Saint Nick's DYEL Log

[Saint Nick]

2/6/2013
Squat: 230
OHP: 90
Deadlift: 230

Squats felt heavy today. I think my form was a little weak as my back definitely felt a little more sore than usual. I haven't had as much food as I usually do by this time during the day, so maybe that could have something to do with it. OHP felt okay. My last couple sets were shaky. I'm wondering if I should move to 3x5 on this lift soon. Deadlift felt fine.

Excited to eat some chicken thighs and twice-baked potatoes for dinner!

 

[Saint Nick]

2/11/2013
Squat: 185
Bench: 140
Row: 115

Had a rough weekend in Kansas City. Got drunk Friday...got drunk Saturday and ate like crap all weekend. I was on a trip with my girlfriend for her work, so I was sort of on their schedule. Kept the squats light and still nailed my previous bench and row with no issue.

Planning on continuing to lift heavy on Thursday since I have some long nights ahead of me playing gigs.

 

[Saint Nick]

2/15/2013
Squat: 235 (5, 5, 5, 5, 4)
OHP: 90
Deadlift: 185

Tough lift today. I haven't been eating near enough this week. Squats felt good until that last rep on the last set...didn't quite get it. Oh well. Kept my overhead the same from last time. I felt so wiped out after my warmups on deadlift, I just called it quits.

This week has been tough. Had some late nights on Tuesday and Wednesday, which caused me to not want to lift on Thursday.

Really need to step it up.

 

[Saint Nick]

2/18/2013
Squat: 235
Bench: 142.5
Row: 117.5

Nailed squats no probs. Felt a lot better than last time. Might start using my 1.25 plates on my bench press, overhead press, and row. I did need a little help putting up the last few reps, but my gf didn't help too much. I will probably do 142.5 again next time. At least then I can try to put up all the sets without assistance.

After the lift I ate like a horse...downed 8 oz chicken thighs, a double quarter pounder with cheese from McD, and a bag of pork rinds...yikes. Oh and of course some veggies Keep forgetting to take my fish oil and multi! Damn.

 

[Saint Nick]

2/22/2013
Squat: 240
OHP: 92.5
Dead: 240

Everything felt heavy today. Took a nap immediately after lifting. Took the day off, so have been rummaging around the house eating everything in sight...

 

[Saint Nick]

2/25/2013
Squat: 245
Bench: 142.5
Row: 120

Not a bad lift. I have really been having a hard time staying motivated lately, which is why there is a huge gap between my recent lifting days. I feel like I am having a hard time sleeping lately, and I can't figure out why. I think I am a little stressed out but was hoping that lifting would releive that stress. And yet again, I had one hell of a time falling and staying asleep last night. I think I would be a lot more excited to lift if my mind and body weren't so tired all of the time.

 

[rga]

Are you still deadlifting twice per week every other week as per StrongLifts' guidelines? Maybe you're overtraining, and now's the time to reduce the frequency to once per week. Keep in mind that bent over rows, squats, and deadlifts all tax the lower back. Maybe you could replace one row day with chin/pull-ups, so as to give your lower back a break while still hitting your upper back.

Or maybe you just need a week off. Take the week, then drop your lifts by 10% when you return, and start progressing again from there.

 

[Saint Nick]

Yes. I am still deadlifting twice per week, every other week as consistently as I can.

Let me explain: the past few weeks have been weird because I play in a band, and we often have mid-week gigs that go until 1:30AM. I try not to lift the day of the gig, and sometimes I just feel too tired to lift the day after, so it ends up being three days between my lifts.

I have been considering at least doing a very light week where I do 60% or 70% of my current weight. However a week of no lifting does sound pretty nice as it would not only give me time off to rest, but more free time to get to some stuff I've been neglecting . I've done it in the past and always come back feeling great.

