The Walrus's Strength Training

[blueviper42]

8-1-10

Armwrestling. I think anyone from the DFW area is born strong.

8-2-10

military press: 3x105, 3x115, 2x3x135, 5x10x85 (standing)

core: LR 3x50, HLT 3x30

2.5 miles on treadmill

8-3-10

squat: 10x135, 10x150, 10x160, 10x170

standing military press: 3x10x80

db rows: right- 30x106 lbs left- 20x106, 10x106

bent hammer curls: 5x10x40 lbs

pinch: 4-10's lift and handoff 5x5

8-4-10

pullups: 6x15, 1x10

hammer curls: 3x10x35

RT deadlifts SS w/ hammers : 5x5x105 lbs, 4x10x35 lbs

RT wrist curls: 15x60 lbs, 2x10x70 lbs

pinch: 4-10's lift and handoff 5x5

dips: 3x30, 1x10

8-5-10

dips: bw x10, +25x3, +50x3, +75x5, +50 5x5

RT deadlifts: right- 5x7x105 left- 5x5x105

pinch: 4-10's lift and handoff 5x5

RT wrist curls: 15x60, 2x10x70

8-6-10

standing full press: 10x85, 4x10x80

pinch: 4-10's lift and handoff 5x5

pullups: 6x15, 1x10

RT deadlifts: 3x10x105 lbs

RT wrist curls: 3x10x70

8-7-10

2.25 miles on treadmill

situps: 3x100

8-9-10

full military press: seated- 5x115, 2x130, 2x1x135, standing- 5x10x80 lbs

pinch: 4-10's lift and handoff 5x5

db rows: 2x20x106 lbs

RT deadlifts: 3x10x106 lbs

RT wrist curls: 3x20x55 lbs

core: LR 3x50, HLT 3x30

8-10-10

squats: 10x135, 10x150, 10x160, 10x170, 10x140

core: situps 3x100

2.5 miles on treadmill

situps: 3x100

[blueviper42]

The stuff from between last update and now was more of the same. Moved in to my new apartment the 21'st, today was my first day back in the gym. Lots of bro lifters and people who won't last more than 3 weeks.

leg raises 3x50, hanging leg tucks 3x30

seated mp: 5x85, 5x100, 5x115, 4x125, 4x10x85

db rows: 2x20x105 lbs

tricep pushdowns: 3x15x100 lbs

rt deads: right - 3x10x105, left- 3x10x85 (I think the rows were the cause of the discrepancy. Dumbbells above 100 lbs have pretty thick handles)

RT wrist curls: 10x60 lbs, 2x10x70 lbs

[blueviper42]

Rest assured I have been training I get tired of typing up my working every time. One of my prime targets is reaching a 405 lb deadlift. I may or may not get it by the end of the year. I'm leaning towards not, but I'm going to try my best to get there. If not, I'll be pretty close. I feel I'm good for 370 right now.

[Forever]

Rest assured I have been training I get tired of typing up my working every time. One of my prime targets is reaching a 405 lb deadlift. I may or may not get it by the end of the year. I'm leaning towards not, but I'm going to try my best to get there. If not, I'll be pretty close. I feel I'm good for 370 right now.

Solid goal, and good overall workouts here..

[Forever]

Rest assured I have been training I get tired of typing up my working every time. One of my prime targets is reaching a 405 lb deadlift. I may or may not get it by the end of the year. I'm leaning towards not, but I'm going to try my best to get there. If not, I'll be pretty close. I feel I'm good for 370 right now.

Hope your reaching your 405 dead man

[blueviper42]

Big T thanks man!! I'm working the deads hard and I plan on getting it before January 1'st of 2011. I'm working with heavier singles instead of doing higher reps, and I feel it is paying off. All of my numbers have been increasing quite nicely lately. It may help that I walk around at about 173 pounds now.

I decided to update today because it's my birthday. The big 21. Too busy to celebrate though.

couple notable mentions as of late:

strict military pressed 140 lbs seated

deadlifted 370 (had more in the tank)

My rows are getting stronger as well. Armwrestling wise I'm still training hard.

[blueviper42]

Academic results:

Theory of functions of a complex variable: A

Theory of the Number System: A

Statistics in Market Analysis: A

Foundations of Accounting: A

4.0 baby

I also deadlifted 335 for 7 which was a new personal best. I weighed immediately afterwards and was 168. Double bodyweight deadlift for 7 reps is pretty good for me I think. Still chasing 405!! I'm home for about a month, so I'll have to take about a month off from deadlifting. I'll be having to improvise some other lifts while staying at home as well. Close grip bench on a really small bar and focusing on high reps on squat due to lack of enough weights. I may try to hit 200 pounds for 20 reps which would be great for me.

[blueviper42]

I squatted 180 for 20 reps in my garage tonight. I think with an olympic bar I may be able to squat 200 for 20 reps. I want to hit a 315 pound squat.

