Phase 2
Saturday - 25JUN11 - Upper #2
Push Press
135x1 to 175x1 by 10s
Speed Bench Press
10x3x105 @ 40% 1RM
Close Grip from Pins
205x5
205x5
195x5
195x5
Meadows Row
70x5
90x5
90x5
90x5
Inverted Row
3x10
Scapular Pushup
3x15
Thus far this is the most I’ve deviated from the program. I’m push pressing in preparation for a strongman competition at the end of July- damn I haven’t posted anything on that yet have I? Here’s the link: http://www.clarksportscenter.com/events/vis-vires/
Gonna get my ass kicked but it’ll be a lot of fun. Getting back on track, the close grips are from pins because the safety pins either go too low or too high so one inch off the chest is a good compromise. No good replacements for the chest supported row, the Meadows Row is a great movement but I’ll probably use the HS High Row next week.
Monday - 27JUN11 - Lower #1
Front Squat
(5x1)x5 (10s)
265, 265, 265, 265, 265
DB Step-up
3x6x35
Ab Wheel
2x10xFull ROM on knees
Natural GHR
2x8
Pistol to Box
2x10
I was really amazed at how much better everything felt this week. I used my Adistars for the first time in months and I can’t remember why I stopped. My hip flexibility is great (abduction/external rotation) but my hip flexors and calves are more uncooperative and my ankle flexibility especially is a big obstacle. I grinded fewer reps and overall the squats were much more solid. Front squatting 315 on the next deload week is the plan hopefully with room for more. 350 is the longish goal since that’s reaching into strong muthafucka territory but I’ve got a little ways to go before that yet.
Phase 2
Wednesday - 22JUN11 - Upper #1
Incline Bench Press
(5x1x5)x185, 185, 185, 185, 185
Pullup- Medium Grip
(5x2x5)x 25, 20, 15, 15, 15
Flat DB Bench
3x6x85
Head Supported DB Row
3x6x75
Cable Backhand
3x12x12.5
Supinated DB Curl
2x10
Based on some advice I got I lowered the Incline to my usual 30 degrees and it was much more comfortable overall. 25 singles with 185 is an incredible PR. Incline has always been something of a white whale for me so it’s good to see it moving up so much. The rest of the session went great except for pullups which I for some reason felt weaker on. I’m going to do some more dedicated lat stretching this week and see if it carries over.
Was camping all weekend so I didn’t get the opportunity to update.
Phase 2
Friday - 01JUL11 - Lower #2
Broad Jump
5x5
Deadlift
385x5
375x5
375x5
375x5
DB Reverse Lunge
55x6
55x6
55x6
Pallof Press
3x10x#70
Not bad at all. Broad Jumps were rough until the 3rd set and then they started falling more in line. Pulls weren’t incredible but better than last week.
Phase 2
Friday - 01JUL11 - Upper #2
Speed Bench Press
8x3x115 @ 45% 1RM
245x2
240x3
Close Grip
215x5
210x5
210x5
HS High Row
135x5
135x5
135x5
Inverted Row
3x10
Scapular Pushup
3x15
The first time I’ve actually felt good benching in months. Bar came down unevenly and bounced too much off the pins otherwise I would have been good for the first triple.
Tuesday- 5JUN11 - Lower #1
Front Squat
(4x1)x6 (10s)
275, 275, 275, cut short because of right SI pain
DB Step-up
4x8x30
Ab Wheel
3x10xFull ROM on knees
Natural GHR
3x8
Pistol to Box
2x10
600m Sled Drag
Too ambitious on the Front Squats. I got three good cluster sets in but the last couple were real grinds. I took 265 for the fourth set and had too much pain in my right SI to continue intelligently, I know better then to **** around with this by now. Still, 12 singles with 275 is a damn good haul for the day.
Maximum Strength was the first powerlifting oriented program I ran two and a half years ago. It marked the beginning of me taking my training seriously, I will always have fond memories. I actually remember googling Maximum Strength and reading your original maximum strength log.
I don’t have any useful comments to make, just dropping in to say I am watching and goodluck.
Thanks Viking. I’m glad it was useful, I’ve actually had quite a few people tell me that.
Turned 22 yesterday, now begins the birthdays that nobody gives a shit about.
Phase 2
Wednesday - 22JUN11 - Upper #1
Incline Bench Press
(4x1x6)x190, 190, 190, 190, 190, 190
Pullup- Medium Grip
(4x2x6)x+25, +25, +25, +20, +20, +20
Flat DB Bench
3x8x85
Head Supported DB Row
3x8x75
Cable Backhand
3x12x12.5
Supinated DB Curl
3x10
Really good session. I’m impressed at how much my Incline has come up in the past two months.
Phase 2
Friday - 08JUL11 - Lower #2
Broad Jump
6x5
Deadlift
395x5
385x5
375x5
375x5
375x5
DB Reverse Lunge
4x6x60
Pallof Press
3x10x#70
Definitely an off day but I stuck it out all the same. 405 next week.
