Blocky settles the F*$% down and tries to do things properly...

[Blocky]

Sat 27th Jan

Week Five Day 6

 

Morning:

Nope.

 

Lifting:

 

Bench day:

Comp Bench: singles at 100kg, 110kg, 115kg and then a new 5RM at 104.5kg (Ugh, random collection of microplates - was as close to 104 as I could get).

Speed Bench vs 18kg chains: 9 triples with 66kg.

 

Went to the commercial gym and did:

A bunch of DB benching, hammer strength rows, pushdowns, hammer curls and facepulls

 

Food:

Back in the groove again.

 

Rambling:

Haven't had any real pain in my lowerback after yesterdays ouchie.... all I can focus on today is the pain in my glutes from all the lunging

 

Russian:

Had another lesson today and also up to a 27 day streak on Duo

 

 

LIFTING: 20/24 (Need 20)  + 5 PR's - Done!

PROTEIN: 22/24 (Need 20) - BOOM! Achieved!

GOOD FOOD: 31/42 (Need 30) - BOOM! Achieved!

BRO SESH: 5/6

RUSSIAN: 5/6

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

[Gemma]

57 minutes ago, Blocky said:

 

Comp Bench: singles at 100kg, 110kg, 115kg and then a new 5RM at 104.5kg (Ugh, random collection of microplates - was as close to 104 as I could get).

 

Went to the commercial gym and did:

A bunch of DB benching, hammer strength rows, pushdowns, hammer curls and facepulls

 

 

Microplates, the gym rat's erector set  

And ah, facepulls, my favorite. I should work those back in to my rotation again. It makes me feel tough to do exercises that make me whimper. Wait, what?

 

 

1 hour ago, Blocky said:

 

Food:

Back in the groove again.

 

Russian:

Had another lesson today and also up to a 27 day streak on Duo

 

LIFTING: 20/24 (Need 20)  + 5 PR's - Done!

PROTEIN: 22/24 (Need 20) - BOOM! Achieved!

GOOD FOOD: 31/42 (Need 30) - BOOM! Achieved!

BRO SESH: 5/6

RUSSIAN: 5/6

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

 

That is a LOT of win for one post! 

[ixaera]

On 1/27/2018 at 5:04 AM, Blocky said:

Haven't had any real pain in my lowerback after yesterdays ouchie....

 

[Blocky]

Mon 29th Jan

Week 6 Day 1

 

Morning:

Nope.

 

Lifting:

DL + 10kg chains: Maxed at a conservative 185kg + chains. Was a little cautious after last Friday BUT happy to say, there was no pain of niggles. Could probably have hit 190 - 195kg...

Comp Squats: Ugh... hard... 140kg x 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2... was supposed to be 5 x 3

Lunges: 20, 20, 20, 20, 20

Back extensions and situps

 

Food:

Kept the food a little cleaner today.. I've noticed that the fat is creeping back on... Next week I'm resetting all my working weights back to 85% so that will be the ideal time to scale the food back a notch. I feel like I need every last calorie at the moment.

 

Rambling:

Lots of luges again today, so expecting ass DOMS for the rest of the week. This is the only exercise that I get DOMS from... which I hope means that it's an underworked area that meeds work (and not that I'm un-neccessarily punishing myself).

 

Also noticed (at the risk of jinx-ing myself) that I'm on track for a perfect challenge...

 

 

 

LIFTING: 21/24 (Need 20)  + 5 PR's - Done!

PROTEIN: 23/24 (Need 20) - BOOM! Achieved!

GOOD FOOD: 32/42 (Need 30) - BOOM! Achieved!

BRO SESH: 5/6

RUSSIAN: 5/6

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

[CourtnieMarie]

6 hours ago, Blocky said:

This is the only exercise that I get DOMS from... which I hope means that it's an underworked area that meeds work (and not that I'm un-neccessarily punishing myself).

i assume this as well which probably means we are both unequivocally right.

[Blocky]

6 hours ago, CourtnieMarie said:

i assume this as well which probably means we are both unequivocally right.

 

Makes sense to me

[calanthrophy]

On 1/29/2018 at 1:52 AM, Blocky said:

 

Also noticed (at the risk of jinx-ing myself) that I'm on track for a perfect challenge...

 

Home gym hit by a meteorite in 3... 2... 1...

[JustCallMeAmber]

[Blocky]

3 hours ago, JustCallMeAmber said:

 

8 hours ago, calanthrophy said:

 

Home gym hit by a meteorite in 3... 2... 1...

