Quagmire911 Lifting Journal

[Quagmire911]

Thursday

Not a bad day today. I would say I was near to 100% energy wise, maybe fully. It's either that or my ohpress is just down a bit. Here it is:

Oh press 55kgx8x6- Not great. Could be I've just lost strength, could be coming off the cold, could be that low calories affected things a little. Maybe my body likes lower reps on this as well. I actually have never done to well with higher reps on oh press, maybe time to pack that in. It just feels uncomfortable.

Chins Bwx5 Bw+10kgx8 (22lbs) PR- I don't know where the f*** this came from, but I'm not complaining. Bw was 179.8 on the weekend.

Deadlifts 155kg 5 setsx2- Ammonia on the last set, it was the easiest. Was going to do 6 sets but the gym was closing. So quickly:

Sumo deadlift 100kgx25 (220lbs) PR?- This was pretty brutal. I'll count it as a PR. I've done 120-125 for reps before but I can't remember how many. This was a really quick set, if I had more time I could have rested more inbetween and ground some more out. Good challenge. Andy Bolton has done 200kgx26. They are only allowed to rest at the top in that challenge.

That was all. Gym closed at 4pm, I was last out. I was meant to be there around 2.45 but the bus passed me and I didn't get there to 3.15, so I did less than I intended. I would have done more deads, rollouts, and some cardio.

Anyway that is all for today. Until next week...

Quagmire

PS- Talked to a guy I see quite a lot, a light guy. I see him benching and we are pretty much equal. Saw him dead for the first time today and he did 170kgx3. So we are pretty close with me slightly ahead. Difference is he's 66kg and im 81-82kg. He'll be very close to a 3x bw deadlift- 198kg. Pretty cool. He's only been doing it a year too, good genetics.

 

[Being_the_Don]

Thursday

Not a bad day today. I would say I was near to 100% energy wise, maybe fully. It's either that or my ohpress is just down a bit. Here it is:

Oh press 55kgx8x6- Not great. Could be I've just lost strength, could be coming off the cold, could be that low calories affected things a little. Maybe my body likes lower reps on this as well. I actually have never done to well with higher reps on oh press, maybe time to pack that in. It just feels uncomfortable.

Chins Bwx5 Bw+10kgx8 (22lbs) PR- I don't know where the f*** this came from, but I'm not complaining. Bw was 179.8 on the weekend.

Deadlifts 155kg 5 setsx2- Ammonia on the last set, it was the easiest. Was going to do 6 sets but the gym was closing. So quickly:

Sumo deadlift 100kgx25 (220lbs) PR?- This was pretty brutal. I'll count it as a PR. I've done 120-125 for reps before but I can't remember how many. This was a really quick set, if I had more time I could have rested more inbetween and ground some more out. Good challenge. Andy Bolton has done 200kgx26. They are only allowed to rest at the top in that challenge.

That was all. Gym closed at 4pm, I was last out. I was meant to be there around 2.45 but the bus passed me and I didn't get there to 3.15, so I did less than I intended. I would have done more deads, rollouts, and some cardio.

Anyway that is all for today. Until next week...

Quagmire

PS- Talked to a guy I see quite a lot, a light guy. I see him benching and we are pretty much equal. Saw him dead for the first time today and he did 170kgx3. So we are pretty close with me slightly ahead. Difference is he's 66kg and im 81-82kg. He'll be very close to a 3x bw deadlift- 198kg. Pretty cool. He's only been doing it a year too, good genetics.

Heck, he's even lighter than me. It just proves that you don't have to be heavy to be strong.

 

[Fuglydude]

Sup bro... read some of your past posts, and gotta say impressed w/ the progress you're making on your deads! The 429 is probably quite close to my max right now. I haven't deadlifted heavy in over a month, but I'll do a max day sometime this week and let you know how I did.

Good progress on the chins as well. What grip are you using again?

