Forthright Training Log

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Day 20 Intensity

Bw: 212#

Bw: Pull-Ups: 13 Reps

Squat (Low-Bar)
135# x 1 x 5
225# x 1 x 4
275# x 1 x 2
325# x 1 x 1
330# x 1 x 1
335# x 1 x 1

Bench-Press
135# x 1 x 5
205# x 1 x 2
230# x 1 x 3

Dead-lift
225# x 1 x 5
315# x 1 x 3
425# x 1 x 5

Trust-Me-Deep-Dips (A) / Pistol-Squats (B)
(A) 77#: 3 Reps, 3 Reps, 3 Reps, 80#: 3 Reps, 3 Reps
(B) 20#: 3 Reps, 3 Reps, 25#: 3 Reps, 3 Reps, 3 Reps

Abs
88# Decline Sit-Ups: 3 Reps
Front Lever (Can't hold it): 2 Reps
88# Decline Sit-Ups: 4 Reps
Strict Hanging Leg Raises: 5 or 6
88# Decline Sit-Ups: 3 Reps (edit)

Body-Weight Squat Finisher: 50ish Reps

Sum-Up

My lower back is basically all better. The only places I felt any lower back pain were durring the late pull-ups (Weird) and some of the pistol-squats.

I got an extra pull-up this week but these pull-ups were actually more strict. Last friday was the only set of pull-ups since Texas Method where I didn't extend my elbows all the way and pause at the bottom of every rep. Every rep was strict quality today. I also kept my legs straight whcih may make it harder on your abs honestly. Had my legs bent last week.

I think my back-squat technique was perfect . 15# Pr, lower-back comfort, and feeling good.

The bench-press was really the only thing I wasn't happy with. It's also where I have the least experiance by far. I'm not sure how good I did at 230#. The 2nd and 3rd reps were both difficult but my triceps never grinded. So I may or may not of had a 4th rep. I actually pulled the bar down about an inch after the 3rd rep but then I just pressed it back up and racked it. I feel like I left it on the bench but it's fine.

This was a big day for my dead-lift. 425# x 5 is my previous PR and I hit it again. I am really proud too because it was a hard set. My upper-back got pulled into flexion on reps 4 and 5. That 5th rep was going up no matter what but I am proud to say that I was able to protect my lower back. There was the slightest hint of sorness as if I was in the injury zone and preformed perfectly. It was literally as slight a pain as possible. Total coincidence that I have never pulled 420# ever.

I was able to sort of make up for the bench-press with some solid weighted dips. I'm really getting better at these thanks to the bench-pressing. I'm gonna start calling these trust me deep dips because I feel my chest open at the bottom. My chest use to be too weak to go that low without burning out quick. Some people like to bull shit but you can trust me when I say these are deep. The pistol squats were heavier than last week but they were also easier. Balance means so much that having 25# pulling me forward makes it both easier and harder.

The decline sit-ups were really good too. I held the kettlebell right at my sternum so the weight isn't really fighting my attempt to maintain a hollow position as much as the trip back up. However, the weight does drift into the chest a little. The leg raises were strict and the front levers are getting a little better I think. Still can't hold them for more than a fraction of a sec.

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Texas Method Week 6

Day 21 Volume

Bw: 212#

Bw Pull-Ups: 12 Reps

Press
95# x 1 x 5
135# x 1 x 3
155# x 7 x 3
155# x 1 x 4

Squat
High-Bar
135# x 1 x 5
225# x 1 x 3
Low-Bar
290# x 5 x 5

Assistance
415# Hip-Thrust: 5 Reps, 2 Minute Rest, 4 Reps
5 Min rest
88# Single-leg Dead-lift (Balance aid): 1 x 10/ Side, 1 x 8/ Side, 30-45 Seconds rest between each set

I need to focus on keeping my chest open when I press. I thought my chest was open so I didn't think about it. Then I had a difficult 3rd rep at the end of the 6th set and I thought that was my last tripple. I made sure to open my chest for the final two sets and I did 4 reps for my last set.

The high-bar squats were cool. I have been wanting to try some so I just went for it. Didn't use my hips enough so there was too much pressure on my lower-back/Knees but I can fix that. My lower-back stayed good for all of the heavier squats. However, I was having trouble with my left leg. It was bowing in towards my right leg durring the final set. However, that didn't happen on intensity day, my leg didn't feel that fatigued, the reps were not THAT hard, and my knee isn't sore. So I think that I probably had the barbell uneven on my back. If there was too much weight to the left of me then I would naturally shift to the right. Gotta be extra careful from now on.

