Deadlift:
8 @ 115
8 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 315
5 @ 405
1 @ 455
1 @ 495
0 @ 495 (Conventional. Almost got it. Would have been a 90 lb. PR)
1 @ 495 (Rev. Band)
1 @ 545 (Rev. Band)
1 @ 565 (Rev. Band)
Ghetto GHR:
5x5 w/ Mini Band Assistance (No catching myself, PR. Time to move to not using bands)
Box Jumps (about 4-5 inches below hip):
2x3
3x5
2x5 (Depth jump from about 10 inches)
Deadlift was pretty rough today. Grip wasn’t as strong as I would have liked and the weight moved slowly. Also, my back is always rounded. I tried sitting back to get my shoulders behind my knees, but that didn’t work. I forgot to wear my chucks for some reason. Video of some of the lifts is at the bottom.
I wish I had gotten that conventional 495. I was incredibly close.
On one of the first sets of box jumps, I smacked the shit out of my right pinkie on the box and now it’s swollen and purple. Awesome.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: 1/4 deadlift, 4/4 the rest.
This was a tough workout. I wasn’t expecting it to be. Everything was done in about 40 minutes because of unintentionally short breaks. I’m happy that my pinkie didn’t cause any grip problems, because it’s still bruised and hard to move. I was a little shaky during the bench for some reason though.
My traps and rhomboids were dying at the end of the facepulls. I don’t know why. Maybe from deadlift.
Motivation: Before getting there-1/4; Once I got there-4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
Close Grip Bench (anything above 275 is a PR):
20 @ Bar
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 245
3 @ 275
2 or 3 @ 295
2 @ 315
2 @ 335
1 @ 345 (I had the strength for another rep, but the bar was slipping, no chalk rule sucks)
Pull-Ups:
8,8,7 (Had to drop down for a second after 5th rep on 2nd and 3rd sets, biceps fatigue quickly with these) (I guess I’ll call it a PR, since I usually do a 5x5)
Banded Dips Against Doubled Mini:
5x5 (Tough after close grip)
One Arm DB Rows:
2x10 @ 120
20 @ 120
Facepulls:
3x15 @ “6”
This was a very hard workout on my elbows. No pain in the actual joint, just everything around the elbow is sore now. Feels good knowing I can do close grip without hurting my elbows every time.
I guess I know I’m a triceps bencher now too. I already did, but my close grip numbers just proved it.
I’m pretty happy about the pull-ups too, the first set was easy. I want to get to the point that I can do about 15-20 BW and weighted pull-ups with no problem.
Other than my back being tight as hell, I felt great physically today. I may have been able to get 460-465x2 on box squat, but I didn’t feel up to it. I only slept about 4 hours last night after studying for like 7 hours straight. So, back pain and headache. But, I took some caffeine to wake up and the ab work helped my back tremendously.
I like power shrugs, I want to be able to do them without stopping each rep, but the weight was pulling my shoulders down too hard. I will work on it.
I have to do the same study/not sleep thing tonight too. Woo. Will crash hard tomorrow night after my test (chemistry).
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 3/4 (very carby…eh still healthy)
Explosiveness: 4/4
Banded Speed Bench:
10 @ Bar + Short Mini
10 @ Bar + Short Monster
5 @ Bar + Short Monster and Light (for the rest) (Picture at bottom for set up/length)
5x3 @ 135 + Bands (Alt wide and normal grips)
3x3 @ 185 + Bands (Alt grips)
Cable Low Row:
8 @ 180
4x8 @ 210 (Stack)
Dips:
3x10
HS High Row:
8 @ 180
3x8 @ 270
Mini Band Pull-Apart:
100
Felt great today on the bench. There was zero band tension at the bottom, I’m not sure about the top. It was pretty heavy though, maybe +70-90 lbs. Back work was very hard today though, my traps were killin me after those power shrugs on Tuesday.
Motivation: Before Going-1/4, At the Gym-3/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Not enough)
Explosiveness: 4/4
Speed Deadlift:
3 @ 135 + Short Minis (Same for the rest)
1 @ 225
3x1 @ 275 (Too heavy for good speed and form)
5x1 @ 225
Goblet Squat:
3x10 @ 120 (+10 lb PR, pretty easy)
Westside Cable Abs:
25 @ “65”
2x25 @ “80”
Sumo Squat Hold:
1:00
0:45
Didn’t feel great today. Speed wasn’t there, but I did go heavier than I usually do. I think I need to work on thoracic mobility to help with deadlift. When I was doing the sumo squat holds, I felt like my back was straight but when I looked in the mirror, it was still rounded in the thoracic region.
