Gamechanger: Gain 30, Pull 500.

It's working alright! :) Good job, Sci. Back and traps really coming along.
 
Thanks, I actually made most of my gains on my upper body, it's hard to tell in the pics, but my pecs are the most improved bodypart. back us also doing great.
I was doing uni-leg presses and seated calves for my legs, which improved my glutes, adductors and soleus, but I may have actually lost some quadriceps size, so I am going back to regular leg press, emphasizing quads with feet low on the plate, probably go back to straight calf raises.
 
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Upper body growth is awesome, so I kept that the same. Brutalized my legs with a little more attention today, since they haven't grown much at all.

Chins: 210 3x5, 235 for some negatives (me+ 25)

45 Incline Bench: 200 3x5

Cable Rows: 200 3x5

WG Pulldowns: 160 3x5

Dips: 270 3x5 (me+60)

Leg Press: 500 3x5
Feet close, low on the plate, absolutely brutal on the quads!

Romanian Deads: 155 2x10
Very light, easy on low back.

Uni-calf raises: me+100 for 3x10 brutal

Seated Leg Curls: 135 3x5 hamstring hell.

My legs are thoroughly trashed, mission accomplished.

Also, had another "growth spurt" this week. Hovering around 206. :)
 
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Sci said:
Thanks, I actually made most of my gains on my upper body, it's hard to tell in the pics, but my pecs are the most improved bodypart. back us also doing great.
I was doing uni-leg presses and seated calves for my legs, which improved my glutes, adductors and soleus, but I may have actually lost some quadriceps size, so I am going back to regular leg press, emphasizing quads with feet low on the plate, probably go back to straight calf raises.
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My thoughts are 'do both', as they're quite different exercises and just alternate perhaps.
 
Actually, no, I was referring to single and double leg presses.

Re: calves - go heavy, do a lot. Across all of my experience and the anecdotes I've heard, there's a tiny difference between your 5RM and 15RM, in terms of % weight (compared to say, my 15RM and 5RM on bench; big % difference). Just do a lot of reps with a heavy weight. I find that using a leg press machine is best for me, making contact with the plate using ball of foot etc.
 
Yeah, it's amazing how many variations and styles of leg pressing there are. Not quite as versatile as squats, but close. Just by moving my feet to different areas on the plate, I can emphasize glutes, adductors or quadriceps on the same sled machine, and there are even a couple of other types of leg presses too! (I prefer the sled)
 
Yes. Two points over a couple of posts:

1. Do both types of leg press, they work the relevant muscles in diff % of activation (single leg is great, two leg is great, do both IMO)

2. Sled-loaded leg press for calves; contact just with the balls of feet and obviously your legs aren't moving, just pivoting on the ankle etc.
 
Deadlift: 225x5, 275x5, 315x5

Recovery day, 315 went up like a feather. No strain at all. I am going for a new PR this weekend.

45 Incline Bench: 205 3x5, 205x5 is a PR!

Cable Row: 200 3x5

Dips: 270 x5, that's it, totally spent from the incline bench, might have to start alternating bench and dips.

Chin-ups: 210 3x5

Legs are really sore from Sunday's workout, recovery day also in preparation for the dead PR.

Leg Press: 360x5, 450x5

Uni-calf Raise: 100 3x12

I am beginning to look huge at the gym when I get pumped up. Can't wait to see how big I look when I hit 220 lbs.
 
My body is a bit beat up after that last workout. Also, I pulled something in my trapezius the other day unloading some heavy equipment, so I will probably not be attempting a Deadlift PR tomorrow. We'll see how I feel in the morning. I might just do regular deads, and put the PR attempt off until next week.
 
This morning, my traps were ok, but my lower back was stiff. Not a PR day. I did a couple of stupid, macho things at work this week, which were totally unnecessary and ruined my back recovery...my erectors have been in a perpetual state of overtraining, so I am going to cease all deads, take it easy at work, and do nothing that involves my erectors, except cable rows for the next 10 days, and then finally try a dead PR before my SD.

