200, 300, 400, 500 - A quest for greatness

Shoulders/Traps/Arms

Press - oly shoes + belt

Triples going all the way up to 150. 150 x 3 might actually be an all time PR, and weirdly, it did not feel too bad, might have had another 5 lbs in me.

EZ Curls

80 x 16

Incline Skullcrushers

Helps to raise the head a little bit so the bar can touch further down.

80 x 12.

Nautilus Preacher Curl

75 x 12, 12 (second set very hard)

Nautilus Triceps

135 x 12, 125 x 12

Hammer Seated Shrugs

1 pps for 3 sets of 15 reps.

Seated Cable Rows

3 sets of 105 x 15.
 
Legs

Squats - oly shoes + loose belt

Warmed up to 255 beltless, back down to 235 for 3 sets of 5 loose belted.

45 Degree Back Extensions (6 holes visible)

For whatever reason, I could feel this in my glutes like woah.

3 sets of me + 10 lbs for 15 reps.

Bottom Half Leg Presses (45 degree leg sled)

3 plates per side for 3 sets of 15 bottom half reps (all the way down, pause, half way up, pause, repeat etc).

Calf Raises on Nautilus Nitro Leg Press + Seated Calf Raises

Leg Press - 220 x 15/30.

Seated Calf Raises - 50 x 12/12.

Nautilus Nitro Leg Curls + Leg Extensions

Leg Curls - 90 x 10,10.

Leg Extensions - 80 x 15/15.
 
I'm still torn between bench and dips, which is annoying.  If I had the ability to bench safely in a power rack somewhere even moderately close, I'd consider it, but neither Cardinal nor the gym I work at has a power rack that really allows this to occur.  Which means that every time I bench, I'd basically have to ask for a spotter, and I find that whole process really annoying (most people don't know how to spot).

So, like last cycle, I am leaning towards just doing dips.  The gym I work at has a dip stand that's a LITTLE further apart than I prefer, but it's not too bad.  That said, I'll probably still dip at home as my home stand is a little closer together.

Chest/Back

Dips

Me + 90 x 5,5,5

Chins

Me + 65 x 5,5,5

Bench

160 x 12, 160 x 12, 155 x 12

Interesting, I lose my ability to tolerate high reps across sets pretty quickly.  I want this to be an easy-ish week so I lowered the weights slightly for the last set.

Close Grip Lat Pulldowns

115 x 12,12,12

Nautilus Flies

50 x 12,12,12

Nautilus Compound Row

115 x 12,12,12
 
For anyone curious what my squat form looks like, the following is copied over from Lyle's site, pertaining to a discussion about hip shifting tendencies I have in the squat...

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Alright Novo, just for you, I am donning light shorts this time. I also set the camera back a bit to get a better overall view.

Observations:

* I am aware I have the smallest calves ever. Shut up.
* I am going way, way past parallel. My squat form almost looks like I'm doing oly squats with a low bar rack.
* Hip shifting still doesn't look too bad to me.
* Everything is much more visible, so hopefully this works.

185:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFFn6ALe4co

225:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKDNoFRa5xA

275:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVJc3wT5hN0</div>

As Lyle pointed out, my eccentric is definitely faster than I realized.  I may attempt to slow it down a bit, though it honestly feels natural to me.
 
Based on what I saw in the squat videos, I attempted to modify my form a little:

* I concentrated more on sitting back.   It was actually the feeling of pushing my butt back and up, which caused me to lean over a little more.  I seem a bit upright for a PL style squat in the vids.

* I slowed down the eccentric.  Not slow motion by a long shot, but a little slower than what's seen in the videos.

I noticed I probably wasn't getting quite as deep like this (probably because the hamstrings were tighter in a more bent over position).  I also noticed my warmup and work sets felt &quot;tighter,&quot; I might have felt a little more symmetric in general, and my work sets felt harder.

As such, I am not going to be quite as aggressive with the weight increases here on out as I tinker with my form a little.  It's worth pointing out, though, that, as an observation, when I increase my strength in squats, deadlifts, or what have you, in basically any form (i.e. even with some technical problems), it increases my ability to perform that lift in ANY form.

E.g. if I roundback my deadlifts, my ability to do lower hipped, more strict pulls also increases.

Full Body

Squats - oly shoes + light belt

Warmed up in the slightly modified style up to 245 for 3 sets of 5.  All three sets were pretty tough, but I felt pretty symmetric/tight.

Deadlifts - flat shoes

Warmed up to 305 for 2 sets of 6.  First set wasn't that bad, but by the second set I was pretty tired (between the three hard sets of squats and first set of pulls), so it wasn't super easy.  I tend to get a little roundback-y as the set goes on, but such is life.

1-Leg Extensions on Nautilus Nitro

50 x 15/15 per leg.