I might take your advice after this weekend. I have a gig tonight, so I could lift Thursday and Saturday and take the next week off.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[tedrodai]

Yeah, it's a good idea to cut back every 4-8wks if you've been going strong. I've found 8 weeks is usually too long for me, but it depends on the person and the intensity of their workouts. I prefer deloading rather than doing nothing for a week, but I'm not shy about taking a week off if I really feel overworked, etc. This is a decent summary of deloading: http://www.bodybuildingfyi.com/deload-weeks-in-weightlifting/

 

[Saint Nick]

Good link -- thanks tedrodai I think I can finish out the week, but definitely going to go light next week.

 

[Saint Nick]

3/1/2013
Squat: 250
OHP: 92.5 (5, 5, 5, 3, F)
Deadlift: 205

Felt like trash after my squats yesterday. Overhead press seemed way harder than last time. On top of that, I couldn't even finish them. I knew right away after my OHP warm up I wasn't going to make it. I didn't even feel like doing deadlifts. I'm pretty excited to take some time off.

Woke up this morning with a scratchy sinus, so I'm sure I'm about to get sick. I'll be back a week from Monday.

 

[Saint Nick]

3/12/2013
Squat: 225
Bench: 130
Row: 105

I'm back. And I was right...I ended up getting sick last week and had to take a couple of days off of work. Must have had a cold. I've recovered from that but now have a new issue...

Woke up yesterday morning with terrible neck and back pain. I have no idea what happened, but must have slept or strained them somehow at night. I didn't let that stop me from lifting. My muscle pain went away while I was lifting, and was hoping that helped it. I was wrong. It came back once I got out of the shower and sat down to eat dinner. Been in pain ever since.

As for the lift, it went well. My legs feel destroyed today. I could have easily done more weight on both bench and row, but kept it light.

Hopefully either this pain will go away on its own, or I'm going to end up going to the chriopractor.

 

[Saint Nick]

3/15/2013
Squat: 240 (3x5)
OHP: 80 (3x5)
Deadlift: Nope.

My legs still had some wicked DOMs from last Tuesday's lift. They hurt way too much to even finish 5x5. After squats, my muscles were as sore as they have ever been. I couldn't even do the deadlift movement without my quads and hamstrings tightening up.

I am out of town for gigs this weekend so lifting is going to have to wait until Tuesday.

 

[rga]

Why did you make the jump from 225 to 240?

 

[Saint Nick]

Why did you make the jump from 225 to 240?

I guess I wanted to get back to doing heavy weights. Maybe I should stick to five pound increments. Probably would have made that day last week a lot better

Today I'll probably do 230 and keep working up. It was really weird how sore I was last week. I only had time to get two lifts in, but my quads have never been that sore...even when I first started. I guess a week off, being sick, and having little appetite must do a number on the body.

 

[Saint Nick]

3/19/2013
Squat: 230
Bench: 135
Row: 110

Put up all lifts with ease today. Been trying to stick with eating big and getting back into the routine after getting sick, taking a week off, and being on the road with my band. Going out of town again this weekend, so probably going to lift on Thursday, although I'll have very little sleep as I have another gig this Wednesday.

 

[Saint Nick]

3/21/2013
Squat: 235
OHP: 85
Deadlift: 240

Good lift. Really didn't feel like lifting today but I stuck it out. Lower back is a little sore, I think, from deadlifting. Have been slacking real bad on that lift the past couple weeks and need to probably work up again.

Not sure why I feel like it is taking me so long to bring my weights up. Probably due to me eat only 3500 calories per day. I think if I hit 4000 I would probably be seeing some better gains. I just find it terribly difficult to get all that food in.

 

[Saint Nick]

3/25/2013
Squat: 240
Bench: 140
Row: 115

Pretty easy lift today. Sort of want to do a little 60-90 day cut, then maintain for a while. Due to touring this spring and summer, it will be hard for me to manage the bulking diet consistently. If I do, should I lower my sets from 5x5 to 3x5? And should I just keep the weight the same the whole time?