Phase 2
Saturday - 09JUL11 - Upper #2
Speed Bench Press
10x3 @ 45% 1RM as 135
Close Grip
215x5
220x5
225x5
215x5
215x5
Machine Seated Row
190x5
200x5
200x5
200x5
200x5
Inverted Row
3x10
Scapular Pushup
3x15
This was the first time I’ve trained at my high school gym in probably going on 4 years or so. I just got a new job working there but it’s only 5 hours a week until August when I can start helping build the S&C program.
It’s a good facility but I wish the staff had been more intelligent with their item purchases given the budget they were given. They have nine power racks which is incredible, two dumbbell racks up to 100, a standard Cybex circuit and general cardio machines. That’s the upside. Otherwise, the racks are sturdy but have three+ inch safety pin setting. The knurling on the bars is below average and start bending at three plates, and the plates are the massive rubber coated Yorks that make it difficult to fit much more than 405 on the bar. The head of athletics bought a GHR last year after reading some BFS material, but they went with a rolling pad which is completely useless.
In the end I’m just bitching- how many weight rooms have 9 power racks? But goddamn, this place could have been so much more.
As for the training session everything went well. I haven’t done 225x5 on Close Grip since October and it wasn’t accompanied by this amount of volume either. It’s too bad that I couldn’t get into my other gym to use the HS High Row but the Seated Machine Row is actually a pretty good piece of work. 1RM Bench test next week.
Monday- 11JUN11 - Lower #1
Front Squat
300x1
320x1
DB Step-up
2x6x20
Ab Wheel
2x10
Natural GHR
2x8
Pistol to Box
2x10
Had a perfectly normal view on the 320 and some asshole in the gym moved the camera as I was prepping. Go figure.
Not quite as deep as I normally go but my legs were still a mess from the lunges on Friday. This deload will be nice.
Phase 2
Wednesday - 13JUN11 - Upper #1
Pullup- Medium Grip
3x5x+15
Flat DB Bench
2x8x60 easy
Head Supported DB Row
2x8x60 easy
Cable Backhand
2x12x12.5
Supinated DB Curl
3x10
Trained on Wednesday and left for NYC on Thursday morning. Most run down bus I’ve ever been in but the 5 hour ride wasn’t actually that bad. Never used the subway before so that was a new experience. Book signing with GRRM was beast though, got to meet with him for 5 minutes or so he was a really chill guy. Next day got lost meeting up with my friends a couple times and probably walked 7 or 8 miles with a 30 lb backpack, saw Times Square and all the usual crap. Bus back was a 100 times better. I didn’t get the opportunity to hit up Peak Performance like I wanted to so I’ll save that for another time.
Phase 2
Saturday - 16JUL11 - Upper 2
Bench Press
5x3x55% 1RM as 145
265x1 (5 lb PR)
275 miss
HS High Row
135x5
140x5
Pallof Press
2x10x#60
Inverted Row
2x10
Scap Pushup
2x15
Warmups went great considering how the last two days went, lack of sleep and the like. 265 went up fast. 275 had good speed off the chest but I was too quick with the unrack and it dipped to the right side. No coming back from that unfortunately. Disappointing too because of how light it felt. All things considered I’ll take a 5 lb PR any day over nothing.
New phase, awesome. Three weeks of the exact same exercises is about all I can take the deload weeks grind on me.
Phase 3
Monday - 18JUL11 - Lower 1
Snatch Grip Deadlift
135x5
185x3
225x2
275x1
315x1
365x2 add belt, lost hook grip
365x3 add straps
365x3
355x5
355x5
90/90 Stretch
15s each side in between Speed Deadlifts
Speed Deadlift
8x1x60% as 275
Walking DB Lunge
3x7x50, 1x10x45
Dragon Flag Partials
3x10
DB Suitcase Deadlift
3x10 as 60, 65, 70
This is the best pulling session in a while and by far the best with Snatch Grips. It’s been a very problematic movement for me since my original back injury but since I learned how to use my belt it’s been a non issue. Used hook grip on the first set with 365 but lost the third rep. I’m still new to using it so I was happy to get even that. I used straps for the rest of the sets and went back to hook for the Speed Deadlifts. Holy shit they were fast today. Everything else went well, not much to talk about.
Phase 3
Wednesday - 20JUL11 - Upper 1
Floor Press
3x3x235, 2x5x225
Blast Strap Pushup
3x7x+30, BWx10
Seated Cable Row - Supinated
3x7x165, 140x10
Face Pull w/External Rotation
3x10x50
BTN Band Pullapart
3x12xMonster Mini
Floor Press is more or less equivalent to my bench right now. I think I found a good assistance lift, good thing they’re programmed in for the next phase as well.
Messed around with a couple different methods of loading the Blast Strap Pushups and couldn’t come up with a good method for plates or dumbbells. I’ll have to bring in my chains again, unfortunately bands seem to only want to rip the skin off my forearms. Pretty good session all in all.
