College Training Log

Training Logs
21

It’s tough finding time to update this log. I got two days of training in since my last update. I won’t be giving away set/rep schemes and will be vague on what exercises I’m doing.

I know you can probably find the routine somewhere on the interweb but I don’t want to add another place where you can get the workout for free. It’s well worth the price.

Max strength Day 1
2/3/09

Squat
245,245,245,245,235
Dead
140 for eight sets
Lunge
35,35,35,35
Reverse crunches
no weight
Plank
no weight

Felt good to do less than ten reps. I am still really sore in my glutes and abductors two days later. I’m really glad there are three days between lower body days. Saw some chalk residue on the plates in the squat rack.

I’d really like to see who’s bringing chalk to the gym because 99% of the gym goers are kooks. I recently found there is a “hardcore” powerlifting gym in town but I was told it was invite only. It gives me incentive to get bigger and stronger so I can get into a real gym.

Edit: I forgot to add. I got three hours of sleep the night before. I was working on a lab report until 3 AM. Workout went great considering that. Lack of sleep didn’t seem to slow me down in the gym but I was sluggish during the day though. Caught a couple extra hours of sleep the next night.

22

Max Strength Day 2
2/5/09

Bench
155,165,165,165,165
DB Bench
50,50,45
Rows
100,110,110,115
Y’s
5,5,5
Ext Rotation
10,5,5
Side bridges
no weight

It was raining this morning so the gym was fairly empty. Another good day. could use a little bit of form work on the bench.

23

Max strength Day 3
2/7/09

Squat
165,175,185,185
Deadlift
245,245,255,245
One leg lift
30,30,30
pull through
80,80,80 (Last set was fairly easy)
abs
no weight

Nothing really eventful happened at the gym today. everything felt good. Still need to get used to lower reps.

24

I’m kind of disappointed this is only going to be updated once a week but I guess if that’s what it comes down to, it’s better than nothing. So here’s a couple more days of training

Day 4
2/8/09
Press
55,55,60,60
Chins
10,10,15,15
push up
red band, red band, red band (I think it’s a mini band)
rows
50,55,60
external rotations
10,10,10
side bridge
completed

Day 5
2/10/09

Squat
245,245,245,245
I was having a little trouble with my setup and keeping my weight on my heels. THe last set was good though.
deadlifts
155
lunge
30,30,35
Reverse crunch
completed
plank
completed

day 6
2/12/09
bench
165,165,170,170
low incline press
50,50,50
rows
110,120,125,125
lower trap work
5,2.5,2.5
external rotations
5,5,5
side bridge
completed

day 7
2/13/09
squat
175,185,185,185
rack pulls
225,245,255
unilateral leg work
30,35,35
pull throughs
80,87.5,87.5
reverse crunch
completed

Loving the program so far. I feel like I could improve my technique a lot and my weights would increase quite a bit. Hopefully the speed work added in later will fix that.

I realized I haven’t set any goals for the program. I really want a 1000lb total but don’t think I can make that in four months. I’ll shoot for 950 which is about 150lbs on my total in four months. I’d also like to get my deadlift higher than my squats.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about entering a powerlifting contest. I don’t think I’m ready yet but I’ll do it within a year, hopefully within the next six months.

I recently found out that there is a “hardcore” powerlifting gym in my city and one of my friends works out there. I don’t think I’m ready to train there yet but I’ll be working my ass off to get to the point where people at the gym aren’t squatting my total. I want to start training there next Septermber.

My deadlift sucks. I think it’s a combination of not being build to deadlift, having shitty technique and a weak lower back and not training the deadlift enough. After max strength, I think i’m going to train using a conjugate periodization “westside” style. I’ll also start deadlifting sumo style. I think sumo complements my body type better.

25

Day 8
2/16/08
press
55,60,60,65
chins
10,15,20
pushup
bw, red band, red band
row
55,60,65
ext rot
10,10,10
side bridge
completed

day 9
2/17/09
squat
245,245,255x6
deads
175
lunge
35,35,35
reverse crunch
completed
plank
completed

day 10
2/19/09
bench
165,175x7
incline press
50,50,45
row
120,120,125,125
Y’s
2.5,2.5,2.5
ext rot
5,5,5
side bridge
completed

I’m making some good progress. Should see some good gains if this keeps up. I am not looking forward to the next workout. should be really tough. I’ve got a lot of shit to do for school in the next week and a half, good thing next week is a deload.

I took advantage of the ebook sale on elitefts yesterday. I was going to by the basic training manual when I was in the last month of max strength but took advantage of the sale and ended up saving 4 dollars and getting 4 other ebooks with it.

I am becoming more and more interested in entering a powerlifting competetion. Don’t see why I wouldn’t be ready by the end of summer. Should have a solid 1000lb total at under 181 lbs. Didn’t see any raw meets in those months in California, I think I may start looking for one in nevada or oregon.

