Harper's Log

[harperpj]

Hello,

I train 5/3/1 three days a week, and use a carb cycling diet. I am 6', 180lbs. I have a notoriously slow metabolism, so I use cardio 4-5 days a week, and typically run low days on all non training days. I am putting on weight, so I am being a little more liberal with my high days, but I don't believe that bulking should ever be an excuse to get sloppy fat. Any comments/ criticism on my training or diet is welcome.

Food List:
Protein: chicken, top round, fish, eggs, whey,
Carbs: oats, rice, potatoes, yams, ezekiel bread, fruits,
Fats: Olive oil, natty pb and almond butter,
Current diet:

High Day:
Meal 1: 60g carbs, 30g protein

Meal 2: 50g carbs, 30g protein

Meal 3: 50g carbs, 30g protein

Meal 4: 60g carbs, 30g protein

Meal 5: 40g carbs, 30g protein

Meal 6: 40g carbs, 30g protein

Meal 7: 30g protein, unlimited veggies, 2600mg evening primrose oil, 3g fish oils

Medium Day:

Meal 1: 50g carbs, 45g protein

Meal 2: 30g carbs, 45g protein

Meal 3: 50g carbs, 45 protein (switch this with any meal to make it your postworkout meal)

Meal 4: 45g protein, up to 2 cups veggies, 3g fish oils, 1 tablespoon all natural peanut butter or almond butter

Meal 5: same as meal 4

Meal 6: 45g protein, 2600mg evening primrose oil, 3g fish oils

Low Day:

Low day, 6 meals:

Meal 1: 30g carbs, 45g protein, 3g fish oils

Meal 2: same as meal 1

Meal 3: 45g protein, up to 2 cups veggies, 1.5 tablespoon all natural peanut butter or almond butter

Meal 4: same as meal 3

Meal 5: same as meal 3

Meal 6: 45g protein, 2600mg evening primrose oil, 1 teaspoon macadamia nut oil OR extra virgin olive oil

[harperpj]

Warmup:
rumble roller and dynamic stretching
lacrosse ball
T's and Y's 5x10

Military Press:
70%x3
80%x3
90%x6

Face Pulls:
120lbs 5x10

BW Pullups:
35

Hanging Leg Raises:
5x10

Cardio:
5 mins jog
20 mins treadmill 7.0 mph
5 mins cooldown walk

[harperpj]

Warmup:
Foam Roll, lacrosse ball, stretching,

Squats:
75%x5
85%x3
95%x4

One Legged Squat:
25 lb db's 5x10

45 degree back raises:
5x10

leg extensions ss w/ leg curls
110lb 3x10

abs

[harperpj]

Warmup:
Foam roll
Lacrosse ball
Stretching

Bench:
75% x 5
85% x 3
95% x 4

Db bench:
50 lb 5x10

Lat pulldowns:
110 lbs 5x10

Pushdowns:
110 lbs 5x10

Abs

18 minutes of intervals on the treadmill, followed by 20 minutes of steady state were done in the am.

[harperpj]

I wanted to work up to 455 today for a single, but ended up fighting pretty hard with 405, so I shut it down.

Deadlift:
worked up to 405x1

45degree back raise
5x10

abs
5x10

prowler- a lot

pressing and more prowler tomorrow!

[harperpj]

Warmup:

foam roll, stretching, lacrosse ball

Mil Press:
115x5
130x3
150x4

Face Pulls
5x10

DB Shrugs:
5x10

bunch of abs and maybe 20ish pullups

prowler

[harperpj]

Warmup:
Foam roll, lacrosse ball, stretches

Squat:
Worked up to 215x5

Walking Lunges:
40 yards with 40's.

Bunch of abs.

Rest of this week will be light and lazy. I'm in tough mudder this Sunday, so I'm just gonna take it easy and stay loose.

[harperpj]

finished tough mudder in right around 3 hours. It was a crazy experience, and felt good to complete. Anyone wanting to try an unusual challenge should definitely check out a tough mudder or spartan race. warrior dashes are for hungover college girls, tough mudders are a challenge.

back at it in a few days.

