Made my own pullup bar

Today I got some climbing rope, pvc piping, and made a pullup was on a tree in my backyard. Now I can get a good workout there doing some clean and jerks or whatever I like with the essentially non-adjustable 154 lb barbell, a jumprope, and pullup bar.

On a side note I bought an ironmind gripper off amazon - the trainer level, only 100 lbs - but since I don't know what to get, I didn't want to waste money on something too strong. It seemed to be the right choice.

Thursday - Lifting - Push

Back Lunge:

-1x10xBW

Front Squat:

-5x45

-5x135

-2x5x245

-3x245

Back Lunge:

-3x5x75

DB Bench:

-5x40

-5x95

-4x95

-2x95 (attempt 95 one more time, then drop down)

Cable Belly Press:

-2x10x30

DB OHP:

-3x60

-5x55

-4x55 (next time, 55)

Dips:

-3x8x30 (last set rested between 6,7,8)

BB Crunch: 

-3x10x55

X Band Walk:

-2x20xblue

*do I want to change order to allow OHP to be better?

Tuesday - Lifting - Pull and Deadlift 1RM

Since on last Thursday, I successfully completed 3x5x315 (3 plates) for my deadlift, I rewarded myself with a 1RM attempt today, like I had planned. I lifted 370 lbs, with a failed 375 lb attempt.

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW
Deadlift:
-5x135
-5x225
-1x335
-1x355
-1x365
-1x370 (new 1RM)
-attempt at 1x375
Pendlay Row:
-5x45
-3x5x165
Weighted Pullup:
-3x5x25
Single Leg Glute-Ham Bridge:
-3x10xBW
Single Leg RDL:
-2x10x25
I-Beam Handwalk:
-17,15,14 (3xF)
DB Side Raise:
-3x10x85

After checking some 1RM calculators, I bypassed what they believed I could lift. My 5RM is 315, maybe 320, thats giving me 365-368.

Sunday - Lifting - Push

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW
Front Squat:
-5x245
-5x240
-4x240 (accidentally started 5 lbs too heavy)
Back Lunge:
-3x5x65
Bench DB:
-5x40
-5x95
-3x95
-3x90
Dips:
-3x8x25
Cable Belly Press:
-2x10x30
Push Crunch:
-3x10x50
X-Band Walk:
-2x20

*left lat sore, I decided to forgo OHP
*accidentally set too much weight for front squat, brought it down but was tired

Saturday - Clean and Jerk

Scavenged around the basement for some old weights that I knew were there. Found a nearly useless bench, a weird 15 lb bar, and 147 lb in 15, 5 and 3 lb weights. Altogether, I was able to put a total of 138 on the bar, making the entire thing weight roughly 154 lbs, including fasteners, which need a wrench I might add. Not enough weight for much useful, but enough that I can clean, jerk, and drop on the ground in my backyard without messing things up. Not heavy, but I can maintain form and stuff, plus its just fun. Maybe eventually I will buy some more equipment, but that will most likely happen when I own my own property.

Clean and Jerk:

-3x1x154

-3x3x154

Thursday - Lifting - Pull

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW each
Deadlift:
-5x45
-5x135
-5x225
-3x5x315 (GOAL BROKEN)
Pendlay Row:
-5x135
-3x5x165 (need to work on form, redo this weight next week)
Weighted Pullup:
-3x5x25 (5,5,4)
I-Beam Walk:
-10,11,11
Single Leg Glute-Ham Bridge:
-3x10xBW each
Single Leg RDL:
-2x10x20
DB Side Raise:
-3x10x80

*deadlift completed at 3 plates, next time doing them is a 1RM test!

Tuesday - Lifting - Push

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW each
Front Squat:
-5x45
-5x135
-3x5x235
Back Lunge:
-3x5x45 (just learning, next time add more than 5 lbs)
Bench DB:
-6x35
-3x5x90
OHP DB:
-4x60 (attempt new weight too heavy. Try again next week)
-5x55
-3x55
Weighted Dips:
-3x8x22.5
Cable Belly Press:
-2x10x30
BB Push Crunch:
-4x10x45
X-Band Walk:
-2x20xblue
Leg Raise:
-1x20
Skater Jumps:
-2x20

*did the skater jumps for the first time
*moved up in bench, but wasn't able to in OHP
*successfully completed 235 front squat. next week 240!
*did weighed lunges for the first time, light weight to get the form down

Physical Therapy, New Exercises

Went to physical therapy today for the groin injury and have some new exercises to incorporate. Some I can do now, others will have to wait till school starts. Most are single leg exercises to help build strength in the healing area.

Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift:
-I will incorporate these on the "pull" day. 2x10 each leg

Single Leg Glute Ham Bridge:
-I am substituing this for the normal glute bridge from before. 3x10 each side

Skater Jumps:
-I will do these at the end of the "push" day because it seems to work the quads, and appears like a sideways jumping squat almost, in my mind. 2x10 each side (2x20)

Medicine Ball Throw:
-I have to wait until school to do this, I need medicine balls and a wall. Three hops, one throw. 5 times, 2-3 sets.

Bent Over Rows back to Pendlay Rows

I have found that my form with Bent Over Rows is somewhat poor, and I am switching back to Pendlay Rows (bar starts on the ground, arching of the upper back, back starts rounded and remains parallel to the ground, bar touches chest in same place as bench press). I will attempt the same weight, but I may have to deload or add weight.

Sunday - Lifting - Pull

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW each
Deadlift:
-5x45
-5x135
-5x225
-5x315
-4x315
-1x315 (failure last 2 sets, redo)
Bent Over Row:
-8x45
-3x5x190
Pullups:
-2x5xBW+25
-3xBW+25
I-Beam Walk (grab ceiling beam, handwalk down):
-2x6 steps
-1x19 (to failure)
Glute-Ham Bridge:
-3x10xBW
Single Arm Row:
-3x5x80
Barbell Push Crunch:
4x10x40 (used EZ curl bar, weight 20 lbs)
Alternating Leg Raise:
-1x10xBW each

*I had been excited to do 3x5x315 DL today, but it didn't happen. I will continue at that weight until I can do 3x5, then I will do a 1RM attempt.
*the I-Beam walks were just something fun to do, to hopefully help my grip strength. It is hard on the fingers, so I think it works. I will continue to do this, next time 3xF.
*Barbell Push Crunches I had been meaning to do at the start of school, but there is no reason I cannot do them now. No reason to train all my muscles for strength, except abs, which I do endurance. That is just retarded. Used the EZ curl bar with the extra waves, 20 lbs. Other bar may be 15 lbs.

Saturday - Skipping Rope

Jumping rope for 4x4 minute rounds, in my backyard. Had the added benefit of scraping all the debris off the ground around me, and putting them on my legs. 20 minutes total.

Thursday - Lifting - Push

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW
Front Squat:
-6x45
-5x135
-2x5x235
-2x235
DB OHP:
-3x5x55 (next time do 60)
DB Bench:
-5x35
-3x5x85 (next time do 90)
Dips:
-3x8xBW+20
Cable Belly Press:
-2x8x30 each
X Band Walk:
-2x20xBlue (each)
Jackknifes:
-2x12xBW

*went too light on the OHP and the bench, might have been fine but I thought I was more tired than I was.
*legs were still tired from tuesday to squat well. I tried.

Sunday - Lifting - Pull

Back Lunge:
-10xBW each
Deadlift:
-5x135
-5x225
-3x5x310
Bent Over Row:
-5x95
-3x5x185
Pullups:
-3x5xBW+20
Glute-Ham Bridge:
-3x10xBW
Single Arm Row:
-3x5x75
Leg Raises:
-1x20
Jackknifes:
-3x12

*so close to deadlifting 3 plates for 5RM I can almost taste it. At that point I am going for a 1RM attempt.
*rowed my bodyweight today, but it didn't feel like anything special. Oh well.

Friday - Lifting - Push

Back Lunge:
-10xBW each
Front Squat:
-5x45
-5x135
-2x5x235
-3x235
DB Bench:
-6x35
-3x5x85
DB OHP:
-3x5x55
Dips:
-3x8xBW + 10
Cable Belly Press:
-2x8x30 each
Jackknifes:
-3x12xBW
Single Leg Raise:
-2x10 each

*cut out incline bench, too much for one day, plus my arms were tired. I think I will cut out incline until school starts, and I can workout 4 times per week.

