Houzi Training Log

[houzi]

I need a back tweak like that.

Nice.

I really thought this was going to be a bad one, but I think Ive sort of lucked in. Ive gone from having discomfort just moving or bending on monday, to today doing anything I want and later realising "hmmm im meant to be injured....".
I can still feel that it isnt right, theres a slight soreness/tightness feeling, but no pain.

[houzi]

Squat:
120kg x10
120kg x10
120kg x10

Ab Wheel:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10


Taking things extremely easy this week. Zero discomfort in my back. I guess Ill start a proper plan next week.

[houzi]

Bench Press:
150kg x1
100kg x10
100kg x10
100kg x10

Front Raises:
20kg x20
20kg x20
20kg x20


That top single felt pretty crap, but not too surprising with almost zero bench volume for two weeks.
Hopefully I can do some very light deads on friday.

[MarkKO]

If you can squat OK, chances are you can pull within reason. That's been my experience anyway.

[houzi]

If you can squat OK, chances are you can pull within reason. That's been my experience anyway.

Im hoping that is the case. Ive had zero discomfort all week. Ill find out tomorrow I suppose.

[MarkKO]

If you can squat OK, chances are you can pull within reason. That's been my experience anyway.

Im hoping that is the case. Ive had zero discomfort all week. Ill find out tomorrow I suppose.

That's encouraging, at any rate.

[houzi]

Deadlift:
140kg x10
140kg x10

Pull Ups:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10

Rear Delt Row:
20kg x15


Seems like I am "back" in action heh heh heh.
Next week Ill start the hypertrophy plan.

[houzi]

Next weeks plan......
Im going to do some more hypertrophy-leaning stuff for a while I think. My schedule is so busy, and i want to have lighter days that I can do faster and heavier days that I can prioritise if time is limited. Im going to be doing an alternating Push-Legs-Pull, Push-Legs-Pull split.

Day 1: Push (OHP, CGBP, etc)
Day 2: Squat
Day 3: Pull (BB Rows, Pull ups etc)
Day 4: Bench Press
Day 5: Legs (Front Squat, BSS)
Day 6: Deadlift

Training 3 days a week, so Week 1 will be days 1-3. Week 2 will be days 4-6. Its a bit different from what Ive done recently, but should be fun.

[MarkKO]

Deadlift:
140kg x10
140kg x10

Pull Ups:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10

Rear Delt Row:
20kg x15


Seems like I am "back" in action heh heh heh.
Next week Ill start the hypertrophy plan.

Excellent

[houzi]

Overhead Press:
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x13

Close Grip Bench Press:
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x14
80kg x11

Dips:
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x12

Front Raises:
20kg x100 total reps


Pretty fun first session. My overhead strength is so bloody weak.

[MarkKO]

Overhead Press:
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x13

Close Grip Bench Press:
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x14
80kg x11

Dips:
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x12

Front Raises:
20kg x100 total reps


Pretty fun first session. My overhead strength is so bloody weak.

Join the club.

[houzi]

Overhead Press:
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x13

Close Grip Bench Press:
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x14
80kg x11

Dips:
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x12

Front Raises:
20kg x100 total reps


Pretty fun first session. My overhead strength is so bloody weak.

Join the club.

Ive always felt like my OHP strength had zero correlation to my bench strength, so ive never really prioritised it. My bench strength has increased by like 50kg over the years, my OHP strength is still around the same as it was!
However, overhead pressing, be it with a machine, DB or BB, does make my shoulders feel good.
Further to this, there are some extremely strong benchers who have very good overhead/incline strength, so it makes me wonder if it is a missing link I can add to my training. Stronger shoulders and triceps are never a weakness.

[MarkKO]

Overhead Press:
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x10
52.5kg x13

Close Grip Bench Press:
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x10
90kg x14
80kg x11

Dips:
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x10
BW+band x12

Front Raises:
20kg x100 total reps


Pretty fun first session. My overhead strength is so bloody weak.

Join the club.

