Modi's Raw Powerlifting Log

Training Training Logs
21

OK, time to test out the back…

07/28/08 - Squat (ME)

A) Lowish Bar Squat
…
405x1
455x1
495x1
515x1 (PR +5lbs)
475x1

…High Bar Squat (no belt)
300x20 (PR +25lbs)

B) Front Squat
225x3
275x3
295x3
315x3 (tie PR)

C) Hanging Leg Raises
RUx10
KTEx15
HLRx20

D) Foam Roller - Quads
20x3

My back felt good this morning, and continued to loosen up throught the morning. I warmed up to 315 and then added the belt at 365. I was going back and forth between the idea of hitting a PR for a single or taking 3 or 4 singles above 90%.

Normally I wouldn’t have done 495 before my 515, but I wasn’t even sure my back would hold up for the 495. That felt solid, so I went up to 515 and managed to get a 5lb PR out of it. Now if only I could keep my elbows pulled forward at the heavier weights…

Last week I started with 20 rep Squats after my ME movement, and decided to up the weight today. I put 295 on the bar, and figured, hell, what’s 5 more pounds for an even 300. I did these beltless, and felt fine. The hardest part was controlling my breathing, and even that wasn’t all that bad.

I didn’t even know my 3 rep PR on Front Squats, and didn’t really care to look. I just wanted to keep these as tight as possible, and take them to a good depth. Come to find out I ended up tying my PR, and I feel like I had a lot more in me today. And my old PR was using Front Squats as my first movement…

Good stuff. Keep eating, recovering and hitting PR’s…

22

07/29/08 - GPP

Arc Trainer Intervals
L25/L40-90
x25 min.

23

[quote]Modi wrote:

A) Heavy Squat or Box Squat
B) Squat Variation (Front/GM/SSB)
C) Weighted Abs/Low Back
D) Foam Roller/Mobility/Flexibility work

[/quote]

Sorry if this is a noob question, but what is the SSB? Thanks.

24

[quote]Der Candy wrote:
Modi wrote:

A) Heavy Squat or Box Squat
B) Squat Variation (Front/GM/SSB)
C) Weighted Abs/Low Back
D) Foam Roller/Mobility/Flexibility work

Sorry if this is a noob question, but what is the SSB? Thanks.
[/quote]

No Problem. Safety Squat Bar. I got mine from Elitefts.com:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=212&pid=1156

25

07/30/08 - Bench (ME)

A) 2 Board Press
…
275x1
315x1
355x1
385x1 (PR+20lbs)
395x1 (PR+30lbs)
405x1 (PR+40lbs) ???

B) High Rep
225x25 (tie PR again)

C) Close Grip Floor Press
135x8
225x8x2

D) Plate Raise
45x10x3

I’ve been doing a lot of 3,4 and 5 board lately, and haven’t used the 2 board since last year. I wasn’t expecting much over 385, but I smoked that one. 395 was solid, but lockout was a little slow. I really drove with my legs on the 405 attempt. My hips come up on this attempt, but I felt like my ass was still touching the bench. I’m going to count this as a psuedo PR, but won’t go up in weight until I hit it a little more cleanly.

Pretty tired by the time I got to the speed bench. The shitty part of this is I set my baseline PR on a deload week when I was completely fresh. This one may take some time to improve.

I decided to hold off on upper back work until after I DL tomorrow.

26

BW: 267.1lbs

07/31/08 - Deadlift

A) Conventional Deadlift (w/ chains)
…
405x1
+1 chainx1
+2 chainsx1
+3 chainsx1
+4 chainsx1
+5 chainsx1 (baseline PR)

B) Pendlay Rows
135x8
225x5
275x5
300x6 (PR +1 rep)
315x5 (PR +15lbs)
315x5

C) GHR
8,7,7

D) Abs on GHR
15x3

During this cycle I want to keep my speed up on Deadlifts as much as possible, but still work on lockout strength, so I am going to be DLing with chains. I’ll bump the weight up each week and work my way from straight bar weight up to 5 chains per side each workout. I weighed the chains today, and 5 per side works out to just over 170lbs at the top, but completely deloaded at the bottom. My plan is to hit 455 next time, then 495 and then 525-545 for the last week of it.

I’ll be doing these every other week. On the off weeks I’m going to be doing Rack Pulls, lowering the pin each week for 4 weeks, and then raising it back to the original pin height and trying to break those PR’s. This will work out to a 16 week cycle.

