glad to see another log with Westside influence.

I think the approach you are taking is holding you back more than helping you. Usually people who have a slow metabolism or who are dieting are told to eat small frequent meals...this is like stoking the fire, jump starting the metabolism.

It sounds to me like you need to do the opposite and not only TRAIN like a powerlifter but also EAT like one too.

When I visited Westside, I remember Louie Simmons wearing a MET-RX T-shirt while we sat and ate breakfast at Cracker Barrell. He said (while eating a shitload of bacon, eggs, pancakes and anything else you can imagine)--"I EAT THIS..." (and pointed at his food) "But I wear this" (pointed at his shirt).

A good tip I got from Mike Ruggiera (also of westside / 1000+ lbs. squatter) was to add Heavy or Whipping Cream to your protein shakes or weight gainers. This added fat will do amazing things to not only your strength, but your mass as well.

The Bulgarians are well known for eating a low carb, high fat, high protein diet. If you are really keen on trying to eat clean and break down your macros, I'd recommend doing an isocaloric diet...1/3 fat 1/3 protein 1/3 carbs.

Just for shits and giggles...I'd like to see you take a month and eat like shit but ensure you get enough protein. Eat peanut butter, eat ice cream...eat fast food until you can't handle anymore...and see what happens...I think you'd be surprised.

Most guys have a tendency of trying to eat clean but they end up depriving themselves of the shit they need to grow.

Eat whatever and SMASH FUCKING WEIGHTS.

only other thing I see looking through your log is your dynamic bench days...make sure you are not going too heavy. If you are using 150 lbs, that would put you at 250 press at 60%. The percentages can obviously be manipulated depending on your speed...but the important thing is not weight but the force/acceleration of the barbell.

HTH...feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions.

I really don't know if I could do that. I've never been a fast food person and love a good home cooked meal. I am always up to trying different things but like to try one thing at a time so I know what is working or not working. I might think about it after these nine weeks are up. I just feel really good now though.

I have to agree with you there. The third week really felt to slow on the movements. I feel the second week's weight felt much better and was able to push it up and through much faster. I'll have to not be to aggressive with going up in weight for the DE day and leave that for the ME

Thanks for the support. I'm sure there are things I've done wrong or will not be doing the right way and can use any feedback. I'm always learning.

Wasn't able to figure out how to do a floor press with the barbell by myself as All the lower hooks that I had available where either to small, smith machine, or had a bar on the bottom that wouldn't let me to come all the way down, squat rack. So, I settled for trying the floor press with some dumbbells. I don't think that agreed with me. For one it was very hard getting into position with the weights and then afterwords my left shoulder and my right wrist where not feeing right and my right wrist is still irritated. Any other suggestions on techniques for getting into position for this exercise with DBs or another way to use a barbell would be great. Otherwise, I might have to scratch this exercise and pick another one for the ME bench. Mind you I have no training partner, no one would probably want to be after looking like a flopping fish this morning, and there are no extra employees there to spot that early in the morning. Funny thing about it though some girl asked if I wanted to share her bench that she was workout out on because the floor was just unsanitary.


Week4/Day2 Max Effort (Bench)

DB Floor Press ME
1x5@70
1x3@85
1x3@90
1x1@95
1xmiss@100
1x1@95

JM Press Work up to 2x3
1x5@135
1x5@155
1x4@175
2x3@180

Incline DB Press
2x7@70

Seated DB Cleans 4x8@35

Straight Leg Raises 4x15


Cals Fat Carb Prot
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 2 cup ) 180 0 26 18
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Real Gains from Universal ( 88.6 gram ) 349 3 50 30
Mountain yam, hawaii, cooked, steamed, without salt ( 1 cup, cubes ) 119 0 29 3
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 2 regular slice ) 180 2 34 8
Turkey, light meat, roasted, skin not eaten ( 3 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 131 3 0 25
Cheese, processed, American or Cheddar type, nonfat or fat free ( 1 cubic inch ) 24 0 2 4
Mustard ( 2 teaspoon ) 7 0 1 0
Yam, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt ( 1 cup, cubes ) 158 0 38 2
Egg, white only, raw ( 4 large egg white ) 66 0 1 14
Peanuts, NFS ( 2 oz, shelled ) 329 28 11 15
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1.5 cup ) 135 0 20 14
Micellar Matrix ( 1 serving ) 122 2 3 25
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 2 regular slice ) 180 2 34 8
Mustard ( 1 cup ) 165 8 19 10
Cheese, processed, American or Cheddar type, nonfat or fat free ( 1 slice, NFS (.75 oz) ) 31 0 3 5
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten ( 3 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 156 6 0 24
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 1 cubic inch ) 12 0 2 1
Cheese, processed, American or Cheddar type, nonfat or fat free ( 1 slice, NFS (.75 oz) ) 31 0 3 5
Tomato soup, cream of, prepared with milk ( 2 cup ) 295 9 45 12
Olives, green, stuffed ( 2 large ) 9 1 0 0
Total 3405 72 410 298


