Westside/PLing Training Thread

Thanks for all the support, guys. Really means a lot. You can bet I’ll do everything in my power to ride this wave all the way.

Norweige, it’s funny, I have the bench index DVD and have watched it a few times, but it never really “clicked” until now. It’s funny how a slightly different phrasing of the technique in explanation can change it’s usefullness so much.

As far as that far bar goes, I love it. Offer some great variety and less stress on my wrists, elbows, and shoulders. Only thing I notice is that it’s a little easier to recover from a missed groove with the fat bar than the regular bar.

Thanks again, guys.

-MAtt

deload week
1.deads-1355 2255 3153 3652 just a lil form work
2. push jerk- 1355,5 1853,2,2,2
3.chins-bw*5,5,5,5
i am dead tired today, had a few big tests this week, and am still sore from sundays events, and def should not have stayed up last night watching wsm 06, = taking it easy this week

Hey Everybody, Needed a little advice.

My back has been a little bruised up since I rounded doing rack pulls about a month ago, however I’ve been pretty smart and have generally laid off things that hurt it.

Unfortunately one of those things are the last few sets of heavy squats. I’ve already done some front squats as an m.e. movement (no pain) and am trying to strengthen my core and low back as much as I can (very heavy ab work along with zerchers, back work, etc.) but I don’t know what to use for an m.e. movement in the meantime. I could probably try some close stance squats and focus more on hitting heavy sets of ten, but last time I did a heavy triple I felt it for a week.

Any ideas?

P.S. I know I’m stupid for not stopping when my form broke down but I’m working on it.

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:

Good to see you are feeling better. great workout. I especially liked your work on the good mornings. I need to do them more.

keep it up,
meat[/quote]

Thanks bro yes Ive laid off them as well. When your GM is the same as your squat or higher time to work on some other asopects LOL was good to do the 315 again and was a cake walk fairly so damn sure I havent lost anything may have to put them as ME someday soon I end up opting for DLing when that day comes though.

Thanks again,
Phill

[quote]Naphta wrote:
Hey Everybody, Needed a little advice.

My back has been a little bruised up since I rounded doing rack pulls about a month ago, however I’ve been pretty smart and have generally laid off things that hurt it.

Unfortunately one of those things are the last few sets of heavy squats. I’ve already done some front squats as an m.e. movement (no pain) and am trying to strengthen my core and low back as much as I can (very heavy ab work along with zerchers, back work, etc.) but I don’t know what to use for an m.e. movement in the meantime. I could probably try some close stance squats and focus more on hitting heavy sets of ten, but last time I did a heavy triple I felt it for a week.

Any ideas?

P.S. I know I’m stupid for not stopping when my form broke down but I’m working on it.[/quote]

Well if im cathcing this right the heavy triple made you have DOMs for a week. That scrams to me like its somerthing you MUST work on if it creates that much muscle soreness then you should progress damn good by doing them.

You might think about barbell hack squats as well not as much a pull on the back. Try unilateral stuff while the back heals allowing you to go Max effort but the overall laod willbe a ton less do to being unilateral.

Oh and hell rest your back take a week off if need be or deload go play with some light machine based worj for a week come back strong. make GHR’s GM’s, reverse hypers etc a mainstay in your program. Hell we ALL lose form at times on max effort if Truely pressing the limits. Do yor best not to but it happens and do your best to make the supporting musculature strong enough to handle it.

Phill

[quote]Phill wrote:

Well if im cathcing this right the heavy triple made you have DOMs for a week. That scrams to me like its somerthing you MUST work on if it creates that much muscle soreness then you should progress damn good by doing them.

You might think about barbell hack squats as well not as much a pull on the back. Try unilateral stuff while the back heals allowing you to go Max effort but the overall laod willbe a ton less do to being unilateral.

Oh and hell rest your back take a week off if need be or deload go play with some light machine based worj for a week come back strong. make GHR’s GM’s, reverse hypers etc a mainstay in your program. Hell we ALL lose form at times on max effort if Truely pressing the limits. Do yor best not to but it happens and do your best to make the supporting musculature strong enough to handle it.

Phill

[/quote]

Thanks for the advice, I did in fact take two solid weeks off lifting to let it heal completely because at the time simply bending and leaning hurt.

I’ve been making unilateral stuff a mainstay but I haven’t really tried it as an M.E. movement, it sounds like a good idea. Hack squats too.

Ass for good mornings, I’m not confident enough with my form yet, but I am doing heavy RDL’s and zercher good mornings, and I’m hoping the zercher squats will add some strength to the back and keep this from happening again.

I really really miss pulling though.

