Westside/PLing Training Thread

Training Powerlifting
4951

Friday, 6/22/2007 ME Upper

A. Bench Press
45 x 8
95 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
45 x 8
45 x 8

B. Chest-Supported Row
90 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8

C. Bench Press
155 x 3
175 x 1
195 x 0
195 x 0

D. Fly
50 x 7
50 x 6

E. Chest Supported Lateral Raise
10 x 12
15 x 12
15 x 12

I’ve finally found a training partner. He was a bit late today because he got caught up at work, so I started my session without him. I wanted to focus on my bench form since it was getting a bit sloppy the last time, so I did quite a few sets on the bench to start out with. I know, not exactly the best thing to do for a ME day, but what I need now is a lot of reps to get my form down, so I focused on that while waiting.

The weight felt a bit lighter than before today at lockout, but it was still really heavy at the bottom. In my first 195 attempt, my partner touched the bar a little while coming back up, so I wouldn’t count that. It would have been a PR, but nope, I’d only count the clean ones. In my second PR attempt, I pressed the bar up two or three inches off my chest, and got stuck there.

I know I didn’t set myself up the best in terms of working up to a max, but that’s okay. I’m just glad that I’ve got someone that I can train with. Because of that, I wouldn’t mind going after bigger weigh on the bench, and today was already a good step in that direction. I think with a better progression in next ME Upper session, I’ll get a new PR in the bench. I’m definitely looking forward to that.

4952

[quote]Modi wrote:

Modi wrote:
I do it a bit different, because I Squat ME on Monday, Squat DE on Thursday, and then typically DL ME on Friday, but I’m not normal (no comments necessary).

KO421 wrote:
Thanks for the help Modi, I plan on starting light, I workout at home so my ego can’t get in the way.

I bet in a commercial gym you guys get times when you have a DE day and your benching low #s and some dumbass looks over and starts benching more and he is all happy because he outlifted “the big guy”.

Oh and your 3 lower body sessions a week is crazy, NO WAY could I deal with that volume and get events in.

Actually I just cut back from 4 lower body days, and if I’m feeling recovered I still do all 4. My week looks like:

M - Squat (ME)
T - DL (RE)
W - Upper (ME)
Th - Squat (DE)
Fr - DL (ME)
Sa - Upper (DE)

So I alternate ME and DE/RE days. I’ve been trying to pull once every 10-11 days so if I pull on a Tues I will not pull again until the following Friday, and then skip a week and pull the following Tues. This week I just felt like I had a PR in me so I skipped DE Squats yesterday.

I love being in the gym so when I skip it’s for a damn good reason. I double dose Surge on ME days, eat BCAA’s by the fistful, and have upped my kcals a fair amount recently. I just have a very good feel for exactly what my recovery needs are.

As far as DE days at the commercial gym, I was fairly happy when I was able to start using 225 for speed work, since that’s more than most of the people there use for their regular work! lol.

There was one time a few weeks back where a smaller guy set up next to me while I was doing DE sets of 3 at 225 and he’s doing sets of 5 at 225 and he kept looking over at me…after my 8th set I took a little break and switched to close grip press and banged out 18 reps. He left.[/quote]

Damn thats alot of work, but I think its all about finding what works for you, and even that will change.
Double Surge probaly helps, I ordered some Surge for the first time in months because I was broke, so I am happy about that! I also ordered some Power Drive which I have never tried, hopfully it helps with recovery.

HAHA I love how all of us on this thread refer to others as “normal people”

4953

The Office

Exercise Ball

4954

[quote]4est wrote:
The Office

Exercise Ball

- YouTube [/quote]

Fitness Orb nice, I will only refer to them as fitnass orbs from now on.

