135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
345 x 1
365 x 5 x 1 (used straps on last 3 sets)
Conventional speed pulls
315x5x1
Band ab crunches (alternate kneeling and standing)
4x20
Purple band side bends
3x25
Notes: I really suck at snatch-grip deadlifts. My stumpy legs and relatively longer torso really put my shoulders out in front of the bar. The reps weren’t particularly fast, but they weren’t very difficult, so I figure next week adding a belt and going for a heavy single will put me in position for a good bit more. Speed pulls felt good and quick, although a little weird after having my hands out so far out on the bar before. Good session.
135 x 10
185 x 6
225 x 5
275 x 3
305 x 3
335 x 3
350 x 3
-back off sets
275 x 4 x 6
Bottoms-up KB OH press
20kg x 3 x 10
Purple band tate presses
3x25
Barbell rows
135x15;185x3x12
Concentration curls
3x10
Notes: The top set with 350 was not an all-out triple, figure I had at least two reps left in me. Since we’re squatting tomorrow night, I didn’t want to kill myself two nights in a row. All the assistance work was easy, but left me feeling a good pump in back and arms.
bar x 10
105 x 6
145 x 5
195 x 3
235 x 3
285 x 3
315 x 1
345 x 3 x 5
Green band TKEs
3x25
Notes: Had to cut it short to take our dog to puppy training class. Yet again I did great on the first three reps and mucked up #4 and/or #5. Depth was good on every rep (I promise). For some reason during the second set my knee started to feel really tight so I did some stretches and it seemed to alleviate it. The last set it still felt tight, but I toughed it out. Afterward it really tightened up so I figured some TKEs would help - and they did since it feels just fine now.
I know what the problem is, I haven’t been using the foam roller or stretching enough - especially the IT band and quads and today I really paid the price.
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
355 x 1
385 x 1
405 x 1
435 x 1 455 x 1 (PR, most I’ve ever tried)
-…yes I used straps, which give about 400 pounds worth of carryover. So in reality I only lifted 55 pounds.
Sumo speed pulls
275 x 5 x 1
Purple+mini band kneeling crunches
3x20
Green band side bends
3x20
Notes: Back to the snatch-grip pulls, this time I wanted to see what I could handle for a heavy single since I’ve never tried it. I made some random jumps at toward the end because I wasn’t really sure what I could handle. The final set with 455 was a little slow at lockout, but I figured there was still some left in the tank. Will try moving up 10 pounds next time this comes up in the rotation. I recommend trying the side band pushdown thingies with the green band - your love handles won’t feel quite as doughy.
bar x 10
95 x 6
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
250 x 5
270 x 5
Paused bench press
225x3x3
Green band face pulls
4x12
Purple band Tate press/Extension superset
3x15 on each
Notes: Never used Illegal wides before, but I can see their benefit. My strength right off the chest has never really been an issue (at least once I learned how to use proper form), though this exercise taxes the bottom end about as much as cambered bar bench.
The top set wasn’t an all-out rep max since I don’t want to play around with too much stress given the stress on the shoulder. My triceps were cooked on the Tate press/extension superset - could literally put an egg and fry it, LOL.
bar x 10
105 x 5
145 x 3
195 x 3
235 x 3
265 x 6 x 3 (loose belt)
Good mornings
235 x 3 x 6
KB lunges
16kg x 3 x 12
Foam roller situps
3x12
Notes: Haven’t really done any considerable amount of box squatting since last September. It took until the fourth or fifth set to really get the groove right. All the reps were easy and explosive–yes I know it was only 265, but work with me . I’ll bump up to about 305 or so next week. I hate lunges.
