November 19, 2015

2015 Progress Pics!

Last November I took a bunch of pictures after what was probably my most successful cut, and realized I was really happy with where I was.   For this past year my main goals were to add a bit of muscle, particularly lower body, to continue my improvement in the 100m & 200m. I also play football, usually at corner, as I've noted here.  So over the past year I was pretty successful, I'm 4.5 lbs. heavier in the 2015 pictures; about 194 lbs.  The changes aren't dramatic, but my legs are leaner, but with more muscle, and my upper body also looks way thicker; you can see a difference in the side-shoulder picture.   Plus I finally have a picture where my jaw isn't hanging open or something so I could leave my face in. My ass was probably the biggest improvement, but I'll spare everyone those pictures.  Also, this might be the most vain thing I've ever said (quite an accomplishment) but I love having that vein visible on my left hip.

It's been a great year, and honestly I'm not slowing down in the least; these pictures were from about a month ago, October 10th-ish, so I'm 34 in them (I'm going to write about getting older, soon).  I don't notice anything sagging, my recovery times are the same as always, and my strength hasn't tailed off in the least.  Overall I'm really happy with how things have gone.  Now on to the pics:


 




November 13, 2015 Upper Body

  • DB Incline Bench Press: 110*7 115*6
  • Sternum Pullups: 12, 7, 5
  • DB Unilateral Standing Press: 60*10
  • Chest-Supported Rows: 135*6 115*7 115*7
  • Dips: 10, 10
  • DB Hammer Curls: 45*7
  • Ab-Wheel: 10
Good stuff, sternum pullups are getting a little harder, I must be gaining weight finally
 

November 12, 2015 Lower Body

  • Deadlift (double overhand): 315*1 365*1 
  • Deadlift: 405*1 425*1 445*1 
  • Deadlift (double overhand) cluster: 335*1,1,1
  • Hanging-Power Snatch: 95*5 115*5 125*5 135*4 145*3
  • Standing Calf Press: 240*14 280*10
  • Paloffs: 90*10
  • Ab-Wheel: 10
A bit tired here, slept crappy last night and it showed.  I find deadlifting is more dependent on being well-rested than any other lift.  Probably on account of the CNS fatigue it induces. 

November 11, 2015 Dodgeball!

  • Dodgeball: 90 minutes
Felt good, shoulder feels fine, iced it when I got home and that seemed to make a huge difference. 

November 10, 2015 Upper Body

  • Bench Press: 205*5 235*5 255*5 260*4
  • Pullups: 75*3 75*2 75*2
  • Push Press: 195*5 205*3
  • BB Rows: 235*5 255*5 265*5
  • Dips: 50*5 50*4
  • DB Reverse Flyes: 30*6
  • Heavy Bag Yoke Carries (Full Court): 6
Good session, still waiting for that power kick from bulking, i think it's close.  It usually is sometime during the 3rd week of bulking that I suddenly get a big boost in strength.  The first couple weeks I don't usually gain much weight for some reason, nor any strength.  Then the third week or so I jump up 3-4 lbs. and my strength pops.  I feel like I'm on the cusp of that here. 

November 9, 2015 Lower

  • Squats: 315*1 340*1 365*1 375*1
  • Front Squats: 225*1 275*1 305*1 320*1 TIES PR
  • Front Squat Walkouts: 385*10 seconds 405*10 seconds
  • BB Calves: 365*10 385*8
  • DB Farmers: 120*102 120*71
  • Dead Bugs: 10, 10 
Good session, felt strong, tied front squat PR.  I need to start doing to the walkouts before the regular front squats, that's kind of the point of them; I just always forget.  

November 15, 2015

November 7, 2015 Sprinting

  • 110m: 1
  • 200m: 27.91, 27.03, 1
GREAT start on the 27.91, then as soon as I hit the straightaway there was a 35 mph headwind with stronger gusts.  I'm not counting that run in my spreadsheet log, it felt like running into a cement wall.  Even the 27.03 was similar, but not quite as bad.  

November 6, 2015 Lower Body

  • Deadlift: 405*2 435*1 455*1 475*1
  • Deadlift (double overhand) cluster: 315*1,1,1,1,1
  • HPS: 95*3 135*3 155*1
  • Hex-Farmers: 365*104 365*106
  • Ab-Wheel: 10, 10
more ab wheel, punching up deadlifting, did a cluster as well on double-overhand.  When bulking season first starts I'm always hesitant because I love being really cut, but then for instance this year, with doing more 5-8 rep stuff, and clusters, I go home and demolish a bunch of quick carbs & protein, and just keep thinking to myself "feed the beast" and by this point of the bulk I'm fully into it.  

November 5, 2015 Upper Body

  • DB Incline: 105*9 110*6
  • Sternum Pullups (slow pace): 9, 7, 5
  • Dips: 9, 9
  • Cable Rows: 120*10 150*8
  • BTN Press: 95*10
Quick session here, was kind of tired. 

