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

Saturday, November 6

Squats 10x45, 10x95, 2x15x135
Bench 10x45, 2x15x80
Deads 1x15x185
lying dumbbell rows 20x35 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-32.5

More honestly, my second set on the bench looked more like 1x8,2,2,2,1... but I got in all my reps.

So it looks like my random flailing about in the gym has turned into a vanilla HST session. I suppose that's fair enough. I've done Korte, I've done Coan, I've done Max-Stim (okay, I did half of Max-Stim twice). It's about time I took another swing at straight HST.

I've done it backwards, though. Rather than attempt to find my 1RMs, I just started lifting (kids, don't try this at home). I'd been out of the gym for so long and for so often over the past year or so that whatever 1RM I'd have come up with would have been surpassed after only a few weeks of working out as my strength trickled back. Thus I just started with the weeny weights and the little pink dumbbells and added something each workout.

Anyhow, it looks like I've just finished two weeks of 15s. If I claim to be doing HST, it gives me an excuse to quit 15s and do 10s for a bit. I think the only thing I hate worse than 15 rep squats might be 15 rep deads. So, onward and upward.
 
You're in the gym doing your thing, TR. Don't disparage that as "flailing about"! HST or not, lifting is lifting - and that is always indicative of progress, and by extension something to be proud of. Hell - I'm proud of 'ya. Keep 'er goin' and do your thing.
 
Monday, November 8

Squats 5x45, 5x95, 2x10x135
Bench 10x45, 2x10x75
Deads 2x10x185
lying dumbbell rows 20x35 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-32.5
(all weights in pounds)

A teeny bit of zig-zag today. Ten rep sets are much more pleasant than the 15 rep jobbies.
 
I've been digging around trying to find an answer to a Max-Stim question and kept noticing your posts on the subject, so I thought I might ask you: If I were to do Max-Stim for my 7th and 8th week, should I set it up to start with 80% of my 5RM and work my up to 110%? Doing 20 reps for each lift? I don't think I'll do Squats or Shoulder Press this way, but I'd like to try the Max-Stim method for the other stuff.
 
whistledixie said:
If I were to do Max-Stim for my 7th and 8th week, should I set it up to start with 80% of my 5RM and work my up to 110%? Doing 20 reps for each lift? I don't think I'll do Squats or Shoulder Press this way, but I'd like to try the Max-Stim method for the other stuff.
Click to expand...
Max-Stim is a complete program developed by Dan Moore. It is well worth the effort to read up on it. M-time is only one part of his entire program.

To use M-time in practice, what you do is to get the weight completely out of your hands (or off your shoulders...) after each rep. Your M-time is the amount of time you wait between reps. It can be quite variable -- I often start with three seconds or so, and add a second every few reps. Occasionally on heavy squats or deads, my M-time may approach (but not pass) 30 seconds.

I borrowed Dan's principle of M-time and applied it to my workouts whenever I find myself having trouble completing sets. M-time works very well with rows, curls, chins, dips, press-downs, deadlifts, bench press, and shoulder press (using a power rack), etc. It is a bit more trouble to use with squats. Even so I have done many a set of 20 M-time squats. I just figure my re-racking time to be a part of my M-time.

I think you'll find that you can do a good 20 reps with your 5RM or more. If you choose to increase the weight each workout, M-time will help with that as well.
 
So, would you think it unwise to use the max-stim/m-time/20 reps method for the final 2 weeks of my HST cycle? I workout alone, have no spotter, and I read other people talking about using the max-stim method instead of negatives the last 2 weeks. Do you think it might be better to just keep repeating the same 5RM workout for 2 more weeks instead?

I've been trying to find more information about the max-stim program, but a lot of the links about it from years ago are no longer active. I've read discussions on this forum about it and on a few other bb sites, but I haven't come across a detailed write up of the program.
 
whistledixie said:
So, would you think it unwise to use the max-stim/m-time/20 reps method for the final 2 weeks of my HST cycle?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. Using M-time is a terrific way to extend your 5-week.

You can use your 5RM for 10 or 20 M-time reps for increased TUT. You may find that you can even increase the weight, and perhaps extend your cycle for another week or two
 
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TunnelRat said:
Sorry, I wasn't very clear. Using M-time is a terrific way to extend your 5-week.

You can use your 5RM for 10 or 20 M-time reps for increased TUT. You may find that you can even increase the weight, and perhaps extend your cycle for another week or two
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks! I was pretty psyched when I first read about this idea on the forum
 
Wednesday, November 10

Squats 5x45, 10x95, 2x10x145
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 2x10x80
Deads 5x135, 2x10x195
lying dumbbell rows 20x40 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-27.5
(all weights in pounds)
 
Friday, November 12

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 2x10x155
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 2x10x85
Deads 5x135, 2x10x205
lying dumbbell rows 20x45 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-25
(all weights in pounds)

Each time I go to the gym, I wonder whether I'll be able to lift the weights prescribed for that workout. Each time I've been able to do it, just barely.

Rows are starting to get a little heavy. I am looking forward to two days of rest on the weekend.
 
Nice work TR. You are certainly working your way back well past zero! Enjoy your w/e rest.
 
Monday, November 15

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 10x165
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 10x90, 10x90 ( M-time)
Deads 5x135, 3x185, 10x215, 10x215 ( M-time)
lying dumbbell rows 20x45 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-20
(all weights in pounds)

I opted to do only one set of ten for my squats. Squats and deads in the same workout are starting to wear me down. I think they are the two best full-body exercises, but I have to accept that I can only do just so much.

