Journey to Jackedness

[FilmBuff]

Used to log my training online and trying to get back into it.

39 in December and the last 2 years have been pretty consistent training wise.

I training in my garage unless things are super cold then it’s off to the local rec centre.

Current BW is around 258 and about 25-30% BF.

I normally just do the navy BF test since it’s close enough for tracking purposes.

I used to be a consistent 190ish and 12-15% BF but then I had my hormones go to shit and spent 5 years trying to figure things out until it became apparent I needed TRT.

In a 5 year span I went from 190 to 315 while no doctor could tell me simple answers.

But these days things are pretty good.

I run my own business(real estate marketing) have a toddler and like most people trying to survive the fuckery of 2020 lol.

I used mainly train towards strength but all about getting jacked and tan these days haha.

But strength is still relatively decent.

Coming off a lower back strain, so having to workout around some stuff.

Most of this year I’ve dabbled in John meadows programming and I just started his 6 weeks high evolutionary program.

I’m in the midst of a new cut to finally drop down to around 215. I was 237 at the start of this year and basically let myself slowly gain weight one more time to fill out a little more over the stress of making business work during a pandemic lol.

I’ll probably post progress photos at the end off the cut, with maybe a 1/2 and 3/4 update.

Goal is to be best shape ever when I turn 40 in 2021.

In terms of lifts my maxes this year have been around a 500squat, 350 bench, and 600 trap bar deadlift.

I’ve chased numbers enough in the past I’m not really
concerned with that anymore.

[FilmBuff]

Using some of the lower volume programs for my cut to help with recovery.

1. Standing Single Leg Curl -
70x20, 70x20
100x4
120x4

Right leg
140x8 @9.5
Dropset
110x7 @10+110x10 partials from stretched position

Left leg
140x9 @9.5
Dropset
110x9+110x10 partials from stretched position

Left leg surprisingly a little easier.

2. Hack Squat Machine
90x10
180x8
270x4
320x10 @7.5-8
345x11 @9

3. Leg Press
360x4
450x4
540x4
630x10 @9+630x7+630x5 - 20 second clusters

4. Stiff Leg Deadlift - 135x6, 185x10

3 second eccentric + 3/4 lockout.

Lower back felt decent, but wasn’t planning to push it.

[Wilhelm]

Welcome to the site, @FilmBuff

Thank you for adding your log.
Good lifting to you. \o/

[FilmBuff]

Welcome to the site, @FilmBuff

Thank you for adding your log.
Good lifting to you. \o/

Thanks appreciate it!

[FilmBuff]

1. Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
25x20
45x15
65x4
80x4
100x10 @9.5
100x9 @10
Drop set 70x6 @10

I’m going to need to get more 10lb plates so I can start making some bigger DBs.

2. Decline Bench Press
135x6
185x6
205x4
225x8 @7.5
255x8 @10

3. High To Low Cable Crossover
50x10

20 second cluster set
80x10 @7.5+80x14 @9.5+80x10 @10

4. Pec Minor Dips - 0x9 @10, 0x8 @9.5, 0x8 @10

First time doing these so took some getting used to but they were definitely hitting lower and outer chest hard.

5. Cable Reverse Fly
20x22 @9, 20x20 @9.5, 20x20 @10

I did this single armed to really focus in on my rear delts and to say they were pumped would be an understatement.

6. Heavy Partial Side Lateral Raise

40x20 @9.5, 40x20 @10, 40x20 @10

These great pretty intense the last 5 reps.

7. Incline Y Raise - 10x18 @9.5, 10x17 @10

After all the heavy partials these are pretty gnarly.

8. Kneeling Cable Crunch
120x15
150x13 @9, 150x13 @9.5, 150x12 @10, 150x11 @10

Abs were cramping the last couple sets, so definitely hitting the target on these.

All in all a solid day. Could barely move my shoulders after, in a good way of course, and now onto back tomorrow.

[Renascent]

What are the pec minor dips for?

[FilmBuff]

What are the pec minor dips for?

It’s just a different variation of a dip where it’s ultra focus on the lower/outer chest and sends a bunch of blood in there.

So in this instance it was basically a chest finisher.

There’s a couple different options.

1 is keeping the arms straight so it’s basically all
Chest.

Another you can do is doing dips with the legs forward and then you basically do a normal dip motion, but it’s also a lot more focused on the chest.

My upper chest is pretty decent now, so throwing in more variations to try to fill things out overall.

[Renascent]

What are the pec minor dips for?

It’s just a different variation of a dip where it’s ultra focus on the lower/outer chest and sends a bunch of blood in there.

So in this instance it was basically a chest finisher.

There’s a couple different options.

1 is keeping the arms straight so it’s basically all
Chest.

