[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
OHP (3x3): 170, 195, 220 (7)
[/quote]
I h8 u
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
OHP (3x3): 170, 195, 220 (7)
Great workout here tonight. One rep shy of a huge PR in OHP, but settled with 7. Pretty sure I couldn’t have gotten 8 on this day, but should set me up to make a smaller PR in my 531 week next week I think.[/quote]
Hey I have an OHP technique question.
I was trying to learn about better form on overhead press, and I noticed that there were people using “hip drive”, which I never knew about on that lift. Their knees never bent obviously, but they would kind of rock their hips to get some pop out of the bottom. Do you do anything like that?
[quote]csulli wrote:
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
OHP (3x3): 170, 195, 220 (7)
Great workout here tonight. One rep shy of a huge PR in OHP, but settled with 7. Pretty sure I couldn’t have gotten 8 on this day, but should set me up to make a smaller PR in my 531 week next week I think.[/quote]
Hey I have an OHP technique question.
I was trying to learn about better form on overhead press, and I noticed that there were people using “hip drive”, which I never knew about on that lift. Their knees never bent obviously, but they would kind of rock their hips to get some pop out of the bottom. Do you do anything like that?[/quote]
I don’t consciously do it, but it may be part of the process as I use quite a bit of “arm drive” (if that makes sense) pushing the bar up. What I mean is that I have it steady on my lat shelf, then dip it down just a bit to get a bit of a stretch reflex at the bottom before exploding it up. This probably carries down through the chain into the glutes and hips, so yeah possibly.
I will say that at the moment I am about to explode up I make a conscious effort to tighten up every part of my body that I possibly can. Clench your jaw. Flex the shit out of your glutes and squeeze the shit out of the bar.
You can kinda see this on my OHP videos on youtube.
12/17/12
Foam rolling quads, IT bands, and glutes
Hip Flexor stretching on medium box
SSB Squat (531): 315, 355, 405
Leg Press (4x15): 4 pps, 5, 4, 4
Leg Curl (4x15): 80, 100, 110, 120
Leg Extension (3x12): 110, 110, 120
Ab Wheel (3x12): yup
Pretty great session. I can get used to that.
Went to the chiro earlier in the day and got worked on. Getting some good movement in my rib area on the right side which is likely causing my right scapula issues, but not a lot of progress today on the lower back. I felt great after leaving the office last week in lower back but didn’t get much relief from this visit. Still gotta keep doing my homework and keep on truckin’.
SSB Squattin was pretty good. Worked up to a heavish single at 405 and it was pretty easy. Lower back pain was minimal throughout, just a bit of pressure, and no real torque going on. This was favorable.
Funny story, I had mentioned this back in my log about a year ago that the handles on the safety squat bar were put on there backwards so the handles would hit your knees (they faced down) if you used it the right way, or you could turn it around which puts a lot more stress on you and bends you forward to make the handles face up. I took some tools to the gym and fixed it and it has been fine since.
Until tonight. Some fucker had taken the handles and reversed them again, and I was pissed. Not cool. I texted my girlfriend since she is the PT director there and told her to get to the bottom of “whatever fucking idiot is messing with my squat bar”. She didn’t respond and when I got home I started bitching about it again and she had the biggest shit eating grin on her face. Apparently it was her. That bitch. We cool now though.
Finished up the workout supersetting leg press and leg curls, which fucking blew me away. I was supposed to do 5 sets but could only manage 4 and had to drop the weight on the leg press to get there. The volume on this is killer.
Leg extensions and Ab Wheel were supersetted as well, and cut each a set short since the gym was closing. Nothing too exciting there.
Benchin tomorrow. Gonna stop going for extra reps on the money exercise until I get more used to this volume.
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Until tonight. Some fucker had taken the handles and reversed them again, and I was pissed. Not cool. I texted my girlfriend since she is the PT director there and told her to get to the bottom of “whatever fucking idiot is messing with my squat bar”. She didn’t respond and when I got home I started bitching about it again and she had the biggest shit eating grin on her face. Apparently it was her. That bitch. We cool now though.
