Use the “pussy pad” or “tampon” for your Zerchers. Way more comfortable on the biceps.
2 Likes
Sorry didn’t really use the right term. By cycling on and off, I mean the exercises. Doing heavy carries/holds for 3-4 weeks, then switching to Wrist roller for 3-4 weeks then hangs/weighted hangs then back to heavy carries. I’m just taking creatine at the moment, I’ve reduced my sparring intensity. In my 3 bjj sessions, I’m trying to have one high intensity, one medium intensity and one low intensity session.
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I found time and again when I limited hard sparring to a couple times a week as opposed to every time… everything improved including my skill set.
4 Likes
Week 7 Repetition Upper Body
-
Pullups 1 x 6…Still struggling
-
BB Bench Press
45kg 4 sets x 15 reps
Last rep was difficult but fairly easy overall. Little bit of pain in left shoulder in first two sets. Good pump.
3a. Straight Arm Pull Downs
50lbs x12, 70 x 2sets x 12reps, 80 x 12
3b. Seated Dumbbell power cleans
7.5kg x 12reps, 10kg x 3 sets x 12 reps
Really like this combination. Definitely prefer this pulldown variation and the DB cleans get the rear delts and traps pumped.
4.DB Military Press
25kg x 12, 30kg 2sets x 12, 30kg 1 x 11
Felt ok, easier on my shoulders than DB bench press surprisingly
5a. DB Shrug
60kg x 20, 20 & 16 reps
5b. Zottman Curls
10kg with Fat Gripz x 12 reps
12kg 2sets x 12 reps (no fat gripz)
Shrugs felt great, worked my grip and zottman curls grilled my forearms too.
- Wrist Roller with Fat Gripz
2 sets x 2 reps with 2.5kg plate
Woah never felt a burn like that in the forearms, the thick grip really makes the fingers work too. Forearms got fried today.
3 Likes
I use them for curls. Other people may have a different opinion so I’m not putting this out as being right for everyone. But I don’t like to use thicker handles for deadlifts or carries. I feel it will limit the weight I can lift to the point that I’m no longer getting the most out of the lift. It’s like you’re making the weakest link in the exercise even weaker. This is just my personal experience.
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Yeah I agree with the concept. I’ll only be using them for grip/bicep training at the end of my workout. I only used them on one set of Zottmann curls, so I could get more biceps in my last two sets. Wrist roller felt like a good exercise for grappling and recommended by Garage Strength on YTube.
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Training Volume Increase Week 7-8
Wk 7 Sun - ME Upper Body (Felt good so decided to do ME upper on Sun instead of Mon, good decision in hindsight)
Mon - Rest
Tues - Morning Gi Jiu Jitsu and Evening no Gi session
Wed - Morning Gi Jiu Jitsu and Evening Gi session
Thursday - ME Lower Body
Friday - Repetition Upper Body
Saturday - Gi BJJ
Wk 8 -Sunday - 6 rounds intensive sparring Gi
Monday - Gi Morning session & Gi evening session
Tues (today) - ME Lower Body
My work capacity has definitely improved, wouldn’t have been able for this volume of training before. Hopefully my Max Effort Lower numbers won’t suffer tonight. Have some DOMS in my hips and fingers so Back Squat and Snatch Grip RDLs might slightly more uncomfortable. I’m on holidays for a week in Croatia next Monday so Jiu jitsu training will decrease that week.
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June 18th ME Lower Body
Goblet Squat warm up
17.5kg, 22.5kg, 27.5kg, 30kg x5 reps
Back Squat
20kg x 8
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 3
80kg (176 lbs) x 5
Warm up sets didn’t feel as good last week. Felt nervous about increasing the weight by 5kg but then I did and 80kg felt relatively comfortable. Once I’m over the sticking point the weight feels like an empty bar. For some reason my 4th rep is when I seem to make mistakes on both front and back squat. This time I just about squatted parallel, the other squats were couple inches below parallel. Next week I’ll have to decide between increasing the weight by 2.5 or 5 kg??
