Gazhole: The Road to Beastdom

[Gazhole]

Hoorah! New journal!

Real busy lately. Looking for jobs, booking up stuff for my wedding next year, among the usual real life shit that gets in the way of training. You guys know how it is!

Pretty much everything i've done lately training wise has either fallen apart after a few workouts or caused me an injury. I have absolutely no idea why. Sticking to a set program or schedule seems a bit counterproductive right now. Sometimes on bench day i feel better for deads, or an unload or day off.

With that in mind i'll just be sticking to a set of guidelines and training a little more intuitively which will be a pretty new thing for me. Have been reading a lot about the bulgarian method, John Broz, old-time strongmen, and even though he's an asshole the guy behind Chaos & Pain has been making a lot of sense.

Won't be training with the same sort of frequency and volume as those guys, will be sticking to 3-4 days a week, but i'll pretty much be adopting the high-set, low-rep, high-intensity approach they do. With short rest intervals and a tonne of different exercises in the program.

I'll also be getting leaner. Have limited my carbs and increased protein and so far lost 11lbs in 3 weeks. Working well.

This may not work, i may overtrain, but we'll see. The plan is simple: become a beast. The way to do that? Train like one.

So without further ado, the last 6 workouts from my paper training log. Enjoy!

 

[Gazhole]

Workout 1 (22/09/11):
1. CGBP - 10x3x90kg/198lbs
2. Bottom Start Zerchers - 15x1x140kg/308lbs
3. Grippers - 5x5xHG200/250

***

First workout on thursday. Pretty much died. Nearly passed out after every rep on the zerchers (hold barbell in crook of your elbows, squat it out of the rack). About 30 mins afterwards i bounced back and felt amazing. Testosterone ftw!

 

[Gazhole]

Workout 2 (23/09/11):
1. BB Push Jerks - 15x1x80kg/176lbs
2. BB Cheat Curls - 10x3x60kg/132lbs
3. Weighted Situps - 5x10x5kg/11lbs

***

Second workout, was really sore from the day before. Could have gone heavier on the push jerks though. Got a cramp in my abs during situps and freaked out

 

[Gazhole]

Workout 3 (25/09/11):
1. Partial Squats - 12x2x180kg/396lbs
2. DB Kroc Rows - 8x4x80kg/176lbs
3. Machine Leg Curls - 3x10x30kg/66lbs

***

Thought my spine was going to fling out and embed itself in the gym wall on more than one occasion. Hilariously, the only thing that hurts right now are my hamstrings from the leg curls.

 

[Gazhole]

Workout 4 (27/09/11):
1. Lockout Bench - 8x2x120kg/264lbs
2. BB shrugs - 8x4x160kg/352lbs
3. Static Holds - 3x30sec x 100kg(220lbs)/120kg(264lbs)/130kg(296lbs)

***

Hamstrings were cramping all the way through this. Tricep too during the bench, was supposed to do 12x2 but after 10 seconds pushing against what could have been 200kg I surmised I was done with bench. Hamstrings are still cramping under the weight of my laptop on my lap.

 

[Gazhole]

Workout 5 (28/09/11):
1. Single Arm DB Push Press - 15x1x45kg/99lbs
2. Tricep Pushdowns - 10x3x38kg/83.6lbs
3. Seated Calve Raise - 4x10x30kg/66lbs

***

These were the only muscles that weren't hurting thismorning. I can't say the same thing right now. Two days off methinks. What doesn't kill me will only make me stronger. Or kill me later.

 

[Gazhole]

Workout 6 (01/10/11):
1. Dead Start Good Mornings - 15x1x140kg/308lbs
2. Weighted Dips - 7x4xBW+20kg/44lbs
3. Negative Finger Curls - 5x5x110kg/242lbs

***

Felt great after two days off, was training in Fighting Fit gym in cwmbran today! Hoorah! Didn't know what to expect from the good mornings, were horrific on the lower back because you start at the bottom of the movement from the pins. Dips were really tough, and negative finger curls were a stroke of genius. Loved them.

 

[Gazhole]

Just copied those right out of my book with some edits. Tenses are all fucked up. Hams hurt from good mornings.

 

[davegmb]

Somebody needs to get a grip of Gaz and make you believe in a program and just stick to it, I'm starting to think you've got ADHD or one of those other made up diseases people talk about! This is me slapping you on the face and telling you to do westside for skinny bastards for a few months and just stick with it or whatever program comes to mind! Haha.... To make it look like I'm joking.... I'm not joking.....no I am joking really...... But seriously I'm not joking......but yeah I am joking.......but truely I'm not joking.... No I'm joking......

 

[Gazhole]

I'm just gonna accept the fact that i'm useless at following a set thing right now i know it's retarded. Hopefully i can trick myself into getting bored af not following a program. But seriously, any way i can get myself to train hard is a win!