Another you can do is doing dips with the legs forward and then you basically do a normal dip motion, but it’s also a lot more focused on the chest.

My upper chest is pretty decent now, so throwing in more variations to try to fill things out overall.

Gotcha.

I never knew there was a way to isolate -- or preferentially focus on -- pec minor, so it never occurred to me to look. Might have to give those a try.

[FilmBuff]

@Renascent

Here’s a couple of John meadows videos regarding the form.

I’d say it’s more noticeable after all extra chest work.

[Renascent]

@Renascent

Here’s a couple of John meadows videos regarding the form.

I’d say it’s more noticeable after all extra chest work.

Thanks! I only recently came around to looking up Mountain Dog's videos. Great stuff.

[FilmBuff]

Thanks! I only recently came around to looking up Mountain Dog's videos. Great stuff.

No problem.

Yeah his stuff is quite enjoyable to watch.

He’s very practical and matter of fact and I like how he sequences exercises and discussing his philosophy on movements and programming.

Some of his shit is brutal as hell, but it’s always fun.

[FilmBuff]

1. Meadows Row
25x15, 50x10, 75x4, 85x15 @9.5, 105x8 @10

Always love me some meadows rows. Pump is pretty gnarly every time.

2. Banded Pullup - 9, 8, 7

Need to get a proper pull-up bar mounted, using my barbell on my rack is kinda funky.

Today was a gray and orange band

3. Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown - 20x10, 30x10, 30x10

Normally these would be banded dumbbell pullovers, but I need to get a 40lb dB. I have a 25 and 65 hex.

I can do the 65, but it’s a tad awkward to setup.

Still got the desired stretch from these, but I prefer rope pullovers or the banded dB.

4. One Arm Lat Pulldown - 80x4, 110x10 @9.5, 110x10 @10

Lateral flexion on these really pumps the lat full of blood, baby lat cramps after.

5. Rear Deltoid Row
50x4
100x14 @9.5
140x10 @10+100x12 @10

6. BW Hyperextension - 18 and 16 reps both to failure.


7. Lying Leg Raise - 15, 12, 9, 8

These felt decent. Sometimes my hip flexors still take over a bit, so I need to be a little mindful to ensure I’m actually curling my abs.

I’ll be having back doms tomorrow for sure.

[FilmBuff]

1. Drag Curl - 20x16, 30x15, 40x15, 50x13 @10, 50x12 @10, 50x11 @10

2. Dumbbell Preacher Curl - 25x10 @9.5, 25x10 @10, 25x10 @10

3. Hammer Curl - 25x12 @10, 25x9 @10, 25x8 @10

4. Rope Pushdown - 70x15, 110x12 @8, 120x10 @9.5, 120x10 @10, 120x9 @10

5. Cable Tricep Pushdown (Dual Single Handles) - 70x10, 100x10, 120x12, 140x12 @9.5, 140x12 @9.5, 140x12 @10

6. Overhead Tricep Rope Extension - 100x10 @10, 100x8 @10, 100x7 @10

Solid day. I haven’t done drag curls before but really
Enjoyed them.

Legs again tomorrow to close out the week and then week 2 chest/shoulders gets hit twice.

[FilmBuff]

Closed the week out in style and I look forward to not being able to walk This weekend.

To say I’m happy to not see legs for 5-6 days would be an understatement.

1. Standing Single Leg Curl

50x20, 70x20, 100x4, 120x4

140x10 @9.5,
140x10 @10+110x10+110x10
140x10 @10+110x10+110x10

2nd cluster is 10 partials from the stretched position.

2. Hack Squat Machine

Warmups
90x10, 180x8, 270x4,

Work sets
320x10, 350x10 @9.5, 350x10 @10+350x7 @10+350x5 @10

The cluster set was pretty intense.

3. Stiff Leg Dumbbell Deadlift - 5 second eccentrics - 65x10 @9.5, 65x9 @10

Legs were super wobbly so this was all I could muster weight wise.

4. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat - 40x10, 40x10

At this point this is just evil.

My legs feel low key on fire and it’s been like 30 minutes since I trained.

[FilmBuff]

1. Slight Incline Dumbbell Press

40x17, 65x13, 80x4,
100x10 @7.5, 110x10 @10

Gonna need some 120s in the near future.

2. Incline Bench Press - 135x5, 185x3, 235x8 @8.5, 250x7 @10

3. Incline Stretch Push Up - 11, 10, 7

Sets to failure.

Chest fried.

Superset

4a. Weighted Dip - 0x13 @10, 0x12 @10, 0x9 @10
4b. Rear Lateral Raise - 20x20 @9.5, 20x20 @10, 20x20 @10

Dead. Last few reps of 3 set of rear laterals were partials.


5. Incline Y Raise

15x15 @9.5, 15x15 @10, 15x15 @10

Last few reps were partials on set 3.