B/W 172.1

While I was out looking for ideas on a work around for the floor press I ran into these videos which I just had to post the link. As I understand they are more olympic lifts than PL but just absolutly amazing to get a chance to see different training facilities from around the world.

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=Heisman06

Week4/Sup Day

Standing DB Curls 15s rest/set
1x20@12
1x10@15
1x10@20
1x10@25
1x5@30
1x5@35
1x5@40
1x4@45
1x3@50
1x2@55
1xmiss@60
Reverse back up with same reps and weights
My Bi's burned for a week the last time I did these. Also, last time I did these I was only able to get up to a single at 50 with a miss on 55.

Standing DB behind back wrist curls 3x15@20

Seated Calf Raises 5x12@90

Standing Single Leg Calf Raises No Rest Alternating 2x25

Toe Raises 3x15@50

Cals Fat Carb Prot
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 2 cup ) 180 0 26 18
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Real Gains from Universal ( 88.6 gram ) 349 3 50 30
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 2 regular slice ) 180 2 34 8
Tuna salad ( 0.5 cup ) 148 5 10 15
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 2 regular slice ) 180 2 34 8
Tuna salad ( 0.5 cup ) 148 5 10 15
Yam, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt ( 1 cup, cubes ) 158 0 38 2
Egg, white only, raw ( 4 large egg white ) 66 0 1 14
Peanuts, NFS ( 2 oz, shelled ) 329 28 11 15
Micellar Matrix ( 1 serving ) 122 2 3 25
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Turkey Subway 6" Honey Oat with Cheese ( 2 serving ) 760 17 108 48
Olives, green, stuffed ( 2 large ) 9 1 0 0
Total 3354 73 415 274


B/W 172.2

Post for Friday December 1 2006
Week4/Day3 DE squat

Box Squats 60% 1RM then work up to a heavy 2reps no missing
10x3@180
1x2@225 Felt like nothing
1x2@275 still easy
1x2@295 Felt heavy but smooth, better than ME day with a little more weight and 2 reps

Hyperextensions 3x10@50 time to increase some weight

chest support Rows (hammer strength iso-lateral)
1x10@90
2x6@135

Glut/Ham Raises 3x6 almost able to do the first set with no assist...I have to use the lat pull down seat and restraint for this exercise and the lat bar in front of me so I don't go face first into the ground.

Foods

Cals Fat Carb Prot
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 2 cup ) 180 0 26 18
Real Gains from Universal ( 88.6 gram ) 349 3 50 30
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Peanuts, NFS ( 3 oz, shelled ) 494 42 16 22
Turkey Subway 6" Honey Oat with Cheese ( 1 serving ) 380 9 54 24
Pizza with meat, thin crust ( 5 piece (1/8 of 12" dia) ) 1041 51 96 47
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Total 3783 117 419 272

Week4/Day4 DE bench

Out of town again this weekend for a family Christmas. Inlaw's have a workout machine and room so with all the pullies I have no idea where I was with weights...

Bench Press 60% 1RM.. the machine seems to be adjusted really close with the press but not the rest of the pully systems like upper pully and lower pully.
1x10@100 ... try to get it all adjusted right
10x3@140

Close Grip Press (Well, used a hammer curl type grip as the bar came in on top straight down then back out)
2x3@200 (as heave as this thing could go but I probably only could have used only another 30lbs anyway)

1arm Pulldown extensions 3x10@20??? felt a lot heavier on the upper pully

Front Plate raises... well used a rope and used the lower pully for this one.
3x10@20?? again the lower pully felt like I was pulling up 50lbs.

Hanging Leg Raises 5x15 these are getting a lot easier... about time

Yeah it's impossible to floor press with barbell solo.

