Toro Moving West(side)

[Torobestia]

09/17/12

DE UPPER

Foam rolled t-spine, 3x10 shoulder dislocations (especially since I messed my shoulder up on squats), 7x10 shoulder band circuit, and 2x10 med ball slams

SPEED BENCH (+60lb bands)
165-9x3
Fast, but thoroughly exhausting. First 8 sets were on point, 9th set was pretty slow.

CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS
135-10
165-10
185-10
195-10,10,7

45 DEGREE SCAPATIONS
15-12
20-12,12,12

KROC ROWS
105-10 so easy and fast, lol. Felt like I was holding a 5lb dumbbell
140-40 PR, LOL
140-20 Just to get extra work in, right hand failing due to moving from left to right too fast when I'm so worn out

Fantastic session, I feel a lot of promise in the work I'll be doing the upcoming weeks. I think this next week is my last, and then I'll take a deload. I might test after, or I'll go another mesocycle then deload and test. I need to test very soon, it's been a while. I really need to see my true bench and squat PRs since I've never really tested those except the bench, which was now a long time ago.

I just remembered, I forgot to mention that my improvements on bench form are going real well. I've reinforced engaging my upper back for effective benching throughout these DE sessions, and I'm really feeling it. Also the way I keep my elbows in throughout is really helping me load the triceps, and I now know what it means to pull the bar apart. Three years ago I heard that expression, and now it makes sense.

[Torobestia]

09/18/12

ME LOWER

WIDE SUMO DL
135-3,3
225-3
275-3
315-3
375-3
405-1
445-1
470-0,0
455-1 <-- huge grinder, form was tight more or less but after set I was shaking everywhere. Probably a true max for me right now

ULTRA-WIDE DB SLDL
40-6
50-6
55-6
60-6
65-6
70-6
75-6
80-6
85-6 (something like a +70lb PR, lol)

LEG PRESS
360-6
540-6
720-6
810-6
860-6,6 <-- second set was real hard, ass started coming off last few reps so called it quits

STANDING HAM CURL
60-10,10,9

LEG RAISES
3x20

CHOKE BAND TRI PUSHDOWNS
100

[Torobestia]

So, I just got back from class. It's late, and I am not feeling the gym at all. But I know after yesterday that if I didn't do any sort of rehab work I would wake up very stiff tomorrow, and that this would probably be the case through DE lower day. So, I had to do something. I put my boots in a plastic bag, wrapped it around my ankle, and did 100 curls each leg. It measured out to be a little under 3lbs, which is perfect. Only downside is getting kicked in the shin by 3lb boots anywhere between 50-80 times, lol.

[Torobestia]

I'm deloading after this week is finished. Once the deload is over, I'm going to do something different in my programming.

[Torobestia]

09/20/12

ME UPPER

Just foam rolled, shoulder dislocations, and 7x10 band circuit for shoulders. Forgot med ball slams.

CHAIN BUFFALO BAR BENCH (52+ lbs at top)
105-5
155-5
185-3
215-3
235-1
255-1
265-1 PR +10
270-1 PR +15
275-1 PR +20

SEATED BB PRESS
95-6
135-6
145-6
155-6
165-4
155-6

LAT BAR TRICEP PUSHDOWNS
80-6
100-6
110-6
120-6,6,6

V GRIP SEATED LAT PULLDOWNS
190-8
210-8
230-8
250-6
230-7

Monster session. Came in feeling a little groggy, once things started up ... well, still felt groggy. But when that first PR hit, it rocketed up with flying colors. So I decided to go up. That one went up, but it was grinded out somewhat. Went up again since it was smooth grind, was a true struggle, but got it up without help or getting off of the bench. Really took a toll on the triceps. Then went with some shoulder work, and since that hit triceps some, went with tricep pushdowns and some extra back work. Might do some extra chest work tomorrow and something else.

[Torobestia]

09/21/12

EXTRA UPPER

DIPS superset PULLUPS
15,15,12,14 // 8,8,8,8

FARMER WALKS
4x200m trips with 70 on bar in each hand (bar weight unknown)
Serious lactic acid pumping through my arms and traps

Well, I learned today I better use dips on a real workout day or ditch them altogether. It's way too much to do them for extra workout since they hit the shoulders too much for me for this day. Won't repeat this mistake next time. I ate extra calories to make up for the extra volume situation in my shoulders.

