Steves Journal

Ok I figured I'd make a journal to keep me going and make sure everything is good.I just did my first day of HST today.

Squats ATG -100lbs  2x15 - felt pretty good

Flat Bench  - 75 lbs   2x15 - also felt pretty good

OH Press  -   55lbs      2x15 - Wow after 2nd set I was almost    dead. I just about finished last rep

BB Rows  -    70lbs       2x15 - Felt easy but nice little burn

Pullups    -     *problem  Ok so i tried for 2x8 but I couldnt. I did 5 the 1st set and 4 the 2nd set. I am thinking of switch to doing 20 total doesnt matter how many sets.

Skull Crushers -20 lbs   2x 15 - Didnt realize I needed to do 2x8-12 until after. So next time I will do 30lbs with 12 reps and then add 5 from there.

Overall everything was great except OH Press and Pullups. I mean Im not sure if I started too heavy for OH press I was just able to do them. And pullups Im just going to do 20 total. Besdies that everything was great and Im looking foward to wednesday.

nice job on your first day of HST.

the common problem that i found myself having is exactly what you did on OH press.  sounds like you started too heavy on that exercise.  remember.. the goal here is NOT to fail on any of the sets.    the first day should be fairly easy in every department.  i suggest you lower the weight 20 pounds or so on OH press, and add 5 pounds each day for the next 5 workouts (maybe not 20, but you need to be doing less if it was BARELY moving).

your last day of the 15 rep cycle should be the day where you barely get your reps in.


also.. i agree completely on the pullups.  if you can't do sets of 8, i vote you just do 20 pullups as you mentioned... and take as many sets as needed to complete it.  even if it's 20 sets of 1 rep. that's fine.

i used to do 50 pullups total,   first set was 13 or so, second 10, 3rd 8.   4th 6,  5th 4,   6th 2...  you see my point?  

goodluck. i'll try to keep an eye on your progress here.  any questions.. just ask mane

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

no joke i think my first time doing OH press in my routine was harder than the last i think.  i started on 30lbs and worked up from there.  You can either drop down the weight now while it's early or see how it goes next time.  maybe take another minute rest inbetween sets.
 
I think doing pullups that way has helped me.  it's hard to tell but i feel like i have gotten stronger on them.  your eating, rest and other lifts plays a big role in how you fair on these too.

No the leg press is not the same as doing squats.

Ya thanks for the help guys. I just realized that my form for OVerhead press was wrong. (everything else is right thought I'm postive) Anyways I found out that you should onyl bring it to your nose then back up, while I brought it all the way down to my shoulders.

That might've been a problem so I might test it out the proper way and see if its easier and if its the same then Ill lower the weight.

Also are you guys doing widegrip pullups or normal ?

no you are right to bring it to your chest.  your elbows should be out infront of you with your chest up and it should rest right around your shoulders.  then bring it up and get under the bar where the bar should be in the center of your body while you are basically shrugging the bar as your last movement.  the only down to your nose thing is crap!  are you doing seated or standing?
 
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GJFjYyA40ss
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sebbhlKhs2E&feature=related
 
my gym has a slanted pullup bar so i use it.  it's a little past shoulder width.

Ok well I thought I was doing it right then someone told me I was doing it wrong but I guess they're wrong. In that case I will go from 55 pounds to 45 and hopefully that will be good.

Pretty mad right now. I'm guessing the maxes I got were inaccurate because some things are too heavy and its only week 1.(even though there is only 2 weeks of 15s)

Anyways here was my workout:
Deadlift w/ Shrugs - 120 did them by struggled 2nd set and had to take 5 seconds pauses the last couple of reps
OH Press              - 45    brilliant
BB Rows               - 75    good
Incline Bench        - 65     splendid
Side Raises           - 10lb Dbs     hard but good
Pullups                 - 8   reps :(       shoudlve never did them last..im always burnt out by this time

Ok today was leg day.

Squats-105     2x15

45 Deg Leg Press - 90     2x15

SLDL - 100     2x12

Quad Extensions - 50     2x12

Calf Raises - 90, 140, 180 (next week 140,180, 230)     1x20, 1x15, 1x12

Abs

Today was a good day everything strict and slow with good form and all reps completed. Wasn't in a leg mood but I'm looking foward to tommorow.