Phase 3
Friday - 22JUL11 - Lower #2
Speed Squat
10x2x50% as 195
Rack Pull from Below Knees
425x1, move on
Wall Ankle Mobilization
Superset with Rack Pulls
DB Reverse Lunge From Deficit
3x7x45, 1x10x40
Cable Woodchop
3x10x#70
Bulgarian Split Squat Iso Hold
2x30s
Speed Squats went well, really good speed. Rack Pulls were atrocious though. I worked up to 425x1 and it was an all out grinder. This was the first time that I’ve really felt like my lower back wasn’t recovered enough to pull, strange feeling. Snatch Grip + Speed DLs on one day and Rack Pulls on the other might not be the best set up. Looking back on it I think I should have just dropped my working weights by 50 lbs or so but goddamn I felt horrible. Rep range is lower on Snatch Grip next week and it get switched out for Front Box Squats after that so I think the rest of the phase will go fine.
Phase 3
Saturday - 23JUL11 - Upper 2
Speed Pin Press
10x3x50% as 135
Seated Cable Row - Neutral Grip
3x5x180, 2x7x155
DB Push Press
3x5x60, 1x7x55
Straight Arm Pulldown
3x12x#70
Lying DB Extension
2x10x25
Good speed on bench, best and heaviest Cable Rows I think I’ve ever done. Push Presses felt a lot better than the one arm version but I still had timing and weakness in my left shoulder. Everything erred on the light side today though and there’s a lot of room for improvement.
Best Hitler rant video I’ve seen so far
Phase 3
Monday - 25JUL11 - Lower 1
Snatch Grip Deadlift
375x2 hook
385x2 add straps
385x2
385x2
365x4
365x4
90/90 Stretch
15s each side in between Speed Deadlifts
Speed Deadlift
8x1x65% as 295
Walking DB Lunge
3x7x55, 1x10x50
Dragon Flag Partials
3x10
DB Suitcase Deadlift
3x10x70
Brutal session, took a lot out of me but I felt like I was able to improve a lot on Snatch Grip the last two weeks. Hook grip is getting better, I actually had a sweet blood spray right beneath my thumbnail on the 375 so that made me switch to straps a little sooner than I might have liked. Real interested to see how the Front Box Squats go next week. My goal for this week is to construct a solid 10 inch box which will put me a good amount below parallel.
Phase 3
Wednesday - 27JUL11 - Upper 1
Floor Press
245x2
3x2x250
2x4x235
Blast Strap Pushup
3x7xMonster Mini, 1x10xBW
Seated Cable Row - Supinated
165x7, 2x7x172.5, 1x10x150
Face Pull w/External Rotation
3x10x60
BTN Band Pullapart
3x12xMonster Mini
Really good day. Incline Bench Press gets rotated in next week so I’ll be setting some nice PRs on that too. Played around with hand positioning a little on the Blast Straps so I was able to find a setting that spared me the skin ripping off of my forearms. Would be nice to find a decent weighted vest though.
Phase 3
Friday - 29JUL11 - Lower #2
Speed Squat
10x2x55% as 210
365x1, then miss 365
Rack Pull from Below Knees
2x5x405
1x7x385
Wall Ankle Mobilization
Superset with Rack Pulls
DB Reverse Lunge From Deficit
2x7x50, 1x10x45
Split Stance Cable Lift
2x10x30
Bulgarian Split Squat Iso Hold
2x30s
Speed was crap the whole session. 2x2 was called for after the speed sets. Got 365 in for one single, pitched to far right on the second and couldn’t grind through. Not a biggie, I’ve gone a while without a crap session so I can take this one in stride.
Phase 3
Saturday - 30JUL11 - Upper 2
Speed Pin Press
8x3x55% as 145
250x2
245x2
Seated Cable Row - Neutral Grip
1x5x180, 2x5x185, 1x7x165
DB Push Press
2x5x65, 1x5x60, 1x7x55
Straight Arm Pulldown
3x12x#70
Lying DB Extension
2x10x25
Not bad, not terribly great either.
One thing that I’ve mentioned in my previous logs that I don’t believe I’ve mentioned before is my unexplained elbow pain with extensions. This is a really long standing issue that goes back to before I even started lifting. I remember the one time we went into the gym in 7th grade and having the same elbow pain. I’ve never had any issues with close grip bench, dips or pushups but isolated extensions are fucking impossible. Even pushdowns are out of the question most of the time. I’ve had a couple ART sessions for it before (which I’ve found incredible for just about every other injury/issue I’ve had) which didn’t do much, but after some dedicated searching I finally found a Graston practitioner about a half hour away. I’ll see if I can get in next week.
Phase 3
Monday - 01AUG11 - Lower 1
Front Box Squat
255x3
265x3
265x3
250x5
250x5
90/90 Stretch
15s each side in between Speed Deadlifts
Speed Deadlift
10x1x70% as 320
Walking DB Lunge
3x7x60, 2x10x50
Dragon Flag Partials
3x12
DB Suitcase Deadlift
3x10x75
Front Box Squats are fucking ridiculous, I did 320x1 free a month ago and today I was getting rocked by 265 to a high box. Brutal. I’m going to try to put together a 12" box to use for next week. Speeds are alright, felt pretty heavy. Rest of the session went well but my camera work with my new phone was messed up so those videos didn’t turn out.
