D.Rex Finishes a Challenge

[Wolverine]

A simple challenge. I'll be finishing this one.

 

FOOD

• Track all ze' food and maintain a slight deficit.

STRENGTH

• Strength training four times per week.  OHP, Squat/Deadlift, Bench, Squat/Deadlift... rinse and repeat.

CONDITIONING

• Cardio. For serious. Just do it. I'll be adding it into the split (as opposed to doing it when I have time... which is never).  Upper focus, lower focus, then conditioning. I'm not allowed to move on in the split until I do my day of cardio. Lame.

BONUS

• Shoulder prehab Monday-Friday. I like to set a timer at work and do something active every 30 min. or so.  This challenge, I'll be doing a littler shoulder work - face pulls, pull aparts, and dislocates.

[Wolverine]

Stats

(Updated: 02/01/16)

• Height: 5' 7"
• Weight: 163 lb.
• Waist @ Navel: 30.8 in.
• Age: 34
• Sex: Dude

Estimated 1RMs

(Updated: 01/26/16)

• Overhead Press: 142 lb.
• Deadlift: 176 lb.
• Bench Press: 176 lb.
• Squat: 152 lb.

Notes

• A ruptured disc forced me to take off about a year from the lower body lifts. I'm training them again, but started back at square one. Thus explaining my okay overhead/bench numbers and horrible deadlift/squat numbers.  5/3/1 for bench and overhead press, S.S. for squats and deadlifts.
   
• I wanna be a powerlifter when I grow up.

[Yuen]

I like simple challenges . They tend to be very successful... at least for me

 

Good luck!

[Sea Level]

Sweet. I'm ready to watch you rock it!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wolverine]

I like simple challenges . They tend to be very successful... at least for me

 

Good luck!

 

I noticed you have a similar plan this round! Looking forward to crushing simple quests with you!

 

Sweet. I'm ready to watch you rock it!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks, SeaLevel!  Ditto!  Also looking forward to your Austin trip recap!

[Waldo]

Y U no do pullups?

[Wolverine]

Y U no do pullups?

 

Lat pulldowns with pronated grip on bench days.  Really focusing on contraction and a nice big squeeze.

 

Chin-ups on overhead days.  I've got some nice big triceps which make my crappy biceps look even crappier... trying to rectify that a bit.

 

Will rotate pull-ups back in (and switch to supinated grip on lat pulldowns) after a couple of cycles.

[Waldo]

Ah, didn't see any mention of an upper body pulling exercise in what you had written.  If I recall correctly, you used to be able to do a heck of a lot of pulls.

 

I'm stuck doing chins at the moment.  Whatever the shoulder ailment I have is, underhand vs. overhand makes a huge difference.  With an underhand (chin) grip and my hands touching, my shoulder feels fine.  OTOH the thought of a muscle-up or wide grip high pull is horrifying to my shoulder.

[Wolverine]

Ah, didn't see any mention of an upper body pulling exercise in what you had written.  If I recall correctly, you used to be able to do a heck of a lot of pulls.

 

I'm stuck doing chins at the moment.  Whatever the shoulder ailment I have is, underhand vs. overhand makes a huge difference.  With an underhand (chin) grip and my hands touching, my shoulder feels fine.  OTOH the thought of a muscle-up or wide grip high pull is horrifying to my shoulder.

 

Meh. A decent amount. Was doing sets of 15-20 bodyweight at the height of my pull-up training.  More interested in ze weight at this point!

[Yuen]

Meh. A decent amount. Was doing sets of 15-20 bodyweight at the height of my pull-up training.  More interested in ze weight at this point!

 

Ze weighted pull-ups!!!!  

 

I love doing pull-ups with so much weight chained to me, I have to waddle around like a duck.

[Flex Luthor]

 

Stats

(Updated: 02/01/16)

• Height: 5' 7"
• Weight: 163 lb.
• Waist @ Navel: 30.8 in.
• Age: 34
• Sex: Dude

 

 

Out of curiosity why are you cutting? I'm not imagining you needing it with those stats. Although it might benefit you given your low numbers from the injury.

[Br0din]

CONDITIONING

• Cardio. For serious. Just do it. I'll be adding it into the split (as opposed to doing it when I have time... which is never).  Upper focus, lower focus, then conditioning. I'm not allowed to move on in the split until I do my day of cardio. Lame.

 

 

 

PS.  MOAR Benching

[Waldo]

Out of curiosity why are you cutting? I'm not imagining you needing it with those stats. Although it might benefit you given your low numbers from the injury.

As I recall, bro's washboard isn't quite rough enough until <30".

[Wolverine]

Ze weighted pull-ups!!!!

 

I love doing pull-ups with so much weight chained to me, I have to waddle around like a duck.

 

That's the current plan. Once I hit sets of 5 (next OHP day), I'll start adding weight.  I CAN'T WAIT.

 

Out of curiosity why are you cutting? I'm not imagining you needing it with those stats. Although it might benefit you given your low numbers from the injury.

 

Yup - lower body volume isn't great enough to really affect anything at all at this point.

 

Coach wants me to eat and focus on lifting. I want to be less jiggly.  We'll see who wins out.  A SLLLLOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW recomp. is tempting.  Maintain weight, focus on strength, adjust as necessary.

 

 

PS.  MOAR Benching

 

 

As I recall, bro's washboard isn't quite rough enough until <30".

 

True story.  I've got a couple of inches to go. Though I'm hoping that my 10% is significantly heavier than it was last time.

