I Can Sort Of Do Pullups Now

Workout went by a lot faster than I thought it would.

2×15 bicycles
2×10/side window washers
2×15 hanging knee raises
4×10 angled situps
2×15 pushups
2×15 dips
12/10/10/8 DB bench press @ 25#
1×10 DB fly @ 15#
Full ROM pullovers:
—1×10 @ 15#
—1×10 @ 20#
2×15 invert pullups
2×10 bent rows @ 25#
2×1 pullups
Back extensions:
—1×10 @ BW
—1×10 @ 5#
Overhead triceps extensions:
—1×10 @ 15#
—1×10 @ 20#
2×10 close grip DB bench press @ 20#

Notes:
—The invert pullups themselves are pretty hard, and I’ve realized that from that angle and steeper, pullups get progressively harder. This is good inspiration for some position of flexion training (altering the angle of the lift so I hit different muscle groups).
—I didn’t think that close grip bench presses would be that much harder than normal grip presses, but even at less weight I had a pretty hard time of them.

New Cycle

I’ve started a new cycle in my routine and it’s much more challenging than the last one. I’m aiming to allow myself one full recovery day between workouts, so the going might be a little slower. The overall number of sets is down, but I’m pushing myself to lift heavier weights, and the exercises themselves are more challenging, consisting of compound lifts and bigger movements.

2400m row
1×10/side split squat
1×12 back squats @ 95#
1×10 front squats @ 45#
2×15 seated calf raises @ 8#
2×10 front raises @ 10#
12/10 DB shoulder press @ 20#
12/10 DB shrug @ 30#
12/10 seated curls @ 15#
12/10 2-part hammer curls @ 10#

Notes:
—I’m convinced that I’m either doing the front squat wrong, or that my wrist is thoroughly inflexible and it’s just something I’ll have to work on.
—Was supposed to end the squat circuit with overhead squats. Couldn’t get the damn bar above my head.
—Way I do hammer curls: part 1 - rest my elbows on my legs and with palms facing in, curl my wrists upwards. Once I’m done with the full set of these I move into part 2 - regular full arm curls, except with palms facing in. Once I’m done with this that constitutes one set of 2-part hammer curls.

Armblaster Sunday

I never noticed this before, but I suppose my typical Sunday workouts for the last month have been really unbalanced towards my arms and nothing else. Usually on the other days at least I get two or three muscle groups in. Good thing I’m moving on to a new cycle next week, hopefully the prescription balances out a little more.

3×10 box pushups @ 12″ box
1×12 + 1×10 DB bench press @ 25#
DB Incline press superset:
—2×10 @ 25#
—1×8 @ 20#
—1×10 pushups
DB fly superset (15# -> 12# -> 10#)
Bench rows:
—1×10/side @ 20#
—1×10/side @ 25#
Pulldowns superset (70# -> 60# -> 50#)
1×20/side reverse wrist curls @ 2.5#
6×10 skullcrushers @ 25#

Friday

Started reading “The Abs Diet,” wr. David Zinczenko. Pretty interesting stuff. I’m going to try to integrate the diet plan with the workout plan I’m already using instead of having to get used to a new exercise format, although I will be more diligent about doing my abs workouts, since that’s sort of the point.

1×10 split squats
1×10 lateral squats @ 45#
12/10/8 seated twist press @ 20#
2×10 lateral raise @ 10#
Curl stripset (20# -> 15# -> 12#)
Work up to 2RM Romanian deadlift @ max 115#
800m row

Notes:
—The twist press seemed a bit easy today. I may want to look into using the current weight a few more times and raising the bar, so to speak, in a few weeks.
—The rowing at the end was intended to be an active cooldown/mobility exercise, not an intense aerobic session.

Of Supersets and 2RMs

Well, performed another 2RM today, at the expense of my prescribed ab workout (due to time constraints regarding expired parking meters), this time for the bench press. I’m still not at my comfortable high school levels, but we’re getting there.

5×10 pushups
Bent row superset (20# -> 15# -> 10#)
2×10 incline DB press @ 25#
2×12 full ROM pullovers @ 15#
Pulldowns superset (70# -> 60# -> 50#)
1×10 + 1×9 dips -> fatigue
Work up to 2RM bench press @ max 90#

Notes:
—The rowing superset felt easy this week. Looks like I’m ready to up the weight next time.
—I like the pullovers because I feel like they let me work on joint stability in my arms more than anything else. I imagine these work wonders on exercises that need stability, like DB shoulder presses.
—This was the first time I performed an exercise to exhaustion. I can usually do 20 dips, no problems, but maybe since I did them after the benching, I might have been more tired than usual.

