Feb 29, 2016

no better way to celebrate leap year with squat day! I would like to squat 3 times this week though, so no matter what the occasion… chances are it will be a squat day

no belt this workout, shoes and sleeves worn throughout

Low Bar Squats (2-3 min rests, in between sets I did TKEs)

135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3

High Bar Squats (2-3 min rests)

285 x 4
285 x 4

Low Bar Lo-pause Squats (brief pause in the hole, 2-3 min rests)

255 x 6
255 x 6
255 x 6

Weighted Plank

25 lb plate for 45 seconds

Hyperextensions

15 reps

After the squats, my low back was pumped and sore, so I kept the core work to a minimum, and wrapped it up and came home.

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Feb 27, 2016

Bed so warm and toasty… did not want to get up, accidentally slept in a bit. But I decided to get my Saturday gym work in early before my legs turn to jelly as a result of the Friday night squats. Even as I type this, my legs feel a bit rubbery.

Axle OHP from the Rack (push presses, 2-3 min rests)

20 x 3
70 x 3
110 x 3
*wraps and sleeves on*
130 x 3
150 x 3
160 x 3
170 x 3
175 x 3 Rep PR!!
180 x 3 Rep PR!!

notes: progress! I was told I was losing tightness in my upper back and shoulders as I dipped for the push press, so something for me to work on. the wrist wraps were SO much help, especially with axle – I get sore wrists a lot OHP’ing a thick bar.

Closegrip Incline Bench Press (2-3 min rests)

45 x 8
95 x 3
135 x 3
*wraps, sleeves on*
Football Bar 190 x 1.5
Straight Bar 190 x 1.5

notes: I got tired of the Football Bar. It is too loose and wiggly, and I waste a lot of energy stabilizing it when it spins. The first set of 190, I failed mid-range (shoulders). The second set of 190, I lifted my butt off the bench when pressing it. So I won’t count either of those. Overall this week, my incline CGBP has not been up to snuff, so maybe the max I was using to calculate was too generous (it was from back in August). So I am going to lower my projected max, and try and get more quality work in, as obviously my incline has deteriorated greatly.

Spoto Press (2-3 min rests, sleeves, wraps)

135 x 5
185 x 8
185 x 8

Widegrip Pulldowns (90 sec rests)

120 x 15
120 x 15
120 x 15
120 x 15
120 x 15

Superset: Band Pushdowns & Cable Face Pulls (90 sec rests)

band x 20 / 30 x 20
band x 20 / 30 x 20
band x 20 / 30 x 20

Feb 26, 2016

Had to work a bit late. Friday night. Beat up. The absolute last place I wanted to be was at the gym doing volume squats. But I made it there for a late-night workout. No belt month continues. #teamnobelt

warmup: light squats mixed with TKEs (135 for sets of 5, and sets of 10 TKEs with a heavy band)

all squats: shoes, sleeves, no belt

Low Bar Squats (2 min rests)

235 x 8
235 x 8
235 x 8
235 x 8
235 x 8

High Bar Squats (2 min rests)

245 x 8
245 x 8
245 x 8

Low Bar Squats w/ Pause above Parallel (2 min rests)

215 x 10
215 x 10
215 x 10

notes: these were rough, above parallel is my sticking point, so this was a good practice for me, even if it felt super awkward to take away all my momentum for a second.

It was getting late and I was real tired, so I came home and ate pop-tarts.

Feb 25, 2016

nothing too strenuous planned tonight, just assistance to my deadlift

Bent Over Rows (explosive, 2-3 min rests)

bar x 5
135 x 5
170 x 10
170 x 10
170 x 10
170 x 10
170 x 10

Atlas Stones

One set: 170 lb stone to a 56 inch platform, AMRAP in 2 min

8 reps achieved

notes: ouch, this winded me. plus I think the stone was too small in diameter, so once my form got sloppy, I actually clocked myself in the jaw, lifting it up. you had to be there to understand it, it sounds weird over the internet. anyways, after almost knocking my teeth out I really slowed down, and only managed 8 reps in 2 minutes, which is not so hot. It felt like cardio anyways, I was winded for a bit.

Hammer Curls (90 sec rests)

30s x 15
30s x 15
30s x 15

Short and sweet, took off for home and tried to get off the roads before the overnight temperature drop turned all the water back into ice.

Feb 23, 2016

watching a video on how to bench press as I type this

Legs sooooo sore today! Damn you high volume!

upper body tonight

Log Press (2-3 min rests, clean once then press repeatedly, push presses)

80 x 5
100 x 5
*wrist wraps on*
120 x 9
120 x 9
120 x 10

notes: been months since I OHP’ed. I need to control the descent more, not just let it drop. I felt comfortable cleaning the log up my chest though.

Closegrip Incline Bench Press (2-3 min rests, football bar, steep incline)

bar x 5
95 x 6
135 x 3
*wrist wraps on*
165 x 5
135 x 9
135 x 8

notes: never used a football bar before and been a long time since I inclined, or CG inclined. Plus the incline was fixed and steeper than I like. Excuses! 165 was WAY heavier than I thought, lol. so I dropped the weight and focused on form. need to keep my back tight!

