7/7/12
ME LOWER
It’s 100 degrees outside today, and the gym was hot as hell today. I was drenched in sweat by the time I was done with my first warm-up with the bar. This made for a pretty intense feeling training session.
Box squat to 15.5" box with doubled mini band stretched between legs (I noticed some knee caving at my competition, so I did this to help work on that)
45 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
295 x 3
315 x 4
Belt squat (stacked up 4 45 pound plates on each side and stood on them, then used 25 pound plates on the belt so that the weight didn’t touch the ground)
25 x 25
50 x 25
75 x 50 (this was murder, especially with the heat. I need to use more weight next time for sure)
Hyperextensions using a 45 lb plate for a bunch of reps
Standing crunches using a rope pulley with 60 pounds for a bunch of reps
I’m pretty sure I had a near death experience today. This is my first real accumulation phase, and it’s pretty intense.
DE UPPER 7/8/12
Speed bench 135lbs for 20 sets of 3 in 12:12. This was insane, and I really look forward to future sessions like this. I thought I would hate the light weights, but doing it this way is murder.
Dumbell bench 50lbs for 30 reps. I was totally dead after the bench, so I wasn’t expecting much out of this, yet somehow I did a whole 12 reps more then last time? Holy PR.
Tricep rope pushdowns 70lbs until my arms fell off.
Inverse rows/Smith machine row superset. These are great for some crazy back volume.
I’m expecting some good things to come from this kind of training.
7/9/12
EXTRA WORKOUT
Squat 135 for 10 sets of 2
Deadlift 185 for 6 singles
Bench 95 for 8 sets of 3
Been doing a lot of research, and I’m looking into overhauling my diet. I’m thinking about taking more of a backloading approach. I’ll post my overall plan after I get it all ironed out. I hate those rate my diet threads as they’re usually full of complete stupidity, but I can always use the help haha. I’m realizing more and more how little I truly know.
[quote]EveryLastingScar wrote:
I’m realizing more and more how little I truly know.[/quote]
So true man. It’s a very humbling feeling. After this next meet, what are your plans?
[quote]Molikeye wrote:
[quote]EveryLastingScar wrote:
I’m realizing more and more how little I truly know.[/quote]
So true man. It’s a very humbling feeling. After this next meet, what are your plans?[/quote]
Short term Goals: I’m getting married in September and plan on trying to have a kid immediately at that point, so I might have time to do one more meet after this one before the child is hopefully born. Then I probably won’t compete again until I’m able to get a full nights rest again haha, so I’ll just keep focusing on getting my lifts up during that time, and fighting to make progress on lack of sleep.
Long term goals:
- Compete at the arnold
- Set a record (I’m actually going for a record in this next meet, but it’s in RPS and it’s only a 370 squat so if I get it I would barely even feel like I accomplished anything) I want a well established record in something like the USAPL
- Be able to still lift when I’m 50 or 60 years old
- After accomplishing some things and having the credentials I would love to coach powerlifting some day like 20 years from now.
7/10/12
DE LOWER
Box squat: 20 sets of 2 with 185 in 12:08
Speed Pulls: 20 singles at 225 in 7:02
Hyperextensions with a 45lb plate for reps
Prone Bridges until I wanted to die.
I’m going to feel this one tommorrow. Accumulation phase is rough.
7/12/12
ME UPPER
Pin Press 2" Above chest
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 5
205 x 3
225 x 3
245 x 3
255 x 2
Incline Dumbell press
50lbs x 25,11,7
Kroc Rows
80lbs x 25
90lbs x 15,15,12
Straight bar cable pushdown
85lbs for 3 sets for reps
Hammer curls
40lbs for 3 sets for reps
Was a little tired all day, but I downed a bunch of coffee and made it through the workout just fine. Got my knee wraps in the mail the other day, and I’m looking forward to trying them, since I am trying out RPS and going raw modern with knee wraps.
