5/3/1: Bench Press Week 1

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets.  All numbers in parenthesis are 1RM of computed max before conversion. 

Flat Bench Press (180): 75x5, 90x5, 105x5, 120x5, 130x5, 140x7 (Rep Out)

Close Grip Bench Press: 105x12, 105x10

Superset:
Assisted Chinup (Light/Monster Mini Band): 4 sets of 5
DB Rows (Elbows Out): 40x8, 40x7, 40x6, 40x5

Superset:
Barbell Shrug: 105x10x4
DB Hammer Curls: 25x8, 25x7, 25x6, 25x5

Treadmill: 30 minutes, interval, max speed 4.0 MPH, max incline 6.0

Shoulder Day

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Nautilus Nitro Laterals: Worked up to 110 pounds for a 6rm

Hoist ROX Shoulder Presses: 104x5x5


Hoist ROX Wide Lat Pulldown: Worked up to  126 pounds for a 4RM


T-Bar Row (Low Handles): worked up to a 100-lbs 5rm and a 115-lbs 2rm.


Superset:
Hoist Machine Shrugs (Neutral Grip): 90x10x3
DB Curls: 20x9x3

Precor AMT 835 Adaptive Motion Trainer: 30 minutes, Interval Setting. 

Squat Day

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

12" SSB Low Box Squat w/2-Pr of chains: 140x2x12.  Since I tested on Friday for this movement, and tested heavy on deadlifts on Tuesday, then I did these light.  It has been so long since I have done speed work that I forgot how much like cardio this could become - - - rest periods were 60 seconds.  These were supersetted with single leg calf raises.

Glute Ham Raises: 6 sets of 5.  Goal was 30 reps.

16" Lateral Crossover Step-Up: 3 sets of 8 each leg.

Romanian Deadlifts: 140x10x3.

30 minutes on the treadmill, walking on a hill profile.  I was drenched and panting by the end of it.  I'm sure the leg workout had something to do with it.

Bench Press Day

All Notation: Weight x Resps x Sets

Flat Bench Press w/1-Pr Chains: 75x3, 90x3, 105x3x8.  Since I tested to a heavy 5rm on Wednesday, I decided to do this today. 

Close Grip Bench Press: 90x15, 90x12

Superset:
Assisted Chinup (Light/Monster Mini Bands): 1 set of 5, 3 sets of 4.
DB Rows (Elbows Out): 40x7, 5, 5, 4 reps

Sled Sprints: 2 of them with 90 total pounds.  Each one was a sprint backwards, then I turned the belt around and sprinted forwards.  almost two months ago, I could do 6 of these.  Now, two made me so physically uncomfortable that I had to stop. 

Superset:
SSB Behind The Back Shrug: 100x8x4
DB Hammer Curls: 20x10x4

Elliptical Trainer: Interval setting, Level 5, 30 minutes

SSB Low Box Squat Test

12" SSB Low Box Squat: worked up to a 240 pound triple, rested 5 minutes, then got a 270 pound double.  And that was it.

Ende Neu

Hoist ROX Shoulder Press: Worked up to 111 for a 5RM and a 125 lbs single.

Assisted Pullup (Light/Monster Mini Bands): Sets of 5, 5, 4, 4 reps

Hoist T-Bar Row (Elbows In): 85x8x4

Incline Laterals: 75x9, 75x8, 65x8, 65x7

Superset: Machine Shrugs (Neutral Grip): 90x9x3
                DB Curls: 20x9x3

Superset: Decline Situps: Sets of 10, 10, 9 reps
                DB Hex Holds: 3 holds with a 20-lbs DB

Precor AMT 835Adaptive Motion Trainer: 30 minutes, Interval Setting.  Heartrate was mostly in the 160-180 range.  Yeah, I'm out of shape.  It took a minute to get a handle on the motion of ththing but once I did, it kicked my ass proper.

Conventional Deadlift test

Conventional Deadlift: Worked up to a 295 triple, and a 315 single.  Sad, but the good news is that I was able to triple 235 with a double overhand grip.  So my left arm is starting to get its grip back.  Of course, I'm being guarded about that.

Flat Bench Press: Worked up to a 160 pound 5rm.  Equally sad, and the way the reps went I'm beginning to think that getting my strength back is not the only issue.  My speed is horrible.

