The Syla5 Files

Night 2 of OAKG and my sleep felt good, went to bed at 9:15 and was alseep by 10 at the latest, woke up naturally at 5:30 and felt great, except for a massive headache (which i never get), but theres a bug going round, and everyone in the house is suffering them. I nearly didnt go for my session today because of it, but I did. My back is still sore, i couldnt tell if there was any significant improvement over yesterday really, but again my hands have shown signs of improvement.

Deadlifts

Bar x 20 (dl's and rdl's) x-band walks
70x5
100x5(b) put my belt on for this, after 2 nights of backloading i am back out a hole from monday haha
120x3(b)
135x3(b)/3/3/3 took the belt off again to work on keeping things tight.
As always, here is my last working set, all in pleased, especially as i have managed to reduce my head movement, not cured by much less then before.

Dips
15x8
30x7/7
40x5

Standing Cable Rows
32x10
36x10/10 these felt great today and was gonna do another set but was pushed for time.

Goblet Squats w/pulse
12x10/10 time running out!

DB SHoulder press SS with Front BB Raise
20x10/10
10x10/10

So my back is feeling tired enough today, after posative signs of recovery up until monday of this week i was hoping for heavy triples next week. I am going to see how the weekend goes and decide on monday morning if i am going to deload next week and push back the triples to the week after, or if i can stick to plan and go heavy next week.
 
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So back on it tomorrow, also my OAKG supply should arrive tomorrow, I only had 3 doses from LiE (cheers mate :)) and I was seeing posative signs.

My lower back is still tender/sore I am wondering if it is where I am actively fixing my posture and the muscles are getting used to this. There is no sharp pain, not localised pain, it just feels like doms.

Next week was going to be heavy triples but I am going to Deload as per a normal cycle and then start cycle 3 hopefully with a 100% back.
 
LiE said:
tbh, unless I'm crippled, I still lift heavy ass weights with niggles and soreness. I'm just too stubborn to back off. Maybe I should be cautious, but I know my body well, and you yours.
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I got to the point in jan though where moving was painful, I don't want to go bck there. Also next week would normally be a Deload, so the heavy triples were the alternative to the norm anyway, so skipping them isn't that big of an issue, bless I feel up to it I the morning.

Pigeon_Killer said:
I was under the impression you had to take OAKG for a while before you saw any benefits? Tried it twice myself and while it didn't do anything for my sleep or strength my stamina on high rep sets shot through the roof.
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I guess everyone reacts to it differently, also not sure what dosage levels you were taking, but I was on 15g per dose before bed nd I only weigh 72kg. I think you might need closer to 19-20g at 110kg (think that's your weight?)
 
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Deload week, bit more volume on the big compounds little less weight, shorter rests all round.

Squats
bar x10/10
60x5
80x8
100x5/8/8
last set of 8

Inclined DB Bench ss Flat DB bench
22x10+10/10+10/10

Pull ups BWx8/8/8

RDL 80x10/10 i am starting to fall out with these, they seem to aggrevate my lower back by the end of the set.

DB Row (light)
22x10/10

Leg Raises
BW x10/10

DB Curls
14x8 ran out of time.
 
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for some reason i have gone the other way today with my squats, i was in the rack with no mirror, and i think that threw me a little so kept looking low.
 
I really need to log in to fb on a picas i seem to be missing a lot of message :(

I would say your off day seems quite low on protein, I focus on getting enough protein and enough carbs on my backload days. Also I would suggest breaking the fast between 12-14hours, I was waiting up to 17 but apparently this could be to long and actually be detrimental.

What I currently do is:
Training day: 8am post work out shake with30g dextrose, this is my initial fast breaker and can be had with or without carbs, as I am bulking I have the carbs.
11:30 100g chicken and salad ith lashings of olive oil and good oil
13:00 25g mixed nuts
14:00 same as 11:30
16:30 whey shake with leucine, creatine, glutamine
18:00 250g chicken 200g veg (cauliflower and broccili) loads of butter
19:30 whey shake with leucine, glutamine

Off day
Coffee with 10gwhey and 15g coconut oil
Same daily pattern as training day
17:00-20:00 backloading fun hitting 300-400g carbs

Saturdays:
Coffee whey coconut oil
Samedaily pattern as other days
Same dinner routine as training day

I backload sun,tues,thurs, and Fridays.

