5-6
My girl graduated college, cum laude! That’s pretty cool. She finished with a higher GPA than me, and took more chemistry.
5-7
Band Leg Curls (facedown) x50
Pull Apart upper back action
Band Pushdowns (3 ways) x100
Repeat twice
Walk dogs with ankle weights.
Gotta mash up my lats, but I’m putting it off like a chicken.
Cool Matt Wenning video
Cool paraphrase-
Wenning: How do you move those 400 pound cleans so fast?
Klokov: I weigh 220 and I deadlift 825. 400 pounds is nothing to me.
TL;DR get really fucking strong
Congratulations to your good lady.
Thanks bro!
5-8
Single Leg Curl x15
Leg Extension x15
Reverse Hyper x15
Sumo Stance Rack Barbell Hump x15
3 times each
SSB High Box Squat +Monster Mini Bands
Work up
225 x1
245 x1
255 x1
I was looking for a way to get around 100 pounds of band tension, for dynamic day. SSB box squat - SSB box squat against bands = band tension. Maybe this was closer to 75?
High Box Zombie Front Squat
135 x15, 3 sets
Paired sets with RDLs
155 x20, 3 sets
Short rests to make it challenging.
Band Thru Belt Walk in Place
Light Band x92 steps, 3 sets
Paired with Reverse Hypers
250 x25, 3 sets
Side Bends
65 x20, 2 sets.
Good workout. More hips today than last week, front squat stance got wider all by itself. Front Squat/RDL superset was tough.
5-9
Lat Stretch
Y-Trap Raise
Band Pushdowns
Chinese Shrug (135 x20, 3 sets)
3 sets each
Rack Bench Press, Slight Decline
A few working up
255 x2
275 x1
285 x1
I put a 25 under one end of a bench (in the rack) for a slight decline. Pins were somewhere in that sticking point range. Last lift, I started pushing and nothing happened. Then my traps shrugged up, Up, UP and the lift happened. More rows and shrugs! Theoretically, this big weight in my hands should stimulate my CNS like never before, so I should get brain-strong.
Seated Press, Dumbbell
35 x15, 12
25 x15, 15
Gym only has paired Kettlebells up to 30’s, so I grabbed the 35 dumbbells today. I got the first set, and most of the second set before I had to drop down a little. Dumbbells were all over the place, I must have been using some funky wrist position with the Kettlebells.
Pulldowns
160 x15, 3 sets
3 Board Press
135 x20, 3 sets
Wrist Roller
75 x 3 rolls
Hub lifts with 35 plate.
5-11
Leg Curls, Hypers, leg extensions, calves to warm up.
Rack Deadlift, Pin 1 Stand on 4 Inch Block
320 x2, 12 sets
Box Squat with SSB
165 +75 band tension x2, 12 sets
Back Raise on Glute/Ham
85 x15, 3 sets
Paired with Lunge In Place
20 kb x15, 3 sets
Reverse Hypers
230 x25, 3 sets
Paired with Suitcase Walks with 60 kb.
Cakewalk! Last Thursday and 2 weeks ago Thursday were hard. This was a nice change.
This is always a great feeling
Easy week
Medium week
Hard week
Easy week…
I love the 3 week wave! I only have to be a tough guy for so long.
5-12
Dumbbell Row
Easy one to get going
80 x20, 3 sets
Bench Press
140 x3, 9 sets with 3 grips
Right wrist and elbow feel great. Things feel straight.
Barbell Tricep Extension
70 x20, 3 sets
Left shoulder and elbow feel awful. Time to switch this out.
Trap Bar Shrug
Plate + 35 x15, 3 sets
Dumbbell Delt Raises
15’s x 12 seated rear raises + 8 standing front raises. 3 sets
Dumbbell curls, cable Tricep Pushdowns.
DBs brother. And hit a 10lb 50 rep set to start, gets 'em lubed up.
Very few people can handle the BB Ext for multiple weeks in a row.
Decline DBs. I can literally do them twice a week if I wanted.
Looks like you’re rocking and rolling!
