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Eric's Log

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Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2008/01/22, 03:48 PM It depends on a lot on what you define as your regular grip and close grip, but it sounds like your tris are a lot stronger than your chest and shoulders.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2008/01/22, 05:13 PM That's true. I was under the impression though that it was pretty rare if not almost impossible for your chest to be the weak link in your bench. Everyone always talks about tricep weakness, weak back even shoulders....I don't hear much about a weak chest. What accessory work can be done for a weak chest? Super wide grip bench? Would flyes provide any benefit?
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/15, 08:57 AM Sorry to add another one of these, but I think it'll help me with my accountability and maybe get some pointers along the way.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/15, 09:02 AM 11/12 - ME Uppper Bench 45x8 95x6 145x3 165x3 175x2 185x1 195x0 - Felt like crap on the lift off, should have put it back. Dips BWx8 25x8 45x6 BWx8 Straight arm pull down 60x12 70x12 I've been doing pullups for a while now changing grips, weights, etc. Needed a break so I figured I'd try these out. CG Pull-down 140x12 150x8 160x6 Then I did some random curl work. I've put on some good mass in the past few months, but my arms haven't kept up. I'm trying to throw in more tricep/bicep work.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/15, 09:07 AM 11/14 - ME Lower Squat 45x8 145x6 195x3 245x3 265x1 285x1 - 5lb PR, went up slow really got stuck but kept pushing and pulled it off. Snatch grip speed pulls 135x8 155x6 185x4 I have horrible DL form when it comes down to it. I have pulled close to 350 mainly using my back. I am trying to do more form work with lower weights to hopefully remedy the situation. Pull throughs 110x12 130x12 150x12 Hyperextensions 25x10 35x10 45x10 Hanging leg raises 2 sets of 10 Decline sit-ups 2 sets of 10 with 25 lb weight
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2007/11/15, 10:21 PM think about falling back more when you dl....and keep a tight arch seems to help me. -------------- \"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\" You have to learn to follow, before you can lead.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/19, 08:43 AM 11/16 RE Upper Incline Bench 135 5x5 Snatch grip high pulls 95x8 95x8 BB Row 135x8 155x6 175x4 Scap pull ups (ss with BB rows) 6x2 Flat DB press 55x10 55x10 55x10 Incline skull crushers 60x8 70x8 70x8
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/19, 08:47 AM 11/17 DE Lower Box Squats (high box, 3 wide stance, 3 med, 3 narrow) 170x3x9 Felt really quick. I really tried to sit back and then explode up and drive my hips through as quick as I could. This is right at 60% of my 1rm and still felt really quick. Seated Good mornings 95x12 115x8 115x8 I was just getting the feel for these. I haven't done them before so I didn't want to go too heavy at first. Standing 135x6 155x3 Single leg extensions 90x6x3 I've been doing a lot of compound movements lately and I felt like I needed to work in some more iso type lifts to lay off the CNS a little. Ab work
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/11/19, 10:13 AM How long have you been doing speed squats? I think that they are great, but do you have big legs. At your current strength level, I don't believe that speed is really an issue for you. I believe that you would probably benefit more from doing some rep work to pack some meat on those legs. I am not saying that you shouldn't be aware of the bar speed, but I think that as long as you try to move the bar as fast as possible on all your set/rep that you will be ok for now. Also, watch the intensity on RE upper days. 5x5 is fairly intense for a RE considering that you also have a ME day. I also think that you would benefit from rotating singles with triples on your ME upper days. Example: Week 1 3RM Week 2 1RM rotate exercise and repeat. The reason I suggest this is because I don't think that you have developed the neural recruitment patterns to fully benefit from singles alone. In other words, you are not recruiting a maximal amount of muscle fibers just doing singles. This takes time and experience. Hell, I don't think that I am there yet. At least on bench. These are just some chunks food for thought. If stuff is working then by all means stick with it.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/19, 12:14 PM I wouldn't necessarily say I'm doing speed squats. Really just box squats with attention paid to exploding off the box and really driving my hips through. I get stuck about 6-8 inches out of the hole so I'm really trying to just blow through that point. 