9/19: Dynamic Squat Day
Low Box Squats w/100Lbs of Chains
very long warmup include cardio/stretching
235x2x6
After this, I had nothing left. Lower back was fried and legs on fire
9/21:
Low Box Squats w/100Lbs of Chains
Very long warmup again.
250x2x6
Lower back fried again and called it quits. due to working nights a very long warmup which includes cardio and stretching seems to wake my body up and get my legs ready. Felt good today so decided to increase weight a little. Still felt I had a few more pounds to add and a few more reps but decided to take my victory for the day and fight again next week. I would have done bench press today, but my damn BJJ instructor hit me with a brutal arm bar which has my left elbow tendor and weak as hell So, elbow getting better but want to give it a few more days of ice and naproxin.
9/23: Dynamic DL’s with 100Lbs of chains
DLs (100Lbs of chains)
365x2x6
extensive warmup…Been working well since work graveyard shift. warmups include incline run on treadmill for one lap at speed of 6.0-6.5 depending upon how I feel. 10 Mins on eliptical at a hard resistance and then stretch for 15 minutes…After this, progressively work up to working sets with either singles or doubles depending on how the weight feels.
(There was a 50Lb jump from last time to this session with regards to Dynamic efforts. It turns out to have been a good jump to the max amount and still keep rate of speed high. Anything more than this, would have gone into the strength relm.)
6 seems to be the max point where I get a good session and not feel like I overtrained the next day due to muscle soreness and unwillingness to train again for 3 days if I were to do more
9/25: Hit the gym on Sunday and did DL’s and bench. MOre of the focus was on bench
Bench Press w/100Lbs of chains
225x2x8
DL’s with 100/lbs of chains
365x2x4
9/28 Squat Day. Suprised myself and finally got past the mental barrier of squating for reps over or near 400Lbs.
Squats
315x3
350x3
405x3
415x2 Did not set up camera for this attempt, but when it felt pretty smooth decided to increase and made sure got camera for next set
425x2
All of the sets in the 400Lb range were PR’s for reps.
9/30 Deadlift day. Was I tired from work. Wanted to go home and crash but pushed through workout and did better than expected but not what I wanted to do overall.
DL (All sets, stop and reset)
405x2
455x2
515x2x2
515x1x2
Was shooting for 525-530 but after hitting 515, I knew it was time to stop here. Can’t be mad at myself since I was exhausted working all night. No videos since this is a weight I have hit before.
10/3: Bench and Squat. Missed this weekend’s planned training session due to kid’s birthday so had to hit Bench today and dynamic squat. What I did was focus purely on technique with the squat because i will squat again later in the week.
Bench (1st rep pause n press, 2nd rep touch n go)
315x3
320x3
330x2
Dead Position Bench Press
325x1x4
Low box Squat with 100Lbs of Chains
135x3x6
10/6: Dynamic Squat Day
Low Box Squat w/100Lbs Chains
extensive warmups
250x3x6
Exceeded last dynamic day when I did 250x2x6. Felt pretty good so next time will raise 10-15Lbs depending upon how the weight feels.
10/8: Decided to do Push/Pull Day
Bench Press(100Lbs of Chains)
225x3x6
Did Six more reps than last week. felt explosive so will raise weight up next dynamic training session
DL w/100Lbs of Chains
375x2x6
Felt slower than anticipated so will probably stick with this weight again next training session
Before started training, did extensive warmup which lasted 45 mins of moderate cardio, stretching and mobility exercises.
10/18..Took time off from gym because body was beat up and lost motivation. Also, what I learned today is I am stronger on the squat with my OLY shoes than I am with my vibrams. After careful consideration, I will start using my OLY shoes for ME Squats and when I focus on volume and speed I will use my Vibrams for squats. I will run test cycle to see how this works out.
Squats w/Vibrams
365x3
405x3
425x1
My last set of squats informed me of the weakness I have since the squat motion is a tad different flat foot vs. slightly raised heal. Like I said, I will run a test cycle and guage the results.
10/23 DL Day High Reps concept
DL
warmup x warmup
405x2x9
All reps were stop and reset and these were not speed sets. This was a training session to hit 18-20 total reps.
