Nice OHP Is there any reason you are doing cable rows rather than DB or barbell rows (or pull ups)? Also: moar squats!
Thanks Harry! Well, DB rows seem a little boring to me. I prefer bilateral movements. I would like to do Pendlay Rows instead, but I lack the flexibility and lower back strength for that. I even stopped deadlifting and I am currently doing RDLs after Fish's recommendation and power cleans from hang. If you add in the mix that I am lazy and consider that cable rows have zero set up, at the moment they are perfect for me. I want to hit 3x10 with 100kgs and after that I will probably move to Pendlay Rows. Oh, I am also doing pull ups, but mostly at home and I am following the greasing the groove plan on them http://www.leanandmuscular.org/greasing-the-groove.php
Cool, I'm a big fan of 'whatever works for you' Yeah barbell rows can put quite a lot of shear forces through your back if you're not holding everything super tight, so you're probably right to carry on with the RDLs for now, until, say, you can comfortably reach the floor in each rep with 60kgs (or so) without your back rounding. That, for me (!), was a good indicator that my hammies were strong enough and flexible enough to pull barbell rows from the floor.
"Well, DB rows seem a little boring to me" you heretic. also, they're not boring when they're above half bodyweight
Yeah, that's exactly my goal. RDLs with 60 kgs and then I will go back to deadlifts maybe and start pendlay rows. I am not in a hurry though and I add weight really slowly. Haha, I knew that I would hear from you when I made that comment.
Overhead Press 20kgs 1x10 30kgs 1x3 40kgs 1x2 55kgs 5x2, 5x1 (2 minutes rest) After the 6th set I couldn't pull out a second rep, so singles. Back Squat 20kgs 2x5 65kgs 1x5 75kgs 1x3 85kgs 1x3 90kgs 1x1 One of the worst squat workouts ever. I was lifting 95 kgs for 3x5 with a lot more ease than the 85kgs set I did today. I am thinking to start wearing a belt in order to send away the fear of potential low back injury. Seated Cable Row warm up 85kgs 5x8 RDLs warm up 42,5kgs 3x5 I did 100 total reps of barbell, hammer and reverse curls and bailed.
Front Squats 20kgs 2x5 30kgs 4x4 40kgs 2x5 55kgs 4/5/5 Machine Assisted Dips 40kgs 1x10 50kgs 1x5 60kgs 1x4 70kgs 1x3 80kgs 2/1 65kgs 10/9/4 Last time it went better 10/9/8. Anyway.. Hang Power Cleans 20kgs 2x5 25kgs 1x5 32,5kgs 4/3/3/3/3 Need a lot more work to do. Most of the times I either use biceps on the ascend and when I don't do that, I don't get under the bar but instead I push it with my triceps after I get it in the middle of my chest. BTN press 20kgs 3x10 (around 1 minute break) Barbell Curls 3x10 (1 minute rest) Triceps Rope Down 15kgs 20/8/8 Side Lateral Raise 3x12 (around 1 minute break) I never do any specific work for my rear and posterior deltoids and that might be a mistake.. Second workout after a week off and I still can't get in the groove. I am bored and tired. It took me 2,5 hours to finish my workout...
Strewth Relax fella! You're torturing yourself a tad too much. In essence what's happening is: 1) Your reinforcing a negative Pattern You're bored. And you seem to be grinding your way through these workouts. And they are now 'work'. You had a bad one. Then you had another bad one (2.5 hrs!). Clearly you don't feel like doing what it is that you're forcing yourself to do. Also you had a bad session. And then returned 2 days later and did the same kind of thing. You need a change. Essentially you're ingraining failure by making yourself train when you're not into it. And when you feel that way you tend to injure yourself because your focus wanders. Honestly IF I was training you I'd tell you to not train again for at least 5 days. And then when you come back do something completely different. In that you change it up a bit! Replace at least 2 of your 'normal' lifts etc with 2 new ones. Of course the trick is getting a balance between dragging yourself to training when you're just feeling a bit lazy...And dragging yourself there when you start hating it. 2) You're trying to do too much Train to the clock. 1 hour max. IF you've not got it all done by then. Stop. And get out of there. You can always do the rest of it 'next time' Or you can - IF you want to train say more often, like 3, 4 times a week, do 40 minute sessions of 1 main lift plus 1 accessory. Most of all you must enjoy what you're doing. So find a way (that changes) to enjoy it. And reconnect with the 'why?' of what you're doing - That's pretty much the gist of it. And good luck
Thanks for the advices Sokklab. I like lifting and all the exercises I do and set/rep schemes I follow, were chosen by me mainly because I enjoy them and I want to get better at them. If I continue having a rough time in gym I'll follow your advices.
