So after a few weeks of hard training, good diet, and a few supplements (HMB {thank you MTI}, protein and creatine). It's time to see where I'm at and where my weaknesses are.
My best gym lifts (on video) have been
215 squat
148 bench
260 deadlift
Monday I maxed on squat and hit 235.
Wednesday I benched and hit 155.
Friday I deadlifted and did kinda shitty because I was wore out from maxing out and wasting so much energy on 2 missed 265 attempts. First time I set-up and starting pulling over the bar. Second attempt I broke ground but had no energy left (as there are no videos of these attempts, we will accept it in the "didn't happen category). I'm max out again in 6-8 weeks.
I need to focus a lot on my technique. I have a horrible, horrible tendency to muscle up weight. I need to use more glutes and legs in my squat, keep my torso more up right, and may need to say farewell to my oly shoes.
My bench press, I need to tuck my elbows in evenly, hit low, and push the bar down and away. Especially with that high arch; I can't have the bar coming up on me.
My deadlift, I need to work on my set up. My weights were coming up off the floor a lot faster than they used to. So I will keep with the bands and chains, work in rack pulls, do some part-part-whole shit.
Other than my DL epic fail, things are going pretty well, and I seem to be on track to get a 650 raw total at 105 this year and maybe a 700 total down the line. I hope I can keep this up.
A huge thanks to:
Team Jax
My Vince
As well as:
Advanced Muscle Science
Optimum Nutrition
ABB
MTI
for all the supplements, they were all awesome and a huge help. I hope to put up a big total soon and make you all proud.
(Then maybe I'll get all cute and do a figure show, if I really like you. haha)
Finally pulling my weight around
Reverse Band Deadlift (about 60/65 off the floor and 0 at the top)
135x10
185x5 (3 sets, each different width:conventional, narrow sumo, wide sumo)
225x5 (3 sets etc)
275x3 (3 sets etc)
315x1 (only got them sumo and wide sumo)
325x1 (only got it narrow sumo)
I did pull most of my warm ups using straps, but shredded them for the 315's and 325 pull.
Split Squats
65x10
65x10
85x10
85x10
Shrugs
135x5
95x10
95x10
95x10
95x10 (snatch grip)
Blob Deadlift
4x10 with 70lb kb
Bicep Curls
2x10 with bar
Abs on decline with 10lb weight
3x20
I am really happy with the gains that I have made so far, and using only a few supplements (HMB, Creatine, Caffeine, and PROTEIN [protein is in all caps because it's that important] ). I hope they continue! I'll be ready to deload soon.
They guys were super helpful today, especially Joe who helped me set up everything for my Deadlifting while all the guys were on the mono doing squats. We had a visitor today, a guy I had my second meet ever (SPF, Brute Strength Gym 2/20/2010) with, he was prepping for a meet and happened to be in the area so he squatted with the boys. For a skinny guy it was some pretty decent weight.
Got home and ate 2 whole chicken breasts, and 2 sweet potatoes, and some bacon, and a shake (I'm eating more chicken now). It was awesome.
Vince is taking some time off for his meet on the 19th. We are going to get a massage together for V-day, and may try to make a heart-shaped husafell stone (if we can find enough lead).
135x10
185x5 (3 sets, each different width:conventional, narrow sumo, wide sumo)
225x5 (3 sets etc)
275x3 (3 sets etc)
315x1 (only got them sumo and wide sumo)
325x1 (only got it narrow sumo)
I did pull most of my warm ups using straps, but shredded them for the 315's and 325 pull.
Split Squats
65x10
65x10
85x10
85x10
Shrugs
135x5
95x10
95x10
95x10
95x10 (snatch grip)
Blob Deadlift
4x10 with 70lb kb
Bicep Curls
2x10 with bar
Abs on decline with 10lb weight
3x20
I am really happy with the gains that I have made so far, and using only a few supplements (HMB, Creatine, Caffeine, and PROTEIN [protein is in all caps because it's that important] ). I hope they continue! I'll be ready to deload soon.
They guys were super helpful today, especially Joe who helped me set up everything for my Deadlifting while all the guys were on the mono doing squats. We had a visitor today, a guy I had my second meet ever (SPF, Brute Strength Gym 2/20/2010) with, he was prepping for a meet and happened to be in the area so he squatted with the boys. For a skinny guy it was some pretty decent weight.
Got home and ate 2 whole chicken breasts, and 2 sweet potatoes, and some bacon, and a shake (I'm eating more chicken now). It was awesome.
