Well, normally 155 is warmup for me on deads. But the article suggests no more than 50% max for the hi reps. However, the 250 tough set looks like my max isn’t near 300, but more 275 or 285, exactly same as a year ago.
Granted, Simmons mentions real lifters. One guy stuck at 820, did 225 - 275 for 20 reps, got stronger. Louie says he missed 700 at a meet, went home, did 315 for 15, repeat one week, and got the 700. So if I can do 155 for at least 15, shouldn’t I be maxing on at least 300? Or does the process not scale to puny levels like mine? Or is Simmons full of it?
By the formula I use weightreps.03333+weight (Thanks Jim Wendler) your max should be between 230 & 235.
[quote]Co tenBroek wrote:
By the formula I use weightreps.03333+weight (Thanks Jim Wendler) your max should be between 230 & 235.[/quote]
Well, since last week I pulled 255 and it wasn’t even max, the formula’s screwed up. Last year I pulled 275 at the meet and later did 310 in the gym (wouldn’t swear the form was good).
EDIT: if I did 20 reps, comes closer to real max. Not pushing reps all the way to failure, just far enough to work back hard.
Visited Bulldog at his NASA meet yesterday and watched him cover himself in glory. There was an curl event before the PL stuff. Watching the guys throw up 135 lbs and more (think the top was 200 or more - not sure, damn I HATE kilos), was curious about my own curl. Had been ages since any real curl program. So:
Barbell curl
45 x 8
65 x 1
75 x 1
95 x 0
85 x 1
90 x 1
about what I expected, just under 100 lbs.
Deadlift
155 x 17 . x 17
hmm, these were definitely easier than last time. Maybe Simmons is on to something.
DB side raise
15 x 10 . x 10
Tri Extension with parallel grip bar
no plates x 15
20 x 10 . x 12
was bothered by left arm conking out last bench session. With this, I can watch in the mirror, must keep bar level, if it dips on one side, know that side is weak.
Standing calf
175 x 19
195 x 14
Quote of the day: guy next to me in gym said he was having a bad day. “I’m as motivated as a three legged bullfrog in a desert.”
Note. Each time I warm up is on an elliptical machine which reads heart rate. Checking heart gives me a clue on how recovered I am. If shoots up to 120 or more, haven’t been refreshed enough. If stays down in mid 110s, doing OK. Today it nice and low, I felt really good.
(I suppose I should check heart rate at home, just take pulse and check watch. Used to do that years ago, but with the arythmia and palpitations, I’m already more conscious of heart than I want to be.)
People working on the racks where I want to deadlift, so do some Hammer Incline Bench to pass time:
90 x 10 . x 10 . x 10
Deadlift
155 x 18 . x 17
Hammer Leg Extension
40 x 20
60 x 14 . x 14
Life Fitness Leg Curl
90 x 15
110 x 14
130 x 12
Free Motion Ab
70 x 15 . OW - got some cramping from this - gotta work on that
90 x 12
110 x 12
130 x 8
got in the groove, no more cramping - strange how easy it felt
Gym then brought out some food, brisket, turkey, pizza, so I chowed down before going home. Of course, they also set up a table nearby selling supplements - nothing’s free.
Good Work. 2 sets of Deads NICE.
Well, the week off from school is about over. Classes start next week. Also got some tutoring sessions as well, yeah, more money. And how did I spend my vacation? Grade final projects. Calculate and submit final grades. Work up schedule for next quarter. Write and post new syllabus. Assemble new grading system, new resources, new lectures. Assemble student games for new students to study.
Whew - I need to rest up from my “vacation”.
Deadlift
165 x 15 . x 15
feeling pretty good, just out of breath. heart started beating a little goofy, but quickly cleared up. By the way, I don’t set the bar down, just barely touch the floor, moving constantly.
Bench
45 x 15
100 x 14
120 x 8
135 x 3 . x 3
seem nice and controlled, but shoulder getting more sensitive, was aching from this. Been doing some mobility stuff on this guy, don’t like the idea it might be getting worse.
Parallel grip tri X
20 x 15
30 x 8 . x 8 . x 8
thinking of making this my tri staple. Watching the mirror, I can check both arms working the same, so neither gets weaker.
Face pull
10 x 15
13 x 12
15 x 10
Hammer Incline Bench
90 x 10 . x 10
Didn’t know what to do today, deadlifts seemed painful, went for arms and upper body stuff.
Bench
45 x 12
75 x 10 . x 12
95 x 4 . FAILURE - no, seriously
95 x 5
95 x 5
Barbell curl
45 x 12
55 x 6 . x 7 . x 7
Rear delt
30 x 15
40 x 12 . x 12
Pulldown
70 x 15
90 x 12
100 x 10
110 x 8
Hammer Shoulder
5 x 12
10 x 12
15 x 12
30 x 8 . x 8 . x 7
These hurt . . . really, pain.
