Get Swole or Die Mirin'

Sunday, 25 March, 2012
Ed Coan Bench Program: Week 5 - Heavy Day

Usual upper body warm up

  1. Bench Press
    1x20 @ 20kg
    1x8 @ 40kg - last rep paused
    1x5 @ 60kg - last rep paused
    1x5 @ 80kg - last rep paused
    1x2 @ 100kg - both reps paused
    2x5 @ 120kg - easy, definitely much more reps there

  2. Close Grip Bench Press
    2x5 @ 105kg - easy

  3. Low Incline Bench Press
    2x5 @ 97.5kg

  4. T-Bar Row
    2x15 @ 100kg - PR

  5. Rope Pushdown
    2x20 @ 110lbs

Notes: On a course of antibiotics at the moment for a throat/chest infection so I felt a bit run down today. But I was able to get all of the reps in and they were all easy which is nice, had to use the gym’s fixed benched for my flat and close grip work today, really didn’t like it, the position I have to unrack from is mid-press for somebody with long arms like me, and re-racking it is worse, I’ll try and avoid that again.

Tuesday, 27 March, 2012
Ed Coan Squat Program: Week 5
06:45am-7:55am

  1. High Bar ATG Back Squat
    1x3 @ 20kg
    1x3 @ 60kg
    1x1 @ 100kg
    belt on
    2x5 @ 140kg - PR

  2. Leg Press
    1x12 @ 230kg
    1x15 @ 230kg - PR

  3. Leg Extension
    1x25 @ Pin #20 (stack)
    Drop Set:
    1x25 @ Pin #20 (stack)
    1x5 @ Pin #18
    1x5 @ Pin #16
    1x5 @ Pin #14
    1x5 @ Pin #12
    1x10 @ Pin #10
    1x10 @ Pin #8

  4. Unilateral Lying Leg Curl
    2x10 @ Pin #6

5a) Seated Calf Raise
2x20 @ 80kg

5b) Band Abduction
2x15 @ doubled mini band

6a) Ab Wheel
2x15 @ Bw

6b) Side Bends
2x10 @ 28kg

6c) Dip Bar Leg Raises
2x10 @ Bw

Wednesday, 28 March, 2012
Ed Coan Overhead Press Program
7:30am-8:30am

Warm up:
Band Pull aparts (internally and externally rotated), band dislocates, face pulls with external rotation
Seated Behind the neck press - worked from 20kg - 60kg

  1. Standing Overhead Press
    belt on
    2x5 @ 65kg - easier than I had anticipated, though still tough with a full ROM

  2. Dumbbell Laterals
    3x12 @ 15kg 'bells

  3. Dumbbell Front Raises
    3x12 @ 12.5kg 'bells

4a) Bent Over Dumbbell Laterals
2x20 @ 10kg 'bells

4b) Face Pulls
2x10 @ 110lb

5a) Barbell Shrug
2x50 @ 160kg - with straps, no belt

5b) Band Pull Aparts
2x20 @ Mini band

Great lifting, been checking in as I’m gathering interest in Coan routines… regarding the Coan/Phillipi… I’m guessing I should hit some singles and see if I can match/get close to my 220kg PR after squatting for so long with no DL and then use whatever number I hit rather then the 220?

With that in mind… if I did hit say 210… what would be a reasonable aim for progress in the 10 weeks? 230 maybe? I find it strange there’s no “standard amount of progression” but am intrigued all the same.

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
Great lifting, been checking in as I’m gathering interest in Coan routines… regarding the Coan/Phillipi… I’m guessing I should hit some singles and see if I can match/get close to my 220kg PR after squatting for so long with no DL and then use whatever number I hit rather then the 220? With that in mind… if I did hit say 210… what would be a reasonable aim for progress in the 10 weeks? 230 maybe? I find it strange there’s no “standard amount of progression” but am intrigued all the same.[/quote]

I hit 230kg conventional in the middle of one of my recent Smolov cycles, but I know I could hit 220kg any day of the week so I used that. Typically, from what I’ve seen friends and people online use, an increase of 20kg is fair. I would see what your pull is like at the minute, and add about twenty kilos to that.