[harperpj]

Press:
105x5
120x5
135x10

Shrugs:
225 3x20

T's and Y's
10lb db's 3x10

External Rotation:
10lb 3x10

Face Pulls:
100lb 3x10

abs

15 min HIIT 15 min jog

[harperpj]

Squats:
up to 215x7

Lunges:
40lb db's 40 yards

Abs

Bench:
up to 210x5

BB Rows:
135 5x10

Skullcrushers
75 4x10 1x8

obviously my squat needs a lot of improvement since my bench is nearly as strong. I'm rather long-limbed, so squatting has always been a weak point of mine, so I am really trying to get stronger in that department. Anything worth having takes time to obtain.

[harperpj]

Deads:
up to 325x12

Reverse Hypers
3x10

45 degree back raises
3x10

abs

[harperpj]

warmed up

Squats:
worked up to 230x7

Lunges:
40 yards with 40lb db's

side bends and planks.

prowler or hills tomorrow with some benching.

[harperpj]

Bench:
worked up to 215x4

BB Rows:
135 5x10

Skullcrushers:
75 4x10

abs and some hill sprints

Pulling and pressing on Friday.

[harperpj]

deadlift:

worked up to 345x11

Good mornings:

135 3x10

abs

[harperpj]

I didn't have my log with me, so I wasn't sure exactly what weight I was supposed to hit, so I just worked up to 225

225x8

Lunges down the hall.

abs

prowler and football tomorrow!

[harperpj]

Took some time off of the gym while on vacation.

Squats
170x5
200x5
225x8

Db rows
100x11

Lunges
40lb two trips

Abs.

[harperpj]

200x5
225x3
265x3

135 5x10

Abs

[harperpj]

computer went down and I've been busy with school and moving, but training has been going well. I wanted to get an idea of where my true max is at.

Squats
up to 315x1
felt nice and fast. This will be my training max for my next cycle.

SLDL
225x5
245x5
295x5

Step Ups
30lb db's 3x10

Side Bends
60lb db 3x10

Hanging Leg Raises
3x10

45 Degree Back Raises
3x10 w/ 25lb plate

5 hill sprints

[harperpj]

Monday
Bench
Up to 275x miss

Incline
135x5
145x5
155x5

Dips
3x10

Pullups or lat pull downs. Don't remember
3x10

Abs


Tuesday
Pulls
Up to 405x1
Much faster than last time I worked up to this weight. Things are moving along nicely.

Front squats
135
3x5

Abs

45 back raise with 25lb
3x10

Hill sprints

[harperpj]

up to 315x8

front squat
135,145,155
x10

good mornings SS with 45 degree back raises
3x10

leg raises, ab wheel, situps

10 minutes of incline treadmill sprints 45 seconds off, 15 seconds on
15 minutes steady state at 7% incline

[harperpj]

Up to 190x10

Incline
up to 155x5

Face Pulls
30

Dips
30

a bunch of chins in between sets

[harperpj]

Up to 125x10

Cg bench
135x5
155x5
185x5

Pulls, chins

Lat pull downs
150 3x10

Tri push downs
50 3x10

Ten minutes of sprint intervals followed by ten minutes of ss incline.

[harperpj]

Pulls
up to 330x7 I think
Front Squat
135,155,185x5
Abs
Pullups

Bench
up to 200x12
Incline
135,155,155x5
Lat Pulldowns
160 3x10
dips 3x10
abs

Squat
up to 230x5
SLDL 155,185,225x5
Good Morning
95 3x10
45 Back rasie
3x10
abs

I've been running hills and pushing the prowler as well whenever I have time. About two to three times a week.

[harperpj]

Missed military press on Monday. Will make it up at the end of the week.

Pulls
up to 350x8

Front Squat
135,155,185x5

abs and pullups.

Funny Story at the gym. I lifted at my university gym instead of my normal gym due to time restraints, so I was not one of the "regulars." I obviously was taking up a squat rack to do my front squats, when a group of guys loaded up a barbell on a bench to do barbell curls. In between sets, they were looking over and mean-mugging me, then I heard one of them say "damn new years resolutioners." I almost pissed myself laughing. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would be ostracized in a gym for squatting in a squat rack, and forcing someone to do curls elsewhere. Not to mention I was stronger than those guys haha. Cracked me up.

