Strength.. with a dash of size.

Aspiring

Got a lot done today in the gym, and managed to not prioritise bench for probably the first time ever :pac:

Squat:
1x4x100kg
3x5x95kg

Pull ups:
1x10
3x5x12.5kg

Dumbbell bent over row:
3x5x30kg

Deadlifts:
1x5x110kg

Bench:
1x3x90kg
3x5x80kg

Feels great to be deadlifting again. I know I could have went heavier but I'm trying to stick to 5 reps for now. By the time I hit the bench I was absolutely fried haha, it's interesting to compare your performance when you're completely fresh to when you're bolloxed

Aspiring

Squat:
3x5x97.5kg

Overhead press:
3x5x45kg

Dumbbell overhead press:
2x5x20kg

Aspiring

Bench:
5x5x85kg

Squat:
3x5x100kg

Deadlift:
1x5x115kg

Made it through three squat sessions in a week! Followed Starting Strength almost exactly to the letter ever the last week. It's probably the most intense thing I've done in the gym to date. DOMS like never before haha.

I think I'll keep doing it for the next few weeks on a Thursday/Saturday/Monday basis like I did this week.

Darrenon91

how long would that workout take you? Do you just stick to the three exercises or would anything in between?

Aspiring

Darrenon91 wrote: »

how long would that workout take you? Do you just stick to the three exercises or would anything in between?

Usually takes me under an hour, sometimes even less than 45 mins. I'm just sticking to the three exercises per workout for now, nothing else in between. Trying to stick to the following two workouts for the moment:

A:
Squat
Bench
Deadlift

B:
Squat
Overhead Press
BB Row

Aspiring

Squat:
3x5x102.5kg

BB overhead press:
3x5x47.5kg

BB row:
1x5x65kg
3x5x70kg

Found a good starting point for rows, haven't done them in a while. Form really coming together for press, sets were easier than last week despite being heavier.

Aspiring

Squats:
3x5x105kg

Bench:
3x5x87.5kg

Deadlift:
1x5x120kg

Switched to sumo deadlifts, they felt a lot less harsh on my back which is great. Had a match earlier today but decided to do legs anyway, well worth it.

Aspiring

Squat:
3x5x107.5kg

Overhead press:
3x5x50kg

Row:
3x5x72.5kg

Pull ups:
1x10

Sleep deprived workout today, squats were hell . Exams this week but hoping to go Thur/Sat/Mon again.

Aspiring

Squat:
3x5x110kg

Bench:
3x5x90kg

Deadlift:
1x5x125kg

Squats were much smoother today. Used a few mental cues to help my form. Deadlifts were easier than they have been for weeks. Bench was grand, last rep a grinder as usual. All in all progress is great the last few seeks

Aspiring

Squat:
3x5x112.5kg

Overhead press:
1x5x52.5kg
2x3x52.5kg

Barbell rows:
3x5x75kg

Disappointed with the press, I think it was down to the fact that I hadn't recovered properly from Thursday's benching than anything. I couldn't feel my back being used at all doing the rows after the three sets, so I decided to do a set of pull ups then try a 1x5 again. Turns out even if you don't feel some muscles being used, they still are couldn't manage one rep.

Aspiring

I've been reading up on deadlift form, turns out my current technique is a "semi-sumo" and not sumo as previously stated here. Apparently it's closer to a conventional deadlift than a sumo. All I know it feels incredibly powerful off the floor, and at lockout, so I think I'll keep at it and I'd advise anybody reading this who deadlifts to give it a go.

This is pretty much my exact form on the right, except my feet are probably a bit closer together:

Aspiring

Squat:
3x5x115kg

Bench:
3x5x92.5kg

Deadlift:
1x5x130kg

Changed my foot positioning a bit for squats, felt much easier out of the bottom.

Aspiring

I've decided to keep bulking for the rest of May and June. Hoping to keep going with the starting strength style progression for squats, deadlifts and rows for the foreseeable future. As for bench and overhead press, once I hit 3x5x105 (optimistic) for the bench and 3x5x60 for the OHP, I'll begin to add reps each workout rather than weight. e.g. for bench I'll do 6,5,5 reps one day then 6,6,5 the next and so on to work up to a 3x8 (6 weeks), THEN add weight. It's a lot slower but it would still be progress so hopefully it works out. I can see the BB row continuing to increase for a little while longer, and wouldn't be surprised if it passes out my bench by the end of the summer (which would be great, ideally I'd prefer a stronger back over chest).

Also a weight update for the first time in a few months: 73.3kg (+0.3kg from last week)
Keeping calories at 4000 for the foreseeable future.

