Hypertrophy/Cutting log

[CommanderFun]

Can't really update daily anymore, not a lot of time. Here's another weekly dump.

10/20/2023

Bench 185x4x3
Seated DB Press 40x10x3
DB Lateral Raise 15x15,15,10 (40 total)
Rear Delt Partial 15x15,15,10 (40 total)

10/24/2023

Squat 215x4x3
SLDL 245x8x2
Pulldown (supine) 180x10x2

10/26/2023

Press 120x4x3
DB Bench 45x10x3
Incline Supination Curl 15x20x3 (60 total)
Overhead Triceps Extension 40x20,20,10 (50 total)

10/27/2023

Deadlift 315x4
Bent Row 95x10x3
Hack Squat 240x15
Calf Press 235x20,20,15 (55 total)

Still trying to explore this gym and find what I like. A lot of old equipment with bad ergonomics. Leg extension machine is totally useless for me. The "pad" doesn't go down far enough and has barely any pad to it. End result is a squared metal bar grinding into my shins with every rep. Probably gonna drop the SLDL and try the lying leg curl for next week. Felt like the SLDLs and squats were too much and made my deadlift weaker later in the week. The DB bench could've been heavier but my elbow is still bothering me and it was really acting up on those.

[CommanderFun]

10/30/23

Bench 185x5x3
Seated DB Press 40x10,10,5
Seated Lateral Raise 10x15,10,7
Rear Delt Partial 15x20x3

10/31/23

Squat 215x5x3
Pulldown (Supine) 180x10x3
Lying Leg Curl 100x9, 70x9,5

11/2/23

Strict Press 115x5x3
DB Bench 45x10x3
Incline Supination Curl 20x20,20,12
Overhead Triceps Extension 50x20,14,9

11/3/23

Deadlift 315x6

11/6/23

Bench 155x5x3
Strict Press 95x5x3

11/7/23

Squat 175x5x3
Deadlift 245x5


Decided the volume two weeks ago was too high, especially stacked up against the recovery demands from work. Last week I only did the two workouts with lighter weight, and they actually felt fairly heavy. I can't believe a fucking 245x5 deadlift felt heavy. This week I'm going to try and lighten up a bit along with a more minimalist workout approach. I'm going to try doing one of the greyskull LP variants that puts emphasis on rows and chins, since I've always felt those movements I'm lagging with. A nice light start and less days in the gym should give me more time to recover. I'm hoping this does the trick. My new living situation is really hard to puzzle through and still make gains in the gym. I still can't even get close to old numbers from before the move.

[CommanderFun]

11/13/23

Squat 185x5x2, x10
Bench 145x5x2, x18
Pulldown (Supine) 160x5x2, x20

11/15/23

Yates Row (Supine) 115x5x2, x20
Strict Press 95x5x2, x15
Deadlift 275x15

11/19/23

Squat 195x5x2m x10
Bench 155x5x2, x18
Pulldown (Supine) 180x5x2, x20

11/22/23

Weigh-In: 275.8

Yates Row (Supine) 135x5x2, x20
Strict Press 105x5x2, x13
Deadlift 295x15

It's really nice actually having 2 days of rest minimum between each session. I don't know if this will be very effective training yet, but I feel a lot better both inside and outside the gym. Work tasks also feel a lot less heavy and difficult. Obviously I started really light here. Last sets for each lift are more or less AMRAP, the slight exception being for deadlift and squat, which I tend to cut off with a few reps left just to avoid overdoing it. Eventually they'll get close to being 5 rep sets and the workouts will transition over time into being harder. Also finally found my scale, looks like my weight hasn't really changed significantly in two months.

[CommanderFun]

11/26/23

Weigh-In: 272.2

Squat 205x5x2, x10
Bench 165x5x2, x15
Pulldown (supine) 200x5x2, x15

Feels like a bit of a drop in performance. Might just be because the initial 5s are getting a little more taxing.

[CommanderFun]

11/29/23

Weigh-In: 276.6

Yates Row (supine) 155x5x2, x13
Strict Press 110x5x2, x11
Deadlift 315x12

12/1/23

Weigh-In: 276.8

Squat 215x5x2, x10
Bench 175x5x2, x15
Pulldown (supine) 210x5x2, x12

12/4/23

Weigh-In: 278.4

Yates Row (Supine) 160x5x2, x12
Strict Press 115x5x2, x11
Deadlift 325x12

Tried to get away with bringing frequency back up, I think that was a mistake. The AMRAP deadlift two days after an AMRAP squat left me really beat up, and combined with work I think it contributed to an injury. Feels like the same thing as I had once before, likely in the SI joint. Not as bad as the original injury, but similar pains in the same spot. Not as intense, but it's still fucking with my ability to move around comfortably or transmit any force through my hips and low back.

