Monday 6-22-15
B.w-225.
HEAVY DEADLIFT - .90% for max reps
Warmup- beltless. Deadstop. Bench grip paused deads.
Barx6
135x6
225x6
245x2
265x2
275x2
295x2
315x2 handshands opened up. Mixed grip 2nd rep.
Work- chalk n belted. Mixed grip
325x2
345x2
365x3 top set
325x5 back off set.
CLOSEGRIP PAUSED BENCH- .90% for a single. Then overload.
warmup - full pause
Barx5
135x5
225x5
2sec pause- beltup. Chalk
245x1
265x1
285x1 top set
Overload - tng. Lockout noted
295x1 295
295x1 305 1 set chains
295x3 315 2 set chains
225x10 backoff set-full pause spoto*
PAUSED SQUATS - beltless.
3 sec pause
barx5
135x5
185x5
2 sec pause
205x3
205x3
205x6
AB WHEELS- all full paused.
X5
X5
X5
X5
X5
X10
Good day overall.
Deads- really got some solid beltless work in on all those paused deads. Working sets went o.k. rounded on 3rd rep of max set. Donāt feel real strong on deads right nowā¦but weight movesā¦
Paused squats- felt kinda tight n akward till last Cple sets. Last two felt right tho and went well. I supersetted these with ab wheels which is a wicked combo!
- the note is for the foam pad I used. I been using a small towel on squats to help save on my sore neck. I always just used the bar before this. While during squats it is def. More comfortable. .that night my neck still gets sore again. So Iām changing it up and trying a foam pad which is literally part of a foam pool noodle. It fits and works well. We will see. It is about .5 inch thick. And could feel the difference in height a bit. Felt super tight tho and worth the shot.
On my spoto bench set. I used that foam and barely touched my chest with 8t. So it was a super close spoto. Felt awesome btw.
Monday 6-24-15
B.w-223
1 min rests/belted working sets
Unrecovery, my delts were fried from Mondays session. Left one more so then right. Monday was just a humid miserable day that turned into a 12 plus hour work night. Then again tuesday, minus the humidity. Delts still hammered wednesday for bench day. Great. So just got a nice stretch n dynamic warmup in and decided on some reasonable straight sets Iād do. Nothing till failureā¦
REPS BENCH- one set for max reps. Todays substitute goal-10 perfect reps
Warmup- full pause
Barx10
135x5
225x5
add belt/chalk/1 set chains
250x10 (260 lockout) Pry had 12 here if all outā¦
INCLINE BENCH- all paused
135x5
185x5
Plus 1 set chains
205x5 215
205x5 215
205x5 215
205x5 215
205x5 215
ROWS- deadstop
135x12
155x12
185x10
185x10
185x10
185x10
185x10 from deadhang
E.z bar curls-
45x20 paused
tng
85x15
85x12
85x12
Bench- went real well with the plan. Got super tight and and perfect pauses each rep. Had 12 but would have def. Taxed my delts to failure. ā¦ a strict paused 10 set of 250 .plus 10 Pounds of chain for lockout is decent. Happy with it.
Incline- more of the sameā¦ a 4x6 would have been the goalā¦bUT sets of 5 were more manageable on my delts. On rep 4 of set 5 did I only get some unevenness and felt that left delt lightupā¦ still got my 25 repsā¦ Goal met.
Rows- canāt do enough of these. All went wellā¦
Curls- kinda fatigued out hereā¦ast thingā¦ on a diff day all sets would be 15ā¦not todayā¦
Friday 6-26-15
B.w- 222
More of the same. My last post started off talking about lack of recovery n working 12s. Since then Iāve worked 2-13 hour shifts on back to back nights. Leaving my home around 330p.m and getting back at day light. Iāve done everything well as far as hydration n mobility. I have a pool and last thing before bed I go for a nice swim and cool down.
Iāve woken up feeling better than assumed . And havenāt felt zombie like untill later Into the shift ā¦say after 10 hours ishā¦ which is unusual ā¦after days of 12 plus hoursā¦ say 3 daysā¦ it kicks in earlier . Howeverā¦ Iāve been low energy and anything to do with a Barbell turns to shit. Strength is way down.