[quote]SamMcLoughin wrote:
I hit 230kg conventional in the middle of one of my recent Smolov cycles, but I know I could hit 220kg any day of the week so I used that. Typically, from what I’ve seen friends and people online use, an increase of 20kg is fair. I would see what your pull is like at the minute, and add about twenty kilos to that.[/quote]

Thanks man that sounds good… I’ll make sure I test well so I don’t over/undershoot. I’m hoping my minimum aim would be to surpass my all time deadlift PR (even if by 2.5kg…) whilst maintaining/improving my much improved squat (via 5/3/1). That way my total will start to look a little better… ignoring the ol’ bench pruss.

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:

[quote]SamMcLoughin wrote:
I hit 230kg conventional in the middle of one of my recent Smolov cycles, but I know I could hit 220kg any day of the week so I used that. Typically, from what I’ve seen friends and people online use, an increase of 20kg is fair. I would see what your pull is like at the minute, and add about twenty kilos to that.[/quote]

Thanks man that sounds good… I’ll make sure I test well so I don’t over/undershoot. I’m hoping my minimum aim would be to surpass my all time deadlift PR (even if by 2.5kg…) whilst maintaining/improving my much improved squat (via 5/3/1). That way my total will start to look a little better… ignoring the ol’ bench pruss.
[/quote]

You could also look in to Surovetsky. Took my deadlift from 227.5kg to 245kg in 9 weeks.

[quote]SamMcLoughin wrote:
You could also look in to Surovetsky. Took my deadlift from 227.5kg to 245kg in 9 weeks.[/quote]

That sounds pretty sweet, I will definitely check out both and see what I like the look of more. I should probably be focusing on improving my bench as main priority but running a deadlift routine shouldn’t really influence my upper body training much at all (I’d assume) and I certainly need to get it back up to scratch.

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:

[quote]SamMcLoughin wrote:
You could also look in to Surovetsky. Took my deadlift from 227.5kg to 245kg in 9 weeks.[/quote]

That sounds pretty sweet, I will definitely check out both and see what I like the look of more. I should probably be focusing on improving my bench as main priority but running a deadlift routine shouldn’t really influence my upper body training much at all (I’d assume) and I certainly need to get it back up to scratch. [/quote]

Surovetsky is easier if you want to do Coan/Phillipi as it’s written, but it’s two days a week.

Thursday, 29 March, 2012
Modified Coan/Phillipi Deadlift
7:15am-9:00am

Warm up: Foam rolled everything, stretched calves.

  1. Deadlift
    no straps or belt
    2x2 @ 60kg
    1x2 @ 100kg
    1x2 @ 140kg
    1x1 @ 180kg
    chalk
    1x2 @ 215kg - Beltless PR

  2. Speed Deadlift
    no straps or belt
    3x3 @ 180kg

  3. Stiff Leg Deadlift
    straps, no belt
    2x6 @ 180kg - PR

  4. Pendlay Row
    straps, no belt
    2x5 @ 105kg
    1x5 @ 115kg - PR

  5. T-Bar Row
    no straps or belt
    1x12 @ 105kg
    1x15 @ 105kg - PR

  6. Plate Loaded Lat Pulldown
    no straps
    4x12 @ 120kg - PR

Notes:
Awesome session. Everything felt great.

Dat crrrraaaaazzzzeeeee.

Deadlifts from this morning.

Nice

Friday, 30 March, 2012
Ed Coan Bench: Week 6 - Light Day

  1. Light Bench Press
    1x20 @ 20kg
    1x10 @ 40kg - all reps paused
    1x10 @ 60kg - all reps paused
    1x2 @ 80kg - both reps paused
    2x10 @ 92.5kg - paused reps 1, 9 and 10

  2. Dumbbell Bench
    1x7 @ 45kg - PR
    1x11 @ 37.5kg - PR

  3. Dumbbell Fly
    2x10 @ 30kg - PR

  4. Close Grip Bench - one giant set
    80kg x6 to chest
    80kg x4 to one board
    80kg x6 to foam roller

  5. Dumbbell Hammer Curl
    2x12 @ 25kg 'bells

Notes:
I was extremely sore from deadlifts yesterday, traps to calves and everything in between. Hard a hard time staying tight on anything here. Drastically underestimated how tired I was by the close grip bench and how difficult that would be.

[quote]spar4tee wrote:
Nice[/quote]

Thanks breh, 'ppreciate it.

