Halcj Bulgarian and Beyond

Training Training Logs
141

8th
Squat: to 205kg, 3x2x190kg
Bench: to 130kg, Mx135kg, 2x120kg, 3x2x115kg
Extras

9th
AM
Squat: to 200kg, Mx205kg, 2x190kg
PM
Squat: to 200kg, 3x2x185kg, 3x3x170kg

10th
AM
Squat: to 205kg, 2x192.5
PM
Squat: to 190kg, 4x2x180kg
Bench: to 130kg

11th
PM
Squat: to 205kg, 1x195kg, 3x2x185kg

12th
PM
Squat: to 210kg (PR!), 3x2x190kg

13th
PM
Squat: to 200kg, 2x2x190kg
Bench with legs up: to 125kg (? Oddly Decent ?), 3x2x110kg
Extras

Back was feeling off, so bench switched for this variation. Also works upper body more, which is a plus. Feeling better now, “floating pain” perhaps. I’ve continued to use this for the last week or so to minimise back stress and work on weakness.

14th
Squat: log blank, got to 205kg I believe. No back offs due to back worry.

15th
AM
Squat: to 205kg, 3x2x190kg, 3x2x180kg

16th
AM
Squat: 205kg, 2x1x195kg

17th
PM
Squat: to 210kg, 3x2x192.5kg
Military Press: 3x60kg, 2x70kg, 1x75kg, 77.5kg, 80kg, Mx85kg, 2x3x70kg

18th
PM
Squat: to 205kg, 5x2x190kg
Bench legs up: to 120kg, 2x3x110kg

19th
AM
Squat: to 210kg, 2x2x197.5kg
PM
Squat: to 205kg, 2x3x190kg, few reps of 140kg high bar ‘ATG’ to stretch

20th
PM
Squat: to 210kg, 3x2x197.5kg

21st
AM
Squat: to 210kg, 2x2x200kg (!)
PM
Yet to come, will update later…

142

Pretty cool stuff you’re doing. I’m considering something similar. Have you tried maxing on front squats in lieu of back squats occasionally? What are your thoughts on working to a max daily on bench?

143

alright again mate , ive got a question for you me and a friend are thinking of competing in the wsa single lifts in december do you know if its possible to do both the deadlift and bench but not squat as my friend has hip impingement that stops him going past parallel hes currently seeing a specialist but he can deadlift and bench thanks

144

[quote]MegaDavo891 wrote:
Pretty cool stuff you’re doing. I’m considering something similar. Have you tried maxing on front squats in lieu of back squats occasionally? What are your thoughts on working to a max daily on bench?[/quote]

Front squats: I like the idea of them, and would use them a few days a week if I wanted to work on Olympic lifting or strongman, but to be honest they’re so damned hard that I just can’t see the point unless they will help my squat (which is going quite well at the moment). I might try them in the future. I am considering using high bar ATG squats once a week just to train my legs more without so much lower back stress.

Bench: The reasons I don’t max daily: 1.) I am usually without a spotter unless I arrange for help, so it can be awkward; 2.) I use up so much energy on 2x/day squats that I feel any other lifts might be a waste of time, so I bench when I have only 1 squat session; 3.) benching is hard on the shoulders; and 4.) I try to add OHP when my back isn’t exhausted instead of bench.
Daily bench could work though, and I might work up to it in the future.

145

[quote]Darren1995 wrote:
alright again mate , ive got a question for you me and a friend are thinking of competing in the wsa single lifts in december do you know if its possible to do both the deadlift and bench but not squat as my friend has hip impingement that stops him going past parallel hes currently seeing a specialist but he can deadlift and bench thanks [/quote]

Yeah I think that’s fine, I believe someone did that last time. “Single Lifts” = pick what you want, I think.

146

PM for 21st was:
Squat: to 205kg, 2x2x195kg, 2x190kg
Bench legs up: to 125kg, 2x5x110kg

147

Just hit 212.5kg for a squat PR! Brilliant. Having a short break now before back-offs.

148

22nd
AM
Squat: to 212.5kg (PR!), 3x3x190kg
PM
Bench (back to normal technique): to 130kg, Mx132.5kg, 2x2x122.5kg
S. DL: w/u, 6x1x170kg
Upper back (facepulls etc.)
Curls with bar (for elbows)

I plan to increase my intensity with bench training now to break past the 130/132.5kg mark and hopefully hit 300lbs at the meet on 27th April. Deadlifts must also be sorted out quite seriously. Plenty of work to come.

149

Nice job on the PR. How are you liking the overall style of training?

150

[quote]LoRez wrote:
Nice job on the PR. How are you liking the overall style of training?[/quote]

I believe it’s the best way for me to train at the moment by far, and, while I can’t say it is the best method for all lifters, this style of training is very effective. Simple really: more work, heavier weights, higher frequency, greater specificity → greater results.

Bear in mind that I have used a 3x/week max with volume work later, and AM/PM training, before. I am used to training quite a lot, and find this productive. So it’s not a massive change for me, just another level.
Definitely though, I would recommend it.

151

23rd
AM
Squat: to 210kg, 2x2x200kg
PM
Squat: to 205kg, 2x4x180kg

24th
Squat: to 210kg, 2x2x195kg
Bench: to 132.5kg

25th
Squat: to 215kg (PR!), 3x2x200kg
OHP: 4x4x70kg

26th
Squat: to 210kg, 3x3x190kg
Bench: to 130kg, 135kg (slight spot)

27th
Squat: to 212.5kg, 3x2x200kg

28th
Squat: to 215kg, 2x2x200kg
OHP: 6, 4, 4 x70kg
Extras

29th
Squat: to 215kg, 3x3x190kg

30th
Squat: to 215kg, 3x2x200kg, 10x110kg high bar to stretch
Bench: (no legs) to 127.5kg (legs up PR), 4x4x110kg

31st
Front Squat: to 125kg
OHP: 6x2x80kg
Klokov Press: 3x5x50kg
Extras

Issue with back. Not happy, but what can I do. Hoping for a quick recovery and good showing at Welsh on 27th.

