I said it earlier. Not sure why it didn’t post. But we need more guys like you on this site.
Your a great guy bro. Keep it up
[quote]Modi wrote:
mrodock wrote:
I’d tell anyone reading this that you are stupid to train while this sick
I respect your stupidity!
I really hope much like Michael Jordan your power is in your shoes!
Thanks. Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s the shoes. Wait till you get yours.[/quote]
You are right, 30 pound PR today and I wasn’t even supposed to squat
[quote]mrodock wrote:
You are right, 30 pound PR today and I wasn’t even supposed to squat[/quote]
What’s a day without a little Squatting? Nice job on the PR!
[quote]Modi wrote:
mrodock wrote:
You are right, 30 pound PR today and I wasn’t even supposed to squat
What’s a day without a little Squatting? Nice job on the PR![/quote]
haha, you rarely miss out on a little Squatting! thanks
[quote]Modi wrote:
No, I need to focus on my Bench and DL for a little while leading up to the meet. I’ll probably basterdize Sheiko for a little while, haven’t really decided yet.
[/quote]
This was said in reference to running the prep cycles 30 and 31, followed by 32:
“I think Eric has said in the past that they are appropriate for rated lifters within 50kg of CMS (EDIT - off the '87 chart, NOT the new one).”
By my calculations you are currently at the CMS rating. The cool thing about 30 and 31 is they offer you some work at 90% and thus wouldn’t require much bastardization. I suppose if you felt good you could do a couple of sets a little above the 90%.
Just an idea.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Modi wrote:
No, I need to focus on my Bench and DL for a little while leading up to the meet. I’ll probably basterdize Sheiko for a little while, haven’t really decided yet.
This was said in reference to running the prep cycles 30 and 31, followed by 32:
“I think Eric has said in the past that they are appropriate for rated lifters within 50kg of CMS (EDIT - off the '87 chart, NOT the new one).”
By my calculations you are currently at the CMS rating. The cool thing about 30 and 31 is they offer you some work at 90% and thus wouldn’t require much bastardization. I suppose if you felt good you could do a couple of sets a little above the 90%.
Just an idea.[/quote]
I’ve been thinking along those lines, but won’t have enough time for two prep cycles and a peaking cycle. After I test my max next week, I will take a week to transition and then 8 weeks leading up to the Nationals. I will have to look at the different Sheiko cycles and decide which one to run before peaking.
05/10/09 - Smolov Squat Intense Meso Cycle Week 4 Day 1
A) Squat
…315x3
410x3 (70%)
470x4 (80%)
525x3 (FAIL)
525x5x5 (90%)
Well, the antibiotics have started to kick in. I had a restful night of sleep, and my cough has improved quite a bit. I felt pretty good going into this session, for the first time in a while.
This was essentially a repeat of last Sunday’s workout, and Tuesday’s workout will be a repeat of what I did 2 days ago (4 sets of 3 at 555). The only unknown is Friday where I will have to get 3 sets of 4 at 555.
During my first set of 5 at 525 I was already thinking about Friday’s workout. I knew I had today’s in the bag, and didn’t commit to every rep like I should have. I got to be bottom of my 4th rep and my hips went backwards and my chest collapsed and I just dumped it. I was pissed because it shouldn’t have even been a challenge. The worst part was unloading all the plates to lift the bar back up and then having to reload all over again. No, actually the worst part was finishing what should have been my 5th set and realizing I still had one more to do.
I kind of wanted to finish Smolov without missing a single rep. But this is actually a good thing. I missed because my head wasn’t in it, not because of a lack of strength or recovery. This is a great reminder that every rep counts, and should be done with complete focus.
I’m looking forward to feeling even better for Tuesdays session, the second to last before the taper.
10 sessions down, 2 to go…
Sunday Night Grillin’…
2 1/2 lbs Steak Tips, 2 lbs Chicken
[quote]Modi wrote:
Sunday Night Grillin’…
2 1/2 lbs Steak Tips, 2 lbs Chicken[/quote]
So THAT is the secret, the appetite of a T-Rex
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Modi wrote:
Sunday Night Grillin’…
2 1/2 lbs Steak Tips, 2 lbs Chicken
So THAT is the secret, the appetite of a T-Rex[/quote]
Doesn’t hurt. 
Modi, I know you’ve been training a long time and Smolov has given you a renaissance of sorts prior to a diet of steady improvement). Could you do a brief (or not so brief) outline of your training history?
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Modi, I know you’ve been training a long time and Smolov has given you a renaissance of sorts prior to a diet of steady improvement). Could you do a brief (or not so brief) outline of your training history? [/quote]
Wow, this will be long and boring. There were many breaks along the way…
I started training in High School (1986-1990) when I was on the Track team. I was a thrower, mainly Javelin, but threw Shot and Disc as well. I was probably 180lbs or so back then. I knew I needed to get stronger to do better, so when I went into the weight room, I would just watch what others were doing. One of the football coaches played for the Patriots, so he had a solid knowledge of the weight room, and I stole whatever knowledge I could. However, since I trained pretty much unsupervised, I got most of my programming from muscle mags and did basic body part splits for 4 years. I never trained during the summers due to work and laziness, and my strength kind of came and went with the seasons. I got up to probably 215, but left at a leanish 190.