The barbell was cool to remind me to lock out/straighten my wrists, to not lose power between triceps and the bar. But un-cocking the wrists meant something else had to get twisted. Younger me would rely on Icey- Hot and ice packs.
Experienced me knows its time to switch, and that better wrist position will mean better dumbbell extensions!
-Also, I think you were right about my rows. I have been making an effort to row to my hip or my belly, or just “low” in general. Months ago, I must have been sort of upright rowing/facepulling eveything to sternum or neck height. I feel way better lately.
Did your PT have anything intersting to say about your squat?
Glad to hear the row bit helped. It’s a game changer. Watch people in the gym, no one rows properly.
PT actually was happy with my squat, surprised me. Only change he made was more toe flare to make room for my hips. All in all he gave me the seal of approval.
We’ve made substantial progress on the shoulder, and I’ve got to a point to where I can handle it on my own. He’s now working on my knee lol. He’s a bit perplexed by it, but he’ll get it figured out.
Keep up the good work man. Looks like youve figured out clever ways to keep training around your ailments. That’s the name of the game!
Yesterday
Stretch and roll out a little. Triceps were tender all the way from below elbows to back of shoulders, but my actual shoulders didn’t feel too bad.
Laying hamstring curls with ankle weights. Walk dogs with ankle weights for hips/ankles/feet. Drink whiskey for tricep inflammation.
Today
Triceps/elbows/shoulders improved. Yard work. Maybe pizza for dinner.
5-15
Sumo Stance bar bumps, single leg curls, leg extensions to get going.
Pin 1 Conventional Deadlift + 2 Chains
Work up
345 x1
375 x1
390 x1. -ultra virgin to this lift PR.
No Hands Front Squat, to High Box
135 x20, 3 sets. - new exercise rep PR
Paired sets 45 Degree Back Raise
35 plate to chest x 15, 3 sets
Band Thru Belt Walk
Light Band x 100 steps, 3 times. -new exercise rep PR
Reverse Hypers
140 x30, 25, 20
Paired with Sidebend 75 x15 for 2 sets and 2 sets of calf raises.
Chain Rack Deadlift was great. Chains felt “different” and didn’t get in the way of the bar, sitting in the rack. I wanted 3 chains, for more added weight, trying to get a slower, more grueling lift. But 2 was enough. This was fun and exciting. Everything else was a breeze.
5-16
Straight Arm Pulldowns with Long Rope Handle
30 x15, 3 sets
Barbell Row
95 x15, 3 sets
V -Grip Cable Pushdowns
70 x15, 3 sets
Z Press From Pin at Nose Level
Work Up, 20 pound jumps
105 x1
120 x1
130 x no. Bar totally stalled, it felt like I was out of position because back was weak. Hip flexors probably worked hardest.
Shrug Machine
Plate + 10 x15, 3 sets (some left, some right, some together)
Wrist Roller x75 x3. Hub lifts.
Kind of like a day off, but at the gym.
5-17
Time for deadlifts. Back was kind of tight and sore when I woke up. I kinda had some pussy thoughts of pussing out.
I stretched my hip flexors and did some back raises to warm up and feel more Glute driven.
Rack Deadlift, Pin 1 Stand on 4 inch block
340 x2, 12 sets
Box Squat (35 Bumper on Box)
180 +monster mini bands x2, 12 sets
Inverse Curl
x10, 3 sets
Leg Extensions
x15, 3 sets
Abs on Ball
x15, 3 sets
“Squats” and “deads” went great. Kinda half-assed the assistance work. Good news is that I’m much better at inverse curls now than last time.
Poor photography skills, but look how close I was keeping the bar on those deadlifts yesterday. Back feels great today.
5-18
Meadows Rows
25 x15, 3 sets. Nice change up after weeks of dumbbell rows.
Dumbbell Shrugs, Lay on Chest Supported Row “Machine”
50 x15, 3 sets. Official Keeper!
Bench Press
95 + Chains( about 50 pounds?) x3, 9 sets, 3 grips. Traps really doing their thing!
