Ryan's Journal

Mon 13/12/10

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x72.5kg
3x5x85kg

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
2x55kg
3x5x65kg -- Very happy to finally achieve this. Means that this Friday I'll be going for 3x5x67.5kg, which makes my goal of benching 5x72.5kg by New Years (two weeks from now) seem within reach.

Power Clean
2x3x20kg
3x27.5kg
2x35kg
1x42.5kg
5x3x47.5kg

Standing Calf Raise
6xBW
6x30kg
3x6x55kg

Pull Ups
1x8
1x3
 
Set a couple new PR's today. 3x5x87.5kg for squats, and 1x5x95kg for deadlifts. Pretty happy with that. Will be aiming for 3x5x90kg squats this Friday. My 100kg squat by New Year's is looking achievable at this rate.

Wed 15/12/10

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x72.5kg
3x5x87.5kg

Press
2x5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x32.5kg
3x5x35kg

Deadlift
2x5x60kg
5x70kg
3x80kg
2x87.5kg
5x95kg

Standing Calf Raise
7xBW
7x30kg
3x7x55kg

Pull Ups
1x5 standard
2x5 corkscrew
 
Today's session was, in some ways, a great success, and in other ways, an epic failure.

In the line of success, I managed to squat 1x5x90kg and 3 sets across at 67.5kg. In the line of failure, I only managed to squat 2x3x90kg after my initial set of 5. Afterwards, I decided to try for one more set to make up for the missed reps, but I think I was too buggered by that point, and only got 2 reps out. After that I was so beaten up. I got the feeling I would have done better on bench press and power cleans had I not been so fatigued by squatting. I missed one rep per set on the bench, and only did 1x1x50kg power clean before feeling this was too much work, and just doing 3x5x40kg rows.

The session:

17/12/10

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x72.5kg
5x90kg -- PR
2x3x90kg
2x90kg

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
2x47.5kg
3x4x67.5kg -- let's hope I can get sets of 5 this Wednesday.

Power Clean
2x3x20kg
3x27.5kg
2x35kg
1x42.5kg
1x50kg

Barbell Rows
3x5x40kg

Standing Calf Raise
8xBW
8x30kg
3x8x55kg
 
Well I'm thoroughly buggered. Set some more PR's today. It was a long, tough training session.

Mon 20/12/10

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x72.5kg
3x5x90kg -- Getting all three sets is yet another PR, after getting just the 1 set of 5 at 90kg last week. I was doing squats with another gym member. During the last rep of my first work set, he came over to spot me. Somehow, I'm not sure I stayed true to correct use of the Valsalva maneauvre when I said "Don't touch it, don't touch it, don't touch it!" halfway up the rep. Nonetheless, I got the weight up, and proceded to do so for the next 2 sets. Between my 3 work sets, he must've done at least 6 sets. I find it very hard to train while there are other people working in with me. They distract me a lot, which of course makes it a lot harder to focus on actually lifting the weight. What can I say, I'm an introvert.

Press
2x5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x35kg
5x37.5kg -- I've just had a look through my records, and I'm pretty sure this is a PR, too. I wasn't able to repeat the effort for the next two sets, but that doesn't change the fact that I did get a full set of 5 up front.
4x37.5kg
3x37.5kg

Deadlifts
2x5x60kg
5x70kg
3x80kg
2x90kg
4x100kg -- Not a full set of 5, but still a PR. The last time I lifted 100kg, it was my 1RM. I think I could have pulled a 5th rep, but I don't think technique would have been of much quality if I did, so I left it.

Standing Calf Raise
6xBW
6x30kg
3x6x57.5kg

Corkscrew Pull Ups
3x6

EZ Bar Curl
20x15kg -- I mostly just did this for the hell of it. I'm quite sure this was a thoroughly useless effort, although afterwards I could see why so many people advised by magazines think it's a great idea. But acute hypertrophy's just blood, and blood has no contractile force.
 
Wed 22/12/10

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x40kg
3x57.5kg
2x75kg
5x92.5kg
4x92.5kg
3x92.5kg

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
2x57.5kg
2x5x67.5kg
3x67.5kg -- I don't know why, but my chest pretty much deflated at the start of the first rep, and I barely got that rep out. I puffed my chest up for the second and third reps, but it was hard keeping my chest up, and I didn't want to get stuck under the weight, so I racked it prematurely. I think I would have gotten all the reps if I'd kept my chest up. Nonetheless, I'll be keeping this weight next time I bench just to be safe. The gym's closed this Monday, so I won't be benching again 'til Tuesday or Wednesday, then on Friday (New Year's Eve) I think I'll test my 1RM's on squat, bench and deadlift.

Power Clean
2x3x20kg
3x27.5kg
2x35kg
1x42.5kg
2x50kg
1x50kg -- I think I need to reset and work on my form. As I do my work sets, my form's too sloppy.

Barbell Row
3x50kg -- Once again, I did rows to make up for not finish my cleans.

