John's first log

[Cinic]

Male - 43 ('74) - 227 - 6'-0"

This is my first attempt at an online log. Usually just keep it in a book, but for some reason I've been drawn to this lately.

Spent most of my life somewhat overweight and have found that this type of training is what keeps me motivated and engaged. If I'm doing this, I'm not getting excessively fat. If I stop, I get fat.

I've been pretty diligent about training the last 2-3 years. Spent a year working w/ BBM that ended a few months ago. Cut about 30# during my time with them. I had 6-8 weeks of sporadic training after that. I was kinda burnt at the end of my time w/ BBM.

I competed once at the 2017 USSF Fall Classic. Squatted 341, Pressed 183, Pulled 405. That's the only time I've ever pushed myself for heavy singles. I did squat 345 in training leading up to that meet. And I see that I benched 275 for a single in one of my old videos.

Today, I started my second cycle of @Hanley's MM template and will start the log with that workout below.

[Wilhelm]

Excellent!

Welcome to the log jam.

[Cinic]

From May 6-19 I did my first cycle of the MM template.

e1RM were:
Squat 315
BP 265
DL 405
Press 1@9 was 150

My work capacity was pretty weak heading into this cycle. I completed the squat work fine, but the W1D1 bench work hit an @9 on set 6. That was the only spot I hit a limiter. Although the P day DL work was pretty tough. The single moved fairly quickly, but the volume work was tough.

I did move the Press density block on week 2 to the end of the week. It didn't seem to affect today's BP.

[Cinic]

May 20 started MM cycle #2

e1RM were:
Squat 325
BP 270
DL 415
Press 1@9 is TBD

H-Day

Squat work was relatively easy. We'll see how P-day reacts.

Bench work was better than first cycle day 1. Seem to have some more work capacity as I got in all 7 sets this week. There were a couple of 3 min instead of 2 min rests. My son (12) has been training with me and working him in will add some extra rest time here and there.

10 Min 145# row density block - got 48 reps. Last week was 43. That's probably just an increase in work capacity as well. Wasn't nearly as out of breath this week either.

I'm really liking the set rest times and density blocks. I've had workouts that really drag in the past and this seems to keep them more timely and focused.

[Cinic]

Excellent!

Welcome to the log jam.

Thanks!

[Cinic]

5/22/18

Squat
195x3
227.5x2
252.5x1x2
267.5x1
292.5x1



Bench
162.5x3
190x2
210x1x2
230x1
247.5x1

CGBP
175x8x3

DL
372.5x1
312.5x4x5

[Cinic]

5/24/18

Squat
260x3x5

Bench
(T&G 215x3 - 45s rest - 215x1 w/ comp pause) x 4

SGDL
227.5x5x4
Smashed my left nut good on one of these.

Really enjoying the Montana Method. I look forward to training now again...well except for that week 2 DL volume. That sucks.

[Cinic]

5/26/18

Press
1@9 was 160 this week. (+10# over two weeks ago)
7 min density block = 28 reps (23 or 24 previously)

[Cinic]

5/27/18

Squat
245x4x3
245x3x4

Bench
202.5x4x3
202.5x3x4

Assisted Chins
7' Density Block
Green Band thru knee
28 reps

Been having some wrist pain lately. Need to be extra careful not to carry any weight during squats in my arms. My squat grip isn't ideal but it's the best I can do right now. Better than the handles I used to require. I thought the CGBP caused it, but it was probably compounding factors. Just being diligent now to see if it resolves.

[Cinic]

5/29/18

Squat
195x3
227.5x2
252.5x1x2
267.5x1
292.5x1
300x1 - This moved better than I thought it would. It felt like an 8. No grind at all.

Bench
162.5x3
190x2
210x1x2
230x1
242.5x1
257.5x1 - This also moved pretty well.

CGBP
175x8x3

DL
382.5x1 - This too moved well.
332.5x4x5 - This was the biggest surprise. I expected these to be much more sucky. But they went up without much struggle using 3' rests (4' before the last set)

Reaching the end of my second cycle on MM. I added 5# on Bench and 10# on SQ & DL last time and will likely do the same thing again...although it's tempting to put 10 on the bench as well as the single last night moved. I'm stuck between not wanting to over-reach and not wanting to leave easy gains on the table.

