Wednesday, March 28, 2012

First Band Squat night of Sr National Cycle

Box Squats with Buffalo Bar and 3 blue bands per side:
All sets done in TIGHT boss briefs.
155 X 1
235 X 1
325 X 1
415 X 2
465 X Missed.  The weight didn't feel too bad (although heavy), but my form was off.  I was still tying to protect my quad so I was petty tentative....easing my way down and trying to ease off the box.  I shifted to the right to compensate and made it most of the way up when I lost my balance and missed.
415 and an extra gray band X 1 slow rep off a box slightly higher than it should be.  I called it there for the squats.  I figured I should take what I can get until I get all healed up.
Rack Pulls Sumo with bar at mid knee level:
315 X 2
495 X 2
585 X 2
675 X 2
765 X 2, 1 partial reps.  I didn't get either one fully locked out at the top, so doesn't quite count. I used straps on the 765 as the grip wasn't holding.
675 X 1 and about a 10 or 15 second hold to help the grip.  Oddly enough the grip felt like it would have held forever.
Reverse Hyper: 400 lbs with green band added for resistance: 2 sets of 15

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Slangshot with Reverse Band Benching

Used the short gray band reverse band set up:  Used a Slingshot for all heavy sets.
615 X 3 off 2 foamies
615 X 3 off 1 board
615 X 2 and a miss on my third rep off 1 board
575 X 5 off 2 foamies

DB Floor Press: 110 X 8, 130 X 6, 130 X 6, 130 X 4 or 5???

KB Double overhead Press: 12,16,20 Kg all for 1 set of 10
External Rotators Work: 2 sets of 15 each arm.

Nothing felt fast or Speedy tonight, but it happens from time to time.  Now time to get ready for some Sweet Band tension on Wednesday Squat night

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Speed Deads etc...

Speed Deads Sumo:
315 X 2 sets of 3
365 X 4 sets of 3  First time Pulling Sumo In a long time, and it actually didn't feel as awkward as I had expected.  I wanted to keep it light as we are starting our Squat death band tension two weeks next wednesday.
Glute Hams (as promised): 4 sets of 8
Farmer Walk Implements:
Down and back with 180 lbs per hand ~ (25-30 yards) twice
Down and not so much back with 235 per hand:  My upper Calf kinda started talking to me on the way down, and when I stated back It reminded me it was done with farmers.... so I dropped it (punked out) and was done for the day except for foam rolling and stretching.

Looking Forward to Wednesday Squats....3 Blues and a green band! 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Deads and Angry shrugs

Wednesday was peak night for our 4 week conventional DL cycle.
295 X 8
365 X 6
425 X 5
495 X 3
555 X 2
585 X 1
620 X 1
650 X 1 (used the hook grip for this, but it didn't hold that long at the top so it was a sucky soft lockout)
665 X nope.  Flew off the floor and up to about 2" short of lockout and had same issue with the hook grip.
675 X nope.  Again, the weight moved fast off the floor, but was not my grip this time, it was my sucky lockout.  I have had this same issue with conventional and sometimes Sumo deads.  I have to learn to push my glutes through and start in a better position.
Weighted sit ups with bar lying on the floor: 95 lbs X 3 sets of 10
shugs: 225 X 10, 315 X 10, 405 X 2 sets of 10.  Spud called these angry shrugs, because I didn't really need to do them, but I had to do something somewhat violent because I was mad because my DL night sucked.
Things to work on for the dead:  Glute strength/hip extension, Grip.  Plan to fix them: glute hams, barbell bridges, farmer walks, wheelbarrow.  It starts Saturday. 

Monday, March 19, 2012

Saturday Deads and monday bench training

Skipped front squats since my quad was still bothering me.
speed deads:
365 X 2
365 and 2 chains X 2
365 and 4 chains X 2
365 and 6 chains X 2
365 and 8 chains X 2 sets of 2 used the hook grip
standing band crunch: 2 sets of 15 with green band, 3 sets of 15 with blue band.

Monday:  shirt work with chains against average short band.
325 X 2 off 3 board
shirt on from here on out.
415 X 2 with 1 chain
415 and 4 chains X 2 off 2 board
415 and 6 chains X 2 off 2 board
415 and 7 chains X 2 off 2 board (Felt pretty dern heavy...guess that was the point though).
spoon press with DB's" 45 X 8, 60 X 8, 75 X 8, 85 X 8
Rotator Cuff work (external work): 2 sets of 15 each arm.

