X~Factor Journal (4/1/2011)

[davegmb]

Thanks, Jake. I'm pretty happy with my triceps. Its one bodypart that I have no problems with.

As for chest, look-wise, chest needs definition, which I understand will come when I hit my target weight... eventually. Strength-wise, I do okay with dumbells, barbells is another story.

Im the other way, i feel alot weaker with DB's, feel like they mess with my shoulder alot more too.

 

[x~factor]

Okay I'm back! Got a little sick this week. I weigh 177 lbs this morning. Lost 3 lbs in a week. I guess its a good thing and good timing that it happened during my week off. Anyway, time off is finally over! Time to work and get my swole on!

My new routine will look somewhat the same as before but using 5/3/1 on all four main lifts. I also need to replace deadlift with something else, I'm thinking Yates Rows. I feel deadlift works my legs a lot more than my back. Having squat and deadlift on separate days didn't give my legs enough time to recover. So I will combine them in the same leg workout, using medium weight for deadlift.

Day 1. Squat 5/3/1 + 2 more legs + Calves
Day 2. Bench 5/3/1 + 2 more chest + Triceps
Day 3. Yates Rows 5/3/1 + 2 more back + Biceps
Day 4. Military 5/3/1 + 2 more shoulders + Traps + Abs

 

[trapzilla]

Okay I'm back! Got a little sick this week. I weigh 177 lbs this morning. Lost 3 lbs in a week. I guess its a good thing and good timing that it happened during my week off. Anyway, time off is finally over! Time to work and get my swole on!

My new routine will look somewhat the same as before but using 5/3/1 on all four main lifts. I also need to replace deadlift with something else, I'm thinking Yates Rows. I feel deadlift works my legs a lot more than my back. Having squat and deadlift on separate days didn't give my legs enough time to recover. So I will combine them in the same leg workout, using medium weight for deadlift.

Day 1. Squat 5/3/1 + 2 more legs + Calves
Day 2. Bench 5/3/1 + 2 more chest + Triceps
Day 3. Yates Rows 5/3/1 + 2 more back + Biceps
Day 4. Military 5/3/1 + 2 more shoulders + Traps + Abs

Jay Cutler says he was only so lean for the 2010 Oylmpia because he got sick for the last few days! so all is good haha

I agree with you on where deads hit more, I always feel them in my glutes ma'self.

It will be interesting to see how 5/3/1 applies to a Row movement.

best of luck.

 

[x~factor]

It will be interesting to see how 5/3/1 applies to a Row movement.

I agree. LOL
I might have to adjust the weight as I go along. Right now I am basing it on 225 lbs 1 rep max.

 

[x~factor]

Squat (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/225lbs***)
145 x 5
170 x 5
190 x 5

Deadlift
135 x 10
185 x 8
225 x 6
225 x 6

Leg Raise (superset with Calf Raise)
60 x 16
80 x 14
100 x 12

Calf Raise
200 x 16
240 x 12
240 x 12

Current weight: 177 lbs

***Squat 5/3/1 is based on 225 lbs 1 RM. I've done 315 lbs before but this one is more controlled, deep squat, almost a pause at the bottom.

Squat + Deadlift = OMFG I stopped by Walgreens on the way home and almost puke in the store!

 

[ihateschoolmt]

Ya those are the two exercises I try to keep as far apart as possible lol. Good luck on 5/3/1 I know a lot of people swear by it.

