January 07, 2011 & January 08, 2011 - DE LB

January 07, 2011

Walking – 36 minutes

Comments: Went walking really late. Finally got a little bit of snow. Still figuring out my workouts, but I am getting close.

January 08, 2011 - DE LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

13.5” Safety Squat Bar Box Squats w/IW#3’s dbl
No Bands
60x10
105x2
155x2
205x2
255x2
Add Bands (+285lbs)
60x2
105x2
145x2
185x2
185x2
185x2
185x2
185x2
185x2
185x2
185x2

Safety Squat Bar Split Squats
105x3/3
155x3/3
195x3/3
225x3/3
255x3/3
285x3/2

Weight Swings
175x12 PR+10lbs
175x12
175x12

38 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: A little bit more snow fell so that was my quick pre workout warm-up. Still doing some thinking in regards to workouts. I actually started out the workout with kneeling squats and did 315lbs for some easy reps but it just felt weird and racking/reracking the bar felt awkward and complicated. Probably work better with the zercher harness as a glute/hip/ab exercise. With box squats, I moved my stance it a bit to mimic my free squat stance (I brought each foot in about 4"). Felt a little of the hip thing on some of the warm-ups but it was gone when it came to the working sets. I moved on to split squats with the ssb. This stationary style (unlike lunges) is very, very tough for me so obviously this is going to be my new favorite. I started really light and made fairly big jumps the first three sets. Left side is definitely weaker. I got stuck against the squat rack for 255lbs (I was too far into the rack) so I pulled myself back up and moved a bit forward and gutted out three. 285lbs was fine for my right side but I sucked on the left. I got one good rep, one ugly one and missed it twice again. Then weight swings and stretching to finish it off for the day. Still have some more planning to do. Going to give my 505lbs stone a shot tomorrow.

January 06, 2011 - ME UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Close Grip Barbell 2-Board Presses
45x10
95x5
135x3
165x3
195x3
225x3
255x1
285x1
315x1
335x1
355x1
370x1
333x3

Close Grip Rack Half Bench Presses
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x1

One Arm Dumbbell Rows (straps)
155x12/12 PR+5lbs
155x12/12
155x12/12

39 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Really didn't know what to expect with today. My mind is just full of AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHH! Still incredibly pissed about squats and I have been thinking and tweaking my routine. Playing it safe and ditching the hip thrusts. I'm hoping the zercher harness lifts will be an acceptable replacement. Cutting down on how much I use a box for squatting as well as doing suspended squats with and without bands. But as I said, still working on getting things figured out. Never done presses to this board height before. I was conservative at the start as my 3-board press is the same as my press off the chest and there seems to be about a 20lbs decrease from my 5-board to 4-board to 3 board. Warm ups felt good so I made bigger jumps than I had planned. 315lbs felt a little off so I slowed down the weight progression. 355lbs felt light but I lost my tightness and groove making for an awful lift that became a real struggle. I knew that I could do more if I got it right but I was having a hard time convincing myself to do it. My piss poor squatting was eating at me. I want to be strong. Added 15lbs and setup. Felt really heavy but I got it perfect. I was going to do rack lockouts but figured, what is the point as I can lockout a lot of weight but have issues at the mid point. So I lowered the pins four more inches and added 2.25" under the bench to make it a half press. I didn't have the extra 2.25" for the first three sets and I was using a shoulder width grip. Paused for at least a 4-count (until the plates stopped rattling) before I'd iniate the next rep. Happy to get 315lbs for an easy three and getting 365lbs for a single. I'll be doing these instead of lockouts and I'll be trying out a variation with bands next time. Then did one arm rows. I don't like these so I'm ditching them. Going to try out rows with my Swiss bar instead and see how that feels. Hoping to have my workout plan figured out by tomorrow night. Also, the first Plat Plus of the year (besides the Amature Arnold) was announced. It's going to be the last week of March in Augusta, Georgia. No specifics yet other than the events (no weights yet). If the log press isn't over 330lbs for reps, I'm going for it. The next one after that should be listed before the end of the month.