Vince is taking some time off for his meet on the 19th. We are going to get a massage together for V-day, and may try to make a heart-shaped husafell stone (if we can find enough lead).
The Inner Bench
Reverse band benching.
barx10
95x10
115x10
135x10
145x5
155x5
165x3
175x3
185x3
195x3
205x1
215 fail
Probably spent a little too much time warming up there. haha. I didn't expect to be able to go up that high, I figured 185 and I'd be out, but it just kept surprising me. Next time I'll know what to expect
Swiss Bar
85lbsx5
85lbsx5
85lbsx10 (once I got a handle on the balance this thing was FUN)
Skull crushers with Swiss bar (I like these sooo much better than the straight bar)
35lbsx20
45lbsx10
45lbsx10
Band Rows
3x30
Pull-ups
3x10
Push ups
3x10 with 25lbs
1x15 with 25lbs
(no, I never get tired of push ups. PFTs, you'll be good at them. You'll be PTing so fast people will think you're real drill instructors, you'll compete against real drill instructors, you'll beat real drill instructors and get sent back to MCRD)But seriously, it is my favorite bench assistance work. Working back up to 45lbs for 10 reps.
Pull-a-parts
3x10
My arms were shaking afterward. First time in a while that my triceps really felt like they were getting a good thrashing. My arch was feeling pretty good, but I need to focus on pushing my heels to the floor, grip the bar harder, concentrate on extending my elbows and pulling the bar apart. I'm still trying to push with just my chest, and it's kind of fucking me over. I've got a 155 bench in me waiting to get out. And that bench wants out NOW!
Got home and chugged a protein shake with a scoop of protein, 8oz of milk, and 2 raw whole eggs. I'll do some ab work and a few more push ups before I pass out hardcore.
barx10
95x10
115x10
135x10
145x5
155x5
165x3
175x3
185x3
195x3
205x1
215 fail
Probably spent a little too much time warming up there. haha. I didn't expect to be able to go up that high, I figured 185 and I'd be out, but it just kept surprising me. Next time I'll know what to expect
Swiss Bar
85lbsx5
85lbsx5
85lbsx10 (once I got a handle on the balance this thing was FUN)
Skull crushers with Swiss bar (I like these sooo much better than the straight bar)
35lbsx20
45lbsx10
45lbsx10
Band Rows
3x30
Pull-ups
3x10
Push ups
3x10 with 25lbs
1x15 with 25lbs
(no, I never get tired of push ups. PFTs, you'll be good at them. You'll be PTing so fast people will think you're real drill instructors, you'll compete against real drill instructors, you'll beat real drill instructors and get sent back to MCRD)But seriously, it is my favorite bench assistance work. Working back up to 45lbs for 10 reps.
Pull-a-parts
3x10
My arms were shaking afterward. First time in a while that my triceps really felt like they were getting a good thrashing. My arch was feeling pretty good, but I need to focus on pushing my heels to the floor, grip the bar harder, concentrate on extending my elbows and pulling the bar apart. I'm still trying to push with just my chest, and it's kind of fucking me over. I've got a 155 bench in me waiting to get out. And that bench wants out NOW!
Got home and chugged a protein shake with a scoop of protein, 8oz of milk, and 2 raw whole eggs. I'll do some ab work and a few more push ups before I pass out hardcore.
Front Squat-age
Not trying to make excuses, but absolute worst cramps I've ever had during a work out. I was literally in the fetal position in tears between sets. Haha, still not as bad as deadlifting til I puke.
Front Squat
60lbsx5
80lbsx5
100lbsx5
110x5
130x5
150x1 (I felt like my form was way off, I should have been able to triple this. Wish I got a video)
150x1
140x3x3
Seated good-mornings
3x10
Goblet Squats
3x5
Dl
135x15
135x15
I really should have done 20, but I pussed out.DL actually felt like the best thing I did all day.
I really should have added in some Bulgarian split squats and blob dl's as well. But I'll settle for some lunges and ab work at home.
The new kids are doing a great job. Yuri, Joe, Jordan and Paul were pressing and dl'ing together. Paul is new and he's catching on very quickly. He learned alternate grip and hook grip today and used them on his dl and ended up getting 355x5. Jordan is going to be pretty epic, he's only 19 and hitting 500x5. I'm really looking forward to seeing them in a meet soon.
Trying to get my diet on point. Drinking more raw eggs, eating more protein and less carbs.