Pull Up:
5x6 (Alternation between pronated and neutral grip)
Seated DB Military Press:
4x8 @ 60s
BB Rows:
8 @ 135
3x8 @ 185
Mini Band Pull-Apart:
100
Band pre-hab for elbow
I kinda died right after I got to 275 on the pin presses. Those 5 reps were actually pretty easy, but something happened with the 315 and it was over. I had originally planned to do decline for my main lift but didn’t have a spotter.
Oh well, I’ll see what I can do to keep my elbow healthy and feeling good.
Motivation: 3/4
Nutrition: 3/4
Explosiveness: Other than bench, 3/4
If you haven’t read the article today, you need to. Before today, I had never heard of “pulling your lats” during a deadlift. Well, I did today. The results were ridiculous. My thoracic rounding was completely fixed and I could sit back much better, keeping the bar closer to me. I had always thought of it as a low-mid trap problem, but it was the lats.
You’ll see the weight wasn’t great, but once I can use this form above 500, I’ll be hitting 600 soon. Anyone reading this needs to hold me to it. I want it well before August, and potentially before summer.
Deadlift:
? @ Bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
1 @ 315 (Where I noticed the insane difference with the lats)
3 @ 365
3 @ 405
2 @ 455
1 @ 495 (Added belt. Form broke down here and went up on toes, still pretty easy)
0 @ 545
0 @ 545 (No belt, got closer. Wasn’t able to hold form)
8 @ 405
Pull-Ups:
3x5
I wanted to do glute bridge, GHR, plank, and rowing as accessories, but Alex (workout partner/roommate) had to go to class. Also, my car is in the shop, otherwise I would have driven separately. If the car is ready tomorrow, I will go do those accessories plus some power shrugs.
I had also planned to hit 485x2 today, which I sh/c/would have done, but I got excited and wanted to see how much this new form would hold.
It was a great day for figuring stuff out though, so I’m happy.
I kept forgetting to update this since Wednesday for some reason. Last night was fun, we went to the Crossfit gym our speed bench and to try and lift some of their new atlas stones because they thought I’d be able to do it. I couldn’t get the 207 pounder to move, their heaviest is 260. It was incredibly hard to get a grip around it because of the size. If I could get it into my lap, I could lift it, but I couldn’t.
After we took off the bands during bench, the weight felt like nothing. Exactly as if it was a reverse band bench with light weight.
This was a tough workout. It felt great though. I was very explosive and used great form as far as I could tell. I’m working on my wrist flexibility with a clean grip during the front squat and trying to get my catch better during the clean.
Bent Over Rows:
4x10 @ 135 Alt Reverse and Regular Grip (Reverse grip hurts near wrist)
What follows is some bullshit I did trying to figure out what to do about this elbow and wrist pain. Maybe it’s my forearm strength? This isn’t in order:
BB Curl: 2x5 @ 135 (Used a bunch of momentum)
BB Wrist Flexion: 2x10 @ 135
Wrist Roller: 3 @ 25
Band Grip Stuff: 2x25 @ 2 Short Monsters
Strict EZ Bar Curl: 4x5 @ 50+Bar
JM Press and Skull Crusher: 100 total @ EZ Bar
I’m not entirely sure what the problem is here. Maybe it has something to do with not lifting very heavy for a cycle and then jumping back into it. I’m deloading, as of now, until next Sunday or Tuesday. I’ll be going to New Orleans for a few days, so I won’t be able to get to the gym. But I’ll be doing some band/bodyweight stuff when I can. A whole lot of walking too.
[quote]TylerPK4L wrote:
I’ll be hitting 600 soon. Anyone reading this needs to hold me to it. I want it well before August, and potentially before summer.
[/quote]
[quote]ashylarryku wrote:
I’ll try to remember this. Good work man![/quote]
Thanks!
(Not really) ME Lower - Trying to fix squat form
Squat:
10 @ 135
5 @ 225
2x3 @ 315 (Low bar = rough on my shoulders)
Deadlift:
5 @ 225
5 @ 275
5 @ 315
3 @ 365
See, not really max effort. I’m feeling awful when it comes to confidence. Squat speed and strength felt fine, but I must have the bar sitting in the wrong spot. It just grinds right into my scapulae and hurts a lot. Guess I need to work on my traps. I was using a wider stance and sitting back, and trying to just hit parallel instead of doing oly style all the time.
