Enjoying the ride rather than just focusing on the destination....

[John Grey]

Sup guys,

Going to start up a training log... Figured if anybody wanted to ask questions, give advice, give motivation no better place than here...

I will start with the most recent workout which was Saturday's Bench session...Bench is my weakest lift so this was a welcomed sight for me.

7/19/14
Close Grip Bench Press, touch and go
135 x 12
185 x 5
205 x 4 x 3
195 x 3 x 3

Bench Press, all reps paused for 3 seconds
155 x 5
190 x 2
210 x 2 x 2
215 x 2
195 x 4 x 2

Plate loaded Shoulder Press
200 x 3 x 6
195 x 6

Close Grip Seated Row
160 x 4 x 10

Best my shoulders/triceps have felt for a bench session in recent memory...Great workout to build on..

[John Grey]

7/22/14

So last night was sumo pulls, pause squats, and block pulls... my pulls felt a little off and couldn't get the proper leverage which made what should be a light weight feel like 800lbs.

Sumo Deads
135 x 7
230 x 5
320 x 1
370 x 1
425 x 2 x 3

Pause Squats, High Bar
140 x 4
240 x 4 x 3
230 x 2 x 3

Block pulls
370 x 6
360 x 6

This is the morning after and my back feels OK, not sore, not good. Just OK.
Got another bench session tonight so we'll see how my back holds up when I arch.

[John Grey]

7/23/14

Got in a little bench session, bench has been progressing nicely and I wanted to build on Saturday's work...

Bench Press
135 x 8
160 x 6
190 x 3

Competition Bench
230 x 2
240 x 2 x 2
235 x 2

Flat Bench DB Press
85 x 3 x 6

Body weight Dips
3 x 20

Chin Ups
4 x 10

Short and sweet... Got heavy deadlift singles tomorrow along with heavy back squats.... Feelin' good

[John Grey]

Gym was packed, didn't feel like waiting, only did squats... Pulls and Comp Bench will be Saturday....

7/24/14
Squats
135 x 7, reps paused
230 x 5
280 x 2
320 x 3
305 x 3

Leg Press
380 x 4 x 6
370 x 4 x 6

That was it, shame because I was feeling strong... Hope I feel that Saturday too...

Been rolling with black coffee and oats pre-workout lately, works wonders.

[John Grey]

Pretty short and sweet workout yesterday....

7/26/14
Sumo Pulls
135 x 8
230 x 5
320 x 3
410 x 1
440 x 4 x 1

Competition Bench
135 x 7
185 x 4
225 x 1
245 x 2
225 x 2

That was it for Saturday....

[John Grey]

Just some insight as to current gym total, Haven't attempted new PRs in about 10 weeks. Before I started my current program my numbers were: Squat 350/ Bench 240/ Deadlift 480 for a 1070 total.

Will attempt new PRs in 2 weeks before my vacation. Hoping I can top the 1100 total mark...

[Preston]

I've been watching. Solid workouts - keep your head up. How your nutrition?

[John Grey]

I've been watching. Solid workouts - keep your head up. How your nutrition?

Very much appreciate the support.

Right now I am sitting at about 3,100 calories with a breakdown of 90 fat/ 345 carb/ 225 protein. Nutrition has always been my most difficult to keep on track..

[Preston]

Very much appreciate the support.

Right now I am sitting at about 3,100 calories with a breakdown of 90 fat/ 345 carb/ 225 protein. Nutrition has always been my most difficult to keep on track..

How come, and in what ways? You have a great support system here. It's seemed to slow down a bit over the past 6-7 years but there's still a great group of the "original" people who joined the FORVM in '07.

I'd love to help in any way I can. If you have questions, ask!

[John Grey]

How come, and in what ways? You have a great support system here. It's seemed to slow down a bit over the past 6-7 years but there's still a great group of the "original" people who joined the FORVM in '07.

I'd love to help in any way I can. If you have questions, ask!

It's just tough to hit macros some days more than others. I try and lower carbs on days I work out then I go too low and try and compensate the next day. I just need to get on track with meals and spacing them out. These past 8 weeks my nutrition has been the most consistent it's ever been, so I guess that's a start.

[Preston]

It's just tough to hit macros some days more than others. I try and lower carbs on days I work out then I go too low and try and compensate the next day. I just need to get on track with meals and spacing them out. These past 8 weeks my nutrition has been the most consistent it's ever been, so I guess that's a start.

That is a great start John, don't cut yourself short. Nutrition is hard, life gets in the way a lot of the time. All you can do is put yourself in a position that if something were to come up you have a solution. One thing I like to do is have pre-made (dry) protein shakes (in my case) with ground oats in it. If I'm in a pinch and work prohibits me from a full meal I can at least get in my macros. Of course you'll have people saying the utilization of said meal is completely different and worse than a full whole meal but, fuck it. At least I'm getting something in.

In short, preparing meals or snacks to get you through the day when you may not need them covers your ass. :) In your case they could be protein shakes with coconut oil in them. ;)

[John Grey]

Had Sumo Pulls, Rack Pulls, and Pause Squats...hips are sore today that's for sure...

