JohnnyIrish's Diet/Workout Log

[JohnnyIrish]

Good workout.

Today:

Barbell Bench press: 3x5 PR
bar x 10
75 x 6
115 x 1
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 4.5 (fail)

/\ Nice.. gained 5lbs here! However from now on when I'm not 100% sure I'll make that last rep I am definitely getting a spotter.. F close calls.

Incline Dumbbell bench press: 4 x 8 PR
110 x 9
110 x 8.5 f
110 x 8
110 x 7.5 f

/\ I tried hard to get some exta reps but didn't get much. However, I still was plus 1 rep.. so I did pr albeit barely.

Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 x 8
70 x 9
70 x 8
70 x 7

/\ No gains here..

Skill crushers: 3 x 10
60 x 10
60 x 8
60 x 7

/\ Lost a few reps here..

Ab crunch bench 3x10: PR
35 x 9
35 x 9
35 x 9

/\ next time I'll add reps. Good burn.

Stretches:
squat stretches: 1 reps, each held for 25 seconds at the bottom
Hamstring stretches (good morning stretches): 2 reps each held for 30 seconds

 

[Quagmire911]

Try and not fail, if you don't think you are going to get the next rep, don't do it. You don't want to burn your CNS out.

Keep it up, and I want to see those deads! When are they next up?

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Quagmire:
Rgr that on the failing.
Oh and next Wednesday is Deads .

Today:

20 min elliptical cardio, plus 4 min warm up, 2min cool down

I went at a decent pace.. I'll increase my pace over time (as I push my body to adapt).

 

[JohnnyIrish]

I was hoping my weight/bf would be down this week but instead my body prefers yoyo-ing my weight (yep while eating the same amt of food and exercise each week) lol

I've been doing research on fat burners.. after a bit more research I'll either find one (or a few I want to combine) or I'll see if I can get a company to send me a free sample that I can test in my log here...

Current weight:
Today: 166.0
6/27 165.4
6/20 164.6
6/13 163.6
6/6 166.0
5/30 165.2
5/23 166.2
5/16 168.0

Workout to follow today.

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Felt like I didn't have as much steam as Monday but I had a good day any way ya look at it.

Toady:

Box Squats (2 black boxes high) 2x5: PR
bar x 10
85 x 6
115 x 1
145 x 1
195 x 4
185 x 4

/\ Tough and I knew I couldn't get the last rep for either set so I just didn't do it.

Pullthroughs 3 x 10: PR
107.5 x 10
107.5 x 10
107.5 x 10

/\ I maxed the rack and added a 10lb plate to the pin. However it looks like due to the size of the plates I have to add.. this won't work for much longer (they'll bump into the ground).

Chest supported Row 4 x 6: PR
bar x 8
25 x 4
50x 1
95 x 6
95 x 5
95 x 5
95 x 5

/\ I gained 5 lbs again here.

CoC 3 x 10: PR
Right hand (#1) 3x8 (inch between ends touching when closing)
Left hand (trainer) 3x10 (half inch from ends touching when closing)

/\ Decent improvement. However I found using these barehanded they rip my hand up so from now on I'll try them with gloves on.

Calf Raises 3 x 15: PR
70 x 10
110 x 6
150 x 1
180 x 15
180 x 15
180 x 15

/\ Sucha good burn.. took me 3 minutes to recover so I could just walk. lol

Stretches:
squat stretches: 1 reps, each held for 25 seconds at the bottom
Hamstring stretches (good morning stretches): 2 reps each held for 30 seconds

 

[Quagmire911]

Do not dare put gloves on when training grip :cuss:

Chalk those hands up dammit!

PS-Do you have a machine like this in your gym:

http://www.cwtraining.co.uk/images/ghr.jpg

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Do not dare put gloves on when training grip :cuss:

Chalk those hands up dammit!

PS-Do you have a machine like this in your gym:

http://www.cwtraining.co.uk/images/ghr.jpg

Chalk is to improve grip right? Well I don't loose my grip really. The rough grip of the handles just ripped open two of my calisus.

Ya know I've seen you doing those glute ham raises.. and I've looked but didn't see any at my gym. I'll double check though.

 

[Quagmire911]

The glove makes it harder to grip. Chalk not only improves grip, it will stop calluses tearing.

 

[jahidi]

Nice job Johnny! Your dedication to this is a motivation for sure, one day I want to be like you.

Barbell Bench press: 3x5 PR
...However from now on when I'm not 100% sure I'll make that last rep I am definitely getting a spotter.. F close calls.

