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I want your Rollins band shirt!

 

It's one of my favorite shirts, most definitely and I'm actually somewhat of a Black Flag/Rollins super-fan/nerd.

 

Your squatting is equally impressive as the amount of work you continued to put in after them !!

 

Nice stuff, love your training ~ and your journal/videos rock.

 

Thank you! I really just want to be more consistent with all of my lifts - five reps is great and all but if I could knock at 10x180, my 1RM would be even more impressive.

I'm way behind in v-logs despite having a ton of terribly shot footage to edit; I just need to find the time to get on that :/

 

Re: your squats

Did I mention I hate u?

 

Buuuuuuuuuuut my lower-body > upper-body instead of my upper-body = lower-body. Definitely need to focus on being more balanced and well-rounded. My bench press is super embarrassing.

 

I feel like a girly-girl man reading your workout. Holy moly, woman.

 

You shouldn't! To be honest, I would never have though to do so much volume if I'd never come across the PHAT program. Hell, the first time I read saw it, I thought to myself, "I'm going to die if I try this ... I'll start in two weeks."

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Henry Rollins is like a god to me. You rock that shirt well my friend

 

He's been one of the biggest inspirations in my life, as corny as that sounds. I have quite a few signed posters and things around my apartment and, in fact, he was a huge motivator for me in high school when I first started lifting. When I read "The Iron" essay he wrote back when I was a teenager, it got me into lifting in the first place.

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What do you use to edit the videos with?

 

My other half won't let me use her mac book (final year of a degree) & I use a windows based laptop. Would of liked to use Imovie but she just expects me to do something to her uni work hahaha Was thinking of Imovie for my Iphone, ever used it?

 

When are you planning on testing lifts for 5/3/1?

 

I've read "the iron" to, such a great read. It made me think about how each day I'am, at the very least working towards something all the time.

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What do you use to edit the videos with?

 

My other half won't let me use her mac book (final year of a degree) & I use a windows based laptop. Would of liked to use Imovie but she just expects me to do something to her uni work hahaha Was thinking of Imovie for my Iphone, ever used it?

 

When are you planning on testing lifts for 5/3/1?

 

I've read "the iron" to, such a great read. It made me think about how each day I'am, at the very least working towards something all the time.

 

I usually use my other half's Mac, actually, ha, which is another reason I haven't had the time to work on videos - coursework > v-logs, apparently. If I had more time to actually "edit" the videos and shoot them properly, they'd be of much higher quality. Since I really want to keep doing them, and maybe even focus more-so on them in terms of re-capping training sessions, I might cut some kind of deal so that I can get the Mac more. I did go to school for video editing so I might as well put it to use instead of half-assing it.

 

PHAT is supposed to run for 12 weeks and I'm currently half-way through number ten. Once that's all done, I was thinking of taking 3-4 days completely off (probably go crazy in the process) and then test lifts, though, maybe I should take longer off or just deload. Any insight on that?

 

I am getting ready to go on a iTunes spending spree and going to get some Black Flag and Rollins band songs. By far my favorite is Liar but that is for personal reasons lol. Any song recommendations???

 

"Rise Above," "TV Party," "Gimme Gimme Gimme," "I'm the One," "Black Coffee," and "Spray Paint" are all Black Flag songs everyone should have on their iTunes, if not their entire discography. In terms of Rollins Band tracks, "Shine," "We Walk Alone," "Disconnected," "All I Want," "Low Self Opinion," and "Love's So Heavy" are all solid.

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02.22.12

PHAT Week 10, Day 2

Upper-body power day

QvC: XV

 

To be honest, other than working out there was little of note on Wednesday. I opened at work, I hit the gym, and I ate a lot of food.

 

Barbell bench press

10x45

5x60

5x70

3x70

3x75

3x80

1x85

3x5x65

Notes: Had two reps at 85 but my ass came off the bench on the second one so I dropped the weight and went for reps.

 

Standing barbell overhead press

5x45

5x55

3x65

3x70

2x70

1x65

5x45

2x45

Notes: No increases but form is locked in on these, finally. Should have went for 5 reps for reach set but I was hoping to put up 75. Next time.

 

Rack chins

2x10

Notes: Did these in between the last set of OHP with 70s, probably why the following "set" of 65 was blown. Either way, going to start doing these with weight next week.

 

Assisted dips

7x70

3x80

12x80

Notes: First two sets were drop-sets. All the benching killed these.