Front Squat
60lbsx5
80lbsx5
100lbsx5
110x5
130x5
150x1 (I felt like my form was way off, I should have been able to triple this. Wish I got a video)
150x1
140x3x3
Seated good-mornings
3x10
Goblet Squats
3x5
Dl
135x15
135x15
I really should have done 20, but I pussed out.DL actually felt like the best thing I did all day.
I really should have added in some Bulgarian split squats and blob dl's as well. But I'll settle for some lunges and ab work at home.
The new kids are doing a great job. Yuri, Joe, Jordan and Paul were pressing and dl'ing together. Paul is new and he's catching on very quickly. He learned alternate grip and hook grip today and used them on his dl and ended up getting 355x5. Jordan is going to be pretty epic, he's only 19 and hitting 500x5. I'm really looking forward to seeing them in a meet soon.
Trying to get my diet on point. Drinking more raw eggs, eating more protein and less carbs.
Benching like a beast
Ate 5 raw eggs:
Won a fatbar this week from silver back strength equipment, and we got it in yesterday, so today I got to play with it.
Felt very, very sluggish today (lots of family stuff going on and it's hard to get my head in the game).
Things were a little hectic since almost everyone was benching today. We got to play musical bench.
Bench with bands (+70@top) (played around with the grip width)
barx5
65×5
85×3
85×3
Push ups with 25lbs
three different widths: diamond, military, wide
9 sets of 5
Iso-lateral DB Bench (soooo slow on these)
30×20
35×20
40×10
45×6
Fatbar Bench
70×5
90×5
110×5
120×5
Chest Fly
3×10
Pull ups
3×5 (no dead hangs)
Band Rows
4×10
Push Downs
2x15
I got a whole lot of volume done
Love the fatbar!
Won a fatbar this week from silver back strength equipment, and we got it in yesterday, so today I got to play with it.
Felt very, very sluggish today (lots of family stuff going on and it's hard to get my head in the game).
Things were a little hectic since almost everyone was benching today. We got to play musical bench.
Bench with bands (+70@top) (played around with the grip width)
barx5
65×5
85×3
85×3
Push ups with 25lbs
three different widths: diamond, military, wide
9 sets of 5
Iso-lateral DB Bench (soooo slow on these)
30×20
35×20
40×10
45×6
Fatbar Bench
70×5
90×5
110×5
120×5
Chest Fly
3×10
Pull ups
3×5 (no dead hangs)
Band Rows
4×10
Push Downs
2x15
I got a whole lot of volume done
Love the fatbar!
Press day and thoughts on deloading for upcoming meet.
I am now 18 days out from Orlando Barbell meet, where I will be bench pressing and deadlifting. I planned on going heavy tonight but not to max effort, I am at the back end of about 10 weeks of heavy training so Im feeling kinda beat down and this deload will be just what I need.
Took it easy on the overhead press, warmup 3 sets with bar then;
135x15
135 4x10
Went really light on these, just wanted to get the shoulders and arms warmed up for some bench. I had planned to warmup then do a max set of reps on the bench with 405lbs but the guys convinced me to slingshot bench with them. Sets went like this;
225x10
315x10
405x2 (really explosive, made the plate hit the bottom of the bar at lockout, great speed)
add slingshot
500x2
525, felt really light but I drifted back over my face and had the spotter take it, didnt want to push it too hard today.
take off slingshot
315x16
Did some delt and tricep support work
rope pressdown
2x20
2x15 heavy these hurt real bad
rear/side delt raises
5x15
tricep pressdown
4x10 heavy
overhead tricep extension
4x15
All in all a good day and pretty much my last heavy, high volume day before the meet. I think I will be opening at 450-460 then taking 501 as a second attempt, then base my third attempt off of how 501 feels.
Took it easy on the overhead press, warmup 3 sets with bar then;
135x15
135 4x10
Went really light on these, just wanted to get the shoulders and arms warmed up for some bench. I had planned to warmup then do a max set of reps on the bench with 405lbs but the guys convinced me to slingshot bench with them. Sets went like this;
225x10
315x10
405x2 (really explosive, made the plate hit the bottom of the bar at lockout, great speed)
add slingshot
500x2
525, felt really light but I drifted back over my face and had the spotter take it, didnt want to push it too hard today.
take off slingshot
315x16
Did some delt and tricep support work
rope pressdown
2x20
2x15 heavy these hurt real bad
rear/side delt raises
5x15
tricep pressdown
4x10 heavy
overhead tricep extension
4x15
All in all a good day and pretty much my last heavy, high volume day before the meet. I think I will be opening at 450-460 then taking 501 as a second attempt, then base my third attempt off of how 501 feels.
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