Aloha Andrew,
First off awesome log. I am learning right along with you. I might be some steps back acutally. I wanted to know how you are planning to make your sled. Are there sites online that have tips or prints on how to construct a sled? Also where are you purchasing or how are you making your sling? Been thinking of making a sled as well, since I cannot afford purchasing a sled off the Elite site or from other sites like Ironlind etc…
chubs, you might want to check out this thread Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION
I am not sure exactly how I am gonna make it yet, still looking for the easiest way.
ME Squat/Dead
GPP WARM UP
a1)leg curl
2x20
a2)straight leg raises
2x10
a3)db shrugs
2x25
Box Squat
worked up to
265x1
290x1(pr)
300x1(15 lb pr)
Wide Stance GM
worked up to a semi heavy triple
185x3
205x3
225x3
DB Pullthrough
3x20
I think I am going to build a smaller box, currently mine is 15 inches. I will probably build something in the 12-13 range for ME work and keep the 15 one for DE work. I am thinking about buying either mini or light bands for my DE squat and bench days, I will cycle them with straight weight. Should I wait, or start using bands right away?
Get the bands now. I don’t think you have to wait. Get mini’s for DE bench and average for the squat.
-Brian
mini bands wont work for the squat…you will need light or average bands…remember that when your doing speed work with accomedating resistance your bar speed will slow dramatically at top this is good this is how you build a big squat by out running the bands this is where maximal speed is developed…becuase it dosent matter how fast you move 200 it matters how fast you move your max…bm
ME Bench
2 board press in a Fury
warmed up, then put shirt on
225x1(4 boards)
245x1(3)
265x1(3)
275x1(2)
285x1(2)(60 lbs pr over raw)
295x fail lost groove
DB Elbows out ext
15x8x7(light, need to add some more weight)
DB BO Row
60x6x4
DB Shrug
60x8
60x10
60x12
I ordered two minibands yesterday for DE bench work(a gift from my sister, I have a nice family), I am going to get some bands for squat/deadlift work when I get the money. Should I go with a light band or an average band? On efs it says a light for people who squat up to 450(which I don’t), but I have gotten a couple of suggestions to use an average band.
I think I can get a lot more out of my shirt, once I learn to use it better. I am getting it on easier now, but still feel the neck needs to be pulled down more. Next time I need to belt it tight, because it kept riding up. My grove with a shirt was different than raw, I couldn’t keep the bar path straight(im guessing weak triceps) and I think I might of been touching too high. I also bench with a fairly close grip(pinky on rings), because that is what has always seemed natural. Should I try to learn a wider grip to make to bar travel less of a distance? Overall my first real session(besides the disaster last week) went fairly well. I will probablly work in the shirt again in about 3 weeks.
Things I need to work on for me to hit a 300 BP in my first meet:
My Shirt
Leg Drive
Grip
Arch
Tricpes
Lats
Speed
Thanks to all the people who read this for all the helpful advice, I really appreciate it.
I think the average band and the light band are the same thing. I ordered some from elitetfts. If you squat up to 450lbs it is the one you want, after 450 you’ll move up to another band.
The average band and the light band are 2 seperate sizes. Get the average band. You can use it if you squat under 450 and you’ll grow into it. You don’t want to squat less than 450 for very long.
If a wider grip feels unnatural, try working it out a little bit each workout. You’ll be out the the maximum legal width in no time.
DE Squat/Dead
GPP WARM UP
a1) front raise
2x10
a2)bent over side raise
2x10
Speed Box Squat
185x2x8
245x5(free squat)
Speed Pulls
205x1x8
Seated GM
worked up to a heavy set of 5
175x5
Today was the first time I had done any squating with out a box. My old PR was 245x1 and today I hit 245x5 and it didnt even feel that hard, but a little sloppy. Depth was consistent(didn’t have any one to spot or judge so I just set the safety pins around parallel and tapped them and then went up, no pause).
The 8 weeks flew by, and I will probably be testing squat and deadlift soon, I probably wont test bench yet, because I am not worrried about my raw bench(need more work in shirt, so I wont test shirted). I think I will test them like a meet, warm up and then 3 attempts.
DE Bench
GPP warm up
a1)DB pullthrough
2x15
a2)Straight Leg raises
2x15
Speed Bench(3 grips)
135x3x8
JM Press
95x3
115x3
125x3x2
135x3
145x3
Front Raise
10x10x3
Side Raise
10x10x3
Just got my mini-bands in today, so I took a pic of my band setup for DE bench days, had to wrap the band around the safety pin several times to get tension at the bottom, kind of like a floor press setup. Sorry for the crappy quality, it was took with my camera phone.
