Good plan, I’ve got an “axle” (scaffold bar). You find any major benefits of them personally?
do you mean the axle or the zerchers ? I have’t really used zerchers for long enough to get much out of them. A few of the powerlifters at my gym do them but they use a wider stance knees out and keep a really straight back. You are coming forward a fair bit at the bottom on yours.
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Yea zurchers, interesting observation re the form, I’ll try put your method next time I do it, may be why I didn’t feel it, thanks Simo, legends as always!
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12/09/24 - AM
Run 1 mile rest 1 hour, run 1 mile straight into:
45M W1 B3 D15
Strength:
Bench: 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110kg x 4
S/s
Bandy twisty things: black band x 6 e/s x 6 sets
Volume:
Bench: 90kg x 3 x 10 sets EMOM
Assistance:
Strict Pendlay rows: 30 secs
Floor press: 30 secs
Burpees: 30 secs
Rest: 30 secs
5 x through, 60kg on the bar for rows and press.
All done fasted, top set of bench told me that a) it’s early, b) it’s colder, c) I’m fasted and haven’t had enough coffee yet, but all 4 reps went up cleanly, just very slow about mid point, felt like pressing through treacle.
Legs felt like wooden blocks trying to run after yesterday as well.
7 Likes
13/09/24 - PM
Strength:
Deads: 60kg X some, 100, 120, 160kg x 2, 180kg X f
S/s Long lever planks (LLP): 5 sets.
Volume:
Deads: 130kg x 2 x 10 sets EMOM
Finisher:
Gorilla rows: 25kg x 5 e/s
Stepping lunges: 25kg DBs x 10 e/s
LLP: X As long as possible
Amrap 10 mins - 3 rounds.
Deads were thoroughly disappointing, I have plenty of reasons: back tightness, fatigue, stress, DOMs, trying new cues etc, but none of it changes the reality that I didn’t do 180kg for a single letter alone a double, I broke the floor, but didn’t complete it, I gave up too early, last night I had a solid feeling about today’s session, felt confident about hitting 180 for the double but this morning I woke up feeling drained and had to really fight to even get into the garage and do this session, so it’s not surprising, but it is frustrating.
Volume was fine, pretty easy, I based it on hitting 160, not attempting 180, which was sensible, but made it less challenging. Probably good from a fatigue management point of view.
Finisher - those lunges are straight up nasty, I went hunting for my straps after the first set because grip was struggling, but couldn’t find them and in the process of looking I realised my legs were worse than my grip anyway, still got significant DOMs - my last lower body session was only 2 days ago with a run yesterday, hardly surprising. Ended up breaking those lunges into two, so 5 each side drop the weights, breath for a short period, finish the set. I say it regularly but Brian’s programming is evil, particularly emoms and finishers.
I haven’t done much this week in terms of L11 or LISS, I’ve been busy and doing Brian’s style of program fills some of the blanks there but definitely need to make some more time for those activities.
7 Likes
14/09/24 - PM
45M - W2 B4 D17
Strength:
Ohp: 20, 40, 50, 60, 65kg x 3, 70kg x 1
S/s
KB uppercuts: 16kg x 5 e/s x 6 sets
Volume:
47.5kg x 3 x 10 EMOM
Assistance finisher:
DB press: 12.5kg x 30 secs
Waiters walk: 12.5kg DB X 30 secs (15 e/s)
Cable face pulls: 5kg x 30 secs
30 secs rest
Repeat 5 times through.
That 70kg wasn’t supposed to be a 1rm test, I genuinely thought I’d be fine with that jump, my ohp is weak, mind you all of me is weak right now, not surprising given the lack of consistency over this year, but on that note this marks the 5th session I’ve completed this week, so moving forward and building consistency.
I’d say that ohp and deads are also the lift my head gives up on before the body does, more often than squat or bench, I suspect it’s something to do with not having the same pressure, if a deadlift doesn’t start moving it’s not on top of me going to crush me like a squat, same with bench, Vs ohp, easier to lose the mental battle when it doesn’t have any “consequences” perceived or otherwise.
The volume work was easy, I based it on 65kg, really felt myself in good form for that, getting the bracing right, felt glute and hips “drive” through the core (no leg drive just everything felt tight and felt like a proper full body movement).
The assistance finisher felt to easy at the start and too hard at the end, the usual sweating and breathlessness, with some burning shoulders for my troubles.
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Honestly, 70 is pretty good for a big ole fatty like yerself.
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Haha thanks, rising to the bait, I’m 90kg/200lbs and feel skinnier than fat. But really, if you can’t ohp your own bodyweight, are you even a real man?
Maybe more celery would help this strength problem.
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I’m the wrong guy to ask, because I don’t even think it is terribly difficult.
Antagonistic nonsense aside, for some reason 70 kilos is right about that spot where it starts to get really hard for some reason. Even putting that much over your head puts you in the niche. All you need to do now is pull out the tampax and rep that thing a bunch of times.
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Yea for sure, I’ve been able to do more for reps in the not too distant past, keen to get back there again!
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join me on the quest to a big overhead mate. Its time to get pressing.
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I missed it, what program is this?
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45 masters - I’d describe it as typical Brian programming, but shorter sessions, which I need at present, a third of the way through right now.
