Week 1

After taking 4 weeks off for a de-load phase, I'm back on a 10 week cycle to increase strength and size.

Day 1

15 min warm-up run..1.75 miles

Warm up Bench

295 X 5
310 X 4
320 X 2
155 X 21

Incline Bench

205 X 8
225 X 5
245 X 3

Dumbbell Flys

35 X 8
35 X 8
35 X 8

Chest feels smoked. Seems like a quick workout but the mandatory 3 min rest period between heavy sets stretched it out a bit.

J.
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Week 4 Day 2

Squats

340 X 5
340 X 5
340 X 5

Bench

315 X 3
315 X 2
225 X 18
235 X 14

Bent Over Rows

230 X 5
230 X 5
230 X 5

Both bicep tendons were screaming to the point I couldn't lift heavy on bench. May need to take a break from heavy lifts for the rest of the week. I felt this right before my left tendon popped.

MTF

Cole
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Week 4 Day 1

Squats

335 X 5
335 X 5
335 X 5

Push Press

Maxed to 235lbs

Deadlift

225 X 5
225 X 5
315 X 1
405 X 5
425 X 1

Arms

Overhead Extensions and Bar Curls SS

45 X 8
65 X 8
85 X 5
105 X 5
135 X 3

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Squats

335 for 3 sets of 5

Week 3 Day 3

Squats

225 X 10
225 X 10
225 X 10

These squats were done with speed, to the bucket with 30 seconds rest between. I needed to release so pressure in the hip flexors and the golf ball/foam roller was failing me.

Bench

305 X 5
305 X 5
305 X 5

Bent over rows

225 X 5
225 X 5
225 X 5

Shrugs

225 X 15
315 X 10
405 X 10

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Week 3 Day 2

Squats

330 X 5
330 X 5
330 X 5

Push Press

215 X 5
Miss
Miss

Deads

395 X 5

Missed 2nd and 3rd set of push press. Both biceps tendons are screaming at the elbow joint. Having torn 1 already, pushing it is not a feasible solution.

Time for some secondary exercises then done.

J.
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Day 2 Week 2

Squats

320 X 5
320 X 5
320 X 5

Bench

285 X 5
285 X 5
285 X 5

Bent Over Rows

205 X 5
205 X 5
205 X 5

Bar Curls

85 X 5
85 X 5
85 X 5

Dips

BW X 5
BW X 5
BW X 5

Added arms into the program at real light weights. Trying to assist the tendon soreness by working out the kinks. My Achilles Elbow is threatening to tap out so its time to punish it into submission.

Bent overs felt really strong this week.

Squats were a bitch...yesterdays run made that a reality..thanks Army pt requirements.

Cole

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Week 2 Day 1

Squats

315 X 5
315 X 5
315 X 5

Push Press

195 X 5
195 X 5
195 X 5

Deads

375 X 5

Added 10 to each exercise due to transition to 3 X 5 program. Probably not a
smart move to go higher than suggested but I love heavy weights.

I also don't list my warm ups but that goes without saying.

J.

SFC Justin Cole

208-340-1742

Week 1 Day 3

Squats

295 X 5
295 X 5
295 X 5
295 X 5
295 X 5

Bench

275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 5

Barbell Row

195 X 5
195 X 5
195 X 5
195 X 5
195 X 5

Success again. Nice.

Time to recover.

SFC Justin Cole

208-340-1742

Day 2 Week 1

Squats

285 X 5
285 X 5
285 X 5
285 X 5
285 X 5

Shoulder Press

185 X 5
185 X 5
185 X 5
185 X 5
185 X 5

Deadlift

365 X 5

Day 2 is a success. Takes a bit of digging but doable. When I squat, I go
below parallel. Deads are tough any way you roll it but flexed lats and look
high when you start your pull.

J.

SFC Justin Cole

208-340-1742

Week 1 Mon

Starting Week 1 of 5X5 program.

Squats

275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 5

Bench

275 X 5
275 X 5
275 X 4
275 X 3
275 X 3

Bent Over Rows

185 X 5
185 X 5
185 X 5
185 X 5
185 X 5

Missed on Bench so Friday will be 275 again.

