NOTES: Second set felt much better, still having some issues with foot and bar placement. Note to self place the bar down a notch on my traps to engage back more.
OVERHEAD PRESS
Barx10
35kgx5
40kgx5
45kgx5
52.5kgx5
NOTES: The first few sets were eh but by the last set I was squeezing my lower back and arse well so that gave me a good base.
DEADLIFT
60kgx5
80kgx5
105kgx5
125kgx5
NOTES: Only 4 sets, yes you read that correctly. It was 36 degrees celsius by this time so I was pouring in sweat and didn't want to delay the top set at all. Didn't go for double overhand which I am sad about but maybe next week.
WORKOUT NOTES: Rolled around on my glutes, hips and hams before this so I was ready to go. I felt so tired after the squats so I need to consistently take creatine to help get my endurance back. Thinking I need to really roll out my shoulder capsules, my lower and mid back and my hips for around an hour, things keep loosening a bit then tightening a bit on me so I need to put that money in the bank.
NOTES: Foam rolled for about half and hour all over my shoulders, legs, hips and back before this. Everything felt in tune and powerful except my lower back, either it is still fried from deadlifts or it's not getting activated somehow.
BENCH
Barx10
40kgx5
50kgx5
60kgx5
65kgx5
72.5kgx3
60kgx8
NOTES: The final set was actually not a breeze somehow, I think I had the bench press resting on uneven ground because my left arm felt super weird.
PENDLAY ROW
40kgx5
50kgx5
60kgx5
65kgx5
72.5kgx3
60kgx8
NOTES: These were easy apart from being a bit tired from squats, it is going to take me 7 weeks to get back to my old PR of 90kgx5.
WORKOUT NOTES: I wasn't actually going to work out because I'm a pussy, then Ash told me that I should just do it and not even think about it; so I did that and this workout was phenomenal. It was one of those rare times when I could actually feel each movement and enjoy it during the rep, strange but great for correcting form problems in my bench and squat. Aiming to eat huge.
NOTES: The second set felt great, I think I need to roll out my back more because it didn't feel switched on at all.
OHP
Barx10
35kgx5
40kgx5
45kgx5
50kgx5
NOTES: Could have felt better but considering this was the first time I have done this movement in two months, it's just fine. Got into a nice groove by the last set though.
DEADLIFT
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
120kgx5 DOH
NOTES: Felt good to smack out 120kg double over-hand, the last rep was not easy but that's probably a good thing.
WORKOUT NOTES: Another week that started with 45 hours of work in 3 days, and it's killing my recovery! I don't feel too tired during the day but I just feel that little bit 'slow' when I'm working out. Will have to get some rest this weekend.
NOTES: This went much better than expected. I rolled my scapula, shoulder capsule/rear delt and lats on the cricket ball before benching and it made the world of difference. Going to be back up to 90kgx5 soon enough.
DEADLIFT
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
125kgx5
NOTES: Felt like I had 8 in me, off the floor was fast and lockout wasn't problematic.
NOTES: I was going to bench 75kgx5 on one of these sets but I decided that it was not the time to push that button. By the last set I was really feeling a good contraction without having to flare my elbows to finish the lift, and my back was tight while my hip drive was coming off without a hitch; so I'm content.
DEADLIFT
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
120kgx5
NOTES: 120kg was no belt, after not deadlifting since Archie was born 3 months ago. The last rep was loose but out of carelessness rather than weakness, which is actually more condemnable so I don't know why I'm making that discernment.
WORKOUT NOTES: Nice deadlift comeback, next time I think I will up the weight by 2.5kg and add in another warm-up set on 110kg just to add some more volume in. Overall the form was strong with the shoes.
Bench went well, I'm hoping I can keep oscillating the sets and reps to bring my proprioception back up to speed while building my base back up again. I think next time I'm going to try and bench 3x70kgx8 just to really make sure I keep coming back to a certain weight to 'conquer' it before moving up.
