Kevin's Log

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Friday Novemeber 11th

Bench Press - TnG
225x6
225x3
215x3x3
195x8

Supersetted with:

Pull Up Singles
10

Got very close to locking out a ninth rep with 195, but elbows just wouldn't fully extend. I'm shortening up the rest periods to keep my heart rate up, get in some conditioning and shed some fat.

Arms are pretty destroyed.

Squats
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x1

Belted up from 315 onwards. 365 felt like a 1RM. Lesson learned.

Wide Stance Box Squats
255x10

This was good, made me feel like I got something done today.

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

So in keeping with the spirit of doing my own thing, but with the realization that I'd do better with a schedule, I've designed my first ever program. It goes like this:

Monday

AM: Front Squats max triple then volume, Wide stance box squat 10RM
PM: Row ascending triples, Bench/Press work up to max reps then volume/superset chins

Wednesday

AM: Good Morning work up to max then backoff
PM: Bench/Press work up to max reps then volume/superset chins

Friday

AM: Front Squats max triple then volume, Wide stance box squat 10RM
PM: Row ascending triples, Bench/Press work up to max reps then volume/superset chins

Saturday

CONDITIONING.


My diet is going to be 3000 calories at a minimum, and 3500 calories at a maximum. I want to slooowly cut down, slow enough so that I can train how I like and not get weaker. Ah yes and you'll notice there are no narrow stance parallel back squats in my program. I'm burnt out on those, need a break.

Critiques or comments welcome.

[Eduardo Chile]

Originally Posted by Kevin Shaughnessy

So in keeping with the spirit of doing my own thing, but with the realization that I'd do better with a schedule, I've designed my first ever program. It goes like this:

Monday

AM: Front Squats max triple then volume, Wide stance box squat 10RM
PM: Row ascending triples, Bench/Press work up to max reps then volume/superset chins

Wednesday

AM: Good Morning work up to max then backoff
PM: Bench/Press work up to max reps then volume/superset chins

Friday

AM: Front Squats max triple then volume, Wide stance box squat 10RM
PM: Row ascending triples, Bench/Press work up to max reps then volume/superset chins

Saturday

CONDITIONING.


My diet is going to be 3000 calories at a minimum, and 3500 calories at a maximum. I want to slooowly cut down, slow enough so that I can train how I like and not get weaker. Ah yes and you'll notice there are no narrow stance parallel back squats in my program. I'm burnt out on those, need a break.

Critiques or comments welcome.

My first question is what are your goals?

Second, what you have written is the beginning of a plan but it needs to entail so much more.
1. Exercise Selection - Why did you pick the exercise? You enjoy doing it? You're hoping to supplement your squat, bench, press, deadlift, etc?
2. Intensity - Do you need more physiological changes or more CNS changes?
3. Volume - How are you going to quantify the amount of work you do?

Also, how are you going to progress week to week and your exercise selection should change as needed.

I hope these questions can help you formulate your own program and if you got some questions fire away.

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Originally Posted by Eduardo Chile

My first question is what are your goals?

Second, what you have written is the beginning of a plan but it needs to entail so much more.
1. Exercise Selection - Why did you pick the exercise? You enjoy doing it? You're hoping to supplement your squat, bench, press, deadlift, etc?
2. Intensity - Do you need more physiological changes or more CNS changes?
3. Volume - How are you going to quantify the amount of work you do?

Also, how are you going to progress week to week and your exercise selection should change as needed.

I hope these questions can help you formulate your own program and if you got some questions fire away.

Thanks Eduardo for your questions! I'll give them some thought. Your right that my program outline was vague, but it was intentionally vague. I want to just walk into the gym and pound away with whatever weight feels like a good idea. Sets across, ascending, whatever sounds the most enjoyable that day. I'll be trying to hit PR's every workout.

Monday November 14th

Front Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x2
260x3 - 96%
265x3 - 98%
270x3 - 100%
255x3 - 94%
245x2x3 - 90%
225x3 - 83%
215x3 - 79%

Result: 5# PR

So this little experiment has already proven itself wildly successful and its only the second FS workout! This is a 12.5# PR set just 5 days after FSing a hard 257.5x3. Squatted without the mirror and it felt way, way better. I could feel the subtle shifts of my balance and could focus better on maintaining form. I'm going to rest another 5 days before front squatting again. If it worked this time why wouldn't it work again? I'm also going to stick with doing 8 heavy worksets.

BB Rows
135x5
175x5
205x5
225x3

Weight felt heavy and I felt sluggish, so I stopped there.

Press
45x10
75x5
95x5
115x3
135x6
135x5
130x2x4
115x3x5

Kind of disappointed I only got 6, but I wasn't wearing a belt and the bar got pretty far in front of me on some reps. Second set I cleaned up the form and it showed. I'll try and get 7-8 w/ 135 next press workout. I had 5 with 130 but I accidentally bounced the bar on my sternum and it killed the fifth rep. I need more practice. Rested 5 minutes but still failed on the 5th rep of 130. I think that was a genuine strength issue because my form was pretty crisp. Backed off with a couple sets of 115 while practicing strategic lay-backing. Seemed to work. I hope I didn't destroy my pressing muscles for a week with this.

