not sure why, but this day felt like the hardest last week, and the trend continued. Some serious effort going to hit reps here. That being said, moved better than last week.
An unexpected wave did nearly take me out. I miss land lol.
I wrote out a rough plan for my next year of training, starting the first week of January. At that point Iāll be moved into my new house, home gym will be built, life will be staple. A few more weeks of deployment until I get to land, then about 3 weeks until I move/the holidays. Planning a 1 week deload while traveling back stateside, then another week/1.5 week deload over the holidays, trying to dissipate some cumulative fatigue before starting the January block hard.
Not sure what I am going to do for those 3 weeks before the move. Potentially another run or Smolov JR; including squats this time. Depends how I respond to this run.
bench felt heavy but moved alright, adapting pretty quick to the crazy volume of Smolov jr.
ship rocking in a very inopportune way for squats. As in, multiple reps where I was straining for a few seconds with no bar movement until the ship rocked back my way. Made this legitimately one of the most difficult squat workouts Iāve ever done, but damn I think itād also pretty epic for teaching staying right on a lift. Debated calling off the workout due the sea state, glad I didnāt.
One of my sailors started powerlifting right when I got to the ship. Asked me for help, I helped him a lot with programming and some form tips. Hyped him up before he hit a 500lb squat PR today. Kid just blew up when he started touching weights, and heās busted his ass. Super happy for himā¦ even if I begrudgingly admit heās now stronger than me lol.
You know, I think i these were the best squats of my life. Not my heaviest, not the most reps, not any sort of PR. But even before I blew my patella in college, I donāt think I ever had reps as consistent as these were. The 10x3 has been amazing for my squat form, and for about the first time ever Iāve really learned how to engage my quads on the squat, largely due to learning how I NEED to hinge to allow my quads to flex if Iām going to maintain center of balance. Counterintuitive for a guy who spent years trying to squats like Klokov (I know damn well Iām not the only one guilty of this)
Forgot to log this, jacked up the ankle a teeny bit running the other day. (Aka, big wave had me step sideways off the treadmill and roll it). Donāt think itās a sprain, but I had some ankle and shin pain trying to run, so taking it easy. From past experience, if I get some shin splits, Iām out of the game for a long time.
Medium grip mag pulldown: 145x20 (RIR), 130x10, 130x10, 130x11
Alt Db curl: 35x12, 35x9, 30x14
Conditioning: 30 min run, 5.4mph. 5 min cooldown walk.
Notes:
bench felt great. Ik this is a controversial program to some, but I think the high frequency is really helping me nail some much needed form corrections.
I really have no idea how those powerlifters do that whole 6inch ROM bench, Iām probably a solid foot and a half. Plan to train some mobility to try to shorten that a little, but idk if a true short ROM is in the books for me. That arch position just seems impossible, my spine would snap lol.
Lay pulldowns moved well, serious back cramp after that 20 set:
Run went well, ankle wasnāt bothering me. Increased speed a little, going too slow makes my shins angry, but still trying to keep heart rate down.
Iāve had a consistent days only schedule for the last week, meaning consistent sleep schedule for the first time since deployment, realistically since I went TAD last January. I am having some MAJOR insomnia issues. My circadian rhythm is so completely shot. Hasnāt been a problem with the rotating shift work because Iāve just been so continually exhausted that I could crash whenever. Now, ironically, that I have the opportunity to sleep a bit better, Iām utterly unable to do so. Lay in bed from 2000 to 0100 last night, just wide awake despite being exhausted all day. Finally got up, slammed two bagels and a bowl of Frosted Flakes, and the ensuing carb crash put me to sleep around 0200. Which is a neat but unhealthy trick lol. I think itās going to take some time back on land to get my sleep fixed, very seriously considering going to medical stateside to get a sleep study done. At the very least, making myself a strict bedtime routine and using melatonin/magnesium for at least a few weeks to try to force a schedule.
Conditioning: 31 min incline treadmill walk. 3.4 mph, 6.5 incline
Notes:
bench felt good again. Some magic to this program.
I think this will be my last run with RDLs as a main hinge movement. I love them as an accessory, but I feel like loading them heavy really ruins the stretch for me. Maybe heavy straight leg would suit me better.
Conditioning cut short by a desperate need to void my bowels. In related news, we had ships thanksgiving yesterday. I ate my customary one meal of the dayā¦. But it was three platesā¦ all stacked to the utter limit. I had to of eaten 2lbs of turkey and ham, and a solid cup of each of mashed potatoes, stuffing, Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes casserole, and collard greens. By the end of the meal, I was sweating like I had ran a 5k, then proceeded to lay down and lay regret life decisions for the next several hours. In short, it was a classic thanksgiving lol
Honestly, a lot of it is genetics. Iām positive you can shorten your ROM, just about everyone can. Go as wide as possible, get a bigger arch, etc. but having t-rex arms, a big trunk, and flexibility (to some degree) is part of the dice roll.
