Buckfever's Journey

8/17/2016

Bench Press

135X10

185X8

225X3

205X5X3sets,3

185X6

135X10X3sets,7X2sets Paused

Tricep Pressdown

70X8,9,10

Superset with:

Rotator Cuff External rotation

5lbsX30X3sets


Notes:
I was pretty sure I could grind out 7 sets of 3 at 225, it just felt like the form wasn't there and I wasn't helping myself. Actually the best part of the workout I thought was the paused sets at 135. Massive chest pump from tha.t From the paused position I was finding the groove real nice, so I think I'm going to give that a try going forward. Shoulders feel real good. I can't remember them feeling this good after a bench workout. I like that rotator cuff movement, I'll move to the 7.5lb dumbbells next time. By the time I got to the tricep pressdowns the tris were done. I've been under 1800 calories a day since last thursday and the weight is coming off pretty good. Faster than I should be doing it, but we don't have a lot of time and we got to look beachy. 187lbs this morning. Squatting on friday. Loving this programming!

8/21/2016

Deadlift

225x10

275x10

315x6x3sets;4x4sets

275x12

Notes:
The cutting is getting to me. Still felt like a decent session though. Erectors are solid.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buckfever

8/21/2016

Deadlift

225x10

275x10

315x6x3sets;4x4sets

275x12

Notes:
The cutting is getting to me. Still felt like a decent session though. Erectors are solid.

---

The mental part of the cut starts setting in, thats the worst.

"am i eating enough to maintain strength"
"we had a nice run boys, this is it for me on strength"
"I look flat, and feel weak, is this work it"

Hate those feels. Stay strong brother!

Do you need to drop some of the volume with the cut?

8/22/2016

C.G. Pulldowns

160X10

180X8

160X10,10,8,6X3sets

Curls

60X20,10,8,10

Weighted incline abs

50lbsX8,4,4

Notes:
Ok it's official I'm weak as %$#. I absolutely can not sustain strength on 1800 calories a day. 186.2 this morning only 4.2lbs to go. Just doing what I can to hold on to some strength.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cellardweller

Do you need to drop some of the volume with the cut?

---

Absolutely and not by choice. LOL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weightsb4dates

The mental part of the cut starts setting in, thats the worst.

"am i eating enough to maintain strength"
"we had a nice run boys, this is it for me on strength"
"I look flat, and feel weak, is this work it"

Hate those feels. Stay strong brother!

---

"I feel small" that's the worst.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buckfever

Absolutely and not by choice. LOL

---

It really sucked at the end of my diet this winter. Couldn't keep up with my normal training so I feel ya

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buckfever

"I feel small" that's the worst.

---

Ohh yea, that one will get you. especially when other people start noticing and telling you "you look good, you look more slim and athletic". you always get that one from the guy who "just wants to be toned and fit", and it always sounds like a passive aggressive way of saying "i told you being big wasnt cool, bro", probably because they feel a little insecure around you.

just have to tell yourself you are on the right track and you will put clean muscular size on after the cut.

keep your head in the game man.

8/24/2016

Bench

135X8(paused)

155X6(paused)

185X4(paused)

205X3

225X3

230X1

235X1

240X1

245X1

250X1

155X10 (Paused)

Rotator cuff Upright Dumbbell external rotation

7.5lbsX20,20,20,15

Tricep Pressdown

70X10

85X12,8,7

Notes:
Started with 135-185 paused, everything felt achy from the get go. With the ongoing depletion from the cut, I don't have the stamina so I decided to reduce the volume go up slowly and try to get a few heavier reps to try and keep a little bit of strength.

8/25/2016

C.G.Pulldowns

160X8

180X6

200X4

220X3

180X7X4sets,5

Curls

70X13,8X3sets

Incline Weighted Abs
60lb dumbellX5X3sets

Notes:
Reducing the volume and saving the strength is helping since I'm depleted from the cut. I forgot my straps so I had to use a dumbell for the weighted abs which I dislike as it decreases the ROM. Another week of this cut.

8/29/2016

Well my buddies cancelled on me for the deadlift party yesterday and my daughter corralled me into helping her move. Achy as hell, I did a light bench workout today and decided to call it and start the deload. Still hammering the diet hard, mostly keeping the calories at 1650 to push this thing to completion. 185.8 yesterday only 3.8lbs to go. I'm taking 2 full weeks off and want to hit 182 by then. And then I want to keep it tight to 182 as I rebuild strength, so I'm going to stick to a meal plan. Really have some specific strength to weight goals on the next run. I'll try and check in a bit but mostly we'll catch you on the flip side. Take care!!!

You're almost there! Nice work!

That is a big calorie deficit. I'm not sure I could function at that few calories.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ed Eliason

You're almost there! Nice work!

That is a big calorie deficit. I'm not sure I could function at that few calories.

---

Appreciate it man, especially from you, as you kind of set the benchmark for me on this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buckfever

Appreciate it man, especially from you, as you kind of set the benchmark for me on this.

---

Thanks for the kind words. You're putting the work in and getting the results.

