Return of the King

BossArky

Thursday May 7th: Squats & Deadlifts

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
82.5kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
102.5kg - 1x2
**add belt**
112.5kg - 5x7 ...fine. Video'd last set.
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5 ... video'd last set
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 3x3
---

Fine. Added Front Squats for variety.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Thursday May 7th: Squats & Deadlifts

Squat
112.5kg - 5x7 ...fine. Video'd last set.
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5 ... video'd last set
---

Fine. Added Front Squats for variety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwMYqy1SMFI

BossArky

Friday May 8th: Bench

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
82.5kg - 7x5
**add slingshot**
100kg - 1x3
107.5kg - 1x3
112.5kg - 1x1 ... fine. Video'd. Lifted off myself. Easy.

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+30kg - 7x10
---
Arnold Press (DB, seated, slight incline)
25kg per arm - 3x10

Barbell Curl
20kg - 1x5
40kg - x8, x6, x4 ... which was RPE 10
20kg - to failure... reps somewhere between 15-20 I'm guessing
---

Got through the 7 bench worksets plus 7 superset rows in 26 mins. Pretty handy.

Happy to get 112.5kg in my hands on the slingshot bench as that is what I'll be aiming for on 3rd attempt bench in June comp. Lifting it off alone was easy.

Enjoyed the bodybuilding assistance afterwards. Feeling some nice bicep DOMS as I write this two days later. Also got some nice abs and upper back DOMS from the Front Squats on Thurs night. New exericses = new DOMS = keeping things fresh.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Friday May 8th: Bench

Bench (all paused)
112.5kg - 1x1 ... fine. Video'd. Lifted off myself. Easy.
---

Happy to get 112.5kg in my hands on the slingshot bench as that is what I'll be aiming for on 3rd attempt bench in June comp. Lifting it off alone was easy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_1ZJYSdoPw

BossArky

Monday May 11th: Squats & Deadlifts@6am

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
105kg - 1x2
**add belt**
120kg - 7x5 ... forgot belt. Had to use a random one. Too big. No support
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
155kg - 3x3
---

Back sore as I write this two days after the above. Silly forgetting my own belt at home. Had to use a couple of ill fitting ones - too loose on squat and another too tight on deads. The lack of support caused my lower back to take a hammering on Squats as I caved in at the bottom and quite sore the past couple of days. Will see how I feel tomorrow ahead of next lower body day. May have to switch around and do Bench instead to give back more time to heal up.

BossArky

Tuesday May 12th: Bench@6am

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
87.5kg - 8x4 ... fine, done in 45 mins with rows below.

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+35kg - 1x6 ... too heavy to start with cold hence the lowering of weight in next sets
frame+30kg - 1x6
frame+25kg - 1x6
frame+20kg - 1x6
frame+10kg - 4x10
---

Trained alone as usual on Tuesday morning. Didn't even bother turning on the radio. Got lost with myself in my early morning sleepy head. Back sore from yesterday, so everything felt a bit heavier than it should have, as taking things gingerly.

BossArky

Thursday May 14th: Squats & Deadlifts

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
110kg - 1x2
**add belt**
125kg - 10x3 ... tough as tired. Video'd last set.
---
Front Squat
20kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x5
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
120kg - 3x3
---

Sweet Jesus... Squats hard as was wrecked from beltless stuff Monday morning. Video'd last set.

BossArky

Friday May 15th: Bench

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
92.5kg - 10x3 ... fine, done in exactly 60 mins with the rows below.

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+30kg - 10x10
---

Had to bring bench one day earlier as busy over weekend. Pretty fatigued but got through it alrighty. Threw in 100 rows as the usual supersets.

That was a draining week. Will structure the timing of workouts a bit better next week & bring own belt for Squats.

BossArky

Monday May 18th: Squats & Deadlifts@6am

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
100kg - 1x2
**add belt**
112.5kg - 4x9 ... alright. Lungs screaming and upper back/lats taking a hammering from the high reps
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x3
160kg - 3x2
---

Happy enough. Squats were ok and got my paws on some heavy Deadlifts off the floor.

BossArky

Tuesday May 19th: Bench

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
82.5kg - 6x6
**add slingshot**
100kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x3
115kg - 1x1 ... fine. Lifted off myself which felt slightly awkward but no big deal

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+30kg - 6x10

Lat Pulldown
setting 10 - 3x10
---
Arnold Press (DB, seated, slight incline)
27.5kg per arm - 3x10

Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Used my 24/7 key to access gym alone this morning. Hardest part of the session was getting out of bed at 5:45am. Was good to train totally alone, without even the reception guy in the gym. No music, no fluff, just me, the weights and my thoughts. Looking forward to when I get my home gym setup at the end of the year and can train in this style myself.

