October 6, 2014 Upper Body

• Guillotine Press: 135*3 185*3 205*2 225*2
• Sternum Pullups: 30*3 30*2 30*2
• Standing DB Press: 55*5 60*5 70*2
• BB Unilateral T-Bar Rows: 145*3 155*3
• DB Incline: 80*8 90*6

As usual, loving guillotine pressing.  

May 15, 2014 Upper

• Seated Press: 95*4 115*4 135*4 155*3 175*1
• Pullups: 65*3 65*2 65*2
• Incline DB Bench: 70*5 85*5 100*4
• BB Rows: 135*5 165*5 185*5 205*3
• DB Reverse Laterals: 15*9
• Suitcase Carries: 30*50 30*50 

Easing back into things with the pullups, also threw in DB bench instead to take it easier on my shoulder. BB work doesn't actively cause it pain, but it may be slowing down the recovery.  Also, on suitcase carries I wanted to focus on form. I find that sometimes I hold my torso perfectly, but my hips are skewed to compensate, which is not what you want. 

March 31, 2014 Upper / Heavy

• Bench Press (Paused Reps, No Arch): 225*3 245*3 255*2 265*1 275*1
• BB Rows: 185*3 225*3 245*2
• Push Press: 225*1 250*1
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 70*2 70*2
• DB Incline: 90*4 100*4 
• DB Reverse Laterals: 15*10

43 minutes

Rows focused on form again, going to keep doing that.  My left elbow is still hurting, I think I have mild tennis elbow in it, it hurts when I go from full extension to any bent position; so from the bottom of a pullup through the whole movement, or on push pressing from the lockout overhead down to the racking movement on my shoulders.  I think I irritated it initially from all the heavy push pressing I was doing.  May lay off pullups for a week or two see if that helps. Rest of session went well; I was actually very happy I got 275 on the bench paused rep, no arch.  Strength is holding up well so far as well. 

December 31, 2013 Upper / Light

• Bench Press: 230*10 240*10 250*7
• Cable Rows: 170*10 170*10 170*7
• Seated Press: 135*8 135*6
• 1.5 Pullups: 4, 2 yeah pretty much exhausted.
• DB Incline: 90*6 - aaand I'm done

31 minutes

Got out of work early so it sort of threw my rhythm off; I'm used to having a certain amount of food/time since eating when I work out. Didn't have that here.  

And another year is in the books, it's been a good one, got into best shape of my life this summer, and I'm making some sick size gains here.  I'm about 210 lbs. right now, and gaining!  Strength is going through the roof, I'm a happy camper.  See you in 2014!

December 17, 2013 Upper / Heavy

• Bench Press: 250*3 265*3 275*3
• T-Bar Rows: 160*3 170*3 180*2
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 90*2 90*1 90*1
• Landmine Laterals: 65*3 65*2
• DB Incline: 100*4

40 minutes

Not every heavy session has to involve 1 rep maxes...good stuff here.  Push Press is going well, adding strength there quite well.  

November 26, 2013 Upper / Light

• Bench Press: 235*9 225*10 225*6-lactic acid
• Cable Rows: 150*10 150*10 150*8
• Push Press: 195*4 195*4
• Rope Pullups: 6, 4
• Landmine Laterals: 50*10 50*10
• DB Incline: 100*5
• Ab-Wheel: 10

38 minutes

Good session, massive lactic acid hit on that 3rd set of benching.   Cable rows fit really well for me on higher rep stuff, not sure why.  

November 19, 2013 Upper / Heavy

• Bench Press: 225*3 245*3 265*2 275*1 285*1
• Unilateral T-Bar BB Rows: 180*1-I always misadd the weight 160*4 170*3
• Push Press: 225*1 235*X 
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 90*1 90*2
• Landmine Laterals: 65*3 70*2
• DB Incline: 105*3

45 minutes

Not bad.  Misadded the weight on the rows, I keep doing that, I forget to add in the weight of the bar, then can't figure out why I only get one rep...On push presses my legs were just dead, sprinting/squatting last two days pretty much finished them off. 

November 12, 2013 Upper / Light

• Bench Press: 225*10 230*9 235*5-lactic acid
• BB Rows: 235*9 235*9 235*9
• Push Press: 185*6 195*5
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 55*4-wtf 55*3..ok
• Landmine Laterals: 50*10 45*10
• DB Incline Bench: 80*8 80*8

45 minutes

Good session, hit a lactic acid wall on benching.  Did some high rep bb rows, which I don't go for very often.  Really focused on letting my lats do the work.  It's common to overcompensate and use your biceps too much to pull the weight up. A great way to avoid this is to think of your arms just as hooks hanging from your lats.  They can't move the weight, or try to imagine that this is so, and the only thing that can is your lats.  I think they were pretty fried by the time I got to the pullups because I shit the bed on them.  