1rm seems to be working really well for my squat. I'd say I'm up 20-25 lbs. in the last month and a half to two months. But I know on a good day I'm good for another 10-15 on top of that.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/19, 12:19 PM I threw in the 5x5 on my RE day because I didn't feel that I was getting much out of speed work. I've been mixing up the rep scheme, but the whole point was more volume on my RE day. I did an 8x4 a few weeks back, now I'm on more of a 5x5. Sad thing is that my 5rm is somewhere right around 165-170, and my 1rm is in the ballpark of 190. I worked on my 1rm for a while, got it up to about 185 or so, but my 3rm was still sitting around 155 so I was working to bring up my volume in hopes of putting on more muscle like you said and then really digging back into the 1rm. My squat is definitely moving, I'm pretty happy with the results all in all. Bench on the other hand hasn't been moving much. Even back when I was doing speed work hardly any movement. I've upped the weight on pullups and rows, CG bench, and all the likes.....just nothing with the bench.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/27, 09:03 AM Traveled out of state for T-day. Back into the gym today. Didn't feel like I should start back with an ME day so I went for the RE upper instead. 11/22 RE Upper Incline Bench 45x20 95x8 115x8 115x8 135x6 Snatch grip high pulls 95x8 95x8 Scap Pull ups 6x2 Curl ups - palms facing in 8x3 Didn't want to do direct bicep work plus this hits the back as well. Flat DB Bench 65x8 65x6 55x10 Incline skull crushers 60x12 80x8 80x8
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/27, 09:05 AM I don't understand that completely and maybe you can help me with that. When I try to fall back I pull the bar straight into my shins and it is hard to get it over my knee at that point, even with relatively light weight. ============ Quoting from bigandrew: think about falling back more when you dl....and keep a tight arch seems to help me. =============
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/28, 08:32 AM Edit: the RE Upper day was on 11/26 11/27 ME Lower Squat 45x8 135x6 185x3 225x3 145x2 255x2 PR - never done 2 reps at 255 265x1 285x0 Forgot my belt in the wife's car, probably a mental thing but I didn't get the 285 because of it. SLDL 155x8 155x8 165x8 DB Lunges 30x10 35x10 40x10 Ab work
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2007/11/28, 03:11 PM I'm going to assume that that is 245 and not 145. In which case I'm wondering why you do a few 10 lb jumps and then end with a 20lb jump. Also, hitting a 2rep max and then trying to hit a heavy single can be tough to do, since these are generally so close in intensity. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Mortal by birth. Strongman by the grace of god. Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/29, 08:29 AM Yep, 245. Not really sure why on the weight progression. I wasn't planning the 255 set but 245 felt good so I wanted to go for it. I wasn't planning the double either, but the single went up well so I went for the double. What would be a better weight/rep progression for a 285 max? 45 135 185x3 205x3 225x3 245x3 265x1 285x1 295x1? Is this a better progression.....do the additional weight have to be the same after each set necessarily?
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/11/30, 08:36 AM 11/29 ME Upper Flat BB Bench 45x8 95x6 95x6 135x3 145x3 160x3 175x1 Went up really easy 190x1 No bounce, nice pause at the bottom. Stalled about6 inches off chest but got it. Trying to not end on a fail each ME day. 155x8 Wanted some reps Incline DB 50x15 50x12 BB Row 135x8 135x8 135x8 RD flyes 20x10 20x10 20x10 BB Shrugs (no straps and my grip was fried) 135x10 each had a 5 sec pause and squeeze at the top 135x10 135x10 Neutral grip Curl-ups bwx8 bwx8 figured I'd do curlups rather than bicep curls
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/11/30, 09:11 AM ============ Quoting from ecle5c: Yep, 245. Not really sure why on the weight progression. I wasn't planning the 255 set but 245 felt good so I wanted to go for it. I wasn't planning the double either, but the single went up well so I went for the double. What would be a better weight/rep progression for a 285 max? 45 135 185x3 205x3 225x3 245x3 265x1 285x1 295x1? Is this a better progression.....do the additional weight have to be the same after each set necessarily? ============= Yes, this is a better progression. No, the distance between sets in terms of weight does not have to be the same, but I like it to be pretty close and if anything it should decease as the weight goes up not go back and forth.
