Look Like/Perform Like Log

Training Training Logs
161

Back to the gym. MTW-5 pressday…and ouch. My right wrist has been giving me trouble doing OHPs and push presses lately and the first 80kg press set it going. There’s a sore point right at the joint, just above the ball of the thumb.

So, what to do? Heavy squats, clearly. 3x6 145kg, 1x3 150kg, 1x3 145kg. Remembered to point my eyes at the floor two metres ahead, which seemed to actually help getting deeper.

2x5 jump pull-ups half way through squatting.

Incline bench press, 1x20 @ 70kg, 1x10 @80kg. Then did 1x20 2x30kg DB incline bench presses. Wanted to do DB shoulder presses but the wrist thing started whining.

3x5 stock pull-ups.

Cable cross-over punchdowns: 20 @ 23kg, then 15 @ 26, 10 @ 28, 5 @ 31, 3 @ 33.
Down-to-up flyes: same drill.

100 24kg kettlebell swings, 1m 34

162

Poor class on Thursday but I did get some useful corrections. Went out dancing my shit off on Friday; did better Balanchine turns than I got in class. Oy.

Also let the wrist have a while off and some stretching. Back in today to fetch the failed MTW-5 press day.

Wrist was a bit cranky but the technique adjustment was more significant. Everything seemed a bit harder. So, anyway, 80kg OHPs for 6x3, 85kg 1x3, 80kg 1x3. That was a battle. Push press, 85kg 6x3, 1x3 90kg, 1x3 85kg.

2x5 jump pull ups every two sets. Pull apart stretches.

Back squats, 145kg 3x6, 150kg 1x3, 145kg 1x3. Now this was a relief, not pressing in a snatch grip.

Incline bench, 1x15 70kg,1x10 80kg.

3x10 proper pull ups.

3 x 10, 2 by 22kg shoulder presses // probably going to do more of those

Conditioning complex! as above w/60kg.

163

MTW-5 pullday. Stretching, then: 8x3, 70/75kg muscle snatches. These felt pretty damn good even if the 75kg set was more like three singles. 3x6 80kg SGHPs, 1x3 85kg, 1x3 80kg. nowt to worry about there. 6x3, 130/135kg deadlifts - these were pretty great, got strong form on it and really pleased.

Someone tied up both cable machines and I wasn’t sure how the wrist would handle complexes after snatching heavy.

Did 100 24kg kettlebell swings in 1m30.

164

Since last time…two ballet classes, and both were killing good. Also, my teacher thinks I’ve “lost weight…but your shoulders are bigger” :wink: while my partner has taken to squeezing my delts for some reason.

Today, MTW-5 press day. Stretched out and went for 8x3 80/85kg OHPs. I tried out the false grip in order to look after the wrist - the wrist itself has cheered up, which is good, but the grip change feels maybe three kilos stronger even if it’s a little scary.

After the first four sets of OHPs, a set of 10 pull-ups. Another after OHPs were done. Then 8x3, 85/90kg push presses. Went false grip with these too. Felt strong. Supersetted with pull-ups again.

Squats were 145/150kg for 8x3, with the pull-up assistance. This was just fine - concentrating on using the “look at the floor six feet ahead” cue is helping. While I was heading back from doing pull-ups some guy was looking at the bar, counting the plates, and going “Cor!”

More pull-ups. In all, 6x10.

Incline bench was a bit cack by comparison. 1x10 70kg, 1x8 80kg, 1x2 85kg.

More assistance: 3x10 DB shoulder presses, standing, 2x 22kg.

Complex! for conditioning as above, 5/4/3/2/1 rounds of front squat, push press, back squat with 60kg, a minute timed rest between rounds.

The add-on pull-ups and complexes are really doing something for me - I look leaner, bigger in the shoulders and upper back, and more V-y.

165

MTW-5 pullday was today!

That’s 8x3 muscle snatches with 70kg, 75kg on the 7th. This was great - I think I’m finally getting some progress and traction with them.

4x6 snatch grip high pulls, 80kg, 85 on the 4th set. Just fine.

8x3 deadlifts, 130kg, 135kg on the last two. This was OK as well even though I don’t love deads as much as I should.

Extras: 3x10 rounds of standing DB shoulder presses, 2x22kg (except for one set with 26kg).

100 24kg kettlebell swings in 1m 28. This is improving! Tomorrow, it’s time for dance, dammit.

166

Last Friday was an MTW-5 press day plus 3x10 standing shoulder presses with 22kg dbs, cable crossovers ramping from 24 to 31kg and from 20 reps down to 5, ditto for cable flyes.

