Max Strength for gabex

Phase 4, Day 55, Lower

A. Deadlift (9x1 @ 90%)
365x1, 1, fail
345x1, 1
335x1, 1
315x1, 1

B. Speed Deadlift
275 (8X1 @ 70%)

C. Front Squat Grip Reverse Lunge
barx8/side
75x8/side
85x8/side
95x8/side

D. Pallof Press
25x10/side
25x10/side

First off, fuck!
I applaud anyone who seriously made all 9 sets at 90%. I know form tends to break around ME, but this was crazy. I was having a hard time breaking the floor, which I rarely ever struggle with. I dont think all these rack pulls, block pulls, etc have helped my deadlift much at all. I need deficit pulls. I asked a guy from the gym to watch my last set at 345 and he said my set up was straight, everything was good, but after I break the floor, once I got like an inch or two from the ground my back would round. Two calluses ripped off. The workout took me almost 1hr 45min. I am beat.

Phase 4, Day 56, Upper

A. Board Press (9x1 @ 90%)
205x1
210x1
215x1
205x1
205x1
200x1
200x1
195x1
195x1

  • I was supposed to do 2board… didn’t have boards. Used a half foam roller… which was more like 1board. 215x1 was sloppy and I don’t think I really even locked it out… a few of the sets my butt left the bench… I dunno

B1. CG Decline
155x8
160x8
155x8
155x7

B2. HS Iso Row (Chest Supported Pronated Grip Row)
250x8
250x8
260x8
270x8

C1. Scapular Wall Slides
12
12
12

C2. DB Hammer Curl
25x10
25x10
25x10

Start (2/23) | 3 wks in (3/16) | Current (6/11)

Hips 36 | 36.75 | 36
Waist at Belly button 32.5 | 32.5 | 31.75
Waist at Widest point 34 | 33.5 | | 32.75
Waist at Smallest (added) | x | x | 29.5
Arms (cold) 14.25 | 14.5 | 14.5
Thigh 23.25 | 24 | 24

No changes in arms/legs/hips… but looks like I’ve lost a little around my waist. Weight still ~ 184-187

Phase 4, Day 57, Lower

A. Speed Box Squat
160 (12x2 @ 60%)

B. GHR
4x5

C. DB Forward Lunge
40x6/side (4x)

D1. 1 leg Box Squat
16" : 12/side
18" : 12/side
18" : 12/side

D2. Elevated Bar Rollout
10 (3x)

Phase 4, Day 58, Upper

A. Speed Bench
135 (10x3 @ 60%)

  • Last rep on sets 5-10 were slower… didn’t feel like speed work

B1. CG Floor Press
145x5
145x5
145x5
145x5
135x7
135x5 (failed on 6)

B2. CG Hammer Chin
25x5
25x5
25x5
25x5

C1. DB Row
60x10/side
60x10/side

C2. CG Pushup
10
10

  • Cut it 1 set short…

My whole right arm kinda hurts right now

Gonna do the lowered volume lower and upper today…
Then probably some light cardio Tues…
Max Squat and Chin on Wed
Maybe light cardio Thur…
Max Bench and Dead on Fri

Then figure out what’s next.

To be completely honest, I don’t really expect my maxes to go up too much at this point, but we’ll see

Phase 4, Day 59/60, Lower/Upper

A. Front Squat Reverse Lunge
95x8
75x8 (easy)

B1. Close Grip Decline
155x8
155x8

B2. HS Iso Row
250x8
250x8

C1. Scapular Wall Slide
12
12
12

C2. DB Hammer Curl
25x10
25x10
25x10

D. Pallof Press
25x8/side
25x8/side
25x8/side

Interested to see how much you’ve gained on this. Good luck bro.

