Magoo: The Quest for a 405 bench

[MisterMagoo]

whoops. missed a day.

THURSDAY - squat day

box squats: double-cinched purples, box at parallel
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x3 (belt on)
365x2
385x1
405x1 - absolutely putrid form, but i believe that's about 120 pounds at the top so... not THAT bad.

olympic squats - super light. hard to do with flat-soled shoes
135x15
225x10
225x10

squat press machine - goofy machine, but GREAT at the same time
400x15
600x15
600x15
600x15 - estimation on pounds, i don't know what the carriage weighs

SLDL - no box, no belt
225x12
225x12
245x8

SATURDAY - bench assistance

close-grip bench:
135x15
185x10
225x5
275x6
275x5

military press: full ROM, standing, no leg drive
135x6
135x6
135x6
135x5

machine row: another goofy machine, takes very little weight to get difficult.
90x12
90x12
90x12 - i told you, very little weight.

pullups: parallel grip
2x12

rear DB raises:
37.5x15
37.5x15
37.5x15

ez bar curls:
75x12
125x10
125x10
95x15

overhead extensions: ez bar
95x12
95x15

weight: 233

notes: i definitely crank up the reps for assistance, but i think it works for me. only on isolation-type assistance, which is why most of my presses stay in the 3-6 rep range. the close-grip surprised me, but i was damn happy with it.

[columbusdude82]

Damn, you are strong! Good job, MisterMaggott!!!

[MisterMagoo]

Damn, you are strong! Good job, MisterMaggott!!!

lol, thanks man.

MONDAY - pull day

deadlifts: actually went for it this week.
135x5
225x5
315x3
405x3 - all beltless and off a block. felt like shit
455x1 - even worse. got rid of the block after this.
455x1
455x1 - finally, getting back into the swing of things
495x1
505x1 - considering i felt like absolute ass, not that bad.

rack pulls: controlled reps, below the knee, paused each one
225x10
315x8
405x6
405x6

pendlay rows:
135x10
185x8
205x6
205x6

BB shrugs
315x12
405x15
455x10
455x10 - tweaked my knee a bit

weighted decline crunches:
10x12
30x10
30x10
30x8 - used a medicine ball, and actually kept it near my head so i had to lift it, instead of doing what most do and putting it on my belly

calves:
230x15
230x15
230x15
230x15 - not much rest here, just a random calf machine

weight: 232

notes: i'm so surprised i hit 505. when i got 455 i thought that was my limit, i just felt like total and complete shit. back to good mornings for a few weeks now.

[MisterMagoo]

felt like absolute ass today.

TUESDAY - bench

bench: with a pause
135x8
185x5
225x5
275x3
315x1 - i thought i could hit heavy singles, maybe 350 or so.
335x1 - AWFUL, ass came up
335x1 - still bad
315x3
225x15 - touch and go, fast stuff

feet-up bench: pec stress
135x10
185x9
185x8
185x8

shoulder press - in the rack, with a full pause on the pins at shoulder-level
135x7
135x6
135x6 - this is hard shit

pullups:
3x10

pulldown machine - plate-loaded
130x13
220x10
220x10

reapers - the sebastian burns shoulder idea, somewhere between a front raise and an upright row
45x12
50x10
60x10
60x10

concentration DB hammer curls - leaned on the rack, not using my knee
45x10: each arm
50x10
60x10
60x10

flyes - small incline
40x10
40x10 - hurt my chest

weight: 233

notes: i'll bet if I didn't feel like death I"d have done better. I slept maybe 5 hours or so last night and felt like a zombie all day. bleah. drunk as i type this.

[thewickedtruth]

nice lifting dude! DAMN!

[columbusdude82]

nice lifting dude! DAMN!

Agreed. I can't move most of those weights...

[thewickedtruth]

Agreed. I can't move most of those weights...

not only that but his volume makes me sick! Just reading it makes me want to puke! HAHA i'd have a fucking coronary if I did half that!

[ripitupbaby]

Magoo, are you sick?   

[The Squadfather]

that's really not all that much volume but he does do A LOT of diferent movements per workout, looks like a Brian Siders type of routine.

[MisterMagoo]

that's really not all that much volume but he does do A LOT of diferent movements per workout, looks like a Brian Siders type of routine.

haha, that's the funny part. i love variety, and i love lifting. one reason i switched to PL is because lifting is fun again, trying to do "light" shit and "control" the weight never worked.

sorry rip! i was busy, forgot to update the journal. i'm back though.