26

Day 11
Squat
175,185,190,190,190,190
rack pulls
245,255,260,265
unilateral exercise
30,35,35,35
pull throughs
87.5,95,95
reverse crunch
completed

awesome workout today. I wasn’t looking forward to this workout but it turned out way better than expected. I was really struggling on the first too exercises but they went fine.

I don’t know what i did different with the rack pulls. I remember last week on my first set of 245 not being able to get the bar to budge and I had to drop the weight for one set. This week 245 felt really light. even 265 didn’t feel heavy but my technique wasn’t as solid. I don’t know why there was such a big improvement this week. I got a good night’s sleep last night so that probably helped. Also I was lifting in a different squat rack. The university gym doesn’t have any real power racks only lame ass half cages with fixed safety pins that are way too low for anything but resting the bar during curls:( anyways to do rack pulls I normally put a 45 on top of a low plyo box and stand on that. This normally puts the bar right below the kneed but in the rack I used today the bar was about an inch lower. After trying a couple different things to put the bar in the right spot I decided the easiest thing to do would be to ditch my chucks and deadlift in socks. It seemed like it would be uncomfortable(because the plate has lettering and my toes hang over the edge but it obviously worked. I didn’t think there would be much of a difference between lifting barefoot and in chucks because they have pretty thin hard soles but maybe it shifts my body into a better position. I am going to have to try lifting barefoot when pulling from the floor.

pull throughs have been going up steadily. Maxed out the stack today, good thing I only have to do them for one more week or I’d have to steal all of the little five pound “adder” plates in the gym.

Adjusted my foot placement on the unilateral leg work last week. was really feeling it in my glutes more today.

27

wow I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I’ve updated this. I’ve been pretty busy. I just found out that I got a job in irvine from june to december. I’ll be making quite a bit more money than I normally do during the summer. I’ll be working twice as many hours for six months, getting paid twice as much. Not to mention it will be a great experience and it looks like there are some serious gyms down there.

on to the training log…

28

day 12
press
60,60,65,65,65,65
chin
10,15,15,15
push up
red,red,red,red
row
55,55,60,60
external rotations
10,10,10
side bridge
completed

29

day 13
squat
245,255,265
deads
190
lunge
30,30
reverse crunch
completed
plank
completed

30

day 14
bench
175,175,180
The last bench set felt really good. Wasn’t real strong with the 175 but got a good set-up and smoked 180
incline press
50,50
row,
120,120,120
Ys
2.5,2.5,2.5
external rotations
5,5,5
side bridge
completed

31

day 15
squat
185,190,195
pulls
255,270
unilateral leg work
35,35
pull through
95,95
reverse crunch
completed

32

day 16
press
60,65,65
chin
10,15,20
push up
red, purple, purple
rows
60,60,60
cable external rotation
10,10,10
side bridge
completed

this phase was a success. The only thing I didn’t like was the side bridges. Felt good to get back under some heavy weights(heavy for me at least).

33

phase 2
day 17
squat
185,195,200,205,205
unilateral leg work
30,25,25
abz
completed
ghr
completed (really slow negatives)
One leg box squat to low box with 1 45 plate on it
completed.

34

day 18
incline bench
135,135,135,135,135
pull up
5,5,5,bw,bw
db bench
60,60,55
head supported rows
just couldn’t get the form down. My hamstrings were so tight from the ghrs.
45,45,50
cable backhand
10,10,5
curlz
20,15,15

35

day 19
jumps
from the end line to just inside the half court circle, 5 times Note: don’t jump in chucks
deadlift off 2 45s
225,235,235,240,240
lunges
35,40,40
abz
30,30,35

I loved deadlifting today. If I want to get my deadlift up I need to start doing it a lot more when this program is over. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s workout. It’s my favorite upper body day of the program.

36

Your numbers are lookin alot better then when you started, good luck!

37

Thanks man. It’s kinda hard to tell what type of progress I’ve been making with max strength since I don’t post reps, but I’ve been adding weight to all my big lifts, here and there. I’m tired of being embarrassed by what I lift. I’ve really been focusing on adding weight to the bar, whether it’s 5 pounds a work out or 15 every little bit adds up.

38

day 20
speed bench w/ 185

close grip bench
155,165,170,170
chest supported rows
80,90,100,90
inverted rows
feet on floor knees bent, all sets
scap pushups
completed

39

day 21
front squat
205,210,210,210,210
step ups
25,30,30
ab wheel
completed
Natural ghr
completed
pistols to box
low box with 1 45 plate on top, barefoot, all sets

40

day 22
incline BB bench
135,135,140,145,140
pullups
bw,bw,bw, slight assist with red band for last two sets
db bench
60,60,65
rows
55,55,55
cable back hand
10,12.5,12.5
zottman curls
20,15,15