(7/1/15)
WARM-UP
5-10 minutes of kettlebell swings and pull-ups
WORK
Bench: 165x3, 185x3, 205x3, 230x3, 265x1
Squat: 195x3, 220x3, 245x3, 275x3, 305x miss
ASSISTANCE/SUPPLEMENTAL
Paused box squat: 3x3 @ 225
10 minutes of ring work
3 rounds of:
-overhead press 8, 5, 5 @115
(7/5-6/15)
Been helping my girlfriend train for a competition, so these last couple days I’ve really been focused on her. I did manage to work in some 45lb kettlebell snatches, and heavy db rows. Did 150x3, then 130x8 for each arm…pretty dumb before deadlift day really, it made a significant negative impact.
(7/7/15)
WORK
Deadlift: 265x3, 295x3, 335x3
rest-pause superset:
-Barbell incline: 135x10, 6, 5
-Chin-ups: 10, 8, 5
Front squat: worked up to 225x3, the did a down set with 135 for 10
NOTES
'Bout ready for this 28 week program to be over. Had great gains but damn is it long. This second cycle of jokers has me feeling drained a lot, I don’t think I’ll be doing 2 joker cycles back-to-back anytime soon. Still pondering how I should approach my next blocks of training. It’s looking like the best route will be 2 strength/hypertrophy days (1 upper & 1 lower), to conditioning days where I focus on CT’s olympic complexes, loaded carries, and swings, and 2 days to yoga/mobility work. I’m training to eventually compete in crossfit (near) and strongman (far)
(7/9/15)
WORK
Power clean: ramped up to 185x3
Bench press: 195x5, 205x5, 185x5
Seated cable row: 1x8
NOTES
I was just plain off today. My upper back was/is stiff and sore, so I’ve no real good answer as to why I did power cleans. Screwed up percentages on bench too. Still happy I went this am though. Going to try and get some blood to the upper back today w/ band pull-aparts.
(7/12/15)
WORK
deadlift: ramped up to 345x5 (rep & weight PR)
ASSISTANCE
4x15 45lb kettlebell swings, really focusing on glute contraction after a sharp hip snap
(7/13/15)
AM
WORK
Bench press: 45x10, 135x5, 175x3, 195x3, 215x3, 245x1, 265x1, 285x1 (assisted)
20 band pull-aparts between every set
PM
ASSISTANCE
behind the neck snatch grip press: 8o lbs, rest-pause
triceps cable pushdown: rest-pause
cable high incline press: rest pause
ring work: 1 muscle-up using a jump assist > dips > chins > pullups (x3)
NEW BODY COMP INFO
just did a health screening w/ my company. While fasted, I’m 185lbs @ 13% bodyfat.
NOTES
Been thinking a lot about the best program for my goals, which are strongman & crossfit oriented. I like 5/3/1 but am no longer specifically concerned with my powerlifts, and I want to drill some lifts as more than just assistance work. I also need a ton of light olympic work.
So…
After lots of mulling I just sort of stumbled upon Cube for Strongman; at the perfect time as I’m 2 training days from the end of my 28 week program. I’ll get to switch from an upper/lower to a legs/push/pull, and have 2 conditioning days with which I can drill Thib’s olympic complexes at lighter weights, and actually practice strongman/crossfit on the fourth training day. After close to a year focusing on back squat, conventional deadlift, flat bench, and strict overhead press I’ve noticed that mentally I get bogged-down not really being able to switch up main lifts and experiment. I think this will be a good change of pace, and if nothing less, it’ll be a great learning experience.
(7/15/15)
CONDITIONING
lots of 45lb kettlebell swings and muscle snatches
(7/16/15)
WARM-UP
goblet squats & good mornings
WORK
Back Squat: 45x5, 205x5, 235x3, 270x1, 295x1, 315xmiss, 315x1
NOTES
Finally hit a 3 plate squat!! I wasn’t breathing correctly my first attempt and realized it in the hole. 2nd attempt I drew a big breath at the top, pressed it against my weight belt on the descent, and held it in on the way up. Clean, solid rep that I’m VERY happy with.
PM
kettlebell work
RESULTS OF THE 5/3/1 28 WEEK PROGRAM
Starting weights:
Squat 275(est) > 315
Bench 245(est) > 275(est)
Deadlift 365(est) > 405
OHP 145(est) > 160(est)
Power Clean 185(est) > 205(est)
(7/20/15)
CUBE FOR STRONGMAN
NOTES:
My goals have shifted, and I’m not specifically concerned with my powerlifts, rather I just want to be strong overall, and get a lot better at the Olympic Lifts.
My new goals are:
Edit: i should not that these lifts are for evaluation purposes only. I am no more or less concerned with my flat bench #s than I am my dumbell incline#s
Wave 1/Week 1/ Day 1 (explosive squat)
Standing High Jumps: 10x2
Car pushes: 5x400ft
Wave 1/week1/day2 (repitition overhead)
Ohp: 135x7
Bench press: 185x10, 225x5
4" block bench: 185x12-15
Close-grip bench: 185x5
-lateral raise, front raise, partial laterals, partial front (x3 w/ 20lb, x3 w/ 10 lb)
Triceps push down: 100 reps
Pushups: 3x10
Dips: 3x5
NOTES
went a little wild with volume today, not really used to this kind of split. At least everything should dive up my overhead
(7/22/15)
Wave1/week1/day3 (conditioning & agility/light olympic)
Klokov Advanced Snatch Complex
SG Deadlift > SGHP from hang > Snatch from above the knee > Squat Behind the neck press (Klokov press) > Overhead squat
3x2@45lb
3x2@95lb
3x2@65lb
NOTES:
First time getting after these and I loved them. I missed 2x though at the top of the snatch by having the bar too far out in front and had to drop. Not concerned at all with weight at the moment, just trying to work on mobility & technique.
