Workout No. 85
Wednesday, 18th March 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 67.5kg
Overhead Press 4/5/4 @ 47.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 125.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 3/3
“Negative” Pull-ups 3
Barbell Curls 2x8 @ 25.0kg

Front squats are starting to get harder and harder on my core and fingers especially. Getting harder to keep my chest up too. Still not at the limit yet though. Suspect that soon my front squat 1RM (85.0kg) will surpass my back squats (90.0kg) which is unusual especially since I have been training back squats for a much longer period. Could be technique related but front squats seem to be less taxing on my knees as well.

Made some progress in the overhead press from 3/3/3 previously, to 4/5/4 reps @ 47.5kg. Will keep trying and hopefully in a session or two, I will be able to manage the full 3x5.

Deadlifted 5 reps at my previous max of 125.0kg. Am confident I can continue progressing in weight but my form is not perfect although I do not feel any strain in my lower back, etc and I am feeling stronger.

“Negative” chin-ups and pull-ups as usual and have noticed that my first pull is much, much more solid. Just need to get to the point where I can do two full chin-ups in a row and progress from there. Also did 2 sets of 8 reps of barbell curls at 25.0kg to get some burn in my biceps which I rarely train directly and seem to be lagging behind the rest of my body.

This post has been edited by justintga: Mar 21 2015, 08:21 AM

Workout No. 86
Friday, 20th March 2015

Squat 3x5 @ 80.0kg
Bench Press 3x5 @ 60.0kg
Barbell Row 3x5 @ 60.0kg
Push-ups 13

Was feeling particularly good about my chances with the low bar squat today so I went for the 3x5 @ 80.0kg and completed it on my first attempt! My squats have really been progressing decently well over the past two months. Didn’t squat super deep but made sure that at least my thighs passed the parallel point. Was just worried that I wouldn’t have the strength to get out of the hole.

Played safe with bench presses again as I didn’t do too well on Monday. Managed the 3x5 @ 60.0kg but it wasn’t easy. I’ve noticed that I have yet to perfect my set-up for the bench press. Sometimes I feel much stronger on the bench and sometimes I feel like I am leaking pressing strength everywhere.

Also, have not really been progressing much on the barbell row. My first attempt at this weight was way back in December 2014! It is more of a discipline issue and this is by far my most overlooked lift and I keep playing safe looking for easy sets without upping the weight. Need to be more focused.

Was planning to do 3 sets of push-ups to failure but after one set, decided to practise some headstands and forearm stands. I can now hold a 30 second unassisted headstand fairly easily and am working towards getting my forearm stands to that same standard!

Workout No. 87
Monday, 23rd March 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 70.0kg
Overhead Press 3/5/4 @ 47.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 110.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 3/3
“Negative” Pull-ups 3

Have had improved discipline with regards to my eating habits over the past two weeks. Still far from perfect but at least I am generally eating healthier on most days. Hopefully I am progressively losing body fat. Have noticed that my performance in the gym has been affected slightly though, probably due to the slight calorie deficit.

Front squats aren’t getting any easier. Completed the 3x8 reps @ 70.0kg and suffered a fair bit. Definitely more and more taxing to hold the vertical position now. Expect to start plateauing, at least slightly, quite soon. Might give back squats a little more attention over the next few weeks.

Still at 47.5kg for the overhead press. Lost a little focus on the first set and wasn’t as tight as I should’ve been so I only completed 3 reps. The first rep took much more effort than usual because of my sloppy set up. Managed 5 reps for the next set followed by 4 reps for the final set. 3rd failure in a row so this means it is time for a deload.

Wasn’t feeling particularly strong today so I went for an easy 5 reps for deadlifts @ 110.0kg. Did more warm-up reps than usual to get some volume in.

The usual chin-ups and pull-ups to finish off.

Workout No. 88
Wednesday, 25th March 2015

Squat 3x5 @ 80.0kg
Bench Press 3/2/3 @ 62.5kg
Barbell Row 3x5 @ 62.5kg
Push-ups 17/13

Used the body composition analyser scale today at Jatomi and apparently my body fat has not dropped the slightest bit over the past two weeks. I know these scales aren’t very accurate but it is discouraging all the same. Maybe I should start cutting out even more calories.

