DanCR Stops Being a Clown

[DanCR]

I'm going to throw in that recently I've been using progression from 10 to 15 reps as a progression benchmark. Except, I do three sets not four;

We can’t all be Arnold.

once I get all three for 15, I add five to 10 pounds and start back at 10 reps.

Kidding of course. I just recall (I think) 4x15 being the thing from his absurd beginner routine in his encyclopedia.

I think that your scheme is tried and true. What rest periods do you require yourself to stick with as you progress? Or put another way, in what total period of time must you achieve 3x15?

[MarkKO]

I'm going to throw in that recently I've been using progression from 10 to 15 reps as a progression benchmark. Except, I do three sets not four;

We can’t all be Arnold.

once I get all three for 15, I add five to 10 pounds and start back at 10 reps.

Kidding of course. I just recall (I think) 4x15 being the thing from his absurd beginner routine in his encyclopedia.

I think that your scheme is tried and true. What rest periods do you require yourself to stick with as you progress? Or put another way, in what total period of time must you achieve 3x15?

No, but we can try

[DanCR]

3/12/25

BW: 215.2, where drinking all day yesterday got me.

Barbell Rows 95 x5,5 145 x5 w/ Versa Gripps: 195 x5 200 x6 155 x12
Lat Pulldowns w/ MAG supinated grip 120 x10 130 x7 150 x7 +3 partials
Pullups (legs slightly forward, full pause at top and bottom, no swing) x4,4,4
Rogue EZ Bar Curls 55, 75, 95 x5 65 x12
Barbell Curls 45 x12
Precor Camber Preacher Curl Machine 70 x10,8 (second set including partials)
Incline Reverse Pronating DB Curls (thick handles) 20s x7,7
Deadbugs x10 each side

Jump Rope:
30 jumps + 10 afap
30 jumps + 20 afap
30 jumps + 30 afap

200 x6:


95 x5:


70 x8 (including partials):


Notes: I didn't have any sort of hangover today as one generally is thought of, but felt "off," unsurprisingly. I still ended up having a good session, though, as the plan today had been to reduce the weight on everything anyway. I am very resistant to reducing weight, because I feel that the biggest detriment to my training over the years has been doing so to "fix my form" when in reality I was just being a pussy. I had two reasons for doing it this time, though. First, other than squat/bench/press, I want all sets on all movements back in a "never less than 5 reps and preferably more" place. Second, going forward using body English (read:horsecocking) will continue to be acceptable, but not to initiate the movement. My concentration today was on beginning each rep with a contraction of the target muscle(s) and not "throwing" the weight to get it moving. Once I get it moving, all bets are off and there may (will) be hoisting and heaving. The result, at least today, was a stupid pump and a noticeably reduced feeling of being beat to shit.

[cgeorg]

The result, at least today, was a stupid pump and a noticeably reduced feeling of being beat to shit.

Sounds like a winning play.

[SaviorSelf]

Sometimes the day after a drink you have superhuman strength, its just science

[lehman906]

Sometimes the day after a drink you have superhuman strength, its just science

Sweet!

It’s not burgeoning alcoholism as a coping mechanism, it’s super soldier serum to become a hero!

(I have noticed this phenomenon, but it gets fewer and farther between. Enjoy them when they come!)

[DanCR]

At one point, Jamie Lewis was making a career of being alternately completely hammered and in the gym lifting weights over 90% of his 1RM.

[simonrest]

Sometimes the day after a drink you have superhuman strength, its just science

What if you drink every day and there’s never a day after drinking?

[DanCR]

3/13/25

BW: 215.2 again. Had a last small meal yesterday that I shouldn’t have. Should’ve cut the day off.

Bench Press (paused) 95, 115, 205, 240 x5 260 x1 277.5 x2 252.5 x4,4
Press (paused) 135, 155, 172.5 x1 187.5 xF 195, 200 x4 partials 155 x4,3
Freemotion Cable Flyes 30, 50 x10
Incline DB Flyes (paused) 35s x7
Standing Overhead KB Extensions (paused) 35s x6, x6 + 26s x6 (drop set)
Lateral Raises (hold at top) 30s x10,10
Dips (legs down, paused) x10
Deadbugs x10 each side

Notes: This was an even better bench session than the last very good one. Unfortunately, it led into an even worse press session than the last bad one. One might surmise that that is the result of the preceding bench work continuing to get heavier, and suggest that I split them up. I’m not going to do that because I love my PPL set up and don’t care enough about another 1RM PR now. I’m supposed to be bodybuilding. Gonna put this movement back on 5s, as I was doing prior to peaking, perhaps with some higher rep back offs.

