Yeeeeeeaaah Buddy- dave's log

Hi everyone, posting this in order to have a place to actually record what weights im lifting and to hopefully get some comments and criticism of my routines etc. Im 20 years old, at Uni, in my 3rd year.
Stats:
Weight 77kg this morning
Bench- 130kg (best, been very ill last term, back up to 125kg 2 weeks ago)
Box squat- 120kgx5
Front squat 130kgx3
Deadlift 210kg

Programme im just starting looks like this:

Friday assistance upper body-

Bench- max reps 100kg
Chin up- 4x8-12
Military press- 3x8-12
Curl/pushdown-3x8-15

Saturday ME lower-

Box squat- work up to a max set of between 3-5 reps
Barbell lunge- 3x8-12
RDL-4x8-12
Pull through

Monday ME upper-

Flat barbell bench- same reps scheme as squats
Dumbell press- 3x8-10
Seated Row, bench grip-4x8-12
Reverse fly- 3x8-12
Face pull

I play rugby league at uni and games are on a wednesday, hence the odd order of training!

Started training on friday here are my first 2 sessions:

Assistance upper-

bench- 100kgx8
chin ups- bwx8,8,6+2, 4+2+2
Military press-40kgx12, 50kgx8, 40kgx8

ME lower-

box squat -60kgx5, 80kgx5, 100kgx5, 110kgx5, 120kgx5, 130kgx0
lunge- 60kgx8,8,8
RDL- 60kgx12, 80kgx12, 90kgx8, 100kgx8

Happy with both sessions- did military press right after bench due to the gym being repainted and there being a lack of equipment hence the weak numbers. Box squats literally killed me, hopefully the weight on the other exercises will do up quickly as i get used to them

Good to see you've abondoned those crazy yanks at T-Nation and joined up here.

If you can maintain that routine for longer than 6 weeks, don't fcuk yourself up playing rugby, don't get into any fights with the opposing team even if they choose to use your head for stamping practice, don't change it at all because you found something else out about Dave Tate, then hopefully I'll be suitably impressed at Easter when you return.

Try sticking your diet up as well in case any of the nutrition bods pop their head in and have a shufty.

Beware also because if I get the hang of this box squatting I'll be aiming to get somewhat closer to your squat numbers than I currently am!!!!

RE: your comment in my journal about changing your ME bench, why don't you do what you do 3 weeks cycles of floor press, rack lock-out, bench (3RM), floor press, rack lock-out, bench (1RM), repeat.

Maybe play around with the order but that should allow you to work with maximal weights in the chosen rep range and still continue making weekly progress.

Oh yeah, love the title of the log. Very appropriate

ME upper today-

Bench-
bar x a few
60kgx8
100kgx5
110kgx5

Dumbell bench-
35kgx12
37.5kgx8,8

Wide grip cable row-
'8' settingx15,15,12,10

Reverse fly-
10kgx10,10,10

Nice quick session, only lasted about 45 mins. Im thinking that with the pressing I ll go bench for 3 weeks then floor press for 3 then back to bench? Not sure that theres much point in doing floor presses then lockouts as there not really much difference in the movements? Just an idea.

Right after doing one of each of the sessions I think that I'm going to add in a few things. Admittedly our rugby season isnt starting again until next week but I feel that what ive done so far has been fairly easy. So i think that I ll add in barbell shrugs, some programmed ab work and perhaps some more volume depending on how I feel session to session.

I can see how 3 week Bench/Lock-Out cycles would be productive.

I'm guessing it will something like:
Week 1 - work up to 3 or 5RM
Week 2 - as above + smallest weight increment available
Week 3 - as above + smallest weight increment available
Week 4 - Rack Lock-Out working up to a 3 or 5RM
Week 5 - as above + smallest weight increment available
Week 6 - as above + smallest weight increment available
Week 7 - Bench. Reps same as week 1 but starting with either week 3 weight or week 3 + 5-10 lbs

That right?

Also ab work? What's that all about

Slight change to the above - alternate lock-out and floor press in each cycle but keep bench.

So:
Wk 1-3 - bench
Wk 4-6 - lock-out
Wk 7-9 - bench
Wk 10-12 - floor press
etc

Yeah thats seems reasonable- unsure about using lockouts due to elbows though? I think that I will increase the incline 1 notch for my dumbell pressing every 3 weeks also.
Beginning to get slightly concerned by my chronic lack of shoulder mobility so I'm going to make a real effort to get into a routine of stretching- its got to the stage now where if i stand with my back flat against a wall my arms are about 10 degrees away from vertical! Its beginning to impare wide grip rowing movements also.

Assistance upper body-

Barbell bench:

100kg x 6, 6, 7

Chin up:

bw x 8, 8, 8, 8

Military press:

40kg x 12
50kg x 8
45kg x 8

Wide grip bent over row:

50kg x 12, 12

ME lower- not a great session

Box squat-

60kgx3, 3
100kgx3
120kgx3
125kgx3
130kgx0 again

Lunges

60kgx8, 9, 10

RDL

60kgx 12
100kgx10, 8, 8

ME Upper-

Bench-
bar x loads
60kg x 6
100kg x 3
110kg x3
115kg x3

Dumbell press-
35kg x 12
40kg x8, 8

Cable row
'8' x 15
'9' x 15
'9' x12
'9' x 10

Shrug
100kg x10
130kg x 10

Seems like im getting closer to benching what I can squat! Which is clearly not a good look, so I'm going to seriously up the volume on lower body day.

Seems like im getting closer to benching what I can squat!

Welcome to my world!

Nice dumbbell pressing after the benching BTW. I struggled with 40kg last week when it was my first exercise of the session.

Aiming to get up to the 50's for 8 as soon as I can so I can have a shot at the big 60's!
The squatting is really upsetting me though, never found squatting that hard and since not doing any during the season Im as weal as a 12 yr old girl.

If the 12 year old girl is Russian or Chinese that's probably not that weak

lol fair point. Think im going to add in some light pullovers on upper body days to try and stretch out my shoulders a bit, what do you think?

ME squat work out today as game was cancelled to flooded pitches.

Box squat-
bar x 8
60kg x 5
80kg x 5
100kg x 5
110kg x 5
120kg x 5
122.5kg x 5-PR
125kg x 5-PR

Now that's what I'm talking about!!. Big squats all round.
My new 3 week cycle for Box Squats is 75%, 85%, work up to a max triple, start again with 75% of new 3RM.
Next Tues is max triples so I'll see what target I can set you for your next session.

What's happening with deadlifts this term? Can't see them on the planned routine. You're not dropping them are you? Surely they're obligatory for rugby?

An idea - add your age and weight onto your sig stats. It will put your herculean lifts more into context.

Sacked off deadlifting for the moment, its one of the options to cycle in as an ME lower exercise tho. However atm im thinking low box box squat, then higher box, then maybe god mornings? as ive never really done them. Possibly make good mornings an assistance exercise and add in deadlifts as an ME tho.
Basically my utter ****ness at deadlifting at the end of the holidays has made me think that focusing on posterior chain is the way to go- whatever i can get to my knees I will lock out with ease, so its the legs that are letting me down I feel.
This week I ll probably go- assistance upper tomorrow, fri off, play sat, rugby training sunday. unsure whether to go ME upper of ME lower on the monday. thoughts?