[Cinic]

5/31/18

I was actually feeling a bit beat up from Tuesdays training. Still sore, warm ups felt heavy. Had a bit of knee pain which I never have and just kind of worn down. To be expected after a fairly high stress day on Tuesday? Dunno. Honestly, I was a bit surprised considering that the DL day felt easier than the first cycle.

Squat
267.5x3x3
267.5x2x3

Bench
222.5x3x4
222.5x2x3

SGDL
250x5x4

At this point, for cycle #3 I think I'll again add 10# to Squat and DL and 5# to Bench. But I'll also keep listening to my body and if anything gets grindy or I start feeling bad I'll reevaluate. My weight has been steady between 227# and 229# for the last month. So I think I'm eating enough. I'm not tracking, but I eat 4-5 meals/day and make sure to get ~40g protein/meal along with some carbs. I'd like to cut about 5#, but will hold off while MM is running well.

[Cinic]

6/2/18

Press
10' density block
125 x 35

Mistakenly used a weight 3# lighter than prescribed.

[Cinic]

6/3/18

Beginning of Cycle #3 of MM.

e1RM for this cycle are:
Squat 335 (+10#)
BP 275 (+5#)
DL 425 (+10#)
Press 1@9 is TBD

Squat
235x5x6

Bench
192.5x5x7

Assisted Chins
Purple Band thru foot
10' Density Block
XX Reps (Don't remember - will edit to add)

Wrist pain was bad this weekend. Having to be very cognizant of not putting any weight on it during squats and getting a perfect grip on bench. Feels better today.

My body weight is creeping up which bothers me. I haven't been tracking food lately and I guess my eyeball approach and self regulation doesn't work for me trying to maintain weight. I just get so damn hungry when I lift like this. And even though I'm eating relatively clean it appears that I'm just taking in too many calories. I'll have to get back on the weighing/tracking wagon and see what I'm eating. Also going to plan a cut in the future. I slowly dumped about 30# last year but I'd really like to see what I can do in 4-6 weeks. The idea of being starving for months on end is not appealing and a set timeline will help keep me sane.

[Cinic]

6/5/18

Hot in the garage gym this afternoon at 97F. Cooled it off to a chilly 95 by stealing some cold air from the house. The heat doesn't appear to be bothering me provided I make an effort to drink enough water. I keep a fan blowing so my sweat is constantly drying and I never get soaking wet...but I can tell I'm losing a lot of water. Doesn't take too long to warm up right now....hah. Weights moved well on today's power day. Nothing was grindy. Although I was pretty beat after the last DL set.

Squat
200x3
235x2
260x1x2
275x1
302.5x1

Bench
165x3
192.5x2
212.5x1x2
235x1
252.5x1

CGBP
180x8x3

DL
382.5x1
320x4x5

I wonder how well one of those portable air conditioners would work. I'm in an empty 3 car garage that's un-insulated. I'm not looking to make it 78 inside. Just something to take 5-10 degrees out of the air. I should probably try an evap cooler first as I'm sure that would work very well at least until the humidity get's up later in the summer. An A/C wouldn't have that problem...but would certainly be less efficient to run.

[Cinic]

6/7/18

Same hot as Tuesday. Had to hustle today as wife was working late and I had to get my daughter to lacrosse. I knocked out the following in about 75 minutes:

Squat
267.5x3x5

Bench
(T&G 220x3 - 45s rest - 215x1 w/ comp pause) x 4

SGDL
235x5x4

This first week of the two week cycle is so much easier than the second. I feel great right now. Next Wednesday & Friday - not so much.

[Cinic]

6/10/18

Wrist update: The pain thing wasn't making any sense as to when it would occur. It didn't hurt really during or after squats or bench sessions but would randomly flair during the night. I didn't know what left to adjust or wrap. Then it occurred to me that I've been playing a lot of a stupid time wasting golf game on my phone that has me contort to hold the phone with both hands. I think this silly game might be causing my pain and I feel like a moron.

Anyway, it was a cool 88 in the gym yesterday.