It takes 100% more will power to keep on a diet than it does to move the iron. Stay with it. Nice bench day for being in a calorie deficit too.

9/7/2016

Got back from vacation today. Got through a very overdue deload and I have to say it was pretty miserable. You start aching all over but especially in places you didn't know you had a problem. I kept up the mobility work though out and the last couple days I started feeling pretty good again. I was pretty happy in how well I leaned up in the three weeks leading up to it. Because of a conflict I have another forced and longer deload early part of November so I've decided to stay on the cut till then and really lean up, before putting the hammer down again after that. I want to get a good bit leaner and stay leaner. I did find that 1650 calories was pretty Fn miserable, so this evening I set up meal plans that I feel are sustainable but not quite so taxing. Basically just 100 calories more, but that additional protein really helps to take the edge of the hunger. I'm going to pretty much eat the same every day but just changing the protein sources. The way I mapped it out it's 1750+/-13 calories. First thing I did was go to the grocery store and stock up. Not sure when I start up the lifting again depends on how buried I am at work but by Sunday at the latest. Looking forward to feeling the Iron again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cellardweller

it takes 100% more will power to keep on a diet than it does to move the iron.

---

THIS right here

9/9/2016

Paused Bench

135X10

135X10X5sets


C.G. Pulldowns

140X10

140X10X2sets,8,6X2sets,8


Notes:
Starting back up, decided to go back to my previous programming.

Bench/Pulldowns

Deadlift/T-bar Rows

Overhead press/Curls-Tricep Pressdown/Weighted Incline Abs

Squat/Calve raises.

I'll alternate Squat and Deadlifts and get 3 sessions every 2 weeks. Bench and overhead press every week. 1 or 2 warmups and 5 sets of 10, keeping the volume up slowly creep the weight up while I continue the cut. I'm going to stick with paused benching because for some reason it seems that it forces me into the groove. I really like following a set meal plan as the structure makes it easy for me, I don't have to think about it. 1750 calories is as hard a cut as is sustainable for me without me being absolutely miserable. I'm not going to make a hell of a lot of progress with that little food, but I'll be in shape and I'll be ready for when the cut is done.

9/11/2016

Deadlift

225X10X10sets

Notes:
Morning weight 186.2, I'm thinking 182 but then only a very small increase in calories to see if I can recomp there. I'm not ruling out going lighter, I don't want fat behind the obliques, that's what I'm shooting for. I've been stricter about weighing my food and discovered that I'm closer to 1850 calories a day. I was making the mistake of weighing the chicken and turkey after cooking and discovered there's about a 25% difference in weight after cooking. My callouses need some work after the layoff.

9/11/2016 p.m.

T-bar Rows

2PX10

2P+25lbsX10

3PX10X5sets

Still killing it with crazy volume I see good stuff.

9/12/2016

Standing Overhead Press

60X10X10sets

Curls

60X10X4sets,8X6sets

Superset with:

Tricep Pressdown

70X10X2sets,8X2sets,9X5sets,8

Weighted Incline Abs

25lbsX15,9,6

Notes:
Volume! It was nice to do overhead press again. The right shoulder complained a little so I immediately decided to keep it light and get some volume which I've found helpful to work through these little complaints. I'm not going to lie is was nice to get the arms pumped a little. Hamstrings and glutes are screaming from yesterdays deadlift volume. I've decided to put off putting in the Squat, because the guy I'm deadlifting with is willing to come out twice a week so we're going to deadlift once a week and hit the sledding hill with the 40lb weighted vest once a week. This works a little better for me because I have some backpacking to do in early November over difficult steep terrain and this is a more specific adaptation. It also supports me continuing to lean up as I burn more calories on the hill. 187.2 this morning.

9/18/2016

Squat

95X10

135X10

185X10

205X7X4sets(paused)

Deadlift

225X10

275X5X3sets

Notes:
Drove 70 minutes to Rockford to get a workout and some breakfast with my son. Haven't squatted I think in about a month. Shoulders were tight but it was nice to get under the bar. It was interesting to deadlift after squatting. Wasn't horrible but then it was a light Squat session.

Diggin that 10x10 of OHp up there. Nicework,

I dont know how i would like the squatting and Deadlifting after one and other. SOunds like a pretty good day tho. Always impressed by lifters who train in father and son groups, none of the men in my parents generation of our family were really into fitness so its pretty foreign to me, but i imagine it would be pretty cool to lift as a father/son pair.

9/19/2016

Bench

135X10

140X10X4sets

Notes:
Had to stop the workout as I developed a migrane, sometimes the Bench Press triggers it. I shut it down immediately as working through it worsens it. I feel pretty good today. Weight jumped up to 190 after the Squat session, which I'm not happy about but I think it's mostly because I'm lifting again. I'm not letting that go we're going to stay on it.

9/21/2016

Dumbell Bench

40X10

50X10

60X18,14,12,11,9

Superset with

W.G. Pulldown

100X10

120X10

140X10,9,8X3sets

Notes:
Call me a puzzy, call it whatever, I can not make progress on the bench without taking it to failure, I've tried. And I can't take the barbell bench to failure past 185 with out a spot unless I'm in a rack with safety pins which this gym doesn't have. They did however get some brand new dumbbells going up to 110lbs and some new solid benches so I'm going to give that a go. The other thing, I do like the functional strength that using dumbbells gives. I have to admit the 60's felt kind of heavy to handle. We'll see how it goes.

