My breakthrough for lats was bending the bar around my shins.
I’m starting to bend it on the Bench Press. Its the only way to get stable with the bamboo bar, especially on the decline with feet dangling. The B. Bar even bends in a satisfying, motivational way.
Maybe I should try some rows, or RDLs or something with it?
Maybe, although on rows and RDLs I don’t really do it. Maybe a little on rows, but then I’m very focused on feeling my back and driving my elbows far behind me anyway.
I’ve found that the bend the bar and take the slack out of the bar cues go hand in hand and once that clicks it’s night and day compared to when you don’t. For me, it goes grip, pull slack out, bend bar. What was a huge realisation for me was that there’s a massive difference between just shaking the bar like a dog shakes a toy and actually pulling the slack out. If I’m pulling the slack out I actually sit back and exert tension on the bar so I’m in starting position. THEN I bend the bar, and then start the pull.
8-11
Get Ready.
Wide NeutralPull downs/Steep Incline DB Press, 10s x25, 4 times
Bamboo Bar Flat Bench
160 x6 x6
Seated, Single Arm Chest Supported Iso Row(plate) x12 with hold
Tricep Stuff With Bamboo Bar (70) x12
Neutral, Wide Pull downs (140) x12
V -Bar Tricep Pushdowns, Kneeling (90) x25
4 times
Bamboo Bar Overhead March In Place(gym was crowded)
Cable Curls x20
Reverse Peg Dec x12
3 times
Looks pretty easy, written out like that.
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A friend rolled up on the Side by Side (4 wheeled outdoor contraption) with a bottle of whiskey, and we went tear-assing up the mountain, for a look around. Then, after a few pulls from the bottle, over to the other side of the mountain, to look for sign at some food plots. From there, checking out the quarry seemed cool. For a big-ass hole in the ground, the quarry was pretty nice. But we soon got bored fishing, and had to see the equipment. The CAT 990 front end loader got fired up, and we scooped up about 20,000 pounds of gravel in one pass. Then back over the mountain in the twilight. It was a fun time. Country life is turning out pretty awesome. But I was feeling it this morning.
8-14
Stretch/Clamshell/Leg Curl/Reverse Hyper x2
Stretch/Sumo Iso Rack stuff/Leg Curl/Reverse Hyper x2
Pin 1 Rack Sumo Deadlift
Work up
415 x1
435 x1
455 x1 -got a little light headed and weak kneed after. Still +5 pounds
Standing Leg Curl x12
45 Back Raise (55 barbell) x10
Band Pallof Action
4 times
Reverse Hyper (200) x25
Chest Supported T-Bar Row x15
Standing 1 Leg Raise x12
3 times
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8-15
Reverse Peg Deck For Back Squeeze x25
Long Rope Tricep Pushdown, mostly bottom half x25
4 times
Medium Width Neutral Pull downs x15
Flat Dumbbell Bench with Fat Gripz x25
4 times
Rack Z Press From Pins at Eye Level
Work up
115 x1 -extended arms, but rolled backwards, not great for confidence
Utilize Mind Trick
125 x1
130 x1 -blasted up like an empty bar. Finally! Holy shit, this number pissed me off for like 3 months.
Chinese Row x15
V Grip Tricep Pushdown x25
Medium Width, Neutral Pull downs x15
Dumbbell Tate Press x25
4 circuits
Stir The Pot
Overhead Bamboo Bar Walk
4 times
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8-17
Upper Back Ball Move/Clamshell/Leg Curl x4
Pull downs/Band Thru Belt Walk/ Stir The Pot x2
Pin 2 Rack Sumo
275x2, 12 sets
Zercher Box Squat
155 x2, 4 sets to 35 bumper on box
155 x2, 4 sets to metal 45 on box
155 x2, 4 sets to box
Band Thru Belt Walk x10, Hold Plate suitcase style Left x10, Right x10 hug to body x10
Standing Leg Curl x15
4 times
45 backraises x30
Fell asleep on couch last night. Felt not great today. I pulled something in left upper back on first set of rack pulls. Its minor, but I should get my shit together.
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8-18
Back was normal waking up. BW hanging around 215.
Seated Cable Row x15/1 Arm Tricep Cable x25
4 super-set
Half Kneeling 1 Arm Row-Pulldown Combo x15/ Dumbbell Mechanical Drop x25
4 super-set
Bamboo Bar Bench Press
165 x6 x6
I only jumped 5 pounds on this. Last week at 160 was a little tough. Today 165 moved great, really stable, but I slowed my gains down!