I'm going to try and DB floor press again on tuesday. I'm thinking I might try and put the weights up on something, sit down on the floor, slam them down on my legs, then roll back. Trying to get them straight from the floor onto the legs or into possition is really hard and I think it screwed up my wrist that day.

Sounds like the injures out weight the benefits on that one. I hate talking to people during workout, but If i had to do something like that just ask someone who's standing around doing nothing. Or skip floor presses if no one is there to help and do rack benchs or incline. D=

Yeah, I put in my ear buds, jam out, and ignore everyone else. Nice thing though about working out at 6am is most everyone, the few that show up, is in there for working out and not socializing. It's completely different then when I go in there 12 hours later at 6pm. I'm going to try out the floor press one last time. Once I'm in position it seems like a great movement but getting there is hell. Otherwise, yeah I'm going on to the next exercise in the arsenal.

when I do DB floor presses I usually use the repetition method and see how many reps I can pound out.

In my squat rack I can set the pins on the lowest setting and set the hooks up high enough where I can get under, try for a max and if I miss it's only going to hit the pins. I guess I'm fortunate that my rack is adjustable like that.

The only other suggestion I have is trying to make up the difference on the floor somehow with mats or something along those lines.

I find the DB floor presses for reps work quite well to nail the shoulders.

That would be nice. Their "squat rack" has a bar that goes along the bottom about a foot off the floor. when the barbell rests on it my elbows are about two inches from the ground. I was hoping to use that but I guess my arms just aren't long enough.

We'll see how tomorrow goes and I might have to use the floor press as an auxilary exercise for reps. I didn't have problems really until I got up into the 90lbs area.

If having the DBs up high doesn't work then like you said try and sit on one of those step platforms to give a little extra room to jerk up the weights.

Thanks for the help.

Before starting this program I've never squated, for reps, more than 225 in my life. Probably only 6-8 reps too at 225. I was so excited today to go over 300lbs. My legs were a little shaky as I started going up but then I thought of the dynamic effort day and the explosion going up and I shot right up. It's all mental I tell ya. I'm looking for another 5lbs. and slapping on three 45s on each side. Never thought I would do that as I've always been such a wuss on the squat.

Week5/Day1 Max Effort Squat

Low Box Squat
1x5@225
1x3@275
2x3@295
1x1+miss@305
1x1@310

Glut/Ham Raises 5x5

Partial Deadlift (These are freaking exhausting, Once I get going I don't pause at all. As soon as the bar touchs I'm going back up.)
2x15@225
1x10@225

Hyper Extensions 3x10@50


Cals Fat Carb Prot
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Turkey Subway 6" Honey Oat with Cheese ( 2 serving ) 760 17 108 48
Game meat, deer, cooked, roasted ( 3 oz ) 134 3 0 26
Egg, white only, raw ( 2 large egg white ) 33 0 1 7
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten ( 3 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 156 6 0 24
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1.5 cup ) 135 0 20 14
Micellar Matrix ( 1 serving ) 122 2 3 25
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Rice, brown, cooked, instant, fat not added in cooking ( 1 cup, cooked ) 234 2 48 5
Onions, young green, raw ( 0.25 cup, chopped ) 8 0 2 0
Celery, raw ( 0.25 cup, NFS ) 5 0 1 0
Carrots, raw ( 0.25 cup, NFS ) 12 0 3 0
Olive oil ( 1 tablespoon ) 119 14 0 0
Soy sauce ( 0.5 tablespoon ) 5 0 1 1
Peanuts, NFS ( 1 oz, shelled ) 165 14 5 7
Total 3248 71 358 302

I did it. I didn't kill myself doing the DB Floor Press. No flopping, smashing, slamming, or crashing on any body part. I got two step platforms and put one layer of risers on them so it was probably just under a foot to maybe a foot high platform. Then I rested the dumbbells upright at the ends of each platform. I sat between them with the platforms running parrallel with my legs starting at my hips. I could then tilt slightly each DB at a time and roll them onto my legs. I could lift my legs a little bit and once they started onto my legs I could slightly bounce the weight into position. Good thing because I went up slightly in weight. I think this is the first time ever lifting/pressing 100lbs DBs over my head, granted I started at a half way point.

