Chewy's Strength Log

[chewybaws]

Nice work with the presses man. I'm enjoying the one arm dumbbell presses at the moment.

It's fun isn't it! I feel like a circus strongman when I'm doing them.

Chewy, man, I wish I could gain weight like you! You're flying! What are your cals like right now?

On my 10th day of 4600kcal. I'm drinking a lot of calories at the moment, find it way easier. Replaced my cereal and salad with a smoothie, looking like this -

Smoothie - Soy milk + almonds + flax/sunflower/hemp/sesame seed + oats + blueberries + 1/4 apple smoothie + omega oils
- 904kcal

Smoothie - Half tin pineapple + 2 dates + banana + pea/rice/hemp protein + flax + maca + oats + omega oils + creatine
- 693kcal (the first 2 ingredients change to another fruit or seed daily)

Recovery drink - 4 dates + banana + pea/rice protein + maca + dulse + omega oils + juice from half lemon/lime
- 565kcal

Large meal - 200g brown rice (when dry), tin of chickpeas/kidney beans, 50g sunflower seeds, mushrooms
- 1572kcal

Green smoothie - LOTS of kale, 50g flax, 50g pumpkin seeds, 1tsp spirulina
- 553kcal

Night shake - 400ml soy milk + scoop brown rice protein
- 299kcal


Total - 4586kcal (some days just now I'm having coconut oil/agave nectar before workout, and olive oil for cooking will take it north of 4600kcal. on non-workout days I usually replace the recovery drink with porage and pumpkin seeds or something)


Deadlift day
Tue 14th September 2010

Deadlift - [email protected]/120kg, [email protected]
Barbell rows - 5/5/5/5/[email protected]
Reverse crunch - 3x12 (no counterweight)



Kind of an embarassing video with the NEAHHH!'s but happy with the reps. Also never took as long to switch grips today, usually stand up and completely reset. Right hand grip was seriously failing towards the end, hence why the barbell is on a big slope at lockout at the end. First set of barbell rows were awful, even though I took way over 5 mins rest before them, I could barely feel anything while I was doing them. 2nd set onwards I was back to thumping them off my chest though

[VeganEssentials]

Looking good on the deadlifts, Chewy! One thing I noticed, you might want to move your grip out another few cm on each hand - it seems that you're adding a bit of extra friction by having your arm drag against your leg on the way up, and it's also knocking your knees in just a bit. I've got the same issue, my right arm looks ideal on the setup, but it is usually too close and it knocks my knee inward about halfway up. Just a suggestion, as it seems we have that one factor in common!

[Zack]

I love watching how strong you are getting. Keep it up. Your form is textbook too. Excellent.

[chewybaws]

Looking good on the deadlifts, Chewy! One thing I noticed, you might want to move your grip out another few cm on each hand - it seems that you're adding a bit of extra friction by having your arm drag against your leg on the way up, and it's also knocking your knees in just a bit. I've got the same issue, my right arm looks ideal on the setup, but it is usually too close and it knocks my knee inward about halfway up. Just a suggestion, as it seems we have that one factor in common!

Thanks Ryan! I'll try it out next time during my warmup see how it feels.

I love watching how strong you are getting. Keep it up. Your form is textbook too. Excellent.

Thanks man! However, my bench is far from textbook lol ----> I'll have it sorted next week


Bench day
Thu 16th September 2010

Bench Press - [email protected]/62.5kg, [email protected], [email protected]
DB incline - 5/3/[email protected] DBs



Glad I video'd today. Negative is WAY too fast and bouncing off chest most reps. Watched this after my next set of 10, and corrected it. From now on I'll be concentrating on a slow controlled negative.

On my 2nd warmup set (35kg) I felt it in my shoulder. After the 70kg set I setup for dips as usual, done an unweighted warmup of 5 reps. Shoulder wasn't feeling good. Got the dipping belt on and jumped into position a few times, but never done any reps. Had a bad feeling about it. So decided to do more volume on bench (Boring But Big assistance template). Was quite tough. But anyway, the 2nd set of 10 I started twisting my wrists outward as I went down towards my chest and back to normal while locking out, felt much better on my shoulder.

Turns out there's a reason you're not supposed to do any more assistance work in that template. Had NO power during incline, was pretty burnt out.



