simple things like
when to train
don’t have time to eat
if people can not figure out how to do these
what is the point of any thing else
people who have no desire to train do not annoy me
people who say they want to train but need to be spoon fed every little thing annoy me
yep i was being funny
I’m with you. No one needs to prioritize this stuff, and if they don’t want to, it’s cool, but it’s frustrating hearing that people “don’t have the time”. We all get the same 24 hours a day; no one gets more time.
Got to sneak in a workout while on vacation.
Barbell strict press
5xBar
5x95
5x135
3x150
3x170
6x190
11x150
Notes: Trained first thing in the morning, completely fasted. Wasn’t by design, but it was one of those gift horse situations. With that, I was pleased with the outcome. First time pressing with a barbell in a LONG time. Left wrist wasn’t liking it much, and the ROM bugged my shoulder a touch, but otherwise it was crazy how easy it felt. I think with a meal and my gear (right shoes, elbow sleeves, belt, etc) I coulda really did some damage.
Seated DB overhead press 60lbs
1x10
1x9
1x8
1x7
1x6
NG chins
50 reps in as few sets as possible
Barbell curls dropset
1x50x40lbs
1x50x30lbs
V handle cable rows dropset
General notes: It was a rough workout being fasted, but I got through it and had a crazy pump at the end. Veins were out all over the place and everything. Happy to get this done, just because it will make my schedule easier when I get home. Been doing a LOT of walking and not a whole lot of eating this trip, but it’s been fun.
SSB Squats
5xBar+chains
5x115+chains
5x155+chains
3x205+chains
1x245+chains
1x295+chains
9x365+chains
11x295+chains
Notes: Got some video I will upload later. Goal was 10 on the 365 set, but the bar fell way up on my neck and just about killed me. Belted up for the first time; it feels different, but not wrong. Just moving slower than I was before. Knee is feeling awesome.
Reverse hyper 230
4x10
superset w/
Standing ab wheel
4x8
Car deadlift simulator
5x1plate
5x2plates
5x3plates
1x4plates
1x5plates
1x6plates
10x7plates
Notes: Got video, will upload later. Gravity was light today. Warm-ups were moving good, I was feeling tight, so I went for broke. First time in a long while I really pushed to my limits. I’m almost back to my old numbers on this, and that excites me. The deadlift machine is back online.
General notes: Woke up at 193.4. Body will most likely spend the next few days figuring out it’s weight.
Hey, I did SSB Squats the other day and they were hard as shit, can you take a look at it and give me some pointers?
I’d love to give some pointers. The first question I’d have to ask is, what are you trying to get out of the movement? That’ll change what should/should not happen.
I saw you say in your log that your SSB weighs 20kg. I would definitely consider weighing it, as that’s pretty nuts. I have a bottom of the barrel model, and it weighs 65lbs. The higher end ones can weigh like 85. There is a lot more metal to a SSB than a barbell. Figuring that out might adjust your training, or at least your perception of the lift.
Pavement run
2.6 miles
No idea on time. Stopwatch blew out on me. I passed a buddy of mine that finished in 21:20, and he had a head start on me, so at least faster than that I suppose. Knee is a little achy; still doesn’t like flat surfaces and pavement.
Going to try for a bench workout tonight. Here is video of my lifts from yesterday
Well honestly, I’d like it to build my deadlift. I’ve read it from several different sources (including yours) that it’s great for that. I don’t really know how to intentionally round my back like how you do it.
I’ll weigh it the next chance I get.
The trick I use is I pull the handles back as far as I can. Most folks push the handles up, which transfers the weight backwards and makes the movement more of a squat/low bar squat. Pulling the handles down/in throws the weight way far forward, which causes the rounding. You’re actually doing a pretty good job by keeping them neutral; I don’t see you pushing up. You can try pulling them down, but how you’ve got it set up right now will work pretty well.
I own that same pair of Chuck Taylors.
Do you have any other suggestion cause I’m actually trying to pull the handles as far into me as possible. I believe I read it somewhere on your YouTube cause someone else asked. Do you feel like you’re intentionally rounding or are you forced to? I wouldn’t dismiss the fact that this is a new movement to me and maybe I’m not using a heavy enough load to cause rounding in my upper back.
Oh I know, seen them back when you used to use them for the yoke. I was hoping just by wearing it, it’d +100lbs to my lifts but apparently now.
It’s going to be one of those things where, by pulling the handles down, it forces your head down, which causes the upper back to round. If you try keeping your head up/neutral, you’ll run out of room, but if you let the bar shove your face to the floor, you’ll find it rounding.
You gotta keep in mind; this is just my technique. I don’t see a whole lotta folks doing it, and the SSB will still murder your upperback regardless.
