Jump to content

Sam's Strength Training Journal


Recommended Posts

I'm feeling a bit better so I decided to go to the gym anyway.. I caught up with a guy I hadn't seen since primary school. It would have been about 12 years since we last spoke, so it was really cool.

 

Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 65 kg

1 x 2 x 85 kg

3 x 5 x 110 kg

 

Bench

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 70 kg

2 x 3 x 80 kg - was not feeling it at all tonight so I went and did some DB bench

 

DB Bench

3 x 7 x 32 kg

 

DB Rows

2 x 5 x 46 kg

1 x 6 x 46 kg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 494
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

My girlfriend and I went to a Halloween party in 2007 (picture on the left). We were ceiling fans..get it?.. I found the singlet tonight and thought I could do a comparison of my growth since then. Back then I didn't work out at all. I started lifting weights about 8 months after that photo was taken. The one on the right is from tonight.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v52/essjayyell/ceiling_fans.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

01/04

 

Front Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 30 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 65 kg

3 x 5 x 85 kg

 

Push Press

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 30 kg

1 x 3 x 40 kg

1 x 2 x 50 kg

3 x 5 x 60 kg

 

Powerclean

2 x 5 x 20 kg from knees

1 x 5 x 40 kg from knees

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 60 kg

 

Then just did 5 reps at 70 kg.. I hate doing them at my gym. There is no room to move. People take up the whole free weight area doing bicep curls.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

could you do me a favor?

as long as i'm trying to get my weight down i won't be able to set new pb's. so could you please stop getting stronger everyday and set new pb's every week or so? that would be really nice cause then you wouldn't be completely out of sight for me on the strength table when i start to gain again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If there was ever a time for you to catch up to me it would have been during the past few days, as I'm getting over a cold and not feeling great. Although the next time I train will be Friday and I'll be feeling 100% by then

 

:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

03/04

 

Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 65 kg

1 x 2 x 85 kg

3 x 5 x 110 kg

 

I wanted to go for 3 x 5 x 112.5 but couldn't find any 1.25 kg plates

 

Bench Press

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 60 kg

3 x 5 x 70 kg (de-load)

1 x 90 kg

 

Pull-ups

1 x 8

1 x 7

1 x 7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

06/04

 

Front Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 65 kg

3 x 5 x 87.5 kg

 

Pretty happy with that. Last time I did a 1RM it was 90 kg, so I'll have to try again soon.

 

Push Press

1 x 10 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 30 kg

1 x 3 x 37.5 kg

1 x 2 x 45 kg

3 x 5 x 62.5 kg

 

Deadlift

2 x 5 x 50 kg

1 x 3 x 80 kg

1 x 2 x 110 kg

1 x 5 x 135 kg

 

DL video -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlHfmobG9W8

 

I'm probably not letting the bar rest long enough but I definitely do loosen my grip after each rep, so it's not quite "touch and go". Shoulders are a little rounded and I noticed that as I lower the bar it doesn't go in a straight line.. it sort of follows the bend in my knees because I lean back a bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. Hopefully I can improve my technique soon.

 

08/04

 

Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 42.5 kg

1 x 3 x 65 kg

1 x 2 x 87.5 kg

3 x 5 x 112.5 kg

 

Squats are going well. I find it easier when I have a mirror in front of me or if I can see my reflection in a window..don't know why but it helps. It also helps me to keep good form.

 

Bench Press

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 35 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 65 kg

3 x 5 x 75 kg

 

Felt too easy but I guess it should. Hopefully I can get up to 3 x 5 x 80 kg soon. I usually forget about leg drive but tonight I used it and it definitely made things easier.

 

Pull-ups

1 x 8

1 x 8

1 x 7

1 x 3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

12/04

 

I found a gym open on Easter Sunday so I couldn't resist going and having a quick workout before I indulge in some dark chocolate.

 

Weights were in pounds.. had to get my calculator out to make sure I was lifting enough..

 

Squat

2 x 5 x 45 lb (20 kg)

1 x 5 x 100 lb (45 kg)

1 x 3 x 150 lb (68 kg)

1 x 2 x 200 lb (90 kg)

3 x 5 x 250 lb (113 kg)

 

Dumbbell shoulder press

1 x 10 x 45 lb (20 kg)

1 x 6 x 55 lb (25 kg)

1 x 7 x 55 lb

1 x 7 x 55 lb

 

Deadlift

2 x 5 x 85 lb (38.5 kg)

1 x 3 x 130 lb (59 kg)

1 x 2 x 185 lb (84 kg)

1 x 5 x 220 lb (100 kg)

1 x 2 x 315 lb (142.8 kg) PB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14/04

 

Front Squat

2 x 5 x 45 lb

1 x 5 x 75 lb

1 x 3 x 115 lb

1 x 2 x 155 lb

3 x 5 x 195 lb

 

I'm hoping my 1RM will be somewhere around 220 lb / 100 kg now.