Mobility, lots of eating, lots of sleep, pain subsided.
Heart rate a little elevated, will do only one set deads:
Deadlift (still sumo)
165 x 17
think a little palpitation, but OK.
Been able to get some gains on lower body, very little on upper body, thinking arms & shoulders might be severely fast twitch. Will try lower reps:
Overhead press
65 x 5
70 x 3
85 x 2
95 x 1 . x 1 . x 1 ** PR (I think) **
not bad at all, may be on to something
DB side raise
15 x 5
20 x 1 . x 2 . x 1
15 x 2 . x 2
seemed tough, but of course just did presses
Ab machine
80 x 15
100 x 15
110 x 10
guessing abs may be more slow twitch.
School starts summer quarter today, my class begins tomorrow, I’m ready.
Just found out there was a stabbing on the campus today. Shitty way to start the quarter.
Damn Nice Press Cav. Keep it up. I use the lower reps/higher weight 5/3/1 and I’ve been surprised at how much stronger I’ve become. e.g. last year I 1 RM OP 115 Lbs, today I did 3 @ 130 Lbs.
Its hard being a teacher, gradings and having to talk all day.
Congrats on the PR
I’m jelly. Anyway, it’s good for me and remarkable how painless it was. I’ve heard of lo twitch / fast twitch for years, but never could make it work. Now seems to be clicking, will explore it more.
[quote]Its hard being a teacher, gradings and having to talk all day.
Congrats on the PR[/quote]
Thanks, Techno. Actually, I just teach one class, 2 hours a day, and tutoring is 3 hrs. But I really like to talk, though. Just ask my students, with their glazed eyes and drooling mouths, they love to hear me talk too. Uh - that is a sign of enjoyment, right?
Seriously, the trick is finding ways for students to do something other than listen to me drone on. Also, grading takes time, and they don’t pay me a penny for anything I do outside class. Grading, writing announcements, doing lesson plans, etc etc . . . all on my own time. Good thing I like it.
BTW, they caught the guy.
No power yesterday for about 6 hours or so, a transformer just outside my window blew and power off for the building. Couldn’t cook, went out & gorged at Golden Corral. They replaced it, so internet & tv up & running.
Deadlift
165 x 17 . x 16
first set ok, second strangely knocked the wind out of me.
Barbell curl
45 x 6
65 x 1
85 x 1 . x 1
75 x 1
Hammer Leg X
50 x 10 FAIL . ok, this was weird and frustrating
50 x 18
god, did that one burn - does lactic acid wreck your mood? possible, I was pissed for hours.
Leg Curl
90 x 15
130 x 13
Well.
Did laundry today in the apartment laundry room. Washing machines had clothes in them but were stopped. Waited a bit, no one showed up. Removed clothes from a couple of machines, put on table, and put mine in. Guy comes in, starts yelling at me at taking clothes out (they weren’t even HIS clothes), threatens to hit me, the works. Had thick, muscular arms like someone benching 300 or 400 lbs, could flatten me and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it if he did. Called police and manager, they gave him a talking to, he cooled off.
Heart pounding (not palpitations) madly, anxiety, can’t concentrate. Went to gym. Got rid of the anxiety, replaced by contempt. What kind of body do I have, train it for years and it still can’t defend me?
Skipped deadlifts, sure to be too overstressed.
Bench
45 x 12
95 x 2
135 x 1 . x 1 . x 2
145 x 1
only the last one felt like any control at all, must remember to tense everything or it just crushes me.
DB Pullover
40 x 8 . x 8 . x 8
Parallel grip Tri X
20 x 8
30 x 3
40 x 2 . x 2
watch mirror, make sure bar stays horizontal so arms worked equally.
wanted to work pecs, give this guy a try:
Hammer Wide Chest
90 x 10
140 x 8
180 x 3
Face Pull machine
11 x 15
13 x 10
15 x 6
16 x 5
I could see your frustration if you actually did training like bjj, but deadlifting (example) doesnt teach anyone self defense. Stop being so hard on yourself.
Cav, your body, your mind and your spirit did not fail you.
In fact I would say that you handled the entire situation exactly as it should have been handled. Your reactions sound like a standard response from your adrenal glands. Everything in you was getting ready for a fight. You did not run away, you confronted the situation and dealt with it in an appropriate manner. Awesome job.
Co
Ok that was weird, double posted from my not so smart phone
I haven’t posted because haven’t recovered from the anxiety. Traumatic experiences always hit me hard.
Still working out.
I’ll trade, I’m packing and moving. Gotta find a new gym and a new judo club.
Please come back. We honor and admire your striving and would like to see more.