Standing Calf Raise
8xBW
8x30kg
3x8x57.5kg

Decline Sit Ups
3x5
 
Fri 24/12/10

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x40kg
3x57.5kg
2x75kg
5x92.5kg
3x92.5kg -- My left hip dropped lower than my right hip on the first rep. Tried correcting this in the second and third reps but couldn't, so I racked the weight and deloaded for the last set, which was still hard work.
5x80kg

Press
2x5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x35kg
3x5x37.5kg -- Looking forward to doing 40kg next time I do overhead work

Deadlift
2x5x60kg
5x72.5kg
3x82.5kg
2x92.5kg
3x102.5kg -- Grip strength wasn't enough. I felt like I'd drop the weight if I kept going. Notably, this gym lacks chalk. I might buy some chalk for myself in the new year.
 
Being the week between Christmas and New Year's, my gym's spending a lot of time busily being closed. It was supposed to be open briefly today, tomorrow, and Friday, but when I got into the city today to train, the gym was all locked up. Naturally, I was devastated knowing that if I wanted to train I'd have to walk a whole 5min to get 2 streets over where there's another Goodlife Health Club. Just devastated. That said, knowing that my main gym is closed today, and probably will be on Friday, too, I decided this would be my last session of the year, and I'd have a go at my 1RM's on squat, bench and deadlifts.

Wed 29/12/10

Squat
5x20kg
5x40kg
3x60kg
1x80kg
1x90kg
Attempt #1: 1x100kg - weight went up surprisingly easily
Attempt #2: 1x105kg - another easy lift
Attempt #3: 1x110kg - I grabbed one of the other PT's to give me a spot, making sure to be very clear that I didn't want him touching me or the bar until he hears the magic code (ie a stream of various profanities). He obliged and I got the weight up. He then coerced me in going for 112.5kg, which, honestly, probably would have been more like my real 1RM. Having completed the 3 attempts I was aiming, I decided to go for it just for fun, not really caring whether he assisted me or not...which he did, so I won't count it as an official lift. Nonetheless...
1x112.5 - PT assisted.
1RM: 110kg
Bodyweight: 67kg
Coefficient (1RM/Bodyweight): 1.64

Bench Press
5x20kg
5x30kg
3x40kg
1x50kg
1x60kg
Attempt #1: 1x72.5kg - I calculated that with a 67.5kg 5RM, I should be able to do 75kg, maybe 77.5kg. I decided to start with my previous 1RM from the last time I tested it, and go for the higher numbers in attempts 2 and 3. For reasons I'm uncertain of, things didn't go to plan, because this was my only successful lift.
Attempt #2: 1x75kg - FAIL
Attempt #3: 1x75kg - FAIL
1RM: 72.5kg
Bodyweight: 67kg
Coefficient (1RM/Bodyweight): 1.08

Deadlift
Power Clean 5x20kg, 3x30kg, 1x40kg
RDL 3x50kg
Conventional Deadlift
5x60kg
3x70kg
1x80kg
1x90kg
1x100kg
Attempt #1: 105kg - success!
Attempt #2: 110kg - hard lift, but success!
Attempt #3: 115kg - I was so busy focusing on just keeping the bar in my hands and just standing up that I'm not 100% certain I locked out my knees, so if this were a competition I'm not sure if it would have ben a red or a white flag, but as far as I'm concerned it was a successful rep.
1RM: 115kg
Bodyweight: 67kg
Coefficient (1RM/Bodyweight): 1.72

I still had plenty of energy after all that, and was feeling really good, so I decided to finish off with a quick little fullbody circuit.

Pull Ups 1x7, 1x5
Dips 2x5
Hyperextentions 2x10
Traveling Lunges 2x10
 
First training session of the new year. I reset the weights, since I haven't done a heavy set of 5 in 2 weeks.

Wed 05/01/11

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x35kg
3x47.5kg
2x60kg
3x5x72.5kg

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x30kg
3x40kg
2x50kg
3x5x60kg

Deadlift
2x5x60kg
5x67.5kg
3x75kg
2x82.5kg
5x90kg

Standing Calf Raise
7x27.5kg
3x7x57.5kg

Pull Ups
4x5
1x4
 
New Year Goals!!!

So, here are my goals for 2011:

Overhead Press 60kg (1 plate)
Bench Press 100kg (2 plates)
Squat 140kg (3 plates)
Deadlift 180kg (4 plates)

To achieve these goals, I will have to increase my...

Overhead Press + 17.5kg
Bench Press + 27.5kg
Squat + 30kg
Deadlift + 65kg

Years of bad training with very little progress has taught me to be intimidated by the thought of trying to achieve these gains, but knowing that only increasing each lift by 5kg/month will guarantee success makes it seem much more achievable.
 
Fri 07/01/11

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x35kg
3x50kg
2x62.5kg
3x5x75kg

Overhead Press
2x5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x32.5kg
3x5x35kg

Power Clean
5x3x35kg -- I'll note that I use the presses as warm ups for power clean, as I power clean the weight into position to perform the press.

