My quest to 315 Bench Press and much more.

[deviation]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

I hate cardio and love weights and I still keep my weights workouts to 35 minutes tops. 5 or 6 exercises, 2-3 sets. Use 5-3-1 for Bench, Dead, Shoulder Press, and Squat. So I go heavy with low reps. I have tried higher volume programs and without fail I get tendonitis flare ups that totally kill my progress. Even when I was doing PLP work as a finisher the amount of pullups really did a number on my forearms.

Sorry to hear about that. I don't come across any problems when i do routines like this other than great pumps and a high steady heart rate. I think i burn just as many calories during my routine as i do with 15 to 20 minutes of HIIT cardio. Between sets i'm consistently moving. Either stretching or forcing more blood into the muscle group through flexing or using bands.

[LeafUF]

Nothing to be sorry about. I am in pretty good shape, always looking to improve of course. I have just learned what I need and don't need in terms of volume and effort.

I am 5'10" 180 and when I am not spending half a month in foreign countries or Kentucky I can stick to my routine and make really good progress on the volume I use.

It is all individual. You like your routine and if you see progress there is no reason to mess with it. Same for me. If I weren't making gains I would try something else.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by deviation

Yeah, you may have a point. Everyone is different. I know my wife doesn't like volume either. She hates weights but likes cardio. She wants to hurry and get the weights over with and do her cardio.

I'm the opposite i love weights and hate cardio.

I believe that there may be cultural reasons for this. We men are supposed to be strong and we're conditioned to believe, rightly or wrongly, that weights are the best way to get strong. And when we think of cardio we still thing of Jazzercise.

Women believe they are supposed to be light and are conditioned to believe, rightly or wrongly, that cardio is the best way to get light. And they're afraid that strength training will make them bulky and muscular.

[LeafUF]

Tell you what Dream, Vegas is not like that at all. Sure there are plenty of ladies taking up the cardio section wasting away their time. But there are so many also hitting the weights it is impressive. Just this morning was at the gym and one woman I met recently was going at it in the weight section. She is probably early 40s, two kids and just gorgeous. Doesn't do a lick of cardio.

[Dreamliner]

Good to hear. Things are changing a bit. It only took an exchange of SIX emails for me to convince my female trainee in Tokyo that doing pullups wouldn't make her musclebound.

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

Good to hear. Things are changing a bit. It only took an exchange of SIX emails for me to convince my female trainee in Tokyo that doing pullups wouldn't make her musclebound.

Hahaha. It only took me a year to convince my sister that cardio was a waste of time and she should be lifting weights. Now, she has a trainer that she likes a lot and does 30 minute weights only training sessions with her. She still reverts back to the cardio sometimes when she is being "crazy" though. At least she finally admitted to me that cardio wasnt working. She looks great now and is going on a fitness casting Friday.

[StrangeGator]

I dated a girl in the late eighties who was a big time weight lifter. She was a Texas A&M grad and a big time tennis player. She was about my height (6') and had huge shoulders. We used to lift together. It was kind of fun. She had impeccable lifting form. She wasn't the daintiest woman I ever dated, but on the intimacy front, there were things she could do that no other woman I've ever known could do.

[deviation]

Warmup = stretching, standing wide bar lat pulldowns superset with standing rope lat pulldowns. 3 sets of eat. This warmup usually takes about 5-7 min.

Behind neck Lat pulldowns
1 - 70x10
2 - 100x10
3 - 160x10
4 - 160x10 - dropset

Bent over BB rows

1 - 135x10
2 - 225x10
3 - 275x10 - got these up but i felt as though my technique just wasn't right. Still felt awesome.
4 - 275x10 - dropset

V-bar extension lat pulldowns

1 - 160x10
2 - 200x10
3 - 200x10
4 - 220x10 - dropset

T-bar rows /w v-grip

1 - 90x15
2 - 135x10
3 - 160x10
4 - 180x10 - dropset

Hammer Strength High rows
1 - 270x8
2 - 230x8
3 - 230x8 - dropset


Face pulls w/ rope
Did 4 sets but forgot the weights i used. I need to start bringing my notepad again to the gym i guess.

Seated Low rows with v-grip
1 - 160x10
2 - 200x10
3 - 200x10
4 - 200x10 - dropset then 120x15 with feet on floor to focus on back and core

Kneel down lat pulldowns - works lats and core
1 - 70x10
2 - 100x10
3 - 100x10 - dropset

Standing reverse cable crossovers - put the cables up high and target the middle of the back.

