Wednesday 7/2/14
BW 286
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
455x5
495x1
515xFail
I should give straps a second chance. I should probably try using a belt at some point as well.
Strict military press
115x5
155x5
175x4
175x3
175x2
115x8
170 next week.
Seated calf raise
135x10
135x10
135x10
Barbell curl
An unlabeled barbell x 8
An unlabeled barbell x 8
An unlabeled barbell x 8
Pec Deck
100x13
100x10
100x10
Front squat rep-out
135x10
Pool, hot tub and sauna closed this week. Bastards.
I popped my head for a change and checked out your log. Awesome work! Keep pushing!
Curious re: your deadlift. It seems that you just work up to a heavy single every time. Now, TBH, I much prefer singles in the deadlift to repetition work, but I’m a little nervy about basically working up to your max or near-max in every workout and stopping there. Have you given any thought to a workout that’s something like warming up to 4-5 singles at 405, or 425, or 455, whatever is just enough to be a good “work weight” rather than a near-max attempt?
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
Curious re: your deadlift. It seems that you just work up to a heavy single every time. Now, TBH, I much prefer singles in the deadlift to repetition work, but I’m a little nervy about basically working up to your max or near-max in every workout and stopping there. Have you given any thought to a workout that’s something like warming up to 4-5 singles at 405, or 425, or 455, whatever is just enough to be a good “work weight” rather than a near-max attempt?[/quote]
To be honest, I am just figuring it out as I go. If I feel like I have more in me, I go for it. Sometimes I nail it, like last week where I hit 545 after a decent amount of work. 495 was a breeze yesterday, but that on top of 455x5 was my limit and 515 barely left the ground. I made note of how I felt and my body awareness is growing.
My recovery seems fairly good as well. I had a wicked barbell hangover this morning, but I feel great now.
I am still getting stronger at a fairly rapid pace, so all of these numbers can take on new meaning for me week-to-week. It is exciting, fun and a little bit scary all at the same time. Plus it is a good reminder that I am still a beginner in many respects, maybe now just crossing into intermediate territory. No matter how you describe my experience level, it is clear that I have much left to learn, not to mention much left to gain.
So to answer your question, no I haven’t thought about doing a series of heavy singles. What I really want to do is rest up, eat well and see if I can pull 6 plates with a managed lead-up to a true 1RM attempt. That is a few months away, however, and I will probably just go for a heavy triple at 475 next week and call that a deadlift workout.
[quote]TheKraken wrote:
I popped my head for a change and checked out your log. Awesome work! Keep pushing! [/quote]
Thanks for popping your head for me! I have been creeping your log for awhile. I will stop by soon to discuss our mutual interest in lechery.
[quote]twojarslave wrote:
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
Curious re: your deadlift. It seems that you just work up to a heavy single every time. Now, TBH, I much prefer singles in the deadlift to repetition work, but I’m a little nervy about basically working up to your max or near-max in every workout and stopping there. Have you given any thought to a workout that’s something like warming up to 4-5 singles at 405, or 425, or 455, whatever is just enough to be a good “work weight” rather than a near-max attempt?[/quote]
To be honest, I am just figuring it out as I go. If I feel like I have more in me, I go for it. Sometimes I nail it, like last week where I hit 545 after a decent amount of work. 495 was a breeze yesterday, but that on top of 455x5 was my limit and 515 barely left the ground. I made note of how I felt and my body awareness is growing.
[/quote]
Fair enough; I am definitely a believer in sort of training by feel and letting yourself work up to a “daily max” and figuring out exactly what that is as you go (prior to embarking on my pullup/kettlebell experiment, that’s what I was doing for much of the spring, earlier in my log). Just curious. Keep up the good work.
Friday, 7/4/14
A storm’s a comin to Maine. We had plans to camp on an island off the coast. The hurricane forced us to reconsider the wisdom of tenting it out in the thick of it, so we headed south to fairer weather and I find myself in a hotel, which has a bench and dummbells up to 50 in the very vacant fitness center. I can work with this.
DB bench press
25x20
35x15
50x12
50x12
50x12
One arm row
50x12
50x12
50x12
Front raises
10x15
15x12
20x10
Standing DB press
30x15
50x10
50x10
50x10
Chest flies
25x15
30x12
30x12
DB curl
25x15
30x10
35x8
I went all bro style today and skipped legs. I want to be fresh tomorrow since it will be 82 and sunny with low humidity. Perfect weather to enjoy Six Flags New England!
Happy Independence Day, USA!
Monday 7/7/14
BW 287
Squat
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
Wrapped knees
315x5
365x5
365x5
365x5
I was going to do work sets at 385, but decided that another week at 365 was prudent.