[CommanderFun]

12/9/23

Weigh-In: 275.6

Squat 135x5x2,185x5
Bench 185x5x2, 185x11
Pulldown(supine) 215x5x2, x10

Took it easy on the low back with this one, since whatever went in my back was still bothering me and I wanted to get some work in but not risk re-injury.

12/13/23

Weigh-In: 277.2

Yates Row (Supine) 165x5x2, x13
Strict Press 120x5x2, x10
Deadlift 335x10

12/17/23

Weigh-In: 275.2

Squat 225x5x2, x10
Bench 190x5x2, x11
Pulldown (Supine) 220x5x2, x10

12/20/23

Weigh-In: 281.8

Yates Row (Supine) 170x5x2, x12
Strict Press 125x5x2, x8
Deadlift 345x10

After this one I'm going into cutting weight for the beginning of the new year. I'd like to trim down closer to 250 and see if I feel more comfortable moving around like that. Even at 275 things like getting down on my knees bug me.

12/28/23

Weigh-In: 272.8

Pause Bench 195x6, 165x12
Chest Supported Row 180x20,10,5 (35 total)
Arnold Press 30x10x3
Side Lying Lateral Raise 10x17,8,5

From here on I'll be doing a 3 day per week split. Only one day will be lower body focused due to work demands. I worry too much strain on the hips, low back, and midsection will lead to more problems. Not sure about these lying lateral raises. I feel like the arnold presses got my shoulders pretty good. Everything but the bench was done with shorter rests, everything was 30 seconds between sets.

[CommanderFun]

12/30/23

Weigh-In: 271.2

Deficit SLDL 275x8, 225x12
Bulgarian Split Squat bwx10x2
Calf Press 315x20,15,8 (43 total)

1/1/24

269.8

Pause Press 115x7, 95x7
Pulldown (V-Grip) 150x10,10,9 (29 total)
Dip Machine 195x17,6,4 (27 total)
Cable Curls 60x20,10,6 (36 total)

Did not like cable curls with the rope. Going to do incline curls instead.

1/4/24

Weigh-In: 271.2

Pause Bench 185x7, 170x8
Chest Supported Row 195x15,9,6 (30 total)
Dip Machine 195x20,10,7 (37 total)
Incline Curl 20x20,10,7 (37 total)

Decided to start doing the upper days more split instead of interspersed. All the chest and arms stuff is going with the bench, all the shoulder stuff is going on the same day as presses.

1/6/24

Weigh-In: 269.8

HB Squat 155x8, 135x12
Goodmorning 135x8, 95x12

Wanted to add a thing or two more, but I had to cut this session short due to a big snowstorm moving in. Had to get groceries for the week before the roads became undriveable.

1/8/24

Weigh-In: 266.4

Pause Press 115x7, 95x9
Pulldown (V-Grip) 150x10x3 (30 total)
Arnold Press 35x10,10,5 (25 total)
Incline Front Raise 10x17,8,6 (31 total)

Still struggling to find a good last exercise for the shoulders. I was feel like my front delts are holding me back on pressing, and visually they seem kinda small when I hold my arms neutral at my sides. The rear actually seems to bulge while the front looks like a straight line down. Anyway, I'll stick with these a while and see if I like the results. Pause pressing is pretty hung up, I think I may have started too heavy. Will try pulling back on weight next time around.

1/11/24

Weigh-In: 266.6

Incline Press 144x8, 125x12
Chest Supported Row 210x16,8,5 (29 total)
Dip Machine 210x20,11,6 (37 total)
Incline Curl 25x10x3 (30 total)

Changed from pause bench to Incline. I really want to get the front delts working better for a better strict press start.

1/13/24

Weigh-In: 266.8

Deficit SLDL 280x5, 230x9
Bulgarian Split Squat 10x8x2
Calf Press 335x20,10,5 (35 total)

SLDLs were harder than last time by quite a bit, thanks to having the extra overtime day kick in the day before. So my back was more spent going in. Still got it done, though. Added weight to the split squats, 5 pounds in each hand. My main hope here is to build a little better balance on one foot, I seem pretty bad at that shit.