Calf Raises on Nautilus Nitro Leg Press

260 x 15/15.

Dips

Me + 95 lbs for 3 sets of 5.

Chins

Me + 70 lbs for 3 sets of 5.
 
Shoulders/Midback/Arms

Press - oly shoes + belt

Went something like warmup, 135 x 2, 145 x 2, 150 x 2, 155 x 2, 160 x 2. The last one was an all time PR, and the 2nd rep was maybe the slowest rep I've ever ground out in an overhead press.

Curls/Incline Bench Skullcrushers

EZ Bar Curls - 90 x 13

Incline Bench Skullcrushers - 85 x 11

Free Motion Curls

#10? x 12,12

Nautilus Triceps

130 x 12,12

Nautilus Compound Row

100 x 15,15

Hammer Seated Shrugs

1 plate + 5 lbs per side for 15,15
 
<div>
(mikeynov @ Nov. 22 2008,9:36)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> <div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
Observations:

* I am aware I have the smallest calves ever. Shut up.
* I am going way, way past parallel. My squat form almost looks like I'm doing oly squats with a low bar rack.
* Hip shifting still doesn't look too bad to me.
* Everything is much more visible, so hopefully this works.</div></div>
Interesting and helpful videos. Thank you (not to mention I don't feel so bad about my calves anymore...).
 
Great PR; 160 for a double at your body weight is nuts.

Oh, and I think I tie with you on the calf front. Genetics, huh.

Your eccentric speed in your squat vids does seem really quick to me. Maybe it's just cos I'm old but I don't dare drop down like that. What is 275 for you? You make it look as if it's around your 15-20RM.
 
I posted the following series on Lyle's board, here's an easy way to see the hip shifting I was talking about in those videos.   In this case, here's a series of screen captures from the 275 video where a red line is drawn at the same X-axis position in all the frames.

275bottombzx9.jpg


275wayupbnx6.jpg


275wayup2ble5.jpg


By the third video, it's getting pretty noticeable.

275, for reference, is ~85% of 1 RM or ~5 RM.  And that's on a strong day.  I tend to die pretty quickly in squats.

As far as eccentric speed, I was surprised, too.  It doesn't feel dangerous to me?  Even still, as per some of the posts above, I'm actually trying to slow it down a bit.

For reasons unknown to me, when I go too slow on a squat, it feels like I'm limiting the rate of descent with my quads, instead of feeling the stretch properly in the back of my legs, and it's hard for me to get a sense of the stretch reflex out of the bottom.  But yah, I'm working on it, I plan on squatting for my entire lifetime so I want to make these as safe as possible.

Another interesting note on the rate of descent...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r76iisudkA0

Back when I was power squatting consistently, my rate of descent was noticeably slower. It still is when I occasionally try a wide squat. It just feels more natural to go slower on that, my training partner even used to tell me to speed it up.

As above, though, when I go more narrow, it's the opposite, my natural inclination is to go faster. Possibly because I'm going so deep and I intuitively recognize the need to harness the awesomeness of the stretch reflex to get my *** back up?
tounge.gif
 
Legs

Squats - oly shoes + loose belt on work sets

While I often don't mention it, I include bands on most of my warmup sets, as per the 185 and 225 videos I linked.

Anyways, warmed up to 265 for a single, then back down to 250 for 3 sets of 5.  Interestingly, the last set of 5 actually felt the best/strongest/most symmetric.

I try to logic out in my head the various cues used in the squat, and I noticed that 'sit back' seems to actually work better, in terms of keeping the hammies tight, if you think about it as 'sit back/up,' i.e. the feeling of pushing your butt back/up.  Keeps the pelvis anteriorly tilted, which would keep the hammies tight.

By concentrating on that sense on the way down, trying to keep my pelvis tilted, I actually felt stronger out of the hole and more symmetric on my last set of 5.  Weird how little cues like these can make a difference.

1-leg back extensions (5 holes showing)

Tested isolated hip extension strength today, bearing in mind that there's a bit of spinal extension happening simultaneously.  The reason I chose back extensions is because it's easier to keep the form constant versus something like a 1-leg deadlift, where compensations can occur to help &quot;even out&quot; strength.

Me + 10 lbs x 15 reps on the right side, which was pretty much failure.  Matched that 15 reps on the left side, might have had another couple/few in me with a gun to my head.

1-leg curls on Nautilus Nitro Lying Leg Curl

45 x 12 per side.  Pretty similar strength.

Bottom half leg presses - 3 plates per side

I did these modified rest pause style today, just because.

3 plates per side x 15/8/7, pausing fully at the bottom and half way up, taking 12 deep breaths between mini sets.  Ouch in a good way.  *** burn.

