A) Overhead Lockouts from Pin #19 (top of forehead)
barx12
barx12 (left shoulder tight)
135x6
135x6
185x6
225x5
245x5 265x5 (PR +5lbs)
245x5
225x5 185x21 (PR +3 reps)
B) EZ Bar Rolling Triceps Extensions
+50x10
+100x10 +120x7 (PR +1 rep)
+120x6
+120x5
C) Plate Raise
45x5
65x10
65x12
65x15
I was going to do a Seated Shoulder Press today, but my left shoulder felt tight, and didn’t want to loosen up on the warmups so I switched to overhead lockouts from the top of my forehead. I played around with my grip width again, going as wide as I could while still feeling strong.
No problem with the shoulder from that pin height, and everything else felt good. 65x15 is probably a PR on the Plate Raise, but I haven’t kept track of that lift.
Solid day today. I’ll be traveling all next week, but I already have a gym lined up so I’ll still Squats on Monday and Bench on Wednesday (in theory).
A) Low Bar Squat (no belt, no sleeves, wrist wraps only)
…
315x5
365x5
405x5
405x5 405x8 (PR+2 reps or +40lbs)
B) Seated Row
100x8
150x8
200x8
250x8
290x5x3 (stack)
C) Weighted Situps on Decline
35x15
70x15
90x15x2
I haven’t squatted anything over 365 without a belt for quite some time, so I wasn’t sure how it would go. Warmups felt light and easy. I took a few extra warmup sets because I didn’t have any knee or elbow sleeves with me and I wanted to make sure everything was warm. I had just planned on hitting 405x5 for 3 sets, but had plenty left in the tank, so I did 8 on the last set.
As long as I didn’t go near the cardio, I pretty much had the gym to myself, which was fine by me. When I put the 4th plate on the bar for Squats, I think everyone stopped and waited to see a train wreck or something. The gym was fine, but probably hadn’t seen any PL’ers in it’s day.
Bench felt good today. Once again I didn’t have any elbow sleeves, so I took a few extra warmups. The gym was warm, and I didn’t have any chalk, so my grip was a little slippery. 315x6 felt very managable today. With a spotter or a Power Rack I probably could have squeezed another rep or two.
Elevated Deads felt solid today until the last set. I felt the bar slip a little in my right hand and then my palm got wet. The bar came up unevenly with my left side much higher than my right side and I didn’t feel like I could grind it out from that position.
I just tore the callouses off my left hand about a month ago, and now my right hand. This was a little worse than my left hand since it got a little bloody, but was mostly clear fluid.
I’ll have to use straps next week, and make sure I keep the palm from drying out too much, otherwise it has a tendency to crack while it’s healing. No big deal, just a small pain in the ass.
I actually haven’t tested my deadlift since C-P. I’ll test it pretty soon, and then decide if what I’ve been doing has been working, or if I’m just getting good at doing Elevated Deads and Deads with Chains…
My right palm feels like hamburger after tearing the callous off yesterday and then trying to lift today. I used some New Skin on it this morning, but it peeled right off as soon as I started lifting. I decided to keep everything light and just try not to make things worse.
I’ll let it heal up until Monday and see how it feels for Squats. If it feels like it’s a hinderance, I will switch to Front Squats or Safety Bar Squats instead.
A) Low Bar Squat
…
405x1
455x1
495x1
530x1 (not deep enough)
B) Front Squats Paused on Pin #11
135x3
225x3
315x3
350x2 (miss on 3)
315x3
C) Pullups (wide,narrow,nuetral)
6,6,6
Squats felt great today, but I must have leaned forward a little on 530 causing my elbows to touch my thighs before hitting parallel. It was a good inch or two high, but went up very smoothly. This would have been a 5lb PR, but I’m not going to take it as a PR until I hit it a little deeper.
Still can’t get that third rep at 350 on Front Squats. I may lower the weight next time and try to get three sets at something like 335 or 340 and work my way up.
A cheap PR on the Bench Press. I wanted to get 350x3, but couldn’t lock the third rep out. I think I was out of the groove to start, and it was a poor effort at best. I tried again, but after the second rep, I knew it wasn’t there today. I decided to take an easy PR just to walk away with something.
I was going to do 3 sets of 225x8 on Incline, but I felt strong on the second set and cranked out 11. I almost went for 12 but I didn’t feel the need to miss another lift today. After that I was pretty fried, and the third set was a joke.