Barbell Rows
3x8x35kg

Standing Calf Raise
8x27.5kg
3x8x57.5kg

Shrugs
8x20kg
8x40kg
3x8x60kg -- NB. These aren't the power shrugs described in SS, just plain, standard barbell shrugs, with the primary goal of improving grip strength for deadlifts. Obviously they'll also work the traps, especially upper traps. I think I'll do these every Friday, and Friday only.
 
Mon 10/01/11 <-- it's almost binary

Squat
2x5x20kg
5x35kg
3x50kg
2x65kg
3x5x77.5kg

Bench Press
5 pull ups
5x20kg
5 pull ups
5x20kg
5 pull ups
5x32.5kg
3x42.5kg
2x52.5kg
3x5x62.5kg

Deadlift
5x20kg power clean
5x60kg
5x60kg
5x70kg
3x80kg
2x87.5kg
5x95kg

Standing Calf Raise
6x30kg
6x60kg
5 pull ups
6x60kg
5 pull ups
6x60kg
5 pull ups
 
It's been a week since I've been to the gym. Not because I'm lazy, by the way, but because 75% of the state has been flooded. However, roads are clear now, and I was able to make my way into the gym today, finally :)

Mon 17/01/11

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x35kg
3x50kg
2x65kg
3x5x80kg

Press
2x5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x25kg
5x37.5kg
2x4x37.5kg

Power Clean
5x3x37.5kg

Barbell Row
3x8x37.5kg

Standing Calf Raise
6x30kg
3x6x60kg
 
I wasn't able to train as per normal today due to a one-day course I had to do today (which I wasn't notified about until yesterday, so I really couldn't work my week around it). But, during my shirt tonight, I did get to do the following:

Bulgarian Split Squats
5x20kg
5x25kg
2x5x30kg

Hip Thrusts
3x8x30kg

Standing Calf Raise
7x60kg
3x7x60kg

Pull Ups
8/6/4

Dips
8/6/4
 
Fri 21/01/11

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x52.5kg
2x67.5kg
3x5x82.5kg

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
2x55kg
2x5x65kg
3x65kg

Deadlift
2x5x60kg
5x70kg
3x80kg
2x90kg
5x100kg -- mixed grip, which I haven't done in over a year. I wasn't so smooth putting the bar back down at the end of each rep, probably just because I'm not used to the mixed grip. I'm actually not sure if I did 5 reps or 6 reps. Either way, I did more than the last time I pulled 100kg.

Standing Calf Raise
8x30kg
3x8x60kg

Pull Ups
6x6 throughout the session

Shrugs
8x30kg
3x8x60kg -- had to put the weight down twice during the last set and rest 10sec before picking it up again and completing the set due to fatigued grip muscles.

Training is probably going to be a bit inconsistent over the next week. I won't be surprised if I only get 1 or 2 sessions in. Dang. Oh well.
 
Mon 24/01/11

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x70kg
3x5x85kg

Press
2x5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x35kg
3x5x37.5kg

Power Clean
5x3x40kg

Barbell Rows
3x6x40kg -- definitely could have done more.

Standing Calf Raise
6x32.5kg
3x6x62.5kg
 
Won't get to train again 'til Thursday or Friday, so I did some light work this evening like Wednesday last week.

Tue 25/01/11

Standing Calf Raise
7x32.5kg
3x7x62.5kg

Bulgarian Split Squats
5x20kg/side
2x5x30kg/side

Pull Ups/Dips superset
9/9
7/7
5/5
 
Fri 28/01/11

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x72.5kg
3x5x87.5kg

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
2x55kg
3x5x65kg

Deadlift
2x5x60kg
5x72.5kg
3x85kg
2x95kg
5x105kg

Standing Calf Raise
8x32.5kg
3x8x62.5kg

Pull Ups
5x7

Shrugs
8x32.5kg
3x8x62.5kg
 
Mon 31/01/11

Squats
2x5x20kg
5x37.5kg
3x55kg
2x72.5kg
3x5x90kg -- The last couple reps of each set were very, very slow.

Press
5x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
2x35kg
5x40kg
3x40kg
4x40kg

Power Clean
5x3x42.5kg

Standing Calf Raise
6x32.5kg
3x6x65kg

Pull Ups
6x5
 
Wed 02/02/11

Pull Ups 3x7

Squats
10xBW
10x20kg
5x40kg
3x57.5kg
2x75kg
3x5x92.5kg -- the last two reps of the last two sets...wow.

Bench Press
2x5x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
2x57.5kg
2x4x67.5kg
3x67.5kg

Pull Ups 1x7

Deadlifts
2x5x60kg
5x72.5kg
3x85kg
2x97.5kg
5x110kg -- damn straight!

Standing Calf Raise
7x32.5kg
7x65kg
Pull Ups: 1x7
2x7x65kg
Pull Ups: 1x5

Pull Ups
Total sets: 6 (5x7, 1x5)
Total reps: 40
 
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