18-March Block 2, Cycle 3, Day 2
Main:
Strength Dead lifts 325 x 3, 10 sets
Hypertrophy Bench Press 145 x 10, 10, 9, 135 x 10
Accessory:
Close grip bench press 105 x 12, 4 sets
Still Leg Dead lifts 205 x 8, 8
Notes:
No straps for dead lifts today. Most sets moved relatively fast. Last set was a bit slow. Might call another audible - thinking for DL to move to a pattern of 8, 9 and then 10 sets of 3 at the same weight for the last 3 cycles. Thinking of just adding 10 lbs. to 335. If I do another DUP block I would do 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and then 10 sets of 3.
For bench press, will decrease hypertrophy weight to 140 to try to hit all reps. CGBP I finished but just barely. Ran out of time with SLDL so only did two sets.
Performed all movements superset with the Deadlifts. First super-setted the 4 sets of bench and then the 4 seats of CGBP. Good cardio.
19-March Block 2 Cycle 3, Day 3
Main:
Strength Squat 265 x 3, 10 sets
Hypertrophy Press 85 x 10, 10, 6+4, 8+2
Accessory:
4x superset:
reverse fly with orange band x 15
Good mornings 135 x 8
Green band 1-arm curl x 10
Green band 1-arm tri push down x 10
notes:
Massive cheating with Pressing. Going down to 75 next time. I WILL find a weight that I can hit. Even if I have to go down to the bar.
21-March Block 2, Cycle 3, Day 4
Main:
Hypertrophy Deficit Deadlift 225 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Strength Bench Press 170 x 3, 10 sets
Accessory:
Pull-ups BW x 6, 6, 6, 6, 5
Narrow push-ups, BW x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
notes:
Stomach flu yesterday. Probably dumb to train again but felt like I could push through. Set a PR on deficit dead lifts. This is the first time that I pulled every single set and rep fast. And I do mean very crisp and fast. Was cool. Actually did 12 reps rather than 10. So next time will increase to 235 x 10.
Hit all bench press reps. Next time move on to 8 sets of 4 at 170.
Best pull-up day ever. Set PR. Maybe I should get sick more often? Hopefully not.
22-March Block 2, Cycle 3, Day 5
Main:
Power Squat - 250 x 1, 10 sets
Clean+Jerk - 155 x 1, 10 sets + 160 x 1
Accessory:
Band glute ham pulls - red band x 10, 4 sets
toe to bars x 5, 4 sets
Notes:
All squats fast and crisp. Increasing weight next time to 255. Clean and Jerk progressing with almost all reps good and none failing. 160 is a PR. Will increase to 160 for all sets next time.
Band glute ham pulls means: red band tied to bottom of power rack. Stand at other upright in the rack and attach band to foot at the ankle. Then pull leg back until glute/ham fully contracted. Probably a better GHR movement for me than GHR.
23-March Day off
24-March Block 2, Cycle 3, Day 6
Morning:
Power Bench Press 185 x 1, 10 sets
Snatch 115 x 10, 6 sets 120 x 1, 4 sets
Evening:
Hamstring curls 50 x 15, 4 sets
Lat raises 12.5 x 12, 4 sets
Snatch:
65 x 1
95 x 2
115 x 1
125 x 0
125 x 1, 2 sets
130 x 0, 0
130 x 1 ugly
130 x 1 ugly
notes:
No time for accessory in the morning. Instead, did some additional training at night as I was excited by how snatch is feeling better (get your mind out of the gutter). Both 125 and 130 are PR’s. Though 130 was ugly enough that I will just call it 125. My goal by mid-year is to hit 135 for snatch and 200 for clean/jerk.
25-March Conditioning
Barbell Bonanza -
95 lb barbell. 6,5,4,3,2,1 reps of:
Dead lift
SL Dead lift
row
(1-clean to transition)
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat
Good Morning
20 second rest between each pass. First set 8 minute 10 seconds. Second set 8 minute 50 seconds.
26-March Block 2, Cycle 4 Day 1
Main:
Hypertrophy - Squat 205 x 12, 4 sets
Strength - Press 105 x 3, 10 sets
Accessory:
Band Face Pulls Red x 15, 2 sets
Calf raises - 1 leg x 20, 2 sets
Notes:
Squats were good. Will continue here as I am still working hard.
