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Making the Superman

Great morning! I'm really going to like having the 75% 5x5 sets. They are a great form check, but still heavy enough that my muscles feel it. Put up great numbers on bench too. I was also able to confidently keep my form on squats so that I had zero excess strain on my lower back. Talk about a big and welcome change from the past! Here's the workout.

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I'm getting good and lean. I've got veins popping out all over now. Last night's cheat was definitely welcome. Here's some progress photos:

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Great morning! I'm really going to like having the 75% 5x5 sets. They are a great form check, but still heavy enough that my muscles feel it. Put up great numbers on bench too. I was also able to confidently keep my form on squats so that I had zero excess strain on my lower back. Talk about a big and welcome change from the past! Here's the workout.

I'm getting good and lean. I've got veins popping out all over now. Last night's cheat was definitely welcome. Here's some progress photos:

Good work superman....awesome progress!!!
 
Well, the little wifey wanted to be all cuddly this morning so I didn't have time to get in my mobility warm-up. But I still got to the gym on time (5am). My strength is coming along very nicely. My rep maxes are already surpassing my starting maxes, which is pretty common for me when starting a new 531 scheme. I've been at this new training set-up for about two weeks now, and I'm really liking it. Between the big 3 and my auxiliaries there is no muscle being left behind. My weight's coming down. Fat's coming off. And strength is going up. Perfect combination given my goals.

Here's today's workout:
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I've dealt with lower back issues in the past that were related to incorrect form on squats and exasperated by deads. I've since corrected both issues. Now I'm doing both with zero pain, and I'm looking to blast through my old numbers. My gym doesn't have a glute ham raise apparatus. So, I'm doing them on a lat pulldown bench.

Here's this morning's pics:
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Today was a cardio day. Did five rounds of the following:

10s Spin Bike Sprint
5 30" Box Jumps
10 Battle Rope Slams

Rested just long enough to catch my breath.
 
Somedays you destroy the weights in battle. Some days you barely make it out alive by the skin of your teeth. Today was one of the latter. I felt great when I got the gym. I was ready to hammer away mentally. But as the workout ensued, it was clear to me that my body had other ideas. Even though I put up a solid max effort on Squats, I was gassing it. It felt like I hit a wall pretty quickly and I just had to power through it. By the time I got done with my second sets of pullups and tricep extensions, I was done. I had no more to give and it was time to go home.

I'm down to 210 today. I can tell I've been eating really low carbs for the last few days, I'm not looking as full. But the cuts keep coming. I'm looking forward to Saturday's progress photos. Diet is essentially the same, but I've increased carbs slightly before my workout:

Upon Waking - 2 cups of Rice Crispies, 1/2 cup 2% MIlk, 26g Whey
Intra-workout - 1 scoop Lecheek Amino Fusion
Post-workout - 52g whey

Meal 1 - 6 cage free eggs, 1.5 cups raw veggie mix, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 clementine orange
Meal 2 - Repeat 1
Meal 3 - 10oz Grassfed Organic Beef, 2 cups cooked veggies, 1 cup carbs

I got a vid of my max effort and will link it when it gets uploaded. Here's today's workout:

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Also, here's a cool shot I took last night. It's a little hard to see in the photo, but I am starting to see separation between bicep heads when flexed.
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Right. I screw my feet in as hard as I can and maintain it the whole way down. Using my hips and glutes to rotate my knees out, which screws the feet in. I use that qualifier because I found out today that my brother can screw his feet in without using his hips. It's like this: Invalid Link Removed Biggest key: Torque hard, and keep it.

Herder says it well for externally rotating the hips to generate torque into the ground. It's going to keep your hips tighter and let them open up. I think your squat would improve even more from it man.
 
Thanks bud. That's how I've been able to maintain Glute tension while keeping my squats pain free. I can not squat pain free without focusing on my external rotation. I remember reading Herder's post and it reminded me of Dave Tate talking about it in the So You Think You Can Squat YouTube series. Dave didn't spend as much time on it though. It makes more sense now.
 