4955

Good w/o. If I may id sugeest at your leevel go for ME day and an RE day instead of the DE. Just get stronger speed will come later. That way you can have a day dedicated to the rep work and another for the Max work so niether suffers liek the ME did here

Phill

[quote]jthsiao wrote:
Friday, 6/22/2007 ME Upper

A. Bench Press
45 x 8
95 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
45 x 8
45 x 8

B. Chest-Supported Row
90 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8

C. Bench Press
155 x 3
175 x 1
195 x 0
195 x 0

D. Fly
50 x 7
50 x 6

E. Chest Supported Lateral Raise
10 x 12
15 x 12
15 x 12

I’ve finally found a training partner. He was a bit late today because he got caught up at work, so I started my session without him. I wanted to focus on my bench form since it was getting a bit sloppy the last time, so I did quite a few sets on the bench to start out with. I know, not exactly the best thing to do for a ME day, but what I need now is a lot of reps to get my form down, so I focused on that while waiting.

The weight felt a bit lighter than before today at lockout, but it was still really heavy at the bottom. In my first 195 attempt, my partner touched the bar a little while coming back up, so I wouldn’t count that. It would have been a PR, but nope, I’d only count the clean ones. In my second PR attempt, I pressed the bar up two or three inches off my chest, and got stuck there.

I know I didn’t set myself up the best in terms of working up to a max, but that’s okay. I’m just glad that I’ve got someone that I can train with. Because of that, I wouldn’t mind going after bigger weigh on the bench, and today was already a good step in that direction. I think with a better progression in next ME Upper session, I’ll get a new PR in the bench. I’m definitely looking forward to that.[/quote]

4956

Hell yes thats a ton of work but cant argue with the PR whoring of late bro keep it up.m Hell I do more them most say you should etc but it works for me. will something work better?? dunno Im alawys up to try soemthing after giving current programs Good runs

Keep it Up
Phill

[quote]Kalle wrote:
Modi wrote:

Modi wrote:
I do it a bit different, because I Squat ME on Monday, Squat DE on Thursday, and then typically DL ME on Friday, but I’m not normal (no comments necessary).

KO421 wrote:
Thanks for the help Modi, I plan on starting light, I workout at home so my ego can’t get in the way.

I bet in a commercial gym you guys get times when you have a DE day and your benching low #s and some dumbass looks over and starts benching more and he is all happy because he outlifted “the big guy”.

Oh and your 3 lower body sessions a week is crazy, NO WAY could I deal with that volume and get events in.

Actually I just cut back from 4 lower body days, and if I’m feeling recovered I still do all 4. My week looks like:

M - Squat (ME)
T - DL (RE)
W - Upper (ME)
Th - Squat (DE)
Fr - DL (ME)
Sa - Upper (DE)

So I alternate ME and DE/RE days. I’ve been trying to pull once every 10-11 days so if I pull on a Tues I will not pull again until the following Friday, and then skip a week and pull the following Tues. This week I just felt like I had a PR in me so I skipped DE Squats yesterday.

I love being in the gym so when I skip it’s for a damn good reason. I double dose Surge on ME days, eat BCAA’s by the fistful, and have upped my kcals a fair amount recently. I just have a very good feel for exactly what my recovery needs are.

As far as DE days at the commercial gym, I was fairly happy when I was able to start using 225 for speed work, since that’s more than most of the people there use for their regular work! lol.

There was one time a few weeks back where a smaller guy set up next to me while I was doing DE sets of 3 at 225 and he’s doing sets of 5 at 225 and he kept looking over at me…after my 8th set I took a little break and switched to close grip press and banged out 18 reps. He left.

Damn thats alot of work, but I think its all about finding what works for you, and even that will change.
Double Surge probaly helps, I ordered some Surge for the first time in months because I was broke, so I am happy about that! I also ordered some Power Drive which I have never tried, hopfully it helps with recovery.

HAHA I love how all of us on this thread refer to others as “normal people”
[/quote]

4957

[quote]4est wrote:
The Office

Exercise Ball

- YouTube [/quote]

Nice!

