Hard work paying off!

[Kitzy]

I injured my left knee pretty bad the summer before my freshman year of high school.  It ruined football for me.  I don't know what the damage actually was.  They never really told me come to think of it.  They just put me in physical therapy.  Its never been the same though.  Weight training is the only thing that ever seems to help.  It really strengthens it.  I only wear my knee brace for volleyball now.  The doctor wanted me to wear it for everything including just walking the halls at school. 

I cringe every time I witness a knee injury. 

[Kitzy]

Deadlifts should be interesting today.  My legs are on fire yet from Wednesdays leg day. 

[Kitzy]

Absolutely killed it today.  I was disappointed once with my close grip bench press.  With 250lbs racked on the smith machine I could only complete 4 reps on my 4th set.  I really wanted to try for 3 45lb plates on each side but I refused to do it unless I could get 5 reps first.  Maybe next time.  Killed deadlifts.  405lbs for 2 reps relatively easy.  Managed 3 reps on the next set of 405lbs so that was a personal best.  T-bar row was at my max of 295lbs for 4 reps.  Haven't hit that in a while.  Another personal best was weighted dips.  I finally got the 3rd rep with 135lbs chained to me.  Tricep push downs were another high note.  The rack tops out at 95lbs so I had to add the rubber 5lb plates to it.  Most ive done previously was 3 additional plates.  Ran out of room for more today and rigged up a 5th one for all 12 reps which put me at 120lbs.  Then hit the ropes hard for two of what I consider complete sets. 

[Kitzy]

Nothing of note today.  Had a good workout but no real strides were made.  If anything I would say the highlight would be my chin ups.  I've made real progress on them and managed just shy of 10 reps today.  Thats night and day from where I started.  Other than that I'm killing the battle ropes.  It helps going in with a plan.  I'll use this link to help explain my set.  http://touch.artofmanliness.com/all/2013-10-17-battle-rope-exercises?ref=&mediaKey=artofmanliness&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artofmanliness.com%2F2013%2F10%2F17%2Fbattle-rope-exercises%2F&oswts=1393890865742&width=640&height=283&size=small&olcts=1393890866652

I start with what I consider the easiest and continually get more difficult...no stopping until all 130 reps are finished.

Alternating waves - small - 10 reps
Alternating waves - large/intense - 10 reps
Double Arm Wave - small - 10 reps
Double Arm Wave - large/intense - 10 reps
Inside Circle (as opposed opposed to outside shown in the link) - small - 10 reps
Inside Circles - large/intense - 10 reps
Claps - small - 10 reps
Claps - large/intense - 10 reps
Double Arm Slam - 10 reps
Double Arm Slam 45? angle - 10 reps
Double Arm Slam 45? angle opposite side - 10 reps
Grappler Hip-to-Hip Toss - 20 reps (note 20 - 10 per side)

This has my heart rate through the roof and me about ready to pass out and fall over... literally, no joke.  I almost hit the floor today and often have to fall to one knee to catch my breath.

[Kitzy]

I timed the ropes today.  Right about 1m30s per set.  Sometimes I can get away with the same amount of time for a rest before I hit it again.  Since I have nothing else to note as of today, here is a picture of my stash I took in mid January.  I ran out of some stuff and placed a small order today.  Should be here tomorrow. 

[Kitzy]

Its been a little.  No updates.  Lowest I've seen the scale read is 251.  Progress has kind of stalled.  I've removed milk from my diet.  I was using it in my oatmeal and shakes.  The milk alone was adding around 500 calories a day.  Using water doesn't taste as good as milk but I will sacrifice.  We will see.  I made the switch half way through yesterday.  No time like the present.  Otherwise I feel great.  I'm sore 24/7 but its a good pain.

[Kitzy]

Feeling good.  After a bad weekend diet wise, the scale is showing 250.  That's a good thing.  Started a new shoulder routine today because quite frankly, my shoulders suck.  And now, my shoulders are exhausted.  I hammered them today.  Bring on tomorrow.

[sscully]

Ok, dump question time from Steve ( I know, big shock ).

I have been trying to figure out what the sets are that you are using by the rep - set - weight combo.

Also seems HST or GVOT of sorts ?
- Maybe I am missing it is simple progressive sets ?

I am just about to finish my 45 days of 3x5s and looking for something to move to next.
- I really hate doing 6x12s, but I think that is what I should do next before moving to the next sets.

[Kitzy]

I'm currently doing a what I consider a 5x5 for compounds and a 3-5x12 for isolations. 

