405 at almost 10 reps…WOW!!
Yeah man, I keep my log, but I only update it about every 3 weeks or so. Its not a terribly exciting log, so I just kind of update it as I get around to it. Not a lot to speak about this training cycle since my back is effed up, so even less motivation to go and blog.
I will consider that 11 September meet. I’m really looking to do one early August because I want to do a Halloween Bash one down in Greenville, NC on 30 October, and I’d like to space them out far enough to get good training cycles in between. But if I don’t do one in August, Im game for the VA States.
Im surprised that you can pull 405x9 but you said your max is only somewhere in the mid 400s? Again, its my conditioning coming into play here, but theres no way I could touch 4 plates for that many reps. Id say you will put a good run on that 545 DL
Thanks, Soda.
Balla, my max of 452 was from my first competition back in March. I’ve made a lot of progress since then in my workouts, so I really have no idea what it will be when I test. My best set prior to that competition was 5x335. I calculate (Wendler’s formula) to 526 with 9x405.
If that rings true, I think it will go higher because my grip is the limiting factor, but there’s a big difference in the grip on rep 10 versus a 1RM attempt. We’ll see how it goes. I’m very happy with my workout progress. I just hope that it translates to competition.
Cycle 2 - Week 3
OHP
Fat Grips until last 2 sets
barx10
90x8
100x5
120x5
130x5
140x5
160x3
180x5 ← I’m happy with this set. I really had to gut out rep 5. I had some huge guys screaming at me and the motivation really helped.
Incline Pin Press (inspired by Nate Green’s article with CT)
barx6
90x6
130x5
180x4
220x1
200x3
I did this to help with my competition bench. I’m weak coming off the chest from the dead stop. Hopefully this will help.
Dips with Fat Grips (Fat Grips make Dips harder…who’da thunkit?)
4x20 last three reps were amazingly hard.
Cable rows with wide bar
15x120
15x135
15x135
I got a really nice squeeze out of these in my rear deltoids area. I stretched out the front and started the pull with lat activation, then squeezed it back, focusing on my rhomboid area, but I really felt it in my delts. I’m glad I did this and I’ll do it again next week.
Farmer carries w/ 100’s
5xfailure
This was a really good day in the gym. Post-softball (7-8 w/ 2HR) and very little sleep, but I felt really good in the gym and I was able to perform much better than last week. Every exercise felt good and I felt like I had a purpose, also every exercise felt like it was making me stronger and better. That being said, deload week is looking really good right about now, but I can’t wait to bench on Thursday.
Sounds like a real productive workout - great stuff as always man!
Man I dunno why but week 2 always seems to give me the most trouble.
Have you tried doing more warm up sets? I’ve felt a lot better lately doing a lot more warm ups. The first cycle, my workout partner and I would do maybe two warm ups, then go straight to our sets. Now I’m doing basically the same warm ups, but I’m doing his sets before mine (he’s about 50 lbs lower on bench, 120 on DL, 40 OHP, and 100 on squat) as additional warm up for 3-5 reps and my performance has been better. Might be worth a try.
I asked on your log, what’s your goal for the cardio? I don’t do much, but I don’t get the strength drain when I do Tabata or that Men’s Health circuit. My goal is to burn fat, but if you’re training for an endurance race or something, it may not work for you.
My goal is just to burn fat. What does a typical bench warm-up look like for you?
Funny you should ask, today was bench day.
Cycle 2 - Week 3
Bench Press
barx5
barx10
90x5
90x10
130x8
185x5
200x5
210x5
235x5 (oops, supposed to be 3 for 5-3-1)
265x1 (feeler rep)
265x6
This set turned out exactly the way I expected. I used the fat gripz all the way up to the test set and it definitely made the sets harder. I’m seeing progress on my 1RM calculations, too. Where I was befuddled in the beginning, I’m seeing that giving the program time to develop something is delivering some results. I’m not completely sold yet, but willing to ride it out for a while.
