The start of our 4 week Mini DL Cycle

Speedish squats raw with cambered bar on a box:
255 X 5
345 X 2 sets of 3
435 X 3 sets of 2

I have not pulled anything heavy conventional in a while, so my estimate of my max of 650 may have been a bit conservative, but I can always round my percentages up if I can handle it later in the cycle.
295 X 10
365 X 6
425 X 6
495 X 5
525 X 3 sets of 5  This doesn't sound too bad, but I have not done 5's in forever so it wasn't that easy.
495 X 5
425 X 6
365 X 10 or 11....?
Hanging high leg raise: 3 sets of 6.
Done until Saturday when I go to the meet.  I am planning on just getting the bare minimum numbers I need to Qualify for Sr. Nationals in June which would be 750, 585 and 585ish.  You never know though, bringing the new boss suit just in case I get a wild hair and try to pull a pr.  Although I may try to make up my Saturday workout I am missing on Sunday so we will see.

Last Bench day before the mini meet

I just wanted to get some work in without wrecking my shoulders so I did rev. band floor presses.  I am going to Georgia this weekend to do the NGBB meet.  Have to get a qualifying total in to do the Sr. Nats in June.
Rigged up a short grey band so that almost all the weight came off at the top.
255 X 2 sets of 10
345 X 2 sets of 5
435 X 2 sets of 5
485 X 2 sets of 3 and 1 set of 5.  Varied the grip on all sets from close, medium, to wide.
spoon press with kettlebells:
16 kg X 15
20 Kg X 2 sets of 10-12
Spud, Inc. Fat rope triceps pushdowns: 4 sets of 12-15
Hammer Row:  3 sets of 10 with 3 plates.

We are starting an altered 4 week version of the 6 week program we did for our squats.  This time it is for the deadlift.  I get the feeling I will be smashed come tonight about 10 O'clock.  We are adding in some heavy front squats on the lighter day to see if it will help our deadlift.

Let the whining begin!

Saturday Suck Day

Speed squats with buffalo bar with a blue band:
325 X 2 sets of 3
375 X 3
415 X 3
465 X 3
465 X 3
"Speed" pulls with weights on a 3" Box....without the speed.
425 X 2 sets of 2
475 X 3 sets of 2  Not so speedy sets.  Everything felt heavy on all of the pulls.
Kettlebell one arm snatches: 4 sets of 5 each am with the 106.  These sucked as well, but they got done and over....
Standing blue band crunch: 3 sets of 15

Cambered bar Box squats with chains

Bar weight was 435 and added chains each set.  All sets were triples done in ace briefs:
5 Chains, 8 chains, 10 chains, 12.5 Chains, then added a quarter to make 485 and put our last big chain on so it was ~ 14 chains a side.  Don't know how much it was up top, but it felt much heavier than the rest of the sets.
Down set with 435 and 66 chains X 6 to a lower box..  I am going to try to throw in some higher volume down sets at the end of my workouts.  I think it will help to put on a bit more muscle and keep my work capacity higher.
Kettlebell Front squat with heals elevated: 12,16,20,24,28 kg all for 8 reps.
Blue Band Standing ab crunch: 3 sets of 15
Standing oblique strap crunch: 2 sets of 10 each side.

Saturday Deads and Monday Benching

Saturday I was still trashed from Wednesday's squat and didn't feel like doing anything, but doing nothing gets you no where.
Cambered bar box squats to kinda warm up: 345 X 2 sets o 5, 435 X 2 sets of 3 or 5.
Deads conventional: 315 X 2 sets of 3, 405 X 2 sets of 2, 495 X 3 sets of 2
Stiff leg deads: Standing on bumper plate with blue band under the plate and over the bar set up.  Harder than I remembered from last week:  225 X 3, 315 X 2 sets of 3, 365 X 1 set of 2 (ugly)
Kettlebell 1 arm Snatch: 72's X 5, 88's X 5 106's X 2 sets of 5 each arm.  I am going to incorporate more of these in on Pull days to help my hip action and upper back strength.

Bench with doubled up purple bands on Monday:
150 X 2 sets of 5
200 X 2 sets of 3
290 X 2 sets of 2 off 2 foam boards
330 X 2 off 2 board
380 X 1 off 2 board
Put my loose phenom over my tee-shirt to get some heavier weight in my hands.
420 X 2 off 2 board
470 X 2 off 1 board
510 X 2 off 1 board
605 X 1 off 3 board and a near miss off a 2 board.  Decided to get fancy and try to do a pull a board set going from a 3 board to a 2 board.Screwed up my form off the 3 board, so no surprise the 2 board didn't go.
Flat DB Bench: 75, 85, 95 all for 1 set of 10
Lat pulldowns: 3 sets of 12 light-medium weight.
External rotator work with 10 lb plate: 2 sets on each shoulder.

Done!  Working on a modification of the squat routine for our Deadlift now.  More pain ahead!

Squat peak Night

Box squat in briefs with Buffalo bar:
415 X 8
505 X 6
595 X 5
675 X 3
775 X 2
825 X 1
865 X 1
905 X 1  Actually somewhat of a PR for me as I have not done it before in briefs even though that is what I based my max off of.
925 X 1 With Knee Wraps.  Probably felt the best of the night.
955 X 1 With Knee Wraps  This was my 105 % PR.  One of the slowest squats I have done.....EVER.  I remember on the way up thinking several times don't take it, don't take it....  Yea it was that slow, but it got up.
Stiff leg deads weights on blocks:  315 X 6, 405 X 2 sets of 6.

