20120507
didn’t have a spot, did press ladders instead
Press 175 2x,155 3x ladders
Pushups with slingshot
Bent Rows 280 3×3
Curls 120 5×10
20120509
Squat 405 3×3
RDLs 320 3×5
sled
20120510
Bench 315×5,325×3,330×2,340×1
CG Bench 295×2,275×5
One-Arm DB Overhead Press 60,75 2×5 85 L4 R5
Kroc Row 110,120,130 3×5
20120511
Squat 500×4
Reverse Band DL 585×5
Hammer Curls w/Stone Trainer 25 5×10
Pullups BWx14
20120430
Bench 245 1xladder 255 4xladders
Press 185,195,205 3×2
Bent Rows 275 3×3
Curls 115 5×10 95×10
20120502
Squat 405,425,445,465,485,455 6×2
RDL 315 3×5
4x sled
20120503
Bench 335×2,350×1,360×1 (PR)
CG Bench 275×5,295×2,315×2
Kroc Rows 100 3×5
Preachers Curls…a bunch
Reverse Band DL
585,635,675,700 4×1
635,585 2×2
Dynamic Squat 330 10×2
2x truck push
20120423
Bench 225 3×5
Press 155 3×5
Chins 3×5
20120425
Squat 365 2×3 405×3
RDL 225 3×5
3x light sled
20120427
Bench 275 3×3
Press 185 2,3,3
Pullups 3×5
I still want to train this next week, but my body is telling me I need a week off. I made it through my first six week cycle just fine, only a couple more until Nationals! Here’s what I did last week, then we’ll discuss my next six weeks.
20120416 (dropped the weight a bit due to last week’s intensity day)
Bench 255 5x ladders
Press 175 3×3
Pullups 6×5
Hammer Curls w/stone trainer 30 4×10
20120417
Squat (felt great) 405 3×3
RDL 315,320,325 3×3
Bent Rows 275×5
5x sled drags
20120419
Bench 315,335,355 3×1 (PR)
Press 230,240 2×1 (PR) 200×4
Chins 3×5
Fat Grip Curls 95 5×8
20120420
Squat (all felt heavy,unfortunately)
500×1,525×0(no depth),525×1(pretty decent rep),515×1,500×1
Reverse Band Deadlift 585×1,635×1,585×1
Notes about the next six weeks.
-Reverse band deadlifts will be my primary pulling movement. I will be doing these every week. On the weeks I squat heavy, the weight will be reduced.
-Pullups will move to Thursday, chins will be dropped, and bent rows added on Monday to work on my lower back strength.
-I will not press heavy Thursday, and I will add in close-grip bench instead to improve my lockout strength.
-The first week of May I will start running one day a week to prepare for my PT test in July.
-Depth and descent speed are the primary concern with my squat, I won’t move the weight up until these issues have been worked out.
20120409
Bench 265 5x ladders
Press 185 3×3
Pullups 6×5
Curls 135 3×10 95 2×20 (this wasn’t a good idea)
20120411 knee felt almost 100%
Squat 405,425,445 3×3 465×2
RDL 300 3×5
4x sled
20120412 felt like crap, run down, later
Bench 315,325,335 3×2 (felt lousy)
Press 205×1,225×0…called it here,decided to close grip
CG Bench 225,245,265,285 4×3 305 2×1
Chins 3×5
20120413 tired…still
Deadlift 565×1,610 x.95 (garbage lockout,will discuss this more next week)
Dynamic Squat 325 10×2 (felt really good)
It’s been a pretty decent couple of weeks, despite hurting both my right knee and low back. Last week I wasn’t able to squat on Saturday, although it has gotten better since. It was probably at about 80% when I squatted this past Wednesday, and it’s about 90% now. I’m going to continue icing it though. Hit a couple of PRs on press, that was neat. Other than that, things are going OK.
