Bigger, Stronger, Faster

[Jason B]

My goals are simple for this year, gain weight. I've been hovering around 200lbs for years now, and I feel like I've just stalled in the gym. I'm going up to 220. Right now I'm just focusing on getting some strength back after having mono. I've been back at it for about 4-5 weeks, I felt weaker than I've ever been when I first came back, lifting less than the first time I ever touched a weight. It's coming back though, now that I've got my appetite back and gained back the 15+ pounds I lost. My set-up is pretty simple:

Sunday
AM - Sprints (I'll work up to 300-400 yds total each week, 20-100yds per sprint. right now I'm doing about 150yds total)
PM - Acc Work (arms, shoulders, abs, neck, grip, etc. whatever I feel like doing)

Monday
Squat - 5x5, same weight
Supplemental leg exercise (leg press, hack squat, split squat, etc) - 3-4 sets
Abs and Grip

Wednesday
Incline Bench - 3x5, same weight (keeping pressing light, fixing shoulder)
BB Rows - 5x5, same weight
Skullcrushers - 3-4 sets
Arms and neck (or possibly more upper back work)

Friday
Deadlift - 5x5, same weight
Supp Post chain exercise (back ext., GHR, RDL, etc) - 3-4 sets
T-Bar or DB Rows - 3-4 sets
Abs and Grip


Just simply adding weight each week as my strength comes back, breaking a sweat but not going near failure. I'm adding 20lbs a week to the core lifts, I'll keep this up as long as I can, hopefully another 4-5 weeks, then I'll change things up when I need to. I'll keep the lifts pretty much the same, probably just go to a 8-12 week linear periodization. Never really tried anything like this, I'll see how it goes, I'm curious to see if I can pull sub-maximally each week. I know I can't max pull every week, but I've never really tried deadlifts for reps. I'd like to get into strongman, hence the inclusion. That's also why I've added arm work, something I haven't done in a long time.

I'll post my training for the last week out of my log.

[Jason B]

6 Aug 07

Weight (lbs) x reps x sets

Squat
225 x 5 x 5
245 x 1
265 x 1

Hack Squat
90 x 10

Pulldown Abs / Side Cable crunches - 2 sets
lever grip / gripper machine

Notes:
1) I perform the singles after the 5x5 just to up the weight a little bit. Nothing crazy, easy reps, just trying to get used to weight again.

Quote of the day:
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
-Steve Prefontaine

[Jason B]

7 Aug 07

Incline bench press:
135 x 5 x 3

BB Rows:
135 x 5 x 5

Skulls:
95 x 8 x 3

Neck machine / DB Rows - 2 sets
DB Curls - 2 sets (yawn!)

Notes:
1) Curls, truly are, for girls. How can guys spend hours doing these things?

Quote of the day:
"Those who work the hardest often complain the least."

[Jason B]

10 Aug 07

Deadlifts:
225 x 5 x 5
250 x 1
275 x 1

Modified GHR on the back ext. machine:
Purple band x 10 x 3

Neutral Grip Cable Rows:
180 x 8 x 3
alternated with DB Shrugs:
75 x 10 x 3

Lever grip
Wrist roller

Notes:
1) Finally felt decent on the deadlift. Up until today 185 felt heavy.

Quote of the day:
"Mirrors are for queers."
-Louie Simmons

[Kyle]

Nice Louie quote!

Nice job on the training.

Kyle

[Alcoholiday]

jason, something that worked really well for me so far in deadlifts is either:

doing one top set of 5 or 3
or doing 3x3 on them.

i think doing 5x5 on them is kind of overkill. I know Glen Pendlay thinks the same way from his posts over at midwest.

[Jason B]

13 Aug 07

Squat
245 x 5 x 5
265 x 1
285 x 1

Unilateral Leg Press (the regular leg press at my gym sucks)
180 x 10 x 3

Back Ext. GHR
Purple Band x 15

Pulldown Abs, side cable crunches
gripper machine

Notes:
1. Leaving for my honeymoon to hawaii tomorrow, I'll be gone til next Wednesday. Hopefully I've done enough to where a week off will help, not hurt.

Quote of the Day:
"There is strength in numbers and those numbers come in pounds."
-Mike Berry

[Jason B]

jason, something that worked really well for me so far in deadlifts is either:

doing one top set of 5 or 3
or doing 3x3 on them.

i think doing 5x5 on them is kind of overkill. I know Glen Pendlay thinks the same way from his posts over at midwest.

Yeah, I'm only doing 5x5 for the time being. Once my strength gets back and I'm pulling some respectable weight again, I'll lower the volume of deadlifts. But for right now it's no problem.

[Alcoholiday]

cool man, have fun on the honeymoooooooonnnnnnn

[Kyle]

Have fun on the honeymoon.. no babies lol

Kyle