I was going to work up to a new max on Deadlift today, but 585 got out in front of me, and took all I had to finish the lift. This was harder than it should have been, so I’m hoping it was just a technique issue, and not a strength loss. I’ve been hitting a lot of heavy Elevated Deads and DL’s from the floor with Chains, so the strength should be there, but today was not a record setting day.
A) Seated Shoulder Press
barx12x2
135x6
185x6
225x4,3
185x8x3
B) Close Grip Bench
185x5x2
225x5x2
275x5x2 300x5 (PR +1 rep)
300x4
C) EZ Bar RTE’s
+50x10
+100x8x3
I didn’t feel strong at all on the Shoulder Press today. I’ve done 225x6 before, and it wasn’t there today. I backed off to 185 and hit some reps.
I didn’t think Close Grip Bench would go very well based off how my shoulders felt, so I started light and did 2 sets of 5 at 185 and worked my way up to 300. I was surprised to still hit a rep PR after all the work beforehand. These felt very good today.
Next week I’ll have to start thinking about my openers and second attempts for the upcoming meet.
A) Low Bar Squat
…
405x1
455x1
475x1 (opener)
510x1 (2nd attempt)
B) Front Squats Paused on Pins
225x3
275x3
325x3
C) Abs
some
I went to the AC/DC concert last night, and got to bed a couple hours later than usual. Energy was definitely low today, so I just worked up to my opener and second attempts for my meet. My second attempt will be an 8lb meet PR if I hit it, and then I’ll go for something around 525 on my third if all goes well.
I was going to to some cardio, but may try to sneak in a nap instead.
B) Rack Lockouts (Pin #9 - 4" off chest)
365x3
365x2
365x2
C) Close Grip Manpon Press
275x8x3
I didn’t feel very explosive on the Bench today. I was trying to figure out what my second attempt would be, and I couldn’t lock 365 out. This is my current meet PR, and it stalled on me. I think I pushed it up in too much of a straight line.
I decided to try some lockouts from below my sticking point, and these went up very quickly with the same weight that I had just miss on my full ROM. I’ve been playing around with foot position, and grip width lately, and that may have messed me up some.
I’m just going to take it easy next week and rest up for the meet. Today was not the best of days.
A) Deadlift
…
405x3
495x1
565x1 (probably my opener)
B) Ghetto T-Bar Rows
3 platesx5
4x5
5x5
6x5
C) GHR’s
8x3
D) Abs on GHR w/2 Purple Bands
10x3
After not feeling that great on DL last week, I decided to try it without my belt. These felt a lot better today, and gave me a little more confidence going into the meet next weekend. I have also been setting up a little too close to the bar, and felt like I had a better position today.
My DL’s are never pretty, so take it for what it is. But I wasn’t fatigued at all after the 565, so that will probably be my opener, depending on how I feel that day.
This was also my first time using the bands for Abs on the GHR, and they felt like they were going to be too easy until about the 7th or 8th rep, and then I just hit a wall. These are easy to set up, and easy to adjust the resistance, so I think I’ll keep this movement in the rotation.
Not a bad day…Everything else is going to be easy until the 22nd.
B) Close Grip Press
185x5
225x5
275x5x3 (narrow/pinky/index)
C) Rear Delt Light Band Pullaparts
10x3
I felt well rested today. I feel like I could have worked up to some heavy weights today, but since I’m 7 days out from the meet, I held back. Just wanted to get enough in so I don’t go stale.
Next week will be torture with 2 very light lifts on Mon/Wed. and then rest up for Saturday.
Bodyweight looks like I should be fine. I’ve been sitting in the low 270’s in the morning. It looks like I gain about 1-1 1/2 pounds after breakfast, so I’ll weigh myself on Saturday morning at my house, and if my weight is 272 or under, I’ll eat breakfast before weigh-in. If I’m over 272, I’ll wait until I’ve weighed in just incase their scales are different than mine. Today was only 1/2 pound weight gain because I made a deposit before the second weigh-in…
B) Narrow Grip Lat Pulldown w/45 degree lean
100x5
150x5x3
C) Abs on GHR
10x3
Nice little bloat this weekend, thanks to a bunch of Buffalo wings, pizza, chips 'n dip, etc. and a few beers. Weight should come down about 2lbs a day for the next 3 or 4 days. Just can’t do this next Friday night.
Weights felt super light today (as they should). I couldn’t even feel 405 when it came out of the rack. Just took two singles and did some light stuff after that.
