Bad Mock Meet

So, had a rough mock meet today. I'm actually happy with my form and my effort today, but it just didn't go well. In my defense, I have bronchitis, have had it for 2 weeks and probably will have it for 2 more weeks. So I honestly am not too bummed out that I did badly. I need time to recover, focus on getting my work capacity up and base building for the next 2 and a half weeks, and then come back and kill it next mock meet.

Started with squat. Actually felt really good today, stretched, warmed up, and weight was moving nicely. I hit the bar, 135 x 5, 225 x 3, 315 x 1, then 375 x 1 with a loose belt. It wasn't as fast and easy as I would have liked, but it still felt strong and smooth. So, I loaded up 425 and squatted it for a PR. It was definitely slower and harder than I wanted. I believe part of that has to do with the whip of the bar - the bars at my gym are super bendy, and at 425 I think the whip of the bar made me stick in a weird spot. But I fought through and it was a solid rep. I loaded up 445, and actually had to re-rack the first time because of a bad loading of the bar. I took it again and simply didn't really have a shot a it - got stuck out of the hole and had to dump. However, I hit a pr, so that's not too bad. Not the PR I wanted, but a PR nonetheless.

Bench was a lot rougher. I actually felt pretty great warming up, got the shoulders warm, then hit the bar, 95 x 5, 135 x 3, 185 x 1, 225 x 1. Put on a loose belt and smashed 245 x 1, although it moved slower than I would have liked. Loaded up 265 and failed it twice, once with the belt and once without. Pretty sad. I have definitely improved my bench, and I just didn't get to express it at all today, I don't know if I was just sick and weak, or just mentally bench is still a huge struggle for me. But it was not good.

Finally, deadlift. Took my animal rage pre workout, although because it was in capsule form it was hard to time exactly right. Got warm with some quad, lower back, and butt/hamstring movement, then started pulling. Pulled 135 x 3, 225 x 2, 315 x 1 lightning fast. 405 x 1 was a little slower, but then I threw on a loose belt and smashed 465 x 1, really smooth and fast rep. So, I loaded up 515. Had a lot of trouble getting my belt on which was distracting, but I psyched up, sniffed some ammonia, and took a crack at it. It wasn't a horrible attempt, but I simply didn't push with the legs enough, hips were a little too high. I managed to pull it past the knees and then simply couldn't lock it out, very similar to the 500 attempt I failed a few months ago. Decided to try again, and managed to break the floor but just didn't have it, maybe because the first attempt took so much out of me.

So, a disappointing day over all. But in the end, I am at least as strong as I was last meet, if not stronger. And it was clearly just a bad day - sickness took it's toll, and even if that only makes a 5 or 10 % difference, that is the difference between failing 5-10 lb PR's, and smashing 30-40 lb PR's at this point. So... now I am goign to enjoy my new years, rest the next few days. Then, I am going to do some cardio and conditioning at the end of this week. Then, monday starts two weeks of base building - no belt or sleeves, no programming, just lots and lots of hard hard work, volume, and conditioning. I'm gonna get in shape, feel really good, heal up from this bronchitis, and then get back to the heavy lifts. I hit some great Pr's this past cycle, and it sucks that I just didn't perform on meet day. However, if next cycle I can hit some big 3-4 rep PR's again every week, and be healthy and STRONG on meet day, I might be able to hit some really big numbers. SO, lets rest, lets recover, and most importantly lets keep at it.

Last day before meet

Had a nice easy day today. Went in, warmed up. Had a lot of tightness, especially in my quads, but moving felt good, lifts felt good, and I am excited for tomorrow.

Essentially, I just moved 135 on each lift for 3 sets of 5, with a final single afterwards. Then, took a bunch of time to stretch, move around, and just try and feel good.

Anyways, I'm pumped for tomorrows full meet! Despite having bronchitis right now (lol), I think I will be able to do really well, and I'm excited to see what I can hit. Lets keep at it.

Recovery Bench

Easy day today. Starting to feel healed up.

Started with bench. Warmed up and then benched 135 for a bunch of paused sets of 5, a set of 10 or so, and then some singles to finish up. Next, hit 3 sets of pushups, moving my hands to different widths. Then, did some band pull aparts and finally ended with some curls and dumbell stuff real quick. Gonna take the next two days off, eat, rest, recover, and then stretch and get ready monday to smash some big weight tues! Lets keep at it.

Squat recovery

Easy day today

Went in, got warm. Spent about 20 minutes front squatting 135 for sets of 5, probably hit like 8 sets. Then, spent another 15 minutes or so doing paused front squats - did paused of different lengths, a few sets of 5 and then some singles, doubles, triples as well.

Finally, loaded up the bar and did some speed deadlifts. Hit 135 for a few, then 225, then loaded 315 and hit it for I think 7 singles. It actually felt really good, moved fast and easy, better than last cycle. I think I am going to be able to pull a LOT on tuesday, it's just a matter of resting and really ATTACKING the weight. I think I am going to progress like this: 405 beltless, 465 loose belt, 515 for a small PR, then 535 or 545. I think I can pull 545.

Anyways, gonna keep resting and trying to heal. Lets keep at it.

Bench 235 x 5

Really solid day today. And more importantly, my last heavy day before the mock meet!

Felt truly sore and shitty today haha. Overtraining has surely set in  my joints and muscles just hurt, all the time. But, I took my time, got nice and warm, and got to work benching. Hit the bar, then 95 x 5, 135 x 3, 185 x 1, then jumped straight to 235 and got to work. Technique felt a little bit off today - I wasn't controlling the weight as well as I would like, yet I still hit a really strong set of 5. Went for a 6th rep and got caught halfway, tried to fight for a second and thought I might push through but I just couldn't. Not too bummed though, 5 reps is still a PR and it was a good 5. After, loaded the bar back up and hit it for max paused reps. Had to take a long pause on the final rep, but I managed 4 reps with a pause, which isn't half bad! The first couple reps again were just not technically my best.... a little wobbly and off. But again, I think this has to do with the fact that I am beat to shit by now. Overall, some solid benching!

Next, did some dumbell floor press. I want to start incorporating this for a few reasons: first, I think it might help with my specific sticking point, second, I think it will work on raw pressing power through the chest/front delts and tricep lockout strength, and third I think using my arms separately might be good for me. Anyways, started light and just hit high rep sets with a pause at the bottom. Hit 15's, 35's, 50's for sets of 15, then hit 70's for 3 sets of 10. Felt good.

Next, 4 x 25 band rows and then 4 x 15 band pull aparts. Shoulders were really feeling beat up.

Finally, 3 sets of bar starz to get in some grip work.

So, overall a good day! Felt strong, hit some Pr's. I feel the same today as I did yesterday: Although these workouts weren't perfect, they were REALLY good. And they were this good despite the fact that I am both sick AND overtrained as a mo fo. So, I think I should be VERY close to my goals, even beat to shit. However, IF I can really recover right this next week, and come into next tuesday 100% recovered, with supercompensation at it's max, I should be able to SMASH second attempts and have a really good shot at some BIG weight. 455 - 275 - 525? Maybe even shoot higher on the deadlift. We will see. Lets keep at it.

Squat 405 x 3

Good day today! Not perfect, but really good.

Started with squats. DEFINITELY was feeling better than last week - lower back felt better after the rest this weekend, food definitely felt better than no food haha. Got nice and warm, and started squatting. Form was really solid. Hit the bar x 8 or so, then 135 x 5, 225 x 3, 315 x 1, then put on a loose belt and hit probably the easier 365 of my life. So, racked it, loaded 405, tightened the belt and went after it. Hit a very solid 3 reps - solid enough that I caught my breath at the top and went for a 4th. Even if it had been a perfect rep, it would have been very tough and I might have failed - and it was not perfect haha. I got off balance, and my body responded by letting go of the bar with my left hand and grabbing my left leg. Somehow, I actually managed to stand that weight up haha, which tells me that perhaps that 4th rep was in there. But that was a stupid and dangerous move, and I need to be careful not to do that shit in the future. Anyways, 3 reps is really good! I would have preferred 4 or 5, that's for sure. But here's the thing - it was a really solid 3, and considering the fact that I am a) a bit sick right now, and b) at the end of a cycle, where overtraining sets in, I am really happy with that 3! That tells me that, even today when I am a bit under the weather because of hard training and sickness, I would have a crack at 445, my goal next week. Now, if I can recover really well, get better from this sickness, eat right, and really just keep the training light/mobility work high this next week hopefully I will feel amazing on tuesday and will SMASH 445 and be able to take a shot at 455, which would be really awesome.

Next, in order to keep up with the heavy weight and the "peaking," I decided to push my beltless paused squats up heavy for the first time. I started doing these at the beginning of this cycle, and feel like they have helped me a ton. I started with just a few sets of 3 at 225, and recently hit 315 for a couple sets, 3 being the most. So, today I simply decided to work up heavy. Hit 225 x 2, then 275, 315, 335, 350, and finally 365. 365 was VERY slow, probably a 98% effort haha. However, it was a smooth rep, and that is REALLY good, better than I had even hoped for! A 50 lb pr. Clearly I have significantly improved my power out of the hole, and the fact that that rep was beltless is pretty badass too.

