Spytech's Intense Workout Log

3/8 - Upper Deload

spytech — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:11:19 +0000

Ah, deload week is here. Much needed. This 30 min session was a nice change of pace.

Bench Press (some sets paused):
135x12x1
185x12x2
205x12x1
225x6x2

CG Bench:
135x12x1
185x12x3

Decline Bench Press:
135x12x1
225x12x3

Incline Bench Press:
135x12x4

Single-arm Kneeling Cable Rows:
100x12x5

Cable Pushdowns:
100x12x5

Reverse Cable Pushdowns:
100x12x5

+ stretching + yoga (60min)

Duration: 90 minutes

3/5 - Deads and Front Squats

spytech — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:57:46 +0000

I awoke this morning SORE. Not just a little sore, but full body, hit by a train sore. Hips, lats (holy hell), shoulders, back, legs…sore. I have no idea what triggered this soreness, but I am wagering that my body just knows next week is a much needed deload and it has already started to go into rest-mode. Anywho, as I got moving around things eased up a bit and by the time I got to the gym I had forgotten (mostly) about any soreness I had. I mentioned earlier in the week that I wouldn’t be pulling today because of my torn up hand. Well, my hand has healed up incredibly fast since Wednesday and I don’t have pain gripping anything now, although the flesh is still baby’s ass tender. I decided to give pulls a try at the last second as I packed up my gym bag. Warmups were heavy, 515 felt like someone turned the floor magnets on, and 635 was ridiculously tough, although not heavy - more like doing pulls after squatting - fatigued heavy. I still managed to crank out a solid double, despite all the soreness and fatigue I was feeling everywhere and my hand didn’t rip apart. I am sure my constant thinking about my grip hampered things a bit.

Anyways, since I decided earlier in the week to not deadlift I was psyched up to do front squats for some reason - something I rarely have ever done (probably can count my front squat workouts on one hand in the last 5 years). I figured even though I just did deads, front squats would still be a good complement to the hamstring/glute heavy pulls. It took me a few sets to get “comfortable” using a clean grip. I’ve never used a clean grip before, but it wasn’t as tough as I thought it would be. I have mobility issues in my right wrist due to a bad break when I was younger so I definitely have to focus on keeping that right elbow up more while squeezing my elbows in. It’ll take a while to find the ’sweet spot’ for this grip - sometimes I feel like I’m choking myself and other times my collarbone takes too much of the load. Regardless, all the weights I tried today were a cake-walk. I think when I get my grip sorted out I could go mid 400’s for a couple reps.

After squats I did some strong ab work, then hit the dreadmill. Followed that up with some stretching and an intense 15-minute yoga flow involving all of the ‘hard stuff’ that I can do (crow variations, forearm balances, various headstands, eight-angle pose, etc). This felt fantastic.

Deadlift:
245×12x1
335×12x1
425×1x1
515×1x1
635×2x1

ATG Front Squats:
135×12x3
225×12x3
315×5x1
225×12x1

Straight-leg Sit ups w/ BB held @ lockout:
+95×12x1
+135×5x1
+155×5x1 (PR)
+135×5x2

Dreadmill:
25 min @ 4mph
3 min cooldown @ 3-3.5mph

+ stretching + yoga (15min)

Duration: 120 minutes

3/3 - Seated Overhead Press ME

spytech — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:52:22 +0000

Pretty sweet workout tonight. This is by far the hardest I’ve pushed my shoulder in the last 6+ months. I wanted to max out my seated shoulder press to set a baseline 1rm to work around. Everything felt strong and stable. I just missed 285 - 280 would have went, so I know where to ’set the bar’ now. Shoulder is feeling stronger every week and it feels good knowing I can attempt a max effort lift and still be OK. There is still some aches here and there…but getting better. After doing a bunch of seated overhead pressing I decided to do some db jerks (no cleans since my hand is still healing). I started out feeling exhausted with the 80 but as I went up in weight I felt stronger and more explosive. Ended up with a nice PR by manhandling the 140. I think I could have done the 150 with my right arm, but would have struggled with my left…I’ll save it for next time! After jerks I did a bunch of curls, then finished with some back work. Can’t do much in the way of good heavy pulldowns yet with the hand, but I still got some work done.