Last night I decided it was time for my weekly cheat meal. About an hour after lunch yesterday, I was SUPER hungry all over again. Something that hadn't happened up to this point. I'm thinking all this heavy compound work is really getting my metabolism revving. This morning's workout was great and I definitely think the cheat helped. I hit 380x10 on deads, which is pretty good. A little reduction in performance from my last max effort day, but I blew my previous max effort numbers out of the water for squats today. So, it doesn't surprise me that my CNS might have been a little fatigued still. I'm looking forward to a couple of days of rest and getting caught up on sleep. Progress pics will be taken tomorrow morning, but here's a preview.
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Here's my full workout. I'm thinking of taking out the curls and extensions and replacing them with close-grip chins and dips. Both of the latter exercises have been cornerstones of my arm development for a long time, and I just don't feel like their getting the same level of stimulation. Plus, another compound exercise to fuel the fat burning furnace wouldn't hurt. Here's today's routine.
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I tried something a little different. I had been supersetting the main and secondary exercises. Today, I let the main exercise be its own thing. Then, I supersetted the secondary exercise sets with the auxiliary exercises. It frees up some gym equipment for the people around me and it was pretty effecient. I'm thinking it'll stay that way from here on out.
 
Here's today's progress pics. Was going to wear posing trunks, but I had to make it quick and didn't grab them before going to the bathroom. That's ok, this is more entertaining anyways:
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Time to start keeping these logs up to date again.

DAT DER LECHEEK PUMP...
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4/2/2014 Shoulders, Traps, Calves - 2
Wednesday, 5:24 PM - 6:06 PM (00:41)

Dumbbell Standing OHP
(1) 5:24 PM 45 x 10 reps
(2) 5:24 PM 60 x 10 reps
(3) 5:25 PM 70 x 8 reps
(4) 5:28 PM 80 x 2 reps

Low Pulley Cable Rope Upright Rows
(1) 5:29 PM 50 x 10 reps
(2) 5:31 PM 50 x 12 reps
(3) 5:33 PM 65 x 10 reps

Dumbbell Side Lateral
(1) 5:34 PM 30 x 10 reps
(2) 5:36 PM 30 x 10 reps
(3) 5:37 PM 30 x 8 reps 2 cheat reps after 8

Cable Rope Pullaparts
(1) 5:39 PM 30 x 8 reps
(2) 5:41 PM 20 x 12 reps
(3) 5:43 PM 15 x 13 reps

Rear Barbell Shrugs
(1) 5:50 PM 135 x 10 reps
(2) 5:50 PM 225 x 10 reps
(3) 5:52 PM 225 x 10 reps

Dumbbell Shrugs
(1) 5:54 PM 70 x 12 reps
(2) 5:56 PM 70 x 12 reps
(3) 5:57 PM 70 x 12 reps

Calf Extension Machine
(1) 5:59 PM 210 x 12 reps
(2) 6:01 PM 210 x 10 reps
(3) 6:03 PM 210 x 10 reps
(4) 6:05 PM 210 x 8 reps 7 partial reps after failing
(5) 6:06 PM 210 x 4 reps 4 partial reps after failing

Created with ProGym Windows Phone App
 
Thanks bud! Just upped my test for the next 6 weeks leading into the contest. I'll drop it to trt levels 3 weeks out.
 
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4/3/2014 Quads, Calves - 2
Thursday, 5:14 PM - 5:59 PM (00:44)

Leg Press
(1) 5:14 PM 360 x 15 reps
(2) 5:15 PM 540 x 15 reps
(3) 5:17 PM 630 x 12 reps
(4) 5:22 PM 720 x 8 reps
(5) 5:29 PM 810 x 6 reps

Barbell Back Squat
(1) 5:32 PM 225 x 8 reps
(2) 5:37 PM 185 x 9 reps
(3) 5:45 PM 135 x 10 reps

Sissy Squats
(1) 5:45 PM 204 x 10 reps
(2) 5:48 PM 204 x 10 reps
(3) 5:51 PM 204 x 10 reps
(4) 5:59 PM 204 x 10 reps

Standing Calf Raise
(1) 5:45 PM 90 x 20 reps
(2) 5:48 PM 180 x 15 reps
(3) 5:59 PM 270 x 12 reps
(4) 5:59 PM 270 x 12 reps