Just to fire you up a bit... I tried doing chins w/ 20 kg (well... a 45 lb plate) and got 15 reps... I'm confident you can do 10 reps w/ 20 kg shortly given the progress you're making. Soon you'll be doing 100 lbs+ ...

Keep it up man!

 

[Quagmire911]

Hey, good to see you making a post!

On the chins I'm using palms facing me. They are going well.

On another note, I got smashed on Thursday after 6 and a half weeks off. I've only been that drunk a few times. Yesterday was spent recovering and eating little. I'm nearly back to normal today and should be 100% tommorow. I didn't intend on having so much, but it happens. I will not go back to what I was doing though, drinking heavily 3 times a week. F*** that.

Still need to lean up a bit but my midsection is better than it was. Another few pounds and I should be good. Then it may be time to gain again.

Will maybe walk tommorow, gym on Monday. Jarred my left thumb on Thursday, don't remember how, but it should be alright by then I think.

Until then...

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Tuesday

Did a bit of walking yesterday, not much. Buses were off yesterday so I decided to go today instead. Odd session today, here it is:

Bench 90kgx9x6 (198lbs) PR- First set was a 1 rep PR. I wasn't really expecting this after last week, but it had been a few days and was only one day. Good stuff.

Squats 100x3 115x3 130kgx3- This was awful, I barley made the last set. My PR here is 8 done maybe a month or so ago. I have an idea about what is going on, more on that in a minute.

Leg press 200kgx10- Legs felt weak again.

Incline DB bench 22kg'sx15x15- Meh. Need to grow the upper pecs .

Hip machines- 3 sets

S.Bike 15 minutes- HR 140-145

That was all. I've done quite a lot of walking today as well. Now on the squats. I noted that I have been using my back again too much which was my problem in the past. It has started to creep back up on me again. This means a lack of hip drive; my glutes aren't activating in the lift. I think it has shown up now because my last two sessions were 137.5kgx5 and 150kgx1. The 137.5 I used my back a lot, not so much on the 150. After that was a week off and then lighter last week (pain in right glute, left quad). I think this has allowed the problem to rear itself further. There is of course the drink which I don't think it is, since bench went well. I also did that 100kgx25 sumo dead, but I don't think that is it.

The hip machines are through in the other gym where the cardio machines are so I decided to go on them, which I should do preventatively anyway. The first set on each was really bad. All sorts of aches and pains. After that I loosened up tremendously and range of motion was better, strength increased significantly, and the pain went away. So something is definitely up with that. So I definitely need to start working on the glutes or at least keeping them active so as they fire in the squat. I actually remember this happened with deads once. My sumo dead tanked and I went on the hip machines and a week later it was a lot better. I think I want to start strengthing though rather than just keeping them active. All the good glute exercises look really gay, but I suppose you have to suck it up. Need that 400/500 ehh?

Well that is all for today. Bw was 178 the other day, waist still 34-34.25" last I checked. Time to get the six pack fully through, it's kind of there. Was out tonight, had one ****tail which is what? 2-3 units at most, so that won't cause any problems. Cardio tommorow, until then...

Quagmire

 

[Fuglydude]

Nice job on the bench! Good analysis on the sub-par squatting performance. The 150 x 1 is probably a little bit more than my current 1 RM... I'll have to match it soon! Are you doing any accessory olympic lifting? Good powercleans will really help your CNS learn how to actively incorporate rapid hip thrusts into explosive movements.... and it really helps when you're pumping the crap out of a girl too! This will hopefully translate into a heavier squat.

As far as training glutes. My ass was kinda sore from doing Zercher squats the other day. I think it might have been because my stance was pretty narrow, but I'm not sure. I don't like to have a really wide stance for squats as my form starts to falter. Have you thought about incorporating zerchers or maybe a wider stance for helping your hip drive? I think your sumo squats (crazy reps by the way!!!!) will also help, but like you said all that work prior to squatting more than likely left your hips/glutes and nervous system kinda tired.

What exercises are you planning for training glutes?

Oh by the way... did 445 (~202 kg) for my max DL yesterday. Failed at 450, but I think I could get it if I hadn't done so many sets leading up to it.

