BeansNBroccoli

My $0.02, and I'm not sure if it'll work for you as well as it has for me, but I've found flat flys to be pretty great for producing that burn in the chest without burning out your arms. I also don't like machines much, but I've found the horizontal press machine to be good for really hitting the pecs too. Bonus points if you've got a hammer strength you can use instead of a cable machine, that'd be ideal.

Super simple day today, hit a few big things and got a new 5RM on my conventional deads and then called it a day. Left some in the tank, that's for sure, but today felt really strong. Eating and sleeping are slowly getting back on track. Feeling pretty good and solid in general. I'm feeling really happy with my decision to up the volume on my pressing rather than sticking with the 5x5 - I can already feel myself getting stronger this way. Press has finally started to feel right, and I'm pretty ecstatic. Squat 15x45lbs 5x95lbs 5x115lbs 5x145lbs 5x155lbs Incline Bench 10x45lbs 10x55lbs 10x60lbs 10x65lbs 8x70lbs Conventional Deadlift 5x135lbs 5x165lbs 5x195lbs 5x225lbs

sleep is way off this week, but still pushin. i'm headed up to madison this weekend for easter festivities - super stoked because my family is making tofu stir fry instead of a traditional easter dinner because half of us don't eat meat any more. excellent. forgot to write down my program before i went to the gym today so i hit it as close as i could remember. squats 10x45lbs 5x85lbs 5x105lbs 5x125lbs 5x145lbs 4x165lbs 8x125lbs (ASSTOGRASS/SPEEDWORK) bench press 8x45lbs 8x55lbs 8x65lbs 8x75lbs 6x85lbs 10x65lbs (speed work) one-arm barbell row 5x55lbs 5x65lbs 5x80lbs 5x95lbs 5x105lbs hammer curl 10x20lbs 2x10x25lbs (superset with...) tricep pushdowns 3x10x80lbs

Squat 10x45lbs 5x85lbs 5x105lbs 5x125lbs 5x125lbs Incline Bench 5x45lbs 5x55lbs 5x65lbs 6x75lbs 6x75lbs Snatch Grip Deadlift (4" deficit) 10x45lbs 5x95lbs 5x115lbs 5x130lbs 5x150lbs (w/wraps) Weighted Decline Sit Ups 3x15x30lbs (superset with...) Lateral Raise 3x10x15lbs

So far I really like Bill Starr's 5x5. I'm making modifications to the bench press recommendations, but I pretty much love the way it's set up otherwise. One-arm barbell rows with the landmine have quickly become one of my favorite moves for upper back, excellent range of motion and tension with that. I really like squatting 3x/week. Friday's Session Squat 10x45lbs 5x80lbs 5x100lbs 5x125lbs 5x145lbs 3x165lbs 8x125lbs Bench Press (suicide grip) 10x25lbs 5x45lbs 5x55lbs 5x70lbs 5x80lbs 3x90lbs 8x70lbs One-Arm Barbell Row (w/landmine) 5x50lbs 5x70lbs 5x80lbs 5x95lbs 3x105lbs 8x80lbs Bench Dips (w/feet up on second bench) 3x15 (superset with...) Hammer Curls 3x10x20lbs (superset with...) Rope Tricep Pushdown 3x10x80lbs Monday's Session Squat 10x45lbs 5x85lbs 5x105lbs 5x125lbs 5x145lbs 5x165lbs Bench Press (suicide grip) 8x45lbs 8x55lbs 8x65lbs 8x70lbs 8x75lbs 10x70lbs One-Arm Barbell Row (w/landmine) 5x55lbs 5x65lbs 5x80lbs 5x95lbs 5x105lbs SLDLs 10x135lbs 2x10x145lbs (superset with...) Weighted Decline Sit-Up 4x15x30lbs Lateral Raise 3x10x15lbs

I'd be curious to hear what you thought about Amitabul - I've been thinking about checking it out but it's a little bit of a hike for me from the far north side. I hope it was awesome!