10/25: High Reps Bench Day
Bench
warmup x warmup
225x5
265x5
300x4x2
All sets done slow on descent and fast going up. Took a training max of 375 and then hit 60/70/80% Again, 18-24 reps total was goal.
Rack Pulls (Without Belt) Wanted to strengthen lower back a little and focus on being tight
405x1x5
460x1x5
500x1x5
Lower back is officially fried!!!
10/30: Rep Squat Day
Stayed in the 60-70% Range for Reps
Squats
warmup x warmups
315x3x5
Good mornings
185x8
225x6
Did not want to exceed 20 Reps total in squats and no more than 3 reps per set in this rep range. Feel pretty good and also feel I had a lot more in the tank if wanted to push the issue. Better to walk away feeling good then walk away feeling good and beat up which typically happens and then I am wiped out for damn near a week. I am learning to stay in a certain percentage and rep range in order to recover and still make gains. My last squat session in which I hit doubles and triples in the 400Lb range killed me for 7 days. So, I will continue to stick with this method of limiting reps as they relate to a certain percentage of max since I am raw/natural lifter.
Next week is speed week with chains or bands depending upon how I feel. Think I will give bands a shot and focus on bar speed and not bar weight/band tension or a mixture of light band tension with chains. We shall see.
11/1: Dynamic Day DL’s
I wanted to increase the tension but no worry about bar weight so much. I want to rip the bar off the ground and work on lockout.
DL(100Lbs of Chain and little orange mini bands from EFS)
warmup x warmup
225x2x10
I only took 45 second rest between sets and my lower back was fried by set 5. First 5 sets were stop/reset and the last 5 was touch n go. Like I said, lower back was on fire so I cheated in order to get this over with. Bar speed was pretty good. Not too heavy, but heavy enough where I can explode up and not fall backwards on my ass.
Barbell Rows
315x5
350x5
350x3
Curls for the girls
Nothing else left!!!
11/3: Dynamic Bench Day
Performed all reps as fast as possible. I doubled wrapped the EFS Black long mini bands around which provided more tension than expected. Didn’t feel like dragging the chains so used the bands instead.
Bench
205x3x8
2bd Press
315x3x3
11/5: Dynamic Squat Day…Used Long Black Mini EFS Bands for tension. Performed each rep fast as possible
Squat:
225x3x5
225x1
Jump Squats
135x3x3
Wanted to hit 8 sets of 3 but on that sixth set, my legs just gave out and said no more.
11/7: Since I will be working short and late hours, I have the opportunity for plenty of rest and recovery so I will be doing the big 3, 3X’s a week on the same day following Korte’s 3X3 variation. This is a good time because this will increase my conditioning for the PL comp in January.
DL (Projected 85%, No belt)
225x1
315x1
405x1
455x1
515x1x3 (Went up pretty fast but slowed down towards lockout…(weak point))
Squat (60%)
275x3x3
Bench Press (60%)
225x3x3
11/9: 85% Bench Day
Bench Press
135x10
185x3
225x1
275x1
320x1x4 All Pause and Press. Felt real good, had plenty more left in tank or could have went up.
Squats
275x3x3
Deficit (3") DL
365x3x3
11/11 85% Squat day
Squats
135x1x3
185x1
225x1
275x1
315x1
365x1
410x3x2 Felt good, tight and explosive
Static Squat Holds (walkouts)
500x1x2 15 seconds each rep and just walk and move around in squat rack
11/14 After hitting the big 3 pretty hard on the same day, I was pretty beat up by week’s end and decided to scale back.
DL (90% projected)
225x3
315x3
405x1
455x1
520x1 This was a test pull…if felt heavy, I exceeded last session and if not, I can move up as planned
550x1x3. These felt good and explosive..Again, feel the need to work on lockout
Rack Pulls
500x1x3
550x1x3
570x1
11/16: 90% Bench Day
Bench Press
135x10
185x3
225x1
275x1
330x1 Test Rep to see if going to be bad day or not. Felt good for a pause n press
370x1x2 A bit of slow grinder towards lockout but fast off chest.
Want to still do big 3 but I felt how my body reacted so I am trying to do a push/pull and see how body responds
Speed Deads (100Lbs Chains…1 min rest)
315x3x6
