Ok, so I have been thinking about it and I am going to back out of Nationals. I’m just not where I want to be. My bench is up but my pull is down about 100lbs. I have really been noticing some glaring weaknesses that need to be addressed before I get on the platform again. For example:
-The lack of heavy pulling has greatly decreased my coordination with heavy weights. Everytime I have gotten near 90% of my previous max, I look like it is the first time I have ever lifted weights.
-My entire core musculature has gone to shit. I’m having weird problems that I have never had before. Like, bracing my abs before I drop to the bar is actually causing me mild pain and cramping. Instead of the pull feeling smooth and my hamstrings doing most of the work, it feels like a max effort sit-up.
-The elasticity and extensibility (spell check) of where I hurt my hammy is still not back to 100%.
Plain and simple: I need to get strong again and I need to get my hamstrings ready to be strong again.
That being said, I am going to train hard this next week, then I go to Germany for 2 weeks. After that, I am going to find some raw meet to do to qualify for raw nationals next year. After that, I will put all of my energy in dropping some weight and getting ready for the Arnold. Once that is over, I plan on doing my first Multi Ply meet sometime inbetween March and the NOTLD. Once I have competed at the NOTLD, I am pretty sure that I am kicked out of the IPF. So, I will start juicing my fucking brains out and breaking world records.
Training/life general have been total disasters. Hopefully I can pull everything together or just die. Either one would be fine with me at this point. Anyway, some cool stuff I’ve done lately
Raw SSB Low box w/soft foam close stance squats- 535x3<~~~ about a 5-8 second pause on the box. This sucked but I didnt eve have a belt on. Hammy felt good.
Fat Bar Close Grip Pin Presses- About 1.5-2inches off my chest- 405 for 3. Had a lot more in the tank.
Just messing around with some underloading exercises until my trip to Germany for 11 days. Training will then be replaced with gallons of beer and numerous pork knuckles. Going to attempt some heavy deadlift variation tomorrow. The last couple of weeks (minus my hamstring still being totally fucked) have led me to believe I am on to something training wise. It’s about time. Only had to go through 13 years of bullshit before I figured out what actually works for me.
Do you know if you only have to total for Raw Nationals or are there specific numbers one needs to hit now? I heard they were discussing this after this past Raw Nationals because there was 300+ lifters there. Any news on it?
[quote]detazathoth wrote:
Do you know if you only have to total for Raw Nationals or are there specific numbers one needs to hit now? I heard they were discussing this after this past Raw Nationals because there was 300+ lifters there. Any news on it?[/quote]
There is no qualifying total as of now. I am sure there will be one next year. If there is not, they will probably only accept entries from people who complain the most about multiply lifting on the internet. ZING!
Thursday- Every day has been max effort day for some reason… 9-8-11
Warmed up for 30mins
Straight Leg DLs from a deficit- I don’t know how high it was but my feet were touching the bottom of the bar- worked up to an easy 500 for 3.
Pause Squats- First time doing these and they are awesome- 225x6, 315x6, 405x6<~~~ again, easy but didnt feel like killing myself today
Fake Blob- I’ll get a video of this at some point because it is the best grip exercise I have ever done- Worked up to 100lbs with a 5 plate width. Missed 110 on each hand.
Prowler Later… after my clients but before drinking 30 or so beers.
hey stb, i’m having some real issues getting set up to pull. Ie: I’m terrible at it. I’ve been over it with my team mates already, but I was hoping to get another opinion. Videos on my training log, mind taking a look at it?
Fat Bar Zydrynus (?) Press- up to 225x3
Fat Bar Bradford Press- 75x10, 95x2x10, 115x2x10<~~~ I forgot how awesome these are.