Squat 10x45lbs 5x80lbs 5x100lbs 5x120lbs 5x120lbs Incline Bench 5x45lbs 5x55lbs 5x60lbs 5x70lbs 5x75lbs Snatch Grip Deadlift (from 3" deficit) 5x70lbs 5x95lbs 5x115lbs 5x130lbs (wraps) 5x145lbs (wraps)

That's the plan!!! I've learned that I can really pack it in on my weekend off days and the scale will go up for a day or two and then come right back down as soon as I train through the week. It's a balance but if I can keep the numbers goin up slowly I'm still happy! Took the whole weekend off in prep for starting out right for Starr's 5x5. I'm working on switching to suicide grip for my bench press, which I think in the long run will be for the best, but in the short run I overestimated my maxes for bench today because I'm gettin used to the new grip. If anyone's interested, I read a really interesting article about bench press that showed how a thumbed grip for bench press kind of forces your elbows out and you have to fight harder to keep them in, whereas when you use suicide grip it all stays in line much easier. I definitely felt like my elbows stayed in closer to my body without having to work as hard at it, but I felt more pressure on my wrists from completely supporting the bar in my palm. I may switch to a thick bar with the suicide grip, but I know I won't be able to use a thick bar in comp so I'm undecided if that's worth it. Squat 10x45lbs 5x80lbs 5x105lbs 5x120lbs 5x145lbs 5x160lbs Bench Press 10x25lbs (thick bar, much lighter than standard olympic bar, guessing on weight) 5x45lbs (standard bar from here on) 5x55lbs 5x70lbs 5x80lbs 3x90lbs One-Arm Barbell Row w/landmine 10x45lbs 5x65lbs 5x75lbs 5x85lbs 5x95lbs 5x100lbs Weighted Decline Sit Up 4x15x25lbs (superset with...) Straight-Leg Deadlift 3x10x135lbs Lateral Raise 10x10lbs 2x10x15lbs

Hell yeah buddy! Awesome lifts!

I picked a new program, because I've decided structure is good for me. Today I started on Bill Starr's 5x5 program, with very slight modifications (sub Snatchgrip Deads from deficit for conventionals, One-Arm Barbell Rows for bent over rows, and StraightLeg deads instead of weighted hypers). I will get bigger and stronger. This program is only 3 days a week, so I'm going to go all out lifting those days and still have plenty of time to work in calisthenics and yoga and football conditioning on "off" days or as 2-a-days. Volume is really pretty low, as well, so that will be something new for me, but I'm pretty stoked about squatting 3x/week. I'm recommitted to eating more. I just have to get it in. Drinking a post-workout shake as I type, even if the single serve chocolate shakes I have at work are not my fave. It's just fuel! I started in on day 2 of Starr's program because I plan to work in Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with Saturday being a longer session with a few more accessories and just general enjoying time in the gym. Squat 10x45lbs 5x80lbs 5x100lbs 3x5x120lbs Incline Bench 5x45lbs 5x50lbs 5x60lbs 5x70lbs SnatchGrip Deadlift (3" deficit) 10x45lbs 5x95lbs 5x115lbs 5x125lbs 5x145lbs (w/straps)

I felt a little crunched for time today in the gym so I stuck with big lifts, and tonight at home I'll going to continue on with the calisthenics that I've been doing lately. I set up a "pay-the-toll" system for going into my closet a bit ago (which I do on and off, but I've been better lately!). Basically that means that I've got my pullup bar in the door frame and every time I go through I have to bust out a set. I'm attempting to match that with a pushup set whenever I can, and I started doing what are essentially rack pull ups by pulling up from under a table in my living room and taking out the ab roller now and then. I figure if I can go heavy in the gym 4 days of the week and work bodyweight stuff in at night/throughout the day I'll be lookin pretty good come summer, and hopefully a little heavier. It's just about nice enough for running to start being comfortable too, so that's good news. Biking is great but I can't wait to be able to run more too, especially because I can get the dogs in on that! Squat 10x45lbs 10x95lbs 10x115lbs 10x135lbs 10x145lbs 10x155lbs (superset with...) Barbell Hip Thrust 4x10x95lbs Snatch Grip Deadlift (from the ground) 2x10x115lbs 2x10x125lbs (superset with...) Barbell Curls w/Fat Bar 10x45lbs 10x50lbs 2x10x55lbs Rack Pullup 3x10