In college (1990-1996) we got a little more serious with the weight training. I continued to throw the Javelin, setting a University record. Our coach worked a lot of technique with us, and had us on various programs, but spent a couple of years doing variations of 5x5 programs focusing on Hang Cleans, Bench/Incline, and Squats, and a lot of med ball plyos, short sprints, etc. In the off season I would lift with my roommates, again more BB style. My weight fluctuated between 215 and 235 throughout college.
After college (1997-2000) my training became more sporadic. I usually trained at a Gold’s or a World’s, or a local college gym. I would train pretty consistently for a year or two and then miss a few months, then train half heartedly for a while. My lifts pretty much plateaued. I was benching 315 if I was consistent, and 275 if I wasn’t. My Squats were all sky high (1/4 Squats) and repping 405, but never to depth. At one point I did the MM2K bench program and got up to a 335 touch and go Bench. I had quit Squatting because I would get a clicking in my left knee with a little pain, so I was king of the Leg Press. I was consistently about 225 during this time.
Some time later (2000-2002) I added running into my program, in an effort to lean out a little. I had kind of lost focus on lifting. I was still lifting once or twice a week, but also running 2 or 3 times, when someone challenged me to run a Marathon. The longest race I had run up to that point was a 5k, infact I had only run two 5k’s in my life. My lifting had gotten a little more serious, and I didn’t want to lose my progress, so I really tried to incorporate my lifting into my Marathon schedule. I trained for 6 months or so for the marathon, but as the runs became 2-3 hours long, I didn’t have the energy to lift. My weight dropped down to around 205. The race was in Hawaii in 2002, and on the day of the Marathon it was 95 degrees. I ran the first half in 1:53 and then took another 3 hours to finish the second half, completely dehydrated and one big cramp.
I didn’t like being that small, and at some point I became friends with someone who turned me on to T-Nation (2006). I started getting back into training much more seriously, and ended up doing one of CT’s programs. I think the first was a Shoulder routine. Well, my friend, myself, and female decided to follow CT’s HSS-100 program for 4 months. This was absolutely the best thing I ever did. I started keeping a log again, I forced myself to start Squatting again, and for the first time in my life I Deadlifted. I got stronger and leaner. I ate cleaner, I bulked on purpose, and climbed back into the 230’s and then to 240. Every time I stepped into the gym I tried to break a PR of some sort. My friend ended up competing in a BB show, and I realized that I just wanted to get strong.
I kept training for strength and one day decided I might be interested in PL’ing, so I found out there was a meet nearby at the end of that week. It was a Push/Pull (Feb 2007). I called the meet director, asked him if I could come and watch and if he would explain what was going on. He was super nice, and invited me down. The next day I called him back and said I was ready to compete. I ordered a singlet, waited all week and it didn’t arrive, so I called him on a Friday night while he was eating dinner, and told him I didn’t have a singlet and wouldn’t be able to compete, but I’d come down to watch anyways. He told me to just wear shorts and a t-shirt, and he’d find me a singlet. It turned out to be a full meet, and I had no idea what I could Squat, so I ended up going too light on Squats, but had a blast, met some awesome people, my wife filmed it, and I was hooked. I went 370/340/525 at 242. 370 Squat - YouTube , 340 Bench - YouTube , 475 Deadlift - YouTube
That’s when I switched to a Westside training style. I did this for a couple of years. I made some changes along the way to see what worked best. Maxing on a different exercise each week didn’t work that well for me, so I tried picking two ME movements, and working up to a 3rm one week and a 1rm the next, then switching movements. Later I added in a 5rm/3rm/1rm and had good luck with this. I tried DE with straight weight, and then with bands and chains. Ultimately I realized that I needed to be getting some reps in, so I would go two weeks of DE and then two weeks of RE, which also gave my joints a break. I was posting in the Westside Training thread for quite some time, and we all traded ideas freely.
At my second meet in May 2007 (push/pull 352/573 @242): 2007 AAU Bay State Push/Pull World Qualifier - YouTube , I hooked up with another guy from T-Nation, Matt McG who was posting in the Westside Thread. We ended up training together for a while, but between his school, my work, we basically just trained once a week with each other. He graduated, and moved to NY, but we still do all our meets together.
In November of 2007, I was fed up with the commercial gym scene and started putting together a gym in my basement, which is where I train now. I just have the essentials. NYBB Power Rack, Texas Power Bar, Elitefts Yoke SSB Bar, 900+lbs of weight, Chains, Bands, Adjustable Oly DB handles, Adjustable Bench, Cybex 45 Degree Hyper, Cybex Lat Pulldown, and and Elitefts Deluxe GHR. This is when I first started videoing every lift.
