AcftW’s Progress Thread

Dull pain in my left shoulder (rear) might be tendinitis or an impingement. Had some sharp pain in the same place a couple months ago, but it’s been good until now. Only feel it during pulling movements, pushing feels fine. Weighted Chin Ups and T Bar Rows are out for a week or so, I’ll try things again after a solid Advil/ice pack routine.

Because of that I just did a fuckaround workout today, increased on hypers and just did some maintenance isolation work on biceps/triceps.

Hyperextensions

115x5
215x5
215x5
215x5
115x5

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Did an unofficial fitness test. Passed, but lower scores than I would have liked. Doesn’t really matter, I know that I’ll pass later this month when I take the real thing.

35 Push-ups (1 min)
47 Sit-ups (1 min)
1.5 miles in 12:45

A lot harder to hit the 50-60 push-ups now than when I was 165 lol...but I guess I rarely train them anymore. I’d be willing to bet the only thing keeping my sit-ups this high is the weighted incline ones I do 3x a week. I’m thinking 11:00-11:30 for the run is doable in a few weeks if I keep at it.

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Shoulder is still a little achy but not like it was. Gonna wait for chin ups and rows though.

Hyperextensions

115x5
220x5
220x5
220x5
115x5

Leg Press

180x3
270x3
360x15

Dips

BWx5
BWx5
BWx5
25x4

Accessories:
Tricep Pushdowns and Overhead Extensions

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Did some submaximal rack pulls, I’m dialing things down a bit with practicing for my test in a couple weeks.

Rack Pulls

225x3
315x3
405x3
495x3
405x10

Weighted Sit Ups

45x10
45x15
45x15

Accessories:
3 sets Neck Curls
3 sets Neck Extensions
3x EZ Bar Curls
4 sets Face Pulls
5 sets Overhead Cable Extensions

Shoulder is feeling a bit better and was planning to go to a yoga class tonight, but stayed at the gym a little too long and didn’t have enough time to take a shower. I used to do a yoga class routinely once a week, but have been traveling so much for work it’s been hard to get that dialed in.

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(04-06-2018 06:03 PM)AcftW Wrote:  Did an unofficial fitness test. Passed, but lower scores than I would have liked. Doesn’t really matter, I know that I’ll pass later this month when I take the real thing.

35 Push-ups (1 min)
47 Sit-ups (1 min)
1.5 miles in 12:45

A lot harder to hit the 50-60 push-ups now than when I was 165 lol...but I guess I rarely train them anymore. I’d be willing to bet the only thing keeping my sit-ups this high is the weighted incline ones I do 3x a week. I’m thinking 11:00-11:30 for the run is doable in a few weeks if I keep at it.

If you like fitness challenges, you should try the 1k pushup challenge for time and see how long it takes you. It's brutal, but the pump is absolutely incredible.

A lot of people shoot for around 1 hour, and if you do 17 pushups per minute, you'll hit 1 hour. It's a true marathon.

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I actually don’t care much for fitness challenges; I’m just doing this for my National Guard fitness test. That said, that does sound like a great workout and good way to build up your push-up endurance. I may try that in the coming weeks.

Another mock fitness test today, was pretty dehydrated due to some training with a lot of gear on and being unable to drink. Still improved on everything, though the run went poorly. Started getting shin splints, so I’m going to take some extra measures over the next few days.

44 Push-ups (1 min)
50 Sit-ups (1 min)
1.5 Miles in 12:39

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Hyperextensions

115x5
205x5
205x5
205x5

Weighted Dips

BWx5
25x3
25x3
25x3

Leg Press

200x3
290x3
380x3
420x3
420x3
420x3

Accessories:
4 sets EZ Bar Curls
4 sets Cable Curls
5 sets Tricep Pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Cable Ext.

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Forgot to mention, I ordered a Rogue wrist roller. I want to start doing some direct forearm work similar to how I did with my neck last year. Doing it 3x per week I went from a neck circumference of 17” to 18.5” in a little over 2 months while cutting. Just checked now and I’m up to 18.75”.

I’m hoping for similar newbie gains on my forearms doing high rep work. Grip strength is pretty solid from rack pulls, but I want to do more. Starting measurements (just below elbow) are as follows:

Arm straight flexed: 13.25”
Elbow at 90 degrees (hammer curl) 14”

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Rack Pulls

225x3
315x3
405x3
515x2
495x3
405x5

Weighted Sit-ups

45x15
45x15
45x15

Wrist Roller

10x5
10x5
10x5

Rushed my rack pull sets and my hands were still a bit tired from the previous set. Should have been good for 4-5 @515 but missed it.

For the wrist roller I wanted to start with a light weight to get used to. All the way up, all the way down is 1 rep. Forgot what it was like to have a good forearm pump.

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Hyperextensions

115x5
225x5
225x5
225x5
115x5

Leg Press

180x5
270x5
360x3
420x8

Dips

BWx5
BWx5
BWx5

Wrist Rollers

15x5
15x5
15x5

Accessories:
4 sets EZ Bar Curls
4 sets Cable Curls
5 sets Tricep pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Tricep Extensions

The 225 hyper milestone would feel bigger if I wasn’t using a 25 lb curl bar for them, and hitting 2x plates weeks ago (205). Still, next goal is 315.