 

[x~factor]

Flat Bench (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/200lbs***)
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5 + 3

Incline DB Press
50 x 10
70 x 6
80 x 6
85 x 4

Dips
BW+15 x 12
BW+25 x 10
BW+35 x 8

Cable Flys
65 x 16
80 x 16
95 x 16

Tricep Pulldowns
75 x 12
90 x 10
100 x 8

***5 lbs increase from last cycle

 

[x~factor]

Lunch

 

[davegmb]

Flat Bench (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/200lbs***)
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5 + 3

Incline DB Press
50 x 10
70 x 6
80 x 6
85 x 4

Dips
BW+15 x 12
BW+25 x 10
BW+35 x 8

Cable Flys
65 x 16
80 x 16
95 x 16

Tricep Pulldowns
75 x 12
90 x 10
100 x 8

***5 lbs increase from last cycle

good workout, i like chest and tris together

 

[x~factor]

Today was supposed to be Yates Row 5/3/1 day but at the last minute both my partners bailed out. No biggie except I had already taken my pre-workout drink so I had to go do something. Since we're in the middle of the 5/3/1 program, I don't want them to miss any of the workout schedule. So I decided to do legs today.

Box Squat
135 x 8
135 x 8
155 x 6

Leg Press
270 x 10
270 x 10
270 x 10

Calf Raises
270 x 20
270 x 16
270 x 16

This is the first time I tried box squat. That shit is hard! I didn't properly warm up and my lower quads were toast after my second set. I couldn't recover from it and couldn't do more weight than I wanted.

 

[ihateschoolmt]

Nice, does your gym have a box or you rig on up?

 

[x~factor]

I used a bench with seat back. Its a little lower than I would like but its good enough.

 

[trapzilla]

Today was supposed to be Yates Row 5/3/1 day but at the last minute both my partners bailed out. No biggie except I had already taken my pre-workout drink so I had to go do something. Since we're in the middle of the 5/3/1 program, I don't want them to miss any of the workout schedule. So I decided to do legs today.

Box Squat
135 x 8
135 x 8
155 x 6

Leg Press
270 x 10
270 x 10
270 x 10

Calf Raises
270 x 20
270 x 16
270 x 16

This is the first time I tried box squat. That shit is hard! I didn't properly warm up and my lower quads were toast after my second set. I couldn't recover from it and couldn't do more weight than I wanted.

Your a damn site more understanding than I am, with training partners, haha! I go spare if they're like 10-15minutes late, i've banned people training with me for a while if they bail on me!

box squats are fun!!! if you keep at em your squat will fly up.

 

[x~factor]

Getting rid of my partners isn't an option. One is my son (17) and the other is my nephew (18).
Yeah, I was tempted to change my 5/3/1 with box squat... maybe next time around.


Yates Rows (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/225lbs)
145 x 5
170 x 5
190 x 5 + 7

Pendlay Row
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

V-grip Pulldowns
150 x 10
180 x 8
210 x 4 dropset to 150 x 6

BB Curls
70 x 10
90 x 8
90 x 8

Behind the neck straight bar cable curls (courtesy of Trapzilla)
40 x 10 x 3 sets

Cable Concentration Curls (Slow Movement)
30 x 12 x 3 sets


My biceps are lagging a bit, I'm gonna start adding more movements to my routine. I did 3 today but I think 2 is just right.

 

[ihateschoolmt]

Nice Vgrip pull downs damn that's way more than I can do.

 

[trapzilla]

Getting rid of my partners isn't an option. One is my son (17) and the other is my nephew (18).
Yeah, I was tempted to change my 5/3/1 with box squat... maybe next time around.


Yates Rows (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/225lbs)
145 x 5
170 x 5
190 x 5 + 7

Pendlay Row
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

V-grip Pulldowns
150 x 10
180 x 8
210 x 4 dropset to 150 x 6

BB Curls
70 x 10
90 x 8
90 x 8

Behind the neck straight bar cable curls (courtesy of Trapzilla)
40 x 10 x 3 sets

Cable Concentration Curls (Slow Movement)
30 x 12 x 3 sets


My biceps are lagging a bit, I'm gonna start adding more movements to my routine. I did 3 today but I think 2 is just right.

haha, fair enough then.

nice workout all round.

how did you find the curls?

 

[x~factor]

haha, fair enough then.

nice workout all round.

how did you find the curls?

Honestly, I don't like it. I did the lightest weight I could and I still couldn't get the full range of motion. I couldn't pull the last quarter of the movement. Its good to have as a variety though.