Calf Raises on Nautilus Nitro Leg Press

260 x 15/15 / 8/8 / 7,7.  Did these modified rest pause too, in addition to matching however many full reps I did with bottom half reps.  Oooooouch.

Leg Extensions

A set of 95 x 15/15.   Again, ooouch.

Based on having now tested isolated (i.e. one leg at a time) hip extension, knee flexion, knee extension, hip abduction, and hip external rotation strength, my findings are as follows:

* Right side weaker in hip external rotation
* Right side weaker in hip abduction
* Right side a little weaker in hip extension
* Right side more or less the same in knee extension and flexion.

What does this all seem to point to?  A weak right *** cheek.  The plan is to include some extra abduction/external rotation/hip extension work for my right side in addition to what I'm already doing.
 
I had to perform today's workout in the parents basement, as gyms in the area were seemingly closed for Thanksgiving.

Chest/Back

Dips

Me + 100 x 5,5,5. Tough, but manageable.

Chins

Me + 75 x 5,5,5. Pretty damn hard today, unusually so. I will come back stronger.

Bench

160 x 12,12,12

Pullups - chest up, &quot;strict&quot; style

Me x 10,10,10

Dumbbell Incline Flies

40s x 12,12,12

Cable Rows

This thing attached to my squat rack is not so great, but yah.

80 x 12,12,12
 
I tried deadlifting before squatting today, and also forgot my Tommy Kono knee sleeves.  This was...probably a mistake!  I still ground out my sets, though.

Full Body

Deadlifts - flat shoes, no belt, alternate grip

Warmed up to 2 sets of 325 for 5.  I altered my technique, a little and tried setting up between reps like this dude:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZZoeleeghM

Squats - oly shoes + light belt on work sets

Warmed up to 275 for a single, which was way too slow.  I knew I was in for a grind at this point.

Back down to 255 for 3 sets of 5.  Difficult.  A bit hip shift-y, too, which is probably inevitable with the pre-fatigue.  I avoided GM-ing it too badly, though.

45 Degree 1-Leg Back Extensions (5 holes visible)

1 set of me + 20 lbs for 12 reps on the right side only.  Introducing some unilateral work on the weak side to help correct my weak right ***.  Speaking of which, I definitely felt it in my ***, which is good.

Calf Raises in a Nautilus Nitro Leg Press

270 x 21/15.  Ouch.

Dips

Me + 105 for 3 sets of 5.  First set very hard, middle set not bad, third set very hard.

Chins

Me + 80 for 3 sets of 5.  All three sets a bear, but this is as much as I've ever done.
 
Alright, I need to stop including too much heavy **** on hypertrophy days. From now on, it's sets of 12 on hypertrophy days, with feractual heavy work limited to once per week. I had already planned to do this, but was technically violating it with overhead press.

Shoulders/Traps/Arms

Press - oly shoes + belt on top set

Warmed all the way up to 165 for a ridiculously slow single. Almost lost my balance once or twice, which caused the bar to slightly lower a time or two. I still locked it out, so whatever. This is about exactly bodyweight, so that's not terribly shabby.

That said, I've done 170 in the past, but I think top end strength is being masked by all the fatigue-y work. Which is probably inherent to bodybroing. I should probably stop chasing two rabbits simultaneously, huh?

Nautilus Nitro Lateral Raise Machine

Did a couple of sets of 12 here with 80 lbs.

Hammer Seated Shrugs

1 plate + 10 lbs per side for 3 sets of 15.

Gunz Circuit

Standing EZ Curls - 100 x 9. Not too shabby, wonder if I could have gotten another with a gun to my head.

That Weird Incline Skullcrusher Exercise - 90 x 8.

Seated DB Curls - 40s x 11

Standing Triceps Pulldown - 180 x 10

Nautilus Nitro Preacher Curl - 80 x 14?

Nautilus Nitro Preacher Triceps - 140 x 15
 
I decided to test squatting in my flat shoes (Adidas Sambas) today due to the observation I've made in the past that I seem to be more stable in them.

Wow. I think I am going flat shoes 4 life, because not only did I feel more stable, my strength was noticeably increased even with my reduced eccentric speed (i.e. I'm going down a lot more deliberately). I felt my posterior chain engage more out of the hole, and was able to stop myself short of going beyond retard deep. Good ****.

Legs

Squats - flat shoes + loose belt on work sets

Warmed all the way up to 245 for a single with the band, then 3 sets of 255 for 5 reps minus the band and a loose belt. As above, things felt great, I barely felt my hips shifting on any of the reps, much less most of them.

Bottom Half Leg Press

3 plates + 25 lbs per side for 3 sets of 15 reps. Pause in the full bottom, push half way up, pause again, etc.