Bench Press
135x5
185x5
225x5
245x5
245x5
245x5
250 next week.
Lat PD
210x10
210x8
210x9
Weighted situp
5lb x 15
5lb x 15
DB Farmer’s carries
100 lb each hand. Carried them as far as I could twice.
Preacher curl with ez bar
75x10
75x10
Shrugs on the bench press machine
Full stack x 15
Full stack x 15
Pool and sauna area still closed. Bastards.
Putting my whole ass into diet execution this week. “It’s summer” is not an acceptable reason for drinking beer. Well, maybe it is, but I just need to get over it.
Wednesday 7/9/14
BW 286
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
475x3
515x1
Military Press
115x5
145x5
170x5
170x5
170x5
Standing calf raise
580x12
580x12
Barbell curl
Unlabeled barbell x 8
Unlabeled barbell x 8
Dumbbell bench press
35x15
60x12
80x10
100x6
Front squat rep out
135x10
20 min sauna
10 min hot tub
Packed, hot gym today with a particularly odious stench. I was a key contributor to the pong and took my sweat factory to the glorious sauna, open again after 10 days of downtime. Killing it on diet this week, but I need to keep things reigned in on this weekend’s camping trip.
Here’s a video of my 515 DL from Wednesday, 07/09/14. You can tell from my great tan and greasy layer of sweat that it is summer in Maine.
I’ve also been thinking about my deadlift sets since ActivitiesGuy’s post last week, wondering if heavy singles are a good idea after tough sets. I did 475x3 a few minutes before the pull you see here, and I was definitely a bit fatigued from it. Still, the pull felt good, I feel good, and dammit I love lifting heavy.
I’m also happy one of my film crew pulled through for me. This video was taken by my buddy, who is still going strong, getting strong and staying consistent. He doesn’t get to the gym until I’m 20 or 30 minutes into my workout, so he usually shows up just in time for my heaviest squat or DL.
I think some film requests in the coming week are a small price to ask for introducing him to the barbell. Plus his phone takes better video than my GF’s.
Any thoughts or feedback are, as always, greatly appreciated.
Double-post. Woops.
Here’s a video of my 515 DL from Wednesday, 07/09/14. You can tell from my great tan and greasy layer of sweat that it is summer in Maine.
I’ve also been thinking about my deadlift sets since ActivitiesGuy’s post last week, wondering if heavy singles are a good idea after tough sets. I did 475x3 a few minutes before the pull you see here, and I was definitely a bit fatigued from it. Still, the pull felt good, I feel good, and dammit I love lifting heavy.
I’m also happy one of my film crew pulled through for me. This video was taken by my buddy, who is still going strong, getting strong and staying consistent. He doesn’t get to the gym until I’m 20 or 30 minutes into my workout, so he usually shows up just in time for my heaviest squat or DL.
I think some film requests in the coming week are a small price to ask for introducing him to the barbell. Plus his phone takes better video than my GF’s.
Any thoughts or feedback are, as always, greatly appreciated.
Have you considered a Texas-Method-like approach for your deadlift? One of every three workouts you work up to a 3RM or 5RM, one day is a higher volume day, and one lighter day?
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
Have you considered a Texas-Method-like approach for your deadlift? One of every three workouts you work up to a 3RM or 5RM, one day is a higher volume day, and one lighter day?
[/quote]
I don’t know anything about the Texas Method. I’ll have to read up on it. I use the Maine Method right now, which is to do whatever I want even though smarter, more experienced lifters have better programs that I could be following.
5/3/1 has me intrigued. I can see myself switching to that in the next year or so once the linear gains dry up.
Friday 7/11/14
BW 286
I had to make it fast to get to my massage appointment with a skilled and sturdy woman. I am a worthless heap of crap at the moment, too relaxed to muster any effort besides logging this workout and hitting the couch.
I managed to get some decent but very rushed work in.
Squat
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
Wrapped knees
315x5
365x4
405x3
Bench press
135x5
185x5
225x5
250x5
275x2
Bentover barbell row
135x10
135x10
135x10
Monday 7/14/14
BW 287
Squat
135x5
225x5
275x5
Wrapped knees
315x5
385x5
405x3
425x1 20 lb PR
425 was a bit sloppy, but it went up easy. I am nearly certain that I have 455 in me. My buddy took some film of 385x5 and 405x3 that I am very eager to get up for review as soon as he gets me the file. Squat sets with good lighting and camera angles, about time!
Bench press
135x5
185x5
225x2 - Tried a low rep warm up to stay fresh for work sets, it seems to have worked.
250x5
250x5
250x5
Work set PR and just one week spent at 250. I think I spent 3 or 4 weeks at 245. Strength can be a funny thing. 255 next week.