[/quote]
LOL
Please tell me she did that on purpose
[quote]scj119 wrote:
Please tell me she did that on purpose[/quote]
Well yeah she did it on purpose, but it wasnt to fuck with its because thats the way she likes it. Some shenanigans about how she can’t reach the handles when its on the proper way. I dunno, but its going back next squat day
12/19/12
Foam Rolling: Quads, Glutes, IT Bands
Stretching: Hip Flexors
Neck scrapes
Kneeling Open-Ups
Bench (531): 285, 325, 360
Dips (4x8): Ouch
Pec Dec (4x12): 140, 140, 160, 170
Pushdowns (5x20): 42.5 (30 on last set for only 15)
Pushups: 15, 12, 12, 10
Another good session, but I am fucking exhausted. The volume on this day seems to get me more than on any other days–even the bodyweight stuff is tough after the preceding exercises. I guess that’s a good thing.
The single at 360 felt a little tough for some reason tonight. My abs were still fried from last night and hurt to actually lay down. But good thing I’m a bodybuilder now and not a powerlifter (haha)
All the accessory stuff went pretty well. Dips were hella tough. I got less this week than I did last week (couldn’t manage more than 8 on the first set). Went up weight in Pec Dec. Pushdowns fried me to failure, as did pushups.
May go do some steady state cardio tomorrow depdning on how I’m feeling. Definitely going to do some mobility work, maybe the Agile 8 with emphasis on the quads and hip flexors.
There?s obviously a huge downside to this kind of pressure. If you let any stress get to you it could rip you to shreds. Louie warned us to not let powerlifting be our entire life, but for many of us it was.
At times the tension was ridiculous. You?re crammed into a small room full of huge guys, all on edge, a second away from exploding. I?ve seen fist fights during speed bench day, plates thrown around, and countless uncomfortable heated arguments.
But the training never stopped. Ever. Guys would be at each other?s throats on Friday but be back on Monday. Cause that?s when we squatted.
Every gym has drama. We were conditioned not to give a fuck. I trained along side some people I?d never associate with outside of the gym, but within those walls they were the ones pushing you to get better and you the same. I still have no idea what some of the guys I trained with did for a living. Hell, some I only know by the nicknames we?d given one another. In the gym we were all the same.
you’re a tall guy right? How wide is your grip on bench?
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
There?s obviously a huge downside to this kind of pressure. If you let any stress get to you it could rip you to shreds. Louie warned us to not let powerlifting be our entire life, but for many of us it was.
At times the tension was ridiculous. You?re crammed into a small room full of huge guys, all on edge, a second away from exploding. I?ve seen fist fights during speed bench day, plates thrown around, and countless uncomfortable heated arguments.
But the training never stopped. Ever. Guys would be at each other?s throats on Friday but be back on Monday. Cause that?s when we squatted.
Every gym has drama. We were conditioned not to give a fuck. I trained along side some people I?d never associate with outside of the gym, but within those walls they were the ones pushing you to get better and you the same. I still have no idea what some of the guys I trained with did for a living. Hell, some I only know by the nicknames we?d given one another. In the gym we were all the same.[/quote]
Are you saying I should punch my girlfriend for flipping the safety squat bar handles around?
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
you’re a tall guy right? How wide is your grip on bench?[/quote]
Yeah 6’5, but wingspan is something like 6’8…I take a narrow grip on the bench (got a couple videos on youtube from my last meet). I used to try to bench wider, since, well hell, that’s what every powerlifter tells you to do…but then I saw KK benching in one of his videos and he has long ass arms and benches closer grip, so why not try it…it worked and I stuck with it
12/20/12
Foam Rolling: Glutes, Quads, IT Bands, Back
Stretching: Hip Flexors
Deadlifts (3x8): 225, 265, 305
DB Rows (4x12): 85, 95, 95, 85
Lat Pulldowns (4x10): 100, 120, 120, 120
Good Mornings (4x10): Bar, 135, 135, 135
Hanging Abs (4x10): Yup
Worked up to 305x8 for my last set today with a belt and had absolutely no pain the entire set, which was promising and made me happy. Started to tighten up as I moved on to DB Rows and hurt a bit, but not too bad. So even though the pain wasn’t there, I am still weak as shit after the layoff, but I suppose that is to be expected and will be easily remedied once I get healed up and can be more consistent.
