The Syla5 Files

oh they are there, i just cut them from those numbers for less fluff (the figures on on the previous page about half way down :))

OHP rm is 67.5kg but i havent done that for a long time, i havent even tried an OHP max for a long time. Bench is also a weakness for me, annoyingly i cant seem to get anywhere with it. I have done 100kg once and that stopped a good 2-3inches from my chest :( in dec last year i did do 95kg from my chest but still not the 100kg.
 
Deception said:
Could always add in some Paused Benching; It should help with getting it off your chest. Never know, you could get away with heavier reps on each :).

Mine will probably be loltastic this week too!
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I am throwing in some paused benching during my warm ups, paused 80kg last week not a problem.

LiE said:
Squat is looking much better, much less extension. Won't be long before it's completely gone.
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Cheers dude. The mobility work + stretching + soft tissue work is definitely starting to pay dividends. Also my back is almost 100% again which is great. I now only have the slightest of tenderness, i mean i am really having to push down hard on a spot the size of a 50p to feel it now so really happy :)
 
Lol log on the second page, it's nice to see this sub forum so active :)

Afternoon training as got a disturbed nights sleep, food all out of cycle and felt a bit drained by the time I got to the gym :(

Bit of foam rolling, bit of mobility, some hip flossing, and a few kb swings to get the joints moving.
Bench
Bar x 20
40x10
60x3
72.5x11 (body weight challenge, so much fail)
82.5x5/5+1(spot)/4+2

DB flat bench drop set
20's x10

DB rows (heavy)
32x8
34x8/8

OHP
Bar x10
30x5
47.5x5/5/5 these felt heavy today

More ankle stretching to open things up
Front squat
Bar x 10
40x10
60x8/8 second set vid, form better then first set, need to work on not rounding at the bottom, but they are feeling much better, now just need to learn the other grip.

Face pulls
32x10
36x10/10

Core superset to finish things off
Pallor press 14x10 per side
Plank 1x45sec
PPT Reverse crunch
BW x10

More foam rolling and stretching to finish things off. Back is feeling a little iffy today, think I slept terribly, no serious pain so hoping i just need loads of protein and a good nights sleep.
 
So fridays is deadlift day, woke up, my back felt a little tight but no pain and no pump so i was feeling good.

Foam rolling, ankle mobility, 8kg KB swings to wake up everything!

Back feeling good, Grace is on, gotta get it done at least once.

Grace
Bar x 5
DL bar x 5
Bar x5
60x2/2 omg this is going to be tough why am i even trying this!!!
60x5/5/5/3/2/3/3/2/2 oh lawdy!
Deadlift
60x5
110x5
120x5 stopped here, everything felt really solid especially after grace, but i was uploading the vid so couldnt film my sets to be sure, so didnt want to risk anything.

Dips
bw x 5
20x10
30x8/8
no rest in to ds 15x5

Standing Cable Row (per arm)
23x10
27x10/10

DB Shoulder Press (standing + seated) - Forgot i had done grace lol
18x8 (standing)
18x10/10

More rolling to keep my back open.

Now nearly 3 hours after grace my back feels fine which is a posative sign. Right glute is a little tight so gonna hammer that tonight.
 
Thought i would check my 2012 gains:

Syla5 85kg / 130kg / 140kg @78.4kg 355kg Jan-Feb12 (post 30Mar12 old PL totals thread)

By December 100kg/150kg/170kg @ 72kg 420kg

Damn me and my hard gains /sarcasm
 
Week 3 has begun and its 4's week, things are getting heavier again, getting back to pre-backgate numbers.

Squat
Bar x 10
40x8
70x5
90x3
110x1
115x4/4/4/5
4th set, was only supposed to go for 4 but went for a 5th, it was a bit messy but i think my mind was set on racking!
I am going with a narrower grip on the bar to help me really keep tightness in my back. This helped.

Inclined DB Bench/DB Flat Bench super sets
20x10+10/10+10/10+10 PUMPAGE

Pull ups
Bwx3
10x6/6/6

RDL's
Bar x5
70x10/10
90x5 to much back not enough ham's

DB Rows (light)
20x10/10/10

Ran out of time, so some core work will be being done at home later.