Feet Elevated PushUps- 40, 25<~~~ These are hard when your shoulders are smoked and you weigh 285lbs
Blast Strap FacePullsx5x10
[quote]bugeishaAD wrote:
Good luck with everything man. You’re a strong, tough SOB and I look forward to seeing how you blow up once everything gets back on track.[/quote]
Your blog is awesome. I’ve been eyeing this log for a while (sounded weird) and I’m insanely impressed at your strength. Do you have any recent pics to see what you look like at 285. Also, what are you eating nowadays? I remember reading stuff by you where you were eating a whole bunch of junk in the past, but I’d be interested to see what a hulk eats to get more hulk-y.
As an aside, do you know of any good ways to help break through a front squat plateau? I’ve been stuck at a certain weight for a while now, and I figured I’d ask the biggest baddest PLer west of the Nile! Thanks man
[quote]hlss09 wrote:
Your blog is awesome. I’ve been eyeing this log for a while (sounded weird) and I’m insanely impressed at your strength. Do you have any recent pics to see what you look like at 285. Also, what are you eating nowadays? I remember reading stuff by you where you were eating a whole bunch of junk in the past, but I’d be interested to see what a hulk eats to get more hulk-y.
As an aside, do you know of any good ways to help break through a front squat plateau? I’ve been stuck at a certain weight for a while now, and I figured I’d ask the biggest baddest PLer west of the Nile! Thanks man [/quote]
All I am doing with my eating right now is shooting for 90% clean, 10% shit and keep gaining weight. Thats all. The only thing I am really keeping track of is the amount of protein I get in a day, which is at least 1.5g per pound of bodyweight.
It’s hard to tell you what to do with your front squat because I have no idea what your weaknesses are. A general recommendation? Get your abs really strong with heavy weights and don’t do anymore front squats until you test them again. Do zercher squats, deadlift variaitons, heavy carries with the weight out in front of you, anything that keeps the weight anteriorly (is this a word?) loaded but not a front squat? Makes sense?
Okie dokie. Back from the beer drinking capitol of the universe and feeling fatter than ever. Hit 292 on the scale. This means I am exactly 8lbs more awesome than when I left. Not too sure when my next meet will be so I am going to focus on only a few things:
-Gettin swole
-Increasing GPP
-Cleaning up my diet
-Gettin swole
As far as diet, I want to get in at least 2g/lb of bodyweight in protein… yes, that’s almost 600g of protein a day. Carbs are going to be somewhere around 200-400g a day and only within an hour after training. I am going to rotate my fats with every meal and try to get 10-20g of good fats with fish oils, olive oil, flaxseed, natural peanutbutter, whatever else I can get my hands on.
For training: No days off… ever. I have some numbers I would like to hit in order to ensure that I am not slacking off:
Every week, I must hit:
500 hamstring curls
300 tri-extensions
100 reps with 20-30% of my max on each of the powerlifts (300 total)
2 hours of mobility work
200 reps of a weak link in a power movement (switch every 1-2 weeks)
Mile sled drag
These cannot occur during regular workouts and are reset every week. Gotta get that GPP brah.
Taking today easy then going nuts tomorrow. Might have to start up a new log in order to contain all of the badassery that will be going on.
Breakfast- 6 whole eggs, 8oz steak, 3oz turkey, 1 cup of chopped onions and tomatos
Pre-Workout- 2 cups of coffee, 1 scoop assult, 3 metabotrops
Warm-up-
Rolled IT and Quads
BB Rolled Hammys/Int Rotators
Ext. Rotator Stretch
Lax Balled High Hammys (Ishial Tuberosity)
Leg Swings x 2 x forward and lateral
Plyo-
Kneeling Jumpsx3x3
Power Cleans- 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 250x3<~~~~ easier than I thought it would be… way easier
V-Grips Lat Pulls- Purplex100 reps
14inch Cambered Bar Sqauts, low box, close stance, 140lbs of chain- 300lbs x 12x2 in 11:27
Snatch Grip DL’s- worked up to 500x6
Pull Down Abs-Bluex4x20
Couch Stretchx2mins each leg
Hammy Flossx2mins each leg
Damn. I like my new set-up. Workout only took about an hour. More Later.