Keg's intermediate strength log: God Bless Texas Method

[Keg]

I am a regular over on bb.com looking to branch out a little. I've been meaning to visit this site/forum more regularly and will do so now. You might say the Viking drug me over here. I will duplicate my bb.com log here and keep up with both.

I started lifting for real for the first time in March of 2008 with SS. I ran it for three months with PR lifts (SS sets/reps) of bench 225, squat 280, deadlift 330 and press 145 or so. I did chins/pullups as the pulling exercise. I then hurt my back, go un motivated and took 20 months off from the iron.

I restarted in Jan 2010 with SS, aggravated my back badly in April (had MRI, herniated L5-S1 is primarily the problem), then worked my way back into everything.

I am currently following the Texas Method minus deadlifts. As a result of that my pulls have been power cleans on volume day (only 5x3), pullups on recovery and chinups on intensity.

Here are two of my better/recent videos, just so you know what my numbers and form are not figments of my imagination.

Squat 345 x 6 from last week(5 rep PR is 350)
[youtube]YyQEjSQL1XU[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyQEjSQL1XU


Bench 250 x 5 also from last week (PR)
[youtube]EIdPA0dWaCM[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIdPA0dWaCM

[Keg]

Wed, October 13, 2010
Volume

Week 5

Squat (PR) (<8' rest)
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 2 (belt)

320 x 5 (belt)
320 x 5 (belt)
320 x 5 (belt)
320 x 5 (belt)
320 x 6 (belt)

Bench (PR, equals 3x5 PR) (6-6.5' rest)
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3

235 x 5
235 x 5
235 x 5
235 x 5
235 x 5

Power Clean (PR) (2.5' rest)
135 x 3
145 x 3
165 x 2

195 x 3
195 x 3
195 x 3
195 x 3
195 x 3

Scale: 216.6-218.6
Notes: Squats, for a 5x5 PR at 320, felt good. I'm sure I could have had 7 on the last set, even. I got a video of the second set and didn't like what I saw so I tried getting deeper on the three following sets. Bench wasn't as bad as I expected, but I will go +2.5 next week. Cleans were probably kind of ugly. There were a lot of reps where I stepped out (wider feet) when catching the bar, for example.

Squat video, set 2:
[youtube]aAU_Etdk6cA[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAU_Etdk6cA

Screen capture of lowest point:

[DV]

Looking good. I like your spiffy knee-thingys. 8 minute rest on squats, huh? How long does a volume workout take you at this point?

[Keg]

Looking good. I like your spiffy knee-thingys. 8 minute rest on squats, huh? How long does a volume workout take you at this point?

Checking my notes.....1 hour and 40 minutes passed between my first and last worksets of the day. I am there on the order of two hours with warmup.


The knee sleeves are Rehband brand 7mm neoprene. This is the third time I have worn them and the first volume day. They just arrived last week. http://www.jackalsgym.com/store.aspx?prod_id=RH-KS

[Keg]

Cardio

I took the dog and went for a little jog around the neighborhood today. It's a single circuit of something along the line of 2 miles, not sure exactly. I am also not sure how long I took as my watch screwed up at the end. 16-20 minutes I think.
The battery for my heartrate monitor's sensor is dead but based on hand timing in a few spots I'm pretty sure my heartrate remained between 150 and 170 BPM.
For a former runner I really suck at it right now. My low back was more tight, sore and painfull durin and after the run than it ever is in the gym.

[DV]

Cardio

I took the dog and went for a little jog around the neighborhood today. It's a single circuit of something along the line of 2 miles, not sure exactly. I am also not sure how long I took as my watch screwed up at the end. 16-20 minutes I think.
The battery for my heartrate monitor's sensor is dead but based on hand timing in a few spots I'm pretty sure my heartrate remained between 150 and 170 BPM.
For a former runner I really suck at it right now. My low back was more tight, sore and painfull durin and after the run than it ever is in the gym.

I'd do short (~10 min) intense "cardio" workouts. I.e. hill-sprints or the like. I've also found that jogging messes with my lower back.

[Keg]

I may have to do something more like that

[Keg]

Saturday, Oct 10 2010
Recovery


Front Squat
45 x 3
95 x 3
135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 2
245 x 3 (belt)
250 x 3 (belt) (vid)
255 x 3 (belt) (vid, see below)

Press
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 2
175 x 1 (belt) (vid)
185 x 1 (belt) (vid, see below)
165 x 3 (belt)

Scale: 216.6-218.4
Notes: I skipped out on the pulling exercise. No excuse, just lazy and wanted to go home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSgygaY4vZ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5KgyQEuiLE

[Keg]

Monday, Oct 18 2010

Intensity


Squat
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3 (belt)
315 x 1 (belt)

350 x 6 (belt) (video) (+1 rep PR)


Bench
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 1

252.5 x 5 (PR)


Chinups (4' rest)
BW x 8
BW x 7
BW x 6


BB Curls (suck) (1.5' rest)
80 x 10
80 x 7
80 x 5

Scale: 217 +

Notes: Squats felt alright considering. Topped my old PR from August by 1 rep. Bench wasn't too bad, though bar speed on the last rep was pretty slow. Fortunately I had a good spotter who understood me so he didn't grab it.

[Carnivroar]

Nice form, try narrowing your stance a bit, your knees buckle in too much.