Ken's Journal

[KenDowns]

Tuesday Feb 12 2013

Cycle progress is here: http://www.exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... 105#p92620" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Squat
195: 3
225: 3
255: 3
280: 3

300: 1

270: 10 singles, about 1 minute between

[KenDowns]

Tuesday Feb 19 2013

Cycle progress is here: http://www.exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... 105#p92620" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is the 4th week of the progression I've been trying, with a good result for squat. Next week I'm travelling so I've got a forced deload falling naturally at the end of the cycle.

Squat
195: 3
225: 3
255: 3
285: 3 Rep PR
305: 1

Backoff
235: 1 STOPPED

The 235 felt so heavy I just did one and called it a day. With a Rep PR I was good to quit.

Bulgarians
Right leg only, 50#, two sets of 8

[KenDowns]

Tuesday Mar 5 2013

Cycle progress is here: http://www.exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... 105#p92620" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Squat
195: 3
225: 3
255: 3
285: 3
305: 1

Exact repeat of two weeks ago, since I'm returning from jet lag

Deadlift with Bands
135 / 5
185 / 4
225 / 2, 2, 2
275 / 2, 2

These were very hard to get locked out.

Farmers Walks
120 each hand

6 half laps, about 30 yards each

Jeremy noticed I look down when I do these and he corrected that, told me to gaze straight ahead, made a big difference.

[KenDowns]

Worst workout I ever seen.

Squatted 255 for 1 and was afraid I might not make it. Maybe it's been all of that travel, poor sleep, restaurant food and a max deadlift attempt on Saturday?

[KenDowns]

Did not know you could get this fried doing OHP.

Fingers shaking, can barely type. Legs were shaking pretty badly on the last two reps of the top set. Shoulders on fire for a couple of minutes afterward.

But it was worth it for two rep PR's in one day:

135x6 beating 135x5 6 weeks ago
140x4 beating 140x3 4 weeks ago

Caffeine is the devil. Well, in the morning its an angel, after noon it is the devil.

[KenDowns]

I don't really journal here anymore, but thought I'd record the bench program I'm trying.

Current 1RM: 225 2/21/13

It's been 3 months and I'm basically in the same place, so I'm trying this program.

Bench
200/3,3,3,3,3

Incline
Supposed to do 5x5

135/5 seemed way too easy, so:
155/3 (fail), somebody had to jump over and get the bar off me, so back down to:
135/5 still way too easy, so back up to
145/5
150/5,3

Computer programmers will recognize this as a binary search.

Close Grip Bench
supposed to be 5x5, but not knowing my weight we got this:

135/5
145/5,5
155/5,3

DB Bench (Flared Elbows)
45/5,5,5,5,5

[KenDowns]

Westside, Cycle 1, Week 1, Day 1

Link to program: http://exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1 ... 105#p99888" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Max Effort Lower body

Deadlift

Getting used to new stance, narrow sumo.

400: good
450: missed. Grabbed bar off center. Came off floor like feathers but I had to dump it cuz it was uneven.
450: missed. Tried, what the heck
440: missed. No chance, burned up on the two misses.

Accessories

Front Squat: 135, 3 sets of 8

Situps: 25,25

Farmers Walks for as long as possible, resting as needed. 150#/hand made 670 feet. Really I made 335 feet before saying, OMG I have to carry these home.

[KenDowns]

Westside, Cycle 1, Week 1, Day 2

Max Effort Upper Body

Bench Max Effort
185: good
205: good
215: missed

Bench
185: 3
175: 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 3

Press
115: 4, 4, 4
105: 4, 4

Barbell Row
180: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Pullups
Bodyweight: 9

These weren't in the plan but I felt like the tank was bottomless so just did a set on my way out.

[KenDowns]

Westside Cycle 1, Week 1, Day 3

Deadlift Speed - Narrow Sumo
225 x 8 x 2

Stiff Leg Deadlift
225 x 4 x 6

Front Squats
155: 6, 6, 6, 5

Farmers Walks
160/hand: 10 feet.

Ha! Made it a few steps out of the garage and realized, this ain't happening today.

Tried to walk them back and couldn't, had a lot of trouble even hauling them in one at a time. Guess I smoked my legs today.

[KenDowns]

Westside Template, Week 1, Day 1

Deadlift Max Effort
400
430
450

Very satisfying.

Glutes Supersets
Purpose here was to establish and maintain mind-muscle connection to glutes

Hip Thrusts and Bridges were bodyweight. Sumo deads were done very slowly, complete control up and down. Result is sore butt and sore lats.

Sumo 185: 4, 5
Sumo 205: 5, 5

Situps and Farmers Walks
Farmers 160 each hand.

Situps: 22
Farmers: 65 feet, 65 feet
Situps: 15
Farmers: 65 feet, 65 feet

[KenDowns]

Sun 12/7/14, Westside Week 1 Day 2

Press
This would be max effort day but I think getting in the volume of solid reps at challenging weights is more important.

130: 5, 5, 5, 3, 1
120: 4, 4

Bench
175: 5, 5, 5, 6

Pullups
Trying to get more strict, keeping my feet down and starting from dead hang

bodyweight: 7, 7, 6, 5, 5