Quagmire911 Lifting Journal

[Quagmire911]

Wednesday

Had another good day today, however this cycle is coming to an end. I've really had to push myself to make Pr's in the last week or two. This is week 7 I think so I can only push myself hard for so long.

Here it is:

Incline bench-3x3-65, 70, 75kg(+clips)(PR)-Two weeks ago I only made two reps with this. The last rep today was about the slowest rep I've ever done but I refused to let it go down. Normally I think I would have let it go but I wanted it badly. I reckon the clips way 1-2lbs, however I'm getting wrist weights so I will sub them in next time I come to do these and no exactly what the weight will be. Progress has still been slow here, I am considering a new approach next cycle. Set up was a lot better today, may have hit this two weeks ago if I had had my bearings.

Dips-5x5-10kg(PR)-Made all the reps. Last time I did these I began dropping reps in the third or fourth set. I think with putting 5kg on flatbench my tri's are responding as these were noticeably easier than ever before.

Laterals-2x6-10kgdumbells(PR)-Couldn't use the 8's because I couldn't find them and the gym was getting worked on while I was there. So I had to up it 2kg which I knew would be fun. I thought I'd get around 6 and I did so reasonably pleased.

Box squats-3x3-95, 100, 107.5kg(PR)-Didn't know if I'd get the last rep or not but again I pushed myself for this. I can tell when things are slowing up and it is happening. Next week I will probably do singles and go for 115 or something. Very pleased.

Good mornings-2x10-60, 65kg(PR)-Wasn't tooo bad. I know I can do a bit more with these but I am gradually adding the weight, I know this is a very dangerous one if you screw it up. I was also getting very fatigued buy this point and had been in the gym over an hour and a half.

Decline weighted situps-2x12-4kg(PR)-I was exhausted but I knew what I was aiming for here. Got the reps and then left quickly.

Well all my big three are at the stage where I have new PR's but the weights are very heavy and hard. I wouldn't be confident in adding any more weight and I know I can't let form degrade anymore as I am already pushing it to get the weights up fast. So I reckon next week I will do singles and then have a week off and come back again perhaps with a slightly new approach in some things, but I'll have to look over the logs first.

A good day today, probably keep the weights the same on rack deads in a few days, until Saturday...

Quagmire

Ps-Have decided a puny 170 isn't going to cut it anymore so I've upped the calories again. For now I'm thinking of going to 180ish at about 10-12% or whatever looks reasonable. Right now I reckon I have 3-6 pounds of fat to come off. How long this takes depends on mainly cardio which I have problems being consistent with. If I do it with good amounts of cardio I could get to 180 and be happy, or I might have to go to 185ish and then bring it back to 180, I'll see what happens but preferably the first method.

 

[Quiksilver]

In a couple years if you stay steady and keep the calories up, you'll be at a lean 200.

It takes time though if you want to do it the right way.

Those are some nice PRs, you'll knock them off the face of the earth next cycle though.

Keep the calories in check, don't go wild, just add an extra serving of carbs + protein each day.

 

[Quagmire911]

In a couple years if you stay steady and keep the calories up, you'll be at a lean 200.

It takes time though if you want to do it the right way.

Those are some nice PRs, you'll knock them off the face of the earth next cycle though.

Keep the calories in check, don't go wild, just add an extra serving of carbs + protein each day.

I reckon I could maybe get to 200 and be fairly lean in under a year. I could have been over 180 by now but I'm not as into the size as the strength. I have more of a take it as it comes approach. Strength/functionality is more important to me than size. When I say take it as it comes I mean more that if size is holding me back then I'll judge where I'm willing to go at the time to help the lifts out. Right now I reckon 170 is holding me back and Im willing to add weight so I've decided to do it.

As for adding food its boatloads of extra yummy proteins and fats ala raw eggs that is getting added Don't need any more carbs apart from my extra veggies at night.

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Saturday

Not a bad day today. Have started to feel sluggish so next week will be the last week. I think this was week 7.

Here it is:

Rack deadlifts 1x3-162.5kg(PR)-I originally wasn't going to go for a PR but I got a good amount of sleep and ate well in the last few days so my energy was decent. As I was adding the weight in the warm ups I decided to put another 2.5kg on. Bloody hard again, glad this cycle is coming to an end, I need a short bout of recuperation.

Rows-2x6-72.5kg(PR)-Quite happy with this. Form was the best it has ever been. Decided 8reps would be too much.

Hammer curls-2x12-12.5kg(PR)-Seen reasonable progress with these. Will include them next cycle. The next jump is to 15kg so I'll have to cut the reps quite a nit next time I do these.

Hanging leg raise-2x20-Probably going to look into doing something else here, too hard to add weight. Maybe Turkish get ups would be an idea.