NOTES: Tougher than I would like to admit, though the form was controlled and never under threat of breaking down. 80kg won't be too hard to reach soon.
OHP
Barx10
40kgx10
50kgx8
NOTES: Just a little taste to get my appetite for the lift back. Not a bad effort at all considering I haven't performed a single rep of this lift for over 3 months. I'll be looking to get back to 60kgx5 in a month.
WORKOUT NOTES: Hell yeah, I liked this workout despite the fact that I couldn't deadlift because of the leg DOMS from squatting. The pain will subside post-workout soon I'm hoping, but it sure is painful not being able to sit down or walk up stairs without looking like I have soldered knee joints.
I was hoping to deadlift 120kgx5 when I hit up the lift next, which should be on Wednesday night. This doesn't seem like an unreasonable goal.
NOTES: Still slightly adjusting to the lifted shoes again, though everything definitely felt solid. I probably need to throw in more reps to streamline these motor patterns again, but I decided not to this time because I knew I would be incredibly sore already.
PENDLAY ROW
40kgx10
50kgx10
60kgx5
65kgx5
70kgx5
60kgx10
NOTES: The intensity was there, and my setup was tight. I'm glad I didn't try and smash out 80kg, it will all come back in good time as long as I let it.
WORKOUT NOTES: This will be the setup for my workouts from here on out, with the addition of maybe a set of curls or something along those lines. I'm positive that I will be able to gain ground and get stronger quickly with just 4 exercises once a week, albeit with less rapidity as before.
WORKOUT NOTES: All is not lost. I've been terribly tired and one-track minded as of late, so to get this relatively easy workout out of the way was a good choice. Not much can be said except that 70kgx8 (over BW, I weigh a shocking 69kg right now) is a pretty decent result for someone who has only benched twice in the last 3 months.
The next step will be to find an easy routine that will allow me to workout twice a week while making some sort of attempt at periodic or linear progress. I think my 'routine' from now on should look like this:
DAY 1: Pendlay Row, Squat
Day 2: Bench, Deadlift
I really see no other options here, other than throwing in OHP and front squats as a 3rd day if it comes to that. So yeah, this is me actually making plans in the future to workout on a consistent basis, which is incredibly uplifting and liberating. I need weights to de-stress as well as feel physically worthy of having over 1.5K of equipment behind a door in my home. Not only that, but lifting consistently always pushes me to take better care of myself in general and get some much-needed discipline into multiple facets of my life, most of all my nutrition.
Even though in reality all I did was lie down on a bench for 15 minutes on a Wednesday night trying to get up a sweat and not embarrass myself, I can say that it was a start, which as we can all attest to is the most important thing.
WORKOUT NOTES: Good workout. Squats weren't as terrible as I'd thought they would be, only 10kg off my previous PR. I'm feeling good that I can build up my base quickly again.
NOTES: I knew I would still be weak today, so I just smashed the ship on the rocks and burnt myself out. I was actually only aiming for 115kgx3, but when it went up I knew it was my responsibility to pound my legs to ensure an adaptation. I was actually planning at leaving it after 115kg, glad I pushed through and tested myself.
BENCH
Barx10
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
80kgx5
82.5kgx6
NOTES: My bench form is so much better now than it was a month ago. Albeit I'm using lower weight but my setup is rock solid now. I feel like I 'own' 80kg now, so next workout it will be back up to 85kgx5.
PENDLAY ROWS
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
80kgx5
82.5kgx5
NOTES: Once again, pretty pleased with this. Haven't done any rows at all in 3 weeks so this is still strong comparatively.
WORKOUT NOTES: This was the first really assured workout I've had since Archie was born. Obviously I'm around 5-10kg weaker on most of my lifts now, but I've lost almost 3kg and I only got 4 hours sleep the night before this workout so that's a mitigating factor too. The effort was there today, and the results came. Hopefully I can build back up from here on 'Madcows' again and just take it slow from here.