 

[Saint Nick]

I am going to go on a 90 day cut by increasing my protein and reducing calories. I weigh about 205-210lbs right now, and am looking to get down to 10-12% body fat. Bulked with around 200g protein, and looking to increase to 250g protein throughout the cut. Calories also moving from approximately 3500 daily to 2800 daily. As far as routine goes, I am moving my sets from 5x5 to 3x5. Probably will continue to do this routine throughout the cut and through summer. SC mentioned in the "fat loss" sticky that I should still be able to make some, albeit slow, gains.

I could have just as easily used ifcalc.com, but it was fun making the spreadsheet. I linked it up to my pre-planned meal sheets as well.

Will post some before and afters once the 90 days are through. This is really my first cut, so I hope that I can maintain the discipline to eat at a deficit rather than surplus.

3/28/2013
Squat: 245x5x1, 205x5x1, 205x5x1
OHP: 90x5x3
Deadlift: 240x5x1

The 28th wasn't the best day. I twisted my knee while getting out of the hole on my second set of 245, and felt a painful twinge in my knee. Felt the pain between where the femur meets the tibia. Decided to take some weight off, and was able to squat parallel with 205 on the bar. Finish the rest of the lifts with ease.

3/30/2013
Squat: 245
Bench: 142.5
Row: 117.5

Today was a great lift. Slept well and ate well this morning.

 

[Saint Nick]

4/2/2013
Squat: 245x1x5
OHP: 90
Deadlift:

Yesterday sucked. I hadn't eaten enough and I really tweaked something in my back. I was unracking the weight, and the plate made contact with the rack somewhere. I was trying to catch it and re-correct and hurt something in my back. I was able to do 245 the first set with ease. I would have finished with no issue if I didn't have that little accident.

Decided to just stop squatting right there, do my pathetic OHP, and skip deadlifts. I might try again tomorrow. My lower back has a little bit of pain today, so we will have to see.

Pretty discouraging as I am just starting my cut, but I'm determined to stick with it.

 

[Saint Nick]

4/4/2013
Squat: 205
Bench: 145
Row: 120

Still sticking with 3x5s right now. This wasn't a bad lift considering I thought I really hurt my back the other day. I did have a little pain coming out on my first set of squats. Once I started focusing on really using my legs and glutes to push, and tightening up my upper back, it took stress off of my lower back.

Was able to move both my bench and row up and finished those with no problems. Still sticking with 2800 calories per day right now.

 

[Saint Nick]

4/6/2013
Squat: 225
OHP: 90
Deadlift: 205

Good lift. Back still feeling very tired. Doens't hurt so much, just feels tired/strained after the workout.

 

[Saint Nick]

4/9/2013
Squat: 245
Bench: 145
Row: 120

Good lift today. Back pain is gone. Bench was tough for the first set, but the last two sets seemed easier for some reason. Probably didn't warm up enough. Still eating 2800 calories per day. Macros are 240P/109F/210C. I just use these as a general guide line.

I would like to try to move the weights up on Saturday, depending on how I feel.

 

[Saint Nick]

4/13/2013
Squat: 245
OHP: 90
Deadlift: 205

Good lift on Saturday. Wasn't feeling moving the weight up. Saturday was our CD release, so it was a long day, and I'm still feeling a little exhausted from Saturday's workout + playing a show + staying up all night. Diet suffered a tiny bit this weekend.

Been having more space between lifting days due to practicing schedule with my band. Headed to Colorado this weekend, so hopefully will get at least a couple lifting days in this week! Weight hasn't moved much, maybe only four pounds or so since I started my cut. Might adjust calories soon, because I figured I would lose more just in water alone, but I think I'm at a very slight deficit right now.

 

[Saint Nick]

4/16/2013
Squat: 245
Bench: 145
Row: 120

Easy lift. Probably going to move my weights up today for the squat, and maybe deadlift.