TunnelRat's log -- working my way back to zero

Friday, December 3

RDLs 10x45 (as a brief warm-up)
Deads 10x45, 10x135, 3x185, 3x225, 5x235, 3x255, 3x275, 3x255, 5x235, 10x135
Bench 10x45, 10x60, 5x75, 5x95, 2x5x100
lying dumbbell rows 25x60 ( M-time)
(all weights in pounds)

My deadlift workset was 235 lbs. as scheduled. I worked in a few heavier triples. I've been using a double-overhand grip, but it starts to slip a bit at 275 lbs.

Bench was surprising. I've struggled with 95 lbs the past several times, so I intended to do 95 lbs. again today. However, the bar went up so easily I decided to go ahead with two sets of 100 lbs. I suppose I should have done another 10 using M-time, but I didn't think of it until I sat down to type this...

Dumbbells are heavy to pick up and carry to the bench, but they row easily enough.
 
Monday, December 6

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 3x135, 3x155, 5x195, 3x215, 3x235, 5x195, 5x135
Chins 4x5xBW
Dips 4x5xBW
(all weights in pounds)

I decided to do body weight chins and dips again, with no added weight. I was glad I did -- body weight chins and dips are still hard. I might do body weight one more time, then perhaps try add some weight next week.
 
Thursday, December 9

RDLs 10x45 (as a brief warm-up)
Deads 10x45, 10x135, 3x185, 3x225, 5x245, 3x265, 3x285, 3x265, 5x245, 10x135
Bench 10x45, 10x60, 5x80, 3x5x105
lying dumbbell rows 25x65 ( M-time)
(all weights in pounds)

I missed yesterday. I had to drive down to southern Ohio to take care of my mom.

Deads were satisfying. I'm starting to feel like I'm doing something.

I was very pleased with my bench press: somehow I don't have a lot of confidence in my bench. Today I did three sets of five with the prescribed weight, right on schedule. It's not a lot of weight, and it's not close to my PR, but it sort of reaffirmed some of the practical realities of HST for me once again. It does make us stronger.

Lying dumbbell row -- I have only two words: Day Yum! My hat is off to _tim for doing 65lb Kroc Rows. I did mine using M-time and it was still a bear.
 
aswesome deads! how do you do 3 sets of deads after doing 3*285 ???? i feel like i want to die after my last working set.
 
OzMullet said:
aswesome deads! how do you do 3 sets of deads after doing 3*285 ???? i feel like i want to die after my last working set.
Click to expand...
Well, my actuall "work" sets were the 245lb fives. The 265lb and 285lb triples were my "play" sets...


Monday, December 13

Squats 10x45, 10x95, 5x135, 3x155, 3x185, 5x205, 3x225, 3x245 PB, 1x265 PB, 5x205
Chins 4x5xBW+5
Dips 4x5xBW+5
(all weights in pounds)

I have't been able to keep a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule for the past few weeks due to a series of personal cirucumstances. However, rather than bail out on my program, I've decided to just keep going -- even if it means I only get to the gym once or twice a week. Lol has set such an example of working through while things get sorted, so I figured I try that as well.

On top of that, I've broken down my program into A and B workouts. As a result, today was my third B workout, and thus amounts to the end of my first week of fives.

I set a new Personal Best for a squat triple at 245lbs and for a single at 265lbs.

I was surprised at what a difference a dinky little 5lb plate can make for pull-ups and dips. I had to cluster the final reps of the fourth set on both chins and dips.
 
Wowsers TR! Great deads and squats. I am so pleased to see you getting your numbers back and then some. Hats off to you, Sir!

I always feel that even a single-exercise workout is far superior to no workout. I have done just deads, just squats, just cleans and, occasionally, just bench, dips or chins when I've been strapped for time or for a change.

I've often had some of my better lifts when focussing on a single movement in this way—particularly true in the case of cleans.
 
Wednesday, December 15

RDLs 10x45 (as a brief warm-up)
Deads 10x45, 10x135, 5x185, 3x225, 5x255, 1x275, 1x295, 3x305, 5x255, 10x135
Bench 10x45, 10x60, 5x80, 2x5x115, 5x115 (M-time)
lying dumbbell rows 25x70 ( M-time)
(all weights in pounds)

The 305 lb bar came right up. I was planning to do a single, but what the heck, I did two more just for fun.

Bench press was a struggle. I did two sets of five, then did the third set using an M-time of nearly 30 seconds. I didn't notice, until I sat here to write my log, that I was only scheduled to do 110 lbs -- not 115!. Perhaps that explains the struggle...
 