Aspiring

Overhead press:
3x5x52.5kg

Squat:
3x5x117.5kg

BB row:
2x5x77.5kg
1x8x77.5kg

Lowered my back angle a bit in the rows. I was doing them at about 45°, looks around 30-35° now. Trying to get as close to parallel as possible over time, my mobility isn't the greatest so hopefully easing towards it slowly will work. Most people I see doing them are at about 45° but logic tells me the lower your angle the more weight you actually lift with your upper back.

Aspiring

Bench press:
1x5x95kg
2x4x95kg
2x5x95kg

Squat:
3x5x120kg

Deadlift:
1x3x135kg

Deadlift just felt really heavy today, no idea why. Even when I was warming up it just felt heavier than usual. I think it could be because I went straight from squat into DL. Whatever the case may be I'll go for 5x135 again next week. I'm going to give the squats a miss on Monday because I have a match Tuesday and I think my legs need a good rest anyway

Fairly big milestone today, doubled my starting weight for squats of 3x5x60kg to 3x5x120kg. Now to keep going :pac:

Aspiring

Overhead press:
3x5x55kg

Barbell row:
3x5x90kg
2x5x80kg

Pull ups:
3x5x15kg
1x3x17.5kg
2x8

Hex bar shrugs:
3x20x60kg

Well no squats today as I planned. Had the wrong weight on the bar for rows, only figured out after the third set. I was wondering why they felt so heavy threw in some pullups and shrugs to make up for the time not spent doing squats. Back to the usual routine Thursday.

Aspiring

Bench press:
3x5x97.5kg
2x5x90kg
1x20x60kg

Just benching today due to championship gaa this weekend.

Aspiring

I think over the last number of months I have lost sight of what my goal was when starting to lift weights, to become a better athlete for the purpose of football and hurling. I became attached to one aspect of any athlete, strength, and allowed that to become my primary goal. As a result what I have achieved is a poor overall athletic ability. My fitness, skill, speed, agility, size, and more are not up to the same standard as my strength, so I'm not playing at near my potential in sport.

I think I need to begin a program which encompasses all of the aspects of an athlete I mentioned above, and that means stopping my current strength routine.

Here's what I have been thinking:

A (Chest / Legs / Core hypertrophy and strength):
Squats (3x10 - 3x15)
Barbell Glute Bridge (3x10 - 3x15)
Standing barbell calf raise (3x8 - 3x12)
Hex bar deadlift (2x20)
Bench (3x8 - 3x12)
DB Flys (2x15)
DB incline press (2x8 - 3x12)
Stiff-legged deadlift (3x10)

B (Shoulder / Back hypertrophy and strength):
DB overhead press (3x8 - 3x12)
Lateral raises (3x10 - 3x15)
Barbell row (3x8 - 3x12)
Weighted pullups (3x8 - 3x12)
Back extensions (3x8 - 3x12)
Hex bar shrugs (3x10 - 3x20)

C (Speed / Agility / Fitness):
Box Jumps / Depth Jumps / etc
HIIT fitness drills
Agility drills

Week 1:
Monday: A
Wednesday: B,C
Friday: A ( No Squats on match week)

Week 2:
Monday: B,C
Wednesday: A
Friday: B,C

Then repeat.

This means only squatting once or twice a week now. There are a few new exercises in there, and completely different rep ranges, to try shift the goal from strength to size. I'm going to start this routine tomorrow, and judging by the complete change, I will be crippled Tuesday Along with this routine, I will also be going to training/matches/my own practice but the new routine is much more manageable than what I've been doing lately, so this will actually be a nice change, despite looking a lot harder on paper.

Aspiring

Squat:
3x10x100kg

Barbell glute bridge:
2x10x60kg

Standing calf raise:
2x15x50kg

Hex bar dead lift:
2x20x60kg

Bench press:
1x10x85kg
1x8x85kg
1x5x85kg

Incline Dumbbell fly:
2x12x15kg

Incline DB press:
3x10x20kg

Stiff legged deadlift:
2x10x60kg

Well I am truly wrecked after that. The squats were definitely the worst part, felt like I had been doing sprint intervals haha. I think for bench I'll stick to 3x5, I'm not consistent enough in the higher rep ranges, I will keep the assistance exercises in the routine tho. Really like the new exercises, especially stiff legged deadlifts.

Alf Veedersane

Aspiring wrote:

I think for bench I'll stick to 3x5, I'm not consistent enough in the higher rep ranges

Probably just too heavy for 10-rep sets. Your top 3x5 is 95? 3x8 should be okay for 85.

But if it means dropping to 80 to drill the technique, you'll be well served doing it.

Aspiring

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Probably just too heavy for 10-rep sets. Your top 3x5 is 95? 3x8 should be okay for 85.

But if it means dropping to 80 to drill the technique, you'll be well served doing it.

My last 3x5 was 97.5, and I was planning on going for 3x5x100 today until I changed the routine. Yeah I'll try drop the weight and give it another go.