Decided to have another go at the 80.0kg back squats again and completed the 3x5. Fairly challenging and I really had to maintain my focus and form. Still didn’t go as deep as I would like but I broke parallel on each rep. To be honest, I used some of the “spring” at the bottom to make the reps slightly easier while keeping everything tight and controlled.

Epic fail in the bench press. I have completed the 3x5 a number of times @ 60.0kg but 62.5kg is a whole different ball game. Only did 3/2/3 reps and really, really struggled with each one.

Maintained my discipline for the barbell row and completed a fairly clean 3x5 @ 62.5kg. Will advance to 65.0kg for the first time ever during the next session.

Two sets of push-ups to failure before heading in for my shower.

Please, don't rely on that. You know that it's very inaccurate yet you have already demotivated by it. Purchase skin caliper from EgoNutritions and track your bf%.

Workout No. 89
Friday, 27th March 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 70.0kg
Overhead Press 3x5 @ 42.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 125.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 3/3
“Negative” Pull-ups 3

Didn’t go up in weight for front squats as I didn’t think my legs were up to it today. Have been squatting at my max / near my max for the given no of reps for nearly the entire month of March. Still finished a respectable 3x8 @ 70.0kg. Happy with my squat progress this month and have not really had any problems with my knee.

Deloaded my overhead press to 42.5kg after failing to complete the 47.5kg three times in a row. Minimised my rest between sets and completed the 3x5 at this reduced weight without too much difficulty.

Deadlifted 125.0kg for 5 reps again. Will probably start going up in weight again soon as the reps are starting to feel easier.

Paid extra attention to the chin-ups and pull-ups today as my back and bicep development has been lagging behind slightly. Focused on holding the reps for longer than usual to get the “burn” which I hope will help. Might need to up the volume soon too.

Workout No. 90
Monday, 30th March 2015

Squat 5/5/4 @ 82.5kg
Barbell Row 4/3/5 @ 65.0kg
Push-ups 18/12

Arrived at the gym very late today due to work commitments.

Started off with a new low bar squat PR weight of 82.5kg. Managed 5 solid reps for the first two sets and missed a rep on the final rep (didn't attempt it as I was not feeling too confident).

The benches were all taken and it was getting very late so I passed on the bench presses today.

Also a PR weight today for the barbell row @ 65.0kg. Surprisingly did 4/3/5 reps with the final set being the best of the three.

Ended the rushed session with a total of 30 push-ups.

Workout No. 91
Wednesday, 1st April 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 72.5kg
Overhead Press 3x5 @ 45.0kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 127.5kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 3/3
“Negative” Pull-ups 3

Reverted to front squats today, progressing another 2.5kg to 72.5kg. Starting to get really challenging and my face gets very red by the end of each set. To be honest, front squats feel like a much better workout overall compared to low bar back squats and seem to be more forgiving on my knees. Surprisingly, mixing up front and back squats has really helped me progress overall over the past month.

Up to 45.0kg from the deloaded overhead press weight of 42.5kg. Completed the 3x5 without too much difficulty. Hard to believe that each additional 2.5kg in this lift makes such a big difference.

New PR for the deadlift and I feel like I still have some strength headroom left as 127.5kg did not feel too challenging. Suspect that my next attempt at 130.0kg will not be a problem.

Have definitely gained back and bicep strength for chin-ups and pull-ups. I can do a strict single rep chin-up fairly easily. Working towards doing 2 strict reps soon.

Workout No. 92
Saturday, 4th April 2015

Squat 4/3/3 @ 82.5kg
Bench Press 3 @ 62.5kg

Was not feeling well today but still made it to the gym after work. Started off with low bar squats but felt super weak. Managed 5/5/4 at the same weight during my last attempt but today I only squatted 4/3/3. Form was bad on the last set as well as I started leaning forward on the 3rd rep, so much so that I took a mini-step forward towards the top of the movement.

Felt very weak during the bench press attempts too, with my arms trembling to just support the 62.5kg weights. Gave up after one set.

Was feeling like crap so I skipped the rows and assistance exercises and went home for dinner with my family.

