Training: Week of 11/4/19

Oh hi, it me

After two very good weeks of training and dieting, I am noticing some physique progress 💪🏼 💪🏼 The above picture is from the end of my workout, so I was super pumped... if only I could look like that all the time! 

Monday 11/4/19: Bench Press

Bench Press

(Top set from last week: 295 X 6)

300 X 3, 3, 3 (Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4gEQmcjjAx/)

I haven’t repped anything in the 300’s in quite a while! All 3 sets felt solid.

Military Press

(Top set from last week: 140 X 6)

145 X 8

155 X 6, 8

The third set felt the best, probably because I was talking between the 2^ndand 3^rdset so I had more rest time.

Tricep Pressdown

(Top set from last week: 50 X 12)

60 X 8, 8, 8

Pendlay Row

(Top set from last week: 235 X 5)

225 X 8, 7, 6

I felt like my form got a little loose on last week’s 235 X 5, so I kept the weight at 225 this week and focused on form.

Lat-Pulldown

(Top set from last week: 160 X 6)

175 X 8

200 X 8

225 X 4

I used a different lat-pulldown machine this week, so the progression from last week might not be super accurate. But I also did not experience any elbow issues during this exercise, so that may be the reason for being able to lift so much more than last week.

Barbell Curl

60 X 12

70 X 12

80 X 12

All around great workout! My elbow is feeling better and better each week.

Tuesday 11/5/19: Deadlift

Deadlift

(Top set from last week: 585X1)

545 X 1

565 X 1

585 X 1

605 X 1… Ok so my ORIGINAL game plan was just hit a single with 605 today, but…

625 X 1

645 X 1

665 X 1 (Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4hrUFrjsx1/) 

Deadlifts felt like they are getting back into their groove. No knee pain at all. My game plan was to perform singles with 505, 525, and 545, but my body was feeling good, so I added more weight.

Hack Squat

(Top set from last week: 255 X 6)

235 X 8, 8, 8

I didn’t want to push it today on Hack Squats after lifting way heavier than I should have on deadlifts.

Lying Leg Curl

(Top set from last week: 100 X 8)

100 X 8, 110 X 8, 120 X 6

Reverse Hyper-Extensions + Lying Leg Raises (on decline bench holding a DB between my feet)

3 sets of 12 each

Today’s deadlifts were a big confidence boost for me. I haven’t hit in the mid-600’s since March (7 months ago).

Thursday 11/7/19: Bench Press Accessory

Standing Military Press

(Top set from last week: 125 X 8)

135 X 4, 4, 4

This exercise/weight seemed to stress my elbow more than I would like, so I may swap this out next week or simply lower the weight and increase the rep range.

Pull-Ups

 (Top set from last week: +45 X 8)

+50 X 8, 8, 8

Incline Barbell Bench

(Top set from last week: 225 X 5)

225 X 6, 6, 6

DB Seal Row

70 X 12, 10, 8

DB Side Lateral

35 X 12, 12, 12

Barbell Curl

75 X 8, 8, 8

For the last two workouts, I have trained “fasted” with only MATERIA + Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) in my system. Because of daylight savings time this past weekend, I have been waking up earlier and haven’t really been hungry upon waking. In an attempt to save time and be productive, I have simply drunk my MATERIA (sipped over the course of 30 minutes while answering emails) and then drunk 10g EAAs then headed the gym. To my surprise, I have felt GREAT during my workouts. Lots of energy, improved performance (compared to last week), and just overall feeling good. I felt really good during the Tuesday deadlift workout, but just chalked it up to feeling good. Though after two workouts in a row of feeling great, I may continue this approach of training with just MATERIA + EAAs and see if I continue to feel good.

Friday 11/8/19: Squat

Squat

(Top set from last week: 375 X 6/455 X 1)

365 X 6

375 X 6

385 X 6 (Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4nKEnXDqMX/)

Stiff Leg Deadlift

(Top set from last week: 365 X 6)

365 X 8, 8, 8

Front Loaded Leg Press

(Top set from last week: 580 X 12)

600 X 12, 12, 12

Decline Sit-Ups 3 X 12

My body is much sorer and more fatigued from the heavy deadlifts than I realized LOL. The squats didn’t “heavy”, but my legs felt tired. I was still able to hit all three of my goal weights/reps today though, so all is good.

Summary 

These past three weeks of training have been very solid. I pushed things harder than I should have on squats and deadlifts, so I am going to deload next week to give my joints a little break and ensure my injuries don’t become reaggravated. My knee feels fine, but my elbow still isn’t at 100% (it is getting closer though). I am feeling optimistic that I will be able to compete in a meet early next year. There are two potential meets in February and April that I may compete in, pending my body cooperates of course.