The User Name's cut log

[TheUserName]

I've decided it's finally time to lose the gut. I've been training consistently, and hopefully this log will help keep my diet consistent. I technically start tomorrow, but if I don't post this log tonight I don't think I'll ever get around to it.

Stats:
Height: 6 foot 4
Age 20, male
Weight: 280 pounds
Goal weight: 240 pounds
BF percentage: Around 27% by visual estimate

lifts:

Bench press 202.5 x 5, overhead press 147.5 x 5, row 195 x 5, power clean 160 x 3, squats 250 x 5 (squats are low because I had to recover from a knee injury). I haven't tested the deadlift in a while.

Training plan

Weight Training: I'll use a ramped 5x5, similar to Madcow or Bill Starr's plan, 3 days a week. My knees seem to be OK when squatting using this program. I've added in some extra volume for the bench and overhead press, because they're stubborn for me. I'll also throw in some O-lifts from the hang. If I start stalling, I'll cut this back a bit


Cardio: I plan on jogging 3 times a week for about 30 minutes.
I'll experiment with 1 minute of jump-rope, jumping jacks, or something similar after every set when weight training. To be clear, that would be something like: Lift, 1 minute cardio, 3 minutes rest. It might not be optimal, but it's a heck of a time saver. If that hurts my strength too much, I'll cut it out and just jog.

Diet: I have a maintenance level of about 3000 calories a day. My plan is to get 2500 or fewer calories a day, while still getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. In other words, a minimum of about 200 grams of protein a day. I'll probably get this through large amounts of milk, cheese, and yogurt.

I'll try to eat better than that, but I know those requirements are easy to keep and will result in weight loss.

Finally, I need to remember to drink plenty of water.

[TheUserName]

Today's workout:
OHP: 95 x 5, 112.5 x 5, 130 x 5, 147.5 x 3. Did 135 x 3 as a back-off set. I will repeat 147.5 next week.
Squats: Today was my light day: 130x5, 160 x 5, 190 x 5, 190 x 5.
Benching: 200x5, 200x3.
Some pushups.
wide-grip bench 155 x 7.
JM press 65 x 12.

Cardio was alternating between jumping jacks, jumping rope, and running in place. This seems to work well.

Comments: Didn't sleep well last night, felt tired.

Diet:
Hit the diet numbers almost exactly.

[TheUserName]

Today's workout: Intensity day:

Bench press: 105 x 5, 130 x 5, 155 x 5 180 x 5, 205 x 3. I did an extra triple at 205 to see if I could, and a triple at 207.5 for the same reason. Back-down sets: 185 x 6, 155 x 8.
Wide-grip bench 160 x 8.
Incline press (as OHP assistance): 145 x 2 x 5 (i.e., 2 sets of 5 reps)
Squats: 132.5 x 5, 165 x 5, 197.5 x 5, 227.5 x 5, 265 x 3. I think I could have had 5 more pounds easily. I skipped the back-down sets due to knee pain.
Rows: 100 x 5, 125 x 5, 147.5 x 5, 172.5 x 5, 200 x 3, 155 x 8.
Hang Snatch: 10 reps (total, not all in one set) at 100 pounds, 1 rep at 125 pounds.
Hang power clean: 3 reps at 145
Power clean: 2 reps at 172.5. Need to work on when I rotate the arms.
I think it's obvious I need to work on the o-lifts more consistently.

diet:
Yesterday was good. I was just over the protein requirements and about 100 calories under the limit.
Today I was just over the protein requirements but 30 calories over the limit. I'm not too concerned about that.

Comments: Slept better, workout felt good but exhausting. If I do the O-lifts before rows, the workout tends to go faster

[TheUserName]

Have been sick most of the week; Friday was particularly weird. With regards to diet, that means I've been either under on both protein and calories or over on both protein and calories. Today I was low on both. I seem to have made up for that with lots of sleep. I don't remember the details of last week's workout, but I added in 4x3 speed benching on recovery day, and took out wide-grip and regular benching.
Bodyweight is down to 275.2 pounds.

Today's workout:
Bench: 105 x 5, 130 x 5, 155 x 5, 180 x 5, 210 x 3. Back-off sets: 185 x 6, 155 x 8.
Bench assistance:
Wide-grip bench: 165 x 7
Incline press: 150 x 7, 150 x 8
The bench press went relatively fast, but I need to watch my form. I need to make sure I arch and pull my lats in.

Squat: 140 x 5, 172.5 x 5, 205 x 5, 240 x 5, 275 x 3. Back-off set: 205 x 5.
Comments: Hip break was generally good. Depth on the last rep at 275 was questionable. I might repeat this or only add 5 pounds next week. My knee doesn't really hurt, which is good.

Hang snatch: 105 x 2 x 5.
Rows: 105 x 5, 130 x 5, 155 x 5, 180 x 5, 205 x 3. Back-off sets: 185 x 4, 155 x 8.
Hang power clean: 155 x 3
Power clean: 180 x 2

Comments: This is good improvement, especially since I haven't been getting as much protein as usual. I think it's because I made up for it with sleep. Also, I ate about 50 grams of protein an hour before the workout started. I'll try that again next time.

