Okay guys I caved and signed up again at the university gym, the duration and intensity of training with limited weights and equipment at the rock gym left out too many gains. I’m far from doing powerlifting training but wanted to amp up the kcal expenditure (around 700+ kcal session) so I’m back to lifting 3 – 4 x a week with A) Chest Day B) Shoulders OHP C) Leg/Back D) Pump Day.
My body weight has actually gone up, thank you Thanksgiving!
Lifts from last weeks session, weights and #s fall within 10-15% throughout the month
Lifts from last weeks session, weights and #s fall within 10-15% throughout the month
A) Chest Day
Bench [225] x10 [245] x6 [265] x5
Incline Bench [135] 3xF The bench system is wonky and I have to set up dimensions which end up being more like a military press on this contraption. I did 13, 10, 9 Back in the spring with a proper incline set up I was doing more like 20, 16, 12
DB Flys with 20s or 25s it’s a busy gym so I use what’s available and go for high reps last sesh was [25] 36, 25, 27
Knuckle Push Ups till failure 21, 14, 10 try to do the last 2-3 reps very slowly like 3 seconds on the up.
Stairmaster~ 40 min (Always be sure to play a “Best of 3 Magic” the Gathering Game)
B) Shoulder Day
Overhead Press [135 lbs] x8 [145] x7 [155] x5 [165] x4
Shoulder Shockers descending giant sets described in previous post x4 super sets
Rear Fly on Machine- weights??? Forget? 5 sets of 12-20 rep range
Shoulder Cable pull downs I call them “Arcs” naked cable 2 sets each arm starting with [30] 2x F then drop weight each set down to like 5 or 10 lbs for lots
Dips 3xF
Stairs 40 min
C) Legs/Back
Leg Press I think it has a 100 lb starting weight or more do a pyramid sets till failure 2 plates, 3 plates, 4 plates, 5 plates, then down 4 plates, 3 plates, 2 plates then 1 plate single leg (3 sets)
BOYO ROWS [135] 20, 13, 9
Lat pull downs [85-135] lbs ~ 12 reps each around 8 at the top
Good/Bad girls – the hip abduction exercise max weight 3x F for the legs spread/ legs closed
Single Leg extension [50] lbs 3 x 3 x F each leg Then [100] x F ~ 20
Cable Rows [100 – 145] going up each set till Failure
Stairs: ~ 40 min
D) Pump Day
My Fav as I can do this in any order depending on what’s available because the goal is to GET FUCKING PUMPED!
Close Grip Bench [135] 3XF 22, 13, 11
“Wolverine” Cable Cross Drop Sets Start [32.5] down to [12.5] always have to fight the teens for access to these cables
Preacher Curls Ez bar [10] plate each side slow 3 xF 18,16
Hammer Curl [20] 3xF 36, 21, 19 I think one week I did 50 on my first set then it dropped tremendously
Single Arm Tri Pulldown I call these “Squires” because you kneel on one leg like helping a knight put on greaves. [ 30, 25, 20, 15] xF
Flat bar Tri pulldown weight= ? basically do 5 sets until your arms don’t work
Peck Deck- Bonus if I feel like it – low weight like 70 or 80 lbs and rep out for 25+ each set for 4-5 sets. One day I did 50 reps at [70] after some rest
Stairs ~ 40 min
Climbing
Top rope: Sent my first 5.10s with a belay! This was a fun victory as now technique really matters. My belay partner stopped hanging so it’s been more auto belay these days, thankfully they set new routes as it was getting stale and 5.10 is too hard on auto. I went to a gym about an hour away with a Hinge date and got to climb on a ~50ft wall which was exciting and was way more work. The home gym is ~30 ft so far fewer moves and I can make it up with poor technique. Even climbing a long overhung 5.8 was tiring at 50ft. I sent a few 5.9s and had to call off some higher ones as I was using my arms too much or over gripping due to the height factor.
Bouldering, naw. I’m not gonna boulder until I’m like 190 lbs it sucks and is not worth further injuring my back when I do a yolo move.
Alpine
Climbed Monadnock in 1hr 10 min ascent which was quite fast for the steep white dot trail. Apparently, its the second most climbed mt with Mt. Fuji in Japan benign #1. As such there are heaps of slowpokes and passed a kid in Crocs… and another in Converse. Mind you this was approaching microspike season.
I started to prepare for alpine outfitting and ordered a pair of OR Cirque II pants which even in my bulky state a large was tremendous. REI honored the sale price and will ship me a Medium to try. But shit, I put them on with high gaiters, and 3 layers tucked in and still maxxed out waist belt to keep it tight. Like wtf? These fit like snowboard pants. I’ll be logging some more hikes as I approach some winter hiking goals in the White Mts.
Running
Longest Run: 5.01 miles. That day I felt excellent and did my 4 mile road route and just kept adding blocks the other direction on the way home. I probably could have made it longer honestly.
Unfortunately a few running attempts this past month were met with horrific shin splints and had me bagging out at 2 miles or so then walking a bit and finishing with a hill sprint. I have no idea what the causation is, it seems random. One day I run and feel great the other is hell. Mind you I started the 5-mile run still sore from a gym leg sesh two days prior. This sucks because I’ll plan a run with fresh legs and I ache instantly.
My average speed decreased to around 8:59 due to these half-assed runs. Major bummer, but I’m making progress in other areas at least.
I have a holiday and some work travel coming up in Dec. so I need to make the most of my limited training sessions this month!
Monthly Data
Sleep: 7 hr. 35 / day
Steps: 11,764 /day
Activity Calories Logged: 14,809 kcal up from 11,118 in Oct.
Stay strong,
Anders