Bulgarian Split Squat
BW x 10
1 set 20kg x 10
3 x 40kg x 10
Left leg felt comfortable but right leg adductor is still hurting a lot on this exercise. Made all my reps nonetheless but I’m taking longer rest periods than normal on this exercise. Considering going up the weight to 2 x 22.5 kg dumbbells next week and if it still feels terrible I might replace the single leg exercise with leg press and leg curl and do them after my Snatch grip RDL’s. Both movements are functional for bjj and are low on economy. Or would anyone recommend a better exercise to replace split squats/lunge variations with more support for my ME lifts?
Snatch Grip RDL’s (with straps)
1 x 60kg x 12
2 x 85kg x 12
1 x 85kg x 10
Feeling these hard on my mid back, glutes and lower back. Not sure if I’m feeling them as much on my upper back as I’d thought. Even with Straps my grip is getting worked. Really tough exercise that I feel is gonna carryover to my Deadlift, Bench and Squat.
Ab circuit x 2
Sprinter sit ups x 20, V-Ups x 20, Toe touches x 20, Hip ups x 20
2 Likes
Week 8 ME Upper
CG Bench Press
20kg x 10
45 kg x 5
50 kg x 5
60kg x 5
67.5kg x 5
Messed up the bar path on the 3rd rep, 5th rep was very close to failure but got it up. Hopefully hit 70kg x 5 on Monday.
Dips 2 sets of max reps
1 x 12 reps, 1 x 13 reps with 5kg
Really feel these on my front delts.
DB rows supersetted with Face Pulls
45 kg x 4 sets x 12
Face Pulls 50lbs x 12, 10, 10 & 10
Kelso Shrugs
25kg DB’s 4 x 12
I like this exercise, feels like exactly what my shoulders need after pressing
BB bar curls
30kg on 1 x 8 with Fat Gripz
30kg 2 x 10, 1 x 6
These are tough.
2 Likes
Week 8 - Dynamic Effort Lower Body
Felt very low energy today so concentrated on the vertical jumps and hip thrusts and then messed around and skipped abs. Haven’t taken a rest day since Monday 10th of June. Going on holidays to Croatia tomorrow so will get some R & R over there.
Vertical Jumps
8 sets x 3 reps
Need to measure my vert but it feels very poor.
Zercher Squats
20kg x 3
40kg x 3
50kg x 3
60kg x 2
First time doing these. Hardest thing is figuring out the Set up with the stance but felt ok. First rep my elbows hit the top of my knees. Second rep I my elbows went inside my knees and pushed them out. The pause caused a big sticking point at the bottom.
Hip Thrusts
70kg x12
100kg x 12
110kg 2 sets x 12
Felt fairly easy and big glute pump after.
Skipped Elevated reverse lunges as my right adductor is still sore and was feeling burnt out. Saturday tends to be my burn out day, thankfully haven’t felt really burned out on an ME day as of yet.
Deadlifts
110kg x 1
Did a rep with 110kg for the laugh with conventional stance. Flew off the floor. I’d imagine I’m close to my PB of 2 reps of 140kg set in 2015.
3 Likes
Week 9 - ME Upper
Close Grip Bench Press
20kg x 10
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
60kg x 3
70kg x 5
Solid enough, didn’t touch my chest on most reps, inch above.
Pullups 1 x 7 - Finally a little progress
Dips 2 sets of max reps with 5kg plate
1 x 15reps, 1 x 13 reps
Felt these more in my chest this week in the first 10 reps and then my triceps start kicking in the last few.
DB rows supersetted with Face Pulls
50 kg - 2 x 10, 1 x 11, 1 x 14
Face Pulls 80lbs 2 x 12, 90lbs 2 x 10
Didn’t go aggressive enough for first few sets on the rows. Might switch to Barbell Rows next week.
Kelso Shrugs
27.5kg DB’s 4 x 13
I like this exercise, really pumps the mid traps and rear delts
BB bar curls
30kg on 1 x 10 with Fat Gripz
30kg 3 x 10
Probably my least favourite exercise on this cycle, might change it next week. Find it a good ab workout though.
Off to Croatia for holidays now today.
3 Likes
Enjoy your vacation!
Take some pics for us. Say hi to Cro Cop
1 Like
ME Lower June 27th
Max Effort Lower Body in Croatian gym. Decided to rest from Bulgarian Split Squats to rest my adductor strain.