Week of Ambition

Decided to start the week off with a bang and set at least two-rep maxes on all of my powerlifts (it’s hard and kind of dangerous to attempt one-rep max lifts with no spotter). So I started with the squat, with some proud results.

1×10 split squats
2×15 calf raises
2×6/side forward-back lunges @ 20#
DB 21s:
—1x @ 15#
—1x @ 10#
10/8/6 bar shoulder press @ 45#
2×10 incline DB curls @ 15#
Work up to 2RM back squat @ max 120#

Notes:
—Had to downgrade on the 21s because it felt like my biceps were going to explode. This is generally believed to be a bad thing.
—The bar shoulder press is getting easier.

Week 8

This week I move into the final week of the second cycle of the navy program I’ve been diligently following for the last two months… This week I aim to continue to steadily raise my power output (read: resistance) as I have been and by Thursday I might be ready to try for my first work-up-to-1RM lifting session for the deadlift. It would be a nice milestone to record at this stage regardless of how much I actually end up lifting and this way I can also start tracking my month-to-month progress on the powerlifts. This week I also want to start paying more attention to my diet. The ab workouts I’ve been doing have indicated to me that I clearly have abs, but the fact that I can’t see them when I look in the mirror speak volumes about the volumes of food I’ve been eating lately. I hereby set some goals for my diet:

—Eat five meals a day in smaller portions.
—Avoid late-night snacking.
—Derive calories from protein, complex carbs and unsaturated fats instead of grease and sugar overloading.
—Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
—Switch over to more organic foods.

I think that except for the last one, it shouldn’t be too hard to implement these right away. The key is to have enough discipline that I stay away from snacking throughout the day and eating anything after dinner besides maybe a fruit or juice for dessert on a normal weeknight. The organic goal is more of a personal responsibility goal since not only are organic foods more nutritious and less chemical-y, but they are also greener.

Short week

This has been an unconventional gym week. Monday, Friday, and Saturday. I had to cut today’s workout short since I didn’t have a rest day yesterday, but it’s no big loss.

3×10 box pushups @ 12″ box
DB Bench press:
—1×12 @ 25#
—1×10 @ 20#
Incline DB press:
—2×10 @ 20#
—1×8 @ 25#
—1×10 pushups
DB fly superset(15# -> 12# -> 10#)
1×16 + 1×10 + 1×8 + 1×6 angled situps
Pulldowns:
—1×12 @ 60#
—1×10 @ 70#
Skullcrusher superset @ 25#

One day lacking

I missed a workout this week due to school. Boo. Broke my deadlift PR again this week. This is good progress.

1×10 split squats
1×10 lateral squats @ 45#
2×12 calf raises
Romanian deadlift:
—1×10 @ 90#
—1×10 @ 100#
Seated twisting shoulder press:
—1×12 @ 20#
—1×10 @ 25#
—1×8 @ 20#
2x curl super stripset @ 20# -> 15# -> 10#
1×12/side + 1×10/side concentration curls @ 20#

Notes:
—I tried to up my load by at least 5# in all my lifts this week. The twisting shoulder press is easily the hardest to progress in, because of all of the factors involved besides resistance (balance, stability, and fatigue being the big ones. Really easy to get fatigued on this one).
—I might pause my deadlift at 100# for a while so my back can adjust to the heavier load.

Discoveries

Broke my PR on the squat. Plus, a couple of new exercises, and a couple of interesting insights into those exercises. More in the notes below.

1×10 split squats
2×6/side forward and back lunges @ 25#
Back squats:
—1×10 @ 80#
—1×8 @ 85#
—1×6 @ 90#
—1×6 @ 95#
2×15 calf raises
2×10 lateral raises @ 10#
10/8/6 bar shoulder press @ 45#
2×10 synced incline DB curls @ 15#
2x standing 21s @ 10#

Notes:
—Proper form for the squat includes positioning of feet. I think I keep mine spaced too far apart.
—I wondered why this week I had to downgrade 5# on the bar shoulder press. I then realized that last week’s presses were done seating, and assisted.
—The synced incline curls are really tough because they force your muscle to remain contracted through the full range of motion.