7/29/14
Sumo Pulls
135 x 5
230 x 3
320 x 1
370 x 2 x 1
425 x 3 x 3

Rack Pulls
315 x 3
380 x 2 x 6
370 x 2 x 6

Pause Squats
185 x 5
205 x 3
230 x 1
250 x 2 x 3
235 x 3

Could have absolutely pulled a lot more on rack pulls but went for more volume instead... Progress is happening!! The tweaks I made to my Sumo Pulls have helped me so much. Bench session tonight, let's keep this momentum going!!

[John Grey]

That is a great start John, don't cut yourself short. Nutrition is hard, life gets in the way a lot of the time. All you can do is put yourself in a position that if something were to come up you have a solution. One thing I like to do is have pre-made (dry) protein shakes (in my case) with ground oats in it. If I'm in a pinch and work prohibits me from a full meal I can at least get in my macros. Of course you'll have people saying the utilization of said meal is completely different and worse than a full whole meal but, fuck it. At least I'm getting something in.

In short, preparing meals or snacks to get you through the day when you may not need them covers your ass. :) In your case they could be protein shakes with coconut oil in them. ;)

Yeah, I hear ya about life getting in the way sometimes. Always seems to happen with my job, not to mention me and a friend are looking into starting our own gym. Things have been busy as all hell. Definitely going to start preparing snacks like you said. That would be a huge help... Definitely utilizing the coconut oil! lol. Appreciate the tips man!

[John Grey]

That is a great start John, don't cut yourself short. Nutrition is hard, life gets in the way a lot of the time. All you can do is put yourself in a position that if something were to come up you have a solution. One thing I like to do is have pre-made (dry) protein shakes (in my case) with ground oats in it. If I'm in a pinch and work prohibits me from a full meal I can at least get in my macros. Of course you'll have people saying the utilization of said meal is completely different and worse than a full whole meal but, fuck it. At least I'm getting something in.

In short, preparing meals or snacks to get you through the day when you may not need them covers your ass. :) In your case they could be protein shakes with coconut oil in them. ;)

Question... What do you find to be your best pre-workout meal?? I have been rolling with oats w/pb and black coffee, but the black coffee gets to my stomach sometimes, just wondering what works for you the best.

[Preston]

Yeah, I hear ya about life getting in the way sometimes. Always seems to happen with my job, not to mention me and a friend are looking into starting our own gym. Things have been busy as all hell. Definitely going to start preparing snacks like you said. That would be a huge help... Definitely utilizing the coconut oil! lol. Appreciate the tips man!

You're welcome man, coconut oil is a great fat additive when low carbohydrate, same with keefer butter.

Question... What do you find to be your best pre-workout meal?? I have been rolling with oats w/pb and black coffee, but the black coffee gets to my stomach sometimes, just wondering what works for you the best.

You know, I don't really have a pre-workout meal. I eat at 8/10/12/4/7/10 meal @ 4 usually includes like Jerky, WPI and maybe some rice snacks or something of the sort. When I was really in shape back in 08 I'd eat rice and chicken pre workout (2 hours before), I'd insulin spike (straight honey) post workout and then slam my WPI.

[John Grey]

Talk about a disappointing workout, last night was it... Felt left shoulder/elbow tenderness midway through close grip that I had to scrap even trying the 3-second pause reps.

7/30/14
Close Grip Pause Bench
135 x 2 x 5
185 x 3
205 x 1
215 x 3 x 3
205 x 3 x 3

Plate-loaded Shoulder Press
90 x 5
210 x 4 x 6
200 x 4 x 6

Seated Close-grip Row
170 x 4 x 10

Looking forward to the day off today... Time to load on the icy hot and relax.

[Preston]

Talk about a disappointing workout, last night was it... Felt left shoulder/elbow tenderness midway through close grip that I had to scrap even trying the 3-second pause reps.

7/30/14
Close Grip Pause Bench
135 x 2 x 5
185 x 3
205 x 1
215 x 3 x 3
205 x 3 x 3

Plate-loaded Shoulder Press
90 x 5
210 x 4 x 6
200 x 4 x 6

Seated Close-grip Row
170 x 4 x 10

Looking forward to the day off today... Time to load on the icy hot and relax.

Cut your losses, and keep your head up. The smartest thing you did was not push yourself into injury. That's a solid workout. What are you doing for a warm up and how long are you warming up? Do you wear sleeves?

[John Grey]

Cut your losses, and keep your head up. The smartest thing you did was not push yourself into injury. That's a solid workout. What are you doing for a warm up and how long are you warming up? Do you wear sleeves?

For bench sessions my warm-up is usually just shoulder mobility work along with a couple light sets of bench. My warm-ups generally last about 30-40 minutes. I do not wear any sleeves for benching.

[Preston]

For bench sessions my warm-up is usually just shoulder mobility work along with a couple light sets of bench. My warm-ups generally last about 30-40 minutes. I do not wear any sleeves for benching.

I'm not old, but I have to really really warm up for my elbows to not bother me the next 4 days after benching....or really anything upper body. Things got really good for me once I started wearing sleeves.

[John Grey]

I'm not old, but I have to really really warm up for my elbows to not bother me the next 4 days after benching....or really anything upper body. Things got really good for me once I started wearing sleeves.

Yeah, I am going to give benching another go tonight... Warm-up a little more than usual see how my left shoulder/elbow hold up. Since that workout I haven't felt any pain or tenderness whatsoever so I am hoping it was just a "one of those days" kind of workouts.