Workout No. 93
Monday, 6th April 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 72.5kg
Overhead Press 5/5/3 @ 47.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 130.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 5/5
“Negative” Pull-ups 3

Remained at 72.5kg on the front squat as I was not sufficiently confident to progress to 75.0kg considering that I have PR weight attempts for the overhead press and the deadlift coming up after the squats. Completed the 3x8, having to really push hard for the last few reps of each set.

Did surprisingly well for the overhead press; actually managed a solid 5 reps for the first two sets. The key was the set-up, keeping tight and to start pressing immediately after getting into position.

PR on the deadlift @ 130.0kg. Challenging, but definitely not maxing out yet. Some minimal deterioration of form on the last two reps but no significant rounding of the lower back etc.

Have developed some more endurance for chin-ups so I did more reps than usual today as well as holding each rep for slightly longer than usual. Quite a good session overall.

Workout No. 94
Wednesday, 8th April 2015

Front Squat 3/3/5 @ 75.0kg
Bench Press 3/3 @ 62.5kg
Barbell Row 5 @ 62.5kg

After a decent Monday, today was comparatively a worse effort. No drive and no strength. Started my workout at nearly 9pm, which is much later than usual due to work commitments.

Should have done much better in the front squat, only managing 3 reps @ 75.0kg for the first two sets. Regained focus and pushed for 5 reps in the last set.

Another weak attempt at bench pressing 62.5kg. Have noticed that the late nights at work and the minor progressive cut has hampered my progress and affected my strength gains. On the plus side, I seem to be losing a bit of weight but still maintaining my strength, but only just.

Really tired by this point and just finished off 5 reps of barbell rows @ 62.5kg and called it a day. Used the same weight as the bench press attempts for convenience.

Workout No. 95
Monday, 13th April 2015

Front Squat 8/6/6 @ 75.0kg
Overhead Press 4/4/3 @ 47.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 120.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 5/5
“Negative” Pull-ups 3

Missed one workout last week due to work commitments. Had a bit more time to recover but am still on my slow progressive cut. Much improved front squat compared to my last attempt, actually completing a full 8 reps on the first set @ 75.0kg. Could’ve probably pushed out 7 or 8 reps for the last two sets, but my form was deteriorating slightly and I was starting to lean forward so I decided not to grind it out.

A small step back for the overhead presses, managing only 4/4/3 vs 5/5/3 on my last attempt. Still fairly respectable. Performance may have been partially due to front squats which are really starting to challenge me and tire me out and partially due to my progressive cut.

Went slightly lighter today for deadlifts with 5 reps @ 120.0kg before attempting my constantly improving chin-ups and pull-ups. Will likely be unable to go to the gym very much over the next two weeks. Have to control my eating better to compensate for not working out as much.

Workout No. 96
Tuesday, 21st April 2015

Front Squat 8/8/5 @ 75.0kg
Bench Press 3x5 @ 55.0kg
Barbell Row 3x5 @ 65.0kg
Push-ups 20/12

Haven’t been to the gym in over a week. Slightly surprising but I have managed to lose an additional kg, without any noticeable loss in strength. My eating discipline has improved but it is still far from perfect. I am about 185cm tall and will hopefully drop to a sub-90.0kg weight soon for the first time in years, which is a big milestone for me.

Slight improvement on my front squat today which is also another pleasant surprise. 8 proper reps for the first two sets before bonking out on the last set at 5 reps, with nearly nothing left in me.

Have been plateauing on the bench press for a while so I decided to go for a long overdue deload to 55.0kg. Even this weight didn’t feel particularly easy.

A new PR for the barbell row today, which is again surprising, considering the way I have been eating and the very limited sleep I have been getting due to work. Even felt decently fresh after rowing the 5 reps of each set with decent form.

Ended a better than expected session with two sets of push-ups and am expecting that the earliest I’ll be able to drop by the gym again will be on Saturday.

Workout No. 97
Friday, 5th June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 60.0kg
Overhead Press 3x8 @ 40.0kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 110.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 5/5
“Negative” Pull-ups 3
Interval Running on Treadmill 2.0km

Hi guys! Have been away from the gym for an extended period of time as I have been busy rushing a tender submission. With that finally out of the way, it is about time to get my exercise and diet programme back on track.