November 4, 2015 Dodgeball

  • Dodgeball: 90 minutes
Shoulder felt great! So nice to be able to run around and smack my friends with balls. 

November 3, 2015 Lower Body

  • Squats: 315*2 335*1 365*1 all these felt weird, hips were tight or something
  • Front Squats: 275*1 300*1 320*1 TIES PR
  • Front Squat Walk-Outs: 365*10 seconds 385*10 seconds
  • BB Calves: 335*10 355*10
  • Dead Bugs: 10, 10

Squatting feels really weird here, at least back squatting, maybe hangover from the 200s a couple days ago, but my hips/joints just felt tight, and wouldn't loosen up, didn't press things too hard. Upping weight on BB Calves as well here.  

November 14, 2015

November 2, 2015 Upper Body

  • Bench Press: 230*5 250*5 270*2 225*8
  • BB Rows (to waist): 225*5 245*5 255*5
  • Push Press: 190*5 210*1-gassed
  • 1.5 Pullups: 5, 4
  • Dips: 25*8 25*8
Good stuff here, since I'm bulking I'm trying to throw in some more 'higher' rep stuff, which of course for me is like 5-6 reps.  Push Press was brutal....not really a muscle builder, but anything over a couple reps is exhausting on those for me.  Also, VERY happy that dips are still painless, going to try adding some bigger weight soon. 

November 1, 2015 Sprinting

  • 200m: 27.94 NEW PR!!, 26.84 NEW PR!!
  • 110m: 1
 So I realized today I wasn't running my 200s right. I never did them from the starting point on the track, I would just start where I would for 100s, and then go to the start line on the opposite side of the track...but I wasn't accounting for the curve, I go from lane 5 usually, so I was basically doing 215m or so every time.  Set times here for a record; fairly bad headwind too, can't wait to try without one. 

Making this even better is that today is the first day of standard time so my sleep was thrown off, and I was up until 4AM on account of a Halloween movie marathon....I was so tired for this I was actually nauseous. 

October 30, 2015 Lower Body

  • Deadlift: 405*2 425*2 445*1 455*1 465*1
  • Cleans: 135*2 155*3 175*3 185*3
  • HPS: 95*3 115*3 135*3 145*2 155*1
  • Heavy Bag Shoulder carries (full-court, over one shoulder): 3 (right shoulder), 2 (left shoulder)
  • Heavy Bag Yoke Carries: 3
Easing back into the heavier deadlifting.  Also my form on the cleans was awful. Should have watched some videos first, been ages since I did full cleans.  I have trouble on the lower weights though because I rip the bar so fast off the ground it hits me in the throat, I lack finesse. 

October 29, 2015 Upper Body

  • DB Incline Bench: 95*2 105*1 110*7
  • Sternum Pullups (slow tempo): 9, 8, 6
  • BTN Press: 95*10 105*8 110*5
  • Landmine unilateral BB Rows: 135*8 145*8
  • Dips: 9, 8 FINALLY figured out why these hurt my shoulders & collarbones

So dips have always hurt my shoulders & collarbones, and I finally figured out why. I would always initiate the movement by letting my torso kind of drop, but with my arms still locked in the top position, so like my traps & shoulder joints were just sort of holding me in place, like if they tore my torso would have fallen to the ground while my arms were still straight.  I didn't do that here and they felt SO much better. Going to see if I can build on this.

November 12, 2015

October 28, 2015 Sprinting

  • 110m: 5
  • Total: 550m

October 27, 2015 Lower Body

  • Hamstring Curls: 70*8 90*8
  • Squats: 315*1 335*1 355*1 365*1
  • Front Squats: 275*1 300*1 310*1
  • Hex-Farmers: 365*93 365*91
  • Dead Bugs: 10
Saw a t-nation article that said to try doing hamstring curls first to help stabilize the movement...not sure it made a difference.   Also added in hex-farmers again....feels great, love the pain, love the results
 

October 26, 2015 Upper

  • Bench Press: 225*5 245*5 265*2
  • Pullups: 100*1 100*1 100*1 All tied PR
  • Push Press: 185*5 205*2-gassed
  • BB Rows (90 degree angle): 135*6 185*3
  • Upright Rows: 95*6 115*5
  • Short-Bar Reverse-Curls: 70*10
Mixing it up a bit, here, tied my pullup pr on 3 sets, felt great.  Did some upright rows, not sure what I really think of them, never really felt them anywhere besides joints

October 25, 2015 Football

  • Football: 40 minutes
More football on that shitty surface. 
 

October 23, 2015 Upper Body

  • Incline Bench Press: 185*10 205*7 195*8
  • Sternum Pullups: 11, 9, 5
  • Unilateral DB Standing Press: 60*10 60*8
  • Cable Rows: 150*8 150*8
  • DB Unilateral Flat Bench: 100*5
  • DB Hammers: 50*4
  • Paloffs: 100*6

Switched in BB incline here for a change

October 22, 2015 Sprinting

  • 110m: 5
  • Total: 550m

October 20, 2015 Lower

  • Squats: 315*1 335*1 355*1 375*1 
  • Front Squats: 250*1 275*1 300*1 
  • Deadlift (double overhand): 315*1 335*1 355*1,1,1,1
  • Dead Bugs: 10, 10
Nothing special, just a quick double leg session here, probably switching back to two leg sessions per week here.

