Matt Moran's Training Log

[sludden88]

Inverted Rows, 12, 10, 10. Better than last time, but still not as good as back on 3/14. I must have been cheating that day without realizing it.

My guess is that since your bench press is increasing, which is right beforehand, you have tired muscles, and hence the lower row count. Try taking more rest between bench press sets. I had something similar, once i reached a bench press weight that started getting tough, my inverted rows went down.

[mattmoran]

My guess is that since your bench press is increasing, which is right beforehand, you have tired muscles, and hence the lower row count. Try taking more rest between bench press sets. I had something similar, once i reached a bench press weight that started getting tough, my inverted rows went down.

Thanks. That's possible I suppose, but I don't think that's it in this case. I've still got a long way to go before the bench starts getting tough.

[mattmoran]

At the station today. My treadmill workout was cut short by a call. I was 25 minutes in, at 2.32 miles.
Them's the breaks I guess.

[mattmoran]

Workout A today.
Warmed up 5 minutes on the treadmill @ 6mph

2x5 bodyweight squats.
1x5 front squats @ 45 lbs.
5x5 front squats @ 95 lbs.
I'm ashamed to say this, but squats are getting kind of heavy. And this is only half my body weight!

5x5 bench press @ 70 lbs.
At least this is still easy.

Inverted Rows: 12, 9, 7
Not as good as last time. Maybe the squats tired me out.

Dips: 16, 14, 11
Minor improvement over last time. Good. Good.

Vertical hip raises, 3x12.
This one is getting easier.

Stretched 20 minutes.

[mattmoran]

The last 2 days have kind of sucked. I missed my walk & then my jogging the next day.

Workout B today.
Warmed up for 5 minutes on the treadmill @ 6mph

2x5 body squats
1x5 front squats @ 45 lbs.
5x5 front squats @ 100 lbs.

1x5 overhead press @ 45 lbs.
5x5 overhead press @ 70 lbs.

1x5 deadlift @ 145 lbs.

chinups, 8, 7 & 5

prone bridge, 45 seconds
right side bridge, 45 seconds
left side bridge, 45 seconds
prone bridge, 45 seconds

Didn't stretch, had to run out and do some errands. Hopefully I'll stretch some tonight.

[mattmoran]

I was planning to go for a walk today, but the weather just sucks. Wind driven rain. Yech. So I dug out an old VHS tape I used to exercise to in college, "Gilad's New Best of Bodies In Motion".

Yes, I own a working VHS player.

I worked out to this tape every day for a few months while I was in college. Got some good results and slimmed down a bit for the spring formal. Haven't really done it much since. Kind of brought back memories to do it again.

I'm in better shape now. I remember it being a hard workout. Not so much now. Don't get me wrong, I worked up a sweat. But I probably could have done the whole tape again if I had wanted to.

[mattmoran]

At the station today, walk/jogged on the treadmill for an hour. 5 miles even.
Stretched for 15 minutes.

[mattmoran]

Workout A today.

Warmed up for 5 minutes on the treadmill @ 6mph.

2x5 body squats
1x5 front squats @ 45 lbs.
1x4 front squats @ 65 lbs.
1x3 front squats @ 85 lbs.
5x5 front squats @ 105 lbs.

105 lbs feels heavy. Especially the part where I pick it up off the floor and put it on my shoulders. (But wow, what an ego boost.)

5x5 bench press @ 75 lbs.

Inverted rows: 13, 9, 6.
These are the bane of my workout.

Dips: 15, 12, 10
I used a different dip station today. The bars are narrower, and angled in. I got out a measuring tape to compare afterwards; on the old station the bars are parallel and about 28 inches apart. On the new one the bars angle in, and they are about 21 inches apart where my thumbs rest. I found the closer grip to be both more comfortable and more difficult. I think I'm going to stick with the new dip station for future workouts.

Vertical Hip Raises, 3x12.

Stretched for 15 minutes.

[atypical1]

I agree with you about closer dip bars being more comfortable. I think it's easier to keep your elbows tighter with bars like that. What made you use a different station?

james

[mattmoran]

I agree with you about closer dip bars being more comfortable. I think it's easier to keep your elbows tighter with bars like that. What made you use a different station?
james

A nagging feeling that the dip bars I was using were too far apart. Plus I started to have left shoulder pain when I switched to dips. It's mostly gone now (occasional twinge, nothing major) but that sort of thing sticks in your head. So today I decided to move the stuff out of the way so I could get at the other dip station to try it. I'm glad I did.

[mattmoran]

Did my walk, 3.8 miles, 66 minutes. Stretched.

[mattmoran]

At the station today. Walked & Jogged behind the station. 5.7 miles, 64 minutes. Stretched.

[mattmoran]

Workout B today.

Warmed up for 5 minutes on the treadmill @ 6mph.

1x5 front squats @ 45 lbs.
1x4 front squats @ 65 lbs.
1x3 front squats @ 85 lbs.
5x5 front squats @ 110 lbs.

On the first rep of my first set at the full weight, I got a forceful reminder about becoming complacent about form. When I got to the bottom I felt the weight pulling me forward, and I quickly clenched my abs & back to straighten myself out. Should have been clenched the whole time, I know. Hopefully that quick jerk didn't wrench anything. I finished the sets with no problem, and you better believe a paid close attention to my back for the rest of the workout.

1x5 overhead press @ 45 lbs.
5x5 overhead press @ 75 lbs.
Feels heavy, but doable.

1x5 deadlift @ 155 lbs.
For some reason I felt like doing a hulk roar at the end of the set. I restrained myself.

pull-ups, 7, 6 & 5.
No real progress on the pull-up reps. However, it does feel like I'm pulling up with more energy and going higher on the initial reps. (Bar goes to clavicles now instead of just to the chin. Of course by the end of each set I'm lifting my chin trying to get it over the bar.)

prone bridge, 50 seconds
right side bridge, 50 seconds
left side bridge, 50 seconds
prone bridge, 50 seconds

50 seconds is a long time to hold a bridge. These are getting kind of hard!

Stretched for 15 minutes.

[Meach]

Why front squats instead of regular?

[mattmoran]

Why front squats instead of regular?

Because I don't have a squat rack. Plus I'm enjoying the ego boost I get from picking the weight off the floor and putting it on my shoulders to squat it. But mostly it's cause I don't have a squat rack.

I've been trying to lobby to get one in our fire station. The committee in charge of money for fitness equipment is going to vote at the end of the month. I'm not optimistic because a lot of the guys are convinced that the smith machine we have is "better" and "safer". If they veto the squat rack I'll probably find a local gym.