Thursday night and Sunday afternoon were class.

Today: MTW-5 pull day. Snatches at 70 and 75kg were really strong. SGHPs at 80/85 and deadlifts at 130/135 also just fine.

Assistance: 1x10 flat bench press, 70kg, 1x6 75kg, 1x3 80kg, supersetted with 1x15 70kg incline bench, 1x10 75kg, 1x4 80kg. 3x10 standing DB shoulder press, 2x22kg.

100 24kg kettlebell swings, 1m 31.

MTW-5 wave done. Heavy phase begins…

167

On Friday I had to spot that guy who prays before big lifts for a 140kg bench. I guess it’s a vote of confidence in my deadlifts. He still annoys the hell out of me, and makes me want to bench bigger.

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168

MTW phase workout 1. Pressday.

4x6 sets pullups (waiting for the rack)

6x3 85kg OHPs, 1x3 90kg OHP, 1x3 85kg. These were a bit of a battle but got there.
6x3 90kg push presses, 1x3 95kg, 1x3 90kg. This by contrast was just strong.

1x6 pullups.

6x3 150kg squats. Just fine. This felt so good…I did six reps of 155kg. yaas. it would be good to shoot for a huge 1RM before Christmas, no?

1x12 65kg incline bench. 1x8 70kg. 1x8 75kg flat bench. missed 80kg. I need to take my bench form apart.

2x10 2x22kg DB shoulder presses.

Conditioning complex as above…right up until I whacked the fucking bar on my fucking head like a fucking retard. Time to stop before anyone gets hurt. Before I get hurt. Who am I kidding?

169

First MTW pull day. Snatches fucking sucked from the word go. Struggled through 6x3 75kg. I don’t get why I could smash out 6x3 70kg earlier this week and then do the 75kg kicker set just fine, but screw up the first set of 75s today.

I might try doing them from the floor rather than the hang as that seems to work better.

SGHPs went 2x6, then 2x3 at 85kg, then 1x3 90kg, then 1x3 85.

Deadlifts 135/140, 8x3, were OK. Random, ripped but smol, black guy asked why I was “always lifting so heavy”.

Topped off with a complex! for conditioning. Didn’t hit my head like a retard this time.

170

MTW press day. Kicked up with pull-ups 4x6 and cable punch downs going from 22 to 32kg, 20 reps to 3, waiting for the rack. Then 85kg/90kg OHPs, 90/95kg push presses as above. All good although the wrist played up a bit on the last push press set.

Squats 150/155kg. Did these as 4x6s - doing 6 reps of 155kg feels.

Bench fucking sucked. Got 12 reps at 70 and failed out. Also realised if I want to try that Paul Carter 8-15-25 thing I will need to start light.

I don’t understand this - presses and squats and deads and high pulls are rising steadily but snatches and BPs are stuck if not worse, but my chest looks better and better? I might move back to flat benching and move it to the start of the press day.

171

OK, pretty dreadful training week due to a combination of work and Christmas. Also, only the one ballet class.

Back in the gym today for MTW pullday. Snatches at 75kg were surprisingly good - I got six sets of 3 at high intensity and good form and felt great, plus the first two 80kg reps before missing the third. I feel progress; deadlifting the bar into place for the first rep seems to cue the lift nicely. The miss shot up fast during the pulling phase, chest high, but I somehow didn’t crack the elbows under it.

SGHPs at 85kg and 90kg were just fine.

Dead lifts at 135kg and 140kg also goood. I don’t often enjoy them but this was satisfying.

Extras: I read Paul Carter’s piece about his chest workouts over the weekend and wanted to try that. Did the first eight DB bench presses, palms in, with 2x24kg (sniff sniff), then the 15 reps with 2x22, then the 25 with 2x20…got to about 20 reps. I can see how this might be worth doing.

24kg kettlebell swings, 100 reps, for time. 1m 29 seconds - only good.

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172

Danced last night; the last call before TURKEY JIHAD 2017. Gym’d this evening for an MTW pressday. OHPs at 85 to 90kg were just good, even easy. Confident of getting some decent progress this cycle. Push presses at 90 to 95kg a bit tougher but I think I might see some advance there.

I did sets of 6 bodyweight pull-ups every four sets of presses, 5x6 in all. These have got so much better as well as doing the shoulders some good.

Squats at 150 to 155kg were 4x6d. No complaints there although someone interrupted me to beg for the rack…I hadn’t realised how fast I end up breathing after one of those!

In aid of the interrupter, did the Carter DB bench presses instead of bench presses. Hard work but still promising. Same plan as last time.