1st
Squat (left at 170kg)
Close Grip Bench: (no legs) triples to 115kg
Extra Wide Grip Bench: 5x3x95kg
DB Supported Rows: 5x10 e/a x 35kg

152

And even more PRs. That’s awesome, good work.

153

Yeah, thanks. I hope this back spasm type thing will go with a bit of rest, and I’ll work bench until then. I am happy with my progress until now, so I want to make sure I don’t screw it up by pushing too hard through injury.

154

All bench pressing is with legs up and paused.

2nd
Bench: 5x5x105kg, 3x2x115kg
Extras (upper back, curls)

3rd
Bench: to 9x100kg, 4x5x100kg
Lateral Raise SS with Press: 4x12

  • Plate curls
    “Occluded Single-leg pistol sissy squat” 4x10 e/l
    Hamstring Curls: 4x15 e/l

4th
Bench: 5x5x105kg
Extras

5th
Bench: 3x5x107.5kg, 2x3x107.5kg
Single Leg SS of quad/hamstring exercises as above

6th
Close-Grip Bench: doubles to 120kg, 5x2x115kg, 2x6x95kg
Extras

7th
Bench: 5x5x107.5kg
Occluded Curls: 3 sets to failure
Occluded Leg SS: 4 sets to failure

I am not prepared to cause further injury, so for now I’m back to my rehab mode of training. It remains to be seen whether or not I will have to pull out of the Welsh Qualifier, but the priority has to be returning, without strength loss, to full training as soon as possible.
I have identified some weaknesses with my recovery last time, and believe that specific QL exercises will be needed in future to guard against recurrent tension-related problems.
I feel that I am not far from recovery, but “so near yet so far” comes to mind given the fact that there is a considerable difference between the time taken to become capable of return and the time taken to become capable of long-term, injury-free return.
… Oh, and yes, I will be returning to twice-daily maximums when I can. I do not blame injury on my training style, but my lack of rehabilitative assistance work and stretching in recovery.
Thank You
To those who have followed so far; I know there will be further greatness to come in this log very soon, and in the meantime there’re always some bench gains to be had!

The race to 140+kg is on.

155

Today

Bench: doubles to 122.5kg, 9x100kg, 8x100kg, 7x100kg
Occluded Leg SS (4 sets e/l to failure)
Close Grip Inverted Rows: 4x15

156

9th
Bench: 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, x 110kg
Occluded Legs
Upper back

10th
Bench: to 130kg (legs up PR), 3x5x110kg
Legs etc.

11th
Bench: 5x5x112.5 kg
Extras

12th
Bench: 5, 5, 4, 3, 3, x 115kg
Legs etc.

13th
Bench: 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, x 115kg
Legs etc.

14th
Bench: 5, 5, 4, 5, 4 x 115kg, 2x115kg
Legs etc.
Shrug style high pulls from rack

15th
Bench: 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, x 117.5kg
Pulls etc.
Legs

16th
Bench: 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, x 117.5kg
High pulls etc.

17th
Bench: paused singles to - 130kg, 135kg (legs up and all-time PR), 137.5kg (legs down but no leg drive), 140kg (!)
5x120kg, 3x120kg
Legs (I’ve built up to doing 6 sets of occluded lunges/“single-leg squats with a hand on something for balance” for each leg, failure each set. I vary the focus a bit to hit hips/glutes/hamstrings/quads/etc. more or less, and tend to get between 10-20 reps, depending on fatigue, per set, with hamstring curls as a superset, <1min. rest).

Well, 140kg fell sooner than I thought it would… And easily, too - 5x5 with straight weight, everyday, appears to work! I guess I need another goal then; 150kg would be nice.
My back isn’t too bad at all, but I’ve decided to pull out of the Welsh Qualifier to focus on proper rehab. I have seen a sports doctor this week who seems to think it should heal quite easily with some physio (he did identify some tightness in certain areas, particularly the ITB). He has, however, sent me for an MRI scan (which I had later that day) due to the fact that I’ve had problems before, and I’m waiting on the results of that to check there isn’t anything else wrong - not that he thought there was based on his assessment.

157

Nice work, dude!

158

[quote]MegaDavo891 wrote:
Nice work, dude![/quote]

Thank you. When I focus on something completely I tend to achieve it; having an injury preventing me from squatting has been the best thing to happen for my bench in a long time. That’s the positive way of seeing it, anyway.

159

Looking back I can’t believe that I’ve hit 140kg only a week and a half after stating that it was my next goal, and unracked it myself. 175 total reps per week ftw!

Today

Bench: 5, 5, 3, 3, 3, x 117.5kg (tired after yesterday)
Squat: to 175kg w/o belt

Back feeling okay, should start getting back to squatting again now if there are no further problems. I’ll build up the frequency/volume/intensity over a few weeks.

160

[quote]halcj wrote:
Looking back I can’t believe that I’ve hit 140kg only a week and a half after stating that it was my next goal, and unracked it myself. 175 total reps per week ftw!
[/quote]

A very short, focused attack on one lift can do wonders. As Dan John said once, “Everything works…for about six weeks.” Obviously this isn’t a long-term sustainable program but it’s cool that you were able to take the negative of your injury and perform a focused attack on your bench. Don’t go too far and hurt your upper body too, though, or you’ll be left with nothing to do :slight_smile: