Notes: Hit the goal I had at the start here, and that was the RX weight for the squats with the 2 minutes rest between sets. In fairness, it was 273lbs with a 50lb buffalo bar, but ALSO in fairness a buffalo bar actually weighs 52lbs and I just log it as 50lbs for the sake of convenience, so screw everything.
Did no supersets this workout, because I had a sneaking suspicion that I was using the supersets to rest longer between squats and creating a different training effect. Having tried both, they both suck in different ways. The supersets are more exhausting in total, but going straight squat to squat over and over puts some serious congestion in the entire posterior chain. The latter is technically faster, but once that 10th set was done I spent a LOT more time collapsed on the floor on my back looking up at the ceiling and saying the f-word, so something of a zero sum. Not much energy left for assistance work after that, at least not within an hour timespan.
Next step is 100 reps in fewer than 10 sets. See how it goes.
It feels like if youāve ever tried to inflate a hot water bottle with your mouth, but the whole time youāre doing it itās full of wasps.
And then, when you go for the second and third rest pause sets, itās like you wanted to kill yourself by jumping off a 6 story building but you only had a 3 story building so you had to run up to the top and jump again after the first time.
Notes: Itās the 4th of July, so Iāve done the most American thing I can do and ate a Baconater from Wendyās before doing some bench pressing. Tried to copy @bulldog9899 's success but failed by 1 rep and 5 lbsā¦and by having none left in the tankā¦and a lot less muscle. So thereās that.
My right wrist was a little jacked up before this, made pressing super fun.
Sandbag picks keeping getting better. I have zero speed on these, but at this point, with the comp, Iām going in to survive since Iām giving up about 30lbs.
REST PAUSE (12 deep breaths between sets)
8x275
4x275
2x275
1x275
6x225
5x225
4x225
3x225
2x225
1x225
Notes: More of the same misery. I actually forgot until today that one of the reasons I have so much difficulty keeping the rack position is that, after 6 shoulder dislocations and a few dozen subluxations, my left and right shoulder sit asymmetrically, and it causes the bar to tilt in the rack position. Just extra challenge mode stuff. I think after this competition is done Iām going to swap between front and SSB squats, because the latter have always been a better deadlift builder for me.
Thanks man. Itās a total crapshow everytime, and my shoulders are all scratched up from the knurling on the texas power bar rolling down at the last rep of every set, but I figure that probably makes me stronger, haha.
I hate front squats. I can hold it in the rack position but it fades on me. I tried crossing my arms or putting my thumbs under the bar right in the middle and it nearly dislocates both shoulders. Iāve had multiple subluxations in both and they are not very tight.
Yeah, I use the cross-arm rather than the rack position, just because thatās easier/faster for me to set up multiple times for a rest pause set. I CAN get into a really bad front rack position, but juice just isnāt worth the squeeze.
And hey; I hate front squats too! Haha. Theyāve been a miserable addition to my training. Real benefit is that they donāt make me sore for a week like the buffalo bar squats were doing, and I imagine itās because Iām naturally limited in how much weight I can move on them. However, everything seems to keep getting stronger this cycle while I keep doing them, so Iām gonna ride it out until the competition is over.
Notes: Kinda a grab bag training day with the deload. Once again, on log, got it a few inches off my chest but didnāt fight it out enough to lock it out. Biggest issue is losing a lot of energy on the clean. Iām trying to press in the same breath as the clean to stay tight, but by the time I start pressing Iām pretty much at my end. Still, itās a good thing whenever I can get my clean to outpace my press, as thatās usually not the case. The double was nice, but had hopes for a triple. Spent a lot of energy trying to stabilize the log.
I should note I actually had a 2 attempts at 275. On the first one, during the pick off the floor, the log slid down my legs, and when I tried to clean it it was way too far out in front of me. Mighta lost a little energy on that.
Got the full dip stripset on camera this time. Big fan of this approach.
Woke up at 200.4. Cheat meal at Taco Bell yesterday.
The first time I tried it, unfortunately, was in a public gym. I had gotten used to how stable the rack position was during warmups and working up to a top set. Figured Iād use straps for the volume work to ease up on my wrists and I nearly tumbled over on the walkout. Plates banging off the rack and all. That was also the last time I used straps haha.
@mr.v3lv3t 28 Jul. 3 more weeks. Feeling good, minus the fact Iāve done zero throwing, haha.
@theonecamko Iām a sucker for nachos in just about any form, and Taco Bell never disappoints.
No specific training update, but wanted to document that Iāve upped my daily training to 1 set of 60 dips and 1 set of 18 NG chins. Itās stupid low volume, but in turn my elbows donāt feel like theyāre going to explode, which doesnāt normally happen with daily training.
On the nutrition front, weight seems to be holding steady. Bodycomp is acceptable at this point, and I think I have room for a little more weight on my frame. Iām contemplating using honey in my post workout meal to add in some carbs and calories from a ācleanā source.
I donāt know who or what a Machinegun Kelly is, but the shirt has a big screen print image on it and made the stone stick to me pretty solid. Worthwhile investment. The 125 got lapped very easily, but it still slides down my body when I try to bring it up. Part of it is my hands start to sweat at that weight, which sucks. I imagine a little tacky will go a long way.
Prowler went better. Was able to get a solid grip on things.
Woke up at 201.0. Made a bunch of low-carb ribs tonight; excited to use those to put on a few more pounds these next few weeks.
. Awesome/crazy work mate