Anyway - bench worksets were easy. Threw on the slingshot after to get some overload going on. 115kg for a single was fine.

Did some bodybuilding afterwards as I've been slacking on the bench assistance in the past 1.5 weeks due to rushing workouts.

BossArky

Thursday May 21st: Squats & Deadlifts

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
110kg - 1x2
**add belt**
122.5kg - 5x7 ... pretty handy considering last week I struggled to do 125kg 10x3. Weird.
---
Front Squat
70kg - 3x5
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 4x4
---

Squast were alright I suppose. Just cranking through the reps/sets/weeks to get back up there.

Deadlifts - I forgot I was supposed to be doing triples on the first set, so rounded them all up to 4 reps. Added a 4th set to try out some guys lifting straps. First time ever using them. Liked the sensation of not having to grip the bar, just pull.

Threw in 3 sets of front Squats too for variety as I've been doing the past few weeks.

BossArky

Saturday May 23rd: Bench

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x2
87.5kg - 7x5 ... easy
**add slingshot**
102.5kg - 1x3
112.5kg - 1x3
117.5kg - 1x1 ... handy enough. Lifted off myself. Video'd it

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+15kg - 7x10

Lat Pulldown (V-handle)
setting 10 - 3x10
---
Arnold Press (DB, seated, slight incline)
27.5kg per arm - 3x10

Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Bench worksets were simple.

Slingshot afterwards was easy too. Felt good so went for 117.5kg single with a self lift off. Easy peasy.

Some muppet was outside the gym door reving engine which was great for carbon monoxide poisoning on the warm up sets. Opened side door and saved myself.

Superset the bench and rows with reading 2 pages of Game of Thrones in between sets. Still managed to keep the time between each superset to 5 or 6 mins. Did the whole lot in about 70 mins.

Pretty happy with how bench is feeling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp3m_N-506g

BossArky

Monday May 25th: Squats & Deadlifts@6am

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
110kg - 1x2
**add belt**
130kg - 7x5 ... fine. Video'd last set.
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
145kg - 1x3
165kg - x2, x0
---

Squats were good.

Deadlifts were fine on the first set. A double on 165kg is up there with the heaviest doubles I've ever pulled in the gym. I may have done 167.5kg 2x2 once on the way to my 180kg years ago. First set was fine.

Deadlifts second set - not sure what happened. I was rushing to get out of the gym. It was 8:15am by this stage and I had a work meeting at 9am. Was rushed, set up with feet too wide and didn't really get hold of it properly. Let it go after a half hearted pull. First rep I've failed in the gym in a long time on any lift.

Didn't bother retaking second set or even attempting third. Pretty wrecked from Squats and no point pushing too hard. Happy enough with the first set.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday May 25th: Squats & Deadlifts@6am

Squat
130kg - 7x5 ... fine. Video'd last set.
---

Squats were good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjShgnaXDLs

Alf Veedersane

It's telling me the video doesn't exist.

Or was it filmed in the matrix?

BossArky

Fixed now. Weird - it was a totally different youtube code than the one from yesterday when I checked it just now.

BossArky

Tuesday May 26th: Bench@6am

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x2
92.5kg - 8x4 ... fine. Done in ~60 mins with supersets and reading

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+15kg - 7x10
---

Joints a bit achy from Squats yesterday, so Bench work sets slightly more painful and slower than they should have been. Tuesday is always a day where I'm lifting more fatigued than other days, as it's always back to back with Squats.

Getting a bit bored of doing a million superset rows. Will mix it up after this comp.

Again was reading my book in between the supersets. 2 pages is the optimal number of pages to read to allow the heart rate to come down and the mind to come off the exertion.

BossArky

Thursday May 28th: Squats

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
105kg - 1x2
**add belt**
120kg - 1x1
135kg - 11x3
---

Was supposed to Squat 10x3, not 11x3. Discrepancy due to failing the second rep of set 4 as I went too close grip/high bar and had nothing out of the hole. Almost called it quits after that set. Composed myself, went back to usual wider grip, pushed onwards and smashed out 7 further sets. Perseverance++

Happy to complete the mandated sets/reps.

Didn't have the time for Deadlifts. Wouldn't have been able to anyway as was pretty wrecked from Squats.

BossArky

Saturday May 30th: Bench@6am

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x2
90kg - 1x1
97.5kg - 10x3 ... alright. Video'd last set. Felt worse than they looked.