 

Assisted pull-ups

2x10x90

Notes: These are feeling better. Should be able to do them with only 80 next time around. Sounds weak but ... well, my upper-body is weak.

 

Seated dumbbell shoulder press

3x10x20

Notes: The time has come to nail 3x10x25 as I anticipated these being a challenge but it felt like nothing.

 

Tricep pushdowns with v-bar attachment

12x90

10x120

10x110

10x100

Notes: Bench, dips, and then these made my triceps pretty twitchy. I definitely find the v-bar more challenging than the rope. Can dig it.

 

Farmer's walks

3x900ft with 20lbs

2x528ft with 15lbs

Notes: The people in my gym think I'm crazy for doing these. I love them.

 

Macros

52/160/190 + untracked salad and some pita and hummus

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02.24.12

PHAT Week 10, Day 3

Lower-body hypertrophy day

QvC: XVI

The Day Everything Felt Heavy

 

I woke up with serious DOMS in my legs from what I can only imagine is a combination of lower-body power day and all those farmer's walks from Wednesday. It didn't help too much that I also slept poorly last night and not for very long - seven broken hours. By the time I clocked out from work, I was already dragging ass so I knew I needed to Quaker-up, get to the gym, hit my numbers for squats and deads and leave the rest up to fate - if I got to my assistance work, I got to it. If I didn't, no issue since, what really matters, are S&D.

 

ATG barbell squats

10x45

3x10x95

Notes: Serious weight decrease from previous hypertrophy days but I'm still tweaking my low-bar form so this is what I'll be working with for 5+ reps from now on.

 

Barbell deadlifts

5x135

5x155

5x165

5x175

5x155

5x145

3x5x135

Notes: Back starts rounding too much on 180, largely because I'm not upright enough. From the reverse 155 down, weight was dropped when form slipped. The 3x5x135 were cake, though, my lower-back isn't pleased six hours later.

 

Leg curls

10x100

10x90

10x80

Notes: Meh.

 

Leg press

2x12x320

Notes: Knees to chest with lots of grunting and spit flying everywhere. All in a day's work.

 

Calf press on the leg press

3x15x235

Notes: When I was doing these, all I could think about was something my girlfriend said to me yesterday: "Your calves are getting huge." Yep.

 

Leg extensions

10x40

10x60

2x12x160

12x100

Notes: Still don't focus on the lock-out but I think I'm going to cut these out. I don't want them busting my knees up and I feel like I need to be front squatting somewhere in my routine, even if it's with light-weight/as a warm-up.

 

Seated calf presses[/i]

15x90

10x90

Notes: Seven second holds for each rep.

 

Macros

55/150/220

Went out and got a vegan burger wrap with grilled vegetables for dinner so, while I'm good at guessing, I could be off by quite a bit.

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I don't think you really need to take a deload & then spend time doing maxes.

 

It makes more sense to take them while you are still on a program, doing them after a deload may give you a false number.

 

You also don't need to 1 rep to get a max. I personally did it while on my 3 day strength program. When it came to my heaviest set is just went balls out on my big lifts, but I always rep till a point where I know the next may take a time to get up, never to failure though.

 

You can even do it with a comfortable weight & again reps till you struggle, I did this with programming a loadable (is that a word) assistance eg 20 good reps with 50kg on good mornings.

 

The formula of reps x weight x .0333 + weight is accurate. 

 

I actually took lower ranges in the hope of holding of a stall eg bench I lifted 100kg for 4 solid paused reps but when I programmed it  I took just 1 rep as a max.

 

Giving yourself an easier week before 5/3/1 sounds good. I'd recommend just doing 1 lift at a lower percentage then some rehab & stretching. 

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The formula of reps x weight x .0333 + weight is accurate. 

 

I actually took lower ranges in the hope of holding of a stall eg bench I lifted 100kg for 4 solid paused reps but when I programmed it  I took just 1 rep as a max.

 

Giving yourself an easier week before 5/3/1 sounds good. I'd recommend just doing 1 lift at a lower percentage then some rehab & stretching. 

 

Thanks for all the solid advice - especially regarding de-loading or not. On my next day off (Tuesday), I'm going to map out testing my lifts so I can get going on this program. PHAT's been great, but, after reading through the e-book, I really do think 5/3/1 is going to help me progress quite a bit.

