Monday 7/29
Squat
(325x1) x3 PR
(275x2) x3 (Paused 2-3 seconds)
The first two singles felt pretty good. The last one I lost my balance and my knee collapsed a little, but still wasn’t too bad a rep.
Chins
BWx10 because I was waiting for a bench. This was a 2-rep PR, by the way, and had one in the tank.
Bench
Worked up to 215x1 for a PR (Had some additional motivation, i.e. the “ulterior motive” mentioned in Friday’s post–Test. spike!)
(185x3) x3
135x8 (Stopped 1-2" before touching chest, paused for 3 count, then push the weight up and repeat)
I’ve been reading the Book of Methods and rereading the Cube Method and used a couple setup tips from there. Also got a few tips from Dan Green’s articles. The big one I got from Louie was to lower the bar faster to take advantage of the Stretch Reflex more, and it worked very well, even though I paused it on the chest. Huge pump from the 135 set.
T-bar Row
Bar + 50x10, 75x10, 100x10, 75x10, 50x10
Strict form, and just didn’t have it in me, especially since I already repped out some chins.
Couple sets of triceps work–guess why?
Some towel pullups–guess why again? Actually got a comment from the “UM” but, like a dumbass, I said nothing.
Note: these are actually awesome to challenge the grip.
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x10
So, if it wasn’t obvious, I’ve been getting a little distracted at the gym. I try my best to not let it get in my way while doing the big lifts, although it actually helped when it came to benching. The big problem: I don’t want my motives to become at all external as a result of this, but at the same time I feel like it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun after my big work is done. Not to mention I go back to school in just three weeks…
Wednesday 7/31
Deadlift
Worked up to 385x1, and called it quits.
Sumo: 315x3 x2 sets
I wanted to pull 405 today, but I was having a shitty day and 385 moved way too slowly. I’ve had a huge IBS flare-up the past few days and I got 2-2.5 hours less sleep last night than normal because, well, my mind hates me sometimes. Instead of going all-out today I decided to save it for the next two weeks.
Strict Press (no Fat Gripz)
115x5 Didn’t feel all that great…
125x1 Felt nice and easy…
135x1 Still didn’t feel too hard…
145x1 Nice PR! Didn’t expect to be able to put up so much without much strain since before today my best was 110 for a few sets of 5. I think I’m better with singles than reps because I suck at lowering the bar back down while staying tight. Should be able to put up 155-165 two weeks from now.
Chins
BW x 8, 8, 5, 5
First time doing 8 reps for more than one set, so…PR?
Facepulls for 4x10, much heavier than normal.
Bench
135x5 x5 sets (~1 minute rest per set)
All reps quick eccentric, brief pause on chest, explosive concentric.
Reverse Crunches 3x10
Because I’ve discovered using an ab wheel with APT isn’t a great idea…
Friday 8/2
Squat
315x1
335x1 x2 sets
275x1 x3 sets (5-second pause)
335 was an easy 10-pound PR. The first went quite well–my hips came up just a bit too fast, but overall I maintained form well. The second rep my form was definitely off–not terrible, but bad enough to where I didn’t want to take a third single at that weight. Also, 5-second pauses are brutal!
Bench
205x1
215x miss
185x2 x3 sets
135x5 (6-second pause above chest)
I didn’t have the groove today. Should have had 215, but I hardly used any leg drive.
“Don’t practice until you get it right; practice until you can’t get it wrong.”
T-bar Row
Bar + 50x10, 75x10, 100x10, 75x10, 50x10
I’m using up all my energy on the main lifts that these have only declined. Once I go to 5/3/1 in a few weeks I’ll need to throw in some new row variations.
A bunch of triceps stuff, and some reverse crunches.
Monday 8/5
Squat
315x1
345x1 PR, but it felt easy…
355x1 Another PR! It was kind of slow, but I maintained good form the entire lift (no good-morning-ing)
275x1 x3 sets (5-second pause)
I think the paused reps have helped tremendously because I’m weakest in the hole and they force me to not only stay tight in the hole but also to power out of it with no stretch reflex. The hardest part of the lift today was actually just supporting it on my back.
By the way, 2x BW SQUAT!! Weighed in at 178 fully clothed right after the squat.
Bench
205x1 Was going to just do a bunch of singles here, but it felt too easy.
215x1 Matched my PR, but still wasn’t too hard.
225x miss Didn’t groove it properly or stay tight enough. If I had done it like I had the 215, it would have been up.
185x3
195x2
205x1
135x10, 5 Lots of long pauses. This was more to just work on grooving it better.
I tried a different benching style today, recommended by Dan Green. Unfortunately, it might not be competition legal in many federations because it involves taking the head off the bench. But I think it will definitely help promote leg drive.
Chins
BW x 8, 8
T-bar Row
75x10, 10
50x10
Some reverse crunches.
Awesome Squats man! Are we gonna get a video of 400 soon?
[quote]Moltobasso wrote:
Awesome Squats man! Are we gonna get a video of 400 soon?
[/quote]
It will be a while until I get to 400. In about 3 weeks I’m starting 5/3/1 where I’ll almost never be maxing out during training. I’m guessing I’ll be hitting over 400 at a mock meet in November, although I’ll probably be capable of hitting 400 much sooner than that, especially since I’ll be using a belt once I buy one (Inzer Forever 10mm lever) in a few weeks.
Wednesday 8/7
Deadlift
405x1 20 pound PR! Finally got to 4 plates!
Tried some sumo pulls at 315 but they felt weak.
155x3 x3 sets with Fat Gripz and long hold at top of last rep.