Flat bench pin press
8xbar
8x130
6x180
3x220
3x240
3x260
2x270 Failed for 3rd rep
DB curls w/ fat grips
?? w/ 40’s
Shoulder raises w/10’s
10xthumbs up
10xthumbs down
repeat
Good day in the gym. A little short because I overslept by an hour. I like the pin presses and I think they will help me a lot with competition. I had a “squat rack curls” moment this morning. Older fat dude comes to my bench when I’m warming up with just the bar and fat gripz and takes two of my four wheels. I figure by the time I need them, he’ll bring them back. I go up to 90 and he comes back and takes the rest of my 45’s. Next warmup is 130 (40 lb bar) so I need some wheels and the machine he was using is empty and he’s in the crunch machine, so I go over and ask if he can bring the 45’s back to my bench. He says, “I put them back.” I said, “I was warming up on that bench over there and you took all of the plates while I was on the bench. I would appreciate it if you would bring them back to where you got them.” He reacts all indignant and says, “I don’t want any trouble,” mockingly. I just took a lap and came back to the bench with the plates back where they were. It’s not a big deal, but it’s just rude. I know that when I do certain things in the gym, I’m moving equipment, using a lot of plates, or whatever, but I always get the weights from something nobody is using and return everything to the correct spot. It’s not too much to ask for a little courtesy, no?
Anyway, I’m happy with everything so far this week. Looking forward to a good squat day tomorrow.
Cycle 2 - Week 3
Squat
3xbarx5-10
90x8 or something
130x6
180x6
220x5
245x5
285x5
325x3
365x3
Pretty good. I started to lean forward a bit, so I didn’t go for the fourth, which was my goal.
DB Curls w/ fat grips superset with standing skull crushers
3x20 w/ 40’s / 20x50, 15x70, 15x70
DB Rows
10x100
10x60 w/ fat grip
10x110
Abs, superset reverse crunch with prone bridge
Squats took a long time, so the rest of the workout was pretty light. Definitely ready for the deload.
Another solid workout. Sometimes with squats it’s best not to push it. Even though you wanted four you’re probably better off with the three. Are you gonna up the weight for the next cycle?
Yes, I’ll increase my training max by 5 lbs. I’m increasing DL by 20 though.
This week is deload week. I deloaded my dead lift by sleeping in.
Cycle 2 - Deload
OHP
bar x a bunch
5x95
5x105
5x115
5x130
DB Rows
2 x 15 65’s w/ fat gripz
Dips
2x15
close grip bench w/ fat gripz
5xbar
10x135
5x185
5x225
5x245
triceps pushdown at cable station
a few
5 farmer carries to failure w/ 100’s.
Decent workout. Definitely a deload. I felt like crap after softball. Back was sore and I was still really dehydrated despite massive fluid intake last night before, during, and after the games.
2 HR’s, though, 2 triples, 2 doubles, and a single, 7/8 not bad.
Sounds like a nice day at the plate. That still looks like a nice workout, even for a deload.
Cycle 2 Deload
Bench
10xbar
8x90
8x130
5x180
5x220
Competition Bench (with pause)
270 - good
290 - good
300 - fail
Pin press from 2"
300 - good
300 - fail
Lockout pin press
300 - good
400 - good
400 - good
Backoff Bench
10x220
8x220
Inverted Row
15, 17, 15
Hang leg
5
Pullups
5,5,5
Reverse grip bar curls
10x55
10x65
I’m disappointed in the bench performance, but I’ve got two months to practice getting out of the hole, which is the weak point (as you can see, if I can pin press from 2" with no tension, I should be able to get it up).
Lots of work for a deload week! You young guys make me sick hah
How old are you? I’m 29…holding on for dear life.
nice lifting bro…have a great 4th
Trash week
Squat
barx10
barx5
130x5
220x5
310x2
400xfail
400x1
220x5
310x3
130x10
DB Row
110x10
115x12
12lb medicine ball
25 each side, not sure what to call them. I stand shoulders perpendicular to the wall, rotate around away from the wall, then throw the ball against the wall as hard as I can, catch it, and repeat. Then switch sides and do it again.
25 overhead medicine ball throws to the wall
3x15 reverse crunch, 45 second prone bridge
3x?? back extension/glute ham
Yeah I was being sarcastic…28 here myself.
You still planning to do that meet in September?