Spoto Press (2-3 min rests, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps)

135 x 5
160 x 12
160 x 12

notes: ugh, high rep sets of compounds. been a while! dammit, hypertrophy!

2H DB Rows (90 sec rests, facedown on incline bench)

30s x 15
30s x 15
30s x 15
30s x 15
30s x 15

Superset: DB Front Raises & DB Skullcrushers (2 min rest)

22.5s x 15 / 22.5s x 15
12s x 15 / 12s x 15

notes: I did the front raises neutral grip. the first set was heavy and hard, the second set was light and slow and controlled, hard squeezes.

Feb 22, 2016

I hope you like squats.  I got squats for you.

Tonight, the plan was death by squats. Light squats, but lots of them. And no belt.

warmup: dorsiflexions, TKEs

squat shoes and knee sleeves on

warmup squats: bar x 5, 135 x 3

Low Bar Squats (60 sec rests)

215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 3

notes: yup, 12 sets of 3, with 60 seconds rest in between. counts as cardio, right??

High Bar Squats (2-3 min rests)

230 x 6
230 x 6
230 x 6

Low Bar Paused Squats (1 sec pause at the bottom, 2-3 min rests in between sets)

200 x 8
200 x 8
200 x 8

Weighted Planks (long rests)

25 lbs x 30 seconds
25 lbs x 30 sec
25 lbs x 30 sec

notes: the rests had to be long because I had to wait for someone to keep the plate on me – I didn’t want to have to awkwardly put it on and then get into position, and then dump it off at the end

 

Feb 20, 2016

Just mock meet, go eat, go sleep.

warmup: dorsiflexions, TKEs

low bar squats (shoes, knee sleeves)

135 x 3
225 x 3
315 x 1
*belt on*
355 x 1
395 x 1 Weight PR!!
415 x FAIL

notes: A few thoughts. My real goal was 405 – 4 plates. I went too conservative by doing 395. the 395 was really smooth, so I jumped 405 and went to 415. When doing 415, I went too slow on the way down and burnt all my energy, didn’t make it out of the hole and had to dump it. I should have done 405 on my second attempt, and just divebombed it and gotten aggressive with it.

bench press

135 x 3
185 x 2
*wrist wraps, elbow sleeves*
225 x 1
265 x 1 Weight PR!!
275 x FAIL

notes: again, maybe I was too conservative and gone for 275 on my second attempt. 265 was a grind at the top. 275 I failed coming off my chest, so it wasn’t even close.

deadlifts (flat shoes, lots of chalk)

135 x 1
225 x 1
315 x 1
*belt on*
405 x 1
475 x 1 Weight PR!!
495 x 1 Weight PR!!

notes: HUGE PR! I made good picks this time. Finally in the 5 plate club.

Now, time to reset the program, rinse off and repeat all this work. Have a good weekend!

Feb 17, 2016

Just finishin what I start, even though I think I f’ed up my bench press peak.

warmup: slow neg side raises, Cuban presses, one arm shrugs

Bench Press (2-3 min rests)

bar x lots
95 x 4
135 x 3
185 x 2
*wraps, sleeves on*
235 x 3
235 x 3

Closegrip Bench Press (2-3 min rest, sleeves, wraps)

235 x 3
235 x 3

2 arm DB Rows (90 sec rests, elbows high, facedown on incline bench)

50s x 6
50s x 6
50s x 6

notes: getting better at activating upper back on these

Feb 15, 2016

Have to get my head back into the game. Get some good sessions under my belt and bring the intensity back up.

warmup: forgot to do any, too psyched

Low Bar Squats (long rests, shoes, sleeves)

135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 1
*belt on*
335 x 2
335 x 2
355 x 1
355 x 1

notes: felt good. good to be building up momentum again

Deadlifts (barefoot, short rests)

285 x 1
285 x 1
285 x 1

notes: just some cooldown

A short day, but need to get used to my heavy weights again

Feb 14, 2016

I just can’t get in the clear on this bronchitis, it keeps dragging me down, and after a few weeks, has completely derailed my training.

Went to the gym tonight, with numbers to hit.

Bench Press (long rests)

bar x lots
95 x 5
135 x 4
185 x 3
225 x 1
*wraps, sleeves on*
250 x FAIL *this was a miscue with my spotter*
250 x 1 *I was supposed to hit two, and got close but failed*
260 x FAIL *I clipped the rack on the way up. after this, I gave up on regular bench*

notes: this sucked so bad. this is the first time I couldn’t hit my numbers in 5 months of this total program. Obviously, the bronchitis has messed me up, I haven’t trained or ate or slept consistently for weeks. I need to figure out whether I can get things back on track, or just end it and go back to square one. I was supposed to mock meet on the 13th, and instead I did the same taper week twice in a row, and have failed it. I need to think on this for a bit.

And I still feel sick, and am running out of my original scrip of meds.

Slingshot Bench (wraps, long rest)

260 x 1
280 x 1

notes: 280 was a grind, but it happened

Chest Supported T Bar Row (2 min rests, elbows stay high)

1 plate x 6
2p x 6
3p x 5
3p x 5
3p x 5

then I came home. this sucks.