Finally, kept light on the deadlifts, both to aid recovery/keep the lower back feeling good. Just pulled 185 for a bunch of deadlifts - sets of 5-10, some double overhand, some snatch grip, some touch n go and some dead stop.

So, good day! I would have preferred 4-5 squats at 405, but I'm still clearly stronger, and with proper recovery I will only improve over the next week. Also, that paused squat is a pleasant and well-earned surprise! One more hard workout tomorrow, then just focus on healing up and christmastime food/relaxation! Lets keep at it.

Bench 205 x 9

Today was a good little rep bench day. Feeling very crampy and tight and beat up, so I really need to focus on healing this weekend in order to survive the final workouts of this cycle. But still had a really solid day.

Started with bench. Got really warm, and then did my more minimal warmup sets - bar, 95 x 5, 135 x 3, 185 x 1. It is REALLY working well for me. Loaded up 205 and hit it for max paused reps - hit a great set of 9, and then tried to hit a 10th with a rest at the bottom, and just couldn't get it. Still, that ties my PR with that weight, only with a pause! Not bad. One thing - I DID feel like I was relying on movement a little too much, sort of letting the bar sink in at the bottom/not holding tension as best I could. But other than that, form and strength were on point. Loaded up 175 next, and hit that for a set of 12, this time trying a little harder to barely rest the bar on my chest, rather than letting it settle in. Then, dropped once more to 145 and did another set, probably of 8-12 reps, with the same focus. Felt strong, got a great pump.

Next, dips. Hit an initial set of 2, then had to adjust my setup, then hit 3 sets - 6, 7, 5. Not bad. Then, did 3 sets of pushups, going to almost failure each time and moving my hands wider and narrower at different times, depending on the set. Got a nice pump, felt good.

Next, did a variety of pulling work involving bands - 25 higher rows, 25 face pulls, 25 pull aparts, and then 25 lower rows.

Finally, for grip work I just grabbed some 20 lb dumbells and curled them/pressed them/wrist curled them until my fingers started to go numb.

So overall, good day! feeling beat up, and in need of some serious food and rest in order to recover. However, I am feeling strong and accomplished. Just one more week left, if I can really heal this weekend I think I can SMASH these last heavy workouts, then heal up and truly destroy my mock meet in 10 days. Lets keep at it.

Front squat 365

Awesome day today, with a really good PR. 

Started with front squats! Felt pretty great today. Lower back was giving me trouble - I'm like 99% sure it's not really injured, but that my muscles are simply a little tired/sore/overtrained and therefore take a long time to warm up, don;t feel particularly tight, etc etc. However, aside from the lower back I felt great - the weight felt so light today. Took quite a while getting warm, moving around, etc, then got to work squatting. Hit the bar for 7 or so, then 95 x 5, 135 x 4, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, 275 x 1. Weight felt light, but reps were a little wonky cause I was having to pay too much attention to my lower back, which was making me a little hesitant and weird. However, once I belted up (loosest setting) for 315, it felt pretty much fine. 315 went up easy, so I loaded up 345, belted up for real, and smashed it. Without hesitating, I loaded up 365. Rested, Belted up, and smashed that too! I thought it would be harder than it was, but man I nailed that rep. That is a 30 lb PR from 7 weeks ago, and honestly I think it was easier than 335 was for sure. So that is freakin awesome. Here's the vid. 

Next, dropped to 135 and did a bunch of lighter long paused squats, for more reps - I need to start tapering back the heavy weights/volume and doing more light stuff so I can recover. For 5 second paused reps, hit 135 x 4, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, 225 x 2, 185 x 3, 135 x 4. Felt good. 

Finally, skipped the deadlifts and instead did 2 sets of 25 back extensions with just my bodyweight. Got a nice lower back pump, and the lower back felt much better afterwards. I think I need to be doing this high rep lower back stuff more, to help keep those muscles healing, strong, and to make sure that I don't end up hurting myself with all this heavy squat and high rep deadlift work. 

So, great day! working on tapering thurs + fri back, but I kicked ass today and hit a huge PR! Hopefully that 30 lb FS PR will directly correlate to my gains on squat and deadlift. We will see. Let keep at it. 

Great bench day, 225 x 7, 5

Really good day today! I cracked down on my eating yesterday, and today's success shows me that I was right; diet (lack of creatine and carbs, specifically) was a huge contributor to my shittier workout yesterday. 

Post-workout weight. Right on the money baby

Started with bench! Got warm, THEN did my normal shoulder warmup stuff, THEN did a bunch of extra shoulder/chest/back warmup stuff, to really get warm before I started benching. Then, I started working up, using significantly less reps than normal - I hit the bar with my feet up, then 95 x 5, 135 x 3, 185 x 1. I had a little trouble getting the weight out of the rack (new equipment), but overall felt alright. A little tentative, but otherwise good. Loaded up 225 and went after it. The first rep or so honestly didn't feel that great, but I just kept moving it, hit my old pr (5), and a really solid 6... thought about calling it there, cause my lower back was crampy and that was a PR. BUT, I tightened my glutes, tried to keep the weight smooth, and although it was a hell of a fight and my lockout was a touch uneven, I got rep 7! Really happy about that, it's a big PR, and only one rep shy from my IDEAL, which would have been 8. I rested up, then went at it again, this time with a pause. Felt really solid - my paused reps simply feel stronger and more consistent, and I can grind through the hard ones better. I hit a really good 5 and was just about to rack it when I changed my mind. I haven't really pushed to failure on the paused stuff, so I decided to try a 6th - and promptly failed haha. But it's really alright. I kicked ass today, so that's good. Creeping ever closer to that 275. 

Next, did some CGFUBP, again focusing on squeezing down, pausing, and pressing hard. Hit 185 for a set of 6, then 165 x 8 (had to touch n go the last rep), then hit 135 for 10. Finally, as a "finisher," grabbed 45 lb dumbells and did some dumbell bench, really trying to flare the elbows and squeeze up with the chest. Hit 15 I think. 

Next, band rows. Man, these blow up my back. Hit 4 sets of 25 with a blue band. 

Finally, BArs Stars! it;s been a while since I have done this, and the pullup cages at CFD are so useful for this. Did 3 sets, really monkeybarring around. 

Also, measured the legs today... they were 26 inches over the summer. GAINZ

So, overall good day! Need to keep eating plenty, and stretch to get ready for thursday! I wanna smash my heavy front squat. Other than that, I need to start really honing in my recovery. Can't wait to max out in 2 weeks! Lets keep at it. 

Friday 12/13 Bench 195 x 10

Didn't realize I never wrote this post.

Last fridays bench was good. Warmed up a lot and kept the warmup bench reps to a minimum, which felt good Hit 195 x 10, failed an 11th, then hit 165 x 14, and 135 x 15.

Next, did some dips! hit a set of 9, then a set of 5. Then did a bunch of pushups.

Next, did some band pull aparts and rows, high rep.

Finally, some easy grip work.

So, decent day. 195 x 10 was a pr, so can't complain. Lets keep at it.

Squat 385 x 4

Not a great day today. I was pretty disgruntled with my workout. But overall, it wasn't terrible, and I think I know largely what was up, so that is good.

Started with squat. Felt pretty good warming up, lower back was feeling a little shitty, but not bad. Got nice and warm, and smashed the bar for a set, then 135 x 5, 225 x 3, 315 x 1. So, I loaded up 385, belted up, and hit it for a max set. Reps were a little slower and tougher than I expected, but I just kept going, breathing, going again. Hit a really solid 4, then went for 5 and I was SO close to getting it, pushed as hard as I could but I just couldn't lock it out. After, re-racked 385 and tried it again and failed right away - my mind failed me. And I shouldn't have tried again, because the problem wasn't mental or technical - I simply wasn't strong enough on this day. So here's the deal: I wanted 6 reps, only got 4, which made me very angry. Very very angry. But I have to remember that it's not like I barely got 4, I ALMOST had 5, just barely missed it, which definitely matters. Secondly, There are a number of small reasons why today might not be a great day: First, new equipment/a new gym. Second, a lot of sitting around since I got home. Third, I have been working hard on thursdays with my front squat (hitting that 315 x 5 last thurs) and maybe I'm getting to a point where I need to be tapering that off, cause I'm a tiny bit overtrained. But most of all, I think a big part of the problem is dietary. Since I got home, I have had NO problem getting my protein in, cause food is so much tastier here haha. Problem is, I am eating a FRACTION of the carbs I was eating at school because I just don't need them to choke down the protein. But that is NO good for squat day. So, I think the solution to todays bad squat session is simple: Eat more calories/carbs this next week, adjust to the new gym, stay active/mobile during the day and don't just sit around, and don't push too hard at the end of the week, because I need to extra recovery. And next monday, I will make 405 feel like 385 felt today. Gonna hit that shit for a STRONG 4, and then push through that 5th rep this time.

