I’m starting a new log here. My old log was called the Modi’s Coan/Philippi Experiment. Here’s the link:
http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=2160832
That didn’t go so well. So I’m starting a new cycle, and with it a new log. I’m going to copy my bio from the old log just so people know my background.
Please feel free to jump in and ask questions along the way.
A quick background…I’ve been lifting on and off for the past 15 year or so. I got into Powerlifting about a year and a half ago, and I’ve been using a modified Westside template since then.
My last 3 month cycle was an experiment with the Coan/Philippi DL Cycle. I did not get the gains that I had hoped for. I attribute this to a combination of overtraining and underrecovering (food intake was too low).
I have 4 PL meets under my belt, and I compete in the 275 unequipped division right now. I have nothing against gear, and I usually use as much gear as is allowed in the “raw” division. I use a belt for my squats, wrist wraps for my squats and bench, and knee sleeves for my squats. I don’t use a belt when I deadlift only because it is uncomfortable.
My best unequipped lifts so far in competition:
Squat - 502
Bench - 365
Deadlift - 605
This thread is started in an effort to improve these numbers and move me closer to a Raw Elite total
07/21/08 - Squat (ME)
A) Low Bar (for me) Back Squat
barx12
135x8
225x5
315x3
365x1
405x1
455x3 (PR+20lbs)
425x3
405x3
…High Bar Squat
275x20
B) Front Squat
225x6
245x6
245x6
C) Weighted Situp
45x15
90x10
45x15
D) Foam Roller-Quads
15x3
Squats felt great today. My right shoulder was a little tight from Saturday’s Bench Clinic, but it loosened up with some band work. I made sure I took my Squats nice and deep today, and finished them off with a 20 rep set. This is the first time I’ve felt my quads in roughly forever, so I think I’ll keep the 20 rep set in the rotation and just bump up the weight. I was breathing hard after these.
I haven’t done Front Squats for quite a while. I was just getting used to them today. I’ve never been great at these, so I’m going to try to bring my numbers up. I’ve done 315x3,295x5, and 250x6 as PR’s, so I should be able to push those up over the course of this cycle.
I expected my quads to hurt a lot more with the foam roller, since they’ve been killing me when I do the GHR, but they weren’t that painful. This in fact proves that I was just being a pussy on the GHR’s. I’m going to double dose the Midol next time I do them.
I’ll be watching this. Great to keep track of someone so much stronger than me.
[quote]Der Candy wrote:
I’ll be watching this. Great to keep track of someone so much stronger than me. [/quote]
Feel free to ask questions. I’ll answer them as honestly as possible.
Videos from today:
455x3:
275x20:
07/22/08 - GPP/Active Recovery
Quads and glutes sore from 20 rep squats yesterday…
Arc Trainer - Intervals Lvl 25-60 x 25 min
Incline Treadmill - 3.2mph @7% x 5min
Contrast Shower
30sec x3
This active recovery and GPP shit is getting in the way of being lazy on my off days.
Modi, you’re strong.
Just thought I’d let you know.
I’ll be watching the log and working my way up to being a big strong man like yourself.
[quote]Flow wrote:
Modi, you’re strong.
Just thought I’d let you know.
I’ll be watching the log and working my way up to being a big strong man like yourself.[/quote]
Haha, it’s all relative bro. I still feel like I have a long ways to go. But thanks.
07/23/08 - Bench (ME)
A) Flat Bench (first rep paused)
barx12
135x8
185x5
225x3
275x1
315x1
340x3 (PR +5lbs)
330x3
330x3
225x25 (tie PR)
B) JM Press
still working on form…
95x10x2
115x8x3
C) Lat Pulldown (wide grip)
100x10
140x10x4
Bench felt decent today, considering that I ME Benched on Saturday at the Bench Press Clinic hosted by Vinnie Dizenzo.
Warmups went very smoothly today, and 315 felt like DE weight. I got the first two reps at 340 nicely, but then let some air out, and couldn’t regain my tightness. The last rep went up, but it was more of a grind than it needed to be. Still, a 5lb PR for a paused set, so I’m happy.
I refuse to go up on weight until I can nail the technique on the JM Press. I have a difficult time not letting my elbows drop when I do them. I still feel them hitting the tris down near the elbow, so they must be doing something.
I’ve moved my lat work to my Upper Days. I will train them with lighter weights on my Bench day, because I Deadlift the following day. I will go heavier on my Shoulder day, and may even throw in a second movement if I feel the need.
Good start to a new training cycle so far.
For the record here is the new format for the next cycle (however long that may be):
Mon: Squat
Wed: Bench
Thurs: Deadlift
Sat: Shoulders
I’ve dropped the DE days for my Squat and my Bench. Instead I will make my second lower day a Deadlift day. I will pull from the floor every other week. Sometimes it will be for singles, other times for doubles and triples. I will also rotate in some Deficit Deads for higher reps. On the weeks I’m not pulling from the floor I will be using Rack Pulls at various heights.
And in place of DE/RE Benching, I will make my first movement an Overhead Press. I will most likely rotate 3 movement. The first will be a Seated Shoulder Press, the second a Seated Shoulder Press from the pins set at chin level, and the third a press from the pins set at the top of my forehead. I will do them all seated because if I press while standing, the barbell will end up through the basement ceiling, and quite possibly in my living room = unhappy wife.