THURSDAY - squats

squats: free bar again, felt like trying a 1RM. full depth, below parallel.
135x10
225x8
315x3
365x3 - belt on here
385x1
405x1
425x1 - PR since i dropped all the weight. it was actually pretty easy, i had 440 in me, but didn't feel like chancing it. i'd rather a confident 425 than a shitty 440.

pause squats: no belt
135x5
225x5
275x5
285x5
285x5

walking lunges: went the full way across one section of the gym and back for each set. probably 10 reps per leg each way.
135
135
135 - i felt like i was gonna die on this one.

GHRs:
50 - again, i went until i hit 50 reps. four sets, first two of 15, one of 12, one of 8 just to round it out. hams are STILL aching.

calves and abs
random - just some work to get the calves and abs worked. nothing serious. weighted crunches, etc.

weight: 231.5

notes: dude, SF. you would have fucking LOVED this. while i was doing the lunges, this fucking dingbat was boxing in front of the mirror at the far end of the gym (i'd have to take a picture to explain how the gym's set up). anyway, he's about 160 soaking wet, acting like a UFC superstar. REALLY going at it. meanwhile he's right in my path while i'm doing the walking lunges and as i'm getting closer, i can see that he sees me.

now keep in mind i look like a retard when i lift. i wear a skullcap, sleeveless shirt, etc. i'm not huge, but hey, i'm in the 230s, 6'2", i've got the tattoos, i realize that i don't look friendly at all. add in how pissed off i am at the fact that i'm doing lunges and i probably looked like i was gonna kill someone. so i get up close and when i'm just about to run into this kid i go "don't knock me out there, BRAH", and then finish my lap.

no joke, that was the end of it. he seriously stopped his bullshit "MMA workout" for the day. it was pretty righteous.

[haider]

Nice squats, brah What's the stance, grip-width, etc on these?

Are the pause squats for hypertrophy or are u using these for PL benefit?

Agreed about the crankiness when doing something like lunges, u don't even wanan be looked at the wrong way. High rep calf exercises make me feel the same way.

Is there a GHR' setup at your gym? I do these in almost the same [ghetto] setup as layne norton and these fvckers are HARD man!

[The Squadfather]

hahahhaa, good stuff Magoo.

[ripitupbaby]

Good stuff for sure!  You said earlier that you were feeling bad...that's why I was wondering if you were sick. It's been going around like crazy, I was sick for most of January.

I do GHR's backwards on the seated calf raise machine.  I use a bodybar like I stick to help myself up since I am not strong enough to do them on my own yet.   

[MisterMagoo]

haidar, yeah it's for PL. working on my explosiveness at the bottom. i have a sticking spot about 3/4 of the way up so i'm training speed to get through it as opposed to just stretch/reflex.

and yeah, we have a GHR setup. at over 230, unless i had some massive hams there's no way i'd do them that weird way. certainly not sets of 15. without the unit i just do pull-throughs or more stiff-legs.

rip: i haven't been sick, just haven't been able to sleep for some reason. a few nights in a row of 5-6 hours and i was just dead on my feet in the gym. maybe i had something but didn't realize it, but i'm back on track now, fortunately.

SATURDAY - bench assistance

close-grip bench: didn't feel like going ultra heavy. i also tried the ben white stance (feet close, toes way out), helped my ass stay down.
135x12
185x8
225x5
275x3
295x4
235x10

push press: i suck at these.
135x6
155x6
165x5

standing behind-the-neck:
135x6
135x6

bb rows: underhand grip
135x12
225x12
235x10
235x12

pullups:
3x10

DB incline extensions: not sure what to call these. 2 DBs, incline bench, tap your shoulders, etc.
30x10
40x10
50x9

alternating DB curls:
50x10
55x10
55x8

high-pulley curls:
25x12
25x12

pushdowns: just to get the blood flowing:
85x15
85x20

weight: 232

notes: all right, i'm getting another tattoo so no real notes here, gotta get moving. good workout, i'd say. fixing my form always seems to help, i'm working on getting my lats more involved. plus i finally have some REAL chalk instead of that "comes in a shaker bottle" bullshit. felt good to be able to get a real grip again.

[MisterMagoo]

right on.

MONDAY - pull day

good-mornings:
135x10
225x8
315x5
365x3 - belt on
405x2 - 2nd rep was TERRIBLE. i lost my balance and it was just shitty all around.
405x1 - much better.

pulls off a plate: no belt, standing on a 100lb plate, pause on the floor between all reps. idea here was speed.
135x5
225x5
315x5
365x3
405x3
405x3

low box squats: again, no belt, going unnecessarily deep.
225x6
225x6
245x6
245x5

DB shrugs: no straps here.
120x20
120x20
120x12
80x15

GHRs:
a lot - no idea the exact reps, i just did a bunch of sets.

decline crunches: severely low decline, nearly inverted.
8
20x8
20x6
20x6 - i used a 20lb barbell and held it against my collarbone like doing a front squat. absolutely awful.

weight: 229

[haider]

Dude, SICK GM's bro. I wanna see a video of these. I know about those low box squats man, these effers are pretty hard. Nice work.