4958

[quote]Modi wrote:

Actually I just cut back from 4 lower body days, and if I’m feeling recovered I still do all 4. My week looks like:

M - Squat (ME)
T - DL (RE)
W - Upper (ME)
Th - Squat (DE)
Fr - DL (ME)
Sa - Upper (DE)

So I alternate ME and DE/RE days. I’ve been trying to pull once every 10-11 days so if I pull on a Tues I will not pull again until the following Friday, and then skip a week and pull the following Tues. This week I just felt like I had a PR in me so I skipped DE Squats yesterday.

It’s has been awesome to watch your progress since I discovered this thread, especially in the last month or so with PR Whore Day (mark your calendars) and 6 Plate Pull day.

I’ve considered planning my training week/microcycle out across five or six days but haven’t had the cojones to try it. Good work man.

4959

I’m not sure what I’ve been doing really qualifies for our thread, but it has some common themes so I’ll post my last two exercising sessions for muscles.

6/19/07 Lower Body

A)Various Jumps onto 24" Box, including, but not limited to

12" Box Squat Broad Jumps w/ 25# plate
Single-Leg Jumps Forward
Single-Leg Jumps Lateral

B)Hammerstrength V-Squat, backwards
142 x 10
504 x 8 x 3 (set volume PR)

C)Single-Leg RDL w/ 15# med ball=12 x 2

D)Hanging Pikes=8 x 2

E)Blast-Strap Fallouts=6 x 2

NOTES: My club is starting an SAQ/performance program using some interesting technology and training protocols that have, to this point, produced some pretty amazing results with everyone from grandmas to elite athletes.

The cool part is my boss and I are the ones that are getting the program off the ground for our company. The plan, if all goes well, is for me to run it solo as my own department in 6 months or so. From there, I will direct it in a matter in which I see fit/profitable as long as I can convince the powers that be of the same.

I know them well and feel I have good rapport with each of them. Basically I’m really fucking excited for this opportunity.

All this (along with 15 pounds of fat loss over the last 2 months) had me feeling athletic, so I decided to jump around a bunch and it was fun. Then I busted a PR on a heavy assitance exercise.

4960

6/22/07 DE Bench

A)DE Bench w/ doubled minis=135 x 8 x 3, three different grips.

Dumped the minis…
225 x 1
250 x 1
275 x 1
300 x 1

B)Flat DB Bench=110 x 9

C)Chest-Supported Iso-Row=320 x 8 x 3 (PR)

D)Dips=30 x 1

E)Jettison Curls=10, 10, 10 x 1

NOTES: My bench technique felt great on the speed work. I haven’t tried anything above 295 for ME bench work since I got my first 315 at the beginning of April. I’ve done heavy dumbbell presses and paused low pin presses. Obviously my selection of weights/exercises leaves much to be desired.

That being said, I did get 300 easily even with my left elbow flaring far from the groove, at 15 pounds less bodyweight, with a recent hiatus from regular training.

Ah, rationalization.

4961

[quote]Phill wrote:
Hell yes thats a ton of work but cant argue with the PR whoring of late bro keep it up.m Hell I do more them most say you should etc but it works for me. will something work better?? dunno Im alawys up to try soemthing after giving current programs Good runs

Keep it Up
Phill
[/quote]
Yes, it’s a lot of frequency and intensity, but when you cut through all the warmups, it really adds up to 10-12 work sets…give or take…during my 5x5, and fewer during my real ME work.

I had forgotten how well I responded to 5x5’s until a few months ago. It’s been fun breaking PR’s on a regular basis lately.

My mantra has become Intensity, Consistency and Frequency. My nutrition has been very good for the past year, and I treat myself to cheat meals when I feel I need/deserve them, but it’s a huge component that was missing in the past.

Hopefully my next phase will treat me as well as the 5x5 phase.

Thanks for the encouragement from everyone, it definitely drives me to achieve more each time I step into the gym.

