Bigger, Stronger, Faster

[Jason B]

My goals are simple for this year, gain weight. I've been hovering around 200lbs for years now, and I feel like I've just stalled in the gym. I'm going up to 220. Right now I'm just focusing on getting some strength back after having mono. I've been back at it for about 4-5 weeks, I felt weaker than I've ever been when I first came back, lifting less than the first time I ever touched a weight. It's coming back though, now that I've got my appetite back and gained back the 15+ pounds I lost. My set-up is pretty simple:

Sunday
AM - Sprints (I'll work up to 300-400 yds total each week, 20-100yds per sprint. right now I'm doing about 150yds total)
PM - Acc Work (arms, shoulders, abs, neck, grip, etc. whatever I feel like doing)

Monday
Squat - 5x5, same weight
Supplemental leg exercise (leg press, hack squat, split squat, etc) - 3-4 sets
Abs and Grip

Wednesday
Incline Bench - 3x5, same weight (keeping pressing light, fixing shoulder)
BB Rows - 5x5, same weight
Skullcrushers - 3-4 sets
Arms and neck (or possibly more upper back work)

Friday
Deadlift - 5x5, same weight
Supp Post chain exercise (back ext., GHR, RDL, etc) - 3-4 sets
T-Bar or DB Rows - 3-4 sets
Abs and Grip


Just simply adding weight each week as my strength comes back, breaking a sweat but not going near failure. I'm adding 20lbs a week to the core lifts, I'll keep this up as long as I can, hopefully another 4-5 weeks, then I'll change things up when I need to. I'll keep the lifts pretty much the same, probably just go to a 8-12 week linear periodization. Never really tried anything like this, I'll see how it goes, I'm curious to see if I can pull sub-maximally each week. I know I can't max pull every week, but I've never really tried deadlifts for reps. I'd like to get into strongman, hence the inclusion. That's also why I've added arm work, something I haven't done in a long time.

I'll post my training for the last week out of my log.

[Jason B]

6 Aug 07

Weight (lbs) x reps x sets

Squat
225 x 5 x 5
245 x 1
265 x 1

Hack Squat
90 x 10

Pulldown Abs / Side Cable crunches - 2 sets
lever grip / gripper machine

Notes:
1) I perform the singles after the 5x5 just to up the weight a little bit. Nothing crazy, easy reps, just trying to get used to weight again.

Quote of the day:
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
-Steve Prefontaine

[Jason B]

7 Aug 07

Incline bench press:
135 x 5 x 3

BB Rows:
135 x 5 x 5

Skulls:
95 x 8 x 3

Neck machine / DB Rows - 2 sets
DB Curls - 2 sets (yawn!)

Notes:
1) Curls, truly are, for girls. How can guys spend hours doing these things?

Quote of the day:
"Those who work the hardest often complain the least."

[Jason B]

10 Aug 07

Deadlifts:
225 x 5 x 5
250 x 1
275 x 1

Modified GHR on the back ext. machine:
Purple band x 10 x 3

Neutral Grip Cable Rows:
180 x 8 x 3
alternated with DB Shrugs:
75 x 10 x 3

Lever grip
Wrist roller

Notes:
1) Finally felt decent on the deadlift. Up until today 185 felt heavy.

Quote of the day:
"Mirrors are for queers."
-Louie Simmons

[Kyle]

Nice Louie quote!

Nice job on the training.

Kyle

[Alcoholiday]

jason, something that worked really well for me so far in deadlifts is either:

doing one top set of 5 or 3
or doing 3x3 on them.

i think doing 5x5 on them is kind of overkill. I know Glen Pendlay thinks the same way from his posts over at midwest.

[Jason B]

13 Aug 07

Squat
245 x 5 x 5
265 x 1
285 x 1

Unilateral Leg Press (the regular leg press at my gym sucks)
180 x 10 x 3

Back Ext. GHR
Purple Band x 15

Pulldown Abs, side cable crunches
gripper machine

Notes:
1. Leaving for my honeymoon to hawaii tomorrow, I'll be gone til next Wednesday. Hopefully I've done enough to where a week off will help, not hurt.