Weighed myself today at the gym, fearing the worst considering the almost total lack of exercise over the past month and some binge eating, and was pleasantly surprised to find myself not far from where I left off @ 91.0kg. I did manage to squeeze in about 3 gym sessions over the past 5 weeks but they were half-hearted at best as I was mostly exhausted and burnt out so I did not even bother logging them properly.

Started off with some “light” front squats at 60.0kg, taking it easy after a long time off. Was surprisingly challenging despite this weight equating to a 15.0kg deload. Completed the 3x8 reps and am looking forward to working back towards my previous squat weights.

Decided to go for some bodybuilding type rep ranges for the overhead press, finishing 3x8 reps @ 40.0kg. Might try 8 reps for most lifts from now on as I want to build some size and lose some fat instead of gaining strength as my main priority from this point forward.

Fairly light deadlifts @ 110.0kg today, completing 5 reps at this weight. Did 5 reps for each of the warm-up sets as well to build up some volume.
“Negative” chin-ups and pull-ups plus 2km of interval running to finish off the session, feeling refreshed after the first proper gym session in over a month.

Workout No. 98
Saturday, 13th June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 60.0kg
Bench Press 3x8 @ 50.0kg
Barbell Row 3x5 @ 60.0kg

Disappointingly missed an entire week of gym again due to work commitments and an unfortunate series of events. I have to stop making excuses. Forced myself to head to the gym after work on Saturday despite being very tired at the end of the working week. Felt reenergised again by the end of the session! No regrets at all.

Repeated the 3x8 reps of front squats @ 60.0kg without too much difficulty. Still far away from regaining my previous front squat strength. Will definitely progress up in weight for my next session. May start incorporating back squats back into my programme as well.

I am experimenting with higher reps for some lifts so I went with 3x8 reps for the bench press today @ 50.0kg which felt decently challenging but not brutal.

Barbell rows to finish off the session with 2 sets of 5 reps @ 60.0kg using the underhand grip to better target the biceps and the final set with an overhand grip.

Workout No. 99
Monday, 15th June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 62.5kg
Overhead Press 8/7/6 @ 42.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 115.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 5/5
“Negative” Pull-ups 5

Upped the front squat weight by 2.5kg. The weights feel heavy but I am able to complete the 8 reps fairly confidently without really struggling at the end. Will hopefully get back to a 75.0kg front squat soon.

Always a little less confident with overhead presses when I’m not pressing at a rack facing a mirror which was the case today. Started off well with 8 solid reps for the first set but didn’t fare too well for the remaining 2 sets. Suspect I would have managed them if I had the help of a mirror. Quite disappointed overall that my gym reconfigured the equipment layout, with only one rack that is mirror facing and the rest facing a wall.

Fairly easy deadlifts @ 115.0kg for 5 reps before finishing off with “negative” chin-ups and pull-ups which are starting to get much easier as well. Could perform 3 solid reps with the tiniest of hops.

Workout No. 100
Thursday, 18th June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 62.5kg
Bench Press 3x8 @ 52.5kg
Barbell Row 3x8 @ 55.0kg

Caught a stomach bug from Tuesday and suffered body aches, diarrhoea and a slight fever for 2 days. Felt a little better today so I decided to hit the gym and take it easy if my body was not up to it. Big milestone for me today! 100th workout since starting the Stronglifts programme. Have deviated from it slightly but am still making decent gains and progressively losing fat.

Still not as lean as I would like to be but there is notable definition in my lower body and arms compared to when I first started. Diet discipline is still not very good in terms of controlling my overeating but have generally been eating healthier over the past year or so. Also have cut down my intake of junk food significantly.

Started warming up for front squats as usual, starting with the empty barbell as usual, moving up to 40.0kg and 50.0kg subsequently. Put on 65.0kg for my working set but then chickened out and took 2.5kg off as I was not very confident of progressing in weight after two full days of diarrhoea. Turned out to be a wise decision as the 3x8 reps of 62.5kg front squats felt brutal.

Felt a little better about my chances with the bench press, so I went up 2.5kg to 52.5kg and completed the full 3x8. Sets felt challenging but for some reason, I never feel the after effects of bench presses. I get DOMs or slight aches in my back, quads, delts, etc after all the other lifts but I rarely ever feel my chest or triceps, except during and immediately after pressing.