Anywaysā¦ cut things short today.
Todays goal- get my dynamic work in and attempt my pause squat session I had planned. Adjust as needed. Supersetted them with cins.
High bar pause squats- atg
Barx10
135x5
185x5
Work- 1 set chains.1 sec pause
205x5 215 felt shitty.
205x5 215 even worse. Rep 5 awfull
205x5 215 added belt here n 2 sec pauses.
Went to tng
205x8 215
205x8 215 best set of day
Done- in comparison I did this 205 for a full 2sec paused squat 5x5 last cycle. And was very happy with itā¦ Work sucks.
Chins- 1sec hang and hold.
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X6
X6.
Off to face a 12 hr friday night and hope Saturday isnāt forced on me !
Oh boy am I still pretty beat down. Finally got some real rest sunday night. 10 straight ā¦which was good overallā¦could use it again reallyā¦but also meant I woke quite stiff. Mostly my back. My neck is still sore and overall Iām quite unmotivated. I didnāt get my mobility work in sunday night. . I was literally dozing off by midnight and just ended up callin it n going to bed.
I worked 65 hours last week. In order by dayā¦hours went like this 12/12/13/13/14.5 ā¦ I literally punched outta work at 640 a.m Saturday morningā¦ my shift started at 4p.m friday. I had a family reunion at noon and already had friends planned to come over that evening. We drank and hung out till 5 a.m. so that didnāt help at all rest wise!
I also think that my strength peaked aabout halfway through this program and I was coming down from that anywayā¦so all the work and lack of sleep turned it into a multiplier. Looking back anywayā¦
My deltsā¦pparticularly my left delt was fried for days after last weekās benching. I switched todayās paused closegrip with Fridays ch8nups to give some rest. Again looking backā¦ Iām feeling doing full sessions of all paused bench and all paused closegrip benchā¦using paused incline as an accessory is a bit much and my delts are letting me know to stop. I have two weeks of this program left. Also two weeks of similar. .Tho hopefully not quite as bad of work weeksā¦then Iām on vacation . The timing was planned that way and in this moment Iām def. Thinking of taking the week off completely. Tho I know myself and will want to do something. Iāll at least commit to no programming or planningā¦ and consider w.e adjustments need to be made to ride the 2 weeks out to finish the programā¦
Monday 6-29-15
Yes. I got my session in. With the switching out of closegrip bench. Spoiler alert. It went o.k. I didnāt get as many reps on my max squat set as I would have liked to in a fully optimal state. But I got solid reps on that setā¦andā¦ the lead up and back off sets. Overall I felt good about this session and the energy/desire I got back a bit.
I pulled some tools outta my bag to help on this day. Things Iāve responded to well in the past. It was a risk tho as it could backfire and feel or make things go worse. But I feel Iām in such a holeā¦ such a rutā¦it was a well timed risk.
-
No stretching or dynamic warmup. Iād already missed the night befores. Insteadā¦ an over warmup of the movement. Start with bodyweight and do lots or reps (vs. What youād normally do) and that will work into your warmups n working sets.
-
Switch bars. I have 2 bars. Been using my thinner bar with more whipā¦ so use my other bar which is thicker and stiffer.
Turned out to be a nice changeup and sparked some energyā¦okā¦enough talkā¦
HEAVY SQUATS- .93% for max reps
Over warmup*
B.wx10 5 sec pause
Barx10 2 sec pause
135x10 tng
205x6. Tng
Beltup- explosive doubles tng
225x2
245x2
265x2
275x2
285x2
MAX SET
295x3 *
275x5 back off sets
225x10
SPEED DEADS- explosive as possible. From floor
135x12
225x6
245x3
265 X3
WORK
285x3
285x3
285 X3
Chins- 3 sets amrap from deadhang
all dead hang
X3
X3
X3
Max sets
X6
X6
X4
Done
Squats- over warmup went well. Getting 3 at .93 % of your max isnāt bad. Iād think 5 was in the mix on a good day. My backoff sets got some decent work in to make up for it.
Deads - went well. Very smooth feeling with the stiff bar.
