I hope you feel better soon
Regev: Ok man, as far as your deadlift question: If I were you, I would definitely read Mark Rippetoe’s section about it in “Starting Strength”. I would also read a lot of what Wendler has written about it. Both of those guys have some great ques and tips that can make a lot of difference. But for me, some things that I have been told that I put into practice that seem to have helped are:
- Right before you lift, get as big of a belly breath as you can and hold it throughout the lift.
- Squeeze that bar as hard as you can.
- Push the world away with your feet, don’t lift the bar off the ground.
- Keep the bar moving in as straight of a line as you can.
- As soon as the bar clears your knees, “hump” the bar and drive your hips forward.
I could talk about stuff like this for hours man, but those are a few things that helped me. I hope they help you. Thanks for the question!
Quick Ben: Thanks man! And yea, I go into a much more complete history in one of my other logs, but briefly…I didn’t start lifting until the 10th grade but had a really great football coach who made us do parallel squats, hang cleans, bench and deads as core movements. I was dead set on doing a normal bodypart split program with 4x8 sets and reps but I wasn’t allowed to until I completed my core lifts for that day. I really think this started me off in the right direction and still forms how I lift today.
I stuck with the 4x8 bodypart split stuff until after college when I read an article by Chad Waterbury about “amount of total reps per workout” and the 10x3 method. This made sense in my head so I gave it a shot and my body responded GREATLY! It was then that I learned that my body does much better with shorter sets at a much heavier weight.
This went on for a little while, but I found that if I really gave my all into my first exercise, then there wasn’t much left for the rest of the workout, especially on leg day. That is when I decided to break up my workouts into full body with 1 lower body movement, then 2 upper body pull/push movements. Then I just add accessories around them.
I hope that helps some brother, let me know if you need more clarification. Thanks for the question!
Bignmean: Well, it really varies on what I am about to do, and what my body feels like for that day. But it almost always includes some Jumping Rope, pull-ups and complexes with an empty barbell. The complex always looks like this:
8 High Pulls
8 Power Cleans
8 Front Squats
8 Military Presses
8 Back Squats
8 Behind the neck Presses
8 Good Mornings
8 Snatches
I will usually throw in some bodyweight stuff as well, like burpees, shrimping, gramby rolls, hollow rocks animal walks and random stretching. That’s about it man, nothing too impressive, just standard stuff. I hope that answered your question. Thanks for asking.
Regev & Redfive: Thanks fellas, I am feeling better now!
You left out the most important part… how much did you eat??? Surely a few scoops of protein powder and fish oil caps didn’t get you to those lifts. If it did, I give up. lol
Good to hear you’re on the mend.
Thank you for answering.
I’m applying most of the tips so it’s probably the programming, I think I’ll try to deadlift with more volume and see how it goes… I’m thinking about 4X4 whereas till now I did 1X3-5.
Another question man, have you swam in the past?
Recently I started to swim and run a lot, I swim about 4-5 times a week and running 2-3 times with different intensity to get my cardiovascularity up for the military stuff even though I have a lot time ahead of me…
Just sharing 
When trying out a new layout or new exercise, how long do you leave before deciding to keep it or change it? I’ve altered my 3 full body a week and noticing strength decreasing which maybe how the exercises are layed out or the rep scheme. I’ve also changed my bench from touch and go to a slight pause at the bottom and not sure how it’s working out.
Quick Ben: Sorry I left that out brother! Well, at the time I was going to school and teaching Martial Arts in the evenings, then working construction on the weekends, so i was always on the go. I would probably slam 2-3 Protein shakes a day, and have 1 real meal at night when I got home of some sort of meat, vegetables and a starch of some kind. Other than that I would have 3-4 STACKED ham & Cheese or tuna fish sandwiches. And between my dad and I, we would go through 2-3 Gallons of milk a week. I ate constantly. I can remember a story from when I was 17 where I came out of a surgery on my knee and my mom asked me what I wanted to eat. I said, “A LOT of McDonald’s.” She returned with 6 Quarter Pounders and I ate them all…I can eat brother. Even today, if I go out to eat I have to order an appetizer and then 2 dinners…When I write in here “Venison Steaks” it means like 2-3 Steaks, not an 8oz cut. i hope that helps clear things up man.
Regev: Also, make sure you find some guys that are a lot stronger than you to workout with. they will help tweak your form and you will be amazed how hanging out with a more elite group will make your numbers go up.