2/7/06- Wed- Active Recovery

A1)Pushups (hands on aerobic steps)
x30 x20 x20
A2)Band Face Pulls
x30 x30
B2)Chest Sup Neutral Grip Row
130x30
B2)Band Tri Extension
x30 x25 x30
B3)Lat Pull (using elbow tuck)
100x20
B4)Cuban Press w/o overhead press
7x25 x25
C)Standing Cable Chest Fly
20x40

ME bench
Incline (paused)
0x10
135x5
225x3
315x2
405x1
495x1

2 board (paused)
495x2
550x1
405x16

full ROM (paused)
315x22

full ROM (touch and go)
225x46

elbows out
60’s x 8 8second eccentric
60’s x 8 " "

calves

bodyweight down to 270 this morning. I actually saw some abs this morning.

from a pony keg to a six pack,
meat

DE/RE Lower

Warmup

Full Cleans
135x3
135x3 (From hang)
135x3

Power Clean
155x3
185x2

I’m getting better at full cleans again but I’m just damn slow.

Olympic Squat
135x6
225x6
275x8 PR

These were tough, but I need the quad work.

Deadlift
225x5 Sumo
315x1 Conventional
335x1 Sumo
365x1 Conventional
405x4 PR Sumo

Almost had 5 with 405. I just could not lock it out, it was only like an inch or so to go. Still, good set.

Overhead Squat (Ab work)
barx8
95x5
135x1

GHR w/ mini around neck
11,5,5

These are tough as hell if you guys havn’t ever tried them.

Back raise
17

I found something that could almost work as a reverse hyper but just doesn’t have enough ROM and the pad is too high. Oh well

This may have been a little much for a de/re day, but it’s all weak points and I don’t have a meet planned for a while.

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
bodyweight down to 270 this morning. I actually saw some abs this morning.

from a pony keg to a six pack,
meat[/quote]

Ah Oh next thing he’ll be giving us vanity tips, shaving and powdering his ass.

Nice work

Phill

2/7/07 ME LB High vol

A. 12" Low Box Squat:
Bar x 8, 185 x5, 225 x 3, 245 x2, 275 x1, 315 x1, 335 x1, 355 x 1, 360 x 1, 325 x 1, 1, 1, 1

B1) Pullthroughs: 110 x 10, 130 x 10, stack x 10

B2) Standing Cable Abs: 100 x10, 120 x 8, 120 x 6

C) DB Split Squats Back Leg ELevated:
60 x 5, 70 x 5 (that hurt, haha)

Note: I’m nearly six foot five, so a 12 inch box is fucking low for me, about 3 or 3.5 inches below parallel. I had another five or so lbs. in me, but backed off a bit. good workout

Stay strong everyone

the boom

[quote]Phill wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
bodyweight down to 270 this morning. I actually saw some abs this morning.

from a pony keg to a six pack,
meat

Ah Oh next thing he’ll be giving us vanity tips, shaving and powdering his ass.

Nice work

Phill

[/quote]

God help me if I ever shave my ass. It itches enough already. Maybe powdering would help though, and I’d smell like a baby. Christ.

Anyways, here’s yesterdays session…

2/7/07 DE Lower

A)DE Box Squat (14")= 215+light band x 2 x 8

B)DE DL= 330 x 1 x 7

C)GMs= 175 x 8 x 4

D1)Hammer Strength Calf Press= 450 x 6 x 4

D2)Hanging Pike= 8 x 3

E)Shindigs (dorsiflexion using a mini band choked around an upright in a power rack)= 15 x 2 each leg

F)Mini-band pushdowns for left triceps= 50 x 1, 25 x 2.

NOTES: I was fucking amped for this session. I had just given a little speech at another health club the night before to a group of young professionals on the topic of exercise adherence and it went really well. Might get some clients out of it, but mostly it was just a challenge outside my comfort zone and a chance to pass on some passion and make some people laugh.

This has become my favorite workout of the week. Last week my low back was a little fatigued after the speed deads but this week, despite an increase in load, it felt great. Hips are staying down lower and technique is really coming along. GMs felt good too–am I the only one that almost enjoys the “hole” in the good morning? Like I just want to stay there and strain for second before coming back up? Adding some bar weight to the squats was good as well.

Basically an awesome session. DAMN this shit is fun!!!

ME bench

Bench w/40lbs of chain and doubled minis

135, 185, added 3 board, 225x3, 275x1- didn’t stay tight, 275x3, 295x1, 315x1, probably should’ve tried to triple it.

Wanted to get some shirt work in, 365x1x2, I intended to get two or three the first time, but my foot slipped, and on the second one I didn’t hit the groove at all. Next month, I need to hit some real weight with the shirt.