9/23/2016

DB Overhead Press

20X10

25X10

30X10

35X10X5sets


Superset with

DB Shrugs

40X10

50X10

60X10

70X8

80X4X2sets

70X8,6

Alt Dumbell curls

20X10

25X10

30X10X4ets

Superset with

Tricep pressdown:

60X10

70X10X5sets

Weighted incline situps

25lbsX15,8,7

Notes:
Pecs really sore from the dumbbell bench.

9/25/2016

Deadlift

225X10

275X8X6sets

Notes:
I've changed the Deadlift so that I reset after each rep. I don't see me doing 10 reps, on working sets if I'm resetting. It's harder but also it forces me in the right position in the bottom, where as I think I cheat the form using momentum with touch and go. Plus you get stronger in the bottom of the position. Coming back to it the knurling on the Texas power bar is brutal, I don't know if it's less aggressive on their deadlift bar, but my hands need some serious conditioning.

9/26/2016

D.B. Bench

40X10

55X10

70X16,10,9,7

Superset with

W.G Pulldown

120X10

140X10

145X10,8,7,6


Standing D.B. Overhead Press

30X17,15


Alt Dumbell Curl

35X9,8

and

Machine Preacher Curl

50X10

55X10

60X15


Superset with

Tricep Pressdown

60X10

70X15,10,8,7,6

Notes:
Traps were sore from the deadlifts so the overhead press wasn't working. That Life fitness preacher machine curl is the bomb for the biceps. If you set the seat right the upper arm gets locked in and it's total bicep isolation. I'm enjoying being able to take the sets to failure on the DB bench. We'll see if I respond. I have a conflict on wed so I added the light accessory work so that i can bench again on Friday.

9/28/2016

6 times up the sledding hill with the 40lb vest.

13 minutes.



Notes:
Been feeling that my overall conditioning/fitness has been lagging and the hill confirmed it. Need to put a little more emphasis on it.
It's a serious hill but only 6 flights is disappointing. Got to ramp up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...r/DSC01598.jpg

That hill does look serious! Nice work!

9/30/2016

DB Bench

40X10

55X10

70X20,11,9,8

W.G. Pulldowns

120X10

140X10

160X6,5,5,5

Notes:
Quads and Calves are sore as hell from the hill. Something to be said about variations. So far so good on the dumbbell bench.

The hill looks pretty unforgiving. You do that with a weighted vest sometimes don't you?

When benching without a spotter just make the smallest jumps. If you can do 185x5, then do it for a month and then add the 2.5lb plates to that and do 190x5 for a month. Before you know it you'll have added 20lbs to your bench and you won't be in the danger zone.

Illinois beast whas good ..nice job in the trenches at gym now this is motivating keep it moving

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cellardweller

The hill looks pretty unforgiving. You do that with a weighted vest sometimes don't you?

When benching without a spotter just make the smallest jumps. If you can do 185x5, then do it for a month and then add the 2.5lb plates to that and do 190x5 for a month. Before you know it you'll have added 20lbs to your bench and you won't be in the danger zone.

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Yes I do that with a 40lb weighted vest. I will come back to the barbell bench, I have a deload coming in November because of a conflict so some time after that, I just want to run up the strength with the dumbbells for a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buckfever

Yes I do that with a 40lb weighted vest. I will come back to the barbell bench, I have a deload coming in November because of a conflict so some time after that, I just want to run up the strength with the dumbbells for a bit.

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Thinking about this some more, why I went back to the dumbbells is I need to get a measure of whether I still can respond on the bench. The dumbbells pose no limitation, not that I really need to, but I can take every set to failure. In my head if I push it and don't over train AND I don't respond, there's a different issue here, namely my age. I don't think it's the case because this year I made some decent progress on a lot of the lifts, but I need that mental proof that I can still respond and then I'll deal with the mental barrier on the bench of getting caught under the weight. Even if it means driving the 40 minutes to Monster Garage Gym to bench every 10 days, I'll do it. Or maybe I buy a rack and bench at home. But if I hammer the dumbbells and don't respond like I used to, it's not horrible and we'll just do the best we can.

10/2/2016

Sledding hill with the 40lb weighted vest X 7.

~ 15minutes

Notes:
Quads were screaming LOL Hiking on Wed over difficult terrain with a pack so we'll count that as a hill workout and I'll get back on the hill again next Sunday and then I'd like to alternate the hill and the deadlift. I think that'll be a nice combo. Benching again tomorrow we'll see how that goes.

10/3/2016

DB Bench

40X10

60X10

80X12,8,7,7


C.G Pulldowns

140X10

160X9,8,7,7

Notes:
So far, so good. Hopefully I can sneak out of work early tomorrow and get the accessories in.

liking the 4 sets with the 80 lb dumbbells. bet you got a sick pump.