Seated Overhead Press (bar starting at mouth level):
95x12x1
135x5x1
155x5x1
185x5x1
205x3x1
225x1x1
245x1x1
265x1x1
285x0.5x1
245x3x2
245x5x1
225x5x1

DB Jerks:
80x6x1
100x6x1
120x6x1
130x2x1
140x2x1 (PR)

Standing BB Curl:
95x12x1
115x12x1
135x12x1
155x8x1
135x12x1
115x12x1
95x12x1

Reverse BB Curl:
45x12x1
65x12x1
85x15x1
105x15x1
125x12x1 (PR)

Wide-grip Pulldowns:
228x12x3

Hammer Chins:
bw x12x1
bw x25x1

+ stretching + yoga (60min)

Duration: 140 minutes

3/1 - Squat 5/3/1

spytech — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:15:30 +0000

This workout completely wiped me out. There is something about heavy squat PRs that just wears you out like nothing else. I wasn’t planning on doing another PR attempt this cycle, but my 485 single felt so easy I just had to put something heavy on the bar. 545 is another 10lb pr over last cycle, and still doubled it. The doubles are getting harder and I don’t think I could have tripled 545. Still not sure where this puts my 1rm, though. After the squatting my left foot’s peroneus tendons were sore so I opted to pass on step ups and just did extensions. Finished the workout with some ab work, then went to yoga.

ATG Squat:
135x12x1
225x12x1
315x5x1
385x5x1
435x3x1
485x1x1
545x2x1 (PR)

Seated Leg Extensions:
305x12x4
305x50x1

Hanging Leg Raises:
bw x12x4

Standing Cable Crunches w/ Ab Strap:
144x12x1
156x12x3

+ stretching + yoga (45min)

Duration: 105 minutes

2/26 - Bench ME

spytech — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:47:15 +0000

Decided to push bench a little bit today. Everything touch and go except for the first 265×6 set, which was paused. Tried a different setup today that seems like it’ll work. Felt like I was getting stronger as I got more used to it. 315 wasn’t too tough despite that being the heaviest I’ve benched in over 6 months. I focused on going really deep on neutral grip flat db presses, and these felt pretty solid. Did some light tricep pushdowns for the first time in a long-while since my tri/elbow seems like it is on the mend. It was hard to find a decent back movement to do since I cant really pull anything with my right hand, so I did some light pulldowns and then fingertip chins. Hit up the treadmill afterwards for some fun cardio time.

Bench Press:
135×12x1
155×12x1
175×12x1
195×12x1
225×3x1
265×1x1
295×1x1
315×1x1
265×6x2
265×10x1
225×15x2

Neutral Grip Flat DB Press w/ deep rom:
100×10x1
100×8x1
100×6x1

Wide-grip Pulldowns:
228×12x2

Finger-tip Chins:
bw x12×3

Rope Pushdowns (’hard tower’):
48×12x1
60×12x1
72×12x2
84×12x1

Flat DB Flyes:
50×12x3

Dreadmill:
20 min brisk walking @ 4-4.7mph
3 min cooldown @ 3mph

+ stretching

Duration: 90 minutes

2/24 - Rack Deads

spytech — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:16:21 +0000

Any workout that involves a huge callous being torn off your hand is always a fun one. My back wasn’t feeling like handling any real heavy rack pulls so I did a handful of sets with 765. On my way down I decided to do shrugs with 585, and while this was easy, it completely ripped a huge callous off my right hand. This doesn’t happen often, and I’m glad. What a pain in the ass. I taped up my hand good and did one more light set of shrugs and then hit up the GM’s since my hand was done. Strict GM’s felt really solid and I hit a nice PR there. Ended the workout with some ab work, then went to yoga.

Rack Deadlift (bar at knees):
135x12x1
225x12x1
315x12x1
405x5x1
495x5x1
585x1x1
675x1x1
765x1x1
765x2x3
675x3x1
675x5x1

BB Shrugs:
585x12x1
315x12x1

Strict GM’s:
135x12x1
155x12x1
175x12x1
195x5x1
215x5x1
235x10x1 (PR)

Decline Straight-leg Situps w/ Weight Behind Head:
+12x10x1
+20x10x3
+20x12x1
bw x12x1

Decline Russian Twists:
+20x12x3

+ stretching + yoga (60min)

Duration: 140 minutes

2/22 - Seated Overhead Press 5’s

spytech — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:20:21 +0000

My shoulder was feeling very good today. 45lb increase over the last seated OH press session and everything still felt great (and pretty easy). After OH presses I decided to start doing wide-grip pulldowns again. I haven’t done these in a really long time, as they really hit the injury site hard. I did 6 light’ish sets and there was no pain, good stuff. Finished up with rear delt laterals and curls.