Football Bar Floor Press, 225x8

CS rows 3x6-8

Took tuesday off because I pulled an intercostal muscle in the middle of my posterior rib cage on tuesday, and it was my 22nd birthday and I was planning on having a good heavy deadlift…so instead I pull an intercostal muscle (doing nothing) on my 22nd birthday…yippe

thursday 2/8/06

D.E Upper

Week 3 of 3 on chain cycle
8x3 with 185 + 3 chains per side

Football bar floor press 5x5@275

Spud Strap Standing Ab pulldowns
5x5 or 6 extremely heavy

Db roll press lying on floor 3x8 with 50’s

Grip superset 2x through

Wrist roller

“drain stopper” hold for time with 15lbs

The drain stopper is from the grip kit available over at elite fitness, which I highly reccomend…it has lots of good grip toys in it to torture your fingers and hands

Shit man, that blows. Rest up, come back strong, and happy birthday!

-MAtt

[quote]harbinjc wrote:
Took tuesday off because I pulled an intercostal muscle in the middle of my posterior rib cage on tuesday, and it was my 22nd birthday and I was planning on having a good heavy deadlift…so instead I pull an intercostal muscle (doing nothing) on my 22nd birthday…yippe

[/quote]

2/8/06- Thurs- ME SQ- Very High Stress

A)Wide Stance Parallel Box Squats (3 small aerobic steps and 2 stands)~14.5"
205x5
245x3
285x2
325x1
365x1
385x1
405xMISS (got like 5" up and stalled and went down)
395x1 (PR- absolute warfare-stalled at the same place as 405, fought hard for 5 seconds with no movement and got it)
360x1
360x1
360x1
360x1

B)Romanian Deadlift
325x5 335x5 345x5 x6

Notes: Not sure what my most was off of a true parallel box. I know that most of time time spend doing box squats have been slightly above parallel even though I thought they were at parallel for a while. Might’ve been a 10lb PR, not sure.

It’s funny though that I really did get the lift about 5 inches off the box and stalled there both times. Got some great broken caps in the face after the 395, I know I gave it all I had and I felt awesome after.

Next week is deload then week after is free squats for the first time in a LONG time. Maybe I’ll work on some high box stuff as well seeing as I got stuck higher up, but this all depends on how my free PLing depth squats looks since that’s all that really matters.

-MAtt

[quote]Matt McGorry wrote:
2/8/06- Thurs- ME SQ- Very High Stress

A)Wide Stance Parallel Box Squats (3 small aerobic steps and 2 stands)~14.5"
205x5
245x3
285x2
325x1
365x1
385x1
405xMISS (got like 5" up and stalled and went down)
395x1 (PR- absolute warfare-stalled at the same place as 405, fought hard for 5 seconds with no movement and got it)
360x1
360x1
360x1
360x1

B)Romanian Deadlift
325x5 335x5 345x5 x6

Notes: Not sure what my most was off of a true parallel box. I know that most of time time spend doing box squats have been slightly above parallel even though I thought they were at parallel for a while. Might’ve been a 10lb PR, not sure.

It’s funny though that I really did get the lift about 5 inches off the box and stalled there both times. Got some great broken caps in the face after the 395, I know I gave it all I had and I felt awesome after.

Next week is deload then week after is free squats for the first time in a LONG time. Maybe I’ll work on some high box stuff as well seeing as I got stuck higher up, but this all depends on how my free PLing depth squats looks since that’s all that really matters.

-MAtt
[/quote]

NICE work bro coming back and fighting that out.

Phill

[quote]Phill wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
bodyweight down to 270 this morning. I actually saw some abs this morning.

from a pony keg to a six pack,
meat

Ah Oh next thing he’ll be giving us vanity tips, shaving and powdering his ass.

Nice work

Phill

[/quote]

I’ll never shave my ass becuase I would forget where the part is. I like to part my ass hair from left to right.

the only vanity tip I have is - I like to run a bead of antiperspirant down the crack of my ass to keep it fresh and dry throughout the day. the only downside is forgetting which stick is the ass deodorant and which is the pit deodorant. when all else fails look for ass hair in the stick, but then again it could be pit hair.

meat

[quote]Matt McGorry wrote:
Shit man, that blows. Rest up, come back strong, and happy birthday!

-MAtt

harbinjc wrote:
Took tuesday off because I pulled an intercostal muscle in the middle of my posterior rib cage on tuesday, and it was my 22nd birthday and I was planning on having a good heavy deadlift…so instead I pull an intercostal muscle (doing nothing) on my 22nd birthday…yippe

[/quote]

He wasn’t really hurt. He just didn’t want to deadlift with a master like myself who can pull 4 plates RAW.

By the way Jason, I had to find out it was your birthday from Stu. How does Stu know about this and I don’t. What is the world coming to? Pretty soon, we’re going to have guys in our gym on swiss balls military pressing 7 1/2 lb dumbbells…

How long do you guys typically stick with your supplemental and accessory exercises before changing them completely? I have been working in two week mini-cycles so I have been changing everything every two weeks. I am starting to wonder if I need to stick with them for the whole four weeks in order to push them a bit more. I know this depends on the lifter, and I would probably consider myself a lower level intermediate at this point.

I’m going to try and start posting my logs up here again, soon.