7/13/12
Very brief extra workout
Took a 45lb plate and did some floor presses and overhead presses with it. Nothing too crazy as I’m just getting into extra workouts.
7/14/12
ME LOWER
Good morning
45 x 10
45 x 10
95 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 3
265 x 3
275 x 3
285 x 3
2.5" Deficit Deadlifts
225 x 25 These were really rough. The last 5 reps were pure torture. When I was done with the set I realized that everyone in the gym was staring at me, many with looks of disgust or anger from the noise haha. I don’t know why gyms are so girly, it’s supposed to be loud and dirty in there! Can’t wait until I can buy a house and have a home gym, I’m sick of commercial gyms.
Seated leg curls for reps. Felt like my leg was going to explode
Standing crunches on an ab freemotion machine. Basically like a pulley but with fancy straps to hold onto instead of a rope or bar.
Good workout, looking forward to intensification phase and trying out my knee wraps.
7/15/12
DE UPPER
Bench
135 x 3 for 20 sets in 10:38 (previous record is 12:12)
Dumbell Bench
50lbs for 35 reps (previous record is 30)
Dumbell shoulder press
40lbs for reps (starting standing, but then sat down because my back is dead from yesterday)
Lying dumbell elbows out extensions (don’t really know what these are actually called haha)
30lbs for high reps and 3 sets
Cable rows
85lbs for reps and 5 sets
7/16/12
Extra workout
Squat
135lbs x 2 for 10 sets
Deadlift
185 x 1 for 6 sets
Tricep cable pushdowns with a v shaped bar
40lbs for a ton of reps
Hammer curls
25lbs for a ton of reps
I feel that my biggest weaknesses are my arms on bench and my abs on squats and deadlifts, so those are the 2 things I will be focusing on a lot in my extra workouts. I would have done some abs today, but my back and abs are so sore still from saturday’s workout that it hurts to take in a deep breath, so I think I can let that go just this once. Trying to get more focused. I have a lot to do to get to where I need to be.
7/17/12
DE LOWER
Box squat to 13" Box
135 for 2 reps and 20 sets in 11:06 (previous record is 12:08)
Deadlift
225 for 1 rep and 20 sets in 6:11 (previous record is 7:02)
Leg curls for reps
Seated ab crunch thing for reps
Was a rough day at work and I was feeling a little sluggish, but I still beat both of my previous records so I can’t complain
New here, gonna follow along with your progress. Sounds like you learned a lot at your meet a few weeks ago. I am in a similar situation as you were. Used to always weigh around 210-212 and cut down to 198 to compete. Well I’ve lost some fat poundage and am at around 198 now. Planning on continuing to drop to 190ish and compete 181. Just trying to make sure my lifts don’t go down…easier said than done.
I am going to start a log up tonight if you are interested
[quote]RawLifter00 wrote:
New here, gonna follow along with your progress. Sounds like you learned a lot at your meet a few weeks ago. I am in a similar situation as you were. Used to always weigh around 210-212 and cut down to 198 to compete. Well I’ve lost some fat poundage and am at around 198 now. Planning on continuing to drop to 190ish and compete 181. Just trying to make sure my lifts don’t go down…easier said than done.
I am going to start a log up tonight if you are interested [/quote]
I’ll definitely check out your log. It can be mentally tough losing weight and not losing pounds off of your total. The hardest part is just keeping your head on straight and not psyching yourself out. I really find myself feeling doubt when I’m 10lbs lighter and trying for the same weight I lifted at a heavier weight haha.
7/19/12
ME UPPER (start of intensification phase)
Bench press with pinky on the ring (experimenting moving my grip in a little, as I’m finding that I totally lose the lift when I pause at the bottom, but I feel tighter on the pause if my grip is a little closer)
45x10
95x10
135x5
185x3
225x1
245x1
255x1
255 was definetely it for me. I was hoping to get a little higher, but it’s really my first time working with this grip. I’m going to experiment with some closer and some farther grips to find what is most effective for me.