Shoulder is feeling 95% better, only twinges very occasionally. Been taking Advil semi regularly which has been helping. I’m going to give it a day or two before I add Chins and Rows back in. Then I’ll finally be able to go back to my split.

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Hyperextensions

115x5
225x5
225x5
225x5
115x10

Leg Press

180x5
270x5
360x20

Accessories:
4 sets Face Pulls
4 sets EZ Bar Curls
5 sets Tricep Pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Cable Extensions

Couldn’t find the straight curl bar I usually use for hypers so I decided I’ll just have to take up extra space today with a full sized barbell. Glad I did, it felt better and looks more badass. Had a nice burn in my lower back and legs today (thanks to leg presses)

Yoga tomorrow, and then probably practice fitness test on Monday, hopefully get my run time down and push-ups back into the 50s.

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Practice fitness test today.

47 Push-ups (1 min)
47 Sit-ups (1 min)
12:33 Mile and a half

Also started going to a Vinyasa yoga class again, did a lot of shoulder opening poses. Always amazing to see how bad my breathing has gotten when I go away for X months.

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Rack Pulls

225x3
315x3
405x3
495x3
495x3
495x3
495x3
495x3

Leg Press

180x5
270x5
360x21

Wrist Roller

20x5
20x5
20x5

Accessories:
4 sets Face Pulls

Tossing an extra day of rack pulls in, hoping the added volume helps my grip on 515 (again) this week. I’m gonna hit 5 reps damnit. Not ready to use straps yet lol...

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Weighted Chin Ups

45x2
45x2
45x2

Weighted Dips

BWx5
25x3
25x3
25x3
25x3
25x3

T Bar Rows

90x3
135x3
180x5
135x5

Wrist Roller

25x3
25x3
25x3
20x3

Accessories:
4 sets EZ Bar Curls
4 sets Cable Curls
5 sets Tricep Pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Cable Extensions

Started back easy with chins and rows, didn’t want to irritate anything going to the max.

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47 Push-ups
52 Sit-ups
12:28 Mile and a half

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Hyperextensions

135x5
230x5
230x5
230x5
135x15

Leg Press

200x5
290x3
380x3
430x5

Wrist Roller

25x5
25x5
25x5

Accessories:
4 sets Face Pulls

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Rack Pulls

225x3
315x3
405x3
515x5
405x10

Weighted Incline Sit-ups

45x15
45x15
45x15

Accessories:
4 sets Neck Curls

Finally hit 515x5, next week I’ll up it to 520 and go for 3. I think doing that 495x5x3 was good for extra volume, I’ll probably do that scheme once per week and periodically add weight.

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Taking things easy in the days leading up to my test, but hit 235x5 for 3 sets on hypers. Only noteworthy thing. Getting a little busier after deciding to stay up here in Alaska longer than a couple years. Going to be house hunting later this year, and have a vehicle to bring up from the lower 48.

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Passed my test, back to lifting.

Weighted Dips

25x3
25x3
25x3
25x3
25x3

T Bar Row

90x3
135x3
160x4
160x4
160x4

Wrist Roller

35x2
35x2
35x2

Accessories:
4 sets EZ Bar Curls
4 sets Cable Curls
5 sets Tricep Pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Cable Extensions


Going to throw on 5x3 Rack Pulls with ~80% on my light Hypers day for some extra volume.

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There was a powerlifting competition going on at the gym, the only hyperextension bench/machines were blocked off. Had to skip those.

Rack Pulls

225x3
315x3
405x3
500x3
500x3
500x3
500x3
500x3

Leg Press

200x5
400x3
430x3
430x3
430x3

Weighted Incline Sit Ups

70x10
45x10
45x10

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Weighted Chin Ups

45x2
45x2
45x2

Dips

BWx5
BWx5
BWx5

Seated OHP

45x10
95x10
95x10
95x10

Accessories
4 sets EZ Bar Curl
4 sets Cable Curl
5 sets Tricep Pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Cable Extensions

Going to be keeping OHP in the higher reps for the foreseeable future, feels a lot better on my shoulders, particularly the janky one.

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Had a guy from work following me around to see what I do because he wants to get started in the gym. It was already going to be a rushed workout and he was asking lots of good questions. I’ve gotten so used to working out w/o a partner it was kind of an off workout. Just did hypers and leg press.

Hyperextensions

135x5
235x5
235x5
235x5
135x5

Leg Press

200x5
290x5
380x10

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Chin Ups

BWx5
BWx5

Seated OHP

45x10
95x10
95x10
95x10

T Bar Row

90x3
135x3
180x3
205x4
180x5

Accessories:
4 sets EZ Bar Curls
4 sets Cable Curls
3 sets Cable Rows
5 sets Tricep Pushdowns
5 sets Overhead Cable Extensions

Good day, going for 520x3 Rack Pulls tomorrow.

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Decided against rack pulls today and just did some accessory work, mostly neck.

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Rack Pulls

225x3
315x3
405x3
520x3
405x10

Leg Press

200x5
400x3
430x8

Wrist Roller

25x3
25x3
25x3

Accessories:
4 sets Face Pulls

Nailed 520, might have been able to do a little more but held off on grinding out another rep. It’s crazy how light 405 feels once I get done with heavier weight.

A decent sized cross fitter type doing squats nearby came over and congratulated me saying I made that look easy. Felt pretty good.

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