Wednesday - Lifting - Pull

Back Lunge:
-10xBW
Deadlift:
-5x135
-5x225
-3x5x305
Bent Over Row:
-5x45
-6x95
-3x5x180
Pullup:
-2x5xBW+20
-4xBW (fingertips on I-Beam)
-4xBW+20
Single Arm Row:
-3x5x70
Glute Ham Bridges:
-3x10xBW
Leg Raises:
-2x10 each
Bicycles:
-1x20
V Ups:
-2x12

*my grip still is weakening, because of all the pulling. I guess it is getting stronger, but especially after the deadlifts, for the rows, it is very difficult to hold on for the last set. Not arm or back strength failure.

Goals for the future

I have recently been breaking a lot of goals that I set for myself both recently and a long time ago. In addition, I am close to breaking more of those goals in the upcoming weeks, if all goes well.

I started back squatting last fall, and went from lifting 145 to 225 in roughly one semester. Then I started front squatting. I was back to 225 when I pulled my groin swimming, losing the progress I had made. Only recently have I been front squatting again, but this time I blew by the plateau that I had last time. 220 one week, 225 the next, and this week 230. No problem. Next time I will attempt 235. One plateau busted, and a goal definitely broken.

Deadlifting is one of the exercises that I didn't really do. I started doing Stronglifts, but never deadlifted for some dumb ass reason. It was in the program, so I am just an idiot. I didn't OHP either, which was retarded. Either way, I learned my lesson. Starting at the end of the first semester, I started deadlifting, but I was essentially doing 1RM every time, and then recovering for weeks because of it. I started doing deadlifts for real the second semester, and out of all my lifts, it is the only one that has not stalled yet. My goal was to 5RM 300 before the end of the summer, and I did that last week. My try goal however is to improve my 1RM to above 330. I don't see that being a problem at all. I think it is most likely above that right now. My short term goal is to get my deadlift to 315, three plates, and then do a 1RM attempt, to see what I can get. I am hoping for 350 at the least.

Next is the bench press. My current goal is to improve my dumbbell bench to 5RM 100 lbs in each hand. I am getting close. Today was 90, although I couldn't complete all the sets. It will improve. However, this goal for DB bench is hiding my true goal. My bench press has been at around 205 since the middle of the second semester. It dropped down, probably due to slight overtraining, to 200 at one time, but then blew back in the next few times, passing 205 to get to 210. Then it stopped again. I could really care less about dumbbell bench. I know that my grip will fail before my chest does, and I will end of killing myself. I want to break my plateau of 210 and get to 225. When I can DB bench 100 lbs, the dumbbells at the current gym will be maxed out, and barbell will be the only way, which is how I want it anyway.

Shoulder press is a similar story to the deadlift, except it didn't take off despite my negligence. I started at about 115 lbs at the beginning of semester 1, and by the end of semester 2, I had not changed. I never did OHP, and suffered for it. I started now, with dumbbells to complement the rest of what I am doing right now, but I want my OHP to be 3/4 of my bench. Right now it is about half. I think this should be possible, but I am not sure how long it will take, because my bench improves too.

Dips. Just an exercise to do, and a goal for the hell of it. I don't really care. I think it would be cool to add a ton of weight to it with a belt, but I don't really care that much.

Pulllups are about the same. I think adding tons of weight for reps would be cool, but again, I don't really care if I can do this.

Friday - Lifting - Push

Back Lunge:
-1x10xBW
Front Squat:
-5x135
-3x5x230 (GOAL BROKEN)
Bench DB:
-6x30
-5x90
-3x90
-5x85
Incline Bench DB:
-5x65 (very tired)
OHP DB:
-3x5x50
Dips:
-10, 11, 7
Belly Press:
-3x20secx40
Bicycles:
-3x20
Leg Raises:
-2x10 each

*230 front squat, the highest weight ever completed by me for the exercise
*getting close to my goal of 100 lbs DB bench for reps