Breaking Limits: JlCh's log

RobRegish · Post by **RobRegish** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:40 am

Congrats on all this newfound strength!

Now, a VERY important point (and one which I'm seeing more and more of): Please do NOT exceed the required reps GLP1, 2 or any other loading pattern used here calls for!

Nothing wrong with pushing yourself, but the total tonnage for each workout (sets times reps times weight used) is a very PRECISE formula - for a reason!

Don't get me wrong here - it won't derail you... if you do it once. Keep doing it though and it screws things up. Just lookin' out for you guys. I studied these things to death and even mathematically plotted/graphed them. They work due to their PRECISION.

Respect PRECISION, it's a BEAUTIFUL thing...

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:42 pm

To touch on it Rob, I was complaining that I was intentionally FOLLOWING your advice and wrote down x8 instead of x6 by accident. I didn't purposely do more than what was required.

Feast Day 26 (12-16-2011)

GLP Upper W/O #3:

Benchpress:
135x10 (wide grip) - 2 minute break
170x8 (close grip) - 2 minute break
190x6 - 3 minute break
205x4 - 4 minute break
220x4 - 5 minute break
235x4 (Barely got it, form broke a bit)

EDT Set (2 minutes rest):
Incline DB Press: 80x6x6x5x5x4x4 (30 reps) (PR)
1 arm DB Row: 85x6x6x6x6x6x4 (34 reps) (PR)

I stopped the workout there. I have 3 cousins staying with us because their parents (as well as their parent's parent) are, put bluntly -- fucking idiots. They had never been bowling before and my school was throwing a free bowling party with pizza and what not, so I took them down there and they had a blast.

Will be taking 2 days off, will do a lower workout Monday, then take 3 days off and do my next workout a week from now. Elbows are hurting a bit more than they should and my lower back cramped up on me today. I had planned on taking a 3 day break anyway this week, but if I hadn't it would definitely be time to do so. I don't like to workout on weekends here because gym closes at 2 and Tues/Thurs are loaded for me class wise -- so basically I only have Mon/Wed/Fri open to lift so that's why I'm kinda pushing things to the limit currently. Will have Christmas break coming up plus new class schedule -- so will have to figure out what works and what doesn't soon.

Weight: Forgot to weigh myself today

RobRegish · Post by **RobRegish** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:01 pm

So sorry man, I mis-interpreted it!

Good lesson for everyone though: Please DON'T exceed the required rep range on these loading patterns!

LOVE the ambition, but they're PRECISE - for a reason...

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:30 am

I'm coming off taking 3 days off. Was planning on doing 2 off, 1 on, 3 off -- but it's going to be reversed.

Feast Day 30 (12-20-11)

GLP Lower #2:

Hack Squat (Leg press):
165x10 - 2 minute break
215x8 - 2 minute break
235x6 - 2 minute break
255x4 - 3 minute break
275x4 - 4 minute break
295x4 - (PR)

EDT (2 minute break):
Front Squat: 155x6x6x6x6x6x2
Hamstring curl: 70x6x6x6x6

1 minute break between these sets (not super setted):
Rope pull downs (abs): 120x8, 90x8
Weight Ab Crunch: 45x8x8x8
Ab extentions/curls?: Ankle weightsx8x8x8 (Increased weight)
Hydrolic Ab Machine Static Hold: 130x5, 180x5

Lower back was cramping up on the EDT and I bailed on the 5th set of front squats. Really becoming an issue on not being able to push myself on legs

. Slaughtered abs though, but still had quite a bit of gas left. Started to try to do rack pulls and just wasn't going to happen with the back.

Rob, have any suggestions on what to do when I have lots of gas left in the tank but lower back can't handle the leg exercises? Run? Wrap it up like I did?

Weight: Was late for work this morning and didn't weight myself. Was 186.5 yesterday, but I think that was due to food -- not legit weight.

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:13 pm

I'm an idiot, but ah well.....

Feast Day 33 (12-23-2011)

GLP Upper W/O #4:

Benchpress:
135x10 (wide grip) - 2 minute break
190x8 (close grip) - 2 minute break
205x6 - 2 minute break
220x4 - 3 minute break
235x2 - 5 minute break
255x2 (Stalled a little past half way, spotter barely helped... But he helped so I'm pissed)

EDT Set (2 minutes rest):
Incline DB Press: 80x6x6x5x2 (19 reps) (PR)
1 arm DB Row: 85x6x6x6x2 (20 reps)

Well.... Rob is going to read this and want to beat me with a stick, but basically this week was finals week (Wed was last day). I've been pulling a lot of late nights to get papers done and studying in. Needless to say my sleeping schedule is shot. Didn't get to go to bed till 1 AM last night, didn't fall asleep till 2:30 and had to get up at 4:45 for work. Worked all till 3:30 and then hit the gym like a moron. CNS just wasn't firing like it usually does. The whole GLP was "heavy" and I was starting to fail on the last reps on all the sets. Started up my EDT set and the umph just wasn't there. I tried to finish it out, but it wasn't going to happen.

Bright side is, that I lifted with a friend afterwords. He's a typical gym rat that does 50,000 sets and I did a burn out workout for tri's/bi's and had a good time. It isn't what I really would've liked to have done training wise, but I think having a good time lifting rather than serious business was good for the soul :p. Exercises/set up:

Bi's: Ez bar. Each has an odd with inside bar, one has even with outside bar. Odd does 1 and gives it to other person and he does 2, odd does 3, even does 4 ect -- once the odd hits nine, you go back down but switch grips.