1 Arm Pulldown, Sit Sideways on Lever Pull down Machine
Plate x15, 3 sets
Paired Sets with Bamboo Bar Press (sit on bench, no back support)
hanging 15 Kettlebells x15, 3 sets
Dumbbell Curls paired with calf raises.
Kind of a silly, non-killer workout, but everything felt like it was working/contracting nice. Felt energised leaving gym. I didn’t plan to repeat/continue these moves, but now I’m thinking about it.
5-19
Stretch out, lacrosse ball back/lats and teardrops/groin. Face down hamstring curls with ankle weights(2 x50). Walk dogs with ankle weights.
I listened to the Jugglife with Ed Coan. Thanks for the tip, Ben. It was cool.
Coan stressed the idea of taking your time, never missing a lift, and bringing up everything. You’ll be a better lifter if you add 5 pounds to incline bench, close grip bench, rows, overhead press, close stance pause squat, stiff leg deads, etc, than just focusing on the 3 power lifts.
The whole training cycle(12-15 weeks) was just set up to make you a little stronger. Then you start over, run it again, and just get a little stronger. Many times, when people mention “linear gains” it seems like a non-stop rise, directly to some uncertain, but huge lifts. Coan made it seem much more gradual and slowly paced/structured. He knew exactly where to start and exactly where to stop and start over. The whole thing seemed a lot like “Flat Loading.” Every time the weights went up, the reps went down and it “felt easy.” After PR lifts, you start back over at the beginning. The training weights don’t go up till the max goes up. One of the strongest dudes ever, working steady but not killing himself.
Also cool; Coan mentioned starting out on some Isokinetic machines in his basement. The harder/faster he lifted the bar, the more resistance loaded on to slow it down. The greatest power lifter got started with “special means” and really learned how to strain against heavy, slow resistance.
Louie mentions Chuck V. doing super heavy rack pulls against tons of band tension. This made the bar slow down. Chuck said it taught him how to strain and how to think through a lift. Louie is also putting out a line of Iso-dynamic machines some time soon.
5-22
Front Squat to Box(45 plate on top of box)
work up, stretch hip flexors
240 x1
250 x1
260 x1
Negative: still sucks
Positive: on March 25th, I did 115 x3
Other negative: I was so excited, I forgot to do band thru belt walks
45 Degree Back Raise
35 plate hug to chest x20, 3 sets
Paired with Step Ups
35’s x15, 3 sets
Reverse Hypers
180 x30, 25, 25
Side Bends between sets 75 x15, 2 times
5-23
Straigt Arm Pulldowns with Long Rope
40 x20, 3 sets
Barbell Row
95 x20, 3 sets
Floor Press (Bro Imitation)
A few
215 x1
225 x1
230 x1 -Lowering the bar was challenging on these.
Shrug Machine
Plate +10 x20, 3 sets
V-Bar Tricep Pushdowns on Cable
70 x20, 3 sets
Wrist Roller
80 x3 rolls
Klokov Bumper Plate Flips
25 x5, 3 sets
35 x1, careful test
45 x1, confident
55 x1, showing off
5-25
Stretch hip flexors, make glutes/hams go!
Pin 1 Rack Deadlift, Stand on 4 inch Block
365 x2, 10 sets
Box Squat( SSB, 35 Bumper on Box)
190 x2, 10 sets (should have been 195)
Inverse Curls
3 x12
-beard was touching the ground at the bottom, with only toes touching foot plate. Full triple extension, then PULLLL back with all hamstrings. This thing is pretty cool.
Reverse Hypers, leg raises off A bench.
5-26 my dates have been off
Meadows Row
25x20, 3 sets
Pulldowns on Leverage Iso Pull down Machine
Plate+10 x20 (10 left, 10 right, 10 together)
Bench Press
95 +50 chains x3, 9 sets, 3 grips. Mini band pull aparts between sets.
Dumbbell Shrugs, Lay on Chest Supported Row Bench
50 x20, 3 sets
Rolling DB Tris
25 x25
35 x20
45 x15
Stretch biceps
I was able to get some “spread the bar” action on the bench press today. It was super tiring, 3 reps left me breathing hard. Have I been lowering the bar with my shoulders this whole time?
