Chewy's Strength Log

[Fallen_Horse]

...I've unsubscribed from all her stuff online which is much better for coping with stuff...

That is ESSENTIAL for working through the emotions and stress. I Facebook-stalked my ex for a few weeks after our breakup, and it didn't do me any favors. Close the connection as cleanly as possible, re-inventory who you are as a person, and get yourself back on your feet. Lifting always helps!

[chewybaws]

Cheers everyone!

That is ESSENTIAL for working through the emotions and stress. I Facebook-stalked my ex for a few weeks after our breakup, and it didn't do me any favors. Close the connection as cleanly as possible, re-inventory who you are as a person, and get yourself back on your feet. Lifting always helps!

This is exactly my plan! The week after I couldn't stay off her facebook, but since then it hasn't been a problem. Haven't contacted her or anything since a week after breakup, and things are going great! Last week I realised even if she wanted to patch things up, I wouldn't want to. I'm moving on. I've met up with some old friends recently, been going out a lot more, meeting new friends! Got a vegan meetup in Glasgow next week as well which should be good =]


Week 3

Mon 5th March 2012
Bodyweight = 84.4kg

Squat (groin rehab)
1x20x45kg
1x20x55kg
1x20x65kg

DB Bench
2x10x25kg DBs
1x10x27.5kg DBs

Kroc rows
3x10x30kg DB

Weighted Dips
3x10 +5kg

Weighted Planks
30s +35kg
30s +50kg
30s +65kg


Tue 6th March 2012

Squat (groin rehab)
1x20x50kg
1x20x60kg
1x20x70kg

Went for a jog in the park for about 10 mins


Wed 7th March 2012

Squat (groin rehab)
1x15x55kg
1x15x65kg
1x15x75kg

Bench
1x5x60kg
1x3x67.5kg
1x7x75kg

Pullups
2x10
1x10 assisted with purple mini band

OHP
3x10x35kg

Ab roller
2x15 (on knees)

Captains of crush #1, 5 reps right hand, 3 reps left hand


Thu 8th March 2012
Bodyweight = 84.5kg

Squats (groin rehab)
1x15x60kg
1x15x70kg
1x15x80kg

Again, went for a 10min jog in the park


Fri 9th March 2012
Bodyweight = 84.3kg

Squat (groin rehab)
1x15x65kg
1x15x75kg
1x15x85kg

Push Press
1x5x50kg
1x3x55kg
1x6x62.5kg

Deadlift
1x5x150kg
1x3x170kg
1x6x190kg (belt for this set only, new 6RM)

Speed Pulls
5x2x110kg +purple mini band (no belt - but will prob use belt next week)



Bench/push press not so great this week, but groin rehab feeling much better. Think my legs are actually growing from all the high rep squatting every day haha. I took a wider stance today (Friday) and it felt pretty comfy. Very happy with deadlifts. Overall though, need to get on a proper diet plan. I ain't gaining strength or losing fat, stuck in limbo.

[vegansludge]

I pulled 62kg for 21 reps yesterday and felt beastly until I just saw your video. Haha. But in all seriousness, excellent work there, mate.

Glad to hear things are looking up for you, as well. A vegan meet-up sounds pretty awesome, too. You'll have to let us all know how that goes.

Overall though, need to get on a proper diet plan. I ain't gaining strength or losing fat, stuck in limbo.

What's your plan from here on out - still just wanting to get bigger and stronger or are you looking to lose some fat?

[chewybaws]

I pulled 62kg for 21 reps yesterday and felt beastly until I just saw your video. Haha. But in all seriousness, excellent work there, mate.

Glad to hear things are looking up for you, as well. A vegan meet-up sounds pretty awesome, too. You'll have to let us all know how that goes.

Overall though, need to get on a proper diet plan. I ain't gaining strength or losing fat, stuck in limbo.

What's your plan from here on out - still just wanting to get bigger and stronger or are you looking to lose some fat?

Cheers and I'll definitely let you guys know how it went.

The problem is, I don't know what the plan is haha. Now that I'm a single man again I wouldn't have minded getting the body fat low for abs. But on the other hand I'm 6ft and only 84kg just now... looking pretty lanky. I feel like I really should be adding some mass.

[vegansludge]

The problem is, I don't know what the plan is haha. Now that I'm a single man again I wouldn't have minded getting the body fat low for abs. But on the other hand I'm 6ft and only 84kg just now... looking pretty lanky. I feel like I really should be adding some mass.

Totally understandable. I've finally determined that gaining mass and getting stronger is my number one priority but it was kind of a battle to get there. On the one hand, having visible abs was something I always wanted to accomplish but, on the other hand, I don't know what that'd actually do for me other than look good. Haha.

From your videos, it definitely doesn't look like you need to lose fat and I can only imagine how fast your lifts would go up if you increased your calories. With that said, I think it's really up to you - if you cut what little fat you do have, you'd look shredded as hell; if you up the calories, I can only imagine the destruction you'd bring into the gym.

[MoshxDeLaney]

Looking solid man. I love the hold at the end. Good luck with your meet up. Looking forward to hearing about it.

