days left this semester. I got exams coming up but I'm gonna try to plan ahead and make sure I don't skip any of my workouts.

M8 W2 Extra Workout

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 2
Extra Workout

Beginning Thoughts:

I was in no mood to workout today...

Workout:

Pistols:
Left Leg = 1 + 2 + 2 = 5 reps
Right Leg = 1 + 2 + 2 = 5 reps
I totally lost my groove on this. I just couldn't get this down today. Terrible form. I was thinking of recording my sets but on second thoughts I'm glad I didn't.

Medley for 4 Rounds:
Pull-ups = BW x 5 reps
High Cable V-Bar Rows = 140 lbs x 5 reps
Chin-ups = BW x 5 reps
Unilateral Low Cable Rows = 40 lbs x 5 reps
Decent work....Kinda discouraged after those Pistol Squats so didn't have my heart in this.

Videos:

Nothing special today...

Overall Impression:

Gonna go see "Fighting" tonight...I hope it's a good movie...I'm being dragged to it by a bunch of friends. I want to see 2 movies real bad though: Wolverine and the new Star Trek movie. I've got others on my list too but they're releasing later this year. 

I hope everyone has a good weekend! 

M8 W2 Deadlift Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 2
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Yesterday's workout..

Workout:

Dumbbell Windmills:
20 lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets
I do these while I am warming up with my Banded Deadlifts...Sort of like "supersetting". 

Banded Deadlifts using the White Bands Double Looped:
225 lbs x 2 reps
255 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 2 reps
295 lbs x 2 reps
315 lbs x 2 reps
335 lbs x 2 reps
Tried really hard to get my hips as close to the bar as possible in the fastest possible fashion....But damn these were hard! 

Deadlifts:
365 lbs x 2 reps x 1 set
405 lbs x 1 rep x 3 sets
405 lbs x 2 reps x 1 set
This was super-hard....I've found that deadlifting barefoot in just my socks is a whole lot better. 

Dumbbell Windmills:
20 lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets

Plate Pinches:
25 lbs x 25 seconds x 3 sets 

Bulgarian Squats:
Skipped
I take so long doing this workout my gym had to close so I couldn't get this done. I went in at 9 pm and I was there will 11:15 pm and the gym was supposed to close at 11 so I got kicked out by campus security lol...

Videos:

Banded Deadlifts & Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

I think my form on Deadlifts may have improved just a tiny bit because my back didn't hurt during the workout and it's not hurting right now either. So I'm happy regarding that. But, form always needs work and I need to keep some things in mind which I tend to forget...

M8 W1 Press Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 1
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Here we go...

Workout:

Fat Bar Military Press:
135 lbs x 3 reps
145 lbs x 3 reps
155 lbs x 3 reps
165 lbs x 3 reps
175 lbs x 2 reps
185 lbs x FAIL
I have no idea why I decided to use the fat bar in the gym...Firstly I have small hands and secondly I have never used this damn piece of equipment so why start now? Sometimes I am so impulsive....

Pull-ups:
BW + 10 lbs x 3 reps x 10 sets @ 10 minute time limit
BW + 20 lbs x 2 reps x 5 sets @ 5 minute time limit
BW + 40 lbs x 1 rep x 3 sets @ 3 minute time limit
BW x 7 reps x 1 set
Total Reps = 50
This was a LOT of fun....

Band Punches:
Skipped 

Push-ups:
Skipped

Videos:

None

Overall Impression:

I think I am gonna eat like a horse tonight. No deficit today. I feel too spent on energy.

M8 W1 Squat Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 1
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I did both my squat day and my press day today. Squat day came first at 8 am and Press day began at 4 pm. I'm gonna post both now...

I have been working on my group presentation/plan all weekend and I got onto 3.5 hours of sleep last night. So I have been running on that all day and it looks like tonight is gonna be another long night.

Workout:

Front Box Squats:
225 lbs x 3 reps
235 lbs x 3 reps
245 lbs x 2 reps
255 lbs x 1 rep
265 lbs x 1 rep
I changed the depth of the box after 235..I wanted to go deeper. 

SSB Good Mornings:
295 lbs x 3 reps
335 lbs x 3 reps
365 lbs x 3 reps

Prone Glute Ham Raises:
BW x 8 reps x 3 sets

Kettlebell Walks:
Skipped

Videos:

Front Squats & SSB Good Mornings:

Overall Impression:

I'm gonna post my Press workout next...I just wanted to add that I was pressed for time on both these workouts. Hence all the skipping...

M8 W1 Extra Workout

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 8 - Week 1
Extra Workout

Beginning Thoughts:

My goal was to do everything without using any straps...

Workout:

Pistols:
Left Leg = 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 11 reps
Right Leg = 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 11 reps
I then did some drills to hold my legs upright locked out knees. **** I have zero control on that...lots of practice needed to perfect this.

Medley for 4 Rounds with ~180 second Rest Interval between Rounds:
Pull-ups = BW x 5 reps
Dumbbell Rows = 95 lbs x 5 reps
Lat Pull Downs = 150 lbs x 5 reps
Barbell Rows = 135 lbs x 5 reps
I hate Barbell Rows...Next week I'm gonna either take a MUCH lighter weight on these or I am gonna switch them. But knowing me, I'm gonna stick to them but I will reduce the weight to 115 or so.

Videos:

My friend Paul managed to bench 310 today...wish I had taken my camera to the gym...Paul's a bench press beast!

Overall Impression:

The Medley was very tiring. I find it surprising how I can only manage to do 5 reps on pull-ups when they're done in this fashion - since just 2 weeks ago I cranked out 50 reps doing Density Training. But...this is so much harder! 

My training partner Paul managed to Bench Press 310 lbs today. He's been using Leigh Peele's FLT and he's lost some 6 lbs in the last 3-4 weeks. He used to weight 225 @ 5'7 and he's been very conscious of this so he's been trying to shed some fat while maintaining his strength. Good news is that he's finally taking the Deadlift and Squat more seriously now. Next in line for me to convince him of is core training...but in due time...

I think I'm gonna take tomorrow off and do my Squat workout on Sunday...But it all depends on this huge presentation I have on Wednesday next week. I'm taking this class called Entrepreneurship and Venture Planning (it's an upper division Business class) and I have to finalize my 50+ page business plan by Monday and present it for ~30 minutes on Wednesday. Luckily it's a group project...

I'd like to thank everyone for reading my journal...Have a good weekend y'all!