General Stalin's Progress Thread

Hit a low-key rep/set PR last night so squat is doing well. Squatted 5 x 5 x 290. Truth be told I could have hit it for 5 x 6 but I was not pushing myself very hard. Squat might be strongest it's ever been currently while I'm leaner than I was earlier this year.

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Another update: I've incorporated incline barbell bench press in to my regular routine as a direct accessory movement for flat bench. On a typical week my bench days look like this:

Day 1:...
Day 2: Flat Bench press, 30-degree incline barbell bench press supersetted with bent over barbell row, accessories
Day 3:...
Day 4: 15-degree incline close-grip bench press, 45-degree DB bench press supersetted with heavy Kroc rows, accessories
Day 5:...
Day 6: Flat Bench press, 30-degree incline barbell bench press supersetted with bent over barbell row, accessories

Since I've been doing incline every bench workout I've been seeing improvements in my incline press from workout-to-workout. It's awesome how well it's progressing.

For example - Last week I did 30-degree incline press 4 x 6 x 175, then the next workout I did 4 x 5 x 180. Workout after that I did 4 x 5 x 185, and then a couple days ago I went for 4 x 6 but failed @ 4th rep on my 2nd set (didn't have a ton to eat that day) so I backed the weight down to 165 for my last two sets. Today I hit 4 x 6 x 185. Thats some killer linear progression right there. If I could hit a 2-plate incline by the end of the year that would be awesome. I've never tried to max on incline press so it'd be uncharted territory. I'm really thinking this will be key in building up my flat bench as the increased ROM and tricep/shoulder isolation has got to have some decent carry-over.

Today I weighed 208.5#

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Update: Tested maxes at the end of January/beginning of Feb, and have been taking a break between training blocks to sort of hard reset. Break wound up being longer than planned with some unexpected travel and getting sick for a few days, but I'm back at it this week starting a new training program. Anyway, maxes were not entirely impressive which is why I decided to change up the program to try something a little different to see if I can break through my plateau. My strength is still right where it was around springtime last year (maybe a little stronger).

Bench: 265
Squat: failed attempt @ 365
Deadlift: 405

I attempted 275 on bench first but could not push through my sticking point. Spotter said I looked strong off my chest and video shows that as well. Went for the 265 after and hit it real clean, cleaner than ever. Technically that is my highest bench as when I hit 270 and 265 previously, they were bad reps (spotter slightly helped me @ 270 and did not touch my chest with the bar @ 265).

Squat was real close. Came up strong out of the hole but started griding real slow while opening my knees up after parallel. Both spotters said it looked like I had it but I gave up or something might have been off (sleep/food). I didn't attempt a lower number, but since I was so close then safe to say 355 or 360 was there to no real improvement.

Deadlift I tested after taking a couple weeks off so I broke my peaking cycle. Likely could have hit my previous max or maybe even better if I stayed in the zone but I went for 405 and hit 405 without too much issue so I'm happy with that.
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Started a new training cycle yesterday based off the GZCL method which I loosely followed earlier in this progress thread. Figure I will run this for 5 weeks and see if it does anything for me. Day 1 was squats:

Tier 1 - Lowbar squat - 6 x 2 x 295 w/belt
Tier 2 - Front squat - 4 x 6 x 135 / Rack pull above the knee - 6 x 4 x 405 w/ belt
Tier 3 - Close stance leg press - 4 x 12 x 290 >ss> Leg curl - 4 x 10 x 80

Legs are on fire. Feels great. Had the flu last week and I'm a little down on weight weighing around 200 at the moment. Today I will be doing bench press. This will be my workout:

Tier 1 - Pause bench press - 4 x 3 x 225
Tier 2 - Incline bench press 30degree - 4 x 6 x 185 / Barbell row - 4 x 6 x 225
Tier 3 - Lat pulldown - 4 x 10 x 150 >ss> Seated row - 4 x 10 x 120 >ss> Dips 4 x 10

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Pretty good progression the bench, but we gotta stop with the legs and back. Chest and arms all day. Just hit bench at different angles for 5 hours until that thing is nice and swollen up. Then proceed to pop in a quick 2 hour arm workout. Just bang out some bi and tri work, get those boys poppin. After that just bounce. No need for cardio, legs, back. Can do shoulders if you really want but not necessary.

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The weekend after my last post (2/22) I got all 4 of my wisdom teeth out and that knocked me out of the gym for a solid two weeks. One of the extraction sites ended up getting infected which has prolonged my recovery. Got prescribed heavier antibiotics and I'm feeling on the right track now an the infection is going away. I finally started back up at the gym this week but I have been taking it very easy.

