Clockin' A Grip

Training Training Logs
1441

Training has been all over the place for awhile (forever?). The last 3 weeks were still disorganized, but I was able to get some kind of structure in there, wave the intensity down, and get ready for whats next.

Upper Body 1 will be chest/back paired sets, with more weight and less reps.
Lower 1 will be quad/hamstring or glute/hamstring paired sets

Upper 2 will be shoulders/arms/upper back with lighter weights and higher reps
Lower 2 will be lower body circuit or sled drags, or lighter, longer stuff that day 1.

Poliquin was into the chest/back then arms/shoulders split, Arnold too. Poliquin said to use this scheme for 6 workouts (conveniently 3 weeks), then make adjustments. At that point I’ll switch focus, and do arms/shoulders/traps heavier, and chest/back lighter.

On one hand, structured with 3 week waves in intensity/volume, and planned changes in exercises and focus. And I won’t pound chest, shoulders, biceps and triceps all at the same time. Also, some front and back work on both upper days, so my shit doesn’t get tight and slumped over and my hands don’t fall asleep, which happens when I separate pushing and pulling.

It also indulges my fuck-around-itis because there are many cool ways to lift “heavy” and “light.” Like for light day now I’m using like 3 exercises in a tri set to pump up biceps/triceps. But for one cycle I want to try that style where you measure Time Under Tension and progress by making sets longer. Then in a few short weeks it will be time to get back to close grip bench with chains, JM presses and dips to smash my again. And maybe do some cool Gironda 8x8 lighter stuff for chest.

Speaking of different styles and methods, here’s Josh Bryant putting isometrics(push against pins), concentric focus(bench against bands) and eccentric focus (tricep extensions with slow lowering) together. Just like Thibs, Louie and the Russians, Bryants says this produces good gains.

3 Likes
1442

7-29 Shoulders/Arms, Light Upper

W/T/Y/L Raise x 3 each
Shrug Face Down x 10
Row Face Down x 10
Shrug Standing x 10
Row Standing x 10
25 kettlebells x 3 rounds

Front Plate Raise x 10
Side Lateral Raise x 10
Cuban Rotation and Press x 10
Rear Delt Raise Over Bench x 10
3 rounds. DeFranco shoulder shocker and I added the rear delts

Close Grip Bench x 1, 2, 3, up to 10, then back down to one
Barbell Curl with Fat Gripz x 1, 2, 3…
Tricep Pushdowns, using knee pad on assisted dip machine x 1, 2, 3 …
Incline DB Hammer Curl x 1, 2, 3 …
Chuck Sipes Arm Blast

Light weights, many reps. Arm Blast was a fun change up. Like a throw back to something you did with your bros in 10th grade.

2 Likes
1443

7-31 Lower

Get Loose

Inverse Curl Machine x 6
Side Step with little band around Knees x 6/6
Glacial Hack Squat x 8
1 easy, 2 real and 1 back off round

Seated Psoas Lift x 5
Stir the Pot x uggh
Reverse Hyper x 10 knees bent, 10 knees out, 10 legs straight
Neck Harness Extension x 20
1 round warm up, 2 good ones, 1 back off

Donkey Calf x 20
Tibia Raise x 15
3 pairs

Standing Calf Raise x 12, dead-stop, heels on floor at bottom

Felt good in there today, and wanted to keep going. To be less dumb I backed the weights off the last sets to save a little bit for next week.

3 Likes
1444

Looking good sir! hopefully you back on consistent train again!

what are your thoughts on neck training? i see you do extensions but no curls?

also wanted your opinion on supinated grip deadlifts, been playing around with them last few weeks & i’ve noticed that being in that externally rotated position feels pretty smooth on the shoulders, i read it’s apparently not so great for biceps, however i’m not doing it with big weights.

1445

Thanks man. I already feel myself back on track.

Neck
Extensions with the harness are the least irritating exercise to do. Hanging off a bench with a plate on my forehead for curls or trying to go sideways is not much fun. Last time I messed with the neck curls I went too hard and got a stiff neck that radiated into a terrible headache. My head hurt so much I thought my gf poisoned me.

Also I feel the extensions all the way down my back, like everything has to work together against the leverage at the top of the spine… or something.

I think for the biggest visual impact you need that side to side action to hit the meat on the sides of the neck above the traps. In wrestling you get all kinds of work like this. I guess I’ve been slacking, maybe I should try harder to get something in.

Supinated Deads
I can see what you mean about the shoulders with the underhand grip. To get it right everything has to be all lined up, so it could be a nice exercise. I do lots of stuff trying to get into that shoulders back, arms extended position, so why not some underhand deads? When I do isometric deadlifts I really try to “twist the bar” and “turn my elbows back” to engage the lats and set the upper back. Same thing with spider curls or underhand pulldowns. Underhand deads sound like skipping a step, like you’re already “twisted in.”

I think I would consider this like a “High Tension” exercise, similar to skull crushers or sumo deads. Effective, but best to use for a short time to get the benefits then rotate away from for awhile to avoid damage.

2 Likes
1446

8-1 Chest/Back Upper

Get Loose, arm circles against wall

W Raises/ Scarecrows x 5/5
Medium Width Pulldowns x 12
Kneeling Thoracic Twist x 3
Plate Loaded Incline Bench Machine x 12
ramp to top 3rd set, then 1 back off

Chest Supported T Bar x 10
Handcuff Drill
Incline Barbell Press with 2 pauses x 10
ramp to 3rd top set

Incline DB 1.5 Press x 10
Glass Dumbbell Row x 15
3 pairs, shooting for no rest between moves

Good one.

2 Likes
1447

8-3 Drags

A bunch of lower body sideways sled drags with a tire and rope. And upper body drags with a kettlebell and 2 ropes. Longer power walk forward and backwards drags with the kettlebell in the tire. Up and down a gravel road in the woods. Sweaty.