Next week I reckon I will do some singles and see how that goes. However here is the progress of the last 7 weeks:

Box squats-97.5kgx3 to 107.5kgx3
Flat bench 77.5kgx3 to 80kgx3
Incline bench 72.5kg to 76kg(or thereabouts)
Deadlifts 140kgx3 to 150kgx3
Rack deads 145kgx5 to 162.5kg x3

Happy with deads and in particular squats, although I still want to get them higher and will next time around. Might try some sumo deads or something next cycle as they helped me last time I slowed up with deads. Maybe alternate regular and sumo and take away the rack and see how that goes. Bench I am still disappointed with, perhaps I expect too much but I think the progress has been piss poor. I have been working on form a lot this week as a possible issue. I am thinking of going higher rep with the bench next cycle and seeing how that works for me. Maybe 8 reps or something for a change, and perhaps try new grips. I also got the wrist weights today so will be able to progress in 2/3lbs increments which may help. Squats I may keep the same and deads up to 5 or 6. A few things to think about.

Until Wednesday,

Quagmire

Ps-I think I MAY now understand this elbow tucking in business with bench. I ask those with experience, when you "tuck" your elbows would a good way to describe how it feels be as they go from out to tucked your lats tense up? Thanks for any input.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Ps-I think I MAY now understand this elbow tucking in business with bench. I ask those with experience, when you "tuck" your elbows would a good way to describe how it feels be as they go from out to tucked your lats tense up? Thanks for any input.

yep, that's actually what you should be feeling. I always get lat soreness after any sort of pressing movement for this reason.

see what I told you about squats and deadlifts increasing easily where bench is generally slow. you did make some progress though which is good.

I am thinking your bench accessory work may need to be higher rep, so far we've gone with a low-mod rep range with these your last two cycles and progress has been equally slow.

maybe something like 3 x 10 db presses with a strict pause. after your maxes next week we'll see what we can do. you may also need extra tri work as I notice your dips and close grips progress slowly.

ps - don't worry about adding weight to abs exercises, you are not at a PR war with these

 

[Quagmire911]

yep, that's actually what you should be feeling. I always get lat soreness after any sort of pressing movement for this reason.

see what I told you about squats and deadlifts increasing easily where bench is generally slow. you did make some progress though which is good.

I am thinking your bench accessory work may need to be higher rep, so far we've gone with a low-mod rep range with these your last two cycles and progress has been equally slow.

maybe something like 3 x 10 db presses with a strict pause. after your maxes next week we'll see what we can do. you may also need extra tri work as I notice your dips and close grips progress slowly.

ps - don't worry about adding weight to abs exercises, you are not at a PR war with these

I have had quite a lot of progress with bench since I started, it's just the bulk of the progress was in the first few months. Bloody newbie gains made me expect more dammit! I still think things have been a bit too slow with it recently.

Anyway thanks for the confirmation and the input-appreciated as always. Haven't forgotten about the commendation Will talk with you later next week,

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Well in short I won't be maxing out this week.

The long version:

In the last year and a bit I have felt a gradual worsening of general well being. Energy levels fluctuating, tirdness, irratability etc. It has never been enough to justify a visit to the doctor although in retrospect perhaps it would have been a good idea. Well in the last week or so I've had a ringing in my ears and began to feel dizziness at points. Yesterday it came to the point where I had to go to the doc. Initial stuff wasn't too bad, he said there wasn't anything wrong with me on the surface. He then took my blood pressure and said it was higher than normal for my age but that that reading cannot definitively conclude that I have high blood pressure. I am pretty sure weightlifting causes BP increase temporarily although over how long I don't know. Not only that but it could just have been a day where stress or whatever had affected it. So that will be tested again. Those rack deads were intense on Saturday.

So he said I may have a viral infection and to take it easy for a couple of days although he didn't seem terribly sure on that one. I am going to get my blood tested next Friday so that will hopefully make something clear and then I'll be on the road to recovery. Hopefully some metal or something is out of whack and it can be easily remeded. I just hope to god that my cholestrol is normal as I have been battaling that one with the parents for a long time on a count of the egg front and would hate for them to have any evidence to support there clear insanity.

So weights are off for at least a week which I am very pissed at. Was looking forward to some singles. I'll see how I feel next Wednesday and maybe then I can begin a light week. Hopefully I will then minimise time off and by the second light week have an answer and treatment to what is wrong before heavy training recommences.

Next cycle will be higher rep, I had stated this before but I think on a case of the BP front it is more justified at least for the time being and also for whatever else may be wrong. Higher reps with a bit less intensity but hopefully not forever I would say myself that if weights had contributed at all to whatever is wrong that it would be deads as I can feel pretty funny after a near failure set. I will look at my breathing and stuff to see if this could be aggravating anything.

