Spytech’s Intense Workout Log

Very quick, low volume squat workout. Hit the target reps and that was that. My entire body is very achy - probably something to do with doing real upper body workouts now, shoveling 8 feet of snow 2 days in a row, and the 3 full power yoga workouts on top of the other squat workout this week. 415 was easy…but not as easy as it “should be”.

ATG Squats:
135×12x1
225×12x1
315×5x1
365×5x1
415×6x1

Leg Extensions:
305 (stack) x15×5

Standing Cable Abs w/ Ab Strap (hard tower):
120×5x1
144×5x1
156×5x2
156×10x1

Elliptical:
23 min steady-state

+ stretching

Duration: 50 minutes

So winter showed up yesterday and stayed overnight in the form of 4 feet of snow. Lots of shoveling yesterday, and snow blowing today. I was completely wiped before I even left for the gym, but I was determined to stay the course. I took a megadose of vitamin C and hit it. Bench felt good despite being dead. I tried the suicide grip and that felt decent - hits the tris more. My grip is still about a “hand and a half” narrower per side than my strongest grip, so I am pretty pleased with how the weights are moving. The last set started to get tough towards the end, but still finished strong. I was more confident with my shoulder this week - more pop off my chest and bar speed. No pains or awkwardness at all. I pushed close grip a little more this week, and that felt fine, too. I am starting to test my occipital/trap/collarbone injuries with some shrugs and everything went well. 405×15 started to burn my occipitalis a bit towards the end, but didn’t strain it or anything. I’ll keep it there for a while. It felt good to get some upper back stimulation. I closed out the session with some misc stuff, including db presses and smith tricep ladders (set the bar at face level, do some ‘pushups’, lower it down one notch, repeat until you hit the floor). So far so good.

Bench Press:
45x20x4
140x12x1
160x12x1
180x12x1
200x12x1
220x12x1
240x12x1

CG Bench Press:
155x12x1
175x12x1
195x12x2
175x12x1

Shrugs:
135x15x1
225x15x1
315x15x1
405x15x1
315x15x1
225x15x1

CG Shrugs:
225x15x3

Tricep Ladders (1 rung = 1 set):
bw x8x8

V-bar Pushdowns:
150x15x1

Single-arm Reverse Pushdowns:
50x15x1

Flat DB Press (randomly switching between neutral and normal grips):
50x30x2

+ stretching + yoga (75min)

Duration: 135 minutes

Squat workouts are always good workouts. Today was wide-stance dynamic work against the purple (light) bands. Squatting was easy, as it should be. I am real used to the low bar position now - very second nature. Strict GMs were brutal, as usual.

On a side note, the orthotics I have are adjustable - they have 3 inserts (low, med, high) for support/stability. The last 2 squat workouts have been with the ‘high’ inserts in, and while they feel great for walking, etc, I am going to have to go back to the medium inserts when I squat. Just too much arch support and it seems to mess up my squats a bit. The medium insert felt perfect though (hit the 495×5 atg PR with them in).

Yoga is feeling really good. My shoulder, while still achy in certain stretches, is getting very stable/strong again. My shoulder does ache from the low bar position (even if I use a wide-grip) so I may drop DE squats on my ‘deadlift’ days for a while to let my shoulder recover more.

Wide-stance Squat (against light bands):
135×12x1
225×12x1
315×2x11
315×6x1

Strict GMs:
135×12x2
155×12x1
165×12x1 (PR)
175×12x1 (PR)

Standing Cable Abs w/ Ab strap (wide stance):
120×8x5

Hanging Leg Raises:
bw x12×4

+ stretching + yoga (60min)

Duration: 110 minutes

Today I gave seated overhead bb presses a go. First time doing any bb overhead pressing in around 3 months. I kept the weight really light, but was able to cruise without any pain in my shoulder. It still feels ‘off’ when doing these overhead presses with the barbell, so I probably wont do them again for a while. Of all movements I can do, the overhead bb press hits the injured spot the most. After the seated overhead pressses, I did some light standing db presses, which felt great, and other shoulder and back work (and curls). I cranked up the intensity a bit on cable rope facepulls and even did a set of chins. Lots of positive progress this week.

Seated Overhead BB Press:
45×20x2
65×12x1
85×12x1
105×12x3

Standing DB Press:
45×12x3

Cable Standing Shoulder Internal Rotation:
36×15x4

Front Plate Raise:
45×12x3

Seated Cable Row:
156×10x1
180×10x1
204×5x1
228×5x1
252×10x1

Cable Rope Face Pulls:
100×15x1
120×15x1
150×15x3

Standing BB Curls:
65×12x1
85×12x1
105×5x1
125×5x1
145×5x3

Reverse BB Curls:
45×15x2
65×15x1
85×15x1
105×15x1 (PR)

Standing DB Curls:
40×12x3

Single-arm Hammer Curls:
50×10x1
70×10x1
90×10x1
110×10x2

Finger-tip Pullups:
bw x12×1

Elliptical:
23 minutes

+ stretching

Duration: 60 minutes

I love squat days. The weights felt pretty heavy today, but I hit the target, and then a couple extra reps. Not too difficult but felt a bit ’stiff’. Still recovering from the big squatting the week before last, I think. After squats I did barbell bulgarian split squats - these are absolutely brutal. I’ve done db bulgarians before, but never the bb version. Very intense, although a bit dangerous. My quads were on fire. Finished off the session with abs and yoga. My shoulder felt really good in yoga, and has been feeling good overall. There was only one pose in yoga tonight that I didn’t feel 100% confident with my right shoulder on (flipped down-dog pose). My right shoulder’s flexibility has really improved quite a bit in just week and a half.

ATG Squat:
135x12x1
225x12x1
315x3x1
340x3x1
390x3x1
440x5x1

BB Bulgarian Split Squats:
135x20x1
185x20x1
225x20x1
235x20x1 (PR)
185x20x1

Decline Situps (arms stretched over head):
bw x12x2

Hanging Leg Raises:
bw x30x2

Standing Cable Abs w/ Ab strap:
120x12x3

+ stretching + yoga (75min)

Duration: 135 minutes