Spytech's INTENSE Training Journal

[spytech]

3/2 - Squat 5-3-1


Great squatting today. I decided to switch gears on the 5-3-1 days for squats (and probably deads in the future) and just plow through singles and go for something heavier on the last set after hitting the target single to push things more. Hit the target single today (555) easy and went to 600. Doubled it for a great PR. Back in the 600lb club. Moved to ATG zercher squats and hit a PR there as well with 425×5. I think I could hit 500 for a single…Finished with leg extensions, abs, and light curls.


Squats:
135x10
225x10
315x3
405x1
495x1
555x1
600x2 (PR)


ATG Zercher Squats:
225x5
315x3
405x3
425x5 (PR)


Leg Extensions:
305x15
305x15
305x15
305x15
305x15


Seated Ab Work (leg raises, etc):
bw x20
bw x20
bw x20
bw x20
bw x20


DB Curls:
25x10
25x10
25x10
25x10
25x10
35x10
45x10


+ stretching

[spytech]

3/12 - Push Press 3’s


Took a nice deload week last week, but didn’t bother logging workouts as it was just a lot of high volume, light weight stuff. I always love the week back after a deload. Activated beast mode and pushed push presses harder and hit two huge PRs, with 270×5 and 225×15. Shoulder feeling real solid today. Moved on to CG bench, which was pretty tough after the overheads, and inished with chins and some light db work.


Push Press:
135x10
160x3
190x3
215x3
245x3
270x5 (PR)
225x15 (PR)


CG Bench Press:
225x5
250x5
250x5
250x5
250x5
250x5


Hammer Chins (each rep from dead-hang):
bw x10
bw x10
bw x10
bw x10
bw x15


DB L-Laterals:
25x50
20x50


OH DB Extensions:
50x50
75x50


+ stretching + yoga (30min)

[spytech]

3/14 - Deadlift 3’s


This was pretty much a crap workout. Tired, no motivation, even caffeine didn’t alleviate the doldrums. Did what I had to on deads and called it good. Kind of frustrated with my form the last few months. I feel like I’ve passed my ’sweet spot’ in terms of leverages now that I’ve gained more weight and I just don’t sit back as much as I used to, and end up using a lot more back. Just not feeling very explosive anymore. Think I might need to start doing some speed pulls to get some of that hip power back. My low back/hip always feels kind of tight, too, in an awkward way, so I might have some lingering injury there. I know I am stronger now than I have ever been, and can grind/power through reps that otherwise would have never went before, hence all of the recent high rep PRs. After deads I did some stiff legged sumos, which weren’t bad. Moved on to shrugs, where I woke up a bit, and at least hit a PR. Finished with some leg curls and called it good.


Deadlift:
245x10
335x3
425x3
465x3
535x3
600x3


Sumo SLDL:
515x5
515x5


Shrugs:
315x10
515x10
605x5
695x5
770x5 (PR)


Lying Leg Curls:
150x12
157x12
167x12


+ stretching

[spytech]

3/16 - Incline Bench 3’s


Another ‘doing the minimum’ workout. Shoulder was feeling weird again so I didn’t want to push it. Pretty sure I need to cut back on the Lattimers - overworking that delt. Did some light chest work and curls, with some wide-grip bb rows, which felt nice and easy.


Incline Bench Press:
135x12
155x5
185x5
215x3
245x3
275x3


Flat DB Bench:
100x20
100x20


Wide-grip BB Row:
235x10
235x10
235x10
235x10
235x15


Single-arm Cable Curl:
30x12
40x12
50x12
50x12


Pec Flye Machine:
100x12
120x12
140x12
170x25


Dips:
bw x12


Straight-arm Lat Pushdown:
75x12
75x12
75x12


+ stretching

[administrator]

Killer log dude! Your dedication is amazing and inspiring!

[spytech]

3/19 - Squat 3’s


Great squatting. Went into this session with little motivation. Low back was real tight today so I decided to blast it by doing all my squats beltless. I ended up hitting 535 for a solid 6 reps, which is a beltless, and overall PR. I had another rep or two left, but 6 is a nice round number, and wanted to save some legs for presses and deads later this week. Moved on to ATG zercher squats and hit a PR of 435 for 5. Awesome. Finished with some curls.


Squats:
135x12
225x5
315x3
425x3
475x3
535x6 (PR)


ATG Zercher Squats:
225x3
315x3
435x5 (PR)


BB Curls:
45x10
95x10
115x10
115x10
115x10
115x10
115x10
115x10
115x10
95x10
45x10


Reverse BB Curls:
45x20
45x30


+ stretching (20min)

[spytech]

3/21 - Push Press 5’s


Shoulder feeling achy so pretty much did the minimum today.