Created with ProGym Windows Phone App
 
FLEX FRIDAY!!!
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4/4/2014 Arms, Calves - 2
Friday, 9:25 AM - 10:30 AM (01:05)

Dumbbell Curls
(1) 9:25 AM 20 x 12 reps
(2) 9:25 AM 35 x 12 reps
(3) 9:29 AM 45 x 10 reps

Dumbbell Lying Extensions
(1) 9:29 AM 20 x 10 reps
(2) 9:29 AM 35 x 10 reps
(3) 9:29 AM 45 x 11 reps

Close Grip Chin Ups
(1) 9:32 AM 203 x 12 reps
(2) 9:34 AM 203 x 11 reps
(3) 9:36 AM 203 x 10 reps

Close Grip Flat Bench
(1) 9:44 AM 185 x 10 reps
(2) 9:46 AM 215 x 10 reps
(3) 9:50 AM 235 x 8 reps

Preacher Curls
(1) 9:53 AM 75 x 10 reps
(2) 9:54 AM 75 x 6 reps
(3) 9:57 AM 75 x 4 reps 1 rep standing and 3 partial reps to failure

Pushdowns
(1) 10:00 AM 65 x 15 reps
(2) 10:02 AM 72.5 x 10 reps
(3) 10:04 AM 80 x 6 reps 42.5x8 (drop set)

Close Grip Pulldowns
(1) 10:07 AM 50 x 12 reps
(2) 10:09 AM 50 x 12 reps
(3) 10:11 AM 50 x 10 reps

Dips
(1) 10:12 AM 203 x 12 reps
(2) 10:14 AM 203 x 10 reps
(3) 10:16 AM 203 x 6 reps

Cable Low Pulley Long Rope Facing Away Hammer Curls
(1) 10:18 AM 30 x 12 reps
(2) 10:20 AM 30 x 12 reps
(3) 10:20 AM 30 x 10 reps

Kickbacks
(1) 10:21 AM 30 x 10 reps
(2) 10:23 AM 30 x 8 reps 2 partial reps
(3) 10:24 AM 30 x 8 reps 4 partial reps to failure

Calf Extension Machine
(1) 10:26 AM 150 x 20 reps
(2) 10:27 AM 150 x 16 reps
(3) 10:28 AM 150 x 13 reps
(4) 10:30 AM 150 x 12 reps 6 partial reps to failure

Created with ProGym Windows Phone App
 
Well, my show is off. Turns out that this one is one of the few tested NPC shows in the state. I'm now going to shoot for a show on July 12. Time to up the calories a bit for a while. Going back to maintenance. 3000 is going to feel so good!
 
Well, my time off from cutting/competing is going to be longer than I anticipated last week. Seems like I may have a hernia just above my belly button. Gonna get it checked out and if need be repaired. So, I may be waiting until the November contest at the earliest. Oh well, gotta get healthy first.
 
Well, my time off from cutting/competing is going to be longer than I anticipated last week. Seems like I may have a hernia just above my belly button. Gonna get it checked out and if need be repaired. So, I may be waiting until the November contest at the earliest. Oh well, gotta get healthy first.

Sucks bro, bit your health comes first.
 
Shouldn't be too bad from what I've heard. 4 weeks to 100%. I can live with that. Hopefully, she can get me in right away and I won't have a bunch of down time prior to getting it fixed.
 
Any idea how the injury occurred?

Not really. I was doing some pretty serious weights last week, plus my job has me moving heavy boxes of paper records all day long, and I moved our washer and dryer into storage this last weekend. Could have been anyone of those or could have been all three.
 
Doc says that the hernia is more than like incisional from my appendix surgery. Hernia surgery has been scheduled a week from Friday. 6-7 week recovery period. At least I'll be able to return to desk work right away the next Monday.
 
Well, good idea or not, I've decided to postpone the surgery. Right now our budget is pretty tight, and we could really use a few more months with me being back at work to really afford me getting it done. I plan to get back into training, but I will be switching things up. I'll be doing more preexhaust with compound movements as finishers. I'll also be dropping free weight squats, standing overhead presses, and flat bench. We'll see how things go. Planning on doing the show in November still.
 