1 - 15x12
2 - 25x12
3 - 35x12
4 - 35x12 - dropset

Standing behind shrugs in Smith machine with foward lean and wide grip - superset with exercise below

1 - 180x12
2 - 180x12
3 - 230x12
4 - 230x12

Super Set DB shrugs

1 - 80x12
2 - 100x12
3 - 120x12
4 - 120x12

Lower abs/obliques for 15 minutes, mostly from pullup bar and cable work.

15 minutes on stairmaster

Well got everything done except i didn't get to do abs. Wife got her stuff done earlier than i expected.

I also messed up, i didn't mean to put in BB bent over rows. I didn't do those since i was already doing t-bar rows. I also wasn't able to do kneel down lat pulldowns.

I put the face pulls and standing reverse cable crossovers in superset form and man o man. That gives the traps a huge pumps. Especially if you arch your back some and just squeeze at the top of motion. Just amazing pump.

It was a great workout. I'll just have to get lower abs and obliques in tomorrrow.

[gatorsfan530]

Deviation,

that's some good stuff right there, unfortunately out of my ballpark

Good luck with the workouts though and keep us updated

[trufloridagator]

oh, cool log btw. gl!

by the time i do my cardio i've used up all my glucose and now i'm using my fat deposits for energy.

Don't know that the above goes well with your strength goals. What kind of caloric deficit are you ending up at each day?

[deviation]

Originally Posted by trufloridagator

oh, cool log btw. gl!



Don't know that the above goes well with your strength goals. What kind of caloric deficit are you ending up at each day?

Well with my work, sometimes i can't stick to my goals. Sometimes i'll be at a job and won't be able to eat lunch. Sometimes i will. It's tough sometimes. So more often then not i just try to eat as good as I can. I work outside and we're always doing something different so i can never tell how many calories i burn during the day.

I try to get in 1500-2000 calories
180+ protein
and have been trying to cycle my carbs.

Reason why i said that about the glucose is because that is what i read in my anatomy book. Which is great because by the time i'm doing my cardio i'm burning more fat than i usually would. I've been seeing alot of strength increases in many areas, so what i've been doing is working really well.

For example, just last night i was able to do more weight on my high rows and lat pulldowns. I believei could of added another plate to my v-grip t-bar rows as well but i just went ahead and did 3 dropsets.

Today is arms, lower abs and cardio. Going to attempt abs since i wasn't able to do them last night. I had planned on doing quads/calves today but my calves are still feeling abit sore. So i'm going try that tomorrow or sunday.


You know it was a great workout when you are sore. I hardly ever get sore anymore, except for my legs. It's a great feeling when your back is sore. Makes you feel like you did something great at the gym. Actually kind of feels like i have a good pump going in my lats. It's crazy.

[deviation]

Well, wife rushed me once again. Didn't quite get in a couple of sets. I missed my hammer curls and a few sets of lower abs. I did make sure to get my cardio in though.

I was really jacked up today. Adrenaline was through the roof. I did shoulders just the other day but i just wanted to see if my strength had increased on the overhead DB shoulder press and i was amazed. Never before was i able to get 80lb dumbbells up by my self. I have no problem pressing them but just getting them up is the hard part.

Well anyways here is my workout.

Seated DB Shoulder Press

1 - 60x12
2 - 80x12

Seated DB Curls superset with flat bench skull crushers /w ezbar

1 - 65x10 - 80x12
2 - 65x10 - 80x12
3 - 45x10 - 80x12
4 - 45x12 - 80x12

Preacher curls inside grip - superset with rope pushdowns

1 - 95x12 - 55x12
2 - 95x12 - 55x12
3 - 95x12 - burnset @ 75 lbs - 55x12


Seated strict motion alternating hammer curls superset with db tricep kickbacks

1 - 50x12 - 30x12
2 - 50x12 - 35x12
3 - 45x12 - 35x12
4 - 45x12 - 35x12

Lying incline spider curls /w ezbar superset with reverse curls /w straight bar

1 - 80x12 - 70x12
2 - 80x12 - 70x12
3 - 80x12 - 70x12
4 - 80x12 - 70x12

Standing straight bar cable curls superset with tricep pushdowns

1 - 65x12 - 65x12
2 - 65x12 - 65x12
3 - 65x12 - 65x12

Smith machine close grip bench press superset with db alternating cross body hammer curls

1 - 180x12 - 50x12
2 - 180x12 - 50x12
3 - 180x12 - 50x12

Hammer strength horizontal bench press (mostly works tris cause of close grip) superset with chinups

1 - 180x12 - 15
2 - 180x12 - 15
3 - 180x12 - 15


4 sets of roman chair leg lifts with 20 lb db between me feet for added resistance
4 sets of cable resisted knee tucks on bench @ 40 lbs
3 sets of hanging leg lifts with feet inside cable handles @ 40 lbs

Wanted to do 1 more exercise for my lower abs and obliques but ran out of time.

