Nice top sets man! Deadlift form looks on point…something I need to focus on cleaning up a bit.
Thanks man, I feel like deadlifts are finally starting to get around. However I am never satisfied and I found that with this lift, mistakes are not easy forgiven by my body. It will still be a working progress but I guess that is the same for everyone, always 
19.10
Worked a lo t yesterday (14 hours) and am already rebuilding my sleep deficit. Today it was straight to therapy after work (about 45 min drive) and then after an hour there I drove home (about 30 minutes). So I arrived rather late and after I sat down in my chair, my body was pretty much resisting my effort to get up and work out. Will power won and I went down to the cheese factory.
I supersetted each and everything I did (including warm up and ramp up sets) with 30 seconds of jumping rope. I wanted to get down quickly and knew I did not have the energy for strongman-like conditioning or even a medley. So this was what I came up with. Was not that hard of an effort but kept me warm and sweaty.
1 log press
52,5 kg x 3
60 kg x 3
70 kg x 13
2 trap bar carry (no belt or chalk)
2 x 108 kg x 20 meter
126 kg x 20 meter
141 kg x 20 meter
3 kettlebell waiter walk
3 x 28 kg x 20 meter each arm
Notes:
- form on log presses was rather lousy but it was 2 reps better than last time with this weight.
- carries are still easy. Need to get better at breathing while bracing. A belt would help with this but I want to learn how to do this effectively without.
- decent workout
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That’s what it takes man, good job getting the lift in!
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21.10.
1 Axle OHP
53 kg x 5
61 kg x 3
66 kg x 7 (failed 8th, grinded like hell but could not lock out. Felt like I fought it forever)
2 Pull ups (band assisted)
3 x 8
3 close grip bench
77 kg x 5
87 kg x 3
97 kg x 9 -PR!
4 db row
Ca. 37~38 kg for 3 x 10
5a weighted push ups
+10 kg x 10, 10, 10, 7, 6
5b band pull aparts
5 x 2t
Notes:
- bench was kind of a big deal. I am excited to see if I can crush my max rep PR with 100 kg soon.
- triceps was done, so performance on push ups dropped.
- over all pretty good session. Only disappointment was the failed OHP rep. My back felt that, I think because I grinded for so long and allowed more backwards lean. I should be good though, no big deal. Just a bit new to me because I never have a “problem” with my bsck related to overhead pressing
22.10
First training back with my girlfriend! She eased herself back in with some goblet squats as she has pinched a nerve or something alone these lines in here back… Murphy’s law I guess. Nothing to worry though, it isn’t anything serious and wont last long.
1 sumo deadlifts
117,5 kg x 5
135 kg x 3 - probably PR because no belt and doh
150 kg x 6 - PR!
2 front squats (beltless)
50 kg x 5
57,5 kg x 3
65 kg x 10
3 walking lunges
3 x 40 kg x 10 each leg
4 band leg curls
1 x 31 (pump)
Notes:
- deadlifts felt smooth and it felt like I was using the right muscles. Video didn’t look perfect but that might very well be because of my belt under my pullover making my back look rounded. Will post the video later.
- front squats were kind of okay. I will start using a belt pretty soon, I guess once I get over 70 kg. Just to ensure that my legs get the stimulus I want without my core and upper back failing first. Especially since I do them after deadlifts.
- lunges will now be replaced for the next training cycle. I am inclined to dop dead top good mornings instead to tax my posterior chain more.
- nice session, glad to have my girlfriend back with me in the gym on the weekends and hitting a deadlift PR is always a win.
Axle OHP top set from the 21.10.:
Deadlifts and front squats from yesterday:
27.10.
It has been a while since I got to train. Workload has been ridiculous.
Today was a pretty random workout. I am pretty disappointed with the results.
1 axle push press
76 kg x 1
86 kg x 1
96 kg x 1
101 kg x 0
96 kg x 1
83,5 kg x 8
2 lat pull down
5 x 10 with max. 1 min rest
Notes:
- pretty much every press was a PR since I have never used more than 76 kg for this
- the next days I have more time to train, so I will spread out my training a bit.
- onto the axle push press ( I like to analyze what went wrong when I miss a lift that I think should have happened):
- this was the heaviest axial load in a long time because of the absence of squats due to my hip injury
- I lacked confidence which is perfectly shown on video in my dip and drive
- I underestimated the difference between an axle and a barbell when it comes to push pressing. Especially the lack of rotation!
- not too familiar anymore with the lift anymore as I have focused only on log and strict presses.
Whatever, at the end of the day I didn’t have it. I will learn from this and it was a random workout anyway, so I shouldn’t be too disappointed.
Video of today’s training:
28.10.
Would have expected to be in better shape today because I didn’t have to work. Was tired though and felt a little weak. Not everyday can be full blast I guess and next week will be stronger!
1 sumo deadlifts
105 kg x 5
122,5 kg x 5
137,5 kg x 9
2 trap bar carries (no belt or chalk)
2 x 116 kg x 20 meter
131 kg x 20 meter
148 kg x 20 meter - PR for beltless
3 kneeling ab roll outs
3 x 10
Notes:
- lousy performance on the deadlifts. Like I said in the intro, I was not in the best shape and didn’t really push that hard. It is okay, I will come back stronger next week. Form wise, my back angle looks okay but the bar kept drifting away from me. I need to focus more on pulling the bar into me.