Deadlift was okay. My confidence is in the shitter at the moment though. I think I’m going to start stuffing my face, drilling form on speed days, doing mobility work every day, and taking stimulants before every ME day. One of those things, if not all of them, will push me back in the right direction soon.
Warmed up at home for about an hour including: icing and massaging my elbows/triceps tendons, regular and double mini band pull aparts, PVC shoulder dislocations, lacrosse and tennis ball on shoulders, and some neck extension/flexion.
Fat Gripz Bench:
10 @ Bar
3 @ 225
3 @ 275 (Elbows and wrists usually start hurting here. Didn’t with Fat Gripz.)
6x3 @ 315 (That’s set*rep, PR)
20 @ 135
Band Pull Apart:
3x3 Doubled Mini w/ pause and slow eccentric
3x20 Mini
Band Facepull:
3x15 Avg. Band
Finally had a good day. I took 200mg caffeine and 25mg ephedrine a few hours prior to working out, so I was pretty damn focused and motivated. I’m very happy with the 6x3 @ 315 with the fat gripz. I didn’t have any problems with my wrists or elbows, so I’ll probably continue using those for a while until whatever is wrong feels better.
I’ve been stuffing my face, as I said I would, and my energy levels are way up. I’ll continue to do this for a while to see if I can break through these plateaus. I’m also loading creatine, and purchased some leucine. If this shit plus an increase in volume with the same intensity, doesn’t help, I don’t know what to do. It’ll work though.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 4/4
Explosiveness: 4/4
Music: Skrillex - Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Dubstep)
[New Low-Bar Form] Box Squat:
Bar (I’m just going to put that from now on. I don’t keep up with the reps.)
5 @ 135
4x2 @ 225
6x2 @ 275 (Felt Great)
Power Shrugs from Pins:
8 @ 225
5 @ 315 (Add straps)
5x5 @ 405
Ghetto GHR:
5x5 w/ Mini Band Assistance (Lowering the need for help)
Narrow Grip Pull-Ups/Mini Band Pull-Apart Superset:
3x(5/33)
I felt great again today! Got my leucine (and more creatine) in the mail and I’m on day three of five of creatine loading. I think I’ll take 5g of leucine before and after each workout. Eating a lot has been helping as well I’d say.
Squats were fast and the shrugs, ghr, and pull-ups were very easy.
I’d love some advice on my form if anyone has anything to say:
Bent-Over BB Row:
2x10 @ 135 (Wrists hurt here too)
Inverted Row:
3x5
BB Floor Press:
5x5 @ 135 (Wrists felt fine)
Zercher Squat (For shits-n-gigs):
3x5 @ 135
I would have used Fat Gripz if they were available to me. But they weren’t.
My wrists were forced into adduction while I was DB benching. Somehow my forearms have lost strength recently. I’ll start doing some band stuff in my free time to help strengthen them.
I’m not sure if the same thing is causing the pain during the rowing though. This is annoying.
Deadlift:
Bar and Bar+Short Monster Minis
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
5 @ 315
3 @ 365 (Add belt)
1 @ 405 (Easiest 405 ever. Form is coming in nicely)
1 @ 455 (Easy again)
1 @ 495 (…easy)
0 @ 545 (Fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu. Like 2 inches from locking out.)
1 @ 525 (Somewhat of a grind) Punishment: 315x20 (PR)
Hyperextension:
3x8 @ 100
Back pump from hell. I couldn’t do anything else. I could barely walk to the car. Today I learned high rep pulls are awful, and I can’t wait to do more.
I’m not horribly upset about the 545 since I’ve just been doing form work for a while and nothing heavy, especially for box squat.
I had planned on box squat today, but Alex couldn’t go, and I can’t go tomorrow. So no spot = deadlift.
Motivation: 4/4 (with 4 hours of sleep last night, needed to get hyped)
Nutrition: 2/4 (So far, I have had a protein shake, 2 bananas, and 2 beef-n-cheddars from Arby’s. It’ll get better)
Explosiveness: 4/4
DB 45 Degree Bent Lateral/Rear Raise (Line of action between lat and rear):
2x5 @ 45
3x5 @ 55
Felt good during this work out. I was fast on the bench and pull ups were essentially effortless. I read CT’s thing on external rotators being fast twitch dominant, I’ll go heavy stuff like facepulls and delt stuff for a while and see what happens. The lat raises were done one side at a time.
I’ll be going to the gym for DE squats here shortly.
Motivation: 4/4
Nutrition: 2/4 (Chick fil a with a free banana pudding shake knocked me down a bit. Worth it.)
Explosiveness: 4/4
