Ryan's Journal

Tuesday 14/09/10

BACKSQUATS
5x30kg, 5x40kg, 5x50kg, 5x55kg, 5x60kg

FRONTSQUATS
5x20kg, 5x40kg, 3x40kg, 3x40kg

OVERHEAD BB LUNGES
5x20 (R), 5x20 (L), 5x20 (R), 5x20 (L)

Well I've certainly lost some strength in the time I've been out of the gym. The last set of backsquats was still somewhat of a challenge. I'm wanting to get my backsquats back up to 80kg over then next 4 weeks, so increase by 5kg/week.

I intend to work the bench press tomorrow, at a mild 40kg, and build back up to 60kg over the next 4 weeks.
 
Wednesday 15/09/10 - Bench

BENCH PRESS
5x20kg, 5x25kg, 5x30kg, 5x35kg, 5x40kg

PRESS
5x25kg, 5x25kg, 5x25kg

PULL UPS
6, 4, 4
 
After last Wednesday's session, about 3-4 hours later I started noticing symptoms of a cold/flu, and within a couple more hours I had a nasty fever, was weak all over, had a very sore throat and my lungs retaliated whenever I took a deep breath. My health has been up and down since then, so no training...until today!

Friday 24/09/10

I decided a few days ago that I should start trying to learn the full clean. So...

Front Squats 8x20kg
Lunges 5/side
Power Clean 3x20kg
Drop Front Squat 5x20kg
Hang Clean 2x3x20kg
Full Clean 3x3x20kg

Naturally, technique was a bit sloppy being the first time I've attempted a full clean. I would have done a couple more sets, but a class was about to start in the room I was in, so I went back into the main weights room and moved onto the next exercise.

SQUATS
5x30kg, 5x40kg, 5x50kg, 5x50kg

I'm going to use the fact that I'd just been practicing full cleans as my excuse for why 2 sets of 50kg felt hard.

BENCH PRESS
5x20kg, 5x25kg, 5x30kg, 5x40kg, 5x45kg

After training, I had a 3 hour closing shift in the gym, and in the last couple hours I did several sets of 2-rep chin ups, pretty much whenever I walked past the chin up bar and saw no one else around it. I didn't count how many sets I did.
 
Had another gym floor shift tonight. Afterwards, I practiced my full cleans again before heading to the bus stop to go home.

Front Squats 5x20kg
Lunges 5/side
Power Cleans 3x20kg
Drop Front Squats 5x20lg
FULL CLEAN: 5x5x20kg
 
^ I should add to the above, once again I did sporadic sets of 2 chin ups while I was there last night, and did 1x5 chin ups and 1x5 pull ups at some point.

Wed 29/09/10

SQUATS
5x30kg
5x40kg
5x50kg
5x55kg
5x60kg

BENCH PRESS
5x25kg
5x35kg
5x40kg
5x45kg
5x47.5kg

45 DEGREE CALF RAISE
5x40kg
5x60kg
3x5x80kg
 
So, a couple nights ago, after looking at some of Bill Starr's programs, I did up a spreadsheet for 4 weeks of training using the following exercises and progression:

Squats: 5x5 ramping (1st set 50%, 2nd set 60%, 3rd set 75%, 4th set 90%, 5th set 100%) on Monday using previous week's Friday triple for the weight on the top set; 4x5 ramping Wed using the same weights as Monday's first 3 sets, repeating the same weight on 3rd and 4th set; and 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 on Friday using Monday's top set +2.5kg for the triple, and the weight of the 3rd set for the set of 8 at the end.

Bench Press: As per squats, but with Overhead Press on Wednesday.

Overhead Press: 5x5 ramping, add 2.5kg to top set every week.

Clean: 5x3 ramping, add 2.5kg/session until gains slow down. I'm hoping I can keep up daily progression until I get cleans up to about 50-60kg. Bearing in mind that I got my power cleans up to about 40-45kg before having problems on SS, I think this is a realistic possibility.

Fri 01/10/10

SQUAT
5x35kg
5x42.5kg
5x52.5kg
5x62.5kg
3x70kg
8x52.5kg

BENCH PRESS
5x25kg
5x30kg
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
3x50kg
8x37.5kg

CLEAN
5x20kg Front Squat
5x20kg Clean
3x22.5kg
3x22.5kg
3x22.5kg
3x22.5kg

And did some more random sets of 2 chins/pull ups during my shift.
 
Mon 04/10/10

SQUAT
5x35
5x42.5
5x52.5
5x62.5
5x70

BENCH PRESS
5x25
5x30
5x37.5
5x45
5x50

CLEAN
5x20
5x22.5
5x25
5x25
5x25

One of the other trainers gave me a compliment for my form on the clean afterwards, which was gratifying.

I also did 5x3 Chin Ups with my knees raised at the end.
 
Wed 06/10/10

I entered the gym just after 12 midday, so when I arrived the squat rack was taken. So I did my cleans first, instead, and finally got use of the squat rack towards the end of my session.

CLEANS
5x20kg
3x22.5kg
3x25kg
3x27.5kg
3x27.5kg

OVERHEAD PRESS
5x20kg
5x22.5kg
5x25kg
5x27.5kg
5x30kg

SQUATS
5x35kg
5x42.5kg
5x52.5kg
5x52.5kg

Bent-Kneed L-Chins
5x3
>> My rectus abdominis had DOMS yesterday thanks to including these on Monday. To be honest, before this week I've never done L-chin ups before, and I haven't done much direct ab-work at all for a couple years, but I want to make a habit of doing some core work to assist my main lifts and see if progress is better. But not crunches...oh how I loathe crunches, or anything that involves trunk flexion. My lumbar spine loathes it, too.
 
