A Turd Burglar's Log

[funguyrye]

Hello all. After seeing a thread in the Ends & Pieces, I decided to take the plunge and start my own log as I have been mulling about it after ending SS. Right now, I am pretty firm on my programming that I have started and will run it for about 12 weeks and evaluate it at that time. Skip to the bottom to see my program if you could care less about the preamble.

My goals are pretty simple. Progressively getting stronger in the core lifts and learn the OL lifts properly. Time is not a factor as I have all the time in the world and I'm not in a race with anyone. Working out by myself the drawbacks are no immediate feedback to fix form so I've had to record myself extensively to fix form mistakes. I am ordering some bumpers and shoes from Rogue (The best prices I have found in Canada), and building a platform, but that won't be ready till August or so. Another goal is by next year is for people when they see me to say, "Crap, Ryeguy, you look pretty freakin strong!" Right now it's, "Hey, looks like you've been working out." I'm vain that way.

Age 36
Weight: 184lbs down from 205lbs since March
Height 5'9

Lost quite a bit of strength dieting and I wish I had done Lyle's RFL versus the 2 pounds a week I was losing. Another mistake was that I didn't decrease volume so I was regressing pretty fast as I went to the Starr Model of ramped sets. My food intake is going to be just above maintenance with about a 1/2 - 1 pound weight gain a week. After I get to about 195, I'll do the RFL for 2-3 weeks then cycle everytime I hit the 195 mark. Alcohol is my kryptonite, but I'll get to that another time.

Lifting stats currently:

BS: 120kg 2x5
FS: 95kg 2x5
Press: 66kg 2x5
BP: 95kg 2x5
DL: 150kg 1x5
Sumo Squats: 150kg 1x5
RDL's: 132kg 1x5
Rows: 85kg 2x5
Power Cleans: Not doing them cause I dropped the weight and made a gouge in the laminate that pissed me off and soon the wife when she finds it. Hence the platform.
Chins: BW + 15kg 2x5
Dips: BW + 27.5kg 2x5

I decided to do something instead of the Texas Method, and will be making gains bi-weekly, versus weekly gains. Here is what I have come up with that gives me variety workout to workout and is a plan that i will enjoy.

Workout A:
Back Squats
Press
Rows
Dips
Curls for my girls (my daughters like my guns)

Workout B:
Front Squats
Bench
Deadlifts/Romanian Deadlifts/Sumo Deadlifts
Chins

I'll be doing an every other day set up vs. Mon,Wed, Fri as I can workout whenever I want.

Day 1
3x5
DL's/RDL's/Sumo's 1x5 when they fall on that day

Day 2
3x10
DL's/RDL's/Sumo's 2x8 when they fall on that day

Day 3
3x2
DL/RDL's/Sumo's 2 heavy singles

I will be doing these reps/sets for all exercises across, even the accessory exercises (excluding curls). I was contemplating doing 5x5's on Day 1, but I think that is to much volume to recover from for day 2 to and lighter weight, but more volume day. Hope this isn't confusing, but I am at work frantically typing this. I may make minor adjustments, but this is what I'll be doing for at least 12 weeks. I'll be adding more about rest, recovery and diet later on. Thanks for reading.

[funguyrye]

June 13

3x5 Day

Back squats
110kg x 3 > WTF
110kg x 5
110kg x 5

Felt really heavy and no explanation other then 3 hours sleep last night. Will move up 2.5 kg regardless as I can nail this easily.

Press
60kg x 5
60kg x 5
60kg x 5

Felt good and smooth. Move up 2.5 kg next time

Rows
80kg x 5
80kg x 5
80kg x 5
Felt heavy but again, poor sleep last night.

Did not do dips or curls

[funguyrye]

June 15

3 x 10 day with 2 minute breaks between sets. Started off at about 60% of estimated 1RM

Major DOMS today and really had to warm up long to work out the stiffness. Figure a couple weeks and the DOMS will go away

Front Squats
60kg 3 x 10

Felt good, but had to really work on the last 2 reps

Bench Press
65kg 3 x 10

Deadlift
105kg 2 x 8

Chins
BW x 10
BW x 6
BW x 6

Don't know why I got so few chins. Maybe my back was torched from the front squats then deadlifts.

Nice to eat regular food and milk again and not worry about calories.

[funguyrye]

June 17

3 X 2 day

Back Squats
120kg x 2
120kg x 2
120kg x 2

Felt myself loosening up at the bottom and good morninged my lat rep. Will still move up 2.5 kg next workout

Press
65kg x 2
65kg x 2
65kg x 2

Rows
85kg x 2
85kg x 2
85kg x 2

Hard, hard, hard. Cheated last rep

Dips
BW + 25kg x 2
BW + 25kg x 2
BW + 25kg x 2

DB Curls
35lb 1 x 5

[Oldster]

A good looking routine.