Just wanted to comment on this. I bench in the squat rack, got the idea from Quiksilver. Just put the safety bars in a position that is lower than your chest with your back arched, but higher than your chest when flat. That way the bar will still touch your chest when you bring it down, but if you fail, you could flatten your back and not get crushed.

This is a b*tch move if someone is waiting to do squats but at my small gym, we have 3 benches and 1 squat rack. The benches are always crowded and the squat rack is always empty so I'm actually doing everyone else a favour by benching in the squat rack.

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Thanks jahidi! Man.. I wish I started working out seriously when I was your age. Keep up the good work bro! Also know if some old 31 year old dude can do it.. so can you. haha

As for the benching in the squat rack, since the one cage is used pretty regularly at my gym my new Plan A will be to just get me a spotter. Good idea though.

Today:

Good workout today.

Incline bench press (barbell) 3x5: PR
bar x 10
75 x 6
105 x 1
145 x 5
145 x 4.5
145 x 5

/\ Gained 5lbs here and didn't think I'd be able to do it the whole way through. As such the second set I got a spotter. What sucked is I was struggling with the last rep and he assisted even though I think I could have gotten it by myself (hence the 4.5). The last set I got a different spotter who was way better. He gave me a lift off and I got all 5 reps by myself. Sweet!

Dumbell bench press 4x8: PR
110 x 10
110 x 10
110 x 10
110 x 9

/\ Gained 5 reps here. Sweet.

Dumbell shoulder press 3x8: PR
80 x 7
80 x 6
80 x 7

/\ Gained a rep here

Tricep pushdown 3x10: PR
65 x 10
65 x 9
65 x 9

/\ Gained 4 reps here.

Ab crunch bench 3x10: PR
35 x 10
35 x 11
35 x 11

/\ Gained 5 reps here.

Stretches:
squat stretches: 1 reps, each held for 25 seconds at the bottom
Hamstring stretches (good morning stretches): 2 reps each held for 30 seconds

 

[Quagmire911]

/\ Gained 5lbs here and didn't think I'd be able to do it the whole way through. As such the second set I got a spotter. What sucked is I was struggling with the last rep and he assisted even though I think I could have gotten it by myself (hence the 4.5). The last set I got a different spotter who was way better. He gave me a lift off and I got all 5 reps by myself. Sweet!

This is why we do what Jahidi said, unless you have a partner who knows what he is doing.

Good work! Keep it up...

When did you last have a week off/deload? How long have you been running this now?

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Good PR's man...but is it okay for you not to get all the reps? Just wondering

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Quagmire:
I'm not 100% sure (don't feel like looking through my log right now.. I'm tired ha) I'm guessing around 2.5-3 months. However around the middle there for 2-3 weeks I did 2 days a week instead of the 3 and I know that gave me extra time to rest up.. so my cns is probably currently in better shape from that and can go a bit more before I deload.

Speaking of doing only 2/week, next week is my brother's wedding.. so I'll only be hitting the weights twice next week and who knows with cardio.. lol However the following week everything will be back in full swing.

Itallion:
Not exactly sure what ya mean. Do you mean that if I didn't get a full 5 reps for my 3 sets should I still count that as a PR?

If thats it, then as I see it hell yeah. Any way I look at it, it was way better then my last lifting day with that exercise when I only did 140lbs so I gained 5lbs and did 14 reps. Definite quantifiable (numbers wise) improvement is a PR to me.

As for my other exercises.. if I've increased on weight and or reps then I consider that a PR (as long as its my heaviest weight of course.. if I lowered the weight and added reps.. no thats not a PR ).

Oh and if you mean why some exercises don't match up with actual reps vs the target number or reps.. well thats because its exaclty that. My target. When I can meet the reps (or go a few over) with a certain weight on an exercise then I'll add weight and lower reps and work my way back up towards the target number of reps for that exercise. To my understanding thats how progressive overload works. Right?

 

[Quagmire911]

Next week will be good for a deload then.

Try the deload where you cut volume, but not intensity.

So do 1 set only on each exercise, but still try to PR.

It will be time to switch things up shortly. Although you may only need to rotate some lifts...

 

[I-tallionStallion]

I always looked at it like this Johnny - http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1744

The big lifts are what are important for increasing weight. For accessory lifts I'd make sure i could do a weight where i can get every rep.

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Quagmire:
Rgr that. Next week is deload week then with 1 set for each exercise.

Itallion:

Great link..

One of my favorite methods of being progressive is to use reps as the increase and start with 6-8 and add reps until you hit 12-14 and then add a good sized chunk of iron and go back down. You get the benefit of both medium and high rep ranges and the this method tends to keep one from stalling out on a lift as fast as if the rep range remains constant.

Thats pretty similar to what I've been doing for my supplemental lifts and its been working pretty well.

