Texas method volume day.

5 sets of 3 reps for low bar squat, followed by 3 sets of 5 for high bar squat is 30 total reps.

Sure feels a lot less grueling than 10 sets of 3, or even 5x5.

Foam Rolling

Low Bar Squat

  • 45lbs: 20
  • 140lbs: 10
  • 230lbs: 5
  • 320lbs: 3
  • 410lbs: 1
  • 387.5lbs: 3,3,3,3,3
    • About 3.5 minutes in between sets

High Bar Squat

  • 330lbs: 5,5,5

Face Pulls

  • 70lbs: 10,10

Reverse Grip Bench Press

No longer calling it "paused" because I can't pause all reps and complete all sets.

  • 45lbs: 10
  • 140lbs: 5
  • 230lbs: 3
  • 320lbs: 1
  • 270lbs: 5,5,5,5,5
    • +2.5lbs from last week

I had some shoulder pain while squatting last week, so what I did this week to deal with this issue is I tried high bar squatting while holding onto a pair of straps (video). It works pretty well, although a bit tricky to balance.

A couple of personal records this week:

  1. 245lbs overhead press (+5lbs) PR
  2. 530lbs deadlift (+10lbs) PR (followed by 550lbs with straps)

I ALMOST had a 350lbs bench press (which would have been a +5lbs PR), had it not been the sudden slip of my body on the bench while pressing the bar up.

Hopefully I'll hit another bench press, overhead press and deadlift PR before the year is over.

My squat has been suffering. It could be because of the change of programming I did recently, small nagging injuries, or both. I'm going to have to re-evaluate my programming and look at my logs to see what worked for me in the past.

Also hung up a couple of posters for my home gym (finally!)

Anyways, check these out:

  1. My Insecurities by Courtney Gould
  2. Dude, So and So Got SO Fucking Jacked For That Movie: Chris Hemsworth by Jamie Lewis
  3. Best Squat Depth for Glute Activation by Chris Beardsley

Finally got a couple of posters for my home gym. No more bare walls!

home-gym-posters-01

Some people have suggested that I get posters of girls in bikini. But nah, there's no value in that.

I was thinking of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu or Bruce Lee posters. I even thought about picking up some mirrors for my home gym, either some used sliding closet door mirrors or huge gym mirrors that sometimes show up on Kijiji.

But I finally decided on these:

home-gym-posters-02

If I’m going to have a poster hang on my wall in my home gym and look at it all the time, I might as well learn something. I figure if I see these diagrams all the time, it’ll be a lot easier remembering the muscles, bones and ligaments.

The Muscular System Poster

muscular-system-poster

The muscular system giant chart measures 42” wide x 62” high…which is almost as tall as I am!

It’s pretty durable, and I can write on the surface with a dry erase pen if I wanted to.

There’s 3 holes at the top of the posters to make it easy to hang. I only used the center hole to hang on a nail, and used a pair of neodymium magnets to hold the poster onto the studs in the wall.

The Skeletal System Poster

I also got a Skeletal System 3D chart from the Dollar Store for $1.50, which is similar to the one listed here.

skeletal-system-3D-poster-01

It measures 16.5” wide x 22.5” high, which is a lot smaller than the muscular system chart. Maybe I’ll upgrade to this giant skeletal system chart in the future.

The lettering is in rainbow color for some reason, and there’s a blue cloud border, but for $1.50 (so cheap!) it really doesn’t matter.

skeletal-system-3D-poster-02

Now, I can lift and learn at the same time.

I’ve already learned something from these anatomy posters. Did you know that the “deltoid ligament” is in the ankle? I would have thought it would be located somewhere near the deltoid muscles (AKA shoulder muscles)!

My other wall is still bare, so I might get:

  1. Strength Training Anatomy Poster Series by Frederic Delavier
  2. MobilityWOD posters from Rogue Fitness
  3. Or maybe a Dim Mak chart to learn pressure points…just in case I need to perform the death touch in order to defend myself.

Texas method intensity day.

Foam Rolling

High Bar Squat

Used straps until 460lbs.

Feeling a lot weaker on the squat these days. It's as if some of my squatting powers have transferred over to my overhead press, bench press and deadlift.

  • 45lbs: 20
  • 140lbs: 10
  • 230lbs: 5
  • 320lbs: 3
  • 410bs: 1
  • 460lbs: 1
  • 430lbs: 1
    • Missed on the 2nd rep.
  • 430lbs: 2

Reverse Grip Bench Press (Paused)

Found out that the latest rule changes to 100% RAW doesn't allow reverse grip bench press.

That's gripcist!

  • 45lbs: 10
  • 140lbs: 5
  • 230lbs: 3
  • 300lbs: 1
  • 350lbs: MISSED
    • Felt like (and looked like) I was about to get it, but as a pushed my with my legs, my upper body slid backwards on the towel I put on my bench. DAMMIT.
  • 350lbs: MISSED
    • Tried again. Nope.
  • 305lbs: 3,3,3
    • Same weight as last week (did not complete 3x3 as I planned)

Deadlift

Hook grip.

  • 140lbs: 5
  • 230lbs: 5
  • 320lbs: 3
  • 410lbs: 1
  • 460lbs: 1
  • 530lbs: MISSED
  • 530lbs: 1 *PR
  • 550lbs: 1 *PR
    • Strapped deadlift PR
  • 475lbs: 3
    • Straps.

Texas method recovery day.

Foam Rolling

High Bar Squat With Straps

Haven't done a real "recovery day" workout in a while.

  • 45lbs: 20
  • 140lbs: 10
  • 230lbs: 5
  • 320lbs: 5,5

Overhead Press

Watched a 275lbs OHP video to psych myself up prior to attempting my own PR of 245lbs.

  • 45lbs: 10
  • 75lbs: 8
  • 100lbs:5
  • 140lbs:3
  • 190lbs: 1
  • 245lbs: 1 *PR
    • +5lbs from last week. A bit tough.
  • 250lbs: MISSED
    • Not even close.
  • 215lbs: 4.5
    • Dammit wanted a 5RM.