April 26, 2013 – Overhead Event Day & April 27, 2013 – Event Training

April 26, 2013 – Overhead Event Day

Dynamic Warm-ups

Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Clean and Presses
20x5 R
20x5 L
50x5 R
50x5 L
80x5 R
80x5 R
110x5 R
110x5 L
130x3 R
130x3 L
147x3 R
147x3 L
167x3 R
167x3 R

Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Shoulderings
182x3 R
182x3 L
207x3 R
207x3 L
232x3 R
232x3 L

Band Triceps Pressdowns/Face Pulls (no rest)
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25

Comments: Wasn't too sure how this workout would go with having done the deadlift workout so close to it. Usually I do squats and that doesn't seem to be too bad. Pulling fatigues the clean for sure. The idea on paper was to do my planned work sets for pressing and then play it by ear on the shouldering stuff. Pressing wasn't bad, just some hesitation with getting the dumbbell positioned on my shoulders. Just threw in 25's for the dumbbell shouldering stuff at the start. Got a stupid idea to try and do triples with the weight I struggled to do once last time. I did the next set straight leg clean style. Harder this way and it's the style I normally use for my dumbbell pressing until the weight gets too heavy. Well, I went for the 232lbs with the idea of getting three reps, doing the two part clean. Tough but not as bad as I thought it would be. If I want to go heavier on these, I'll have to bring in my caps for the dumbbell. Won't have to worry about that until the next time I have comp with dumbbell. Pretty darn tired after this and finished up with band stuff relaxed at home eating turkey burgers and raw almonds.



April 27, 2013 – Event Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Yoke
305x75'
395x75'
485x75'
575x75'
655x75'
735x75'

Uphill Yoke (10 second runs)
455x74'
455x75'6"
455x67'

55 Gallon Oil Drum Carries
183x75'/233x75'
183x75'
183x75'

Comments: Didn't even really plan on training today. Been having issues with my left side near by lower back and hip area. Sleeping in to recover meant that if I wanted to do any training, it would be at home with my stuff. I wanted to do something since I didn't really do events this whole month working on letting myself recover and finding a better training split. I settled on training eventually but I had to decide if it was today or tomorrow. Went with today. Pulled up some rough numbers for the yoke off of a 5/3/1 variation for moving events and decided to use the heavy week based off of my best 75' run with no drops. Same idea as the circus dumbbell in that I do several sets up to the work weight. Not as fast as I would have liked with the top weight but beggars can't be choosers. I wanted to get in a little more work and see just what kind of speed I need to hit 75' in under 10 seconds. I did three runs with 455lbs uphill. Only got over 75' on the second run. Might have been called early on the third run but that was enough for today. Stupidly decided to do some carries with my oil drum. Figured it would be a good way to check on my foot speed with a heavy keg. Forgot how much it hurts my hand holding on to the rim of it. Only a few runs was enough of that haha. Another week of hard lifting before the show.

April 24, 2013 – Speed Deadlift Day

Dynamic Warm-ups

Deadlifts
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3
315x1
355x1
395x1
395x1
395x1
395x1
395x1
395x1
395x1
395x1
425x1
455x1

Front Squats
45x3
95x3
145x3
195x3
245x3
285x5
285x5
285x5
285x5
285x5

Romanian Deadlifts w/ Chains (+105lbs)
135x3
225x3
315x3
365x8
385x8
405x8

Glute Ham Raises
bw+30x12
bw+30x12
bw+30x12
bw+30x12

Reverse Hyperextensions
90x25
90x25
90x25
90x25

30 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Working through some stuff. Left hip was achy warming up for the deadlifts. It is strange getting used to pulling from a dead stop. Got to get used to it though. Did singles this time rather than reps like I tried last time. I did my work weights and then bumped up a bit for two more singles. Definitely not as fast as the working sets but still a good test. Moved on to front squatting from there. Had to warm-up with just the bar for these since I'm not going directly from squats. Not bad, never any doubt about getting all the reps. Good place to start. Fun times with the rdls. Weird using chains but they work perfectly. Just smoked from them. I lowered the weight slightly on ghrs as I wasn't sure how fatigued I'd be from the previous exercises. Felt fine and got all the reps. Finished up the torture session with reverse hypers and stretching.

April 21, 2013 – Rep Press Day

Spent some more time thinking and resting. Slathered my back with Icy Hot yesterday and did a nice walk and turned over the soil in the garden plot. I think I have stuff figured out to allow for the best recovery and strength gains. 1 day for lower body with deadlift emphasis (cube scheme), 2 days for upper body (incline pressing with cube, event pressing with 5/3/1) and then an event day for lower body.