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, everyone!!! Things currently are still going great - struggling a little to keep the new weight on but I knew that some of it would start falling off when my cardio picked up a little bit more with the nice weather. The plus side to that is my abs are starting to peek back out a little, but ideally I'm going to keep puttin on the pounds for a little while longer. Strength continues to progress, so I've got no complaints!! Just happy livin, happy eating, and happy lifting

Saturday I went in for a long day. Hit conventional deads for the first time in a month... and it sucked. I'm really disappointed. I felt a lot weaker coming back into conventional deads after going snatchgrip from a deficit for the past month and I really hated it. ...Scratch that. THIS is why I keep a log. I just looked back at the last time I pulled conventional and I hit 2x225lbs then moved up for 1rep PRs. This weekend I pulled 3x225lbs pretty comfortably and called it there. I just need more confidence in myself. Maybe I didn't lose deadlift strength like I thought I did. I'm undecided about whether I'll go back to conventional for the month or if I'll go back to pulling snatchgrip. I'd work deadlifts in more days of the week to work on more pulling styles but deadlifting really takes the gusto out of me for the rest of the day (as much as I love it while I'm in the gym). Maybe I'll consider simplifying my programing a little bit to work in some more deadlifting. We'll see. Also swapped in pin presses instead of bench presses today, which I think I'll be doing for at least the next month or so. My bench press is so weak, and I feel like I've been stuck for a couple months, so it's time to switch it up a bit. Pin Presses sucked but in a good way - hopefully they'll make me stronger. Saturday's Session Deadlift 10x95lbs (3" deficit) 5x135lbs (3" deficit) 5x175lbs (3" deficit) 5x205lbs (from the floor) 3x225lbs (from the floor) Decline Dumbbell Bench Press 10x15lbs 10x20lbs 10x25lbs 10x25lbs 14x25lbs Leg Press 10x350lbs 10x370lbs 10x390lbs 10x410lbs (superset with...) Cable Rows 4x10x108lbs Kettlebell Swings 15x18lbs 15x22lbs 3x15x26lbs Straight Arm Pulldowns 5x10x84lbs (superset with...) Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise (on stairs for full ROM) 5x10x35lbs (superset with...) Barbell Curls 10x45lbs 4x10x55lbs Sunday's Session Bikin outside in the wind - 12.42 mi (1:13 time) Tuesday's Session Pin Press 10x45lbs 5x65lbs 5x75lbs 5x85lbs 4x85lbs (superset with...) Bent Over Rows 5x6x95lbs OHS 3x10x55lbs 10x60lbs (superset with...) Weighted Decline SitUp 4x15x25lbs (superset with...) Lateral Raise 4x10x15lbs Tricep Pushdown (straight bar) 10x70lbs 3x10x80lbs (superset with...) Straight-Arm Pulldowns 10x70lbs 3x10x80lbs (superset with...) Decline Dumbbell Bench Press 4x10x25lbs

Haha thanks! I just started working it back in a bit after having completely abandoning the leg press for squats awhile ago... but I like the extreme quad focus and there's nothing quite like putting up 400lbs in any way possible Thanks MF, it was a really fun time! My team is staying together for flag football in a couple weeks, too, so we'll see how that season turns out!

Damn man, sorry to hear that. I was wondering where you'd been! Rest up and feel better!!

Weight back down to 130. What a rollercoaster. I know I need to be eating more. Damn. Close-grip Bench Press 15x45lbs 5x60lbs 5x65lbs 5x70lbs 5x75lbs 4x80lbs 5x75lbs (superset with...) Dragon Fly Negatives (done slow as hell) 4x3 Flat Bench Fly 4x10x20lbs (superset with...) Incline Reverse Fly 4x10x12lbs Rope Pushdowns 4x10x60lbs (superset with...) Barbell Rollout 3x10

Hey welcome to the forums! Can't wait to see your progress!!

