A one year Journey to the 5's

[mghoward74]

Walk in for chest day. It went down like this...lol

Flat bench
1×315= 1 rep
1×405= 1 rep (spotter touch the bar..)

●Got a new spotter●
1×425= no go....

*Got it up halfway and for some reason the weight started moving south...like towards my nuts. That was weird huh? It looked like I was more than half way up...pushing it fast. Anyways..got depressed after that (glass half empty). Didn't feel like finishing the workout....bummer lol.*

Reminder. I've been off prop for a week and off test/tren/mast for 3 weeks.

Shoulder started aching, but that's not the issue.

 

[Benny]

Walk in for chest day. It went down like this...lol

Flat bench
1×315= 1 rep
1×405= 1 rep (spotter touch the bar..)

●Got a new spotter●
1×425= no go....

*Got it up halfway and for some reason the weight started moving south...like towards my nuts. That was weird huh? It looked like I was more than half way up...pushing it fast. Anyways..got depressed after that (glass half empty). Didn't feel like finishing the workout....bummer lol.*

Reminder. I've been off prop for a week and off test/tren/mast for 3 weeks.

Shoulder started aching, but that's not the issue.

Bummer man, but don't let it get you in the dumps. Come back next week and crush it.

 

[brutus79]

Walk in for chest day. It went down like this...lol

Flat bench
1×315= 1 rep
1×405= 1 rep (spotter touch the bar..)

●Got a new spotter●
1×425= no go....

*Got it up halfway and for some reason the weight started moving south...like towards my nuts. That was weird huh? It looked like I was more than half way up...pushing it fast. Anyways..got depressed after that (glass half empty). Didn't feel like finishing the workout....bummer lol.*

Reminder. I've been off prop for a week and off test/tren/mast for 3 weeks.

Shoulder started aching, but that's not the issue.

I wish I was outside the gym so I could have said (screaming at the top of my lungs) GET THE FUCK BACK IN THAT FUCKING GYM YOU FUCKING PUSSY! NOW YOU OWE ME FIFTY CHEST SETS!

I can't bench 400 - and I never will if I leave every time I miss a lift. The journey to 500's is NOT in the parking lot my friend.

 

[mghoward74]

I wish I was outside the gym so I could have said (screaming at the top of my lungs) GET THE FUCK BACK IN THAT FUCKING GYM YOU FUCKING PUSSY! NOW YOU OWE ME FIFTY CHEST SETS!

I can't bench 400 - and I never will if I leave every time I miss a lift. The journey to 500's is NOT in the parking lot my friend.

Wouldn't have heard you screaming at me over the music in my headphones. It's at that moment I said I need a freaking workout partner. Someone close to my strength, size, etc....for that added motivation. I like that you said the journey is NOT in the parking lot.

So every time after chest day my front delts starts aching. Well they ache again. I took 1600 mg of ibuprofen and ice the shoulder. Still couldn't get much sleep though.

Time to get back to business.
Protein shake this morning
1.) 2 scoops of Gold Standard vanilla
2.) 1 banana
3.) 1 cup of oatmeal
4.) 8 oz of whole milk
5.) 4 Tablespoons of peanut butter

Guessing around around 95 grams protein. Haven't figured out the carbs on it yet.

 

[Skull]

Walk in for chest day. It went down like this...lol

Flat bench
1×315= 1 rep
1×405= 1 rep (spotter touch the bar..)

●Got a new spotter●
1×425= no go....

*Got it up halfway and for some reason the weight started moving south...like towards my nuts. That was weird huh? It looked like I was more than half way up...pushing it fast. Anyways..got depressed after that (glass half empty). Didn't feel like finishing the workout....bummer lol.*

Reminder. I've been off prop for a week and off test/tren/mast for 3 weeks.

Shoulder started aching, but that's not the issue.