For compounds, I start off light, about half of my max set.  I will do anywhere from 8-12 reps just to get the blood flowing and the muscle(s) warmed up.  Then I will gradually move up from there to my heaviest set.  My goal is always 5 reps but I will settle for 3.  Anything less than 3 and I will lower my weight.  My flat bench dumb bell press is a good example... sort of.  The warm up set is a little heavier than half but in this example but that rule is a general one.  Anyway, warm up 80lb DBs for 8 or so slow controlled reps.  Then I grab the 100s (actually 95s right now because someone broke one of the 100s in half) for 5 reps.  110s for 5.  120s for 5.  130s for 5.  And then finally 140s for 3-4 currently. 

Same basic thing for isolations but different rep range...8-12.  Example from today is shrugs.  Again the warm up rule is general but I start light and control them.  Warm up with 225 for 12.  315 for 12.  405 for 12.  495 for 12.  585 for 12.  635 for 8-12 (10 today I think.)

Depending on the exercise I may only do three sets, not counting the warm up.

[sscully]

thanks for the info.

So you are increasing the weight, not the reps.
Some at BB.com do the compounds as increasing the reps in the set instead of upping the weight.

This is more like GVT where the weight is increased.
- Some do GVT as increase the weight and decrease the reps as the sets go on, so it is 50% 1RM  for 15 reps, then add 5% and do 12, add another 5% do 10 add another 5% do 8 type of work out.

This is why I was asking, I am looking for something different to do.  You know how it gets, pounding plates the same way day in, day out can get boring, and decrease drive.
- i.e. the "crap not 3x5 should sets again today...

[Kitzy]

Yes my reps remain the same.  I only increase the weight but not until I reach the max set of reps for a set with that given weight.  For example, dumb bell presses.  I'm currently at 3-4 reps with 140# DBs  As soon as I can complete 5, I will move up to 150# DBs. 

Now my new shoulder routine actually includes some of what you're talking about.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-siege-how-do-i-build-bigger-rounder-stronger-shoulders.html?mcid=facetraining04031414. The routine is laid out near the end of the article. 

I only really get bored when doing high reps and when I'm unable to progress on weight.  Switching from 8-12 reps to 3-5 reps with heavier weight has made the gym a lot more fun and allows me to progress faster. 

[sscully]

I did up the start of a new set ( my con call started early ).

do you have an idea on the starting weight of 5x5 progressive when compared to a 3x5 std set ?

If you do 3x5s at 75% of 1RM do you start the progressive 5x5 at the same 75% of 1RM ?

I did this, and with the triceps rope push down, by time I got to rep 2 on the 3rd set, I could not move the stack at all ( it just came to a stop ).

just curious if I should stay where I am at and work into it, or if I should back down to ~ 60% of 1RM and work more reps in each set.

Instead of ask Siege, I am going with ask Kitzy..

[Kitzy]

You know what, there probably is some general rule to this.  I've seen other numbers thrown around in similar situations.  Here's the thing though.  Everyone is different.  I say just hit your reps with as much weight as possible.  If you get to set 3 and feel you cant progress in weight for the next set or two, just stick with that weight for the next two sets as long as you can still hit your rep numbers.  The more heavy working sets you can do... the better.  That's assuming you're doing 5 sets.  The reason I try to progress through all of the sets is just to build up to my final weight rather than jump too fast to a heavy weight.  I do sometimes hit my low side rep number (3 of 3-5) on set 4 in which case I stick with it for the 5th set.  Just push yourself and have a set of rules or a routine that you follow moderately strict.  Sometimes on that final set you may be having a bad day and tell a rep short.  It is what it is as long as you give it everything you have.  If I'm really unhappy and feel disappointed in myself, I sometimes immediately drop to a slightly lower weight just to hit my reps.

[sscully]

OK, the higher rep ( out of 5 ) is better, so I should drop back the weight from my 3x5s as the starting point.

I was tossing around the hand grenade math of 75% 1RM as the 3x5, I can't say if it is that, but I think I have too high of a starting point for doing 5x5 with progressive weight increases.

Time to change the dry-erase marker on those, back them off ~ 5% and see what happens.

[Kitzy]

I weighed in at 248.  That's a good thing.  Hit a new personal record for myself.  Been struggling to get 3 reps of weighted dips with 3 45# plates.  Somehow knocked 5 out no problem so I tried 4 plates.  I struggled but got 1.  Very happy about that.