Dynamic Warm-ups
18" Farmer's Deadlifts (1.5" thick handles)
52x10
102x5
142x3
192x3
232x1
282x1
322x1
362x1
402x0
402x1 PR+5lbs (11 second hold)
352x1 (12 second finger tips hold)
GHR Situps
bw+80x31
28 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Workout had its highs and lows. Shoulders and upper back were still incredibly sore and tight from Tuesday. No issues at all with my upper back on the deadlifts which is great since I remember from last time that it hurt lowering the weights. Took less warm-ups and bigger jumps since this time was for a max single rather than doubles with a suggested volume. My form felt a little off at 362lbs so I was concerned about what I should aim for the next set. Went with just 5lbs over what I did last time as the idea was not to go all out since I had overdone it with the yoke the past two weeks. I got set with 402lbs and tugged but no good. The weights moved back and only broke the back ends off the ground. So angry and disappointed. I was thinking about packing it in for the night. I calm myself down and waited a good ten minutes before trying again. I got mad, gripped farther back on the handles and gave it hell. It was slow and ugly but I locked it out. No more Johnny One Take for me anymore. Practically doubled my hold time this go around as well. Midsection was quite sore (no near as bad as what happened last time) and I kept my belt on for a good bit, hoping the compression would keep it from acting up a lot. Did the fingertips hold after that with much the same result of doubling the hold time. Took a bit of active rest putting all the weights away before doing the set of abs. Didn't expect to do so many with the increased weight. Really hard to breath with the chains. Finished up with stretching.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
October 16, 2012 - Upper Body Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Axle Jerks
72x5
102x3
132x3
162x3
192x3
222x1
252x1
282x1
302x1
317x1 PR+2lbs
Axle Overhead Lockouts
172x1
222x1
262x1
312x1
Axle Overhead Quarter Squats
352x1
402x1
442x1
472x1 (5 second hold at top)
Parallel Bar Dips
bwx52 PR+3 reps
bw+55x21 PR+10lbs & 2 reps
26 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Workout went very well. Now that I've accepted that I am a jerk man, overhead is becoming comfortable and consistent. Jerks do not like a lot of reps for warm-up so I cut back a little. Hit a small PR but called it there even though I felt good for a little more. No point this close to the show to get anymore stress or chances for missed lifts. Build from here. May have taken over two years to add two pounds but who cares, it is finally progress. From there, I did lockouts in the rack. Doing something new with this stuff. Essentially, do lockouts from right on top of my head to a tough single and then go into quarter overhead squats to a tough single. Lockout was a bit below my best but I'm lifting from about 2" lower than I usually do. Big difference in terms of overhead rack work haha. Haven't done the overhead squat partials in a while so it a little interesting finding the sweet spot on these as I haven't done them with an axle before. I could only hold the top set for a couple seconds but it is definitely a PR for the most weight I've supported overhead by a wide margin. Dips were the rest of the workout. Very happy to have a break from these next week. Getting exhausting doing so many dips but it is doing my upper body a world of good. If only my high school wrestling coaches could see me repping the crap of dips now haha. Stretched and went home. Only two more hard workouts to go.
Axle Jerks
72x5
102x3
132x3
162x3
192x3
222x1
252x1
282x1
302x1
317x1 PR+2lbs
Axle Overhead Lockouts
172x1
222x1
262x1
312x1
Axle Overhead Quarter Squats
352x1
402x1
442x1
472x1 (5 second hold at top)
Parallel Bar Dips
bwx52 PR+3 reps
bw+55x21 PR+10lbs & 2 reps
26 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Workout went very well. Now that I've accepted that I am a jerk man, overhead is becoming comfortable and consistent. Jerks do not like a lot of reps for warm-up so I cut back a little. Hit a small PR but called it there even though I felt good for a little more. No point this close to the show to get anymore stress or chances for missed lifts. Build from here. May have taken over two years to add two pounds but who cares, it is finally progress. From there, I did lockouts in the rack. Doing something new with this stuff. Essentially, do lockouts from right on top of my head to a tough single and then go into quarter overhead squats to a tough single. Lockout was a bit below my best but I'm lifting from about 2" lower than I usually do. Big difference in terms of overhead rack work haha. Haven't done the overhead squat partials in a while so it a little interesting finding the sweet spot on these as I haven't done them with an axle before. I could only hold the top set for a couple seconds but it is definitely a PR for the most weight I've supported overhead by a wide margin. Dips were the rest of the workout. Very happy to have a break from these next week. Getting exhausting doing so many dips but it is doing my upper body a world of good. If only my high school wrestling coaches could see me repping the crap of dips now haha. Stretched and went home. Only two more hard workouts to go.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
October 14, 2012 – Event Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Yoke
380x50'
560x50'
740x50'
910x50' (like a million drops)
Comments: More garbage. Plan for today was just a top set of atlas stones but I had a nagging feeling in the back of my head about yoke. I had told myself that I would be fine and that last week was just a fluke, a bad day on bad equipment. I checked to see if it was okay to proceed and got the go ahead. First two sets were super easy but then next set was really tough, way tougher than 740lbs had any right being. Went up to 910lbs and it was every bit as tough as last week. I stubbornly pushed on and dropped it a bunch of times to get 50'. Just pitiful. Tired and embarrassed, I went home. Mentally and physically not up to training. My yoke is down a lot from my prep for the last contest and this worries me as I had thought this event would be a sure thing. There is a strong possibility I will bomb this event now. I guess I need to practice yoke frequently when it's in a contest. Not good.
