Commanding My Body

[miker44]

those workouts are brutal man, keep going strong.

[arian11]

nice work. anyone who focuses a whole workout plan around the squat has my respect. i bench 185 in my sets, so ur numbers just look sick to me, hopefully i can eventually get there. keep working hard!

[Commander]

Originally Posted by klosey

uh huh! i'm watching bro keep it going strong

Thanks klosey! Glad to know you are watching

Originally Posted by miker44

those workouts are brutal man, keep going strong.

If these look brutal....You should see the next few weeks.

Originally Posted by arian11

nice work. anyone who focuses a whole workout plan around the squat has my respect. i bench 185 in my sets, so ur numbers just look sick to me, hopefully i can eventually get there. keep working hard!

Thanks arian, I'm sure you will eventually get there! I see you have an online log going which is a great first step.

[Commander]

Bodyweight: 191 lb

WEDNESDAY, January 27, 2009
Smolov Base Mesocycle, Week 1, Workout 3
(combined with Smolov Jr. Week 2, workout 4)

warmup
Chin-ups BW + 35 x 3 (rest 45 seconds)
DB Bench 87x3 (rest 45 seconds)
Squat 120x4 (rest 1 minute)
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench (weights equal 85% plus 10lbs)
Squat 170x2
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 220x1
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 240x5 (80% of 1 rep max)
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 240x5
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 240x5
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 240x5
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 240x5
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 240x5
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench for 10th set
Squat 240x5 for 7th set

Stretching - I know I keep saying it, but man this has made a world of difference for my knees, I used to accept knee pain as part of lifting heavy, now I realize I was just tight!

This was a bonus workout, Cubscouts for my 8 year old was cancelled due to weather. So I got to make up for taking 2 days off when I worked a midnight shift.

This beats last workout as the most weight I have ever handled for 35 reps (7x5). Next workout is 10 sets of 3, I am looking foward to it. 1 week of Smolov Jr left then I will probably test my Chin-up and Bench maxes. 9 workouts of Smolov Base Mesocycle left before I retest my squat max.

Squated 9 of 15 days.

[HardCory]

You're getting stronger, I can see 350lbs in the near future for you.

[fightbackhxc21]

its looking good commander.

[Commander]

Originally Posted by HardCory

You're getting stronger, I can see 350lbs in the near future for you.

Thanks, I can see my next few weeks as being almost entirely mental.
For example, next week is identical to this week (4x9, 5x7, 7x5, 10x3) but with 20 more pounds! Now I know I can handle the weight required for 1 set no problem, the mental part comes in getting myself ready for the subsequent sets.

Originally Posted by fightbackhxc21

its looking good commander.

Thanks fightback, it's great to have all this encouragement. I will need it in the weeks to come!

No workout last night, got to spend the night watching a movie with my wife and enjoy a glass of wine. Tonight is 10 sets of 3 with 255. The workout after that will require massive mental energy (as well as physical energy), it is 4 sets of 9 with 230, that's my current PR for 1 set!

Bodyweight upon waking: 191 lb (probably will begin bulk on Monday)

[Commander]

Bodyweight: 191 lb

FRIDAY, January 29, 2009
Smolov Base Mesocycle, Week 1, Workout 4
(combined with Smolov Jr. Week 3 - final week, workout 1)

Squat 120x4
Squat 170x2
Chin-ups BW x 6 (rest 60 seconds) (70% plus 20lbs)
Squat 220x1 (rest 60 seconds)
Chin-ups BWx6
Squat 255x3 (85% of 1 rep max)
Chin-ups BWx6
Squat 255x3
Chin-ups BWx6
Squat 255x3
Chin-ups BWx6
Squat 255x3
Chin-ups BWx6 for 6th set
Squat 255x3
DB Bench 77x6 (70% plus 10lbs each dumbbell)
Squat 255x3
DB Bench 77x6
Squat 255x3
DB Bench 77x6
Squat 255x3
DB Bench 77x6
Squat 255x3
DB Bench 77x6
Squat 255x3 10th set
DB Bench 77x6 for 6th set

Stretching, Ab planks

Tonight felt real good, DB bench and Chins were easy even though I was doing 20lbs more than I was 2 weeks ago! Squats went well too, tomorrow will be a challenge though, 230 4x9.

Going to watch my wife play Legend of Zelda and tomorrow I get my taxes done.

Squated 10 of 16 days

[Commander]

Bodyweight average for the week: 190.8 lb ~ BEGINNING BULK ~ goal 200 lb!

I am upping my calories from 2863 to 3445. I will track my weight average weekly and assess caloric intake again next Monday.

SATURDAY, January 30, 2009
Smolov Base Mesocycle, Week 2, Workout 1
(combined with Smolov Jr. Week 3 - final week, workout 2)

warmup
Chin-ups BW + 15 x 5 (75% plus 15 pounds)
DB Bench 82x5 (75% plus 10 pounds each)
Squat 120x4
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench (resting about 1 minute after each set)
Squat 170x2
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 220x1
Squat 250x1 (I purposefully overreached warming up, I read an article about how that can really help prime your nervous system for the subsequent sets)
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 230x9 (this is tied for a PR....and I had to do 4 times!)
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 230x9 (76% of 1 rep max)
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench
Squat 230x9
repeat Chin-ups and DB Bench for 7th set
Squat 230x9 for 4th set

This workout was absolutely insane, 4 sets of 9 with 76% of my 1 rep max. Plus, as mentioned, this was a personal record tie. It was ALL in my head. Each set I got psyched up for and each one went real smooth, slow descent while breathing in, core tight, explode up, breath out. I felt like a machine. But when I finished, it was as if my mind decided to lift the facade of toughness....ever have that happen? Your head finally tells your body that the workout is over so you can feel however it is you are supposed to feel. Well, as soon as I was done it was nausea and lightheadedness for about 30 minutes, ha ha! I think the nausea was due to the caffeine I took....my body was not used to it as I rarely use caffeine before workouts since I workout in the evening. The lightheadedness was from brutalizing my legs though!

Squated 11 of 19 days

The chins and DB bench felt so easy, I am really enjoying the Smolov Jr program. I will be surprised if my maxes aren't improved from it. We'll find out soon.

Cardinals were awesome! They played a great game.

I worked a midnight last night. Probably won't be working out tonight since I haven't slept since Sunday morning! Although, research indicates that sleep deprivation doesn't effect strength. But I don't think I could handle 5 sets of 7 with 245 the way I feel now.

[rootb33r]

wow. This is my first time reading your journal. Smolov looks pretty fun I do a somewhat-similar thing where I alternate exercises with squats and end up doing ~8 sets of squats total, but I go up in weight and take about 4-5 minutes of rest in between each set. It's a pretty effective method. I've gotten up to 315x3 somehow so I'm happy.

Keep it up man.