Dynamic Warm-ups

Close Grip Incline Barbell Bench Presses
45x10
75x5
105x3
135x3
165x1
185x1
205x1
230x10

Close Grip Axle Floor Presses w/ SlingShot
250x3
300x8
320x8
340x8

Incline Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows
125’sx12
125’sx12
125’sx12
125’sx12

EZ Curl Bar Overhead Extensions (seated)
115x12
115x12
115x12

IYT’s
5’sx12
5’sx12
5’sx12

37 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Incline is weird. I have to be super fast or I can't get the lift.  For my goal, I checked to see what I'd need to match the predicted max based off of the last time. Just need 10 and got that with some effort. Maybe had another but with how crucial speed is for me on these, I called it there. Moved on to floor presses with a SlingShot. Never done these before and it was a tad awkward getting down to the floor with the SlingShot on. Only did one warm-up set (thought it was lighter) before going for the work weights. In retrospect, I should have played around with it a bit more. Quite strange as there were reps that were super easy and others that felt like max effort. In either case, these were a good overload. Got the reps for all sets on rows. Switched out the dumbbell for triceps. I prefer the dumbbell version but I can only really go up to 120lbs before I have to use a plate loaded dumbbell and I don't feel comfortable using that. Finished up with a lot of stretching.

April 17, 2013 – Overhead Event Day & April 18, 2013 – ME Lower Body

April 17, 2013 – Overhead Event Day

Dynamic Warm-ups

Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Clean and Presses
20x5 R
20x5 L
50x5 R
50x5 L
80x5 R
80x5 R
100x5 R
100x5 L
120x5 R
120x5 L
142x5 R
142x5 L
157x5 R
157x5 L

One Arm Overhead Axle Supports
72x3 R
72x3 L
122x3 R
122x3 L
182x3 R
182x3 L
202x3 R
202x3 L
222x3 R
222x3 L
242x1 R
242x1 L
262x1 R
262x1 L

Band Triceps Pressdowns/Face Pulls (no rest)
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25

Comments: Second time doing this workout and I had an idea of what to expect. I adjusted the weights by just a little despite the jump in weight for the left side. The idea is that I was making good progress with lower percentages to begin with compared to the actual max so no reason to disrupt a good thing. I'd also like to keep the right side engaged, even though it is not going to be used at the competition. Never know if an injury will prevent me from using my left. Hips were fairly tired from squats and goodmornings so the cleans felt a little sluggish. I feel that even with the issues I'm having with my grip on the right side, it is improving. Still not something I want to rely on in a competition at this point. Got to say that the biggest surprise came from the one arm supports. So much easier this time. I was only aiming for 10lbs increase but I just felt so comfortable that I went until I could barely get the lift. Finished up with the bands.



April 18, 2013 – ME Lower Body

Dynamic Warm-ups

Deadlifts w/ MM's dbl
No Bands
135x5
Add Bands (+90lbs)
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x1
405x1
455x1
Add Straps
495x1
535x1
550x1

Wide Grip Romanian Deadlifts (straps)
225x3
315x3
395x5
415x5
435x5
455x5
475x5

Modified Back Raises
bwx8
bw+10x8
bw+20x8
bw+30x8
bw+40x8

Pulldown Abs
140x12
140x12
140x12
140x12

Reverse Hyperextensions
90x25
90x25
90x25
90x25

34 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Moved this workout forward a day as the one gym I usually do my deadlift training at was closed Friday this week and the other gym closes early on Friday's. I'm really quite confused as to why my deadlift is down and yet my lower body lifts all around are either up or at the level they were before. Weights feel slow and lockouts feel tougher. It's quite baffling to me and I may need to think on it some more. May just need to give it time to get back to where it once was. First workout was with monster mini bands. Went in to the workout with a goal weight and upon having difficulty with the second to last attempt, I had to cut it by 20lbs to have a shot of getting it. Ugly lift for sure. Even had to drop the warm-up reps a tad as well. From there, moved on to wide grip rdls. Haven't done them in some time. I remember though that the last time I did them, I tried to do as much as I could with DOH grip and used only the soft belt. Went with straps and a belt right off the bat as I knew that my lower back was hurting from gms earlier this week and the heavy pulls. I wanted to give the hamstrings and upper back a good workout. These were tough and I was exhausted after them. The plan after that had been to do sumo sldl and ghrs but I scrapped that as I had no ghr and the sumo sldl would just be too much. I'm going to have the ghrs be the next exercise next week. Finished up with modified back extensions (did my best to make it hamstring focused like a ghr), pulldown abs and reverse hypers. Probably not going to do events to let my back/hip area rest.