Key principles is stick to:
180g+protein per day (my preference)
No carbs before 16:00
Break the fast between 12-14hours
Use the mirror to stay happy
Don't be ruled by the diet, just stick to the principles :)

Tonight for example I wasn't upped to backload, but I did, I might skip Fridays backlog instead. If I am feeling podgy I will cutback to 3 back loads. If recovery is slow or I am feeling tight I will do additional backloads :)

Weighed in this morning at 72 .1kg (159lb, 11st 5lb) which is a gain of 1lb since 6th jan averaging 2.7k cals per day backloading 3-4 times per week.
 
Don't get hung up on the cals, really don't. I only track mine because I am OCD, I don't work the diet around the cals, just the carbs, and protein. Before CBL I was hitting around 2.2k cals per day, and gaining about 1lb per week. Now I am on considerably more food and prob adding closer to 0.25lb per week if that. I am not sure about the Pre w/o BCAA's I am not sure on their effect on insulin, if any, but you want to avoid any early spikes.
 
Back update, a strange feeling last night, after a constant dull ache all day at around 6pm there was a step change and less aching. It was very bizarre but I wont question it if things seem to have gone that way. OAKG last night and my sleep was more stable, and I am feeling less tight this morning, lets see how the next few days go.

Bench – working on form, trying to bring a little arch in to drive my shoulders in to the bench a little better. I have filmed my form and will upload later, I appear to push the bar diagonally off my chest towards my head laterally while pushing vertically. I need to work on driving the bar straight up, this could be why I have been struggling with bench progress.
Bar x15
40x11/8
60x11
80x7/7/5
60x8

DB Row Heavy – Swapped for Standing cable rows to avoid aggravating my lower back at all.
Standing cable rows – Really starting to find a groove with these :D
36x10 41x10/10

OHP
Bar x5
30x5
40x8/8/8

Front squats SS with High Bar Squats – really to help with ankle mobility/rom
Lots of ankle stretching then
FS 40x9 60x8
HB 40x8 60x8

Facepulls 36x10/10/10

Pallof Press 18x10/10

Bench form definitely needs work so going to focus on getting the bar moving in a straight line, engage the lower chest more. Would any type of decline benching help here?
 
yeap, strengh is my goal, has been from the start of the year. This week is a little more volume esque as it is a deload week, but my main cycle runs from 6 to 3 rep sets on my compound lifts, over the 4 week cycle.
 
Steedie said:
You chop and change more than Delvis :p

I thought you were doing HST?
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But i plan my routines and focus them towards my goals, and i have seen progress with all of them, according to the goal at the time :D.

So far in the last 2 years i have done 6 different routines
GordyR's
Stronglifts
Wendler (felt it wasnt for me and i wasnt ready for it) 3 weeks on this so doesnt really count as sticking with it.
4 day 3x8 split
HST
Strength Full body 3 day split

An average of 4 months on each program was enough to see how it worked and track progress.

I am still relatively new in to my lifting lifespan, I suffered a bit from unknown goals, so have changed the routines to fit the goals at the time. I think i am settled on strength goals now, and so future routine changes will focus around this.
 
Steedie said:
I think that's where you're holding yourself back, yes you're making progress in each routine but that's because you're new to lifting as you said. You'd make progress if you did any routine at your stage

Just pick a routine and stick at it, you're not getting the most out of each routine you're doing as by the time your body is getting into the habit of a certain routine, you're stopping and starting something new.

If strength is your goal, spend a year working on strength, if size is your goal, spend a year on that. But pick one and stick at it. Ultimately what is your goal? Do you want to be doing what Scott and Matt are doing?
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Now that is interesting, many places I have seen advise to change the routine so that it doesnt become a habbit and so that your body doesnt adapt to become effiecent at doing the same thing and slowing down progress!

Also do you mean stick to the same routine, or stick to the same goal? I agree that sticking to the same goal is a wise option, but i havent come across anything before that says you should stick to the same routine for best results, infact the opposite to that seems to be more prevelant.

All my routines have always revolved around the big compounds and progressive loading over cycle periods.

My goals now, and for the forseable are strengh. Yes i would like to powerlift at some point, this is an aim and gives me something to work towards now.

p.s. check your gmail when you can :D - haha just got your response #timing
 
goals set in place at the start of this year, if i talk about changing it up to mass, KICK ME!!!

