30 Nov Log

squats
135 x12
225 x8
315 x6
405 x5
495 x3
545 x1
585 x1
605 x1
505 x5, 4, 3, 3

romanian deadlift
315 x3 x5

reverse flyes
85 x4 x10

Good day. 605 is definitely the new moving max, probably for 4-5 months. Like with 585, I will still go over 605 in efforts to find the next moving max, but I will always hit 605 minimum before going into backoff sets. I am confident in my ability to come in to the gym every week and at least hit 605, even on a bad day, which today definitely was. Sleep deprived and stressed about finals and work, I managed 605 without slowing down out of the hole.

Accessory to the Crime 5: I've got all this time on my hands, what should I do?

This past week I happened to have a weirder schedule, since BYU makes Tuesday a Friday on Thanksgiving week. This meant I could go to the gym MTW and then Fri. I didn't go to the BYU gym Friday, but instead went to Gold's. Now, I've been doing the 3 day a week for a while, but I knew I wanted to get in the gym and make the most of an extra day. So here's some ideas:

For Beginners:

I would probably either not do anything, do an hour of cardio, or if you really wanted something to do, I'd do abs, calves, and forearms. These are all things that could probably be trained every day with no problems anyway, so you're not going to screw up your program if you do them. Bodyweight exercises fall into the same category, but you don't need a gym for those. Unless you really want to go to the gym for their pullup bars or something.

For Everyone Else:

This is just an example of something you could do: what I wound up doing was some incline pressing and more. Since pressing is awesome and I don't do it enough, an extra pressing day is just the ticket for me, but I do incline presses a lot. I decided to do fat bar incline presses to make it a little more challenging, and you can see I kept the reps a little higher for the most part. The last set was with 225 and it was 5/4/3/2/1 with minimal rest between sets. Then I did some db flat bench since I hadn't done it in a while and wanted something fun. Then to heavy shrugs (heavier than I can do in the BYU gym because of bar space), and finally some abs, because that's rarely a bad thing to do.

I'd recommend that if you have an extra day and you're more loose with your programming, take advantage of it. Here's a few guidelines:

• When in doubt, put the bar on your back or overhead. Squatting and pressing are things that you almost certainly don't do often enough.
• Don't use the same rep scheme you always use. If you're used to working up to a heavy single and then doing back off work, do a 5x5 scheme, or 10x3, or a widowmaker set. 
• Take advantage of movements you don't do as often. If you tend to leave ab training to squats, deads, and pressing, take some time for some decline crunches, ab wheel, or leg raises. Don't be afraid of machines- they can be awesome for getting a pump.
• Think about what you suck at and do that. I suck at benching, hence why I chose to do a form of pressing. If you suck at squatting, do some squatting. If you normally back squat, front squat. If you do both, do paused squats.
• Don't screw up the rest of your training because you got a bonus day. You could possibly do high rep deadlifts followed by good mornings and back raises but I don't think you'd find it to be very beneficial. 
• Loaded carries are always awesome. Farmers walks will tax you, but they shouldn't impair you. Overhead carries are awesome, as are trap bar carries. 
• If nothing sounds appealing, go do some hill sprints. Yes, seriously. If you have extra time and you want to do something beneficial, go do some hill sprints. They're great. I don't do them nearly enough, personally. 
• Alternatively: just don't do anything gym related- there's no rule that you have to go to the gym on a free day. It's a free day- do what you want to do. I happen to be passionate about lifting and so I like going to the gym.

I think my extra day in the gym paid off alright- I hit a PR of 345 lb on the incline press today. I'm excited about returning to flat bench, considering my flat bench has always outpaced my incline press by 50-70 lbs. Granted, I haven't really flat benched in a while, but I'm thinking 405 is within my grasp, and soon. I will hopefully be competing in January and definitely be competing in March of next year, and I hope to have a decent showing at both meets.

28 Nov Log

incline press
95 x12
135 x10
185 x8
225 x5
275 x3
315 x2
345 x1- Incline Bench PR
275 x5, 4, 3

Poundstone Curls
45 x100

pullups
+155 lbs of assistance x 7, 5, 6, 7

dips
bw x10, 10, 12

db bench
85 x20

26 Nov log

deadlift
135 x8
200 x5
275 x4
330 x3
385 x2
440 x1
465 x1
495 x1

I've been struggling with dl, but today I think I've got my dl technique back. I have been trying different things, but this was the strongest 5 plate pull I've had in a while. Basically: lime up the barbell, big air, grip, shoulders back, double chin, chest up, pull. I think I'll be back to 600+ by the end of the year, glute notwithstanding.

front squats
135 x8
185 x6
225 x4
275 x3
315 x3 x3

I do these because it's fun, they're not taxing on my lower back, and squatting is always a good idea.