Week5/Day2 ME Bench

DB Floor Press
2x5@70
1x3@85
1x2@95
1x1@100

JM Press
1x5@135
1x5@155
1x3@175
2x2@195

Incline DB Press
2x8@70

Seated DB Cleans
4x8@35

Cals Fat Carb Prot
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 2 cup ) 180 0 26 18
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Egg, white only, raw ( 2 large egg white ) 33 0 1 7
Banana, raw ( 1 small (6" to 6-7/8" long) ) 93 0 24 1
Celery, raw ( 0.25 cup, NFS ) 5 0 1 0
Carrots, raw ( 0.25 cup, NFS ) 12 0 3 0
Egg, whole, fried ( 0.25 cup ) 67 5 0 5
Olive oil ( 1 tablespoon ) 119 14 0 0
Onions, young green, raw ( 0.15 cup, chopped ) 5 0 1 0
Soy sauce ( 0.5 tablespoon ) 5 0 1 1
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten ( 3 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 156 6 0 24
Yogurt, fruit variety, nonfat milk, sweetened with low-calorie sweetener ( 2 6 oz container ) 172 1 27 15
Micellar Matrix ( 1 serving ) 122 2 3 25
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Peanuts, NFS ( 1 oz, shelled ) 165 14 5 7
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Egg, white only, raw ( 2 large egg white ) 33 0 1 7
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 5 regular slice ) 450 5 85 20
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten ( 6 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 313 12 0 48
Cheese, processed, American or Cheddar type, nonfat or fat free ( 2 slice, NFS (.75 oz) ) 62 0 6 9
Mustard ( 2 teaspoon ) 7 0 1 0
Olives, green, stuffed ( 2 large ) 9 1 0 0
Total 3368 74 352 333

B/W 172.6

Okay, I just realized I am not doing a seated clean but more of a clean and jerk type of motion. I clean the DBs to shoulder height and then press them up. I really liked the movement as I can feel it in my upper traps as I clean then my shoulders on the press. I could go heavier on the clean part but it’s the press where I start struggling on the upper reps. I’ll start calling it a seated clean and jerk then do normal seated cleans another time.

I really need to increase my grip strength and I hope I'm helping that with these middle of the week auxilary days. I am starting to see more definition in my forearms.

Week5/Aux Day

Rope Hammer Curls
1x12@50
1x10@70
1x10@90
1x8@100
1x6@110
1x5@120
1x4@130
1x4@140

DB Reverse Curls
1x8@25
2x8@30

DB Wrist curls behind back
3x12@30

Standing Calf Raises
6x10@215

Cals Fat Carb Prot
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Real Gains from Universal ( 88.6 gram ) 349 3 50 30
Dextrose by NOW ( 5 tablespoon ) 180 0 48 0
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Whole Wheat 100% Bread Dutch Country ( 2 regular slice ) 180 2 34 8
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten ( 3 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 156 6 0 24
Cheese, processed, American or Cheddar type, nonfat or fat free ( 1 cubic inch ) 24 0 2 4
Mustard ( 1 cup ) 165 8 19 10
Shrimp, Popcorn PortSide ( 1 serving ) 230 12 18 9
Yogurt, fruit variety, nonfat milk, sweetened with low-calorie sweetener ( 2 6 oz container ) 172 1 27 15
Peanuts, NFS ( 1 oz, shelled ) 165 14 5 7
Micellar Matrix ( 1 serving ) 122 2 3 25
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Now EcoGreen Multi Vitamin ( 1 serving ) 0 0 0 0
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Beef jerky ( 0.5 cup, pieces ) 185 12 5 15
Pizza HarvestWheat Supreme ThinCrust DG ( 1.05 serving ) 263 8 34 14
Total 3095 75 362 255



B/W 171.8

I made sure I didn't go to heavy on the box squat and really concentrated on form and exploding up as fast as I can. After this last ME low box squat and getting past what would have been a sticking point I definitely see the benefit of these dynamic days. With out being able to know what it feels like and be able to visualize the acceleration I think I would have lowered the weight back down and let the pins catch it. Now, I kind of realize now after reading some more on box squats that I cheated just a tad. I’m supposed to have a good pause on the box and release my hip flexors, and then go back up. I just kind of went down, touched the box, didn’t release anything, took a breath, and then moved back up. We’ll see how high I get up in weight again next time I do lower box squats. Hopefully better with better form but I would be happy to hit the same weight with better form. On an annoying note, my shaker broke at some point between yesterday morning and this morning. I didn’t find out until I was filling my shaker up after my workout at the water fountain but not until I started shaking it up. Crap went spraying everywhere. It was a good one inch crack on the bottom. So I