Its all good bro. Shit most people I know including myself would be more excited an happier than a fat kid on a cake hunt with a hand full of $100's inside a bakery lmfao just to be maxing the weight that you are already putting up for reps man. Don't get down on yourself because you are way ahead of a lot of people when it comes to slinging weight my friend

 

[mghoward74]

Tonight was shoulders

Seated overhead Barbell press
1×95= 12 reps
1×115= 12 reps
1×135= 10 reps
1×155= 10 reps
1×165= 10 reps
1×205= 5 reps
1×135= 10 reps

Incline rear delt flys
4×20= 15 reps

Rear delts smith machine
1×105= 15 reps
1×125= 15 reps
1×135= 10 reps
3×150= 10 reps

Smith machine shoulder press
4 set, 15 reps

{No side or front delt exercises}

Leg raises
4 sets, 25 reps each

Side bends with 60 lbs dumbbell
4 sets, 20 reps per side

●My shoulder is shot to hell. The last time 425 lbs was attempted I think I hurt it pretty good. I'm back at the point where I can't lift my arm again. I have to do some aggressive stretching to get it back right again. ●

Another thing.....I just weighed in at 254.6 tonight. My weight is going in the wrong direction. I don't know if my carb intake is to high or what. I've been off prop now going on 2 weeks. In 5-7 days, I should be starting pct.

Lastly, found someone to workout with hopefully. There's a competition in march they're getting ready for, but after that he said we can train together.

 

[mghoward74]

Update.

Shoulders still shot, but managed to to back yesterday. Need to it ice more.

Iso row (hammer) nice & slow
1×270=12 reps..3 plates each side
4×360= 10 reps...4 plates each side

Single lat pull downs
1×45= 12 reps
1×90= 12 reps
3×135= 10 reps

Seated rows
1×170= 12 reps
1×180= 12 reps
1×190= 10 reps
1×200= 10 reps
1×220= 10 reps

Wide grip seated rows
1×160= 10 reps
1×170= 10 reps
1×180= 10 reps
1×190= 10 reps

Standing barbell back extensions
1×135= 12 reps
3× 225= 10 reps

Will be attacking arms tonight hopefully (bi's & tri's).

I can barely raise my right arm (even with aggressive stretching). It's just a routine setback but it'll be okay though. I can start to see where my abs are coming in. Diet is getting clean, wife mentioned she noticed my healthy eating habits. Been eating salads at restaurants and such. Tried to eat a french fry and almost threw up...yuck!

*forgot to do straight arm lat pull downs. No ab work or side bends either. Been doing crunches & leg lifts at home.*

 

[mghoward74]

Forgot to add dumbell rows
1×105= 10 reps
3×110= 10 reps

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Perhaps you should fortify your shoulders with heavy barbell presses. Just looking at what your work load is for shoulder day. It appears to ME that they are not proportionate in strength to what your benching.

Im saying you should be seated pressing 260-280 for 5. Make your shoulders stronger friend. Less likely to get hurt

 

[Masters Power]

Make sure you get the shoulder right before you attempt heavy benching again. I've made that mistake before.

Hope you get it straightened out soon.

 

[alphastrength50]

bro to get to the 5s ur gonna need an advanced schedule revolving around ur bench including deload days and heavy days w variable rep and set schemes. this standard chest protocol will not do much to boost ur bench from a great number to an even greater one gl

 

[mghoward74]

Perhaps you should fortify your shoulders with heavy barbell presses. Just looking at what your work load is for shoulder day. It appears to ME that they are not proportionate in strength to what your benching.

Im saying you should be seated pressing 260-280 for 5. Make your shoulders stronger friend. Less likely to get hurt

So I've been thinking about what you've said and I've been thinking....

I used to go heavy until my shoulder problems. So medium weight more reps won't help strengthen the shoulder?

bro to get to the 5s ur gonna need an advanced schedule revolving around ur bench including deload days and heavy days w variable rep and set schemes. this standard chest protocol will not do much to boost ur bench from a great number to an even greater one gl

Well help me out bro! What you got in mind. The past few chest days routine are just max days.

I'm old school so I don't know anything regarding delay days.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

I would love to see you get 500. You and I both know what happens first is your shoulders will go. Its a issue with benching heavy for most people. Shoulders are fast twitch dominant which means slower, medium/heavy weight medium reps are the key.

Since your training for max 1 rep its a good idea to strengthen and fortify the shoulder muscles and joints. When I was in to powerlifting( 2002ish ) in high school I got my bench to 315 in just 8 weeks. I did it by "greasing the groove". Means I would come in EOD and lift heavy sets of 3 or so but no more. Since your technically not building its practical to use this method as a way to build strength. I would also practice heavy shoulder barbell press reps of 5 to strengthen the weak spots. So at 189 lb and 16 yrs old I got to 315 very quickly.

