Shoulders and back for me today. Bad sleep this week. Wife has been very restless, waking me up. Think she'd mind if I told her to go sleep on the couch? :-)

Jack3d is the ****...period.
Tell me about it, nothing like a 120lb girl, who snores like I should mind you, hogging the bed from a grown ass man pushing 260lbs. I just "accidently sleep on the sofa" it's firmer than the bed anyways.


Just got home from the Gym. Back, Shoulders and Biceps all done. Didn't go super heavy, wanted to keep the tempo fast and brutal.

I would, but I need the cpap for my apnea while sleeping, so I can't just take the couch...

ya that blows. I dont need, well dont have the CPAP. I'm afraid to go in for it, I'm sure I need one. Trick is to get into bed, take up as much room as possible, and pass out while the Wife is in the shower.

I had somnoplasty surgery twice for sleep apnea several years ago. The doctor said it could hold off my need for CPAP by 10 years or so....but the past couple months I just don't feel iike I have slept at all, even nights where I get close to 7 or 8 hours. I am thinking I will be trying the CPAP out sooner than later.

Finished with Insanity. Start P90X Monday.

tom, I stop breathing 47 times an hour with surgery done. Yes, I am a slave to the machine.

I was 63 times before the surgery, Brent. I know it was much improved for quite a while, but I am thinking I am getting back to where I started now. :-)

Both of you, get thee to a sleep study. Really. Makes a world of difference in everything you do.

Squats, deads and ab work for me today. Starting that month-long leg workout you sent next week, Frank.

Good deal Pete. I'll put the sleep study on my to-do list. Right after buy more tobacco and supplements.

I'll have to go back into my notes and check out that routine. I don't remember off hand how it went.

Ok nevermind, I found it. Have fun with it. Let me know if you have any last minute questions. Also, when you go to max out or work at the higher %'s wearing knee wraps will be fine. But if you don't have a pair or do not feel comfortable wrapping your knees just do the routine sans the wraps.

Howdy fellas, haven't been around these parts in a while.

I am normally a crossfit guy. However since I am overseas I have decided to see how big I could get while being here. First couple of months i followed a 4 day split Legs, Chest, Back, Shoulders, rest day, start over again. Saw some great strength gains.

For the last couple of weeks i have been following a program called Growth Stimulus training. It revolves around a 7 day cycle with four weight training days per cycle. the weight training days are broken down into Squat, Pull, Lift, Press days. On each of these days you do a "core" lift that is a compound movement, and additional supplement exercises. My days look like below:

Squat: BB Back Squat(core), BB front Squat, Isometric Leg extension, Leg Press, Calf Extensions

Pull: Weighted Pullups(core), Bent Barebell Row, Lat Pulldowns, Hang Power Cleans

Lift: BB Deadlift(core), Lying Leg Curls, Weighted Hyperextensions, Kettle Bell Swings

Press: Incline BB Bench(core), Weighted Dips, super set flat Flyes + DB press, Push Press

I throw Biceps in on pull day, tris in on press day. the other 3 days are cardio and abs. Since starting i have seen huge strength improvements on almost every core lift, except bench. I have searched every where to try to find out what I am doing wrong. I think one of the problems i am having is that I don't lift with a partner, hence I am not confident to try to bang out that last rep on bench i.e. don't want a bar stuck on my chest.

Sorry for the book. Cliff notes: Not seeing improvement on bench even though i am seeing physical changes to my chest. think it is because i don't use a spotter, what say you?

Had one years ago before my somnoplasty, Pete, that's how I knew I had 63 episodes per hour. I am guessing they are going to make me have another one before prescribing the CPAP for me.

My brother had the same surgery Tom, actually twice now, and it hasn't really done **** for him beside make him look like his nose is broken constantly.

They only give it a 40-60% success rate when they recommend it, Frank...it was a lot of pain for little reward.

As far as the other part goes, I wasn't that pretty to begin with. :-)

It's hard to tell what you might be doing without seeing you lift. Do you hold your shoulder blades together on the bench? Are you pushing into them with your legs? Are your arms too far apart or too close together?

Personally, once I got the basic technique down, I realized the main reason why I was stuck was psychological. I was afraid of that weight over my head. As soon as I legitimately started challenging myself - I actually got my girlfriend, now wife, to spot for me pretty frequently - I made a significant amount of very quick progress. She never had to do anything but stand at the top of the bench and watch me.

As far as a spotter, now I don't train with anyone, I just ask whomever is around, usually the guy on the next bench over, for a quick spot, and offer to do the same if he needs it. I generally only do that for 1RM attempts. On other heavy days, I want the little adrenaline boost I get from knowing that if I don't get the bar up, it's coming down on my chest. Use that fear to make you stronger, but don't stop listening to your body. If you struggle a lot and barely get the 4th rep up, don't try a fifth unless you are sure you can get it up.


Never used knee wraps. Can I use a similar progression for bench?

Yes. The cycle I set up for you is more like a short meet style prep for maxing out. Run the 4 weeks. Push yourself near the end. Then take a week off. After maxing out on all lifts, it will give you more of a concrete idea as to where you really are. It will give us insights as to where muscular weaknesses are or technique breakdown.

During the week off will be the ideal time to set up a program, conditioning, diet, and training for the next 3-4 weeks of time.

Sipping Jac3D right now, Pull day tonight.
Weighted pullups 4 sets of 3(45# plate), then AMRAP of body weight
Bent BB Row (135 x 8) x 3
Hang Power Cleans (135 x 10) x 4
Lat Pulldowns (90# x 10) x 3

then Bicep Curls and hammer curls

Go PATS!

I agree with the above that it's hard to tell without having seen you lift. However, with all due respect of course, I believe that fear of the bar coming down on your chest is a poor substitute for a spotter. When you have a spotter you will in all likelihood bang out at least one more rep than you would have without one. Even if the spotter helps some it's better than not having pushed yourself at all. Not to mention, you REALLY don't wanna be that guy that thinks he's got one more in him, gets it half way up and then has to call out for help in between hyperventilating.

This isn't to say you should only lift with a spotter (I don't really any more but I'm really just maintenance these days)... I just don't think you're going to make the same strength gains without one. And as he mentioned above, there's no shame in asking the guy next to you (as long as he looks capable) for a spot.

Obviously just my :-)

I might re-introduce some light pressing this week. Shoulder is pain free but I'm not sure where the my strength is at. I'll probably just keep it really light on chest and shoulders for the next couple weeks until I feel 100% comfortable challenging my shoulder.

Also seems that I've stopped gaining weight at 232lbs. Even with taking some days off and eating more calories my body wasn't having it. Looking to cut until December 25th then get back to bulking. I would love to get down to 200lbs but realistically I see myself getting to 215.