GainzZz For Valhalla

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 196.3 lbs (2580 cals)

Squat: Beltless/2 min rests

245x3 x4 sets

Bench: Beltless/Control TnG/2 min rests

165x3 x5 sets

SLDL: Beltless/Cobra Grips/Negs/2 min rest

215x8 x2 sets

Oly SFP: 60s rests/negs

95x6,6,5

Oly Arm Curls: 60s rests/negs

95x6,6,5


***54 mins total

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.0 lbs (2580 cals maintenance)

Seated BB Overhead Press: Beltless/paused/2 min rests

105x9,8,7 (@9)

LP Bench: Lengthened Partials/Paused/Beltless/2 min Rest

145x10 x2 sets (@9.5)

Chins: Negs and dead hangs/60s rests

BW+25 lbs x6,5,4 (@10)

BB Bent Face Pulls + High upright Rows: 60s rest

45x12+10
45x12+8

Incline Seated DB Curls: Stretch pauses/60s rest

28’s x10,8 (@10)


***51 mins total

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 195.6 lbs (2580 cals maintenance)

Deadlift: Beltless/DOH/2 min rests

275x3 x3

High Bar Paused Squats: Deep/Beltless/2 min rest

155x9 x2 sets (@9.5)

Incline Paused Bench: Lengthen Partials/Beltless/2 min rest

145x10,9 (@9)

EZ SFP: Negs w stretch pauses/90s rest

65x11,9 (@10)

EZ Jerry Curls: Negs w stretch pauses/90s rest

65x11,10 (@9.5)


***46 mins total

[broseph]

Jerry Curls

For the life of me, I could not find this term used within the realm of exercise movements.

Please explain.

[MattimusMaximus]

Jerry Curls

For the life of me, I could not find this term used within the realm of exercise movements.

Please explain.

lol it’s not an official term at all. Israetel calls them that because it’s a technique Jared (Jerry) Feather uses where you essentially keep your arms out away from your thighs at the bottom. That way you get a deep stretch in the lengthened position of a curl. I’m sure it wastes a bit of energy on front delts but I get one helluva stretch in my biceps when doing them. They feel great for me but can’t use as much weight.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 196.7 lbs (2630 cals maintenance)

Comp Squat:

335 @8.5

285x1 x4 sets (Beltless/60s rests)

Comp Bench: Paused/Beltless

235 @9

195x1 x5 sets (Beltless/paused/60s rests)

SLDL: Beltless/Negs/2 min rest/Cobras

225x8 x2 sets

Oly SFP: negs w pauses/no lockouts/60s rest

85x8,6 (@10)

Oly Arm Curls: negs w pauses/60s rest

85x9,6 (@9.5)


***58 mins
-very fatigued today but strength is trending up believe it or not. Still weak AF. Heaviest weights I’ve handled since November.
-SLDL was pure hell on the last set. I’ll be resetting arm accessory weights soon, trying for more reps than previous.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.2 lbs (2630 cals maintenance)

Seated BB Overhead Press: Beltless/Negs w Pause/2 min rests

105 x10,9,7 (@10) +2 reps

LP Bench: Paused/Length partial no locks/2 min rest

150 x10,9 (@10) +5 lbs, -1 rep

Chins: Negs w dead hands/cobras/60s rests

BW x8,6,5 (@10) +1 rep

BB Bent Face Pulls (SS) High Upright Rows negs/cobras/60s rest

45 x14+12 (@9) +4 reps
45 x14+12 (@10) +6 reps

Incline Seated DB Curls: negs w Stretch pauses/60s rest

28’s x10,8 (@10) +0 reps


***48 mins total
-my biceps were fried on first set of DB curls. Still haven’t decided if I’ll stick to this training. I might be noticing some hypertrophy but as a natural, waiting for muscle growth is slower than watching grass grow.
-using MUCH lighter weights is definitely a hit to my ego but my joints seem happier right now. I don’t know how much longer I can handle high bar squats. It’s the only movement I’m hating besides Chins.

-Also tried flaring elbows during lengthened partials flat bench and could finally feel a pec stretch! My chest finally got a pump from bench for the first time ever. Even when I had a 340 bench my pecs never got pumped.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.6 lbs (2630 cals)

Deadlift: Beltless

285
325
365 @7.5
385 @9

315x1 x3 sets (Beltless/DOH/60s rest)

High Bar Squats: Beltless/Deep Pauses/2 min rest

155 x10 x2 sets (@9.5) +2 reps

Incline Bench: Length Partials w pauses/no locks/2 min rest/beltless

145 x10 x2 sets (@10) +1 rep

EZ SFP: negs w stretch pauses/60s rest

60 x12 x2 sets (@10) +2 reps

EZ Arm Curls: negs w stretch pauses/60s rest

60 x12,10 (@9.5) +3 reps


***61 mins total
-Deadlift max went up about 25 lbs from 4 weeks ago.
-paused high bar squats kicked my ass. I control the descent and pause fairly deep.

