My Road to Elite

Training Training Logs
1021

[quote]mrodock wrote:
Okay . . . so I can set the pins about 4 inches higher I think. My issue is I don’t want to take too much off the bottom either. What weight should it take before the plates touch the ground if this is going to work about right?

Also, I was going to order average bands a couple of weeks ago but they were out of stock.[/quote]

My guess is if you can get anywhere between 85-115 pounds to touch the ground, then you should get the desired training effect. If I looped the bands at about eye level (I’m 5’8" and change), the green bands usually took about 105 pounds off the bottom and the bar came out of the bands completely around knee level.

The main issue for you is that you pull sumo, so the ROM is going to be shorter and therefore you are going to have to tinker with the height to find the right level for you. When I tried reverse bands pulling sumo w/ the average bands I found that choking the band around the pins at a slightly lower setting (say around chin level) worked best. Again, it’ll probably take a little trial and error to get it perfect, but once you have it figured out you’ll never have to worry about it again.

1022

[quote]novaeer wrote:

[quote]mrodock wrote:
Okay . . . so I can set the pins about 4 inches higher I think. My issue is I don’t want to take too much off the bottom either. What weight should it take before the plates touch the ground if this is going to work about right?

Also, I was going to order average bands a couple of weeks ago but they were out of stock.[/quote]

My guess is if you can get anywhere between 85-115 pounds to touch the ground, then you should get the desired training effect. If I looped the bands at about eye level (I’m 5’8" and change), the green bands usually took about 105 pounds off the bottom and the bar came out of the bands completely around knee level.

The main issue for you is that you pull sumo, so the ROM is going to be shorter and therefore you are going to have to tinker with the height to find the right level for you. When I tried reverse bands pulling sumo w/ the average bands I found that choking the band around the pins at a slightly lower setting (say around chin level) worked best. Again, it’ll probably take a little trial and error to get it perfect, but once you have it figured out you’ll never have to worry about it again.[/quote]

This is great, thank you! I shall print this and take it with me next week.

1023

Week 2, Day 3

Close Grip Bench w/50lb chains (2 thumbs from smooth)
1x4x135@7
1x4x160@8
1x3x180@9.5
3x4x165@8, 8.5, 9

Incline Bench (thumb from smooth)
1x4x135@7
1x4x155@8
1x4x165@9
2x4x155@8.5
1x4x155@8
1x4x155@8.5
1x4x155@9.5

JM Press
1x6x75@8
1x6x85@9
1x6x75@8.5
1x6x75@9

Band Pull-ups
2x8
1x7
1x5

Chest-supported Rows
4x6x110

Pretty good session. The close grip set with 180 was probably so hard because I unracked it myself and had a heck of a hard time doing it. Lesson learned, get help unracking when using chains. A bad unrack is better than unracking it myself when I get near top weights. My cold is starting to fade, should be gone by Sunday.

1024

Week 2, Day 4

Close Stance SSB Squats (no belt)
1x4x255@7
1x4x285@7.5
1x4x315@8
1x4x335@8.5
1x4x345@8.5
1x4x360@9
2x4x335@8.5
1x4x335@9

Deadlift w/4 sec. eccentric (no belt)
1x4x355@7.5
1x4x385@8.5
1x4x405@9
1x4x375@9

Squat from pins at bottom (no belt)
1x4x315@8 (forgot to do 6 reps, wife reminded me)
1x6x295@8
1x6x315@8.5
1x6x335@9
1x6x310@9

Hanging leg raises
3x8

Those 4 sec. eccentric deadlifts are a special kind of hell.

Was sort of surprised how strong I felt with the safety squat bar. For those tracking at home with a straight bar and normal competition squat last Sunday I did 4x345@9. On Wednesday with a pause in the middle of the concentric I worked up to 4x355@9. Then today with the SSB and a close stance I do 4x360@9. Make the squat harder and I get stronger? For the record, I accounted for the SSB weighing 75 pounds, I didn’t count it as 45 as some people do.

1025

Week 2 GPP/Recovery

Tuesday

Kelso band shrugs
3x15xmonster-mini

Rear laterals
3x15x20

External rotation
3x10x5

Band Face pulls
3x15xmonster-mini

BB Circuit x4
rows, push-ups, lunges, overhead presses, muscle cleans

15 min. stretching

Foam roll: upper/lower

Thursday

External rotations
3x15x3

Behind neck band pullaparts
5x15xmini

Band hip abduction
5x15xmini

Hammer Curls
5x15xmini

Foam roll: upper/lower

25 min. stretching

Friday

foam roll: lower

BB Circuit x4
rows, push-ups, lunges, overhead presses, muscle cleans

Saturday

Behind-neck band pullaparts
5x20xmini

Bentover band rows
5x15xmini

Staying dedicated to this stuff even though it isn’t that much fun.

1026

You have to start a new log!

1027

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
You have to start a new log![/quote]

There are a couple posts left, aren’t there?

Looks like you had another damn good bench workout, hope you own 315 soon.

1028

[quote]mrodock wrote:

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
You have to start a new log![/quote]

There are a couple posts left, aren’t there?

