Maximum Potential - A new hope

[hardcore iv]

Thanks Jonathan.
Yeah, the side and front raises both seem a bit pointless. I have just been following the Jackals gym program to the letter and was just going to see how I felt after a couple of weeks before I changed anything. Push presses seem like a good replacement, I will try them out next week.

[hardcore iv]

1/4

Bench week 2 - session 2

BP - 2x10x60kg

Bbell shoulder press - 1x10x50lbs, 1x10x60lbs (pretty easy, was just playing around with weights today, trying to find something that I could do for 10-12 reps) Will do push presses with 75lbs next bench session

Dbell shoulder press - 2x12x10kg

Reverse cable flyes - 2x12x2.5units

skull crushers - 1x12x20kg, 1x11x20kg

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I'm thinking of adding chin-ups to my deadlift workouts. Would this be a wise move? Should I ditch the bicep curls and put chin-ups after the deadlifts? I'm currently doing -
1- Power clean
2- Deadlift
3- bentover bb row
4- Back hyperextensions
5- Dumbell curls
6- situps

I can only manage about three chinups now and would like to increase them to a number that you can't count on one hand.

[buzz]

I'm thinking of adding chin-ups to my deadlift workouts. Would this be a wise move? Should I ditch the bicep curls and put chin-ups after the deadlifts? I'm currently doing -
1- Power clean
2- Deadlift
3- bentover bb row
4- Back hyperextensions
5- Dumbell curls
6- situps

I can only manage about three chinups now and would like to increase them to a number that you can't count on one hand.

Should be ok to substitute the disco curls with chin-ups. Makes a pretty heavy sesssion, but if can cope with the volume go for it I say!

[hardcore iv]

4/4
Squats week 3

Squat - 2x8x85kg

Leg extensions - 2x12x10units

Calf raise - 1x12x180, 1x12x190units

[hardcore iv]

5/4

Bench week 3 - session 1

BP - 2x8x62.5kg This was not very hard. Will do 65kg later this week.

push presses - 1x12x80lbs, 1x10x80lbs

dumbell shoulder press - 2x12x10kg

reverse cable flyes - 2x12x2.5units

tricep pushdown - 1x5x70units, 1x10x50, 1x11x50

[hardcore iv]

7/4
Dead lift week 3

Power cleans - 2x5x40kg

Deadlift 2x8x100kg

Chinups - 1x3and3/4, 1x1and3/4, 1x9/10ths. Oh, I feel so weak when I do these

Bentover bb rows - 2x12x80lbs

Back hyperextensions - 2x15

Incline situps - 1x10, 1x7 w/10kg

[hardcore iv]

8/4
Bench week 3 session2

BP - 2x8x65kg

Push presses - 1x12x80lbs, 1x9x80lbs

DB shoulder press - 2x12x10kg

reverse cable flyes - 2x12x2.5 units

bench dips - 2x12 w/10kg

[hardcore iv]

10/4

Squats week 4

Squat - 2x6x90kg for the first time in the program these were actually pretty tough.

leg extensions - 2x12x11units

standing calf raises - 1x12x190, 1x12x200units

incline situps - 1x10, 1x7 w/10kg

[buzz]

10/4

Squats week 4

Squat - 2x6x90kg for the first time in the program these were actually pretty tough.

That's coz they're hardcore I don't even work at weights like this (not that my squat is much to write home about). Looks like the routine is going well. Keep it up man!

[hardcore iv]

That's coz they're hardcore I don't even work at weights like this (not that my squat is much to write home about). Looks like the routine is going well. Keep it up man!

Yeah, it is going well. The levels of hardcoreness sometimes seem suboptimal, but that squat session was hardcore to the max!

11/4/06

Bench Week 4 session 1

BP - 2x6x67.5kg
Push presses - 2x12x80lbs
DB shoulder press - 1x12x10kg, 1x12x13kg
Rev. Cable flyes - 1x12x2.5units, 1x12x3.5units
Bench dips - 2x12x10kg

I've strayed a bit from the Jackals program. I have been putting up my bench by 2.5kg every session, rather than the 5kg every week with a lighter second session. I am actually feeling confident with achieving the 90kg bench by the end of the 8 weeks and 100kg doesn't feel so far away anymore.

[hardcore iv]

13/4

Deadlift week 4

Power Clean - 2x5x50kg
Deadlift - 2x6x107.5kg. Held the bar for about ten seconds after the last rep of the second set to help work on my lousy grip strength.
Chinups - 1x3.75, 1x2.75, 1x1.75
Bent over BB rows - 2x12x80lbs
Back hyperextension - 2x15
Incline Situps w/10kg - 1x10, 1x8

[Jonathan]

With your deadlifts, are you training with double overhand grip or mixed? If you can, try to stick to double overhand as I have found this has built my grip more effectively than mixed. Good plan with the holds at the top of the reps btw

Also, I have been told that pullups and chins aren't that much use to powerlifting due to it working the lats in a different plane of motion to when you bench. If increasing your bench is your goal, maybe try having your second lat exercise as something like seated/cable row or t-bar row. Just a suggestion

Jonathan

[hardcore iv]

With your deadlifts, are you training with double overhand grip or mixed? If you can, try to stick to double overhand as I have found this has built my grip more effectively than mixed. Good plan with the holds at the top of the reps btw

Also, I have been told that pullups and chins aren't that much use to powerlifting due to it working the lats in a different plane of motion to when you bench. If increasing your bench is your goal, maybe try having your second lat exercise as something like seated/cable row or t-bar row. Just a suggestion

Jonathan

I have been doing double overhand grip on all my deadlifts, except when maxing out.

I am doing the chinups more as a replacement for bicep curls, as well as it being a goal of mine to be able to do a respectable number of chinups.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jonathan. The bent over rows work my lats pretty well and I don't like cable rows, as they cause pain in my shoulders. T bar rows look ok. I have never done them before, but they look pretty hardcore will give em a go next week

[hardcore iv]

15/4
Bench week 4 session 2

Had a shitty benching session today. Used different weight plates and the bar felt way too heavy. Hopped on the scales with one of them and it was actually accurate

BP - 1x3x70kg, 1x6x60kg, 1x6x67kg
Push presses - 2x12x80lbs
DB shoulder press - 1x12x13kg, 1x15x13kg
rev cable flyes - 1x12x3.5, 1x10x3.5
bench dips - 2x12 w/10kg

[JP]

Had a shitty benching session today. Used different weight plates and the bar felt way too heavy. Hopped on the scales with one of them and it was actually accurate

...so now you have to go back to the weights you have used normally and weigh them mate. Fingers crossed the weights just felt heavier and you have had ok weights so far... So many people get bitten by inaccurate weights its unbelievable! Manufacturers should really get more crap for selling inaccurate weights than they currently do.

And funny enough, they are always lighter - which means they are saving material costs by making 17kg "20kg" plates...