Dub's Journey to Personal Training

[Dub]

Total Exercises last week: 9 Exercises (14 Hours)
Yes, I started to count these too, and let you see how much fun does the soon-to-be bachelor of sports and leisure have.

31st January 2012

Box Squat 3x5
100kg (220lbs.)

Deadlift 2x5
120kg (264lbs.)

Snatch-grip DL 2x5
95kg

DB Box Jumps 3x3
9kg in Both hands

Overhand Pull-ups 2/2/1/1/1
BW

Deadlifts were suprisingly easy today. The sg ones too. That's good. The Pull-up challenge is now on. It will end at 28th February or thereabouts. Also I tried to add weight to Box Jumps, just because I want to try different stuff. Glutes and Hams are now tight.

[Dub]

3rd February 2012

Squat 3x5
115kg (254lbs.)

Overhead Press 5/4/4
47kg (103lbs.)

Weighted Chin-ups 5x2
4kg added (8.8lbs.)

Upright Row 4x10
30kg

Low cable kneeling Pallof Presses 3x10 each side
15kg


Had 1.5hours of floorball/intensive aerobic training just before the workout, which affected to the intensity. Squats especially were killers. I almost failed on the second set, as I could feel my quads just pushing all they got into the last rep. The weighted chins felt quite easy to my suprise, I will add weight to the next round. Also I tried Pallof presses, but can't get the cable to chest-high. So I took the kneeling version and the cable came from the low point of the rack. Still, I felt it in my core, so it worked atleast in some manner.

[Dub]

5th February 2012

Bench Press
2x1 x 72.5kg
4 x 70kg
8 x 60kg

Row 3x5
65kg

One-arm DB Bench Press 4x10
15kg

What the hell was up with that bench? I mean come on! I was pissed. Ruined the whole workout. Okay, last week I did 4/3/2 with 72.5kg. This week the warm-ups felt light, did bit more reps than usual, was good to go. Then the actual set: Unracking was heavy, I got the first rep, lowered the bar....And it never came up. I rested for five minutes, the same thing again. I unloaded the little plates and pressed four reps, those also very heavy. The 60kg wasn't that bad, but it wasn't too much weight either. What could've went wrong? Too tiring warm-up? Too little sleep? Too fasted? Hell, next week will tell. If the same stuff happens, it's time for deload.

[Dub]

7th February 2012

Box Squat 3x5
105kg (231lbs.)

Deadlift 2x3
130kg (287lbs.)

Deficit Deadlift 2x5
95kg

DB CM Box Jumps 3x3
9kg ca. 75cm

Landmine 4x8
37.5kg

Had a Good workout again. The Deadlift is heavy, but that's a given. My 1RM at December was 135kg. Now I did sets with three reps on 130kg. I will get that 145 after this 12 week phase. Right now, it's week 9. Three weeks to go.

[Dub]

9th February 2012

Bench Press 3x3
72.5kg

Dead Bench 7x1
60kg

Chin-ups 5/4/3
BW

Row 8/6/6
50kg (fatter bar)

One Armed DB Bench Press 3x10
15kg

Okay, the bench went better, got as many reps as two weeks ago. Next week I'll try to improve. If not, I need to lower the weight a bit. But yeah, it was okay, the form was pretty solid on these.

I decided to push the Chin-ups as the main exercise instead of barbell rows. Mainly because I get so much more off from the chins, especially my lats are feeling better. Also I can't do high intensity rowing without huge bicep involvement. So a little experiment once again. Also, because of the pull-up challenge. Did volume rowing today with a fat bar, so grip work also.

School is interesting. Today I was exercising with some pre-school kids (aged 5 to 6). I told them to run, and they ran. Okay, that's a bit oversimplyfied. I put them to play ball and play tag and other funny childhood games I too enjoyed. It was fun. Kids are alright. They liked it.

Also lots of dance once again. Everything from Jive, Samba and Cha-cha have improved fairly. And as my motoric learning process, I'm learning juggling.

[Dub]

12th February 2012

Squat 4/5/3
120kg (264lbs.)

OH Press 3x5
47.5kg (105lbs.)

Weighted Chin-ups 2/5x1
8kg (17lbs.)

Face-Pulls 4x10

Landmines 10/10/8
37.5kg

Squatting is good. I'm finally over my ego and going below parallel. Every time. I didn't fail, but the form was breaking on the last rep, so I called it quits on the sets. The Overhead press was finally defeated, and it was about time.
The weighted chins are quite the interesting exercise. I'm holding a dumbell between my feet, what causes my whole body to tighten during reps, and the move feels great on my lats, core and biceps.

[Dub]

14th February 2012

Box Squat 3x4
107kg (236lbs.)

Deadlift 4/3
130kg (286lbs.)