[cole]

for my next squat growth slot i think i am gonna do the paused high bar squats. seems like a good quad hypertrophy stimulus

[MattimusMaximus]

for my next squat growth slot i think i am gonna do the paused high bar squats. seems like a good quad hypertrophy stimulus

I definitely feel it in my quads more which I rarely feel from low bar. Can also get deeper in high bar position and really stretch the quads in the hole.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.7 lbs (2630 cals, might have to drop)

Comp Squat: Beltless/2 min rest

225x5 x4 sets

Comp Bench: Beltless/Control TnG/2 min rests

150x5 x5

SLDL: Cobras/Negs/2 min rest

235x8 x2 sets (@9)

Oly SFP: negs w Stretch pauses/no locks/60s rests

85x6 x3 sets (@9)

Oly Jerry Curls: negs w stretch pauses/60s rests

85x6 x3 sets (@9)


***60 mins total
-Still really focusing on technique and milking the lengthened portions of all accessory. I’m guessing some of the 3 lbs I’ve gained over the past 5 ish weeks might be some muscle regain. Haven’t taken creatine since November.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.4 lbs

Seated BB Paused Overhead Press: 2 min rests

105 x10,9,7 (@9.5)

LP Paused Bench: 2 min rest

155 x9 x2 sets (@9.5)

Weighted Chins: dead hangs/cobras/60s rests

BW+30 lbs x5,5,4 (@10)

BB Bent Face Pulls (SS) BB High Upright Rows: 60s rest/cobras

50 x12 +10 (@8)
50 x12 +10 (@9.5)

Incline DB Curls: Stretch pauses/60s rest

22’s x12,10 (@10)


***51 mins total
-DB curls are targeting my left (smaller) biceps a lot more using the stretch pauses. There’s about 3/8” difference in size so hoping it brings that up a bit.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 198.1 lbs (error in cal counting put me in surplus this week. Oops)

Deadlift: Beltless/DOH/2 min rests

245x5 x3 sets

High Bar Paused Squats: Beltless/2 min rest

165x8 @8.5
165x8 @9.5

Incline Paused Bench: Length Partials/2 min rest

150x10 @9
150x8 @9

EZ SFP: stretched pauses/90s rest

60 x13 @9.5
60 x12 @10

EZ Arm Curls: stretched pauses/90s rest

60 x13 @9
60 x11 @10


***49 mins total
-deadlifts are feeling a bit more groovy and easier.
-I really hate high bar squats. It’s so uncomfortable on the traps. I much prefer low bar back placement. Hoping one day I can get a leg press or extension for quad focused hypertrophy instead.
-All targeted muscles were destroyed after today’s session. I’m really tired now.

[cole]

Hoping one day I can get a leg press or extension for quad focused hypertrophy instead.

I have given this some thought. @Skid bought a nice leg press/hack squat machine. he is up in canada like you. it wasnt in my price range, sounds like it wont be in yours either, so ive been thinking of some creative ways to get better quad hypertrophy.

1 - split squats are bad ass, especially if you can elevate the rear leg (bulgarian) and i prefer a BB as i seem to be able to balance better. let the knee slide forward as much as possible while keeping your torso up right. if you bend over too much it seems to shift the demands to the glutes more.

2 - wall hack squats. place foam roller between your back and the wall. squat down like your doing a wall sit. do this while holding a barbell (with straps) under you. i havent tried this yet but these are supposed to murder your quads as you have no way of shifting the load once the quad gets fatigued, so you can really get close to failure with all quad primary.



3- Platz squats. feet really close together and elevate heels on plates or stoppers. Also havent tried yet but in theory seems like it could get the quads real good.

[MattimusMaximus]

@cole those look badass! My basement (gym) unfortunately has no finished walls for the foam roller hack squats (it’s all insulation/poly). I think for reducing axial loading I’ll just have to suck it up for now with the paused high bar and hopefully save for a cheap leg press or extension in the future.

[Clearwater47]

If you have an SSB Bar I'd give Hatfield Squats a shot. If you don't have one, maybe consider it. It's much cheaper than a hack squat and/or leg press machine, and in my experience, works the quads really well.

But I'm with you on wanting a leg press/hack squat. Been eyeing them up for a few years now...

[MattimusMaximus]

@Clearwater47

Hmm a SSB might be a better money saving option for my cheap ass!

[Clearwater47]

At first I didn't use mine a whole lot because squats with them felt quite a bit different, but I now use it very regularly and it's become one of my best investments. I have absolutely no regrets about getting one.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.9 lbs (back to 2630 maintenance)

Low Bar Squat: Beltless/2 min rests

235x5 x4 sets

Bench: Beltless/Control TnG/2 min rests

155x5 x5

SLDL: Cobra Grips/negs/2 min rest

245 x8 @9
245 x7 @10

Oly SFP: Stretch pauses/90s rests

87.5 x6 x3 sets @10

Oly Arm Curls: Stretch pauses/90s rests

87.5 x6 x3 sets @9.5


***64 mins
-took longer due to the concurrent eclipse. Lots of fatigue today. May “deload” soon to dissipate fatigue.

[MattimusMaximus]

BW: 197.0 lbs (2630 cals)

Seated BB Paused Overhead Press: 2 min rests

110 x8 (@8.5)
110 x7 (@9)
110 x6 (@9)

LP Paused Bench: 2 min rest

160 x9 (@8.5)
160 x8 (@9.5)

Chins: Supine/Cobra Grips/dead hang pauses

BW x9 (@9.5)
BW x6 (@9.5)
BW x5 (@10)

BB Bent Face Pulls (SS) BB High Upright Rows 90s rest

55 x12 +10 (@9)
55 x10 +8 (@9)

Incline Seated DB Curls: Stretch pauses/90s rest

22’s x13 (@8)
22’s x11 (@9.5)


***55 mins total
-as an aside: noticing definite hamstrings growth from the SLDLs. Guessing it’s because I haven’t done direct hammy training in over a decade.