Yoke
380x50'
560x50'
740x50'
910x50' (like a million drops)
Comments: More garbage. Plan for today was just a top set of atlas stones but I had a nagging feeling in the back of my head about yoke. I had told myself that I would be fine and that last week was just a fluke, a bad day on bad equipment. I checked to see if it was okay to proceed and got the go ahead. First two sets were super easy but then next set was really tough, way tougher than 740lbs had any right being. Went up to 910lbs and it was every bit as tough as last week. I stubbornly pushed on and dropped it a bunch of times to get 50'. Just pitiful. Tired and embarrassed, I went home. Mentally and physically not up to training. My yoke is down a lot from my prep for the last contest and this worries me as I had thought this event would be a sure thing. There is a strong possibility I will bomb this event now. I guess I need to practice yoke frequently when it's in a contest. Not good.
Friday, October 12, 2012
October 11, 2012 – Lower Body Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x1
365x1
405x1
445x1
475x1 PR+10lbs
485x1 PR+20lbs
495x1 PR+30lbs
Leg Raises
bw+22x32
31 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Good workout today. Rough day at work so I needed to left off some steam. Squats felt heavy so I did less volume for warming up than I had planned. 475lbs was awful, like a three part lift to complete. Felt like stopping there with how rough it was. Talked myself in to trying 10lbs more. Form this time was much better, felt good for a little more. Added 10lbs more and got it as well. Stopped there rather than push my luck. I don't want any misses this close to the show. Felt similar to the workout when I maxed on front squats. Changed up the ab exercise as it is just too difficult to do the hanging leg raises while holding on to the top of the power rack. Moved over to the station where I do dips. Much better, don't have to worry about grip and I can keep myself from swinging around much better. Also learned my lesson from last time about chaining up my legs too far from where I'm lifting. Finished up with stretching. Going to be sore tomorrow.
Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x1
365x1
405x1
445x1
475x1 PR+10lbs
485x1 PR+20lbs
495x1 PR+30lbs
Leg Raises
bw+22x32
31 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Good workout today. Rough day at work so I needed to left off some steam. Squats felt heavy so I did less volume for warming up than I had planned. 475lbs was awful, like a three part lift to complete. Felt like stopping there with how rough it was. Talked myself in to trying 10lbs more. Form this time was much better, felt good for a little more. Added 10lbs more and got it as well. Stopped there rather than push my luck. I don't want any misses this close to the show. Felt similar to the workout when I maxed on front squats. Changed up the ab exercise as it is just too difficult to do the hanging leg raises while holding on to the top of the power rack. Moved over to the station where I do dips. Much better, don't have to worry about grip and I can keep myself from swinging around much better. Also learned my lesson from last time about chaining up my legs too far from where I'm lifting. Finished up with stretching. Going to be sore tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
October 09, 2012 - Upper Body Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Close Grip Barbell Incline Bench Presses
45x10
75x5
105x5
135x3
165x3
195x1
225x1
245x1
265x1
280x1 PR+5lbs
290x1 PR+15lbs
Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Clean and Presses
35x1 R
35x1 L
55x1 R
55x1 L
75x1 R
75x1 L
95x1 R
95x1 L
115x1 R
115x1 L
135x1 R
135x1 L
155x5 R PR+3lbs
155x7 L PR+1 rep & 3lbs
Comments: Quite good work today. Did the two gym thing again since Jenkins left for Madrid (Euro Arnold Classic). I prefer benching at the Y, I'm so used to the benches there. Incline is hit or miss for me but I feel I am getting better at hitting than missing now. Goal was to improve on 275lbs from last time (which was a big PR for me then). Got and decided to try for more. This was ugly and I air-humped it to hell. Pretty much looked like a flat bench by the time it started moving again. Don't care, I'll take it, especially since last year I was getting crushed by 50lbs less. Drove across the city to get in the dumbbell work. I was initially peeved that I was using the weight I was since I felt it was under what I was capable of that day. The numbers were based off of my best single from this training plan and I feel that that max was under what I could do. I stuck to the weight as planned though. Warming up was fine. Really hurts my right hand using the 3" handle for the first set. No timer so I had to go by feeling (one minute sets). Got five with the right in the time limit and barely missed a sixth rep. If it had went, it would have been six in the time limit. I tried again but too fried. Left side I got six definitely within the time limit and maybe the seventh rep but unsure since my camera decided to not film that set. Angry about that since I really wanted to see my technique for that set as it felt good. Thankfully I'll just be using my left arm for Nationals. Too late to really stretch.