For both bench and deadlift I did a set of ten, then another set of ten using Max-Stim's M-time. I considered just doing one set of ten for everything, but I was reminded of Mikeynov's admonition to do enough "in the right now". Thus I added the M-time lifts.
 
Wednesday, November 17

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 10x175
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 10x95, 10x95 ( M-time)
Deads 5x135, 3x185, 10x225, 10x225 ( M-time)
lying dumbbell rows 25x50 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-15
(all weights in pounds)

I managed to increment all weights according to schedule, but I think I may have pretty much already reached my 10 RMs. Squats were okay, though the last few reps went a little slow. Bench was hard. Reps eight, ni-i-i-i-ine, and te-e-e-e-e-e-en took all I could do. Deadlifts felt heavy, too, even though I am lifting well less than I have in the past. I think perhaps squats and deads on the same day are starting to catch up with me. I did my second set of tens on bench and deads, once again, using a Max-Stim M-time. So, anyhow, I think I shall repeat today's weights for bench and deadlift.

I increased the reps on my lying dumbbell rows in honor of _tim's good report about his success with Kroc Rows. Of course, I'm not doing single arm rows, and I'm not using a whole lot of weight, and I'm doing them Max-Stim style, but I figured I could at least get in 25 reps.

The wuss-assist for chins and dips has pretty much reached the end of its practical value. Trying to use a 15 lb assist is like arguing philosophy -- when you're done, you can't tell if it made any difference. I think I may do one more workout with the assist, then try big boy, body weight chins and dips next week.
 
You're at that point where I first started noticing this program working. So how do you feel at this point? Are your muscles feeling tight now pretty much all day?
 
Toolman said:
You're at that point where I first started noticing this program working. So how do you feel at this point? Are your muscles feeling tight now pretty much all day?
Click to expand...

I think the correct phrase would be "comfortably sore".

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 5x135, 10x185
Bench 10x45, 5x70, 10x95, 10x95 ( M-time)
Deads 5x135, 3x185, 10x225, 10x225 ( M-time)
lying dumbbell rows 25x50 ( M-time)
Chin/Dip 4x5xBW-10
(all weights in pounds)

Today was pretty much a repeat of Wednesday's workout. I was able to stay on schedule with my squats, adding ten pounds to the bar. I did not increment my Rows, but I could have: my M-time was only a second or two.

I took another 5 lbs off my wuss-assist for chins and dips, but I'm not sure it made any difference. Once the assist gets below 20 lbs or so, it's not much more than a grocer's thumb on the scale.

For Bench and Deads I did the same weights over again, and they were heavy over again -- M-times on both lifts reaching well past 15 or 20 seconds.

I am thinking about switching to an A and B routine next week for my fives. Squats and deads on the same day may be too much for me. I'm considering something like:

A) Squat, chin, dip;
B) Deadlift, bench, row.
 
I think that would be a great idea and would definitely let you progress even further. I'll be waiting to see how that goes for you.
 
TunnelRat said:
I took another 5 lbs off my wuss-assist for chins and dips, but I'm not sure it made any difference. Once the assist gets below 20 lbs or so, it's not much more than a grocer's thumb on the scale.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's been a while since I had access to a chin/dip station with assistance, but I remember getting up to about 10 - 15 lbs of assist and the bar there to stand on was moving slower than I was. It was the same as not having it there at all. Which is a pretty cool feeling when you are working your way up!
 
Wednesday, November 24

Deads 10x45, 5x135, 3x185, 5x225, 3x245, 3x265, 3x245, 5x225
Bench 10x45, 5x70, 2x5x95, 10x95 ( M-time)
lying dumbbell rows 25x55 ( M-time)
(all weights in pounds)

I missed Monday and Tuesday: I had a sore throat; my car wouldn't start; my TV got stolen. It was a busy couple of days.

I was in a hurry today, because with only one car I had to leave early to pick up my wife from work. So I was pleased to do a shorter routine today.

It's amazing how much easier deadlifts are after a few days rest, and without doing squats first. My work sets were for 225 lbs once again (it's zig-zag day). However, I ramped up to a few triples that were a bit heavier. Everything came up quickly and easily.

Bench press is still hard, even with the same weight I had repeated before, even only doing 5 rep sets instead of 10 rep sets. I may be able to increment the weight next time, but it won't be easy. I did two sets of five, then another 10 reps using M-time.

Dumbbell rows are still fairly easy. M-time never got much above 5 seconds.

I intend to do squats, dips, and chins on Friday.
 
Wednesday, December 1

Goodness, it's been a full week since I was last in the gym! What with the holiday and having no car, I had no way to make it in. Eight days is almost an SD, but rather than start over, I intend to finish my 5's. It may take a while to do so, as I have begun to split my workout into an A and B routine.

Anyhow, all things are possible, only believe. I found the iron waiting patiently for me...

I redid my 185 lb work sets in honor of my time away from the gym. I worked in a few heavier lifts, culminating in a 225 lb triple. I was surprised how easily the bar came up. A little rest seems to help.

Then I did my first "big boy" chins and dips in a very long time! I figured that waiting for the weeny-assist pad to follow me up and down was more trouble than the assist was worth. So I did full body weight chins and dips, but I had to take a good two minutes or more between sets.

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 3x135, 3x155, 5x185, 3x205, 3x225, 3x205, 5x185
Chins 4x5xBW
Dips 4x5xBW
(all weights in pounds)
 
Big Boy Chins and Dips... Yep - have to agree with an earlier post by Lol - you're way past zero at this point, TR. Great stuff!
 
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