Monday I worked up to 3 x 6 x 225 on squats, then some accessories (3 x 12 x 290 leg press and 3 x 12 x 70 leg curl) and some dumbbell curls and seated rows.

Tuesday benched 4 x 3 x 205, then 45-degree incline DB press 3 x 8 x 65 supersetted with DB rows 3 x 8 x 85, then facepulls and lat pulldown.

Rested Wednesday.

Thursday (today) I did OHP 4 x 3 x 135, 30-degree incline BB bench press 4 x 6 x 155 supersetted with bent over BB row 4 x 6 x 185, then side lateral raises supersetted with reverse DB flies, then facepulls supersetted with seated close grip rows

I'm looking to be back at it full bore a week or so from now, and using the GZCL method I will be working in the 85% range on my main compound movements every workout. I think this may be a big key in helping me bust through my plateaus provided I take adequate recovery and food intake.

My current near-term goals might be on the aggressive side, but I think they are very doable as long as I stay disciplined and free of setbacks:

By the end of August 2019 I want to hit a 285 bench press, 375 squat, and 455 deadlift.

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(03-15-2019 01:02 AM)General Stalin Wrote:  The weekend after my last post (2/22) I got all 4 of my wisdom teeth out and that knocked me out of the gym for a solid two weeks. One of the extraction sites ended up getting infected which has prolonged my recovery. Got prescribed heavier antibiotics and I'm feeling on the right track now an the infection is going away. I finally started back up at the gym this week but I have been taking it very easy.

Did they put you under for the extraction?
I'm gonna have to get this done eventually and I've never been put under. I hear it's not a must, just something we do in the US to classify it as a 'surgical procedure' to justify higher medical costs.

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I got put under (it's optional but I opted for it).

Being under anesthesia is fine, the only downside is you are constipated for the next couple days. I would definitely not want to be awake for wisdom teeth extration. Shit is brutal.

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Depends on how impacted the teeth are and how many you're getting done at once. Full or partial bony impacted 3rd molars, you would probably want to get knocked out via IV sedation but if they are fully erupted and you're doing only two on one side, you could be awake. I had both of my lower wisdom teeth removed while being awake but they were only impacted on the soft tissue and not bone. Sometimes 3rd molar extraction sites take a long time to heal up, especially on the lower with infections and/or dry sockets being not uncommon.

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Still lagging from the antibiotics and getting over the infection so my energy and work capacity have still been a bit zapped, but getting better. Bee doing my workouts as outlined above just with lighter weights than initially prescribed. Feeling real sore and experiencing some wicked DOMS from each workout, especially lower body. I know it will go away in time.

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Antibiotics have been known to cause tendon or ligament rupture for weeks or even months after being administered them. You might to deload seriously or even do nothing for a good while.

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^ to echo the above, I would personally not be doing any sets below 12 reps for a good few weeks, with most in the 15-20 range.

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Damn didn't know it was serious. I'll take the advice and scale the intensity way back. Just been eager to get back on the horse, but much better being safe than sorry - agreed. So you guys recommending staying in the 60% and below range?

Edit: did some reading and asking a medical friend of mine, the antibiotic I was taking is not a fluoroquinolone which is the type know for affecting tendons. Side effects of the drug I was taking are really just related to my gut fluora, which indirectly effect my hydration so I need to make sure be taking in more water and taking some probiotics to get myself to stop shitting water.

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I had to look some stuff up as well lol .. If they werent fluoroqunilones you are probably fine.
That said since nobody can isolate the mechanism for why FQs cause tendon rupture then using less weight for a week or a little more is probably good idea. Spontaneous achilles tendon rupture sounds like it would suck. Nobody wants to be an n=1 case study.

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Been a while since an update so I'll give an overview:

Have completed 7 weeks of GZCL method-based training and feeling great. Day-to-day working sets are benching 5 x 3 x 225, squatting 5 x 3 x 305, and deadlifting 5 x 3 x 365.

Set a new rep PR two nights ago - deadlifted 405 x 2 and it was ~RPE9/9.5. I likely could have gotten another rep.

Average weight is around 207#'s a little lighter than I want to be need to be more consistent with my daily calories. I am consistent with my meals but I need to add more to my daily diet and eat the same "extra" stuff every day.

About to take a couple back-to-back vacations so will be taking a little time off fro, the gym which is good time as I've just finished 7 straight weeks of training and consistently adding weight to the bar.

I've still got 3 solid months of training to reach my goals and I think it's doable.

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