Close Grip Barbell Incline Bench Presses
45x10
75x5
105x5
135x3
165x3
195x1
225x1
245x1
265x1
280x1 PR+5lbs
290x1 PR+15lbs
Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Clean and Presses
35x1 R
35x1 L
55x1 R
55x1 L
75x1 R
75x1 L
95x1 R
95x1 L
115x1 R
115x1 L
135x1 R
135x1 L
155x5 R PR+3lbs
155x7 L PR+1 rep & 3lbs
Comments: Quite good work today. Did the two gym thing again since Jenkins left for Madrid (Euro Arnold Classic). I prefer benching at the Y, I'm so used to the benches there. Incline is hit or miss for me but I feel I am getting better at hitting than missing now. Goal was to improve on 275lbs from last time (which was a big PR for me then). Got and decided to try for more. This was ugly and I air-humped it to hell. Pretty much looked like a flat bench by the time it started moving again. Don't care, I'll take it, especially since last year I was getting crushed by 50lbs less. Drove across the city to get in the dumbbell work. I was initially peeved that I was using the weight I was since I felt it was under what I was capable of that day. The numbers were based off of my best single from this training plan and I feel that that max was under what I could do. I stuck to the weight as planned though. Warming up was fine. Really hurts my right hand using the 3" handle for the first set. No timer so I had to go by feeling (one minute sets). Got five with the right in the time limit and barely missed a sixth rep. If it had went, it would have been six in the time limit. I tried again but too fried. Left side I got six definitely within the time limit and maybe the seventh rep but unsure since my camera decided to not film that set. Angry about that since I really wanted to see my technique for that set as it felt good. Thankfully I'll just be using my left arm for Nationals. Too late to really stretch.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
October 07, 2012 – Event Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Yoke/Farmer's Medleys
365x50'/135x50'
635x50'/235x50'
905x8'2"/335x0
Comments: Absolute garbage day. Woke up an everyone I usually train with had started training so rather than keep them, I trained at home. My equipment is tougher than the contest stuff so if I could do the workout, I'd be in good shape for the contest. Workout today was to do a set at 40%, another at 70% and finally one at 100% of the contest weights. First set went really well. Setting up for the second set, I realized that I didn't have enough weights. After the second set, I had to buy some more weights and ended up having to chain a set of dumbbells to my yoke to get it close to contest weight. A little short but didn't really matter as my yoke wobbles and flexes and my farmer's are 5" lower than the frame handles. I knew this was going to be awful, especially after how rough the second set felt. Barely moved with the yoke so I ran down to the farmer's to give them a shot. Couldn't get them up off the ground. Angry and embarrassed with myself. At least I got some new weights.
Yoke/Farmer's Medleys
365x50'/135x50'
635x50'/235x50'
905x8'2"/335x0
Comments: Absolute garbage day. Woke up an everyone I usually train with had started training so rather than keep them, I trained at home. My equipment is tougher than the contest stuff so if I could do the workout, I'd be in good shape for the contest. Workout today was to do a set at 40%, another at 70% and finally one at 100% of the contest weights. First set went really well. Setting up for the second set, I realized that I didn't have enough weights. After the second set, I had to buy some more weights and ended up having to chain a set of dumbbells to my yoke to get it close to contest weight. A little short but didn't really matter as my yoke wobbles and flexes and my farmer's are 5" lower than the frame handles. I knew this was going to be awful, especially after how rough the second set felt. Barely moved with the yoke so I ran down to the farmer's to give them a shot. Couldn't get them up off the ground. Angry and embarrassed with myself. At least I got some new weights.
