Squats forge Iron Gods...

[OnlyHuman]

"I'm trying to disguise myself as a responsible adult."

Just a light session...

Worked up to 80 on the squats and 80 on the bench for 5 reps each.

Trying to move the joints around that's all. Took a while to warm up today... feel a bit beaten down :pfft: I also did some light back and shoulder work... Pretty much with zero strain, just managed a small pump really. Eating big ... trying to sleep a lot when I can.

Not sure when I get to max out.

[Monarchking]

Hello?

[OnlyHuman]

Hello?

You right, due for a short update been slack with it!

Managed to max out on the squat the other week. Got 160. Happy with it as I was having a hard time on 130 x 3 three or so weeks prior to it.

Unfortunately been working a LOT! Great for $$$$$ especially when you have been a poor student as long as I am :? but detrimental for training. Can't get regular sessions in and my performance is REALLY up and down :pfft:

Been doing a few sessions here and there with the singlet brigade... even they are stronger than me at the moment LOL

Once I can get some organized sessions in with adequate recovery I will post again.

Thank you for stopping by

[Phedder]

He's alive!

How'd the 160 feel? Was your best lift at your last comp right, better speed/confidence this time?

Hope you can sort your schedule soon, March 3rd is looming closer

[OnlyHuman]

He's alive!

How'd the 160 feel? Was your best lift at your last comp right, better speed/confidence this time?

Hope you can sort your schedule soon, March 3rd is looming closer

Ha Ha :oops:

It felt pretty hard :? but a few weeks prior to it 130 did feel nearly as hard ha ha so it is all good.

Not likely to do the 3rd of March comp training is pretty unorganized and not enough to maintain what I had to begin with :shifty: It seems I respond to high frequency training well and unfortunately I can't do that at the moment

Life gives us this little hurdles so when we figure a way over/around them we become better / stronger :wink:

[OnlyHuman]

I could not recover my previous account of OnlyHuman so I made a new one under Only_Human .... Missed hanging around here and try to come by more often as my time permits....

[Monarchking]

Sweeeet! lol I enjoyed following your journal!

[Pseudonym]

Good to see you back, mate! What's the problem with your previous account? Drop me an email before you make too many more posts in this account and I'll sort it out.

[OnlyHuman]

Sweeeet! lol I enjoyed following your journal!

Thank you Monarchking!!!!!! :oops:

Good to see you back, mate! What's the problem with your previous account? Drop me an email before you make too many more posts in this account and I'll sort it out.

Done :oops: :shifty: :oops:

[OnlyHuman]

Thank You Pseudo!!!!!! :notworthy:

[OnlyHuman]

A quick update:

I have been managing some fairly regular training sessions before or after school hours.... but as opposed to my usual "strength" training I have been training with friends who are focused more on body building than strength.

I mainly focused on the upper-back and hamstrings (Initially I was going to try and bump up my arm development as well ... but am just so lazy when it comes to training arms :oops: )

I think I made some very good progress on my upper back development and managed some major strength gains in my hamstrings. All in all it was a good experience and really enjoyed my training. However, I felt like I need a new focus and some motivation so I challenged one of the novice power lifter from the gym for a friendly competition of the following set up.

Devastating Dave's 3 lift comp numbers against OnlyHuman's front squat, close grip bench press (with a pause) and deadlift total.

It is meant to be a friendly competiton/banter between us in order to find that extra little motivation and focus to train.At this stage I am planning to max out in about 10 weeks.

I am pretty sure DD is a reader of these parts ... but he is just a bit lazy with his posting... Maybe he can pop in and "swing some poo" in this journal once in a while to keep me motivated and the friendly banter going ... :wink: :pfft:

Where my lifts are at.... :shrug: :think:

(1) I haven't been doing much squat work since I stopped with the Smolov just a few post ago :pfft: ... In the mean time I had done a couple of weeks of high rep back squats (in may I think?) but mainly focused on hamstrings for the last 4 - 5 months as far as lower body goes.

(2) I also changed my bench to guilotine press and been doing that for most of the time but started to bring in normal and close grip work about 3 weeks ago.

(3) I can't remember the last time I did deadlifts either ... Probably at last year's powerlifting comp :shrug: However, due to the competition I did start to do some deadlift work specific stuff a few weeks back ... Maybe 2 or so.

No idea on body weight as of right now... suspecting to be around 76kg while having a fairly good body composition. I really don't care for my weigh at the moment. I don't have to make a weight class and as long as I am in a good shape .... It makes no difference really.