- was contemplating using my belt on the final set of trap bar carries because I felt so weak and thought 148 kg is quite a lot. Glad I didn’t use it because that was very easy and not a problem at all.
- feeling a little tied and also feeling some spinal compression right know. I am all right, I think, I just need to loosen up a little. Will hit the sauna later and do some mobility work.
- I will also restructure my training a bit as I will have a little more time to recover and train in the future. I will get in on the details later.
29.10.
Workout lined up perfect with the previous. I am just looking forward to next week now and will let this week behind me.
Only had 45 mins today, so I had to cut my warm up very short, as well as my rest times.
1a close grip bench
67,5 kg x 5
77, 5 kg x 5
87,5 kg x 12
1b 45° chest supported row
6 x 10 with 35 kg
2 sling shot bench (back to normal grip width)
3 x 5 with 95 kg
3a push ups (weighted)
10 kg x 8,8,6
3b band pull aparts
4 x 25
4 bb curl
20 kg x 30
Notes:
- shoulder was a little pissed.
- not a good workout but hey, it is gonna get better next week!
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01.11.
Have gotten a little sick over the weekend. Surprisingly I recovered extremely fast and actually felt fine to train today.
1 front squats (beltless)
47,5 kg x 5
55 kg x 5
62 kg x 12
70 kg x 5
2 front rack reverse lunges
30 kg x 8 each leg
2 x 30 kg x 10 each leg
3 one leg band hamstring curls
2 x 15
4 paloff hold
2 x 15
Notes:
- front squats are a very difficult lift for me. I know a lot of people like to use this as an excuse but my levers do not play in my favor here. I am not nearly as upright as I’d like but my ankle dorsi flexion is pretty good already. Not sure if I can get my mobility better to help with my problem but I feel like no amount of dorsi flexion will lead me to a perfect front squat. I will upload a video of today’s sets. Maybe I am just doing a lot of things wrong. Not sure what I should draw from this. Continue working on my front squat? Switch to back squats?
Front Squats:
Maybe work a bit on thoracic mobility? Man, they looked okay to me for the most part; as in, I highly doubt mine look any better lol.
04.11.
Felt like a bodybuilder today with all of this acessory stuff.
1a axle ohp
46 kg x 5
53,5 kg x 5
61 kg x 11
1b pull ups (band assisted)
3 x 5
2 axle push press
2 x 76 kg x 5
3 lat pull down
3 x 10 with 50 kg
4a one arm db press (standing)
2 x 17,5 kg x 10
4,5b face pulls
4 x 20
5a lateral raises
12 kg x 8
10 kg x 10
6 bb curls
40 kg x 8, x 4
20 kg x 20
Notes:
- felt the strength difference between my left and my right shoulder on the ohp again. Then on the push press set, my left shoulder felt very unstable and I didn’t dare to use more weight.
- question for the strongmen: continue to practice push presses with the axle and hopefully get overall a lot stronger or switch to the standard barbell to minimize risk and put up more weight? I am still inclined to remain with the axle but am om thr fence. The axle makes it a lot harder, which is kind of why I am thinking I might benefit more from sticking with it instead of taking the easier but “safer route”.
- pretty standard and unspectacular workout. At this point I am mainly putting in the work and accumulating more volume than before.
- Was happy with my form on OHP, as it felt great.
It’ll take time to get better at front squats. I’ve found that even after training them for years they’re still a bit daunting even for me and can just feel straight up uncomfortable. Kinda gotta embrace the hurt and just push forward with them.
Work on pausing them in the hole and at parallel. Will help you for sure.
Good call on my lack thoracic mobility. I am not sure if it will help my front squat much to improve my mobility there though.
Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the tips and encouragement!
I think I will start of with pausing my first two sets and proceed with my +set unpaused.
I expect things to get a lot easier when I start wearing my belt but I don’t want to play that card yet.
Video from today:
05.11.
Feeling rather tired and probably still a little affected by my little illness from the start of the week.
1 sumo deadlifts
115 kg x 3
130 kg x 3
147,5 kg x 7
2 trap bar carry (no belt or chalk)
2 x 113 kg x 20 meter
128 kg x 20 meter
146 kg x 20 - PR for no belt or chalk
3 good mornings from pins
3 x 10 with 40 kg
4 ab roll outs
3 x 10
Notes:
- my left adductor/ groin area seems to be hurt. Noticed that it was tender and hurt on specific movements a while ago. Today was the first time that it was really aggravated in a regular workout. It seemed to be the deadlifts. The hip itself still is pain free but it is the same side so I should be a little bit cautious.
- didn’t really feel like going crazy today but the work I put in was solid at the end of the day and I guess that’s what counts most of the time.
- carries remain easy. I know how much a belt will assist me, especially with the pick up, so I expect good things for this movement in the foreseeable future.
- since I wasn’t really feeling it, I skipped any other event training beside the trap bar carry.