20120326
Bench 255 5x ladders
Press 185 3×3
Pullups BW 6×5
Curls 125 3×10 115 2×10
20120328
Squat 405,425,445 3×2 (knee hurt, stopped)
RDL 285 3×5
20120329 (hurt my back while pressing, felt a “pop”…good)
Bench 320,330,340 3×2
Press 210,215 2×2
Seated DB Curl 50 3×8
Chins +25 3×5
20120331 (knee hurt, didn’t squat)
Deadlift…worked on my form a lot
550×1,600×1,635×0,550×2,495 2×1,405 2×1
20120402
Bench 260 5x ladders
Press 185 3×3
Pullups BW 5,10,8,7
Curls 130 3×10, 115 2×10
20120404 (knee still hurt a bit)
Squat 365,385,405 3×3
RDL 295 3×5
3x sled drags
20120405
Bench 325,335,345 3×2
Press 215×2,220×3 (PR)
DB Bench 100 8,7,5
later that day…
Chins BW 6×5
Stone Curl 25 4×10
20120407 (knee about 90%)
Squat 500 3×1,510×2,455×2
Rack Pull 500×1,560×1,550×2,500×3
20120319
Bench 250 5x ladders
Press 180 3×3
Pullups 6×5
Curls 120 4×10
20120321 (tired)
Squat 405,425,445 3×3
RDL 280 3×5
20120322 (back to training during lunch for the duration of the semester)
Bench 315,325,335 3×2
CG Bench 275×5
Press 205×2,210×3 (surprisingly easy)
Chins +25 3×5 superset with Hammer Curls 55 3×10 (running short on time)
20120324
Squat 500,515,495 3×1,495×0,455×2
Rack Pull 545,585,545 3×1 495×2
I started back with a pretty light week…
20120307
SQ 365 3×3
RDL 185,225 3×3
20120308
BP 275 2×2
Press 135 3×3
Pullups 3×3
20120310
SQ 405,425,455 3×3 405×5
Rack Pull 405×5
regular week…
20120312
BP 245 5x ladders
Press 175 3×3
Chins 6×5
Curls 115 3×10
Sit-Ups +25 5×10
20120313
SQ 405,425,445 3×3 365×5
RDL 275 3×5
20120315
BP 300,315 2×2 330×3 (PR)
SlingShot BP 315×3 315×5
Press 185×2,205×2,225×1 (PR)
Pullups 6×5
Stone-Trainer Curls 45 5×10
20120316
Deadlift (DOHHG) 555×1,600×1,500×1(with 30 second hold)
Dynamic SQ 315 10×2
Assuming you’ve read Justin’s post on the site, you know that this wasn’t a very good meet for me. Here’s what happened.
Squat
I wasn’t happy with my last squat session a couple of weeks out, but I tried not to focus on it too much. When I hit 540×2 then, it felt harder than expected. During the six weeks after my PT test I had two heavy squat sessions and two heavy deadlift sessions. None of them were fantastic, but I tried to get as much work in as I could. My opening squat was pretty easy, and I got it 2/1. I felt that this was a sign, so instead of the 562 I would have taken if I had smoked it, I opted for 556. I walked it out, felt pretty strong out of the bottom, and racked it. No lift, 2/1. OK…crap. I still wanted 578. I told Justin to call for it and I’d make sure to get the lift. Well, he called for 573, and again I didn’t get the lift 2/1. For certain, 573 was deeper than 556, but apparently still not good enough. Not buying a new singlet was my fault, and I believe that was a contributing factor. In the future, I’ll do two things. First of all, I’ll buy a new singlet. Second, and more importantly, I’m going to work on my mobility (specifically hip flexors and ankles) and make sure all of my squats are absolutely deep enough, without question. The combination of mobility and pushing my knees out further (eliminating FR Squat and HB Squat for the time being should help this) will be successful. I’ll squat 600 at Nationals.
Bench
Watch the video, it really doesn’t look like I got pumped huh? I really didn’t. At this point, I knew I couldn’t hit a PR total, so I just said screw it and went with 341 on my third attempt. 308 was actually the hardest attempt. 325 was pretty easy, and so was 341. 341 actually looks harder in the video than it felt. For my training leading to Nationals, I’m returning to bench ladders, and 3×2 on Thursdays. I also bought a slingshot at the Arnold, actually from Mark Bell himself. I’ll use it after my top set on Thursday to get some more heavy work in. I’ll be good for 358 at Nationals, no doubt.
Deadlift
Ah…the deadlift. I almost wish 639 hadn’t even moved off the ground, so that I wouldn’t have to watch the video and see how close it was. Oh well. 551 and 600 weren’t as easy as they should have been, but they weren’t exactly hard either. Things to work on…a stronger lockout? Certainly. Only a couple of minor tweaks for my deadlift. When I pull I’m going to go 550>>>600>>>??? and then do another double at 90% of my work set. We’ll see how this works. Additionally, Brad Gillingham made an interesting point to Chris and I, when we spoke to him after the GNC pro deadlift (he pulled a very easy 837). He mentioned that with a double overhand hook grip the lockout is very smooth. Lightbulb. So I’m switching to DOHHG, and I’ll pull with it at Nationals. 650 will happen.
Also, I’m dropping to 260 for now. This should make my PT test easier. I was 282 on Monday, and 277 this morning after tweaking my diet this week, mainly lowering the carbs. The Poundstone shake should also help (12oz chicken, 12oz low sodium V8, 4oz water, 100% awesome…not really)
No excuses.
8/4/2012
SQ 551,578,600
BP 325,341,358
DL 551,600,650
Total 1608
20120220
Bench 225 3×5
Press 135 3×3
Chins BW 3×5
20120222
Squat 365 3×3
RDLs 225 3×5
20120223
Bench w/pause 310,325 2×1 (ez style)
Pullups BW 3×5
2012225
Dynamic Squat 315 5×2
Deadlift 405 2×1
20120227
Squat 425,445,465 3×2
Bench w/pause 280 2×1