23 Nov log

What do you do with an extra day to workout? Well I plan on finishing that blogpost soon of ideas, but this is what I did.

incline press
135 x10
+fat gripz the rest of the way
135 x10
185 x8
205 x7
225 x5, 4, 3, 2, 1- almost no rest between sets

db flat bench
85 x12
95 x8
105 x5

shrugs
495 x10
585 x6
675 x5
765 x3
855 x2 x3 (was at the gold's gym where I can fit this much on)

abs
cable crunch with spud inc long strap
100 x15
125 x15
150 x15
170 x20

21 Nov log

So I got to the gym at 7:30 only to find it didn't open until 8. So I did some cossack squats and other mobility stuff beforehand.

squat
135 x10
225 x8
315 x5
405 x4
495 x3
545 x2
585 x1
605 x1
515 x3

squat lockouts
675 x5
725 x4
765 x3

speed dl
315 x3 x2

20 Nov log

incline press
95 x15
135 x10
185 x7
205 x6
225 x5
245 x4
275 x3
295 x2
315 x2
265 x6, 4, 3

poundstone curls
45 x50, 35, 15

pullups
-165 x9, 8
-145 x8

Girl worked in between 2nd and 3rd set, re-set the assistance to 145 instead of 165. It was a tougher 8 reps than I thought it would be, but I got it. So I'm happy about that.

dips
bw x3 x10
bw x5

extra set because I felt like it. Plus I wanted a sick chest pump.

So I've been easing into this next phase of my training- moving away from OHP to incline press, doing basic assistance on pressing days, then back squats one day where I work up to a moving max (e.g. 585 as of late, going to be 605), then a few back off sets (3-7 sets of 3-6 reps), with whatever assistance work I want that day (shrugs, mobility, hamstring, low back stuff), then on deadlift day doing the new strong 15 from Strength, Life, Legacy and then rdls and front squats, with other stuff being worked in as needed like light overhead work, etc.

I will probably include squat lockouts every other week just to keep it interesting. Maybe I can get 765 x10 someday, which would be fun.

19 Nov Log

deadlifts (new strong 15 from Strength, Life, Legacy)
135 x8
235 x5
285 x4
330 x3
375 x2
410 x1
420 x1
435 x1
375 x2 x3

romanian dls
315 x3 x8

front squat
135 x5
185 x5
225 x3
275 x3
315 x2
365 x1
405 x1

external rotation and db flyes
15 x3 x12/ x3 x15

ohp
135 x6
185 x6, 6, 5

16 Nov Log

squats
135 x10
225 x8
315 x5
405 x5
495 x3
545 x2
585 x1
515 x3 x3

Getting into a bit of a groove with squats. I think if I competed next week, 585 would definitely be my opener. Goal is to make 625 that same way within four weeks, then have my actual opener be 630 ish. That'd make 35 lb jumps each attempt for a 700 lb squat- hard, but not impossible. It's a lofty goal but I want it badly.

shrugs
675 x5
765 x3 x3

dumbbell external rotation
15 x6 x12 (6 sets per arm, 3 on bench, 3 on cable tower)

rear delt fly
15 x4 x12

14 Nov log

incline press
95 x12
135 x8
185 x5
225 x4
255 x3
275 x2
295 x1
315 x1
245 x6, 5, 5 - goal of 245 x3 x8

poundstone curls
45 x100
fat grips on the bar, alternating supinated/pronated grip when tired

pull-ups
-175 lbs of assistance
x 12, 8, 6

dips
bw x3 x10

12 Nov log

deadlifts- strong 15
135 x10
235 x5
280 x4
330 x3
375 x2
405 x1
415 x1
425 x1
355 x3 x3

romanian deadlifts
275 x3 x8

leg extensions
120 x3 x25

9 Nov Log

squats
135 x10
225 x8
315 x5
405 x5
495 x3
545 x1
+belt
585 x1
605 x1

squat lockouts
no belt
635 x5
675 x5
725 x5
765 x3

leg extensions
115 x4 x20

7 Nov log

btn push press
135 x6
185 x5
225 x4
245 x3
275 x2, 1

ohp
185 x5, 8, 7

poundstone curls
45 x100 (alternating reg and reverse curls)

pullups
assisted- 185
x10, 9, 6

5 Nov log

Deadlifts
135 x10
190 x5
230 x4
275 x3
330 x2
380 x1
405 x1
410 x1
330 x3 x3
All double overhand, no belt

good mornings
185 x4 x8

back extensions
3 x8
Bad idea all around- lower back so destroyed I'm going to be living off heat and nsaids today.

cable crunches
100 x3 x20

3 Nov Log

So you know those days when everything is going right? Well, Brodin truly smiled on me today, after being sick and vomiting up/losing 8 lbs over two days, I went in the gym today feeling pretty good and came out feeling like I had been very broductive.

squats
135 x10
225 x8
315 x6
405 x4
495 x3
545 x2
585 x1
605 x2 x1- this was awesome. I racked 605 after the first rep and realize I had another in the tank (and possibly another), so I grabbed a sip from the shaker, set up, unracked, dropped into the hole and popped back up like a hot knife through butter. Killer day

squat lockouts
605 x5
635 x5
675 x5
725 x4 (only because a clip fell off)
765 x4

squats ass't
495 x5 x3- coulda done more probably, but wanted to keep it beltless

flyes
75 x a lot just filler/ get blood flowing.

So after a few lagging weeks, this workout came in and man, I feel on top of the world. Good day.