Tri's: Set up 2 benches and put legs up on it and put plates on our lap. 1 45 till failure then on the 2nd set we grabbed another plate. Rather than just burning out I did 2 seconds on the bottom of the rep and 1 second at the top of the rep then we removed the top plate and did more reps.

Upright rows: 45 lbs plate and 35 lbs plate. We did 6 reps of 45 lbs, 6 reps of 35, 5 reps of 45, 5 reps of 35 lbs ect till 1.

Like I said, not my type of workout -- but I enjoyed lifting with a friend. He's a little guy, so honestly the weight wasn't sufficient for me, but ah well.

Dunno weight, but need to clean up my diet on off days as my bodyfat is going up I think as a result of mass cheating. Also, my lower back got tweaked last Friday and it's getting progressively worse. Can't pick up/carry things for much more than 5 minutes without some serious cramping issues. I got a chiro appointment this upcoming Wed.

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:05 pm

Called it a day after GLP work.

Feast Day 37 (12-27-11)

GLP Lower #4:

Hack Squat (Leg press):
165x10 - 2 minute break
235x8 - 2 minute break
255x8 - 2 minute break
275x6 - 3 minute break
295x2 - 4 min break
315x2 (stalled at bottom of 2nd rep, pushed a little with thumbs on the machine to get going)

Lower back has consistently been giving me problems for past 1-2 weeks. Got a chiro appointment tomorrow and just took it easy really. The big breaks are definitely wearing on my strength though, unless it's the lack of sleep. Going to hit the gym tomorrow for an upper day, as today was pretty lax.

Weight: 188.6

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:48 pm

K, I think I've severely underestimated The Forumula. I have been pawning the "bad" workouts on lack of sleep, lack of rest days, ect... But today I got 9 hours of sleep and plus a chiro appointment and felt like a champ walking into the gym today -- but the workout was just as hard and the only consistent thing that hasn't been there since my "bad workouts" started was my karobolyn ran out.

Feast Day 33 (12-23-2011)

GLP Upper W/O #4:

Benchpress:
135x10 (wide grip) - 2 minute break
200x8 (close grip) - 2 minute break
215x6 - 3 minute break
230x4 - 4 minute break (Stalled at half way)
245x2 - Nailed both reps

EDT Set (2 minutes rest):
Incline DB Press: 80x6x6x3
1 arm DB Row: 85x6x6x5

EDT Set 2(1 1/2 minutes rest):
Dips: BWx8x8x8
Pull ups: BWx8x6x4

Not really sure how to go about fixing this issue. My stamina drops quick now as you can obviously tell by the sets the past couple workouts. Weight has been fluctuating a lot..

Weight: 186.1

beefcake66 · Post by **beefcake66** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:50 am

Could be that your traction is giving up and you should quit feast early (who wants to do that though...)

common answer is try inserting an extra rest day, that should help you out tremendously

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:51 pm

I've inserted tonsssssssssss of 2 and 3 day breaks, with no other form of exercise on the off days, these past couple weeks. I suppose traction could have something to do with it.

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:59 pm

Meh, last leg workout I failed far before the 5th set and today I maxed out at 265 (+5) on bench which according to glp I was suppose to be around 273. I'm transitioning to cruise, not the happiest... Was really expecting higher #'s.

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:03 am

Feeling lazy in making posts... Soo this will be a bit plain

Front squats: 185 5x5
BB Shrugs: 225 5x5
Light deads: 135 5x5 (going to try to slowly build these up)
DB walking lunges: 50 10x5 (5 each leg)
Rope pull down: 130 5x5
Some lower ab work: 5-8x5

matter2003 · Post by **matter2003** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:57 pm

JlCh wrote:I've inserted tonsssssssssss of 2 and 3 day breaks, with no other form of exercise on the off days, these past couple weeks. I suppose traction could have something to do with it.

Have you tried upping your calorie intake? Sometimes that helps me with energy levels...

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:34 pm

No, I didn't, but I never really downed my calories from my first workout -- other than the calories from The Formula (which I guess could be a huge factor).

Either way, coming down with something nasty. Haven't thrown up today but have felt like it all day and have a temp of 100.5 last I checked (hours ago). Glutes and some other hamstring muscle is sore as balls and can barely walk today/yesterday.

Edit: This was suppose to have been posted yesterday (6th) and it didn't send as I clicked preview instead lol. Today (7th) I'm feeling a ton better. Not sure what it was, but it seems to have passed.

JlCh · Post by **JlCh** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:52 pm

I've gained a lot of weight lately, but it's all the wrong kind of weight :p. I feel my size gains have pretty much ceased, but hopefully with switching up workout protocol I'll keep putting on size.

Flat DB press: 90 5x5x5x4x2
Cable Rows: *180 5x5x5x5x5 (PR)
Incline DB press: 75 5x5x5x5x5
Overhand Pull ups: BW 5x5x5x5x3

* 180 is 4 additional plates to the maxed out stack + attachment. I don't know how much it was, but the stack says 150 and I'm not sure how valid that is. Either way, I blew past my last PR which was like 20-30 lbs less and it still wasn't heavy enough. I think I'll be switching to t-bar rows next time as there isn't any way to put more weight on the machine.

Also, I went for PR on the 90 lbs DB's on flat press and chest hit a wall on 4th set

. It's probably still a PR, but I really am not sure. The 75's on incline were too light, but after gassing out on 90's I wanted to make sure I didn't fail too short of the 5 reps again.

The first set of pull ups were chest to bar and the first couple reps of the 2nd set were as well, but that didn't last long lol. Haven't done overhand pull ups in AGESSSSSSSS and I went kinda wide.

Weight: 186.3 -- I was up to 190 a couple days ago. Feeling fat as heck though, due to a terribleeeee diet as of the past couple months.