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+15kg - 10x10
---

Pretty battered from Squats, so Bench a bit harder than it should have been. Alright nonetheless.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Saturday May 30th: Bench@6am

Bench (all paused)
97.5kg - 10x3 ... alright. Video'd last set. Felt worse than they looked.
---

Pretty battered from Squats, so Bench a bit harder than it should have been. Alright nonetheless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNg8Z5dUxZI

BossArky

Monday June 1st: Squats & Deadlifts@6am

Squat
20kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps & belt**
117.5kg - 4x9 ... 2.5kg PR over last cycle. Fine. Video'd last set
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
150kg - 1x1 ... switched from double overhand to mixed grip
170kg - x0 :cool:
120kg - 2x5 ... double overhand
---

Squats were pretty good. The pain level wasn't up there as you'd expect on a high rep PR set.

Was planning a double on 170kg deadlift. It budged slightly off the ground but I gave up. Perhaps gripping it with finger tips wasn't the optimal approach.

Need to practice each deadlift with the same grip. At the moment I'm all over the place with double overhand, mixed grip with finger tips and mixed grip with bar totally in palm. All this changing means I don't know what is best.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday June 1st: Squats & Deadlifts@6am

Squat
117.5kg - 4x9 ... 2.5kg PR over last cycle. Fine. Video'd last set
---

Squats were pretty good. The pain level wasn't up there as you'd expect on a high rep PR set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L082gh6mu7w

BossArky

Tuesday June 2nd: Bench

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x2
87.5kg - 6x6 ... 2.5kg PR over last cycle. Easy. Video'd last set. Worksets done in 26 mins. Incredible - right?

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+15kg - 6x10
---
Arnold Press (DB, seated, slight incline)
27.5kg per arm - 3x10

Inverted Row
3x10
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Bench worksets were handy enough. Breezed through them for a 6x6 PR 2.5kg above last cycle. Cool!

Trained in the evening. Couldn't do the usual 6am today as had an early work meeting. Was working in with 2 other guys. 3 is the optimal number I find for benching quickly. Just enough time to get in and out. Worksets done in 26 mins. Incredible - right?

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Tuesday June 2nd: Bench

Bench (all paused)
87.5kg - 6x6 ... 2.5kg PR over last cycle. Easy. Video'd last set. Worksets done in 26 mins. Incredible - right?
---

Bench worksets were handy enough. Breezed through them for a 6x6 PR 2.5kg above last cycle. Cool!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMxYjRqJNmk

BossArky

Thursday June 4th: Squats & Deadlifts

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
110kg - 1x2
**add belt**
127.5kg - 5x7 ... 2.5kg PR on last cycle. Easy. Video'd last set.
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5
---
Deadlift ... all sumo
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
150kg - 1x3 ... mixed grip
120kg - 2x5 ... drop sets. Double overhand
---

Pretty happy with the Squat PR. Felt handy enough.

Deadlifts felt pretty easy also. Turned the intensity down a notch and just wanted to feel some moderate heavy weight instead of going close to 1RM.

Was a good atmosphere in the gym tonight. Our sister gym is closed for the moment due to an Oly comp ongoing during this week. All of those guys were thus training with us in the "late" session, which was good for me as the gym wasn't empty whilst I was Squatting and the music was blaring.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Thursday June 4th: Squats & Deadlifts

Squat
127.5kg - 5x7 ... 2.5kg PR on last cycle. Easy. Video'd last set.
---

Pretty happy with the Squat PR. Felt handy enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu3DnVhumBY

BossArky

Saturday June 6th: Bench

Bench (all paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x2
92.5kg - 7x5 ... 2.5kg PR on last cycle. Easy. Video's last set.
**add slingshot**
105kg - 1x3
115kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x1 ... self lift off & alrighty. Video'd it

T-Bar Row (close parallel grip)
frame+15kg - 7x10
---

Pretty happy with that benching.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Saturday June 6th: Bench

Bench (all paused)
92.5kg - 7x5 ... 2.5kg PR on last cycle. Easy. Video's last set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Uh-yu0NJfI

BossArky wrote: »

**add slingshot**
120kg - 1x1 ... self lift off & alrighty. Video'd it

Pretty happy with that benching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr__GwfALiI

BossArky

Monday June 8th: Squats

Squat
20kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps & belt**
120kg - 1x1
135kg - 7x5 ... 2.5kg PR over last cycle. Good. Video'd last set
---

Got through the 7 worksets in 66 mins. Felt easier than last cycle even though 2.5kg heavier. Nice.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday June 8th: Squats

Squat
135kg - 7x5 ... 2.5kg PR over last cycle. Good. Video'd last set
---

Got through the 7 worksets in 66 mins. Felt easier than last cycle even though 2.5kg heavier. Nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxItxhgHmGo