Originally Posted by Stewart20

just add weight, do a couple of sets a couple of times a week, and I would bet your squat would go up.

Originally Posted by b_reed23

nice workout Trips! your deadlifts always amaze me

Originally Posted by camarosuper6

Looks steady.. more volume than I personally like for strength, but its working for you.

My only advice would be dont overthink or analyze. People will break things down into crumbs for you if your not careful.

Bottom line... increase weight or reps on the bar whenever possible and you will be gaining ground.

Originally Posted by Archangel

Excellent w/o BRother Triple!!! I agree with Brother Camaro!!!

Originally Posted by Pylon

Woohoo! Great work, trips!

Originally Posted by Burner02

hey stew...u think that is a lot of volume? He only did seven sets for chest..6 on back and 5 on legs...

Originally Posted by Stewart20

When I try more volume, I feel like I get the overtraining symptoms such as extreme tiredness, my muscles get very sore, and I just feel like crap for a couple of days. With the low volume, I usually feel fine the next day, most of the time just minor muscle soreness and usually not so tired.

Originally Posted by Archangel

Hope all is well BRother Triple!!! Whatever works for you my Friend, do it, there really is no right/wrong way, if it's right for you then it's gotta be right!!! Hope that made sense, LOL!!!

Originally Posted by Double D

Hi Trips. Glad to see some of those squat numbers are goin up. Thats awesome!

Originally Posted by camarosuper6

Just because your not going up in weight or even reps doesnt mean your not making progress. Thats when I like to add an extra set for increased load per workout.

Originally Posted by DOMS

I just read about this simple, but great, methodology.

Originally Posted by camarosuper6

Just because your not going up in weight or even reps doesnt mean your not making progress. Thats when I like to add an extra set for increased load per workout.

Originally Posted by Archangel

Good lookin w/o, if it feels good, it must be good right!!!

Originally Posted by Pylon

Nice work once again, Trips!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

Cam

Oh, I realize that. And sometimes you have to take a couple of steps backwards to make progress, too. It's just that after 29 years of lifting, progress is measured in itty-bitty steps.

Originally Posted by Double D

So wheres you squat numbers compared to where they were?

Originally Posted by Double D

Nice keep up the good work buddy.

Originally Posted by Burner02

Hiya Trips!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

This is week 4 of the latest plan. It was also week 4 when things started to go downhill when I was doing the 5x5 routine not too long ago.

Originally Posted by Archangel

Excellent PR's Brother Triple!!! Have you thought about just doing 2 sets to save your back,

Originally Posted by Pylon

Great work, Trips. Congrats on the PR!

Originally Posted by Burner02

what he said!

Originally Posted by Double D

You betcha, softball always keeps me going! BTW nice PR!

Originally Posted by Stewart20

Congrats on the bananas big guy, but like I told you when you were doing the 5x5 the last time......might be too much volume for you! Did you take any of those sets to failure? For example, on the bench press, when you missed the 5 reps on the last couple of sets, were those failure attempts, or did you just stop cause you knew you had nothing left?

you might be ok with the added volume, if you definitely stop short of failure and manage the fatigue a little better. I gotta tell you , from my workout yesterday, since I have done it both ways, that I did 10 sets of 3 reps on trap bar deadlifts with 80% of my projected 1RM, and I felt a lot better afterwards than if I had just done 2 sets of 4-5 reps to failure at a higher weight. My muscles are killing me today, but I didn't have the exhausted feeling after the workout was over that failure gives me.

Originally Posted by Archangel

GREAT w/o, smart decision, and CONGRATS on the PR my Friend!!!

Originally Posted by Double D

Yet another PR, thats always nice, before you know it you will be squatting 400lb!!!!

Originally Posted by Pylon

Nice work. Pretty soon we'll be calling you Captain Squat!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

I didn’t do any cardio on Wednesday. Could this be the cause of the 4 ?

Originally Posted by Stewart20

4 bananas! Awesome work Captain Squat! Or should we call you Captain Bench? Or maybe Captain Military Press??? Or how about Captain Chinup?


Of course, my feeling is that I knew you had all this in you already, you just took the scenic route to get there with all these 7x5, 4x5, 5x5 schemes you've been following

Originally Posted by DOMS

Great job on all the PRs!

I'm interested to see what you find out about cardio's affect on your workouts. Yes is may be anecdotal, but I'd place more trust in that than in all those shitty magazines and books.

Originally Posted by Double D

PR maniac!!!! Very nice.

Originally Posted by Archangel

FANTASTIC job on the PR's my Friend, or should I say Brother Banana!!! Good stuff, keep it goin, helps me out to see you ALL do so good!!!

Originally Posted by Burner02

How about a promotion to:
MAJOR WORKOUT

Originally Posted by Archangel

Excellent w/o, Brother Banana at it again, Good Stuff my Friend!!!

Originally Posted by Stewart20

you are doing one strange workout, that's all I can say about that, but the bananas keep coming Hmm, could it be working? I think you are on the right path, but I am scared for you with all that volume

I have a feeling there is a wall with your name on it that you will be hitting in the not so distant future....but until it happens, have fun and go with it

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

It's an experiment. For squats, I've been following Smolov squat cycle. It's a 13-week program. 2 weeks intro, 4 weeks basic mesocycle, 2 weeks switching, 4 weeks intense mesocycle, 1 week taper.

I'm into week 3 of the basic mesocycle. Squats are done 4 times a week. Day 1 is 4x9 @70% 1RM, Day 3 is 5x7 @75%, Day 5 is 7x5 @80% and Day 6 is 10x3 @85%. Week 2 adds 20 lbs to each day. Week 3 adds another 10 to the week 2 weights. Week 4 is go for a best 1RM. I'm not getting all the reps at this stage. I just do what I can.

For bench, I'm doing a Russian program. It's a 6 week program, benching 3 days a week. The program alternates easy and hard days. Easy is always 6x2 @80%. The first 3 weeks is 6 sets, increasing reps each hard workout, up to 6x6. The weight remains constant.
For the second three weeks, again alternating, this time the hard workouts increase the weight, while dropping the total volume.

I've planned it so week 6 of squatting coincides with week 6 of benching.

For accessory work, it started out 4x6, dropping 1 set every two weeks. I'm down to 2x6 (planned) for accessory work.

I've got 2 weeks left before I take a break. Then I'll decide if I'm going to continue the squat program. Not sure what I'll do about everything else.

Originally Posted by Stewart20

I have a feeling there is a wall with your name on it that you will be hitting in the not so distant future....but until it happens, have fun and go with it

Originally Posted by Pylon

Great job once again, Trips!

Originally Posted by Double D

I like what you are doing and I am the same as you. I get more out of more volume, I will try it once I get done with what I am doing, well either that or the workout DOMS has, I really like it!

Originally Posted by DeadBolt

Hey TTT how goes everything?

Srill traveling the world and eating small foreign people?

Originally Posted by Archangel

Whats up BRother Triple??? Hope all is well my Friend!!!

Originally Posted by Stewart20

love your new avatar!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

Stewart

Either you've got a future in fortune-telling or you jinxed me big-time, but you sure called that one.

Originally Posted by Double D

I can relate to what Stew is saying, however before going into the next program that he "whips up", take a week off.

Originally Posted by Stewart20

I admire you for your enthusiasm, and your willingness to try all these new things, all of which would be taxing and tiresome to a 21 year old, let alone someone at your age....sigh, I feel for you....

Originally Posted by fyredup1286

Nice BP man...dont get so down on urself bout it tho...u just gotta keep ur head up nd keep truckin...make sure ur gettin enough sleep too...that might b a problem...but hell...i dont know wut i m talkin bout so dont listen to me...

Originally Posted by Stewart20

Are you making fun of my program whipping up abilities?? Don't make me go all Darth Vader on your ass!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

fyred

Sleep hasn't been a problem. In fact, in the past when I've started to approach overtraining, having trouble falling asleep is one of the first signs of trouble ahead. Except for staying up later than normal on Sunday night (football), my sleeping habits have been very consistent.

Originally Posted by Pylon

Take a deloading week, see if it helps. Or you can try the Burner plan, which means driving past the gym on a regular basis, but rarely stopping.

Originally Posted by Stewart20

Are you making fun of my program whipping up abilities?? Don't make me go all Darth Vader on your ass!

Originally Posted by Stewart20

Are you making fun of my program whipping up abilities?? Don't make me go all Darth Vader on your ass!

Originally Posted by Pylon

Take a deloading week, see if it helps. Or you can try the Burner plan, which means driving past the gym on a regular basis, but rarely stopping.

Originally Posted by fyredup1286

Good to hear Trips...haha...yea...like i said...you shouldnt listen to me...haha...cus i dont know wut im talking about.

