Grunt11's Training Log

Today was my “C” workout:

Full Squat 215 lbs x 10 M-Time

Barbell Upright Row 90 lbs x12 +3+3+3+3 Myo-reps

Supported Dumbbell Row 70 lbs x 10 M-Time superset L/R

Doing ATG Squats over 200 lbs, well doing them at all, is new to me since 15 years ago when I use to lift I only ever went parallel. Last cycle I had to drop back down to 185 lbs to do Full Squats so I’m very happy with how they are progressing since I started HST. Although this time using M-Time they did start feeling a little more like Breathing Squats except that I didn’t feel my strength diminish as I did them.

I’ve been reading a lot about Myo-reps and wanted to give them a try before the end of this cycle so I could try to get the feel of them. I picked the Barbell Upright Row since I started it out a little to low when I switched over from Shoulder Presses. Talk about the opposite feeling from M-Time reps.

http://www.hypertrophy-specific.info/cgi-bin/ib314/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=2;t=15579;st=0
 
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grunt11 said:
Full Squat 215 lbs x 10 M-Time
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Most impressive. I have to fight just to get down to parallel. ATG has long been out of my reach.

When you say "Breathing Squats", do you mean like the "Squats and Milk" routine of 20 consecutive squats? I've tried those (briefly) before. What I remember most about them was how hard it was to breath...!
 
TunnelRat said:
Most impressive. I have to fight just to get down to parallel. ATG has long been out of my reach.

When you say "Breathing Squats", do you mean like the "Squats and Milk" routine of 20 consecutive squats? I've tried those (briefly) before. What I remember most about them was how hard it was to breath...!
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Thanks TR, and yes those are the types of Squats I’m talking about. I had tried them out before back in the day and when I’d finish I wasn’t sure if my heart was going to explode or I was going to puke and usually ended up laying on the floor just trying to catch my breath.

The way I’m feeling I’m not sure how many ATG Squat increments I have left in me. I plan to switch to partial (parallel) squats when I can’t make it all the way down any more on this cycle.
 
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Did workout “D” today:

Dips BW(156 lbs) +25 x 10 M-Time
Superset with:
Close Grip Chin Ups BW(156 lbs) +25 x 10 M-Time

Barbell Calf Raises 295 lbs x 20 straight set

Barbell Shrugs 295 lbs x 12 +4 +4 +3 Myo-reps

I’m very stoked about how far my Dips have come so quickly. Never having been able to do an unassisted Dip before even 3 months ago when I weighed 140 lbs and now at a BW of 156 lbs I’m doing them with 25 lbs on my back. How cool is that?

I actually think a lot of the credit goes to doing Bench Dips for my triceps back at the beginning of my 1st cycle. Based on how they felt and how my other pushing lifts progressed I think they did a lot to bring my weak triceps along.

As noted above my weekly average BW is up to 156 lbs now so I need to stretch this cycle out at least 4 more weeks to reach my goal of 160 lbs this time around.

I liked the feel of doing Myo-reps for my Upright Barbell Row yesterday so I also switched over my Shrugs since I could no longer manage a straight set of 20 quality reps. I liked how it went much better than just doing 2 sets of 10 reps. Advancing my Calf Raises and Shrugs twice as fast as my Dead Lift is strengthening my grip and toughening up my hands so I don’t even have to think about holding the bar while doing Dead Lifts. Should also help as I eventually move on to rack pulls later in the cycle.

http://www.exercisebiology.com/
 
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grunt11 said:
Did workout “D” today:

Dips BW(156 lbs) +25 x 10 M-Time
Superset with:
Close Grip Chin Ups BW(156 lbs) +25 x 10 M-Time

Barbell Calf Raises 295 lbs x 20 straight set

Barbell Shrugs 295 lbs x 12 +4 +4 +3 Myo-reps

I’m very stoked about how far my Dips have come so quickly. Never having been able to do an unassisted Dip before even 3 months ago when I weighed 140 lbs and now at a BW of 156 lbs I’m doing them with 25 lbs on my back. How cool is that?

