Home gym chronicles, Part II; mind over fatter

[SecondsOut]

well, even though it didn't last too long, you are really just coming off a cut. lower back hates calorie deficits! like you said, the monster pulls will come soon enough. still looks like a decent sesh, though

[Squatter]

Glad to hear your lower back only fired a warning shot. Deads seem to be a lift you have to ease back into. Hope all is well for next week.

[EliteDreams]

You'll get back to snuff soon enough strong guy.

[Soldier]

Thanks guys. Back was uncomfortable last night, but only when I got up. It still feels "compressed", like I'm holding weight for a squat.

On top of that, I've gotten a cold as well, so I'm just not feeling great at all.

I'm going to do some shoulders and back later if I feel up for it.

[Soldier]

I've come up with a new training plan for my new training goals. I'm going to run this program for the next 5 weeks or so, while I wait to begin my next PH cycle. It's a 4 day a week program, 2 days of volume a-la German volume training, 2 days of 5x5 based strength training. Goal is to recomp, build size, and maintain strength.

Today I gave 10x10 training a try for the first time. Here's what went down-

BTN overhead press with chains-
45+30 for 10x10

Inverted close grip rows*-
BWx10
BWx10
BWx10
BWx8 (I realized here that I won't be able to keep doing sets of 10, so I decide to go to 7 reps)
BWx7
BWx7
BWx7
BWx7
BWx7
BWx7

Curls-
45x10x10

Supersetted with situps-
1 chain over my shoulders x10x10

*For these I hung 2 handles close to eachother from a single chain wrapped around my racked bar.

I like training like this! Of course, this is just a taste. GVT with overhead presses and curls is not the same as GVT with squats. I got a great pump, of course, and from what I've read hopefully I can get back some of the size I've lost by focussing purely on strength. I'm not going to cut for the moment. I'm going to keep my bodyweight around what it is now, then cut once I start my coming cycle of Pro-tren and Pro-halo.

Next training day will be Tuesday. Time to bust out the slingshot again!

[BendtheBar]

Like a machine.

[Soldier]

I finally did it! For the first time since my bodypart split days my shoulders are sore. That's awesome, considering that the weight I used for my overhead presses wasn't very impressive, or even hard to lift at the time. Normally I'm not a soreness chaser, but in this case I'm happy about it.

I also weighed myself this morning. I thought I'd be over 230, considering that I haven't worried about my intake for the last few days, but I've actually only gained 1lb, up from 227.6 to 228.6. I credit the fact that I've still mostly eaten food that I prepared. Funny how you can make food for yourself that seems very indulgent, like pizza and burritos, but it's still far fewer calories and much better for you than food from a restaraunt.

Back felt tight this morning, but I don't feel anything unless I bend over or sit for a while then get up. I'm sure I won't feel anything in a couple days.

Bench tomorrow, low carb today. The benching will be fun. The low carb will not.

[SecondsOut]

gonna start callin you Ghost Rider with them chains of doom

[Soldier]

As long as we can disregard the "movie", I'm down. I tell you, I'm loving chains. I may start a video series on how to use them in the home gym. I come up with a new way to use them every time I go out there!

No training today. My platoon went for a run this morning, which felt nice. It wasn't too much.

My wife got her first taste of German volume training tonight, and I had her jump right in. SQUATS! I had her do a little bench, working up to a max triple, then had her work to a max single on squats (she got 115, failed at 125), then finished her off by doing 10x10 with the bar. Her work capacity is pathetic, and she also wants to build a little size, so volume is the way to go. She could barely squeeze out the 10x10 with 45, even though it's only 40% of her max.

[Soldier]

First session of the new program tonight. Upper body strength.

Paused bench press with slingshot-
1st goal- work up to a max single
135x3
225x2
275x1
295x1
315x1 (barely got this, decided to stop here.)
2nd goal- 5x5
275x5
275x5
275x5
275x5
275x5

Opposing close grip pullups-
BWx5x5

Situp-
2 chains x10x10

Supersetted with wide grip curls-
45x10x10

Benching was a blast tonight! My sets actually got stronger as I got into my 3rd and 4th sets with 275, because I was getting a feel for both pausing and using the slingshot. You have to really control the bar when you pause with a heavy weight, especially when you're overloading with the slingshot. I've always known that your grip should be as tight as possible when benching, but tonight I actually felt the difference it made. Squeeze the bar, push the feet into the ground and push like your trying to throw the bar through the roof. I'm starting to get this powerlifting thing!

I had planned to finish with just situps, but I figured why the hell shouldn't I go ahead and through some curls in there too. I've figured out a trick with curls. At the bottom I push my elbows out in front of me slightly and squeeze my triceps, straightening my arms hard and stretching my biceps, then as I start the curl I bring my elbows back slightly. I had read about this trick on Tnation, and it WORKS! That slight little extra stretch easily doubles the pump I get during a set of curls.

I'm planning to do this superset of situps and curls 3 times a week, to strengthen my abs and, well, get some big ass arms. Nothing wrong with some vanity, right?