Workout from Wed. 12/02/14

Deadlift 5x60kg
5x100kg
5x120kg
3x140kg
4x4 155kg

Deadlift
2/1 172.5kg

Deadlift
4x155kg

Overhead Press
5x20kg
5x40kg
3x5 60kg

Notes
Well looks like things have caught up with me. I am really disappointed in this workout and that is not a feeling I am overly used to of late. My workouts recently have been hard and all out but a person can't go full out for ever. After Monday's squats I don't think I recovered enough from the stresses I put on my CNS to hit it this hard. Couple that with major stress at work and a lack of sleep and you get a less than optimal workout

Deadlifts- 2 weeks ago I did this same workout and didn't miss a beat. This week everything was a struggle. My lighter sets felt heavy and I wondered if I was going to get them. I got my 4x4. My heavy 2x2 was a nightmare. My 1st rep was a great big "0", but I was not to be whipped. I gave it another go and pulled my 2 reps. My second set I got my 1st rep but the 2nd was a no go. I just had no energy. For my volume set I am supposed to get 8 plus but I got 4.. Time to rethink my programing now.

Overhead Press- these actually went ok. They were hard because I was so tired but got all of my reps in. after 3 sets I was done, I had pretty much nothing left and I felt beat.

With no energy we skipped our normal facepulls.

It is time for some review and rethinking. I have to stop thinking like a beginner now.
I am lifting at intermediate levels and I need to program that way. I don't need to lift huge weights for lots of reps to make gains. I need to provide a stimulus in a different fashion. I can get as much out of fewer reps as I can from 5x5 without having to sacrifice recovery.
So my workout partner and I will come up with tweak and see how it goes..

My work out for Monday February 10th 2014. The single sets are my warm ups and the multiple sets are my work weights.

Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

5x60kg

5x80kg

5x100kg

4x120kg

3x140kg

1x160kg

5x5 167.5kg

Bench Press

5x20kg

5x40kg

5x60kg

3x80kg

2x100kg

3x5 107.5kg

Barbell Row

5x5 85kg

Notes

Well that began a new week of lifting and the hardest I have had in awhile. The weights are now back to a point to where you can really feel them and it takes a good 4-5 minute rest to get back into it. I am happy to be feeling the stimulation of heavier weights and hopefully I can keep it going a little longer.

Squats- well this is another 5x5 PR for me. Right now any 5x5 I advance to is a PR. It is a feeling I haven't had in awhile and it's pretty cool. I had to give it a good push but not what I would call a grind just yet.. but soon, that's for sure.

 

Bench press- This is getting really heavy for me. I thought about switching to 3x3 but my workout partner wanted to push on at 5x3. I'm glad he did, no sense in cheating myself out of potential gains. We will see how it goes next time but the switch is coming.

 

 

Rows- we were so spent after squats an benching that these almost got a miss but I like heavy rows and banging them out. Plus I was groovin' so bang them I did

 

There were a couple of young guys watching us squat tonight. My partner Ken hit his first 3 plate 5x5 (it was cool to watch) and these guys climbed under the bar after we cleared the rack. When the kid put the pad on the bar I knew he was needing some help. So Ken and I stepped over and gave some pointers to him on how to squat. I hate these kids that squat down past parallel with no problems. I have to do hip stretching and warm ups before I can get down that low and I think he was getting lower still. After a couple of minutes the kid had a good idea of what to do. hopefully he will listen and make some gains following a program.

 

Bring on Deadlift Wed.

 This is my workout for Friday February 7th 2014 along with notes..

Squat
5x20kg
5x40kg
5x60kg
5x80kg
5x100kg
4x120kg
3x140kg
1x160kg
5x5 165kg

Bench Press
5x20kg
5x40kg
5x60kg
4x80kg
3x90kg
1x100kg
3x5 105kg

Barbell Row
3x5 80kg

 Not a bad night at the gym. Earlier in the day I wondered whether I would be going to the gym at all. I woke up with a headache and it got worse as the morning went on until I was on the verge of a full blown migraine. I took a few pills and after lunch I felt a little better and a few more pills later it was a dull stab that was bearable. After dinner I was finally almost headache free. I'm not sure what the deal was but I'm glad it got better.
Tonight was a night for PR's for reps, and I couldn't be happier with how things are going. Next Saturday I am going to lift in a practice meet. Its mostly just to get some experience in commands and protocols. I'm not doing any real prep other than taking Friday off. So there won't be any records set (except maybe squats)
Squats- I was looking forward to squats tonight because 165kgs 5x5 is a PR for 5x5. I really didn't have and problems with these. Over the past couple of weeks my rests have stretched right out to 4-5minutes between sets. I am amazed again at how much impact 30-40 seconds of heavy lifting has on your CNS. I am more confident after tonight that I will hit 170kgs 5x5.

 Bench- tonight was heavy and for some reason my left arm was really weak and I struggled abit with it. I really feel these in my traps. I think I am getting something right with these since I'm not feeling them in my shoulder so much. I think it is time to think about switching to 3x3 on these.

 Rows- after squats and bench I was about done but I got in my rows, just not as noisy as normal.

I won't hit 170kgs 5x5 next week with Friday off but I'll nail it a week from Monday for sure.