1-26-18
Smolov Jr week 3, session 3
Paused Front squats - worked up to 4x4 @ 245
Then Chins, kB swings
Notes: didn’t finish this session. I think grappling the day before wore my recovery thin. I imagine Smolov wasn’t meant to do while learning a new demanding skill. Going to still go for my 3rm tomorrow and maybe a heavy bench. Leaving Friday am so I’ll probably just get 2 good lifting days in next week along with 2 Baja sessions. & hell, may as well work in 2 yoga sessions.
1-28-18
Ws4sb?
A1) Swiss bar bench, shoulder width
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
235x4 RPE 10
A2) DB single arm rows
60x5
85x5
100x5
110x5
110x5
110x5
B1) chest-supported rows: 3x10-15
B2) 1arm seated Arnold press: 3x10-15, 35lb
B3) pull-aparts: 3x15-20
C) preacher curls: 3x10 @ 75lbs?
Notes: felt like doing a little ws4sb. The closer grip on the Swiss bar is a little odd, as your arms are really bent when trying to unrack. But I wanted to ease-off of the shoulders while still doing something to drive my bench & log
Jui jitsu
Went 6 minutes with a purple belt.i actually got a submission! Tightened up around his neck & locked my legs. My buddy was a wrestler in high school, & taught me a lot more than I thought so I used some of those techniques.
He got like 5 after that, haha. My elbow is all twisted up.
Nice, the small victory mean a lot when you start:P
Do you have a special program for flexibility, yoga, soft tissue? I also need to take care of that.
I was so happy, haha. But then he really turned -up the heat.
Once in a blue moon I’ll go to a hot yoga session. I got out of the swing of it, but I like starting the morning with a few rounds of sun salutations. Similar to this:
except I add in side twists in each lunge position:
I’ve also found Turkish get-ups to be a game-changer for my shoulder health & balance.
What I really need more of is soft tissue work though. I’m digging into the piriformis when I get chances, but I need a lot more than that.
1-30-18
Ws4sb
High Handle trap bar deadlift
45x5
135x5
225x5
315x5
365x5
405x5
455x3
3 rounds of trap bar shrugs + hold w/ 315
Front rack reverse lunges – 3x8 (each side) w/ 95lbs
Glute ham raises – 3x12 w/ bodyweight
Seated calf raises
Notes: Elbow was a little pissy from jui jitsu. I decided to to high-handle trap bar pulls since IF I decided to compete on the 24th it would transfer to the car deads. But the more I think about it, the more I think I’d be better off prolonging the offseason. I’m just not where I want to be strength-wise to do damage.
I may do that token meet, only b/c it’s at my gym. I really think I should just focus on putting on some mass & NOT hurting my back. Maybe it’s time to focus on physique & general athleticism for a while.
You pretty much have to haha. What are the events?
Squat, bench, & deadlift lol. It’s a powerlifting meet.
I would err my training toward it, but I have no plans to change my training entirely for it. I have zero interest in powerlifting, I wouldn’t even go if it were across town lol. But I figure I may as well get a “total” on the board. Who knows though, I may become less apathetic as it draws near.
Oh sorry I thought you meant a strongman contest. Yeah then I totally get you.
Forgiveness may come, in time.
2-1-18
ws4sb - rep upper
Jui Jitsu
Practiced some takedowns & getting out of takedowns. FINALLY didn’t get choked out during grappling & was able to create space when I needed to (to keep from being choked out).
Went on a mini vacation. In lieu of trhe strongman day, I did some snowboarding. It was my first time ever trying it, & it was probably the most fun sport I’ve ever done. Well, minus scuba diving.
Goal is to get scuba certified this year, & hopefully plan a snowboarding trip in the winter. We have to travel for snowboarding of course, but there are a ton of oil & gas exploration rigs out where I live to dive. I mean dozens if not hundreds.
There is a lot of talk in the media regarding offshore oil & gas exploration being a topic of controversy. I get it totally, deepwater horizon was a disaster of the likes we simply cannot allow as mantle-holders of our planet’s well-being. The rigs we have however, seem to interact well with the environment, & the artificial reef structure they provide creates mini ecosystems - great for diving!
Back to topic.
2-8-18
ME upper
A1) Swiss Bar Bench, shoulder width grip.
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
245x4
A2) DB row - worked up to 120x3
A3) 10 v-ups
B1) Db incline - 3x10 @ 65lbs
B2) Chins - 8-10 reps
B3) chest-suppoerted reverse flys - 3x10 @ 25lbs
C1) wood-chops
C2) curls
Jui Jitsu
Went for 2, 6 minute rounds. I’m pretty good at sprawling & staying on top of my opponents, but I have trouble telling an advantageous position from a non-advantageous one. I know, it seems obvious. But even when they are on their backs, they are likely just waiting for you to let go of something to grab hold.
They do keep telling me however that I’m really strong & it’s a big advantage for me - I just need to learn how to use it properly.
2-10-18
ME Lower
A) Frame deadlift (frame weighs 240-260, can’t remember exactly) - handles are pretty wide.
