Workout A - 5/23

First day of work... Four hours of sleep. Do not want to talk about it. Quit halfway through because I didn't want to open my thumb cut. Squat seems hopeless... Bench needs work... Time to re watch and reread some Mark Rippetoe.

Workout B - 5/20

Squats at 185. Form is looking better, maybe start wearing shorter shorts to make sure I'm hitting depth. Working on knees out and shoulders rising at the same time as the hips.

Failed press at 127.5lbs. Got 4x4x4x3x3. Move up to 130lbs and try to get all reps in. If rep scheme looks
similar, stick with 130lbs two more times and try to get all reps in, otherwise reset.

Deadlift at 325lbs. No problem.

Chin ups at 7x7x6. Continue aiming for 3x7 before moving to 3x8. Goal is to get to 3x15 before adding weight.

Workout A - 5/18/11

Still practicing squat form, knees are a little bit better. Continue trying to fix it.

Bench was absolute shit. Go up to to 200lbs to see if today was a fluke. If I make at least 22 reps, good. If not, it may be time to reset...

Rows were okay at 165lbs. Definitely starting to get harder, might be stalling in a few weeks.

Dips at BW + 35lbs. No problem.

Looking ahead, I can see that my lifts are most likely going to stall soon. Thus far I have been lifting on close to maintenance/slight deficit. Starting work next week, if I can't continue to make gains I may switch back to SS due to the lower volume (potentially continue linear progression, plus I won't have as much time to do 5x5 so this may also be beneficial). I will see where I am in a few weeks and evaluate from there.

Workout B - 05/16/11

Finally worked on squats. Looked okay, continue working on form with lighter weights.

Worked out with a friend today so things were a little slow. No videos taken.

Press at 125lbs 5x5x5x4x5. Pretty good, last reps were slow. Increase 2.5lbs.

Deadlift at 320lbs. Easy.

Chin ups at 7x6.5x5. Aim for 3x7 again.

Workout A - 5/13

Skipped squats. Ready to do box squats next week to work on form.

Bench at 195lbs. 5x5x4x4x4. As long as I don't miss more than 3 reps I will continue 2.5lb increments. Last reps of the first four sets painfully slow. Trying to avoid stalling until I get past 200lbs. Right elbow still feels a little tweaked, I feel a pump there afterwards but no pain or anything that detracts from lifting. Continue icing.

Rows at 160lbs. Pretty easy, rows feel good. Keep 5lb increments going.

Dips at BW + 30lbs. 3x8. Continue 5lb increments.

BW leg raises 3x12. I do these when I have extra time, just accessory.

Workout B - 5/11/11

Skipped squats.

Press at 122.5. 5x4x5x3x3. Move up to 125 and try to get all reps in.

Deadlift at 315. Easy.

Skipped chins due to time constraints. Attempt 3x7 next time.

Workout A - 5/10

No squats.

Bench was awful. Chalk it up to lifting at midnight and being in a car all day. Go to 195lbs next workout, focus on keeping shoulder blades back.

Rows at 155lbs. Looks like back is a bit high, make it more parallel to the ground.

Dips didn't feel good either. Did a few sets at BW.

05/04/11 - Workout B

Skipped squats - see last post.

Press at 120lbs. Felt okay, continue 2.5lb increases.

Deadlifts at 310. Finally will get back to 3 plates next workout. Used hook grip, felt awesome. Next time use chalk too because my thumb got too sweaty by the last rep. Back looks okay, kind of hard to tell from the angle. No tightness though, which is good.

Pullups at 7x7x6. Shoot for 3x7 again next week.

05/02/11 - Workout A

Skipped last Friday, did not feel good. Worked on squat form at 185lb, still godawful. Realized that I just need to keep my right elbow/shoulder higher to get rid of the bar lean issue. However, I realized that when I try to push out my knees and sit back, my feet start to slip. Going to take the rest of the week off from squatting (going to ATL on Thursday). Next week, work on squat form. Weight is not relevant until I perfect my form. Do box squats with 135/185lbs to work on sitting back and make sure that bar lean is gone as well. Have to squat barefoot and just wipe off the sweat because I will slide due to the wooden floor.

Bench at 190lb went okay. 5x5x5x5x4. Last rep of each set was a struggle. Move up to 192.5lb next workout. I feel like I can keep increasing before stalling, which is good. Need to keep tight throughout but form seems okay for the most part.

Rows at 150lbs are fine, continue 5lb increases.

Dips at BW+25lbs. Continue adding 5lbs and doing 3x8.

4/27/11 - Workout A

Squat at 225. Keep on working on form... Sit back more, sit back.

Bench failed at 187.5 4x4x3x3x3. Felt like I had zero energy while doing it. Going to call it a fluke and go ahead and increase to 190 and see what happens. Make sure to do more warm up reps as well.

Rows at 145. No video, but they felt fine. Continue 5lb increases.
Dips at 3x12.  Go up to 3x13, but need to get a dip belt very soon. BW is too light.

04/25/11 - Workout B

Squat at 220. Did not feel good. Knees buckled in two of the reps in the third set. Bar leaning issue still persists. Did not hit depth on every rep. Squat shirtless next time to see if the back is tight throughout the set and focus on hitting depth at 225.

Press at 115. Weight is manageable, go to 120 next time. Breathe in between reps, holding breath leads to slight dizziness.

Deadlifts at 305. Grip is giving out after the second rep. Can no longer double overhand the set. Next time, use hook grip throughout warm ups and chalk on working set to see if I can maintain double overhand. Using the mixed grip does not feel good due to sprained wrist. Also, try to get a better angle because it looked like I was not locking out, at least during warm ups.

Continue 3x6 pullups.

4/22/11 - Workout A

Squat at 215. Bar lean is getting better, but it looks like some reps were a touch high. Make sure to go lower next time.

Bench at 185. Last rep of each set was slow, failed the last rep of the fifth set. Attributed to not enough sleep/food. Continue 2.5lb increments.

Row at 140. Make sure to keep glutes/ham tight so the hips don't come forward. Continue 5lb increments.

Dips 3x12. Stick with 3x12 for next time.

4/20/11 - Workout B

Squats at 210. Still slightly off to the right, make sure proper depth.

Press at 110. Felt okay, not sure if touching too high off the chest.

Deadlift at 300. Can't tell from the video angle. Felt okay, dislike using mixed grip due to sprained wrist. Try less warm-up sets to save grip strength.

Chin-ups went fine. Try to increase each set by one rep each week.

04/18/2011 - Workout A

Squats at 205lbs. Felt easy, need to correct the bar leaning off center on some reps.

Bench at 182.5lbs. Last rep on each set was slow. Use more leg drive.

Rows at 135. Continue 5lb increments.

Dips - 3x10 at BW. Increase to 3x12 next time.

NOTES: Get squat video from more angles next time. Record at least one set from each lift.