I actually think a lot of the credit goes to doing Bench Dips for my triceps back at the beginning of my 1st cycle. Based on how they felt and how my other pushing lifts progressed I think they did a lot to bring my weak triceps along.
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Dude, I know what you mean about the dips. First cycle, I worked up to bodyweight during the 15s and it was freakin' hard. 2nd, current cycle, I hit BW+10 lbs for 15 reps and felt like I could've done more. I think I've seen the most progress overall in my pullups and dips.
 
whistledixie said:
Dude, I know what you mean about the dips. First cycle, I worked up to bodyweight during the 15s and it was freakin' hard. 2nd, current cycle, I hit BW+10 lbs for 15 reps and felt like I could've done more. I think I've seen the most progress overall in my pullups and dips.
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I think I have also since I could barely do 5 BW Pull Ups when I started.
 
Did my “A” workout today:

Dead Lift 255 lbs x 10 M-Time

didn’t bother with anything else.

I thought I might end up stopping at 5 but I felt pretty strong at five so I pressed on to 10. Probably will drop the working set down to 5 next time though.

Got some good feedback from a pilot yesterday who’s been out with a broken leg for about 6 months. When he saw me in a T-shirt last night his mouth dropped and exclaimed “Dude you’re getting huge what the f***.” I wouldn’t call myself huge but compared to 16 weeks ago when I started lifting again I have put on 16 lbs which is more than 10% of the 140 lbs I was weighing back then.
 
Did my “B” workout today:

Flat Bench Press 170 lbs x 10 M-Time
Superset with
Parallel Grip Chin Ups BW(156 lbs) +30 x 10 M-Time

Barbell Calf Raises 305 lbs x 20 straight set

Barbell Shrugs 305 lbs x 12 +4 +4 +3 Myo-reps

Added back some assistance work to get the feel of using it next cycle:

Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extensions 20 lbs x 11 +3 +2 Myo-reps

Dumbbell Incline Curls 20 x 18 +5 +5 Myo-reps


The Bench and Chin Ups are getting very hard. Still starting the bench with the concentric pushing from the safety bars.

Might have to start using gloves for the Calf Raises and Shrugs. No problem holding the bar and I’ve got some real good calluses built up but at 20 reps it’s starting to feel like it’s going to rip them off.

I want to focus on some of what I feel are weak points mainly my arms next cycle so I’m trying out some Dumbbell Exercises using Myo-reps to get a feel for starting weights for next cycle. Also I want to see how they affect my core upper body lifts using my current 4 day split when things get heavy. Clearly underestimated the weight for the Curls.

I’m also considering switching to a 3 day split perhaps a (Legs/Pull/Push), (Chest/Back, Arms/Shoulders, Legs) or even some sort of light heavy split. I’m still doing some thinking on this one.
 
TunnelRat said:
Nice. Stick with 10 reps. Deads may make you feel like you're gonna die, but you won't (probably)...
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I hope to. My main concern was how well my lower back will recover with just one day off between each Squat and Dead Lift session. So far so good:

Did my “C” workout today:

Primary Exercises:

Full Squats 225 lbs x 10 M-Time

Upright Row 95 lbs x 11 +3 +3 +3 +2 Myo-reps

Supported Dumbbell Row 75 lbs x 10 M-Time superset L/R

Assistance Exercises:

Dumbbell Pullovers 25 lbs x 15 +5 +5

Dumbbell Preacher Curls 20 lbs x 9 +5 +4

Dumbbell Leaning Lateral Raises 15 lbs x 10 +5 +3

Little victories are so cool so it was nice to be able to slide 2 45s on each side of the bar today for Squats. I know it’s only 10 lbs more than last time but psychologically it’s a boost.

Still trying out additional assistance exercises to get the feel for their starting weights and rep schemes and cadence for next cycle. Good thing too since I’m way off on a few of them so far. I’m also using this to test my tolerance for additional sets of exercises in each workout and how it will effect my overall recovery.

Right now, at least while my primary exercises are getting heavy I’m feeling that 3 additional assistance exercises may be the limit before I start losing focus in a particular session. Since I just started doing them and they are only upper body exercises I haven’t had a chance to see if they will mess with my upper body primary exercises. May be something I only do for the early part of the cycle and start cutting back as things get heavy.
 
TunnelRat said:
Oooh, big boy squats! Good deal. Yeah, those big wheels do have a helpful psychological effect.

It's okay to let the gingerbread stuff drop out when things start to get heavy.
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Thanks TR, one of the things I like about this forum besides the focus on the science of hypertrophy is the positive attitude of the members. Sort of like having a workout partner w/o the hassles of having to sync up schedules.