(7/23/15)
Wave1/week1/day4 (Max effort pull)
Trap bar deadlift (high handles): ramped up to 395-415x1 (not sure of the weight of the trap bar, guessing between 25 & 45lbs)
Good mornings: 135x10, 155x10, 175x10, 195x10, 215x8
row: 115x5 (only did 1 set due to lower back fatigue)
seated cable row: 5x5-8
t-bar row: 3x5 w/ 4 plates
(7/25/15)
Wave1/week1/day6 (events)
Atlas stone simulation: 5x135
(Set pins at knees, and zercher squatted/deadlifted the weight up to set into each pin. The 6 pins ranged in height from waist to eye level)
Farmers walk: 5x90 @100 ft
5x10 tire flips + 135 rope drag (30ish feet)
(7/26/15)
Wave1/week2/day1 (light olympic)
Worked w a coach on my mobility & Snatch technique.
Really need to work on my hip & upper spine Mobility
Have to change some things up out of need, not want. My girlfrend is training for a competition, and I’m in the gym with her every time she trains, which is usually over an hour each session. It’s becoming pretty impractical training her while training a completely separate way, and a pretty big waste of finite time. So, I’m just going to follow her split until the competition. It’s a powerbuildingish upper/lower split, which while not ideal for my goals, but will continue to build strength.
Everything is mapped out by her trainer, so out of respect for that trainer I won’t be detailing the workouts rather just giving general info. I’ll still be detaling olympic lifts & loaded carries/strongman stuff in the am.
(7/27/15)
Heavy Chest & Back
(7/29/15)
AM
Mobility:
foam rolled it bands, adductor, and with a tennis ball i hit the piriformis and pecs
Olympic:
Snatch practice with a 65 lb barbell.
-did 5 reps of a snatch variant + 5 reps of overhead squat for multiple sets
Carries:
carried 130lb dumbells 1x80’ (est)
-should have used a lower weight.
PM
Going to work up to heavy front squats + assistance work
(7/30/15)
Shoulders, arms & abs. High volume low intensity, lots of giant sets.
(7/31/15)
Light Legs, High rep squats.
Haven’t trained this way (powerbuilding w/ lots of isolation) in a long time. I can’t say the last time I isolated a muscle other than shoulders, and it REALLY shows. So damn sore.
(8/2/15)
Got in a nice skimboarding session! Have only been getting maybe 1/week (haven’t been documenting). Had some difficulties as the waves were breaking very close to the shore, and had a lot of shells to contend with. But a good session. I’m really starting to think that skimboarding is about the best thing I’ve done for my agility in a long time. 100% effort short distance sprints + jumping onto & balancing on a moving object + virtually instantaneous directional changes = me feeling extremely athletic. It’s also great to do conditioning that you LOVE.
(8/3/15)
Hit Chest & back again w/ moderate weight
(8/4/15)
lower body w/ light weight & high(er) reps
(8/6/15)
Today’s going to be medium intensity shoulders, with low intensity arms. My weight’s going up a bit, figured it’s a good time to add some pounds. Kind of falling off on my am olympic lifts, but have been upping the mobility work. Out of my big lifts, I’ve only been hitting squats and bench, but doing tons of assistance work. I’m going to test my big basics in October to see where I’m at.
(8/7/15)
Low intensity lower
(8/8-9/15)
LOTS of swimming!
(8/11/15)
High intensity upper
(8/12/15)
High intensity upper
Been thinking it’s rather pointless to post workouts that can’t be detailed, but I’d still like to be able to reference my progress. I’m bordering on 190lbs for the first time in my life (have roughly 12-15% bf). Last week, I pulled 415, a lifetime PR. Almost pulled 435, but let it go slightly below my knees. I think I could have done 425. My bench & squat have also improved, as recently I hit 245 for a set of 4 on bench, and did 275x5 on back squats for multiple sets. Starting to develop some pretty significant tightness in my hip flexors when squatting, looking for a remedy. I haven’t really been hitting my olys like I should be, going to hit them hard after October (once I can resume training for my own goals).
These workouts are pretty powerlifting-focused, so who knows, maybe I’ll run with this and try to hit my ORIGINAL goal for the end of this year, and snag me that 300/400/500. Lofty I know, unrealistic even, but maybe 4 months is enough time. I’d need (about) 75lbs on my deadlift, 75lbs on my back squat, and about 25lbs on my bench. broken down further, that’s 20lb/month on lower & about 5lb/month for bench.
EDIT: to add to the carnage, I’ll be running a half marathon mid-November.
Yesterday I flipped a tire up and down a football field w/ my dog. Happy National Dog Day. I pulled it sumo, then popped into a split jerk stance, then incline pressed it. Sore forearms? I jacked up my shoulder by deciding it’d be an okay idea to hit a heavy clean & jerk after 1 1/2 hours of training shoulders & arms.
Didn’t feel anything at the time other than a sense of dumbfoundedness at my own lapse in judgement, but about midday the next day I couldn’t raise my left arm above my head. Been rehabbing it since the day before yesterday. Not going to press overhead for a week, though I’ll probably do a few overhead throws 4 days from now on my next upper body day.
Broke some old PRs this week. Hit 285 in back squat for multiple triples, and did conventional deadlifts for multiple sets of 8 @ 315 immediately afterward. 8 reps @ 315 is a PR in itself for me on deads, and considering everything it blew any old record out of the water.