Tried 3x8 instead of 3x5 for barbell rows today, dropping the weight to 55.0kg. Fairly easy and was decently pleased with today’s session considering how unwell I was feeling over the past two days.

This post has been edited by justintga: Jun 26 2015, 10:21 AM

Workout No. 101
Monday, 22nd June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 65.0kg
Overhead Press 8/8/5 @ 42.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 120.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 5/5
“Negative” Pull-ups 5
Interval Running on Treadmill 2km

Progressed another 2.5kg for front squats. Each rep felt quite heavy but I still had some energy left in me after each set of 8 reps and still maintained decent speed on the ascents. My grip flexibility has improved over the past couple months and I no longer suffer in the front squat position when lifting heavier weights.

Maintained the same overhead pressing weight @ 42.5kg as I only managed 8/7/6 on my previous attempt. Started off decently well with a solid 8 reps in my first set but felt noticeably fatigued after completing the set. Barely, barely completed 8 reps on my second set, with very poor form on the final rep. Took an extended rest but had nothing left in me after 5 reps on the third and final set, meaning that I only managed 8/8/5 which is basically the same as my last attempt.

Warmed up for deadlifts with a mixed grip opposite to my preferred right hand overhand, left hand underhand grip to prevent potential imbalances. Started with 5 reps @ 60.0kg followed by 3 reps @ 90.0kg and 2 reps @ 110.0kg. Went up to 120.0kg for the working set, but was not 100% happy with my form although I felt strong during the lifts.

“Negative” chin-ups and pull-ups as usual and had a little extra time for some cardio so I went for a short 2km run on the treadmill.

Workout No. 102
Wednesday, 24th June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 67.5kg
Bench Press 3x8 @ 52.5kg
Barbell Row 3x5 @ 60.0kg
Push-ups 15/15

Up to 67.5kg for front squats but had a bad start. Descended for the first set with my feet slightly staggered and not in line. Had to adjust myself after the first rep. Pushed up with too much force and lost control slightly on my 2nd rep resulting in leaning forward slightly and my heels coming off the ground. Felt a slight strain in my left knee. Bad form. Focused on controlling my squat movement over the next few reps and finished the 3x8 fairly comfortably. The weight is really starting to feel heavy though.

A more comfortable 3x8 bench presses @ 52.5kg compared to my last attempt. Experimented with wider grips as well. Should be confident enough to attempt 55.0kg during the next bench press session.

Regular pendlay type overhand barbell rows @ 60.0kg for 3 sets of 5 reps. At first, my right arm seemed to feel much stronger than my left during the first set, with the bar touching the right side of my chest before the left during the pull. Somehow this evened out during the next two sets.

Some push-ups to finish off which I have not been doing for quite a while.

Workout No. 103
Saturday, 27th June 2015

Front Squat 3x8 @ 70.0kg
Overhead Press 8/8/7 @ 42.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 120.0kg
“Negative” Chin-ups 5/5
“Negative” Pull-ups 5

70.0kg front squats despite my legs not feeling quite up to the job today. Front squatted twice this week already plus had a 2 hour basketball session on Thursday. First set felt surprisingly comfortable and I completed the 8th rep without being too out of breath. Could feel the burn in my legs as soon as I started pacing around a little bit. Took a slightly extended 5 minute rest before attempting my 2nd set which I also completed without too much suffering. The burn started to get worse and I was not too confident for the 3rd set. Started getting hard after the 5th rep and my form deteriorated slightly on the 8th rep, with my body leaning forward a little bit too much for my liking. Nevertheless, completed the full 3x8 and this is the first time I’ve been to the gym 3 times in a single week in a long, long time.

Another session overhead pressing @ 42.5kg. Decent first set, struggled on the 8th rep on the 2nd set and knew that I had no chance completing 8 reps on the 3rd set. Got up to 6 reps and really grinded out a horrible 7th rep. Final count: 8/8/7.

Did not go up in weight for deadlifts @ 120.0kg as I was not too happy with my form on Monday’s session. Completed the 5 reps at this weight and was a little happier with my performance today. Skipped chins and pull-ups as I was rushing home for dinner. Will catch up on these tomorrow.

This post has been edited by justintga: Jul 7 2015, 08:11 AM