A SoaringSwine's effort to become a BeefyBull

[Mike Zero]

I've realised for a long time that I have an addictive personality, I'm glad that I'm now channeling it into something that will both benefit be physically and give me a great sense of accomplishment.

I'm the same, it's a good trait to have in the iron game.

Nice workouts bro.

[SoaringSwine]

Entry # 5 - Friday 11/01/2008

Rawr! Back with A-fucking-vengeance.

Squat - Should note I'm having to do these on the Smith Machine as I'm at the smaller of the two Uni gyms. Therefore no squat rack (I think it's more of a safety issue because only one staff member is on at a time)

50x5

60x5

70x5

80x5

90x3

70x8

Felt good. All going to plan I do 90x5 on Monday and 95x3 next friday.

Bench Press

30x5

35x5

40x5

47.5x5

57.5x5 - Meant to be a triple but felt easy so I pumped out two more :grin:

40x8

Stoked with my progress. 57.5 felt easier than 55 only 4 days earlier. Big boy plates next week!

Bent Over Row

30x5

35x5

40x5

47.5x5

55x4 - (did one more by accident, thought I was only on my third)

40x8

DB Shoulder Press

12.5x8

15x8

17.5x5

Haven't done this exercise much, so will hopefully be pumping those numbers up a lot in the coming weeks

DB Bicep Curls

10x8

12.5x8

15x5

Tricep Pushdowns

32x8

44x8

56x5

I have piss poor biceps and triceps... along with the rest of my body, of course.

Random thoughts etc.

Pretty good workout. Very happy with my BP progress. I'd just like to say I'm not recording PRs as I plan to be hitting them every single week. Once I hit a significant plateau I will begin to note them. And thanks for your encouragement and tips Mike!

[Laver]

Hey Soaring Swine, your body shape etc is similar to mine and your lifting weights are similar too, apart from the legs which ive only started training in the last 2weeks which are absolutly pathetic at the moment. I'll be looking through this journal over the following months!

Might even inspire me to do my own journal, possibly not though

[SoaringSwine]

DO IT. I need the company. Plus it would be nice to have some friendly competition.

[Laver]

After all that I had a bit of a lousy day. Been quite tired etc.

Entry #4 - Wednesday 09/01/2008

Squat

40x5

50x5

60x5

70x5

70x5

Was all psyched up for this one, but energy levels let me down. Next week I will hit 25x5!

Deadlift

60x5

70x5

80x5

90x5

100x5

110x1

120x0

Did the sets of 5 fairly easily. Just thought I'd try a couple singles for fun, but by the time I came to 120kg my body was sapped of energy.

My deadlift is currently at 40kg, which is more for the purposes of learning how to do them properly, I do struggle with 60kg, but think thats largely because of bad form I imagine.

I match your squats though, assuming the weights include the 20kg bar; just interesting in the major difference between them.

I look forward to getting my deads a LOT better in following weeks, 120 would be loverly in... 2months time I think.

[Laver]

Haha, na dont really feel like a journal yet, I like to keep ot myself, maybe in 3months time when I start seeing the effects of my great new diet and motovation.

[SoaringSwine]

Bear in mind that was my light squat day! That's odd about your deadlift. What ya benching?

[Mike Zero]

What ya benching?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWwB5MYTr64

[Laver]

Bear in mind that was my light squat day! That's odd about your deadlift. What ya benching?

Currnelty max out around 80-85kg, do bear in mind of been training my upper body for a while; just never done any legs until 2weeks ago.

Oh and.. whats are "PRs", pulse rate?

Nothing ive ever tinkered with! Wonder what other people on the site use it to monitor...

[SoaringSwine]

PR = Personal Record :pfft:

[Laver]

O Okay haha,

I just got out some weight and practised some dead lifting, managed to hit 105kg (thats all the weights i have!!) , not a bad improvement from 40kg in the gym!

I watched some utube vids and read up on some techinques which helped me!

[SoaringSwine]

Entry #6 - Monday 14 January 2008

Squat

45x5

55x5

70x5

80x5

92.5x5

Felt good today, think I might try for 97.5x3 on friday

Bench Press

30x5

40x5

45x5

52.5x5

60x4

Couldn't quite squeeze out the last rep on the 60. Probably being a bit too ambitious. I think I'll still try for 62.5x3

Bent Over Row

30x5

35x5

42.5x5

50x5

57.5x5

My arms were flailing out a bit too much. I tried to make sure I felt them closed to my body in the later sets though. Is this how I should do them?

DB Bicep Curls

10x8

12.5x8x2

couldn't find one of the 15s today :evil:

DB Shoulder Press

15x8

17.5x8

20x2

Some improvement already

Will be doing some abs tonight. I guess it was an okay workout. Disappointed not to hit 60x5 but I'll blow that out of the water come Friday.

As for Wednesday I'm planning on doing 105x5 deads and 25x5 DB Incline BP. I was gutted to not get it last Wednesday so I'll be extra determined.

[chchardgainer]

ill give you some competition.... also a newbie gonna take some pics tonight and make a training journal 2nite/2mo so you wont be alone anymore :grin:

[SoaringSwine]

Yay! Good effort.

MZ - the legs in that video are hilarious. Clearly negating the squat!

[Laver]

WATCH THIS SPACE!

Log will be up and functional by 1st Feb 08, Recording workout from Monday 28th Janurary onwards.

Just for you buddy

[SoaringSwine]

Entry #7 - Wednesday 16 January 2008

Squat

50x5

60x5

70x5x2

Light day

Incline DB BP

17.5x8

20x5

22.5x5

25x4

So close... yet so far. I'll be hitting 25x5 for sure next week. Stupid 2.5 increments...