Axle Bench
5xAxle
5x65
5x115
5x165
5x205
5x238
3x270
9x300
11x238
Notes: I wanted that 10, but I am super pleased with that 9. Once again; warm-ups felt heavy, work set was awesome. Always how it goes.
NG chins
3x25
2x15
DB lateral raises 25lbs
5x10
Notes: Performed in between sets of benches
Axle floor press 198
5x8
superset w/
Incline DB hammer curls 40lbs
5x10
T-bar rows
5x1plate
5x2plates
5x3plates
5x4plates
DROPSET up and down
5x4plates
6x3plates
7x2plates
8x1plate
7x2plates
6x3plates
5x4plates
5x3plates
5x2plates
5x1plate
Notes: I really found something special here. This is just awesome. I can’t wait to keep screwing around with it.
General notes: Woke up at 192.8. Trying not to overcorrect; just upping the post workout carbs until I see movement in the right direction. Delayed cheat meal to tomorrow.
(4) Axle Mat Pulls
5x123
5x156
5x246
5x336
1x426
1x516
2x586 (deadstop)
17x426 (touch and go)
Notes: Got to train later today and was feeling strong, but hit this right after my cheat meal (half a large stuffed crust pizza, plus the crust of 1 more slice), and the bloat was getting my belt super tight. Made getting into position a little rough, but just means I can nab even more in better circumstances. Actually allowed myself a slight hitch there at the end and felt none the worse for it. I am loving how honest the axle is keeping me.
GHR sit-ups
4x10
Buffalo Bar squats
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
1x280
1x320
DROPSET
7x370
7x320
7x280
7x230
7x190
14x140
Notes: Gonnna call this one my “Fresh Outta Luck” workout. Get it?! All 7s! Oh I slay me. It’s actually double or nothing at the end there, but either way it’s 49 reps. This was getting back to the old ways for me. I finished the workout and was slowly died on the bench next to the rack. I wanted to hit 10 on that 370 set, and I think I mighta had it, but it didn’t seem worth the push.
I’m basically sticking with the plates and quarters approach for progression at this point. It keeps me honest.
General notes: Woke up at 193.4. I have been really spiking carbs up recently though, so I think from here I’m going to get back to normal and see what my weight does.
Treadmill
1 mile
Speed: 9.2
Incline: 3
Notes: Outta practice/shape. Legs felt like lead. I’ll be back in time.
Woke up at 195.8.
20 Minutes EMOM
Odd minute: 50lb High handle prowler push 50’
Even minute: 50lb backwards prowler drag 50’
Notes: Just about perfect. Weight wasn’t heavy enough for a good 10 minute workout, and 20 was just right. Prefer to go heavier and shorter, but this was still an ass kicker. I have a plan to do a EMOM workout with keg carries sometime, but the prowler was feeling great on my megasore legs.
Woke up at 195.4.
Axle Strict Press
5xAxle
5x83
5x123
5x161
3x181
6x201
11x161
superset w/
Kelso Shrugs 50lb DBs
9x10
Notes: It’s funny; the warm-ups felt awful, and then I hit the first set of 5 and it still felt terrible, but once I hit the set of 181 it felt great, and then 201 felt like nothing. I literally thought I had misloaded it for a second. I know the angle of the video is amazing, but you can at least peep the mechanics.
Kelso shrugs in honor of the passing of Paul Kelso. We’re gonna miss you Paul. It’s honestly been a big blow to me today. I’ve read his books hundreds of times, and even got to talk with him on facebook briefly. He asked me to write a review for one of his books on amazon. We lost a good one today, but my back will be sore in his memory.
Log press (clean once) 120
3x10
2x8
superset w/
NG chins
5x20
superset w/
DB lateral raise 25lbs
3x12
2x10
Notes: Viper pressed the first rep of each set of log. I think the log has really been helping my strict pressing.
Axle curls
1x110
Band pushdown
1x50
Kroc rows 105
1x20
General notes: Woke up at 195.0 this morning. Legs are just about recovered. Been a while since I’ve had such DOMS.
SSB Sqauts
5xBar+chains
5x115+chains
5x155+chains
3x205+chains
1x245+chains
1x295+chains
1x335+chains
7x385+chains
9x335+chains
Notes: Got video, will post it later. This was a very decent showing. Heaviest I’ve squatted post op. It’s my guts that are giving out before my legs. I don’t mean that to say that I’m getting scared, I mean I literally feel myself about to vomit from the pressure of the squat when I unrack it. I think I just need to readjust the pressure and I can really start making progress. I had a little more in me on the back off set, but I felt the left knee start to buckle, so I wrapped it up.