October 19, 2015 Upper Body

  • Bench Press: 225*3 245*2 265*1 280*1 290*1
  • BB Rows: 225*3 245*3 265*2
  • Push Press: 185*1 225*1 235*1
  • Landmine Unilateral Rows: 180*2 180*2
  • DB Reverse Flyes: 35*6 35*5
 Good session here, bulk is about to begin. I have some pictures ready to post of the end of the cut, I'll toss them up after I've entered all these workouts (it's mid November as I'm catching up with these entries).   I almost didn't bulk this year, I was so happy being that lean.

October 18, 2015 Football

  • Football: 60 mins

The surface of the field is turf, but it's on top of a small parking garage, so it's basically concrete underneath. Absolutely kills my knees. 

November 11, 2015

October 16, 2015 Upper Body

  • DB Incline: 115*5 105*7
  • Sternum Pullups: 12, 8
  • DB Unilateral Standing Press: 60*10
  • Chest Supported Rows: 135*5 135*5 135*5
  • Unilateral DB Flat Bench: 100*6
  • Ab-Wheel: 10
  • Standing Ab-wheel: 2

 Good session, taking it a bit easier on my shoulder again since it's still a bit sore.

October 15, 2015 Lower Body

  • Squats: 315*1 335*1 355*1 375*1
  • Front Squats: 250*1 275*1 300*1
  • BB Calves: 335*10
  • DL Double overhand: 315*1 335*1 355*1 375*1
  • Dead Bugs: 10
Feels good, going to go back to 2 leg workouts per week as sprinting scales back a bit. 

October 14, 2015 Dodgeball

  • Dodgeball: 90 minutes 
Not bad, kind of over-did it at the end though, shoulder hurts again...son of a bitch.  I'll give it a couple more weeks. 

October 13, 2015 Upper Body

  • Bench Press (Paused Reps): 225*3 245*3 255*2 265*1
  • BB Rows: 225*3 245*2 265*2 275*1
  • Push Press: 185*1 225*1
  • U-Bar cable rows: 150*5 180*3 200*2
  • Cable Hammer Curls (slow): 50*5 70*6
  • WSARC: 70*10
  • DB Reverse Flyes: 30*10
Good session, nothing out of the ordinary here. Shoulder is feeling better, will try dodgeball tomorrow. 

November 2, 2015

October 12, 2015 Sprinting

  • 110m: 2
  • 100m: 12.28, 12.22
  • 110m: 1
 Same swirling fucking wind-shear on the track. Not coming close to a PR at this juncture.  

October 10, 2015 Sprinting

  • 110m: 5
  • Broad Jumps: 9' 0", 9' 7", 9' 7", 9' 7", 9' 7", 9' 7"...well at least I'm consistent
Put in some 110s, and then pretty much just jumped 9 feet 7 inches repeatedly
 

October 9, 2015 Upper Body

  • Sternum Pullups: 12, 9, 9
  • Cable Row Face-Pulls: 20*12 30*11
  • Neutral-Grip Pullups: 12, 9
  • Cable Curls: 50*10
quick session, giving chest/shoulder a rest
 

October 7, 2015 Sprinting

  • 110m: 1
  • 100m: 12.09, 12.00, 12.09, 12.20
Horrible wind again, I don't think I'm breaking my record this season, going to have to wait til spring it looks like. 

October 6, 2015 Upper Body

  • Bench Press: 22585 245*5 255*3  taking it easy on right shoulder
  • Pullups: 100*1-ties pr 100*1-ties pr 100*1-ties pr
  • BTN Press: 95*10 115*9-right neck 135*5-right neck
  • BB Rows: 185*5 205*3
  • DB Reverse Flyes: 30*9 30*6
  • Ab-Wheel: 10

Right shoulder still feels irritated, I just don't feel like taking time off.    Absolutely bodied pullups here as well.  aaaaaaaand then I pulled my neck again.  This is really starting to piss me off, it's like a bi-monthly occurrence here.  It only lasts for a day or two, but it's annoying as fuck. 

October 5, 2015 Lower Body

  • Deadlift (double overhand): 315*2 335*1 355*1
  • Deadlift (mixed grip): 405*2 425*1 445*1
  • Front Squats: 225*3 245*2 265*1 285*1
  • BB Clean-grip reverse lunges: 45*3 45*3 45*3
  • BB Calves: 315*10 335*10 - bar further back on traps
  • Front Squat Walk-Outs: 335*10seconds 355*10seconds 375*10seconds
  • Dead Bugs: 10, 10
Good session, mixed reverse lunges back in, did some more front squat walk-outs..feels crazy trying to keep my core tight on those.