Well, I thought I was going to be able to do 5 exercises per bodypart, but I think I should stick with 3 for now because it kicked my butt! Never thought light weights could feel so heavy! I think the old timers knew what they were doing! I explained my new workout a little yesterday, but here's a more indepth description:

1. DANNY PADILLA STYLE SETS: 5 sets of 12 reps with only 30 seconds of rest between each. Most sets are sub-failure, but remember that fatigue is cumulative and you definitely feel it!

2. REVERSE POSITIONS OF FLEXION: this is a preexhaust routine where you hit the muscle with a minimum of three different exercises. The exercises are chosen based upon where the stress of the weight is the greatest throughout the range of motion. These exercise are classified as contraction, stretch, or mid-range. For example:
CHEST - Cable Crossovers (contraction), Incline Dumbbell Flyes (Stretch), Incline Bench Press (Mid-range)
BACK - V-Handle Pulldowns, High Pulley Rope Cable Pullovers, Seated Cable Rows
DELTS - Rear Lateral Machine, Face Pulls, Dumbbell Press
TRIS - V-bar Pressdowns, Overhead Rope Extensions, Dips
BIS - Standing Front Double Bicep Curls, Incline Dumbbell Curls, Underhand Pulldowns
HAMS - Lying Leg Curls, Glute Ham Raises, Good Mornings
QUADS - Leg Extensions, Hack Squat Sissy Squats, Smith Machine Squats​

3. DIRECT / INDIRECT SPLIT: 3 day split rotated of 4 days during the week. Use compound exercises for biceps and triceps. Over two weeks, each upper body part will get hit 3 times and each lower body part gets hit twice. Deadlifts are done every other week. Here's the split:
M: Chest, Back, Abs
T: Calves, Hams, Quads
W: Tris, Bis, Delts
Th: OFF/Cardio
F: Chest, Back+Deadlifts, Calves

M: Tris, Bis, Delts
T: Calves, Hams, Quads
W: Chest, Back, Abs
Th: OFF/Cardio
F: Tris, Bis, Delts​

Here's today's workout:
5/28/2014 Wednesday, 4:57 AM - 5:39 AM (00:42)

Cable Crossovers
(1) 4:57 AM 30 x 12 reps
(2) 4:58 AM 30 x 12 reps
(3) 4:59 AM 30 x 12 reps
(4) 5:01 AM 30 x 12 reps
(5) 5:02 AM 30 x 12 reps
Increase the weight

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
(1) 5:04 AM 30 x 12 reps
(2) 5:05 AM 30 x 12 reps
(3) 5:07 AM 30 x 12 reps
(4) 5:08 AM 30 x 12 reps
(5) 5:09 AM 30 x 12 reps
Increase the weight

Incline Barbell Press
(1) 5:12 AM 135 x 10 reps
(2) 5:14 AM 95 x 12 reps
(3) 5:15 AM 90 x 12 reps
(4) 5:16 AM 90 x 10 reps
(5) 5:18 AM 90 x 7 reps

Chin Ups
(1) 5:26 AM 203 x 6 reps
(2) 5:26 AM 203 x 6 reps
(3) 5:26 AM 203 x 6 reps
(4) 5:26 AM 203 x 6 reps
(5) 5:26 AM 203 x 5 reps

Cable High Pulley Rope Pullovers
(1) 5:27 AM 50 x 12 reps
(2) 5:28 AM 50 x 12 reps
(3) 5:29 AM 50 x 12 reps
(4) 5:30 AM 50 x 12 reps
(5) 5:32 AM 50 x 12 reps

Seated Row
(1) 5:34 AM 90 x 12 reps
(2) 5:36 AM 80 x 12 reps
(3) 5:37 AM 80 x 12 reps
(4) 5:38 AM 80 x 12 reps
(5) 5:39 AM 80 x 11 reps

Didn't even notice my hernia. It was crazy how the light weights felt so heavy!
 
Did you take a dump after incline? ;)

I can can relate to the obsession with time.
 
Did you take a dump after incline? ;)

I can can relate to the obsession with time.