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/11/30, 09:20 AM ============ Quoting from ecle5c: 11/29 ME Upper Flat BB Bench 45x8 95x6 95x6 135x3 145x3 160x3 175x1 Went up really easy 190x1 No bounce, nice pause at the bottom. Stalled about6 inches off chest but got it. Trying to not end on a fail each ME day. 155x8 Wanted some reps ============= You only have 2 reps a 90%. This isn't necessarily bad, but aim for 3 or even 5 if your are going to do singles instead of triples.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/03, 08:51 AM 12/1 DE Lower Box Squats 45x10 95x8x2 135x5 185x3x5 Lunges 30x10 35x8 45x4 RDL 135x8 185x6 225x4 10 min stair climber
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/03, 08:53 AM Didn't put it in my log. I wanted more than the 190, but I stalled and didn't want to miss the next rep so I dropped to 185 and hit 2. ============ Quoting from Pemdas: You only have 2 reps a 90%. This isn't necessarily bad, but aim for 3 or even 5 if your are going to do singles instead of triples. =============
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/04, 08:44 AM 12/3 RE Upper CG Bench 45x10x2 95x8 115x15 115x12 115x10 WG Pull-ups SS with Scarecrows A1: 12 B1:25x10 A2: 10 B2:20x10 A3: 10 B2:20x10 Medial Delt Lateral Raises 20x12 15x12 15x12 15x12 Standing French Press 55x15 60x10 60x10 Plate pinches and a few sets of curls...yeah...yeah.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/04, 08:46 AM I think my largest problem is my inability to identify my weaknesses. One week it seems to be my triceps, then my back and rear delts then I feel that I neglect my shoulders. I have been changing up routines every 2-3 weeks. I am going to stick with this set for at least 4 weeks to see if that could be part of my issue.
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/12/04, 09:12 AM Honestly, I don't think it matters what you think your weaknesses are right. You bench isn't big enough for it matter. Just work your tris and shoulders hard, Don't neglect your upperback and your bench should do fine.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/04, 09:14 PM 12/4 ME Lower Squat - Wide stance, low bar position 45x10 45x10 95x10 135x5 185x3 205x3 225x3 245x1 265x1 280x1 290x0 - Barely missed, too many warm up sets? Questions for a better progression to 290? Failed about halfway up. Not sure what that means. 265x1 1-Leg Leg Press 90x8x3 Just getting the feeling for these, strange doing unilateral work like this. SLDL 165x8 185x8 205x8 PR!! Never done more than 4. I was pissed that I didn't get my squat PR so I went all out on the accessory lift. Ab work
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/12/04, 11:08 PM I think that that was a pretty good progression. I might have done 225x3 250x1 270x1 290x1 instead, but your way was just as good. Stop worrying about your weakness you are over thinking shit especially at your strength level. Just smash your hammies/glutes and lower back and do some ab and quad work and you will be fine.
arondaballer Posts: 1,054 Joined: 2003/06/14	2007/12/05, 01:00 AM Keep bustin your ass man. You're doin great. -------------- I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle-victorious. --Vince Lombardi "Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work." H. L. Hunt
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/07, 08:28 AM 12/6 ME Upper Flat BB Bench 45x20 95x10 135x3 155x3 165x3 175x1 185x1 195x1 - 5lb PR 155x4 Probably one of the ugliest reps in my life, form broke down, my ass almost came up (but didn't), didn't go up evenly, but it counts. Incline DB Press 50x12 55x10 55x10 BB Row 135x8x3 Rear Delt Flyes 20x10x3 Neutral grip pull-ups BWx8x3
coolnatedawg Posts: 813 Joined: 2005/03/09	2007/12/07, 11:12 AM good job. there is a reason its a max... your body has to push it. just make sure you arent cheating yourself...