For some strange reason on squats i felt really nervous getting under the bar today every set! I psyhced my self up a little on the 4th set and it made a big difference.

Progress wise i am pleased with where i am in my recovery with my back, and i am also pleased with my squats, Cycle 1, 4's week was my last week before i stopped due to backgate and my Squats then were 120x4/4/4 but all belted. Staying away from the belt as much as possible to help me focus on really using my core more efficently. Also these 115's were tighter and much better controlled then the 120's of cycle 1.
 
Thats the plan, now lets see if my body plays ball. No 1RM testing planned for a little while, but i want to hit some new triple's PB's soon
 
hmm bench day :( Hoping that some extra volume on mondays, and some drop sets after my heavy sets will help with bringing my bench up.

Bench
Bar x 20
40x10
60x5
75x3
85x4+1/4/4/3+1
60x6 50x10 speed reps, explosive off the chest

DB Row (heavy)
34x8/8/8

OHP
Bar x5
40x4
50x5
52.5x4/4
40x5

Front squats ss with Deficit BSS
40x10/10 60x5
10x10/10 (no third set)
60kg Front squats

Face Pulls
36x10/10/10

Pallof Press 14x10/10
Landmines Oly Bar x20
 
because i have a fat neck if i dont have my head back a little like that it starts to crush my windpipe. Would rather complete the sets without blacking out! I think i really need to learn snatch grip for these :(
 
mrthingyx said:
Snatch grip front squats? Well that WOULD be interesting... :)

You still using plates under your heels? I can see bum-tuckage there... I apprecaite you're going for improving your mobility, but no point hammering your lower back if you don't have to. :)
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I am not sure what the correct grip name is, thought it was snatch, obviously not, at least it gives the oly lifts some chuckles :p

As for the plates, no I only tried them the once, the whole point of the front squats is the mobility, and so I am keeping the weights lower to really help me improve there, and not risk the back, and believe me I am paying very close attention to how that feels as I don't want to reboot this strength cycle again!

Captain Planet said:
Another HST question mate: on your two weeks recovery, how was your diet?
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If you mean the end of cycle Deload I never did 2 weeks, I used to do 2 weeks 15's 2 weeks 10's 3 weeks 5's and then a 1 week Deload where I would still train but not more then 60%, and I would do mobility work and stretching etc. Diet was the same throughout, it was a bodybuilder style eating 6-7 times a day diet and so was just habit not to adjust.

The other option was 2 weeks of 5's 1 week Deload and 1 week retesting cycle maxes for the next cycle :)
 
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last day of 4's at this point in cycle 1 i had to call it a day cause of back gate. This time around, no problems, feeling good :)

Deadlift, i brought my belt out with the intention of trying it out again as i havent used it in 5 weeks. Well, all it did was give me moral support from the sidelines, and just encouraged me to keep tight :D

Bar x20
RDL Bar x 10
40x10
70x5
100x5
120x3
130x4/4/4/4
150x2 First time anything over 140 beltless, pleased with this. Also first time over 140 since before christmas.
4th set of 130
and the 150's
Also head position is much better/closer to neutral through all my sets today :D

Dips
20x10
30x8
40x5
20x5

Standing Cable Rows (reps and weight per arm)
27x10
32x10/10

Goblet squats with pulse
12x10/10/10

DB Shoulder Press/Front BB Raise super set
18x10/10/10
10x10/10/5

Landmines
15x20
 
Cheers guys, yeah something to work on, 150 today was never the plan but my back was holding up really well so i wanted to see how i was beltless, and i was pleased that it wasnt that bad as it shows progress in my core strength.

Mrthingyx - noted and also spotted myself, need to engage glute bar humping, hip drive mode more. I think i was quite pre-occupied today with remaining tight. All in, some things to work on by happy progress is going to be made.

Working set triples next week. Might reintroduce my belt and see how things are, my plan was 135's but i may adjust that if things look good on speed/tightness/hipdrive front.
 
Cheers ice, that does make sense. I will keep focusing on it on my warmups and be controlled but powerful on my heavier lifts, and make sure I avoid the dodgy knee snap back that mrthingyx pointed out.
 
