07/10/09
ME Bench Presses
Bench Presses (Paused):
20x2x8
40x5
60x5
(All subsequent sets performed with a 1-board)
80x3
100x2
110x1
120x1
125x1 (PR)
Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses:
75lbx1x10
75lbx2x9
Pull-ups:
BW+10x2x7
BW+10x2x5
Face Pulls:
100lbx3x10
That last single was a real struggle. 120kg was surprisingly fast, but 125 was my absolute limit. 125.5 would have been too heavy! Still, a 5kg PR on this movement equals progress, so I’m happy with that.
09/10/09
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed Box Squats:
20x2x5
60x3
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
60x3
80x4x2
90x4x2
Speed Deadlifts:
70x5
(Added doubled mini bands)
70x1
100x4x1
110x1
120x1
Reverse Hypers:
80x3x12
Ab Pulldowns:
110lbx1x8
110lbx2x5
Box squats were very, very zippy today. Speed work is paying off!
10/10/09
DE Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
20x5
40x5
60x3x3
70x3x3
80x3x3
‘Bouncy’ Bench Presses:
40x15
60x15
80x8
70x12
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows:
95lbx3x10
60kgx1x10
Log Presses:
70x2x3
Last week I focused on bar speed rather than weight, but felt good today so worked up to some heavier triples on the bench press.
And after being mocked for doing band pull-aparts instead of a ‘real’ exercise last week, I played with the strongman log today. FUN. Will definitely be doing these regularly. My training partner cranked out a few brutal sets of overhead rope triceps extensions whilst I worked up to a rep PR with the dumbbell rows…
[quote]Element_26 wrote:
04/10/09
DE Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
20x5
40x5
60x3x3
65x5x3
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Presses:
85lbx4x8
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows:
95lbx3x10
60kgx1x9
Band Pull-aparts:
3x25 w/mini band
Those were some intense band pull-aparts.
EDIT: It has been brought to my attention by my training partner (known around these parts as Youch) that I neglected to highlight my general lameness in performing those band pull-aparts whilst he was finishing off Sunday’s session with a few sets of clean and presses with a strongman log. Oh the shame.[/quote]
I should think so too; you did make up for it yesterday though:)
The pull-aparts were classic, felt like I was watching a black and white video suddenly in color!
[quote]Ritchey wrote:
The pull-aparts were classic, felt like I was watching a black and white video suddenly in color![/quote]
I think it was the way I was gritting my teeth to get those pain-staking last five reps that really put the icing on the cake.
12/10/09
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Rack Pulls (from 1st pins):
60x5
80x5
100x3
120x3
140x1
160x1
180x1
200xF
190xF
Hanging Leg Raises:
5x1x10
10x3x10
We’re ‘deloading’ this week, which (obviously) means choosing a heavy partial movement and working up to weights greatly exceeding your 1RM, and then failing. In fairness, with the pins set so low in the rack, these were very similar to full ROM deadlifts anyway, and my horrific weakness off of the floor (well, first pin) struck again.
180 was easy as pie (I didn’t even bother to film my first 4-plate pull because I expected at least 200kg) but the next weight wouldn’t even budge. Same story with 190. Still, at least not being able to move the weight an inch off the floor = no strain, and hence I did (kind of) deload.
Finished off with some leg raises (and a lame weight and rep PR) and headed off home.
I got a video of the log pressing from Saturday:
15/10/09
ME Bench Presses
Bottom-up Bench Presses:
20x2x5
40x5
(All subsequent sets performed using the strongman log)
70x2x3
90x2
100x1
110x1
80x20
Face Pulls:
100lbx4x10
We used the strongman log for teh lulz… It was pretty cool actually, and the awkward shape and size of it meant that we had to really exaggerate the perfect form for the bench press to get the bloody thing off of the pins.
16/10/09
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed Box Squats:
20x2x5
60x3
80x4x2
90x4x2
Ab Pulldowns:
100lbx4x10
My lower back was feeling a bit tight today (probably after arching for the duration of the 20-rep set of bench presses yesterday) so I warmed up with a couple of light sets of reverse hypers and ab pulldowns, then got down to the real work.
All sets were good and fast.
Deloading is boring as hell.
18/10/09
DE Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
40x5
60x3
70x8x3
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows:
95lbx2x10
100lbx2x10
Just ticking these sessions off… I’ll be back to heavy lifting tomorrow!