5/3/1: Cycle One Week 3: Bench Press

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Incline Bench Press: 50x5, 65x5, 80x5, 95x3, 110x2, 125x5, 140x3, 155x5 (Rep Out Set). Between each set, I sprinted 50 yards backwards with the sled (sled was 35 pounds + 55 pounds added) followed by a 50 yard sprint forward return. I used to do it in reverse order but found that doing it this way was more exhausting since it took the quads out and made me have to push off harder to sprint. After about 6 of these, though, I was reduced to walking the last 2 sets out of exhaustion.

Superset:
Assisted Pullups (Light/Monster Mini Bands): 3 sets of 4
Offset Sandbag Carry w/60 pounds: 50 yards with bag on left shoulder, 50 yards return with bag on right shoulder. My shoulders, upper pecs, and upper back got a pump from doing this.

Superset:
Incline Bench Press: 115x8, 115x7x2
Dead Stop DB Rows (Elbows In): 40x7x3

5/3/1: Cycle One Week 3: Squat

I've been on a steady run of workouts for almost a month now and since I just got a new hard drive on my desktop, I am more apt to blog without loafing off since it's not in my room.

Between every set, I jumped rope. So usually when I start back up after being lighter, my weight skyrockets. Not this time, and my calves are starting to get cut, so hurrah!!!

Have been using an assistance template based on Mike Robertson's Simple Strength program (http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/simple_strength_multimonth_program&cr) with good results. I started using the template because of how the posterior chain work and ab work was structured. Regardless, read the article, for a much better explanation. Oh, and I doing more sets of 8, been a while since I've used 8s.

All sets: Weight x Reps x Sets

SSB Low Box Squats (265 Max)(239 adjusted max): Bar x 5, 95x5, 120x5, 145x3, 170x2, 180x5, 205x3, 225x3 (rep out set).

GHR: 4 sets of 5

Bulgarian Split Squats w/Strength Shoes: 3 sets of 10

SSB Arched Back Good Mornings: 135x8x3

Blast Strap Ab Fallouts: 3 sets of 6

Squat Workout

Hack Squat Machine: 105x12x4. Weird, all the squat racks were taken which does me proud but sucked ass for me. But this machine lit my quads up, so no tears shed.

High Step Ups: 4 sets of 8+. I could barely do these after the squats, could barely lock it at the top, and my glutes were surprisingly pumped, too.

45-degree Hyper: 5 sets RO (repped out).

Hoist ROX Leg Curls: 115x12x4

Single Calf Raises: 4 sets RO

Superset:
Bosu Ball Side Planks: 4 holds to failure, each side
Prone Jacknife on Physioball: 4 sets of 5.

Upper Body Workout

Assisted Chinups (Light Bands): 6 sets of 2
T-Bar Rows: 70x12x4
Rear Delt Machine: 35x12x4
Nautilus Laterals: 70x12x4
DB Extensions: 20x12x4
MarPo Kinetics Rope Pull Machine: 4 sets of 1 minute at Level 3
Pallof Press Isometric Holds: 4 holds of 20 seconds each with 20 pounds

No aerobics. Feel guilty about this. Really. This workout drained me.

Monday Run

Runners World Beginners Program: 7 intervals of 1.5 min at 6.7 MPH and 1.5 min walking at 3.8 MPH, 1.5 incline, 21 minutes of total time/10.5 minutes running time.

Thursday Run

Runners World Beginners Program: 7 intervals of 1.5 min at 6.7 MPH and 1.5 min walking at 3.8 MPH, 1.5 incline, 21 minutes of total time/10.5 minutes running time.

Deadlift Workout

Snatch Grip Deadlift: 135x12x4

Superset:
Bulgarian Split Squat w/Front Foot Elevated: BWTx6x4
Seated Calf Raises: 40x12x4

Hoist Seated Leg Curl: 42.5x12x4

Nautilus Adductor/Abductor: 65x12x4

Prone Jackknife on Physioball: 4 sets of 6

I tried to do Jacob's Ladder for a finisher but 30 seconds into the first interval I had no legs left. I may use the Rope Pull Machine on leg days and Jacob's ladder on upper body days to dodge this. This workout was grueling enough on it's own.

MIlitary Press Day

Hoist Roc-It Shoulder Press: 69x12x4

Incline Bench Press: 125x8, 125x7

Superset:
Assisted Pullups (Light/Monster Mini Bands): Set of 4, 3, 2, 3 reps
Band Pull Apart (Monster Mini Bands): 4 sets of 4

Superset:
DB Shrugs: 45x12x4
DB Curls: 20x9+6, 20x6+4, 20x5+3,20x4+2

Finisher:
MarPo Kinetics VLT Rope Trainer: 10 intervals of 1 minute on and 1 minute off. For an idea of what this machine is and how it is used, go to http://www.marpokinetics.com. I wanted a finisher that was not leg intensive, since I would be doing the Jacob's Ladder on leg days and running on off days. This machine left me with an unusually good pump.

