I’ve decided to retire my old training log and start up a new one. Most of you know who I am, but for those who need an intro I’ve been powerlifting since late 2006 in the 220 class. I started out lifting in multiply, but got tired of it and decided to lift raw. My best raw total to date was 1415 (500-370-545), which I set last November; not great, but not too shabby either. However, since then my training has been inconsistent to say the least–some might say sporadic even or nonexistent.
In the past couple of weeks I’ve attemmpted to jump-start my training with a few different routines, but I know who I am and came to the realization these routines were not the solution and probably would’ve ended up frustrating me had I not added X number of pounds when they were over.
Instead, I’m going to look at things from a longer-term perspective and just focus on getting stronger and building some mooscles (especially that stringy thing on the front of my arms called the “biceps”). My training generally isn’t going to following one specific philosophy or template, but it will tend to be a mix of periodization and ME work for the bench and squat, while the deadlift will be derived from an old web article that I found.
I will train 3 days a week, with a light squat/DL day on Monday and a heavier day on Fridays. I’ll only be benching one day per week and I’ll be alternating between ME and RE work each session.
You’re welcome to leave comments and feel free to give me shit if it looks like I’m slacking off 
3/15/10
Light squat/DL day
Close stance SSB box squats (low box)
225x3x5
4" deficit Stiff-legged DLs
135x10
155x10
135x2x10
Ab wheel
2x15
Average band side bends
2x15
Notes: I’m going to start off with light weights on the squat. Each week I will reduce the number of sets with the initial weight and add say 20 pounds plus do another set of 5. After 6 weeks the idea will be to have moved up to 265x3x5. If it doesn’t seem obvious, it should be as the weeks go by. Plus, since I have always been very weak with the SSB, this should only help raise my overall strength level and help me get some mid-back thickness.
As I mentioned above, the stiff-legged DLs come by way of an old web article detailing a Finnish deadlift program (I’ll try to find a link if anyone’s interested). It consists of 3 7-week mesocycles, starting off with sets of 10 on stiff-legged deficit DLs with what appear to be absurdly light weights; however, I can already tell this is going to be a challenge since I’m a bit sore from only using 135 and 155. If anything, it should condition my lower back.
I’ve been training, honest, just haven’t posted my sessions. So here’s what I did since last week.
3/17/10
Military press
95x5
115x5
125x8
85x3x10
Barbell shrugs
225x15
275x3x15
Barbell curls w/ fat gripz
3x8
Notes: I’ve always been terribly weak at military presses, so I’m going to use 5/3/1 as a direct method of trying to build that lift up. I purposefully set my max really low and it’s a good thing I did because 8 reps with 125 was feeling much harder than I thought it would be.
3/19/10
‘Heavy’ squat/DL
Free squat
w/u to
265x5
285x4
4" deficit stiff-legged DL
135x10
165x10
205x10
135x10
Straight-legged situps
BWx3x15
Notes: Squat felt pretty good and it had better given that I only had to do 4 reps with 285. I lowballed my max on this as well, but will ramp the weight up a bit each week so I won’t be sticking with these light squats for much longer. This Finnish DL program is going to be a killer. Using 205 on stiff-legged DLs might not sound like much, but my lower back, glutes and hamstrings were burning. I’m tempted to bump up the weights, though from what I’ve read of others who have tried this say DON’T DO IT. My abs (just like everything else) have become incredibly weak.
3/20/2010
Barbell bench press
175x5
195x5
210x5
225x5
245x5
Incline bench press
165x8
180x8
195x8
Chin-ups
BWx4x5
DB curls (w/ fat gripz)
3x12
Notes: Bench still feels pretty good. I’m going to give ol’ 5x5 a run for my bench over the next month or so, just to see how it goes. Inclines weren’t too bad, although the last set of 8 was a little more challenging than I thought it would be. Forearms were blasted after the chin-ups and curls. I actually had trouble holding the steering wheel in the car later on in the day.
3/22/10
Light squat/DL day
Close-stance SSB box squats
w/u to
225x6
245x5
4" deficit SLDLs
135x10
165x4x10
Ab wheel
3x15
Green band side bends
3x15
Notes: I’m finally getting the drive back to train. These shorter, more focused sessions have been fairly productive for me. While I’m not doing anywhere near the volume or intensity that I was doing with RTS, I feel like I’m accomplishing something. Not to mention the fact that I get everything done in 45 minutes to an hour (including warmups, switching equipment, etc) and I have more time in the evenings to spend with my nagging wife ;-).
3/24/10
Military press
105x3
120x3
135x7
85x4x10
Barbell shrugs
275x4x15
Barbell curls (w/ fat gripz)
3x8
Notes: Press felt better after this week. Moved my grip out just a smidge and it seemed to make a lot of difference. I could’ve cranked out a couple of more reps, but figured there’s no sense in risking a surprise grinder or a missed rep given the difficulty in judging muscle fatigue for the shoulders and triceps. Added another set to the shrugs and slowed down the tempo a little bit as well; my guess is that my traps will be pretty sore the next couple of days.