I was worried about the heavy hip-thrusts but the first set was pretty dam easy. My hips are strong but short rests seem to just kill them. I felt like I had another few reps durring the 1st set but I couldn't even hit 5 after only two minutes of rest. I have no muscle in my dam hips. It's just strength with no work capacity.

I did not like using a balance aid for my single leg deads at all. Too much back and grip fatigue.

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Day 22

Bw: 212#

Loaded the barbell with 180#
1st Set: Five Muscle-Cleans
2nd Set: One Muscle-Clean and then four Hang-Muscle-Cleans
3rd Set: Five Hang-Muscle-Cleans
Re-loaded the barbell to 235#
Clean-Pulls: 2 x 3, 1 x 1

77# Close-Grip Chin-Ups: 2 x 5, 1 x 4

40Kg Swings: 1 x 25 Reps

Shrugs with two 28Kg Kettle-bells
Strict and Slow: 2 x 8
Standard Strict: 1 x 8

Today was really interesting because I have absolutely no idea how to power-clean. I just do explosive dead-lifts and throw the bar as high as I can. I wasn't sure if I would be able to power-clean 180# but I have been wondering for a few weeks if I could clean what I can press and I hope to press 180# on Friday. I have done power-cleans before but it was a long time ago and I was a lot weaker. Never learned to do them right so I always just pulled and hoped for the best. I couldn't power-clean 180# (or less) once.

Today, I didn't have to bend my legs at all to catch the bar. If I am not mistaken then this is called a muscle-clean. I extended my hips and knees to get the barbell up and they stayed locked until I put the barbell back down. The Muscle-cleans were too easy but the hang-muscle-cleans were pretty good for sets of five. The last rep two reps were kind of tuff on my upper-back. I had no intention to keep my knees locked durring the catch portion of the cleans but it was pretty cool that I could do it.

I hope my chin got above the bar on the final rep of the 2nd chin-up sets. Hate doing pull/Chin- Ups alone.

Did the shrugs without any hip-drive. First two sets were slow and the last set was normal.

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Day 23 Light

Bw: 211.6#

Squats (Up as fast as possible)
135# x 1 x 5
205# x 2 x 5

Bench-Press (Paused, Up as fast as possible)
135# x 3 x 5

Bw-Squats: 1 x 50 or 60 Reps
Push-Ups: 1 x 25 Reps (Easier than last week)

80# Wide-Grip Barbell-Curl: 10, 10, 10, 10
2 Minute rests between curls

I didn't change the weight or volume at all for the squats or bench-presses. I did a normal light day bit I simply moved the weight up as fast as I could. I imagin this will either help a little or it will mean nothing. I did feel good after it so I am optimistic.

The bench-presses I did last Friday were bad. I was able to fix that up today. I didn't use my legs at all last friday and my arch was therefore shi#. It was just that one time that my form was so weak. I did manage to to add 5# to my 3rm and I even wondered if I had a fourth rep. The weighted dips also went really well so it wasn't all bad. I am hoping that I may be able to get more than three reps with five pounds more next week. I decided that I do not want to pause my bench-presses on volume day or intensity day. I am just going to control the weight and avoid pulling it down too fast to get that huge rebound. I want a smooth touch and go. I am also going to switch from 5 x 5 to 8 x 3. My goal is to add 15# to my volume day so I can push my bench on btoh volume and intensity day.

I made a little adjustment in my bodyweight squat technique and they are even better now.
Didn't add any reps to my push-ups but I definitely had to push myself more to get 25 reps last week.

I liked the bicep curls this week. I used wide-grip for all four sets so I will have to see how my wrists feel. They are a little sore this week but it's too early to judge. I began each curl with my legs and hips a little bent and my elbows locked. I started every rep strict with pure bicep and then I extended my hips and knees whenever it felt right to assist. I didn't do a high rep final set because it didn't seem to help anything last week.

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Day 24 Intensity

Bw: 212#

Bw Pull-Ups: 13 Reps

Press
95# x 1 x 5
135# x 1 x 3
150# x 1 x 2
180# x 1 x 1
182.5# x 2 x 1 (Edit: I had 1 x 2 written here. I wish...)