Snatch-Grip DL 2x3
100kg

DB CM Box Jumps 3x3
12,5kg

Overhand Pull-ups 3/3/2/2

No school today, so I had a good noon workout, allowing me to have a very small breakfast (Protein + vitamins, a little oats) and eat like a pig afterwards. Good workout whatsoever. My glutes and hamstrings were already a bit tense before the workout, which could have decreased the numbers a bit on deadlift and box squat. Felt great nontheless. Especially the deadlifts are good now, as my lift off has improved, and I get to the part and weight where I struggle more near the lockout/past the knees. Interesting to see that as well. Snatch grip is really bad as always. It's a good workout for the grip and enduring the pain already in my palms.

[Dub]

17th February 2012

Squat 5x8
90kg (198lbs.)

Hip Thrust 3x10
20kg

Overhead Press 5x8
45kg

Chin-up 3x2/2x1
6kg

Face Pulls 3x10

Pallof Press 4x10
20kg

Had a Volume day today, because I really didn't feel I should be hittining max effort work. I played ice hockey for two hours before the workout, and there's a flu making it's way through. So instead of grinding five reps, I tortured myself with eight. That was awful, the squats were just freaking hard.

[Dub]

19th February 2012

Bench Press 4/3/3
70kg

Chin-up 3x5

One-arm DB Bench Press 3x8
17,5kg

[Dub]

21st February 2012

Deadlift
3x130kg
1x140kg
1x145kg
2x130kg
5x110kg

Overhand Pull-up
3x3/1/1

Landmine 3x10
37.5kg

Didn't squat today for some reasons. We had Ballet so my quads and calves were already a bit tired. Also the platform was quite full, didn't bother to go get the box from all the crowd. So instead I felt like I could crush my Deadlift records. And I did. Easily. 145kg wasn't even that heavy. The lift-off was superb. The midway and lockout were harder, but not that bad. I think I will lift that 150kg in two-three weeks. That's gonna be huge.

Lot's of school stuff this week. I'm going to the high school to lecture about health & exercise, and then I'm lecturing my own class about badminton and volleyball. Then thursday I'm going to pre-school to do some ice skating and fun stuff.

[Dub]

24th February 2012

Squat 3x3
120kg

OH Press 3/2/2
50kg

Weighted Chin-ups 4x1
10kg

Face-pulls 3x10

I think it's time to have a total deload week next week. My body seems to be craving for it. Everywhere hurts. Today it was my iliopsoas or Rectus femoris that was tight and sore. It affected to my hip flexion and extension a bit. Tried the big weights on overhead press and got three reps. That's not too bad. We'll keep progressing.

The chins are looking good. I'm now able to pull singles with my bodyweight+10kg dumbell. Not too bad when comparing to autum one year ago when I couldn't even get a BW chin-up. The challenge will most likely be tested somewhere next week.

[Dub]

27th February 2012

Box Squat 3x5
50kg

Deadlift 2x5
75kg

Snatch-grip Deadlift/Deficit Deadlift 5/5
50kg

Jumping Chin-ups 3x5

Planks 2x30s

Deloading, we'll just see what happens tomorrow. Going to the gym with two classmates, both sort of bodybuilders. Very strong nontheless. They usually push me to total max effort or crazy anaerobic lactics. Goin' squatting.

[Dub]

28th February 2012

Barbell Back Squat
2x5 x 60kg
5 x 80kg
2x3 x 100kg
1 x 120kg
1 x 125kg
1 x 135kg
1 x 140kg
3 x 100kg
5 x 60kg

Overhead Press 5x5(deload)
30kg

2 x 30sec planks.

Just as I thought. Two friends, both stronger than me. Hardass squatting. F' deload and lets go for 1RM. Felt good at the workout so why not. I was a bit suprised the number was that high. I got it to proper height also. It went parallel, or even a bit under it. I'm happy with that. Didn't fail, wasn't that close even. Maybe I could've gotten 145kg, or then fail on that. Didn't want to try.

[Dub]

2nd March 2012

Chin-ups 10 reps !!!

Bench Press
Warm-up reps: 20
Work sets:
3x5 40kg
2x3 50kg

DB Row
2x10 10kg

Planks
2x30sec

Mobility drills
YTI -sets, thoracic spine mobility, shoulder mobility.

Got the 10 chins what I aimed at. Barely. The last rep was ugly but I got the chin over the bar after a little sticking point midway up. Challenge completed. Still did higher volume deload benching, with lots of total reps. Practised the technique, still feels alrigth and uncomfortable enough. We'll see how it works with heavier weights. Did some light back/core work on the side too.

[Dub]

5th March 2012

Deadlift

5x70kg
3x110kg
2x120kg
1x130kg
1x140kg (308lbs.)

0x150kg
0x147kg
4x70kg

Didn't get any records today. 145kg from two weeks ago remains the PR, and it's still pretty good. 150kg didn't quite lift off, so it's still the Deficit deadlift that will be used as an assistance. Still, 10kg(22lbs.) improvement in 12 weeks(actually 10 weeks on deadlift) is pretty nice.