block pulls
4" box
525 x 2
545 x 2 x 3
555 x 2 x 3
555 x 3
SSB paused squats
close stance
4 sets of 6
shrugs
675 x 5 x 7
t bar row
3 sets of 30
paused squats
beltless
395 x 2 x 2
415 x 2 x 6
swiss bar bench
+60 lb chain
235 x 8 x 4
SSB Good Mornings / barbell curls
5 sets of 10
Was really focused on technique today with my squats. Trying to drive hard and fast out of the hole and keep my hips from shooting up. I’m getting anxious to see how all of this beltless work will pay off…
I was the Swiss bar’s bitch today. Was supposed to be close grip work, however, once I got to my working weight and added the chains I couldn’t get that bastard out of the rack. Tried 3 times and succeeded once. With no one around to give me a hand off, I switched to a wider grip and wouldn’t you know that thing jumped out of the rack. Guess I need to start hammering on my triceps a little more.
SSB squats
beltless
+90 lb chain
380 x 3
400 x 3 x 2
380 x 3 x 2
btn push press
225 x 3 x 6
RDLs
265 x 20 x 3
Swiss bar Bench Press
270 x 6
280 x 6 x 3
290 x 6 x 2
BOR
255 x 8 x 5
standing abs
5 sets of 12
machine dips / cbl rope pressdowns
4 sets of 15
bw 197
deadlifts
500 x 5 (PR)
hack squat / leg extensions
4 sets of 12
wt’d GHR / hammer curls
5 sets of 5-10
ab wheel
band resisted
4 sets of 15
Big PR on the pulls. +1 rep and +5 lbs, previous best 495x4.
Played a bunch of racquetball afterwards. About the only cardio I can look forward to.
squat lockouts
555 x 1
575 x 1
590 x 0
incline db press
95 x 8
110 x 8
125 x 8 x 2
db shrugs / machine row
3 sets of 25
SSB Squats
beltless
380 x 6
400 x 6 x 4
410 x 6
Klokov press
150 x 6
165 x 6 x 4
RDLs
285 x 20 x 3
This is the start of the last week of this training cycle. Next week I will do a “soft” test and deload.
I am SO glad to be done with those damn RDLs…
bench
315 x 3
325 x 3 x 2
335 x 3
340 x 3
add bench shirt
385 x 1 (2 bd)
405 x 1 (1 bd)
430 x 0
pullups / facepulls
4 sets of 15-20
dips
+135 x 8
+180 x 7 x 2
cable crunch / ab wheel
3 sets of 15
Big triple on the bench. 315 felt heavy and slow. And every set after that got a little bit cleaner with 340 being my best set. I have noticed lately that it doesn’t matter how many lighter sets I take in warming up, I have to have some weight in my hands to find my groove and get going.
Shirted bench was a no go today. I’m not experienced enough with it to know why. I touched with 430 and drove up a few inches, but knew immediately that I would not lock it out. I felt like I was getting no help from the shirt. Of course, I could have just been fatigued from the previous sets. Meh. I could just about get the same amount of carryover from a slingshot, with less bruises.
[quote]mahwah wrote:
add bench shirt
385 x 1 (2 bd)
405 x 1 (1 bd)
430 x 0
Shirted bench was a no go today. I’m not experienced enough with it to know why. I touched with 430 and drove up a few inches, but knew immediately that I would not lock it out. I felt like I was getting no help from the shirt. Of course, I could have just been fatigued from the previous sets. Meh. I could just about get the same amount of carryover from a slingshot, with less bruises.
[/quote]
That’s geared lifting for you. There are too many variables and no margin for error. If you were a pound or two lighter or heavier, the shirt fits you differently. If you’re sweaty, the shirt can slip. Or you did too much volume before hand. I wouldn’t get too worried about it. You’ll also get used to “bite marks” shirts give you too, I don’t even feel it anymore.
I’m assuming it’s a single ply Phenom?
[quote]frankjl wrote:
That’s geared lifting for you. There are too many variables and no margin for error. If you were a pound or two lighter or heavier, the shirt fits you differently. If you’re sweaty, the shirt can slip. Or you did too much volume before hand. I wouldn’t get too worried about it. You’ll also get used to “bite marks” shirts give you too, I don’t even feel it anymore.
I’m assuming it’s a single ply Phenom?[/quote]
Yep, single ply Phenom. It is a used shirt and so may just need to be put out to pasture. I know equipped lifting is a whole lot more technical than hopping in a shirt every other week and hitting some singles, but was hoping to see some progress (got 425 first day in the shirt).