Quote of the Day:
"There is strength in numbers and those numbers come in pounds."
-Mike Berry

[Jason B]

jason, something that worked really well for me so far in deadlifts is either:

doing one top set of 5 or 3
or doing 3x3 on them.

i think doing 5x5 on them is kind of overkill. I know Glen Pendlay thinks the same way from his posts over at midwest.
Yeah, I'm only doing 5x5 for the time being. Once my strength gets back and I'm pulling some respectable weight again, I'll lower the volume of deadlifts. But for right now it's no problem.

[Alcoholiday]

cool man, have fun on the honeymoooooooonnnnnnn

[Kyle]

Have fun on the honeymoon.. no babies lol

Kyle

[Kyle]

I hope you checked the weather, a big Hurrican is heading straight for Hawaii.. be safe.

Kyle

[Alcoholiday]

I hope you checked the weather, a big Hurrican is heading straight for Hawaii.. be safe.

Kyle

way to go debbie downer.

[Kyle]

way to go debbie downer.

I figured it would be better to know now than to know after you leave lol

Kyle

[Heisman]

Ooh, have fun on the honeymoon. Congratulations!

[Jason B]

Monday, 27 August 07

Squats:
245 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
205 x 5
185 x 5

Hack Squats:
90 x 8 x 2

Back Ext. GHR:
Purple band x 10

Pulldown Abs, Side cable crunches, gripper

Notes:
1) First session in two weeks, felt like a big ol' piece of weak doodoo. Moved into a new house this weekend, guess my body was a little worn out. Might have got 1 or 2 more sets with 245, but 5x5 would've buried me. Figured it'd be better to get all my reps perfect with some good speed, and save something for deadlifts later this week. Hopefully I'll be back on track with 265 x 5 x 5 next week.

2) Honeymoon went awesome, but traveling that far really fucks with your time table, last night was my first good rest in several days, hopefully I'm back on schedule now.

Quote of the Day:
"I'm tearing this and everything else between
me and what I want to do to pieces.
I'm tearing you and everything else between
me and you to memory.

I'm stronger now, even after everything that you did.
I'm still alive and kicking.
I'm better now.
I'm awake now.
I can see everything in front of me, now."

-Nonpoint, Alive and Kicking (Outstanding song to listen to in the gym!!)

[Jason B]

Wednesday, 29 Aug 07

Incline Bench Press:
155 x 5 x 3

BB Rows:
155 x 5 x 5

Skullcrushers:
95 x 10 x 3

DB Rows, Neck Machine, DB Curls

Notes:
1. Legs were pretty sore from Monday, but I still felt pretty good. Was able to keep progressing today.

2. I brought my Large UnderArmour briefs (as opposed to XL) with me today, hadn't worn them in a long time (just grabbed 'em, I'm moving right now so my shit's all over the place), and they were definitely too tight, which is a good sign. I still think my legs look like twigs, but I'm heading in the right direction.

Quote of the Day:
"Come on, pump it! You got the wrong attitude and you're not bringing that trash into my house."
-Izzy Mandelbaum

[Jason B]

Friday, 31 Aug 07

Deadlift
250 x 5 x 5

Back Ext GHR
Purple x 10 x 3

Cable Rows:
180 x 8 x 3
alt. w/ DB Shrugs:
75 x 10 x 3

Notes:
1. Short session today, but felt good. Decided not to work up the singles, coming off the break. Next week I'm back at it.

2. The leg press had a thick layer of dust on it so I took it upon myself to inscribe 'go squat woman!' in the dust. I kept peeking over there to if anybody would go to use it and see my message, but no one did.

Quote of the Day:
"Bodybuilding is for men who wax their bodies and traipse around in bikinis. I train."
-Henry Rollins

[Matt]

2. The leg press had a thick layer of dust on it so I took it upon myself to inscribe 'go squat woman!' in the dust. I kept peeking over there to if anybody would go to use it and see my message, but no one did.




LOL! Too bad nobody did

[Jason B]

Tuesday, 4 Sep 07

Squats
245 x 5 x 5
265 x 1
285 x 1

Roman Chair Sit-ups
25 x 5 x 3

Side Cable Obliques, Heavy BB Holds, Wrist Roller

Notes:
1) Short day today, didn't have a lot of time. And with one less day before deadlifts on Friday, decided to skip a second leg exercise.