 

[bigcruz]

was the wendler program not working for you? impressive numbers on the good mornings by the way.

 

[CowPimp]

At first I thought your journal said "Breastdom" instead of "Beastdom." I hope you get the breasts you've always wanted.

 

[Halo]

Love the ADHD comment Dave! Keep up the hard work Gaz your a madman!

 

[trapzilla]

Ooooo Gaz gone Crazy now! i'm surprised your mind is satisfied with those workouts, seem very simple for you

 

[jagbender]

 

[juggernaut]

Dear Gaz,
I hate you. You suck. Die please.
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/2506535-post2236.html
Love,
Jug

 

[Gazhole]

Things got out of hand. Took a week off following a back injury which left me suffocating on the floor as my intercostals went into spasm. I also got a cold immediately afterwards. Fast forward a week of sports massage, veggies, and lying on a couch I started a six month long program that i planned out because, as Dave succinctly put it, i have ADHD and need to get a program sorted.

My request:

If i switch programs before all four phases (10's, 8's, 5's, 3's) are completed suspend/ban/de-mod me as you see fit. Please would some supermoderator confirm the challenge. Weeks off or injury/real-life shit is fine, but thats all.

Goddamned ridiculous.

That said, this week has been good. Started off light. Here are my last 3 workouts:

***

Monday: Week 1 - 10's Wave - Accumulation - Bench

1. Bench Press - 5x10 @ 67.5kg / 148.5lbs (90sec RI)

2. DB Bench - 8x3 @ 40kg / 88lbs (75sec RI)

3. DB Row - 4x10 @ 40kg / 88lbs (45sec RI)

4a. Two Hand Pinch Holds - 3x30sec @ 40kg / 88lbs (2x20kg / 44lbs plates)

4b. DB Side Bends - 3x12 @ 25kg (55lbs)

***

Wednesday: Week 1 - 10's Wave - Accumulation - Squats

1. Squats - 4x10, 1x12 @ 87.5kg / 192.5lbs (90sec RI)

2. Leg Press - 8x3 @ 220kg / 484lbs (75sec RI)

3. Hyperextensions - 4x10 @ BW+10kg / 22lbs (45sec RI)

4a. Grippers - 3x5 @ HG250

4b. Palloff Press - 3x12 @ 13kg / 28.6lbs

***

Friday: Week 1 - 10's Wave - Accumulation - Push Jerks

1. Push Jerks - 4x10, 1x15 @ 50kg / 110lbs (90sec RI)

2. Dips - 8x3 @ BW + 30kg / 66lbs (75sec RI)

3. Pullups - 4x10 @ BW (45sec RI)

4a. Static Holds - 3x30sec @ 180kg / 396lbs

4b. Kneeling Ab Rollouts - 3x12 @ BW

***

The week has been great. I'm doing a lot of warmup stuff, and a lot of cooldown stuff. I have had a load of trap pulls this year, my lower back and hams need a lot of flexibility work to get my squat looking okay, and this new back injury has required a lot of love too.

The workout portions have been 50 minutes, warmup is 20 minutes, and the cooldown has been around 30 minutes. I'm under orders from my physio to do more core work and a lot of foam rolling and so far it's working a treat, as i'm noticably looser during the massage sessions.

So far i realise the weights are embarrassingly light. This is due to the program (like 5/3/1) underestimating your 1RMs to build on it and give you some breathing room for rep PRs. Second, i've underestimated my numbers even more because that injury has seriously weakened my back, and my lung capacity a little when i get really out of breath. Just playing it safe for a few weeks.

In other news, i'm still unbulking (i refuse to use the C word) and i'm down to 83.8kg (184lbs) from 92kg (202lbs) in about 6-7 weeks. Surprise - i think i have abs after all.

Right now i'm sore as shit, that static hold/ab wheel superset was horrific. Time for chicken.

<3

 

[juggernaut]

shit just got realz

 

[Gazhole]

Hell yeaz.

 

[Gazhole]

Week 2 - 10's wave - Accumulation - Deadlifts

1. Deadlifts - 4x10, 1x15 @ 115kg / 253lbs (90sec RI)

2. Cleans - 8x3 @ 80kg / 176lbs (75sec RI)

3. Good Mornings - 4x10 @ 60kg / 132lbs (45sec RI)

4a. Sledgehammer Levering - 3x10 @ 6kg / 13lbs

4b. Hanging Leg Raises - 3x12 @ BW

***

Weighed in at 83.3kg thismorning, haven't been this light in years! Workout was hard, didn't sleep well this weekend, so 115kg felt abnormally hard. Haven't done deadlifts in quite a while actually. Cleans we're actually quite good though, still monging it up with retard strength but its alright. One of the plates (10kg) fell apart during the last rep of the last set - split in half and fell off the bar mid clean! I can only deduce that this is a sign of awesomeness.

