10/14 Deads
Deadlift
285x3
325x3
365x3
405x1x2 held for 10 sec at lockout
Leg Curls
4 sets of 10
Leg Press superset with calf raises
3 sets of 10
Some cardio
Set my foot placement as high as possible on the leg press, I heard that activated glute/hammies more, and I have to agree. This is the first time I’ve ever felt a “burn” in my hams, instead of them just getting all tight.
10/16 Shoulders
Military
145x3
165x3
185x3
205x1
Cambered Bench, paused
135x3
185x3
225x3
250x3
275x3
Seated DB press
70s x5
80s x5
90s x5
100s x5
10/17 Squats
255x3
290x3
330x4
365x2
225x8x5
Pretty excited about squats. From the looks of it, I’m gonna come back from the hammy injury ahead of where I was before it. This is possible because my squat sucks to begin with, but progress is progress.
10/18 Bench
290x5
330x2
365x1
365x0
225x10x5
I should’ve taken another day off, just did shoulders/chest/triceps two days ago, but oh well. Took a video of the 365x0 because I have a consistent sticking point, think I’m gonna bring in board/pin presses after my meet.
10/19 Conditioning/cardio
5 minutes light jog on the treadmill
Tire Flips x 80 (15,15,15,15,10,10)
20 minutes incline fast walk on treadmill
I forgot to mention in my log: my bodyweight progress. Before the hammy strain, I was 225-230. After the strain, I jumped up to 240, gaining both some upper body strength/muscle and some fat, I think. At the rate things were going before the injury, I was thinkin about possibly competing at 198, but obviously that’s not a good idea now. Anyways, I’ve cut down to 225-230 again, the rest should be easy to drop as water weight to make 220. For instance, I lost 4 pounds in the above session (230-226)
I do have a concern that I’m too efficient at cutting weight (little over 0.5 lbs a day, just by axing carbs) But, being fat and hydrated makes these things pretty easy.
10/21 Deads
305x5
345x3
385x1
425x1
455x1 (think this is a PR without straps)
Good Mornings
45x10
65x8
95x5
115x5
135x5
Some abs
455 was easy, but felt like it took a year it was so slow. Never done GM’s so took those very light. Maybe a heavy squat day, and the rest deloading til the meet now.
10/23
Shoulder deload, abs, cardio
10/25 cardio/conditioning
5 min jog
Tire flips x 82 (15,15,18,12,10,12)
15 min incline fast walk
Squats (attempted a deload session here)
225x4 = pants ripped. Went home.
And here I thought I was losing weight.
10/26 upper deload
Bench
185x10
225x5
245x3
275x2
300x1
325x1 (projected opener)
185x10x3
10/29 First meet
Weighed in at about 217
Bench: totally tanked it. 315 opener went up as easy as it should have. 345 2nd attempt, I brought down way too high and missed. Promptly missed my 3rd attempt. Suck. I have a long list of excuses, and I knew I wasn’t gonna be 100% but I didn’t expect this much of a drop.
Dead: went exactly as planned. Very easy 405 opener, and an easy but shaky/slow 455, and didn’t attempt a 3rd. Hammy felt slightly tight, I think it will be good to go for my next meet.
Apparently this was still good to win my weight class, and qualify for nationals in december in the same venue/fed, which will be a full meet with a squat. Probly gonna shoot for around 425-365-475 at 220.
11/1 Bench
245x3
280x3
315x3
345x1x5
Pin press (would do boards but I dont have a training partner. bout a 1 board height)
225x6
245x6
275x5
295x2 (holy balls)
225x10 (holy balls again)
K, first off, its official, I choked. 345 is light weight. Fuck.
Second, I think I’m on to something with pin presses, judging by how difficult and slow the last two sets were. I definitely have a sticking point in the 1-2 board range. Gonna hit these hard for at least a month.
11/2 Squats
270x3
310x3
345x3
375x1x3
205x10x4
cut two of the singles a bit high.
11/3 Back/Bi/Cardio
BW Chins x 100 (22 min)
22 min treadmill (speed:3.2 incline: 8)
11/6 Shoulders
Military
145x3
165x3
185x4
Bench
225x20
Seated overhead press, smith machine
3x10
Rear delt reverse DB flies 4x8
superset with
Ab wheelin 4x8
Treadmill 20 min
speed: 3.4 Incline: 8
Not an all out effort, but I think I want to train either 225 reps or as much weight as I can at 20 reps for the hell of it. My best to date is 225x29, I havent maxed out a 20 rep yet, so Ill probly try that.
11/10 Deads
320x3
370x3
415x3
455x1
Leg curls superset with leg ext. 6x6
Got a pretty deep cut on my finger, so gripping the bar was an issue today, so I didnt want to do anything else after deads. Also got some new ink on my upper back, so no squats or good mornings for a bit. I think Bench should be okay tomorrow though.
11/13 Bench
230x5
265x5
300x5
Pin press
225x4
250x4
275x4
290x4
305x1 paused
320x1 paused
225x15
225x13 (to failure)
I felt very weak today to start off, 300 felt very heavy. My PR at that weight is 10 reps, and I think I mightve gotten 6-7 today. Body weight was at 222, which might be the lowest training weight Ive been at in a couple years. Anyways, started feeling stronger for pin presses, but I don’t have a whole lot to compare that too. I do feel like I am directly targeting weaknesses with them though, and that’s a pretty awesome feeling.
Interesting note, on the last set to failure, I failed at a point I’ve never failed at, lockout. Course, there aren’t many options for failure when you start from pins, but still.
Gonna continue to throw in some high rep work at 225-250 of some bench variation on both upper body days for the hell of it.
Been reading up on floor/pin/board benching, and I’ve noticed that essentially everyone can work with more weight than a normal bench press. I am very clearly working with a lot less weight. A 345 paused bench was easier than the 320 paused pin press I did today. Looking back I noticed my floor press was also quite a lot weaker (265x6! I did do it after ME bench, though). I haven’t done any board pressing yet, I will after I get a look at how pins add to my bench.
If anyone is following that can chime in: does this just mean I’ve located a glaring weakness? I’ve never been an explosive lifter, in fact I think I’m well on the slow side of the spectrum. Also the pin setting I’m on is just about perfectly on my sticking point, so naturally it’s gonna be hard to start the movement, but why am I seeing everyone else floor/board/pin supra-maximal?
11/16 Back
BW+30 Chins x 44 (15 minutes)
5 minute break
BW+40 Chins x 30 (10 minutes)
Treadmill 20 minutes
speed: 3.3 Incline: 8
Stubborn cold + laziness = a week off. And as usual I came back a day or two early and lifted like shit.
11/23 Squats
265x5
305x5
345x1x5 (Seeing stars and feeling light-headed after even the second rep at 305, so I decided to do my last 5s set as singles with a 30 second break)
Leg Press, high as possible foot placement
3x10, superset with calf raises 3x50
4pps
My diet has been shit the last week as well, BW today was 219.