Heavy lower

Easing myself back into a heavy routine.

Back squats
185lb x 6
195lb x 6
205lb x 6

Deadlifts
255lb x 6
275lb x 6

Leg extensions
75lb x 12, 12, 12

While I was doing the squats and deadlifts, there was another guy in the gym - he looked a bit younger than me and was friggin' huge - doing some upper body work: bench presses, barbell rows and shoulder presses, all with some bloody serious weight. I could see he was looking over at me during some of my sets, and I thought he was probably thinking, "Meh - lightweight", especially as I used straps for the deadlifts. He came into the changing room as I was getting ready to leave and said, "That was some impressive leg work. I can't use that much weight." Really? The guy was massive! And these weren't even my max weights.

Heavy lower: Deloading

Back squat
150lb x 6, 6, 6

Deadlifts
205lb x 6, 6, 6

Front squat
105lb x 6, 6, 6

Hang cleans
85lb x 10, 10, 10

Straight leg deadlifts
135lb x 6, 6, 6

Assessment

Another trainer is doing a runner! I've only been training with Mitch for two months, and now he's heading off to university, so he won't have the time to workout with me any more. And what a two months it's been. I've made incredible progress due to Mitch teaching me ways to improve all of the big lifts, by using a series of cues for each one. That's done wonders for my confidence, too.

As this was Mitch's last day at ABsolute Fitness, he decided to do the same strength assessment that we did in our first session, to see if I'd improved. All of the following routines were to determine my 3 rep maxes for each movement.

Here's what I did on Monday, June 30:

3RM (projected 1RM)
Back squat; a2g: 215lb x 3 (245lb)
Bench press: 145lb x 3 (165lb)
Deadlift: 275lb x 3 (300lb)

And this is what I managed today:

3RM (projected 1RM)
Back squat; a2g: 225lb x 3 (250lb)
Bench press: 160lb x 3 (180lb)
Deadlift: 315lb x 3 (340lb)

That's solid progress. I'm particularly pleased with the bench press numbers, as I felt like I'd stalled with these. All three lifts are 3 rep PRs. I've squatted 225lb to parallel before, for one rep. Before I started training with Mitch, I'd only ever done a one rep bench press at 145lb, so that's a big improvement. My 1RM for deadlifts was 325lb, but 315lb for three reps is pretty good.

To finish off today's session I did:

Floor presses
3 sets of 115lb x 5

Weighted neutral grip pull-ups
2 sets of 6 x 25lb

Heavy lower

Not much time today, so just did the main lifts.

Back squat
205lb x 6
210lb x 6
218lb x 6

I did 215lb last week, but didn't want to push my luck. I wanted to get back my confidence after my spectacular fail-and-bail while doing pause squats with Mitch on Monday. A small increase today did just that. Plus it's still a 6-rep PR.

Deadlifts
280lb x 6
295lb x 5

Heavy lower

Back squat
200lb x 6
210lb x 6
215lb x 6

Deadlifts
275lb x 6
290lb x 6

Hang clean
85lb x 12, 11

Heavy lower

I had a busy work schedule today, so only had time for the two main lifts.

Back squat
190lb x 6
200lb x 6
205lb x 6

Deadlifts
260lb x 6
280lb x 5

I was going to attempt the sixth rep, but my back was so fatigued that I couldn't get my set up right. I didn't want to risk another lower back injury, like a couple of weeks ago, so decided to quit.

