SS lifting blog

Blog start: 02/09/2019

Don't mind me, this is a place for me to log all my workouts since I'm on here almost everyday. Have been lifting since October 2018.

Age: 17 years
Weight: 77KG
Height: 174cm / 5'8.5"
Chest (inches): 39
Arms (inches): 14.5
Thigh (inches): 21.5 (I don't train them for size, only strength)

Current lifts (as of 02/09/2019):

Bench press: 80KG X 3
Deadlift (conventional): 160KG X 5
Squat: 120KG X 1
Standing barbell OHP: 50KG x 3

Goals by then end of 2019 (31/12/2019):

Bench press: 100KG X 1
Deadlift (conventional): 200KG X 1
Squat: 140KG X 1
Standing barbell OHP: 70KG x 1

Goals by 18th birthday (20/02/2020):

Bench press: 110KG X 1
Deadlift (conventional): 210KG X 1
Squat: 150KG X 1
Standing barbell OHP: 80KG x 1

Reply 1

F12Ak

My program (made it myself so probably sh1t):

Pull (back + biceps):

Deadlift: 5x5 or rack pull 5x5 (alternate every week)
Floor to knee deadlift: 3x5
Barbell row: 3x6
Lat pulldown: 3x6
Cable row: 3x8

Chin up: 3x5 (max)
DB bicep curl: 3x10
DB cross body hammer curl: 3x10

Push (chest, shoulders & triceps):

BB bench press: 3x3
Floor press: 3x6
Incline DB bench press: 3x10

BB standing OHP: 5x5
DB lateral raise: 3x12
Face pulls: 3x15

Close-grip BB bench press: 3x8
DB skull crushers: 3x10
Dips: 3x10

Legs:

Back squat (high bar): 3x3
Pause squat: 2x5
DB Bulgarian split squat: 3x6
DB romanian deadlift: 3x6
Leg curl: 3x6
Seated calf raise: 3x15

Reply 2

F12Ak

First log of the blog
02/09/2019: Pull

Deadlift: 150KG
Floor to knee deadlift: 140KG
BB row: 70KG
Lat pulldown: 65KG
Cable row: 60KG

Chin up: bodyweight - not strong enough to add weight
DB bicep curl: 16KG - up from 14KG last week
DB cross body hammer curl: 10KG and then 8KG for last set due to fatigue

Overall good workout, lower back was quite sore, good bicep pump. Will use 155KG for the deadlifts next session and 72.5KG for BB rows.

Reply 3

illusionz

What's your weight progression plan? Any plans to deal with failing reps? You have varied rep ranges and some unilateral work which is good, though I'd personally reorder some exercises to put things like chin ups and dips earlier on - they deserve the same priority as any other big compound lift. Place the machine and isolation stuff last, imo.

I would personally drop the deadlift volume a bit so you can go heavier for fewer total reps. 5x5 deadlifts is a killer.

There are a lot of very good plans out there which don't require you to think too much. It's generally better to stick to one of those unless you know that you know what you're doing.

Also, your goals look sensible with the exception of OHP. It progresses slowly so don't be disheartened if you don't make it. Good luck!

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

F12Ak

Original post by illusionz

Weight progression depends on how I felt for each exercise. I only add weight for exercises that I feel I could do more on, the easier it felt the more I add. For example, the deadlifts yesterday felt quite comfortable for the whole of the 5x5, didn't struggle and I think I could do more so next workout I'll add 5kg. The BB row felt fine at first but on the last few reps there was a bit of struggle, managed to maintain form though so I will only add 2.5kg.

As with failed reps, I'll decrease the weight and try and get them done, keep decreasing until I hit the rep target for the set if necessary. Obviously I wont add weight next time. If I was a rep or 2 out, I'll maintain the weight for next session and hope I complete the reps then. If I was 3+ out then I'll decrease the weight by around 5KG.

I have considered putting them after deadlifts or BB row and I will try it out for a few weeks but I think chin ups are a good transition exercise for when I go from back to biceps. I think I'll probably move dips for after close grip BP as I'm doing tricep dips (upright) as opposed to chest dips (forward lean).

