Vanity Log: how much in a year?

[mrthingyx]

Hi, all.

As with my "first to 90kg" thread, this will essentially be a progress log of my lifting and weight over the next twelve months. It was also an excuse to play with some attempted anabolic lighting, but it turned out that it made my abz disappear.

I recently gave the work gym instructor (SnC coach for Cambridge University Rugby and Rowing Clubs) a good laugh (as well as those in the GymRats thread) by setting myself the target of doubling my powerlifting totals in a year.

Currently this:

Can lift this:

BACK SQUAT: 120kg
DEADLIFT: 130kg
BENCH PRESS: 85kg

The idea is to see how close to double these lifts I can get in a year. The weights listed are also rep-able, so I'm going to start by saying "double the rep-able weight" and assuming any of you are still conscious despite laughing your heads off, I may relax this to 1RM.

I currently eat a relatively clean calorie excess, and my routine consists of pretty much only compound movements along the lines of:

DAY ONE:

- Hang clean (4x3)
- Front squat (5-4-3-3)
- Reverse lung (5-4-3-3)
- Pull ups (5-4-3)
- Barbell military press (5-4-3)
- Attempted standing barbell rollout (3x6)... I say attempted because I can get almost to horizontal for two.

DAY TWO:

- Hang clean (4x3)
- Trap bar deadlift (5-4-3-3)
- Single leg squats (5-4-3-3)
- Barbell rows (5-4-3)
- Bench press (5-4-3)
- Weighted side plank (3x45s)

DAY THREE:

- Push-press/jerk (4x3)
- Back squat (5-4-3-3)
- Semi-straight leg deadlift (5-4-3-3)
- Chin ups (5-4-3)
- Banded pushup (5-4-3)
- Dragon flags (3x6)

My current shape is:

HEIGHT: 181cm/5'11-ish
WEIGHT: 91.5kg
FAT%: DILLIGAF

I'll probably update this thread at least once a month, but we'll see how that goes. Feel free to pop in for a laugh.

Just in case anybody was wondering why the poses are odd, it's because I was holding the second flash.

 

[mrthingyx]

Impressive looking body, suprised your lifts aren't that good though.
I like that you want to change that

Anabolic lighting ftw.

As posted in the GymRats thread, the coach suggested I wasn't lifting enough... So time to try and prove it's not just retained water.

 

[mrthingyx]

so how tall are you and how heavy are you now?

i would say that a good targets for 1 year from now would be as follows:

BACK SQUAT: 150kg
DEADLIFT: 180kg
BENCH PRESS: 105kg

for reps 2 or more

and pushing for RM's as follows:

BACK SQUAT: 170kg
DEADLIFT: 200kg
BENCH PRESS: 115kg

i am basing these numbers on how you look and a little bit of judgement based on my own improvements in the last 6 months.

Yeah, I have an over-active cell physiology (if one can call it that), but a pants CNS.

Current body stats are in the OP:

HEIGHT: 181cm/5'11-ish
WEIGHT: 91.5kg
FAT%: DILLIGAF

I'm expecting those (your suggestions) 1RMs when I'm not in cuckoo-land, but I can hope, right?

Good luck with this!

I'd say Syla5's predictions where more or less spot on. You might see more on your deadlift depending on your style.

To be fair, it's done in the spirit of my "90kg" thread, i.e. "wouldn't it be fun it...?" without expecting too much.

This time around, it's about big weight as the anabolic lighting says one thing, but the barbell plates say something different. And I find that disappointing in the extreme.

So, set myself a ludicrous target and - even if I get only part the way there - that's still better than nothing.

I expect much abuse along the way, too.

 

[mrthingyx]

There's a reason the lighting is anabolic.

Sure thing, however. Practically speaking, I'm nowhere near as big as the lighting suggests (having photography as a hobby is a good thing in this case).

If - for some reason - you just can't wait, look here for the last photo I took sans lumiere anabolique.

I haven't changed that much.

 

[mrthingyx]

Yup - lifts are shameful.

For a ;realistic' perspective, have a look at the linked thread above.

 

[mrthingyx]

If you can make someone look that good with just light, let me know next time your around Milton Keynes I want to look like I weigh 100kg to not my shameful 70 lol

Lol. It will take me that long to find a believable excuse for the wife...

"Err... Yes, dear - I am going to photograph men I don't know in various states of undress."

Whats wrong with you finger in the first picture?

Trying to concentrate on holding a flash to get the right exposure and posing took too much effort. Will improve next time!

 

[mrthingyx]

DAY 3 today, so here's the stuff that is weighted...

- Push-press (4x3): 70, 80, 85
- Back squat (5-4-3-3): 110, 120, 122.5, 125
- Semi-straight leg deadlift (5-4-3-3): 70, 80, 85, 85 (was using FatGripz)
- Chin ups (5-4-3): 20, 25, 25

OVerdid the deadlifts on Wednesday (DAY 2) and paid the price today. I thought I'd done enough soft tissue work yesterday to ease off the glutes, hips and hammies, but one of the adductors was tight as anything so had to be very careful.