[harperpj]

Up to 135x10

Incline
135,155,185 x5

Lat pull downs
3x10

Tricep push downs
3x10

Pullups.

This was cool for me. I don't know if this is a rep pr or not, but it's close, and my body weight is fairly low still, floating around 185-190.

[harperpj]

Up to 275x5

SLDL
185,225,275x5

Abs

Ran a few miles today. Haven't done much running lately, mostly just hills and prowler, so it was nice to get outside and cover some ground today. Even if it was 14 degrees outside.

[harperpj]

up to 225x6

incline
115, 135,155x5

lat pulldown
150 3x10

dips
3x10

abs

[harperpj]

Up to 125x12

Lat pull downs
160 3x10

Tri push downs
90 3x10

Abs
Tabata on a bike. Pretty tough for four minutes.

[harperpj]

up to 320x8 This was not a max effort set, but I felt my back getting loose, and shut it down

front squat
135 3x5

45 degree back raises
3x10

abs

[suicidegripme]

Sweet log. I used to train similiarly, not a lot of movements and focusing everyday on a big core lift. How's the training going overall?

[harperpj]

Thanks for the kind words. Training is going well. I'm getting bigger and stronger, so that's about all I can ask for haha. I'm almost as strong at 190 as I was at 240, so I've definitely made some progress. I am still pretty weak, but I figure by the time I'm thirty I should be pretty big.

Bench
Up to 195x12

Incline
135,155,165
3x5

Lat pull downs
150 3x10

Tricep push owns
90 3x10

Abs

Prowler. Weather was nice in Wisconsin today, so I got to play outside instead of doing lame treadmill stuff.

[harperpj]

Up to 250x6

SLDL
225 3x5

Abs

[harperpj]

pulls and press I don't remember what I worked up to. The usual accessory stuff.

Squats
up to260x3

sldl
225,275 3x5

abs

leg ext
125 3x10

squats sucked tonight. I've had a stressful year so far and it all caught up with me today. No worries though, I can feel my strength is improving, and my size has improved a lot in my lower body. I had to switch to a different style of Levis because my legs wouldn't fit in the old ones anymore. It was an odd sensation because I was pumped that my legs are getting bigger, but I was also pissed because jeans are expensive haha. I've let my diet get a little bit away from me the past few months. My girlfriend is an awesome baker, and tends to get a little crazy during the holidays and football season. Nothing a little prowler and sensible eating can't make go away, but this is easier said than done when your significant other is a beast in the kitchen. I have a crazy, yet exciting year ahead of me. Big changes are coming for me.

[suicidegripme]

Sh*t happens to all of us and everyone, even the pros, have off days. Don't let it get you down, it's all part of the struggle. I used to beat myself up over off days then wind up having more off days.

As for the diet, I know how you feel bro. This winter hasn't been the kindest to me either! But hell, it's the season with the best food.

[harperpj]

Haha yeah man winter = awesome food. Plus, you don't have to be cut to looked jacked in a hoody haha.

Bench
up to 210 I think
x9

Incline
135,185x5

Chins, pullups, lat pulldowns
Pretty much a bunch of pulling stuff to match the volume of pressing

Tricep pushdowns to get my swole on.

tabata on a bike. These things are brutal. I almost puked.

abs

[harperpj]

up to 365x6

Front squat
135x5

abs

tabata

I have always pulled touch and go, but I noticed I was really weak off the floor last time I worked up to a single. I've been really working on technique, resetting after every single rep if I start getting loose. Hopefully pulling from a dead stop instead of using momentum will help me off the floor. If not, I'll figure something else out. Always experimenting....

[Cellardweller]

Looking good in here Harper. How'd you go from 240 to 190? That's a sweet 50lb drop.

[harperpj]

Thanks. I stopped eating a box of oreos with a jar of peanut butter every night to start lol. That got me to about 215ish. Then I carb cycled for about six months. My macro outline on page one is actually my base diet from when I started, weighing about 210-215ish. Everything was tweaked based on that initial base diet, and cardio was added in slowly but surely. I think at the end I was doing around 45-60 minutes of cardio every day. That took me to 167. Since then, I've been basically just eating a lot of clean food, with an occasional cheat in there.

