Sorry for my absence!

Hey guys, I know it's been a long time since I've posted here. Sorry. I still make it to the gym at least twice a week. Unfortunately, I can't even remember the last time I trained my deadlifts...

Just wanted to give a quick update on where my squat and bench are.

Bench:
Max: 210
1x3: 195
1x5: 185

Squat:
Max: 345
1x3: 315
1x5: 295

All of this is at roughly 185-190 pounds bodyweight.

Passover is coming, so I'll probably lose some weight, goal is to be around 175, but not lose strength.

Been too long since I've last posted

Hey guys, sorry for my absence from the blog. I have been working out, just forgot to post stuff. Gonna try to be better. As you guys may know, I won't be competing in the Feb meet anymore because I have a job career day and potentially some interviews.

Bench:
warmups
175x3@9
185x3@10-
190x3@10

Incline Bench:
135x8x2

accessory work

11.29.11--Bench

Forgot to post this last Tuesday... had a busy week.

Bench:
165x5@9-
170x5@9
175x5@10-
175x5@10
175x4@10+

Isolateral Bench and Isolateral Incline Bench
3 sets each

chest, shoulder, triceps accessories

11.28.11--Squat

Squat:
warmups
265x5@9
275x5@10
Had to stop because felt like I was gonna puke or pass out

Leg Press:
3 plates each side x 8@9+
3 plates and a quarter on each side x 6 @10
Had to stop because I felt like I was gonna puke or pass out

Just decided to end the workout there... don't know if my shittiness was caused by exhaustion or chinese food I had for lunch not sitting well, but just wasn't working for me.

11.19.11--Meet Write-Up

Competing in the 82.5 kg (181.7 lbs) weight class
Body weight at weigh in: 90.3 kg (178.89 lbs)
Body weight after my last deadlift attempt: 185.3 lbs
Hooray weight maniuplation!!!

Squat:
1. 140 kg (308.6)- 3 whites. Nice and easy opener to get into the meet
2. 150 kg (330.7) -1 white, 2 bullshit reds. I don't have an angle from the side, but every time I watch the clip of this lift, I have no doubt I hit depth
3. 150 kg (330.7)- 3 whites. Easy weight. Would've liked to go for more, but went conservatively. 22.5 kg (50 lb) meet PR

Bench Press:
1. 85 kg (187.4)-3 whites. Easy opener
2. 90 kg (198.4)- 3 whites. Felt good, but back was cramping.
3. 92.5 kg (203.9)- 2 whites 1 red. Got hard where it normally does, but once I got it to where I can activate my triceps, it was smooth sailing. 7.5 kg (16.5 lb) meet PR, 3.9 lb PR

Deadlift:
1. 170 kg (374.8): 3 whites. Easy opener.
2. 182.5 kg (402.3): 3 whites. Easiest that has ever felt. 7.5 kg (16.5 lb) meet PR
3. 200 kg (440): 3 reds. Ripped it off the ground, but it was too far from my body and when I pulled it closer, it knocked into me, causing me to lose my balance and fall back. Oh well, I decided to go big and I don't regret it.



Total: 425 kg (937 lbs); 37.5 kg (83 lb) meet PR

11.10.11--Bench

Bench Press:
(including warmups for meet prep)
barx10
95x5
135x5
165x2
180
Attempt 1:
190@9-
Attempt 2:
200@10
200@10

3 second Pause Bench:
155x3@9
160x3@10
160x3@10

Decline Bench:
165x5@9
175x5@10-
185x5@10

Shoulders, Triceps, Chest Accessories

Projected Meet Attempts:
1. 85 kg (187.4 lbs)
2. 90 kg (198.4 lbs)
3. 92.5 kg (203.9 lbs)

11.9.11-Squat

Squat:
Given that I can triple 315, I feel pretty good about that being my opener. Including warmups here for reference when meet comes around
barx5
95x5
135x5
185x3
put on belt
225x3
275
295
Attempt 1:
315@8+/9-
Attempt 2:
335@10- (much better now than when I attempted this last time. For sure got depth, but my walkout sucked by taking twice as long as it should've to get my feet set)
335@10+ (much better set up. unquestionable depth. Grinder on the way up, but a good lift still)

Leg Press Machine:
3 plates on each side x8
3 plates and a quarter on each side x 6
4 plates on each side x5

Ellyptical (cardio)
16 mins, 200 calories burned.

So to sum up, plan for the meet re squats:
1) 142.5 kg (314.2 lbs)
2) 150 kg (330 lbs)
3) 155 kg (341.7 lbs)
Does this sound good? Should I open lighter? heavier 2nd and 3rd attempts?

11.4.11--Bench

Bench Press:
warmups
185x3@9
190x3@10+ PR
185x3@10

3 second Pause Bench:
155x3x3 @9,10,10

Decline Bench:
155x5@9
175x5x2@10,10

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

11.2.11--Squat

Squat:
warmups
295x3@9
305x3@10-
315x3@10+ PR
On all of these I was doing the first rep at probably an inch below parallel just to make sure I can do that for the meet, 2nd and 3rd reps were usually around parallel or a little high

Leg Press Machine
3 plates on each side x 8 x 3

Leg Extensions Machine

10.28.11--Deadlift

Deadlift:
warmups
315x3@9-
345x3@9+
was debating about going for a third set around 360 lbs, but decided to go conservative with the meet coming up.