 

[Quagmire911]

I've not done a lot of olympic stuff, I should incorporate more of it.

Those were sumo deads btw, not squats. I've never really thought about zerchers, they look painful haha.

There is this gay exercise I know of for glutes, barbell glute bridges:

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_...raining_performance/dispelling_the_glute_myth

I did the hip machines the other day and the doms in my inner legs are some of the worst I've had. I'll do that as a minimum as a preventative exercise. I think as long as I incorporate them though, they are active and then they come into play on the squats and deads anyway.

Anyway, workout to follow.

 

[Quagmire911]

Thursday

Still not feeling 100%. Drank last night, I was made an offer I couldn't refuse Didn't go overboard though. I've been having the feeling I need to go easy on the squats and deads for a few weeks or something anyway, at least until I'm feeling 100% again. Still had some residual effects from the cold, the 31st didn't help that. Here it is:

DB oh press 30kgx6x6- Not bad. A little down, but these feel better than oh press at the moment. I think I'll follow a similar strategy to bench.

Chins BWx5 +15kgx5- Equals my best. Pretty happy considering I'm not 100%.
Bwx10

Deads 100kg 2x5- Nice and light. Even this got my HR and probably bp weigh up. Squats/deads really are stressful on the body!

External rotation 12kg DBx10x10- Not bad. I'm wondering if some rotator work may help the oh press and bench.

Bi curls 16kg DBx8
Barx15- These weren't as strong as they could have been, but it was after heavy chins, so that will be why.

Hanging leg raises- 2x8

Hip machines- 1x50- Light

S.Bike 15minutes HR 140-145

That was all. I was pretty much trying to get some strength work done, without killing myself, and all this means is taking the deads/squats down a notch. I could push everything else quite hard, but if I had done it with deads I would have felt fuc*ed today. My CNS just needs a little recharge I think and I need to get back in top form. A couple of weeks of this style of training should accomplish that. Strength should stay the same and maybe even improve in some areas. I may even get a boost on the squats/deads .

Did quite a lot of moving about yesterday, but it was under the influence mostly so it doesn't mean much. I ate less to compensate so it shouldn't really have set fat loss back except that I won't have burned anything.

I mentioned in the last post about the doms in my hips. I've only had it this bad once or twice. This was obviously an issue, which is now being resolved as I write this. I did one set of 50 to get the blood flowing to try and expedite their recovery. I had to use 10kg on one of the machines it was literally that painful. It got better towards the end as I loosened up.

Anyway, maybe some cardio tommorow but I may have to get to the hospital (family member) so we will see. I've still got the last few pounds of fat to lose but I'm not so worried about that until I feel 100% again. It shouldn't be too long. That is all...

Quagmire

 

[Fuglydude]

Hope you get back to 100% soon... Thanks for the link. I should really start incorporating glute/abductor/adductor work into my regimen as well. I just wasn't sure where to start. That link will help get me started. I've heard abductors/adductors are actually larger than quads in many untrained individuals. I'm sure strengthening them along w/ doing accessory glute work will help squats/deads.

 

[Quagmire911]

Friday

Cardio:

S.Bike 30 minutes- First 20min HR 150, last 10min HR 140.

Took a 12.5 minutes to actually reach 150, then I maintained that till 20 minutes. Felt pretty good today, maybe back to normal.

Back in on Monday, until then...

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Monday

Felt pretty good today, didn't push too hard though. Here it is:

Bench 95kgx6 PR (209lbs)- 1 rep PR, would have liked 8 though My form is getting a little off on the last rep or two, I think my right is taking more of the weight. Need to watch this.

80kgx10- Downset

Squats 80kg 2x5
Front squat 100kgx1- This felt like a near max. Which is interesting, because I think I've done 100x3 and that was when my full squat was quite a bit lower. This suggests an imbalance of some kind I think. Maybe I just need to do it for a few weeks.