Rest of the workout was actually pretty good, although I couldn't shake the crankiness. Dropped back to 225, hit it for a paused single, 275 x 1, then went to 315 and hit it for 3, then 2, then 1. It wasn't easy but it was strong and solid, and double the volume of last monday's pause squats, so that's cool.

Finally, deadlifts felt great. Pulled 275 x 3 x 10 touch n go, without much rest. By the end, my lower back was feeling TIRED, but those 3 sets of 10 weren't hard at all, and I really haven't ever done that much dead lift volume at that kind of weight.

Finally, just rolled around and stretched a bit. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little better, although bench is often the toughest lift to transition to a new gym space. However, I'll eat right today and just give it my best and hope it is a stronger day tomorrow. And I need to not get down about my squats - I have had 4 AMAZING, pr squat workout in a row, and today was ANOTHER pr squat workout haha, yet I'm crabby about it. But I'm gonna recover right, SMASH a 365 front squat thurs, recover right again, and come back a week from today and let 405 have it. Lets keep at it.

Front squat 315 x 5

Really good day, which is especially cool considering I was working all day yesterday and didn't get a chance to stretch and whatnot. Very happy with my workout today.

Started with front squat. Felt alright, nothing special but not bad. Got nice and warm, and then started working up. Hit the bar, then 95 x 6, 135 x 4, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, and then 275 x 1 as my final beltless rep. I worked up pretty fast, as it was fairly cold today and I felt like the extra blood/movement was a good move. Loaded up 315, chalked up, belted up, and went after it. First rep was solid, but not so great that I KNEW I would have all 5 reps. However, I just kept breathing and hitting reps, trying to focus on keeping my quads loaded and not sitting back too far. Hit a tough but really solid 5. After I racked it, I watched the video and I have to say that it looked significantly better/easier than it felt. I don't know if I had a rep in the tank, but if I had to bet I would bet that I could have squeezed out rep 6 if I needed to. That's pretty cool, especially considering that coming into this semester I had NEVER front squatted 315. I hit it for my first single a few weeks into the semester.... and now today I repped it for 5. Really awesome.

Next, long paused front squats. Hit 225 x 1,1, 255 x 1, 1, then 275 x 1, 1. Pretty happy with that cause last week I only long paused 275 x 1, and today I did it for 2 singles. Then, dropped back to 225 and did it for a long paused double - WAY harder on the core/midback. I might try and add more of these in in the near future - I am interested in developing both core stability AND power out of the hole, and maybe doubles would be a better in-between of these two things.

Finally, deadlifts. Kepts these relatively light and controlled, hitting 205 x 3 x 10 from a 2-3 inch defecit, double overhand. Just tried to focus on pushing with the legs and keeping my head neutral, locking the glutes. I think the time is coming for me to start keeping the assistance work a little easier, take advantage of lighter weights, higher reps, control over the weight, etc. I need to make sure I can heal up as I peak over the next 2.5 weeks

So, great day! Really happy with that PR, feeling strong. Front squat going up is good for both my back squat and my deadlift, so I'm happy! Can't wait to max next thursday, I think I have a real chance at 365. Lets keep at it.

Bench 215 x 7

Tuesday was a less than great bench day. However, It wasn't terrible, and there were reasons for it being somewhat mediocre - namely finals. The last thing I need is another excuse for why my bench sucks, but at the same time I can't doubt myself or my training because of factors out of my control.

Started with bench, after taking two finals in a row. Felt decent warming up, hit the bar, 95, 135 x 10, 185 x 5, then took my first crack at 215. It was moving decently, but not easy. I hit the 7th rep then took a few breaths and went for 8 - it got stuck in a nasty spot. I tried to fight through and really thought I was going to get it, but my lower back cramped up and eventually I just failed. I was pretty disappointed - First of all, I wanted 9. Second of all, my PR was 8 so failing 8 meant I didn't even tie my old PR, nevermind beat it. I rested, and took the weight again for a max paused set, and hit a really solid set of 5. The paused stuff feels so controlled and strong, so that was cool and made me feel a little better. In the end, it comes down to this: I was crampy and stuff from lifting the day before, and it's possible that finals studying/the two tests right before my workout had a negative impact. Maybe, if I hadn't had those tests I would have finished that really close 8th rep, maybe if I was fresher I would have squeaked out a 9th. I'm not saying I can do that, but I am saying that despite how hard I WANT to be on myself, I need to understand that there are a lot of factors and not get angry and jaded because of a rep and a half.

After the paused set, dropped to 165 and did CGFUBP, really controlling that weight down with a pause and blasting it. Hit 7 or 8, then dropped to 135 and hit 10 or 11, then dropped to 95 and hit 13 or 4. Felt good, trying to build up my raw pressing power, my control over the weight, my stability, and my ability to grind. It's tough and I'm not sure what exercises are the best to accomplish these goals, but I'm just gonna keep working hard and plugging away and gains will come, the question is just how fast or slow.

Next, did 4 sets of 25 t-bar rows with a 45 lb plate.

Finally, did a deadlift hold, one for max time pronated and one for max time supinated with like 200 + lbs.

So, alright day. A little frustrated with my heavy stuff, but I think progress is on it's way, it is just slow, and especially hard to see right now because of issues of finals week. But I'm gonna keep working. Also, side note, I think I might need to pay more attention to glute tightness in my bench, to better use leg drive and to prevent my lower back from cramping. Anyways, lets keep at it.

Squat 365 x 8

Really great day today, very happy.

Started with squats, after a great night's sleep and a big ass coffee. Got nice and warm and I was feeling strong and solid. Then got started squatting, focusing on that controlled descent, pulling myself into the bottom and exploding out. Hit the bar, then 135 x 5, 225 x 3, 315 x 1. Then, loaded up 365, chalked up, belted up, psyched up, and went after it. IT felt great. Felt strong and light on the unrack. I kept my cool, each rep was very strong and solid, and CONSISTANT. Smashed 5 and 6, then had to really focus on 7 and 8 because my breathing started to get really difficult. However, I crushed those reps too. 8 reps is a huge PR, and something I am really happy with - 3 rep all time PR, and just 12 weeks ago my PR at this weight (and I was really proud to have hit it), was 365 x 3. So, a great set that is a testament to how strong I am getting. Plus, I think as the weight increases I will be even happier with the reps I hit, because it is more my core/breathing holding me back with these higher reps. I think once I get down to 5-6 reps, I will be able to express my strength better, which is why I think I am going to shoot for a set of 5 at 405 when I get there. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

After the set of 8, I dropped back to 275 and did some paused squats, which also went great! I smashed 275 x 3 paused, then jumped up to 315. I have never hit this paused, so I wanted to hit it for a single or maybe a double, but I crushed the first rep and ended up hitting it for 3! Really happy with that, I have definitely increased both my ability to maintain tension in the bottom, and my raw strength out of the hole. I could have hit 315 for more reps, but instead I decided to drop to 225 and smash a triple there. Obviously the heavy stuff is cool, but I think just doing this paused work (regardless of weight/volume) is getting the job done.

Finally, deads. I had an urge to go heavy today, and I kind of fought it.... I started out doing lighter romanian deads for reps, to at least get SOME decent, productive volume in. Hit 125 x 5, then 185 x 10, 225 x 8, 275 x 6. Then pulled some singles from a dead stop - 305, 355, 405, then finally 435 for a tough but solid single. Back felt a bit tweaky after, so I dropped to 305 and hit it for a set of 5 from a dead stop, just to feel out my lower back. Then, called it a day.

I'm a little bummed out I went heavy on deads - I felt like I should work up, to feel heavy weights and just test out form/speed/strength with a pull over 400. However, I forgot the reason's I don't do these - namely, that heavy pulls = form breakdown, and I really only want to allow my form to break down with those heavy weights once in a while, when I have my belt and I am fully recovered/less likely to injure myself, NOT when I am already tired out, beltless, etc etc. However, that being said I don;t think I really tweaked anything, and pulling a solid 435 beltless, chalkless, and at the end of a tough workout is pretty cool. So overall, a good day. Huge squat PR, paused squat PR, and some cool deadlifts. Gotta keep focused, keep healthy, and keep working, and I'm gonna hit some big weights in the coming weeks. Lets keep at it.

Bodybuilding Bench Press

Good day today. Did things a little differently but I was feeling strong and huge, which is cool.

Started with bench. Lately, I haven't been sure exactly how I want to be benching this day - do I go lighter for high rep sets (3 x 15 or something like that?) Or, do I keep the weight heavier and do lots of volume there (5 sets of 6 or 7 sets of 5, stuff like that). What I did today was simply do rep-outs bouncing between moderate weights (185 and 135 today). This was good for a few reasons. 1) Don't go too heavy, which will tax my recovery and make my joints achey. 2) Don't go too light, where it is easy to get lazy with technique, which doesn't have great carryover to heavy bench. 3) Push right to failure on 6+ sets, which not only will force growth/adaptation, but also improves my ability to grind (something I need to be working on). So, I warmed up, hit the bar, 95, 135, then repped out (with a pause) 185 x 11, dropped to 135, rested 2 mins or so and hit it for 11 or so. Rested a little longer, then back to 185, for maybe 8, then 135 for max reps, then again, 185 x 5 and 135 for maybe 9 or 10. All in all, 6 sets to almost failure, most of which were in the 8-12 rep range. Form felt great, grind felt great, pause felt great, and I was BLOWN UP.

