Training Diary While here in NZ -

[jbrauch53]

2nd workout for 8/3/17.... In the last post like i said I hit a underwhelming legs at 5am... this workout was 10pm
CHEST #3 IN LOG...... empty gym

FLAT DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS 

28kg x 2 warmup sets
40kg x 15

44 x 8

48 x 5

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS 45 degrees
48kg x 3
36 x 9
36 x 8

DECLINE SLOW TEMPO DUMBBELL FLIES superset CABLE STANDING FLYES
14kg x 15   /// 7.5kg x 20 

14kg x 15 /// 7.5 x 20

14kg x 10 /// 7.5 x 30

STANDING CABLE FLYES dropsets
12.5kg x 10, 10kg, x 10, 7.5kg x 15... no rest  (dropsets)
15kg x 5, 12.5kg x 7, 10kg x 10, 7.5 x 16
SET 3: 7.5kg super slow tempo til failure

TRICEP ROPE PULLSDOWNS superset DIPS
25kg x 10 (dip was occupied so i didnt do them)
25kg x 10 x 8 dips
25kg x 8 x 8 dips

CHEST PRESS MACHINE 20KG superset PUSHUPS til failure
20kg (each side) x 15 / 7 pushups
20kg x 16 / 7 pushups

22kg incline db presses til failure (12 or something lol) and some 14kg alternating curls to cap off a late night session.

then biked my 10km/ 30 minute home 

9/3/16 i took for rest. 

attached a pic so everyone can get an idea of where I'm at. Legs are okay but plenty of room for growth, just starting to see some separation 

[Pseudonym]

You weren't kidding about the effect of all that cycling! Looking good, mate!

[Clueless]

Nice write up on workouts, detailed and interesting.

 

What sort of diet do you follow? You've made some huge improvements last few years

[jbrauch53]

15 hours ago, Clueless said:

Nice write up on workouts, detailed and interesting.

 

What sort of diet do you follow? You've made some huge improvements last few years

 

Just the classic staples. Mostly chicken, not as much fish as id like to include. Minced beef once a week probably..... Wholemeal carbs such as wholemeal bread with peanut butter, wholemeal pasta eith red sauce probably once a week. Brown rice most of thr time. 4-6 eggs 2 or 3 times a week..  Kumara here and there.... Veggies, mostly broccoli... Almonds or as much nuts as i can include, and always have bananas in store. Lentils and beans are great, and cheap... to name a good chunk of things.

 

Bringing intensity into the workout has also helped. Ive been and continue to be hungry for growth. I think a lot of people dont push themselves. When i lift its almost a spiritual cleansing, or very passionate i guess. Whatevers going on with my good or bad i leave it all on the weights. Its important to have that psychological involvement and mind-muscle connection. Its a lifestyle and therapy more than just going to the gym to "workout" as an obligation. Point is, if you dont push the muscles to their limits, theyll have no reason to grow to meet the imposed demand placed upon them. 

 

But diet is huge. Ive spent heaps of time over the years just googling and researching diets and foods for muscle growth. Mostly on bodybuilding dot com. The articles are endless. I did a couple programs on there too while i was just getting into it seriously. Steve cooks big man on camous, and jim stoppanis shortcut to size to name a couple. Keeps u adhered to a schedule and the videos are cool and pump u up and there are comments sections with an active community. 

 

Diet, lifting, cardio, rest. Most important to least. But theyre all important. 

 

If you want change badly enough, you discover the knowledge and find a way to make it happen. And from there  it never ends because youre never fully satisfied. Thats what I love about it though! Cheers

Edited March 10, 2016 by jbrauch53

[jbrauch53]

rest day yesterday

LEGS #3 of the log... 1.75 hours.... I decided yesterday (after that quick time-constricted leg workout in the morning a couple days ago) that I would come in today and just crush my legs... Workouts like this I usually decide a day or two ahead of time I'm going to do them. This helps me mentally commit, and mentally prepare.

 

some warmup functional movements and squats with just the bar, and one set with a plate on each side
BARBELL SQUATS (knee wraps, no belt)
100kg x 20

120 x  8 (spotter helped on last one I guess)
140kg / 309lbs / 3 plates on each side x 2 (spotter helped maybe on 2nd one i dunno)

120 x 5, 2 second pauses at the bottom/in the hole

PLATE LOADED LEG PRESS
120kg (6 plates) x 25
200 (10) x 20
240 (12) x 15
260 (14) x 14
280 (16) x 6
120kg x 10 slow

DUMBBELL GOBLET SQUATS 38KG
x 12

x 12

x 12
- I would "throw in" some very slow tempo reps and also pauses at the bottom so that I would fail at 12 each time. 

