Damn man! What a friggin’ “deload” day…
Yeah - definitely not according to prescription (60% of volume or 80% intensity) but it seems to work for me.
Gets the kinks out.
2008-4-18
abs And Forearms
Wood-splitting with 16lb sledge
1hour (I am a slow splitter)
Suitcase DL and Hold
135 1x40sec, 1x20 sec
Weighted Plank
40x1 min
Forearms Curls
Flexion
50 3x15
Extension
25 2x15, 1x14
Scap Strengthening
45 degree 1 arm row
rt arm only elbow out
50 2x20
Ultra-hungry today, but couldn’t bring myself to eat. What’s that all about? Think I’m over it now - off to get a nice ribeye.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
Ultra-hungry today, but couldn’t bring myself to eat. What’s that all about? Think I’m over it now - off to get a nice ribeye.[/quote]
Must be something in the air. I normally have lunch after I work out around 11ish. But I got really hungry around 10:30 but decided to wait. Then I had some emergencies at work and didn’t work out until about 1, so I ate about 2.
Weird.
2008-4-19
Lower
Zercher Lift
135x5
165x5
195x5
225x5
255x3,3,3,1 +30Lbs
total: 6150
Front squat
215 2x no clean, no squat.
205x5 (1 clean)
215x4,3 +10lbs (no clean, taken from the rack)
Total:2530
Romanian DL
305x5,5,5 +10 lbs
Total:4565
Grand Total: 13245
Avg Intensity: 232.4 lbs
That’s it. Started 11:PM - called it quits at midnight. Life intervened, all day long today! I had been looking forward to lifting all day long and more and more things kept being put in the way. By the time I got freed, I was chewing my forearms, I wanted to lift so bad.
Got too amped up on the first set of zerchers and forgot to put the collars on one side. Weights started sliding down the sleeve on the right and I didn’t even notice except that my balance was off, LOL. Got it on the ground again and saw the weight s were a full foot down the sleeve.
If I can’t get 5 reps straight up on the rep days, I’ll get as close to 5 as I can and 10 reps total and work my way up to 5 in subsequent sessions.
Couldn’t quite clean the 215 for front squats. Zerchers took away my extra “pop.” I was close, but wasn’t willing to dip to get the bar racked. Missed twice, dropped the weight 10 lbs and then I could clean it. Took the 215 out of the uprights to front squat. I think I can get it on the singles day though, when that comes around.
It’s strange, but the clean sets me up better for the front squat. My back is straighter and form is generally better (or feels so) than if I take the bar from the rack and then squat. I think my elbows stay higher after a clean.
Grip was better on the RDLs. Last few reps keep my attention still, though. Starting to feel these in the back rather than the hamstrings, so I’m doing them wrong or the weight is too heavy…which…would…cause me…to do them…wrong.
Arms, grip and abs tomorrow. Or not.
2008-4-20
Arms and Grip
EZ Bar Curls
85x12
105x5
125x5,5
105x5
French Press
85x12
105x5
125x5,5
105x5
1 hand weighted hangs
bw and 40x40sec,25 sec
IronMind pinch block (2 hands)
75 x3
100x1,1,1,1
plate pinch lift
25sx2 (from floor to full stand up)
2008-4-21
Bench
135x10
155x3
175x3
195x3
215x3
235x1
245x1
255xF
250xF
225x1,1,1,1 (paused)
205x3 (paused)
Interesting problem this one. Couldn’t get the bar off my chest. Once it gets high enough I can lock it out pretty quick, but the first 4 inches are the problem. So I dropped weight and paused at the bottom. Going to dump dips except as a triceps exercise and put in some dumbbell work or bottoms-ups bench for starting/turnaround strength.
I wasn’t feeling right when I started so after bench I just called it. Feeling burned out. I didn’t eat enough after my “deload” and the above is one of the effects of that. Still - finished in the 90+% range, so it’s not a regression, merely a regrouping.
2008-4-22
Upper (cont’d)
Bent row
135x5
165x5
205x5
225 2x5
Standing Overhead Press
95x5
115x5
135x5
150 2x5
Chinups
BWx10
+50x5
+80 2x5
YTWR raises
10 2x8
Lying lateral raises
10 2x15
Lying external rotations
10 2x15
Cuban Press
10 1x15
I want one of these:
[quote]skidmark wrote:
I want one of these:
http://store.sorinex.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=YK-2 [/quote]
Some serious fun there! - Just need a parking lot to train in…
2008-4-23
abs and Forearms + shoulder rehab
Overhead Shrugs
140 2x20
Scap Chinups
2x20
Scap Pushups
2x20
Scap inverted Rows
2x20
Forearm curls
Flexion
65 3x8
Extension
35 3x8
Weighted Planks
65x48sec,25sec
Suitcase DL & hold
135x1min
Starting to recover from my ‘deload’ day. Lesson learned - follow the deload parameters (60% volume or 80% intensity). If I want to do a rep day, it needs to replace a regular lifting day.
Looking forward to box squats tomorrow and snatch Grip Deads tomorrow and that’s a nice feeling.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
I want one of these:
http://store.sorinex.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=YK-2
[/quote]
Yes I have been having wet dreams about this thing since I found out about it a month ago. Fuck it I might just buy one.
