My "I'll be strong eventually. Hopefully" Log

[Ben Baker]

Thanks! The 405 is mine, no doubt about it.

I'm glad you did all of the research part for me, I'm way too lazy to figure all of that out. But from what it sounds like, the large spring clips I've been using have been adding at least a pound to my lifts. I'll try and not let it psych me out haha.


4/18

Body weight: 221

Squat: 305x5x5@8
-These felt a tad heavier today. I was little more tired overall and I was more liberal with my rests between sets. But they still felt pretty good. Almost at 3 plates for volume again!
Press: 145x5x5@8
-Felt about the same as squats did. Little more tired, liberal with the rest times, yada yada. Still felt good though.
Deadlift: 380x5x1@7.75
-These felt MUCH better than last weeks deadlifts. I think last week I was getting used to 5's again and today they felt way easier.
Standing Barbell Curls: 125x12x3@7
-Chasing da pump
Standing Triceps Extensions: 165x12x3@7.25
-Kinda bothering my elbow a bit. I'm going to try widening my grip out a bit to see if that takes some of the stress off next week.

Overall not too bad in terms of effort, although I could I was a little more pooped today as compared to last week's volume day. Still mostly feeling good though, I still don't think I'll be resetting for a while.

[Ben Baker]

4/20

Body weight: 220

Squat: 245x5x2@6
-I've been doing my Wednesday squats beltless, they're still flying up but they were slightly harder than last week's recovery day squats.
Bench Press: 202.5x5x3@6.5
-Finally remembered to bring my micro plates to they gym today. This is my first time micro loading a lift, I'm going to start using these for my recovery and intensity day upper body work. I'm going to try and progress 5 lbs at a time on my volume days until I stall and need to start micro loading those as well. I no idea if that's even a good idea haha.
Weighted Chin Ups: +60x4.75x3@9
-Had to bring these back down to +60 lbs because I'm a total fat ass. Maybe I'll add one pound at a time now instead of 2.5 lbs..
Weighted Back Extensions: +55x10x5@7
-I'm going to go up to 60 lbs for these next week. Nothing like feeling that lower back and butt pump, I'm walking like a duck for 5 minutes after I finish these haha.

A nice and easy day today. Ready to smash 340x5x1 squats and 172.5x2x1 press on Friday.

[Austin Baraki]

Some nice work going on in here! But man, I don't miss my days on TM... Brutal.

[Ben Baker]

Thanks, Austin! Yea, no kidding. I have that weird love/hate thing going on with TM right now. Love the gainz, but hate the feeling of death VD squats give me.

[Ben Baker]

4/22

Body weight: 222

Squat: 340x5x1@8
-These were the easiest ID squats have ever felt. This also ties my best 5RM HBBS!
Press: 175x2x1@8.5
-Also flew up, especially the second one. Could've done an easy 1-2 more reps.
SGDL: 240x3x5@6.75
-I'm getting better at staying tight in my lats while doing these, as such they also flew up pretty quick. Still not DE quick, but I it's getting there.

I'm so pumped after today's workout, this is the best month of TM I've ever done. I'm so glad I switched to low bar for squats before starting this cycle. I think I have an easy 6-8 weeks with sets of 5 for ID squats before I'll need to switch to triples. I'm really looking forward to Monday.

[spals]

This guy... Man, let me tell you about this guy.......








Only trainer in the gym that trains their clients with the barbell lifts.

[spals]

Also, what is this about you doing bicep curls? I seem to remember you giving me a hard time whenever I do those...

[Ben Baker]

This guy... watching spals squat was what helped convinced me to switch to low bar.

Ha! Watching you do curls is a thing of beauty, frankly I was jealous so now I'm doing biceps curls. As long as you're not doing any abs, right?...

4/25

Body weight: 223

Squat: 310x5x5@8.25
-Squats are now just sortofkindof feeling heavy now. Not enough to where the bar speed is slowing down considerably yet, but I can definitely feel the bar digging into my back a little harder.
Bench Press: 230x5x5@7.5
-Piece of cake, could've done maybe 2-3 more reps each set. I gotta tell you though, it was nice to lay down after those squats. AND that just goes to show how lazy I really am haha.
Deadlift: 385x5x1@8.5
-I felt a little more out of groove this time then compared to the deadlift's last week.
Standing Cable Curls: 135x12x3@6.75
-You hatin' spals?
Standing Cable Triceps Extensions: 155x12x3@6.75
-My elbow's still barking, I'm going to try tucking my elbow's in a little more to see if that fixes it next week.

Another 3+ hour workout. Spent at least an hour waiting for equipment, talking to clients, people asking me questions. I think I easily take the cake for the world's longest winded trainer. At least I had my Monster though so it wasn't all bad and the Panda Express I had later that made the entire workout worth it. It's all about the little things in life, like orange chicken.

[Ben Baker]

4/27

Body weight: 223

Squat: 245x5x2@5.75
-Felt very solid today, could even feel my abs (or lack thereof) squeezing harder than normal.
Press: 147.5x5x3@7
-More micro-loading, still going belt-less with these as well. At this point I feel like I'm getting more an ab workout than anything else haha.
Weighted Chin Up: +60x4.75x3@9.25
-I think I'm getting fat too quickly, these got super difficult all of a sudden...
Weighted Back Extensions: +60x10x5@6.25
-What can I say about these, feels more like cardio!

A pretty rock solid session today, I can tell I've been definitely packing on the pounds though since my stomach's poking out more now than it used to. Oh well, as long as I'm getting gainzz everywhere else, I'll take it. Who needs a summer bod anyway?

[Ben Baker]

4/29

Body weight: 225

Squat: 345x5x1@9
- PR! Definitely felt heavier than last Friday's squats, but they weren't grinders. I'm hoping to get to 365x5x1 before I need to switch to triples. Crossing my fingers!
Bench Press: 262.5x3x1@8.75
-Could've eeked out a 4th rep, thank jeebus for micro plates haha.
SGDL: 245x3x5@6.75
-Getting faster!
Seated Cable Rows: 220x8x3@8.25
-I want to get my middle back stronger so I can squeeze myself into harder extension during deadlifts. Thoracic flexion under heavy load is a major weak point for me. Plus a little extra pulling volume never hurt a bro.

Glad I got the PR on the squats. I want another 20 lbs with fives for ID squats before I switch to triples. Getting a set of 5 in 11 weeks with what was my 1RM squat at the start of this TM cycle would be pretty badass.