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/10, 08:45 AM 12/9 DE Lower Box Squats 45x20 95x10 135x5 185x6x3 Lunges (BB) 115x8 135x6x2 RDL 135x10 155x10 185x10 BB Rows 135x10x4 Ab Work Done! Kind of a blah workout, I didn't want to go in the first place. Everything was covered in a half inch of ice here so getting out of the driveway was an effort on its own. But I went and got something done, better than nothing.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/13, 09:27 AM I get that, and I do tend to overanalyze shit but when I'm in the gym I only have the strength and attention span for so many exercises so in order to get the most bang for my buck so to speak I am trying to prioritize which lifts are the most beneficial for me at the moment. Basically you said to work my entire lower body, understandable that it all needs work but I tend to do more ham work some cycles, more quad work others, etc. Just trying to figure out which is the most beneficial for me at the moment. ============ Quoting from pemdas: Stop worrying about your weakness you are over thinking shit especially at your strength level. Just smash your hammies/glutes and lower back and do some ab and quad work and you will be fine. =============
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/13, 09:30 AM 12/12 RE Upper CG Bench - hands almost touching 45x20 95x8 115x18 115x13 115x12 WG Chins SS with Scarecrows BWx6x4 Tried touching my chest to the bar at the top, made it much harder. Scarecrows 25x10x3 Medial Delt Lateral Raises 15x12 17.5x10 20x10 25x10 15x10 Behind the back DB shrugs 55x15x3 French Press 60x10 60x10 70x10 No grip work or curls today.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2007/12/13, 04:34 PM ============ Quoting from ecle5c: CG Bench - hands almost touching ============= You realize that "close grip" may be a misnomer, right? I think you'd get much better carryover (to everything) using a 12-14" grip and it would probably be easier on your wrists. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2007/12/13, 04:35 PM The progress is great though. Good lifting. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/14, 08:33 AM 12/14 ME Lower Squat - Wide stance, low bar 45x20 95x10 135x6 165x3 195x3 215x3 235x1 255x1 275x1 295x1 - 10lb PR!! So close to my end of year goal of 300. Lunges 40x10 45x8 50x7 SLDL 185x8 185x8 185x8 Light ab work
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/12/14, 09:11 AM Sweet man...good lifting. The only thing I don't like about that workout is light ab work. You need to do heavy ab work.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/17, 09:32 AM Took Friday off, Saturday I woke up at 4 am throwing up....not a good way to start the day. Couldn't get off the couch the whole day. Didn't eat more than maybe 1,000 calories the whole day...mostly liquid. Sunday I felt better so I ate breakfast....decided to go to the gym around noon. It was scheduled to be a ME upper day. Flat BB Bench 45x20 95x10 135x3 155x3 175x1 Ran to the trashcan and revisited my breakfast....called it a day. Feeling better today, made it to work. We'll see how a DE leg day does me.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/19, 08:42 AM 12/17 DE Lower 45x20 95x10 135x6 185x3x5 Lunges 40x8 45x8 45x8 RDL 145x8 195x8 235x8 Heavy ab work
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/19, 08:49 AM 12/18 ME Upper Flat BB Bench 45x20 95x10 135x3 145x3 160x3 175x1 190x1 Felt weak, didn't have more in me Dropped to 175x1 Incline DB 55x12 55x10 55x10 BB Row 135x8x3 Rear delt flyes (SS with Rows) 20x10x3 Upright Rows (racks were taken, didn't want to wait for BB for shrugs) 95x10x3 Curl-ups bwx8x3
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/19, 08:54 AM I don't know what it is about my upper days. I don't feel like I do enough back work, and enough tricep/shoulder work. Each week I have 3 chest exercises, 1 horizontal row, 1-2 vertical pull, trap work, 1-2 direct tri work, 1-2 direct shoulder work. Not including those that are hit in compound exercises. I have not been progressing with my back work like I would like to see, and it hasn't been keeping up with my increases in pressing. Would it be beneficial to cut out the pull-ups for a few weeks and row more? I am considering doing more DB pressing work for better tri/shoulder work.