 

Bench Press

2 x 5 x 45 lb

1 x 5 x 85 lb

1 x 3 x 120 lb

1 x 2 x 155 lb

3 x 5 x 170 lb

 

Chin-ups

1 x 9

1 x 8

1 x 7 (+2)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16/04

 

Squat

2 x 5 x 45 lb

1 x 5 x 100 lb

1 x 3 x 150 lb

1 x 2 x 200 lb

3 x 5 x 255 lb (115.5 kg)

 

Getting tough, but still completed all 3 sets. 115 kg was my max not long ago so I'm pretty happy.

 

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

1 x 10 x 45 lb

1 x 5 x 60 lb

2 x 6 x 60 lb (27 kg)

 

Deadlift

2 x 5 x 120 lb

1 x 3 x 180 lb

1 x 2 x 255 lb

1 x 5 x 305 lb (138 kg)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No time to go to the gym today as I'm getting ready for a party we're having tonight and also going to buy the plywood for my lifting platform.. So I've been doing some sets of push-ups and dips throughout the day. So far I've done 100 pushups and 30 dips.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Joel, yeah it feels like I'm lifting some real weight now.

 

19/04

 

Front Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 70 kg

1 x 90 kg

1 x 100 kg PB

 

Pretty happy with that.

 

Bench Press

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 50 kg

1 x 3 x 55 kg

1 x 2 x 70 kg

3 x 5 x 80 kg

 

Not bad.. last set was pretty slow.

 

Dumbbell Rows

3 x 5 x 48 kg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started building my platform yesterday. I just need to get the centre piece of ply cut and screw it plus the other sheet of rubber down. This is how it will look when it's done anyway -

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v52/essjayyell/IMG_0922.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21/04

 

Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 45 kg

1 x 3 x 70 kg

1 x 2 x 90 kg

3 x 5 x 115 kg

 

Decided not go go heavier because my hip was a bit sore.. don't know if it would have mattered too much because this weight felt good. The first set of 115 kg was fast.

 

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

1 x 8 x 22 kg

1 x 5 x 28 kg

1 x 6 x 28 kg

1 x 5 x 28 kg

 

Powerclean from knees

3 x 3 x 50 kg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Food so far today

 

1 - Mixture of oats, weet-bix and banana with soy milk.

2 - Rice protein shake with choc soy milk and banana.

3 - Two tempeh burgers on wholegrain roll with spinach, carrot, beetroot, alfalfa sprouts & satay sauce (tried to make my own version of the one I bought a few weeks ago). Two small bananas.

4 - 410 g canned chickpeas (no added salt), 1 cup baby spinach, vegan mayo.

5 - Whole wheat pasta, carrots, capsicum, broccoli, 250 g lentils, tomatoes. Home made protein bar and a banana.

6 - Rice protein shake with choc soy milk and banana.

Edited by sosso
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23/04

 

Front Squat

2 x 5 x 20 kg

1 x 5 x 40 kg

1 x 3 x 50 kg

1 x 2 x 70 kg

3 x 5 x 90 kg

 

I'm happy with that. 90 kg was my 1RM not long ago.

 

Dumbbell Bench Press

1 x 9 x 26 kg

1 x 5 x 34 kg

1 x 5 x 34 kg

1 x 6 x 34 kg

 

Pull-ups

1 x 5

1 x 6

1 x 5 + 2

 

Dead hang for a couple of seconds in between each pull-up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25/04

 

I was hoping to squat 140 kg today, but just couldn't quite get it. I went deeper than I did with the 130 kg squat I did a while ago, so maybe I'll try again soon with the powerlifting style squat that I normally do. My shirt was slippery too. Enough excuses..

 

DB Shoulder Press

1 x 10 x 20 kg

1 x 7 x 28 kg

1 x 7 x 28 kg

1 x 6 x 28 kg

 

Then did a few deadlifts, but no real sets worth writing down.. just a few reps at 50 kg, 80 kg, 110 kg and 115 kg

 

Clean & Press

3 x 3 x 50 kg

2 x 3 x 60 kg (3 presses after each clean)

 

I find over head pressing much easier this way..don't know why.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shirt? like a lifting shirt or a normal t-shirt?

 

too bad you didn't get the 140. next time!

 

Nah just a t-shirt I hadn't worn in the gym before. Now I know not to wear it when I'm squatting.

 

I'm confident I'll get it soon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been doing a version of starting strength, but some days (like today's max attempt) I don't follow it exactly. Sometimes I use dumbbells instead of barbells for the presses depending on how busy the gym is because I don't like wasting time waiting to use the bench press..

 

Here's the routine. I do 4 warm up sets, adding weight and decreasing reps each time.

 

Workout A

3x5 Squat

3x5 Press

1x5 Deadlift / 5x3 Power Cleans (Alternating)

 

Workout B

3x5 Squat

3x5 Bench Press

3x10 or 5x10 Back Extensions (unweighted if progressing to GHR, weighted if not)

Chin-Ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share




×
×
  • Create New...