Next, did my bodyweight pressing. This was tough cause I was tired out after bench. But I hit two sets of dips, getting 5 or 6 each set. Then I hit a set of 15 or so regular pushups, a set of 10 wide pushups and then a set of 10 close grip pushups, then I set up a smith machine to do incline pushups and just did a ton of reps, moving my hands in and out until I was almost failing. Chest got pumped, triceps got pumped. Felt good.

Next, 4 x 25 dumbell rows facing a bench. Used 15 lb dumbells. I don't know why, but these hurt like hell and blow up my back.

Finally, did some curls and wrist curls... more of an arms pump than a grip workout, but no biggie. I was enjoying looking huge today.

So, overall good day. I think my bench is going to be moving up very soon. I think this new technique is the technique that is going to take me places, and I think the way I am training is going to get me stronger very soon. I just have to keep working my ass off, and PR's will be in the future. Lets rest a lot this weekend, and get ready for another PR squat and bench session next monday and tuesday. Lets keep at it.

Front squat 275 x 10

Another great squat workout this week, again showing me that 1) my two weeks of base building were not pointless or aimless, and 2) I was right, not overly generous, when I "made excuses" for my less than perfect performance last week.

Started with front squat. Goal was to go up to 275 and hit it, with belts and sleeves. Original plan was 8, but part of me felt like 9-10 was a better goal. Started with he bar, then hit 95, 135, 185, 225, and finally loaded up 275 and SMASHED it for an easy 10. Honestly, may have had 11 or 12 in me. Really happy with that, that once again takes my 6rm up to a 10rm. Far exceeded not only my expectations, but even my hopes. I was going to rep out 305 next week, try and get 5.... but I may just got for 315 x 5 instead, based on how solid this felt. We will see.

Next, long paused front squat singles - beltless, with a 5 second pause in the bottom. Hit 225, 245, 265 all solid, so I decided to load up 275 and I smashed it for a 5 second paused single. Pretty cool, especially considering that last year this time was the FIRST TIME I ever hit a 275 front squat. I'e come very far in a year.

Finally, deadlifts from a deficit. Did something a little differrent today, kept the weight at 225 and moved the deficit up - did 10 from 1 inch, 10 from 2 inches, then 10 from 3 inches, trying to focus on keeping my low back flat and using those hammies.

So, great day. huge front squat PR. Plus, I got to set a pr and feel great about that, but overall I honestly feel like I didn't train hard at all - so hopefully recovery will be great and I will be in tip top shape come monday. Hopefully, next thurs I'll hit 315 for 5, then the week after that I will hit a max and try and nail 365 - which would be a really cool accomplishment. Lets keep at it.

Bench 205 x 9

Good day today. Almost great - but I'll take it.

Started with bench. Actually felt really decent warming up, not too beat up from squats yesterday. Got nice and warm, hit the bar with my feet up, then got started - 95 x 15, 135 x 10, 185 x 5 all felt really good, so I loaded 205 and went after it. The set felt really good, definitively better than benching felt last week in my garage. I will say that stability wasn't perfect - I had a little bit of weird wobbling and asymmetric barbell movement that probably wasted a little energy. However, the new form - i.e. controlling the bar down, soft touch and squeezing it up - felt pretty great. I blasted the first 8, then hit a 9th rep (a new pr) that was just a little bit slower and grindier. However, I was still about 75% sure I could get a tenth rep - till I tried it, and failed. I was a little angry about it, because it is that same problem over again - the problem of moving one rep with ease, then all of a sudden failing the next rep. The problem of not having the proper control over whether you make or fail a rep, based on how much effort you put forth. HOWEVER, there are some factors to consider. 1) I have only been doing this a short while, and therefore still need to work on my ability to grind. 2) It's not like I SMASHED rep 9 - there was a gradual decline, which is exactly what I want. Yes, rep 9 wasn't so hard that I should have failed rep 10, but I definitely am making the changes I want to make, I just need more time with this new form. And 3), despite wanting 10 reps, 9 is an all time PR, AND 1 rep better than just a week ago, AND 10 lbs heavier than the last time I benched 9 reps, failed a 10th. So, all in all it was a great set, just not AS great as I wanted. But that's okay - I am going to rectify this by getting 9 reps at 215 next tuesday. THAT will be a really great set. After the touch n go rep out, I rested and then did a paused rep out. Hit a really solid and hard set of 6. Definitely felt my improved ability to grind on that set.

Next, did some feet up benching without bringing the bar all the way to my chest. Did 3 sets without much rest - 1 regular grip, one closer, one closest. Got maybe 20-8-6 reps, something like that. While definitely not a waste of time, I think I was trying to do too many things with this - it would probably be better to do EITHER cgfubp or spoto press or benching with varying grips. Still, got in some extra volume and stability work.

Next, 3 sets of 30 cable rows with I think 90 lbs

Finally, 3 fairly brief sets of bar starz grip work.

Overall, good day. Not perfect, but here's the thing: I believe I am on my way to the bench gainz I want. The goal now is simply to grow my bench as fast as possible. Next week, I am going to try and hit the same number of reps - 9, and maybe even the 6 paused - but at 215. If I can manage that, then the goal will be 7-8 reps at 225, and 6-7 reps at 235 the week after, which should put me in good position to hit my desired 275 after christmas. Lets keep at it.

Squat 345 x 10

Great day today. All of my anxieties about not having purpose these past couple weeks, and my half-hearted assurances that the only reason I wasn't performing the way I wanted to be was because of the million factors making my workouts tough were in vain, because on my first really focused workout back, I kicked ass.

Started with squats. Got nice and warm, and I was feeling really good from the start. Threw the knee sleeves on for the first time in a while, and got to work, again focusing on finding a balance between speed and control on the way down, focusing on keeping the reps fast and smooth, but REALLY squeezing into the bottom, controlling the weight, and taking the reps slower than normal. Also, focused on breathing between reps, to make sure I didn't rush the set. Hit the bar, then 135 x 5, 225 x 3, and finally 315 x 1. Then, chalked up, threw the belt on for the first time in weeks, and got to work. I destroyed 345. My new technique feels great - rather than hit or miss, where I might smash one rep then fail the next, each rep was controlled, and when I attempted each rep it was with CERTAINTY that I could get it. I felt like I had so much more use of my hips and back, but not at the EXPENSE of quad involvement - rather, in conjunction with it. There is a SLIGHT chance I miscounted the reps, as I got a little foggy in the middle of the set, but I am about 95% certain that I squatted this weight for 10 reps today, and I couldn't ask for more than that. That is a 4 rep PR at this weight, a 30 lb 10RM pr. And for felt incredible - really, the hardest thing about the set (and it was a VERY hard set) was simply having the bar on my back. I was literally gasping for air on the last 3 reps. But I am extremely happy with my performance today.

Next, paused squats. Decided to keep these a little heavier today - dropped to 275 and took off the belt (I always plan to do these beltless), and hit that weight for 3 x 3, paused, without much rest between sets (maybe 2-3 mins). Felt really good and solid - I get a hell of a quad pump from holding the tension with these.

Finally, did some really high rep deads today - 2 sets of 20 at 185. I figured it's been a while since I did higher rep stuff, so I wanted to work it in. My ass was pumped.

So overall really great day. Technique feels amazing, strength was amazing, and the two came together today to give me probably the best squat workout I have ever had. Now, I need to focus on recovery and technique with thursday's front squats, and prepare to smash 365 next monday - a set of 8 will be very difficult, but I think it is also very possible. Have to keep setting my sights high, because I am starting to see what I can truly accomplish. Also, I'm excited to bench tomorrow! like squat, I have been a little disgruntled with bench lately, but I am hoping that, like squat, tomorrow I will be able to perform to my best and get a really good idea of where I am at (hopefully it is where I want to be as well haha). Lets keep at it.

Final work capacity day: bench 225 x sets

Today was a pretty good day. Final day of my "destruction" 2 weeks, where my focus was (supposed to be) entirely upon working my ass off and building work capacity. Went well.

Recent back picture. Weight - about 235-240

Started with bench. Got warm, then started warming up. Hit 95 x 10, 135 x 7, 185 x 4. Honestly, I think I could have used a little more of a warmup - 15, 10, and 5 seems appropriate in the future. Anyways, went to 225 and went at it. I really could not get tight on the bench today without my chalk, but still managed a fairly good session despite some serious trouble keeping form ideal. The goal was 5 sets of 4, with the understanding that sets of 3 were probably far more likely. Ended up hitting 4, 4, 3 where I failed a 4th rep (barely), 3, then a set f 2 where I accidentally hit the hook which hurt me, and a final paused single, Overall, not bad! Not exactly what I wanted, but still the most volume I have ever done at 225. Despite tightness being a huge issue, the technique of really controlling the weight, squeezing it down and up, felt great, and I definitely fought my way through a couple reps I probably wouldn't have ever made in the past.

