21 Aug
Warm up including pull throughs
Squats: 3135, 185, 225, 275, 315, 275, 295, 315, 275, 295, 315, 275, 295, 315, 275, 295, 315
Front squats: 3135, 155, 175, 195
Good mornings: 35185
Squats are feeling good again. I upped the weight based on my last few performances and stuck around 315. I’m a born again low bar fan after going high bar for so long. The cue I worked on during this session was “spreading the floor”. Front squats also went well and I got deeper this time. I’m trying various stances and foot positioning to figure out what works best. Good mornings finished up my session. My back really felt like it got into the training today which is a good sign.
23 Aug
Warm up
OHP: 3bar, 65, 115, 135, 155, 185
Close grip bench: 3135, 185, 225, 245, 2255
Weighted pull ups: bw, +25, +50, +55, +60. 3+75, 4*+80
Pendlay rows: 5135, 185, 205, 225, 245, 280
DB Rows: 36*140
Today was me testing my CGBP. I’ll use 245 as my initial training max. I think that close grip will take me through the rest of this year and then I’ll make the switch back to my regular grip. Pull ups were supersetted between my presses as always. I miss doing low volume heavy pull ups and am going to go back to including them again.
I have so far only read the first page. I am glad to find an inspiration in someone like you because we are almost the same age. It has been my goal to dead 500lbs, I have just had hamstring issues recent years.
The form looks good to me James…I actually started to front squat the bodybuilding X style, surprisingly it has worked better for me. Im keeping the weights light on the FS for the moment as my form leaves alot to be desired.
I went into the gym with a purpose today and did what I needed to do. A double at 495 means I’m getting stronger and I did those pretty handily. That took a toll on my back squats and I only got to 365. It didn’t adversly impact my front squats and I got to 275. I’ll be back at 315 before you know it and I’ll actually have decent form when I do. I did the front squats all clean grip today.
[quote]atypical1 wrote:
Deadkong - Thanks! Stick with it and if it’s a goal then definitely make it a priority in your training. What kind of hamstring trouble have you had?
james[/quote]
Left was strained actually several years ago. I often walk if I have time instead of taking a bus and that sometimes pushes my recovery over the edge. I have to avoid explosive power with it and be cautious of overall loads. It gets better and sometimes it acts up. I have seen physios and it is just up to me to treat it right and get my deadlift number for working sets into the 300s, I need patience and wisdom.
Took a week off. Spent half the time riding really fast through some mountain roads and half in Yosemite. I completed an 18 mile hike on Weds and I’m still recovering (I’m old…what can I say ). It was a great time and I needed the get away.
Today’s session was short and sweet just to get back into the swing of things again. Tomorrow is squat day…my feet and legs are still sore…should be interesting.
Warm up
Squats: 3135, 185, 225, 275, 325, 275, 305, 325
Front squats: 3135, 155, 175, 205, 225.
Stretching and foam rolling. This was just a “get back into it” session. I tried a set of wraps for the first time today and I really like them. I might buy a set to wear during my squats. Getting back into it is fun…
Interested to hear about how you liked the wraps. I must admit the older I get the more I’m coming around to the idea of wraps. Not to handle more weight, just to make things easier on my creaky, old knees.
Took a week off. Spent half the time riding really fast through some mountain roads and half in Yosemite. I completed an 18 mile hike on Weds and I’m still recovering (I’m old…what can I say ). It was a great time and I needed the get away.
Today’s session was short and sweet just to get back into the swing of things again. Tomorrow is squat day…my feet and legs are still sore…should be interesting.
Sorry I haven’t been around but work and life have kept me quite busy! I’ll try to get caught up on everyone’s log over the next couple of days.
11 Sept
Warm up
Squats: 3135, 185, 225, 275, 2315, 3295, 305. 2315, 3275, 275, 275
Front squats: 3135, 155, 165, 175, 195, 205
Good mornings: 38135
So I had a bit of an epiphany. I’m trying to do both volume and intensity but I’m using 90% of my intensity day lifts for my volume day. On top of that I’m still doing sled work 4 times a week or so (including a lot of sprints. It’s hard to say no to a three year old who’s telling you to run). I plan on spending a couple of days sorting my programming out based on more realistic percentages.
I’m also down to 210. Yikes! My diet hasn’t been exactly clean so I did not expect that to be the case. So programming and diet is what I’m going to be spending the next couple of months getting sorted out.
Good luck, james. Generally, I find consistently eating enough of the right things more of a challenge than the lifting part. Lifting is fun; eating is a pain in the ass.
Missed the part about you using wraps, hope you like them. I have a set and only tried them once or twice and wasn’t comfortable but maybe it’s time for a revist.
Z presses are stolen from the Stricks. Tough. Really tough but I like them a lot. I think I’ll do these for a while for my overhead work. While I was on the ground I figured I would do floor presses (close grip).
This article, 40 Years of Insight - Part 2, was the inspiration for the pendlay row pyramids. In hindsight 225 was a lot of weight to use for those sets. I was destroyed after these and my back is still pumped. I did some DB rows after that set but I seriously have no idea how many reps I got because I was too busy trying not to puke. I might not do the pyramid all the time but it’s certainly going to be part of my toolbox going forward.
Damn!! You must really hate your back. That is insane volume.
I really liked those two Dan John articles as well. He has so much great real world knowledge and he doesn’t seem to have a vested interest in one system of training, he seems open to all methods as long as they work and he is all about being athletic.