6. Landmine Shoulder Press
10x10, 25x5, 50x3,

75x8 @9, 75x8 @9.5, 75x8 @10

I look forward to not being able to raise my
Arms past 15 degrees this weekend.

Serratus got way more pumped than i expected during these.

7. Kneeling Cable Crunch

120x10,

150x20 @9+150x7 @9.5+150x7+150x6 - Myo Reps

This was a diabolical day.

[FilmBuff]

1. Meadows Row

Feeder sets
25x15
50x10
75x4

Work sets
95x12 @10
115x8 @10

+10lbs on both top sets from last week.

2. Banded Pullup - 3, 10, 9, 8
Gray+Orange

All sets to failure except the 3 rep feeder set obviously.

+1 rep on all sets.

3. Banded Dumbbell Pullover

25x10 @9, 25x10 @9.5

Used an orange band this week. Still a bit of a pain to setup but I do enjoy the exercise.


4. Rack Pull

Feeders
135x4
225x4
255x3

Work sets
275x8 @8.5
275x8 @9
275x8 @9.5
275x8 @10

I really shot rack pulls with the tweak John suggests on actively engaging the lats through the pulls. Gives a solid pump to whole back.

Lower back is feeling good. These were tough but not bad.

Looks like I can start loading the lower back hard again.

However I’ll probably keep squats out of rotation for a while longer.


5. Rear Deltoid Row

Feeder- 50x4

Work sets

110x15 @9

150x11 @10+110x10 @10

+10lbs on both work sets and the drop.

All in all a solid day.


John meadows rack pulls

[FilmBuff]

High Evolutionary- W2D3 - Arms

1. Drag Curl

Feeders
20x15, 30x8, 40x8

Work sets
50x15 @9.5, 50x15 @10, 50x15 @10

2. Dumbbell Preacher Curl
25x12 @9.5, 25x12 @10, 25x12 @10

3. Hammer Curl

30x8 @9.5, 30x8 @10, 30x8 @10

4. Rope Pushdown

Feeder
100x13

Work sets
120x10 @9, 120x10 @9.5, 120x10 @10

5. Cable Tricep Pushdown (Dual Single Handles)

Feeder
120x12

145x12 @9.5, 145x12 @10, 145x8 @10

6. Overhead Tricep Rope Extension

100x10 @10, 100x9 @10, 100x8 @10


Back to the grind of legs tomorrow.

[FilmBuff]

Just realized I haven’t deloaded properly for probably 7 weeks which is my upper limit.

The back tweak 2 weeks ago should’ve been my cue to deload vs pushing ahead lol.

Woke up yesterday feeling a little run down with zero desire do train.

I’m almost a month into my diet too, so probably time to adjust my training volume to accommodate the lack of calories.

[FilmBuff]

Feeling decent after my week off from lifting.

Going with a different approach for a while.

Squat (Barbell)
Set 1: 135 lb × 8
Set 2: 185 lb × 6
Set 3: 225 lb × 4
Set 4: 275 lb × 3
Set 5: 315 lb × 1
Set 6: 365 lb × 5 @ 7.5
Set 7: 335 lb × 8 @ 7.5
Set 8: 335 lb × 8 @ 8.5

Overhead Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 45 lb × 15
Set 2: 65 lb × 8
Set 3: 95 lb × 5
Set 4: 125 lb × 8 @ 7.5
Set 5: 125 lb × 8 @ 8

Glute Ham Raise
Set 1: 8 reps @ 7
Set 2: 8 reps @ 7
Set 3: 8 reps @ 7.5

Wide grip Rear Delt Row
Set 1: 50 lb × 13
Set 2: 120 lb × 13 @ 8.5
Set 3: 120 lb × 13 @ 9
Set 4: 120 lb × 12 @ 9.5

Hammer Curl (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 25 lb × 20 @ 10
Set 2: 25 lb × 18 @ 10
Set 3: 25 lb × 16 @ 10

[FilmBuff]

1. Deadlift

Warmups
135x8, 185x5, 225x3, 275x3, 315x1, 365x1,

Work sets
405x4 @8, 405x4 @8.5, 405x4 @9

2 sets mixed grip, 1 with straps.

Still gotta watch out for my forearms so we will see How they feel tomorrow.

Grip was a tad iffy.

2. Bench Press

Warmups

45x20, 95x8, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 265x1

Top set
295x3 @8

Back off sets
225x10 @7.5, 225x10 @8

Goal was for 275-95x3 @ 8.5 top set

Top set paused.

Pretty easy across the board.

3. Standing Banded Hip Abduction - 15, 15, 15
Red mini + 1 second iso hold on each rep.

4. Banded Pullups - 6, 6, 6, 6

One day I’ll be able to do weighted again haha.