And Swimming…well, I can swim and I enjoy it, but I sink like a rock! Every moment in the water is work for me. I can go far and for a long time, but it is only because I am pig headed, not because I am any good at it! But it definitely good that you are working on it before going into the military, it will open up more MOS’ for you. Keep at it brother!
markws: Thanks for the kind wishes man! Now about the new program/exercises…Well, I have been at this long enough to know how my body is responding fairly quickly, but I do my best to let things play out for 4-6 weeks before I really sit back and evaluate how it is working. When I am following one of my own templates, it usually takes me at least into week 4 before I really start feeling good about it. then week 5 I usually kill it, and week 6 I tend to start fizzling out. So it is usually about then that I change it up.
But even when I do start an entire new revolution, the only real things that change are the rep/set scheme and grips on the exercises, or Dumbbells instead of barbells. that is one of the reasons why I do the met-con insert portions, because it is interesting and keeps me excited. I get bored to death just lifting/resting/lifting/resting.
As long as I am keeping a notebook with the weights I lifted last week and am adding to those numbers in the current week, I am happy. I also start my weights a little bit low my first week on purpose because I know I am going to feel like hell, I want to move up the following week and it gives me that first week to make sure I am “re-awakening” whatever muscles I am attempting to work.
I hope that helps you out man, if you need more clarification, please just ask!
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“All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.” --Pope Paul VI
Monday, 31March2014 - Work For Today
INSERT: No Rest Between Events
Tabata Sprints - With a 50lb Weight Vest
Then Rower Sprints - :30 Seconds Work/ :30 Seconds Rest For 10 Minutes
Then Again, Tabata Sprints - With a 50lb Weight Vest and a 25lb Medicine Ball
STRENGTH: Giant Sets, no rest between exercises. Just rest enough to add weight and get a drink of water at the end of the round.
7 Rounds
Front Squats: 275x5, 295x5, 315x5, 365x3, 385x3, 405x2, 425x1, 440xFail
Barbell Bent Over Rows: 245x8, 295x8, 315x5, 335x4, 365x4, 385x4, 405x4
Barbell Flat Bench: 275x5, 295x5, 315x5, 335x3, 365x3, 385x3, 405x3
16 Windshield Wipers (8 a side)
Behind the Back Shrugs: 335x8, 365x8, 405x8, 405x8, 405x8, 405x8, 405x8
40 Double Unders
Then I loaded a barbell with 225 and did 15 sets of 4 reps with 15 seconds of rest between sets.
NOTES:
- Good workout, felt good to get back into the gym. My lungs are still hurting from being sick, but overall I am happy with it.
- Front Squats felt good. 405 flew up, 425 was a grind, and 440 went down, came 1/4 of the way up and i dumped it forward…I videoed it and you can see me lift my chin way up and I pushed my butt back more like a squat than a front squat and it was too much for me to fight through…and here I thought I was going to get to post a nice front squat vid today! I showed it to another one of my buddies who really knows his stuff and he gave me a couple of points to work on. I am pretty sure I will see a 500lb front squat this year. That would make me very happy!
- Barbell rows are one of my weakest exercises…once I get about 315 i begin to lose the double overhand grip. My back is much stronger than that, but my fingers give out. So today, @ 335 and up, i used a mixed grip, did 2 reps with the right underhand, and 2 with the left. It was INSANE how much better that felt and I was doing 405 with relative ease. This too makes me happy.
- Bench is bench. Felt good, nothing felt too heavy, I just worry about things popping and breaking when I get really heavy on it…
-The speed front squats felt great, i just wish I would have talked to my friend BEFORE i did them so that i could be working on the things he talked about! I can’t wait for my next front squat day!
**2 Miles with a 50lb vest first thing in the morning and MMA practice this afternoon.
Hope all is well out there with you guys!
Thanks for replying man!
The best thing of me being so active is that I can eat a lot haha I’ve haven’t been so active for too long time…
It would be interesting to watch you swim lol
Have you ever tried hook grip? if your grip gives out you can use it but it’s a lot of pain, a lot of.
Nice front squats man, one of my favorite lifts.
Man, what’s your favorite music? what artists do you like to listen to? it’s always fun to get to know new artists and others taste in music.
Awesome Alpha, I loved reading that. Thanks.
