John Phung

OHP: 225×5, Bench Press: 350×2, Observation On Personal Records And Stuff You Should Read

March 31, 2013 — Leave a comment

A couple of rep PRs this past week:

Overhead Press: 225x5 (5RM)

I've been wanting this for a while now. Pretty happy I got the LMAO2PLATE OHP for 5 reps milestone!

Maybe I'll try for a 260 lb 1RM soon.

Bench Press: 350x2 (2RM)

On the first set, I slipped on the bench despite having that rubber anti-slip mat. Maybe it had something to do with the shirt I was wearing.

On the second set, I got 2 reps, but missed on the third. Had I not slipped on the first set, or had I wore my Three Wolf Moon shirt, I probably would have gotten 3 reps.

Thinking of going for a 1RM of 380 lb this upcoming Friday.

An Observation On Personal Records (PR's)

Lately I'm starting to notice from reading other people's blogs and updates in my Facebook feed is that a lot of people who consistently get stronger, along with those who are freakishly strong, tend to keep track and try to beat their personal records (PR's) on a variety of rep ranges and exercises.

I think there's something to this, as far as training effect, getting stronger and motivation goes.

I mean, if someone were to improve on their 5 rep max on say, the bench press, then their 3 rep max may be higher as well. And if this someone hit a 3 rep max, then they might be in a position to set a new 2 rep max. If they set a new 2 rep max, then maybe they're strong enough to get a new 1 rep max. Going by memory, this has been the case for me. If I hit a rep PR, then I usually can get another PR in a different rep range, and sometimes even a new 1 rep max.

Motivation-wise, having a 5,3,2, and 1 rep maxes on all major lifts gives you a lot more to shoot for (ie. more PR's to break). Trying to break a 1RM on the squat, deadlift, bench press and overhead press (total of 4 personal records) won't last very long and is not sustainable. But if you go keep track of your 5RM, 3RM, 2RM and 1RM on the big 4 lifts (at least, the 4 big lifts that I do), that's a total of 16 different PR's to try to break. Choosing from 16 different personal records to try to break, say, on a weekly and bi-weekly basis seems a lot more feasible than simply going for 1 rep maxes.

And that's only with 4 rep ranges and 4 different lifts. The number of PR's "to break" would increase with different rep ranges (say by adding 10RM, 8RM and so on) and different exercise or a variation of an exercise (ex. paused squats, paused bench etc), giving you more opportunities to break PR's and get stronger on a regular basis.

I don't know about you, but whenever I hit a PR in any rep range, I feel good about myself, and it validates that my training is working. Whenever I'm planning to hit a PR, it's usually on my mind days before I attempt it, and I'm pretty psyched for my workout.

At this point, I'm keeping track of my 1RM (it's on the "About The Author" section of each post on my blog), but I need to add 2,3 and 5 rep maxes (maybe others) to that section, or maybe new page so I can easily look it up.

Anyway, check out these blog posts I came across this past week:

Stuff You Should Read

The Myth Of Perfect Form by Brandon Morrison
Why Is Core Strength So Important? By Dave Hedges
Getting Stronger: The Evolution by Greg Nuckols

In Weekly Review 2rm, 5RM, Bench Press, ohp, overhead press, personal records, PRs, reverse grip bench press

Training Log: Wednesday March 27, 2013

March 27, 2013 — Leave a comment

Texas method recovery day.

Foam Rolling

15 minutes on the black Rumble Roller and lacrosse ball.

L-Sit V-Grip Pull Ups

Body weight (~200 lb): 8

High Bar Squat

Put on a pair of Fat Gripz Extreme. Feel it a bit more in my lower back.

45 lb: 20
140 lb: 10
230 lb: 5
320 lb: 3
410 lb: 1
440 lb: 1
410 lb: 3

Front Squat

Used straps. Felt like the bar was sitting on my collar bones, so I added the blue Fat Gripz to the last set at 230 lb and 320 lb. Feels better that way.

140 lb: 3
230 lb: 3,3,3
320 lb: 1
- Almost rolled off my shoulders.

Overhead Press

45 lb: 10
75 lb: 8
100 lb: 5
140 lb: 3
190 lb: 1
225 lb: 5 *PR!
- 5 rep max! Finally! Previous best at this weight was 4 reps way back in January.

Barbell Curl

45 lb: 10
75 lb: 10
85 lb: 10

In Workout Log 5RM, fatgripz, front squat, high bar squat, L-Sit V-Grip Pull Ups, overhead press, recovery day, Texas method

Training Log: Wednesday March 20, 2013

March 20, 2013 — Leave a comment

No pain in my right side today, even at 410 lb.

I decided not to do low bar squat because my lower back was feeling a bit sore.

For high bar squats, I am now exploding up on the ascent, trying to move the bar as fast as possible and generate as much power as I can out of the hole. I like the rattling noise the plates make as I stand back up.

L-Sit Chin Ups

Body weight (~200 lb): 8

High Bar Squat

45 lb: 20
140 lb: 10
230 lb: 5
320 lb: 3
370 lb: 2
410 lb: 1
340 lb: 5,5,5

Front Squat

Used Fatgripz and straps. Fatgripz to lessen the pain of a narrow, solid steel bar digging into my anterior delts (not accustomed to it yet), and held onto straps because the normal rack position hurts my wrists and shoulders.

This felt way more comfortable. I might start adding front squat every Wednesday.

140 lb: 5
190 lb: 3
230 lb: 3

Overhead Press

45 lb: 10
75 lb: 8
100 lb: 5
140 lb: 3
190 lb: 1
225 lb: 3,3,3,3,0,3
- On the 5th set (the one I got 0 reps), the bar seemed to go too forward, and I could feel my body bend backwards. Couldn't even get 1 rep, but I tried again and got 3.