Looks like you had another damn good bench workout, hope you own 315 soon.[/quote]

I coulda sworn threads end at 1025, I guess im wrong. I call dibs on the first post of your new log.

And yea it was pretty awesome. Ever since moving my grip in 3 or 4 inches ive been doing really well. 315 would certainley make up for a few years of hating bench.

1029

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:

[quote]mrodock wrote:

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
You have to start a new log![/quote]

There are a couple posts left, aren’t there?

Looks like you had another damn good bench workout, hope you own 315 soon.[/quote]

I coulda sworn threads end at 1025, I guess im wrong. I call dibs on the first post of your new log.

And yea it was pretty awesome. Ever since moving my grip in 3 or 4 inches ive been doing really well. 315 would certainley make up for a few years of hating bench.[/quote]

Odd, I’m not sure how it works then!

Hey, thanks buddy.

It makes sense that a closer grip would help. You have long arms and are going to have to rely on your triceps whether you have a maximum legal grip or a closer grip. Might as well use a closer grip and give your triceps more of an advantage.

1030

[quote]mrodock wrote:
Week 2, Day 4

Close Stance SSB Squats (no belt)
1x4x255@7
1x4x285@7.5
1x4x315@8
1x4x335@8.5
1x4x345@8.5
1x4x360@9
2x4x335@8.5
1x4x335@9

Deadlift w/4 sec. eccentric (no belt)
1x4x355@7.5
1x4x385@8.5
1x4x405@9
1x4x375@9

Squat from pins at bottom (no belt)
1x4x315@8 (forgot to do 6 reps, wife reminded me)
1x6x295@8
1x6x315@8.5
1x6x335@9
1x6x310@9

Hanging leg raises
3x8

Those 4 sec. eccentric deadlifts are a special kind of hell.

Was sort of surprised how strong I felt with the safety squat bar. For those tracking at home with a straight bar and normal competition squat last Sunday I did 4x345@9. On Wednesday with a pause in the middle of the concentric I worked up to 4x355@9. Then today with the SSB and a close stance I do 4x360@9. Make the squat harder and I get stronger? For the record, I accounted for the SSB weighing 75 pounds, I didn’t count it as 45 as some people do.[/quote]

Everything is looking good so far. I don’t think I was able to handle 360x4 on the yoke bar when I was at peak performance, so that is a very solid number. I saw those 4 sec eccentric DLs discussed in an article somewhere, maybe something to do with Vince Anello’s training. Maybe they’ll help you pull as much as him ;-).

Also, quick aside on my own training, I’ve decided to first go with a modified version of the old fashioned Russian Squat program that I found on Pavel’s site. It pulls training back to 2 days per week rather than 3 and has you start off with a lower max. I think this will be the right balance for me to get back into the swing of things. The loading isn’t too ridiculous for the first few weeks, but there is enough volume to help re-learn the proper way to squat.

1031

[quote]novaeer wrote:

[quote]mrodock wrote:
Week 2, Day 4

Close Stance SSB Squats (no belt)
1x4x255@7
1x4x285@7.5
1x4x315@8
1x4x335@8.5
1x4x345@8.5
1x4x360@9
2x4x335@8.5
1x4x335@9

Deadlift w/4 sec. eccentric (no belt)
1x4x355@7.5
1x4x385@8.5
1x4x405@9
1x4x375@9

Squat from pins at bottom (no belt)
1x4x315@8 (forgot to do 6 reps, wife reminded me)
1x6x295@8
1x6x315@8.5
1x6x335@9
1x6x310@9

Hanging leg raises
3x8

Those 4 sec. eccentric deadlifts are a special kind of hell.

Was sort of surprised how strong I felt with the safety squat bar. For those tracking at home with a straight bar and normal competition squat last Sunday I did 4x345@9. On Wednesday with a pause in the middle of the concentric I worked up to 4x355@9. Then today with the SSB and a close stance I do 4x360@9. Make the squat harder and I get stronger? For the record, I accounted for the SSB weighing 75 pounds, I didn’t count it as 45 as some people do.[/quote]

Everything is looking good so far. I don’t think I was able to handle 360x4 on the yoke bar when I was at peak performance, so that is a very solid number. I saw those 4 sec eccentric DLs discussed in an article somewhere, maybe something to do with Vince Anello’s training. Maybe they’ll help you pull as much as him ;-).

Also, quick aside on my own training, I’ve decided to first go with a modified version of the old fashioned Russian Squat program that I found on Pavel’s site. It pulls training back to 2 days per week rather than 3 and has you start off with a lower max. I think this will be the right balance for me to get back into the swing of things. The loading isn’t too ridiculous for the first few weeks, but there is enough volume to help re-learn the proper way to squat.[/quote]

Thanks man, appreciate you keeping tabs.

Mike has a knack for finding painful exercises. I told him I can recover fast from deadlifting and I think he is testing me.

I was very surprised by the SSB squats, I just kept adding weight to the bar. Sure hope that happens when I put the squat suit on again! For some reason everything felt completely balanced, and it appears with a close stance while staying very upright I might be a better squatter. Now I wouldn’t try wide squatting with a close stance squat suit, but can you use a closer stance with a wide stance squat suit?