Saturday, 31 March, 2012
Weightlifting

  1. Clean and Power Jerk
    5x1 @ 60kg
    3x1 @ 70kg
    2x1 @ 80kg
    2x1 @ 90kg

  2. Clean
    1x1 @ 100kg
    2x0 @ 110kg - didn’t attempt second pull, I’ve always been afraid to because of my knee issues
    1x1 @ 100kg - got the second pull right, PR

  3. Power Snatch
    3x1 @ 40kg
    2x1 @ 50kg
    1x1 @ 60kg

Notes:
Wasn’t planning on training today, but I had a lot of fun, doing a weightlifting competition is now on my to do list. Second pull needs a lot of work and so does my mobility, particularly my overhead squat.

Sunday, 1 April, 2012
Ed Coan Bench: Week 6 - Heavy Day

  1. Bench Press - target: 2x5 @ 125kg
    1x20 @ 20kg
    1x5 @ 40kg
    1x5 @ 60kg
    1x2 @ 80kg - paused
    1x2 @ 100kg - paused
    belt and wrist wraps on
    1x1 @ 125kg - re-racked it, bar was bent
    1x3 @ 125kg - failed rep four
    1x4 @ 125kg - failed rep five
    1x5 @ 125kg
    1x4 @ 125kg - failed rep five

  2. Close Grip Bench Press - target 2x5 @ 110kg
    belt and wrist wraps on
    1x5 @ 110kg
    1x4 @ 100kg - failed fifth

  3. Low Incline Bench Press
    Shoulders and pec tendons were packing in at this point, didn’t attempt to press the 97.5kg after I unracked it

  4. T-Bar Row
    2x12 @ 110kg

  5. Rope Pushdown
    2x20 @ 110lbs

Notes:
Awful day, nothing felt right and my shoulder/pec tendon were sore from yesterday’s lifting, which I now realise I shouldn’t have placed before my heavy pressing day. Upper back and lats were still sore from Thursday, so I was struggling to stay tight and my shoes have weird soles at the top which were sapping my leg drive, I’ll be going back to converse next week.

Not sure what I’ll do, I guess I have three choices:
#1 - continue and hope to hit next week’s weight
#2 - repeat the workout
#3 - lower max by 5kg, and do 130x2x3 next week and hope to hit 155kg at the end.

What did you start the cycle with and what did you hope to end with? I think the most you should be shooting for (gains wise) in a cycle is 10 kg.

CS

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
What did you start the cycle with and what did you hope to end with? I think the most you should be shooting for (gains wise) in a cycle is 10 kg.

CS[/quote]

I’d done 145kg x2x1 with relative ease, this was the first single:

I think I might skip next week, do 135x2x3, 140x2x2, 145x2x2 and 150 or 152x1

Edit:

Redid the template just making 5kg increase per week, it looks like this from here on out:

Going to skip my last five rep week

2x3 @ 130
2x3 @ 135
2x2 @ 140
2x2 @ 145
1x1 @ 150

Second edit: I might take it back to one work set, I’m not sure, but I can definitely finish this one one work set alone.

[quote]SamMcLoughin wrote:

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
What did you start the cycle with and what did you hope to end with? I think the most you should be shooting for (gains wise) in a cycle is 10 kg.

CS[/quote]

I’d done 145kg x2x1 with relative ease, this was the first single:

I think I might skip next week, do 135x2x3, 140x2x2, 145x2x2 and 150 or 152x1

Edit:

Redid the template just making 5kg increase per week, it looks like this from here on out:

Going to skip my last five rep week

2x3 @ 130
2x3 @ 135
2x2 @ 140
2x2 @ 145
1x1 @ 150

Second edit: I might take it back to one work set, I’m not sure, but I can definitely finish this one one work set alone.[/quote]

Go by feel after you first week of singles. If you can nail 150 that week, then go 155 the next. As for the rest of the cycle, 5kg a week is about the most you should be increasing each week at this level. It’s about the same (5kg = 11lbs, so about 10 lbs/week) for me and it works just fine. Once you start getting into the 200kg+ range is when I’d start going about 7,5 kg a week.

You should be impressed by my lbs to kg conversion skills for an American haha. I can multiply and divide by 2.2 like it’s nobody’s business.

CS