[Torobestia]

09/22/12

DE LOWER

Foam rolled everything, shoulder dislocations followed by sitting exterior rotations

SPEED SQUATS (+120lb band tension)
245-10x2

SPEED PULLS (+240lb band tension)
255-8x2
Real great groove on these

GHR
BW-15
+10-12
+20-12,12,12
Hit failure on last set of 12

THICK GREEN BAND + THIN BLUE BAND GM
3x15

ROPE AB CURLS
120-15
140-12,12

Well, I gotta say I rescued the hell out of this session today. My shoulders were so tight from the dips on friday after doing military presses on thursday that I could not even set the bar on my back at all to save my life. Not only did I have to roll out my IT, hammies, and adductors and t+lumbar spine, and not just do shoulder dislocations, I had to work the exterior rotators and use this nasty-ass foam roller for my lats to really loosen everything up. I proceeded to stretch out my chest as well. Afterwards, I could finally grab the bar in almost a normal position - plus 2 inches. After several warmups I could inch my grip in to its normal position. Really getting the hang of sitting back and arching my upper back first to initiate the squat up movement. Great speed and technique on everything, hammies really fried. Might do RE upper work next, then it's deload time. I'll go by basic training manual template for now since I don't have a better idea. I may also use more machines ... or maybe less, depends. We'll see. Definitely testing the week after.

[Torobestia]

09/24/12

RE UPPER

Band circuit for shoulders

INCLINE DB PRESS
40-15
60-10
75-8
85-8
100-3,3
95-3,4
Seriously bad day for me on this. Couldn't get the motion down right so the weight felt very unstable in my hands.

EZ BAR FRENCH PRESS
92.5-11,11,10,9

LAT RAISE DOUBLE PYRAMID
{15-12
20-10
25-8
30-6} x 2
30 seconds between sets, 90 seconds between pyramid sets

LAT PULLDOWNS
180-8
200-8,8,8

**DC stretches for everything**

Good day overall. Came home sore in all the right places. RE work sucked dick, though. It was for all intents and purposes more of a ME day somehow. Seriously sucks. But that's ok, I'll figure what to do out since this upcoming week is a little more relaxed. Apparently I will still go in and do my normal training without going too overboard, so that's what I will do, and test maxes next Monday and Wednesday.

[Torobestia]

09/25/12

ME LOWER

BELT SQUATS
90-10
140-10
180-10
230-10
240-10
250-10

GHR
BW-12
+20-3x12

REVERSE HYPERS
90-3x15

HANGING AB RIPPER
3x12

Solid session. Fast session, too lol. I was in and out in about 40 minutes or less. Hammies were absolutely burned. Lower back felt a good pump, as did my quads. Taking it easy these next few training sessions, doing little extra work (mostly cardio), and maxing next Monday.

[Torobestia]

09/27/12

ME BENCH

Foam rolled t-spine, 3x10 shoulder dislocations, 7x10 shoulder band prehab

NEUTRAL GRIP DB BENCH
40-10
60-10
75-10
85-10
95-10
100-9,6
Goddamn, the last 2 sets were so absolutely brutal. Went to concentric failure (not intentionally) on 2nd set, stopped immediately before failure on last set.

LAT BAR SEATED ROWS
160-10
180-10,10,10
Strict form, focused on relaxing shoulders at beginning, then initiating movement by retracting shoulders before pulling with lats. Lats were really pumped after first set of 180, and it was rather rough after 7th rep, so I stuck with the weight.

ANGLED BAR TRI PUSHDOWNS (as opposed to VBAR)
60-20
80-20
100-20
120-20
140-20,20,20

FACEPULLS
120-15
140-15,15,15

This was a weird session. Everything felt and still feels absolutely pumped. It's probably because this is an unusual rep-range for me to work in. But I still didn't expect this degree of a pump in my back and rear delts. Both those groups feel the pump the most, as well as my triceps (which I of course expected). Still doing this sort of deload before my max attempts next week.

[Torobestia]

I'm almost too embarassed to share this, would almost rather say I sat on my ass doing nothing, but today I decided to do some rows for both cardio and maybe a little back work. Well, it went pretty terribly.

Basically, I did four 400m sessions balls to the wall. Each bout was separated by 1-2 minutes rest. First two sessions I got under a minute each (ok), but the 3rd session I clocked in around 1:40. Fourth session was almost two minutes. It felt like forever. Couldn't do more than those 4 bouts. I'll start working on cutting the time.