Otherwise, lifting felt good. Core was nice and strong for the squats and push press, but suffered on the squat depth (only just managed past parallel) because the above.

Six days in the Far East (work) coming up next week which will be a good 'deload' recovery period since returning from holiday 4th week of August, so hopefully get back into the groove end of the month.

 

[mrthingyx]

HAving spent a cortisol-fuelled week in the Far East on a work assignment, which has meant a relatively restricted diet (for me... Chinese/Japanese guys just don't seem to eat very much) and no real training.

This was a deload week, anyway, but I still feel a bit shrivelled from the lack of eating. And sleep deprivation/jetlag.

Still, first session back in the gym today was not the Day 2 split above, but a snatch and jerk technique update with our resident bastar- coach.

My goodness a 40kg load can get very heavy, veeeeeeeery quickly.

Still, good pointers around getting better hip drive, and working "the shrug." He gave me a good rinsing using "Coach's Eye" on his iPhone that is the most disheartening thing for any lifter to see: all weakpoints in technique can be spotted and slapped. And yes, I'll try and get the videos posted, too, so you can all laugh.

The end of the session had the barbell rocketing up nicely for snatch, and getting a rapid dive under the barbell for the jerk. Overall: very happy. Knackered, but happy.

Bodyweight has dropped to around 90.5, but there we go. Will be back powerlifting probably tomorrow (for a Day 2 workover).

 

[mrthingyx]

After my technical rinsing yesterday, I woke up surprisingly sore across the traps. Clearly something good was happening...

Still, DAY 2 workout today (appreciate DAY 3 regime tomorrow may hurt a lot)...

DAY TWO:

- Hang clean (4x3): cleared 80kg, but form was rubbish after 2 (70-80-80-80);

- Trap bar deadlift (5-4-3-3): went back regular deadlift because of the huge strain I managed by cranking the weight on the trap bar. Lifting felt good, but grip started to fail during the last two sets (130-135-140-150). Went for 3x150 as a punt and it went up very nicely. Although had to get through the last rep quickly as my grip was slipping. Very happy, particularly after a week off!

- Single leg squats (5-4-3-3): dumbell in each hand (8-12-14-16) and fekt good, but my hamstrings were very tight.

- Barbell rows (5-4-3): (70-90-100) First two sets were easy, but 100kg was hard to keep proper form. Still pretty happy!

- Bench press (5-4-3): (70-80-90) First two sets felt easy again, but 90 was haaaaaard. MOre caffeine next time, I think!

- Weighted side plank (3x45s): meh. They hurt. 22.5 held.


All in all, very happy to crack a deadlift PB, but will be paying for it tomorrow!.

I've invested in some beta-alanine having looked at the supporting research and am currently dosing at 50mg/kg of bodyweight (4.5g/day over 4 doses). We'll see what happens. Currently enjoying a light round of parasthesia (commonly mistaken for NRG!!! by a lot of people who consume it).

So. We'll see how this goes.

 

[mrthingyx]

Urgh... spent Monday and Tuesday of this week in Lund without a decent gym and have not cycled my training days properly. This means I've not done front squats since the second week of September and I suffered BADLY today.

- Hang snatch (4x3): Up at 55kg and feeling quite easy. This has been worked to death over the past few weeks, so it's a really satisfying lift. Love it. And will get more load on! Whoop!
- Front squat (5-4-3-3): Dropped back to 90-95-95-95... right hip adductor was REALLY tight after the second set despite an extra long warm up (soft tissue work, lots of stretching and low weight overhead squats). Feel a bit down about this as my coccyx pain has also returned.
- Reverse lung (5-4-3-3): swapped for single leg squats and BANG! Painful twinge in my coccyx. Not good.
- Wide grip pull ups (5-4-3): 0-10-15 was easy. Need more weight on this.
- Barbell military press (5-4-3): 50-55-55 was a struggle for the last set, but I haven't done any of these exercises in a while. No excuse: need to train more!


Overall, training was good and very nice to be back in the gym after nearly a week, and even better to be doing front squats after over 3 weeks off them.

However, it's also highlighted some more interesting underpinning issues around mobility of my right hip, and also flagged up a warning for my coccyx - I thought the latter problem had gone away, but it would appear not. It was diagnosed as a "coccydaemia" (or however it's spelt) by a physio, but as far as I am concerned it's more like the pain associated with a torn tendon. But at the interface of my glute with the coccyx. Literally: a pain in the ****.

Still, good to get back into it, nonetheless.

B-Alanine dosing is going ok - around 1g a go (4/5 times a day), and have not had problems with parasthesia.