[MisterMagoo]

Dude, SICK GM's bro. I wanna see a video of these. I know about those low box squats man, these effers are pretty hard. Nice work.

i'll see what i can do. i actually borrow a camera when i do the vids and i'm not in pittsburgh, so it might be a little while. maybe i'll get the 455 on tape! 

TUESDAY - bench

flat bench: all reps paused
135x8
225x5
275x3
315x1
335x1
350x1 - BOO YAH!
315x2.5

bench 30's:
135x30
135x30

incline bench: light stuff to get the pecs stretched and whatnot
135x12
185x8
185x8
185x6

pulldowns: parallel-grip wide handle.
180x12
190x12
200x10
200x10

pullups:
2x10

DB shoulder press:
70x12
80x8
80x6 - totally toast by this point

DB upright rows:
30x12
37.5x12
37.5x12
37.5x12

hammer curls:
35x12
45x10
55x10
55x10
35x15 - simultaneously

cable crossovers:
45x15
45x15
45x20 - light stuff.

weight: 231

[tonymctones]

damn magoo good weights on the deads...what are glute-ham raises?

[thewickedtruth]

350 man you're about to be smoking my ass on the bench! I work with 360 today...dear god I hope I get it up no problem lol

[MisterMagoo]

350 man you're about to be smoking my ass on the bench! I work with 360 today...dear god I hope I get it up no problem lol

haha, i got these short arms, it helps. still if i have you by even 50 pounds on the bench you'd have me by, oh, 150 on the deadlift and 100 or so on the squat. gimme time, i'll get there!

THURSDAY: squat day

box squats: double-cinched purples, box slightly under parallel.
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x2 - belt on
385x2 - felt like shit.
385x1
385x1

zercher squats: decided to try 'em. off of a pin above knee height, putting my hips a good bit under parallel at the bottom of the lift.
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x1 - belt on
315x1
335x1
365x1 - jeezus these things hurt.
375x0 - i ALMOST had this bastard, but my arms uncurled and i dropped the bar. 

squat press: a leg press machine, good stuff.
400x12 - i'm excluding the carriage weight.
490x12
580x12
670x12
670x12

GHRs - quest to 50 again with just enough rest to let my legs deflate.
15
15
10
12

abs - weighted decline crunches again
body x 10
20x8
35x6
35x6

weight: 233

notes: i was really surprised by the zerchers. didn't think i'd get that at ALL. that's a fun lift though, i think i'll keep it up. 

[The Squadfather]

i always wrapped the crook of my elbows with a towel on Zerchers, Zach, it's a lot more comfortable, but like you 365 is all i ever worked up to, abs used to get SORE AS FUCCK the day after those.

[MisterMagoo]

i always wrapped the crook of my elbows with a towel on Zerchers, Zach, it's a lot more comfortable, but like you 365 is all i ever worked up to, abs used to get SORE AS FUCCK the day after those.

i might try that next time. i'll tell you, it's hurting like fucking crazy right now. 

[The Squadfather]

i might try that next time. i'll tell you, it's hurting like fucking crazy right now. 

yeah holding 350-400 pounds in the crook of the elbows is gonna hurt even if you're Bill Kazmaier, the towel helps A LOT, the key on these is to try to keep your torso as upright as possible, one of the best exercises there has ever been for building the deadlift especially and the regular squat to a little lesser degree.

[MisterMagoo]

SATURDAY - bench assistance

close-grip bench:
135x10
185x10
225x8
275x3
300x3
300x3

standing behind-the-neck press:
135x6
145x5
135x6
135x6

incline close-grip:
135x10
185x8
185x6

pullups:
3x10-12 - overhand, wide grip
2x10 - underhand, close grip

rear DB raises:
40x12
40x12
40x12

barbell curls: straight bar
45x12
65x12
85x10
85x10

JM presses kinda: no idea what to call 'em. partial rep, close grip, over the teeth.
95x12
115x12
115x12

weight: 232

good stuff.

[thewickedtruth]

JM presses kinda: no idea what to call 'em. partial rep, close grip, over the teeth.

weight: 232

good stuff.

HAHA yeah as long as it's over hte teeth and not behidn the teeth... first attempt with 225 for me and it was damn close!