LEG EXTENSION MACHINE

warmup set
60kg x 12

65 x 10
70 x 10

75 x 9

LAYING HAMSTRING CURL MACHINE
90kg x 15
90 x 14
110 x 8
110 x 7 dropset 70 x 9

CURTSIES, 20kg kettlebell in each hand at sides
Right side then left side, 10 reps

same for a 2nd set

same for a 3rd set

GLUTE CABLE KICKBACKS
8.75 x 15 each leg

8.75 x 15 each leg
8.75 x 12 each leg

HOLDING KETTLEBELL 36KG, STANDING CALF RAISES
1 set for like around 50 reps or so



How to do curtsies: *** i dont alternate like her in the video. i do one set for a set then switch. i just quickly youtubed "how to do curtsies" so I can show you guys. But wow, she is FINE. try to keep your stuff in your pants for this one hehe

 

 

[jbrauch53]

Legs were done about 130-330pm.... I was around and went back to the gym on my way home for a 2nd workout later at like 6pm

ABS FOR 30 MINUTES, BICEPS FOR 20 MINUTES

no specifics here just general stuff but wanted to mention I did it.

 

[jimmybro1]

Didn't notice a single lunge being done. 

 

In on gym babes trend, remember one from a while ago when Gymrat starting losing his shit lol

 

Heres a really booty though 

[jbrauch53]

SHOULDERS #3  11/3/16      Done with a first time partner so I was kind of distracted keeping track of stuff

DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS
a couple warmups sets of 28
34kg x 12
36 x 11 +1 w/ spotter
38 x 7
40 x 6 dropset 28 x 7  (partner helped get dumbbells up, was pretty stoked about hitting 6-7 reps though for 40kg)

STANDING LATERAL RAISE superset OVERHEAD PRESS
12kg x 15 lateral raises x 9 overhead presses
12kg x 15 x 8
STANDING LATERAL RAISE superset SINGLE SIDE LATERAL RAISE
12kg x 15  // 16kg x 14 single side both arms
12kg x 15 // 16kg x 14 single side both arms

PLATE LOADED SHOULDER PRESS MACHINE

warmup set

40kg each side x 17 

50kg x 7
40 x 17
20kg x 8 reverse seated

--- partner pushed down a bit on the last set as i tried to resist him and keep the weight up for a negative on the last movement. 

FACE PULLS with Rope Attachment 31KG superset REAR DELT CABLE PULLS (NO ATTACHMENT)
3 sets til failure on each of 31kg on ropes, and then 5kg for rear delt cable reverse flies (single arm) dropset 2.5kg

--- for rear delt cable pulls cable was set at chest/shoulder level.. starting position: cable in hand straight in front of sternum, pulling straight laterally/away from the body adducting out to the side, hitting the rear shoulder. each arm done and then the drop set as well before switching sides. hope that made sense.

STRAIGHT BAR (IVANKO) BEHIND HEAD MILITARY PRESS 36KG dropset 20KG

x 15, x 10
x 15, x 10
x 14, x 8

---- spotter help on last few of heavy/first part of each set

SHRUGZ dumbbells 
40kg x 3 sets x failure (around 10-12)

DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS (repeat first exercise of workout)
26kg x 15

26 x 9
26 x 8


 

[jbrauch53]

DEADLIFTS ....  Wasn't feeling great jut did some deadlifts that I felt crappy on but I wanted to try out my new lifting straps.

Traditional form
100kg x 18

140kg x 7

140kg with wraps x 7
180kg x 0
180kg with straps x 1

Then just did probably 10 back sets on the cables or machines, light weight high reps, just to get some blood flow.

[jbrauch53]

a day later  Monday 14/3         CHEST #      Gym was a zoo.

BARBELL BENCH PRESS
warmup set 60kg
100kg x 10  (2 plates each side)

110 x 8
120 x 4
120 x 4
60 x 25

CABLE FLYES, high setting... slow really slow reps involved with good pause and squeeze
7.5 to failure

10 to failure

12.5 to failure

15 to failure 

17.5 for a few reps, dropset 12.5 dropset 7.5

 

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS.. lower as slow as possible after last rep/failure
30kg x 9
30kg x 7
30kg x 6
30kg x 6
30kg x 5

FLAT BENCH DUMBBELL FLYES 14kg 
4 sets to failure x about 10 reps each, didnt really count... slight bend in elbow throughout entire movement (hence lower weight), pauses and the bottom of the movement for sometimes mulitple seconds, really let the muscle stretch eccentrically. You'll feel it where the armpit meets the pec. This activates the golgi tendon reflex. And stretches out the muscles which I think is more beneficial for growth. Google Golgi Tendon Reflex if you want to read about wtf I just said :)