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/12/19, 09:25 AM First off, that is like 5 weeks in a row that you have been doing flat BB bench for your upper ME work. I am not surprise that you felt week. You need a lot more variety. You just can't max out on the same movement for that long, it doesn't work. Back Work - From you log I see that you have been doing BB Rows with same weight. Why haven't you tried to add 5lb or another set. Your not going to make progress if you don't even try to do something different each week. Same thing with pull-ups. I do see a progress in the incline DB, so it makes sense that you are making progress there.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/19, 02:23 PM I used to increase the weight after each set, but would have to do fewer reps. I read that 8,6,4, or 10,8,6 type rep schemes aren't that good so I'm trying to stray from those. The last set of 135x8 BB rows my form turns to crap and it is hard as hell to bank out all 8 reps. I guess I could do a 155x8, 135x8, 115x8. Maybe it's an ego thing, I don't like to decrease weight as I go. Prior to starting this log I had been doing weighted wide grip pullups. I get up to 45x4 but wanted more volume so I dropped to bwx8x3 thinking it would help....apparently it isn't so.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2007/12/19, 03:06 PM He means you haven't progressed over time, not in each workout. As in... Week 1: 3*8 @ 135 Week 2: 4*8 @ 135 Week 3: 3*8 @ 145 Week 4: 4*8 @ 145 (sets*reps) In fact, in the past 2 weeks you have done LESS reps, going from 4*10 to 3*8. If you can't make progress on an exercise any more, change to another exercise and progress on that... -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/19, 03:09 PM You're right on the lots of flat BB thing. I have a personal goal of 200 by EOY so I dedicated the last 5 weeks of the year to flat BB. I tend to respond better to 3-4 week cycle, I tried switching every 2 weeks but never seemed to progress. I wanted to see what would happen with a longer cycle (5 weeks).
Pemdas Posts: 973 Joined: 2004/07/22	2007/12/19, 03:09 PM I am not saying increase the weight each set. I almost never pyramid the weight up for reps stuff. I mean increase the weight for the whole movement (3x8 with 140) I have has success with a scheme like this for those tough exercises. Week 1 4 sets of 6 Week 2 5 sets of 6 Week 3 4 sets of 8 Increase weight The point is that you need to try and do a little more each time. Even if it is just one rep. How do know your pull-ups haven't made progress? I haven't seen you try anything but 3x8.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/19, 03:18 PM That's what I was asking for. I have gotten lazy on my planning prior to the gym. I log everything once I leave, but need to get better about planning before I go. Thanks for the tips.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/20, 08:29 AM 12/19 DE Lower Front Squats 45x10 95x10 135x4x6 GM 45x10 95x8 135x6x4 Pull-throughs 130x12 140x12 150x12 Heavy decline sit-ups 4 sets Decline twists 2 sets
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/20, 08:33 AM I put front squats on my DE day this cycle. I'm getting sick of doing back squat variations twice per week. My gym has no ssb, I have no bands, they don't allow chains. My only variation is stance and box height. Any better suggestions for a different DE day movement?
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/20, 08:39 AM In the next few cycles I would like to rotate in ME GMs, maybe front squats, rack pulls, and definitely some box squat. I have tended to use this as my DE movement not ME. I don't trust myself to max DL from the floor with the back problems I've had over the past 2 months or so. I still don't like my form. I pull sumo well but conventionally my form kind of sucks.
ecle5c Posts: 1,312 Joined: 2003/07/10	2007/12/20, 08:41 AM Just curious as a general question, I've never maxed and just want an idea. What would be a fair GM compared to a 295 squat?

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