TunnelRat said:
I didn't notice, until I sat here to write my log, that I was only scheduled to do 110 lbs -- not 115!. Perhaps that explains the struggle...
Click to expand...

Had the same stinkin' issue today. Maybe it's a holiday thing or something. Regardless - excellent work, TR.
 
Friday, December 17

Squats 10x45, 10x65, 10x95, 5x135, 3x185, 5x215, 1x225, 1x245, 0x275 (miss), 1x275 PB, 5x215
Chins 4x5xBW+10
Dips 4x5xBW+10
(all weights in pounds)
"
I've been thinking about Monday's PB squat of 265 lb. I almost feel like I should go back an edit that to read "PB Good Morning". My form was bad; my forward lean almost pitched me over; it was closer to a Good Morning than to a squat. I thought that I could lift more.

So today I tried for a 275 lb. squat. If I can lift 265 with such bad form, what might I do with good form? I missed it the first time around -- I got that forward lean again and this time I couldn't Good Morning it up. However, I remember the things Lol has written, and Totz, and Quadancer (and Russ, Aaron_f, and Bulldog). So I waited for a full five minutes and tried it again. The second time I remembered to use my belt. The 275 lbs was heavy, but it went up. Ooo rah!

I was stoked! So later I was doing my chins and dips with 10 lbs hanging from my belt -- really feeling like a man! Then a skinny kid came in and did his dips with 80 lbs on his belt (and then a couple of skinny high school kids came in and were doing 295 lb squats for reps...).

It served to remind me who I am.
 
Monday, December 20, 2010

RDLs 10x45 (as a brief warm-up)
Deads 10x45, 10x135, 5x185, 5x225, 5x265, 3x315, 5x265, 10x135
Bench 10x45, 10x65, 5x95, 2x5x115, 5x115 (M-time)
lying dumbbell rows 25x75 ( M-time)
(all weights in pounds)

Finished up my deadlifts for this cycle. Did two final work sets of 265 lbs and a 315 lb triple. A year or two ago, 315 lbs was my long-term goal for a deadlift 1RM. I even took a picture when I finally hit it (old pic attached). Today I hit 315 for three. Even so, I went away a little disappointed, because I was hoping to get 5 reps. Maybe next cycle...

I've pretty much maxed out my dumbbell rows, too. 75 lb dumbbells are clunky and hard to work with, but more than that -- they are heavy! I took a good ten seconds between each rep. Even at that, it was hard work. I'm glad to be done with them for a while.
 
TunnelRat said:
I was stoked! So later I was doing my chins and dips with 10 lbs hanging from my belt -- really feeling like a man! Then a skinny kid came in and did his dips with 80 lbs on his belt (and then a couple of skinny high school kids came in and were doing 295 lb squats for reps...).

It served to remind me who I am.
Click to expand...

You're still a bada$$ in my book, TR, you tore it up this cycle! Congrats on the PBs this week!
 
"What day is it?"

"The day of Christmas"

"God bless us, every one".

I weighed myself today for the first time in over a month. It looks like I gained eight (8) pounds (over a half stone!) since about September or so. I was quite surprised, as I have been (fairly) careful with my diet. I suppose a bit of ice cream from time to time didn't help.

It looks like a bit of that weight went onto my chest and shoulders and arms. I haven't measured, but I "look" better, and I've received some nice comments.

Even so, I've also gained a bit around my waist. I look a bit more like a pear than like Toolman...

Now that I've got some strength back, I can lift heavy while I cut calories on my next cycle.

I'm on the road to Grandmother's house. See you all in the new year!

Merry Christmas to all.
 
Nice legs (no homo)

You've got some good size there compared to some of the guys I've seen at my gym
 
Always nice to get positive feedback. Good luck on the cutting “Toolman” has a much better ring to it than “Pearman.” ;)
 
Another week to go of Spontaneous Decompression; I feel weaker already.

I've got my strength up enough to be able to lift fairly heavy (for me) during what will have to be a cutting cycle. I have yet to decide whether to go with HST, Max-Stim, or perhaps even Wendler's 5-3-1. I shouldn't look for any hypertrophy on a cut, but I am not familiar with any strength programs.
 
I'm not sure I'd do it on a cut, but Russ' triples is one of the single best strength programs I'm ever tried. Maybe worth a look?

If not - I'd love to build you a program, and I'm sure Tot would too. Here for ya TR.
 
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