jokerk's worklog

[nonliquet]

Do you have a specific number in mind that delineates cheap from not cheap?

(Just so I know what to expect from my moderately priced bar.)

 

[galapogos]

Not really. I actually mean the quality of the bar. Whether the bar spins nicely or not doesn't really matter if you're not doing olympic lifts, but there are other considerations such as adherence to official dimensions (some low quality bars are thicker probably because they use cheaper, less dense metals and have to make it thicker to make it 20kg), the position and texture of the knurlings, how much weight the bar can take/how much force it can withstand before bending/breaking, etc.

Eleiko bars are 4 digits each, but they're by far my favorite.

You can get cheap "olympic" bars from China for way less than 100USD, but these will likely have non-standard dimensions/knurlings, and not stand much abuse before they have to be decommissioned.

 

[nonliquet]

Thanks, that was educational. I reckon (but can't be sure) that this one's made in China:

homegym.sg/professional-olympic-bar-w-spring-steel-and-needle-bearings.html

. . . the rotating sleeves aren't going to croak on me are they?

 

[galapogos]

Not sure - at that price probably (though I spy some korean characters), but the specs look good. These look good for olympic lifts if the bar is as good as the specs claim.

 

[jokerk]

Entered gym 4pm

Wendler's 5/3/1 + Boring But Big (BBB) assistance work

Cycle 1 Week 1

Deadlift Warm Up
45kg x 5
55kg x 5
65kg x 3

Deadlift 5/3/1
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
90kg x 9

BBB Deadlift
55kg 5 x 10

HLR
5X10

Personal Reflections
The end of the oly bars in the UTown gym spins easily. I think it should be the spin bars you meant gala.

Wore long pants today, thinking it would help protect my shins from the DLs. Nope.jpg. Kept on scraping my shins, got some hair scrapped off as well. Bled through my pants a little. I asked someone regarding this. He said this showed good form and that he actually liked the pain .

Not sure how to avoid this.

HLR 5x10 was a good workout. Really felt "it", whatever "it" was in the abdominals.

Met a "seasoned" lifter(could be a HnF-er for all I know) in the gym. Told him that I was during 5/3/1 and he gave me some advice on not to go to failure for my final 5/3/1 set all the time. This is what the 5/3/1 article suggested

When you see 5+, 3+, or 1+, that means you do the max reps you can manage with that weight, with the goal of setting a rep record in each workout.

Just go to failure on the 1+. Meaning, just do it on the 3rd week instead of the doing it every week.

Anyway, I'm really liking this program so far. Hope to milk it as much as I can.


Left gym 5pm

 

[jokerk]

New PR for Benchpress. Aww yeah. Tried out before starting out my workout.

Goal was just to get 1 rep for 100kg. Got 3 reps, bar to chest. could have done more but did not want to exert myself too much because it was Bench day.

Entered gym 8.30am

Wendler's 5/3/1 + Boring But Big (BBB) assistance work

Cycle 1 Week 1

Benchpress Warm Up
40kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 5

Benchpress 5/3/1
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
75kg x 5

BBB Benchpress
55kg 5 x 10 (should have done 40kg, read this wrongly. No wonder felt freaking shag)

Dumbbell Row
10kg 5x10

Personal Reflections

Need to revamp the workout for Week 2 after finding out my new PR.

Left gym 9.30am

 

[derrickgyn]

Swee la bro. Nice one. I can't even do that haha.

Nice hulk tights! Swole bro.

 

[pekipom]

Sick benching with nice form... you're much stronger than you look. Respect man. Most other guys I see bounce the bar off their chest

 

[deeda90]

Nice one. Did 100kg yesterday too. But 1 rep. Haha

 

[galapogos]

That looked easy. However, 100kg isn't 225lbs, it's actually ~220lbs.

Also, can't really tell from the video, but it looked like the bar didn't touch your chest? And on the 3rd rep, your butt seemed to have come off the bench.

I'd use more of an arch, and take a bit more time setting up for the lift (shoulders pulled back and down, getting that tight arch, anchoring your feet onto the ground, etc), but otherwise, you looked like you have a few kilos more in the tank.

 

[jokerk]

That looked easy. However, 100kg isn't 225lbs, it's actually ~220lbs.

Also, can't really tell from the video, but it looked like the bar didn't touch your chest? And on the 3rd rep, your butt seemed to have come off the bench.

I'd use more of an arch, and take a bit more time setting up for the lift (shoulders pulled back and down, getting that tight arch, anchoring your feet onto the ground, etc), but otherwise, you looked like you have a few kilos more in the tank.

thanks for the critique gala. gym was small (gombak clubfitt), was looking at a suitable place for the camera angle to show my whole body as well as the barbell. But I had to make do.