 

I only have 3 more training days for this challenge, so only 3 more chances to screw something up...

[Blocky]

Wed 31st Jan

Week 6 Day 3

 

Morning:

Nope. Lazy

 

Lifting:

Comp Bench: singles at 110, 115 and 120kg, then 106kg x 3, 3, 3 and 100kg x 3, 3

Assistance: Pullups, pushups, TRX rows and tricep extensions

 

Food:

Better today.

 

Rambling:

Only 2 training days left. Feeling very beat up at the moment. 

 

Also... got a DXA scan done today. Results are not the best but at least I have a baseline. I'm going to check again in 12 weeks and see what's happening.

 

 

 

LIFTING: 22/24 (Need 20)  + 5 PR's - Done!

PROTEIN: 23/24 (Need 20) - BOOM! Achieved!

GOOD FOOD: 33/42 (Need 30) - BOOM! Achieved!

BRO SESH: 5/6

RUSSIAN: 5/6

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

[Jord]

7 hours ago, Blocky said:

Rambling:

Only 2 training days left. Feeling very beat up at the moment. 

 

Also... got a DXA scan done today. Results are not the best but at least I have a baseline. I'm going to check again in 12 weeks and see what's happening.

 

 

DXA scans are like that. Everyone I've met who has ever done one, myself included, have had these ridiculously high hopes like 'me is powerlifter, me will have lower bodyfat' and then the DXA scan is all hahahahahaha 'you'd like to think that wouldn't you!'. Mine ended up close to what the tape measure said and not what I thought it would say.

 

It's just a number, you are still Blocky.

[CourtnieMarie]

1 hour ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

It's just a number, you are still Blocky.

+100!

[Blocky]

I'm more dissapointed in the lean mass number... just kinda assumed it would be higher. My challenge will have a greater emphasis on hypertrophy.

[Grumble]

14 hours ago, Blocky said:

I'm more dissapointed in the lean mass number... just kinda assumed it would be higher. My challenge will have a greater emphasis on hypertrophy.

 

More block, less... rounding error?

[Blocky]

10 hours ago, Grumble said:

 

More block, less... rounding error?

 

Yes.... I needz moar blockiness

[Blocky]

Fri 2nd Feb

Week 6 Day 5

 

Morning:

Nope. Still lazy

 

Lifting:

Box Squats - set a new 3 RM at 155kg... Yay

Comp Squats - set a new 3RM at 142.5kg... Yay

Speedy DLs - worked up to a surprisingly fast single at 165kg

Lunges holding 24kg x lots, back extensions, leg raises

 

Food:

OK

 

Rambling:

Only 1 training day left.

 

In a fun turn of events - it was 10 degrees cooler here today and I didn't feel like melting for the first time in months. Consequently, we have decided we are going to the zoo on Sunday - prepare yourself for many photos of ridiculous Australian animals that don't make sense...

 

 

 

LIFTING: 23/24 (Need 20)  + 5 PR's - Done!

PROTEIN: 23/24 (Need 20) - BOOM! Achieved!

GOOD FOOD: 34/42 (Need 30) - BOOM! Achieved!

BRO SESH: 5/6

RUSSIAN: 5/6

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

[Jord]

2 hours ago, Blocky said:

 

In a fun turn of events - it was 10 degrees cooler here today and I didn't feel like melting for the first time in months. Consequently, we have decided we are going to the zoo on Sunday - prepare yourself for many photos of ridiculous Australian animals that don't make sense...

 

 

OMG I'M SO EXCITED!!!!

 

[Grumble]

5 hours ago, Blocky said:

In a fun turn of events - it was 10 degrees cooler here today and I didn't feel like melting for the first time in months. Consequently, we have decided we are going to the zoo on Sunday - prepare yourself for many photos of ridiculous Australian animals that don't make sense...

 

YESSSSS!!!!!

[JustCallMeAmber]

8 hours ago, Blocky said:

In a fun turn of events - it was 10 degrees cooler here today and I didn't feel like melting for the first time in months. Consequently, we have decided we are going to the zoo on Sunday - prepare yourself for many photos of ridiculous Australian animals that don't make sense...

[calanthrophy]

12 hours ago, Blocky said:

 Australian animals that don't make sense...
 

 

Bit redundant there, no?

[Blocky]

On 2/2/2018 at 7:43 PM, Blocky said:

 ridiculous Australian animals that don't make sense...

