I feel quite special now.
Curious about squatting this week. It’ll be at my preferred time, which hopefully will have a positive effect. I’d like to approach 500 lbs, or at least hit 475 lbs or so to get an idea how it moves. I’ll see how I go.
This is probably the funniest thing I have seen in I dont know how many weeks. Love me some Tnation Twitters.
My calves are feeling… tight
Seated calf raises done in the DC fashion will take care of that (and the size of them too)
I must confess that while I’m familiar with the term DC, I have very little (OK, no) understanding of what it entails. I did seated calf raises regularly for a while with pretty much no results.
Careful there, you almost triggered the “DC fanatic” mode that is still a part of me
Just kidding (or am I)
I won’t go over the whole system as it would probably take a few hours of writing to do, but I’ll go over the seated calf raise (most other calf exercises are done a bit differently but this is the official methods for calves)
So basically you do a 5 second negative, then go into the deepest stretch you can for 15 seconds, do an accelerating positive and push as far up as you can through your big toe, and hold it there for just a bit (get a brutal contraction here). Then it’s five seconds down again and son on
You do one set of 12 reps, it should take you about four and a half minutes to complete.
So to recap:
- Negative lasts about 5 seconds, you must be in control of it
- At the bottom you do a 15 second DEEP stretch
- Start the lifting phase with focus (so go a bit slower than usual) to get the calves firing, then start to accelerate the lift
- When you get to the top, push the weight even higher and go on your big toe, your calves should be on the verge of cramping here
12 reps
One set
If you’re not screaming internally by rep 7 or 8 the weight is probably too light (still I wouldn’t suggest you to start really heavy just to avoid tears and such, so just take your usual seated calf raise weight and take a bit off of it)
Let’s just say that if you’re not screaming internally by rep 7 or 8 the third time you’re doing this exercise, you’re going too light
Awesome, thank you. I’ll give it a shot.
Today’s training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
CGBP
TM is 225 lbs
Work up from bar in 22 lbs x3-5 to 60%, 20 pull aparts between sets
3x159 lbs, under 6 RPE
3x181 lbs, 6 RPE
1x203 lbs, 6 RPE
5x225 lbs, 9-10 RPE - not quite enough to warrant trying for six so settled for an equal rep PR
1x247 lbs, 8-9 RPE
1x258 lbs, 9-10 RPE - this I am pleased with, CGBP PR and very, very close to my regular grip
3x8x159 lbs, 6, 6-7, 8 RPE
Dips against doubled and doubled choked light band
12, 7, 6 - still hard AF
DB rows
Worked up from 40 lbs in strict 10s in 20 lbs increments to 120 lbs - grip noticeably better
Straps on
15x140 lbs for a rep PR - not strict but not sloppy either
Lat pull-downs
3x12x88 lbs, squeeze at top and slow eccentric
Tried Skip Hill’s recommendation of feet under me and upright torso while retracting scaps and pulling to low chest. Definitely felt my lats by the end
Bis/tris giant set
Seated strict hammer curl 3x20x20 lbs
Long rope pushdowns 3x20x33 lbs
60 seconds rests
Everything above my sternum and down to my elbows on fire by now, but in a good way.
IG cooperating on Wi-Fi for once. Here’s my 258 lbs single from day. Not paused, admittedly, but not exactly tng either.
I see you’re doing a PR set followed by Jokers and the down sets (3-5 x 5-8 @ 70-80%). How do you like it? I’ve only been doing Jokers up til now.
I’d like to see a video of your DB Rows if you have it. I’m mostly just curious if we’re using different form or if I’m actually that weak compared to you and @littlesleeper. I’m struggling to do 5-6 reps with 120.
Race to 15x200 lbs on dumbbell rows has begun
Woke at 183.9 lbs, and had a very long sleep. Feeling rested. Calves still tight and sore.
@danteism you’re on
@Frank_C skip to 4:28 that’s my first time with 140 lbs and about as sloppy as I get now
I only do it when it feels doable. That’s the big takeaway from Training Maximally for me: you always work up to your TM, but whether you do a single, a PR set, joker or even go down and work back up is up to how you feel on the day.
A couple of times I’ve gone down and worked back up because I wasn’t convinced the first time. Others I’ve done multiple singles at my TM.
The backoff sets are great. They’re light, so pretty much a given no matter how I feel I do them. They’re money sets for me, because I groove technique and just practice the lift.
Solid week!
Today’s training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Squat
TM is 451 lbs
Work up from bar in 44 lbs increments in three to five to 60%, 10 facepulls between sets
3x319 lbs, under 6 RPE, 6 revolutions (5, /), Harris True Cast wraps
2x363 lbs, under 6 RPE, 7 revolutions (4, X, 1), Harris wraps
1x407 lbs, 6 RPE, 7 revolutions (4, X, 1), Harris wraps
1x451 lbs, 8-9 RPE, 7 revolutions (4, X, 1), Harris wraps - tried pre stretching them but even so felt like they lost all the rebound compared to the previous set
Out came my trusty Slingshots. Something just felt off as well. I thought about it a bit and decided to bring my stance out a bit (foot width each way).
2x451 lbs, 8-9 RPE, 8 revolutions (5, X, 1) - better wraps made a difference, but man oh man did widening my stance help. Even hit depth better, and felt steadier.
Time to make sure it wasn’t a fluke.
2x451 lbs, 9 RPE, 8 revolutions (5, X, 1) - wobbled on the second rep and I swear if I’d been using a narrower stance I’d have gotten stapled.
Whatever the reason, that little bit wider works.
I suspect over the last few months my stance has crept in bit by bit. This explains why everything up to about 350 lbs feels really easy, and then suddenly it gets heavy. Wider stance means I’m a trifle slower up, but feel very powerful throughout.
Decided against good mornings because I wanted to have more reps with my wider stance
SSB squat 3x5x330 lbs, all around 6 RPE. Felt good.
I’m hopeful for my squat now
Walking lunges, controlled eccentric and second pause at the bottom 25 reps each leg - egad!
DB RDL dropset: 6x120 lbs, 8x100 lbs, 7x80 lbs, 7x60 lbs - short ROM but keeping tension on my hammies
25 constant tension 45 degree back raises, which were OK but nothing special
Doubled medium band side bends: 30, 25
Supersetted with DB raise giant set
Side 2x20x15 lbs
Front 2x20x20 lbs
Seated RDFs 2x10x25 lbs
In Melbourne with wifey-to-be for the weekend, so no scales. There is a mirror, of course. Looking good so far.
Here are the week’s highlights
You change your bench form a bit?
A while back, yes. Recently the only change is I keep my head down again and I don’t sink quite as aggressively.