Moved up a bit of weight in all my exercises this week, and will try to hit the top weights for straight sets before moving up and staggering it again. Really trying to focus on the muscles during the movement, which I am terrible at for back days. I can’t ever “feel” my lats working on rows or lat pulldowns the same way I can on the pec dec, for instance. Giving some consideration to just backing off the weight and really trying to make that mind muscle connection…but then that just sounds awful.
Getting stronger on hanging abs…was still sore from Monday’s ab wheel though, 3 days later…ridiculous
Ok gonna go get drunk now and await the end of the world…peace
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Yeah 6’5, but wingspan is something like 6’8…
[/quote]
Fun fact: wingspan is atually something like 1.02-1.03 * height so that’s not far off from “average”.
^ did not know that, always thought wingspan varied a lot
I also had a mancrush on KK that led me to a closer grip on benching. It feels more powerful now that I don’t get shoulder pain after every other session.
Close grip for more awesomeness…and funny looks/comments at powerlifting meets.
[quote]scj119 wrote:
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Yeah 6’5, but wingspan is something like 6’8…
[/quote]
Fun fact: wingspan is atually something like 1.02-1.03 * height so that’s not far off from “average”.[/quote]
Cool story bro
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
I also had a mancrush on KK that led me to a closer grip on benching. It feels more powerful now that I don’t get shoulder pain after every other session. [/quote]
Yeah there was a thread about it in the powerlifting forum not too long ago–it seems there are a lot of long armed bastards benching with a fairly close grip and doing better at it. Completely counter-intuitive, but I don’t care as long as it works
[quote]MightyMouse17 wrote:
Close grip for more awesomeness…and funny looks/comments at powerlifting meets. [/quote]
You will get even funnier looks weighing in the day before absolutely shitfaced holding a beer while stepping away from the poker table for a quick hop on the scale.
Not that I would know from experience or anything
12/22/12
Foam Rolling: Quads, Glutes, IT Bands, Back
Stretching: Hip Flexors, adductors (or is it abductors? whatever muscle is inside your groin)
OHP: 185x5, 210x3, 235x6 New PR!
Seated DB Press (4x12): 55
EZ Curl (4x12): 55, 65, 65, 65
Reverse Pec Dec (4x12): yup
Machine Curl (4x10): yup
Well I survived the apocalypse and decided to celebrate by setting a big new PR in the OHP
Feels good.
Knew going in that it was a PR kinda day. Definitely had another rep if I wanted it there I think. No need to over-do it, but this one was fairly easy. First rep PR I’ve set since August, on any lift (which was this same weight for 6 reps). Feels good.
Hit up my bodybuilding accessory stuff and called it a day. The machines at this gym (I’m up at my girlfriend’s family’s place for the weekend) had different weight settings than my gym. made me realize I really have no real reason to be keeping tack of my assistance weights anyway, since the main focus is on feeling the muscle and mind muscle connection and all that shit, so that’s what I’m gonna do from now on.
A few exercises that I consider big enough (leg press, DB press, DB rows, curls, couple others maybe) I’ll still keep track of probably because I like increasing the weight on those or think they are really good carryovers to powerlifting stuff, but nobody gives a shit about Pec Dec PR’s–or at least they ought not to.
That’s it for this training cycle. Got my deload the week of Christmas, which will probably just be a little bit of bullshit and conditioning since basketball season is coming up, but nothing too intense. Definitely digging this bodybuilding style routine with the higher reps, and my back seems to be doing a bit better. Moving forward.
Merry Christmas you dirty heathens…
[quote]MightyMouse17 wrote:
Close grip for more awesomeness…and funny looks/comments at powerlifting meets. [/quote]
Yeah get them
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
There?s obviously a huge downside to this kind of pressure. If you let any stress get to you it could rip you to shreds. Louie warned us to not let powerlifting be our entire life, but for many of us it was.
At times the tension was ridiculous. You?re crammed into a small room full of huge guys, all on edge, a second away from exploding. I?ve seen fist fights during speed bench day, plates thrown around, and countless uncomfortable heated arguments.
But the training never stopped. Ever. Guys would be at each other?s throats on Friday but be back on Monday. Cause that?s when we squatted.