2 Likes
1448

Thanks for the reply dude.

thats funny about thinking your gf poisoned you!! i can imagine the feeling though.

Great point on feeling the extensions all the way down your back, i did them last night and today i can feel that same sensation.

Hmm thats an interesting way to look at it and definitely makes sense logically. Ive been more focused on having that supinated grip off the bat, like in those lateral raises for example. But i like what you are saying about being twisted in, i figure thats going to be more beneficial long term.

1 Like
1449

8-5 Light Upper, shoulders/arms

Get Loose, arm circles against wall

Underhand Deadlift, from pin 2 in power rack x 5
Kettlebell Shrug over incline bench x 12
Kettlebell Row over incline bench x 12
KB Shrug Standing x 12
KB Row Standing x 12
3 rounds

Front Plate Raise x 15 or so
Side Dumbbell Raise x 10
Rear Dumbbell Raise x 10
DB Cuban Press x 10
DeFranco Shoulder Shocker 3 rounds

Close Grip Bench x 1, 2, 3… up to 10, back down to 1
Barbell Curl with FatGripz x 1, 2, 3…
Tricep Pushdown on Dip Machine x 1, 2, 3…
Incline DB Curls x 1, 2, 3…
Chuck Sipes Arm Blast

Gun Show.

1450

Like double underhand meaning both in supine position?

1451

Yes, both supinated. Like moving furniture grip. It was only 135/155, so not really deadlifts, I was just trying to get my back locked in.

2 Likes
1452

8-7 Lower

Get loose. Side to side walk with band, leg curl, leg extension x 2 sets each

Inverse Curl x 7, 5
Glacial Hack Squat x 7, 5
ramp to hardest 3rd set yet, then try to repeat it

Stir the Pot
Reverse Hyper x 10/10/10
Neck Harness Extension x 20
4 rounds

Nice little workout. I skipped calves.

Last week I did an internet video home ab workout with my girl. At one point we were supposed to do reverse crunches, and when I tried to stick my legs in the air nothing happened. It took a little work to make my lower abs go. Because I was so bad at it I dropped down a few times over the last week and tried to do some of those reverse crunches and get those lower abs cramping. That shit worked. Today when I did reverse hypers I had a way smoother motion in my low back and hips on the lowering. Like I was actually rotating under so my feet could come through more, but without pulling on my spine. I’ll keep this up for a week or 2 and see what happens.

Things are getting more serious with the hemp company, today they asked my woman to leave her other job and come on full time. She was pretty excited.

3 Likes
1453

I wish u could double like but I’m not hip to the quoting feature. Lol

1 Like
1454

8-8 Upper Chest/Back

Get loose.

Cable Pulldowns, Medium width, semi supinated grip x 10
Plate Loaded Incline Bench x 10
4 sets up to RPE like 8 and then 9

T-Bar Rows x 8
Incline Double Pause Bench Press x 8
left elbow said No Way on 2nd set of inclines. That’s a new one. Got a nice set of 8, then a 5th bonus set of 4 plates x 6 reps for a PR on rows.

1.5 Dumbbell Incline Bench Press x 10
Glass Dumbbell Rows x 12
3 pairs

I worked some W/Y/T/L raises or kneeling thoracic twists, single arm band pullovers or reverse curls in there between some bigger stuff.

Left elbow situation is stupid, but I’m taking it to mean I developed a little upper chest and front delt. Now I need to get after rowing motions with high elbows to fortify the opposite of those muscles. Or maybe I just need to keep my wrists straighter. Either way everything else was stronger today. Even during an AM workout.

1 Like
1455

Deadlift isometrics paired (contrasted?) with speed deads. Even though you don’t move Jackson says they are great for timing. It looks like he is pulling pretty hard.

2 Likes
1456

8-10 Drags

Upper Back Y/T/I type raises dragging kettlebell with 2 straps x 3

Sideways drags with empty tire x 2

Forward drag on heels going down and backwards drags coming back, kettlebell in tire x 4

Long drags on the gravel road. 2 weeks in a row I’ve been going backwards doing upper back draggings and have tripped over the tire sneaking up behind me.

2 Likes
1457

So my PT guy has me doing suitcase carries while marching (knee up to parallel).

You know what this has taught me?

Proper pelvic positioning!

Every time I go to lift the leg up, I instinctively posterior tilt to get ‘square’ before I activate. And, since I’m loaded with the KB, things should be ‘sticking’.

Pause some reps, slow transitions, etc.

I always need to tell you when I find a good move, and this is an all-star.

Not to mention it’s doing some serious stabilizing and strengthening. DO NOT let the KB/DB rest on your side either.

You’ll love it.

5 Likes
1458

That sounds incredible!

1459

8-12

Get Loose

Rear Delts on Reverse Pec Deck x 12
Rogue Shrugs x 12
3 pairs

Suitcase High Knees x 6, 6
Clean Grip High Pull, from High Hang x 6
Seated DB Press with 2 Pauses x 10
3 pairs

Chest Supported DB Rows, Elbows Up and Out x 12
Spoto Press, Close Grip, on Decline x 10
3 Way DB Raise x 10, 10, 10
4 pairs

DB Framer’s Walk x down and back x 3 goes

First day of the down week. Most moves took a little concentration.

1 Like
1460

8-14 Lower

Get loose, do some clamshells

Kettlebell suitcase march around x 8/8
Dumbbell RDL with 2 pauses x 10
3 sets

Inverse Curl x 10
Donkey Calf x 15
Reverse Hyper x 30
Leg Extension with miniband on machine x 25
4 loops

Not exceptional. Leg extensions against a band felt nice.

1 Like