11-10-09
DB preacher curl:
30x2x10
35x10
EZ bar curls:
40x10
60x10
80x8
Not including bar weight
Cleans:
135x5- hang
185x1- hang
185x2- power clean here on out
205x1
225x0
215x1
Didnt really have a plan today, just went in and did it.
I figured out why my power cleans have been sucking. I move to slow off the ground, so when I get the bar to my hips im just using all upper body. I failed on the 225, but when I did the 215 and got really explosive it flew up.
Well great job on the Power/hang cleans. Any reason as for why you are developing this?
I just added hang cleans in to work on my traps.
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
Well great job on the Power/hang cleans. Any reason as for why you are developing this?
I just added hang cleans in to work on my traps.[/quote]
Thanks for the comment Alk.
The main reason is I throw shotput, it’s a great exercise to build power and explosion which is exactly what you need for it.
I did them today because I benched yesterday and couldnt squat, so I just decided to work on explosivness. I havent been adding them in to much because I keep fogetting, but I will be adding these in more often.
11-12-09
DL:
135x8
225x5
275x4
335x3
360x3
390x5- Never repped anything this heavy, so pretty big PR.
225x10- hook grip
Snatches: 95x3x10- Just learning how to do these.
Had a great DL session. The music was blasting, I got smacked in the face a few times and everyone in the weightroom was cheering me on. That’s an awesome feeling.
How did the breathing work out for you?
Holy shit, good DLs.
Really good log, I’ve skimmed it through.
Jeez, those numbers are looking awfully good! Any general/global thoughts on what’s working so well with your training?
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
11-12-09
DL:
135x8
225x5
275x4
335x3
360x3
390x5- Never repped anything this heavy, so pretty big PR.
225x10- hook grip
Snatches: 95x3x10- Just learning how to do these.
Had a great DL session. The music was blasting, I got smacked in the face a few times and everyone in the weightroom was cheering me on. That’s an awesome feeling.[/quote]
So damn cool! Proud and happy for you!
Damn, alot of responses! Thanks everyone for commenting.
Jonatan: I honestly didnt see a diffrence, I was more focused on getting the weight up, everything else is just a blur.
TyGym: Thank you for the comment, I appreciate it.
Ramo: Thank you, I think 5/3/1 is really helping. Before when I was doing westside I was doing very advanced stuff and made poor decisions on just about everything. 5/3/1 is very basic and is letting me recover perfectly, especially with the deload week. Thanks again for the comment.
Mrodock: Thanks man, I think 500 is a reasonable goal within the next year!
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
Mrodock: Thanks man, I think 500 is a reasonable goal within the next year![/quote]
Fucking right it is! Just keep that form really solid, take the weights that are available, it will happen soon enough (in our minds it is never soon enough).
11-15-09
Military press:
barx10
65x5
115x5
135x3
155x6- PR+ 2 reps
BB front raises: 45x3x10
DB rows: 85x4x10
Low row: 150x3x10
My calluses were hurting pretty bad today, so it was really hard to grip the DB’s and the low row bar. I think there gonna start tearing off soon 
I was expecting 8 with 155, but it is what it is. The last rep took about 10 seconds to lock out, really shaky to.
I also got 3 conatiners of Grow! and these things are fu*king huge, didnt think I was gonna get that much. I should be good on protein for a few months.
So latley Ive been thinking about my bench. A few months ago I could rep 225 8 times if I was feeling my best, and around that time I maxed at 285. That was when I was working in lower reps of course, now im doing 5/3/1 and havent been below 5 reps in about 5 months.
Now im repping 225 11x, but in the past 2 months ive failed at 285 and 290. And tonight I tried 290 again, and failed horribly. And afterwords BARELY making 280. It’s obvious 5/3/1 has improved my endurance, and that ive lost my raw power. If I plan on maxing in febuary, I dont think I can continue following the 5/3/1 bench program. But I will stick with the DL and squat 5/3/1 program, it’s benifited me to much to stop.
My plan is to go back to a westisde template, sticking to only the basic flat bench and 2-board, nothing fancy, and having a ME and RE day every week. My 2 month layout will look like this:
Monday: Squat 5/3/1
BBB
Tuesday: ME bench
2-board, 4 triples
lat pulldowns
shrugs
Thursday: Deadlift 5/3/1
BBB
Friday: RE bench
CG bench 5x5
MP 5/3/1
DB row
low row
The only changes I really made were the reps, I will be keeping the 4th week de-load. What do you guys think? If anyone has a better way to peak my strength please tell me, this shit is on my mind 24/7.
Guys, I know ive been saying this for almost a year now, but I fucking NEED 300. Ive moved less than 50 lbs. in 3 years on the bench, and im sick of it.
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
So latley Ive been thinking about my bench. A few months ago I could rep 225 8 times if I was feeling my best, and around that time I maxed at 285. That was when I was working in lower reps of course, now im doing 5/3/1 and havent been below 5 reps in about 5 months.
Now im repping 225 11x, but in the past 2 months ive failed at 285 and 290. And tonight I tried 290 again, and failed horribly. And afterwords BARELY making 280. It’s obvious 5/3/1 has improved my endurance, and that ive lost my raw power. If I plan on maxing in febuary, I dont think I can continue following the 5/3/1 bench program. But I will stick with the DL and squat 5/3/1 program, it’s benifited me to much to stop.