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 3
405 x 1
455 x 1
495 x 3 (belt on) 515 x 3 (10-lb PR) 530 x 2 (25-lb PR)
-would’ve gotten 3, but dinged my left knee bringing bar down after 2nd rep
Romanian DLs
315x3x8
Kneeling ab crunches (purple+mini)
3x20
Notes: Good session, but was kind of pissed that I flubbed that rep on the box pull because I know that I would have gotten a third rep. This box height puts the bar right below my sticking point, so getting the bar moving was tough as hell on just about every set over 455. Slowly but surely I’m getting that lockout to go up and when that goes up my full range pull goes up.
bar x 10
95 x 8
135 x 6
185 x 5
225 x 3
265 x 3 (added foam)
295 x 1
325 x 3 x 1 (somewhere between 90 and 95%)
-dropped down for some reps
255x3x3 (all reps paused)
Purple band Tate press/extension superset
3x15
Green band face pulls
4x12
Concentration curls
3x10
Notes: Instead of hitting a max today I decided to just work up to the 90 percent range and work on form. The first two singles went up easy, while the third took a little more effort - nothing crazy though. Unbelievable burn from the Tate press/extension superset. I could barely extend my arm after doing them. Some face pulls and curls for the girls and that was all she wrote.
bar x 6
105 x 5
145 x 3
195 x 3
235 x 2
275 x 2
305 x 6 x 2
Good mornings
195 x 3 x 8
KB lunges
BWx15;16kgx3x12
Foam roller situps
4x12
Notes: Decent speed on the box squats, but that’s not what these are about anyway for what it’s worth. I still hate lunges, although they’re sure to give you a killer burn in the quads.
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
325 x 3
375 x 1
425 x 1
465 x 1
505 x 1 535 x 1 (5-lb PR)
550 x 1 (20-lb PR)
Romanian DLs
315 x 2 x 8
Blue band standing ab pulldowns
3x15
Notes: Since this box height comes about a couple of inches below my sticking point, getting the bar moving is a bitch so my hope is that this lift provides a good indication where my full range pull is. That last pull was slow, but it was still clean. However, I was pretty much shot after this and realized that two sets of RDLs was all I could do without my lower back exploding. Even the ab pulldowns were tough. This is what you call a max effort day I suppose.
bar x 10
95 x 8
135 x 5
185 x 5
215 x 3
245 x 1
265 x 3
-shoulder said ouch, please stop
225 x 4 x 3 (paused last reps)
Tricep extensions
3x12
Underhand-grip Lat pulldowns
Green band x 15
Green + purple x 3 x 15
Face pulls (purple in each hand)
3x10
Reverse curls
3x15
Notes: I was going to do five reps on the incline, but something just wasn’t feeling right with my right shoulder. Now that I think about it, every time I did inclines heavy my shoulder hasn’t reacted well so I will probably scrap these, at least stick to higher reps and do it as an assistance movement. Shoulder feels fine now thankfully.
bar x a few
105 x 5
145 x 5
195 x 3
235 x 2
285 x 1
315 x 1
345 x 6 x 1
Good mornings
195 x 3 x 10
KB lunges
20kg x 3 x 10
Blue band ab pulldowns
3x15
Notes: I had to bag squats on Friday due to a pretty tough cold; still just getting over it today so I was still a little zapped. I actually felt the urge to cough on the last single. None of the reps were difficult, all were solid and smooth. Will push the weight up more next week and might even test a max. Since I suck so bad at box squats, I’m interested to see what I can get.
bar x 10
95 x 8
135 x 6
185 x 3
225 x 3
265 x 1
295 x 1
-work sets
270x3x3
3-board BP
275 x 3
305 x 3
Blue band lat pulldowns (alt between over and under grip)
4x15
Blast strap push ups
BWx12
BW+chain x 12
BW+chain x 12;dropped chain and did 6 more reps
Reverse curls
3x12
Notes: I have been spinning my wheels on my bench for the past few months and I realize why - I’ve been doing too much full range crap week in and week out. The meet’s not until May so I have plenty of time to clean things up. The plan here on out is to use board presses and reverse band for the strength building side of things and hit the full range stuff at lighter weights (~70-80%), focusing more on maintaining the skill of a full range bench since I’m not entering a board press competition ;-).
This scheme worked for getting my raw bench to go up in the past so I don’t know why I didn’t go back to it sooner. Duh!! I’m also going to keep the blast strap push ups in as assistance for a while because I think I get a lot out of them both strength-wise and making my shoulder feel better.