Today's session.....

Front squats

130 x 1

135 x 1

140 x 1

120 x 5

120 x 5

120 x 3

120 x 3

Hamstring obliteration:

I super-setted the following exercises (as a giant set):

Single leg culs

Good mornings

Poor man GHR

Back extensions

Core work

SLRs...

I was very surprised when I got the 140. After a LOT of front squat sessions... I managed to max out at this weight last year, and now after only like 5 proper front squat sessions I got a "hard" 140 :think:

The only thing I can put it down to is not being over-trained (If you followed my blog you know I am a CHRONIC over-trainer :oops: ) and all the hamstring and upper back work I done made a difference.

Happy regardless.... probably just approach my front squats with a simple sets/rep progression model for a short while. being early days back in the squat rack and all.... should work for a few session.

Not sure on how often I will update my journal but try to make it fairly regular...

[OnlyHuman]

Good girls go to heaven, bad girls take me there.... just saying....

Bench day

Bench: worked up to 110 x 3 failed on fourth rep.

(B1) Close grip: worked up to 95 x 5

(B2) DB tri-extensions: Just what ever dumber was around for 10 reps

(C1) Dips: Worked up to BW + 30 for 5 reps

(C2) Cable flies ... high rep stuff

Just wanted to see where my bench/close grip is at the moment.

I tought I will get the fourth rep but wasn't happening. I could do with some speed work I guess. It felt like the strength was there...well, obviously wasn't but felt like it :wink: speed could help me on this one I think. Regardless, I am happy with it at this stage.

Eating: Perfect

Sleep: A bit broken but enough hours

Stress: Low-ish

[daveo]

Bench: worked up to 110 x 3 failed on fourth rep.

deadlift is my only chance!

[OnlyHuman]

Bench: worked up to 110 x 3 failed on fourth rep.

deadlift is my only chance!

Ohhhh... Devastating Dave is in the house!!!! :rockout: :clap: \:D/ Ha Ha !!!

You know what they say... The comp only begins when the bar touches the floor! You do have a very good pull :cry: so i can't dick around with my deadlift training. Last year's 175 won't be enough.... I will have to follow a set plan, bust ass.... if I go and do my usual whatever I feel like doing training. You will blow me out of the water.....

I am just crossing fingers and :pray: ing that my 4 months worth of hamstring madness set me up with a good base. :pray:

[OnlyHuman]

"Sadly I enjoy training (the process) more than progress... just saying..."

Front squats

127.5 x 4

127.5 x 3

127.5 x 3

127.5 x 2

127.5 x 1

Back squats

3 sets of 5 reps @ 110

Just a quick early morning workout.

Front squats - The objective for this session was to get 4 reps @ 127.5. Glad I did but Initially I was hoping I could get 4 reps on two sets ... not today. Triples at a heavier weight next time around...

Back squats - they felt rusty :? :pfft:

Eating: Good

Sleep: Poor and not enough hours. I got maybe 5 hours of sleep if that...

Stress: Low - medium

[OnlyHuman]

People curling in the squat rack doesn't bother me... It is the 2" knee bends (called squats :pfft: ) while grunting like an animal that gets my blood pressure up!

Front squats:

Worked up to 135 x 3

Deficit snatch grip deadlifts:

130 x 8

120 x 8

120 x 6

120 x 6

120 x 6

GHR

5 sets ...

Core....

Front squats - Happy, got the reps and number I was going for. Initially I was thinking this could be one of those .... "Deficate a kidney In the process..." attempt ... Turned out to be relatively easy. Not sure why :think: ... regardless, happy as.

Deficit snatchgrip deadlifts - These might not look much on paper but they nearly broke me ... The starting position is Hamstrings touching/fully covering the calves ... Imagine a rock bottom oly-squat.

I had to lay down between some of the sets as I was panting for air. :oops: I had to use straps ... my grip is weak :?

[OnlyHuman]

About 8 weeks to go until Devastating Dave's 3 lift total gets a proper funeral....

Bench .... top set was at 107.5 x 5 reps

(B1) Close grip Bench... top set was 100 x 4 reps

(B2) Dumbbell triceps extension... just light-ish, working on bringing up overal work volume.

© Dips ... worked up to BW plus 30kg for 3 sets of 5 reps

Good session... Considering the cold that I am having.

Happy with how the bench and close grip went today... only because I have the cold. I want to bring these puppies up.