Chins- felt relatively strong again on these
6-30-15
B.w -225
Pulled Wednesdays bench session ahead to tuesday. I called I to work Monday night and got the sleep I needed. It def. Worked and I feel like my selfā¦ minus this damn sore neck. The thought is to feed off that rest and get my session in today. Also giving me 2 days away from training again untill fridayā¦
Also cUT incline bench out todayā¦ giving my delts some added rest.
HEAVY BENCH- all paused. No overload.
Warmup
Barx10
135x6
225x6
2 sec pause
245x1
265x1
275x1
1 sec pause
295x1
315x1.
BARBELL ROWS- heavy
deadstop
135x10
155x10
175x10
Tng
205x5
205x5
205x5
205x5
205x8
CURLS- heavy
Tng
45x15
85x10
deadstop
105x5
105x5
105x5
105x5
105x8
Good session today. Left delt felt a hair tightā¦so Iām given it rest. No strain either. Rows moved better as sets went onā¦so did curlsā¦
Trending upā¦I hope.
Iāve made a decision To take off the time needed to heal up. My sore neck has been nagging for 6 plus weeks now. Add in my sore delt to that list now. The little bit of benching I did irritated it quite allot. Iāll be taking 10 days or so away from any back squatting or pressing of any sort. Then Iāll re evaluate.
At that time Iāll be starting my vacation and can take more time off or ease I to things again . Iām not totally stoppingā¦ I plan to deadlift row and chin ups ā¦as they seem fine. Core work and trying front squatting will be in there as well.
Friday 7-3-15
B.w 224
Well. No squatting to heal my neck. No benching to rest my delts. So do stuff around itā¦
FRONT SQUATS- using straps is the only way I can. Still shakey.
B.wx8
Barx8
115x8 keep laughinā¦
135x5
155x5
185x5 tough on gripā¦but doable.
Beltup to test some singles
205x1
225x1 both moved well,just strained my grip
135x5 paused
SPEED DEADS- no belt explosive as possible
3" deficit. Deadstop
145x5
145x5
235x5
255x5
255x5
255x5
From 1.5 blocks -deadstop
255x3
235x6
145x12
AB wheels- paused every rep.
X10
X10
X10
First time ever really doing a front squat session. Iām to assume some discomfort and strain at certain points are part of the deal here. Just some time in this atmosphere should get me more comfortable. Iāll be doing these in place of back squats till my neck heals. Iām pretty good n stable for a single rep on theseā¦bbutā¦ further in its harder to keep in placeā¦
Gotta love em front squats !
Iām pretty busy lately, and donāt get much time to post, but every time I log in a workout on my own log, I swing by to check out how your making out. I do miss our old banter, and some day Iāll find the time to get back on line, but I do drop by to sneek a peek, so donāt be slackin.
Weāre still pretty even on the bench, so after Iām done this little hiatus from heavy lifting 2-4 weeks, weāll have to set-up some sort of race to some sort of number. I see 365 is already checked off, so mabey 385, or the dreaded 405 ( ya I said it 
On the flip side brother, later !
Yea man I do the same. Eras come and go. Everything works in a circle.
That time line seems about right. Iām taking a small hiatus to heal up some sore muscles ā¦then Iāll be getting back Into it all again. My plan was to get Into some explosive benchingā¦so this may work right Into that bench race. ! 405 has always been a long term goalā¦
Monday 7-6-15
Belted working sets/ 1-2 min rests
HEAVY DEADLIFT- .93 percent for a single
Warmup- beltless. Deadstop. 3" deficit
Barx6
135x6
225x6
245x3
265x3
275x1
295x1
315x1
Work- from floor. Belted.
335x1
365x1
375x1 top set
2 back off sets- both off 2"blocks. Deadstop
Power
335 X5
Speed
225x10
Front squats- straps. Tng
B.wx10
Barx8
135x6
155x3
185x3
205x3 top set. Got vid.
1 Backoff set- full pause
135x10
Chins- b.w plus water belt n shoes
full 2 sec hold and hang
X3
X3
X3
Work- 1 amrap set .tng
X10 barely. Ties p.r.