[CommanderFun]

1/16/24

Weigh-In: 263.6

Pause Press 105x7, 85x11
Pulldown (V-Grip) 160x10,9,5
Arnold Press 35x10,10,6

1/18/24

Weigh-In: 265.8

Incline Press 160x5, 130x9
Chest Supported Row 210x17,9,6 (32 total)
Dip Machine 225x20,10,5 (35 total)
Incline Curl 15x10x3

1/20/24

Weigh-In: 262.8

HB Squat 160x5, 130x9
Goodmorning 140x5, 100x9
Leg Curl 80x10,5 60x7

1/22/24

Weigh-In: 259.8

Pause Press 105x8, 85x12
Pulldown (V-Grip) 160x10,10,6
Arnold Press 35x19,19,6
Incline Front Raise 15x8,7,5

1/25/24

Weigh-In: 261.6

Incline Press 160x4, 130x10
Chest Supported Row 225x16,9,6 (31 total)
Dip Machine 240x16,7,4 (27 total)
Incline Curl 20x10x3

1/27/24

Weigh-In: 260.6

Deficit SLDL 280x6, 230x10
Split Squat 10x10x3

1/29/24

Weigh-In: 262

Pause Press 110x5, 90x9
Pulldown (V-Grip) 160x10,10,7
Arnold Press 35x10x3
Cable Upright Row 75x20,20,15

2/1/24

Weigh-In: 259.2

Incline Press 160x3, 130x11
Chest Supported Row 240x12,7,5 (24 total)
Dip Machine 240x16,8,5 (29 total)
Incline Curl 25x10x3

2/3/24

Weigh-In: 256.8

HB Squat 160x6, 140x7
Goodmorning 140x6, 100x10
Calf Press 345x20,10,5 (35 total)

[CommanderFun]

2/5/24
Weigh-In: 256

Pause Press 110x6, 90x10
Pulldown (V Grip) 160x10,10,8
Arnold Press 40x10,8,6
Cable Upright Row 90x20,12,8

2/8/24
Weigh-In: 257.8

Incline Press 155x4, 125x12
Chest Supported Row 240x14,8,5
Dip Machine 240x17,8,5
Incline Curl 30x10,8,4

2/10/24
Weigh-In: 256.8

Deadlift 365x1
Leg Press 405x20

2/13/24
Weigh-In: 254.2

Bench 205x1
Row (V-grip) 150x10x3
DB Incline 40x10x3
Incline Curl 25x20,7,5
Dip Machine 255x10,10,5

2/15/24
Weigh-In: 252.6

Deadlift 315x3
Yates Row (Supine) 135x10x3
Good Morning 95x10x3
Decline Situp Setting 2x10x3

2/17/24
Weigh-In: 253.8

Strict Press 115x3
Pulldown (Neutral Grip) 160x10x3
Arnold Press 40x10,9,6
Tricep Pushdown 55x20,15,8
Cable Upright Row 110x18,9,6

2/22/24
Weigh-In: 253.4

Bench 120x5, 137.5x5, 157.5x10
Row (V grip) 160x10x3
DB Incline 45x10x3
Incline Curl 50x15,5,4
Dip Machine 255x10,10,5

2/24/24
Weigh-In: 250.8

Deadlift 215x5, 245x5, 280x10
Goodmorning 100x10x3
Decline Crunch setting 2x10x3

2/26/24
Weigh-In: 253.6

Strict Press 75x5, 85x5, 97.5x12
NG Pulldown 170x10,10,6
Arnold Press 40x10,10,7
Tricep Pushdown 60x20,10,7
Cable Upright Row 120x15,10,6

2/29/24
Weigh-In: 252.8

Squat 140x5, 160x5, 185x10
Leg Press 425x20
Seated Calf Raise 70x15,10,7

Stopped the cut on the 19th, where I weighed in at 248.8. Hit and even surpassed the high end for my weight loss goal there. Went into a maintenance mode since. Moving training to a "powerbuilding" type setup using 5/3/1 for the main lifts. I never tried it before, and wanted to give it a go. My plan for the coming months is a bit of maintenance, then trying to bulk up again. I want to put to rest myself the theory that all this higher volume bodybuilding stuff with shorter rest times is better for muscle size. It seems to me like it just pumps you up a bit more. Certainly hasn't done anything great for my strength levels, but I'm hoping lower rep work on the big 4 will make that change. Might sub out some of the assistance stuff. I drtopped the yates rows after the first session since they contributed to a pulled trapezius muscle that was very uncomfortable for a week after. Incline curls also seem to have stopped, and the cable upright rows also don't seem to do much to the deltoids anymore. Might give lying lateral raises another go, this time on an incline bench. I also might drop the current scheme with the compound assistance movements, where I am shooting for 3 sets of 10 with 60 seconds rest. Instead I may end up moving over to a top set of 5-8 followed by a back off of 9-12. I think it'll take about the same time and the heavier weights may be more beneficial.

[irongeek]

Haven't checked your log lately - but wow - fantastic weight loss! Good luck on the powerbuilding program and getting shredded for summer!