Every gym has drama. We were conditioned not to give a fuck. I trained along side some people I?d never associate with outside of the gym, but within those walls they were the ones pushing you to get better and you the same. I still have no idea what some of the guys I trained with did for a living. Hell, some I only know by the nicknames we?d given one another. In the gym we were all the same.[/quote]
Are you saying I should punch my girlfriend for flipping the safety squat bar handles around?
[/quote]
that’s exactly what he’s saying
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
[quote]scj119 wrote:
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
Yeah 6’5, but wingspan is something like 6’8…
[/quote]
Fun fact: wingspan is atually something like 1.02-1.03 * height so that’s not far off from “average”.[/quote]
Cool story bro
[/quote]
fucking riveting
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
[/quote]
change your avi back
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
OHP: 185x5, 210x3, 235x6 New PR!
[/quote]
my hate knows no bounds
Thats some nice overhead pressing! Best I can do is half that for 6…maybe I should kill myself?
I’m sure you get this a lot, but all of your pressing is just that much more impressive with your long ass fucking orangutan arms. Too bad that doesn’t cut the same way for me.
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
my hate knows no bounds[/quote]
U mad
[quote]MightyMouse17 wrote:
Thats some nice overhead pressing! Best I can do is half that for 6…maybe I should kill myself?[/quote]
Thanks buddy…remember “down the road” not “across the street”…if you’re gonna do it, do it right
Please don’t
Just get fat…everything else works itself out
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
I’m sure you get this a lot, but all of your pressing is just that much more impressive with your long ass fucking orangutan arms. Too bad that doesn’t cut the same way for me.[/quote]
haha thanks man…yeah it does make it a bit tougher, but fuck it, nothing I can do about it.
20.1 - 12/30/12
Mobility: LYTP
OHP (3’s): 175, 200, 225
Pullups: 2x5
Lat Pulldowns: 4x10
Seated DB Press (3x10): 60
EZ Curl (3x10): 60
Prowler: 90x40x8
Took the last week off for deload and didn’t do jack shit. Lot of shit going on with Christmas travels and stuff, and wasn’t real motivated as I really didn’t know what to do.
I know I’ve been hopping around my programs lately due to my injury, which has been frustrating as hell. I sat down and re-read 531 today and there was a “Top 10 Rules for Training” that Wendler had written when you have lost your way. Basically just getting back to the basics and doing things right. Good time to read that. That will be my training philosophy for the next 3 months, at least, as I lay out my training.
Not a very good session tonight. The 225x3 OHP felt pretty heavy for whatever reason and I was pretty run down for the whole session. No worries, got in and did what I had to do, including starting back up my conditioning. Was going to just do 6 trips with the Prowler to get started back up but was feeling pretty good so did 8.
Squatting tomorrow, with Prowler pushing after, and a chiro appointment before heading off to baller dinner and new years party. Stay safe everybody.
20.1.2 - 1/1/13 (man it was weird writing 13 right there)
Foam Rolling: Glutes, Quads, side of ass (is that still the glutes?)
Rolling around on medicine ball dug into psoas (need to pick up a softball for this)
Hip Flexor stretch
SSB Squat (3’s): 270, 310, 345
Leg Press (2x10): 4 pps, 4.5 pps
Hanging Abs: 10, 5
Prowler: 90x40x10
Not a good session tonight either. Partly explained by the amount of alcohol I drank last night–it was a lot. Good times though.
I nearly fell over coming out of the hole on the 270 set. The fucking handles on the SSB bar are still turned backwards and i was too lazy to turn them the right way tonight (again) since I figured 345 wasn’t too much work. No way am I using that thing again without fixing the damn handles.
Was supposed to do 3 sets of leg press and hanging abs, but I’ve strained my right adductor a little and the hanging abs was bothering it, and since I was doing supersets of these, I just said fuck it and went to do conditioning instead. Really wasn’t feeling the weights anyway tonight.
Prowler pushin’ went well. Was pretty exhausted after, but back at 10 pushes after just two sessions. Going to add 50 pounds to it next session and go for 8, then 10, and then try to beat my times each session.
Nobody at the gym tonight, which was surprising since it is the first of the year. Maybe all the resolutioners died?