I am really shocked at the gains I’m making considering I’m not the youngster I use to be. I’m glad I found this site by accident while looking for “traditional hardgainer” routines or I’d almost certainly be making the same mistakes I did while I was power lifting.
 
grunt11 said:
Thanks TR, one of the things I like about this forum besides the focus on the science of hypertrophy is the positive attitude of the members. Sort of like having a workout partner w/o the hassles of having to sync up schedules.

I am really shocked at the gains I’m making considering I’m not the youngster I use to be. I’m glad I found this site by accident while looking for “traditional hardgainer” routines or I’d almost certainly be making the same mistakes I did while I was power lifting.
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If you ever get a chance, I'd like to hear about some of the mistakes you've learned from. As a novice, information gathering is tough a lot of the time. You mostly find info on different ideas/programs/philosophies from folks who are either trying to sell something or were recently sold on some fancy new idea or product. There's not enough out there about specifically what didn't work and why.
 
Did my “D” workout today:

Primary Exercises:

Dips BW (156 lbs) +30 x 10 M-Time
Superset with
Close Grip Chin Ups BW (156 lbs) +30 x 10 M-Time

Barbell Calf Raises 315 lbs x 10 (grip failed) + 3 (grip failed) + 10

Barbell Shrugs 315 lbs x 6 (grip failed) + 6 (grip failed) + 6 (grip failed)

Secondary Exercises:

Hammer Curls 25 lbs (weak arms what can I say) x 10 +6 +6

Reverse Grip Bench Press 95 lbs x 10

Well the obvious thing is that I was having some grip problems today. Only a 10 lbs increase from Saturday but I just couldn’t seem to keep hold of the bar.

On the Dips I failed on the 6th rep so I started pushing the M-Time to about 45 seconds and managed to finish out the set of 10.

Chin Ups went a little better but I think I’m nearing the limit on those too.

I’ve now tested out all the secondary exercises I’m considering for next cycle at least once. I will need to revisit a few of them to get the weights right for starting out next time. Based on how my arms feel after doing 3 days of secondary exercises I don’t think I’ll be continuing them into the heavy part of the cycle.

I’m hoping today’s difficulties were temporary because I was feeling a bit hung over from yesterday. I considered skipping today but then I wouldn’t get to Dead Lift tomorrow so I pressed on. Have to see if that and backing off the secondary exercises gets me back into the groove for the rest of the week.
 
grunt11 said:
Did my “D” workout today:

Primary Exercises:

Dips BW (156 lbs) +30 x 10 M-Time
Superset with
Close Grip Chin Ups BW (156 lbs) +30 x 10 M-Time

Barbell Calf Raises 315 lbs x 10 (grip failed) + 3 (grip failed) + 10

Barbell Shrugs 315 lbs x 6 (grip failed) + 6 (grip failed) + 6 (grip failed)

Secondary Exercises:

Hammer Curls 25 lbs (weak arms what can I say) x 10 +6 +6

Reverse Grip Bench Press 95 lbs x 10

Well the obvious thing is that I was having some grip problems today. Only a 10 lbs increase from Saturday but I just couldn’t seem to keep hold of the bar.

On the Dips I failed on the 6th rep so I started pushing the M-Time to about 45 seconds and managed to finish out the set of 10.

Chin Ups went a little better but I think I’m nearing the limit on those too.

I’ve now tested out all the secondary exercises I’m considering for next cycle at least once. I will need to revisit a few of them to get the weights right for starting out next time. Based on how my arms feel after doing 3 days of secondary exercises I don’t think I’ll be continuing them into the heavy part of the cycle.

I’m hoping today’s difficulties were temporary because I was feeling a bit hung over from yesterday. I considered skipping today but then I wouldn’t get to Dead Lift tomorrow so I pressed on. Have to see if that and backing off the secondary exercises gets me back into the groove for the rest of the week.
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Try using straps... I know some people would argue they are a bad idea but for me they keep my wrists rigid and enable me to hold a lot more weight without the strain on my hands/forearms. I have an issue with my right wrist going in and out of place... something the chiropractor has proved to be useless at dealing with so I use straps and make sure to workout my forearms 3 times per week to ensure I do not get out of proportion or loose grip strength. just something to try.