[blueviper42]

1-24-11

seated barbell military press: 5x95, 3x115, 5x3x130, 2x3x125

seated dumbbell military press: 2x8x47.5 , 6x47.5

squats: 5x135, 3x185, 10x225, 10x205, 10x185

biceps curls: 3x10x42.5

crusher wrist curls: 10x55, 10x65, 10x70

situps on steepest incline + 50 lbs 4x15

1-25-11

deadlift: 3x225, 3x315, 3x320, 3x325, 3x335, 2x3x345. speed work : 2x2x185, 4x185

pullups: +60 2x3, +70x2

dumbbell rows: 10x100, 10x120, 2x10x125

crusher wrist curls: 10x55, 10x65, 10x70

I actually did rows first, then deadlifts, then pullups. By the time I got to pullups my back was fried. The volume may not look like much but it's all hard, max effort compound exercises. Plus deadlifts are very taxing on the body.

Edited January 26, 2011 by thewalrus

[lifesnotfair]

Why do you press seated?

[blueviper42]

I alternate between standing and seated. I can do more weight seated, which is the main reason I do it at all.

[blueviper42]

2-3-11

I had a three and a half hour armwrestling practice on Sunday, and my joints and tendons were pretty much useless for 3 days. I finally decided to go back to the gym today after three days of rest. My arms were still sore, but only moderately, and I was mostly working pressing motions.

bench press: 6x115, 3x155, 5x3x165

incline press: 3x8x135

squat: 5x135, 3x185, 1x225, 1x245, 1x265 (pretty easy), 2x8x225

RT cable wrist curls: 40x70 lbs, 2x30x70 lbs

decline situps +50 lbs: 4x15

My benchpress is lagging in progress behind my other three main lifts (overhead press, deadlift, squat). I was going to go for a heavier single on squat, but I felt some hamstring tightness when I was coming up on my single with 265. It was pretty smooth, but I didn't want to risk injury, so I didn't go any heavier. I will next week.

[blueviper42]

2-7-11

Squatted 275 for a pretty smooth single. I tried 295 and was close to getting out of the hole, but I ended up bottoming out. I should have tried 285 (which I'm pretty sure I would have gotten), but as usual I got too ambitious too quickly.

[blueviper42]

Well, today was a day about 10 months in the making. I deadlifted 405 lbs. Completely raw, no belt, no wraps, no straps, nothing. Just adidas shorts and an under armour shirt (and some chalk).

2-22-11

warmup : pushups 2x20

deadlifts: 5x225, 3x315, 3x335, 3x355, 1x375, 1x385 (5 pound PR), 1x405 (25 pound PR). I let out a yell and started dancing. Pretty sure gym employees thought I was crazy.

pullups : +60x3, +65x3, +70x3, +70x2

db rows: 2x10x125, 20x100

hamstring curls: 3x10x90

cable romans (I made the name up, they're hard to explain): 10x70, 2x10x80

[blueviper42]

2-24-11

I'm working bench press and overhead press twice a week now. I'm doing bench after overhead pressing, and it is much easier after being warmed up.

military press (seated): 5x95, 5x115, 5x125, 3x3x135

bench press: 5x135, 5x155, 4x5x165 (all smooth, little to no bounce, good form)

squat: 5x135, 3x185, 1x225, 3x255, 3x260, 3x265, 5x225 (super deep. butt nearly hit the floor on last rep) All squats were deep with only gym shorts on.

grippers: RH #2 x15,18

LH #1.5 x6,11 (bad set and no hand warmup)

crusher wrist curls: 10x55, 10x65, 10x75

decline situps +50 lbs (head touching floor) 3x15

[blueviper42]

3-25-11

standing overhead press (no leg drive): 6x95, 2x3x115, 2x2x120, 2x125, 2x130, 2x135 (happy with this) These were strict full overhead presses.

bench press: 5x135, 3x155, 5x3x175, 10x145

squat: 5x135, 3x185, 3x225, 3x245, 3x255, 3x265, 3x275 (happy with this), 10x225

grippers: R- #1.5x20, #2 2x20 L-#1.5x19, #2 x4, #1.5x9

RT cable hook training: 10x80, 10x100, 10x110, 8x120 (sloppy reps left hand)

steepest decline situps + 60 lbs 3x12

Pretty happy with my progression. I should be able to squat 300 or more now. 315 isn't far off. My previous highest single was 275, and I did a triple with that today. I'll try to get 300 for a single, then hopefully I can keep the progress going and triple 300 in a couple months. I want to get a triple with 405 on the deadlift too.

[blueviper42]

4-27-11

deadlift: 5x225, 3x315, 1x365, 1x385, 1x405, 1x420 (cool), 2x5x350

pullups: bodyweight x5, +45x3, +70 3x3

DB rows: 15x100

I went to the gym in the evening and it was crazy crowded. I didn't do a couple accessory exercises. My deadlifts were great today. Good pullups too. Good workout.