I got back from a weekend of traveling with a total of maybe 5 hours of sleep. I had already convinced myself to just skip the gym and sleep more with what I considered some pretty god excuses. Then I thought: “dammit…Alpha would go to gym right now, so there is no reason why I shouldn’t.”
Ended up having a decent workout and more importantly, a victory on the mental front. Thanks for all of the logs!
[quote]RedFive wrote:
I got back from a weekend of traveling with a total of maybe 5 hours of sleep. I had already convinced myself to just skip the gym and sleep more with what I considered some pretty god excuses. Then I thought: “dammit…Alpha would go to gym right now, so there is no reason why I shouldn’t.”
Ended up having a decent workout and more importantly, a victory on the mental front. Thanks for all of the logs![/quote]
That’s the spirit man!
I started doing that too haha
Regev: Yea man, i have tried hook grip, but I am not a fan. I think I am going to keep doing what I am doing for a while and see how it works out. As far as music is concerned, I listen to just about everything. Even when lifting. I have deadlifted to everything from Otis Redding to Dropkick Murpheys…I don’t lift (or even really listen to) any country or heavy metal kind of stuff. When singers are just yelling into the mic it annoys me more than anything and raises my emotional levels. I would rather be even keeled and focused when I lift. Most of the time I just put “Today’s alternative” or Rap into pandora and let it roll. For me it is just background noise so that I don’t have to hear myself breath hard. External stimuli does VERY little for me when it comes to performance. Just like I hate when guys yell things at me before/during a lift. It does nothing but distract me from the task I am trying to perform.
Looking back, here are some of the songs that played during today’s workout:
- Team by Lorde
- Renegade - Eminem & Jay-Z
- I got Mine - Black Keys
- Sirens - Peal Jam
- Still Dre - Dr. Dre
- Waves - Sleeper Agent
- Breezeblocks - Alt-J
…Hardly “hard” stuff by any standard, but like I said, I don’t need that, so I just roll with whatever sounds good and has rhythm
If I am driving I am ALWAYS listening to podcasts or audio books. I try to use my car as a learning tool, no music plays in there. I hope that answers your question man!
Redfive: Hahahaha Welcome to the “NO SLEEP” world of workouts brother. Great job, just goes to show you that most fatigue is in our own heads and not based in reality. Glad I could be of some help brother!
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“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” --Sam Ewing
Tuesday, 01April2014 - Work For Today
INSERT:
At the top of every minute…Used 185lbs
Minute 1/ 1 Power Clean
Minute 2/ 2 Power Cleans
Minute 3/ 3 Power Cleans
Minute 4/ 4 Power Cleans
So on and so fourth until I hit 20 Minutes/ 20 Reps
STRENGTH: Giant Sets
5 Rounds - RAN OUT OF TIME
Stiff Legged Dead Lifts: 275x5, 315x5, 365x5, 405x5, 455x5
Weighted Pull-Ups: 100x3, 115x3, 135x3, 145x3, 155x3
Strict Military Press: 185x5, 205x5, 225x3, 245x3, 255x2
Good Mornings: 275x5, 295x5, 315x5, 335x5, 365x5
Ring Dips: 20, 20, 20, 20, 20
Ab Wheel Roll Outs: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
NOTES:
- Didn’t get to fit the entire workout in, just simply ran out of time…Would like to have hit 2 more heavy sets before turning in, but it is what it is.
- Pull-Up strength is starting to come back around which is good to see.
- The Military presses had ZERO leg drive. It went better than I expected. I want to get these number up quite a bit.
- Good Mornings…I can’t remember the last time I did these heavy! Worked up to the 365x5 and felt strong…Definitely will be moving up the weights on these next week.
**Bag work/Jumping Rope first thing in the morning and MMA practice in the Afternoon.
Just a few progress pics…Weighed in at 241 this morning so I have like 12-15lbs to lose in 12 days before the comp…Shouldn’t be a problem
27MARCH2014 - Fuel From Yesterday
Meal 1: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 2 servings of Superfood, 12oz of Milk, 3 tbs MCT oil, 1 tbs grass fed butter, coffee, 2000 IU’s of Vitamin D3
*****2 Mile Ruck with a 50lb vest
Meal 2: Steak Salad, 1 Avacado, 1 Flameout, 1 Apple
Meal 3: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 1 Serving Superfood, Mixed Nuts
******Workout From Yesterday
Meal 4: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 1 Serving Superfood, Mixed Nuts
Meal 5: Blackened Chicken Salad, 1 Avacado, 1 Orange
******MMA Practice
Meal 6: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 20oz of milk, 2000 IU’s of Vitamin D3, Strawberries, 1 Orange
looking strong!