Max Day 1 (1RM Box Squat and 3RM Chin)

I’m 6’1, so I use a 16" box which I figure is parallel
barx10, 95x5, 135x3, 185x1, 225x1
250x1
275x1 (I asked someone for a spot… he was squatting in the other rack. I assumed he knew what a box squat was. Right when I started to pause on the box he ‘caught me’ and I was like I’m good and he said go again so I went again thinking he understood and he did the same again. I rested about 5 min or so and went again. I barely got 275 after that, so I left it at that… rather disappointed. I wanted to at least hit 280)

Then did chins
bwx3
25x3
45x3
65x2.75 (I count reps when the top of my clavicle hits… and I couldn’t quite get get there…)

Max Day 2 (1RM Bench and 1RM Deadlift)

Bench
barx10, 95x5, 135x5, 155x3, 185x1, 205x1, 215x1
225xfail
225xfail

I specifically asked the spotter for a lift off and he said ok and 1, 2, 3… no lift off… wtf.
I waited, and tried again, and needed a lil help about 1/3 way off my chest.

Deadlift
135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x1, 315x1
365x1

I ended here, … fuck…

Overall, I think testing my maxes this way is wrong. I was comparing my best lifts ever to my best maxes in a 3 day span… 1 wk after all that 90% work.

Oh well… I dont think the program was a failure, my methods of testing were.

(Note: a lot of this came from the wisdom of a friend)

Now I need to find something the next step.

I also would like to find a real training partner… and I don’t know where to start.

Ideas on either appreciated.

What were your overall gains on the chosen lifts and the scale?

Hard to judge, honestly. Scale stayed around 185ish (give or take water/stomach content weight)

As far as lifts, like I said, I was comparing my best of all time maxes to what I crammed into 2 days with just 1 off day after a ‘very high intensity’ week.

Today, I went and redid phase 1 day 1 and I got

16" Box Squat
185x4, 190x4, 195x4, 200x4, 200x4 (barely last set) = 3880 total lbs

Last time it was
185x4, 190x4, 195x3, 185x4, 185x4 = 3565 total lbs

Overall difference of 315 total lbs in volume

Then I tried to speed deadlift today, did 8x2@50% (200lbs) and then ended…
I was too sore to do lunges and what not

I figure, after very high intensity week, then max effort, I shouldn’t have pushed this, and should actually deload or something before I restart program…

My legs feel brutal

I think I might do 5x5 intermediate madcow

Bullshit day, just effin around in the gym with no direction

Squat 135x10
RDL 95x10
Military Press 95x10
Chinups 12
Dips 12

And 15min cardio

I was suggested a 5x5 type program because I was told I probably just need more time under the bar… more practice, etc etc, I needed something with written progressions, etc, etc

I read 5/3/1 today…
Ok, so here’s my idea…

Gimme feedback on this

Mon.
A. Military 5/3/1 (3-5 min rest between sets)
B. Military 5x5 @ 40% (just for practice, not actual worksets, like 1 min rest… the big but boring version has you do 5x10 @ 30-60%, and then 1 follow up exercise and that’s it… so I would get practice under the bar with this setup)
C1. DB Press Variant 4x10
C2. Chins/Pull up Variant 4x10
D1. Tricep Variant 3x10
D2. Bicep Variant 3x10
E. Rear delt/upper trap/back/rotator cuff type movement 3x10

Tue.
A. Deadlift 5/3/1
B. Deadlift 5x5 @ 40%
C. GHR 4x10
D. Single Leg Movement 4x10-20/side
E. Ab movement 3x10

Wed.
Off

Thur.
A. Bench 5/3/1
B. Bench 5x5 @ 40%
C1. DB Press Vairant 4x10
C2. Row Variant 4x10
D1. Tricep Variant 3x10
D2. Bicep Movement 3x10
E. Rear delt/upper trap/back/rotator cuff type movement 3x10

Fri.
A. Squat 5/3/1
B. Squat 5x5 @ 40%
C. Back Raises 4x10
D. Single Leg Movement 4x10-20/side
E. Ab movement 3x10

depending on the feedback here, I might post in the 5/3/1 thread, but I don’t wanna get flamed right away

That was just a mix of the version 1 (bbb) and 4 (tate periodization).

I guess I might just do the full big but boring version.

“The Bear” (Hang clean to front squat to push press to back squat to behind the neck push press)

95x5
115x3
135x1
140x1
145x1
150x1
155x1

Mini 5 min EDT Style Circuit
Chins/Dips
5, 5, 5, 3, 3, 1

Kettle Ball Swings
20x20
25x15
30x12

Cable Ab Pulldowns
70x10, 70x10, 70x10