CHEST PRESS MACHINE

a few sets on the pin loaded chest press machine  to end off

[jbrauch53]

15/3/2016  early 445am ARMS  before work at 6am.... 45-60 minute workout


ALTERNATING BETWEEN THESE TWO EXERCISES EACH TIME::
EZ BAR PREACHER CURLS... switch grip each time (close to wide to close to wide)

5kg

10kg x 10

10kg x 10
10kg x 8
BICEP CABLE STRAIGHT BAR CURLS LAYING ON BACK
17.5 X 15

21 X 15

24.5 X 15


ALTERNATING BETWEEN STRAIGHT BAR CABLE TRICEP PUSHDOWNS  w/ ROPE PULLDOWNS
21 x 13 straight bar
25 x rope x 9
21 x 15
25 x 8
21 x 15
25 x 8
21 x 12
25 x 5
.. so yeah 21 kg was with the straight bar, 25kg was the rope each time... alternated with short rest periods (15-30 seconds)

BARBELL CURLS
5kg each side x 10 underhand

5kg x 8 overhand

5kg x 10 underhand

5kg x 8 overhand

7.5kg x 7 underhand
7.5kg x 5 overhand

7.5kg x 6 underhand

SEATED ALTNERATING BETWEEN CURLS AND HAMMER/NEUTRAL GRIP CURLS

14kg x 6 sets (3 of each) to failure

SINGLE ARM CURLS WITH ARM RESTED OVER BENCH AT VERY HIGH INCLINE (almost to setting you would do with shoulder presses).. slow tempo, full range of motion (full extension)
14kg x right

14 x left

14 x right

14 x left

... got like 4-5 reps each time

Time for work
 

 

[Old Bull]

Nice journal !!

[jbrauch53]

LEGS #4      16/3/2016   a couple hours... 30 min bike to the gym and 30 min bike home after

BARBELL SQUATS... with knee wraps, without belt ........ pyramidded weight
warmup set or two

100kg (2 plates on each side) x 21   [one more rep than last leg day, yay]
120kg x 8

140kg (3 plates each side) x 2  (got a random gym bro as a spotter and he had his hand on the bar the whole time which psychologically fucked me. I dont even really know if I got rep 1 all by my own effort, though I know I would have been able to -___-      anyways...)

120kg x 8

120kg x 5

120kg x 5 dropset 100kg x 7

LEG PRESS

warmup
200kg / 10 plates x 17

280 / 14 plates x 15

320 / 16 x 5

320 / 16 x 3
360kg / 18 plates x 10 (annoying spottership once more where from rep one probably got some help; they kept helping so I just kept fucking going lol)

ALTERNATING STANDING STATIONARY LUNGES 22kg dumbbells in both hands
x 10 total (5 each leg)

-repeat for set 2
-repeat for set 3

set 4: 6 total (3 each leg) 

LAYING HAMSTRING CURL PIN LOADED MACHINE

110kg x 12
110 occluded x 10

110 occluded x 7
110 x 6 dropset 90 x 7
------------ "occluded": I took my knee wraps and tied them tight around each leg like a tourniquet to trap blood flow to make a bigger pump. Just trying something different. Don't really know the science of how beneficial it actually is, but it hurts and looks cool.

SEATED LEG EXTENSION MACHINE... occluded the whole time, even during rest between sets

Did like 6 sets, starting at around 40kg and up to 60kg by the end. Then dropped to 20 and did a couple more sets of single leg at a time.... by now I was drenched in sweat and tired and didnt record. But that should be enough info.

drank my protein and forked down some rice and biked home!

I want my legs to get big, man.....


 

[jbrauch53]

^^^^ lunges for @jimmybro1

[jbrauch53]

SHOULDERS #4    17/3/2016   1.5 hours 

(at squat rack) BEHIND THE HEAD BARBELL OVERHEAD PRESSES, STANDING, STRICT 
warmup with bar

10kg each side x 17

20kg each side x 8

30kg each side x (no go, could not lift overhead lol)
20kg each side x 7

SEATED OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESSES
32kg x 15
36kg x 8
36kg x 7
36 x 6 (fought hard for that 6th one no spotter, felt amazing after. so much i'm making this note about it)
28kg x 8

LEANING LATERAL KETTLEBELL DELTOID RAISES, SINGLE ARM
12kg x 12 reps both arms
12kg x 12 reps both arms
12kg x 12 reps both arms