19/10/09
ME Squats/Deadlifts
SSB Squats:
30x2x5
50x5
70x3
90x3
110x1
120x1
130xF
130x1
140xF
Reverse Band Deadlifts:
(With green bands)
100x5
140x3
160x3
200x2
220xF
200x1
Glute/Ham Raises:
(With mini band)
BWx8/6/4/4
Hanging Leg Raises:
10x2x10
5x1x10
Absolutely fucking horrendous.
21/10/09
ME Bench Presses
Bench Presses (Paused):
20x2x8
40x5
60x5
80x3
100x1
(All subsequent sets performed with a 2-board)
110x1
120x1
130x1
135x1 (PR)
140xF
120x1
110x2
100x5
Pull-ups:
BW+10x4x6
Face Pulls:
90lbx3x10
Overhead Presses from pins:
40x10
50x10
60x8
I didn’t really know what to expect from the 2-board presses, since I haven’t done them with a pause before. 135 wasn’t too bad, but 3 plates would have been nice. The plan was to take a lighter weight and perform a few heavy triples or fives as our primary assistance exercise, but I was shot by that point and didn’t have much left in me. The presses at the end of the session ensured we got some more volume in for the shoulders and triceps. Not bad overall, but not great either.
EDIT: Actually, I did manage a PR on the 2-board presses yesterday. I thought I’d done 135kg before, but my previous best was 130x1 and 130x2 (both touch and go). So 135 with a pause was pretty good after all. It’s cool when that happens!
23/10/09
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed Box Squats:
20x2x5
(Added blue bands)
20x3
60x2
80x4x2
90x2x2
100x2x2
Speed Deadlifts:
70x3
(Added doubled mini bands)
70x1
90x3x1
110x3x1
Reverse Hypers:
85x3x12
Ab Pulldowns:
100lbx1x12
100lbx2x10
We had a Polish strongman training with us today, and there was a great energy in the gym. It all got a bit competitive and even though we are using more band tension on this cycle I still worked up to 100kg for a couple of doubles. 90kg was fast; 100kg was not.
25/10/09
DE Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
40x5
60x3
70x8x3
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Presses:
85lbx8/8/7/6
Barbell Rows:
80x4x8
Band Pull-aparts:
3x25 w/mini band
The bench presses felt very smooth and quick today. Everything else was pretty standard.
26/10/09
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Squats:
20x2x5
60x3
80x3
100x2
120x1
(Added weight releasers)
120+22.5x1
130+45x1
140+45x1
150+45x1
155+45xF
I failed miserably, but thankfully my training partner has posted a video of my 155kg attempt:
Rack Pulls (from 3rd pins):
60x3
120x3
140x3
150x3
160x3
170x3
180x3
They’re ugly, but here’s a video of my triple with 180kg:
Glute/Ham Raises:
(With mini band)
BWx2x8
BWx1x6
Hanging Leg Raises:
10x3x10
Playing with the weight releasers was great fun, and I was so close to making that last rep - if I’d got my head back into the bar properly I would have made it. Ah well, at least I now know what 200kg feels like to unrack.
The rest of the session was all about volume: loads of rack pulls and then some GHRs and leg raises. I’ll sleep well tonight!
You’re working hard, man. It shows in your numbers, keep it up
29/10/09
ME Bench Presses
Bottom-up Fat Bar Bench Presses:
15x2x8
35x5
55x3
75x3
95x2
105x1
115x1
120x1
105x4x3
Pull-ups:
10x4x6
Hang Cleans and Presses:
50x2x8
Face Pulls:
90lbx2x15
I’m delighted with today’s session: 120kg is only 2.5kg off of my all-time best bench press, so to do it with the fat bar and without a preceding eccentric phase is a good thing. I’m expecting a big bench PR at the end of this cycle!
Those hang cleans and presses were brutal - despite the light weight I was completely gassed at the end of each set.
[quote]whup wrote:
You’re working hard, man. It shows in your numbers, keep it up[/quote]
Thanks whup, I appreciate it. With the constant rotating of ME exercises it can be hard to get an idea of were I’m at strength-wise, but as you said I’m working hard and hopefully it’ll be reflected whenever I next test my maxes on the main lifts.
30/10/09
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed SSB Box Squats:
30x2x5
70x2
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
70x2
80x2x2
90x4x2
100x2x2
Speed Deadlifts:
60x3
100x1
140x4x1
150x1
160x1
Reverse Hypers:
90x3x12
Ab Pulldowns:
100lbx3x12