Pretty good day working within my restrictions. It was deadlift day and program called for 375x1 and I got it. I might add this was with my thicker stiffer bar which is much harder on your grip and breaking it off the floor. Just remembering this and I feel even better about the deadlift in today. Back off sets were from 2" blocks. Easy way to get some volume. Thought there is iim weakest just off the floorā¦so deadstop reps from there should target itā¦
Front squats went super good for my 2nd session ever. 205 for 3 I did a form check vid and was very happy. They felt better than I assumedā¦ but still quite tough. ā¦ on vid they looked even better. Pry had 5 in an all out set.
Chins been moving well for weeks and hitting 10 is optimal for me @@225 plus weight.
Wednesday 7-8-15
ROWS- - work up to sets with 225
From 3" deficit. Deadstop
135x12
135x12
155 X12
From floor. Deadstop.
185x10
205x8
225x6
From a deadhang 2-3" off floor
225x3
225x3
225x3
Technique work for front squat- bar only
Full dynamic warmup in squat shoes
5 sec atg holds
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
1 sec pause. Explode up
X5
X5
X5
Thatās is. Short n sweet. Avoiding certain lifts n movements leaves me with very little to do. Which is fine right nowā¦Iām still feeling quite beat up and low on energy.
My neck is Tolerableā¦but still not right. Itās gotten slightly irritated after each sessionā¦ but nothing like it gets after back squatting. So Iād say itās on its wayā¦but not there.
Front left delt is still not right. A supinated push sends a stinger feeling thru it and some random movements do the same. But 99 percent of reg activities I canāt even feel it.
Did slightly tweak a couple other thing zsā¦ wunt wunt wuntā¦ my left back has been stifferā¦Iām quite sure my 1st session of front squats stressed it. My left bicep got slightly strained during my 205 front squat set on Monday. When I came up on 2nd rep I felt it. Nothing near the actual strain I had from dead lifting a few months ago. But the same sideā¦
Friday 7-10-15
B w- 224 suprised. Iāve eaten after work each night this weekā¦when i normally fast.
1-2 min rests/ belted working sets
Narrow stance Deadlifts - 2.5 deficit.
135x6
145x6 yup
235x6
255x3
275x3
Off 2.5 blocks
285x3
305x3 add belt here
325x3
FRONT SQUAT- paused. Atg
Barx10
135x8
185x6
205x2
225x2 p.r.
Plate hold squats- paused
45x12
35x12
AB wheels. Slight .5 inch decline
X10 tng
X8 paused
X6 spoto paused
Deads- stance was a Cple inches closer than normal. Stood on 2-35 plates which measured a tick over 2.5 inches. Used same setup as the blocks. Slapped a 5 on after one plate to change up the weight progression as well.
Front squats- grip is still the struggle. But vastly Improving. Just getting tight and committing is 99 percent of theseā¦
Plate squats- literally hold a plate to my chest as high as possible n squat.
AB wheels- the spoto is just before full lay out where youād touch body to floor - stop/hold/reverse motion. Last 3 I got nice 2 sec holds.
325 on my 2.5 blocks setup
Sunday 7-10-15
No plan this weekā¦besides try to recover a bit. On vacation too!
Had my buddy Joe over and we got an upper body session in. 1st time benching in 2 weeks. That left delt is still stiff at times but getting better n better. Just got some reps in on light weight. It felt good. Shut it down light tho to avoid any irritation.
Bench - tng
barx10
115x10
135 x 10
205 x 10
225 x 10 explosive as possible. Felt great
Closegrip- 2 sec paused spoto. 1 finger on smooth.
135x12 1 set chains
135x12 2 set chains
Curls - e.z bar
70x10
85x10
65x10 strict against a wall
85x8 strict against a wall
AB wheels- tng
X10
X10
X10
X10 off 3 mats
Pullups- deadhang
X8 p.r!
X6
X4
Chins - 2 sec hold n hang
X5
Done. Fun day. Nice n easy. Didnāt irritate anything!
Tuesday 7-14-15
B.w 227.