4962

[quote]Norweige wrote:
It’s has been awesome to watch your progress since I discovered this thread, especially in the last month or so with PR Whore Day (mark your calendars) and 6 Plate Pull day.
[/quote]
Thanks man, since I train mostly on my own (sick of training partners showing up 45 minutes into the session), I don’t get to share my progress with very many people that can appreciate it.

Most people wouldn’t know what 585 looked like, much less have a clue how it felt to pull it from the floor. Shit, most people don’t even know what a deadlift is.

4963

[quote]Norweige wrote:
6/22/07 DE Bench

A)DE Bench w/ doubled minis=135 x 8 x 3, three different grips.

Dumped the minis…
225 x 1
250 x 1
275 x 1
300 x 1

B)Flat DB Bench=110 x 9

C)Chest-Supported Iso-Row=320 x 8 x 3 (PR)

D)Dips=30 x 1

E)Jettison Curls=10, 10, 10 x 1

NOTES: My bench technique felt great on the speed work. I haven’t tried anything above 295 for ME bench work since I got my first 315 at the beginning of April. I’ve done heavy dumbbell presses and paused low pin presses. Obviously my selection of weights/exercises leaves much to be desired.

That being said, I did get 300 easily even with my left elbow flaring far from the groove, at 15 pounds less bodyweight, with a recent hiatus from regular training.

Ah, rationalization.
[/quote]

That’s a nice heavy single after a DE day. Do I see a PR in the near future?

4964

[quote]jthsiao wrote:
Friday, 6/22/2007 ME Upper

A. Bench Press
45 x 8
95 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
45 x 8
45 x 8

B. Chest-Supported Row
90 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8
100 x 8

C. Bench Press
155 x 3
175 x 1
195 x 0
195 x 0

D. Fly
50 x 7
50 x 6

E. Chest Supported Lateral Raise
10 x 12
15 x 12
15 x 12

I’ve finally found a training partner. He was a bit late today because he got caught up at work, so I started my session without him. I wanted to focus on my bench form since it was getting a bit sloppy the last time, so I did quite a few sets on the bench to start out with.

I know, not exactly the best thing to do for a ME day, but what I need now is a lot of reps to get my form down, so I focused on that while waiting.

The weight felt a bit lighter than before today at lockout, but it was still really heavy at the bottom. In my first 195 attempt, my partner touched the bar a little while coming back up, so I wouldn’t count that. It would have been a PR, but nope, I’d only count the clean ones. In my second PR attempt, I pressed the bar up two or three inches off my chest, and got stuck there.

I know I didn’t set myself up the best in terms of working up to a max, but that’s okay. I’m just glad that I’ve got someone that I can train with. Because of that, I wouldn’t mind going after bigger weigh on the bench, and today was already a good step in that direction.

I think with a better progression in next ME Upper session, I’ll get a new PR in the bench. I’m definitely looking forward to that.[/quote]

Yes, tough to get a PR after all the rep work. I would agree with Phill on the DE work. I may even dump it for some RE work next phase, or at least alternate RE weeks with DE weeks for a bit.

I would say if you want to work on form, stick with sets of 1-3, even at the lighter weights (this is based on nothing other than my opinion). I feel like after the first few reps, your not going to be as tight as you were when you first set up.

I would save the extra form work for DE/RE day, or at least not before an ME attempt, but I realize your partner was late, so you were probably itching to get under the bar. Good work regardless, you’ll hit that 195 next time!

4965

[quote]Norweige wrote:
NOTES: My club is starting an SAQ/performance program…[/quote]

Forgive my ignorance. SAQ means Short Arc Quad to me…What does it stand for here?

Congrats by the way.

4966

[quote]
jthsaio wrote:

Nice! I couldn’t picture it in my head 'til this post. That’s a great idea! I’ve gotta give that a try next time.

Kalle wrote:

YAY more ways to torture myself. My calf raise is similar and should work the same.

