Cisco's Training Log

If you have a doorway with an actual doorjam (molding/framing and all that), you may find some benefit from getting one of those over doorwar pull up bars. Before i could do 10 consecutively, i would knock out 5 or so every trip to the restroom.

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I have a bar in my little home gym but im moving some furniture around and redoing a room currently so it’s not available at the moment. Once it is, ill try that out.

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I used my backup gym today. I’ve been a member at it for longer. I think I may make it my full time gym again, except for the small one at work I’ll sometimes use.

I tend to get lured in by bigger nicer gyms because of equipment availability and some issues that can be aggravating about this gym. But it’s closer and more convenient. It’s also one that I can use at anytime, whereas my other nicer gym is fully staffed but has limited hours on the weekends.

The primary drawback is that while it has plenty of machines it has less specialty bars and equipment like reverse hypers, belt squat, ect …

One difference is in the sizes of boxes they have. The gym i used today has two that are too high for me for primary box squats and one that’s too low. So today I used a bench. The box I have been using is slightly above parallel, especially for wide stance, which I’ve mainly been doing. The bench is a little below parallel for me, even on wide stance, being relatively tall.

I have been getting too heavy on my speed squats and speed deadlifts anyway. So, combined with the several inch height difference, I dropped the weight significantly on these. Upped the volume.

Dynamic Lower

Speed Squats - 12 x 2 x 155 lbs straight weight + double banded mini red band.

Speed Deadlifts (Sumo) - 10 x 1 x 205

Superset with

4 Box Jumps

Walking Lunges BW about 40 feet

Adductor Machine - 3 Sets

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Conditioning

Seated Box Jumps - 3 x 3 onto 25 inch box

Box Jumps with several feet of a head start - 2 x 3 onto a 40 inch box.

Single Leg Band Curls - 4 x 25 with Mini Red Band

Adductor Band Pull - 2 x 25 with Mini Red Band

Treadmill - 25 minutes at brisk pace and mild incline with two sprints mixed in.

If you’re a raw lifter rotate in free squats more regularly (ie at least 50% of the time).
When you are box squatting ensure your box is at least as deep (if not deeper) than your free squat.

For deadlifts deficits with a pause at the equivalent of the floor on dynamics and doing isometrics as an accessory should help.

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Thank you! I’ll try that.

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In for the follow

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Somehow I goofed up and got out of order today. I did a max effort upper day instead of a dynamic upper. Not too big of a deal, I guess.

Max Effort Upper

Paused Bench Press - Worked up to heavy singles with a combination of straight weight and bands.

1 x 175 lbs + Double Banded Micro Black
1 x 195 lbs + Double Banded Micro Black
1 x 175 lbs + Double Banded Micro Black
1 x 175 lbs + Double Banded Micro Black

Seated Cable Rows with Neutral Grip

4 x 12 x 105 lbs

Superset with

Triceps Press Machine

4 x 5 x 120 lbs

Lat Pulldowns with a Wide Grip

12 x 105
11 x 105
10 x 105

DB Side Bend

4 x 10 x 20

Band Triceps Pushdowns

4 x 25 with Mini Red Band

Superset with

Band Pull a Parts

4 x 25 with Micro Black Band

I focused on really controlling the bar on the paused BP. It was at a normal speed, but I just tried to keep the eccentric smooth and have a nice pause of about a second or more.

On the cable rows I did a slow eccentric.

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Been sick the last couple of days with some respiratory illness. It seems to be more in my chest now but i don’t feel as run down so i snuck in a workout this afternoon. Did get a little gassed later in the session.

Max Effort Lower

Deficit Deadlifts (Conventional) - Worked up to several heavy singles standing on a board. It was either inch or an inch and a quarter. Not sure. One issue is that the free weight section at this gym has few places where the floor is truly level. So there was a slight bit of give on the board.

1 x 305 lbs Double Overhand Grip
1 x 315 lbs Alternating Grip
1 x 325 lbs Alternating Grip

Paused Squats (Low Bar) - Focused on hitting good depth.

2 x 3 x 185 lbs
1 x 3 x 205
1 x 3 x 225

45 Degree Back Extensions - Did these with a mid point pause

4 x 10 with a 25 lb plate

Superset with

Box Step Ups -

4 x 20 with BW per side

DB Farmers Walk

55 lb DB’s each side for about 90 feet.

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Turns out I have an upper respiratory infection. Waiting for it to improve thinking it was the flu and it only got a good deal worse. Finally began some treatments today. I’m hoping to get back to the gym tomorrow.

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Finally back at it. Things felt a little heavy, as to be expected. Still on antibiotics, prednisone, along with a couple other meds and not sleeping well due to a lot of coughing spells at night. But it was nice to get back in the gym. I used the small one at work today.

Dynamic Upper

Speed Bench Press - 10 x 3 x 135 lbs straight weight and double banded Micro Black Band.

These were definitely slowing a tad too much in the latter sets.