Hamstring Curls Machine
Hypers
Abs

Calling out Darvin

Yo Big D,

I'm calling you out. Our squat and bench are nearly identical at this point, and I'm not too far behind in deadlift either. Might as well make some competition out of it (even if we aren't training together). What do you want to race to?
Squat: 365?
Bench: 225?
Deadlift: 450?

10.26.11--Bench

Bench Press:
warmups
165x5@8
170x5@9-
175x5@9 PR (This felt so good, decided to do another set)
180x4@10+ PR Didn't have it in me to try the 5th one because I paused too long on my first 2 before going touch n go on the last 2, so the 4th rep was a grinder

3 second Pause Bench:
155x3@9-
160x3@10
155x3@9+

Incline Bench:
125x8@9+
135x5@10

Isolateral Chest Press, Isolateral Incline Press, Isolateral Shoulder Press, Shoulder Raises, Machine Flyes, Overhead DB Triceps, Triceps Extensions, Shrugs and Machine Shrugs

Very happy with the 2 big PRs. It's especially meaningful to be able to put up 175 for a set of 5 because I remember that being my max a year ago. Putting up 180 for 4 is also encouraging, because 3 weeks ago I put up 175 for 4, so that suggests that after the meet I should be able to put up 180 for 5 and probably get 185 for 4. I'm hoping I can continue this upward trend so that I can bench 225 by the beginning of next school year

Fatness update: I'm weighing in at about 186.5-187.5 in the mornings. I'm gonna try to gradually lose the weight, but honestly contemplating just competing as a 198 because I may need my fat to get through the winter

10.25.11--Squat

Yesterday I did about an hour's worth of upper back, biceps, and abs yesterday but forgot to post it. Not terribly important. Today, I hit the squat rack on a mission.

Squats:
warmups
275x5@9+
285x5@10-
295x5@10 PR

3 Second Pause Squats:
215x3@9
225x3@9
235x3@9+

Had to call it quits here because not 100% from cold I've been battling. Mucous buildup was too much to continue working out, but pleased with the PR

10.21.11--Bench

Bench Press:
165@8 (this was still a warmup, I guess)
185@9-
190@9-
195@9
200@10-
205xf SOOOOOOOOOOO close. needed probably only one more inch to activate the triceps and allow for my fairly automatic lockout to finish the lift. I will hit this weight next time I go for it.

Incline Press:
115x8@9
135x6@10-
145x5@10

Decline Press:
155x5@9
165x5@9+
175x5@10-

Isolateral Wide Grip Press
Isolateral Incline Press
I feel like the isolateral presses are helping my weakness off the chest a lot actually. I would recommend incorporating this more into cycles for people who struggle off the chest (normal people), though the weirdos who only struggle with lockout probably could benefit from this too.
Shoulder Press Machine
Shoulder Raises Machine
Flyes Machine
Triceps Pushdowns

10.19.11-Squat

Squat:
warmups
285@9-
305@9
315@9+
325@10-
335@? I asked for two side spots on this set, because its equal to my max. I explicitly told them don't touch the bar unless I'm failing and need help. Right spotter got the message, but the left spotter for reasons I still don't know decided to hold the bar while I was still on my way down, effectively ruining the lift for me. I think I would've gotten it anyway, but still really annoying.

Leg Extensions and Calf Presses and Leg Press Machine

10.14.11--Deadlift

Forgot to post my Deadlift workout from Friday

Deadlift:
worked my way up to 315x5@9, but couldn't do more because of me stupidly forgetting my chalk (did 335 for one rep but it was slipping out of my sweaty hands)

SLDL:
225x5x2@9, had a painful pinch of my left testicle and decided to stop. Everythings okay now

Leg Curl Machine:
3 sets

Cable Glute Thrusts:
3 sets

Hypers:
about 100 total at BW

11/12/11--Bench

Bench Press:
165x3@9-
175x3@9
180x3@9+
185x3@9+ This felt really good, could've hit it for a 4th rep, but decided to save it for 190
190x1+f Completely the opposite of the 4th set. Didn't stay tight, exerted all my energy getting that first rep up.

Iso Lateral Wide Grip Press
3 sets starting at 1 plate on each side and working up to 2 plates and a quarter

Incline Bench:
115x8@10- (triceps pretty gassed at this point)
135x5@10
135x5@10

Iso Lateral Incline Bench
3 sets starting at 1 plate each side and working up to 2 plates

Machine Flyes
Shoulder Press Machine
Shoulder Lateral Raises
Machine Shrugs
Triceps Extensions

10/11/11--Squat

Squat:
265x3@9-
275x3@9 (only difficult because I split my boxers on the first rep, which happened to me two weeks ago, so it kinda made me laugh)
285x3@9
295x3@9
305x3@10- PR

Calf Press
Leg Press

10.9.11--Upper Back and Biceps

I have my first midterm tomorrow in Contracts. Took a small break to go to the gym and get some upper back, biceps, and cardio in.

Don't really remember all the weights I did, but I did 3 sets of:

Chest Supported Rows
Cable Rows
Lat Pulls
Incline Chest Supported Row
Iso Lateral Pulldown
Cable Biceps
BB Biceps Curls
Machine Biceps Curls

15 minute Bike Cardio- Alpine Mode

10.4.11--Bench

Bench Press:
135x5@8
155x5@9-
160x5@9
165x5@9
170x5@10-
175x4@10 PR (didn't go for 5th rep because 4th rep was a grinder)

Pause Bench (3 second pause):
145x3@9
155x3@9+
160x3@10 PR

Triceps, Chest, Shoulders accessories

15 minutes on the stairmaster