Incline bench
95x6
135x6
155x6
185x6
Skullcrushers with 80lbs for 5 sets for 10ish reps
Kroc rows with 100lbs for 5 sets for 10-15 reps
Side raises with 25lbs for high reps and 3 sets going straight into some high rep hammer curls at the end of each set
Was feeling good at the end of this workout. Looking forward to saturday, as long as I’m feeling good that morning and get some good rest that night, I’m going to break out the knee wraps and try to hit something crazy.
7/21/12
ME LOWER
Squat with knee wraps
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1
345 x 1
375 x 1
Squatting with wraps is a whole other beast. The pain from the wraps at the bottom of the squat is pretty incredible. I feel like I have a lot more of an idea of what it is like to lift in gear having used the knee wraps. I really can’t wait until the day I start using gear.
1" Deficit sumo deadlift
135 x 6
185 x 6
225 x 6
275 x 5
Switch to conventional stance
315 x 5
Ab work
The night was spent with icy hot on my leg, and walking around with it wrapped. Crazy muscle pain for some reason in my calf that went away the next day.
7/22/12
DE UPPER
Speed bench
105lbs with a doubled mini band for 8 sets of 3
Close grip bench
worked up to 195x6
Throat presses with 80lbs for 5 sets for reps
Face pulls for reps
I’ve been experimenting with backloading. I’ve put on a couple of pounds, but I really feel like my stomach feels flatter haha. I need to get my backloads a little more under control though, since I’m not trying to put on weight right now. My plan is pretty much this …
6:00 am wake up
9:00 am eat 4 egg muffins (these have changed my life. You mix eggs and cheese, pour them into a muffin pan, and bake. Very easy to transport and cook ahead of time)
12:00 pm eat 1lb of meat
3:00 pm preworkout mix of protein and coffee
4:00 pm train
5:30 pm protein shake with carbs
6:30 pm Dinner (my fiance and I are avid cooks, and we make a different meal every night. We haven’t repeated a recipe in like a year)
8:00 pm Super shake (protein, banana, milk, oats, peanut butter) along with some more carbs if I’m feeling like dinner wasn’t enough.
7/24/12
DE LOWER
14" Box squat
175lbs + Light and mini band together for 12 sets of 2
Deadlift
275lbs against Monster mini band for 6 singles (I think I need a little less weight to really be doing speed work with, I think this is a little too slow.)
Good Morning from pins set 36" high
Worked up to 205x6
Hack squats
225 for 3 sets for reps
[quote]EveryLastingScar wrote:
7/19/12
ME UPPER (start of intensification phase)
Bench press with pinky on the ring (experimenting moving my grip in a little, as I’m finding that I totally lose the lift when I pause at the bottom, but I feel tighter on the pause if my grip is a little closer)
45x10
95x10
135x5
185x3
225x1
245x1
255x1
255 was definetely it for me. I was hoping to get a little higher, but it’s really my first time working with this grip. I’m going to experiment with some closer and some farther grips to find what is most effective for me.
Incline bench
95x6
135x6
155x6
185x6
Skullcrushers with 80lbs for 5 sets for 10ish reps
Kroc rows with 100lbs for 5 sets for 10-15 reps
Side raises with 25lbs for high reps and 3 sets going straight into some high rep hammer curls at the end of each set
Was feeling good at the end of this workout. Looking forward to saturday, as long as I’m feeling good that morning and get some good rest that night, I’m going to break out the knee wraps and try to hit something crazy.[/quote]
I have tried using a wider grip many times, but like you, feel little strength coming off my chest. I go ring finger on the rings. FOr me, I can keep my elbows tucked easier this and really use my triceps to move the weight. I know a lot of people will disagree with a closer grip but that is what I am sticking with for now. What kind of work are you doing to increase strength off the chest?