Alf Veedersane

Aspiring wrote: »

My last 3x5 was 97.5, and I was planning on going for 3x5x100 today until I changed the routine. Yeah I'll try drop the weight and give it another go.

The strength is there alright but getting the form solid at lower weight and higher reps will help at heavier weights.

Aspiring

Dumbbell seated press:
1x7x25kg
3x8x22.5kg

Lateral raise:
3x20x5kg

Barbell row:
1x12x70kg
1x10x75kg
1x8x80kg

Pullups:
3x8x12.5kg

Hex bar shrugs:
2x20x70kg
1x20x80kg

No back extensions today because I'm in work tomorrow and will be lifting heavy stuff all day, don't want my back to sieze up. No cardio/speed/agility stuff either, didn't get the time today, hopefully tomorrow after training I will.

Darrenon91

Fair play on going back to focusing on the reason you started gyming in the first place.. to become better at the sport you play. I found myself doing the exact same thing a while back. Program looks good. What kind of agility drills you do?

Aspiring

Darrenon91 wrote: »

Fair play on going back to focusing on the reason you started gyming in the first place.. to become better at the sport you play. I found myself doing the exact same thing a while back. Program looks good. What kind of agility drills you do?

I typed up a huge response there but pressed the clear text button by accident so I'm not writing it out again on the phone here :pac: but the gist of it was that I'm using those small hurdles and doing the usual you do with them and some rope ladder stuff too. Hoping to find a good routine online. If you have any suggestions they'd be greatly appreciated :pac:



Today I was planning on heading to the gym but thought I needed some cardio more. Decided on going for some beach sprints because I know from the past they are fairly tough. I did the following:
1km run
50m suicides with 5 spilts 10m apart.
5x50m sprints with 10 second rest.
1km run


Looking at it there it looks like quite a pathetic workout, but I was nearly on my knees after the suicides haha, always a good sign with cardio. Slowly getting back into it but trying to keep focused on that short distance sprinting that matters most. Was really happy with my turning speed on the suicides today, quads really seemed to get a good going over on the sandy running surface. Hope to get to the gym tomorrow after work, but I have a match tomorrow also so I can't see many squats being done.

Aspiring

Well I've finally found some great programs for agility, strength and hypertrophy.

For agility, I found this which contains 25 drills, most of which I've done at some stage. I think I'll aim to do all 25 in a session, with short rest times, then see how I feel.

For strength/hypertrophy, I've decided for the next 12 weeks to do Wendler's 5/3/1/ BBB (Boring But Big), which is basically the well known strength program, but with more equal emphasis on size and strength. I have a PDF of the program for the next month here.
However, I hope to implement it like this:
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/boring-but-big-3-month-challenge
For the assistance work, I will be switching up between movements to keep it fresh.
I've heard great things about this program, and can't wait to start.

The plan is:
Monday: Squats + BBB
Tuesday: Bench + BBB + Agility
Wednesday: Fitness
Thursday: Deadlift + BBB
Friday: Military press + BBB + Agility

The rest is pretty much down to me, it's all laid out fairly nicely just need to put it in place.

Also, a weigh in: 72.5kg
Not too happy with losing some weight, but on the plus side my body fat % seems to be lower than it has been for years :pac: Bulking begins tomorrow.

Aspiring

Went with military press + BBB today. Had training also so got the agility work in there.

5/3/1 work

Military press:
1x5x50kg
1x5x52.5kg
1x7x55kg

BBB work

Bench press:
5x10x62.5kg

Pull ups:
2x10
1x9
1x8
1x10

Incline Dumbbell fly:
3x10x12.5kg
2x9x12.5kg

Kept the rest between 90-120 seconds for the BBB stuff. I won't lie it was actually a lot harder than I had expected. Even though the bench was light enough, by the last few sets it was a struggle to complete the reps. I think I'll keep the rest nice and short and see if I can reach a proper 5x10 in all the BBB stuff by the end of the month. Also 7 reps the last set of military press, delighted, probably my best lift so far on the press. Squat time tomorrow.

Aspiring

Squat:
1x5x102.5kg
1x5x107.5kg
1x5x110kg

Deadlift:
5x10x87.5kg

Hanging leg raise:
5x10

Never really done deadlifts at higher reps before. Really hits you hard

Aspiring

Bench:
1x5x87.5
2x5x92.5kg

Military press:
5x10x35kg

Barbell row:
5x10x60kg

I was down to do 5x97.5kg for the bench but it seems I've lost a bit of strength. Based on that I've reduced my max in the program for the bench and will continue with the new numbers. Think the loss in strength might be due to not taking creatine for a few weeks and not benching for a while, hopefully I can gain it back fairly quickly.

Aspiring

Deadlift:
1x5x120kg
1x5x122.5kg
1x5x125kg

Squat:
5x10x72.5kg

Ab rollouts:
5x10