Friday, October 5, 2012
October 04, 2012 – Lower Body Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Barbell Sumo Deadlifts
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x1
405x1
455x1
495x1
545x1
GHR Situps
bw+60x35
28 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Went quite well despite being sore. Goal for today was to work up to about 90% of what I felt I could get on the sumo pulls for today. Little tough to determine that since usually I find out what 90% is after I've pulled a max. Basing it off the last time I pulled sumo, it would only be 500lbs so that was what I had to hit as a minimum. I noticed once I started the singles that I had misplaced one of my straps. I have a rough time doing an alternated grip on sumo as my underhand grip gets caught on my thigh. Annoying but I went forward, doing all the sets double overhand. 495lbs was way too light for my top single (I felt like I could do at least eight) so I went for 10lbs under my PR. Certainly near the limits of my grip for double overhand (especially with how much strain it takes to get it moving) but not too bad. I did make a half hearted attempt with 585lbs using an alternate grip but it felt off and I bailed on it once I felt I was going to struggle as this would be well over 90% for the day. I didn't like leaving it at that but there will be another day to pull. From there, moved on to abs. Threw on another set of chains. A bit tricky to secure it but the set went well. Finished up with stretching.
Barbell Sumo Deadlifts
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x1
405x1
455x1
495x1
545x1
GHR Situps
bw+60x35
28 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Went quite well despite being sore. Goal for today was to work up to about 90% of what I felt I could get on the sumo pulls for today. Little tough to determine that since usually I find out what 90% is after I've pulled a max. Basing it off the last time I pulled sumo, it would only be 500lbs so that was what I had to hit as a minimum. I noticed once I started the singles that I had misplaced one of my straps. I have a rough time doing an alternated grip on sumo as my underhand grip gets caught on my thigh. Annoying but I went forward, doing all the sets double overhand. 495lbs was way too light for my top single (I felt like I could do at least eight) so I went for 10lbs under my PR. Certainly near the limits of my grip for double overhand (especially with how much strain it takes to get it moving) but not too bad. I did make a half hearted attempt with 585lbs using an alternate grip but it felt off and I bailed on it once I felt I was going to struggle as this would be well over 90% for the day. I didn't like leaving it at that but there will be another day to pull. From there, moved on to abs. Threw on another set of chains. A bit tricky to secure it but the set went well. Finished up with stretching.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
October 02, 2012 - Upper Body Training
Dynamic Warm-ups
Axle Clean and Jerks
72x5
102x3
132x3
162x3
192x1
222x1
252x1
272x1
292x1
307x1 PR+7lbs
322x0,0,0 (no clean)
One Arm Dumbbell Rows (straps)
115x5/5
140x5/5
165x5/5 PR+1/1 rep
180x5/5 PR+5lbs & 4/4 reps
Parallel Bar Dips
bwx49 PR+6 reps
bw+45x19 PR+10lbs
35 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Very sore in my mid back from events and my legs and arms had quite a collection of bruises. Left knee has been bothering me. As I mentioned last time, I've switched back to jerks. I was certainly concerned as it would mean I'd have to relearn it. Turns out I didn't have much to worry about. I hit close to contest weight easy. I tried for more but I just couldn't get the clean (tried three times). Despite that, I'm very happy I don't have to start from nothing. I decided to drop the lockouts (they had been added in for the push press) as it doesn't feel like it needs the work when I jerk the weight. My upper back and arms were sore from the cleans but I moved on to heavy dumbbell rows anyways. Not much to say here other than I pushed it. I generally do these for high reps so it is odd doing them heavy. To complete the soreness for my upper body was the dips. Entire upper body was tight after that. Stretched and called it a day.
Axle Clean and Jerks
72x5
102x3
132x3
162x3
192x1
222x1
252x1
272x1
292x1
307x1 PR+7lbs
322x0,0,0 (no clean)
One Arm Dumbbell Rows (straps)
115x5/5
140x5/5
165x5/5 PR+1/1 rep
180x5/5 PR+5lbs & 4/4 reps
Parallel Bar Dips
bwx49 PR+6 reps
bw+45x19 PR+10lbs
35 Minutes of Stretching
Comments: Very sore in my mid back from events and my legs and arms had quite a collection of bruises. Left knee has been bothering me. As I mentioned last time, I've switched back to jerks. I was certainly concerned as it would mean I'd have to relearn it. Turns out I didn't have much to worry about. I hit close to contest weight easy. I tried for more but I just couldn't get the clean (tried three times). Despite that, I'm very happy I don't have to start from nothing. I decided to drop the lockouts (they had been added in for the push press) as it doesn't feel like it needs the work when I jerk the weight. My upper back and arms were sore from the cleans but I moved on to heavy dumbbell rows anyways. Not much to say here other than I pushed it. I generally do these for high reps so it is odd doing them heavy. To complete the soreness for my upper body was the dips. Entire upper body was tight after that. Stretched and called it a day.
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