Well that is it for the time being, hopefully won't be too long before I'm back with the iron. I'll probably post up a new routine before my first workout which as I say, will hopefully be next Wednesday. Until then,

Quagmire

 

[BluEyes]

It's likely just your body fighting off the infection... How long since you've taken an extended break? One week is enough to revitalize some parts of the body, but the immune system is a very picky thing. Blood pressure can be okay sometimes, if you have a cold or something. Just make sure you don't have a high tri. count .

I remember the last time I was in the hospital, it was after an injury(was in a fight... swung at the other guy in a park and he moved away just in time, causing my fist at top speed to strike a playground steel pole.)

The nurse said my blood pressure was TOO LOW. Then the doc came in and she said it was normal for people who work out to have low bp.

Get it cleared up dude, and more importantly get well. Take a mental and physical holiday this week.

 

[Quagmire911]

Just making a post for the new routine. Will hopefully be starting light on Wednesday, will see how I feel. Been feeling better as the days have gone by. Blood test on Friday will hopefully clear things up. Anyway, here it is:

Wednesday

Flat bench 2x6
Incline dumbbell bench 3x5
Laterals 2x8
Box Squats 3x3
Good mornings 2x10
Decline Weighted Abs 2 x 10


Saturday-A

Deadlifts 2x6
Hyperextensions 2x15
Chinups 2x(failure)
Hammer curls 2x10
Hanging leg raise 2x15

Satuday-B

Sumo deadlift 2x6
Hyperextensions 2x15
Rows 2x8
Hammer Curls 2 x 10
Hanging leg raise 2x15

---Not too many changes. Higher rep ranges on a few exercises and the addition or subtraction off one or two exercises. View is still to be getting stronger. Weight wise I was aiming up until the health complications. Right now I am really eating for maintenance until I get sorted out. Then I'll review things once I am on the road to recovery.

I remember Quik mentioned goals at one point. Whilst I mainly believe in just putting weight onto the bar as often as possible, it can be good to set something out. I was trying to think of goals to mark my first year of training, but had trouble deciding when I should make the end of the first year, as I have had time of from injury etc. All in all I have missed around 8weeks since I started in February, so I will set the end of the first year at around March 31st 2008, give or take a few days. This is of course assuming I have no further time off. If I do then I will adjust it accordingly. So, here are some strength goals by the end of March, current maxes in brackets:

Bench press-100kgx1-(80kgx3)
Squat-140kgx1-(105kgx3)
Deadlift-180kgx1-(150kgx3)

--This will get me over 200, 300, 400 respectively. Which seems good to me. All of these lifts are completely raw. I can only guess at my current one rep maxes. Maybe something like 87.5kg, 117.5kg and 165 kg. I fully intend on getting these. Most ambitious is the squat, however I have done 107.5kgx3 on the box last cycle so it is hard to say what my true max is. It should be hard, but it is not impossible. I hope I make it.

Anyway, that is it for today, until Wednesday (hopefully)

Quagmire

 

[Quiksilver]

You're gonna love sumo deads if you've never done them before! I find my upper body got a decent workout doing them, as well as core.

Those goals look decent as well, I think you won't have a problem hitting 300 on squats by march, end of march even. Work out how many squat sessions you're gonna have between now and then, then how much weight youll have to slap on the bar each time, and put a tiny bit more than that on each time to make up for plateaus/injury/break.

About the health complications, start downing chicken and tuna until you figure it out. I might go get some blood work done soon too.

Get back on the line, soldier!

 

[Quagmire911]

You're gonna love sumo deads if you've never done them before! I find my upper body got a decent workout doing them, as well as core.

Those goals look decent as well, I think you won't have a problem hitting 300 on squats by march, end of march even. Work out how many squat sessions you're gonna have between now and then, then how much weight youll have to slap on the bar each time, and put a tiny bit more than that on each time to make up for plateaus/injury/break.

About the health complications, start downing chicken and tuna until you figure it out. I might go get some blood work done soon too.

Get back on the line, soldier!

Lucky for me I have done sumo's before Albeit for a brief spell. We'll see how it goes with the squats, I wanted ambitious but doable goals and I think they are reasonable. Goals are there to keep you on track, but it is nice to do more than you hoped for.

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Wednesday

First light workout. Have been feeling gradually better but still not normal. Today was light and not taxing though so there were no bad side effects. Here it is:

Flat bench-2x6-40kg
Incline dumbbell bench-3x5-12kg
Laterals-2x8-5kg
Squats-3x3-60kg (Didn't bother with box cause it's light)
Good mornings-2x10-30kg
Decline sit ups-2x10-Bw

Just going through the motions, trying to to get form spot on. It is so much easier when the weight is light. Think I have got the elbows tucked properly, although I will take care with this. Had the funny feeling in my legs that I knew I would get. Always happens first workout back. Strange. Anyway that is it for today, until Saturday...:box:

Quagmire

 

[Quiksilver]

I don't know whether I should be saying "Take it slow" or "Put your ass into it *****!"