NOTES: Sweet. Form was strong and descent was nice and controlled. The 110kg set felt like I had 10, quite happy with the depth on my sets too.
BENCH
Barx10
60kgx5
67.5kgx5
75kgx5
85kgx5
95kgx2 PR FAILED
NOTES: This was bad. I don't know what's happened since 90kgx5, I think I've just forgotten how to drive effectively. Some active release and a reset to 87.5kgx5 will do the trick I hope.
PENDLAY ROW
60kgx5
70kgx5
77.5kgx5
85kgx5
92.5kgx3 PR
80kgx8 PR
NOTES: Awyeah, my rows are stronger than my bench (as they probably should be). I filmed the back-off set of 80kgx8 instead of the top set because I thought it would be more interesting than a pendlay row triple.
INCLINE FLYS
21kgx10 PR
21kgx8 PR
NOTES: These were surprisingly good. For some reason I have ridiculously strong flys, these were to 'parallel' and very slow. The last couple of reps on the second set were agonising.
WORKOUT NOTES: Goddamn bench press, I'm just weak at that lift right now. I need to get more thoracic mobility and get my setup right, because right now it feels like I don't have an active and stable base to press from.
Other than that, this was actually a really good workout. Squats were unsurprisingly easy, though the triple days always are, it's the next workout which is the real money-maker. My rows just keep getting stronger and my form is still good, so I don't see any reason to start micro-loading yet (which is probably what I'll need to do for my bench). Onwards and upwards!
NOTES: This was great, strong base and good speed. I knew it would go when I felt how light 60kg was.
DEADLIFT
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
125kgx5
147.5kgx5 PR
NOTES: This was a well-fought set, I knew it would be hard because I lost a bit of weight while sick. Enjoyed the look of all that weight on the bar, though realistically I should be able to get to 160kgx5 if I eat right and keep my head in the game.
DB ROW
46kgx6 PR
46kgx6 PR
46kgx6 PR
NOTES: Surprised at how light these felt, they were pretty strict so if I rip them more I am sure I could have them for a set of 10. I might just go back to 41kg and do some sets of 10 or 12 though.
WORKOUT NOTES: This was a great workout, I was a bit knocked about from the last workout so to come back and hit everything I wanted to with a bit in the tank was pleasing. I know I keep saying this but I need to eat more, I have officially gained no weight on this routine as I'm back to 75kg. Even if I dreamer-bulk from here I would probably only gain 2kg by the end of Madcows; I'm going to aim to eat an extra meal a day somewhere.
NOTES: The 107.5kgx5 set was dogshit, just shocking. The weight was light but my knees and hips were completely off kilter. 120kgx5 felt better, but still felt like I had forgotten how to squat a bit.
BENCH
Barx10
50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
92.5kgx3 Fail
80kgx8 PR
NOTES: Didn't even attempt a 4th rep. Once again, I just felt like I had no solidity in my base setup, my back was moving a lot which is never good. Did the back off set with 80kg just to prove I wasn't a total failure. 95kgx3 will go.
PENDLAY ROW
50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5 PR
NOTES: These felt decent, though my lower back was feeling a bit pumped and slow to fire from the squats and strangely the bench.
WORKOUT NOTES: This was not a good workout by any stretch of the imagination. After taking 6 days off due to sickness and lack of time, I felt like I had forgotten how to properly do the exercises; like I had lost a bit of an edge. No matter, I will simply have to eat through it and be ready for deadlifts and overhead press on Saturday.
Also, I have some myofascial work to do, my hamstrings feel tight like they're about to twinge while my neck and delts are tight all the time now. This is probably where I should put more effort into active release and try to avoid injury.
NOTES: This was badass. The weight felt light on my back and it felt controlled even at the bottom position. I think I have improved my ability to contract my core.
NOTES: This was easier than the triple I did on 90kg last week. I really want a 100kgx3 bench by the end of this routine, and by getting 92.5kgx5 I will be damn close.