In addition, yesterday I did some calf raises on a curb at the bus stop. Gotta say that **** rocked my calves. Still feeling a burn today. Gonna continue to repeat this.

[Torobestia]

10/01/12

ME UPPER

BOX SQUAT
Worked up to 315-1
365-1
405-1
415-1
425-1
435-1 PR
440-1 PR
445-1 +15lb PR
455-0 Missed lift literally inches. Technique broke down and weight just took me forward, damnit.

PUSH AND BIKE INTERVALS
40 sec, 20 sec, 10 sec intervals with 30 sec rests, followed by 3 min rest, then 40 sec and 20 sec intervals hard as possible
Felt like absolute shít after this, quads felt like they were getting undone, gasping for air like I was in a CO2 chamber, and felt stupid nauseous

CHOKE-LIGHT BAND PULL-THROUGHS
3x15

Felt like total garbage afterwards so I just left.

[Torobestia]

Like clockwork, I got bicep tendonitis big time the day to test my bench max. I am ****ing getting tired of this happening all the time.

[Torobestia]

Looks like I got some problems in my shoulder complex. A few weeks ago I think I may have damaged my pec minor. Looks like I now have pain all over in my shoulder complex, from abducting my shoulder to externally rotating my arm at all angles. Going to try to find an ortho or sports doc of some sort and see what he says.

[Torobestia]

10/07/12

RE UPPER

Lots of foam rolling upper back and lats, 7x10 shoulder band circuit

LAT PULLDOWNS // FACEPULLS
60-20,20 // 30-20,20
Used a weird grip for facepulls, pulled over head, shifted load to mid traps and away from rear delts

DECLINE DB PRESS
40-12
65-10
85-6,6
90-6
85-6,6
90-6
Neutral palms

PUSHUPS
18,12 failed 13

JM PRESS SAFETY SQUAT BAR
115-12,13 to failure both times

DB ROWS
60-10
70-10
80-10 sloppy ones
70-10,10,10
Pulling all with shoulder, like pullovers. Lats were pumped beyond belief

SEATED HAMMER CURLS SS CALF RAISES SS ABS
35-12 // 25 per leg // 12 per leg
40-12 // 25 per leg // 12 per leg
40-12 // 25 per leg // 12 per leg
Was too tired to try to do heavier weight, lol.

[RicFlair]

Great log, nice to see some talk here about training and hard lifting, not just young 20 something's asking about oral steroids. West side will make a beast out of a lifter.

[RicFlair]

It sounds like you have access to great equipment. What are some ways of implementing this stuff at a commercial gym?

[Torobestia]

It sounds like you have access to great equipment. What are some ways of implementing this stuff at a commercial gym?

Thanks Ric. I try my best to do this. I am just taking faith in the plan and hoping it works.

I like the EFS Basic Training Manual for ideas on things you could do. They lay out a nice plan that involves barbell only movements for main lifts, and accessory stuff is pretty easy.

WS4SB also offers good movement suggestions, and you could follow that routine or just use the template and change it as needed, incorporating dynamic effort, max effort, and repetition effort when needed.

For ME lower lifts just base your lifts around straight bar squats, deadlifts, and good mornings. In place of GHRs you can do Russian knee curls, which are performed on a lat pulldown machine. Otherwise, there are plenty of things to be done with barbells and dumbbells.

ME Upper, there's just too much, really. Flat bench, incline bench, floor presses, close grips, incline close grips, pin presses from various heights, dips, etc.

[RicFlair]

I've been doing those Russian leg curls, had always called them ghetto GHR. I'm prob going to add barbell hip thrusts which look ridiculous but seem highly effective for hip development. I also think I'm going to buy a set of bands and possibly make a board press. Conjugate has been getting me super strong. Wish I had a crew of lifters for spots though and dodnt have to ask random people.

[Torobestia]

I've been doing those Russian leg curls, had always called them ghetto GHR. I'm prob going to add barbell hip thrusts which look ridiculous but seem highly effective for hip development. I also think I'm going to buy a set of bands and possibly make a board press. Conjugate has been getting me super strong. Wish I had a crew of lifters for spots though and dodnt have to ask random people.

I know what you mean, man. It's kind of a bummer lifting alone.