Weighed myself Friday morning, weighing in at 63.75kg (140.25lb)

Friday 08/10/10

Squats
5x35kg
5x42.5kg
5x52.5kg
5x62.5kg
3x72.5kg
8x52.5kg

Bench Press
5x25kg
5x30kg
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
3x52.5kg
8x37.5kg

I think I'm getting better at making and maintaining my arch. Always a positive.

Clean
5x20kg
3x22.5kg
3x25kg
2x3x30kg
RDL 1x8x30kg

I meant to do a set of 27.5 then my set of 30kg, but accidentally loaded it up to 30kg prematurely, then couldn't be bothered taking the weights back off and putting smaller weights back on. Immediately after the last set, I had the urge to do a set of RDL's, and gave in to that urge.

Bent Kneed L Chins
5x3

Rectus abdominis DOMS is significantly reduced today (Staurday) compared to Tuesday and Thursday, not surprisingly. If my legs will let me (and if I remember to) I'll go for proper, straight-legged L-chins next week.
 
Hi,

I like your training - it's nice and clean. I found adding in some L-Sits really helped with my L-Chins/Pull Ups. Working up to a 30 sec hold without the added difficulty of doing a pull up aswell.

Matt
 
Thanks, Matt. I'll definitely have to start doing them, because when I tried a proper L-chin today, it was an epic fail. My rectus femoris felt like they were on fire just getting into ~45degree hip flexion with straight legs. Lot of work to be done there.

Mon 11/10/10

Squat
5x35kg
5x45kg
5x55kg
5x65kg
5x72.5kg

Bench Press
5x25kg
5x32.5kg
5x40kg
5x47.5kg
5x52.5kg

Clean
5x20kg
3x22.5kg
3x25kg
3x30kg
3x32.5kg

L-Chins
3 x straight-legged - quite failtastic
4x3 x bent-legged

45 degree Calf Raise
5x60kg
5x80kg
3x5x100kg
 
Just got home from the gym. Had a little presentation on our supplements at work, then did about 45 min cardio:

5min rower
15min cycling +2min cool down
5min rower
15min X-trainer +2min cool down
 
Wed 13/10/10

Squat
5x35kg
5x45kg
5x55kg
5x55kg

Overhead Press
5x20kg
5x22.5kg
5x25kg
5x30kg
5x32.5kg -- Last rep was a tough one

Clean
5x20kg
3x22.5kg
3x25kg
3x30kg
3x35kg

Bent-Kneed L Pull Ups
3x4
2x3
 
Fri 15/10/10

Squats
5x35kg
5x45kg
5x55kg
5x65kg
3x75kg
8x55kg

Bench Press
5x25kg
5x32.5kg
5x40kg
5x47.5kg
3x55kg
8x40kg

Clean
5x20kg
3x22.5kg
3x27.5kg
3x32.5kg
3x37.5kg

BKL Pull Ups
4x3

And I did some rotator cuff stuff on the cable machine afterwards.
 
Mon 18/10/10

Squats
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
5x55kg
5x67.5kg
5x75kg -- After the 3rd rep, I wasn't sure I'd make the next two, but I went for them. Things seemed a bit shakey on the last rep, but I got the weight up.

Bench Press
5x27.5kg
5x32.5kg
5x40kg
5x50kg
5x55kg

Clean
5x20kg
3x25kg
3x30kg
3x35kg -- First attempt, I'm not sure if my upper back was too rounded or if I leaned too far forward, but I definitely caught the weight wrong and had to dump the weight. So I rested a bit before trying again, and got all 3 reps without trouble.
3x40kg

BKL Pull Ups
1x7
1x5
1x3

I also tried some L-sits. Not my most impressive performance, let's leave it at that.
 
Wed 20/10/10

Squats
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
5x55kg
5x55kg

I was training in the middle of the day, which is often frustrating as there's a lot of demand for the one and only squat rack at that hour. I wouldn't be so generally annoyed by the high demand for the squat rack around midday if people were actually squatting in it, but half the time they're using it for exercises that really don't warrant a need for it. I was rather pleased that the guy who made sure he got in to use it immediately after me was in fact there to squat. In fact, he's reconditioning himself to get back into powerlifting, which he said he used to compete in back in the 90's.

Split Jerk
3x20kg
3x22.5kg
3x25kg
3x30kg
3x35kg

When I get to the point where I start doing weekly progression on Cleans, I think I'll do Clean and Jerk on my light day.

Clean
5x20kg
3x27.5kg
3x32.5kg
3x37.5kg
3x42.5kg

One of the other new trainers at the gym was on a gym floor shift today while I was training, and he brought a work experience boy to come watch and learn as I did my Cleans. Apparently I make it look easy, which I guess it sort of is once you get form down.

BKL Pull Ups
4x3
1x5

I taught the work experience boy how to spot the standard pull up/chin up today by cupping your handsand holding the trainee's feet, so that when they struggle they can use their legs to get them to the top.
 
Fri 22/10/10

Squats
5x37.5kg
5x45kg
5x55kg
5x67.5kg
3x77.5kg
8x55kg

Bench Press
5x27.5kg
5x32.5kg
5x40kg
5x50kg
3x57.5kg
8x40kg

Clean
3x22.5kg
3x27.5kg
3x35kg
3x40kg -- Almost missed the second rep by having my elbows too low in the racking position, but I pushed them up and managed to sustain the bar.
3x45kg

Pull Ups
Bent-kneed L: 1x7
Standard: 1x5
Windscreen Wipers: 1x6

Standing Calf Raise
3x8x40kg

This will be the last time I'm in the gym for a week, most likely, as I'm going on holidays tomorrow. I plan on spending some time over the holidays learning the Turkish Getup.
 
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