It should look like:

wk1 Rack Pull 1" above knees
wk2 405+1-5 chains
wk3 Rack Pull 1" below knees
wk4 455+1-5 chains
wk5 Rack Pull 3" below knees
wk6 495+1-5 chains
wk7 Rack Pull 5" below knees
wk8 525-545+1-5 chains
…
repeat

My back felt good today, so I worked up to some heavy Pendlay Rows. The last set wasn’t all that pretty, but it got the job done.

GHRx8 may be a PR, but all my records need updating, since I lost a lot of them when my computer kicked the bucket. This was either a tie or a PR+1 rep.

27

Nice pulls.

Man, the weights of IW chains are so inconsistent. Mine weigh between 18 or 19 pounds - definitely not Six Sigma quality control. Are you just draping the chains over the bar or rigging them on the feeder chain? I bought a special set of collars that allows you to attach the chains easily at the end of the bar.

Be careful that the chains are set up behind the bar or your back will not thank you for it. Another thing I noticed is that at lockout the sway of the chains might aggravate the shoulder of your underhand grip side. Just things to consider, but chains are really awesome for pulling.

28

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Nice pulls.

Man, the weights of IW chains are so inconsistent. Mine weigh between 18 or 19 pounds - definitely not Six Sigma quality control. Are you just draping the chains over the bar or rigging them on the feeder chain? I bought a special set of collars that allows you to attach the chains easily at the end of the bar.

Be careful that the chains are set up behind the bar or your back will not thank you for it. Another thing I noticed is that at lockout the sway of the chains might aggravate the shoulder of your underhand grip side. Just things to consider, but chains are really awesome for pulling.[/quote]

Thanks buddy. On the first set, I had the chains draped, and I noticed they swayed when they came up off the floor. After that I hung them from the bar. I have a couple of huge caribeners (sp???), and then each chain has it’s own smaller caribener. When I’m at lockout there is about 1 link left on the ground, so it eliminates the swaying.

If you watch the video in high quality, you can probably see how I set them up:

29

two things maybe more:
height and weight?
also where did u get your chains (i cant spend alot but ill see how much)
and whats ur flooringlike i cant pull from a foam matt since the bar sinks in slightly and i feel its harder to get it started

ur such a friggin beast

30

[quote]Modi wrote:

Thanks buddy. On the first set, I had the chains draped, and I noticed they swayed when they came up off the floor. After that I hung them from the bar. I have a couple of huge caribeners (sp???), and then each chain has it’s own smaller caribener. When I’m at lockout there is about 1 link left on the ground, so it eliminates the swaying.

If you watch the video in high quality, you can probably see how I set them up:

Carabiner, but this is the internet where spelling doesn’t matter :wink: That set-up looks like it should work fine. The swaying aggravated my shoulder the first time I tried them, so I switched to hook grip and it solved the issue.

With a sumo stance, it isn’t an issue because a couple of links are still on the floor - the benefits of stumpy legs.

31

[quote]bignate wrote:
two things maybe more:
height and weight?
also where did u get your chains (i cant spend alot but ill see how much)
and whats ur flooringlike i cant pull from a foam matt since the bar sinks in slightly and i feel its harder to get it started

ur such a friggin beast[/quote]

Trying to become a beast…

My height is somewhere between 6’ and 6’1". Bodyweight was 267 today…heading towards 275 before my next meet.

I got my chains from Iron Woody. I think it was the deluxe advanced chain set or something like that. 10 - 5/8" chains with a pair of lead chains. I don’t see it on their site right now. But I think I paid around $200 for them.

Novaeer has the same set, he might remember what he paid.

My floor is 1/2" commercial flooring 6’x4’ sections. Then I have some 2’x2’ 3/8" rubber flooring sections that I lay down under the plates when I pull heavy. The 6x4 sections are the same ones you’d see in a commercial gym.

You can get them from a gym equipment store, or a lot of people recommend a place like Tractor Supply or something similar. Since I don’t live in the middle of the boondock’s, I didn’t have the second option. :wink:

32

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Modi wrote:

Thanks buddy. On the first set, I had the chains draped, and I noticed they swayed when they came up off the floor. After that I hung them from the bar.

I have a couple of huge caribeners (sp???), and then each chain has it’s own smaller caribener. When I’m at lockout there is about 1 link left on the ground, so it eliminates the swaying.