Originally Posted by Archangel

Agree with Brother Pylon, Still strong my Friend!!! Take a slight break and come back and you'll be Better, you can rebuild it, LOL!!!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

Fri, Jan 26

Speed Bench Press
135 x 3 (8 sets)

Incline BB Bench Press
135 x 8 (2 sets)

Close Grip Bench Press
135 x 8 (2 sets)

Triceps Extensions with Rope
5 plates x 8 (2 sets)

Hammer Strength Low Rows
90 x 8 (2 sets)

Hammer Strength High Rows
140 x 8 (2 sets)

WG Pulldowns
10 plates x 8 (2 sets)

BB Military Press
60 x 8 (2 sets)

NG Pulldowns
10 plates x 8 (2 sets)

Time: 33 minutes

BW: 234

Cardio
Elliptical machine – 15 minutes

I was half-tempted to try to continue the old program, but common sense took over on the drive to the gym. Everything was easy, far short of failure. I stopped at 8 reps, but could easily have done at least 12 on them.

It was 7 degrees out this morning, with a wind chill of about 15 below. I draw the line at single digits, so it was indoor cardio for me today. I’m sitting here feeling like I barely did anything, but I know it’s probably best for me in the long run.

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

fyred

I listen to everyone. I may not agree with everyone, but if you're not at least willing to listen to other's opinions, you're just short-changing yourself.

Originally Posted by Stewart20

while you are right that something like this is what your body needed, I have to say that IMO, a better "deload" would be to keep the weights high and just slash the volume drastically. As you said, you "feel like you did nothing", and with good reason, your sets were basically warm up sets for you.

Take a westside plan. On a "deload", take the ME exercise and turn it into DE, which you did which is good, then take your assistance exercises and continue with the weight progression, but only do half the volume. So say you would do 3 sets of floor presses after the ME lift, then do maybe 1 set. Say you do 4 sets of rows, do 2 sets. 4 sets of pullups? drop it to 2 and so on.

That way, you keep the strength levels up while at the same time giving yourself a break. Like I always say, to me, the 2 things that kill me the most are failure training and volume. If I eliminate those 2 things, I can still lift as heavy as I want, but still feel like a million bucks afterwards

Darth Stewart has spoken. Darth Threat......RISE

Originally Posted by Archangel

Good lookin de-load my Friend!!! I agree with what Darth 20 says myself, your doin right imo, givin the body time to relax and prepare for a future ONSLAUGHT!!!

Originally Posted by fyredup1286

u know wut...thats gunna b my new signiture...haha
u da man.

Originally Posted by JerseyDevil

Hehehhehhehehehheheheh..... He said load.

Whaddup TT?

Originally Posted by Double D

Its just because Trips is a massive beast!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

Front squats don't feel natural for me. I thinks it's a question of balance. On a side note, I tried to do an overhead squat as a warm-up, and couldn't even get one. It kept feeling like I was going to tip over.

Originally Posted by DOMS

I added up all the weight you benched, it comes to 2.88 net tons.

Originally Posted by Double D

Its just because Trips is a massive beast!

Originally Posted by fyredup1286

Amen Brother!

Originally Posted by DOMS

Don't worry, I still respect you.

I think Overhead Squats are a very underrated exercise. Then again, I'm a squat junkie.

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

You the man TT... Very nice!

Originally Posted by Burner02

was'sup, trips!
wow...2+ tons of iron moved...you ANIMAL!

Originally Posted by Archangel

EXCELLENT w/o's Brother Triple, keep it up my Friend!!!

Originally Posted by Triple Threat

Thanks, Arch. That's what my girlfriends used to say.

Originally Posted by DOMS

Great workout, TT!

Don't you just dig Overhead Squats? There's no cheating on those.

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

Wow, you don't mess around! Nice job TT.

Originally Posted by Double D

OH Squats are very ver tough. I have a hard time doing them just with the bar. I dont know if I will continue to do those or not. My balance simply sucks!

Originally Posted by Archangel

FANTASTIC w/o Brother Triple!!! Where do you place the bar on your back??? I used to feel like that until I dropped the bar down to my middle/lower traps, hope that made sense?!?

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Trips has it going on in here (did your gf's used to say that too)

Originally Posted by Double D

Dont OH Squats suck?!?! I saw a guy on that softballfans site and he said he uses 200lbs on em. Wow I highly fuckin doubt it.

Originally Posted by Burner02

I just lost my train of thoght...thanks, Brutus....

Originally Posted by Double D

Fuck dude sprinting in the snow is pretty hardcore if you ask me.

Originally Posted by DOMS

Blizzard or not, running in sub-zero temperatures is very brutal. Great job on that and on the workout!

Originally Posted by Brutus_G

Wow TT your deadlift and squat diffrence is huge.

Originally Posted by Double D

Fuck dude sprinting in the snow is pretty hardcore if you ask me.

Originally Posted by Gazhole

As long as he's careful not to hit a patch of ice.

If anything can break your concentration, it's that.

Looking good though, TT!