Push Press:
135x10
155x5
175x5
205x5
230x6


Dips:
bw x10
+20x10
+40x10
+40x10
+40x20


Chins:
bw x10
+20x10
+20x10
+20x10
+20x10


Single-arm Tricep Extensions:
30x10
40x10
50x10
40x10
30x10


+ stretching

[spytech]

3/26 - Incline Bench 5’s


Good pressing. Shoulder was feeling pretty good and continued with another reps PR. Did some close grip work to really hammer the tris.


Incline Bench Press:
135x12
155x12
175x5
200x5
230x5
260x18 (PR)


CG Bench Press:
225x10
255x10
275x8
275x8


Smith Reverse CG Bench:
195x10
285x5
285x5
195x12


Dips:
bw x12
bw x12
bw x20


BB Rows:
315x5
315x5
315x5
315x5
315x10


Seated Pec Flye Machine:
110x50


+ stretching + yoga (25min)

[spytech]

3/28 - Squat 5’s


I was very worn out from a brutal Metal Alliance tour show last night so I went in and did the minimum. Good enough for today.


Squats:
135x12
225x5
395x5
445x5
505x5


Seated Leg Extensions:
305x15
305x15
305x15
305x15
305x15


Supinated DB Curls (no rests):
25x10
35x10
45x10
40x10
35x10
30x10
25x10
20x10
15x10


+ stretching

[spytech]

3/30 - Push Press 5-3-1


Woke up achy and having chills, feeling like I was coming down with something. Shoulders sore, etc. Whenever a training day starts so poorly it’s usually an indicator that I’m going to excel in the gym. Presses flew. Target was 255 for a single, which was cake. Moved up to 280 and hit a triple for a big PR. More reps in the tank but didn’t want to stress my shoulder too much with it feeling solid now. 3 plates seems real close. Moved on to dips with a real deep rom (being careful for the shoulder), which felt good. Finished with smith reverse cgb and light pulldowns.


Push Press:
135x12
165x5
200x5
230x3
255x1
280x3 (PR)
255x3


Dips:
bw x12
+20x12
+20x12
+40x12
+40x12
+60x12


Smith Reverse CG Bench:
195x10
245x3
285x3
315x3
245x10


Y-Lat Pulldowns:
160x12
160x12
160x12
160x12
160x12


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/2 - Deadlift 5-3-1


Decent pulls today. Skipped the 5-3 reppers and did singles. Was only in the mood to get the target set done and out of the way. Hit 635 for 6, which is a PR. Finished with some moderate shrugs, and some light curls. Seasonal asthma is killin me so I took things easy.


Deadlift:
245x12
335x5
425x2
500x1
565x1
635x6 (PR)


Shrugs:
225x10
315x5
405x5
495x5
585x5
675x6
675x6
495x10


Single-arm DB Hammer Curls:
110x12
110x12


Concentration Curl:
60x8
60x8
60x8
60x8
60x8


+ stretching (20 min)

[spytech]

4/4 - Incline Bench 5-3-1


Strong pressing today. Hit a new 1RM PR with 325 on incline - 330 or 335 is probably there. Real happy with how incline bench is shaping up right now.


Incline Bench Press:
135x12
155x10
185x5
230x5
260x3
290x1
315x1
325x1 (PR)
300x3
275x3


CG Bench Press:
225x5
255x5
275x3
295x3
275x5


Bench Press:
225x6
275x10


BB Rows:
325x5
325x5
325x5
325x5
415x6


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/6 - Squat 5-3-1


Real nice squatting. Skipped the 5 and 3 sets and just went for singles in an effort to push things a bit more. Ended up hitting a new 1rm PR with 610. Wasn’t too bad - probably could have ground out a double. Moved on to ATG zercher squats and hit 455 there. Real nice. Finished with some curls and extensions.


Squats:
135x12
225x5
315x3
405x1
495x1
565x1
610x1 (PR)


ATG Zercher Squats:
225x3
315x1
405x1
455x1 (PR)


Seated Leg Extension:
305x50


Standing DB Curls (one big dropset):
55x10
55x10
45x10
30x10
25x10
55x6


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/16 - Push Press 3’s


Back from a nice off-week, although babying a slightly sprained ankle from Friday (slipped on an uneven sidewalk of all things and rolled my ankle a bit). Target for this cycle’s push press triple was 250, so I cranked that out with ease and moved on to 275, where I set a 4 rep PR despite not having much leg drive. Should have had 5 but I lowered the weight too fast on my 4th rep and almost dropped the weight and stumbled forward a bit to keep it racked. Finished push presses with 250×5 and moved on to reverse cgb. Nothing exciting to report there - just good solid rep work. Chins were good. Finished with some light pec flyes.