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The Arnold is next weekend. I want to go Sunday. Want to ride together? I'm trying to get a commitment out of a few other Cleveland vegan types.

 

Let me double-check my schedule for next weekend - I believe that I am, in fact, off that day but I won't be able to give you a 100% accurate answer until around midnight tonight/early tomorrow morning.

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The formula of reps x weight x .0333 + weight is accurate. 

 

I actually took lower ranges in the hope of holding of a stall eg bench I lifted 100kg for 4 solid paused reps but when I programmed it  I took just 1 rep as a max.

 

Giving yourself an easier week before 5/3/1 sounds good. I'd recommend just doing 1 lift at a lower percentage then some rehab & stretching.

 

Thanks for all the solid advice - especially regarding de-loading or not. On my next day off (Tuesday), I'm going to map out testing my lifts so I can get going on this program. PHAT's been great, but, after reading through the e-book, I really do think 5/3/1 is going to help me progress quite a bit.

 

Happy to read you got a lot out of it. I won't rag on sites, magazines posting this & that "killer" routine, at least they'r putting something out there. For me when these program's start trying to rewrite the book of lifting I just  read 5/3/1 again . I honestly can't see myself using another program, just will mix it up by  using different templates from 2nd edition.

 

 

Hope the "testing" goes well. I'm sure a deload will get you chomping at the bit to get cracking, just remember the long term goal that your aimng for.

 

When you choose the template you wish to go with just make sure it's to aid the actual big lift, I know you've already read this but it does make you think about what it is your doing, which can only be a good thing. 

 

Eg, A guy who I know exclaimed to me he'd just (isolation) curled a 16kg db for 20 reps, on asking him what was the thinking behind that he just gave me the "nobody's home" look.

 

I did say well done though, at least he is doing something, I just wanted to plant a seed in his head haha

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Happy to read you got a lot out of it. I won't rag on sites, magazines posting this & that "killer" routine, at least they'r putting something out there. For me when these program's start trying to rewrite the book of lifting I just read 5/3/1 again . I honestly can't see myself using another program, just will mix it up by using different templates from 2nd edition.

 

 

Hope the "testing" goes well. I'm sure a deload will get you chomping at the bit to get cracking, just remember the long term goal that your aimng for.

 

When you choose the template you wish to go with just make sure it's to aid the actual big lift, I know you've already read this but it does make you think about what it is your doing, which can only be a good thing.

 

Eg, A guy who I know exclaimed to me he'd just (isolation) curled a 16kg db for 20 reps, on asking him what was the thinking behind that he just gave me the "nobody's home" look.

 

I did say well done though, at least he is doing something, I just wanted to plant a seed in his head haha

 

I'm currently still debating between BBB and the David Tate templates as I can see how either would be extremely beneficial for me at this stage in my training. BBB would definitely help with growth and perfecting form; Tate would allow me to target my weak areas a bit more directly. Though, that makes me lean toward running BBB for the first few cycles and then switching it up once I've set up an even more solid foundation after a few months.

 

Tomorrow will be week 11 of PHAT and the following "final" week will be when I test my maxes in the manner you suggested - do a four day split only doing the "big" lifts and going balls to the wall on those and taking the next week as a light deload to prepare myself for the new program.

 

And I definitely agree with you about having a program that makes sense, i.e. each lift and exercise serves a purpose. If I've learned anything from PHAT it's that, while I love the volume, a lot of it is unnecessary. If I were focusing on being a bodybuilder, ever lift is important but, for example, the called for 6 sets of calf raises isn't really helping out my squat, you know? It's been a good learning experience, though, and I don't regret seeing it all the way through whatsoever.

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02.25.12

PHAT Week 10, Day 4

Arms and chest hypertrophy day

 

I didn’t plan on going to the gym Saturday. In fact, I was pretty excited about having a full day off from work and lifting to focus on other meaningful things – like grocery shopping, writing articles/poetry, and catching up on v-logs. Two-thirds of that went according to plan but, since I use the old lady’s MacBook to do all my video editing and she’s been bogged down with papers, the v-logs are currently on back order and I was left with a substantial amount of time and, therefore, restlessness to combat.

After downing a bowl of curried peanut butter soup (yes, this exists; yes, it is amazing), I realized I couldn’t take it any longer.

At approximately 10:15 p.m., I entered an empty gym and made it my castle on "brotastic gun day."

 

Barbell bench press

10x45

3x10x65

 

Machine chest press

6x90

6x80

6x100

7x90

Notes: Super-setted with the above.