[Wolverine]

Overhead Press Focus

• Overhead Press: 45 x 5, 70 x 5, 95 x 5, 110 x 3, 120 x 5
• Chin-up: BW x 4 x 5
• DB Bench Press: 45 per DB x 10 x 3
• Bent-over Row: 65 x 10 x 3
• DB Lateral Raise: 15 per DB x 15 x 3
• DB Rear Lateral Raise: 15 per DB x 15 x 3

Notes

• Took a slightly wider grip on the bar during the OHP and it seemed to help my elbow quite a bit. It was painful but much less so.

[Wolverine]

Squat/Deadlift Focus

• Squat: 45 x 5, 75 x 5, 105 x 5, 140 x 5 x 3
• Deadlift: 65 x 5, 95 x 5, 125 x 5, 145 x 5
• Good Morning: 47.5 x 10 x 3
• Leg Curl: 32.5 x 12 x 3

Notes

• I'm a very quad dominant lifter and I'm trying to learn to engage my posterior chain more (thus all my accessory work being focused on hamstrings/glutes). Going to test the waters with some low bar squats and see how that affects things.
   
• Deadlifts are feeling GREAT. Weight is flying (not that surprising since it's still so low) and my form feels dead (ha!) on.

[Br0din]

 

My ruptured disc caused some major left leg sciatica and I'm still dealing with the fallout.  Looks like permanent nerve damage, but only time will tell.  Major calf weakness in my left leg that makes hopping around like an idiot to Beachbody videos more challenging than usual.  I'll get there, though.

 

Is this still a problem for you?  How do you heal from it?  I ask, as I have bulging disks in s1/l5 and l5/l4.  I can tell its pushing on my spine when I lose strength in my leg and big toe.  Its why I only bench.

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Following!

[Wolverine]

Is this still a problem for you?  How do you heal from it?  I ask, as I have bulging disks in s1/l5 and l5/l4.  I can tell its pushing on my spine when I lose strength in my leg and big toe.  Its why I only bench.

 

Yes, it's still a problem.  The INSANE nerve pain is gone, but my leg is still jacked.  My mobility is worse in that leg, it gets very tight and painful if I don't do PT/mobility work every night, and I have about 50% strength in my calf now (not from strength loss, the muscle just doesn't fire correctly anymore).  Looking like permanent nerve damage but only time will tell.  Thankfully, the rest of my body seems to be working around it.  My coach says that if I hadn't told him he wouldn't have known I was injured (i.e. my squat/deadlift form looks fine and I'm not compensating in a noticeable way).

 

Following!

 

Wahoo!

[Wolverine]

Bench Press Focus

• Bench Press: 45 x 5, 75 x 5, 105 x 5, 120 x 5, 140 x 3, 155 x 5
• Lat Pulldown: 50 x 10, 60 x 10, 70 x 10, 80 x 10 x 3
• DB Shoulder Press: 37.5 per DB x 10 x 3
• DB One-arm Row: 57.5 per DB x 10 x 3
• Barbell Curl: 67.5 x 10 x 3
• Rope Pressdown: 67.5 x 10 x 3

[Wolverine]

Just got back from a family vacation in Disneyland.  Averaged about 13 miles per day for 4 days... I'm calling that my conditioning for the week.  Pseudo-cheating, but I have no shame.  Looking forward to catching up with everyone.

[Br0din]

Yes, it's still a problem.  The INSANE nerve pain is gone, but my leg is still jacked.  My mobility is worse in that leg, it gets very tight and painful if I don't do PT/mobility work every night, and I have about 50% strength in my calf now (not from strength loss, the muscle just doesn't fire correctly anymore).  Looking like permanent nerve damage but only time will tell.  Thankfully, the rest of my body seems to be working around it.  My coach says that if I hadn't told him he wouldn't have known I was injured (i.e. my squat/deadlift form looks fine and I'm not compensating in a noticeable way).

 

Yeah, I'm in the same boat.  I don't really have pain, but muscles that won't fire.  I'm going back to PT to get better(er) again.  This time I want then to not treat me like a broken 75yo and like a 30 something athlete and I need progression and intensity.  

 

Its why I'm a bench only bro.

[Wolverine]

Yeah, I'm in the same boat.  I don't really have pain, but muscles that won't fire.  I'm going back to PT to get better(er) again.  This time I want then to not treat me like a broken 75yo and like a 30 something athlete and I need progression and intensity.  

 

Its why I'm a bench only bro.

 

Good luck with PT!  Lemme know if you find some magic exercise that cures all.

[Wolverine]

+1 for using my calories at the end of the day on hitting my protein goal and not on the beer that I had in the fridge. #characterbuilder

 

OHP Focus

• Overhead Press: 45 x 5, 65 x 5, 85 x 5, 95 x 5, 110 x 6
• Shoulder Dislocate + Pull-Apart + Face Pull: Band x 10/10/10 x 5
• Bench Press: 80 x 10 x 5
• Chin-Up: BW x 5 x 5
• Barbell Curl: 70 x 9, 70 x 9, 70 x 8
• Rope Pressdown: 70 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 9

Notes

• Back was feeling wonky. Skipped leg day. *GASP*
   
• Right elbow is still jacked. I think it's the tendon. Going to switch to DB shoulder press for the time being to see if a neutral grip will be kinder to it.

[Br0din]

• Shoulder Dislocate + Pull-Apart + Face Pull: Band x 10/10/10 x 5

 

you must describe this in more detail.  (at least the first 2, I know what a face pull is)

 

• Back was feeling wonky. Skipped leg day. *GASP*

 

 

Can't skip something no one ever does!