Watch that your butt doesn't start moving upward before your chest when squatting. That way there will be no 'goodmornings', which in the end can cause some back problems.

[funguyrye]

Happy Father's Day to all papa's and grandpapa's.

Came home from work with an unexpected surprise. My wife said she is going to order the bumper's next week instead and pick them up mid July instead of mid august when I was going to get them. What a fine girl I have and she'll be rewarded with some good mclovin tonight. Kids of course made me some keepsakes that I'll take to work and display with pride.

Managed to workout tonight, but energy not there. No good sound sleep for awhile as I've tried to abstain from my sleeping pills. Trying to get my body to take the natural course versus sleep aids. Don' ask about melatonin, etc. Tried them all. Still waiting word from the sleep clinic. Definitely impacting recovery. Just took another T test last week. First one months ago came back on the low normal range. No I didn't ask about a free T test as I didn't know what it was. On to my workout.

3 x 5 day

FS
90Kg x 5
90kg x 5
90kg x 5

Very hard and I thought I was being conservative to start.

Bench
90kg x 5
90kg x 5
90kg x 4

No no no. Again thought I was being conservative. Boy have I lost quite a bit of strength. No worries though. Suck it up and make to grind it out next time.

RDL's
125kg x 5

Mark's video helped out with form. Need to find straps as I was doing over under grip. Good vid as I was going all the way to the floor and doing a soft touch and go. Stopped these reps about 6 inches short and didn't feel to heavy.

Chinups
BW + 10kg 3x5

Easy. Now to call my dad and satisfy the wife. Yeehaw

[funguyrye]

Thanks Oldster. Better start videoing myself again. Almost to the point where I know the corrections I have to make based on feel, it's just a matter of focusing each rep to ensure I don't get lazy.

[funguyrye]

3 x 10 day

BS
82.5kg 3x10

Really feel the burning in my legs on the last couple of reps. Down the road will have to decide to whether to increase break time to say 3 minutes as the higher reps really feel like cardio.

Press
42.5kg 3x10

Will probably have to microload after a couple more sessions of this. Maybe in 1.25kg increments.

Rows
62.5kg 3x10

Last rep cheated

Dips
BW 3x10

Easy peasy.

db curls
35lbsx6

Good session other then dropping a 10 lb weight on my big toe. Thought I broke it, but I didn't. Will at least keep my from drifting onto my toes when I squat.

[funguyrye]

Had a staff retreat the day before and had a day full of partying, eating and drinking which left me exhausted yesterday. With the help of Mr. Imovane managed 9 hours sleep which has been months since I slept that long. Woke up refreshed and ready to go. After going to our kid's year end activities at school, I came home and went to war with the barbell. I won.

Morning weight post crap: 188

Gained 4 pounds since last week. Shoulda gradually increased calories as everybody recommends. Ah well, I'm a hard learner and need to do to learn from my mistakes.

3x2 Day

FS
95kg 3x2

Last rep leaned over considerably, but had the strength to power through it.

Bench
95kg 3x2

I can see myself stalling right around 100kg. Felt pretty heavy last set. Continue on though.

Sumo
150kg 2x1

Missed a first attempt. Psyched myself up and finished the 2 singles. Last rep was the best as the first rep I didn't set my back properly and had a slightly curved back.

Chins
BW + 17.5kg 3x2

Easy. Maybe could of had 22.5kg's in me. But time will tell.

Good workout. Eating good. Resting well even though I want to try and wean myself off the sleeping meds. Only taking half a tab though. Will try alternating nights with and without and then see after a week or so.

[funguyrye]

Late night with my wife's family shin dig. Only had a couple beer, which is essentially abstaining for me. Went out for dinner and had calamari then liver and onions. Gorged myself. Nonetheless I was quite full this morning and only had a protein shake for breaky and lunch. Trying to gain at most 2 lbs over the next 2 weeks so watching what I eat carefully. If I'm not hungry, why eat philosophy.

3x5 day

BS
112.5kg 3x5

Seems really really hard. However up the weight goes. I have a tendency to have to wide a stance which limits depth and proper knee travel. Narrower stance for sure at 115.

Press
62.5kg 3x5

Smooth, but bar speed slow last two reps. However upward we go.

Rows
82.5kg x5x5x4

Disappointed, but I'm not married to rows. Same weight next time 3x5 comes around for them.

Dips

Bw + 20kg 3x5
Grinded last set out, but decent. Maybe had to do with the extra weight.

Db Curls for my girls
35lb 3x5

Do 3x6 next time. Off to work