Hammer curls

2x10x20

Incline cable flyes

2x15x30

 

Ez-bar strict curls

2x15x30

 

Concentration curls

2x15x15

 

Push-ups

3x10

 

Assisted pull-ups

3x5

 

Assisted dips

3x5

Notes: For the last three these are estimates on the number of sets; I just kept doing them in between the benching and curls. Hence why I don't really know what the weight was on the dips/pulls either - I'm assuming somewhere between the 80/70 since they were a bitch but I kept plowing through them.

 

Close-grip barbell bench

10x45

Notes: I hadn’t done these in a while and wanted to see how they felt.

 

Macros

48/145/180

I fandangled these all up since I hadn’t planned on hitting the gym and, originally, thought I’d be going out for a few drinks – also explaining why this day does not count toward the QvC experiment. Felt bad.

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02.26.12

PHAT Week 10, Day 5

Back and shoulders hypertrophy day

Werewolfing It

 

Some people talk about going into “beast mode” at the gym. I, on the other hand, have a penchant for engaging what I like to call Werewolf Mode – it happens whenever I enter a gym after 10:00 p.m. For some reason, this is the time of day that produces the best gym sessions for me. Unlike with mid-day lifting, my focus sharpens, my determination strengthens, and my energy increases throughout the workout rather than tapering.

This could have a lot to do with the fact that, other than a few occasionally randoms, my gym is generally empty at this time and I don’t have to worry about people staring at me for dropping my weights, banging my head, or prowling about like a caged animal. Or, in the case of Sunday night, deciding it was a good idea to do jump rope sets in between exercises because I had that much energy. Regardless, if I had it my way, I think I’d always lift at night.

The only downfall of Sunday's session was food - I left both my lunch and my pre-work out meal at home so my intake throughout the day was a lot lower than I had planned on, consisting mostly of soup. And while it didn't affect my gym performance at all, it left me with a lot of calories in cram into my face in a very short time span. Hitting the gym later at night also makes my weigh-ins a little tempermental as they've typically been earlier in the day - both Saturday and Sunday I was in between 124 and 125. I'll be interested to see what Tuesday's early morning session says, though, if I'm gaining, I'll take it. I've been sitting at 122/123 for too long.

 

Standing barbell shoulder press

3x10x50

 

Rack chins

3x12

 

One arm dumbbell rows

2x15x35

Dumbbell side later raise

2x20x20

 

Barbell shrug

2x20x200

 

Dumbbell shrug

12x40

12x45

Reverse flyes

2x15x20

Upright cable row

15x110

15x100

 

Seated rows

3x80

12x70

12x60

6x50

Note: Trying to find my rhythm on these again; I really, really miss doing barbell rows.

 

Close-grip lateral pulldown

10x90

5x80

12x70

Notes: Burn sets

 

Jump rope

Notes:I did 200 jumps for my warm-up and then just did sets of 20 throughout my entire workout to keep my heart-rate up and to try and burn off all the access energy I had. Felt awesome.

 

Macros

41/184/215

Protein intake was ridiculously high today. I think I need to up my fats, though. I’m consistently getting less than 0.5g/lb which isn’t good at all. I also didn’t QvC again today because I left my oats at home in a rush to get to work on time. No bueno.

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Oh, and I haven't been taking too many pictures of food recently because they've all been boring but ... I did make my lady some muffin-tops ...

 

AmJbwkLCMAASWs7.jpg

 

And, after Sunday's werewolfing, I did have some couscous, lentil, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and peppers with a grilled hemp bread and peanut butter sandwich.

 

Amok7GFCAAAKXER.jpg

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Happy to read you got a lot out of it. I won't rag on sites, magazines posting this & that "killer" routine, at least they'r putting something out there. For me when these program's start trying to rewrite the book of lifting I just read 5/3/1 again . I honestly can't see myself using another program, just will mix it up by using different templates from 2nd edition.

 

 

Hope the "testing" goes well. I'm sure a deload will get you chomping at the bit to get cracking, just remember the long term goal that your aimng for.

 

When you choose the template you wish to go with just make sure it's to aid the actual big lift, I know you've already read this but it does make you think about what it is your doing, which can only be a good thing.

 

Eg, A guy who I know exclaimed to me he'd just (isolation) curled a 16kg db for 20 reps, on asking him what was the thinking behind that he just gave me the "nobody's home" look.