Weight has dropped to around 90.5kg, probably as a result of a cortisol-fuelled trip around ASIAPAC, and a screwed up body-clock and diet over the past few weeks, but hey.

Anyway, onwards and upwards - I'll be running DAY 3 on Friday this week just to keep my conditioning for squatting, but we'll see how I feel.

 

[mrthingyx]

Overdid the deadlifts on Wednesday (DAY 2) and paid the price today. I thought I'd done enough soft tissue work yesterday to ease off the glutes, hips and hammies, but one of the adductors was tight as anything so had to be very careful.[/QUOTE]

Great. Turns out I have damaged adductor magnus due to hitting the weights too hardm, causing the little !@?# to go into spasm.

No hip/ham/glute/quad lifting for me for 2/3 weeks. Just as I was getting back into it, too.

Bicep curls it is, then.

 

[mrthingyx]

Not sure - I noticed it the session after going silly with the trap bar lifts whilst doing deep back squats.

Strangely, doing barbell deadlifts last week was absolutely fine, and it only lit up again when doing front squats today.

Probably something to do with my knees not being wide enough in the squat... Either way: deep tissue massage in the area this afternoon was one of the more painful things that's happened to me recently.

 

[mrthingyx]

Hmmm... interesting point, LiE.

Looks like I'll have to really hammer the warm ups and then just do some light lifting when I get back. I suppose these two weeks will work reasonably well as I'm off to the US in a week's time.

Might console myself with some lifting shoes over there.

 

[mrthingyx]

Well, that is the point of a bodybuilder I guess

Yes, whilst goofing around on Youtube, I came across some dude called Kai Greene explaining why he'd never be a weight lifter. I've never seen a guy enjoy the word 'contraction' so much.

Speaking of YouTube, I finally worked out how to post workout videos... here is my first attempt from yesterday, pre-physio:

Hang snatch at 50kg...

 

[mrthingyx]

Pretty good snatches!

I don't know how you've been coached, so beware of confusing yourself with conflicting advice. I'll keep mine simple for now.

1) Be careful about how wide your stance ends up in the catch. You could make transitioning to a full snatch harder with your current width.

2) You need a little more "pop" to your triple extension, your bar ends up moving a little bit slowly. How far have you been told to let the bar slide down your legs?

Other than that, I think it's just more practice with the timing.

Pretty much: I get rollocked each time for not being fast enough in the extension, so it's no news there. Regarding position of the bar, I'm simply holding it in the crook of the hip - not been told anyting beyond that.

Regarding the width of the stance, it's not something that's come up, simply because I'm not good enough to be there. However, it's something I'll work on!

One of the things you can't see (because of my epic phone positioning skills) is the carp shrug, too, together with the spongey core. I was once made to snatch with the coach pinching an inch in from my pelvis... dont' want that happening again.

 

[mrthingyx]

Urge. Upper body workout get the burn on, but I just don't feel like I've done anything...

Yesterday it was military barbell pressing (55kg x 5x5) and weighted wide grip pull ups (+5kg x 6x4) concentrating on form. And a lot of soft tissue work on bum, legs and shoulders. Also did 6 standing quasi barbell rollouts (TRX scraping the floor), but was still hurting from dragon flags on Friday...

Today, it was bench (70kg x 5, 90kg 5x3, 80kg x 6) and chins with a focus on form (3x10) and maximum reps. also did some fast shrugs at 110kg x 6x4, and was feeling some serious trap burn!

Very happy about the bench PB, with a ridiculous pump in the arms from the chins.

Apologies for the lame update, but a lack of leg action is making me suffer, too!

 

[mrthingyx]

Beach weights!

You have no idea.

At least you could do deads, split squats, etc...

It has made me rethink my upper body workouts, though: probably will think about splitting proper lifting out from gimp lifts to make sure each gets the attention and energy required... Not sure, though. Will see how I feel when I get back into it...

 

[mrthingyx]

Not the man-chicks fawning over beastly dead lifts, however.

Bench specialism is fine if i could actually shift some proper weight.

 

[mrthingyx]

Gag. Back in the gym for some front squats, today: first time in around 3 weeks. I've just returned from a burger'n'cortisol fuelled work trip to the US, too, so was not in a good condition.

Front squats at 5x5x4x3 (70, 80, 90, 90) felt awesome at the time but now I'm paying for it.

Snatches at 50kgs took a lot of work to get the form right, but it all came together for the last set of 3. Great as a DOMS-inducing warm up for the weeks to come! Yeah, baby.

Will hopefully be back to PB level before Christmas.

 

[mrthingyx]

Well that's not good. Just tried some split squats at home on my week off and it looks like my coccyx pain is back.

It's annoying as the only time this manifests is with exercises that put a torsional load on it: split squats, lunges, etc. however, things like single leg dead lifts, real squats, and single leg squats work fine.

So it would seem regular-ish body weight exercises are the order of my holiday. Hopefully won't shrivel down too much as a result...