October 18, 2013 Upper / Light

• Dumbbell Bench Press: 85*10 95*6-wtf 100*6
• Rope Pullups: 6
• Pullups: 10, 7
• Standing Press: 105*10 115*10
• Cable Rows (W-Bar): 140*10 150*7
• DB Incline: 100*7 105*4
• WSARC: 60*10

36 minutes

Didn't feel like doing a regular incline session today.  Mixed it up a bit. Surprised I only got 6 on the 95 benching.  Rest of session went well.  I feel like cable rows are much more compatible with higher rep work as opposed to barbell rows, where you're bent over, which gets exhausting on my lower back. 

October 15, 2013 Upper / Heavy

• Bench Press: 225*3 245*3 255*3 265*3 280*1 290*1
• T-Bar Rows: 160*3 170*2 160*2
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 90*2 90*2 90*1
• Landmine Laterals: 70*2
• DB Incline Bench: 105*4
• Sled Push & Pull: 90*14 (3:00)
• Paloffs: 90*5 90*5
• 10 lbs. plate transfer planks: 4*2 4*3
• PUPP: 1:00

45 minutes

smorgasbord workout. Got everything in though.  Built up on benching which is more inline of what I want to do on the heavier days.  I really enjoy the heavy t-bar rowing.  Sled push & pull was for the competition at my gym, it's on a longer course this time around. 

September 17, 2013 Upper / Heavy

• Bench Press: 265*1 280*1 290*1 300*1
• T-Bar Rows: 160*3 170*2 180*1
• Push Press: 230*1 240*X 240*1
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 90*2 90*2 90*1
• Landmine Laterals: 70*2 80*1
• Dumbbell Incline: 110*3

42 minutes

on the push press press my forearms were quite sore.  Going to drop neutral grip pullups to 85 next time I go heavy on them.  Same with 80 on landmines, going to pull it back to 75.  Rep at 80 felt sloppy. 

September 10, 2013 Upper Body / Light

• Bench Press: 230*10 235*8 215*7 - lactic acid
• Cable Rows: 140*10 150*9 160*6
• Push Press: 195*5 195*6!
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 95*1 95*1
• Lat Pulldowns: 120*15-these are still dumb
• Landmine Laterals: 50*10 55*8
• DB Incline: 110*1 - gassed
• Paloffs: 100*10 110*9

45 minutes

Mixed in some heavy stuff on the db incline and NG Pullups.  Good session though, hit 10 on 230 wasn't sure I would, could've had 11 actually.  Did some cable rows after, I like them for high reps, may add them in on high rep days.  Tried lat pulldowns just for fun, they're pretty dumb. Just do pullups.  Rest of session went well.  Bumping up LM Lateral weight in two weeks to 55 & 55 

September 3, 2013 Upper Body / Heavy

• Bench Press: 250*1 265*1 275*1 285*1 295*1
• BB Rows: 250*2 270*3 285*3 300*1
• Push Press: 225*1 exhausted
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 90*2 90*2 90*2
• Landmine Lateral Raises: 65*3 75*1
• DB Incline: 110*3

42 mintues

Exhausted for some reason, just had no energy whatsoever. I think I went to sleep too late last night. Nothing much to talk about here, just ground it out and then went home. 110*3 on incline was nice though, I'm happy with that portion. 

August 27, 2013 Upper Body Light

• Bench Press: 230*8 225*10 225*6
• Pendlay Rows: 135*10 155*10 165*8
• Push Press: 185*6 185*5
• 1.5 Pullups: 6, 4
• Landmine Laterals: 50*9 50*8
• DB Incline Bench: 100*5-gassed
• Wide-stance Anti-Rotational Chops: 60*10

42 minutes

Last time I did 230*9 on bench and 225*7, I mean when you get higher on reps there's more variation. I was actually pretty low on energy today, not sure why.  I did well on push pressing though, I need to up the weight next week. Everything else went fine. Starting to fall into a pattern with exercise selection; pendlay rows on the light upper body days, etc.  Not a bad session at all. 