SFC Justin Cole

208-340-1742

Week 6

Bench:

385 still

Squats:

365 to the Bucket
430 to the Bench

Deads:

425 still

Did 385 X 15 on Deads to destroy every last muscle fiber in existence.

Should be a murderous weekend.

I'll update my runs soon.

J.

SFC Justin Cole

208-340-1742

Fitness Thoughts..

I'm 15 lbs away from a 400/400/400 Olympic total. Personal best for me anyway its viewed but for my size (230lbs) not the best. I still have some technical issues with each lift I'm dialing in but very soon, it'll be a reality.

What I haven't dialed in is my nutrition. I still have a sloppy approach to calorie consumption..especially on those days that my career has me making moves happen without 10 minutes of down time in 10 hours.

I'll take it a week at a time, eating raw foods when possible, unseasoned cooked meats, beans and athletic greens. Not a diet but a shift in food consumption. I'll continue to post any changes in the workout as well as weight and food struggles (it will be a struggle).

232lbs this morning.
Rest Day

J.
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Workouts

So I have skipped a few days of posts but I assure you I haven't missed the workouts. You get the idea, in regards too sets and reps, when viewing previous posts so I'll keep it simple and posts PR's and issues...

Monday I hit 385 again for bench but missed 390 so the quest for 400 is still on going..

Today was:

Deep Squats
Front Squats
Jumping Squats

As well as supplemental pull work.

Hit 355 raw to the bucket...would like 405 for 3 so I'll work towards that for spring...

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Thursday

Wednesday recap:

I increased my deadlift to 425lbs. I did some other supplemental work as well. I am pushing to 500lbs by summer.

----------------------------------------------

Dumbbell Seated Press

3 sets warm-up

60 X 8
70 X 8
80 X 6
90 X 5
100 X 1

Behind the Neck Press

135 X 6
185 X 3
225 X Miss

Close Grip Bench

135 X 8
135 X 8
185 X 7

3 sets Good-mornings

3 sets Romanian Deads w/dumbbells

3 sets abs

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Tuesday

Box Squats

135 X 8
135 X 6
225 X 3
315 X 3
365 X 3
405 X 2
425 X Miss
315 X 3

Weighted Abs

3 sets decline sit ups with a plate

Run for 30 mins.

Didn't get nearly as high on squats as I thought I would. Form or feet placement was off. Time to go back to the drawing board.

J.
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Monday

Flat Bench

135 X 8
135 X 8
225 X 4
225 X 3
275 X 1
315 X 1
345 X 1
----------------Everything Above is Raw-----------
365 X 1
375 X 1
385 X 1
400 X Miss

400 is nearly attainable....

Incline Bench

135 X 5
225 X 5
275 X 2

Decline Flys

20 X 10
30 X 10
35 X 10

Pull Overs

80 X 8
80 X 8

Done and Done

J.

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Friday

Behind the Neck Push Press

65 X 6
65 X 6
95 X 4
115 X 3
135 X 4
155 X 1
175 X 1
195 X 1
215 X 1

Both biceps tendon feel over-worked. Really solid, sharp pain so I endexed the push presses. I moved into skull crushers which felt good on the tendons, almost like a massaging effect in the elbows but when I went to dummy curls....PAIN, PAIN, PAIN....

I pushed through it slowly.

5 sets Skull Crushers
5 sets Dummy Curls (really light and slow)

30 min run.

Out.

J.
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Thursday

Squats to the Bucket..

I started with 135 and worked my way to 315. To the bucket means to go as low as possible without sacrificing form. Many would argue that anything below 90 degrees (parallel to the floor) is a waste and has no benefits...If that's the case, show me one olympic athlete, bodybuilder or powerlifter that doesn't incorporate deep squats. It is a natural, functional movement for the body.

I did 7 sets of these.

Then I did 7 rotations non-stop of:

Bear Complex
100m Sprints

Wasted

J.
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Wednesday

Deads (Volume training)

135 X 8
135 X 8
225 X 5
315 X 10
315 X 10
315 X 10

Bent Over Collar Rows

135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10

Pull Downs

About 6 sets, behind the neck , increasing weight each set.

J.
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