On my Squat and Bench days, I will be sticking with the same movement for 3 weeks in a row as long as I’m making progress. Week 1 will be for a 5RM or a 5x5 depending on where I am in the cycle. Week 2 will be a 3RM or a 3x3. Week 3 (if the strength Gods are smiling) will be for a 1RM, and if not, then several singles above 90%.
I use the Easter Bloc style of notation (repsxsets) so 10x3 is ten reps by three sets.
My warmups for Bench, Squat and Deads are always the same. To keep things simple, in my log I will use “…” to indicate my warmups.
… means:
Flat Bench:
barx12
135x8
185x5
225x3
275x1
Squat:
barx12
135x8
225x5
315x3
365x1
Deadlift:
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1 (unless noted otherwise)
[quote]Modi wrote:
07/21/08 - Squat (ME)
A) Low Bar (for me) Back Squat
barx12
135x8
225x5
315x3
365x1
405x1
455x3 (PR+20lbs)
425x3
405x3
…High Bar Squat
275x20
B) Front Squat
225x6
245x6
245x6
[/quote]
Is this going to be a normal leg day? I know you mentioned doing 20 rep squats again - are you doing them until you can no longer stand, or still have some gas in the tank?
[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
Is this going to be a normal leg day? I know you mentioned doing 20 rep squats again - are you doing them until you can no longer stand, or still have some gas in the tank?[/quote]
Normal Squat Day:
A) Heavy Squat or Box Squat
B) Squat Variation (Front/GM/SSB)
C) Weighted Abs/Low Back
D) Foam Roller/Mobility/Flexibility work
I’m going to keep bumping the weight up on the 20 reps for a while. Probably 20lbs a week until I can’t get 20 reps any longer, and then stick with that weight until I get 20. It’s the first time I’ve felt my quads and glutes in a long time. If I see that it’s effecting my other stuff, then I will drop the weight and work on getting 20 reps as fast as possible.
Video from today:
Bench (first rep paused): 340x3
A) Rack Pull Pin #4 (1" above knees)
…
405x3
495x1
545x1
585x1
605x1 (PR +20)
B) RDL
315x6
405x5
Rack Pulls felt solid today. I haven’t done these in a quite a while, so I worked my way up slowly. Happy with the 20lb PR today. I’ll pull from the floor next week, and then hit rack pulls 2" lower the following week.
I felt good on the first two sets of RDL’s, but after I racked the second set and started to walk away I felt a twinge in my middle of my lower back. I tried to loosen it up, but it didn’t want to go away.
I stopped the workout at this point and iced my lower back. I think it was smart to stop when I did. I think this is one of those very minor things that will heal quickly, but would have been much worse if I continued. Every once in a while you have to listen to your body and do something smart
Hey man training seems to be going good for you.
Keep it up, you’re strong!
On the JM Press, try curling your wrists up towards your forearm. That should keep your elbows up.
Don’t turn the movement into a skullcrusher either. Remember to press the weight rather than an extension type movement.
[quote]bigmit wrote:
On the JM Press, try curling your wrists up towards your forearm. That should keep your elbows up.
Don’t turn the movement into a skullcrusher either. Remember to press the weight rather than an extension type movement.[/quote]
Thanks bigmit. The first time I did them I rolled my wrists back like a skullcrusher. Then I found a video by JM Blakely demonstrating the form, and started curling my wrists the other direction. I do have a tendency to want to turn it into a skullcrusher to the chin rather than pressing it back up.
Fast forward to 4:10 or so. I think I’ve got a good feel for what the right technique is, it’s just a matter of putting it to practice.
BW: 266.6lbs
07/26/08 - Shoulders (RE)
A) Seated Shoulder Press
barx12
95x8
135x5
185x3
215x5x3 (PR +2 sets)
135x30 (PR +9 reps)
B) Close Grip 5 Board Press
225x3
275x1
315x11 (PR +1 rep)
365x6 (baseline PR)
405x3 (baseline PR)
C) DB Row
60x10
110x10x3 (baseline PR)
My back was still bothering me today, so I wore a belt for the whole session. I should have been at a Gold’s Gym today, woulda fit right in…
My shoulders felt great today. I could have gone heavier, but probably wouldn’t have gotten all 3 sets of 5. I’ll bump these up to 225 next time and work up from there. I was hoping for a PR at 135, but didn’t expect to get all 30 reps. This felt fast and light. I lost one of the videos of 215 due to user incompetency.
My original plan was to do 3 sets of 5 board with 315, but everything just felt right today, so I worked up to 365. Those went up nicely so I threw on 405 and nailed 3 solid reps. For my close grip, I use a grip that is one inch outside the smooth part of the bar.
I had also planned on doing Pendlay Rows today, but I knew there was no way my back would take the load, so I did DB Rows for the first time this century.
Great day today. I’ve made some changes to my diet, and my weight is back up over 265. I’m going to give it a few weeks and see if everything is still progressing well with the new changes, or if today was just one of those good days…Time will tell.