BWAHAHAHAHA!!! No, I just completed all my sets before recording them into the app on my phone. It produces a workout summary that I email to myself, which makes it really easy to copy and paste into my logs. But I'm not going to promise that any gaps like that aren't a **** stop.

5/29/2014
Thursday, 4:55 AM - 5:34 AM (00:38)

Standing Calf Raise
(1) 4:55 AM 160 x 10 reps
(2) 4:55 AM 160 x 12 reps
(3) 4:55 AM 160 x 12 reps
(4) 4:55 AM 160 x 12 reps
(5) 4:56 AM 160 x 9 reps

Seated Leg Curl
(1) 4:56 AM 40 x 12 reps
(2) 4:56 AM 60 x 12 reps
(3) 4:56 AM 60 x 12 reps
(4) 4:56 AM 60 x 12 reps
(5) 4:56 AM 60 x 12 reps
(6) 4:56 AM 60 x 12 reps Increase weight next time

Seated Calf Raise
(1) 5:08 AM 90 x 12 reps
(2) 5:09 AM 90 x 12 reps
(3) 5:09 AM 90 x 12 reps
(4) 5:09 AM 90 x 10 reps
(5) 5:09 AM 90 x 11 reps

Glute Ham Raises
(1) 5:10 AM 200 x 5 reps
(2) 5:10 AM 200 x 5 reps
(3) 5:10 AM 200 x 5 reps
(4) 5:10 AM 200 x 3 reps
(5) 5:10 AM 200 x 2 reps

Lying Leg Curl
(1) 5:21 AM 50 x 12 reps
(2) 5:21 AM 50 x 12 reps
(3) 5:21 AM 50 x 12 reps
(4) 5:21 AM 50 x 12 reps
(5) 5:22 AM 50 x 12 reps Increase weight next time

Leg Extension
(1) 5:22 AM 60 x 12 reps
(2) 5:22 AM 60 x 12 reps
(3) 5:22 AM 60 x 12 reps
(4) 5:22 AM 60 x 12 reps
(5) 5:22 AM 60 x 12 reps Increase weight next time

Squat Press
(1) 5:33 AM 180 x 20 reps
(2) 5:33 AM 270 x 15 reps
(3) 5:33 AM 360 x 15 reps
(4) 5:33 AM 450 x 15 reps
(5) 5:34 AM 540 x 10 reps

Created with ProGym Windows Phone App



Well, I survived my first leg day with the hernia, and things went very smoothly. Oddly enough, the only exercise that was vaguely uncomfortable were lying leg curls. However, once I grabbed the handles up by my head and used my elbows to take pressure off of my abdomen I had zero issues once more. Even leg presses (albeit 50% of my usual working weight) were very easy to perform. I'm planning on shooting for 20 reps a set from here on out on leg presses and squats. Their a bitch at that range, but the pump was crazy!!! Veins popping all over the place. Plus, it lowers the weight just a little more which further decreases any abdominal pressure. I'm liking the new training so far. In fact, by the third exercise I've got tears in my eyes each set because the burn in the muscle is so intense. Looking forward to tomorrow's arms and shoulders workout!
 
Good work here -- making a lot out of a little.

I think we may have crossed paths on a certain private board last year, though not positive.

Keep it up.
 
Today was Tris, Bis, and Shoulders (in that order). I feel I've got really good shoulders, but I need to put some size on my arms especially my triceps. So, they get hit first. It was a great workout. This is my longest day of the week in terms of the amount of time needed to get everything in. I think I'm going to superset the arm work in future workouts to cut down on the total workout time as I had to drop the number of sets I did for shoulders. Once again as compared to the last two days, I had no issues with my hernia. Hopefully is stays that way!!!