 

[davegmb]

Haha I concur

 

[juggernaut]

Have the spreadsheet to the protocol?

 

[Gazhole]

Sure:

Juggernaut.xls

Do you have the book? Its EliteFTS called "The Juggernaut Method". The accessory in the spreadsheet is just my own choice but it can literally be anything. If you edit your "Max" numbers next to each lift in the "Split" sheet it'll calculate all the waves for you.

 

[Gazhole]

Week 2 - 10's Wave - Intensification - Bench

1. Bench Press -
1x5 @ 62.5kg / 137.5lbs
1x5 @ 72.5kg / 159.5lbs
2x10 @ 77.5kg / 170.5lbs
1x12 @ 77.5kg / 170.5lbs

2. DB Bench Press - 10x2 @ 45kg / 99lbs (60sec RI)

3. DB Rows - 4x10 @ 40kg / 88lbs (45sec RI)

4a. Pinch Holds - 3x30sec @ 2x20kg / 44lbs

4b. DB Side Bends - 3x12 @ 25kg / 55lbs

***

Great workout thismorning. I love high volume low rep training, it's awesome. Bench press went well, tech felt smooth. Rest of the workout was good. Finished everything in 1:40 so getting quicker! Squats on Friday.

Also, was 82.9kg / 182lbs thismorning. Sure as shit have more than 3kg of fat left before i'm as lean as i'd like so i'm definitely going lower than 80kg. BOOMSTICK.

 

[katt]

 

[juggernaut]

Sure:

Juggernaut.xls

Do you have the book? Its EliteFTS called "The Juggernaut Method". The accessory in the spreadsheet is just my own choice but it can literally be anything. If you edit your "Max" numbers next to each lift in the "Split" sheet it'll calculate all the waves for you.

I'm reading the ebook right now. Just bought it off EliteFTS.

 

[Gazhole]

Week 2 - 10's Wave - Intensification - Squats

1. Squats -
1x5 @ 80kg / 176lbs
1x5 @ 92.5kg / 203.5lbs
2x10 @ 100kg / 220lbs
1x13 @ 100kg / 220lbs
4x20 @ 50kg / 110lbs

2. Leg Press - 10x2 @ 220kg / 484lbs

3a. Grippers - 3x5 @ HG250

3b. Palloff Press - 3x12 @ 16kg / 35.2lbs

***

Squat technique was great today, much improved! Was also training with a friend today which makes a change. Definitely upped the intensity a bit. For the main squats we took a fair bit of rest to get the most out of them. For the sets of twenty we used half the top weight for the regular sets and only rested while the other was squatting. Same for the leg press, did a bit of "i go, you go". Was horrific. My legs are agony.

 

[davegmb]

Great back squat workout, I'm sticking to fronts at the mo, feel at 6'2" my squats are more of a good morning really

 

[Gazhole]

Week 3 - 10's Wave - Intensification - Push Jerks

1. Push Jerks -
1x5 @ 47.5kg / 104.5lbs
1x5 @ 52.5kg / 115.5lbs
2x10 @ 57.5kg / 126.5lbs
1x18 @ 57.5kg / 126.5lbs

2. Weighted Dips -
10x2 @ BW + 35kg / 77lbs

3. Pullups -
1x15 @ BW
3x10 @ BW

4a. BB Static Holds -
3x30sec @ 180kg / 396lbs

4b. Kneeling Ab Wheel Rollouts -
3x12 @ BW

***

Awesome workout today. Really happy with my reps on push jerks, weighted dips hurt like hell, and the pullups made me feel sick. Grip was much improved on last time. Ab wheel was easier. 82kg Bodyweight (180.4lbs).

 

[Gazhole]

Conditioning

1. Single Arm KB Circuit (8kg, 16kg, 20kg, 24kg) -
1st Round - Snatch, Press, Curl, Press
30sec RI
2nd Round - Swing, Snatch, Press, Curl, Press
30sec RI
3rd Round - Swing, Clean, Snatch, Press, Curl, Press
30sec RI
4th Round - Swing, Clean, Snatch, Press, Curl, Press, Overhead Squat

2a. Band Rows -
4x10 @ Grey Band

2b. Band Face Pulls -
4x10 @ Orange Band

***

Quick conditioning session thismorning before work. KB thing was off the cuff but i really enjoyed it. Basically started with right arm with the lightest kettlebell, did the complex and repeated with the left, then worked up through to the heaviest bell. Rest, did it all again with an extra exercise added to the complex. Finished with some back stuff because you can't really do too much back.