Squat
252.5x4x3
252.5x3x4

Bench
207.5x4x3
207.5x3x4

Assisted Chins
Purple Band thru foot
7' Density Block
30 Reps

Didn't get in my off day press session last week. Thinking about trying to do it tonight...not sure if that will happen. Have to travel the next couple days and that's going to screw up my regular schedule. Not happy about that but whatcha gonna do? I don't know that I want to attempt any of these sessions back to back...maybe on week 1, not on week 2.

[Cinic]

6/14/18

Missed my usual Tuesday P-day due to work travel and did it Thursday. I thought I'd feel refreshed after an extra day or two off, but I really just felt drained and weak...detrained maybe? Dunno. The weights went up OK except that the DL work at the end started getting grindy so you can see how I adjusted the work down there. Also - record heat in the garage today at 101F. Have to be diligent about drinking water and I even took in a couple pinches of salt mid-workout.

Squat
200x3
235x2
260x1x2
275x1
302.5x1
310x1

Bench
165x3
192.5x2
212.5x1x2
235x1
247.5x1
262.5x1

CGBP
180x8x3

DL
390x1 Grip slipped a bit here. I hook my heavy singles and strap up for the volume work. Not sure if this was a fluke or I need to work on my grip strength.
340x4x2
340x3x4
#4 was getting a bit too slow for me on the first two sets so I cut the remaining work down from sets of 4 to triples to get the same volume.

The work travel has messed up my training schedule. I usually train on Sunday - Tuesday - Thurdsay and this week I did Sunday - Thursday - ???. Considering trying to finish up the week tonight so I can start again on Sunday but I'm fairly beat after last night. And I think my day Sunday will be jacked with Father's day activities. So it's more likely that I'll do my S-day tomorrow (Saturday) and start again on Monday and try to get back on track next week.

I also need to get better about getting in the press session. I totally missed it this cycle. I think it's more likely to be consistent if I tack it on the end of the S-day session.

[Cinic]

6/16/18

Finished up my third cycle of Montana Method with this workout. Added a press density block on the end. Think I'll do this moving forward as I'm more apt to get in the work over getting it in separately....and I like pressing.

Squat
275x3x3
275x2x3

Bench
225x3x4
225x2x3

SGDL
255x5x4

Press
1@9 was 165#
7' density block @ 132.5 = 20 reps

I may have fooled myself on the press single. It got behind me and I had to take a step back but it flew up. 20 reps seemed low compared to previous density blocks. But this was the first time I've done the block after previous pressing work.

Starting cycle #4 tonight.

[Cinic]

Bit of a shit show today. Did not feel great and the weights were oddly heavy for the first day of a cycle. Possible reasons are: only one 'off' day after the last workout (usually 2 before H day), two nights of shit sleep and fairly stressful days between. Hope I feel better before Wednesday workout as the P day is the toughest day. 8 hours good sleep last night. It helps so much when I don't turn on the TV at 8:30 and waste 90 mins and instead just read something for a bit and go to sleep. Mental note eh?

6/18/18

Squat
242.5x5x6

Bench
195x5x7

Assisted Chins
Purple Band thru foot
10' Density Block
34 Reps

[Cinic]

Had a dermatologist appointment before this where they decided to take a sample of me and stitch up the 4mm hole. I asked the nurse as she was numbing the area and she indicated I shouldn't hit the gym. But oddly, when I asked the doctor separately, he said it would be fine and there wasn't any real risk. I got a bit woozy b/c I'm a bit of a wuss. But I headed home and trained anyway. Area of the sample was still numb throughout training but it started getting sore when I finished and it kinda bothered me overnight.

Training went well. 97F in the garage at the start.

6/20/18

Squat
207.5x3
242.5x2
267.5x1x2
282.5x1
310x1 - have video - felt weird but moved

Bench
167.5x3
195x2
217.5x1x2
237.5x1
257.5x1 - smooth

CGBP
182.5x8x3

DL
392.5x1 - I don't know that I could have done 2 more here. May have been more than 90%
327.5x4x5 - was whipping thru these w/ 3' rest and rep 4 was getting a bit slow...pretty fatigued by the end.

I probably need to start mixing in some cardio. We haven't been members of a gym since I put the rack in the garage and I'm no runner.