I don't know how much the bands added up top, but I know it was heavy!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Deads week 3 of 4

Speed Squats with Buffalo bar on a box raw:
145 X 2 sets of 8
235 X 2 sets of 6
325 X 2
415 X 2
415 and 60 pounds of chain X 3 sets of 2.  Thought my quad being mad at me was gone, but it came back on my last set here and reminded me it was still a bit angry with me.
Conventional Deads:
295 X 8
365 X 6
425 X 5
495 X 4
555 X 2
585 X 2
620 X 2
595 X 4 or 5?  I hook Gripped these to see if my thumbs would still hold on, and they did.  I may try my heavier sets with it next week as it actually felt pretty good.  We will see.
Reverse Hyper: 2 sets of 15 with 500#.

I am kinda liking pulling conventional pulling now.  Too bad I am not that good at it....yet.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Slangshot Benching and back in a shirt

Time to get my body used to handling heavier weights.
Bench:
315 X 2 sets of 5
405 X 3
455 X 2 off 2 soft pads with slingshot
495 X 2 off 2 soft pads with slingshot
545 X 2 off 2 soft pads with slingshot
Put my 56 Phenom on for some 4 board work:
635 X 5 off 4 board
675 X 5 off 4 board
765 X 3 off 4 board
Spud, Inc. 2" Fat rope Pushdowns: 3 rounds of 12-15 medium weight
External Rotators work: 4 rounds of 10 each arm

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Front Squats week 2 of 4

Today was week 2 of 4 for our font squat/deadlift routine.  Last week Mike and I did free front squats on Sunday after my meet, but spud made the suggestion to do them off of a box as it would mimic the Deadlift better.  So we front squatted off a box today instead.
255 X 8
315 X 6
365 X 5
385 X 4
415 X 4
445 X 3
465 X 3
Speed deads Conventional:
315 X 3
365 X 3
405 X 4 sets of 3.  I felt like I had decent speed on these and I am trying to reinforce a strong / Fast lockout up top. 
I foam rolled and stretched my quads afterward.  My left quad got a bit irritated with me for front squatting for some reason.  Wanted to do a little more, but ran out of time.

Last Monday I started using the slingshot and doing 4 board close grip work to get my body used to heavier weights again.  I plan to have another slingshot workout Monday with some high board shirt work at the end to get my CNS tuned up a bit, then it is game on for the bench cycle!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Deads week 2 of 4

speed Box Squats with Sam Hell cambered bar:
3 sets of 2 with 435
1 set of 2 with 485.  Should have done 2 sets here, but anxious to get to the deads...
Deads:  this is week 2 of 4 in our program.  Week 3 workout 2 on the real scheduled program.
295 X 10
365 X 8
425 X 6
495 X 5
555 X 4
585 X 2
585 X 2  Neither top set was easy as I was hoping, but they got up and locked out with a bit left in the tank...
405 X 12
Reverse Hyper: 2 sets of 15 with ~ 500 lbs.
Standing Long Abe Strap Crunch: 4 sets of 8

That's all till front squat day on Saturday.....at 9:00 A.M.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Bench Night

Bench with squat bar:
145 X 3 sets of 10
235 X 2 sets of 5
325 X 3 off 2 foamies
375 X 3 off 2 foamies
415 X 3 off 2 board
415 X 3 with 2 chains per side off 2 board.  Slingshot on from here on in the bench
415 X 3 with 4 chains per side off a 2 board
415 X smashville with 6 chains per side.  Relaxed too much in the bottom....

Close grip 4 board press:  I will be doing more top end work to get my body and CNS prepared for some heavier shirt work to come.
375 X 5
465 X 5
505 X 5
Flat Db Press with purple band twisted around my back:  3 sets of 10 with 65 Lb DB's.

Should have done more, but I didn't......

Qual meet and font squats

I went up to GA with one of my training partners Mike to get a qualifying total at the NGBB meet so I could go compete at the Sr. Nationals in June.
Squat: 760 in briefs
bench: 595 in loose phenom
Dead: 606 raw conventional
Barry also came up last minute and had a good meet to qualify.  Jon put on a good meet and it was well run.  Only about 20 or so lifters and with me only talking 1 lift each it was a short day thankfully.

Sunday I had to make up day 1 of our front squat routine I missed Saturday....
275 X 10
315 X 8
375 X 6
385 X 3 sets of 6  These were harder than I remember.  I am pretty crunk up today.