I have the first two, so Iām relatively good at bench but deadlift is a nightmare. The start position for @T3hPwnisher and me is incredibly different, my fingernails would be touching the bar where he starts and his hands are wrapped around the bar.
I canāt find the original video but the stretch is done with a GHD (or any round thing to arch over) but you put the pad in the upper/middle back, feet on ground, and hands on something to anchor yourself to stretch in that ROM. (lmk if that made sense, I can always take a picture later to visualize it)
If you donāt have a GHD, you could probably rig something up with a foam roller and a bench to create that arch
Pullovers are another cool thing for that
Hereās some over cool and fun stuff to get you extended
This program is feeling easier and easier. Definitely the least amount of effort spent on day 3 programming, despite the highest weights. Im a Smolov convert.
Feeling a little sick. Stomach bug has been tearing through the ship, think it just nicked me, but my bowels were NOT jiving with a run
@heretolog well ive got a barrel chest, but a longer arms and a shoulder that is not happy about trying to widen the grip, so I guess Iām sticking with this width for now! Gotta work on that arch though #strippertraining
@freshyfresh lol, now I just need to get a GHD! This looks sick though, Iāll try it out!
last day of Smolov. Program called for 222.5, so rounded up to 2 plates. Pretty happy with 10 sets at 2 platesā¦. Though I can remember freshman year of college hitting significantly heavier 10x3 running the neversate linear programming. Need to get this labrum back up and working. Still, hitting it for 5 at the end felt good, especially since I was pretty beat by then.
Tired. Not like today, just cumulative, I can feel it gaining on me more and more. Very close to heading home now, and not a moment too soon.
last real gym session of deployment. Wanted to end on a bang. This was my heaviest squat day yet, adding another 5lbs to all working sets, and then going for a PR with 335. I hit 325x10 a few weeks ago, and about a year ago hit 340x7, but that was fresh without 9 earlier work sets. Also not on a boat. So pretty happy with todayās squat. Wrists were killing me though, that was new. Think the bar just wanted to roll as the set continued, may use some wrist wraps in the future for high rep sets.
buying the home gym tonight, will report back on what I and up going with
(The Chateau Dāif, of Count of Monte Cristo fame, among many others)
Alright team: home gym haul (finally purchased)
Rogue RML-390F flat foot rack
I wanted an actual rack for heavy squatting, but wanted something smaller than the full size just to save garage space. The flat foot feature will be nice, since I donāt really want to bolt into my garage floors. Went with Monster lite instead of monster because I dig the west side bench spacing.
Rogue HR2 half rack
because my wife and I plan to lift together, wanted a way we could both lift. I honestly dig half racks, and considered just getting two half racks. Again doesnāt need to be bolted down. Got plate holders for this.
A ton of rogue classic iron plates
they work. They are cheap. This whole hobby is lifting heavy circles, they are heavy circles haha. (Hard, hard internal debate if I should go for the deep dish plates, but at the end of the day these seem better for heavy weight)
Rogue 45lb Ohio power bar (mine)
Rogue 20kg Ohio bar (wifeās)
Rogue DB15 loadable dumbbell: to load up dumbbell rows
Rogue Dip Bar
Rogue Echo Rower. Wanted a low impact cardio tool, and wife requested a rower over an air bike.
-Rep fitness AB 5200 adjustable bench. I had a rep bench before, and loved it.
-Rep Fitness Adonis lat pulldown/cable tower. Really excited for this, opens a ton of trainings opportunities
-Rep Fitness Open Trap Bar. I dig trap bars, this one looks pretty sweet.
Fringe Sport Mammoth belt squat. I wanted a way to isolate my quads, as they tend to really lag behind.
Freak athlete hyper pro with GHD attachment. This was a bit of a gamble, but the reviews seemed to really support this being quality, and I like the idea of back extensions, nordics, and GHDs. Fully understand taking a bit of a risk here, but I wanted to see it for myself.
Stuff already owned:
Nuobell DBs 80lb
Titan SSB
Rogue Axle
Still to get:
some sort of treadmill. Having a hard time figuring out which one I want.
leg press? Maybe? I decided against getting the Titan, largely because I just hate that company. My customer service issues with them had me swearing to never buy with them again, and Iām going to stick to that promise. I also donāt know how much space will fit in my garage. If space permits, I may try to find some used commercial leg press