[TheUserName]

Workout today:
Bench:
107.5 x 5, 132.5 x 5, 160 x 5, 185 x 5, 210 x 1 (failure, I was supposed to get 5 reps). Tried 205, got 2 reps. Then tried 195 for 2 more reps. Back-off set: 185 x 5, strictly paused.
Wide-grip bench: 170 x 7
Close-grip bench: 115 x 2 x 8.
Hang snatches: 105 x 5.
Rows: 105 x 5, 130 x 5, 155 x 5, 180 x 5, 205 x 5, had ROM issues on the last few reps.
Knees hurt so I couldn't squat, and skipping cleans was probably a good idea as well.

Comments: Still feeling sick, like I'm going to hurl at random times during the day, and my sleep has been weird because the new semester just started. Could barely sleep at all the night before last night. I think I just need to power through it and stick to my diet anyway.
I'm going to make sure I pause every rep on the bench for a full second next time, even if I have to go down in weight.

[TheUserName]

It's been a while since I posted. Basically I lowered weight on bench but I now pause every rep, I hit 210 for a triple on rows, and I cut out some assistance since I can't sleep as much now.


Today's workout:

Paused Bench: 112.5 x 5, 140 x 5, 167.5 x 5, 192.5 x 5, 200 x 5. Back-off: 185 x 5
Wide grip bench: 180 x 7
Close-grip bench: 145 x 2 x 8

squat: 135 x 5, 172.5 x 5, 205 x 5, 240 x 5, 265 x 2 (knee started to turn in on second rep, and I didn't want to take any chances)
Rows and o-lifts: Wrist was hurting pretty bad, so I'm going to do these tomorrow instead.

[TheUserName]

Didn't get to posting Friday's workout, but that was the first time I'd deadlifted in a while. Got 320 x 5, and I didn't have any more weight to add to the bar.


Paused Bench: 112.5 x 5, 140 x 5 167.5 x 5, 192.5 x 5, 202.5 x 4 (goal was 3, so I exceeded that). 205 x 2, 167.5 x 8. Paused longer than last time, which is good
Wide-grip bench: 185 x 4, I'll repeat this weight for more reps next session
Close-grip bench: 155 x 2 x 7.
Squat: 142.5 x 5, 177.5 x 5, 212.5 x 5, 245 x 5, 265 x 3.
Hang snatch: 110 x 5, 110 x 3, 110 x 2.
Hang clean: 160 x 3
Power clean: 185 x 2.
Row: 107.5 x 5, 132.5 x 5, 160 x 5, 185 x 5, 210 x 3. (didn't feel I could move up in weight yet).
C&J: 115 x 5, 135 x 5.

Diet: I'm not feeling sick anymore, and today was the first day in a while I've been back on the diet strictly. It looks like I'll hit the protein requirements today while remaining a few hundred calories under the limit.

Comments: Need to get better focus. Forgot to do the last set on the rows.

[TheUserName]

Paused Bench: 112.5 x 5, 140 x 5 167.5 x 5, 192.5 x 5, 202.5 x 5, 185 x 5
Wide-grip bench: Tried 185, got 1 rep. Did 175 x 5.
Close-grip bench: 165 x 2 x 5
Hang snatch: 110 x 5
Squat: 142.5 x 5, 177.5 x 5, 212.5 x 5, 245 x 5, 265 x 5
Rows, cleans: Ran out of time, will do these tomorrow

[TheUserName]

Paused bench: 112.5 x 5, 140 x 5, 167.5 x 5, 192.5 x 5, 205 x 4 (goal was 3). Did 207.5 x 3, but not really paused. Back-off set (paused) :170 x 7. I did this last set after the wide-grip.
Wide-grip bench: 185 x 6. Will repeat again this week, probably move up next week.
Close-grip bench: 170 x 4. Will repeat this week until I can get at least 2 sets of 5.
Squats: 142.5 x 5, 177.5 x 5, 212.5 x 5, 245 x 5, 270 x 4 (goal was 3). Back-off set: 205 x 8.
I need to focus on not pausing between reps in the set, especially the first three
HS: 110 x 2 x 5.
Hang C&J: 162.5 x 3
Power Clean: 190 x 2.
Rows: 110 x 5, 137.5 x 5, 162.5 x 5, 190 x 5. Ran out of time and couldn't get the last set in.

Bodyweight: I weighed 276 now. I think I'm going to restrict calories a little more, shooting for 2400, and try to avoid eating at night.

[TheUserName]

Wednesday's workout

Paused bench: 112.5 x 5, 140 x 5, 167.5 x 5, 192.5 x 5, 205 x 5
Wide-grip bench: 185 x 6. Will increase by 2.5 pounds next time
Close-grip bench: 170 x 4, 170 x 3
Squats: 142.5 x 5, 177.5 x 5, 212.5 x 5, 245 x 5, 270 x 5

Today's workout:
Press: 97.5 x 5, 115 x 5, 135 x 5, 150 x 2 (fail, wanted 5)
Back-off sets: 125 x 2 x 5 (i.e, 2 sets of 5)

Speed bench: 185 x 4 x 3. Finally feeling fast.