Need to really decide what I'm doing with assistance work, I've failed to find a combination that I can stick to for a full cycle. I'm definitely up for sticking to Boring But Big on my bench day (just more of the main lift, 5x10, 50-60% of your assumed 1RM weight). My bench assistance day has always been a mess and it'll be good to get back to something simple.

I'm thinking -

Press day
- Press 5x10 (possibly 1 armed press)
- Pull-ups (5 sets, higher reps than what I've been doing. Will have to start unweighted and build up to a decent number)
- Curls (5x10)

Deadlift day
- Good mornings (5x10)
- Reverse Crunch

Bench day
- Bench press (5x10)
- Barbell rows (5x10)

Squat day
- Squats (5x10)
- Some hamstring exercise
- Calf raises

If I can figure out a way to do Glute Ham Raises i'll add them onto squat day. I think I need some sort of hamstring exercise in there.
Hopefully this is something I can settle on for 2-3 cycles, and stop fecking changing it about every couple of weeks.

[chewybaws]

Squat day
Fri 17th September 2010
-Changed my training max to 108kg to go deeper

Squats - [email protected]/82.5kg, [email protected], [email protected]
Calf raises - 10/10/14 holding 24kg DB (single legged), 3xF with +20kg dipping belt (both legs)

then after workout -
Glute ham raise practice - 3x10

Mixed feelings about today. First of all my back was pretty sore, although it was stiff from deads on tuesday, it didn't start hurting till the longer sets. At the same time it was doing this before when I was doing longer sets. Going deep almost feels kind of uncomfortable just now, annoying my knee a bit...I dunno if I'm loosening off to get more depth or something. I was concentrating on a much slower negative. I'll see how it goes next week.

Found a way to do glute ham raises, basically put a barbell with 15kg plates onto the floor, then put plates to either side on the floor to stop it rolling. Couple of pillows for my knees. I SUCKED at these, but I'm sure they'll build up. I could only control the negative maybe a quarter of the way down then was basically in free fall, and on the way back up had to push myself back to that point basically. But hell it worked, hamstrings were burning on some reps. Just need to keep practicing get 'em strong.

[chewybaws]

Week 3
Bodyweight=171.4lbs

Press day
Mon 20th September 2010

Overhead Press - [email protected], [email protected]/55kg
Incline DB Bench - 5x10 with 12.5kg DBs
Pull-ups - 10/6/5/5/4 (wide grip)

I'm gonna drop the calories back down to 4500kcal. I'm not freaking out about my weight, I still want to be adding weekly, just not as fast. I may go slightly less on non-workout days but if I'm going to I'll decide what the number is before then.

Press was good today although my shoulder's still annoying. The pain is exactly how it's described in this article. I've ordered a mini-band to try the exercise on there and shoulder dislocations. I'm going to try my best when to pin my shoulders back when i'm seated/standing as well. It's hard though. I'll be trying to fix years of bad posture.
Last rep today was murder, wish I filmed it. Had to breathe a couple of times whilst locking out.

Pull-ups next week I'll start on either 5x5 or 5x6 and build the number up as I can.

Basing my new assistance plan off the Triumvirate. I'm going to do this for 10 weeks unless something really isn't right -

Press day
-Incline DB bench (5x10)
-Pull-ups (5x)

Dead day
-Good mornings (5x10)
-Ab exercise

Bench day
-Bench (5x10)
-Barbell rows (5x10)

Squat day
-Squat (5x10)
-Natural glute ham raises (5x10 as best as I can)
(add some calf raises on the end here too)

On the bench day I'm going to incorporate something wendler advises for back volume and that's doing a pulling exercise between every set of pushing. I'll try doing sets of 5 chins between the 5x10 bench to start with see how it goes.

[chewybaws]

Deadlift day
Tue 21st September 2010

Deadlift - [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Good Mornings - [email protected]
Reverse Crunch - 12/12/20 (no counterweight)
Prone bridge - 3x60s


Like my socks? Started widening out my grip, gonna do it bit at a time, only moved 1cm out if you're lucky but it's a start. Good day.

Need a good ab exercise to replace the existing. Kinda wish I had the cable attachment for my rack, but can't justify the cost because I'd only use it for 1 or 2 exercises. So looking for bodyweight (or with dumbbells/holding plates). Any ideas?

Dropped kcals to 4500kcal yesterday. But need to consistently hit that.

[VeganEssentials]

Need a good ab exercise to replace the existing. Kinda wish I had the cable attachment for my rack, but can't justify the cost because I'd only use it for 1 or 2 exercises. So looking for bodyweight (or with dumbbells/holding plates). Any ideas?