Seated OH Press:
95x12x1
135x5x1
155x5x1
175x5x1
195x5x1
215x5x1
235x5x1
245x5x1
155x12x1

Wide-grip Pulldowns:
156x12x1
180x12x5

Rear DB Laterals:
40x12x2
50x12x1
60x12x1

Standing BB Curls (first 4 sets shoulder width grip, last 2 close grip):
95x12x1
115x12x1
135x12x1
145x5x1
115x12x2

Standing DB Curls:
60x12x2
40x12x2

Standing DB Hammers:
70x12x1
80x12x1
90x12x1

+ stretching

Duration: 60 minutes

2/19 - Squat 5’s

spytech — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:03:24 +0000

Good quick workout today. I like to use the 5’s week as a lower volume week for my legs. This worked out well as I think I tweaked my left adductor a bit doing some speed work on the double bass on drums last night, lol. Hit my squat targets, did some extensions and abs, then decided to do a few sets of step ups. Afterwards I ran a bit on the treadmill, then did some brisk walking.

ATG Squat:
135×12x1
225×12x1
335×5x1
385×5x1
435×5x1

Leg Extensions:
305×12x4
305×25x1

Straight Leg Situps with BB Held @ Lockout:
95×12x1
115×12x1
125×12x1
135×5x1
145×5x1 (PR)

BB Step Ups to 16″ bench:
225×10x2

Dreadmill:
5 min jog @ 6.5mph
15 min brisk walk @ 4.0mph

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

2/17 - Bench

spytech — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:25:16 +0000

This was a pretty solid workout. Paused bench is feeling better and stronger. Seems to be directly helping my touch and go work as well this time around (hard to say though as I’m only doing rep work). Decline bench felt pretty tired, but narrow grip floor presses were decent. By the time I got to neutral grip db presses for the tris I felt recharged again. Good rowing to finish the session off.

Paused Bench (last 2 sets touch and go):
135x12x1
155x12x1
175x12x1
195x12x1
225x5x1
245x5x1
265x3x1
275x3x2
275x5x1
265x10x1
225x12x1

Decline Bench:
225x10x1
265x8x1
285x5x1

Floor Press (narrow grip):
225x10x1
245x10x1
265x10x1

Neutral Grip Flat DB Press:
50x12x1
70x12x1
90x12x1
100x12x1
100x15x1

Seated Cable Row:
204x12x1
312x12x1
357x10x1
402x12x1

Chins/Pullups (3 diff grips):
bw x12x3

+ stretching

Duration: 90 minutes

2/15 - Deadlift ME

spytech — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:39:39 +0000

Not bad, not bad. Ever since the paused squats last Wednesday I’ve had on-again/off-again headaches (blood pressure probably got a bit high?) and my hips have been sore some. This affected pulls a little today, but I hit my target for the month (625) pretty handily. 4 solid reps with long pauses between reps and probably could have ground out a 5th. My best ‘5 repper’ touch and go in the past was with 630, so I’m very pleased. After finishing my last rep with 515 I did a static hold for 30s or so to try to work my girlie grip a bit. Feeling pretty toasted after pulls, I maxed out the seated ham curl machine for a few sets, and did some pull-throughs. I haven’t done these in ages, but I think I will get them in the rotation more. I tried a set of ghetto ghr’s but they were straining my left knee too much. This always happens after I do them a few times so I will have to drop them for a bit. Finished off with some brutal abs work.

Deadlift (3-5s pause between reps):
245x10x1
335x5x1
425x2x1
515x1x1
625x4x1 (PR)
515x5x1

Ghetto GHR:
bw x6x1

Seated Hamstring Curl:
210x12x1
285x12x2

Pull-throughs:
204x12x1
249x12x2

Decline Straight-leg Situp (weight held @ lockout over head):
+12x10x1
+20x10x1
+30x10x1
+35x10x1 (PR)
bw x15x1

+ stretching + yoga (50min)

Duration: 110 minutes