@SaviorSelf, I dunno about the supramax work. Elbows displeased and I feel like I’m really strong off my chest but weak in front of my face. Pin presses probably would be the move if I was gonna chase more 1RMs.

Everything else was good. DB flyes are back, again. My conundrum was that they’d gotten heavy and I was concerned about having a problem, but then I realized that switching to the Freemotion machine had left me with no incline work. After mulling it for awhile, the thought struck me to return to DBs and just add a pause. That I never stfu about pausing, and just had an exchange with @broseph about pausing flyes specifically, yet it still hadn’t occurred to me to do so, may be peak how fucking dumb I get as soon as I walk into a gym.

[MarkKO]

Sometimes the day after a drink you have superhuman strength, its just science

What if you drink every day and there’s never a day after drinking?

I think it means you're Australian?

[simonrest]

Indeed

[SaviorSelf]

I dunno about the supramax work. Elbows displeased and I feel like I’m really strong off my chest but weak in front of my face. Pin presses probably would be the move if I was gonna chase more 1RMs.

I think I'm the same way, I can move almost anything some amount, but it starts getting really hard somewhere between my nose and forehead. I'm guessing that's cause your elbow makes a 90 degree bend there; the most amount of torque the weight can have on your shoulders

It still makes sense to strengthen the bottom part IMO, because the stronger you are there, the faster you can move the weight and get momentum through the middle part where it's hard. When you do 1RM, you gotta move it as fast as you can at the bottom to have the best chance of getting the lift

(If the exercise was hurting, then you should stop of course. But if it just feels awkward, a regular press is gonna feel even better next time)

[DanCR]

I dunno about the supramax work. Elbows displeased and I feel like I’m really strong off my chest but weak in front of my face. Pin presses probably would be the move if I was gonna chase more 1RMs.

I think I'm the same way, I can move almost anything some amount, but it starts getting really hard somewhere between my nose and forehead. I'm guessing that's cause your elbow makes a 90 degree bend there; the most amount of torque the weight can have on your shoulders

It still makes sense to strengthen the bottom part IMO, because the stronger you are there, the faster you can move the weight and get momentum through the middle part where it's hard. When you do 1RM, you gotta move it as fast as you can at the bottom to have the best chance of getting the lift

(If the exercise was hurting, then you should stop of course. But if it just feels awkward, a regular press is gonna feel even better next time)

I had the bolded thought too. I think that’s something that I did wrong - that I’ll fix next time - is to actually struggle with those partial reps. Blow them up as hard as possible and struggle for a beat or two where they won’t go further. I found myself kinda anticipating thee point where the rep would become impossible, and not really fighting there before just going down and doing the next one.

[SaviorSelf]

I had the bolded thought too. I think that’s something that I did wrong - that I’ll fix next time - is to actually struggle with those partial reps. Blow them up as hard as possible and struggle for a beat or two where they won’t go further. I found myself kinda anticipating thee point where the rep would become impossible, and not really fighting there before just going down and doing the next one.

Yeah think of it as almost a hybrid of a regular press and an isometric exercise. For example Josh Bryant had clients setup a bench with the bar on the safety catches in a rack, put an impossible amount of weight on it, and had them just push as hard as they could for a few seconds, each push being a rep

You should try holding the weight at the top for a couple seconds. You won't be able to, but the effort is what matters

This whole thing is from a Bill Starr article, I can supply a reference if you want to read directly from the source. I'm probably adding my own twist to it

[DanCR]

This whole thing is from a Bill Starr article, I can supply a reference if you want to read directly from the source. I'm probably adding my own twist to it

Nah dude, I consume too much lifting oontent as it is. Your suggestions are good enough for me.

[Hardartery]

I had the bolded thought too. I think that’s something that I did wrong - that I’ll fix next time - is to actually struggle with those partial reps. Blow them up as hard as possible and struggle for a beat or two where they won’t go further. I found myself kinda anticipating thee point where the rep would become impossible, and not really fighting there before just going down and doing the next one.

Yeah think of it as almost a hybrid of a regular press and an isometric exercise. For example Josh Bryant had clients setup a bench with the bar on the safety catches in a rack, put an impossible amount of weight on it, and had them just push as hard as they could for a few seconds, each push being a rep

You should try holding the weight at the top for a couple seconds. You won't be able to, but the effort is what matters

This whole thing is from a Bill Starr article, I can supply a reference if you want to read directly from the source. I'm probably adding my own twist to it

It's supposed to build fibre recruitment, as well as make your body adjust to heavier weights. The stress also adds to tendon and bone strength. It doesn't actually build any strength, but helps you actually use what you have better and the stress helps avoid injury with weights that you can lift. It has some merit, but I wouldn't go overboard with it, it can hammer the CNS a lot for the minimal time spent on them.