Leg press 200x10 220kgx15 (484lbs) PR- Good, but I have done comparable sets.

Glute bridges 60x10 100x10 120x10 140kgx10- Apart from looking really gay and hurting my abs, I didn't see much point in this. Clearly there isn't a lack of strength. I think the hip machines did more to be honest, different muscles though. I think abb/adduction is my problem.

Incline press 60kgx5- Didn't work right.
Db press 28kgx10- My DB work is s***. I couldn't get the barbell out the rack properly so I switched to this.

Treadmill 12.5mph 4x45s- All I had time for, wanted to get something done. It felt productive but didn't kill me. 75s between sets.

And that was all. Felt about back to normal today. I think after the run I have had on squats I need to take a step back before I can progress again. Might do some single or some other stuff for a while and work on other moves for reps. I'll think of something, but I've been on 5/3/1 for a while with them and it has worked well. I intend to do 20 reppers in the not to distant future when I start to put on weight again.

Not much else to report, until next time...

Quagmire

 

[Fuglydude]

I refuse to believe your 1 RM max on front squat is 100 kg... I'm doing 100 kg x 5 ATG for front squat, and your 1 RM for back squat is more than mine... somethings' not adding up... Maybe try and post a video and we can help you correct whatever form issues you're having. Are you using a powerclean grip? How wide is your stance?

Good job on the bench. Are you finding the leg presses are helping your squat/deads?

 

[Quagmire911]

I doubt my form is great. It could be that it is the first time doing them in a while, but I reckon there is an imbalance there. It would make sense; in the full squat I lean forward to much and overuse my back, you can't do this in the front squat.

Last time I worked on front squats there wasn't much carryover, however I think this time I will incorporate both into the same workout and keep the neural pattern for the full squat up to par.

I use a clean grip yes. My stance is probably just wider than shoulder width.

Leg presses do seem to help somewhat, I think I should include them most weeks. I've noticed that when they go up squats/deads seem to be going up.

On another note my glutes hurt today. Whether the glute bridges did anything I don't know. I actually think it might have been the leg press, I feel that them in my legs quite a lot.

Of to the gym to do cardio...

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Tuesday

Felt good today, pushed it hard:

Treadmill- 12.5mph 45sx5- It takes about 15s to get up to 12.5mph (from 3.5mph) and about 15s to get back down. I maintain that for 30s. I then do a minute walking at 3.5mph and repeat. So 5 times took about 10 minutes. This felt about right in terms of pushing it hard and doing interval training, without killing myself.

S.Bike 15 minutes- HR 145-150- After the intervals I didn't have to keep much of a pace to keep my heart rate up.

I was drenched in sweat after the runs, I guess this is a good sign the old metabolism was on fire. Good stuff. The first interval I did on an incline of 6.5 or something, but that wasn't happening. I know Wendler does hill sprints, but the treadmill is too unstable to be messing around.

My waist was 33.5-33.75" this morning, haven't taken weight in a while. I'm definitely under 34" now though. Which is rather strange, because I've drank over the last few weeks and eaten more carbs. Go figure. I do think I was eating too little at one point, especially with the amount of cardio I was doing. Overall I seem to do better with some carbs in there, just not stuffing myself with them. There is a difference between 4 slices of bread, and 4slices of bread, pasta, potatoes, crisps and everything else a lot people have- this is why they are fat. As long as the carbs are kept in check and you're working hard in the gym, fat loss can happen. For me anyway.

So close to the six pack, it will be mine! I can see it in good lighting, but it's not really there up close.

Maybe a walk tommorow or a moderate session of cycling. Can't push the runs to much. Until next time...

Quagmire

Ps- I have added in green tea, maybe it is helping

 

[Fuglydude]

One of the secrets of front squat is to keep your triceps as parallel to the floor as possible... effectively try and choke yourself with the weight. If your arms stay nice and high (triceps parallel to the ground) then your trunk will stay upright, and you'll have no issues lifting the weight. A heavy front squat in my experience is a great movement for the abs.