My plan is to go back to a westisde template, sticking to only the basic flat bench and 2-board, nothing fancy, and having a ME and RE day every week. My 2 month layout will look like this:
Monday: Squat 5/3/1
BBB
Tuesday: ME bench
2-board, 4 triples
lat pulldowns
shrugs
Thursday: Deadlift 5/3/1
BBB
Friday: RE bench
CG bench 5x5
MP 5/3/1
DB row
low row
The only changes I really made were the reps, I will be keeping the 4th week de-load. What do you guys think? If anyone has a better way to peak my strength please tell me, this shit is on my mind 24/7.
Guys, I know ive been saying this for almost a year now, but I fucking NEED 300. Ive moved less than 50 lbs. in 3 years on the bench, and im sick of it.
[/quote]
Okay, here are a few thoughts:
First, I like where your head is at. It really does appear to be time to change your bench approach. And I also like the idea of incorporating Westside in with your 5/3/1 training for squat and deadlift. Here are a few things that I don’t like as much. I think you need more than two movements for ME work. Maybe flat bench, 2 board, and paused floor press. You could switch the ME movement each week, or you could do something like go for a 5 rep max, 3 rep max, and 1 rep max in successive weeks on one movement, then switch movements. Just some ideas. Another thing I don’t like is keeping 5/3/1 military press on RE day. It appears you have gotten a fair amount stronger on military press but haven’t benefited on the flat bench. Instead I would do inclines or incline dumbbells.
Ok, thanks for the input. So maybe if I set it up like this?:
Tuesday: ME bench
2-board: 5-3-1 rep max
flat bench: work up to a triple
lat pulldowns
shrugs
Thursday: RE bench
CG 5x5
DB military
DB row
low row
shrugs
I would like to keep in the MP press, because I do believe its benifited me some. I noticed in these last few weeks when I set PR’s in MP I set them in bench.
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
Ok, thanks for the input. So maybe if I set it up like this?:
Tuesday: ME bench
2-board: 5-3-1 rep max
flat bench: work up to a triple
lat pulldowns
shrugs
Thursday: RE bench
CG 5x5
DB military
DB row
low row
shrugs
I would like to keep in the MP press, because I do believe its benifited me some. I noticed in these last few weeks when I set PR’s in MP I set them in bench.[/quote]
Certainly keep it if you want it but I was just suggesting it doesn’t seem to be helping your 1 rep max. It does seem to go along with your rep maxes on flat bench though.
So the system I was talking about (it is in Dave Tate’s bench book would be something like this:
Week 1-3
2 board press
5rm (week 1)
3rm (week 2)
1rm (week 3)
Week 4-6
flat bench
5rm (week 4)
3rm (week 5)
1rm (week 6)
Week 7-9
floor press
5rm (week 7)
3rm (week 8)
1rm (week 9)
Here is a good article in case you haven’t read it, or haven’t read it in awhile:
Ok, that sounds like a good plan, I think ill start it right after this week’s de-load.
Thanks for the article, I think ill print it out and bring it with me to the gym.
Could do a week deload in week 7, then hit the floor press in weeks 8-10.
Well after posting a thread about my “problem” I think im gonna go a diffrent route then what you suggested Mrodock (great advise btw).
Basically what im going to do is increase the weight a fair amount for bench. Im planning on hitting the reps prescribed, no more no less. Ive been using high reps for to long, and I need to get back my raw strength.
Last cycle I did:
5 week: 225x11
3 week: 235x8
1 week: 245x6
So for the first week (5 week) of my next cycle I plan on working up to 245, 2nd week (3’s week) will work up to 255, and then the 3rd week (1 week) ill be going up to 265. Ill also be going heavier on the 2-board, gonna do 2 heavy sets of triples every bench workout).
I plan on doing 3 cycles of this. Following that ill then switch back to a Westside routine for a month or so to really peak my strength, and then… I will max and hope for the best.
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
Well after posting a thread about my “problem” I think im gonna go a diffrent route then what you suggested Mrodock (great advise btw).
Basically what im going to do is increase the weight a fair amount for bench. Im planning on hitting the reps prescribed, no more no less. Ive been using high reps for to long, and I need to get back my raw strength.
Last cycle I did:
5 week: 225x11
3 week: 235x8
1 week: 245x6
So for the first week (5 week) of my next cycle I plan on working up to 245, 2nd week (3’s week) will work up to 255, and then the 3rd week (1 week) ill be going up to 265. Ill also be going heavier on the 2-board, gonna do 2 heavy sets of triples every bench workout).
I plan on doing 3 cycles of this. Following that ill then switch back to a Westside routine for a month or so to really peak my strength, and then… I will max and hope for the best.[/quote]
Sounds solid, good luck
Thanks RM.
11-17-09
Power clean: up to 205 for a sloppy single
Box squat (beltless):
barx10
185x5
225x3x5
Groin felt pretty good today, wasnt aggrivated at all. I know this is suppose to be a de-load but im not going crazy with the weights.