Front squats tomorrow..... Devastating Dave .... get some tissues because the numbers going to make you cry and wish you could progress like me :pfft: (LOL I wish!)

Sleep: Many - many hours over the lasty few days

Food: Healthy and plenty.

Stress: medium

[OnlyHuman]

Front squats: ... top set 130 x 5

Back squats:... 110 x 6/7/8

Core Roman chair variant...

Good session. Very happy with the 5 reps at 130 on the front squats. The warm ups did not feel as good as they did in the last session but in the end I got more than what the plan called for. I so post to get 127.5 x 5 but what the hell....

I must admit the last one was a GRINDER and took a lot of effort on my part but managed to get it. Despite the lack of sleep (5 1/2 hours only) and the dry cough that I developed as a result of my cold.

The back squat is just to get the cobwebs out a bit... they went slightly better than last time around. The best thing for my back squat would be to get some shoulder flexibility. Mine is so bad that my hand positioning compromises bar placement and upper back tightness quite a bit thus giving away poundages really....

Sleep: 5 and a half hours only

Food: Good

Stress: Low - medium

[OnlyHuman]

" I am getting buff by the magic of osmosis... When I want to put muscle on ... I go and stand next to heavy weights..."

Bottom up bench

90 x 5

95 x 4

100 x 3

105 x 2

110 x 1

2 board

110 x 3

115 x 3

117.5 x 3

Reverse grip ... 3 sets of 6 at 90

Plus some light triceps extensions ...

Happy with the bottom ups.

Now I have a sore throat on the top of my cough :? not good.

BW: 76 ish

Sleep: 5 hours at night and a top up of 2hours in the afternoon.

Food: High protein but high in sugar as well :oops:

Stress: Low - medium

[Monarchking]

sounds like everyone is sick. Even reports in the paper that people reporting flu type like symptoms is double than last year or some shit.

but..the sick get strong :nod:

[OnlyHuman]

sounds like everyone is sick.....

but..the sick get strong :nod:

AMEN :nod:

[OnlyHuman]

Front squats ... not to be talked about today :oops: :naughty:

Snatch grip deadlift ... worked up to 150 x 5

Good mornings... light stuff for volume

Poor man's GHR.... 4 sets

Core ... 3 sets

Fronts - Need to take a few days off from the movement, rebound.... Than come back to it and do the numbers I have planned.

Snatch grip - Good. I only planned for 140 x 5 but they were going up easier than I thought they would so bumped the weight up. I should try to hit 160 for a few reps next time aroud.

Sleep: 7 hours

Food: good

Stress: medium

[OnlyHuman]

Bottom up bench

5 sets of 3 @ 100

2 board

110 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

Decline close grip ... top set of 100 for 5 reps

Guillotine press ... worked up to 95 for 8 reps

Good day in the office. Happy with the weights / reps on the pressing exercises. Bench seems to respond to what I am doing at the moment, no need for major change.

Sleep: Ok

Food: Very high protein and plenty of clean calories, low sugar. Weight is around 78 I think. (Not sure.)

Stress: Low-medium.

[OnlyHuman]

Back, biceps, grip day....

Chest supported BB rows 4 sets of 12 @ 70

Chin ups 4 sets of 10 @ BW

Wide grip lat pull downs 4 sets of 8 - 14 reps

DB biceps curls 4 sets of 8 - 12 reps

Reverse EZ bar curls 3 sets of 10 reps

Grip work.... thick bar holds and pinch grip stuff.

Good session. I haven't done chin ups in ages, however they felt pretty easy today.... was surprised by it actually.

Made a proper plan for training now I just have to stick to it. I do have a serious case of training ADHD :pfft: but this plan might be just flexible enough for me to adhere to.

My grip needs work so started to do some work on it and will smash them once a week minimum, perhaps on my back and biceps day....

I am planning to pull my 1 rep max with double overhand/hook grip. I got work to do...

Sleep: 7 and a half hours. Good quality. Woke up on my own account.

Food: Very high protein and a large piece of chocolate cake :oops:

Stress: medium

[OnlyHuman]

Front squats

135 x 1

120 x 6 sets of 3 reps

Core....

It seems that my front squat progress halted over the last few sessions. Could be the combination of a few things. The cold I am getting over right now is a particularly strong "hindrance". I just have to deal with it mentally I guess.....However, I think today I managed to figure out one of my weaknesses when it comes to this movement.

I still have 7 weeks to bump it up a bit... It shall be done :phear:

Sleep: Ok.

Food: Good. High protein.

Stress: Medium-high...