Lat PD
210x10
210x10
210x8
Weighted Situp
5 lbs for 15 reps
Only did one set of these today because lazy.
Dumbbell farmers carries
100 lb each hand. Carried them as far as I could twice.
20 min sauna
10 min hot tub
2 lazy laps in the pool. I just have not had much swimming in me after weights lately. Squats may be the culprit. Oh well.
Thursday 7/17/14
BW 287
I took Wednesday off due to a strain in my right trapezius. It feels better today, but I still kept it light and worked around my back.
Squat
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x5
365x4
365x3
Standing DB press
25x12
50x8
50x7
50x5
DB curl
25x12
25x12
25x12
Chest flies
25x12
30x10
30x10
Mild back injury aside, I was not feeling particularly strong today. Someone also crapped in the pool, so the whole area, sauna included, was shut down so they could deal with the shituation.
Finally got my squat vids sent to me. These are from this past Monday, 7/14/14. I’ll probably post these in a form check thread as well, but if anyone has any feedback I’d be more than happy to hear it here.
Here is 385x5.
And here is 405x3 from a different angle.
Plenty of videos in that log of what I personally consider to be great, great form given the max effort involved.
My .02: since you’re not prepping for a powerlifting, build your base by training at no more than ~ 80% of the #s you want to get to, and just doing reps there. I saw Sam Byrd mentioned by Reed in your other thread; according to Paul Carter (who has totally convinced me of the whole “base building” idea, which is essentially Sheiko training, Prilepin’s table etc. because the basics never change just the package) Byrd is a 700 lb squatter who trains with no more than 455? I think in the offseason (an outlier example probably but the point remains).
My only comment on form since I’m not a powerlifter, is that everybody is different except for one thing -whatever you’re doing, your body needs to be tight throughout the movement or you will get hurt, sooner or later. You’re a young’un so you might last a good while, but still…I see a lot of “looseness” in your movements and that in my humble opinion is not good. Again, check out the vids in the thread I linked and see how tight that guy’s body stays even when his form breaks (minimally) down during max effort.
One last point -when one trains to compete for max results, everything changes and chances are you will get injuries. But if as you state you’re not looking to compete as a powerlifter then…
[quote]punnyguy wrote:
Plenty of videos in that log of what I personally consider to be great, great form given the max effort involved.
My .02: since you’re not prepping for a powerlifting, build your base by training at no more than ~ 80% of the #s you want to get to, and just doing reps there. I saw Sam Byrd mentioned by Reed in your other thread; according to Paul Carter (who has totally convinced me of the whole “base building” idea, which is essentially Sheiko training, Prilepin’s table etc. because the basics never change just the package) Byrd is a 700 lb squatter who trains with no more than 455? I think in the offseason (an outlier example probably but the point remains).
My only comment on form since I’m not a powerlifter, is that everybody is different except for one thing -whatever you’re doing, your body needs to be tight throughout the movement or you will get hurt, sooner or later. You’re a young’un so you might last a good while, but still…I see a lot of “looseness” in your movements and that in my humble opinion is not good. Again, check out the vids in the thread I linked and see how tight that guy’s body stays even when his form breaks (minimally) down during max effort.
One last point -when one trains to compete for max results, everything changes and chances are you will get injuries. But if as you state you’re not looking to compete as a powerlifter then…[/quote]
Wow, thanks for the insight, punnyguy. I have a few follow-up questions for you, if you would be so kind as to humor me.
On my training weight…
I am still getting fairly rapid strength gains. I joined T-Nation in May, I think, with a best squat of 365x1 and here I am today with a best effort of 405x4. Not that I am complaining, but things like “heavy” and “80% of what I want to get to” can take on new meaning week-to-week. Realistically, much of that leap in squat weight was technique-related (switch to low-bar), but I still go into the weight room every week ready to set some kind of PR.
Do you think it is time for me to take my foot off the gas a little and work with lighter weights and higher reps? I usually go with a weight I can do for 5 reps and control my progression by adding 5 lbs at a time, but I am in the middle of a big leap in my squat.
This is something I’ve already been thinking about, and my general plan has been to keep my foot on the gas until the linear gains have dried up and then switch to 5/3/1, which uses the training max principle you speak of.
Is that a good plan or do you think now is the time for me to back off and focus on longevity?
On staying tight…
I understand what you mean, and I agree completely. I’ve seen that log you linked before, and his level of technique refinement is definitely something I aspire to. I’m also in the market for a belt to aid in tightness.
As far as competing goes, it may be in my future if I can get down to a weight class where I’d be competitive. For now I’m just having fun with getting stronger and half-assing my diet all summer.
Thanks again for your great insight.