Our 6 week squat pyramid is over.  I am pleased with how it worked for everyone.  I think that everyone who did the cycle in any way shape or form got a nice squat PR, and Mike, Karl, and I hit deadlift PR's as well.  I would recommend this cycle for anyone who wants a challenge.

Monday Bench Work

I had not planned on anything Crazy tonight, just some volume work...
Floor Press with squat Bar:  I did 3 sets of 5 at each weight and went close grip, medium width grip and comp grip for each weight.
235 3 sets of 5
285 X 3 sets of 5
325 X 3 sets of 5
375 X 3 sets of 5
Spoon Press: 45, 55, 65 lbs DB's all for 1 set of 10.  The floor presses didn't leave me with much push left in the tank.
Spud, Inc. 2" Fat Rope Triceps pushdown: 4-5 sets of 8-10 heavy. 
Lat Pulldowns light-medium: 3 sets of 12

I didn't do anything crazy as I was sort of tying to save up a little for our Squat singles tonight.  We shall see how it goes.

Week 6 squats Part 1

Free Squat in Ace briefs using the buffalo bar: 
415 X 8
505 X 6
595 X 5
685 X 3
735 X 2 sets of 2
None of these sets felt especially fantastic.  Part of it is because it is just enough work to keep our form up for our heavy single night Wednesday, but not heavy enough to be fun.
Deads with weight on a 3-4" box:
405 X 2 sets of 2 Conv.
495 X 3 sets of 2 Conv.
405 X 2 Sumo
495 X 2 Sumo
545 X 2 Sumo
Stiff leg deads standing on a 45 # Bumper plate with a single band under it stretched over the bar.
225 and mini band X 5
225 and purple band X 3
225 and blue band X 3
315 and blue band X 3 (should have started here, but never used this set up, so it took a while to get it right).

Wednesday is peak night for the squat so I am not planning on anything crazy on Monday.  Mike and Mac both hit PR's on their squats when they singled this past week, so hoping I won't let the old guys beat me. haha

Squats week 5

Deload Squats off a box in briefs:  I had my new boss briefs taken in a bit, but not quite enough, so back to the magic seamstress they go.
415 X 8
505 X 6
595 X 5
685 X 3
775 X 2
Standing green band crunch: 3 sets of 15
New Spud, Inc. standing oblique strap side crunch: 4 sets Heavy.  It took a day, but abs are smashed from it today.

Just a little bit more to go till fun week!

Bench press Monday

Bench:
145 X 3 sets of 10
195 X 8
235 X 2 sets of 5
325 X 3 off 1 foam pad
375 X 3 off 2 foam pads
415 X 3 off 2 foam pads
465 X 1 off 2 foam pads
Loose shirt on here:
555 X 3 off 3 boards
595 X 2 off 1 board
595 X 1 and 1 miss over face.  Got the rep 2-3 inches from the chest and was not in the right groove to touch and just pressed it instead of being patient.  Touched the second rep, but way out of the groove and lost it over my face.
595 X 1 off chest.  Grooved it better, and sucked a little less.
Close grip with cambered bar out of suspension straps (5-6" before lockout).
255 X 5
305 X 5
345 X 5
395 X 5
305 X 10
It wasn't a great night, as I could honestly care less most of the night.  It happens, and we keep training. 

Deload squats...sort of, and some pull'en.

Today was the lighter day of our deload week to rest up for our singles week.  Not much of a deload if you ask me... 
Squat is briefs with no box
415 X 8
505 X 6
595 X 5
685 X 2 sets of 5.  Not super fast, but the second set felt nice an solid with most reps hitting good depth.

I had a new boss suit I wanted to try out for pulling, so I planned on doing some heavier doubles.
245 X 4
335 X 3
425 X 1
Suit bottoms on for 515 X 1
605 X 2
655 X 2
685 X 2
705 X 2  I have not done this before so I can't complain too much.  The knees wee a tad soft on the fist rep's lockout, but the second was better. 
No Time for accessory wok, but wouldn't have done much anyways honestly.

-I will take it

Cheater Squats

Week 4 of 6 in our Russian Squat routine.  All sets were done off a box in briefs:
415 X 8
505 X 6
595 X 5
685 X 4
775 X 2
Alright, this is where I screwed up.  I was supposed to do a set at 90 % before I did my set at 95 %, But I was so jacked up to do my 95 % that I F'n forgot to do my 85 % and went straight to 95 % 865.
95% X 2 The first rep wasn't too bad, but the second (though fairly technically sound was a bit of a grinder).
685 X 6
Hanging high leg raises: 3 sets of 8.  Have not done these in a while, so my abs got nice and sore.
That was it for the night.  Felt a bit crappy or skipping a set, but honestly if I hadn't I don't see that my 95 % would have fared as well as it did.

Looking forward to Saturday.  Lighter squats, and maybe try out a new DL Suite.

Raw dog Bench'en

Bench with 2 soft pads:
315 X 2 sets of 5 (one close grip, and 1 comp grip)
365 x 2 SETS of 5 (one close grip, and 1 comp grip)
405 X 2 sets of 5 (one close grip, and 1 comp grip)
Box/floor press out of mono with Sam Hell Cambered bar using blue bands:
165 and blue band X 5
165 and 2 blues X 5
215 and 2 blues X 4 (2 sets here)
245 and 1 blue X 3-4 reps with 1 blue band. Triceps wee done the set before, but can't stop there...
Upright row with Spud, Inc. Fat rope: 62 lbs X 10, 72 X 2 sets of 10. Crunk up my traps good for squats on Wednesday...