I may have seen that program before. Sounds like a good choice and I’m sure you’ll be hitting PR’s again before long. I’ll be following.

1032

Week 3, Day 1

Fat bar bench (POR)
1x4x190@7.5
1x4x205@8
1x4x220@8.5
1x3x230@9
4x4x210@8.5
1x4x210@9

DB Bench + mini
1x4x60@7
1x4x70@7.5
1x4x80@8
1x3x90@9
1x4x80@9

Upright rows
1x8x65@7
1x8x75@7.5
1x8x85@8
1x8x95@9
1x8x90@9

Barbell Rows
4x8x135

BW Chin-ups
5x4

I was a little surprised by the amount of volume I was able to handle today on fat bar bench. And after that I wasn’t surprised I didn’t have a ton of gas for dumbbell benches. They still went better than last time.

I thought I would remove the bands and see how man chin-ups I could get, something to work on! No more lat pulldowns the rest of the cycle. Bodyweight and band chin-ups and pull-ups for the next 17 weeks.

I get a little more optimistic about bench every single day.

1033

[quote]mrodock wrote:

I get a little more optimistic about bench every single day.[/quote]

Way to man-up on those chins!

I’m like’in what I’m see’in on your bench. You are definitely activating the right muscles with the right motion. Do you pause those puppies like a real meet?

Seems like mixing programs is a good way to get past plateaus.

1034

[quote]Oldman Powers wrote:

[quote]mrodock wrote:

I get a little more optimistic about bench every single day.[/quote]

Way to man-up on those chins!

I’m like’in what I’m see’in on your bench. You are definitely activating the right muscles with the right motion. Do you pause those puppies like a real meet?

Seems like mixing programs is a good way to get past plateaus.[/quote]

The fat bar benches aren’t paused, but I will be doing quite a bit of pausing in the next 17 weeks.

I was up to 8 chins at a similar bodyweight not too long ago, but they bothered my shoulder when I injured it so haven’t done them for a few months. I’ll work them hard and ignore the lat pulldown machine.

Thanks man, I am liking having two days dedicated to the upper body with not a thought given to squatting or deadlifting. I think that, and the variety, are going to make a big difference.

1035

They will make a big difference. Have fun and beware of the temptation of the bench shirt as you go. Get the raw number to the point where your wrists, forearms and elbows start feel the stress, feel it in your bones and then add wraps and suit.

My humble opinion of course since I’m 100% raw dog. But I know the stresses because I’m small boned.

1036

[quote]Oldman Powers wrote:
They will make a big difference. Have fun and beware of the temptation of the bench shirt as you go. Get the raw number to the point where your wrists, forearms and elbows start feel the stress, feel it in your bones and then add wraps and suit.

My humble opinion of course since I’m 100% raw dog. But I know the stresses because I’m small boned.[/quote]

Well I am an equipped lifter, so the shirt will never disappear from my training. My current program emphasizes off the chest strength one day, and lockout strength another day.

I’ve enlisted Mike Tuchscherer to do my programming so I just simply follow his plan for me the best I can.

1037

Week 3, Day 2

2" Deficit Reverse Band Deadlift (#29 choked light band; no belt)
1x4x385@7
1x4x415@8
1x4x445@9
1x4x415@9

Squat (pause at midpoint) [no belt]
1x4x325@7.5
1x4x35528
1x4x375@8.5
1x2x390@10 [was spotted at the top of my third rep, lost my tightness and leaned forward]
2x4x350@8.5, 9

Romanian deadlift
1x8x265@8
1x8x295@8.5
1x8x315@9
1x8x295@9

Snatch grip shrugs
3x15x135

Hanging leg raises
3x8

Kind of an odd session. I thought I’d be stronger on the reverse band deadlifts, no such luck. They are about a 3 inch deficit with my set-up and my starting position just doesn’t feel all that great.

Squats were feeling really damn good. I thought 390 was fairly conservative after the way 375 felt. But I lost my tightness on my third rep and I was spotted. Even though I could have probably gutted that rep out, I’m glad he spotted me. His spot essentially said, stay tight and stay upright! Either way, 375 was 20 pounds heavier than last week and easier.

I was 20 pounds better on Romanian deadlifts than last week too. Another 50 pounds and I think that will be a pretty respectable number for 8 reps.

1038

Did the band setup work better for you on the reverse band DLs?

1039

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Did the band setup work better for you on the reverse band DLs?[/quote]

Yeah it was a lot better, thanks!

1040

Week 3, Day 3

Close grip + 50lb. chains
1x4x145@7.5
1x4x165@8
1x4x180@9
1x4x165@8.5
1x4x165@9

Incline Bench (tfs)
1x4x135@7.5
1x4x155@8.5
1x4x165@8.5
1x4x170@10 (WTF?)
1x4x155@9

JM Press
1x6x75@8
1x6x85@8.5
1x6x95@9
1x6x90@9

Band Pull-ups (light)
3x8
1x7

Chest-supported Rows
4x6x115

Struggled through this session, just felt run down after close grips for some reason.