Next up, did seated dumbell rows on an incline bench - 4 sets of 25 with maybe 15-20 lb dumbells. Blew my back/rear delts up.

Then, came inside and did a ton of pushups. Did 3 sets of regular pushups, moving my hands from narrow to medium to wide. Then, did 2 sets of inclined pushups, also moving my hands but focusing on wide.

Finally, some quick arms/grip work. Grabbed 15 lb dumbells and just went to town for about 2-3 minutes.

So, overall it was a good workout. Here's the thing: I have been falling short of what I want to hit these past few days. Furthermore, I have this overwhelming feeling like I should be working harder, focusing more, doing better. But I think these are both fine. The point of these two weeks was to work hard and kick my own ass, not to hit any specific goals/numbers, And, conditions this week were SO completely different from my normal lifting that it is fairly absurd to be comparing what I hit this week to what I "should" be hitting. The truth is, I got a lot of quality work in and definitely upped my work capacity. Now, I need to channel the anger I have and that disgruntled, aimless demeanor because it is time to focus up and start this 5-week peaking cycle. Next week, I will have everything back to normal - equipment, my personal gear, training time, specific numbers I need to hit, etc etc. It will be time to focus up, to have concrete goals, and to focus on smashing each one, every single workout. Then, I can truly judge my performance, vs. how I think I SHOULD be performing. And, the thing is - my goals are set so high that even if I do fall short (the way I felt I was falling short this week), I am STILL hitting pr's and getting stronger - just not as fast as I think I should be. I am in a really good place now. It's time to focus, to work hard, and to get stronger. Lets keep at it.

Front squat 245 x 9, 6

A little bit of a disappointing day today. Perhaps I shouldn't be disappointed, but I am a little.

Started with front squats. Warmed up, then got to working... hit 95 x 5, 135 x 4, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, then attacked 245. I squatted it for a really solid 9 - not super hard, back was starting to get pretty tired from holding the weight that long, and a few reps I was sitting back a little more than I should have, but I KNOW I could have gotten a 10th rep, and possibly even more (12 was in the back of my mind). However, I royally screwed up the 10th rep - I think it was completely mental - and literally paused it in the bottom, double bounced, and tried to squat it up.... made it almost halfway too, before I failed. I was pretty angry, because there is NO doubt I could have gotten 10+, and that would have made me SO much happier, so I even attempted the weight again. Despite my back being clearly tired out, I still thought I might have 10 in me... but then on 6 I AGAIN paused in the bottom. This time I squatted it up, but racked it immediately after. Again, pretty disgruntled about this, because I feel like stupid technical and mental weaknesses prevented me from completing a set that could have been GREAT. But, in the end, I need to consider some things. 1) This workout was about working hard, as I am still in the 2-week "work" period, not about specific numbers. 2) I did absolutely nothing yesterday except eat and drink booze - no stretching, no mobility, nothing. 3) I think the shoes might be part of the problem - the instability isn't anything crazy, but I think it is enough to throw me off, and my defense mechanism was to pause to regain balance. 4) 9 reps at 245 beltless is still a pretty big PR. And I KNOW I could have gotten 10.

Next, hit some long paused fronts. Used 225, and I hit it for 3 sets of 2 - one regular rep, one rep with a 5 second pause at rock bottom. Felt good, and really tired out my quads.

Finally, pulled 275 from a 3-4 inch deficit - hit it for 6, 6, then 10 with very limited rest.

So, overall a little disappointed today, but got in a LOT of solid work, which is the real end goal. Form felt a little crappy, but it's honestly hard to objectively judge anything - form, strength, reps, - with all the factors that are different. I am starting to feel very antsy, like I need to be training with more focus and whatnot. But I think that is good. These couple weeks gave me a mental deload by mixing things up, while simultaneously helping me to improve my work capacity and strength with higher reps. After this weekend, it will be time to focus up again, get back my chalk, shoes, belt, knee sleeves, and continue working my ass off - but in a way designed to make me peak. If I can hit the sets and reps that I am planning on hitting, I will be MUCH stronger at the end of the next 4 weeks. Lets keep at it.

Bench 190 x 2 x 9

Decent day today. Not great but decent.

Started with bench. Got warm and then got working, working up in sets of 10. Hit 95, 145, then 195 x 9. 9th rep was really hard, so I didn't even attempt a 10th. Dropped back to 95 and again hit that x 10, 145, and then 195 x 9 again. I attempted a 10th this time because 9 was easier, but I simply got stuck and couldn't grind it out. Overall, that's not too bad - 9 is technically a PR at that weight, and a new 9rm (despite the fact that, with my old style, I hit 185 x 15). And form felt really great today, this new technique is coming very naturally to me. Honestly, part of the reason it wasn't a great workout is probably largely because of the different equipment and stuff. Still a little disappointed I didn't make the 10 reps, but I think next week will be a different story.

Next, dropped back to 145 and hit it, close grip and feet up, but with an emphasis on controlling the weight down. Hit it for a tough 11 reps, but I think doing CGFUBP this was is gonna be WAY more productive. Dropped back to 95 and hit it for a set of CGFUBP as well, only this time with a long negative - 5 second, then as soon as it touched my chest an explosive press. I honestly got one of the BIGGEST chest pumps I have ever gotten from this. I think utilizing negatives to help me learn how to squeeze down, maintain tension, explode, and simply grow more muscle is going to be great.

Next, 4 sets of 25 straight arm lat pulldowns.

Finally, 3 sets of bar starz, only with horizontal pullups this time. Honestly, I almost like this better - it allows me to do more pulling than regular pullups, and the angle is a LOT tougher on the grip because it works your fingers more.

So, overall a good workout. I wishI had done better on the heavy reps, but I got a lot of work in, technique is feeling great, and I experimented with some new, great tools to get stronger. I think, despite not feeling quite as strong as I want to RIGHT NOW, gains are going to start coming very soon. Lets keep at it.

Squat 335 x 6, 5, 1

Good day today, especially considering numerous disadvantageous factors - I was away all weekend, cramped in a car for hours, sleeping not enough and on beanbags/tiny foreign beds, not eating right, drinking, etc. Plus, I am training in my home gym (i.e. new equipment from what I have been using the last 2.5 months), and it's in the 30's out there. PLUS, to top it all off I forgot my gym bag at school, so aside from not using a belt and knee sleeves, I can't use chalk or my oly shoes either. HOWEVER, still had a pretty great workout.

Warmed up aplenty, then got to squatting. Hit the bar for 2 sets of 6, then worked up in sets of 6 - 155, 245, and 335. That set of 6 at 335 was really solid. Definitely less stable in the running shoes, but it was a really good set of 6, and I felt like I might have had 7 in me. Dropped back to 155 and again worked up in 6's, hitting 155, 245, then 335 for a set of 5. I wish I had gotten 6, but a couple reps, 2 and 4, were just a little off, and I think I lost some energy because of that - rep 5 was really hard and slow, and I didn't want to risk failing 6. So I racked it, rested a couple mins, then hit a single which was tough but moved nice.

Next, dropped back to 245 and hit it for a paused triple, trying to focus on keeping tension/PULLING into the bottom rather than dropping into rock bottom. 245 was easy so I went up to 265, then 285. 285 for a paused triple is pretty freaking good, considering what I had already done today.

Finally, threw 245 on the ground and hit it for a set of 8 double overhand, a set of 8 with a few grips (cause my grip was failing I had to keep switching haha), and then a set of 12 mixed grip. At first I felt like I should have done more, but by the end of that set of 12 my butt and even my legs were pretty pumped up and tired out.

So, overall good day! I was one rep shy of my goal of hitting that 335 x 2 x 6 beltless and sleeveless.... but again, that was the goal with NONE of the disadvantages I had today. So overall I am really happy. I think that with proper recovery and getting back all of my stuff - sleeves, belt, shoes, chalk, normal gym equipment, etc - I have a really strong shot at 345 x 10, which is the goal for my next heavy squat workout/first workout of the "peaking" part of my training.

Also, a side note.... I am considering changing thursdays from "speed squat" with front squat assistance to purely a front squat day.... I'm just not sure how worthwhile speed squat even is really. But I don;t want my back squat form to suffer, or to be pushing myself too hard on thurs and not recover right. But I think front squats might 1) be all the form work I need, 2) help my squat more than speed squats, and 3) be light enough that they won't tax recovery too much, even if I am working really hard at them. I need to think about it. Anyways, looking forward to bench tomorrow. Lets keep at it.

Bench 205 x 5 x 6

Good day today! working on my new bench and it is honestly feeling great, strong, and like I am going to start making some serious gainzzzzz soon.

Warmed up nice, then got to benching. Hit the bar, 95, 135, 185, then went to 205 and the goal was to hit it for 5 sets of 6. It was moving really well, solid, strong, and I felt like I had at least a rep or two in the tank for every set. For the 5th set I decided to rep it out, hit a REALLY solid 8 and then tried for and failed a 9th rep. Still, although I have hit 8 reps at 215, technically 8 is my PR at 205 as well.... and I tied that today after 4 other sets of 6! Not bad.