SUPERSET:::::   36kg straight ivanko bar UPRIGHT ROWS //// WITH ////
deltoid lateral raises 8kg dumbells ...  (pinkie upward and outward to target rear delt)
10 reps bar x 10 lateral raises

12 bar x 10 
13 bar x 8 
10 x 9

SUPERSET:::   SHRUGS 36KG    // with /// LATERAL RAISES 8kg DUMBELLS
12 shrugs x 12 lateral raises

20 shrugs x 10 lateral raises

16 x 10

15 x 9

PLATE LOADED SHOULDER PRESS MACHINE.... alternating back to backrest then belly to backrest
20kg each side x back to x 30
20kg belly to x 15

40kg back to x 13

40kg belly to x 4

40kg back to x 7

PULLUPS, OVERHAND... fairly slow tempo, controlled

x 12

x 7

x5

 

ABS
5 or 6 sets of rope crunches on the cables and in between did behind the back barbell overhead presses standing like the first exercise, just the bar, for a burnout and keep the pump up

really great pump today felt sweet... the end. 

 

[jbrauch53]

..... and just so you guys can see where my legs are at... for the first time ever i looked at my legs this morning and was actually kinda happy with what I saw. A bit of hypertrophy from that leg workout yesterday! I just cant wait to keep training and get them really impressive one day. But at least theres a hint of mass forming in. Just gives me more motivation to crush it on leg day moving forward. I'm contemplating hitting them twice a week; maybe dividing into a quad and hamstring days but barwell squats to start both workouts on their respective days. just a thought. my calves suck and I need to dedicate some effort into isolated training with them...

 

[PETN]

Pretty solid volume on shoulders bro. Youre pretty keen attempting behind the neck presses up to 80kg standing i reckon. Did you just drop it behind your calves when you failed?

[jbrauch53]

9 hours ago, PETN said:

Pretty solid volume on shoulders bro. Youre pretty keen attempting behind the neck presses up to 80kg standing i reckon. Did you just drop it behind your calves when you failed?

Nah i just barely even picked it up off the rack so just set it back there. It was just too heavy. Maybe could gotten 1 or 2 reps but what's the point, would have been too risky. Better to drop back down to a plate on each side and rep out a good 5-10 rep set again. I really liked that exercise though I had never tried it before.

[jbrauch53]

BACK  /18/3/2016 FRIDAY
Was feeling pretty fatigued today. Trained everyday for the last 5-8 days?... Trained with a partner today though and as soon as we started I got so into it. Ended up doing DEADLIFTS last! something i'd never done but went with my training partners ways for the f*ck of it. Actually lifted the same weight for the same reps as I would have in the beginning of a workout. Found that interesting. With the blood all back there and the pump going and lower back still fresh, thats probably why.

Pullups to fail x 3

Alternating exercises:: Low close grip cable row (dropset 3 times each set) and Lateral Pulldowns (dropset 3 times each set)
- Did 3 complete sets of each exercise. We would just swap positions and keep going. 

CIRCUIT (or "super-duper set") :: BARBELL BENT OVER ROWS (switching between overhand and underhand grip every set) /////////// Straight Bar Cable Straight Arm Pulldowns (light weight for some burnout reps) ///////////  Bent Over Dumbbell Rows 22kg til near failure
- 4 times

REAR DELT CABLE REVERSE FLIES (dropset to fail).. SUPERSET ...SINGLE ARM 28KG KETTLEBELL ROWS
- 3 complete sets

Alternating Exercises:: PLATE LOADED ROW MACHINE with OVERHEAD PULL DOWN ROW PLATE LOADED MACHINE (we swapped postions again and kept going)... single arm at a time each time on each peice of equpment
-2 complete sets both arms on both machines

DEADLIFTS
6-7 sets increasing weight each time
I think we ended at 170kg and with wraps I got 6 reps. Didnt use wraps prior to that last set.


I was really into the speed of the workout and just going hard at the weights. Didn't really take the time to record specific loads and rep numbers. Enjoyed this one. Good workout!

[jbrauch53]

CHEST      w/ training parter... 19/3/2016       another day of no rest... today, the day i'm posting this, 20/3 I'm finally taking a rest day. Caught a slight chest cold going around.

SLIGHT INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS 
warmups

32kg x 20

40kg x 13

50kg x 6 dropset 28kg til failure

50kg x 5 dropset 28kg til failure

 

INCLINE BARBELL PRESS (spotter every set with training partner)

20kg both sides x 20

30kg both sides x 10

35kg both sides (90kg) x 7 DROPSET 20 x 12

20kg UNDERHAND x 5, racked then without rest overhand/normal grip 20kg x 7

SEATED CABLE FLYE MACHINE (dropsetting 2-3 times) to failure SUPERSET  underhand dumbbell seated botton-to-top flyes to failure
- 4 times

CHEST PRESS MACHINE 

- 2 sets

Doesn't really seem like a lot but the heavy weight made it time consuming and also made for a great pump

so yeah then i went home and got sick overnight. so i'm sitting here eating healthy foods and what not. 
 