If you watch the video in high quality, you can probably see how I set them up:

Carabiner, but this is the internet where spelling doesn’t matter :wink: That set-up looks like it should work fine. The swaying aggravated my shoulder the first time I tried them, so I switched to hook grip and it solved the issue.

With a sumo stance, it isn’t an issue because a couple of links are still on the floor - the benefits of stumpy legs.[/quote]

Thanks for the spell check. I love the fact that you can preview your post on this site, and it will tell you what you’ve spelled wrong…and then not offer any suggestions.

I should video my sumo for you some time. Anything over 400 is essentially a wide stance stiff legged deadlift. 100% back, no hips.

33

[quote]Modi wrote:
Thanks for the spell check. I love the fact that you can preview your post on this site, and it will tell you what you’ve spelled wrong…and then not offer any suggestions.

I should video my sumo for you some time. Anything over 400 is essentially a wide stance stiff legged deadlift. 100% back, no hips.[/quote]

Ahh, the wide stance stiff legged deadlift. If it works, I guess it’s not a big deal. How much have you hit sumo? Raw sumo is not one of my favorite lifts.

34

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Ahh, the wide stance stiff legged deadlift. If it works, I guess it’s not a big deal. How much have you hit sumo? Raw sumo is not one of my favorite lifts.[/quote]

Due to the Great Computer Crash of '08, all my records are completely out of date. I’ve never gone all that heavy (due to shitty form) on Sumo’s. I think I hit 455x5 or 6, and 495x3, but don’t quote me on that.

35

Back from a weeks vacation…

I managed to get in 3 lifts while I was away. The only equipment I had was a Light Band and a set of adjustable DB handles with enough plates to make 10’s, 30’s, 50’s, 60’s, 80’s and 100’s. No bench, no racks, no nuthin’.

08/02/08 - Shoulders (RE)

A) DB Shoulder Press
10x10
30x6
50x5
60x5
80x5x3
100x3x2

B) Bilateral DB Rows
80x8
100x8x3

C1) Single DB Front Delt Raise
60x8x3

C2) Light Band Rear Delt Pullaparts
8x3

36

08/04/08 - Lower (RE)

A) DB SLDL
60x12
80x12
100x12x3

B) Deficit DL/DB Squat Thing
100x12x3

C) Weighted Situps
25lbsx15x3

37

08/06/08 - Bench (RE)

A) DB Floor Press
60x12
80x12
100x12,10,10

B) Pushups
25x3

C1) Light Band Pushdowns
50x3

C2) DB Shoulder Raise
Side - 30x8
Rear - 30x8
Front - 30x8

D) Kneeling Light Band Crunch
15x3

38

Now back to reality…I skipped my Thursday DL session because my lower back was sore and I couldn’t look at the DB handles any longer. I decided to combine Deadlift and Shoulder day today.

08/09/08 - Deadlift (ME)/Shoulders (RE)

A) Rack Pull Pin #3 (1" below knees)
…
405x1
495x1
585x1
615x1 (PR +30lbs)

B) Seated Shoulder Press
barx10
135x5
135x5
185x3
225x5 (PR+10lbs)
225x5
225x4
155x14

C) GHR
8x3

D) Bent Over Row
135x6
abort…

E) Lat Pulldown (leaned back at 45 degrees)
100x6
150x6x3

I spent a few days last week working in a basement with 6’ ceilings, and pipes that hung down another 4-6". Being 6’ myself, this was a great source of aggrivation. My head hurt from smashing so many pipes (cast iron is solid, and tends not to give much), and I was constantly hunched over, so my low back was screaming. Then jump in a car for 5 hours and see how it cramps up.

I almost called it quits at the 585 rack pull, but I knew I was plenty strong, it was just a matter of holding the back together. Once I broke 615 from the pins, I finished pretty smoothly.

Shoulder Press is coming along nicely. I don’t think I rested enough between the top sets, and I didn’t go for the 5th rep on the third set. The 4th was pretty close to failure, so I figure I’ll save it for next time.

Still making progress on the GHR’s. The last couple are always ugly though.

I was going to do BOR’s but decided my back could use the rest, so I used my Lat Pulldown and just leaned back to 45 degress or so. This took the pressure off my back and allowed me to focus on the lats.

39

are jm’s supposed to be close gripped?

40

[quote]bignate wrote:
are jm’s supposed to be close gripped?[/quote]

Close to medium grip. Somewhere between index on the smooth part to a thumbs grip away.