finnin for some gainz

[gtl]

It's been my experience that sometimes expectations can make a weight feel lighter or heavier. For example, the first time I ran HLM, I always expected medium days to feel significantly lighter than heavy. This expectation led to everything feeling slower and heavier. The opposite happens too. Perhaps this happened to you given you took some weight off the bar? I've found that my bar speed is a better indication of how easy/hard a weight is, and even that can vary week to week.

I guess the tl;dr version of my $.02 is: my perceptions can't be trusted, so I typically just do the planned work and let the video tell me how hard it was in planning my next move.

Relevant point. I've experienced this as well. But I couldn't get psyched up at all tonight and am feeling a little beat up. Right knee and left shoulder has been achy all week.

[Tygerqb12]

Relevant point. I've experienced this as well. But I couldn't get psyched up at all tonight and am feeling a little beat up. Right knee and left shoulder has been achy all week.

I know that feeling too. It's hard trying to listen to your body and make the right adjustments on the fly. Given what you have going on, I'd say you made the right move.

[gtl]

2015.05.08

Dips x8, 10x8, 20x8, 20x8, 10x8
DB Incline Bench 50x8, 55x8, 55x8, 50x8
Pullups x8, x8
DB Row 60x10, 6x10
DB Bat Wings 30x10, 30x10
Face Pulls w/ Band 2x15
Lying Leg Raises 3x12
DB Curlz 25x10, 25x8
DB Hammer Curlz 20x10, 20x8

duration: 55min

eh, went full bro and didn't hold back. DB rows kinda sucked for me,.. my left side, which is the most 'developed' (and side where the bar sits best when I squat), couldn't hang with the right. my grip was failing and all, which is funny since my deadlift is in the mid 400's. switched to a lighter variation (bat wings).

also, I brought down my calories a bit this week. I've been tapering carbs down to 275 from 400 for the past 6-8 weeks, and my bodyweight had gone largely unchanged. My waist decreased 1/2 an inch. I mostly want my shorts from last summer not to feel so snug, so I think I have another 3/4 inch to trim and I'll be good.

[gtl]

2015.05.11

Squat 265x5, 240x5, 240x5, 225x5
Bench 200x5, 180x5, 180x5, 170x5

duration: 1hr 25min

tough workout. i dunno, don't see myself pushing this much further. backoff sets aren't a 'relief' from the top set, and feel just as hard. feel like ive gotten more volume out of other approaches in the past. we'll see

[gtl]

2015.05.12

Deadlift 385x3, 345x5x1 w/ 60-75 sec rest
Press 95x4, 100x4, 105x4, 110x4, 95x8
Fat Grip Pullups x8, x6, x6
Chins x6
Leg Raises 2x12
superset w/ DB Hammer Curlz 25x2x10

duration: 1hr 28min

best deadlifts have felt in awhile. not quite a PR, but if I were to gauge "RPE", I would say it was. been bored with presses, so decided to work up "heavier" tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5DZjL9dcpA

[gtl]

2015.05.14

Squat 307.5x2, 280x3
Bench 220x2, 205x2, 205x2
Kneeling Ab Wheel 3x10

duration: 1hr 23min


I was going for 3's today, but just didn't have it. Had to stay a little late at work. 307.5 felt heavy to walk out, and my stance was a bit more toed out than usual. On rep 2, I fought to keep my right knee out, which led to a grindy rep, and the bar slipping on my back. I called it there. On bench, I felt off, and took a vid from the front and noticed I was more to the left than even centered, partially hanging off. 220 felt pretty heavy, and I cut it at 2. I think I'll try for 310x3 and 220x3 next week.

[gtl]

2015.05.15

Dips x8, 10x8, 20x8, 25x8, 25x8
DB Incline Bench 50x10, 50x10, 50x8, 50x5
Pullups x8, x7
DB Row 60x2x10
DB Bat Wings 30x2x10
Face Pulls 2x15
Curlz

duration: 55min

AM workout not fully recovered and only BCAA+WMS for breakfast before going down to the track for Fast Friday w/ work

[gtl]

2015.05.18

Squat 265x5, 245x5, 245x5 - top set same as last week, +5# on 2 backoff sets, dropped last set

Bench 200x3, 180x5, 180x5, 160x5 - top set less 2 reps from last week, final back off set -10#

duration: 1hr 15min

moved some stuff and got a different squat angle. that lopsided uneven bar tilt shit is terrible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRZfSNgYjvM

feelin worn down

[gtl]

2015.05.21

Squat 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 165x3 (~10 sets or something), 195x3, 225x3
Bench 45x5, 95x5, 125x3x3, 155x6, 155x6 paused

Did about 10 sets with squats and 165.. wider grip, closer grip, thumbs around, thumbs on top, bent wrist, straight wrist, high bar, and followed with 3 sets of my regular form. No matter what I tried, I still have the uneven bar. Nothing I try ever changes this, so I don't even know why I bother.

[gtl]

Friday, before a company event, and wayyyy too much Booze

Fat Grip Pullups and Dips - AMRAP in 15 min
5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3+12 extra Dips

LTE and DB Hammer Curls - AMRAP in 10 mins
7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 9

Lying Leg Raises 3x12

~35 min