[blueviper42]

I deadlifted 425 last week.

6-1-11

Weighed 182.2 this morning.

deadlift: 5x225, 3x275, 3x315, 1x365, 1x385, 3x405 (last rep was ugly as hell, upper back was really rounded), 5x365

pullups (deadhang with a pause): wide grip overhand - 10,8,6, narrow grip underhand - 10,10

Strict DB Rows with pause: 3x10x100 lbs

Deadhang pullups are getting harder to do for reps at my heavier weight. Although they are strict. I'm going to the Texas State Armwrestling Championships this weekend. I'm not going to cut to 176 though. I'm just going to go in the 198's, I'm not really concerned about my performance. I'm mostly going to support a friend and help a charity. I'm probably going to take a hiatus from armwrestling to focus on lifting. I want to get bigger. Maybe when I hit 200 lbs I might come back to armwrestling some.

[blueviper42]

I just realized I never posted my semester results.

Real Analysis: A

Structure of Modern Geometry: A

Business Law: A

Business Management: B+

Getting an A in Real Analysis seemed like a Sisyphean task during the semester. The gods were smiling on me after finals. Structure of modern geometry was a fun class, proving much of Euclid's work from the ground up was fun. I did a little bit of independent pseudo research (using the term kind of loosely) regarding whether or not there is a bijection between the set of real numbers and constructible numbers, which my professor enjoyed. Business Law was pretty fun, I had a good professor. I put next to no effort into Business Management so I didn't really care that I made a B+. It would have been nice to get an A, but I didn't care enough about the course to study enough for an A.

This brings me to a 3.90 overall GPA and a 3.97 math GPA. If I hadn't taken probability during the summer I'd have a 4.0 math GPA.

[blueviper42]

6-27-11

I've only updated back days for a while. It's not intentional.

deadlifts: 5x225, 3x315, 1x365, 1x385, 5x405 (good reps too), 5x365, 5x365

underhand pullups: 10, 10, 10, 8, 6

barbell rows: 10x135, 10x150, 10x160, 10x160

The goal is to hit a 455 deadlift before I go back to school. This was my first time doing barbell rows, and they're harder to do than DB rows after deadlifting. I did them like I saw Arnold do them in pumping iron. I could definitely do more weight but I was getting used to them.

[blueviper42]

7-21-11

deadlift: 2x5x225, 3x315, 1x365, 1x385, 1x405, 13x295 (double overhand), 13x295 (mixed grip)

neutral grip pullups +45 pounds 3x5 (deadhangs)

barbell rows: 10x135, 10x155, 8x175, 8x185

Second time doing barbell rows. My grip gave out way before my back on the 295 for reps with the double overhand. It took enough out of me that I only got 13 reps using mixed grip though.

deadlift video is here

[blueviper42]

My cat from home had to be put to sleep today. She got some disease that was causing her to lose weight and strength. She ended up not being able to walk on her own and my parents had to carry her around to the litter box, food bowl, etc. It's pretty sad for me to hear. She was a good cat and had a good life, which is all any of us can really ask for anyway.

[Forever]

Sorry to hear about your cat, may the bad times not last and life will be chill my man. take care

[blueviper42]

Hey thanks man, I really do appreciate that.

As a bit of an update, I just weighed in shorts and a shirt (no shoes, belt, etc) at 199.4, And that's a solid 199.4. Even at night with a ton of food and water in me I have a four pack. In the mornings after over night dehydration and no food I have a passable six pack (not great by any means). Basically eating and lifting like an animal. I had 16.25" upper arms at 185 pounds measured with an actual cloth tape measure, no estimation. So I would ESTIMATE I'm close to 17" upper arms and 13.5-14" forearms. Quads and thighs are getting jacked, back is looking pretty wide and thick. I'm pretty diesel right now. I want to get up to a solid 200 pounds nude morning weight before 2012. Then I'll try to get to 220 maybe before I graduate in May. I gain size and muscle pretty readily when I eat like a horse daily and lift hard and consistently.

[blueviper42]

Just stepped off the scale at 210.0. Gained about 10 pounds of muscle in October. Not bad. I may be able to hit 230 before new years. I finally did a few singles on the squat and deep squatted 315 completely raw which I've wanted to do for a while. Training for size and shape is a lot different than training for strength. If you judge strength by the primary compound lifts such as bench, squat,deadlift, and overhead press, I'm not a whole lot stronger now than I was at like 185. Stronger, yes, but not greatly so. The primary difference is that in bodybuilding you are training the contraction, and in pure strength training you are training the movement.

There is a big difference. For bodybuilding you really have to leave your ego at the door and not try to go in the gym and show off with big numbers. I've gotten much better gains by focusing on the contraction of the muscles and not the numbers involved. It's also kind of a pain in the ass to keep my calorie count high enough every day. Eating is just a chore and I get sick of it a lot.