Anyway...

Deads: 225x6, 345x3, 365x1/2 (broke the bar off the floor, but didn't make it, low back was very stiff and sore today), 345x1 ok, my back is overtrained as I explained above...time for rest, nothing but rows for lower back.

45 Incline Bench: 205 3x5 (previous PR)

Pronated Pulldowns: 180x5, 180x5, 200x6 PR

Dips: 260 3x5 (easing back on dips, as I am pretty spent after heavy Inclines)

Cable Rows: 205 3x5 PR

Leg Press: 520 3x5 PR

Calf Press: 660 3x12 (on the leg press sled)

I am not too upset about the lack of progress on deads, as it is very easy for me to overtrain my erectors. I am a bodybuilder at heart, even if I like to lift heavy weights. SO my main goal is to gain muscle and bulk up. As long as I keep getting bigger and seeing hypertrophy, I am happy. The deadlift goal remains a secondary goal, but my main focus is me weighing in at 220 lb.s by the end of this summer. Then I will cut back down over the autumn, to reveal the newly hypertrophied muscles, before bulking up again this winter.
 
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I broke out the measuring tape just for the heck of it. Measured my right arm, flexed, cold, no pump at all... 16" exactly. A big milestone that I have been aiming for. I have had 16" amrs pumped before, but never cold.
And the funny part is that I pretty much do no direct arm work...no curls, no tricep isolations, etc. Once in awhile I will do some curls or tricep work, just for fun, but its like once/month. I am growing my arms with compounds, weighted dips and benching for triceps, and rows/chinups/pullups for biceps. I suppose the next milestone is 17" cold. Hopefully within a year.
 
Isn't it funny how your arms are their biggest ever with no direct arm work? Coincidentally, you happen to be at pretty much your strongest ever.

Good progress. Keep it going.
 
16" arms, cold, is a great start. :)

You're a pretty tall guy, Sci. I would think that 18" guns would not look overly large on your frame. Go get 'em! (Meaning: keep piling the pounds on those weighted dips and chins/pullups.)
 
Lol said:
16" arms, cold, is a great start. :)

You're a pretty tall guy, Sci. I would think that 18" guns would not look overly large on your frame. Go get 'em! (Meaning: keep piling the pounds on those weighted dips and chins/pullups.)
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Yeah,18" is the ultimate goal. That would look awesome. Probably take me a few years though, and several million calories!
I have always been a lanky guy, so even 17" arms would look massive on my skinny frame. Heck, even 16" looks ok, though I admit I don't yet have enough muscle to have the typical "bodybuilder" look.
 
Sci said:
I broke out the measuring tape just for the heck of it. Measured my right arm, flexed, cold, no pump at all... 16" exactly. A big milestone that I have been aiming for. I have had 16" amrs pumped before, but never cold.
And the funny part is that I pretty much do no direct arm work...no curls, no tricep isolations, etc. Once in awhile I will do some curls or tricep work, just for fun, but its like once/month. I am growing my arms with compounds, weighted dips and benching for triceps, and rows/chinups/pullups for biceps. I suppose the next milestone is 17" cold. Hopefully within a year.
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Told you so ;)
 
Pronated Pulldowns: 200 3x5

Chins: 245 for 5 negatives (me+35)

45 Incline Bench: 205 3x5

Cable Rows: 210 3x5 PR!

Dips: 280 3x4 PR! (Me+70)

Leg Press: 540 (12 plates+sled) 3x5 PR! Threw up in my mouth a little. Almost hit failure.

Uni Calf Raise: me+120 3x12

Seated Leg Curls: 135 8/6/5. 135x8 is PR

One reason that my erectors are overtrained is that my legs are weak, and so my back takes over in the Deadlift. If I am ever going to pull 500, I will need to be leg pressing 600-700 pounds, and leg curling more too.
 
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