Next, did a ton of bodyweight pressing. I REALLY suck at dips. Did two sets to failure, which was about 6 reps. I was shaking like a motherfucker too. But I think I will improve at these fast. Then, did 3 sets of pushups. On the first two, I kept jumping my hands out/in every 5 reps or so, to hit all sots of angles. Third set I just repped out regular pushups. Got a nice pump. I think these are going to help me make some SERIOUS gainz.

Next, 100 rep cable rows.

Finally, shitty grip work.

So, feeling great. It's gonna be a long and wild weekend, but I think I'm gonna start making some real progress soon. Lets keep at it.

MAD front squats: 225 x 2 x 8

Good day today. Leg soreness is finally going away, so I decided to smash my legs again lol.

Started with front squats. Warmed up nice, then hit for sets of 8, bar, 95, 135, 185, 225, then back down and up again, hitting 95, 135, 185, and 225 for second sets of 8. It was hard and took a long time, but those top sets could have been WAY worse, I definitely had at least 2 reps on both sets. It's gonna be real fun next week to try and smash 245 for 10+ reps.

Next, did some LONG pause front squat singles - about 5 second at the bottom. Hit 225, 235, 245, 255 and then 255 again.

Finally, 185 x 3 x 12 deficit deads to finish up. Used double overhand the whole time, really worked the grip.

So, good workout! Lots of volume, I think I am building nicely. Lets keep working hard and built this base up, so that come december I can peak and SMASH some PR's. Lets keep at it.

Bench PRESS 225 x 4, 3

Good day today. A little frustrating but overall good.

Today I worked on changing my bench form. As I mentioned before, with both my squat and my bench I feel that I have incredibly EFFICIENT technique - however, in the end I think this is hurting me, because expending less energy isn't always best. I feel that, by exerting more control over the weight, I will be able to 1) grow my muscles more, 2) fight through reps that I might otherwise fail, and 3) simply feel stronger and more in control under heavy lifts.

So, today I began benching up, focusing on controlling the weight down and up, and instead of just moving the weight, really PULLING it down and PUSHING it up. I hit the bar for a set, then 95 x 15, 135 x 12, and 185 x 9. At first, I was feeling dismayed because these sets all felt harder than they should have. Then.... I realized that is EXACTLY the point. They should feel harder, because I am purposely benching in a style where I have to use more energy and exert more force. However, just because each rep feels harder, that doesn't mean I necessarily will fail any sooner. And even if I do for now, that time under tension and real focus on muscular contraction is going to make me grow, and increase my ability to CREATE force, rather than simply manipulating force. Anyways, went to 225 and benched it for a very solid and controlled but difficult 4. Then, dropped back to 95 and worked up, but with less reps - 6, 6, 3, then a triple at 225 that was pretty hard but again, very controlled. Overall, not as strong as I would LIKE to be (it is really a bitch to take a step back on the lift that I am already worst at), but at least this new form is coming really naturally to me. Now, the only thing left to do is simply work my ass off and get to growing.

Next, dropped the weight back to 135 and did a max effort set of spoto presses - paused bench without ever touching the weight to my chest. Hit 16 or so. I think these will help me a bit, they will help to improve the exact things I am changing - squeezing the weight down, maintaining muscular tension, and then driving it up. After this, I gave up my bench, but wanted to press a little more so I took some 40lb dumbells and did a set of 24 presses, again focusing on maintaining control and tension, and trying to let the dumbells flare a little bit to try and really work my chest and front delt.

Next, did 2 sets of 25 lat pulldowns and 2 sets of 25 cable rows.

Finally, Bar starz.

So overall, productive day. I wish I had gotten a little more volume in, but I was trying to figure some things out. And who knows, maybe I'll still be sore as all hell tomorrow. Either way, friday I will stick with higher volume on bench, then really go crazy with the bodyweight stuff to try and get this bench press moving. I am determined to break 300 ASAP, I'm sick of being below that mark. Lets keep at it.

Base Building: 315 x 2 x 8

These next two weeks are my "Base Building" weeks. Basically, two weeks to work my ass off with moderate weights: tons of volume, work on technique, and just focus on increasing work capacity and getting all my muscles growing.

Today, started with squats. Did a ton of work. Warmed up, then started squatting without knee sleeves or my belt: hit the bar x 8, then 135, 225, and 315 all for sets of 8. Dropped back to 135, rested maybe 10-15 mins, then hit 135, 225, and finally 315, again for sets of 8. That is a lot of work, and my legs were PUMPED.

Next, dropped to 225 and did 3 quick sets of 3 paused squat. The goal with these is not to sink into rock bottom, but rather to lower myself in a controlled way so I maintain tension and then reverse the squat, building raw power. It was SO much tension on my already pumped quads that they started cramping hard.

Finally, did 3 sets of 10 deadlifts at 185. These were much tougher than they should have been, because I was so wiped. My ass was pumped UP.

So, overall I'm really happy with the work I put in today. Lots of great volume to get everything growing. More importantly though, I think I am making a discovery with squats and bench press. I have been making some great gains in both, but I think there is a small problem: my technique on both has developed so that I am moving the weight in a super energy-efficient way. This doesn't sound like a bad thing, and in fact I think it is part of the reason I have been able to improve without many setbacks or injuries. But I think it also has it's drawbacks. I feel out of control on heavy lifts sometimes. I go down with a heavy squat or bench, and I don;t feel confident that I can get it. IF I get to the bottom, and something is a tiny bit off, I might fail without ever even having a shot at it. Or, consider it this way: Right now, I might squat or bench a first rep easy, and then all of a sudden fail the second rep. I think that is due to my technique: I am super fast and precise, but in the end whether I make the rep depends more on "movement" than muscle. And I don't think I should be stepping under weights, unsure if I'm going to smash a rep or fail it in the bottom as if it was 100 lbs too heavy. What I did today, and what I am going to continue doing for both squat and bench, is focus on trying to maintain high-quality movement - good technique, speed, etc - but put a real focus on control of the weight as well. I shouldn't be smashing rep 1, then failing rep two. I should be smashing rep one, then two is a little harder, then 3 a little harder, then 4 a little harder. I need to have greater control over the weight, over whether I mill make or fail a rep. Speed may suffer a little bit, but I think that overall, learning to simply muscle the weight up in a way is going to help me a lot - it is going to help me make gains, because I will be able to make more reps and my muscles will spend more time under tension, and it is going to help me hit bigger numbers, because instead of stepping under a weight hoping it comes up, I will be able to squat down with is and FORCE it to come up.

Anyways, that is a large part of why I was happy with the squats today: I felt like I had great control over the weight, and even though the reps towards the end were hard I was able to pull myself down and squat the weight up, without resorting to dropping into the bottom as fast as possible and hoping the stretch reflex will be enough to get me through my sticking point. Good day! Might be reallyyyy sore tomorrow but I'm looking forward to messing around with bench, and just like squat trying to find a better balance between speed/efficient technique, and plain raw muscle doing work. Lets keep at it.

Snatch 185

Nice easy day today

Got into the gym, stretched moved around. Did some snatch drills then slowly started working up. Balance is off because it's been so long and my shoulders felt like shit but I managed to snatch up to 185, which is pretty fucking good for not having snatched in literally like 8 months. Gonna go heavy again ina  few weeks and hopefully try and break my pr with a 200 or 205 snatch. Lets keep at it.

Mock Meet 3: 1175 Total

Really fun day. Decided that, instead of just maxing my squat, then my bench, then deadlift next week, I would simply do a mock meet, hit all the lifts today, and that would give me more time to actually train (i.e. do something useful), rather than just testing.

Started with Squats! did a great job caffinating for my squats haha - a big cup of coffee, then an energy drink during the squats and I was feeling great. Hit the bar, 135, 225, and 315 for warmups, and although technique was a little iffy (kept getting a little forward/having trouble hitting my stretch reflex right), I was feeling very strong. Smashed 375 for a single, then jumped to 415 and although it was slow, it was a great rep. I decided to go to 435 and simply didn;t have it today - nothing overtly terrible about the rep, just failed it haha. I think I definitely had some pounds in the tank, probably about 425. Not as strong as I want to be, but hey - that's a 10 lb pr with weight in the tank. Next time, I will have to hit 425 as a second attempt and then see what's left.

Next up, bench. I decided to do paused bench, more or less to 1) doa  lift where I didn't have prior expectations, because I had already "planned" what to hit touch n go, but doign a full meet meant I needed to change my expectations, and 2) to make it more authentic. Warmed up, felt good. Paused the weight a little higher on the chest today. Hit 225, then a REALLY solid rep at 245 for a 5 lb paused pr, then 255 for a 15 lb paused PR. Finally, attempted 260 to try and tie my touch n go PR, but didn;t have it today. I think what I have been doing has been working GREAT for bench, but that perhaps I will add, after my rep-outs on bench, a paused single so I get SLIGHTLY more paused work in, without changing much.