I've been making good progress with 5x5 which is why I want to continue with it until I slow down, maybe then I'll drop down to 5x3 or 3x3. I take 5 mins rest between sets so I don't feel as if it's finished me.

Thanks for the advice!

Reply 5

F12Ak

05/09/2019: another pull

Rack pull: warm up: 60x10, 100x5, 140x5, 160x3) working set: 180x6 & 200x1
Barbell row: 75KG (two sets), 72.5KG (final set)
Lat pulldown: 65KG
Landmine row: bar+40KG x 8 (replaced cable row)

DB standing curl: 16KG (one set), 14KG (two sets)
DB cross body hammer curl: 10KG

Really happy with my rack pull, kept good form and felt I could've done another rep or 2 with 200KG. Had to drop the weight for the barbell row on the last set as I was losing form slightly, hopefully I can keep 75KG for the whole time next time. Lat pulldown felt heavier this time, maybe because of fatigue? Replaced the cable row with the landmine row as there were people waiting for it, felt it a lot more in my back so will probably stick to it for future workouts. No chin ups today as there were a lot of people using the bar. I think the landmine row hit my biceps reasonably well so that could be a reason why I had to go back to 14KG, also my forearms were hurting a bit.

Overall good workout I think. Will probably go to 185KG for rack pulls next time and probably keep the weight the same for everything else.
Tomorrow is push.

Reply 6

F12Ak

06/09/2019: Push

DB bench press: 30KGx10 (one set), 28KGx10 (two sets)
DB incline bench: 24KGx8
Chest dips: bodyweight x 8

BB military press: 47.5KG

Close grip BP: 60KG x 5 (one set), 52.5KG x 8 (two sets)
DB skull crushers: 10KG (Each hand)
Straight bar pushdown: 22.5KG

Didn't have much energy today, I actually forgot to do lateral raises and face pulls lol. Decided to switch up normal chest part and do hypertrophy as I don't want to go heavy every 3 days. DB presses were a bit disappointing, especially the incline as I have done 28KGx10 before. Will probably keep all weights the same for next session but remember to do face pulls and lateral raises. Overall, workout was okay.

Reply 7

F12Ak

08/09/2019: Leg day, at a bodybuilding gym

Squat: 60x10, 80x5, 100x1, 110x1, 120x1
Hack Squat: 100x6, 3 sets
Belt squat: 200x5, 3 sets
DB RDL: 34KG
Standing calf raise: 50x10

So today I went with some of my friends to a bodybuilding gym called "muscle works". They had an entire floor dedicated to legs so we trained legs. My lower back was still very sore from the pull day 2 days prior so I had to cut some volume as it was getting really bad after the hack squat. Belt squats are really good, felt them a lot more in the quads. Will definitely go back again.

Reply 8

F12Ak

09/09/2019: Pull

Rack pull: 60x10, 100x5, 120x3, 140x6, 160x1, 180x1, 200x1
BB row: 80KG
Lat pulldown: 65KG
DB bicep curl: 16KG

I was very tight on time today and incredibly hungry, low on energy as I didn't have lunch. Really bad workout IMO and I probably shouldn't of worked out today in the state I was. Was also a bit tired from legs yesterday.

Reply 9

F12Ak

12/09/2019: Legs

Squat: 110KG - 3x3
Pause squat: 80KG (2 sec pause) - 2x5
DB Bulgarian split squat: 12KG - 3x6
DB RDL: 32KG - 3x6
Leg curl: 50KG - 3x6

Reply 10

F12Ak

13/09/2019: Push

Bench press: 80x1, 60x10, 60x10, 60x10
DB incline BP: 26KG - 3x10
Cable crossover: 15KG - 3x8
OHP: 50KG - 5x3
Lateral raise: 10KG - 3x8
Rope pulldown: 20KG - 3x10
Rope overhead extension (single arm): 5KG - 3x10
DB skull crusher: 8KG - 3x10

Reply 11

F12Ak

14/09/2019: Pull

Deadlift: 160KG - top set for 3 reps
Floor to knee pull - 160x3, 150x3, 140x3
BB row: 80KG - 3x5
Lat pulldown: 65KG - 3x6

DB standing bicep curl: 16KG - 3x10
DB cross-body hammer curl: 10KG - 3x10