Tuesday 1/15 --Birthday Lifting!
Front Squat
Worked up to 205 for a single. It’s been almost a week, so I’m not surprised that these were as hard as they were. Also tried back squatting but I just can’t keep my upper back tight enough because of the anterior instability in my shoulder. Guess I’m sticking with Front Squats for awhile.
Deadlift
275 for 5 doubles. Used just a little bit of chalk for the last two sets and noticed that it was surprisingly helpful, even though I wasn’t really having grip problems with this weight. Help keep everything tight!
Fat Gripz biceps curls
I just did the bar for a couple sets of ~10. Going to do these 2-3 times a week, just with the bar for awhile. Once I can hit ~20 for two sets easily, then 'll move up the weight a bit. I want to put a little size onto my arms to help with stability once I’m able to bench again.
Landmine Anti-Rotation Stability Drill
Did a couple sets of these. Figured a little core work could only help, especially in the beginning.
Wednesday 1/16
Front Squat
Worked up to 205 for a single. Worked on my form a bit. Was getting some buttwink and a bit of pain in my back when I was focusing on sitting back a little, so now I’m working on sitting down into the hole. Definitely alleviated all back discomfort and made getting out of the hole easier.
DB Floor Press
45s for 3x8. Routine.
Cable Rows
20/hand (free handles) for 3x~8. Didn’t really keep track, just really focused on correct proper scapular retraction and the arthrokinematics of the GH joint.
Facepulls
10 lbs for 3x15. Mid traps and rhomboids were already sore at the beginning, but then FS, cable rows, and these destroyed them. Also have been doing sets of 15 for band pull-aparts throughout the day.
Missed logging a few days of training. Hit 205 a couple times and 215 once for front squats and moved 47.5 lbs/hand for DB Floor Press. Improved my deadlift setup, too, I think.
Been awhile since I’ve posted here. My progress has been decent, I suppose, but not exemplary. I’ve hit a 245 front squat, 285 back squat, and I just started benching again this week for the first time in a year. My best so far is 165 for a paused triple. I’ve also got a mock meet in 3 weeks time that I’m training for.
Friday 3/29
Back Squat
Worked up to 275 for a single, then did 225 for 8x2.
Deadlift
275 for 7x2 before my hands couldn’t take any more. Working on my set up a bit. Haven’t been able to pull conventional much because I was hook-gripping incorrectly and tearing up my hands real bad.
Saturday 3/30
Back Squat up to 275 for a single, then 225 for 8x2.
Bench up to 170x3, then 135 3x3.
Power Clean(first time) at 155 for 5x3.
Rows, facepulls, etc.
Monday 4/1
Squat up to 265 for a single (new shoes, need to ingrain new motor pattern a bit) then 225 for 6x2.
Power Clean at 165 for 3x2, then speed pulls at 235 for 4x3.
Tuesday 4/2
Front squat up to 225 for a single, then 185 for 5x3.
Bench up to 175 for a triple, then 135 for 2x3, long-pause.
Usual upper back, shoulder, and biceps accessory.
Thursday 4/4
Back Squat up to 290 for a single–5 lb. PB. Then 225 for 5x3.
Trap Bar Pulls at 275 for 5x3.
Friday 4/5
Front Squat for 235 for 3 singles, then 225 for ~7-8 singles.
Bench up to 180x2, failed the third rep. Then 155 for 4x3.
T-Bar Rows, facepulls, and Fat Gripz barbell curls to finish.
Saturday 4/6
Back Squat up to 285 for a single, then 225 for 10x3. Damn, that felt good! Every single set I could feel was getting better and better, even though I obviously had less energy for each consequent set. I ended up using the squat rack for just over an hour… Time to move up the weight on my backoff sets and work back up to 10x3. 300 here I come!
Deadlift up to 165kg/363 pounds for a single! This is technically a PB. Awhile ago I “hit” 363 pounds because I considered the pull good because I got past my sticking point, my grip just gave out about a quarter of a second before lockout. Today, though, I managed 363 without any grip issues–hook gripping, no less! My hand was gushing blood after the set was finished, but I still pulled the weight easily enough.
Monday 4/8
Back Squat up to 285 for a single, then 245 for 10x2. Loving this higher volume stuff.
