09Apr24
Arms
Upper Back
Conditioning
III
4 Likes
10Apr24
Deadlift
465x1
430x3
430x2
430x2
430x2
430x1
2-ct Paused Bench Press
205x4
195x4
195x4
Split Squat
145x12
145x10
145x8
145x6
RDL
225x20
225x12
225x12
225x10
Training is feeling so good right now. Whether or not I do well at this meet or if I even enjoy it, signing up for it has had the desired effect on my training. I love competing, and I love the daily grind of trying to get better, specifically for competitive endeavors. This was an easy 465 that ties my all-time PR. By the time I got to them, the RDLs were murder, even at only 225.
III
4 Likes
11Apr24
High Incline Bench Press
155x4
155x4
155x4
155x4
Lever Rows
85x10
85x10
85x10
Low Incline CGBP
145x10
150x10
150x10
Wendler Rows
90x20
90x17
90x15
90x12
III
3 Likes
12Apr24
Arms
Upper Back
Forearm/grip work
III
3 Likes
14Apr24
Squat
385x1
350x3
350x3
350x2
350x2
350x2
CGBP
205x5
190x5
190x5
190x5
2-ct Paused Deadlift
335x6
315x4
315x4
315x4
Lunges
135x16
135x13
Man, those squats are feeling so good. The 385 slowed down just a little bit when I raised my chest a little too early, but I buried the depth and it was an RPE7, at most. And those back-offs were the perfect intensity.
III
3 Likes
I made some venison meatballs Saturday night. I really enjoy trying new things and making my wild game meat taste really good, since I eat so much of it. I wanted to make spaghetti for some company that was coming over to watch the fights Saturday night, so I decided to make some meatballs to go along.
I mixed a 1/2 lb ground pork with 1 lb venison to add some fat and flavor (plus an egg for binding). Then I just sautéed red onion and garlic with a few Italian seasonings, mixed that with the meat and some breadcrumbs. Baked them for 24 minutes then threw them in the skillet full of sauce.
Turned out really well, I think. They were well received by my guests, as well.
We’ll have to see what I get into next. I better become a better hunter, though, as my freezer’s starting to get bare…
3 Likes
15Apr24
Bench Press
235x1
210x3
210x3
210x2
210x2
210x2
210x2
210x1
2-ct Paused Squat
275x6
275x5
275x4
275x3
JM Press
70x10
70x10
70x10
70x10
DB Lateral Raises
30x16
25x15
20x16
20x12
Paused squats suck, but I feel their utility is being realized in my heavy squat day. Doing them low-bar style, just like my competition squat, really lets me work on staying tight at the bottom position, and definitely makes me concentrate on driving up out of the bottom with my hips.
I think I’m finally figuring out how to do the JM presses properly. I may have to abandon them soon, though. When I do them properly and keep my elbows high, it puts a lot of strain on my left forearm (that’s the arm and elbow on which I’ve had many surgeries/repairs and currently have myriad plates and screws throughout) to the point it actually buckled on me here. No worries, I’ll find a different supplemental lift.
III
3 Likes
A lot has happened in my life since I last posted pictures, and not very much of it has been good. I’m a little lighter than I prefer to be right now at 210, but that is by design as I head toward the June 1 meet.
6 Likes
Jacked!
1 Like
Good sign
Haha thanks. I don’t know about jacked, but I’m good with it. Honestly, I wish I could spend a few training blocks just focused on hypertrophy. I’d not be huge, but I seem to respond well to training, as most of mine is focused solely on strength, yet I always end up looking ok. I obviously throw in some “bodybuilding”-type stuff on top of my strength training, but most of my lifting is lower-rep powerlifting leaning.
I think if I could dedicate half a year or a year to hypertrophy I could look pretty good. I’ve tried, but that type of training is so hard for me to focus on. When I switch to a hypertrophy-based program, I immediately start skipping or half-assing workouts. It’s just boring to me. I guess it’s one of those “we’re-all-different-with -different-goals-and-mindsets” things. Guess I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and hope to get more jacked in the process.
(I’m just bloviating, now. This does not require a read or a response…)
I hope you’re doing great. Remember what your goals are and do something every day to move yourself in that direction!
III
2 Likes
I agree, thanks! Squat and deadlift, as usual, are feeling great. Deadlift is so hard to judge how good it actually feels. I’ll pull one that feels like my back is completely rounded and it was an RPE12.5 to lock it out, then watch the video tape back and it looked like a warmup rep.
My bench press has actually been feeling like it’s making a slight bit of progress here lately, even. It’s been years since it budged. My bench press will actually be embarrassing to go to a meet with, but hopefully the other lifts can cover that sin a little bit. This current block of training has a pretty good amount of weekly frequency/volume, and I seem to be responding well to keeping the back-off sets at a higher intensity than normal.
(Again I’m just flapping my gums here; no need for a read or response…)
III
3 Likes
17Apr24
Deadlift
470x1
430x3
430x3
430x2
430x1
430x1
2-ct Paused Bench Press
210x4
195x4
195x4
I cut some supplemental stuff off the end of this session; the deadlifts took forever to finish for some reason.
III
3 Likes
19Apr24
High Incline Bench Press
165x4
165x4
165x4
165x4
165x4
Lever Rows
85x10
85x10
85x8
85x6
85x6
Low Incline CGBP
155x10
155x10
155x8
155x6
155x6
Wendler Rows
95x20
95x18
95x14
95x12
My dark suit is getting holes worn in it from so many funerals and memorial services lately. A couple more likely this week. Always interesting how these things seem to come in waves.
III
4 Likes
22Apr24
Squat
375x1
345x3
345x2
345x2
345x2
345x1
345x1
345x1
CGBP
CGBP
205x5
190x5
190x5
190x5
2-ct Paused Deadlift
335x6
315x4
315x4
315x4
III
4 Likes
Squats and deadlifts looking really solid mate. How are you feeling.
1 Like
Thanks man. I was feeling great until some version of cold/flu completely took me off of my feet this week. At least I got to squat, but hopefully a week off of deadlifting and benching will just make them better? Fingers crossed.
I think I’m getting over it now. Back to work.
4 Likes
29Apr24
Squat
375x1
335x3
335x3
335x2
335x2
335x2
CGBP
185x5
170x5
170x5
170x5
Had to knock this one out “quickly.”
III
4 Likes
30Apr24
Bench Press
225x1
205x3
205x3
205x3
205x3
205x2
205x1
2-ct Paused Squat
275x6
275x5
275x4
275x3
JM Press
65x10
65x10
65x10
65x10
DB Lateral Raise
30x14
25x13
20x12
15x14
III
3 Likes
02May24
Deadlift
455x1
415x3
415x3
415x2
415x2
2-ct Paused Bench Press
205x4
195x4
195x4
Split Squat
145x12
145x10
145x10
I really like this program I’m running, but the workouts take forever; I keep having to cut stuff off at the end.
III
4 Likes