Reverse hyper 230
4x12
superset w/
Standing ab wheel
4x8
Car deadlift simulator
5x1plate
5x2plates
5x3plates
1x4plates
1x5plates
1x6plates
1x7plates
20x5plates
Notes: 1 rep was all I had in me for 7 plates. I remember this happening before the injury, and I remembered the solution; high rep set with less weight. The 20 rep set was a solid effort.
General notes: Woke up at 196.4. May move my cheat meal to tomorrow. Going to a concert with the Mrs. Staying out late and partying for the first time in forever.
Video from yesterday’s training
Axle bench
5xAxle
5x83
5x153
5x211
5x241
13x271
17x211
Notes: Switched from the Rouge Axle to the Ironmind, which is why the weights are all different. Wife and I went to a concert last night and woke up at 0600 this morning to start a full day of packing getting ready for our move in a month. I spent the majority of my time packing the home gym, so lots of heavy lifting and little eating. Full on zombie mode for this workout. I seemed to be able to knock out a whole lotta reps real quick and then just fade hard, but I was happy with my bar speed.
NG Chins
5x20
DB lateral raises 25lbs
5x12
Notes: Performed in between sets of benching.
Axle floor press 198
5x10
superset w/
Incline DB hammer curls 40lbs
5x10
T-bar rows
5x1plate
5x2plates
5x3plates
5x4 plates
DROPSET
10x4plates
10x3plates
10x2plates
10x1plate
5x2plates
5x3plates
5x4plates
General notes: Woke up at 197.4 this morning. Hit a buffet for dinner the night before, and had some of the thickest sliced brisket and prime rib in my life at the carving station. Despite being my cheat meal, it was all meat and veggies and I had no regrets, but I think I’m holing like 4lbs of meat in my colon.
(3) Axle mat pulls
5x123
5x156
5x246
5x336
1x426
3x516 (dead stop)
10x426 (touch and go)
Notes: Completely forgot that I trained like 9 hours before this. First thing in the morning, minimal food, very happy with the outcome. This was probably the most valuable lesson I learned from this injury; how to perform the best at my CURRENT state, rather than fixating on always trying to hit the same numbers no matter what. I know that, as long as I apply the same amount of effort, I’ll see progress.
On a grip strength PR, I was able to do all 5 reps of 246 double overhand. Broke out the straps after that. Normally I’m only good for a triple.
GHR sit ups
4x10
Buffalo Bar squats
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
1x280
1x320
DROPSET
4x370
8x320
6x280
12x230
8x190
16x140
Notes: Thinking about calling this one “No one rides for free”. Wanted to see how many reps I could get for 370, was disappointed in 4, so deciding I was going to double it for the next set. From there, I kept adding 2 to the initial rep count and doubling it on the next, so basically the low rep set is punching the ticket to for the high rep ride. This was a total asskicker; highly recommend for those looking for a challenge. Noticed that it was really my legs taking the beating today. Normally, I just squat with whatever gets me there, but it seemed like my legs were taking all the weight. Probably good for them.
General notes: Woke up at 196.4. Still sweating off the effects of my trip to the buffet.
Treadmill
Speed: 9.2
Distance: 1.25miles
Incline: 3
Time: 8:07
Notes: Back to my previous best. Been missing my long runs; I think once I add them back in I might be able to see the progress I want on these.
General notes: Woke up at 195.4 this morning. Appetite has been voracious. Might be a product of being able to hammer the squats so hard again. With the move coming up, I don’t really want to get my diet going in any one direction, but I am contemplating dropping a few pounds once I get established and then upping the volume something crazy and trying to put on a little more weight. Time will tell.
Axle strict press
5xAxle
5x83
5x123
5x143
5x163
8x183
13x143
superset w/
DB rows 105
6x10
2x5
1x10
Notes: I’m figuring out that if I can move the eccentric faster, I can move the concentric faster too. Speed work; what a concept. Everything was a little achy today, but things moved well. The percentages are breaking down a little goofy this week, so I stuck with kilos instead of pounds to allow some sort of psuedo microloading.
Log strict press (clean once) 120
5x10
superset w/
NG chins (various grip widths)
5x20
Notes: Viper pressed the first rep of all sets on log. Once again, moved it quick and it moved quick. What an obvious breakthrough.
Axle curls
1x130
DB pressdowns
1x50
Kroc rows 105
1x15
Notes: Was just fried at this point.
General notes: Woke up at 196.2 this morning. Workout totally wasted me. Good thing I’m sure. I’m getting a wisdom tooth removed tomorrow (yes, I still had all 4 up until this point). I overate today to compensate for a potentially rough time eating for the next few days. Going to try to avoid the percocet as much as I can; just got off all that stuff. Actually, I guess that was back in November. My how the time flies.