Matt and I did an APF meet in Dec 2007 together where we were the only two raw competitors. Everyone else was multiply, canvas, untested, etc. We were, uhhhh, outclassed there, but went 502/358/601 @ 275, so I hit my fist 500lb Squat (high,but passed) and my first 600lb DL. 2007 APF Pine Tree Open - YouTube
We did a meet in May 2008, at Albany Strength (485/365/605), I missed a 510 Squat because they actually made us Squat to depth: 2008 Albany Strength Meet (no music) - YouTube
Matt switched from Westside to Sheiko, hooking up with Dave Bates and Eric Talmant, and I stayed with Westside. Last year at about this time I decided to give the Coan/Philippi program a try: http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/blog_sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_log/modis_coanphillipi_experiment
That didn’t work out so well, and I blame it all on lack of recovery. I was in the middle of a total kitchen gut job. I did 95% of the work myself in my free time, had no stove, just a grill, and ended up losing 15lbs over the course of 6 weeks. I ended up hitting a wall, and started missing reps. It was a lot of hard work (10 weeks) down the drain, just because I didn’t eat enough, and because my back was fried from all the extra work with the remodel.
We were supposed to go back out to Albany in November of 2008, but the meet got cancelled, so I found a local one, the USAPL MA/RI Championships and went 525/365/610 @ 275 for my first 1500lb total: 2008 USAPL MA/RI State Powerlifting Championships - YouTube
I went back to Westside style training for a while, but eventually curiousity got the better part of me, and I had started to stall on Westside, so I gave the 13 week Sheiko beginner cycle a run leading up to my last meet. I had good success, and realized that I tolerated the volume well, as long as I focused on my recovery. We went back to Albany for my last meet and I went 535/370/620 for 1525 @ 275: 022809 Albany Strength USAPL Meet - YouTube
I’ve always liked a challenge, and I had long regarded Smolov as one of the hardest programs out there, so that’s where I am today.
Sorry you asked?
[quote]Modi wrote:
Sorry you asked?[/quote]
Not a bit, that was great Modi, thanks! For one I was curious what “prepared” you for Smolov. Also, I was curious how long you had been doing powerlifting style training and what you precisely did. So those questions were answered.
I found it hilarious that you used to squat really high and then became king of the leg press. Looking at you now that is all incredibly difficult to believe. Also I would not have guessed that you were ever anything but completely dedicated to training. So your level of dedication now is even more inspiring.
It sure would be cool if the increased squat strength really translates to your deadlift.
Thanks for sharing that, Modi.
I enjoy reading training histories. Seems to always be some common threads: results = consistency, hard work & patience.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Modi wrote:
Sorry you asked?
Not a bit, that was great Modi, thanks! For one I was curious what “prepared” you for Smolov. Also, I was curious how long you had been doing powerlifting style training and what you precisely did. So those questions were answered.
I found it hilarious that you used to squat really high and then became king of the leg press. Looking at you now that is all incredibly difficult to believe. Also I would not have guessed that you were ever anything but completely dedicated to training. So your level of dedication now is even more inspiring.
It sure would be cool if the increased squat strength really translates to your deadlift.[/quote]
Glad to share. I would love it if my Squat helps my DL. I’ve only been DL’ing for 2 years now, but always used SLDL’s or RDL’s in my program before that. That’s probably why I still SLDL all my heavy weights.
I’ve always been very consistent when I had a purpose or some structure to my training. But when I go into maintenance mode, it goes to hell. PL’ing gave me back that structure.
05/11/09 - Recovery Stuff
A) Foam Roll (x10 ea)
Upper & Lower - everything
B) Lacrosse Ball
Shoulder x tons
C) Walk Dog x 20min
D) Contrast Shower
60sec hot/30sec cold x3
My legs were a little sore today from the 5x5’s yesterday. My shoulder is starting to feel better, which is good. My cough is better than yesterday, so the antibiotics have really helped. I Squat again tomorrow, and if I feel good on Wed, I may do some Bench maintenance. I said I wasn’t going to do anything but Squats this week, but I feel so much better, I may just get some reps in. I’ll play that one by ear, but nothing to compromise Friday’s last session of Smolov.
05/12/09 - Smolov Squat Intense Meso Cycle Week 4 Day 2
A) Squat
…315x3
410x3 (70%)
470x3 (80%)
555x3x4 (95%) (tie PR…yawn.)
I am definitely on the road to recovery. I am still fighting allergies, but feel 6000% better than I did last week. I didn’t take any decongestant today, and I was pretty stuffed up, but my heart rate felt much better. Last week I would take a couple Sudafed before I lifted and my HR was over 120 for the entire workout. Today felt close to normal.
Squats felt good today. My back was pretty tired going into this, so I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t try to pop any of my Squats, just got them done. I felt like I could have squeezed out an extra rep on most sets, which is good, because that’s what I have to do on Friday.
11 sessions down, 1 to go…
Oh shit… it’s almost game time.
Got a number in your head?
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Oh shit… it’s almost game time.
Got a number in your head?[/quote]
Yes, and it starts with a 6.
But I hate to make predictions. Last time I just wanted to hit 550 or better, and ended up with 585, so I’ll leave it at that.
Another great session, like clockwork.
Are you going to try and use your legs a little more when you get back to deadlifting?