Maybe try that next time you're doing fronts and let us know how it goes?

 

[Quagmire911]

I remember that, I'll focus on it next time!

Looking back, I didn't feel stable at all during the rep. It felt like the bar was going to fall forwards. Which means I wouldn't be able to use as much power/strength.

 

[Drum&Bass]

the bar felt like it was falling forward because while your triceps should be parallel to the floor you may not have been bringing your elbows together and up.

Do the exact opposite as you were taught in a bench press..Protract your shoulder blades and bring your elbows IN and UP

 

[Quagmire911]

Wednesday

I'll keep that in mind DB.

Tried to post this earlier, internet wasn't working right. Cardio:

Treadmill 12.5mph 45sx5

S.Bike 15 minutes HR 150-155- Didn't have to work hard to keep HR up. Sweat was pouring off me, much more than when I just do moderate cycling.

Not much else to report, need to get the last of the fat off. My appetite is up doing these intervals the last few days. Under 33" here I come, that has been a long time. On post no.34 of this log, june 14th 2007, I was 156lbs with a 32" waist and I had a decent six pack. That may have been when tensing right enough. I'm not far off...

Until tommorow...

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Thursday

My intensity was high today. No drink since last Friday, that is why Here it is:

Db oh press 32kgx6x5- Noticeably stronger than last week. Good. I have done 34kgx7, not far off that.

Chins BWx5 +20kgx3 Bwx10- Got 4 the last time with 20kg, s*** happens. I think I need to keep it in the +10-15kg range at the moment and keep the reps in the 6-8 range.

Deadlifts 160kg 6x2- This was pretty hard. The good thing about this is that I could work on my form. In the later sets I really worked on keeping my back from rounding, I wasn't paying attention to that in the first few sets. Good stuff.

100kg 2x8- These were done after the power cleans.

Powercleans 60x3 70x3 80x2- Alright, but it will be a bit lower after deads. I should look up form on these again.

Bi curls 30kgx15 Barx10- I was surprised I got that many with 30kg, especially after the chins. Good.

External rotations 14kgDBx10x8- These were done as a kind of superset or whatever with the bi curls as I was running low on time. I did the first set on bi curls then the first set on this then back to bi curls and back to this.

And that was all. By the end my legs were shaking when doing the external rotations. There is no way I could do this kind of a workout when drinking heavily. Usually I'd do less and feel fuc*ed for hours, it is less than an hour later and I feel normal again apart from muscular fatigue. I think alcohol fuc*s with blood pressure and stuff like that, not a good combination with deads etc.

I was going to do some cardio but I ran out of time. To be honest I was sweating like crazy at the end so I think fat loss wise this will have done an alright job. I'm hitting the intervals pretty hard on off days this week so I don't think I needed it. I will be doing them tommorow again.

Good workout, need to get that 200kg deadlift and beyond, until tommorow...

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Friday

Cardio:

Treadmill 12.5mph 5x45s- This was noticeably easier today, will probably increase to 13mph next time.

S.Bike 15 minutes HR 150- Had to work harder to keep my heart rate up today after the treadmill. Fitness increasing again.

Hip machines Add/abb 2x10- Maxed out.

Kneeling rollouts 2x10- These were easier than I remember.

Did the hip and ab stuff cause I was going to do it yesterday but ran out of time.

My waist was 33.5-33.75" again this morning and my weight was about 176.8lbs, and that was with carbs all day yesterday. I'm still right on that verge of my abs coming through properly, mine are quite big so I can see the top ones at higher bf %'s. I'm at that stage where not a lot happens, 11-14% I believe it is. I think I am on the lower end of that. So the next two weeks should make a noticeable difference I think, especially with the intervals. We'll see. My arms and my face have all the seperation now, and I know the belly is last to go. It is noticeably smaller, just not as lined as the arms say.

Been hitting it pretty hard this week, 5 days in a row now. Will have the weekend off although I may go for walks, but I don't count that as CNS intenstive nor should I. Until next week...

Quagmire