Ive always felt like my OHP strength had zero correlation to my bench strength, so ive never really prioritised it. My bench strength has increased by like 50kg over the years, my OHP strength is still around the same as it was!
However, overhead pressing, be it with a machine, DB or BB, does make my shoulders feel good.
Further to this, there are some extremely strong benchers who have very good overhead/incline strength, so it makes me wonder if it is a missing link I can add to my training. Stronger shoulders and triceps are never a weakness.

There's always been a reasonably predictable relationship between my ohp and bench, but not to the point that the ohp builds my bench consistently. It helps sometimes, then stops helping and maybe starts helping again later but since I've always swapped it out once it stops helping I'm not sure about that.

[houzi]

Squat:
160kg x10
140kg x5
140kg x5
140kg x5
140kg x5
140kg x5

Good Morning:
40kg x10
40kg x10
40kg x10
40kg x15

Ab Wheel:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10
BW x12

KB Swings:
24kg x100 total reps



Good first "heavy" squat session. Definately had a couple reps in the tank for that top set. Good Mornings were wayyy too light, but I couldnt quite figure out a good bar position. Ended up with sort of a mid-bar (is that a thing?) position, where its sat on my traps. Ill add much more weight next time.

[houzi]

Barbell Rows:
80kg x10
80kg x10
80kg x10
80kg x16

Banded Chin Ups:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10

Rear Delt Rows:
30kg x10
30kg x10
30kg x10
30kg x20

Fat Grip Bicep Curls:
20kg x100 total reps


Final workout of 2023. I think im going to have to abandon this 3 day Push Legs Pull split, after just one week. I just dont have time to train 3 guaranteed days a week. Wife, Baby, Masters degree, full time work (and rest!) are deserving of more time.
I think Ill go back to my 2 day Upper Lower split (Wk A: Bench and Squat, Wk B: Bench Variation and Deadlift), but on several mornings a week perhaps try to get in some quick extra 15-20 minute GPP/accessory sessions (dips, KB swings, KB Presses, Ab work, Bodyweight rows).
These extra sessions need to be quiet, so as not to wake my family up if i do them early in the morning, and easy to do, not require much loading of weights. I wont care so much about missing these, and I can sort of move themor combine them. Im looking at the Wendler 100 rep challenge as a rough idea for stuff I could do.

[houzi]

Close Grip Bench Press:
112.5kg x12
100kg x5
100kg x5
100kg x5
100kg x5
100kg x5
100kg x5

Overhead Press:
50kg x10
50kg x10
50kg x10
50kg x13

Pull Ups:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10


So... I guess this is my secondary bench day. I think I need to go heavier on back off sets, these were wayyyyy too easy. Ill deadlift later in the week.

[houzi]

Deadlift:
170kg x10
150kg x5
150kg x5
150kg x5

Wide Grip RDL:
80kg x10
80kg x10
80kg x10
80kg x15

Ab Wheel:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10


Pretty good session. The set of 10 reps was quite comfortable, had more than a few in the tank. Wanted to set an easy baseline and not get too crazy just in case my back still has some problem. Zero problems today, so ill start to push a bit harder.
No idea if I will have time for another session this week, or even what ill do. Maybe just some KB Swings or something?

[houzi]

Bench Press:
127.5kg x11
112.5kg x5
112.5kg x5
112.5kg x5
112.5kg x5
112.5kg x5
112.5kg x5

Feet Up Bench Press:
85kg x10
85kg x10
85kg x10
85kg x14

Pull Ups:
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10
BW x10


Top set on bench spits out an E1RM of 174kg. Pretty happy with that, gives a base to build on.

[broseph]

Top set on bench spits out an E1RM of 174kg. Pretty happy with that, gives a base to build on.

Solid base is solid. Excited to see what you build.

[houzi]

Top set on bench spits out an E1RM of 174kg. Pretty happy with that, gives a base to build on.

Solid base is solid. Excited to see what you build.

Thanks mate. If I can just chip my PRs by even a little bit ill be extremely happy.