Gamechanger: Gain 30, Pull 500.
- Thread starter Sci
- Start date
nativetroutbum
Member
100% agree with the "ritual" idea surrounding the workout. I have a desk job, but it can be incredibly stressful and mentally/emotionally exhausting, but the ritual of my pre-workout almost always gets me amped to be in the gym! I don't take a "pre-workout" drink/pill, but I do the following: 1.5 hours before workout I take ~40g of protein and 5g creatine... 30 minutes before workout I take a "cliff energy goo" packet (26g dextrose + 75mg of caffiene)... then just before I head down to the gym I mix 10g BCAA in my water bottle and start sipping as I walk (5-10 minutes) to the locker room. The taste of the BCAAs is pretty bad (almost like ear wax) but I sorta "crave" it during my pre-workout ritual. Deadlifts are my first exercise, so the entire 1.5 hours of my "ritual" I'm focusing as much as possible on mentally preparing for deadlifting. Same ritual every workout.
Sci
Well-Known Member
Rack Pull: 315x5 RPE 9
My lower back was still stiff from Fridays deads. One of the problems is my job involves lower back, and so my recovery is limited. I feel like I am overtraining lower back with heavy rack pulls and heavy deads. Cable rows don't bother me at all, and actually help recovery, as the lower back just gets a warmup basically, but rack pulls are just as hard as Deads on my lower back. I may have to adjust things. Heavy low back work twice/week plus my job is too much I feel.
Leg press: 475x5 (pretty hard, just one set after rack pulls)
Seat Calves: 145x2x5
90x20
My lower back was still stiff from Fridays deads. One of the problems is my job involves lower back, and so my recovery is limited. I feel like I am overtraining lower back with heavy rack pulls and heavy deads. Cable rows don't bother me at all, and actually help recovery, as the lower back just gets a warmup basically, but rack pulls are just as hard as Deads on my lower back. I may have to adjust things. Heavy low back work twice/week plus my job is too much I feel.
Leg press: 475x5 (pretty hard, just one set after rack pulls)
Seat Calves: 145x2x5
90x20
Sci
Well-Known Member
Leg Press: 500x5, (10 plates+50)
last two reps were very Grindy, near failure, which is not surprising considering this is a previous record from my last bulk. I was planning on doing two sets, but after almost failing, I stopped at one set. I'll repeat this load a workout or two before trying for a new PR.
Seat Calves: 150x2x5, 100 2x15
last two reps were very Grindy, near failure, which is not surprising considering this is a previous record from my last bulk. I was planning on doing two sets, but after almost failing, I stopped at one set. I'll repeat this load a workout or two before trying for a new PR.
Seat Calves: 150x2x5, 100 2x15
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Sci
Well-Known Member
DeadLift: 295 3x5, last set RPE:8
Deloading today to allow some recovery after overreaching with lower back the past few weeks. Felt good.
Cable Rows: 190x5
WTD. Dips: 260x5, BWx12
WG Pulldowns: 170x5, 120 2x15
Arnold Press: 60s x7 PR!
Seat Calves: 150, 100 2x15
Entire workout only lasted 50 minutes. I missed the upper body session yesterday, so just did it today after deads.
Incidentally, there were about 50 guys in the gym today, (its a large gym) and by some stroke of luck I was among one of the most muscular guys in there, which is unusual. Nice ego-boost though.
Deloading today to allow some recovery after overreaching with lower back the past few weeks. Felt good.
Cable Rows: 190x5
WTD. Dips: 260x5, BWx12
WG Pulldowns: 170x5, 120 2x15
Arnold Press: 60s x7 PR!
Seat Calves: 150, 100 2x15
Entire workout only lasted 50 minutes. I missed the upper body session yesterday, so just did it today after deads.
Incidentally, there were about 50 guys in the gym today, (its a large gym) and by some stroke of luck I was among one of the most muscular guys in there, which is unusual. Nice ego-boost though.
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DeadLift: 295 3x5, last set RPE:8
Deloading today to allow some recovery after overreaching with lower back the past few weeks. Felt good.
Cable Rows: 190x5
WTD. Dips: 260x5, BWx12
WG Pulldowns: 170x5, 120 2x15
Arnold Press: 60s x7 PR!
Seat Calves: 150, 100 2x15
Entire workout only lasted 50 minutes. I missed the upper body session yesterday, so just did it today after deads.
Incidentally, there were about 50 guys in the gym today, (its a large gym) and by some stroke of luck I was among one of the most muscular guys in there, which is unusual. Nice ego-boost though.
Good idea on backing off with the deads. Better keep the load a little lower, but keep volume no more than 15 reps for another week or so.
Lol on having to pop ibuprofen.
Sci
Well-Known Member
Another lighter week would be welcome by me! Then I could go for 365 or 375, which would coincide with end of this 6 week mini-cycle.
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Sci
Well-Known Member
Thank god for expiring patents
Re: cable rows - choosing these because they're less intensive on the lower back?
Partly. In general I like the feel of seated cable rows better than any other type. I can really focus on retracting the scapula. etc. Once upon a time I had a home gym, and built a chest-supported rowing machine, taht was pretty cool, but in general I prefer cable rows over other types. Barbell rows use way too much lower back for my tall frame, and dumbells don't go above 100 pounds at my gym, and I find dumbell rows tend to get very sloppy and cheaty, hard to cheat on a seated cable row.
Sci
Well-Known Member
I try to stay stable for the rows, but sway slightly for the heavier stuff.
4/8/2013
Weigh-in: 194 lbs
It's getting harder to get all the food down, metabolism has increased. Still very happy with the gains do far.
Cable Rows: 190x5
Dips: 270x5 PR, bwx10
Pulldowns: 170x5, 120 2x15
DB Press: 65s x5
I am at my 5 Rep maxes now, all loads felt maximal, will repeat next workout.
4/8/2013
Weigh-in: 194 lbs
It's getting harder to get all the food down, metabolism has increased. Still very happy with the gains do far.
Cable Rows: 190x5
Dips: 270x5 PR, bwx10
Pulldowns: 170x5, 120 2x15
DB Press: 65s x5
I am at my 5 Rep maxes now, all loads felt maximal, will repeat next workout.
Sci
Well-Known Member
I do need more ab work. I like working abs in with other muscles. Next cycle I am going to ditch the arnold presses and go with the old standing military barbell press. Works the freaking hell out of abdominals and gets the shoulders well all around too.
Arnold's are safe for shoulders, but obviously a standing barbell press is going to stimulate more hypertrophy.
Thanks for the tips.
Sci
Well-Known Member
Really enjoying the upper/lower split. My leg workout is so brief, I am now able to get some isolation work in, which for me is really important as one leg is longer than the other, (bone weakness, bone graft surgery as a kid, long story). Anyway, my left leg is longer and noticeably less developed than my right leg, so I started doing some single- leg work for the weak leg. My strong right leg was still sore from deadlifts and work. So I mainly worked my left leg today:
Single-leg Press for left leg,
Then a new leg press for both legs,
Then some leg extensions for left leg,
Followed by the regular seated calves:
Single-leg press was really hard on my left leg, especially I felt the hamstrings struggling in the bottom of the squat position. This left leg weakness is one I have to fix if I am going to ever reach my goals. The upper/Lower 6 day split is helping me achieve that.
Single-leg Press for left leg,
Then a new leg press for both legs,
Then some leg extensions for left leg,
Followed by the regular seated calves:
Single-leg press was really hard on my left leg, especially I felt the hamstrings struggling in the bottom of the squat position. This left leg weakness is one I have to fix if I am going to ever reach my goals. The upper/Lower 6 day split is helping me achieve that.