Chest Supported Iso Row x15
Band Pushdown(3 positions) x60
Fat Man Pull up x12
Dumbbell Tri Extension x20
4 trips around
Wrist Roller (80) x4 rolls
Ball sit ups and leg raises between roll ups.
My back must be looking jacked, a bunch of dudes at the gym are jumping on the Chinese Rows. That bench used to be where people kept their bags and junk.
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8-21
Very hot out. Felt tired warming up
Giant Cambered Bar Box Squat
Work up
320 x1
340 x1
355 x1, +5 pounds
Assistance was whack
8-22
Still very hot. Warm ups were tough. 4 sets of dumbbell bench with 25’s felt killer. Benching felt like I was moving under water, sllllllowwww. Cut this one short.
8-23
Ate a bunch of cookies.
8-24
Finally a little cooler and less humid. 12 sled drags, easy weights, long rests. It was kinda relaxing.
2 Likes
Workout on 8/23 intrigues me. How did you apply conjugate to the consumption style?
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Every 45 seconds, eat 2 cookies. To do it optimally, no milk when cookies are melty and crumbly. Firm, but still warm, short dunk. Cool and crunchy, longer dunk.
8-25
Single Arm Cable Pulldowns. D-Ring on big pull down machine/ Long Rope Pushdowns
Single Arm Cable Rows. D Ring on big seated cable row set up/ hanging KB bench press
Easy Decline Bench Press with Barbell. I could feel how to get tight and not let the bar helicopter. Good.
Bamboo Bar Overhead Press/Fat Man Chin Ups on Blast Straps.
Deload style. Single Arm rows and pull downs on cable felt better than Iso-Leverage machines.
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Filling in potholes with mulch? That’s not going to last long! Need some crusher run…
That’s crumbly shale from the rocky hillside.
Ahh, better.
Where is this?
It’s the road behind/beside the new house. It goes up and around and splits off, to the bottom of my neighbors driveway, or to the base of the “mountain” behind us. I’ve been walking the dogs back there
It’s sorta like a cross between conditioning and a “fun” never ending job. Meanwhile, my girl stays in the yard and feeds the ducks.
2 Likes
8-28
Standing Hamstring Curl/Straight Arm Pull down/Sumo Iso stuff
3 rounds. I was pretty tired
Pin 1 Conventional Deadlift +2 Chains per side
A few going up
370 x1
390 x1
410 x1 +5 pounds
45 Back Raise with Barbell in Hands
Step Ups with 25’s
3 paired sets x15 reps
Reverse Hypers (160) x25, 4 sets
Side bends With plate between sets
I prefer the barbell in my hands for back raises. More hamstrings and glutes, less low back used. Also, bar in hands really keeps me in the Useful ROM for the exercise. With the bar on my shoulders it was too easy to over extend at the top.
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8-29
Holy shit, every piece of my back was sore. Hands and forearms were killed. It kinda felt like the flu. Gotta be careful with those rocks!
8-30
Reverse Pec Dec
4 x12
Close Grip Bench
Working up, the lighter the weight, the slower I lowered it. Maybe 4-5 seconds down with 95 x3 and 1 sec down with 220 x1. This really kept pressure on the tris.
230 x1
240 x1, really smooth, low on chest and straight up
250 x1, stalled and moved laterally, or “up” towards my face. Finished high, with elbows flared or out a little. Not exactly the groove I was aiming for. I’ll get 245 smooth next time.
Seated Cable Row
x15
Tricep Pushdowns
x15
2 times each.
Non killer workout.
2 Likes
9-1
Stretch hip flexors and pecs, engage posterior.
Pin 2 Rack Sumo
205 + Double Light Bands x2, 12 sets
Box Squat with Upside Down SSB
205 x2, 12 sets. 6 to 35 bumper, 6 to metal 45.
Laying Hamstring Curl x10
Lunge in Place x10 per leg
Reverse Hypers (120) x25
3 circuits
-pulling against bands feels so good, it’s like drugs. The motion becomes so simple and smooth and fast. Hips to the bar! My brain is like More!
-silly Zercher squats worked. SSB felt great today knees were out, back stayed upright and I was able to go a little lower than normal. I love it when a plan comes together!
I’m still sorta tired out though. This decreased worload is supposed to be restoring me.
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