August 20, 2013 Upper Body Heavy

• Bench Press: 255*3 270*3 280*1
• T-Bar Rows: 160*3 185*2 145*4
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1
• Neutral Grip pullups: 75*3 75*3 75*3
• Landmine Laterals: 60*3 70*1
• DB Incline Bench: 105*1 105*5

43 minutes

Tired, been moving heavy boxes last couple days.  Was a bit off on account of that here.  Not a bad session though, hit 70 on the landmine laterals, progressing steadily on them. If you ever do them, make sure you clamp down your core, and keep your arm straight (no elbow-bend) through the whole movement.  Incline bench had trouble getting weights into proper position, grabbed spotter to help and banged out 5. 

August 12, 2013 Upper Body Light

• Bench Press: 230*9 225*10 225*7
• T-Bar Rows: 135*7 115*8 115*7
• Push Press: 185*5 185*6
• Thick Rope Pullups: 5, 4
• Landmine Laterals: 50*8 50*8
• DB Incline: 95*7 95*6

39 minutes

Took off yesterday to rest.  Session went good, bench numbers accumulating some on these light days.  I prefer heavy T-Bar rows to the light version.  REALLY much harder doing rope pullups with the thick rope.  

July 29, 2013 Upper Body

• Bench Press: 225*10 225*9 225*8
• BB Underhand Rows: 225*10 225*10 245*10
• BB Push Press: 185*5 185*5
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 45*8 45*5
• Landmine Laterals: 50*10 45*10
• DB Incline: 90*9 90*6

44 minutes

I wasn't sure if I'd get strong on light weight workouts only doing them every other week, but compared to last time, my bench numbers here went WAY up, so that's good. Also on PP I don't know if doing sets higher than 5 or 6 is a good idea, form tends to break down. Same with pullups; I just hate doing high rep sets on them.  I don't feel comfortable doing them at all above 5 or 6 reps.  

July 25, 2013 Upper Body - Heavy

• Bench Press: 250*1 270*1 280*1 295*1
• Pendlay Rows: 205*4 225*2 230*1
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1 -forearms
• Thick-rope Pullups: 5, 4
• DB Incline: 110*3 110*2
• Landmine Laterals: 60*3 65*1

39 minutes

Not a bad session, after doing the lighter weight stuff it's a breeze doing the heavy workouts, my rest time between sets is about 30% shorter.  Pendlays I feel like are better suited to light/medium weight.  Too much temptation to start bucking back on them when they're heavy, which defeats the purpose. Tried thick-rope pullups...much harder than with thinner rope.  Also, on push pressing, my forearm gave out completely so I had to drop it after lockout. Hence the note. 

July 22, 2013 Upper Body

• Bench Press: 250*1 270*1 280*1 295*1-dirty
• Pendlay Rows: 205*4 225*2 230*1
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1
• Thick Rope Pullups: 5, 4
• DB Incline: 110*3 110*2
• Landmine Laterals: 60*3 65*1

39 minutes!

The reps on bench press besides 295 were really smooth.  Guess fears of losing strength from heavy benching every other week were exaggerated.  The 295 was dirty, but whatever.  I was going a bit lower on my chest too than I usually go, I've wanted to get into that habit for years, I think I'm going to use my next session with the light weights as an opportunity to pattern that.  Pendlay rows aren't a really good choice here I don't think, probably regular BB rows are more suited to the heavy workouts.  The new ropes at the gym are really thick, could barely grip them.  Pause.    Good session, quick too! I'm noticing the heavy workouts go by faster since the light workouts are so taxing on my recovery this stuff feels like a breeze. 

July 15, 2013 Upper Body

• Bench Press: 225*9 215*9 210*8 205*8
• BB Rows: 225*10 235*10 240*10 245*8
• Push Press: 185*4 185*2-forearms done
• Neutral Grip Pullups: 45*8 45*5 -back is done
• DB Incline: 80*10 85*5 - chest done
• KB Preacher Curls: 10kg*10

44 minutes

Yup, light weight training was definitely missing from my training recently. For perspective, several months ago I hit 250 for 10 on bench pressing.  I just haven't done any high rep stuff at all recently, it's shocking my system quite well; hopefully my max bench numbers don't suffer though.  As I went along my body parts starting checking out one by one from exhaustion.  Happy I found a weak-link, it's kind of revitalized my training. I'm not sure how long I'll stick with the every-other week light workouts for specific days; I may end up doing 3 heavy and 1 light every 4 weeks as a happy medium.

Also, hadn't done curls in a few years, so I grabbed a kb, and palmed the round part and curled it over a preacher bench.