As I said earlier, I’m testing next week and was originally planning on hitting a raw single, at say ~95%, and then putting on the shirt for some singles. Would you have any suggestions on programming, if I am benching heavy every other week and still want to keep progressing with my raw bench?
block pulls
off 4" boxes
535 x 2
555 x 2
565 x 2
575 x 2
525 x 3
SSB paused squats
close stance
4 sets of 5
shrugs
685 x 5 x 5
T bar rows
3 sets of 20
PR of sorts. Having never programmed my pulls this way, its the first time I’ve pushed heavy off the boxes. First rep at 575 was ssllooww. I almost didn’t even attempt the second, but all of my second reps moved better than the first. Well, it broke off the box faster than the first, however, I did have to hitch it a little to lock it out. I’ll take it.
paused squats
beltless
405 x 2
425 x 2 x 4
close grip bench
Swiss bar
+60 lb chains
250 x 5 x 4
and some beach muscles
curls and abs…
Last workout before testing and deloading. Got out to the beach at lunch so cut the lifting a little short and was probably not fully invested. Still a decent session. At least I could get the damn bar unracked for my close grips this week.
SSB Squats
beltless
440 x 1
455 x 1
put on belt
455 x 1
470 x 1
btn Push Press
195 x 3 x 8 (60 seconds rest)
KB swings
75 x 10 x 5 (30 sec rest)
A little disappointed in the results here. Was shooting for 470 sans belt with an outside shot at 490 (previous best coming out of smolov). So I decided to throw on the belt and get a little heavier weight on my back. I’d say both the 455 with no belt and the 470 with was about 95%.
My mid back was definitely the weak link as the bar speed slowed dramatically half way to lockout. I also believe that this is the same area that holds back my pull. I will do my best to address this in my next cycle.
[quote]mahwah wrote:
[/quote]
Did you feel your butt coming up at all on those? Not trying to undermine the lift certainly; just looking for input and advice! Keeping my butt down has been something of a constant struggle for me, and I wanted to see if you have ever had an issue with it or what your thoughts were.
[quote]csulli wrote:
Did you feel your butt coming up at all on those? Not trying to undermine the lift certainly; just looking for input and advice! Keeping my butt down has been something of a constant struggle for me, and I wanted to see if you have ever had an issue with it or what your thoughts were.[/quote]
I did not. But, I’m not so much as sitting on my butt as I am standing while still keeping contact, if that makes any sense at all. I try to keep constant tension in my legs from the moment I unrack. There is a little push out of the bottom of the lift but I feel as if I keep contact. I think people that tend to sink the bar tend to use more of a push with their legs to initiate the drive.
A big squatter’s ass helps a lot…
While not a great side view, its from my last competition, and as you can see the side judge, they were watching closely.
[quote]mahwah wrote:
I’m not so much as sitting on my butt as I am standing while still keeping contact, if that makes any sense at all. I try to keep constant tension in my legs from the moment I unrack. There is a little push out of the bottom of the lift but I feel as if I keep contact.[/quote]
I know exactly what you mean. That’s what I’m trying to get the hang of. Thanks man!
bench
335 x 1
355 x 1
365 x 0
BOR
5 sets of 10
Flipping missed my groove. Shoulda, coulda, woulda had it if I hadn’t touched too low. I would have given it another go if my spotter had taken it. Nope, he let me struggle.
For the next couple hours, it is running through my head that I would have slammed it had I hit my groove. So, after I finished up with clients, I gave it another go…
bench
315 x 1
345 x 1…
I knew I didn’t have it after that. 45 was much more work than 55 earlier in the day. I knew it was a little crazy to think that I would come back and get it. But I had to try.
dl
545 x 1
some core work
8 sets
Didn’t really want to push too hard here. Wanted a smooth pull with some decent speed. Got that with 545. Maybe had a little more, but no sense in jumping 10 lbs for a gym lift.
Planning on getting started again on Monday.
Squat
435 x 3 x 8
btn Push Press
205 x 3 x 6
SLDL / facepulls
4 sets of 8 / 15
wt’d decline crunches
4 sets of 12
Kept the rest on my squat sets to 5 minutes. Its the first time that I have kept watch of the clock during work sets. While I don’t think my conditioning is bad, I do tend to take a little long between my heavier sets. I figure this will be a good way to autoregulate my working weight and something I will be experimenting with. I do think that not having squatted with the straight bar in 7 weeks has affected my form and that will hopefully get ironed out in the next week.
My gym is hosting a bench only meet at an Expo of some sort in August. I’ll be prepping for that. 6 weeks out.
bench
275 x 6 x 6 (+2)
slingshot
315 x 4
335 x 4
355 x 5
BOR
235 x 10 x 4
dips
+135 x 15 x 3
GHR / hammer curls
4 sets of 8 / 10
standing ab
4 sets of 12
Bench had good speed today. Kept my rest to 4 minutes on working sets and got 8 reps on my last set. Gonna use the slingshot for supramax work going into this bench only meet. Also in this cycle, I am planning on upping my core game, increasing the frequency on my rows, and more mobility work.