Control lower

Pause back squats
170lb x 4
175lb x 4
180lb x 4
185lb x 4
190lb x 4, 4

Deadlifts
255lb x 4
265lb x 4
275lb x 4

Hang cleans
85lb x 10, 10, 10

Leg raises
20, 20, 16

Heavy lower body

Back squat
185lb x 6
195lb x 6
200lb x 6

Deadlift
255lb x 6
265lb x 6
275lb x 3

Hang clean
85lb x 10, 10, 10

Control Lower

Pause back squats
165lb x 4
170lb x 4
175lb x 4
180lb x 4
185lb x 4
190lb x 4

Deadlifts
245lb x 4
265lb x 4
270lb x 4

Hang clean practice

Control Lower Body

Pause back squats
145lb x 4, 4
155lb x 4
165lb x 4
170lb x 4
175lb x 4

Deadlifts
225lb x 4
245lb x 4
265lb x 4

Hang cleans
85lb x 10, 10, 8

Leg raises
12, 12, 12

Back and calves

Pull-ups
16, 11, 8

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
245lb x 5, 5, 5

Bent over barbell rows
105lb x 12, 12, 10

Lateral pull-downs, underhand
100lb x 12, 11, 10

======

Seated calf raises
125lb x 10, 12, 14

45 degree calf raises (burn)
210lb x 40, 40

Back and calves

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
245lb x 5, 5, 5
155lb x 10

Bent over barbell rows
100lb x 12, 12, 11

Lateral pull downs, underhand
100lb x 12, 10, 8

Cable row, burn
80lb x 40

======

Seated calf raises
115lb x 15, 15, 15

45 degree calf raises
150lb x 40
190lb x 40
210lb x 40

Back and calves

Wide grip pull ups
19, 10, 8

PR!

Bent over between legs barbell row
75lb x 12, 12, 11

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
265lb x 3, 3, 3
155lb x 10

======

Barbell calf raises on a step
155lb x 15, 15, 15

45 degree calf raises
175lb x 40, 40

Bent over calf raises
50, 50, 50

Back and calves

Weighted chin ups
B/w x 5
35lb x 5
40lb x 5
45lb x 5
47lb x 4
B/w x 12

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
185lb x 5
225lb x3
275lb x 1
295lb x 1
305lb x 1
I nearly passed out from the rush of blood to my head after the last rep.

Lateral pull downs
100lb x 8
110lb x 8
120lb x 6, 6

======

Seated calf raises
90lb x 15
115lb x 12, 12, 17

45 degree calf raises
190lb x 40
200lb x 40

Back and calves

She's baaack!

Bench press
115lb x 7, 7, 6, 5

======

Wide grip pull-ups
15, 10, 8

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
235lb x 5, 5
240lb x 5
135lb x 10

Neutral grip pull downs
90lb x 12, 12, 12
90lb/70lb/50lb x 12/6/7

Machine rows, wide grip
90lb x 10, 10, 8

======

Barbell calf raises on step; hang position
185lb x 12, 10, 11

Bent over calf raises
50, 50, 80

Chest and biceps

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
210lb x 8, 8, 8

======

Bench press
95lb x 10
125lb x 4, 4, 4, 4

Incline bench press
95lb x 9, 8, 7, 6

Dips
14, 10, 10, 8

Incline dumbbell flies
30s x 12, 12, 10

======

Dumbbell curls
20s x 15, 15, 15 per arm

Standing barbell curls
65lb x 12, 12, 12

Still taking it bit easy on my left bicep.

Upper body

Busy day today, so I went to the gym early in the morning. Unfortunately, no time for breakfast beforehand, so just a banana to get me going, which really wasn't enough.

Bench press
105lb x 8, 8, 8

======

Pull-ups
14, 9, 8, 7

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
185lb x 10, 10

Cable rows, neutral grip
90lb x 12, 12, 12

Reverse dumbbell flies
17.5s x 15
20s x 15, 15, 15

======

Chest and biceps

Deadlifts
140lb x 10
210lb x 8, 8, 8

======

Bench press
95lb x 10
125lb x 5, 5, 4, 4

Decline bench press
90lb x 12, 12
100lb x 7

Incline dumbbell bench press
35s x 12, 11, 9

Machine flies
80lb x 12, 10, 10

======

Dumbbell curls
20s x 15, 15, 15

Wide grip barbell curls
70lb x 10, 10, 9

Machine preacher curls, neutral grip
37.5lb x 13, 13, 11

Back and calves

Bench press
110lb x 8, 8, 8, 8
Feet anchored, powering arms up!

======

Wide grip pull ups
12, 10, 8

Deadlifts
130lb x 10
230lb x 5, 5, 5

Neutral grip pull downs
90lb x 12, 12, 12
90lb/70lb/50lb x 12/7/8

Machine rows, wide grip
80lb x 10, 10, 10

======

Barbell calf raises on step
155lb x 15, 15, 15

45 degree calf raises
175lb x 40, 40

Chest and biceps

Better.

Deadlifts
135lb x 10
205lb x 8, 8, 8

======

Bench press
95lb x 10
125lb x 5, 4, 4, 4

Incline bench press
100lb x 10, 8, 7

Machine flies
80lb x 13, 12, 11

======

Rotating dumbbell curls
30s x 10, 10, 10 per arm

Standing barbell curls
65lb x 12, 12, 12

Barbell preacher curls
55lb x 10, 10, 10