Power Clean up to 185 for a comfortable-enough single, then missed 200 by an inch. For my third time doing cleans, almost getting 200 ain’t bad.
Tuesday 4/9
Front Squat up to 250 for a single–first PB in awhile for these. Finished these off with 200 for 5x3–big time backoff PB, but also extremely exhausting. Dem collar bone bruises!
Bench up to 195 for a single, then 155 for a couple paused sets. I moved my grip in just a little bit–now I have ring fingers on the INNER rings of a standard Ivanko bar–almost exactly shoulder width. Harder to keep upper back tightness when I’m in this close, but it feels stronger overall.
Facepulls and curls to finish.
Nice Progress.
Just wondering what program your doing?
Thursday 4/11
Squat up to 295 for an easy enough single, but missed 300 because my core wasn’t tight enough and I think I psyched myself out a bit. Then did 245 for 5x3, which was completely exhausting.
Deadlift up to 165 kg, then missed 167.5 kg. Had to tape both thumbs and the pads of my left hand because the blisters/calluses keep getting wrecked.
I’m running an Bulgarian/Russian-type program based off John Broz’ recommendations for powerlifters with adjustments for my own needs, such as doing power cleans once a week to both build pulling power and give my hands a break from the constant blister forming/tearing that comes with doing hook grip deadlifts. My philosophy is: if you want to get stronger at a certain lift, do that lift frequently with heavy weight and high volume. The only accessory work I do is to balance out the shoulder girdle.
Friday 4/13
Squat up to 295, then 275 for 10 singles, then 285 for three singles, then I failed the fourth. This was the longest squat session ever…
Bench up to 195 for a comfortable single, then I got a handoff for 200 lbs, but the guy didn’t know how to hand off and ended up dropping the weight into my hands. Lost all back tightness and didn’t stand a chance at getting the weight up. Then did a few singles at 195 and 185.
Explosive pullups and T-bar rows, finishing with a few curls.
Saturday 4/13
Back Squat up to 300 for a 5 lb. PB, then 305 for another good-form 5 lb. PB. Attempted 310 and missed due to a technique issue, so then I tried 315 for the hell of it and I missed the lift, but I was able to get out of the hole easily. I found my “Zen mode” today–I was able to get under the bar, unrack it like it was nothing, and just calmly squat the weight. The 315 must have looked weird for people watching because I missed the lift and then proceeded to just walk calmly out of the rack without heavy breathing or any fatigue. I’ll definitely be getting 315 at the meet (one week from today!).
Speed Pulls at 285 for 6x2 until the tape on my hands tore and started to tear my hands again. These were quite fast.
Monday 4/15
Squat up to 295 then missed 305 because I’m kind of exhausted today. I then worked on unracking the bar and holding it there for 20 seconds–I got up to 405 pounds with unracking, stepping back, and just holding it there will full body tension for 20 seconds. I then attempted 310–right at the bottom of the lift my boxers split :-[ I missed the lift because I got so distracted from that happening. Couldn’t really squat comfortably after that, so I called it a day. Measured the tear after the fact–11 inches long, right down the back :D Guess it’s time to get some new underpants–my legs and glutes are just getting too big!
Deadlift up to 167.5 kg/ 368 lbs. for a 5 lb. PB. Finished with 155kg / 342 lbs. for 4 singles with short rest. My hook grip is holding up surprisingly well–especially now that I’m taping both thumbs and the pads of my little fingers.
Tuesday 4/16
Squat up to 305 for a single, then did 285 for 6-7 singles. I failed one of these in the middle because I didn’t keep my core tight enough, so I was pretty spent after doing another ~2 singles with the same weight after failing one.
Bench at 185 for 4 singles. Bench has definitely hit a wall for now, probably because I can’t spend a whole lot of time working on it since I spend so much time squatting. It also doesn’t help much that I’m using a very close grip (third fingers on INNER rings of standard Ivanko bar) and doing a competition pause every rep.
T-bar Rows for 3x6. Using 25 lb. plates instead of 45’s makes the range of motion actually appreciable and it feels like it’s actually doing something now. Also did facepulls for 2x12 and Fat Gripz curls for 2x6