15 minutes on stairmaster @ 110 speed - I think i burned around 200 calories on it

It was a great workout, biceps felt like they were about to pop. Great pumps. Didn't get obliques in so i'll have to do that tomorrow. I was only in the gym for around an hour and 10 minutes. Time just flys by when i'm in the gym, i just don't know where the time goes. Granted i was talking to a friend at the gym for awhile. He also was doing arms but more so shoulders.

Calves are feeling good so i think i'll be doing quads and calves tomorrow with 20 minutes of stairmaster. Calves will be destroyed.

Supplements were the same as yesterday.

[LeafUF]

Try doing those DB shoulder presses standing up next time. Crazy challenging not just on your shoulders but your core and even legs for all the stabilizing you have to do. Best I ever got up on that is 70s.

When you hit the gym do you just have an idea of what you want to do but no set list that you do for each workout? I ask because I am neurotic about writing down my workouts and sticking to what I plan to do. I mean I will deviate here or there but I always have a good idea before I leave the house exactly what I am going to hit. What my main lift will be and what my most likely accessory exercises will be and how much.

[deviation]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

Try doing those DB shoulder presses standing up next time. Crazy challenging not just on your shoulders but your core and even legs for all the stabilizing you have to do. Best I ever got up on that is 70s.

When you hit the gym do you just have an idea of what you want to do but no set list that you do for each workout? I ask because I am neurotic about writing down my workouts and sticking to what I plan to do. I mean I will deviate here or there but I always have a good idea before I leave the house exactly what I am going to hit. What my main lift will be and what my most likely accessory exercises will be and how much.

For awhile last month i had a notebook i took with me and followed workouts to a T, very well organized. I really need to get back into that. But yes i create my workouts before i go. Since i started this i've just been coming back here when i get home and logging it all from memory. My friend has a awesome notebook that looks perfect for logging his workouts. Going to try to find one like that. There are times when i lose track of my sets or i just get in a hurry and i might skip a set. That's why i like having a notepad, it really forces me to stick to my plan.

As for standing presses, I am not a fan. Sure they work your core alittle bit but also not that good on the back. When i do seated DB or BB, i can get more focus on my shoulders rather than unwanted areas. I want to save my back. So when i do shoulder presses i usually use a adjustable bench and fold it all the way up. Or sometimes i'll just sit on a flat bench. Don't get me wrong, standing presses are great and if you like them then great. I'm just not much of a fan of them.

It's alot like doing back barbell squats. You are putting alot of pressure on your back. Especially when you are putting 315 lbs or more on your back. I started doing front squats and they hit the quad so much more and i don't have to worry about all that weight on my back.

I'm sure i could get 90's up if i had a spotter to assist on the get up. Pressing the 80's were quite easy, just getting them up was the hard part. I really want to get bigger delts, especially front. So i like to go heavy on shoulders. I'm not sure what i like more, smith machine shoulder presses or DB shoulder presses. It's alot of fun to me.

[deviation]

Also on the standing overhead presses, i don't completely rule them out of my routines. I occasionally do them, just not that often. Probably around 1 or 2 times a month. Usually when i do them i do them with power cleans. I do a 135 or 185 clean and press.

Edit : I suppose another reason why i rarely ever do is because the 2 bodybuilders i know at my gym say they never do them. (standing overhead shoulder presses that is). To each their own. Do what works for you.

[LeafUF]

Yeah, I used to love seated military press and db shoulder press. Just in the last year I really got into doing them standing so now when I hit shoulders I do standing db press followed by standing military with lower weights.

As for following bodybuilders advice I try not to. I live in Vegas now and know some bodybuilders and unless you are trying to be a bodybuilder and can do the strict diets, drugs and workouts that they do their routines just don't make sense for most regular lifters.

I definitely recommend picking up a notebook. I usually get a mini spiral notebook with about 400 pages in it. It is great to have something physical to always be able to flip back and forth and check progress.

[deviation]

Yeah i'm going to get a notebook today, will be much easier for when i come back and post everything here. Also will help me stay strict with my sets.