I plan to hit some respectable targets this year so i have to stay focused.
 
2nd set of 80kg bench. First time trying incorporating an arch, etching the bid back, it seems to much lower back involvement and not enough upper back.
 
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Lack of progress, so checked out the vids ff posted in the form thread, and also I have always been concerned with how much I "J" the lift as I feel I am losing to much power there, and not engaging the whole chest. I think I am going to work on improving the lift line while slowly bring in the upper back arch/ shoulders in to bench drive, as it definitely felt more stable to push from.
 
LiE said:
Try not to over think it, it's a simple movement. The J movement is completely fine, think about how your arms have to move to create space. The start position will always be arms locked out directly up, which will see the bar higher up the chest. As you move down, in order to bring the bar to your chest your arms have to bring the bar further down the chest, to the nipple line.

I understand the arch, but I've never had a problem just pressing the weight with massive upper back tightness.
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Cheers, i still want to try and involve more of my chest, as currently it doesnt feel like i am engaging the lower half of my chest in the mvoement, because my J swing is quite pronounced.

MoNkeE said:
He's trying to make a smaller ROM bro :p
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Not quite, although the arch does do that, the 2 main things i am trying to do is lift straigher (/nohomo) and involve more of my lower chest. It is quite likely that i can do without the arch and just lift straighter and this will do what i need :)
 
last day of deload week, went well, felt a little heavy but got rubbish sleep, so blaming that!

Deadlifts
bar x 15
50x10
70x5
100x3
115x6/6/6

Dips
bw x10
20x8/8/8

Standing cable rows
41x10/10/10

Goblet squat with pulse
12x10/10/10

DB standing shoulder press
16x10/10/10

Oblique twists
10x20/20

and done.

Cycle 3 starts next week, was going to give heavy triples a shot but, next week instead i am going to push ahead with cycle 3 instead. Hopefully it will look a little somehing like this:

Squat
3x6 115 (75%)
3x5 120 (80%)
4x4 125 (83%)
4x3 130 (86%)

Deadlift
3x6 125 (70%)
3x5 135 (80%)
4x4 145 (85%)
4x4 155 (90%)

Bench
3x6 82.5
3x5 85
4x4 87.5
4x3 90
 
Cycle 3 has started.

Daughter has been pretty sick all weekend and sleep has been elusive, especially last night, in bed and asleep around 10:30, woken at 1am and 3am, finally getting out of bed at 5:45am. I thought this morning was going to be brutal, i was wrong. Kids (and puppies Monkee ;))steal sleep gains.

Really pleased with squats this morning :D, knees not collapsing in like they used to and everything felt tight.

Squats
Band stretching/hip flossing/Ankle opening between warmup sets
Bar x15
40x8
60x3
80x3 - belted up from here
100x3
115x6/6
115x6 unbelted for the last set to make sure my core is getting that extra smashing and that i can keep tight without the belt.
unbelted last set, pleased :)

Inclined DB Bench SS with Flat DB Bench
22x10+10/10+10/10+10

Pull ups
BW x3
15x6/6/6

RDL's - Skipped these due to time, also for the last couple of weeks they have been aggrevating my lower back, i think they are to late in the routine and fatigue is stopping me staying tight, so going to move them to after squats

DB Rows (light, reps per arm)
22x12/12/12

Changing room shower and dressed PB 5 mins!! must get to the work car park for free parking :D
 
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Bench and OHP day

Bench
Bar x20 40x10 60x5 70x3
82.5x6/6/6 slow, heavy, and not sure how much spotter involement, just gonna keep ploughing ahead with weight on the bench, keep adding it, keep doing the rep set structure till i can shift over 100 for reps :mad:
DS 60x6

DB Rows (Heavy)
36x8/8/8

OHP
bar x5
40x3
47.5x6/6/6

DBSS
10x5
20x10/10/10

Face Pulls
36x10/10/10

Landmines
10x20/20

Reverse Crunches x10
 
no the spotter was only helping on the last 2 rest of set 2 and 3, hard to gauge how much input but it was still a grind which was good. Had the same guy spotting me for the last few bench sessions and he seems to know how to spot so its not so bad.
 
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