 

[JohnnyIrish]

My internet connection was down all day yesterday so I'm posting now. I had a great day Wednesday.

Video of my first deadlift set (220lbs)

Yesterday:

Deadlift: 2x5
bar x 10
85 x 6
135 x 1
185 x 1
220 x 5
230 x 5

/\ I watched the riptoe deadlift form vid like 10 times before I hit the gym and it really helped. I think my form was just about spot on (except I came down hard on the first rep). Also I added 10 lbs since last time I did deads with my first set and it felt light so I added another 10lbs for my second set and turns out it still felt like I could have done more. Doing 230 this time around felt sooo much better then it did a few months ago.. working my way back up was definitely the thing to do. Next time I'm PR'in *****es!

Did I mention I did both lifts overhanded? Well I did.. and I couldn't have done that before. Even though I haven't been working the CoC long.. they are definitely helping a lot with grip strength.


Leg press: 2x10 PR
345 x 10
345 x 10

/\ The second set I lowered the sled so I went lower then I did the first set (a good amount below parallel). Felt better.

Chins:4 sets PR
7
7
6
6

/\ Gained 3 reps here.

CoC: 3x10 PR
Right hand: #1 2x10
Left hand: #1 2x8, Trainer 1x12

/\ I only went two sets with my right hand because the gripper tore the healed calisus open again. Ok.. time to get some chalk.

Freemotion Calf: PR
70 x 10
120 x 6
150 x 1
200 x 15
200 x 15
200 x 15

/\ Ok since the usual machine I use here is damaged I tried out a new machine and I kinda like it. It felt easier then the other calf press I was using (as I had 20lbs more on there) but looks like it might target my calf better then what I was using anyway. Gave a good burn. What do you guys think?


Stretches:
squat stretches: 1 reps, each held for 25 seconds at the bottom
Hamstring stretches (good morning stretches): 2 reps each held for 30 seconds

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Ok I have been reading around on various fat loss suppliments. To be honest there are frekin tons of them. However some that have been out longer and proven to work more then some of the new flashy items (and the proven ones seem to cost a lot less too.. go figure)

Anywho I ordered these 3:

Now Foods, EGCg, Green Tea Extract, 400 mg, 180 Vcaps
Now Foods, CLA, 800 mg, 180 Softgels
Coleus Forskohlii Extract, Heart Health, 60 Ultracaps

My plan is to start taking CLA the week of the 21st. Then the following week add in the green tea caps, then the following week add in the Forskohlii. The reason being this way if I react badly to any of these supps I'll know the culprit. As for how much of each.. that I still have to determine.

On a side note.. while I don't handle caffeine well the NOW green tea caps above, have very minimal caffeine so I should be ok. We shall see.

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Although I haven't been doing any cardio this week and likely the same next week (however the following week its back on) I'm curious.. why did my weight actually go down this week? This seems pretty random.

Current weight:
Today: 165.6
7/4 166.0
6/27 165.4
6/20 164.6
6/13 163.6
6/6 166.0
5/30 165.2
5/23 166.2
5/16 168.0

Workout to follow later today after I go golfing with my younger brother and grandfather.. which should be interesting/disastrous. lol

 

[Quagmire911]

I see you following the Rippetoe setup, however when you are straightening your back and bringing your chest up your scapula's come behind the bar and your shoulders come above the bar.

It is hard to tell why because the video quality isn't great. Makesure that when you walk up to the bar that it is in the MIDDLE of the foot. You can practice this with just the bar and a plate either side so as you know the right position. I was actually bending down and puting my hands either side of my foot and judging the distance either side of the bar to make sure it was spot on.

I would recommend practicing this over and over with a lighter weight and taking multiple videos and reviewing them. This will get you spot on very quickly. With the lighter weight you can look in the mirror before you start to makesure yous scapula's are above the bar, and you should see your arms coming backwards towards the bar, not above.

You also want to get to the stage where you can walk up to the bar without doing that setup, which will come with practice. As you know I recommend taking videos a lot to makesure your form is spot on, as it slides quickly if you don't watch it-beleive me.

Apart from that, you are getting a lot stronger! So well done. That weight looked a complete pisstake for you, it looked like you could be doing the high 200'sx5. You should be able to at least do 300x1 I would reckon...

And good stuff on succumbing to getting chalk

Remember your weight will be odd if you are recomping. If you are losing fat and gaining muscle the scale won't change much. It is all in the mirror/measurements for someone like you.

For the calf raise, if it feels like it is frying your calfs great. You could just use the leg press if you want-this works very well. This works by putting your toes only onto the press plate and using it like a normal calf raise.

Keep it up!