45 Degree Back Extensions

Me + 25 lbs for a set of 10 reps on the right side only, followed by 2 more sets of me + 25 lbs for 12 reps with both sides. Crazy lower lower back burn.

Calf Raises in Calf Stack

Me + 150 lbs x ~12/12.

I'll do some leg extension and leg curls at work later, maybe.
 
Chest/Back

Barbell Bench

165 x 12,12,12

Close Grip Lat Pulldowns

125 x 12,12,12

DB Incline Bench

65 x 12,12,10

Nautilus Nitro Compound Row

125 x 12,12,12

Nautilus Nitro Fly

65 x 12,12,12

Nautilus Nitro Pullover

140 x 12,12,11
 
As a sidenote, I hurt my right knee the other day, posterior and lateral, bending down awkwardly to pick something up.  I put a good % of my weight on the balls of my feet on the right leg with my foot turned out, just a strange/awkward position.

As such, I went in today figuring I'd play squats by ear, I didn't know if I'd suffer weakness or if it'd hurt, and if it did, I was just going to warm up in squats then do some extra unilateral work for the right hip and upper body as normal.

However, strength was fine and I experienced literally no knee pain squatting.  Go figure.

Full Body

Squats - flat shoes + loose belt on work sets

Warmed up with a band to 245, then 260 for 3 sets of 5.  The last set was arguably the strongest, this is as light and symmetric as 260 has ever felt.  Yay for Adidas Sambas.

Something I mentioned on Lyle's forum is that I'm still really working on slowing down the eccentric speed.  I don't think I'm going in slow motion or anything, but I'm DEFINITELY lowering more slowly than I was in the past, and after a couple of weeks, I feel about as strong in this style as I did faster, so I take that as a good sign.

1-Leg Back Extensions

Me + 25 lbs for 11 reps on the right side, and then another 11 reps on the left side a few minutes later.

Dips

Me + 110 for 2 sets of 5 and one set of 4.5  Perhaps I should have waited an extra minute or two, I just died a couple inches shy of lockout on rep #5 of my third set.  A 5 lb weight jump again might have been too ambitious, but I feel my strength on these is still progressing pretty well.

Next week I may either repeat 110, or perhaps just raise it by 2.5 lbs.

Chins

Me + 82.5 for 3 sets of 5.  Unlike dips, I managed to squeeze out my last rep on set #3.
 
Shoulders/Traps/Arms

Press

95 x 10,10,10

Seated Hammer Shrugs

2 pps x 10,10,10

Incline Bench Skullcrushers

80 x 10
70 x 10,10

Started too heavy for sets across.

Barbell Curls

90 x 10
80 x 10,10

Like the previous, started too heavy for sets across.

Nautilus Preacher Triceps

150 x 10
140 x 10,10

Are you noting a recurring theme?
tounge.gif


Shrugs in a Calf Stack

This actually worked pretty well.

120 x 15,15,15.
 
<div>
(mikeynov @ Dec. 07 2008,6:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">b]Dips[/b]

Me + 110 for 2 sets of 5 and one set of 4.5  Perhaps I should have waited an extra minute or two, I just died a couple inches shy of lockout on rep #5 of my third set.  A 5 lb weight jump again might have been too ambitious, but I feel my strength on these is still progressing pretty well.

Next week I may either repeat 110, or perhaps just raise it by 2.5 lbs.</div>
Question...what method are you using to get up to 110 lbs. on dips?  My dumbells max out at 80 lbs. so is there another way to get that amount of weight on your belt without killing yourself?
 
Posted earlier on Lyle's board:

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">New video - using something approximating my working weight for sets of 5 across:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvRSErYv0hI

Older video for comparison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVJc3wT5hN0

The main focus of this video was to check on my reduced eccentric speed and depth in flat shoes. I realize I am still hip shifting, this will take time to fix.

I was also curious to see how badly I GM weights towards the end of a heavy set of 5. It's GM-y, but it doesn't look ridiculous by my eye.</div>
 
<div>
(omega99 @ Dec. 10 2008,3:35)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(mikeynov @ Dec. 07 2008,6:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">b]Dips[/b]

Me + 110 for 2 sets of 5 and one set of 4.5  Perhaps I should have waited an extra minute or two, I just died a couple inches shy of lockout on rep #5 of my third set.  A 5 lb weight jump again might have been too ambitious, but I feel my strength on these is still progressing pretty well.

Next week I may either repeat 110, or perhaps just raise it by 2.5 lbs.</div>
Question...what method are you using to get up to 110 lbs. on dips?  My dumbells max out at 80 lbs. so is there another way to get that amount of weight on your belt without killing yourself?</div>
Just use a dip belt and hang plates under yourself.

Example (90 x 6 in chins from over the summer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2xudo7EWfc
 
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