NOTES: Strong. My form is still holding up well, which is a nice surprise as I thought I would have reset by now or upped the volume.
INCLINE DB BENCH
34kgx5 PR
34kgx6 PR
NOTES: Feels good to be throwing this weight around on incline.
WORKOUT NOTES: Simply awesome workout, everything was really light but also an active challenge. I'm happy with all of my lifts, the squat is obviously the lift I want to improve the most but I'm really contented with my upper body progression too on this routine. The 6 week build up seems to be paying dividends!
NOTES: Out of all the bench, squat, row and deadlift PRs, this was definitely the sweetest. I have craved this PR for so long, to get it is awesome. This means that I will be aiming for a BW overhead press by the end of this routine.
DEADLIFT
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
120kgx5
145kgx5 PR
NOTES: This was beast, not because it was easy but because it was hard. My form stayed tight and I managed to keep good speed off the floor. I need to eat more.
WORKOUT NOTES: One of the best workouts in terms of overcoming tough sets ever; I pushed myself this workout. The press is not going to keep progressing with the 5x5 setup, I've made 5kg of progress on this routine so I won't get too greedy and burn out. 70kgx3 next workout.
The deadlift was hard, but once I have chalk it won't be. My grip is the limiting factor for sure, the bar always feels slippery on deads.
In terms of my physical progress, I'm really psyched. So far on the routine I've only gained 1.5kg, so it means I've added lean gains without getting fat. Obviously the deeper in the routine I go the more I'm going to need to go into surplus to keep up, but I'm confident I won't get above 16% body fat or so from here on out. My chest, forearms and back are really growing fast, and I'm retaining some level of vascularity so it helps me determine how much bigger I'm getting.
NOTES: Much easier than expected; lots of visualisation involved.
BENCH
Barx10
50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5 PR
NOTES: I finally made it! This has been a big goal for months so to hit it is awesome. I knew it would go up when 80kgx5 felt like the bar, I think I have 80kgx10 by now.
PENDLAY ROW
50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
87.5kgx5 PR
60kgx20 PR
NOTES: Clutch, so much so that I decided to do a widowmaker with pendlay's. Form on the 60kg set was strict too.
DB BENCH
36kgx8 PR
38.5kgx6 PR
NOTES: This was a big surprise, I was going to do 36kgx5, 38.5kgx5, but instead I went for a PR on the first set and then got a massive PR on the 38.5kg set! My big goal of 40kgx5 is so close now.
WORKOUT NOTES: Form on everything is holding up, which is good. I need to recognise that the routine won't be easy forever, I'm probably not eating enough right now. I'm still only weighing just over 76kg, which means I've only gained 1.5kg since starting the routine; hooray for lean gains but at the same time it means I'm currently not in a caloric surplus. That move should start now so I can get to a 125kgx5 squat in 3 weeks.
NOTES: This was really surprising, because I once again increased the weight of the ramping sets and still the top set was incredibly easy. The ease of 117.5kgx3 made me do the back off set on 100kg instead of 95kg. Felt like I had another 8 in me.
BENCH
Barx15
50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx3 PR
70kgx8
Bench 90kgx3
NOTES: Bah, the last rep of 90kg was dog shit. I don't know why, but instead of grouping all the reps together in one energy bursts, I separated the 3rd rep from the first two and made the rep much harder than it needed to be.
PENDLAY ROWS
50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
87.5kgx3 PR
70kgx8
Pendlay Row 87.5kgx3 PR
NOTES: I did the same thing on this movement as I did on bench; breaking the set up into two beats when one would have sufficed. Still, this was not tough at all.
INCLINE DB BENCH
28.5kgx10
28.5kgx10
28.5kgx12 PR
NOTES: Well this was a surprise. Last time I failed the last set on 8, so to get a 4 rep PR is pretty crazy. It was true failure at the end there.
WORKOUT NOTES: Wasn't feeling very strong at all, but was pleasantly surprised at how easily the squats went up.