Finally, deadlifts. Wasn't sure what to expect here, since I haven't done any speed or heavy deads in quite a while. But, I took a pre workout - assault, it was great - and got to work. Got the lowr back a little extra warm, pulled 135 for 10 easy reps just to warm up, then got started. Smashed 135, 225, 315, 405 without a belt, then belted up and crushed 455. Loaded 485 and pulled it with ease, although I shifted my knees forward and ended up with quite a bit of "hitching." However, loaded 505, got in the right place in my mind, sniffed some ammonia and pulled that shit - this time, with significantly less "hitching." I'm putting that in quotes, because it is honestly not a true hitch - I'm not doing it because I NEED to to lock the weight out, I simply have a bad habit of shifting my knees under the bar, which essentially looks just like a hitch. I need to be careful with that. However, over all I am super happy with the results of this meet - total is 1175, a 115 lb pr from the start of the summer. In addition, hit all time PR's on every lift - 10 lbs for squat, 15 for paused bench, and 40 for deadlift, and finally broke 500 on deadlift. Here's the video.

So, where to from here? I think I have a great plan laid out. Basically, I'm going to take a couple days to recover and stretch then spend the rest of this week doing some fun olympic lifting stuff. Then, the next two weeks are going to be dedicated to building some work capacity - really high rep stuff with moderate weights, to get my muscles growing, my work capacity up, etc. Then, I have a scheduled "deload" before finals, when I think I am going to do some more olympic lifting. Essentally, the next 3 and a half weeks are just going to be dedicated to building some muscle, work capacity, speed, athleticism, mobility, and just having some fun. Then, I'm going to start another 4 or 5 week cycle of EXACTLY what I have been doing, and hopefully, after this short "building" period, I will be able to get REALLY strong with 4 or so hard weeks of training, which will culminate in me testing a little bit after christmas. This meet was really good, but not perfect, and I'm HOPING that after christmas, I can go 445 or 455, 275, and 525. Lets keep at it.

Deload Bench

Nice and easy bench. Warmed up, then hit the bar and then 3 x 10 bench at 135, followed by 5 paused reps, 5 "singles" and 5 spoto presses at the same weight.

Next, did some light pec flies, sets of 10 working up from 5 lb dumbells.

Finally, 2 sets of 50 - 1 lat pulldowns and 1 wide grip cable rows, followed by some light arm work.

Nothing crazy. Feeling beat up still, but I think my test is on the rise. Need to sleep these next couple nights, as well as make sure to stretch both tonight and tomorrow in preparation for mondays maxes. But I am feeling good. Lets keep at it.

Deload squat

Kept the squats super light today. Still felt like shit haha.

Tok some time getting warm, then hit the bar for a set and threw up 135. Hit it for 9 triples, trying to do them in clusters of 3 sets - longer rest. Didn't feel great, to be honest. Still just a little creaky, and light weight felt heavier than it should have today. Also, form just wasn't on point. I felt like I was getting a bit forward on certain reps - have to be careful to keep that torso upright - and I felt like I was calling some reps early. The issue isn't depth - rather, it's that if I call a rep too early, I'm "reversing" the squat, rather than using a stretch reflex. Yes, I am calling the reps a tiny bit earlier, but it needs to be 99% as low as rock bottom, and certain reps today were like 95% and were slower because of that. But it's okay, just using these squats to keep form in my mind, to get blood flowing and keep my nerves and muscles firing and healing.

After the squats, hit 5 x 2 front squats with a double bounce on the second rep, to just stretch me out and keep form nice.

Finally, did 3 sets of deads. Hit a set of 10 singles, a touch n go set of 10, and then a set of 10 half-dead stop for speed and half touch n go.

Feeling like shit, but on the way towards full recovery and huge PR's! lets keep at it.

Stretching

Good little day today. Slept 10 hours, felt so much better than I did yesterday. Went in, spent some time on the elliptical and then spent a half hour or so stretching, checking depth on my "new" squats (which look almost exactly the same as my old squats), and just moving around. I feel great, so I just wanted to take a minute to talk about programming, training, and where I'm at right now with all of that.

First of all, I want to state that I am undeniably stronger than I have ever been in my life. Obviously, how strong will be tested on monday and tuesday, and if I hit the numbers I think I can hit, I will have made some SERIOUSLY impressive gains. But even if I fall short of those goals, I have literally PR'd over a dozen times on a number of lifts/rep ranges in the past couple weeks. So clearly, what I am doing is working. So, I want to take a minute to talk about what is working, what I should maybe tweak, and where I am headed after these maxes.

Firstly, I would say my gains have been at least as good as when I was doing 5/3/1 or my variation on 5/3/1, and I have been doing significantly less work. I am really only doing 2 hard training sessions a week, and even those ME days are normally one really hard set, followed by much lighter and easier assistance. Then, the other two days are completely dependent on how I feel. Yes, I have gone hard on those days a few times, but only when I really feel good. I have learned how to listen to my body, and less overall "busy work" + more recovery time is really helping my overall gains.

Secondly, stretching is KEY. When I put a lot of emphasis on stretching and mobility, that helps me have better workouts than all the "accessory" work I used to do on wednesdays and saturdays. Leave those days for stretching and some easy conditioning, and that's that.

Thirdly, setting my goals incredibly high has been a great experience. Instead of picking reasonable goals, I am picking goals that I know are possible, but right at the edge of impossible. By doing this, I am pushing myself incredibly hard, and even when I fail I am hitting huge PR's - however, even when I am PRing I know that I could have done more, and that keeps me driving, hard.

One thing I think I need to do a better job of is having more volume on those heavy and intense sets. The way to do this is twofold: first of all, keep setting my goals incredibly high, but take the weight back a little bit. For example, this cycle my goals were 335 x 10, 365 x 6, and 395 x 3. I think It would have been better to pick slightly lighter weights (at least for the last week), and set my rep goals higher, so that when I did fall short I was still getting more heavy volume in. I hit 8-5-2, and then a bonus 1, so call that a total of 16 "building" reps this cycle. If I had done maybe 325-355-385, I could have set my goals at 12-8-5 and then even if I fell short, hit say 10-6-3, which would have been a total of 3 more "building"reps. I think that when I drop to 2-1 reps, like I did this last week, I am testing more than building, so I should keep the weights a little lighter next time. The second way to increase volume is simply to breathe more under the weight. These were a couple sets (335 and 395 for sure, and maybe even 365) where I think, if I had taken a little more time between reps, I might have been able to squeeze out another rep. Even if I could only do that for 1 or 2 reps a cycle, that still increases my volume significantly. I need to be losing my mind before each set, but not to the point that I rush through the set and tire myself out. I need to be at the same time insane and precise, hitting a rep and taking a moment to regroup and ensure that the next rep is going to be exactly like the rep before it.

Finally: I have been gaining weight really fast and easy this semester, which is great. But I think it would be a good idea ot slow it down a little. I'm not going to "diet" by any means, because I still want to be gaining weight till I am weighing 245 in the mornings (right now I'm maybe 235+ some change), but I have all year to do that. So I think I am going to try and cut some of the extra sugars out, and ESPECIALLY start trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. That has always been a weak point of mine, but I think I need the micronutrients and the fiber a lot.

So anyways, some observations and thoughts. Feeling great, excited to see what I can do next week. Lets keep at it.

Bench 255 x 2 x 1.

Tough day today. Just wasn't feeling great, didn't perform great, and I felt like shit afterwards lol. No winning today.

Started with bench. Got nice and warm, got the shoulders warm, and tried to get my head on straight. Hit the bar, and 95, but by the time I hit 135 I realized I just wasn't feeling that great. tried to smash 185 and 225, but even though 225 went up easy, the stability was shit - I pressed it so wonkily that I hit the goddamn hooks on the way back. Loaded up 255, tried to get crazy and get tighter on this set. Hit a really solid single, although it was still a little wonky, then went for the second rep of what I WANTED to be a triple, and failed. I was pretty fuckin pissed, so I took about 2 minutes to be full of hate then went right back and hit it for another hard, but solid single. All things considered, I guess it wasn't a horrible workout. If I had doubled 255, it would have been a 10 lb pr double, and if I had tripled it it would have been a 20 lb PR. Considering I wasn't feeling great, and how horrible I felt after (i.e. clear sign that I need some rest), I'm not too unhappy about it, but I wish I had a better workout.

Dropped back to 155 after and hit it for max reps cgfubp. Hit 23, which is a 4-rep PR but alsoa couple reps less than I wanted.

Hit a lot of pulling after. I haven't been SLACKING, per se, but also haven't been doing the high-rep cable rows that I know work. But today, I hit 4 x 25 with a close grip for 2 sets and a rope for the second two.

Finally, did 3 sets of bar starzzz.