Nice! looks good
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17/09/24 - PM
Was switching the schedule up because I wanted to do farmers Thursday (at the fire station and the yard is perfect for it), also have a very tight lower back on the right hand side, struggled to put socks on this morning, so wasn’t sure if this was a good idea…
45M W2 B4 D19
SSB front squat: 60, 80, 100kg x 4
Loaded 120kg but made a grown up choice and called it here, my lower back was semi spasming and despite the FS being fairly ok, I’d already ditched ab work and if I started getting into heavier territory my form might slip…along with my discs!
Rather than call it off entirely, I switched:
45M W2 B4 D20
Strength:
Bench: 60, 80, 100, 110kg x 3
Volume:
Bench 82.5kg x 3 x 10 sets EMOM
Assistance finisher:
Even min: Single arm DB inc: 25kg x 8 e/s
Odd min: Single arm DB Row (chest supported): 25kg x 8 e/s
X 10 rounds (emom, what else!).
Observations: my back sucks, my squat actually felt strong today, benching with a dodgy back shows how much stability my legs and back give, the finisher was up in weight since last time and doable despite the back, wasn’t sure how it would do with unilateral stuff, it tweaked every now and again and bitched at me a bit but got the work done.
Weight sits around 202, now I’ve built some consistency in the training I want to improve the diet. I automatically get more protein when focused on training, the quality is the issue, I know the right way to eat, I just never make the effort, I’ll be focused on ingraining small changes/habits rather than attempting wholesale radical change.
7 Likes
19/09/24 - PM
House fire - a whole lot of hard work in the hottest day we’ve had here all year.
3 hour break
Bleep test - level 8.9 on 20m course.
Drilling - 2 hours graft.
Immediately after drill - a lot of biscuits/cookies and dirty sugar.
Followed by:
Farmers walks - 50kg per hand - 65m fast, drop turn around back. 10 rounds EMOM
Pull ups x 4 x 10 rounds EMOM
Teddy bear squats - 50kg sandbag x 6 x 10 rounds EMOM.
This was after a disturbed sleep from call out and just a whole heap going on. Really pleased to get through this day and still hit my intended session.
Wasn’t sure what weight I’d want in the farmers, now I’ve got proper handles, this was spot on, room to grow and a decent enough challenge, it’s supposed to be light work, handles were really good to use.
Pull-ups could do with some added weight or add ab work, or both, but it’s honestly a nice breather after the farmers.
Teddy bear squats, if the pull-ups are a reprieve this is the bread of suffering the other side of the sandwich, nasty, I wondered if they were to heavy and my legs are fried but I got it all done, in the time limit, so I guess not 
- just my weak mind trying to find an out.
Solid session, I did it at the station and asked (as per usual) if anyone wanted to join, nope, so I had some fun on my last EMOM queued too young to feel this old (you me at six, how I feel right now), lonely day (system of a down - training outside in the dark by myself) animal I have become (three days grace - what happens what you stay consistent and chasing whilst everyone else goes home!).
6 Likes
20/09/24 - PM
45M
Should be W2 B5 D21 but instead I’m doing D22 - will do D21 next session, but this is less than 24 hours since the last session and a draining day (crap sleep last night as well), I’m really feeling the fatigue and still have a tight lower back, don’t fancy pushing the deficit deads today.
Strength:
Ohp: 40, 50, 55, 60, 65kg x 2
S/s
Plate uppercut: 10kg x 8 e/s x 5 sets
I did try 70, but I should have known better, too fatigued for that today, need to be smarter, need to gain weight, need a bigger press!
Volume:
55kg x 3 x 10 EMOM
Played with grip width and found that closer (probably about 1/1.5 inches closer not massive) helps me generate more power, seemingly from my triceps, wondering if that might help the top end weights, I went back for another try…
OHP: 60, 65, 70kg x 1
Was fully intending to go for a double but that top rep was rps 10, that midpoint grind is like an eternity with your mind just telling you to quit and the tiny quiet voice that knows that if you stick it out it will go up… Eventually. 70kg after the volume, I’d guess that closer does indeed generate a bit more power, I’ll give it a go over the next few weeks and find out for sure, but no more grinding singles though (unless the program calls for singles…)
Bottom up KB press: 16kg x 7/6/5/4/3 e/s as quickly as possible - 2m 56s.
Next KB up is 24kg, not confident I can balance that thing bottom up!
Pleased at how that session went all things considered.
5 Likes
23/09/24 - 45M W2 B5 D21 (for my own record next day is d23)
Deficit deads: 60, 80, 100, 120, 140kg x 4
S/s
Field goal sit ups: 10 x 5 sets
Deficit deads: 90kg x 4 x 10 sets EMOM
Finisher:
5 deadlift rows - 90kg
8 rdls - 90kg
5 6 count burpees
5 rounds in: 14:14
All done fasted, fasting for the day (black coffee and water only), will eat evening meal.
The deads are done off a massive bumper, well over 2 inches, my back is still tight and wasn’t sure how today would go, 60 felt so bad I did 80 when I’d normally go straight to 100, 80 felt bad, 100 felt bad, 120 felt like butter, 140 felt fast and strong but my back didn’t, so took that as a sign not to carry on and grind crap reps.
Finisher was grueling as ever, the rdls were more like dimmels my lower back was so tight that anything past the knees was absolutely going to tweak it (didn’t actually feel possible to control it at that transition point), but funny enough a full ROM or even beyond full ROM worked fine. I feel like I’ve had this revelation before and forgotten it, but I think my injury point is just as the bar moves around/over the knee cap. @FlatsFarmer tagging you as a man who’s knowledgeable, helpful and a forum hero - any thoughts?
6 Likes