Biggest struggle right now is eating - the hunger just isn't there. I'm hoping this is at least somewhat a result of this never ending winter that we're having, and that when the spring truly breaks and I'm outside more the eating will start coming more naturally. Still sitting ~2200 kcal/day but I know that's not enough right now for anything much more than maintenance. Pushed for some big increases on my snatch grip deadlift today in lieu of squatting big because there was a guy in the rack doing every variation of standing barbell lift I've ever seen and I just wasn't in the mood to bother asking to work in. Next week I'll be back in my regular gym with enough racks and benches for everyone, and I've started writing up some new programming to start integrating a little cluster training into my 5x5 lifts that I plan to start next week. Snatch Grip Deadlift (4" deficit) 5x115lbs 5x125lbs 5x130lbs 5x135lbs 5x140lbs (started using straps here) 5x145lbs 5x155lbs Leg Press 10x360lbs 10x380lbs 10x390lbs 10x400lbs (superset with...) Cable Row 4x10x108lbs One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls 4x8x20lbs (superset with...) Weighted Decline Sit Ups 4x15x25lbs (superset with...) Straight Arm Pulldowns 4x10x86lbs

My dodgeball team won first place for the lower bracket of our dodgeball league on Friday, so I took Saturday off to rest and recover Sunday I went in and had to change things up a little because I'm not in my normal gym due to spring break. Food and nutrition are lagging a little this week, my head hasn't been totally in the game. I'm still putting up bigger numbers each week, though. Sunday's Session Chin Up (12lb assist) 3x6 (superset with) Wide-Grip Pull Up (18lb assist) 3x5 Front Squat 10x85lbs 5x105lbs 5x110lbs 5x115lbs 5x120lbs 2x5x125lbs Overhead Squat 2x10x45lbs 2x10x50lbs Cable Row 3x10x108lbs (superset with...) Leg Press 3x10x380lbs Cable Curl 3x10x60lbs (superset with...) Weighted Decline Sit-Up 3x15x25lbs Monday's Session Bench Press 15x45lbs 8x65lbs 5x75lbs 5x80lbs 5x85lbs 5x90lbs 2x4x95lbs (superset with...) Face Pull 4x10x72lbs Incline Dumbbell Press 3x10x30lbs (superset with...) Roman Chair Straight Leg Raise 3x15 Dips (44lb assist) 3x10 (superset with...) Lateral Raise 3x10x12lbs (superset with...) Preacher Dumbbell Curl 3x12x15lbs Straight-Arm Pulldowns 3x10x84lbs (note: I like these 1000x better than Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns for hittin the lats, I feel the burn way more focused and practically not at all in my arms)

It's okay, Andi, that's pretty much how I read it anyway, because I've read from a few other sources that trying to show your pits to the wall/mirror is a good way of assessing if your arms are turned out to the correct degree. Your tips were really helpful though! I'm sure I'll be getting the hang of full snatches in no time, if my overhead squat progression is any indication I took it a little easy in the gym today because going three days on leaves me a little sore, and tomorrow is playoffs for my dodgeball team so I want to be at least a little fresh. We made 1st seed for our bracket, so I'm pretty stoked about that and feeling really good about our chances. Win, lose, or draw, we hit the bar for celebrations afterwards and then start planning our attack for flag football season, so I'm a happy camper Close-Grip Bench Press 15x45lbs 5x65lbs 5x70lbs 5x75lbs 5x80lbs 3x85lbs (superset with...) Face Pull 4x10x80lbs Incline Dumbbell Press (30degree) 3x10x25lbs (superset with...) Weighted Decline Sit Up 3x15x25lbs Lateral Raise 3x10x15lbs (superset with...) Bench Dips (feet up on 2nd bench) 3x15 (superset with...) Plank 3x45sec