Decline sit-ups with a plate held at your chest, or, regular/decline sit-ups with a plate held out over your chest at arm's length (moving it toward overhead as your torso bends upward). Last time I did those, they were hard as hell, and my abs were more sore from them than any of those "crunches by the hundreds" type workouts. Good stuff!

[Jason X]

Put a plate on your back when you do your bridges. Or wear a weighted west. I generally endorse the weighted decline crunches that VE suggested, though. They're awesome. Abz are just like any other muscle group, add weight when you can and get tougher.

Keep up the good work!

[chewybaws]

Thanks guys, I gave the decline situps a test run. I can only adjust the back rest on my bench to decline (and not the bit your butt's on) so I hooked one end of the bench up on my power rack, worked quite well. I tried the version hugging the plate to my chest, I think the hardest part of the exercise will be getting into the start position with the weight. I was only messing about but I think 15kg will be way too light, so looking at multiple plates already (my 20kg/25kg bumper plates are a bit awkward). I may try putting a backpack on my chest, obviously still holding it in place, but it'll make getting into position and keeping plates together much easier.


Bench day
Thu 23rd September 2010

Bench Press - [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Bench Press - [email protected] (with sets of 5 chins between each set, so x5)
Barbell rows - [email protected]

Twisting grip outwards towards my chest really helped today, feel like I got through a workout without destroying my shoulder for once! Other factors that may have helped - more thorough warmup (10kg jumps from the empty bar, 15kg before work sets) and a slow negative. I felt so in control of the weight today because my balance was a lot better. However, attempting a third rep at 75kg, the negative was good, but when I started pushing lost balance a bit and the bar started pushing backwards towards my head (not fast or out of control), corrected it but no strength left to complete the rep. Just a lack of focus there.
The 5x10 bench was tough, barbell rows were okay. Hamstrings still tight from deads though, uncomfortable stretch when getting into position. Need to warm 'em up next week.

[MaryStella]

i love decline bench situps! log looking good as always chewy!

[chewybaws]

Had my first cold for a long time, was only bad on Friday. Eating was messed for 2 days, and picked up with weights again on Monday.


Squat day
Mon 27th September 2010



Squats - [email protected]/92.5kg/102.5kg, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Glute ham raise practice - 5x10
Calf raises - 3x10 (single legged, holding 24kg DB), 3xF (double legged, +20kg dipping belt)

Should prob explain what's happening with squats. This cycle I failed on week 1. Initially was going to drop my Assumed 1RM (the figure all my squats are based off of) a good chunk and train ass to grass. After week 2 decided I didn't like it. So this week I kept the reduced numbers but instead of doing 5/3/1 i done 3x5. Then wanted to do more so done [email protected] then done some singles. Next week I'll be starting a new cycle, I'll set the Assumed 1RM to what I like. It won't be as heavy as what it was initially this cycle (obviously, it'll be getting reduced for a deload) and I think I'll only be adding 2.5kg a cycle from now on.

ANYWAY, was still stoked to hit a PR @ 130kg.


Week 4 (deload)
Bodyweight=169.2lbs

Press day
Tue 28th September 2010

Overhead press - [email protected]/30kg/35kg (from dead stop)
Incline DB press - [email protected] DBs
Pull-ups - 5x6

Short but effective workout - 30mins


Deadlift day
Wed 20th September 2010

Deadlifts - [email protected]/75kg/90kg
Good mornings - [email protected]
Weighted decline situps - 5x10 +15kg

Another short one at 45mins. My legs were killing me before I started from mondays squats still. Situps were pretty easy didn't want to overdo it on my first day. Think I'll try holding the plate out instead of hugging it to my chest next time (prob use less weight as well).

[jbrickzin]

Wow Chewy I love reading your log..good inspiration to get my old cracklin bones movin'..

[julia]

Congrats on the PR!!

[chewybaws]

Thanks everyone!

Bench day (deload week)
Thu 30th September 2010

Bench Press - [email protected]/40kg/47.5kg, [email protected] (5x5 chin-ups slotted between 5x10 bench)
Barbell rows - [email protected]

Another short (bout 50mins including warmup/stretching) but effective workout! 5x10 bench/rows were real tough. And felt nothing in my shoulder again, things are looking up! Looking forward to get stuck into some heavy weights again next week.