Getting Huge

[topfen]

Week 11, day 2 (deload)

Bench: 47,5x5, 52,5x5, 57,5x5
Chins: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Deadlift: 112,5x5, 117,5x5, 122,5x5

I woke up at 2:40, couldn't get back to sleep again and was toast at 12:00. But after 2 tasty Jagertee (rum + tea) the workout went fine

[topfen]

Week 11, day 3 (deload)

Squat: 75x5, 80x5, 85x5
Bench: 65x5, 70x5, 75x5
Chins: 4, 4, 4

Yeah, not a good day. Yesterday I took a short nap on my couch and messed up my neck. For whatever reason I decided to "fix" things with some stretching and hindu pushups and - surprise! - I made things worse. Maybe someday I will learn my lesson, but at least the weight training didn't cause any additional issues.

[topfen]

Week 12, day 1

Squat: 80x5, 85x5, 90x5, 80x5
Bench: 47,5x5, 52,5x5, 57,5x5, 47,5x5
Chins: 4, 4, 4, 4

Neck is still stiff and I am moving like a robot. But sleep was good and besides a bit of headache everything went well Maybe the pre-workout Jagertee and Bauernkrapfen helped as well

[topfen]

Week 12, day 2

Bench:42,5x5, 47,5x5, 52,5x5, 42,5x5
Deadlift: 102,5x5, 107,5x5, 112,5x5, 102,5x5

No chin ups today because my neck is still bothering me. No idea how i should handle situations like this. It's not nearly as troublesome as the issues I had in the past. Stiff neck, lightheadedness and reduced range of motions is about it. And as far as I can tell at least the barbell lifts do not bother my spine. But even with these mild issues I get a pretty serious headache during my work sets so I assume lifting affects the injured area at least in some ways.

[topfen]

Week 12, day 3

Squat: 65x5, 70x5, 75x5, 65x5
Bench: 57,5x5, 62,5x1 (aborted, changed bar), 62,5x5, 67,5x5, 57,5x5
Chins: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Had to change the bar on the bench press because it was so hard to hold on to. The other bar was way better. This is the second time this happened but I coulnd't tell if it was the same bar (I assume it is). Well, back to bed

[topfen]

Week 13, day 1

Squat: 77,5x3, 82,5x3, 87,5x3, 77,5x3, 77,5x3
Bench: 62,5x3, 67,5x3, 72,5x3, 62,5x3, 62,5x3
Chins: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Started to do TnG bench on my 2nd work set.

[topfen]

Almost forgot today was a training day but going to the gym this late was definitely worth it. As I was doing my chin ups some drunk or drugged hip hopper came in with his flashy street clothes and did a really weird workout He even did some real crappy dance moves between sets and made sure to use his huge jacket as a towel when he did bench presses.

Week 13, day 2
Bench: 47,5x3, 52,5x3, 57,5x3, 47,5x3, 47,5x3
Chins: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Deadlift: 110x3, 115x3, 120x3, 110x3, 110x3

[topfen]

Week 13, day 3
Squat: 90x3, 95x3, 100x3, 90x3, 90x3
Bench: 55x3, 60x3, 65x3, 55x3, 55x3
Chins: 5, 4, 5, 5, 5

Ugh, needed a belt for all squat sets and given that I have done 97,5kgx5 before I was surprised how heavy the 100kg felt.

[topfen]

Felt a bit sick and waited to get better.

Week 14, day 1
Squat: 82,5x3, 87,5x3, 92,5x3
Bench: 67,5x3, 72,5x3(!), 77,5x0(!), 67,5x3;
Chins: total of 30 reps

Ok, I picked the wrong starting weights for the incline bench. Could barely finish my 2nd work set and had to sacrifice good form on the last rep. Even felt a bit of pain in my left shoulder. Not worth it to get hurt so late in my first cycle given that I simply pulled the starting weigths out of thin air. Before the car accident I could press my 40kg KB without any problems for a couple reps with either arm but I overestimated my ability to re-gain my strength.