Scale this morning read 135lbs, and I'm not sure what to think of it. I know I haven't been eating as much in the past few days, because the hunger hasn't been there. I suppose weight quickly gained is somewhat quickly lost. I'm hoping that the quick turnover means that it was mostly water, and that the 135 I'm sitting at now is solid. I wasn't feelin super great today, but I got into the gym and moved some stuff around anyway. Turns out I forgot my chalk in the gym yesterday and a good samaritan returned it rather than keeping it, so that was nice at least. Sleep was a little rough last night and my nutrition hasn't been as good the past few days. No matter what I'm getting better, though. I squatted a lot more than I ever have before, so that's rad Looking at my numbers now it seems like I was really low volume today, but these heavy squat sessions just take all of the energy right out of me. I literally had to just walk around the locker room for 10 minutes after this session to cool down enough to not feel like I was going to throw up. I don't know what it is about heavy squats that make me feel completely sick and completely awesome at the same time. Also, one of my absolute favorite bands (La Dispute) put out a new album yesterday and it's phenomenal, so if you're into post-hardcore/old-school screamo you might be into it, check it out! Kinda similiar sound to Touche Amore, Defeater, etc Squat 10x95lbs 8x115lbs 5x155lbs 5x160lbs 5x165lbs 5x170lbs 2x5x175lbs (superset with...) SLDLs 4x8x145lbs Overhead Squat 3x10x45lbs (superset with...) Straight-Arm Pulldowns 3x10x90lbs Bent Over Dumbbell Rows 3x12x40lbs Big news too is that I can totally hit depth with 45lbs now, check it out! Working with lower weights definitely helped, and I also started getting down into a deep squat and then doing OHP from there, which I think helped as well. Feelin better and better about working towards the snatch. Also, my coworkers get a giant kick out of me talking about "snatch practice" and leaving up youtube videos on my computer that say things like "full snatch tutorial." Hah.

Bench press is getting stronger. I'm concentrating a lot on form and making sure that I get in full reps. Lots of numbers went up today. Bench Press 15x45lbs 8x65lbs 6x75lbs 6x80lbs 6x85lbs 2x5x90lbs (superset with...) Face Pull 4x10x80lbs Incline Fly 3x10x20lbs (superset with...) Reverse Incline Fly 3x10x15lbs (superset with...) Bench Dips (feet up on second bench) 3x10 Dumbell OHP 3x10x25lbs Barbell Curl 10x45lbs 10x55lbs 8x55lbs

Saturday was a killer day in the gym, I've spent the last couple days recovering and biking. I'm so glad that it's finally nice enough to be back out on wheels without a full face mask. Snatch-grip Deadlift, 4" deficit 10x45lbs 8x95lbs 5x125lbs 5x5x145lbs Cable Row 4x12x100lbs (superset with...) Barbell Hip Thrust 3x12x45lbs Front Squat 10x65lbs 5x95lbs 2x5x110lbs 2x5x115lbs 5x120lbs Leg Press 12x270lbs 3x10x340lbs (superset with...) Dumbbell Preacher Curls 3x15x15lbs Pendlay Row 5x5x95lbs

Thanks Andi! I actually went home yesterday and worked with a broomstick and eventually used the little EZ bar I have at home (only loaded to 15lbs) and was able to get into almost a snatch grip by grabbing the very ends and I was able to get all the way down with that weight. I definitely think you're right that I'm not locked out enough, usually by the last few reps of a set of ten I feel my shoulders and my elbows giving a little. The good news is, my mobility is all A-OK, just have to get up to snuff with the weight!

Hey all! I started lifting in December 2012, weighed 123 lbs and I had some slow beginnings. Around March of 2013 I started getting my bearings and started getting more serious about powerlifting. Between working out and not having a solid idea about my calorie intake, I was losing weight and then really struggling to keep what I had on and to add more. This past month or so I've really broken that plateau and I'm finally up to 140 lbs. Granted, I've lost a little definition along with it but I'm just happy to see numbers goin up all around. I hadn't initially planned for a "cutting" phase, and I have a feeling that in a few weeks when its warm enough for me to go for runs and bike rides outside I wont have to think about cutting because it's likely that some of this weight will just start falling off me (as it has in the past). I'm hoping I can keep at least a few solid pounds of it, though, even when summer and cardio for fun start coming back So here's my first true progress pics! I'm not sure how different I look in the pictures, but all of my clothes fit really differently now and overall I'm extremely pleased with where I've gotten recently. I'm not sure I could've done it without all of the support and help from everyone here on the forum, so thanks guys! This one's for you!