Getting strong like bull - like pimpin - ain't easy

[cutlet#]

12/12/2011 - Monday

SQ 315x5
The last two were pretty grueling, but I paused in between and got 'em. Elbow didn't really bother me too much. I guess I'm getting it down.

BP 225x4
Couldn't lock that last one out.

Row 205x5

Chins 6,6,4

PC 95x2, 105x2, 115x2, 125x2, 115x2
I think I"m pulling with my arms. Gonna take a video soon.

[cutlet#]

12/16/2011 - Friday

Decided that I want to do 5/3/1 starting in the new year. I like the customizability of it, as I'd like to start adding some conditioning in at some point, and it is a good program to fit that in. I also like going to the gym more often for less time each session. So I decided to scrap the last week of Madcow, skip Wednesday, and max out on Friday to get a baseline for starting 5/3/1. Going to spend the last two weeks of this year acclimating to the assistance exercises I plan to do so I don't get sore as hell when I start.

SQ 365x1
I think I could have gotten at least 385, but I felt my form was already less than optimal with this weight, so I called it good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuVeaYqo4RI

BP 265x1 (fail), 255x1
265 got stuck about halfway up. Seems like triceps are my weak link here. Gonna do rip's tricep extensions on bench day and lots of dips on OHP day when I get to 5/3/1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPVgxyYyPVc

DL 445x1
I can't believe how easy this looks on video. It felt like the hardest thing I've ever done in my life (it was). I need to let it down faster next time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cplSswQmSMs

1065 total.
Gonna get 1200+ in 2012. More specific goals TBD in next couple weeks.

[cutlet#]

12/19/2011 - Monday

Did the first workout for 5/3/1 today to see how it would go. The accessory stuff was surprisingly tiring. 2-3 min rest between sets of 10 is definitely not what I'm used to.

OHP 100x5, 115x5, 130x8
Thought I'd get more than 8 on the last set.

Dips BWx10, 6, 8
Took 2-3 minutes rest before second set and a little more before third set

Chins BWx5,4,4
<supersetted with>
Incline DB Press 35x10, 40x15, 45x10

Tuesday - Tris and Traps are sore. Pecs aren't, surprisingly.

[cutlet#]

First update after losing a bunch of data...

Decided not to do 5/3/1, but take another run at the SS LP. Cut my squat down to 225 to work on form and get used to three work sets again. Cut other weights down as well, and started doing power cleans also.

LP progress is was as follows, weights are for 3x5
12/26/2011 -> 1/30/2012
Between 230 and 235 lbs the whole time
SQ 225 -> 295
BP 185 -> 210
P 95 -> 130
PC 85 -> 135
DL 275 -> 345

Decided I'm going to try out the Texas Method for a while. My last SS workout was a monday, and because of recovery issues the previous week, I decided to call it the first Texas Method volume day, even though I only did 3x5.

[cutlet#]

1/30/2012 - Monday - Volume

Intended this to be a regular SS session, but decided after the fact that it would be the first "volume" day.

SQ 295 x 3 x 5
Last few reps are going up really slow

BP 212.5 x 3 x 5
Got 5,5,4 on these. Last one got halfway up and I couldn't lock it out. Triceps lagging?

DL 345 x 1 x 5

Tricep Extensions EZ bar + 40 for 3 x 10
When I fail a bench rep, it sticks near the top. Gonna do these after volume bench, and do dips after volume press

[cutlet#]

2/1/2012 - Wednesday - Recovery

Triceps are really, really sore from doing extensions on Monday. The soreness is towards the shoulder, on the underside as opposed to the outside. Feels like it's the one that attaches across the shoulder that is screamin at me.

SQ 225 x 2 x 5

P 115 x 3 x 5

Chins 6,5,4

Back Extensions 3 x 10

[cutlet#]

2/3/2012 - Friday - Intensity

Triceps are STILL sore. Wow. Weight was 234. Have consistently been 231-2 lately.

SQ 305 x 1 x 5
Starting a little low on this, given that the last Madcow weight was 315

BP 215 x 1 x 5
Last rep went pretty slow

PC 135 x 5 x 3
Filmed these and watched in slo-mo after each set, trying to fix what I saw was wrong. I'm pulling with my arms, and tried all the cues to NOT do that. Still pulling with my arms. Damn.

Curls 55 x 10, 65 x 2 x 10
These seemed hard and I thought I would be sore the next day, but I wasn't. Maybe I'll do chins again on ID instead of curls.

[cutlet#]

2/6/2012 - Monday - Volume

Weight is 232
I partied a lot this weekend, and didn't eat great, especially Saturday night. That's life I guess. I decided to split up this workout and do the upper body stuff over lunch, since I wouldn't be in desperate need of a shower afterwards. I like the shorter sessions, but having to actually go to the gym twice is pretty inefficient and I feel silly doing it.

Lunch session:

P 125 x 5 x 5
This got kind of hard in the last couple sets, but I also did not rest a lot. Probably 3 minutes between the first few and maybe up to 5 minutes before the last one. I can probably kick this up to 130 for next VD.

Dips BW x 3 x 10

After work session:

SQ 275 x 5 x 5
Haven't done 5 sets since back in the day when I was doing Stronglifts. My last two rest times were 7-8 minutes, and the last reps were sloooooow. I'll keep this weight for VD for a while I think.

DL 355 x 1 x 5
This went surprisingly well considering it happened right after volume squats. Still holding up will with double overhand grip. Last time I was in this weight range I was having to use mixed grip.

[FKYT]

So the deadlifts right after Volume Day squats haven't been too horrible? I've been too scared to try it -- VD squats always leave my back & legs feeling like Jell-O.

[cutlet#]

So the deadlifts right after Volume Day squats haven't been too horrible? I've been too scared to try it -- VD squats always leave my back & legs feeling like Jell-O.

I've only done it once so far, but it wasn't any worse than DLs are normally. How do PCs feel to you after VD squats? I was on the fence deciding what day to do deadlifts, and I decided on Monday because I feel like higher volume with medium weight makes me feel more sluggish and slow than high weight with low volume. Deadlifts seemed like a better lift to do while feeling sluggish. Plus they take less time than PCs and make VD a little shorter.