2008-4-24
Lower and Arms
Partial Squat (from pin 7 - 8" ROM 12" above parallel)
225x10 2250
295x10 2950
365x10 3650
415x20 8300
total: 17,150
Box squat to parallel Box
315x1,1,1,1 (set PR) 1260
225+Avg Bandsx2,2,2 1350
total: 2610
Snatch Grip Deadlift 3" box hands inside power rings
345x5,5
total: 3450
Rolling triceps extensions
w/u
40sx10 800
w/s
50’sx6,7 (form still off though getting better - stay at this weight) 1300
total: 2100
Db hammer Curl
w/u
45x5 450
60x5,5 1200
total:1650
Grand total: 26960
Avg Intensity: 249.6 lbs
Decided to work in partial squats and see how it goes. It worked for Paul Anderson and Bud Jeffries, let’s see if it works for me…
Back feels fine, got the neural boost for the box squat. Almost pulled a hamstring on the first rep of box squat. Full range warmup recommended. Going to progressively lower the pins and the reps till I’m doing one full squat at that weight.
The volume looks really high, but the range of motion is so small that the volume is almost meaningless. There is some thought though, that the high reps get you past the range of motion limitation of partials - that is: by working high reps, the whole range of motion is strengthened rather than just the ROM you’re working. Makes a sort of sense, since as the set goes on, muscle fibres tire and new ones begin to fire. The only problem is one of neural patterning, then. If you don’t train full ROM, the brain can’t engrave that movement pattern and you lose the bottom end.
All a muscle can do is contract. It’s the brain and nerves that tell it when to do it and in what order.
Just for shiggles, I decided to try some banded squats. Top end should have been in the 345-375 range. Once I got off the box and halfway up I was popping it to lockout. My power off the box sucks, though.
Good session. Just right - I feel invigorated, not beat up.
Later:
Shrugs
315 3x10
2008-4-25
Grip and Shoulder Rehab
1 hand hangs (rotating D handle)
BWx15sec
BWx10sec,10sec
Friggin’ tough, these!
1-hand 2" horizontal bar lift
140x3,3 (picks)
105x3,3 (hold @ top)
130x3,2 (full stand)
2 hand Plate pinches (no chalk, full stand)
35’s x 10,10,10
YTWR
15 2x8
Cuban Press
15 2x15
2008-4-26
Upper
Push Press (slow neg)
95x5 475
115x3 345
135x3 405
155x3 465
175x3 525
190x1,1,1,1 (+5lb) 760
135x9 (straight press - +1 rep) 1215
total: 4190
Neutral Med grip Pull up
BWx10 1600
+30x8 1520
+60x6 1320
+90x3 750
+110x1,1,1,1 1080
+60x8 (+1 rep) 1760
total: 8030
Incline Bench
115x5 575
135x5 675
155x5 775
175x5 875
190x5,5 1900
total: 4800
DB Bench
75x5 750
85x5 850
95x4 760 (PR for reps)
90x4 720 (I guess we know where the weakness is, then…)
total: 3080
Reverse grip BB Row
145x5 725
195x5 975
230x5,5 2300
total: 4000
Grand Total: 24100
Avg intensity: 175.9lbs
We’ll see if I get anything out of the DB bench. A lot of folks don’t seem to. However, If they strengthen my bottom end bench, I’ll keep on doing 'em. Of course.
The benefits of a training partner: They can check your form.
I’ve been benching with my right shoulder down for a a year now, I’ll bet. Finally got it up and back and my incline bench solid felt like it never has. The tricep could fire at the right time and each rep was never in doubt. The right tricep is smaller and weaker than the left (like a full inch smaller and 10-20 pounds weaker) due to this mis-positioning.
This is a really good thing to find out - but a good training partner could have fixed me up much earlier.
2008-4-27
Abs, Forearms and Shoulder rehab
Weighted front planks
65x1 min
Suitcase deadlift and hold
145 2x30sec
Wrist curls
Flexion
50 3x15
Extension
25 3x15
Shoulder rehab
reverse grip scap pushups
2x20
rev grip scap rows
145 2x20
Scap pullups
2x20
DB overhead Shrugs
50s 2x20
Side lying front laterals
15 2x15
Side lying laterals to 45 deg
15 1x15
Side lying Internal rotation
15 1x15
Light/heavy cycle seems to work for forearms as well. Couldn’t get 3x15 at that weight last time. This time was easy.
Used straps for Suitcase DL hold. Hands are tired. May skip 1-legged DLs tomorrow and stop at Good Mornings.
Hey Skid - how’s that shoulder rehab coming along? Are you seeing any improvement? I think I’m regressing at this point. Think I’m going to see the doc and get referral to a physical therapist. hopefully one that understands sports rehab…
I am, actually. Still hurts after pressing, but not for as long or as badly. I’m getting honed in on the weak spots and I may have it licked in another month or two.
If I could get off the keyboard for a couple of weeks, that would speed it along. The habits are too ingrained to break quickly.
Yeah - Sports doctor is the best way to go. Reg. orthos don’t clue in on the fact that we actually USE our bodies for more than reaching for the remote or opening the fridge.
Skid, thanks for your reply to my first blog. You really know how to train. Sorry to read your shoulder is a problem. I didn’t bench for 5 or more years because of my shoulders (and bad form until I found this site).
[quote]ecogenx wrote:
Skid, thanks for your reply to my first blog. You really know how to train. Sorry to read your shoulder is a problem. I didn’t bench for 5 or more years because of my shoulders (and bad form until I found this site).[/quote]
Shoot - most of these other guys here have been training much longer than me - their advice should carry more weight than mine. It does seem that folks in the middle years encounter more shoulder problems than youngsters do - I guess because we have more time to practice bad form. LOL.
Did you overcome the shoulder problems or are you just benching through the pain? How’d you fix 'em up?