Tues 4/28 – Fri 5/1: Last 3 Sessions (Lower, Upper, Lower)

Tuesday 4/28

• Back Squat
• 10 x 45, 5 x 135, 3 x 225, 1 x 275, 1 x 315, 1 x 365, 1 x 405, 1 x 455,  1 x 480 x 5 sets.  
• Pull Ups – 50 total reps

Strength was really in the tank as the weight continues to drop.  Hit 495 x 2 x 2 a few weeks ago, and was hoping for 500-505 x 2 x 2 today, but it was not gonna happen.  Just did the bare minimum today.  Energy and attitude not the best when you miss the mark by that much!  At least the pull ups got easier!  

Thursday 4/30

• Speed Bench Press (55% + doubled mini-bands) 
• 3 x 135,  3 x 155,  3 x 175 x 10 sets.  (45-60 sec rest between sets)  Then removed bands for 4 more sets with straight weight:  3 x 225, 3 x 275, 3 x 225 x 2 sets.  Love the way straight weight feels after doing speed work with bands!  
• Seated Shoulder Press (no back support) 6 x 6-8 x 135
• Tricep Destruction……Lying Tricep Extension (ez bar):  3 x 6-8;  Lying Tricep Extension (KB) 5 x 6-12;  Tricep Pressdowns 2 x 15,  One Arm French Press 1 x 20 (broken)

Speed work against the bands felt fantastic.  During the aggressive weight loss phase volume will have to be accrued through speed work.  Just don’t think I can adequately recover from heavy 5s across or something similar.  Also liked the seated shoulder press.  Oddly enough, I have never done these seated with no back support.  For the last several years I haven’t done anything except standing presses and occasionally seated DB presses on an upright chair with a back support.  Years ago, I used to use a lot of seated barbell presses with a back support, but I always hated the movement.   It’s very unnatural and restrictive and puts the barbell out in front of you too much.  Without the back support the movement felt much more natural but I was surprised at how WEAK I was compared to a standing press.  Even on low carbs, I could easily rep out 135 for 15-20 reps standing.  Granted my triceps were a little smoked after the band work, but I would not have guessed that much of an offset between standing and seated.  Felt great though, shoulders were blown up after all that volume.  Goal for my tricep work is 10+ sets on Thursday.  I really need to bring these up to get my bench moving again.

All in all, a great workout, partly because I increased calories yesterday and today.  No added carbs other than a little bit of fruit spread over each meal and getting more ground beef/turkey as my protein sources for a little added fat.  It helped ALOT today.  

Friday 5/1

• Speed Squat (each rep paused in the hole, 60-70% bar weight,  no bands, no box, 60 sec between sets)
• 10 x 45, 5 x 135, 3 x225, 2 x 2 x 285,  2 x 2 x 295,  2 x 2 x 305,  2 x 315,  2 x 325,  2 x 2 x 335,  2 x 325,  2 x 315,  2 x 305, 2 x 295, 2 x 285
• Rack Pulls (pin #8 – 1-2 inches below knee) – worked up to 545 x 1,  then 4 x 495,  then 7 x 455.  
• Barbell Rack Rows (from pin #8)  275 x 6,  265 x 6,  255 x 7,  245 x 8,  235 x 8,  225 x 8 (2 mins between sets)

Added calories really helped with energy today, but strength still wasn’t great.  The 545 Rack pull is still pretty putrid, but I have always sucked at rack pulls – probably a sign I should do more of them.  That combined with the fact that I did 15 sets of high speed doubles just prior to that, my gas tank was running low.  As usual the rack rows felt great, left the gym with a huge pump in the upper, mid, and lower back.  Right where I need it.  

Body weight is currently floating in the mid 220s right now.  I’m down around 15 lbs in a little less than 3 weeks.  Other than the pretty substantial decline in strength, which is to be expected, I’m pretty happy with how I have been feeling and looking.  Summer in Houston is upcoming which means 102 degrees + 90 percent humidity.  Looking forward to being a little bit lighter this year!!