Also you think only 1 day that has 1 iso for biceps is good enough? I mean usually my bis respond better when they have more exercises so I was thinking of adding a few bi exercises on this day below  :

Wednesday: Full Body
Deadlifts with Shrug
Incline Bench
Standing OH Press
Side Raises…………………2x8-12
BB Rows
Pull-ups…………………3x8-12

Today was a great day IMO.

Flat Bench - 80

OH Press - 50

BB Rows - 80

Incline DB Flyes- 20 lb dbs (felt in more in my arms then chest??)

Bent Over DB Laterals - 10 lb dbs

Incline Curls - bar +10lb plates

Skull Crushers - 30

Pullups - only 8 ...by this time I am always burnt out..I'm going to do them sooner next time

Monday:

ATG Squats - 110     2x15

Flat Bench - 85     2x15

OH Press - 55     2x15

BB Rows - 85     2x15

SkullCrushers - 35     2x12

Pullups - Only 5 normal and the rest I did assisted

Abs - Weighted work w/ 25 lbs

Overall today was good..still have the pullup problem but I figured using assisted would still make me progress. I'm liking this program..I don't know if its just me but I feel like I already gained some size and I'm only 1 week+ into it.  Must be because I never really did high reps before.

Well today was kinda bad becasue I HAD to help out someone with construction and it required a lot of lifting and crap so I figured it would take a toll on my workout.

Anyways:

Deadlifts w/ shrug - 125 - 2x15 (2nd set only did like 12 or so)

Incline Bench - 70 - 2x15 - fine

Standing OH Press - 60 - fine..little sloppy form on last couple but overall good

Side Raises - Didn't do

BB Rows - 90 - 2x15 - 2nd set had trouble at end

Pullups - just did assisted like 10 or so

Incline Barbell (smalelr one) Curl - 10 lbs - bar for 1st set and 2nd was only bar

So overall wasnt that good but consdiering what I did for 6 hours before that it was ok. PLanning to get a lot of rest and recover and hit the gym strong tommrorow.

Currently Bulking Big Time:

Started 9-7 @ 147 lbs

Goal - To not stop bulking until spring and gain at least 3 lbs a month

Friday:

ATG Squats - 115          2x15

45 Deg Leg Press - 100   2x15

SLDL - 110                   2x12

Quad Extensions - 55     2x12

Calf Raises 140,180,230  1x20,1x15,1x12

Abs w/ 25 lb weight       3x15

Pretty good day today...really hit my legs and abs hard today and all sets were good. Looking foward to tommorows workout.

Currently Bulking Big Time:

Started 9-7 @ 147 lbs

Goal - To not stop bulking until spring and gain at least 3 lbs a month

Forgot to post on Saturday,which was my last day of 15s.

Saturday:

Flat Bench - 90  2x15

Incline DB Flyes - 25  2x15

OH Press - 65  2x15

Bent over Rear DB Lats - 15  2x12

Pullups - 20

Incline BB Curls - bar + 5lbs  2x12

Skull Crushers - 40  2x12

Good day overall..starting my 10s tommorow and hoping it goes well.

Currently Bulking Big Time:

Started 9-7 @ 147 lbs

Goal - To not stop bulking until spring and gain at least 3 lbs a month

Great day today to start 10s.

Monday:

ATG Squats - 125   3x10

Flat Bench - 100   3x10

OH Press - 60     3x10

BB Rows - 95    3x10

Pullups - 20

Skull Crushers - 45   2x12


Great workout overall and all reps and form was great.

Only thing is the last couple of skullcrushers got hard so Im not sure if Im going to be able to increase it by 5 again to make it 50. Ill try but do you think when I stall I should keep it at the heavist weight I can or instead of 12 reps make it like 8 and raiise the weight?

Currently Bulking Big Time:

Started 9-7 @ 147 lbs

Goal - To not stop bulking until spring and gain at least 3 lbs a month

WEdnesday:
Deadlifts w/ shrug - 140    3x10

Incline Bench  - 80   3x10

OH Press - 65   3x10

BB Rows - 100    3x10

Pullups -20

Side Raises - 15   2x12

Incline BB Curls  - bar + 7.5lbs on each side   2x12

Pretty good day today. Only thing that was bad was on a few of my deadlifts my I didn't really shrug that muhch or at all so I did some shrugs after I deadlifted. Besdies that everything was good but incline bench was way too light. Im goign to up it by 10 lbs nxt time.

Currently Bulking Big Time:

Started 9-7 @ 147 lbs

Goal - To not stop bulking until spring and gain at least 3 lbs a month