Cable punch downs, from 24 to 32kg, 20 reps down to 2. Down to up cable flyes, same weights, 20 reps down to 4. Feeling sore…but strong?

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173

And the cold that’s been stalking me has finally struck. Oy. This doesn’t go too well with the way the last heavy pressday has beaten my shoulders and traps up either.

In general, I think LL/PL press days maybe have one too many big upper-body press. A lot of people don’t like to OHP and bench in the same workout, and in this one you don’t just OHP and bench, you push press as well. The MTW weeks can be very hard on the shoulders. Adding pull-ups helps, but it’s still a lot of overhead and and bench pressing.

I’m kind of interested in Wendler’s 1000% Awesome full body 3x weekly plan, which IIRC rotates OHPs and bench presses. And after all, once you’re push pressing, squatting, bench pressing, and doing pull-ups in the same workout you kind of are doing a full body workout.

174

Aaand, we’re back after turkey jihad and two rounds with the Aussie flu. The good news: I seem to have lost weight over the break! The bad news: I wouldn’t recommend this cut to my worst enemy!

So first class back was last night. Can’t say I was anything special, but got some interesting corrections, my turns turned up, and good to see the gang.

Today, back to the iron. I should have done an MTW pull day but there was no space and the rack was free. PRESS.

Warm-up with Cunningham stretches.

3x10 bodyweight pull-ups (these were good)

85/90kg OHPs, 8x3.
90/95kg push presses, 8x3.
150/155kg squats, 4x6.

Carter chest workout: flat DB bench press, powerstyle. 8 reps at 24kg > this felt much easier, like I could handle more weight. Couldn’t get the 22s so did another six reps with the 24s. Then got the full 25 with the 20s.

Conditioning complex! I could definitely feel that something nasty had been in my lungs, but it was good to breathe deeply for the first time in two weeks. It’s good to be back

175

Finished up with 6th pullday. This week, btw, involved three ballet classes.

Quite crap. Struggled through six sets of 75kg snatches. Snapped at by trainer for dropping weights. SGHPs were OK, but only ok. Deadlifts at 135/140 were a struggle. Ket swings.

Glad it’s over really.

176

Test week!

OHP: 6 reps @ 85, 5 @ 90, 4 @ 95, 3 @ 100, 1 @ 110kg. New 3RM 100kg, 1RM 110kg. If I keep LL/PLing, that sets a target training max of 87.5kg (but we might say 90…as 3RM is up 5kg and 1RM up 15!)

Push: 5 @ 90, 4 @ 95, 3 @ 100, 1 @ 110. Bah, technically no advance on the TM but an extra 5kg on the 1RM.

Squat: 10 @ 140, 8 @ 150, 6 @ 160, 3 @ 170kg. I think I left some behind here, maybe by doing too many reps light? I’ll have another push on this next workout because there was definitely more to come.

Others: bodyweight pull-ups, 6x10. I am coming to really love this exercise and I’m getting stronger on it rapidly.

177

More testing. This turned into a bench press fest.

Conventional bench press went 70kg x 12, 80kg x 8, 90kg x 5, 100kg x 3. Huh. Haven’t done this for a while and I was really pleased with both the sudden progress and the pump. Yes, I know I used to think I could press three figures but I was cheating sooo much for an all out screaming 1RM. TM for LL/PL would be 87.5kg…but 90kg deffo doable. up 5kg.

Incline went 70kg x 10, 80kg x 8, 90kg x 5, 100kg x 2. Setting the mark at 90kg up 10!

Then I hit it with the Paul Carter workout - flat DB press, 2 24kg, x8, 2 22kg, x15, 2 20kg, x25. That thing is a beast and really does up your pressing.

Bodyweight pull-ups, 3x10. And out of there.

178

More testing. Snatch went x6 at 70kg, x3 at 75kg, x2 at 80kg. SGHPs went x10 at 80kg, x8 at 85kg, x5 at 90kg, x4 at 95kg, x3 at 100kg, x1 at 105. Deadlifts went x6 140kg, x4 150kg, x2 155kg, clang. Resquatted for 10x 160, 4x170, chickened out at 180.

Did the Paul Carter DB press workout. Weights start to feel easy on that.

179

So no real progress on snatch, but happy to notch the SGHPs up 5kg. naw gain on deadlifts. boo hoo. It’s time to change programs!

180

So, this log is closing down. I’m going to climb the 5/3/1 Beach Body Challenge and the new log is here: https://t-nation.com/t/were-going-to-the-beach-5-3-1-beach/

The war has already begun. I will post some thoughts when I’ve thought 'em.