Dan's log

[elVarouza]

01/29/15 Thursday

Hip was feeling pretty decent but I decided not to push it. It was a planned squat light day anyway.

Squat:

45x10x2
135x10
225x5
315x5

That's it. I don't know if it's the pre workout foam rolling I've started doing again or that I've simply adapted to it, but I've been having a much easier time stretching out and hitting good depth the past week, week and a half.

Close grip bench (index finger on edge of inner knurling):

45x15x2
135x10
185x5
225x8x2

Felt better on my shoulders than last time. Maybe it's because I did it after squatting. Either way I plan to keep it light for awhile.

Ab wheel: BWx10x3

Cable tricep overhead extensions: warmups, 55x8x2, 62.5x8. Height at 13.

Not sure what to call these. I put a curvy bar on the cable stack, put it about waist height, then get under it, stand up, and press it up over my head. I like it better than pushing down on the stack since the weight stretches the triceps.

[elVarouza]

01/31/15 Saturday

Boring day today, only did two things. No squats to let my hip and elbow get better, and I want to be fresh on Monday.

Seated press:

45x10x2
95x5
135x3
155x1
165x5x3

Pretty easy. I think that's a PR for seated press but I don't really care to track them.

Hammer curl: 40x5, 55x10x3

[elVarouza]

02/02/15 Monday

Squat:

45x10x2
135x10
225x5
315x2
375x1
425x5x3 (PR)

10lb PR. Hip felt good. Warmups felt like nothing on my back, which is always good sign. Tough sets but not too bad. I need to figure out if I want to go 430 or 435 in two weeks. We'll see how the hip feels tomorrow when I go to deadlift. I'll gauge it off how warmups feel, and if it starts acting up I have no problem backing off. I'm making progress and don't want to mess it up being bullheaded.

Bench:

45x15x2
135x10x2
185x5
225x5
245x8
260x8
270x8

The 270 is probably some sort of 8 rep PR but I don't want to track every single rep combination. All reps felt really, really easy. Definitely could've done at least 10 at 270 but stuck with my plan. My pec was feeling a little meh so I probably won't close grip bench this week. Bench is feeling great and I don't want to push the pecs.

Chest press: 45x5, 70x8x3

Stayed with the same weight as last week to give the pecs a little break.

[elVarouza]

02/03/15 Tuesday

Seated press:

45x10x3
95x8x2
135x3
150x8x2

Light day. Pretty easy but not too easy.

Deadlift (in kgs):

60x5x2
100x4
140x2
180x1
220x1 (belt, hg)
240x3 (PR)
210x5 (straps)
195x5

5kg triple PR. 3rd rep got stuck at my knees for a bit. I think it got stuck not because it was hard (I mean, it was hard, but still) but because after the 2nd rep I was like "yeah, I definitely got this" and didn't take the 3rd rep seriously enough, lol. The 210 backoff set sucked.

Hammer curl: 40x5, 50x10x3

Really didn't feel like doing curls.

[elVarouza]

02/05/15 Thursday

Light day.

Squats:

45x10x2
135x10
225x5
315x5x2 (belt)

Really frickin easy as it should be. I've decided unless I'm feeling really good I'm just going to belt up for 315+ on squats. I really couldn't care less about beltless squats.

Seated press:

45x10x2
95x5
135x3
155x1
170x4x2

Didn't feel very strong on these today. Shoulders were really fatigued.

Ab wheel: BWx10x3
Cable tricep overhead things: warmup, then 62.5x8, 70x8x2

[Vince Cifani]

Cable tricep overhead things

Will there be a chapter on those in SS 4th ed?

[elVarouza]

Will there be a chapter on those in SS 4th ed?

Lol, as long as they use my scientific name for them.

02/07/15 Saturday

Squat:

45x10x2
135x10
225x5
315x2
375x2 (belt)
425x1
455x5 (PR)

Pretty darn sure I could've done 6 reps if I had wanted to. Focused on keeping my chest up and jumping out of the bottom and it felt pretty good. However, I'd say depth was borderline. Regardless, that's a 10lb PR and I'm now positive I can hit 500lbs if I wanted. I won't be attempting it for awhile though. I don't even have plans to attempt it soon. 475x3 will probably be my next intensity set, whenever I end up doing that.

Chins: BWx10x3

That's it, quick workout. Pretty much came in to squat. Ordinarily I'd do press today but I did that on Thursday instead of close grip bench and wanted to give my shoulders a rest.

Morning BW is around 213-215, about a 5-7lb gain from early December. A little more than I'd like (that's just under 1lb/week) but not terrible. After the April meet I'm tentatively planning on doing I might do a mini "cut" and lose 5lbs or so, then continue moving up. I've heard some guys have had success with mini weight gain/loss cycles, like gaining 10 then losing 5 and repeating.

[Bryan Dobson]

good squatting, quite a rep PR, and nice weight gain.

[elVarouza]

good squatting, quite a rep PR, and nice weight gain.

Thanks! Hah I could swear nearly all of the weight I've gained has gone right to my stomach, but if my lifts are going up some part of it has to be muscle, right? Right....? (Please be muscle)

[elVarouza]

02/09/15 Monday

Lighter squat day.

Safety bar squat:

55x10x2
1345x10
235x5 (belt)
285x5x3

I think the bar is 55lbs. It's definitely more than 45. I didn't go too heavy cause I've done these like 3 times total. Felt pretty easy though.

Bench:

45x15x2
135x10x2
185x5
230x3
250x8
270x8
285x8

Lol well my 3 sets of 5 PR is 292.5 so that's pretty good. Didn't even consider that I'd be able to get that weight until the 270x8 flew up.

Chest press:

45x5, 72.5x8x3

My left pec is beginning to feel like I might be overreaching a little bit. I might have to take a deload week next week, which is really lame, but is better than injuring my pec.