My grip was slipping when I was going for 365, so I decided to tape my thumbs. It helped, as I didn’t drop 405, but my grip just barely held up. Everything else could have handled more. I have one week to strengthen my grip enough to hold 20 pounds more than I did today. I don’t want to resort to straps, but if 425 slips next week, then I will do so.
OHP
Shitty. Failed 150 and my shoulders started bothering me even more.
Chins
BW x 8, 6, 6, 5, 5
These haven’t progressed much lately, but oh well, they’re an assistance lift.
Facepulls x 2 sets because my shoulders were hurting
Fat Gripz Bench
135x5 x5 sets
I started with no bands and I added band tension with each set. The Fat Gripz added an extra half-inch to the range of motion. My chest and anterior delts are so sore…why did I do that?
Facepulls x 2 sets because again, my shoulders were hurting.
Farmer’s Walks with Fat Gripz
50 pounds/hand for two long walks.
Friday 8/9
Squat
365x1 10-pound PR, but still had more in me…
375x1 For yet another 10-pound PR! This was definitely an all-out attempt.
275x1 x2 sets with 5-second pause
So my squat is still going up! At this point I don’t plan on maxing out next week just so I don’t injure myself, but if the weights fly up like they have been I might have to…
Bench
205x1 x2 sets
185x3 (Close grip)
205x1 (Close grip)
185x3 (Close grip)
135x8 x2 sets (close grip, brief pause, bottom half of rep only)
I’m still not sure which grip is stronger for me. The first set with 185 close-grip was super easy and I had 2-3 reps left in me, but when I went for 205 the weight didn’t fly off my chest so easily. Hoping to get enough volume and enough bottom-end work to get me a 2-plate bench next week.
Kroc Row
50x10
60x10
70x10 Easy enough, but I called it quits there because it was bothering my shoulder.
Facepulls with Fat Gripz
3x10 heavier than normal
Farmer’s Walks with Fat Gripz
55/hand x3 long-ish walks
More grip work so it doesn’t fail on me for deadlifts next week.
Reverse Crunches and DB Cuban Press for a couple sets each.
5lbs away from a 1000lb total, awesome man
Yeah man! That was my goal for the summer! I was planning for 350/225/425, and it looks like it will look more like (375-385)/225/(415-425), putting me over my original goal! I have one more week to get there.
Monday 8/12
Bench
220x1 5-pound PR, bringing me to a 1000-pound gym total!!!
225x miss Had it halfway up, past my usual sticking point, but didn’t have it in me.
185x3 x3 sets (1 close grip, 1 bottom-half only, 1 normal bench)
135x12 (bottom half only, TnG)
Well, I got a PR! I’ll be benching up to twice more this week so I can get that 2-plate bench!
Squat
bar x 5
135x5
Knee has been hurting since Friday, so I thought it would be a great idea to deload and just get some blood flowing into the area.
Kroc Row
75x10
80x10
Had more in me, but I don’t want to use too much energy on assistance work since I’m maxing out on deadlifts Wednesday.
Farmer’s Walks
60 x2,1,1 Walks with Fat Gripz
80 x 1, 1 Without Fat Gripz
I think my grip will be in good shape for Wednesday. Hopefully my upper back isn’t too sore…
Nice benching man. Get that 2 plate bench!
Congrats on the 1000lb total!
Wednesday 8/14
Deadlift
365x1
405x miss Damn it! Got it off the ground and everything felt solid, but no go.
365x1
315x1 x5 sets with bands (added ~50 pounds at top) with short rest.
I was planning on hitting 425, but today I didn’t even have 405 in me. Didn’t sleep great last night because I was out with my friends for the last time before they went back to college.
Bench
205x1 x3 sets
Worked up to 135x5 with reverse grip
My “good” shoulder was feeling pretty bad on the 205, so I figured I’d take it easy today so I can get 225 on Friday.
Chinups
Worked up to BW+45 x3 for shits and giggles. That’s 1.25 x BW for 3 reps. Then went down to just BW and cranked out 8 easy reps.
Facepulls with Fat Gripz x10 x 3 sets
Farmer’s Walks
100/hand for 2x20m easily. Heaviest dumbbells the gym has. Luckily at school the dumbbells go up to 120 and there is a much longer area for me to walk, plus I can manipulate rest intervals, so there’s still a lot of ways in which I can progress with the limited poundage available.
Incline Reverse Crunches x10 x 3 sets
Friday 8/16
Bench
225x1
PR!! Finally got to a 2-plate bench! My “good” shoulder hated me after that grinder, so it’ll be good to take a week off.
Squat
Worked up to 315 for an easy single, just to keep the groove but not impede recovery.
Kroc Row
85x10 (each hand)
90x10
These were a little shaky on the left side, but solid enough on the right.
Facepulls for 3 sets, Cuban Presses for 3 sets, Reverse Flies (no weight) for 3 sets, and Farmer’s Walks for 2 walks.
Last day of going to the commercial gym. Got in, foam rolled everything (especially shoulder girdle), did some light pressing with barbells, dumbbells, bands, you name it, to work on setting the shoulders correctly. Didn’t go too great. The past few days I’ve been going full-on rehab, doing at least an hour of rehab work everyday for my shoulders. Most of that time was spent foam rolling the pecs, lats, and entire posterior shoulder girdle, as well as subscap and serratus work. It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to do any full ROM benching when I start 5/3/1 next week, and any pressing I do will need to be light. I’m determined to fix up my shoulders once and for all, even if that means a couple months or more of no benching or heavy pressing.
Did something happen a while back that caused your shoulder to be so messed up? Or is it something funky that just happened? Sucks that it’s causing such a problem, but good that you’re taking care of it