 

I did say well done though, at least he is doing something, I just wanted to plant a seed in his head haha

 

I'm currently still debating between BBB and the David Tate templates as I can see how either would be extremely beneficial for me at this stage in my training. BBB would definitely help with growth and perfecting form; Tate would allow me to target my weak areas a bit more directly. Though, that makes me lean toward running BBB for the first few cycles and then switching it up once I've set up an even more solid foundation after a few months.

 

Tomorrow will be week 11 of PHAT and the following "final" week will be when I test my maxes in the manner you suggested - do a four day split only doing the "big" lifts and going balls to the wall on those and taking the next week as a light deload to prepare myself for the new program.

 

And I definitely agree with you about having a program that makes sense, i.e. each lift and exercise serves a purpose. If I've learned anything from PHAT it's that, while I love the volume, a lot of it is unnecessary. If I were focusing on being a bodybuilder, ever lift is important but, for example, the called for 6 sets of calf raises isn't really helping out my squat, you know? It's been a good learning experience, though, and I don't regret seeing it all the way through whatsoever.

 

 

 

Are you reading the 1st or 2nd edition? As the 2nd has a lot more templates...

 

The Tate template is good but take my advice & do not pyramid the sets (light to heavy)...I did this & by the 3rd assistance I was beat. To much again....I'm using the programmed assistance from second edition which is a lot like the Tate one but has a loadable (barbell work) assistance...You then hit the whole upper body (lats, Mid back, triceps & biceps) Twice a week but its light(ish) work and in 3 sets of 10 reps...Lower days I do deads with front squats & Squats with good mornings...GHR & reverse hypers on lower days to.

 

Heres how I work it:

After the big lift & programmed assistance on upper body days on a Monday I do chins ups with various grips for lats & a cable row for mid back. Then when it's Thursday I'll do a type of lat pull down but then dumbbell rows. I think having a harder day for each back part works well for me, two lots of chins & free weight rowing twice a week would prob mean I'd of not recovered in time.

 

Dead lift day i do 3x10 GHR & Hypers, Squats just 5x10 GHR as part of the warm up/assistance.

 

 

Like all assistance though after the loadable assistance don't think to much about it (besides the chins) if you were to go this route.

 

5/3/1 triumvirate is also a great template if you go with 4 days a week:)

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Are you reading the 1st or 2nd edition? As the 2nd has a lot more templates...

 

The Tate template is good but take my advice & do not pyramid the sets (light to heavy)...I did this & by the 3rd assistance I was beat. To much again....I'm using the programmed assistance from second edition which is a lot like the Tate one but has a loadable (barbell work) assistance...You then hit the whole upper body (lats, Mid back, triceps & biceps) Twice a week but its light(ish) work and in 3 sets of 10 reps...Lower days I do deads with front squats & Squats with good mornings...GHR & reverse hypers on lower days to.

 

Heres how I work it:

After the big lift & programmed assistance on upper body days on a Monday I do chins ups with various grips for lats & a cable row for mid back. Then when it's Thursday I'll do a type of lat pull down but then dumbbell rows. I think having a harder day for each back part works well for me, two lots of chins & free weight rowing twice a week would prob mean I'd of not recovered in time.

 

Dead lift day i do 3x10 GHR & Hypers, Squats just 5x10 GHR as part of the warm up/assistance.

 

 

Like all assistance though after the loadable assistance don't think to much about it (besides the chins) if you were to go this route.

 

5/3/1 triumvirate is also a great template if you go with 4 days a week:)

 

Shit. Definitely reading the 1st edition. Need to snag a copy of the second one.

 

I took today's lower-body power-day to really nail down my weaknesses and to help me decide on which template/assistance lifts would be the most beneficial. Got some serious thinking to do.

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Thought you might like this, an inspiring little clip of my new training partner...

 

 

18yrs old and a lifelong vegetarian; pound for pound probably the strongest deadlifter I know and he has only been training just under a year using 5/3/1

 

http://biggerstrongersmarter.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/roar-deadlifting/

 

He's the first one up in that clip, that's his final lift from a meet we both competed in last week. A comfortable 484lb deadlift at 147 bodyweight (3.288 x bw). I was sat off to the side when he pulled that and he I can tell you that he made it look easy. He told me he pulled 506 in training at the end of January, but he didn't want to attempt that weight as it was his first meet ?!

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