[Pseudonym]

Yep, when I'm getting sick, it often shows in my training a few days before it actually kicks in. Looks like you might have been the same. Hindsight's a wonderful thing, eh? 

 

[PETN]

2 hours ago, Pseudonym said:

Yep, when I'm getting sick, it often shows in my training a few days before it actually kicks in. Looks like you might have been the same. Hindsight's a wonderful thing, eh? 

 

 

Ive found the opposite quite a few times. Start getting flu symptoms then have an awesome train that day in terms of strength (but feel quite hot and feverish) and feel fucked afterwards and the next few days til a couple of days after symptoms pass.

[jbrauch53]

after 2 days rest/ recovering from a cold

Early morning SQUATS / LEGS  5am 22/3/16 ..... only an hour before work

 

BARBELL SQUATS  ... knee wraps, no belt
warmups
60kg for reps

100kg (2 plates each side) x 25
120kg x 5-7 i forget
140kg x 1 (no spotter)

OCCLUSION TRAINING CIRCUIT (wrapped knee wraps at high leg position) 
LEG PRESS PIN LOADED MACHINE X LEG EXTENSION MACHINE X LAYING HAMMY CURL MACHINE

-- multiple dropsets included in each. Just went from one machine to the other

----- 5 times
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/your-complete-guide-to-blood-flow-restriction-training
 - read more there about occlusion training. 
 

WORKOUT 2 ::: Later after work I did an arm workout as well for about an hour. Didnt log. Was kind of in a hurry.

Had to go to and from work twice today as well, so add 40kilometers (just under 2 hours) of cardio in today   

[jbrauch53]

33/3/16               CHEST  2.5 hours. training buddy for first half.  

DUMBBELL CHEST PRESS with DUMBBELL 28kg laying pullovers
 a couple warmup sets very light

36kg x 15

42kg x 10
50kg x 7
+ pullovers to fail
28kg x ?
40kg x 6
+ pullovers to fail
40kg x 6
+pullover to fail

INCLINE BARBELL CHEST PRESS ,,, some leaning forward pushups between sets (using smith machine bar)
20kg both sides (60kg) x 20
35kg (90kg) both sides x 6
30kg both sides x 7 dropset 20kg x 7

20kg both sides x 11
20kg both sides x 10

CABLE FLYES

7.5kg, to 10, to 12.5, to 15.......... and down with dropsets each time. slow deliberate movement, good squeeze.

- x4 sets to failure

CHEST PRESS MACHINE ... some tricep machine which was nearby while training partner took his turn
40kg or so, 4 sets, closer neutral grip

(TRAINING PARTNER LEAVES)

SLIGHT INCLINE DUMBBELL FLYES
14KG 
3 sets to failure

STANDING BOTH ARM ARM UPWARD DUMBBELL FLYES 14KG
5 reps, rest pause, 5 reps, rest pause, 5 reps
2nd set: same as above
3rd set: same as above

WEIGHTED DIPS, 10kg

x 6
x 7
x 10
(unweighted) x 20 

CABLE FLYES. again, pretty much same as earlier in workout ^^^^

a few sets


PLATE LOADED CHEST PRESS MACHINE
20kg both sides

4 burnout sets



sick pump lol
 

[jbrauch53]

Here's the vid of my 1 rep max on squats a couple days ago. No spotter was around and didnt feel like asking anyone. (there were like 4people there, this was about 430am) Plus, spotters I dont know always end up helping me when I dont want it. Based on the sets before and how many reps I got, I knew I had one in me. So F*** a spotter, thats what the catch rails are for anyway. I'm advanced enough that even if I fail, I'll fail in style gracefully and avoid injury. I was proud of this one. In the hole it was pretty damn heavy and for a moment didn't think I was going to get it. My whole body shook as I tried to stablize.. Yeah, I didnt get very much depth but I hit parallel ... open to criticism anyway.
140kg. Nice spot to advance from (3 plates each side). This has basically been my max for awhile, but really made if official here doing it alone with no spotter.

"This is a foundational movement. This is the altar for bodybuilding, this is where you're genuflecting... You and no help. No the help of your hand, no the help of a special bar, its just you right there doing it all by yourself. You have to grow when you set yourself up this way. Theres no choice but to grow"
- Tom Platz

 

video-1458764167.mp4