135 x 20
225 x 20
275 x 20
315 x 16 (no straps)
315 x 3 x 25 (straps)
Dimel DLs
225 x 2 x 15
Green band side bends
3x15
Notes: Just taking it easy this week. I think I pushed it a little too early trying to come back from my cold so I figured dropping the pulls and hitting some higher reps on shrugs and some light RDLs.
135 x 5
195 x 5
235 x 3
285 x 3
325 x 3
375 x 3
415 x 3 445 x 3 (baseline PR triple)
Band pull-throughs (over neck)
Purple x 15
Green band x 3 x 12
KB Step-ups
20kg x 2 x 15
20kg+16kg x 1 x 12
Notes: After seeing Scott and Joweee’s vid of reverse band box squats, I decided to do them today. I stuck with doubled minis and they probably take off about 85-90 pounds on the box and about 30 pounds at the top. The last set with 445 wasn’t too bad, but the last rep was a little slow because I dropped my head. I did the pull-throughs with the band around my neck (like AJ Roberts showed on EFS) and I gotta say it feels much more natural. Step ups gave a good pump. I’ll do abs tomorrow along with some foam rolling and stretching.
135 x 10
185 x 6
215 x 5
245 x 5
280 x 5
305 x 5
325 x 5
Floor press w/ 2 pairs of chains
135 x 5
185 x 3
200 x 3
215 x 3
230 x 3
Blast strap push-ups
BW+chain x 16
BW+2 chains x 12;drop chain, x7;drop chain, x4
Blue band lat pulldowns
3x15
Band pull-aparts (purple band)
3x10
Notes: Decided to gravitate back to 5/3/1 for the bench, but I won’t be going for rep maxes. Instead I’ll do the prescribed rep sequence and pick a weight I can hit for an additional 2 reps or so. The top set of 325 was pretty easy and my shoulder held up just fine. The floor press w/ chains was used kinda sorta as speed work. All the reps were easy, but really added some decent stress to the triceps. The second set of push-ups was absolute murder. Good session.
135 x 5
-added bands
135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 1
305 x 1
325 x 1
345 x 0 (painful blood blister on left hand erupted)
275 x 2 x 1
Barbell shrugs behind back
225 x 3 x 15
Blue band ab pulldowns
4x15
Notes: I managed to get a nasty blood blister on my damn pinky right before the set with 325, so I was basically pulling the bar with 9 fingers. It didn’t matter that set but I really noticed it on the attempt with 345.
Once the bar got past my knees and all that tension kicked in, holding onto the bar was too painful I know that without the gimp grip, I would’ve gotten the lift. Did a couple of lighter singles with 275.
If I had to guess, the band tension felt like 1 million pounds (actually about 220 at lockout). The shrugs behind the back felt pretty good, made my shoulder feel a lot better. Decent session.
135 x 10
195 x 6
235 x 5
285 x 3
325 x 3
375 x 2 x 3
405 x 3
KB step-ups
20kg x 4 x 12
Lying leg raise/Reverse crunch combo
3x12
Notes: Ramping up to the final stretch run on meet prep. I dropped the box but kept the reverse bands so I could keep the feel of a heavy weight at the top. All the reps were easy, as they should have been. Time to get busy next week.
Notes: Bench felt pretty good today. The last set of 345 I probably had another 2 or 3 reps left in the tank, which means everything is going as planned. Last rep on last set of floor presses was a little slow at lockout, but not alarmingly slow. Rest of the work gave me one hell of a pump - hell, I might put on the tank top and gold chains, slick back the hair and go clubbin’
135 x 5
-added 2 pairs of chains
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 (added another pair of chains)
340 x 3
365 x 3 x 3
Barbell shrugs behind back
135 x 15
225 x 15
275 x 34
Blue band ab pulldowns
4x15
Green band side bends
3x25
Notes: Moving into a higher intensity squat phase next week, I’ll be tapering down the deadlift days for the following three weeks. I’ll add some chains to the bar in order to at least keep working the lockout, but allow for better recovery.
I reset after each rep and focused on snapping the hips through at the top. Liking the behind-the-back shrugs, they really hit the traps in a different way and plus doing a weight as light as 275 for 34 reps really brought on the burn. Nice session.
I know that without the gimp grip, I would’ve gotten the lift. Did a couple of lighter singles with 275.