Once you're back in fighting form, wanna start a race to 275 Bench?

It's gonna take a long time to get there, but hey some friendly competition should speed things up!

We're still racing to 405 dead, right? --

I'm going to ask my parents to borrow a video camera(the only one we have is precious to them, so its iffy right now until i get my own), so when I beat your ass to both milestones, I can back it up with evidence

 

[Quagmire911]

I don't know whether I should be saying "Take it slow" or "Put your ass into it *****!"

Once you're back in fighting form, wanna start a race to 275 Bench?

It's gonna take a long time to get there, but hey some friendly competition should speed things up!

We're still racing to 405 dead, right? --

I'm going to ask my parents to borrow a video camera(the only one we have is precious to them, so its iffy right now until i get my own), so when I beat your ass to both milestones, I can back it up with evidence

Whilst what you say might become reality, it doesn't matter as you have a good two years on me

You're lilkley to beat me to the bench but if you keep womaning it up on the deadlift then I'm afraid it's gonna be mine

 

[Quagmire911]

Got the blood taken today so it'll be about a week until the results. Until then I should be fine to gradually increase intensity.

Got the blood pressure retaken. My results a few weeks ago were something like 160/80 and my results today were around 137/67 which is a lot better. My guess is that the strenuous deadlifts caused the first readings and the second set might be slighlty raised from squats the other day. However it is in the normal range so that is good. Couple of the oldies in my family have high BP so it's something I'll need to watch. Will get it checked every so often. Went to the steam room and had a swim around afterwards, which is always good fun.

Anway just a quick update, until tommorow,

Quagmire

 

[Warboss Alex]

as you gain weight you'll find your baseline BP may increase, and even more so during heavy training periods. but hey, no-one said this stuff was healthy.

 

[Quagmire911]

Monday

Well, I decided to skip Saturday and do the workout on Sunday instead. Bad plan. Bus drives by me and I wait an hour for the next one that doesn't turn up. Man was I pissed. So instead I had to go to the uni gym today, I figured however that it would be alright since I am still going light and I still have two days until Wednesday.

Here it is:

Deadlifts-2x6-110kg-Hate getting back into deads after a week off. Seems because CNS is still on holiday or something along those lines it becomes harder than it should be. Would have hated to attempt 140ish which is what I'll roughly be doing in week or two.

Chins-3x5-BW-Really concentrated on form. Felt good. I was still thinking about changing something here, maybe a 5x5 and then progressively add weight. Was going to go with 2xmax but I think another approach might be in order. Will think about it.

Hammer curls-2x10-8kg-Not to bad. Think I had a twinge in my right arm, perhaps just beacuse everything was unused. Noticed my vein must have popped or something from the chins as there was some blood under the skin, where the blood was taken. Cool. Nothing serious though, should be healed up in a few days.

Hanging leg raise-2x10-BW-Easy.

Well not much to say. Deads were a little heavy but that is always the case first workout back. Part from that....until Wednesday,

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Wednesday

Meant to be "light" today, haha. Not a good day. My legs are playing up again. This must be dealt with. Here it is:

Flat bench 2x6-60kg-Hardish but definitely could have done more, roughly what I was aiming for. The weight being able to tax me, but not near failure.

Incline dumbell bench-3x5-20kg-Much the same as flat, but a little easier.

Laterals-2x12-6kg-Same again really.

Squats-3x3-95kg-Some words to describe my frustration-****, ****, why me, bastard, ****.....you get the picture. I am completley perplexed. Was going for the same kinda thing as with bench. Was actually going to work up to 100 but my god. The weight was crushing me into the ground, on the last set I was incredibly near failure, form was not good. I do not understand how 3 months ago I do 85x20 but now 95x3 is causing me so much difficulty. Coupled with the fact I did 107.5x3 on the box. I got good sleep, I have been eating like a horse, I did do those deads on monday but my back was only slightly worked from that. Afterwards my back is actually slightly strained and my quads feel like they are going to cramp going down stairs. During the set I could feel myself leaning forward (signalling weak lower back? deads 150x3?) and my quads were screaming at me to stop. This is dreadful, thinking all sorts of things but I am going to clear my head and then have a think about it tonight. Go next week with an open mind? Screw it and get straight back into 20 reppers which always did wonders? We shall see...

---Good mornings and decline sit ups were scrapped due to the slightly strained lower back and a general onset of depression.

Until Saturday...hopefully sumos will make me feel like a man again,

Quagmire

 

[Warboss Alex]

or why don't you just stop thinking, put this down to a bad workout (they happen) and see what happens next week.

 

[Quagmire911]

or why don't you just stop thinking, put this down to a bad workout (they happen) and see what happens next week.

That's why I was going to let my head clear