Monday Run

Runners World Beginners Program: 7 intervals of 1.5 min at 6.7 MPH and 1.5 min walking at 3.8 MPH, 1.5 incline, 21 minutes of total time/10.5 minutes running time.

Squat/Crossfit Day

I had drill this weekend at Joint Base Ft Lewis/McChord. They have a huge and awesome gym, with an even more awesome crossfit room with racks, bumper plates, kettlebells, medicine balls, gymnastic rings and all the good stuff. So I went early so that I could knock out my squat workout before the unit's workout. Fun stuff.

Circuit:
Front Squats: 65, 85, 105, 125, 145, 165 to failure
Log Press: 6 sets to failure with log only
Battle ropes: 6 sets to failure
Barbell Curls: 6 sets to failure w the bar. Catch breath.

Reverse Hyper: 5 sets of 6 with no weight

Unit Workout: 4 corners of a field run twice (about 1.5 miles): jog to one corner, do pushups for a minute, sprint to next corner, do sit-ups for a minute, repeat. Ran out of gas the second go around but still finished out. Went out a few hours later for pizza, a beer, and a mojito. Drove back to the room, layer on the bed to watch Cartoon Network and fell asleep.

Chinup Day

Assisted Chinups (Light/Monster Mini Bands): sets of 5, 5, 4, 4, 3
T-Bar Rows: 65x15x3
Rear Delt Machine: 30x15x3
Nautilus Laterals: 60x15x3
MarPo Kinetics VLT Rope Trainer: 4 sets of 1 minute each at Level 2
DB Extensions: 15x15x3

Runners World Beginners Program: 7 intervals of 1 min at 6.7 MPH and 2 min walking at 3.8 MPH, 1.5 incline, 21 minutes of total time.

Deadlift Day

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 115x15x3
Bulgarian Split Squats w/Front Feet Elevated: 4 sets of 5
Hoist Leg Curls: 37.5x15x3
Seated Calf Raises: 35x15x3
Nautilus Adductor/Abductor: 55x15x3 each
Bosu Ball Planks: 4 holds

Runners World Beginners Program: 7 intervals of 1 min at 6.7 MPH and 2 min walking at 3.8 MPH, 1.5 incline, 21 minutes of total time.

So What's the Scoop Here?

I have been working out for a few months at a steady clip, but have now just started to log it. So, where do I begin?

On April 23, after almost two months of doing a form of Navy PFT with long aerobics, running intervals, 4 sets of a pullup-type movement/pushups/situps about 5 times a week, I still failed measurement. Oh, I dropped weight and kept the 17-inch neck. But my waist line actually stayed the same?!? I know I should have saw this coming, as this has happened once before. But even with bodyweight stuff, it should have worked.

So even with a left arm that I was nursing, I started to lift weights again while keeping the cardio but incorporating the bodyweight stuff. Sure enough, that started to work. But something else sped things up. I went on vacation in California on May 6 and spent most of that time in Perris with one of my best friends. I tried to keep my running program up but it was walking her dog daily, sometimes for up to two hours (I got lost twice), that got my cardio shape up. Yet after all that and the weights, I still failed the makeup. The neck stayed at 17 inches and the waist dropped 2 inches, but I was an inch short of passing. Bummer. Wish I had done the weights those two months. But despite now being in a situation where I can't fail another PFT, I can't really regret it completely. My run was 2 minutes faster than last PFT (still not stellar, but I will take it) and I now have legs. No soreness the next day.

So last week I lifted with no cardio, to take a break but also to build some muscle. This week I settled on a structure and started the running again. My first goal of getting my inch should not take long, but my main goal aside from getting my strength and muscle up and building up my core strength is to build my run up to where it once was. This will probably take care of the weight loss all on its own.

Workout (All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets):

Hoist Roc-It Shoulder Press: Worked up to 111x6 and 118x3.
Superset:
Assisted Pullups (Average Bands): sets of 5, 4, 3, 2 reps
Band Pullaparts (Monster Mini Bands): 4 sets of 3
Incline Bench Press: Repped out at 12 and 9 reps
Superset:
DB Shrugs: 40x11, 10, 10, 9 reps
DB Curls (Clustered): 9+6, 6+3, 4+3, 3+2

Runners World Beginners Program: 7 intervals of 1 min at 6.7 MPH and 2 min walking at 3.8 MPH, 1.5 incline, 21 minutes of total time.