[topfen]

Week 14, day 2
Bench: 52,5x3, 57,5x3, 62,5x3
Deadlift: 100x3, 105x3, 110x3
Chins: total of 30 reps

[topfen]

Week 14, day 3
Squat: 95x3, 100x3 (belt), 105x3 (belt)
Bench: 60x3, 65x3, 70x3
Chins: total of 30 reps

Good day but I made sure to prepare in advance. Went to bed early, had a 90min nap at 14:00, ate 5 small meals and filled up on coffee before my workout.

[Wilhelm]

@topfen I see you are coming to the end of your run through this program.
Nice work! +++


I never learned the skill of napping.
If i'm asleep in the day, it means i screwed up somehow.

[topfen]

@topfen I see you are coming to the end of your run through this program.
Nice work! +++


I never learned the skill of napping.
If i'm asleep in the day, it means i screwed up somehow.

Thanks Wilhelm! Progress is slow on that type of program but I like it and will run it again with some minor changes (ab work, deadlift before bench & chins, some light cardio)

@Napping: I had to play border guard for a couple of months and taking turns napping is something you learn real fast

[topfen]

Oops, forgot to log my tuesday workout
12.12.2017
Week 15, day 1
Bench: 62,5x2, 67,5x2, 72,5x2, 62,5x2
Deadlift: 122,5x3, 127,5x3, 132,5x3, 122,5x3
Chins: total of 30

Today
Week 15, day 2
Squat: 75x3, 80x3, 85x3, 75x3
Bench: 47,5x3, 52,5x3, 57,5x3
Chins: total of 30

[topfen]

Week 15, day 3
Squat: 85x2, 90x2, 95x2, 85x2
Bench: 52,5x3, 57,5x3, 62,5x3, 52,5x3
Chins: total of 30

Oh boy, only one more workout before I get to test for my very first PRs on friday! I am pretty sure at least half of the training cycle was suboptimal for my level of training progression (Rip is right with his critique of periodized training for beginners) but i acutally enjoyed most of the workouts and have gotten more interested in lifting than I was when I started. So all I have to do is stick with it long enough so it doesn't really matter that I wasted a bunch of time in the beginning

[Wilhelm]

Week 15, day 3
Squat: 85x2, 90x2, 95x2, 85x2
Bench: 52,5x3, 57,5x3, 62,5x3, 52,5x3
Chins: total of 30

Oh boy, only one more workout before I get to test for my very first PRs on friday! I am pretty sure at least half of the training cycle was suboptimal for my level of training progression (Rip is right with his critique of periodized training for beginners) but i acutally enjoyed most of the workouts and have gotten more interested in lifting than I was when I started. So all I have to do is stick with it long enough so it doesn't really matter that I wasted a bunch of time in the beginning

Have fun testing, @topfen

If you are learning and having fun, that's a win.

[topfen]

Thanks @Wilhelm , I am a bit suspect about the incline bench but unless I get run over by a snow mobile or something like that the squat and deadlift should be no problem.

Week 16, day 1
Squat: 67,5x3, 77,5x2, 87,5x1
Bench: 50x3, 60x2, 70x1
Chins: 30 total

[topfen]

Week 16, Test Day
Squat: warm up, 102,5x1, 107,5x1, 115x1
Bench: warm up, 75x1, 77,5x1, 80x1 (should have been 85kg but I don't think I could have done it)
Deadlift: warm up, 130x1, 135x1, 145x1

Tested my 1RM one day early. The PR squat favored a bit towards my left leg and I was too far back on my 2nd deadlift. But all in all things went really well.Loaded up on coffee and cake about 1 hour before my workout, packed my favourite tshirt and sweatpants and I made sure to bring earplugs so I don't have to listen to the awful music that sometimes plays.
I will take next week off because of a skiing trip but next year will be pretty much the same thing. My upper back has gotten used to chin ups so I will work towards 50 total reps -> 5 sets of 10 -> 5 sets of 5-10 reps with extra weight. And I will do some jump rope training on my off days. But other than that I will repeat the cycle based on the new PRs.

One thing I missunderstood on this cycle was the fact that the percentages are based on my predicted 1RM and not the current one. Guess that explains why I the numbers on my print out didn't make much sense to me.

[Wilhelm]

Congratulations, @topfen
Great work.

Hope you find all the best powder.

[topfen]

Thanks @Wilhelm and Merry Christmas to all