[Cellardweller]

I'm going to have to take another gander at that diet, but on the other hand, peanut butter and oreos ... no I can't even go there LOL.

[harperpj]

Up to 225x8

Incline
115,135,155x5

Bb rows
115x10

Ton of chins and Pullups

Tricep pushdowns

T's And Y's
3x10

Ran some hills. I'm lucky to have a beast of a sledding hill literally two blocks from my house. I'm blessed by this because I read people asking if anyone knows of hills in x county, so I know not everyone can do this, but it also sucks because I don't have an excuse not to be conditioned year round. Between and trwedmill, a prowler, and a giant hill, I'd better have a strong heart no matter what haha.
It was a sad day when I dumped Oreos and pb. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out on pure awesomeness.

[harperpj]

up to 280x3

SLDL
225,275
3x5

curls for girls
3x10

lots of chins and abs.

Tabata FTW.

followed it up with a 20" burrito from this awesome mexican restaurant near my house. Good times with the family.

[harperpj]

up to 325x8

Front Squat
135,155,185
3x5

45 degree back raises
3x10

abs

tabata

Good day.

[harperpj]

up to 255x5

sldl
135,225,275
3x5

abs

sprints
40 yards x5

gonna have to reset my squat training max next cycle. I'm barely getting the prescribed reps. a couple steps back, quickly followed by a marathon.

[harperpj]

up to 200x12

incline
135,155
3x5

bunch of lat pulldowns, chins, and pullups

tricep pushdowns
3x10

abs

tabata

weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow, so it looks like the prowler will be making an appearance.

[harperpj]

up to 340x10?

Front Squats
135,155,185
3x5

back raises
3x10

abs

tabata

[Cellardweller]

Keep hammering at it bro. Don't forget, it's not so much about the weight but the energy and intensity you put into it. If you have to drop back a little its smart training. Go get it.

[harperpj]

Thanks man. I appreciate the support!

up to 135x10

cg bench
135,155,185
3x5

inverted body rows
3x10

chins, pulls

tricep pushdowns
3x10

T's and Y's

tabata

On a funny note. If anyone reads Jim Wendler's log, he worked up to 135x10 today as well. Made me feel like a badass..... until I remembered he just had shoulder surgery haha. Regardless, I was as strong as Jim Wendler today!

[harperpj]

up to 270x5

SLDL
185,225,275

45 degree back raises
3x10

abs

leg extensions
125 3x10

no time for conditioning.

[harperpj]

up to 225x4?

incline
135,155,155
5,5,4

various pulling exercises
75-100 reps

dips
3x10

T's and Y's

I ran a monster hill near my house today. Holy balls were my legs and lungs on fire.

[harperpj]

I pressed last Friday morning.

Up to 140x9

Cg bench
135,155,185
3x5

Bunch of other stuff I don't remember.


Pulling today.
Up to 365x7

Front Squats
135,155,185
3x5

Good mornings
95 3x10

Abs

Went for a run.

[harperpj]

Up to 230x6

Incline 135,155,165
3x5

Ton of pulling stuff.
Pullups, face pulls, abs etc.

Ran hills for conditioning.

[harperpj]

I've been extremely busy and have gotten behind with my posting. I'm taking the mcat in may, so I don really have much free time anymore. I'm switching to a two day template as described in the book for an indefinite amount of time. I much prefer a 3 or 4 day per week template, but medical school is definitely a bigger priority for me than training, so it's an unfortunately necessary evil.

Squats
Up to 245x7

Front squats
135 5x10

SLDL
225 2x10
135 3x10

225 was too heavy for that much volume, but 135 was too easy. I'll try 185 next time and see how that works out.

Abs
5x10

I'm using this time to focus on my cardio and I guess kind of find a balance between fitness and life. I don't really like to run, but until I can afford a home gym (about ten years from now with med school and residency haha) I'm just going to try to get stronger using the two day template and really hit the prowler and running hard.

[harperpj]

Bench last Thursday

Don't remember what I did, but I did it.

Pulling Monday

up to 330x11

Front Squats
135
5x10

Good Mornings
95
5x10

abs