ME Squat/Dead(assistance work)
GPP WARM UP
a1)Band Push downs
3x20
a2)Band Pull aparts
3x10
RDL
245x3x3
Band Leg curls(2 choked mini-bands)
3x12
Band Pullthroughs(2 choked mini-bands)
3x15
I am going to max squat and dead on friday. I had a lot of band work today, just to try out some of the new exercises.
ME Bench
Rack Lockouts(about 6" rom) /w minibands
warmed up then
185x1
195x1
205x1
Lying Barbell Ext.(10 face pulls between sets)
55x10x6
2 miniband assistanced pullups(palms out)
1x1,2x1,3x1,4x1,5x1,4x1,3x1,2x1,1x1(short rest, about 20 sec)
10x1(neutral grip)
Straight leg situp
35x8x4
Looking for a 30-60 lbs improvement for the squat, and a 30-50 lbs improvement for the deadlift, when I max out on Friday. I’ll probably take a shirted bench after one more session in my shirt(2 weeks from now) with boards. For the bench I am going to work the lockout and keeping my groove good. The pop from 2 boards in the Fury was great, I cant wait to feel the pop off my chest(if I can get it to touch). BW is up about 6 pounds, in the 180-185 area. I think I will go for a slight cut for summer(starting june 10 when I get out of school) and maybe go down to around 175, wanna lower bf% a little to give me room to put on muscle and still stay at 181.
8 WEEK WESTSIDE PHASE RESULTS
3/24(Raw)
Weight:175
Squat:245
Bench:215
Deadlift:325
5/28(Raw, except for loose belt)
Weight:181
Squat:330(85 lbs. PR)
Bench:Didn’t test raw bench
Deadlift:350(25 lbs. PR)
GOALS(USAPL single layer poly)
Bench Only:300@181
3 Lift:400,300,405,1105@181
I was going to wait to around Sept-Nov to compete, but there is a meet August 7 that I am thinking about, I need to get a squat suit and knee wraps first and learn them along with my shirt. If there are any upcoming meets in the Detriot area(any fed.) let me know.
I was very suprised with my squat, I was thinking 300 at best. The 245 at 330 were both consistent in conditions and height, I set a pin to parallel and then gently tapped and went up. I failed on 345, but fatigue could of played a role. I rested very little in between attempts, I was very psyched up and was just throwing weight on the bar, I should of waited longer between attempts. For anyone who has competed, what is the average time between your first, second, and third attempts?
I was hoping to do better on the deadlift(375), but I am still happy with 350 which is what I did a couple of weeks ago(but I didn’t have to take a max squat first).
As for my raw bench it is anywhere from 220-235, I did a 225 in training a while back. My week point is off my chest, so I am go to work on lats more with rows and band assisted chins/pullups. My shirt should give me a good blast off the chest, so I am not too worried.
I am now officially hooked on WSB, my problem before was I would follow a program for a couple of weeks, get bored, read a new issue of t-mag, and then try something else. I looked foward to every workout in these 8 weeks, and I am looking forward to getting stronger and stronger. Any advice would be appreciated.
Awesome job! Good luck on you’re bench max as well as your first meet whenever you decide to do it.
Congrats man! I hope I can get those kinda pr’s on my squat and dead when I test Sunday! I am really worried about my dead…good luck on competing in the future. I plan on competing too, I will probably wait till the new year though we will see. That westside bug really gets under your skin! I can’t see myself training any other way either at least not for a long, long, time!
andrew i just saw your fury workout …hey dude you go to get your grip out way past pinky on the rings you need to go all the way out…this will help you get your elbows underneath you and allow them to flare at lock out…plus it makes your stroke shorter…also start the decent with your elbows flared and then when you get into position tuck your elbows and go to the bottom as fast as you can…also you wont be able to push ina straight line very well in the fury you will want to use the drop it low throw it high tecnique…so think about dropping in on your belly and then throwing over your eyes…good job on your sq and dl…get some gear and get training in it and get ot a meet…your ready to bump it up a level…bm
Andrew my sticking point is about 4-6 inches off I would say. I do plan to compete eventually but I want to compete raw first and conquer some good weight…then I think I’ll try some gear.
ME Squat/Dead
GPP Warm up
a1) band pushdown
3x15
a2) band face pulls
3x15
Goodmorning
worked up to 90%(still a lil sore)
245x1
a1) Band pullthrough(2 MB)
3x10
a2) Band legcurl(2MB)
3x10
Straight leg situps
35x8,x10,x12
ME Bench
2 Board in Fury
worked up to easy
285x1(only had one spoter so I didnt go for 300x1 like I had planned, which pissed me off, kind of felt like a wasted ME day, went threw the pain/joy of getting my shirt on. But on the upside I finally got the sleeves up to my elbows, and I took a maximum width grip(something that is new to me.)
2 MB assisted Pullups
6x3
2MB Tri pushdowns
6x10
Elbows out ext
25x6x3