Squat (Low-Bar)
135# x 1 x 3
135# x 1 x 3 (High-bar Set)
225# x 1 x 3
(Bw Pull-Ups: 2 x 5, 20 seconds rest maybe between each set)
295# x 1 x 1
340# x 1 x 1

Dead-lift
225# x 1 x 5
315# x 1 x 3
430# x 1 x 5 (First real Pr in months. Never attempted to pull more than 425# ever)

Assistance
A) Trust-Me-Deep-Dips
B) Pistol-Squats

A) 75# x 5, 70# x 5
B) 25# x 3 x 5

I did more bodyweight pull-ups randomly in sets of five mainly. I did them before, inbetween, and after I did the dips and Pistol-Squats. I did a total of 50 reps by the end of the work-out. That is counting the first 23 that I did earlier.

88# Decline Sit-Ups: 2 x 5 Reps
Hanging leg raises: 7 Reps ( Strict at first, Knees began to bend around rep five and I think my arms were flexing but I didn't even realise at first)

Then I was trying to do front levers. I was holding a front lever but with my knees pulled into my chest. Then I was trying to bicycle my legs straighter . Maybe, I can progress to a static front lever like that.

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The presses went absolutely perfect. I got two decent singles with 182.5#. Technically my barbell weighs 44# so it was 181.5 # but that doesn't sound right. 182.5# represents a 7.5# Pr over my last intense overhead press day. I can't get my hopes too high but the ability to do reps with your Pr is a great sign that the next intensity day will go well.

The 340# squat was really hard physically. I stuck hard and failure flashed before my eyes. I got the weight up and gym maxes are pretty easy mentally so there was no problem. I am going to have to be careful if I want another 5# next week. Something may need to change.

The dead-lifts were great. No back pain so I assume my form was really good. My lumbar spine would surely tell me if my form was bad. He's a good friend like that.

I was real scared that I got cocky with my weighted dips. I wanted sets of five but I went for too much weight. The first set of five was really difficult. Then I took five pounds off the belt and the next five reps were really difficult again. I made the smart move and didn't go for the final set. My muscles actually feel really good.

The pistol-squats were REALLY good. The first and third sets were sets of five with 25# which is cool enough. However, I tried holding a dumb-bell in the rack position for the 2nd set and that was an entirely new level of difficulty. I did three reps like that and still managed to adjust the weight to holding it out infront without putting the non-working leg down. I did this on both sides. These sets of fives were pretty much breathing pistol squats.

Sit-ups were really smooth. Finished with hanging leg raises and the last two sets of (body-weight pull-ups: 1 x 8, 1 x 4)

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Texas Method Week 7

Day 25 Volume

Bw: 212.8#
Pull-Ups: 1 x 11 Reps

Squat
135# x 1 x 5 (High-Bar)
225# x 1 x 3
295# x 7 x 3
295# x 1 x 4

Bench
135# x 1 x 5
210# x 5 x 3
215# x 2 x 3
215# x 1 x 4

435# Hip-Thrust: 5 Reps, 5 Minute Rest, 7 Reps
5 Minute Rest
Walking Single-Leg Dead-lift: 10 Reps/ Side
Single-Leg Romanian-Dead-lift: 8 Reps/Side

For some unknown reason, I forgot how to get maximally tight when I did my squats last Friday. I fixed that today which makes me even more confidant about this next friday. I am now much more aware of how I am getting tight. I fought the erge to add 10# and stuck with 8 x 3 at 295#. Even got a 4th rep on the final set. Very smooth and I'll add five pounds next Monday.

I am still learning how to bench right which is one of the things I missed out on by not doing the standard linear bench-press progression. My first two sets at 210# were a little difficult and I thought my butt was coming off the bench. I adjusted on set three and was instantly stronger. I added five pounds on set six and was even worried that my workout was too easy. I put up a 4th rep on set eight and I was even pausing some reps durring sets four through eight.

Don't believe I have ever tried a hip-thrust with more than 435#. I didn't think I was able to do hip-thrusts with 435# anymore because I wasn't doing too much with lighter weight.

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Day 26

Bw: 213.5#

Power-Clean
135# x 1 x 3
195# x 1 x 3
200# x 4 x 3

77# Pull-Ups (Over-hand, Thumbless): 5 x 3

40Kg Swings: 1 x 30

2 x 28Kg Shrugs: 8, 9, 9, 10
Shrugs the other way: 10, 9, 5

Ok
I am not very good at power cleans yet. This was my second session and the catch is really difficult. I am at risk of messing up my wrists or elbows. I assume that my forearms are not too long even though I do have long arms. I just don't know what I am doing. I was starting to get better but it got bad when the fatigue set in durring the final set. I'll have to see what happenes.

Swings went real good. I did 5 more reps than last week. I would be psyched if I could build up the reps over the weeks (recovery permitting)

Pull-ups were all good reps with the chin above the bar (had someone check).

