Light Body Weight Day

Writing this post work out, my left shoulder and back are fried. I hit PRs across the board and accomplished 4 of my 5 December 1st goals. I would have liked to get in a full work out but I listened to my body and let it rest a bit since I have hit my goals. What I did do is get back to some exercises that I have neglected like Dips, Pull Ups (since I am short of my Dec 1 goal of 6), and Rows since I skipped them the last time I had an Upper Body strength day.

Tomorrow I will do yoga again and then get back on track on Monday to work through December and hit my January 1st goals. Since my upper body is aching I think that I will start back up with squats and deadlifts.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Crunches (http://youtu.be/1V4RXxLHNCY)
• 20 Pushups (http://youtu.be/Eh00_rniF8E)
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

• Dips - Ladder to 8
• Pull Ups: 3, 4C, 4S, MB, 3, 4C, 3S (finished sets to 5 reps by adding jumps)
• Feet Elevated Rows: Ladder to 6

Notes / Results:

• Time: 40 minutes
• Weight: 202

Squat & Deadlift Monthly Goal Hit - DL 3 Plates Like a Beast!

I am a beast! Today is Thanksgiving and I went in with focus and nailed my squat and deadlift December 1 goals. 3 plates on the deadlift! I will celebrate by giving my body some sessions off in order to recover. Tomorrow is yoga, Saturday will be full bodyweight workout (with test to determine progress although I am not following that program at the moment) and Sunday will be another yoga session. Monday is December 1st and time to get back to working on my January 1st goals which I am going to need to hit early since the end of the month will keep me out of the gym.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Judo Push Ups
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Strength Exercises

• Barbell Squats (http://youtu.be/b_uAOqA-pxY)
• Barbell Deadlift (http://youtu.be/nFw69zIssgQ)

Notes / Results:

• Time: 60 minutes
• Weight: 202

• Squats
• Previous High:3@175
• 12@140, 10@145, 8@160, 5@175, 3@185
• Deadlift
• Previous High: 3@305
• Sets: 12@235, 7@255, 8@265, 5@295, 3@315

Push Press Focus on Upper Body Strength Day

Amazing. My mind was set on hitting my Push Press goal for December 1st and then hitting my Pull Up goal. With that focus I smashed my previous performance and got to the December 1st goal on my 7th set. Admittedly I have had better form on the earlier sets with lighter weights (no little oomph from the lower body to get the bar off my chest) but I now have the chance to clean it all up without worrying about adding load.

I did a light bench press session with great focus on extended pauses at the bottom and keeping my elbows in. After hitting my bench goal last time I am glad to just go through the motions today.

This was probably my best pull up day ever as I did 5 solid, perfect form full range of motion with pauses pull ups. Next time I will do 6 and have hit my goal.

Didn’t do Rows today. Will do them next time.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Judo Push Ups
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Strength Exercises

• Barbell Shoulder Press (http://youtu.be/8gVEdhS5AEs)
• Bench Press (http://youtu.be/gRVjAtPip0Y)
• Barbell Row (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCg1YxMt3oY)
• Pull Ups

Notes / Results:

• Time: 50 minutes
• Weight: 202

• Press
• Previous High: 2@110
• Sets: 11@85, 8@90, 7@95, 4@100, 3@105, 3@110, 3@115
• Bench Press
• Previous high: 2@165
• Sets: 7@135, 5@145, 4@135
• Pull Ups
• Previous High: 4
• 5, 4(2C), 4S, 3, 3C, 3S

Squats & Deadlifts

Good progress. On target to hit my December 1st goals.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Judo Push Ups
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Strength Exercises

• Barbell Squats (http://youtu.be/b_uAOqA-pxY)
• Barbell Deadlift (http://youtu.be/nFw69zIssgQ)

Notes / Results:

• Time: 50 minutes
• Weight: 201

• Deadlift
• Previous High: 3@295
• Sets: 10@235, 7@255, 6@265, 5@285, 3@305
• Squats
• Previous High:3@175
• 12@135, 10@145, 8@155, 5@165, 3@175