The old school way was to keep practicing heavy reps of 1 but there are better and *safer* ways to quickly reach your goal

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

I also didnt know shit about nutrition then and ate a low protein diet to build all that. It leads me to believe if protein is that important for strength gains? At least it wasn't back then. Maybe newbie gains? Either way my diet was ignorant as fuck

 

[mghoward74]

Update:

Shoulder still shot! I've modified a particular stretch that puts more emphasis on the front delt. The stretch feels great and I'm now able to pick things up with my right hand. It's still difficult to reach for the milk on the top shelf in the refrigerator.

I bought some strengthening bands (one ten pound band, one twenty pound band). I'll be searching for strengthening vids and such.

Been caught up in B-day parties this past week. Wife's b-day on valentines day and my son's b-day was yesterday....plus mines was earlier this month. I'm glad it's all over.

Just a side note:
Going to Rome this summer, so besides recovering from this injury, I'm going to cut more....I'm still on this Journey

Weight is back at 248

Respectfully

 

[alphastrength50]

ill post my old schedule for everyone on this thread. it got me up to doing 315 for paused sets of five @ 183lb

 

[Ozzy619]

ill post my old schedule for everyone on this thread. it got me up to doing 315 for paused sets of five @ 183lb

Thate a good weight to lift ratio. Post it up, Im stuck at 295.

 

[mghoward74]

Went to the gym Sunday am.

Arms

Tried to do incline dumbbell curls, which was a no go!

Seated Machine preacher curls
1×40= 10
1×50= 10
1×60= 10
1×70 =10
1×80= 8
1×90= 6

Seated machine preacher curls (hammer)

1×40= 10
1×50= 10
1×60= 8
1×70= 8
1×80= 8

Seated Machine preacher curls (single arm concentration)

1×30= 10
1×40= 10
3×40= 8

Standing cable hammer curls (rope)
2×50= 12
2×70= 10
2×80= 10
2×90= 10

Tricep extensions (cable)
6×150= 10

Overhead tricep extensions
6×150= 10

Tricep extensions (cable w/ rope)
5×80=12

Single arm reverse tricep extension
3×50= 10
3×60= 10

Leg raises
3 sets 20 reps

Kneeling ab crunches (cable w/ rope)
*I'll get you the official name later*

3 sets, 20 reps @ 80 lbs

●15 minutes stairmaster●

Shoulder coming really slow. I put ice one it for the past 2 days. Still looking at strengthening vids. Hoping the ice reduces what I suspect is inflammation.

I feel like I should get it cut on.....damn! It's not as bad as when I first injured it though....thankfully

Woke up at 243

Respectfully

 

[Oregonstrong]

I love the "kneeling ab crunches with cable and rope". I just call them weighted crunches. Always remember to breath in heavy before going down and make sure you feel a good contraction. These kill my abs after 4 sets of leg raises. Looks like you do a similar ab routine as mine except I usually go 4x15 or 4x20.

 

[mghoward74]

Back day.

Seated hammer rows iso
2× 270= 10 reps (6 plates)
2×320= 8 reps

Single arm lat pull downs
4×135= 8 reps (3 plates)
4×135= 5 reps

Seated cable rows (10 reps)
1×160
1×170
1×180
1×190
1×200
1×210
1×220
1×230

Standing Barbell lower back extensions
1×135=10 reps
3×225= 10 reps

Bent over dumbbell rows
1×110= 10 reps
2×115= 10 reps

Seated wide grip cable rows (10 reps)
1×160
1×170
1×180
1×190

5 minutes on stairmaster
*cramps in quads & hamstrings*

Haven't gotten leg cramps since playing college ball...lol. cramps started as soon as I got on the stupid machine.

■ It funny how when you start a cycle and you're waiting to see gains. Gains come slow and then a few weeks later....pow! You start to get bigger and hopefully stronger. Once the gains come....yeah...bring it on. You sometimes don't notice how many sets or reps you blow through with ease. Recovery is awesome, as we all ready know.

It sucks coming off cycle. I find myself trying to maintain the same set & rep combo even off cycle. Recovery time sets takes longer...lol. (we know this MGH....tell us something different....lol) Did I mention the weights get a little bit heavier.

FYI...I've been able to hold on to new lean mass as well as dropping bf. My appearance is a tad bit smaller than on cycle, but bigger than before cyle■

Shoulder update:
Been icing the hell out of it. Did some strengthening exercise and it sucks. I'll be focusing on
90/90 internal AND external rotation
Pole mobility exercise
Lateral rotation abduction

Not all parts of the rotator cuff needs strengthening...which is great!

Respectfully