Tried some "shrugs the other way." I don't know what these are called but you hang from a pull-up bar (or use use the lat pull-down). You let your shoulders rise up maximally like your doing a shrug. Then you pull them back down away from your ears until your upper back archs a good amount (So you end up in a position just like you do when you arch your back for a bench press).

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Day 27 Light

Bw: 213.2#

125# Press: 3 x 5

205# Squat: 2 x 5

80# Strict (Elbows-Locked) BB Curls: 10, 10, 8

Bw Squats: 65 Reps
Push-Ups: 27 Reps
Hanging Knee Raise: 1 x 5 (Light)

Curls were very strict with a locked elbow at the bottom. These curls may not be ideal for bicep strength but my elbows love it. Used a more narrow grip than last time but it was still wide grip.

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Day 28 Intensity

Bw: 216# ( Gained some weight)

50# Pull-Ups (Overhand, Thumbless, No rest between reps): 3 Reps, 3 Reps, 2 Reps


Squat
135# x 1 x 5 (High-Bar)
225# x 1 x (3 or 5?) (High-Bar)
275# x 1 x 2 (Low-Bar)
315# x 1 x 1 (Low-Bar)
345# x 2 x 1 (Low-Bar)

Bench-Press
135# x 1 x 5
205# x 1 x 2
235# x 1 x 4 (Butt came up durring rep 4)

Dead-lift
225# x 1 x 5
315# x 1 x 3
435# x 1 x 5

Assistance
A) Dips-Just-Below-Parallel, B) Pistol-Squat

A) 72#: 3 x 5
B) 30#: 3 x 5

88# Decline Sit-Up: 8 Reps (Cool)
Strict Hanging Leg-Raise: 5 Reps
88# Decline Sit-Ups: 3 Reps
Close to Strict Hanging Leg Raise (Toes-To-Bar), (Rest between reps): 3 Reps
Bicycle Front Lever : 1 hang

Got five more pounds and an extra rep on the bench-press. My butt lifted off the bench on the extra rep but there was no lower back pain so I don't care. Interesting to note that my triceps are not holding me back anymore. It's my chest that seems to be fighting the hardest. I don't think there was a 5th rep there but it was actually close. Held the bar at lock-out for a few seconds and thought about rep five.

I decided to stop my dips when my shoulder got just below my elbows. My arms are so long that five reps like that isn't too much different from deep tripples.

Pistol-Squats were real hard today. It was the first time that my upper-body really had to fight to keep the weight from dropping while I came up. I was starting to just move the weight in a way that the negatives were lighter cause the weight does not actaully move but I take the positive seriously. At some point, I want to try to lower the weight and hold it like a front squat. Probably will use kettle-bells. (Put my non-working leg down once after the 1st rep of the final set (left). Lost my balance I think).

Got 8 decline sit-ups so my abs were stronger today. I was trying to go slow with the leg raises and control everything. I wanna go for a 190# press next week if it's there and I think my abs are good for it. P.s FU## A BELT

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Texas Method Week 8

Day 29 Volume

Bw: 215#

40# Speed Pull-Ups: 2 x 2

Press
115# x 1 x 3
160# x 8 x 3

Squat
225# x 1 x 5 (High-Bar)
300# x 7 x 3 (Low-Bar)
300# x 1 x 4 (Low-Bar)

Assistance

440# Hip-Thrust: 5 Reps, 6 Reps
50# Dip (Just Below Parallel): 1 x 5
40Kg Single-Leg Romanian Dead-lifts: 2 x 8/Side

Tried out the speed pull-ups. I always do pull-ups as a warm-up but I hope these were ok. I was hoping that 2 x 2 wouldn't be enough to matter too much. Didn't feel it in my biceps too much which does not help a lot for a warm-up.

The presses were diffiuclt today. I was hoping that they would be easier after how easy 155# was two weeks ago. Don't know if the pull-Ups affected them or not. My toes (edit: Heels were coming up) were coming up at the start of some of the presses which is a bad but familiar sign. The groove must have been off.

I did the high-bar squats really perfect @ 225#. I never did them exactly like that in the past but I would have been much better off if I had. I think that they were the reason my low-bar squats went really well today too. I was getting deep and I was getting a really smooth bounce. (Note: My left knee was hurting durring the bounces but the pain was fixed when I focused on packing my shoulders at the bottom.) I want to makesure that my high-bar squats progresses vis the warm-ups.

Put the non-working leg down between every rep for the Single-leg Dls. Had too this time I felt but it went well.