Shrugs
135x5
225x5
295x5
315x5x5
315x12

Was done from 1 pin lower than last week, Last set was done with a hook grip, BIG DIFFERENCE.

Good workout!

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Wednesday November 16th

Bench Press
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x7
215x5x3

That is what I'm talking about! Next week, 8! My triceps were feeling a little tired though so I just did 5 triples at 215 to finish the workout. I wonder if I would have been better off just ending it after 225x7.

Good Mornings
45x5
95x3
135x3
185x3
225x1
255x1
285x1
245x6x1

Didn't feel like doing a bunch of singles, slowly working up to a max, so I just rushed the max a bit and hit the back off stuff harder. Couldn't find my camera so I have no way of knowing if this was even a PR since the set up could have been different. Grinded it out like crazy though. Same with the 6 singles. Next wednesday I'll follow an identical work up as last week and try and hit 290.

BB Row
135x5
175x5
205x3
225x3
235x3
245x3
255x3
265x3
270x5
230x10

I felt stronger but it's hard to quantify an actual improvement with this exercise.

Found my camera, it was right on the window sill where I left it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8YX9LnH34s

Wide Stance Box Squat
260x10

Tied my all time best.

Weighed 238 wearing a t-shirt, underpants, and having drunk about 2 liters of water. Diet wise I'm actually going to do 3000 cals on training days and 3500 on rest days. Training blunts my appetite and its easy for me to fast/eat sparingly, but the next day I wake up really hungry. Once or twice a week I'll just eat normally (surplus lol) depending on how hungry I am and how hard the workout was the day before.

Conditioning tomorrow.

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Friday November 18th

Press
45x10
75x5
95x5
115x3
135x7
135x4
135x2x1
135x3
135x4
130x5
125x5

Sort of a PR. No doubt I got 7 because my form was better, as evidenced by the next max effort set of 4. Wanted to do more sets but I thought I would play it safe for now.

Chin Ups
5x3

Took it easy so I don't interfere with front squatting tomorrow. Going to attempt 280x3.

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Saturday November 19th

Front Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x2
255x1
275x3 - 100%
255x4x3 - 92%
245x3 - 89%
235x3 - 85%
225x3 - 81%

Didn't go for 280, 275 was pretty hard. Still, its a 17.5# PR in 10 days, not too shabby. I'm going to continue front squatting only until Jan 1st, then I'll integrate back squats back into my program. Hopefully I hit 300x1-3 by then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c90EM4SyUcs

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Monday November 21st

Bench Press - TnG
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x4

http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/e...jpg?1275218057

Here are the possible reasons for this regression I've thought of: 1) Did 20 reps total with 135 last press workout, where the previous one I had done 11. Then the next two sets were of heavier weight than last time. This is a likely cause. 2) Had only eaten 760 calories prior to workout (11 hours after waking). 3) Lower total weekly calorie consumption. *edit* it wasn't a calorie problem. Last night I pigged out and in that one day added 5 pounds and an inch to my waist although logistically that makes no sense. But thats what the scale/tape measure say.

Went back over some of my previous FS workouts and plugged in the % of max, should make figuring out what works easier. The press workouts where I did repeated sets with 100% of my max rep weights were tricky. I think I'll just go for a max triple each workout, then add 2.5#. If I hit 2, I haven't improved. If I only get 1, then I've regressed. Each workout I'll hit a top set and then go down in weight, no more hitting more sets with the top set weight.

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Tuesday November 22nd

Wide Stance Box Squat - 15.25" box
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
255x3
275x3 - 84%
300x3 (BELT) - 92%
325x3 (BELT) - 100%
265x10 - 81%

Go for a CPF mens equpped junior squat record? Maybe. Current is 320kg. I'll pick up some briefs though. This might be the change I need. Going to be doing these Mondays, Thursday will be front squat day.

Mrs Bumsteen
5 Round For Time:
10 55# Dumbbell Snatch
10 55# DB Swing
10 BW Squats

Time: 7:18

Much more reasonable. I guess last time I had alot of accumulated fatigue from squatting. Its probably from doing lots of 6-12 rep maxes. I bet if I stick with triples I won't have that problem.

Conditioning on Tuesdays and Fridays.

[Kevin Shaughnessy]

Wednesday November 23st

Press
45x10
65x5
85x5
95x5
115x5x3

Took an easy day today, want to be fresh for fridays bench session at montreal barbell where I've signed up for their certification process. I cleaned up my form today, dead stop reps (which I'll continue doing exclusively), straight wrists, lots of backwards lean (which feels really good for some reason), big chest, elbows up etc.

Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x3
405x1
455x1
475x1

Tasty.