Felt like absolute shit after. Elbows hurt, shoulders hurt, felt exhausted. But hey, now I essentially get 5 days to recover, eat, sleep, get over this sickness, and get as close to 100% for next monday and tuesday. Sure yesterday wasn't a perfect workout, and today was pretty rough. But all that means is I am stopping at exactly the right time. Al I need now is to be FOCUSED on recovery, and I think if I do that right I will DEFINITELY be PRing next week, hopefully SMASHING my goals of 435 and 275. It seems lofty based on the last two workouts, but these workouts were done overtrained, under recovered, and while I'm sick. Imagine how strong I can be at 100% when I am PRing now.

As a side note, I think that setting my goals as high as I have been is a GREAT idea. However, I think I need to set my weights a little lower, so that even when I fall short of my goals I am still hitting 3-4 reps at the lowest, instead of the 1-2 I hit these last couple days. Lets keep at it.

Squat 395 x 2, 405 x 1

Good day today. Not exact;y what I wanted, but good day all the same.

Started with squat. Felt pretty damn good warming up - I wasn't very tight, felt pretty limber and great after warming up. Started getting real riled up in my head. Smashed the bar x 10, 135 x 5. 225 x 3 I got way forward on one rep, but then smashed 315 x 1. Went to 365, belted up, and hit a really terrible rep - it was so far forward than I had to dump it. "Luckily," it was SUCH a bad rep that I didn't waste much energy trying to save it, so after racking it again and waiting maybe 2 mins I smashed that weight. Still, should NOT have failed it in the first place. Next, loaded up 395, tried to lose my mind completely, and hit a really great double but failed the third rep. I felt like I should have had it, though, so I decided to actually go up to 405, and with some focus I nailed 405 for a single - not easy, but definitely easier than the last time I squatted 405, which is saying something considering I hit a double at like 98% beforehand. I would have preferred that I made that triple, but overall it was still a very good workout. I just know I should have gotten that 3rd rep. I didn;t feel like I was out of position, or too slow or anything, I just didn't have it today. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I squatted the first two pretty fast, and if I had rested a little more between 1 and 2 2 would have been faster, and 3 would have gone up. Or, maybe I just needed to push harder mid rep. But there are other factors as well - I drank 3 nights this weekend, I only stretched sunday, not saturday, I max front squatted and max pause benched at the end of last week, and I have the nastiest sinus/chest cold right now. So the bottom line is, I hit some pretty great squats today all things considered, but I know I can be even stronger than I was today. I really need to emphasize recovery for this next week - excluding tomorrow, I need to be moving only light light weight, stretching, sleeping, eating right, getting over this cold. If I can do all those things and go in to monday at as close to 100% as possible, I think I can squat 435. Even if I don't, I am UNDENIABLY stronger. But I want that 435 squat.

After squatting, hit 165 for a set of 10 dl, then 245 for 3 sets of 10, touch and go. Kept the reps really controlled, keeping the back tight, squeezing the butt. Just trying to get a lot of time under tension.

So, that's that. I know I am stronger. Now the only question is how much stronger, and how well will I express that strength next monday. Need to stretch hard wednesday, saturday and sunday, as well as focus on getting over this cold, and not be out late much this weekend. I think I am only going to move 225 thursday, no more. I just need a little bit of technique and speed work, and recovery is FAR more important at this point. Things to consider for monday: do I want to take a pre workout? I am leaning towards yes. With the exception of that horrible 365 squat today, lately being crazier has simply meant the weight feels lighter and I smash it, which I think will be important for a max. Today, I had to really focus in order to get that adrenaline response, and I think taking a pre workout will simply take some of the thought out of it and just let me let go better. Also, I have to decide on jumps. So far, my options are: 365, 405, 425, 435 OR 365, 395, 425, 435, OR 315, 375, 415, 435. All have their own benefits. However, right now I'm leaning towards the last one. If I recover properly, I am going to be able to smash a jump from 315 to 375. Then, I get to hit a new PR (415), as well as take an attempt at 435 where I will hopefully have enough energy to still get it, if I am strong enough to get it. If I squat 425 first, that would be great but it might also mean I won;t have enough juice to get 435. I know I am stronger, so why not ensure a PR, then attempt the weight I really want, rather than attempting a halfway weight that I am 1) more likely to fail and 2) less likely to get the weight  I ACTUALLY want (435) even if I do succeed, Anyways, I have some stuff to think about it. But the name of the game is recovery. Lets keep at it.

Bench 185 x 5 x 10, 240 x 1 paused

Really good day last Friday. Got a whole crew together to train, and the energy in the gym was great. 

Started with rep bench. I decided I hit 5 sets of 10 at 185 that day. I thought it would be pretty tough, but it wasn't at all. No problem on any reps or sets, an I paused the final rep of each set too. 

After finishing the high rep stuff, I decided to try and work up to a heavy single paused bench - simply to try and take advantage of the great energy in the gym. Unfortunately, it pretty much felt like shit haha. Weight felt heavy as fuck. However, I still managed to hit 225 for 2 singles, then jump to 240 and smash it, which is a pr paused single. It was easy too - I think, on a day when I feel better and I haven't done 50 + reps beforehand, I'm gonna pr hard. 

After that, mostly just bullshitted. Did some back stuff, some curls, grip stuff, etc. Anyways, good workout, had a lot of fun. Lets keep at it. 

Front squat 325, 335.

Really good day yesterday.

Started with speed squats. Focus was one moving the weight fast and aggressive, and trying to find that PERFECT turnaround point where I sink deep and catch a stretch reflex, but before I sink too low and loosen up or get out of position. I didn't hit it every time, but I think I am getting better at it. Hit the bar x 10, 95 x 8, 135 x 8, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 2 and then 315 x 2. It was a very solid and fast double. Then, dropped back to 225 and did 3 doubles, with a paused/doublebounce second rep. Felt great.

Rested up, then front squatted to a heavy single! Hit 135 x 4, 185 x 3, and 225 x 2, all with a paused last rep. Went to 275 and hit it for an easy beltless single, so I decided to just go straight to a PR - 325. I nailed it, despite some back rounding it was easy. So, I jumped up to 335! Hit that too - ton of rounding in the back and I came to a full stop for a split second haha but I got it! Really happy with that PR, couldn't have asked for much more than 335.

Finally, 3 x 12 RDL from a deficit with 135.

So, really good day. Big PR. Lets keep at it.

Bench 235 x 4, 135 x 33

Two Pr's today, although I didn't get my 5 reps at 135 it was still a very good day.

Hate Demon

I did a good job recovering last night, and actually felt pretty decent today as I started benching. Back was real tight but other than that everything was okay. Warmed up really well, got the lats firing, and aside from that basically focused on my mental state. Yesterday and today, instead of "psyching up" for a lift by just listening to music, I really focused on visualization - thinking hard about terrible things, things I am afraid of, things I hate, and taking power from that, imagining that each time I went up to the bar I had the power to defeat those demons. And this visualization, both yesterday and today, made a huge difference. Never before have I harnessed that kind of adrenaline while benching and squatting. Furthermore, never before has my technique been so good that I could release myself like that and still smash reps.

Anyways, hit the bar, 95, 135, 185 x 5, then smashed 215 for a single and loaded up 235. I hit it HARD, and smashed a set of 4 with so much ease that I surprised myself haha. After rep 4, I took a second to try and compose myself, to tighten the lats and try and make sure I got the 5th rep - and I think this was my downfall. I think I simply hesitated a little tiny bit, wasn't quite as fast down because I was over-thinking. I hit my normal sticking point and, although for a SECOND I thought I was going to fight through, I failed rep 5. I was pretty angry, because based on rep 4 I should NOT have failed rep 5. However, I know that next time I need to simply be as tight as possible from the beginning, and in the middle of the set focus on nothing except SPEED. And, 4 reps is a Pr so that's nothing to be too angry about. Furthermore, maybe 2 mins after failing that rep, I jumped under the bar and smashed a paused single at 235. It was cake, which is a very good sign for me.

Next, dropped to 135 and hit it for a max set of close grip, feet up bench. After my rage at failing that rep at 235, I decided to shoot for an ALL TIME pr at 135 - despite the fact that I was doing CGFUBP instead of normal. And I got it! 33 reps is a new PR, which is awesome. I will definitely have to hit 135 normal again soon, I have a feeling I could get 40+ soon enough.

Next, did 2 sets of 25 close-grip cable rows, supersetted with 2 sets of 25 wide-grip lat pulldowns. Got a lot of blood in my back, and got my shoulders feeling good.

Finally, couldn't do bar starz so I did some deadlift holds instead to work the grip. Held 205 double overhand first, then 285 double overhand to failure, then 285 mixed grip.

So, overall a really good day. Definitely feeling beat up though. Back is sore as hell, legs are crampy, knees and elbows are hurting. But that's okay, this is the week to kick my ass. Then, next monday and tuesday I'll hammer the main lifts, but back of the assistance a bit, and then just recovery central until max days next week. Gotta eat and sleep a lot the next couple days, with a reallllll good stretching session tomorrow, because I really wanna smash a big front squat PR thursday, and hopefully have a really solid, hard, and fun workout friday because I'm getting all my friends together to train with. Should be a good time. Lets keep focus on recovery, and lets keep at it.