1-2 min rests
DEADLIFT - get some reps in sets of 10
Barx10
135x10
225x10
250x10
StiffLegged
135x10 deadstop
135x10 Romanian. 1 sec pause 1" off floor
FRONT SQUAT- get some paused Triples
All paused
B.wx10
Barx10
135x10
1sec pause 1st two reps. 3sec hold last rep only
145x3
155x3
165x3
175x3
185 X3 these got better as I went
Chins- b.w plus shoes belt n water.
2 sec hold and hang
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
X3
Good day.
Just trying some stuff out. Sets of 10 on deadlift were o.k . 250 set went well. Got a little tight on last Cple repsā¦ sets of 10 on deads arenāt normal to me. But Iām gonna be hitting them soon. Considering this juggernaut template. Which has waves of 10,8,5 n 3s. Very interesting.
Paused Triples on front squats are some prep too as im conidering them after deads. Andā¦ as a main squat movementā¦ yup. Big changes coming.
Right now. Iām looking at finishing this week up with no plan on sets n reps. Rest AMAP. Next week as I return to workā¦Iād like to take a re acclimation week and re intrude my self to the lifts Iāll be doing ā¦and some volume. Thenā¦ start this juggernaut method. ā¦
Some tweeksā¦ are undulating it so waves are 10,5,8 n 3 order. Also cUT volume on lower body. 5x10 dead or front squat ? Come on. Even 3x10 on them would be alot if working weight volumeā¦which would be the plan.
Thursday 7-16-15
FRONT SQUAT- get some work in. Try out slow descent/explosive up.
Warmup- full pause
bbarx10
Barx10
135x10
Slow descent/eexplosive up
155x5
175x5
BENCH- get some work in to test my deltā¦ stress it a bit. Then shut it down.
Tng
Barx10
135x10
225x10- this was my 1st stress test last sunday. No problem since.
250x12 last 2 slower.fatigue.shut it downā¦no problem
225x10 closegrip 1 sec spoto pause. Last two slower. Fatigue. No prob.
ROWS- 1 SEC deadhang 1" off the floor.
135 x 12
135 x 12
135 x 12
Done.
My lowback was fried . From all the yard work I did yesterday. Raking weedeating shoveling. Moving stuff around. Mowing sweeping. All day. Prepping for my sonās 13th bday party saturday.
My delt feels real good and after 3 days rest coming up before any lifting,should be good to go. ā¦ Iāll still monitor how sore it is tomm. And u till then. But it feels good.
Front squats - get better and better overal. The grip is still the sore eye. Iām good for the weight. My low back gets real tight tho. Almost like a pump sometimes. I hope that passes. Howeverā¦ I donāt round at allā¦the only time I feel rounding even start would be a max attempt situation and even then I correct it. So far.
My neck is still sore. Yes I knowā¦ broken record. Butā¦ itās like a 4 or 6 at worst. And can be irritated from lifting in general, yard work, sports or even just an event full day in the pool. But again. .never higher than a 6ā¦ beforeā¦after squatting it got to like a 10!! And days after Iād walk around at like an 8. Unbearable and hence the reason Iām not backsquatting. Soā¦ Iām sticking with that. Going forwardā¦Iāll be front squatting. After next week Iāll start the juggernaut method. . Bastardizedā¦ with front squat, bench and conventional deadlift as the main lifts.
Jake mentioned getting close to a 400 benchā¦this looks like the beginning of working my way towards that.
Monday 7-20-15
Vacation over. I put something together to ease back into thing. Working w. A training max. Hit .8 of that for 5 and .7 of that for 10. Move on. Each day.
DEADLIFT- thick bar. Off a plate. Deadstop
Barx5
135x5
225x5
245x5
275x5
295x5
255x10
PAUSED FRONT SQUAT
b.wX10
Barx10
135x10
155x3
185x3
205x3
Chins- b.w plus shoes water n belt =231. 2 sec hang n hold
X1
X2
X3
X4
X5
X6
X6 paused half way up deadstop . Then finish each rep
FULL BODY CRUNCH- 1sec pause at Full extension n contraction.
X12
X12
X12
Nice day getting back into things. Back to work tonight.