April 15, 2013 – DE Lower Body

Dynamic Warm-ups

S-Cube Bar Squats w/ Chains
55x10
105x2
Added Chains (+100lbs)
55x2
105x2
145x2
195x2
235x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2

Front Squats
105x3
155x3
205x3
255x5
265x5
275x5
285x5
295x5
305x5

Safety Squat Bar Goodmornings
85x3
175x3
225x3
265x3
310x8
330x8
350x6

Band Leg Curls
Mediumsx12
Mediumsx12
Mediumsx12
Mediumsx12

Reverse Hyperextensions
90x25
90x25
90x25
90x25

33 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Still fighting this cold. Been a while since I tried a dynamic effort workout. This week will be a bit different due to schedule issues and access to equipment. Using the S-Cube bar for squats since it is longer, has knurling and is a thicker/stiffer bar. Everything felt good a fast. With front squats, I got to say this is the best they have ever felt. I feel I can do more but not pushing it to the max yet. I was most anxious about the ssb gms since I haven't done them in a while. The first rep always sucks. Very surprised that I'm still around the where I left off on them. Feeling soreness in my neck and traps from them now. After three brutal exercises, I did band leg curls and reverse hypers. Kettlebell swings were doing nothing for me and now that the reverse hyper is over at the new place, I can do them twice a week to keep my back happy.

April 14, 2013 – Heavy Press Day

The past few days have been a butt. Plain and simple. New changes at work caused me enough stress that I got sick with a head cold. Thursday and Friday were extremely stressful. I tried lifting after work Friday but it was bad one and I went home a fell asleep without eating dinner. No appetie the following day either and I slept 14 hours. Just went for a walk and spent most of the day thinking and trying to myself to eat and drink. The short of it is DE/ME for lower body, cube stuff for incline and what I've been doing for the overhead. See how this goes and try to to squeeze in events at some point. Will be much easier when I'm done with night school.

Dynamic Warm-ups

Close Grip Axle Incline Bench Presses
75x5
75x5
105x3
135x3
165x3
195x1
220x1
240x1
255x1
270x1
285x1

Swiss Bar Floor Presses
125x3
175x3
215x3
265x8
285x8
305x8

Incline Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows
125’sx12
125’sx12
125’sx10
125’sx10

Dumbbell Overhead Extensions (seated)
110x12
110x12
110x12

IYT’s
5’sx12
5’sx12
5’sx12

32 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Not feeling so hot with the cold. Weird using the axle for incline. Just feels dense. Only done it once before several years ago. Not bad, just under my barbell max. Moved on to floor pressing with the swiss bar. Just warmed up with plate-quarter-plate and went from there. Quite tired from this. Didn't push the rows as hard as I could've. Hard to get my air doing reps being all congested. Finally got all the reps on triceps stuff. Good bit of stretching to try and loosen up my glutes, hips and back.

April 10, 2013 – Overhead Event Day

Dynamic Warm-ups

Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Clean and Presses
20x5 R
20x5 L
50x5 R
50x5 L
80x5 R
80x5 R
110x5 R
110x5 L
132x5 R
132x5 L
152x3 R
152x3 L
172x1 R
172x1 L
182x0,0,0 R
182x1 L
182x1 R
192x1 L
192x0,0 R
202x0 L
202x1 L

Bigg Dogg Strongg Presses (one clean)
130x8 R
130x8 L
130x8 R
130x8 L
130x8 R
130x8 L

Band Triceps Pressdowns/Face Pulls (no rest)
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25
MBx25/MBx25

Comments: I wasn't sure how this would go. Joints felt achy in my legs like I wasn't getting much out of them. Accelerated the 5/3/1 schema to have this be quasi-max test day to see where I'm at for the Pro/Am. The goal weight was quite easy. Had tons of issues with my right hand and only managed 10lbs more than the goal weight. Still my best on this implement. I was able to do considerably more with my left and did 30lbs more than the goal weight, which is slightly over the contest weight. Very happy with this result and it certainly makes it look like what I'm doing is working. For the secondary lift of the session, I did just the empty dumbbell for sets of 8 with only 1 clean. Shoulders took a beating on these and it was equally difficult for both sides. I figured this was the closest I could get to doing "rack presses" like I would for say the axle or log. Lot's of time for the shoulders and upper body to be under tension. Beat but satisfied.