Also I suggest avoiding drinking as much as possible... I know this can be difficult but it will prove very helpful if you can minimize it. If I do decide to drink I avoid sugar drinks and try to stick with vodka water or some variation of that. Also try taking a couple liver pills before bed (milk thistle etc.) I use Liv52 and a liter of water or so should help with any sort of hangover. :)
 
whistledixie said:
If you ever get a chance, I'd like to hear about some of the mistakes you've learned from. As a novice, information gathering is tough a lot of the time. You mostly find info on different ideas/programs/philosophies from folks who are either trying to sell something or were recently sold on some fancy new idea or product. There's not enough out there about specifically what didn't work and why.
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The worst mistake I made was believing I was a “Hardgainer” and somehow need a special routine.

As a result I followed the blast each body part only once a week and then sit on your butt the rest of the time routine. I never realized just how much time I was wasting, I sure felt like it but w/o understanding it.

Following from that one was not concentrating on the quality of each rep because I had so much to do each workout I just wanted to get through it.

Not following a good diet to ensure I was getting the nutrients need to build muscle.

Yet another was not picking the correct isolation exercises for the right reasons. Really just ended up being more volume with less weight.


On the flip side some good things I’ve learned at least for me YMMV are:

Investing in my own home gym. So much easier, less time consuming and less expensive than a gym membership.

Doing graduate studies and learning how to properly evaluate and interpret scientific literature. This has been a real boon with the development of the internet and the resulting increase in my knowledge base. However, w/o knowing how to properly interpret that information it’s no better than taking advice from someone you meet at the gym.

Learning that I can work out at least 6 days a week. This makes lifting part of my lifestyle as opposed to just something I do. Not sure if I’ll be able to keep that up if I have to increase the volume as I get more fit but with techniques like M-Time and Myo-reps I think it’s doable.
 
kuhler said:
Try using straps... I know some people would argue they are a bad idea but for me they keep my wrists rigid and enable me to hold a lot more weight without the strain on my hands/forearms. I have an issue with my right wrist going in and out of place... something the chiropractor has proved to be useless at dealing with so I use straps and make sure to workout my forearms 3 times per week to ensure I do not get out of proportion or loose grip strength. just something to try.

Also I suggest avoiding drinking as much as possible... I know this can be difficult but it will prove very helpful if you can minimize it. If I do decide to drink I avoid sugar drinks and try to stick with vodka water or some variation of that. Also try taking a couple liver pills before bed (milk thistle etc.) I use Liv52 and a liter of water or so should help with any sort of hangover. :)
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Probably will need straps at some point. Just trying to put it off as long as possible.

I don’t usually drink more than a couple of beers a month since I stopped homebrewing. Just got a little carried away yesterday which helped serve to remind me why I don’t like to drink much. ;)
 
grunt11 said:
Probably will need straps at some point. Just trying to put it off as long as possible.
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I don't care to use straps for my deadlifts. However, such things as RDLs, shrugs, and calf raises call for holding that bar for really quite a long time. That's when I turn to straps. I use Versa Gripps -- easy on, easy off.
 
Its was my “A” workout today:

Dead Lifts 165 lbs x 10 M-Time

Full stop.

I felt much stronger today than 4 days ago when I did 155 x 10 for the Dead Lift. I’ve reviewed my log and don’t see anything like nutrition or sleep that would have made a difference. About the only thing it might be was having Friday-Sunday off work which might have let me recuperate better. I wouldn’t be hitting my Dead Lifts again until Saturday but I was planning to take the weekend off from lifting because I work 1st shift over the weekend and that screws my schedule up. Have to see how things feel on next Monday.

Does anyone know how much using M-Time screws up the RM calculators. I understand they are geared toward straight sets so I’m assuming my 1RM based off 10MT reps would be lower than 10 straight reps but not sure how much.

I’m at that point like last cycle where I wake up in the morning feeling like I’d been in a car wreck but once I get moving and work out it goes away replaced by a general feeling or wellbeing.

Since my goal at the end of this cycle is to push for strength gains I may change my workout schedule a bit to test if 2 days off between each body part helps keep my progression going longer. Initially I will still plan to workout each day but probably switch to a Legs/Pull/Push scheme. I may even toy with taking full days off between workouts to see how I respond to that.
 
TunnelRat said:
I don't care to use straps for my deadlifts. However, such things as RDLs, shrugs, and calf raises call for holding that bar for really quite a long time. That's when I turn to straps. I use Versa Gripps -- easy on, easy off.
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I agree. I don’t plan on using straps for Dead Lifts or Rack Pulls, but might have to look into them for the Calf Raises and Shrugs. For now I’m going to skip them because holding the bar for those exercises is my primary forearm/grip training so I don’t want to compromise it by using straps yet.
 
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