brikis98's training journal

[brikis98]

after changing jobs and my workout routine, i finally am able to hit the gym consistently enough to change my workout from maintaining strength to actually increasing it. i figure i'll try to log it to monitor my progress.

Bio

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 220lbs
Age: 23

General Comments

I'm in the middle of an 8 week period where I'm trying to make some strength gains. I go to the gym 3 times per week, plus I box/run/bike 3 times a week.

I like to change my lifting routine a lot, so the flavor this time is a 5x5 routine for heavy compound exercises and 3x6-8 for everything else. Each time I complete the 5x5 with some weight, I add 5lbs the next week. So far, it's been pretty effective.

My 3 day split is below. My 10 minute warmup jog and warmup sets are omitted. The numbers are from this previous week (last week of January).

============= Day 1: chest, triceps, abs =============

Flat bench
280x5
280x5
280x5
280x5
280x5

Incline bench
225x8
225x6
225x5

Cable rows
100x8
105x8
110x6

Scull crushers
90x8
100x7
110x5, then inverses for 4 more

Cable crunches
160x12
175x8
175x8

Leg lifts on "the table"
12 reps
10 reps
10 reps

Comments
Moving up to 285 on flat bench next week. Unfortunately, the flat bench is really fatiguing me for incline. Will need to do something about that in the next cycle. For those that care, by "cable crunches" I mean the exercise where you take a cable, drop to your knees and then bend your face down to the ground as if you are praying.

============= Day 2: biceps & back =============

Deadlifts
335x5
335x5
335x5
335x5
335x5

Pullups
12 reps (standard military style)
8 reps (very wide grip style)
12 reps (parallel grip)

Standing barbell curl
105x8
115x8
120x4

Bent over dumbell rows
100x8
110x8
120x7

Shrugs with dumbells
100x8
110x8
120x8

One armed dumbell preacher curls
45x8
50x8
50x7

Comments
Deadlifts were easy this week, going up to 345 next week. Last set of barbell curls sucked horribly, no idea why.

============= Day 3: legs & shoulders =============

Squats
305x5
305x5
305x5
305x5
305x2

Military press (machine)
230x10
270x8
280x7

Leg press
600x8, plus 8 reps with calves
690x8, plus 6 reps with calves
690x6, plus 6 reps with calves

Front dumbell raises
30x8
35x8
40x6

Leg extensions (machine)
205x8
220x7
220x6

Lying lateral dumbell raises
27.5x8
30x8
30x8

Leg curls (machine)
140x8
150x7
150x2

Comments
Leaned forward a bit too much on the last set of squats this week and almost fell. Fortunately, was able to catch the weights on the power rack and stop myself. first time i've ever had it happen, scary as hell. To add to the misery, my calf cramped on me on the last set of leg curls, which hurt like a bitch. For those who care, my shoulder pops and hurts if I use dumbells/barbell for military press, so instead I use a plate loaded machine at the gym that feels a bit better. No, this weight does not accurately correspond to barbell military press. Also, "lying lateral dumbell raises" are a bit hard to describe, but basically I lie on my side on a bench and do a lateral raise. hits the side and back of the shoulder really nicely.

 

[paulxcook]

Cool, another journal. Strong lifting in here. Sucks that you almost fell over on squat. I bet that was embarrassing. How long has your shoulder been bothering you?

 

[KoolDrew]

Impressive benching! :thumbsup:

Why not add weight to the pullups and lower the reps a bit? Also, if you're shoulder is bothering you, doing wide grip chins probably isn't the best idea. I'd stick to one grip and do it through the whole workout as well. There's never anything wrong with using machines if a particular free weight exercise is bothering you either.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: paulxcook
Cool, another journal. Strong lifting in here. Sucks that you almost fell over on squat. I bet that was embarrassing. How long has your shoulder been bothering you?

yea, the squat thing was not cool. i've had it before where i go down and just can't go back up, in which case i easily go down the rest of the way and leave the weight on the squat rack. however, this time it wasn't a lack of strength but bad balance: i tilted forward too much and started to fall forward. good thing the power rack has pins all the way up the front, so i was able to land the bar on them and stop myself.

as for the shoulder, it has been a couple of months, on and off seemingly at random. prob should go see a doctor finally...

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Impressive benching! :thumbsup:

Why not add weight to the pullups and lower the reps a bit? Also, if you're shoulder is bothering you, doing wide grip chins probably isn't the best idea. I'd stick to one grip and do it through the whole workout as well. There's never anything wrong with using machines if a particular free weight exercise is bothering you either.

yea, the bunch is slightly out of proportion with my deadlifts & squats. my first ~1.5 years of lifting, as a complete moron, i basically benched everyday and never did back or legs. i got slightly less stupid after a while and slowly worked them in, but they are far behind in comparison to my chest.

unlike my old gym, this one doesn't have any belts to hang weights between your legs. i could try holding a dumbell with my feet or knees, but that will be pretty awkward. i'll prob switch to pull downs (where i can bump up the weight quite a bit) in a couple of weeks.

you may be right about the wide grip chin ups, although i've never noticed any discomfort from them. however, that doesn't mean much: some of my worst shoulder pain has come after a day of lifting where i felt no pain at all.

 

[paulxcook]

CAn you buy a weight belt and bring your own? That's my plan eventually. I need to be able to actually do a pullup first, though, so it'll be a while

 

[KoolDrew]

CAn you buy a weight belt and bring your own? That's my plan eventually.

Yea, that's what I do. My gym doesn't have one either.