Frame x 3
330-350 x 3
420-440 x 3
B) Clean-grip reverse lunges - 3x8 @ 95lbs
C) 45* back extension w/ 65lb bar, snatch-grip - 3x10
D) Calf raises
2-12-18
RE Upper
A1) Incline DB bench (about 35*) - 70s x 12-13, 10, 8
A2) dual DB bent over row - 70s x 3x10
A2) reverse flys - 15s x 3x10
B) Seated 1 arm db arnold press - 30s x3x10
C1) cable rows, bicep focus - 3x10-20
C2) push-ups, ultra-tucked elbows - 3x10-20
D) floor ab circuit
Jui Jitsu
No grappling today. We worked on lots of choke submissions though
Notes I’m just rotating through ws4sb2 right now, with no mind to the actual “week.” Jui Jitsu is a bit rough on the joints; elbows are a bit angry right now as well as shoulders. Body comp I’m doing well, woke up at 177 this morning looking pretty damned defined. My diet got slightly less crappy which I think may be the cause. I’m one of those folks who have to eat total junk for weeks to see the scale budge up. I’m starting to care less about it though.
2-15-18
DE Lower
Did 5x3 broad jumps, easily cleared 8’/2.4m.
SSB deep walking lunges - 95lbs x 3x10 I guess? Don’t know the weight of the SSB
SSB good mornings - 135? x 3x10
30 total reps of hang cleans - warmed up with 135x10, then worked up to 185x5, & backed down to 155 for the remainder.
Standing calf raises, DC style (2 second pause at top, 5 second descent, 1:00 stretch)
Jui Jitsu
We worked on rear naked chokes & ground chokes. I did a 6-minute round of grappling, & finally got a choke on the instructor! In all fairness though, I was fresh & was like his 4th or 5th opponent haha. He told me I’m really strong, aglie, & flexible, & that with skill added I’ll be a force on the mat. I was certainly flattered, & am motivated to become a force.
My joints are achy AF though right now.
2-17-18
ME Upper
A1) Log Incline – 110x5, 130x5, 160x5, 180x4, 160x10
A2) Log row – same sets/reps
B1) High-incline one arm press – 3x10 with 55s
B2) Chest supported row – 3x10
B3) reverse flys – 3x10
C1) sit-ups, like 3x25
C2) Axle Curls – empty axle x 50, 12, 12
2-19-18
AM – ME Lower
Box Squat, slightly above parallel - high bar, wide stance
45x10, 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 245x5, 275x5, 295x5, 315x3
RDLs, straps & false grip – 45x10, 135x10, 225x10, 315x10, 365x4
Bulgarian Split squats – bodyweight x 3x10
Farmers Carries – 115/hand x 200’
PM - Jui Jitsu
We worked on some flow drills leading into submission. I went two 6-minute rounds in a row, and was fighting the urge to pass out lol. My first opponent was a 1-1 submission, I managed to get a nice legs-around-the-body lock & just extended my body. My second opponent however got me like 6 times.
Notes
Back & biceps are smoked from all the work. Loving this program right now though, super versatile, tons of variety, & I’m feeling pretty good. I like not being locked into something - without a home gym rigid programming kind of sucks.
It’s small, but I prefer the wsb2 set-up as opposed to wsb3. The difference, is in version 2 traps & grip are worked on lower body days, & abs on upper. It is opposite in version 3. I much prefer the former’s placement, as I feel like traps & grip assist more with lower body movements (deadlift, farmers, tires, & stones), than they do with upper body work, & I need not worry about saving my grip for an upcoming session.
Plus since upper body days are relatively less taxing, tossing abs in there isn’t as much of a chore.
Your pressing is getting super strong lately! Is the jiu jitsu affecting your strength training at all?
Thanks man! Always appreciate you & other following me on the journey. I think they compliment each other well actually.
There are certainly times where I’m using as much strength as possible for as long as I can generate it - strength in the big lifts certainly seems to carryover a ton to grappling, especially when breaking out of locks & such, the angles are very different though (for instance my calves get sore after grappling from pushing off). I’m hoping the grappling will have similar carryover to my strength work, especially the odd angles in strongman.
Recovery wise, it takes a lot out of me physically, & I’m beat up in new places. The switch from a full body type thing toward an upper lower feels like a good move, & I’m averaging 3 gym days a week. & only having two heavy days out of four is nice.
Mentally though, it’s a huge destressor.m, & as such carries some positive recovery aspects
Sounds really good! Combat sports always seem so exhausting and that’s why I would have thought it might hinder your recovery but with 3 days in the gym it sounds manageable. Since you are obviously making progress, it sure works.
Combat sports seem really tough and cool. I think it is something I might enjoy. For me it would probably be boxing or (olympic) wrestling. But one sport at a time I guess 
@Koestrizer yeah man I really wanted to ease into it. It’s pretty tough on the body. Fortunately I’m loving ws4sb right now, since it was designed for contact sport athletes anyways, it makes the extra work super manageable.
Hey, just do MMA!
—————-
RE Upper
A1) Bench press
45x5
95x5
135x5
185x 16, 12, 6
The last reps were a little Grundy, but I think there may have been 20 in there. I knocked the hell out of the rack though on rep 15& it threw me way out of whack. Eked our one more then hung it up.
A2) BB rows superset with bench
B1) Seated B.B. press
B2) 10 lateral raises
B3) 10 rear felt flys
C1) preacher curls
C2) triceps kickbacks
D) an wheel rollouts - actually got my first ever standing and wheel rollout! Then did another.