5/30/2014
Friday, 4:47 AM - 5:45 AM (00:58)

Pushdowns
(1) 4:47 AM 60 x 10 reps
(2) 4:48 AM 80 x 12 reps
(3) 4:51 AM 80 x 12 reps
(4) 4:51 AM 80 x 12 reps
(5) 4:52 AM 80 x 12 reps
(6) 4:53 AM 80 x 12 reps Increase weight next time

Kneeling Overhead Rope Extensions
(1) 4:55 AM 80 x 8 reps
(2) 4:56 AM 50 x 12 reps
(3) 4:57 AM 50 x 12 reps
(4) 4:59 AM 50 x 12 reps
(5) 5:01 AM 50 x 12 reps Use more weight next time

Dips
(1) 5:03 AM 201 x 8 reps
(2) 5:04 AM 201 x 8 reps
(3) 5:05 AM 201 x 8 reps
(4) 5:06 AM 201 x 8 reps
(5) 5:06 AM 201 x 6 reps

Cable Low Pulley Straight Bar Curls
(1) 5:12 AM 80 x 12 reps
(2) 5:14 AM 80 x 12 reps
(3) 5:15 AM 80 x 12 reps
(4) 5:16 AM 80 x 10 reps
(5) 5:18 AM 80 x 8 reps Start at 70 next time

Incline Dumbbell Curl
(1) 5:21 AM 20 x 12 reps
(2) 5:22 AM 15 x 12 reps
(3) 5:23 AM 15 x 12 reps
(4) 5:24 AM 15 x 10 reps
(5) 5:26 AM 15 x 8 reps Start at 15 next time

Close Grip Pulldowns
(1) 5:28 AM 110 x 12 reps
(2) 5:29 AM 110 x 12 reps
(3) 5:30 AM 110 x 12 reps
(4) 5:31 AM 110 x 12 reps
(5) 5:32 AM 110 x 10 reps

Rear Lateral Machine
(1) 5:34 AM 75 x 12 reps
(2) 5:35 AM 75 x 12 reps
(3) 5:37 AM 75 x 12 reps

Face Pulls
(1) 5:38 AM 40 x 12 reps Heavy end cap stack
(2) 5:39 AM 40 x 12 reps
(3) 5:41 AM 40 x 12 reps

Seated Dumbbell Press
(1) 5:43 AM 30 x 12 reps
(2) 5:43 AM 30 x 12 reps
(3) 5:45 AM 30 x 12 reps

Created with ProGym Windows Phone App

Here's some pics in honor of FLEX FRIDAY!
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Would be a good addition to the contraction exercises, but did you know that everytime you contract the muscle fully occlusion happens naturally?
 
6/3/2014
Tuesday, 4:59 AM - 5:42 AM (00:42)

Cable Crossovers
(1) 4:59 AM 40 x 12 reps
(2) 5:01 AM 40 x 12 reps
(3) 5:03 AM 40 x 12 reps
(4) 5:05 AM 40 x 12 reps
(5) 5:07 AM 40 x 12 reps

Neutral Grip Pulldowns
(1) 5:00 AM 130 x 12 reps
(2) 5:02 AM 120 x 12 reps
(3) 5:03 AM 120 x 12 reps
(4) 5:05 AM 120 x 9 reps
(5) 5:08 AM 90 x 10 reps

Pec Deck
(1) 5:10 AM 40 x 12 reps
(2) 5:19 AM 40 x 12 reps
(3) 5:21 AM 40 x 12 reps
(4) 5:23 AM 40 x 12 reps
(5) 5:26 AM 40 x 12 reps

Cable High Pulley Rope Pullovers
(1) 5:11 AM 60 x 12 reps Heavy Outer Stack
(2) 5:19 AM 60 x 12 reps
(3) 5:21 AM 60 x 12 reps
(4) 5:24 AM 60 x 10 reps
(5) 5:27 AM 70 x 12 reps Light Innee Stack

Hammer Incline Press
(1) 5:32 AM 90 x 12 reps
(2) 5:34 AM 90 x 12 reps
(3) 5:36 AM 90 x 12 reps
(4) 5:39 AM 90 x 12 reps
(5) 5:42 AM 90 x 12 reps Ouch! It burns! It burns!!!

Hammer Iso Pulldown
(1) 5:32 AM 90 x 12 reps
(2) 5:34 AM 90 x 12 reps
(3) 5:36 AM 90 x 12 reps
(4) 5:39 AM 90 x 12 reps
(5) 5:42 AM 90 x 10 reps 2 partial reps

Created with ProGym Windows Phone App


Sent from my Windows Phone
 

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