Deadlift

60x5

80x5

95x5

105x5

105 went up like a feather! I sort of copied MZ's technique in his video where he straightens his legs before dropping down and lifting. It worked a treat, felt like I engaged my legs much more.

Wide grip Lat Pulldown

90lbx8

110lbx8

120lbx8

I don't know what it is about Tuesday nights, but I always seem to get a bad sleep. Although I missed 25x5, my deadlift sure makes up for it. I'll be looking to hit 110x5 next week. I'm going to blow 150x5 out of the water come 01/07/08!

[SoaringSwine]

Entry #8 - Friday 18 January 2008

Squat

50x5

60x5

75x5

85x5

100x3

75x8

Felt good to bust 100 and pretty easy too. 100x5 on Monday (if the gym's open)

Bench Press

30x5

40x5

45x5

52.5x5

62.5x4 (meant to be x3 but busted an extra rep out :grin: )

45x8

Bent Over Row

30x5

37.5x5

45x5

50x5

60x3

45x8

Weighted dips (between two benches)

BWx10

BW+10x10

BW+15x10

First time doing these, felt pretty easy.

DB Curls

12.5x8

15x6

12.5x8

DB Shoulder Press

15x8

17.5x8

17.5x2

I rushed into my last set as I had to go, hence the quick failure and not doing another set.

I'm reasonably pleased with that workout. Squats were the major highlight! Will be tackling 100x5, 62.5x5 and 60x5 for squats, BP and rows respectively. But what I'm really looking forward to is deadlifts :twisted: . I can't wait to see 110x5 flying past my knees.

I want to go to the gym again now! Monday is ages away.

[Laver]

Looking good there swine, mine journal just around the corner!

[SoaringSwine]

Entry #9 - Sunday 20 January 2008

Gym is closed tomorrow so headed in today instead. Feeling like shit due to lack of sleep, food as well as beeing slightly hung over

Squat

60x5

70x5

80x5

90x3

90x1 - "rip", 90x2 "riiippp", 90x3 "riiiiipppp" - By that stage I decided to abandon my squats to preserve my dignity on the walk home from the gym. There's a good reason why I usually where shorts instead of trackies...

Bench Press

30x5

40x5

50x5

57.5x5

62.5x"5"

62.5x"4"

The last two sets are in quotation marks due to the fuckwit who decided I needed help every time I looked liked I was struggling. After he did it the first time I told him to not touch the bar unless I asked him to. The very next fucking rep he touches it again. And it was just a couple fingers unloading a couple kgs, he fully fucking lifted the bar. Fucking annoying. Not counting those sets at all.

Didn't do rows because there wasn't a bar free.

Fucked around with the curls and shit which I didn't record. Was pretty fucked off all around.

I'll just pick up where I left off on Wednesday I guess... Bad workout

[Pseudonym]

Yeah, I've had the occasional spotter who's just too keen. It's a pain, eh? They just don't seem to get the message when you ask nicely. I don't know what the answer is... perhaps next time let go of the bar completely and let him lift it himself.

[Mike Zero]

The worst is spotters who row the bar over your face :shock:

I've developed a good base of spotters in my gym who know what I like.

But often you just gotta make do.

[Laver]

I trained my mum up on spotting for when im home, shes awesome, constantly scared that she'll have the lift the whole weight, it freaks her out lol!

[SoaringSwine]

I probably also should have mentioned that he tried to convince me to use the smith machine for my bench too. Said it "corrects your form" and "I can bench 90 on it". Woop de shit. He'd been going to the gym for 2 years and can manage 90kg on a SM, wow...

Normally I go with a mate who will only spot when I say so. I have fun when he's benching too. If he's failing I'll only use my little fingers to make him work it up.

[SoaringSwine]

Entry #10 - Wednesday 23 January 2008

Squat

50x5

65x5

75x5

75x5

Incline DB Bench Press

17.5x5

20x5

22.5x5

25x7

Extremely stoked with my x7 on the 25s. Especially considering last week I only did x4 with some spotting and this week was completely unassisted. Maybe next week I'll see if I can squeeze out a couple on 27.5... we'll see.

Deadlift :twisted:

70x5

85x5

95x5

110x5

110x5 was a challenge but they all went up. I'm not sure if I'll manage 115x5 next week but I'm sure as hell going to give it a try!

Wide grip Lat Pulldowns

90lbx8

110lbx8

130lbx8

Once I can get to 170/180x8 I'll start doing WG pullups.

Overall a pretty good workout. I wonder what gains these kre-alkalyn creatine pills will give me

Edit: I think on friday I'll just attempt to x5 my triples from last week (100, 62.5 and 60 for squat, BP and row)

[SoaringSwine]

Entry # 11 - Friday 25 January 2008

Squat

50x5

65x5

80x5

90x5

100x4

Argh, last was meant to be 100x5 but I dropped into the squat really quickly and just couldn't get out. I know I had it in me... Doesn't matter. I'll be repeating it on Monday (as I will be with the rest of the workout).

Bench Press

30x5

40x5

47.5x5

55x5

62.5x6

Yay! Wasted that 62.5, even squeezed out an extra rep for good measure.

Bent over BB Row

30x5

37.5x5

45x5

52.5x5

60x5

Man rows are boring...

Tricep pushdowns

44x8

56x8

62x5

Alternating DB bicep curls

12.5x8

15x7 (got x8 on the right but failed on the left, will start on the left in future)

15x6

DB shoulder press

15x8

17.5x8

20x0

Always have to rush this workout (got to get back to work) and that took its toll on these last sets. Might try shoulders earlier next time.

Overall a pretty good workout. Came away with my arms nice and pumped. Disappointed about my squatting. However, I think my stretching has helped as my hip didn't pose any problems .