I’m sure things will come back pretty quick. Kind of funny to read that you are doing all these curls!
I’ve been reading a lot of stuff about John Broz and Bulgarian training methods, I have a new perspective that will help me get through RTS.
Ha, you aren’t kidding about the weirdness of doing curls. My biceps have always been pathetic and I doubt they’ll ever be considered ‘impressive’, but I would like to see something bigger than a mosquito bite should I ever choose to flex my arms - you know, when I’m on the beach and some hot big-breasted chick comes up and asks for the time.
Nice workouts, novaeer! Good luck with your new program. It’s all about enjoying what you are doing and having fun.
Time to catch up again.
3/26/10
Free squats
w/u to
270x5
290x4
4" deficit SLDLs
135x10
185x10
235x10
175x10
Straight-leg situps
3x15
Notes: Starting to feel better about squatting again. Bar speed is good and form has improved over the past couple of weeks. The stiff-legged deadlifts had my lower back/glutes/hamstrings on fire.
3/28/10
I was supposed to bench today, but possible foodborne pathogen (AKA Montezuma’s revenge) made it unwise to train. Also, I’ve realized following a program where I only do the regular bench press as my main exercise is going to bore the hell out of me and will not do shit for me. It might sound like I’ve developed training ADD, but I know from past experience that switching up exercises and using more ME-type work will help my bench out more.
3/29/10
Close-stance SSB box squats
w/u to
235x6
255x5
4" deficit SLDLs
135x10
165x4x10
Notes: Still felt a little weak from the bout with food poisoning so I decided to skip out on the ab work. I’ll add in something for abs on Friday.
I think recovering from food poisoning is a perfectly good excuse for skipping ab work.
3/31/10
Military press
110x5
125x3
140x7
Dropped down to…
85x5x10
Barbell shrugs
275x5x15
Barbell curls (w/ fat gripz)
3x8
Notes: Military press is slowly becoming more comfortable and I could’ve cranked out another couple of reps, but decided for the sake of progress that I’ll stay on the conservative side. Shrugs had my traps on fire and using the fat gripz on curls will completely kill your forearms (in a good way, of course). Dare I say that I’m making a bit of progress…
Well, it looks like I’ve been slacking when it comes to updating my training log. I have been training consistently since my last post and I have been hitting some decent numbers on squat and bench press. I haven’t pulled heavy from the floor for quite a while so there’s not much I can say about the DL at this time.
I’m working off memory here, but these are my sessions from the past week or so.
4/21
Military press
105x3
120x3
140x9
Dropped to 85x5x10
Green band face pulls
5x15
Barbell curls
65x8
75x8
85x8
95x8
Notes: Still making headway on the MP and even my spaghetti-like biceps are starting to show some signs of life. Hell, before long I might even see a visible bump when I flex.
4/23
‘Heavy’ Squat/DL
Free squat
285x3
315x3
345x1
375x1
400x1
4" deficit SLDL
205x10
265x10
295x10
225x2x10
Ab wheel (hold at bottom for 3 count)
BWx3x10
Notes: I wasn’t supposed to take a heavy single for another couple of weeks, but I really wanted to assess my progress. Not having squatted anything over 315 for basically the past two months or so, I was peasantly surprised that 400 went up as easily as it did. I could’ve tripled it if I wanted, but I only wanted to see what kind of improvements I made with the low intensity and low volume approach I was using. The top set of 295 for ten reps nearly made me puke my lower back and hamstrings were burning so badly. Doing this double overhand with a texas power bar also made it a nice bit of grip work.
4/24
3-board bench press
bar x several
135 x a few
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
-added boards
315x5
345x5
375x5 (rep PR)
Lying triceps extensions
50x10x8
4-way shoulder circuit
2x12 (each direction)
Notes: Heaviest bench session I’ve had in a while and it turned out pretty well. Fifth rep with 375 moved slowly, but I was happy to get it. The skullcrushers absolutely sucked–well doing 10 sets of anything sucks to be honest. My triceps have never been that sore. The shoulder circuit had my shoulders on fire and I had to bail on doing the third giant set. Now that I’m getting more used to heavy weight in my hands I’ll probably shift back toward more full ROM bench movements.
4/26/2010
DE Squat/DL
SSB squats +90 pounds of chain (12" box)
195x2x2
215x3x2
235x3x2
4" deficit DLs
225x5
255x5
275x3x5
Ab wheel
BWx3x15
Notes: I haven’t done speed work for a long time and I feel like I’ve lost some explosiveness on my squat with all the rep work I have done over the past couple of months. Bar speed was good on every set and form felt solid throughout. First time doing a conventional DL in quite a while. Six or so weeks of stiff-legged work seems to have helped build some nice pop off the floor. The ab wheel is an evil invention, but it has to easily be the best exercise for building gut strength.