Week 4 and on to triples. Silly me no soft tissue work or mobility work since thursday and feeling tight, 1 hour after the session and i am feeling all kinds of wrong, gonna fix this with lots soft tissue work and mobility work at home.

Squats
Bar x 15
60x5
80x5
100x3(b) reintroduced my belt today, things felt really good
110x2(b)
120x3(b) first working set, felt super tight, quick, and easy.
125x3(b) felt great, was going to push it to 130 but decided to do the next 2 working sets without my belt instead.
125x3/3 a little slower, but tight, and good :)
125kg belted set
last working set 125kg unbelted

Inclined DB Bench SS with Flat DB Bench
22x10+10/10+10/10 didnt do the flat on the last set

Pull ups
15x6/6/5+ 10x1

RDL
Bar x5
70x10/10/10

DB Row Light (reps per arm)
20x10/10/10

CBL Update:
Weight pre pre 11st 11.5lb
First back load after prep week 06/01/13 weight 11st 4.5lb
Backloading a minimum of 3 times per week, often 4
Weight 24/02/13 (end of 7 weeks back loading) 11st 8.5lb
Having not used my weight lifting belt for the last 5-6 weeks I used it again for the first time today, and i have come in a notch. Trying to use this hole before was uncomfortable and over tight. This morning it was spot on.
Overall perception is, weight has gone up, strength is feeling very good, waist has dropped at least 1" and I am looking leaner in the mirror then post christmas. All in all i am pleased with how this diet is working out for me.
 
gonna give it another 4 weeks and take progress pics at the 12 week point, i have some from the start of the diet, so gonna get some more soon and do some side by sides :)

My targets for triples were 135, but that might be pushed a little higher, as today felt solid. If this tightness goes before next week then its on. Otherwise i will deload next week and then do it the week after :D
 
I must say, visually the difference isnt massive, but clothes wise there is a big difference around the waist.

Haha fatter left arm then right, does that mean you can call him fatty when you approach on the left side?!

Cheers, yeap the beltless were definatly not as tight, also more fatigued, but much improved even compared to my belted squats 5 weeks ago which i am pleased with. I am going to be doing more beltless work, as i think it is definitely helping bring my core up to speed.
I think another posative change to my squats has been my grip width, i am using a narrower grip to help me better activate my back and keep it all tight, it feels much better.
 
that feel when bench press just doesnt go to plan :(

Bench
Bar x 25
40x10 60x5 80x3
85x4/4/3+1
Drop sets, rest time was time taken to take weight off bar only
75x5 65x5 60x7

DB Rows
20x5
36x8/8/8

OHP
Bar x5
40x3
55x3
60x3
55x3/3
60kg set
55kg final set
overall not bad considering my rep max is 67.5kg on these

DBSS (weight per DB, reps per leg), back feeling tight again so skipped front squats and upped the weight on these to compenstate.
10x5
18x10/10/10

Face pulls ss with planks
36x10/10/10
30sec x1/1

Pallof Press
18x10

Back is tight this week after no foam rolling or stretching/mobility work from thursday-monday night, really stupid to slack on that, might mean deadlifts are left light on friday and deload is done next week instead of heavy triples. If i deload next week i may do the heavy triples the week after my deload.
 
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nah the bench was fine, I was supposed to be doing 87.5x3/3/3/3 today, but the warm up 80x3 felt stupidly heavy so i thought i would stick with 85x4/4/4/4 and improve on last week. Well that sucked as well, I think i need to check out my form as this could be a problem as i seem to be hitting a sticking point with bench and just not moving past it, where everything else is improving.
 
i dont use the dedicated bench because it has the gap between the headrest and the back support, right where your shoulders need to go. I use the a bench in the squat rack as those benches dont have a gap in them. No slipping issues here i pin my shoulders back in to the bench. If you have slipping issues wear a proper vest, not a t-shirt with cut off sleeves.
 
Well first night of OAKG and although i slept for the same amount of time, i feel much more refreshed then normal. My lower back feels better today then yesterday, but its hard to know if this is a bigger change then normal. Interestingly though, since the cold/warm/cold weather spell we have had i have been suffering from really dry cracked skin on my hands, massive improvement in their condition over night. All in after my first night i would say OAKG was a success. A few more days continuous use to see make sure this wasnt just a one off and i will report back again.
 
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