Push Press:
135x12
160x3
195x3
225x3
250x3
275x4 (PR)
250x5


Smith Reverse CG Bench:
195x10
245x10
245x10
285x10
285x10
315x4
195x12


Close-grip Chins:
bw x10
+35x10
+35x10
+55x10
+55x10
bw x20


Pec Flye Machine:
100x20
120x20
140x20
170x20
140x20
100x20


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/18 - Deadlift 3’s


A nice deadlift session that finally felt ‘good’. Deads seemed to be clicking today and hit a solid triple with 675. No form issues, hip or back pains, etc. My sprained ankle was a bit achy during pulls, but it held up. Did some straight-leg sumo deads and hit a PR there with 555 for 5. Finished with some light, but strict shrugs, and some 45-degree hypers.


Deadlift:
225x12
335x5
425x3
515x3
605x3
645x1
675x3
605x3


Sumo SLDL:
515x5
535x5
555x5 (PR)


Shrugs:
315x12
405x12
495x12
585x12
675x12
585x12
495x12
405x12


45-degree Hypers:
+100x5
+150x10 (PR)
+150x10
+150x10
+150x10
bw x20


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/20 - Incline Bench 3’s


Went through inclines today doing the minimum. Pretty sore and achy from the previous 2 great workouts this week. Tried decline db presses for the first time in years to mix things up a bit. Felt real good. Wide-grip rows went well.


Incline Bench Press:
135x12
160x12
185x3
225x3
250x3
285x3


Decline DB Bench:
100x12
100x12
110x12
110x12
120x15


Wide-grip BB Rows:
225x5
245x5
265x5
285x5
305x5


DB Curls:
60x8
50x8
45x8
35x10
25x15


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/23 - Squat 3’s


Decent squatting. 545 felt heavier than usual, but still got a reps PR. Moved on to full zerchers and hit a PR with 465. Decided to really push it and go for 495, which I doubled. Finished with some easy curls. A friend took a video of the 495x2 zercher set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jHh7z5gH_k


Squats:
135x12
225x12
315x3
405x3
435x3
485x3
545x4 (PR)


Full Zercher Squats:
225x5
315x5
405x5
465x1 (PR)
495x2 (PR)
315x15


DB Hammer Curls:
60x8
80x8
100x8
130x8


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/25 - Push Press 5’s


Tough session being really sore from squats and such Monday. Squat rack was in use so I had to clean each weight to start the push presses. Not a big deal though, still got an easy 6 with 235 and called it good. Did some single arm standing overhead db presses, dips, reverse cgb to call it a day.


Push Press:
135x12
155x5
180x5
210x5
235x6


Single-arm Standing DB Press:
70x5
85x5
100x5


Smith Reverse CG Bench:
190x12
245x10
265x5
285x5
305x3
325x1


Dips:
bw x12
+30x5
+50x5
+70x5
+90x5


Freemotion Lat Pulldowns:
160x12
160x12
160x12
160x12
160x12
160x12


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/27 - Deadlift


This was an unexpected great workout. I knew from the start that sumo pulls just weren’t happening due to the crazy soreness from Monday’s workout still so I decided to give conventional pulls a try. I haven’t pulled heavy conventional deads in years, with my all-time PR being 585 for a grinding single several years ago. I ended up getting some great pulls in and hit a big PR with 615×2. Super pleased with how things felt today. Did some wide-grip rows and lying leg curls to finish.


Deadlift (conventional):
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x3
495x1
545x1
595x1 (PR)
615x2 (PR)
545x2


Wide-grip BB Rows:
225x5
255x5
285x5
315x5
345x5


Lying Leg Curls:
150x5
181x5
212x5 (PR)
181x5
150x12


Single-arm Cable Curls:
20x12
30x12
40x12
50x12
40x12
30x20
20x30


+ stretching

[spytech]

4/30 - Incline Bench Press 5’s


OK workout today. Forearms are real sore so everything was just so-so. Didn’t push inclines too hard - did the target and some extra reps. Tried declines for the first time in a long while - not too bad there. Close grips were sluggish, and rows hurt the forearms so I dialed the weight down a bit.


Incline Bench Press:
135x12
160x12
205x5
235x5
270x9


Decline Bench Press:
225x12
275x5
295x5
315x5
315x5
315x5


CG Bench Press:
225x5
255x5
255x5
255x5
255x8


BB Rows:
315x5
315x5
225x10
225x10
225x10


+ stretching