Upper Body Strength - Hit Dec 1 Bench Press Goal

Reached my bench press December 1st goal with a spot. Still need to work on the Push Press and Pull Ups.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Judo Push Ups
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Strength Exercises

• Barbell Shoulder Press (http://youtu.be/8gVEdhS5AEs)
• Bench Press (http://youtu.be/gRVjAtPip0Y)
• Barbell Row (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCg1YxMt3oY)
• Pull Ups

Notes / Results:

• Time: 70 minutes
• Weight: 202

• Bench Press
• Previous high: 3@160
• Sets: 12@135, 7@145, 5@145, 3@160, 2@165
• Press
• Previous High: 2@110
• Sets: 7@85, 7@90, 5@95, 3@100, 2@105
• Rows
• Previous High: 3@175
• 10@145, 10@150, 6@160, 5@165, 4@170
• Pull Ups
• Previous High: 4
• 4, 4C, 3S, 3, 3C

Squats & Deadlifts

Another great day today. I feel like I am on track to hit my December 1 strength goals. I was supposed to do this workout yesterday but I think that eating white bread toast with jelly spiked my insulin levels and then I crashed when I got to the gym. Glad that I took yesterday off and came back today and smashed my goals. Lesson learned on breakfast.

My weight continues to go up which is a concern but I have my Spartan wrist band on again to remind me to eat the right stuff. As long as I am eating the right stuff and my performance continues to increase I am going to put the weight concern on the back burner.

And now as I entered in my results, I noticed that I used an old sheet and did the same weights as I did last time. Uuuugh. Opportunity to advance wasted.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Judo Push Ups
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Strength Exercises

• Barbell Squats (http://youtu.be/b_uAOqA-pxY)
• Barbell Deadlift (http://youtu.be/nFw69zIssgQ)

Notes / Results:

• Time: 50 minutes
• Weight: 202

• Squats
• Previous High:3@175
• 12@125, 10@135, 8@145, 5@155, 3@165, 3@170 **did a 6th set to make sure on track for December 1 goal.
• Deadlift
• Previous High: 3@295
• Sets: 12@225, 8@245, 8@255, 5@275, 3@295

Upper Body Strength

Could have done the bodyweight exercises today but since this is my strength training portion of the year and my goals are directly related to what I do in this workout, I made sure that I did them. I remended myself about where my focus should be.

Also, I hit 201 on the scale. I know that if I am focusing on strength then I should expect to gain weight due to having more lean muscle mass but since my diet has not been as clean as it could be I am making adjustments. The Pecan pie got thrown out when I got home from the gym. I am wearing my Spartan Unbreakable band again to remind myself about snacking and I am cutting out carbs from my lunches since I don’t need that extra energy. My next cheat day is a week from tomorrow for Thanksgiving.

With 3 Upper Body Strength workout opportunities I am very close to my December 1st strength goals. The plan is to hit the goals and then pause before working on the January 1st goals. Lock in my gains and don’t push forward. Work on more reps without adding load.

Warm Up:

• 50 Jumping Jacks (http://youtu.be/dmYwZH_BNd0)
• 40 Body Weight Squats (http://youtu.be/QKKZ9AGYTi4)
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Judo Push Ups
• 10 Burpees (http://youtu.be/O7_TBHno0Os)

Strength Exercises

• Barbell Shoulder Press (http://youtu.be/8gVEdhS5AEs)
• Bench Press (http://youtu.be/gRVjAtPip0Y)
• Barbell Row (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCg1YxMt3oY)
• Pull Ups

Notes / Results:

• Time: 60 minutes
• Weight: 201

• Pull Ups
• Previous High: 4
• 3, 4C, 3, 4C, 3 **Need to keep elbows in**
• Bench Press
• Previous high: 3@155
• Sets: 10@135, 10@140, 6@145, 5@155, 3@160
• Press
• Previous High: 2@110
• Sets: 8@85, 7@90, 5@95, 4@100, 2@105
• Rows
• Previous High: 3@175
• 10@145, 7@150, 8@155, 5@160, 3@165