[chewybaws]

Week 4 (deload)

Mon 12th March 2012
Bodyweight = 84.2kg

Squat (groin rehab)
1x10x70kg
1x10x80kg
1x10x90kg

DB Bench
1x10x25kg DBs
2x10x27.5kg DBs

Kroc rows (standing)
1x10x30kg
1x10x35kg
2x10x40kg

Weighted Dips
3x10 +6.25kg

Weighted Plank
30s +40kg
30s +55kg
30s +70kg


Tue 13th March 2012

Squat (groin rehab)
1x10x75kg
1x10x85kg
1x10x95kg

Jog in the park for 10 mins
*Started bulking this day


Wed 14th March 2012
Bodyweight = 85.2kg

Squat (groin rehab)
1x10x80kg
1x10x90kg
1x10x100kg

Bench
1x3x52.5kg
1x3x60kg
1x3x70kg

Pullups
10 +1.25kg
10/7 bodyweight

OHP
3x10x35kg (+extra collar)

CoC Trainer 20 reps each hand for grip


So yeah, started the bulk on Tuesday. about 4400kcal workout days, 4000kcal off days. See how it goes. Figured there's no real point of cutting and getting abs when I only weigh about 84kg at 6ft, will just look skinny. The only logical option is to bulk.

Went to a vegan potluck on Tuesday, went well Will be going to the next meetup. Downside was I had a few pints and workouts have felt horrendous the last few days. That might also be down to eating too much too close to workout, still to sort out the frequency of the upped calories.

Squats 100kg x10 no belt was surprisingly easy, considering I felt like shit that day and the warmups had me sweating. I might actually just keep the belt off for squats now that I have an opportunity to start afresh with them on 5/3/1.


Been doing this assistance plan for 2 months but still like it. Just going to make a couple of tweaks - barbell rows in place of kroc rows. And possibly set/rep changes in certain exercises (already swapped 3x10 band deadlifts for 5x2 speed pulls on a friday). But for the most part I like the structure and will be keeping it the same for as long as I do.

[MoshxDeLaney]

Nice man, sounds like the groin rehab is going well. You know I'm a strong proponent of going beltless. You won't be able to lift quite as much at first, but I think the benefits are worth it in the long run.

[veggiesasquatch]

Great reading you're healing both  physically & mentally mate

Last night in Edinburgh, I'm fucking shattered my legs are in bits lol

[vegansludge]

Nice to see you opted for bumping your calories up - you're plenty lean enough and abs are aesthetically nice but they're not going to OHP 35kg. And it's fantastic to hear that you're healing up nicely, too. Once you get your meal timing down and you're back to your best, I bet your strength increases are killer.

[chewybaws]

Fri 16th March 2012
Bodyweight = 85.5kg

Squat (groin rehab)
1x10x70kg
1x10x90kg
1x10x105kg

Push press
1x5x25kg
1x5x32.5kg
1x5x40kg

Deadlift (no belt)
1x3x130kg
1x3x150kg
1x3x170kg
(this is the deloading without deloading from jim wendler's blog. you triple what you did for week 1's sets and don't rep out the final set)

Speed pulls
5x2x110kg + red super mini band

BB curls
3x10x20kg

Eating way too much too quickly. I have a certain amount roughly I want to add a week and gained way too much weight over the last few days so cut the calories down to 3500kcal (3900kcal workout days). I want to be a tank in 9 months, not a fat bastard in 3!


So that's my groin more or less back to normal! New cycle started beltless;

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 - Cycle 3

Week 1

Mon 19th March 2012
Bodyweight = 84.2kg <-- see how it goes this week, if it stays putt I'll add more calories

Squat
1x5x82.5kg
1x5x95kg
1x10x107.5kg (so easy)

DB Bench
3x10x27.5kg DBs

Bent over rows (strict/slow/narrowish overhand hook grip/not from floor)
1x10x40kg
2x10x42.5kg (way harder than I thought they'd be)

Weighted dips
8,8,7 +7.5kg (couldn't believe I didn't make this but was fucked from DB bench)

Weighted plank
3x30s +25kg

Had a stupid cough for 4 or 5 days and runny nose the last couple. Annoying. Eating has been consistent though, staying on the ball.

[vegansludge]

Great to see that your rehab is complete and squats are feeling solid.

Doing dips after bench is always a bitch - I expect this statement will only intensify once I actually can do them weighted like you.

[MoshxDeLaney]

Glad to read you're all healed up man. I wish I could say the same for myself. Do you have any meets you're looking at in the near future?

[chewybaws]

Thanks guys! I'm not looking at any meets this year. I just generally want to get bigger and stronger and get more time under the bar. Keep my eating consistent because before this week been real lazy with it for 7 months. Consistency is the key, I need it back!

[Fallen_Horse]

I'm liking that weight, but keep that back straight during the pull. No rounding!


Also, are you following a well-known plan right now, or are you doing a custom routine? I haven't heard of many plans that go up to 15 rep sets for squats. That sounds interesting!