Press were all paused and strong. Next cycle will be 8 x 4 and cycle 6 is programmed now as 7 x 5.
27-March - Oly Coaching session
Third of three coaching sessions that I paid for. I have progressed in these lifts far faster with coaching than I ever would have doing it completely on my own.
Drills for me to work on:
Snatch -
With bar on back, simultaneously squat down and raise bar over head.
Overhead squats
Complex with shrug, power snatch, power snatch from floor.
With SG, with bar on back, jerk bar up and catch in bottom position.
Clean/Jerk -
complex with shrug, power clean, clean from floor
Jerk into bottom position, then do behind the neck presses
28-March Conditioning
Event 1 -
5 times:
70lb Kettlebell x 25 swings
5 toe to bar
5 ab wheel rolls
30 seconds rest
total 11 minutes
Event 2 -
AMRAP in 5 minutes:
50 jump rope
3 push-ups
2 pull-ups
6 sets total
Event 3 -
Burpee Tabata (4 min)
Total of 20 minutes HIIT.
29-March Block 2, Cycle 4 Day 2
Main:
strength deadlifts - 335 x 3, 8 sets
hypertrophy bench press - 140 x 10, 4 sets
Accessory:
Close grip bench press - 105 x 12, 4 sets
Stiff leg dead lift - 205 x 8, 4 sets
notes:
Deadlift was fast-ish in the beginning and then were progressively harder. Last set was 2 reps, 1 fail, then a quick regroup for the last rep. Still plan to try for 9 sets next cycle.
Hit all bench reps finally. No cheating.
however, my left elbow is acting up after benching as well as close grip. Or is it from deadlifting? I have been icing and heating it. I hope this won’t be a longer term issue as it was when it happened to my right elbow two years ago. I will use a strap around the elbow and start adding in some strengthening moves after ice/heat/motrin for the next couple of days.
30-March - Day off. Rehabbing elbow tendonitis. Ice, heat, ibuprophen.
31-March Block 2, Cycle 4 - Day 3
Main:
Strength Squat - 275 x 3, 8 sets
Hypertrophy Press - 75 x 10, 4 sets
Accessory:
Reverse Fly (bent over) w/orange bands x 12, 4 sets
Barbell row 75 x 12, 4 sets
Notes:
Stoked with squats - this is the heaviest I have ever gone for this many sets/reps. Form felt really strong. Once or twice I was too much on my toes but was able to correct. Next cycle will go for 9 sets.
Finally picked a weight I can do all 4 sets of Press at. Completed, a bit slow for the last set. Will continue at this weight.
Did barbell row for accessory work as I wanted to see if the elbow issue is due to pulling or pushing. Wore a forearm band entire time. Elbow feels much better. Cautiously optimistic.
1-April Block 2 Cycle 4 Day 4
Main:
Hypertrophy Deficit Dead Lift 235 x 10, 4 sets
Strength Bench Press 170 x 4, 8 sets
Accessory:
none
Notes:
Weight increased on deficit DL by 10 lbs. Slowed me up a bit and I was breathing just a bit more than last cycle. However, nowhere near as difficult as when I started on cycle 1. Just slightly dizzy after last set.
Bench I hit all paused (except one rep on one set where I just forgot). Next cycle I go to 7 sets of 5.
Ran out of time for accessory. Plus I was feeling a bit beat up.
2-April Block 2, Cycle 4 - easy day
4 super sets of:
Push-up, BW x 10
Pull-up, BW x 5
Ab wheel x 10
Calf raise x 20 (one leg, per leg)
Tri band push-down green x 10
Also did one set of band arm curl but my tendonitis showed up just a little bit so I dropped them.
Nice easy day to facilitate recovery.
3-April Block 2, Cycle 4, Day 5
Main:
Power Squat - 315 w/red band assist x 1, 10 sets
365 x 1 w/red band assist
255 x 1 no band
Clean + Jerk: 160 x 1, 10 sets
Accessory:
Glute ham pull with red band x 10, 4 sets
Toe to Bars x 5, 4 sets
Notes:
So another lesson in buying quality products - my 45 lb bumper plate is destroyed after less than a year. Purchased a replacement from Rogue - color coded Rogue 2.0 training plates.