 

[trapzilla]

Honestly, I don't like it. I did the lightest weight I could and I still couldn't get the full range of motion. I couldn't pull the last quarter of the movement. Its good to have as a variety though.

Fair enough. At least you now know your not missing out on anything!

 

[x~factor]

Nice Vgrip pull downs damn that's way more than I can do.

I tell you what, I'll trade you my pulldowns for your squats strength. That's one hell of a good trade, eh?

 

[davegmb]

nice to see you trying the box squats, i want to try them too and what were the pendlay rows like?

 

[ihateschoolmt]

I tell you what, I'll trade you my pulldowns for your squats strength. That's one hell of a good trade, eh?

Tell you what, How about I take two years off your age for the trade

 

[x~factor]

nice to see you trying the box squats, i want to try them too and what were the pendlay rows like?

Its as exhausting as a deadlift. Maybe because you're all bent over and what not. Also, just like deadlift, I feel it with my hamstrings.

Tell you what, How about I take two years off your age for the trade

Make it five and I will give you all my muscles.

 

[x~factor]

Military Press (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/135lbs)
90 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5 + 1

DB Shoulder Press
65 x 8
75 x 4
75 x 4

Lateral Front Raises
55 x 16
65 x 16
70 x 12

Iso-Lateral Shrugs
270 x 12
320 x 12
320 x 9 (lost grip)
270 x 12

Abs
6 sets, 12-16 reps


I want to start doing DB shoulder presses on a regular basis and see if I could get myself to improve on my personal best of 80 lbs x 3 reps.

 

[davegmb]

Your alot stronger then me on DB press X, i thought that was really impressive weight especially after just doing militarys

 

[trapzilla]

Military Press (5/3/1: cycle1/wave1/135lbs)
90 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5 + 1

DB Shoulder Press
65 x 8
75 x 4
75 x 4

Lateral Front Raises
55 x 16
65 x 16
70 x 12

Iso-Lateral Shrugs
270 x 12
320 x 12
320 x 9 (lost grip)
270 x 12

Abs
6 sets, 12-16 reps


I want to start doing DB shoulder presses on a regular basis and see if I could get myself to improve on my personal best of 80 lbs x 3 reps.

Nice workout there X!. You only seemed to do front delt work in that workout though, any incentive? (granted db presses hit all heads)

 

[x~factor]

Thanks guys! There was a time that I only did rear delt workout thinking doing military/bench workout targeted the fronts more and was afraid to overtrain them. Years later, I have no front delts to show for it. So now, I alternate front/side laterals and rear delt workout.

Now thinking about it, I'm glad you brought it up, instead of doing 1 exercise for 3-4 sets, I should do 2 sets each of the fronts, sides, and rear delts in the same workout.

 

[davegmb]

Thanks guys! There was a time that I only did rear delt workout thinking doing military/bench workout targeted the fronts more and was afraid to overtrain them. Years later, I have no front delts to show for it. So now, I alternate front/side laterals and rear delt workout.

Now thinking about it, I'm glad you brought it up, instead of doing 1 exercise for 3-4 sets, I should do 2 sets each of the fronts, sides, and rear delts in the same workout.

I fit the rear delts in on back day

 

[x~factor]

I fit the rear delts in on back day

Interesting. I think that's how Dorian Yates does his.

 

[x~factor]

Squat (5/3/1: cycle1/wave2)
160 x 3
180 x 3
205 x 3 +1 (did not go lower than I'd like)
205 x 3 (do over)

Deadlift
135 x 8
225 x 8
245 x 4
245 x 4

Single Leg Press
90 x 12
135 x 8
180 x 8

Seated Calf Raises
90 x 12
135 x 12
135 x 12
135 x 12

 

[ihateschoolmt]

Haha nice, I have to do a squat do over tomorrow. Didn't go low enough either last week. Good lookin deadlift, especially after squats.