Lat Pulldown with a V shaped handle - 5 x 8 x 140

Superset with

DB OHP - 5 x 6 x 40’s

Band Pull a Parts - Micro Black Band 4 x 25 at different heights

Superset with

Pushups on Perfect Pushup Handles - 3 sets leaving a couple of reps in the tank and forth and final set to true failure

Tricep Pushdowns with Straight Handle - Rest Pause Set 15/8/7 × 40 lbs

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Dynamic Lower

Box Squats onto Bench - 12 x 2 x 165 lbs straight weight and double banded Mini Red Band

Sumo Deadlift - 5 x 1 x 225 lbs straight weight and Mini Black Band (One band stretched from end to end)

Conventional Deadlift - 5 x 1 x 275 lbs straight weight and Mini Black Band

Superset with

30 Inch Box Jumps 10 x 4

DB RDL 3 x 22 x 55 lb DB’s per side

Superset with

Cossack Squats BW with some hand assistance at the bottom - 3 sets

Reverse Lunges BW 1 x 10 per side

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Cardio

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

4 x 8 x 130 lbs

Treadmill - Brisk walk with a mild incline for one mile

Max Effort Upper

Floor Press -

2 x 135 lbs
2 x 155
1 x 185
1 x 205
1 x 225
8 x 165
6 x 165

Single Arm DB Rows

4 x 8 x 85 lbs

Superset with

DB Decline Press

4 x 5 x 80 lbs per side

Band Pull a Parts

2 x 50 with Micro Black Band

Superset with

Paused DB Incline Press

2 x 10 x 40 lbs per side

Williams Extensions

4 x 10 x 45 lbs per side
1 x 6 x 45

Superset with

DB Lateral Raises

1 x 10 x 20 lbs per side
1 x 12 x 15
2 x 10 x 15
1 x 15 x 12

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Max Effort Lower

Deficit Trap Bar Deadlift - These were done with the low handles and standing on a one inch board.

5 x 135 lbs
3 x 185
2 x 225
1 x 275
1 x 315
1 x 365 (Failed a few inches off the floor)
10 x 250 Touch and Go
8 x 250 Touch and Go

Good Mornings - Standing Low Bar

4 x 3 x 225 lbs

Bulgarian Split Squat - SSB

4 x 8 x 65 lbs

Standing Band Crunch

2 x 50 with Mini Red Band

Seated Leg Curls with Band

1 x 50 with Mini Red Band per side

This one was simple but tough. Was still a little sore from my last lower day after having missed a few days sick. The back off sets on the DL were challenging but I was happy with the reps I got in.

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Conditioning

Lat Pulldowns with a medium width neutral grip

110 lbs one round with 3/7 Method
100 lbs one round with 3/7 Method

Box Step Ups with BW only

5 x 10 continuous until 50 total per side

DB Curls

1 x 15 with 35 lb DBs

Treadmill - 35 Minutes Brisk Walk mild incline

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Dynamic Upper

Speed Bench - 10 x 3 x 135 lbs straight weight and double banded Micro Black Bands

Seated DB OHP - 5 x 8 x 40 lb DB’s

Superset with

Seated Cable Rows - 5 x 8 x 140

Triceps Press Down Machine

15 x 100
15 x 100
10 x 100

Superset with

Cable Face Pulls

20 x 105
20 x 105
15 x 105

Band Triceps Push Down

Mini Red Band - 50/25/25

Superset with

DB Flies

2 x 15 x 20 lb DB’s

I know I’m going too heavy on the speed bench. Gonna have to swallow my pride and drop the weight down on those. I know the Westside recommendation is 35% in straight weight and 25% band. I’ve seen some at around 50% straight weight and 25 band . I’m over that in straight weight for sure.

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If it helps, Dave Hoff rarely (if ever) goes over 2 plates for his dynamic bench and the guy has done 6 plates raw.
After (roughly) a decade I’ve settled on 6x6 with about 35% bar weight as my ideal.
Get about 30 really good, crisp reps + a half dozen where it’s a bit more fatigued and I’m probably closer to “hypertrophy” tempo/effort.

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Dynamic Lower

Box Squat onto Bench - 10 x 2 x 185 lbs straight weight and double banded Mini Red Band

Sumo Deadlift - 5 x 1 x 225 straight weight and Mini Black Band stretched end to end

Conventional Deadlift - 5 x 1 x 275 straight weight and Mini Black Band stretched end to end

Superset with

30 inch Standing Box Jumps - 10 x 4

Barbell RDL - 3 x 10 x 225

Superset with

Cossack Squats - 3 x 10 per side with some hand assistance

Front Squat - 3 x 3 x 135

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Got in a mini session today. Was supposed to be a conditioning session with a little added pulling.

Lat Pulldown with Mag Grip - 4 x 6 x 130 lbs

Superset with

Hanging Knee Raises/Hanging Leg Leg Raises - 4 x 10

DB Curls -

1 x 8 x 40 lb DB’s
1 x 8 x 35 lb DB’S.

Treadmill - 10 minutes walking

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