Tried out reverse band squats for the first time. Was totally surprised by how much one set of bands assisted. 315 (current 1RM) almost flew up from the bottom. 365 was a bit slow at the bottom but was not a terrible strain. 255 without assist (normal programming) was still crisp after the 10 reps assisted. Will go to 260 next cycle.
Clean and Jerks were solid. Will increase to 165 next week.
4-April Block 2, Cycle 4, Day 6
Main:
Power Bench Press 185 x 1, 10 sets
Snatch
Ramp: 115 x 1, 125 x 1, 130 x 1, 135 x 0, 135 x 1 - PR
120 x 1, 10 sets
Accessory:
Hamstring curls - 50 x 15, 4 sets
Lateral Raises - 12.5 x 12, 4 sets
Notes:
PR on the snatch - that was cool. The failure at 135 was not a bad one - just wimped out getting under the bar. Made it the second time. So I really don’t know how to set realistic goals for the Oly lifts. They are so much technique rather than strength for me at this point. 135 was my June goal. Thinking 155 as a goal now.
Bench press were all crisp and fast. Will increase to 190 next cycle.
5-April Block 2, Cycle 5, Day 1
Main:
Strength Press 105 x 4, 8 sets
Hypertrophy Squat 205 x 10, 7 sets
Accessory:
4 x super set:
Red band pull-apart x 12
Red band overhead pull-apart x 12
orange band face pulls x 12
Notes:
So you know how if you squat 2 to 3 times a week you don’t get sore anymore? Even more so with a DUP template? Well doing 7 sets of squats rather than my normal 4 will get me there. Just felt like doing a bit more on Squats. Was feeling really good. It was the weekend. It was Easter. Anyway - it was tough but good. My core felt fatigued as much as anything else.
Press was mostly crisp and good. The last rep of the last set I cheated just a bit. Not sure if I should repeat the weight x set x rep or go to 7 x 5.
6-April - Day off.
So yesterday I was wondering if 7 sets of squats might make me sore… they did.
7-April - conditioning
30 minute bicycle (road bike). Easy pace - was still more sore than I wanted to be going into heavy Deadlift day. Want to start getting back into cycling a bit this summer so will incorporate some more as fasted-cardio.
8-April - Conditioning
Continue to feel tired and worn-down. Slept a bit more and skipped strength training. 50 minute walk with 62lb vest at night with wife.
9-April Block 2 Cycle 5 Day 2
Main:
Strength Deadlift 335 x 3, 9 sets
Hyper. Bench Press 140 x 10, 4 sets
Accessory:
CG Bench Press 105 x 12, 4 sets
Notes:
Felt a bit better this morning. First set of DL I was missing a 5 lb plate on the right side. I kept readjusting my grip thinking I was off center. Most reps moved quickly (for the percentage). Up to 10 sets next cycle.
Bench felt good. I paused a number of reps - just sort of mixed them in. Will aim for 12 reps on at least the first two sets next cycle.
CG bench was good. Paused the last set. Will aim to pause all next cycle. Ran out of time for SLDL. Plus my lower back was very tired.
10-April Block 2 Cycle 5, Day 3
Main:
Strength Squat 275 x 3, 9 sets
Hyper. Behind the Neck Press 75 x 10, 10, 10, 8
Accessory:
2 sets each of:
Reverse band fly
Band tri push downs
Band arm curls
reps: whatever it took to get a pump - 12 - 25
Notes:
Lower back was quite stiff and sore this morning. Debated whether I should squat. Look some time to ramp up and decided to go for it. Did fine with the session. Weight/rep/sets seems to be falling into the ‘base building’ (Paul Carter) mentality of building strength not testing it. Definitely had a few more reps in the tank while still being challenging.
Decided to switch pressing to behind the neck. I figure the bench pressing hits anterior delts enough. Additionally, I want to ensure rock solid medial and posterior delts for my Oly lifting. Was almost as strong with BTN as with standard press - and I almost never train BTN.
Accessory work focused on getting blood into the elbow joints. Used a lot of partial reps and just squeezed the muscles until they were pumped.