2) 245 felt good, probably had another set in me, but still felt heavy. Don't know if simply adding weight each week is going to work much longer. I'm still trying to come up with my plan of attack on that. I think I'm going to do a linear periodization with 3-4 week cycles, something basic like sets of 8,6,4, and 2 reps in week 1-4, respectively. And add supplemental volume as the weeks go by, to make up for less volume in the main exercise.

Quote of the day:
"There is no substitute for strength, and no excuse for the lack of it."

? Unknown

[Jason B]

Wednesday, 5 Sep 07

Incline BB Bench
175 x 5 x 3

BB Rows
175 x 5 x 5

Skullcrushers
105 x 8 x 3

Wide Pull-ups, Neck Machine, Machine Preacher curls

Notes:
1) Not much to say, good session I guess. The bar still just feels heavy for some reason. I don't have a problem completing my sets, I'm not going to failure, but I just don't feel really strong under the bar right now.

Quote of the day:
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt

[Jason B]

Friday, 7 Sep 07

Deadlift:
275 x 5 x 5
295 x 1
315 x 1

Back Ext. GHR:
Purple band x 12 x 3

Cable Rows:
180 x 8 x 3
alt. with DB Shrugs:
80 x 10 x 3

Pulldown abs, side cable obliques

Quote of the day:
"I gots to get my yoke on..."
http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=58784&tid=
hahahahahaha!

[Jason B]

Monday, 10 Sep 07

Squat:
265 x 5 x 3
245 x 5 x 2
275 x 1
295 x 1

Wide Power Squat: (numbers are total weight of both sides)
140 x 10
160 x 10
180 x 10

Roman Chair weighted situps, side cable obliques
Heavy BB Holds, levering grip

Notes:
1) I feel like strength is coming back, but the weight still feels really heavy and my work capacity sucks. The singles with 275 and 295 were easy, but as you can see, I couldn't complete the 5x5 with 265. Well, I could have, but that last set would've been a death set and I'm still going for 25 good reps more than I'm going for weight. It was the same way with deads last Friday. I think it's just muscle memory, the strength is still in me, but I'm still trying to get used to 'heavy' weights again.

2) I think I like those wide power squats for assistance work. My hips always seem to be killing me (not horrible pain, just worn out) after squats, I think they're pretty weak. I remember my wide stance squat was always 70-80lbs less than shoulder width stance. I don't want to use a BB squat for assistance since I pull every week as well, but I always feel leg presses and hack squats more in my quads. The wide power squat feels nice in the hips and hamstrings.

Quote of the Day:
"EFS: How do you calculate volume on a weekly basis and do you base this entirely on Prilipin?s chart and do you follow the 60% rule when performing extra workouts?

Chuck: Whatever you say."

[Matt]

I think it's just muscle memory, the strength is still in me, but I'm still trying to get used to 'heavy' weights again.


What happened? You get hurt?

[Jason B]

What happened? You get hurt?
I had mono dude. Lost over 15lbs. Lost all energy and strength. Pretty much sucked ass.

[Matt]

I had mono dude. Lost over 15lbs. Lost all energy and strength. Pretty much sucked ass.

man that sucks. My sister had that shit real bad when she was in high school.

It'll (strength and size) come back quick though. ;)

[Jason B]

Wednesday, 12 Sep 07

BB Rows:
185 x 5 x 5

Press:
95 x 5 x 3

Skullcrushers:
115 x 6 x 3

Wide Pull-ups, Neck Machine, Machine Preacher curls

Notes:
1. Gonna start putting rows before presses, they're more important right now.

2. Not a bad day, felt weak, might need a deload.



Saturday, 15 Sep 07

Deadlift:
295 x 5 x 5
325 x 1
355 x 1

Cable Rows:
170 x 10 x 3
alt. with DB Shrugs:
85 x 10 x 3

Notes:
1. Short session, didn't have a lot of time.

2. Once again, those 5x5's are tough, but the singles are cake. Plus I don't really feel beat up like I usually do after deadlift sessions. I think my body just isn't fully ready yet, but muscle memory is still there, so I'm not able to push my muscles enough to wear them out, if that makes sense. I might be getting heavy enough to where a 5x5 is too much for deads anyway. Probably lower the volume now.

Quote of the Day:
http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=59207&tid=
:D