Overhead Press 20kgs 1x10 30kgs 1x3 45kgs 1x3 55kgs 4x2, 1/2 Seated Cable Row 65kgs 1x10 70kgs 1x3 75kgs 1x2 85kgs 5x10 Triceps Rope Pushdowns 10kgs 20/18/12 Tomorrow Squats and RDLs..
Overhead Press usual warm up 55kgs 15x1 Last one was a failure, so I did a push press to reach 15. First 5 sets were done with 1 minute break. The rest were done mostly with 2 minutes break. Back Squat 20kgs 2x10 30kgs 1x10 40kgs 1x10 60kgs 3x5 I went light in order to fix my form. A friend was spotting to look for mistakes. I never let my hips go back enough and most of the times my form looks like more high bar than low bar. Strangely enough I was breaking parallel more consistently with the less upright stance I had today. Seated Cable Row usual warm up 85kgs 3x10 I also tried doing with the olympic bar some BTN push presses. I liked it, but I don't think I have thick enough traps to absorb the impact of the bar. Props to anyone that is doing them.
Tuesday's workout Overhead Press the usual warm up 50kgs 5/5/3/5 I strained my left upper trap in the second set, by I kept going. Form was horrible. Biceps and triceps work Today's workout Back Squat 20kgs 2x10 60kgs 1x5 70kgs 1x3 85kgs 1x2 95kgs 2x5 80kgs 1x3 After reading 2 interesting articles, one by Greg Nuckols http://www.schwarzenegger.com/fitness/post/picking-the-squat-thats-rght-for-you and one by Jamie Lewis called Squat like a CEO, I experimented with opening up my stance a little today. My lower back was exhausted afterwards and that shortened my workout a little. Seated Cable Rows usual warm up 85kgs 3x10
His site, strength & science, is awesome and one of my favourites! It would be cool to read an article written by you there!
Front Squat 20kgs 2x10 30kgs 1x5 45kgs 1x3 55kgs 5/4/3 Overhead Press the usual warm up 50kgs 5x3 (rest periods between 3-5 minutes) RDLs 20kgs 2x5 35kgs 1x3 45kgs 3x5 Seated Cable Row 85kgs 5x10 Last 2 sets were completed with the help of a little body english. Planks 3 sets of 1 minute. I also tried doing the Lewit. I have to do it more times to be sure, but it seemed too easy compare to planks.
Front Squat 20kgs 2x10 30kgs 1x5 40kgs 4x6 (2 minutes rest) Machine assisted dips 40kgs 1x10 50kgs 1x5 60kgs 1x4 70kgs 1x3 80kgs 1x2 85kgs 1x1 65kgs 10/10/7 (3 minutes rest) Hang Power Clean 20kgs 2x10 32,5kgs 7x3 (1 minute rest) BTN press 20kgs 10/10/7 (1 minute rest) Barbell Curls 20kgs 10/10/10/7 (1 minute rest)
Overhead Press 20kgs 1x12 30kgs 1x5 40kgs 1x3 50kgs 1x2 55kgs 1x2 47,5kgs 6/5/3/3/2 Front Squat 20kgs 2x10 30kgs 1x3 40kgs 1x3 50kgs 10x3 (1,5 minute rest) Pull Ups 10x2 (1 minute rest) RDLs 20kgs 2x5 30kgs 1x5