January 05, 2011 - ME LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Squats
45x10
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x1
405x1
435x1
465x1 PR+10lbs
495x0
475x0
420x5 PR+10lbs & 2 reps

Cambered Squat Bar Goodmornings
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x3 PR+10lbs

45-degree Safety Squat Bar Hyperextensions
210x12
210x12
210x10

38 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Some good, some bad. My squat is still a butt licker. I felt strong but all over the place in the hole. I need to rework my squat training to rectify that issue. I made a lot of mistakes today. I shouldn't have made such a jump after 465lbs and I shouldn't have tried for 475lbs after missing 495lbs. The thing that was bothering my hip when I did hip thrusts last week flared up during the set with 185lbs so I was worried but it didn't come back on the other sets or anything else this session. Goodmornings went well, even though my Spud Straps were trying to sabotage my efforts on some sets haha. I like doing them this style better. Back extensions were really tough but I managed to improve the total number of reps by a lot from last time so it is all good. I need to spend some more time in my thinking chair. Or my angry chair. I tend to get the two confused sometimes.

January 04, 2011

Walking – 31.5 minutes

Comments: Walking felt nice in the cool air today. My left eye was twitching today. Either I need sleep, still recovering from traveling (I hate how much that affects me) or I'm subconsciously thinking about either the upcoming contest or the BMF stone. I made some adjustments to my training routine that should hopefully yield great results by focusing in on my weaknesses and hammering them into submission.

January 03, 2011 - DE UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

12″ Log Push Presses w/ IW#2’s & #1's clinched
No Bands
90x5
90x5
130x2
Add Bands (+55lbs)
105x2
Add Bands (+100lbs)
90x2
120x2
Add Bands (+155lbs)
100x2
100x2
100x2
100x2
100x2
100x2
100x2
100x2

Neutral Grip Incline Dumbbell Presses
75'sx6
85'sx6
95'sx6
105'sx6
125'sx1 PR+5lbs
115'sx3

Bent Over Rear Delt Dumbbell Raises
77.5'sx12 PR+2.5lbs
77.5'sx12
77.5'sx12

42 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Felt a little off today. Hips sore, knees were achy. I forgot my oly shoes but it didn't matter. Log pressing went well once I got to my working sets. One dumbbell pressing, I thought I was weak but I accidentally added 20lbs instead of 10lbs to what was supposed to be my last set. So an accidental PR. Still need to get a lot stronger. Finished up with rear delts and a ton of stretching.

January 02, 2011 - DE LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

13.5” Safety Squat Bar Box Squats w/IW#3’s dbl
No Bands
60x10
105x2
155x2
205x2
255x2
Add Bands (+285lbs)
60x2
105x2
145x2
180x2
180x2
180x2
180x2
180x2
180x2
180x2
180x2

Barbell Hip Thrusts
395x5
465x5
535x5
605x5 PR+10lbs

Belt Squats
410x12 PR+10lbs
410x12
410x12

32 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: I thought I would be recovered enough from having a day off but I was wrong. Hips were weak and tight. Had to fight through all the box squat reps. Don't get me started on the hip thrusts. The was like razor blades covered in fire ants and lemon juice. Weight was easy but the pain was just unbearable. Had to rest pause the last two sets a little to keep the pain from being too much. Not sure what that was about as that's the first time it's felt painful to that extent. I'm hoping it's just a combination of sore hips from the stone lifting and tire flips as well as being stupid and using the 100's and then all smaller diameter plates so the stress wasn't spread out as much. Belt squats went well, went with lazy strength and just threw 9 plates on the loading pin instead of getting out small plates. Checked the band tension for the IW#4's and they are a brutal 190lbs for an overhead lift.

January 01, 2011

Walking – 34 minutes

Comments: Needed the sleep, went to bed at 10:30 and woke up after noon today. I have a bruise the size of an orange on my left thigh and I'm not sure if it's from tire, husafelt or atlas stones. Hopefully the walking I did today should get some blood flowing and heal the area. Quite a bit to think back on this year. I've had success and failure this year. I think the biggest things for me this year was buying belts. I made every goal I had set for this year barring two (330lbs axle and log) but I think a part of that was switching to push press from jerks. Obviously, deadlifting and overhead strength need to get stronger. I feel that I need to add at least 100lbs to my deadlift and 50lbs to my overhead to even have a chance at getting to be a pro so this year looks to be another building year for me. I have to have confidence in myself but not be overconfident. For instance, I felt like a strong mofo doing 802lbs frame after a 1012lbs yoke in early December but felt like a weak, sickly child seeing a pro athlete make my efforts look like nothing a few weeks later. Have to find a balance but I want to be strong now damn it!

Goals for 2011:

-Overall-
Qualify for Nats
Compete in a Pro Qualifier Show

-Gym Lifts-
Push Press Log or Axle - 330lbs
Deadlift - 660lbs
Squat - 525lbs
Strict Press - 275lbs

-Events-
Yoke with +1100lbs
Farmers Walk with +400lbs
Pick +700lbs on Frame from 14" Pick Height
Load my 505lbs atlas stone