At the time, I was more focused on keeping feet firm on the ground, arms from going beyond 45 degrees, as well as breathing. I'd pay more attention to setting up properly for the lift in the future. Hope to perfect my form.

edit:changed to 220lbs, saw the bb forums referring 2PPS as 225lbs.

 

[galapogos]

You're welcome. We use the metric system, so our plates are 1.25/2.5/5/10/20/25kg, not 2.5/5/10/25/45/55lbs.

 

[mhafizzz]

Have been keeping a close eye on this log as I started smolov jr bench too. And awesome job on the 2pps man.

 

[jokerk]

Have been keeping a close eye on this log as I started smolov jr bench too. And awesome job on the 2pps man.

thanks. all the best. remember to eat..and eat some more! 3rd week was a little rough for me.

7.30am NUS Track

Didn't do HIIT today. Attempted 2.4km. I cleared my IPPT for this year, just wanted to try it out for fun. Got a timing of 11min 17secs. I was running on the 2nd lane throughout. Not sure how much difference that would make.

Despite sprinting consistently per week, I was surprised that my timing slacked so much compared to December last year.

This is not too much of a concern at the moment since my current goal is to put on more mass before a cut. Trying to get 2.4km sub 9min45secs timing along with this current goal is probably conflicting with one another.

 

[jokerk]

Supposed rest day.

Just wanted to take a proper video for my 2PPS Bench. I had to ask around for a spotter. Thought of a new MEME called "Overly-Cautious Spotter" while I got this guy to help me. Had to tell him that I could lift the bar off the rack myself at first. In my mind, I was like "Don't touch the bar! not yet! not yet!" But beggars can't be choosers.

Looking at the video, I could probably have added more reps/weight if I kept my arch tight throughout the workout. My mind kept on getting distracted whenever that my spotter touch the bar unnecessarily.

 

[galapogos]

You just have to be very specific to your spotter about what you expect. Something like "Do not under any circumstance touch the bar until I shake my head/nod my head/say my safety word/etc".

 

[jokerk]

You just have to be very specific to your spotter about what you expect. Something like "Do not under any circumstance touch the bar until I shake my head/nod my head/say my safety word/etc".

I'll take note of that in the future. Thanks.

I did ask him whether he knew how to spot and he said "Yes". I don't regularly ask for spotters but now I know what to do regardless of their answer.

 

[jokerk]

Entered gym 1.30pm

Wendler's 5/3/1 + Boring But Big (BBB) assistance work

Cycle 1 Week 1

Squats Warm Up
45kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 3

Squats 5/3/1
85kg x 5
95kg x 5
105kg x 5

BBB Squats
60kg 5 x 10

Leg Curls
5kg 5X10

Personal Reflections

Officially know what a leg day feels like. Not sure if I got my weights right, but by the end of the 5 x 10 BBB Squats, had to walk like Robocop around the gym.

Hope to get a foam roller asap to release the tightness. Currently using a tennis ball.

2.30pm

 

[jokerk]

Entered gym 7.00am

Wendler's 5/3/1 + Boring But Big (BBB) assistance work

Cycle 1 Week 2

OHP Warm Up
25kg x 5
30kg x 5
35kg x 5

OHP 5/3/1
40kg x 3
45kg x 3
50kg x 8

BBB OHP
30kg 5 x 10

BBB Chin ups (Deadhang)
10 8 5

Couldn't do anymore, began the walk of shame to the cable lat pull down machine to continue

Chin-up (machine)
100lbs 3 x 10

Abs pull down
60lbs 3 x 12

Personal Reflections

Body is aching all over. Lost a fight in a friendly jiujitsu tournament yesterday. Been exerting too much on my body lately.

Going to make Friday my official rest day.

Left gym 8.20am

 

[jokerk]

Entered gym 3.50pm

Wendler's 5/3/1 + Boring But Big (BBB) assistance work

Cycle 1 Week 2

Deadlift Warm Up
45kg x 5
55kg x 5
65kg x 3

Deadlift 5/3/1
75kg x 3
85kg x 3
95kg x 3

BBB Deadlift
55kg 5 x 10

HLR
2X10

My sprained thumb I received from the tournament hasn't healed. Had to use the elbow support for leg raises

Leg Raises Using Elbow Support
3x10

Personal Reflections
Felt my lower back muscles tightened during deadlifts. I should have done a proper warm up. I went to roll around a small sized medicine ball. My lower back felt better after leg raises as well.

I need to get a foam roller/baseball as soon as possible.

My current weight is 87kg. Never felt so glad seeing my weight go up.

Left gym 4.50pm