Dang. I thought I remembered you being about 220 walking around. Looking thick.
Hi, just thought I’d mention that I’ve been reading your logs and find them very impressive. I would say “keep it up”, but I’m sure you will… So good luck for the comp - looking in serious shape at the moment!
Regev: Thanks brother! I am trying!
DoubleDuce: Hey man! Great to hear from you again! Yea man, I have to walk around a little bit lighter when a fight is looming because I have to cut to 205lbs for those. I was keeping my weight up because I knew this strongman comp was up next, so now I just need to get below 230. I am not sure about their scale and their weight in process so I will cut a few extra just to make sure that I make weight. How much I weight is like a yoyo these days! Thanks for checking in man!
Halcj: Thanks brother! and welcome to the log “Officially”! I will do my best at the comp, I just hope my numbers will stand up against everyone else’s!
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“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.” --Winston Churchill
Wednesday, 02April2014 - Work For Today
INSERT:
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Reps of:
80lb Dumbbell Snatches (Right SIde)
80lb Dumbbell Snatches (Left Side)
80lb Dumbbell Swings (Right SIde)
80lb Dumbbell Swings (Left Side)
25lb Medicine Ball Slams
Run 400 Meters
STRENGTH: Giant Sets
Single Arm Barbell Rows (Holding the fat portion of the Barbell): 120 Each Side x10, 145es x10, 165es x 8, 185es x6, 165es x6
Weighted Dips: 100x10, 125x10, 145x10, 170x10, 180x10
45lb Plate Around Head: 8 Each Side, 8, 8, 8, 8
Snatch: 185x5, 205x4, 225x3, 245x2, 265x1, 245x1, 245x1
Weighted Decline Sit-Ups: 45x10, 10, 10, 10, 10
NOTES:
- SA BB Rows: Holding the fat part of the barbell was definitely the challenging part of this but I am trying to get used to it since I have to do a 2" Axle Deadlift as part of the comp…It is definitely humbling
- Weighted dips were easy, I definitely wasn’t even close to what I can do here
- Snatch: My form sucks. I don’t drop under the bar at all, so I literally rip the bar off the ground high enough to get under it…Maybe that and the front squats may help me with the stones in the future!!! Who knows?
**MMA Practice this afternoon
OVERALL: It was more of a day just screwing around in the gym with no real focus except on the snatch…and until I get with a coach and start from the beginning I will be stuck right around 265 for the foreseeable future. Maybe I will get some sessions with someone after the comp. Hope all is well out there and thanks for the nice comments everyone!
[quote]Alpha wrote:
Just a few progress pics…Weighed in at 241 this morning so I have like 12-15lbs to lose in 12 days before the comp…Shouldn’t be a problem
[/quote]
Don’t lie - big badass Alpha waxes that chest doesn’t he 
Can’t believe I missed this log till now. Great to have you back my friend and glad to see you’re going hard as always. And thanks as always for the inspiration.
JustRob: Hahahaha Bikini Wax my friend! And spread the word that I am back! I miss a lot of the people who used to post around these parts! I think 99% of T-Nat has no idea I am back around since I only post in here! Great to hear from you brother!
01APRIL2014 - Fuel From Yesterday
Meal 1: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 2 servings of Superfood, 12oz of Milk, 3 tbs MCT oil, 1 tbs grass fed butter, coffee, 2000 IU’s of Vitamin D3
Meal 2: Venison Steaks, Onions, 1 Avacado, 1 Flameout, 1 Apple, 1 Bell Pepper
Meal 3: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 1 Serving Superfood
******Workout From Yesterday
Meal 4: Italian Turkey Sausages, Marinara Sauce, Onions, Peppers, 1 Flameout
******MMA Practice
Meal 5: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 20oz of milk, Mango
Meal 6: 2-3 Scoops of Metabolic Drive, 1 Flameout, 20oz of milk, 2000 IU’s of Vitamin D3
Oh dear. I had heard about you before even joining T Nation. Looking forward to reading your workouts.