As for the advice from the guys i know. I know they wouldn't steer me the wrong way, most of what we talk about is mainly technique with certain exercises. I give my opinions and they give theirs. They are certified personal trainers (which is what i'm studying for atm), so they help me in that aspect as well.

Looking like leg day today. Legs are feeling good, not sore anymore so i think i'm ready to him them again. 800 lb leg press today? We'll see. 2 weeks ago it was 720x10. Should a interesting night. Lunges kill me the most though.

[deviation]

Great article on hitting all the muscles of the bicep. Which is what i did in my latest arm workout. Haven't tried that fat grip though. Guess i could wrap a towel around the handle.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-...d=facetraining

Great article about building bigger Tris.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/iovate1.htm

I currently do and have done all those exercises, but my triceps don't seem to be growing. I mean i can definatly tell they are getting stronger because i can do more weight on my dips and presses but the size isn't coming. The horse shoe in my tricep is coming through but still not the size i want.

Guess in time it will.

[deviation]

Leg day!

Wasn't that great of a leg day to be honest. I got to talking to a guy i see at the gym alot when i'm there so it sort of distracted me and i had about a 15 minute rest time between my extensions and lunges.

Didn't do much for the hamstrings except in the compound movements, like i said i don't hit them a whole lot. I'll throw in some leg curls and weighted step ups tomorrow. Also going to hit up the chest again with abs and cardio.

5 minute free motion warmup

Leg press

1 - 360x10
2 - 630x10
3 - 720x10
4 - 720x10

Front squats

1 - 135x10
2 - 185x10
3 - 185x10
4 - 185x10

Back squats close footed

1 - 135x10
2 - 225x10
3 - 225x10
4 - 225x10

Plate loaded leg press (different angle leg press, works more so upper quad and outer)

1 - 270x10
2 - 400x10
3 - 400x10
4 - 400x10

Leg extension

1 - 150x10
2 - 180x10
3 - 200x10
4 - 200x10

100 lb weighted lunges - 20 lunges 3 sets each

Seated calf raises

1 - 135x15
2 - 180x10
3 - 180x10
4 - 180x10

Calf extensions in leg press

1 - 270x15
2 - 270x15
3 - 270x15
4 - 270x15

3 foot box jumps - 15 reps of 3 sets

15 minutes on stairmaster

[deviation]

My workout for tonight. It will be 3 sets each. Going to try to focus on outer and lower chest tonight among other things that were lagging behind.

Edit : I had planned on doing lower back but decided to focus more on chest. I just love doing chest so much. Making great progress. I feel if i had a spot, i could get up at least 14 reps of 225 lb on the bench.

Also been trying to do more lower abs more than anything. As you can see in pictures my upper abs are popping out but not so much lower. Here is a 2 month old picture of upper abs.


Just have to keep on working them and they will come.

Supplments :

Pre : SP max sour apple 2 scoops
Intra : Green Mag sour apple 1/2 scoop + Power Shock Lime 1 scoop
Post : Banana Myofusion

I'll fill in the sets when i get back from the gym.

Flat BB bench press

1 - 135x10
2 - 225x12 (went to failure to see what i could do)
3 - 225x10


Decline BB bench press

1 - 135x10
2 - 225x10
3 - 225x10


Cybex Plate loaded Incline press

1 - 180x10
2 - 270x10
3 - 270x10


HS decline press - i don't go heavy here, just squeeze the hell out of it.

1 - 180x10
2 - 180x10
3 - 180x10

HS ISO horizontal press Superset with HS iso lateral incline press

1 - 180x10 - 180x10
2 - 180x10 - 180x10
3 - 180x10 - 180x10



Decline DB Flys - First time doing these, need to continue to work on technique. Kind of made my front delt on my left shoulder kind of hurt.

1 - 35x10
2 - 45x10
3 - 45x10


Upper Cable crossovers

1 - 35x10
2 - 40x10
3 - 40x10

Lower cable crossovers

1 - 15x10
2 - 20x10
3 - 25x10



Upright rows superset with reverse cable crossover (hit middle of the back)
I love this superset so much. Especially reverse cable crossovers, put the cables up high and pull away and down. Just destroys the middle and lower back so great.

1 - 70x10 - 15x10
2 - 80x10 - 20x10
3 - 80x10 - 25x10


HS pullovers

1 - 180x10
2 - 180x10
3 - 180x10


2 sets of hanging explosion leg lifts. (touch toe to pullup bar)
2 sets of roman chair weighted leg lifts - 15 lb db
2 sets of hanging leg lift, slow motion

4 mile run