I am sure I will suck at these (which is why I should do them.)
I’ll give them a shot tonight.

Thanks[/quote]

I looked like an ass clown for the first 3 months trying natural GHR’s. This is only the second time that I felt like I looked like I knew what I was doing!

For the record, these make me sore on the outside lower portion of my hamstring. Apparently, either a newly sprouted muscle, or one never before used by me. lol.

4967

6-22-07

Still 3x3 (I only list my work sets)

Close grip bench (index just outside of smooth)
235x3x3 (PR for 3x3)

Front Squat
205x3
225x3
245x3 (PR weights and reps)

Barbell Rows
205x3
215x3
235x3 with straps (PR)
I have to use straps at this weight, I injured my left wrist playing baseball years ago so my grip is weaker. It’s probably gonna be like that forever.

Accessory- DB flat bench
95x8x3 sets

Some arm superset

Workout powered by Spike, RATM and Slipknot. Is Norweige still with us? I haven’t been on as much and haven’t seen his posts. Good training all!

4968

Friday 06/22/07
ME Bench/Shirt work

Bench press
Bar x a bunch
95 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 2 (added shirt)
345 x 2
365 x 2 x 1 (both attempts went up easy)

Focus of tonight’s session was to nail my opener under meet-type conditions, i.e. unrack weight and hold at arm’s length, pause & wait for press command, hold at top and wait for rack command. I made sure to wear the shirt loose during each attempt. I figure if I can hit my opener without pulling the shirt down, I should be OK come meet time.

Did a little assistance work afterward, nothing too strenuous just wanted to get a little pump going
-JM Presses 135x3x8
-Fat bar Lat Pulldowns 4x10
-Cable pushdowns 3x12

I decided to give JM presses a shot tonight, but wanted to keep it light because every time I’ve done these in the past I either torched my triceps or killed my elbows.

To build on Phil’s unfortunate accident, I committed a goof the other night that may force me to drop down to push/pull instead of doing the full power meet. I was carrying some dirty clothes down the stairs and I slid a little bit on the next to last step and my left foot hit the floor a little cockeyed.

Of course, my knee took the brunt of this and now it hurts some when I free squat below parallel. Taking the normal Rx of NSAIDs, Blue Heat wrap and light stretching.

I’ll see how the knee feels on Sunday and determine if I can test my opener. If not, I’ll give it a rest until Wednesday. If it doesn’t look good by then, maybe the time off up to the meet will help and I won’t have to puss out on the squat.

4969

[quote]Modi wrote:
Norweige wrote:
It’s has been awesome to watch your progress since I discovered this thread, especially in the last month or so with PR Whore Day (mark your calendars) and 6 Plate Pull day.

Thanks man, since I train mostly on my own (sick of training partners showing up 45 minutes into the session), I don’t get to share my progress with very many people that can appreciate it.

Most people wouldn’t know what 585 looked like, much less have a clue how it felt to pull it from the floor. Shit, most people don’t even know what a deadlift is.
[/quote]

I agree with everything you said 100% and its the same reason I love this thread.
You forgot one thing though everyones friends cousin benched 500 in highschool while weighing 185 :slight_smile:

4970

[quote]Modi wrote:

jthsaio wrote:

Nice! I couldn’t picture it in my head 'til this post. That’s a great idea! I’ve gotta give that a try next time.

Kalle wrote:

YAY more ways to torture myself. My calf raise is similar and should work the same.

I am sure I will suck at these (which is why I should do them.)
I’ll give them a shot tonight.

Thanks

I looked like an ass clown for the first 3 months trying natural GHR’s. This is only the second time that I felt like I looked like I knew what I was doing!

For the record, these make me sore on the outside lower portion of my hamstring. Apparently, either a newly sprouted muscle, or one never before used by me. lol.[/quote]

Yea I just um tried these and said “another day!” haha I am going to do some reading over the weekend to make sure I am doing them right.