[hector]

I had the bolded thought too. I think that’s something that I did wrong - that I’ll fix next time - is to actually struggle with those partial reps. Blow them up as hard as possible and struggle for a beat or two where they won’t go further. I found myself kinda anticipating thee point where the rep would become impossible, and not really fighting there before just going down and doing the next one.

Yeah think of it as almost a hybrid of a regular press and an isometric exercise. For example Josh Bryant had clients setup a bench with the bar on the safety catches in a rack, put an impossible amount of weight on it, and had them just push as hard as they could for a few seconds, each push being a rep

You should try holding the weight at the top for a couple seconds. You won't be able to, but the effort is what matters

This whole thing is from a Bill Starr article, I can supply a reference if you want to read directly from the source. I'm probably adding my own twist to it

It's supposed to build fibre recruitment, as well as make your body adjust to heavier weights. The stress also adds to tendon and bone strength. It doesn't actually build any strength, but helps you actually use what you have better and the stress helps avoid injury with weights that you can lift. It has some merit, but I wouldn't go overboard with it, it can hammer the CNS a lot for the minimal time spent on them.

Jen Thompson does these for singles with bench press.

I like them, but somehow I never do them. I guess I like everything else even more.

[DanCR]

3/15/25

BW: 213.4

Seated Leg Curls 50, 80, 100, 110 x10, 120 x10 including partials from the sixth or so onward
Standing Calf Raises (off platform, deep stretch) BW x20,20 BW+10 x12,13
Squats (paused) 55, 145, 235 x5, 285 x2, 305, 325 x1, 155 x12
Leg Extensions (hold at top) 20 x20, 30 x12
RDLs (w/ Versa Gripps) 205 x6,7
Crunches (across bench, hold at stretch and contraction) x10,10,10

325 x1:


205 x6:


Notes:

The top single felt far better than it looks on video; odd, because usually the opposite is the case. It felt so good that I nearly added 20 lbs, but then I remembered the current title of this log.

I’m going to put some focus into RDLs and driving them up. I think that they really help my squat, and, if I ever gaf about pulling off the floor again, I’ll be that much closer to where I left off in late 2021.

Preface: Yes, I know that abz talk is dumb when one’s diet isn’t on point. With that said, I’ve been doing all “lower abs” focused movements because that area is where my gut sits. Can’t say that I’ve felt them much, though. Today on the other hand I did these crunches that I thought were “upper ab” focused, just for a change of pace. I actually felt them in my “lower abs” far more than with any of the dedicated movements. Huh. Maybe all the “lower abs” stuff really was just working my hip flexors after all.

[DanCR]

3/17/25

BW: 213.4, third day straight.

Soundtrack: Whitechapel / Hymns in Dissonance

Chest Supported T-Bar Rows 50, 100 x10 130 x5,7 (second set including partials) 95 x12 (including partials)
Lat Pulldowns w/ MAG neutral grip 130 x10 150 x6 +4 partials (lost a full rep versus supinated) 170 x5 (all partials)
Pullups (legs down, full pause at top and bottom, no swing) x4,4,5
Rogue EZ Bar Curls 57.5, 77.5, 97.5 x5 67.5 x7 (lost 5 reps, but short rest)
Barbell Curls 45 x12
Precor Camber Preacher Curl Machine 80 x5 + 70 x4 + 60 x3 + 50 x4 (drop set, nearly all partials)
Incline Reverse Pronating DB Curls (thick handles) 20s x10,10
Crunches (across bench, hold stretch and contraction) x11 w/ 3 arm swings each way on last rep



Notes: The pump was real.

[hector]

3/17/25

BW: 213.4, third day straight.

Soundtrack: Whitechapel / Hymns in Dissonance

Chest Supported T-Bar Rows 50, 100 x10 130 x5,7 (second set including partials) 95 x12 (including partials)
Lat Pulldowns w/ MAG neutral grip 130 x10 150 x6 +4 partials (lost a full rep versus supinated) 170 x5 (all partials)
Pullups (legs down, full pause at top and bottom, no swing) x4,4,5
Rogue EZ Bar Curls 57.5, 77.5, 97.5 x5 67.5 x7 (lost 5 reps, but short rest)
Barbell Curls 45 x12
Precor Camber Preacher Curl Machine 80 x5 + 70 x4 + 60 x3 + 50 x4 (drop set, nearly all partials)
Incline Reverse Pronating DB Curls (thick handles) 20s x10,10
Crunches (across bench, hold stretch and contraction) x11 w/ 3 arm swings each way on last rep



Notes: The pump was real.

Those sleeves are not loose!
NO LOOSE SLEEVES IN 2025!!!!!!!!!
Killing it!!!!!!!

So many curls!!!!!!