 

11 hours ago, calanthrophy said:

Bit redundant there, no?

 

This PSA brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department....

[Blocky]

Sat 3rd Feb

Week 6 Day 6

 

Morning:

YES. Actually did something... 15 mins of cycling and a heap of mobility work.

 

Lifting:

Comp Bench: 115kg x 1, then, 100kg for 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Speed Bench vs 18kg chains: 70kg x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

 

Commercial gym: DB Benching, hugging machine, pushdowns

 

Food:

Pretty good.

 

Rambling:

Woo! So many things to ramble about:

 

Went out today and got a set of 20kg DBs - now I don't need to go to the commercial gym anymore. The 20s will be a little light, but Mrs Blocky and I compromised (I wanted 25kg and she wanted 17.5kg). It's a start anyway.... I'll just do higher rep sets.

 

Our zoo trip *may* be postponed cos the weather is being super shitty... we'll make a call early in the morning.

 

And for the first time (pretty sure anyway) I have hit 100% on my challenge! Everything achieved.

 

Russian:

Had another lesson today. I still feel like a dumdum but out tutor is very positive and it sounds as if we are cruising ahead faster than most of her other students.

 

LIFTING: 24/24 (Need 20)  + 7 PR's - Done!

PROTEIN: 24/24 (Need 20) - BOOM! Achieved!

GOOD FOOD: 34/42 (Need 30) - BOOM! Achieved!

BRO SESH: 6/6 - DONE

RUSSIAN: 6/6 - DONE

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

[Blocky]

CHALLENGE WRAP-UP

 

This is what I set out to achieve:

 

Follow the plan (stay strict on the main exercises, then yolo the assistance work)  20 from 24 total sessions     +1 STR (+1STR for every 4 PR's)

Do pre and post training protein shakes                                                                            20 from 24 total sessions     +1 CON

Eat well (more veg, stay keto) and maintain weight (stay between 92 and 96kg)      30 from 42 total days             +1 WIS           

At least 1 bro sesh per week                                                                                                6 from 6 weeks                        +1 CON

Make progress with Russian                                                                                                6 from 6 weeks                       +1 INT

 

And this is what I achieved:

 

LIFTING: 24/24 (Need 20)  + 7 PR's

PROTEIN: 24/24 (Need 20)

GOOD FOOD: 34/42 (Need 30)

BRO SESH: 6/6

RUSSIAN: 6/6

HOME SURGERY COMPLETED: 1/1

 

Which gives the following advancements:

 

+2 STR

+2 CON

+1 WIS

+1 INT

______________________________________________

 

Things of note:

 

I made some really good progress on my lifting...

 

My comp squat went up:  from +12.5kg (120kg to 132.5kg) on my 5RM, +2.5kg on my 3RM and my 1RM is now 165kg (up from 150kg post injuries)...

My bench stayed pretty steady (I did have a shoulder injury during weeks 1 to 4 of this challenge)...

My DL is inching up again (I'm only about 20kg under my all time PR but at a much lighter body weight)...

 

On the injury front: Haven't had any back pain nor adductor issues... so hopefully that's in the past... Shoulder has been annoying, but it's always annoying...

__________________________________________________

 

Where to go now...

 

I am re-running my lifting plan with more structured assistance work... Although I am changing my benching from a steady linear progression to an undulating progression (Greg Nuckols has some good stuff that seems to show DUP works just a little better). So I'll be working on 3 rep sets on my heavy day and 5 rep sets on my lighter day, plus I now have some DBs to play with for some rep work... Squatting will remain unchanged, just drop my starting weights back a bit and work up again. I will, however, be doing more heavy reps on DL - the rep work has been OK but there is an obvious cut off (80%+) where I feel my strength drop off.

 

Ideally after my next 9 week program, I'll be back up to a 175kg+ squat, 125kg+ bench and 210kg+ DL

[Gemma]

This is where I would normally just quote the excellent parts and respond to them, but that is pretty much all excellent. Awesome challenge, Blocky! 

[Laghail]

On 2/3/2018 at 3:59 AM, Blocky said:

 

Russian:

Had another lesson today. I still feel like a dumdum but out tutor is very positive and it sounds as if we are cruising ahead faster than most of her other students.

 

 

That's the hardest part for me of learning another language - in english I'm smart and funny adult (for certain values of funny). In German, I'm a toddler with a speech pathology. Then I try a new language and it gets even worse.