Back Squat
20kg x 8
40kg x 5
55kg x 3
65kg x 3
75kg x 3
85kg x 4
Squats felt ok, disappointed not to hit 5 reps with 85kg but weight went up 5 kilos. Next week I’m going to chance 87.5 despite not hitting 5 reps.
RDL’s
1 x 65kg x 12
1 x 80kg x 10
1 x 105kg x 5
Grip kept slipping from sweaty Croatian heat. Need chalk in that heat to hit my reps.
Deadlifts
110kg x 1
120kg x 2
Easy deadlifts.
45 Degree back Extension
1 x 12
1 x 12 with 10kg
1 x 12 with 20kg
1 x 15 with 20kg
Taking this as a reload week with light back Extensions
2 x ab circuits
2 Likes
Week 9 - Repetition Upper Body
28th June Rep Upper
Pullups x 7
BB Bench Press 4 sets with 50kg
3 x 15, 1 x 17
Felt easy, felt strong todayStraight Arm Pull Downs
35kg x 7, 30kg 3 x 10,
Supersetted with Seated Dumbbell power cleans 12.5kg x 11Straight Arm Pull Downs felt heavier than the machine in Ireland.
DB Military Press
35 x 9, 35 x 6, 30 x 7, 30 x 6Yeah this exercise gassed me. Regressed from last session from going to heavy on first set.
DB Shrug
32.5kg x 15, 15 & 16
Felt good, grip held up.Zottman Curls
12.5kg 3 x 12
Forearm burn.
Heavy Dumbell Holds with 35kg DB’s x 2 sets
2 Likes
Week 10 July 2nd ME Lower
Back Squat
20kg x 10
40kg x 5
60kg x 4
70 kg x 3
77.5 kg x 3
85 kg x 5
Annoyed that I didn’t try 87.5kg but warm up weights didn’t feel great. Didnt brace properly on a few lifts but grinded the reps out. Still improved by a single rep I guess.
Bulgarian Split Squat
BW x 10
1 set 22.5kg x 10
1 x 45kg x 12 on left leg, 2 on right leg, too sore. Abandoned.
Ok pains me to say but I’m gonna put unilateral movements on hold due to my adductor injury in my right leg. Gonna replace with leg press. Sickened as unilateral movements are among my favourite and most beneficial exercises.
Snatch Grip RDL’s with straps
1 x 60kg x 12
3 x 87.5kg x 12
Still havent perfected my grip width. Bar often hitting my junk at the top. Would be lost without straps on this exercise. They do really cut into my wrists though
Leg Press
66kg 2 x 15
Light weight and definitely not strong on this moment.
Ab circuit x 1
2 Likes
Try the trap bar for RDL or even dumbbells
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Dont have a Trap Bar or DB’s over 30kg at my usual gym. But jesus Snatch grip RDL’s really make me sore. My glutes, hammies and and whole back are still sore two days later. Would love to try the trap bar for RDLS and shrugs. Have you another exercise that you would substitute for a unilateral movement? When right adductor has a minor strain and in my experience would take months to heal so rest isnt an option. Working around it is.
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Just continue to progressively overload the RDL. And a glute bridge. Get strong on those = big butt and a lot of strength.
The soreness could indicate some muscle damage. Try 2 sets of 5 to 7 with 1 or 2 RIR
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Week 10 July 3rd 2024
Pullups 1 x 8
Best pull up reps of program so far.
Bench Press
20kg x 10
45 kg x 5
50 kg x 5
62.5kg x 3
72.5kg x 3
Felt weaker today and my shoulders hurt. CNS might have been fatigued from Squats and Snatch Grip RDL’S the day before.
Dips 2 sets of max reps
1 x 7 reps, 1 x 9 reps with 10kg
Went to failure both sets but got a second wind on 2nd set. Will aim for 2 x 10 next week
DB rows supersetted with Face Pulls
55kg - 2 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 12
Face Pulls 80lbs 1 x 12, 90lbs 3 x 12
Kelso Shrugs
30kg DB’s 3 x 12, 1 x 10
Hammer curls
25kg on 2 x 11 with Fat Gripz
30kg 1 x 10
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